Smolder by Abigail Livinghouse (best young adult book series TXT) 📕

"Siren." He whispered. His voice was strong but reserved, like he was afraid if he said something wrong I would run screaming.

My face broke out in a huge smile and I couldn't help it, I rushed forward and hugged Dimitri despite that he was still infected. He gasped, but I could feel his arms wrapping around me seconds later. Warmth flooded my stomach and filled my whole body. It wasn't my fire, it was something even better.

Maddie giggled, holding her hands behind her back and bouncing on her heels.

"Sirenia", Felix pressed from the doorway. "Hate to be a bother, but Madrassa needs to heal Mr. Veksler. He's due for his medicine."

I sighed, pulling away. I knew that Dimitri needed constant care for the next one to two days, but that didn't mean I wanted to be away from him.

Maddie gently touched my arm, and I looked down at her. She was so small, it was hard to believe she held so much power. She barely came up to my waist. She smiled, a baby tooth missing from her bottom row of teeth.

"You can stay if you want. I don't mind an audience."

I looked at Felix for confirmation and he nodded, sitting down in a patched chair. I mimicked him, crossing my legs and taking my thumbnail into my mouth. I watched Maddie hold Dimitri's hand, still smiling. A small glow radiated from their interlocked hands, and I gasped.

Felix reached forward and removed my nail from my mouth. "Relax, Sirenia. He'll be fine. Madrassa knows what she's doing."

Within seconds of Maddie's touch, Dimitri's eyes fell shut and his breathing became rhythmic. The glow between their hands faded, and Maddie released him. My stomach twisted and I looked at Felix in alarm, who was smiling reassuringly at me.

"It's alright. She knows what she's doing."

I turned back to Maddie and Dimitri, who I saw was breathing with his mouth open and Maddie was suppressing a giggle.

"He's funny when he sleeps, you know?" She addressed me, still watching Dimitri.

I frowned. "What?"

"He's funny. When he sleeps. He talks." Maddie pressed a finger to her lips for quiet. "We should hear him soon."

For a few minutes the only sound in the room was Dimitri's even breathing, which soothed me in a way that I knew he was going to be okay, and it was nice to have quiet for once. In our current world, that's such a rare thing. But the silence was broken when Dimitri sputtered out a cough and a little whimper. I jerked forward reflexively, but Maddie held up a hand and Felix gripped my arm to keep me back.

"Calm, Sirenia. Calm. He's fine, just dreaming." Felix consoled me.

I relaxed my body slightly, however the tension in my shoulders refused to go away. Dimitri jumped in the bed and my hands itched with flames. I wanted to do something to help him so badly, but I knew I wouldn't be able to break free from Felix. And it's best to listen to two beings who possess powers beyond your comprehension rather than disobey them.

Maddie's brown eyes widened and she gasped, staring in awe at my fire covered hands. "Wow . . ."

"Sirenia." Felix warned. I sighed, my flames simmering before going out.

"Sorry." I snapped, my eyes glued to Dimitri who's lips were moving but no sound was coming out.

"Siren . . ." Dimitri finally whispered so quietly that I leaned forward as far as I could go to hear. "Baby . . ."

I scowled, and Felix's hands disappeared from my arm. I walked slowly to stand next to Maddie at Dimitri's bedside, carefully watching as his breathing got faster and faster. I reached out to touch his arm but he jerked suddenly. Dimitri grabbed my wrist and held on as if I was his life preserver. I sucked in a surprised breath, turning to look at Felix. He shrugged, nodding for me to look back at Dimitri. I did, and saw that he was moving his lips again.

I leaned down, my ear so close to his mouth that if he jumped again he would bite it. I could barely catch what he was saying, but when I did, my stomach began turning in little summersaults.

"Siren . . . baby please don't go. Don't . . . leave me."

By now Maddie's smile was so big it looked like it could split her face in two. Felix was restraining a smile but couldn't help the slight curve of his lips. I, on the other hand, could feel my face burning and my fire tickling my fingertips. I straightened up and Maddie, with a small hand on my back, guided me outside of the hospital room with Felix and closed the door behind us.

"Someone's in love." She said.

Dimitri was back on his feet as promised two days later. I was convinced Maddie-in all her seven year old glory-was a miracle worker. I still hadn't heard anything about Dimitri's family, whether they were interested in him or not. For the time being, we had been relocated from the hospital into an apartment where Felix housed all of his Prophets. I would finally be able to meet them.

"There are about ten total-so far. Including yourself, Mr. Veksler, and Madrassa." Felix said as we climbed the stairs to the first floor.

The actual ground floor was once a lobby which was now used for extra storage. There were vanities, suitcases, wardrobes, all littered around the small reception area. Yet strangely everything seemed to belong there. It was cluttered, but neatly stacked in corners and blocking some exits. I turned to Felix to ask about the makeshift barricades, however it was Dimitri who explained.

