and Ares… Sometimes yours is just freaky, even for us. So, I’ll do it.”
Ollie braces his hand on my thigh as he pushes up to stand. He walks around the table Ares is perched on, stopping once he’s about halfway to the TV hanging on the far wall. He rolls his shoulders a few times then turns to face us. His hands are hanging loosely by his sides as he blows out a deep breath. “All right, let’s start with something small.” Ollie widens his stance and brings his hands up with his palms facing the ceiling. In the blink of an eye his hands are engulfed in flames.
“Holy shit,” Milo barks jumping up from the couch. He takes a few steps toward Ollie before shielding his face with his forearm. “Ollie shut it down, you’re going to burn the house down.”
Dante stands slowly disbelief etched in his face.
Ollie’s eyes widen, his mouth falls open in shock. Shaking, he closes his fists, the flames don’t all die, but the heat rolling off of him dissipates. “I… I haven’t tried using my abilities since yesterday.” He is still staring down at his clenched fists. “I was going for a small candle flame in each hand.” His eyes lift to me.
I pull my feet up on the cushion beneath me, pushing myself up to climb over the back of the sofa. My heart pounds in my chest in a quick rhythm. Ollie looks at Dante before making a dash for the stairs. The door slams shut seconds later.
“Well that was certainly a show,” Ares deadpans. He’s the only one who doesn’t seem worried about Ollie or what just happened to him. “I think your animal might have been a better option Dante…” He pauses, turning to look at me with narrowed eyes. “Or maybe not, who knows what effect she might have on you.”
“That had nothing to do with me.” My vision wavers like asphalt on a hot summer day and my legs feel like jello. My breath is coming in short gasping pants. Milo runs past me, Dante quick on his heels, both following Ollie out the door. Ares is still staring at me as he stands. He prowls toward me with graceful steps. Weakness invades my muscles before I begin to collapse and Ares catches me before I hit the ground.
My eyes blink open to find him gazing down at me. He brings his hand up to my neck, placing his palm over my throat as his fingers wrap around my neck. The tingles invade my skin, forcing me to gasp. His pupils grow, covering all the color of his eyes even further, turning the whites of his eyes black. I jerk back, frightened at the sight. His lids close, slowly covering the strangeness.
“Please don’t be frightened of me,” he whispers hoarsely, while his eyes squint tightly. A soothing throb pulses from his hand, calming me immediately. Awareness of being held in his arms makes heat rise in my cheeks.
“Milo is with… Oliver,” Dante stutters coming up the stairs. I stiffen, half in Ares’s lap. “What happened?” he steps closer, kneeling next to his brother. I scramble from the floor, dislodging Ares’s arms. Brushing my hands down my shirt over my hips, I try to calm my thoughts. My brain is trying hard to reconcile what I think I just saw, to what my mind knows is possible. People can’t control fire, make it appear from nowhere, eyes don’t go black. I can’t explain any of it. But I can’t pretend I didn’t see any of it with my own eyes either. They think I’m somehow connected to them, that I have some ability? What will they do when they realize nothing could be further from the truth? I’m not special, in any way.
“Is Ollie okay?” I question, surprising myself. The two brothers rise. Standing next to each other as they are, it’s easy to see the familial resemblance. Dante is lighter, his hair, his features, even his demeanor are somehow lighter than his brothers. I turn, making my way over to the open space of the kitchen. I need to put some distance between us.
“He’ll be okay, he’s more worried he scared you than anything else,” Dante finally answers.
“It’s getting late.” I glance at one of the windows, noting the orange hue of the sky. It’s not like I really need to be at home, but I’m not sure my brain could handle another revelation at this point.