Chapter 9
The icy silver flames hurtled toward Colt at terrifying speed. His eyes widened, and he dove to the side, landing hard on his shoulder.
“Pull back,” Saoirse commanded, taking hold of my arms from behind.
“How?” I yelled.
“You control the stream. Just remember that. Close your eyes and shut it down.”
I took one last look at Colt, who had rolled to his back, and then clamped my eyes closed. The power within felt wild and ferocious.
Please stop.
I tried to pull back, but nothing happened.
Don’t do this to me. Please.
The power faltered for a moment, and I tugged again.
It snapped back, sending me colliding back into Saoirse. She caught me with an oomph. “Well, that’s one way to do it.”
I pulled out of her hold and ran toward Colt as he sat up. “I’m so sorry—I didn’t mean to—”
“I’m fine,” Colt said, but he winced as he got to his feet. He glanced at Dash. “Think you’re going to have to put my shoulder back in place.”
I paled as I took in Colt’s arm hanging limply at his side. “I dislocated your shoulder?”
Dash sent me a reassuring grin. “He’s had way worse than this. Don’t worry.”
Nausea swept through me as I watched Dash grab hold of Colt’s arm. In one swift move, he yanked. Colt cursed.
“That should do it,” Dash said. “Just take it easy for the rest of the day.”
My stomach pitched. “I’m going to be sick.”
I ran for the house, barely making it to the downstairs bathroom before I was heaving up the meager contents of my stomach. I’d hurt Colt. Could’ve killed him.
My body shook as I threw up again and again. Hands pulled the hair away from my face and held it while another rubbed my back.
“Easy,” Declan crooned. “Everything’s okay.”
But it wasn’t. It was so far from okay it wasn’t even funny.
My stomach revolted over and over, even after there was nothing left to empty.
“Firecracker.” Ronan squeezed the back of my neck. “It’s done.”
I tried to breathe through it, to get myself under control. But it took another few minutes. Finally, I sat back on my heels, struggling to catch my breath.
Declan and Ronan looked down at me with worry in their eyes.
“Sorry,” I croaked.
“I’m going to get some ginger ale,” Declan said as he straightened.
Ronan bent. “Come on, let’s get you up.”
“I stink,” I mumbled.
“Don’t give a fuck, Firecracker. I’m taking care of you.”
Something about that had tears filling my eyes.
“Hey,” he whispered, brushing the tears from my cheeks. “What’s this about?”
“Everything,” I hiccupped.
Ronan wrapped me in his arms, holding me tight and rocking me back and forth. “I know it’s a lot, but you’re doing great.”
The tears just came faster. “I almost killed Colt!”
“You did not. He hit his shoulder. That’s it.”
“It came out of the freaking socket.”
Ronan released me so that he could take hold of my shoulders and force me to meet his gaze. “All of us have had surges in power that have ended badly. It’s normal.”
“What if I really hurt someone?” I whispered.
He brushed the hair away from my face. “We’re going to be here to make sure that you don’t.”
But I wasn’t sure that would be enough.
I stared down at my hands. “I hate that I have the power to injure someone.”
“But you also have the power to protect yourself and those you love,” Declan said, striding back into the bathroom.
He offered me a soda, but I scrunched up my nose. “I need to rinse out my mouth.”
Ronan turned me toward the sink and crouched. Opening the cabinet, he pulled out a bottle of mouthwash and a toothbrush. “We’ve got everything stocked.”
I made quick work of brushing my teeth and using the mouthwash. But the buzz of shock still ran through my body.
“Leighton,” Declan said softly.
My eyes burned at the gentleness in his tone.
He rubbed a hand up and down my back.
“You shouldn’t touch me,” I croaked. “I could hurt you.”
Was this how Trace felt? I had a whole new empathy for him now.
Declan simply wrapped his arms around me. “Never going to stop touching you.”
I leaned back into his chest, taking in our reflection in the mirror. “What if I can’t do this? What if I never get control?”
Ronan moved in closer at our sides. “This is day one. The only way you fail is if you give up. And I didn’t take you for a quitter.”
“Ronan,” Declan chastised.
“I didn’t. Not the girl who has been through hell and came out the other side. The girl who came back from the fucking dead. Not the girl I love.”
My nose stung. “I’m not quitting.”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you,” Ronan challenged.
“I’m not quitting,” I said a little louder.
“That was just pathetic,” he scoffed.
I stuck my tongue out at him. “I’m not fucking quitting.”
“A little better.”
Declan chuckled and pressed a kiss to the side of my neck. “You ready to head back out there?”
I took a shaky breath and stared at the two brothers in the mirror. I would keep fighting. For them. For all of us. “I’m ready.”
I just hoped I didn’t kill someone in the process.