Helios Oracles

Chapter 8: Piers

The flames don't want to let me go and the moment I step into them I realize my mistake. What was I thinking, after feeling them rise to greet me at the mere mention of them? I fall into the fire as I try to ride it to the surface, the pull of the flickering warmth engulfing me in need.

The first instant I realize my mistake, I'm gasping for breath, panic taking over. Until I am devoured by the welcome of the fire, its love and desire for me so pure my anxious reaction dies in a burst of flame. I sink into it, embracing it, loving the feeling of it l*****g around my body, heating my core. It's only the faintest image of his face that pulls me out again before I'm lost to the blaze.

I stagger out of the fire into the cool air-relatively speaking-of a Los Angeles alleyway. Disorientation shakes me from head to toe, bending me in half where I gasp for air through my open mouth, nauseated but oddly aroused by the still-present pull of the fire.

Even through my loss of focus, I can feel him and know he's nearby and feel relief I've found him so soon. I look up, straightening slowly, dark hair sliding over my face as I watch him approach with slow, careful steps. My shoulders press to the concrete wall behind me, hands flat against the surface as though to hold me up, while Piers comes to a halt a few feet from me, frowning despite his small smile.

I want to run to him, to hug him, but he's still so careful around me and I worry making the first move will rush us into something I just can't handle right now.

"Zoe Helios," he says and my heart embraces his voice, the smoky warmth of it, the way it counters the coolness of his white-blonde hair and pale skin, the clear gray of his eyes. He might look like an ice prince on the outside, but a fire burns inside him. "Told you I'd see you soon."

I draw a final steadying breath and exhale deeply. "Sorry I had to go yesterday," I say. "My grandmother was calling."

"I figured," he says, frown softening, smile growing. He looks me up and down, though not in a creepy way. "Are you all right?" Did he witness my exodus? Not that he hasn't seen me travel on the flame before. The fire must have released me in his presence since it was his face that saved me from the draw of heat. Still, I'm usually much more careful.

"I'm fine." I slip my lighter into my pocket, now wondering how I'm going to get home.

If the flames are betraying me now... fear ripples through me. What if this devouring energy comes from Gaia herself? From my doubt? Is this some means she has to punish those who move against her gifts? Panic like I've never felt drives stakes of fear through me, and I stagger back against the wall again, a wash of tears escaping before I can stop them.

Piers lunges for me, catches me in his hands, holds me up as my knees crumple. Why did I never consider this possibility? I've been so arrogant, pushing the boundaries of my gifts, doubting everything I've been taught. If I'm wrong, I deserve to be consumed.

"Zoe, it's all right." He holds me against his chest, partially inside his floor-length coat. I feel the heat of his body through his thin dress shirt, the lean muscles pressing to me and I hug him on impulse, just wanting something normal to cling to. Though, he's far from normal. His darkness pools at his feet, more powerful than any sorcery I've ever felt.

"Sorry," I whisper into his chest, pulling away after a moment. While I've longed for this kind of contact, it feels weak to lean on him. No matter the visions I've had of the two of us together, the emotions I feel for him, they aren't real. At least, not yet. And maybe never if I've destroyed my true connection to my Goddess through doubt and distrust.

"Any time." He lets me go without a fight, though he remains where he is. Kayden's close proximity only a short time ago felt nothing like this. I'm not threatened by Piers, never have been. In fact, I have a powerful urge to reach up and grasp Piers around the neck, to pull his lips down to mine and enact one of the powerful foreseeings I've experienced right here and now. Instead, I run a shaking hand over my mouth and do my best to still the fear in my heart. "Want to talk about it?

"I can't." Why do I still resist him so much? We've been sharing these stolen moments for two years, and yet I haven't been able to bring myself to betray my family, to tell him anything no matter how I feel about him. He's been good enough not to ask in the past, beyond soft offers like this one. He has far more patience than I do. "I'm sorry."

Piers shakes his head, frown returning, hands held up to ward off my words. "You know I'm here for you if you need anything," he says. "No strings attached. I always have been, Zoe."

Can I believe him? My heart begs me to, but my new fear I've somehow damaged my connection to my Goddess is at war now with the resolve I felt talking with the twins and Ash.