"Some of them have been through a lot. They don't trust easily."

I nodded. I could understand that, and more than anything respect it.

"Yeah", a voice said to my left.

I turned, searching for the owner of the voice, and saw a small boy about Maddie's size keeping pace with us on the stairwell.  He had black hair like her, and dark brown eyes. His facial features were very similar too.

"Ah! Matthew!" Felix said in delight, addressing the little boy without even looking at him.

I had stopped climbing the stairs, Felix kept going, but Matthew, Maddie, and Dimitri paused with me. Maddie smiled and hugged the little boy.

"Maddie's twin." Dimitri told me.

"Come to meet Sirenia, Matthew? Well too bad I got to her first!" Maddie taunted, reaching out and hugging my arm to her chest. I pursed my lips, suppressing a smile. I looked helplessly at Dimitri who shrugged, grinning in amusement.

Matthew's face scrunched up, and he glared at his sister. "Why does it matter who got to her first? She's not something you can claim, Madrassa."

Maddie's lip curled and she opened her mouth to say something when Felix's voice echoed from the staircase. "Hurry along children. There'll be plenty of time for bickering later."

We all scampered up the stairs until we were gasping next to Felix at the landing. He looked at us and smirked. "Learn to keep up."

Maddie and Matthew walked in perfect synchronization, side by side, every step matching the other's. In a way it freaked me out a little. I know, out of all the things in a post-apocalyptic world, two twins who walk in tune with each other is the thing that freaks me out.

We stopped at the first room, where Felix tapped once on the door and it opened right away. The oddest girl I had ever seen post apocalypse stood in the doorway. My jaw literally dropped. She had pink hair straight down to her elbows, and huge blue eyes outlined in pink eyeliner and pink eye shadow. She was so pale, wearing a black dress, making her skin nearly glow, but she wore no shoes. She smiled at Felix.

"Felix, to what do I owe the honor?" She giggled a little at the end of her sentence, showing that she was joking, and I picked my jaw back up.

"Aurora, how wonderful it is to see you." Felix hugged the girl, Aurora, and she nodded.

"Likewise. I see you've brought a new friend." She said, grinning at me.

"Sire-"

"Siren." I cut Felix off before he could give her my full name. "You can call me Siren."

"Ahh", she winked at me and put her hands on her hips, pouting at Felix. "I see no reason why you are so dead set on calling all of us by our full names. If Maddie likes to be called Maddie, why not call her Maddie?! And Siren!" Aurora wondered, exasperated.

I smiled, and felt Dimitri grab my hand. My stomach did a leap, and I looked at him in shock. He grinned warmly at me. He had done it on purpose, and I wasn't just imagining it. When I turned away the warm feeling in my stomach was back, I could feel my palms and face heat up as I smiled. My face with embarrassment, and my hands with excited flames. I fought to keep them at bay, but struggled just a bit. It was hard to keep my fire in check when my emotions were bouncing all over the place in happiness.

"Won't you come in?" Aurora asked, opening the door wider and gesturing with her arm, seemingly oblivious to mine and Dimitri's little exchange.  

"Actually we're on a tour for Sirenia. She's moving in, and she hasn't met any of the Prophets yet." Felix said, his hands clasped in front of him.

Aurora placed a hand on her chest, her eyebrows raised. "And I'm the first she's meeting?"

"No!" Maddie suddenly interjected from behind us. Aurora looked and watched Maddie with obvious amusement. "I was!"

"I was second!" Matthew defended himself. Maddie glowered at her brother but Aurora laughed.

"Of course, of course! Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Siren." She said with sincerity.

"You too."

Aurora waved at us as we walked away, and I heard her door close behind us. I was curious what abilities Matthew and Aurora possessed as we walked down to the next door, at the very end of the hall.

"When we're done with the tour, I will tell you." Felix answered my thoughts.

"I told you to stop that." I snapped in irritation. He ignored me as usual.

"I didn't know hair dye even existed anymore." I muttered to Dimitri, referring to Aurora.

"It doesn't."

I rose one of my eyebrows in question, but we had already arrived at the next door. I suppose my questions would have to wait until later.

This time when Felix knocked no one answered. A few beats later, he knocked again with no response.

"It's just us, Lilith. You don't have to worry."

At the sound of Felix's voice the door swung open and a girl came bursting out of the apartment. She threw her arms around him, her body shaking as if she was cold. "Oh god, Felix I was so worried."

He rubbed the girl's back, calmly speaking to her. "No need to worry."

Lilith gasped and shook her head, but Felix gently pushed her back so that we could see her face. My whole body went cold at the sight of her. Her thick hair hung in beautiful curls to her shoulders, pure white. Her