"Why?" It's not fair of me to challenge his kindness. He's been good to me, gentle and friendly. And though I know it has to be driving him mad, not knowing who and what I really am, he's never shown me anything but sweet patience. I guess I'm just in a confrontational mood after everything I've been through the last day and a half. And I'm taking it out on the one person who has never judged or pushed me. "Why do you care?"

Piers shrugs, smiles one of his long, sultry grins, gray eyes sparkling. "You're a mystery to me," he says. "I like that, I suppose."

He likes not knowing? I catch myself laughing, just a short burst of it, feeling slightly hysterical.

"I'm no stranger to women of power," he says, leaning against the wall, looking down at me with his hands back in his pockets, the epitome of non-threatening though he has no idea the scent of him alone is distraction beyond measure. "But they are open books, for the most part. I understand them, their motivations. Why they do what they do. You, Zoe Helios, on the other hand..." He winks slowly. "You are another matter entirely. And though I wish I could convince you to trust me, I'm rather enjoying our time together, as brief as it is."

"So am I." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them-

-his lips are soft, but eager, his hands hot on your skin as he slips his long, lean body over yours, the fire of his spirit linking to you-

Piers is holding my arm again as I lurch from the vision. I can't help the creeping blush heating my cheeks, though I miss his touch when he releases me. Does he guess what I saw just then? He is aware I'm an Oracle, after all, though in the dark as to how my power works. If so, he doesn't comment, simply waits for me to pull myself together.

I hug my ribs with both hands, heart pounding, before nodding to him. "Sorry," I say. "You were saying?"

If he was speaking, I missed it, but he seems willing to go on. "This might not be the best place to talk." He looks around, hands slipping back into the pockets of his longcoat. I shrug, now chilled as sometimes happens after a vision takes me. "Feel like a little sand and surf?"

A black tunnel forms beside him and I smile, body relaxing. It's our favorite thing to do, aside from walking the streets together. And we have our own personal quiet stretch of beach we found a few months ago.

Piers holds out one hand to me. "After you, Zoe."

The moment I pass through the black, the fire in me wakes, pushing back the sucking drain on my power. My own sorcery forms black flames and holds ground for the three heartbeats it takes to exit the other side. There is no pressure to remain in the fire, and the experience actually cools the need of the flame inside me. Piers stares at me as we step out onto an empty stretch of beach, the surf pounding against the sand and the cry of seabirds making me sad for some reason.

"Something's different." He shakes his head. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I'm not cold anymore. If anything, I'm too warm, the sun overhead beating down on the two of us, the simmering fire inside me adding to the heat. I shrug out of my sweater, tank-top much better suited to our location. "Better now."

Piers shakes his head, blond hair swinging around his shoulders. It's so long and looks like strands of colorless silk. I wonder how it will feel against my bare skin and have to throw sorcery at the flames to keep a vision from rising.

"I've never felt anything like your magic before," he says, taking a step away from me, looking poised and aristocratic against the backdrop of the ocean. "You have access to the fire elemental power, but it's somehow tied directly to your sorcery, not outside it." He looks at me like I'm a puzzle he'd like to decipher before grinning. "Sorry," he says. "I told you I like a mystery."

I'm half tempted to explain, the words rising to my lips. Wouldn't he love to know that unlike other magic users, our power is fed directly through our sorcery, not detached as other races. But before I can answer, a distant expression comes over his face, and I can only guess his mind is far away. After only a moment, he relaxes and smiles at me, though he looks oddly sad.

"I have to go." Piers offers one hand and I take it, though I don't expect him to bend over it and kiss the back. Just the brush of his lips on my skin is almost too much and I'm fighting the visions again. He watches with careful eyes, but doesn't ask me what's wrong, thankfully. I have no desire to tell him of the things I've seen the two of us do. At least not until I'm ready to do something about it.

I have to trust the visions know perfect timing.

"I don't want to leave you." He releases my hand despite his words. "It gets harder and harder every time, Zoe, no matter how few moments we spend together."

I shrug, lick my lips. "I know," I say, surprised when my lips keep moving. "One of these days, we need to do something about that." Did I really just proposition him so blatantly? Piers's grin tells me he's happy about it. And I am, too, Gaia forgive me. I want to know him, really know him, not just through the sexualized prequels of my visions.

"I'll meet you here," he says. "From now on. Just come to this spot and call my name with your very unusual power." Piers takes a step back, another, a tunnel of black forming behind him. "Consider me yours, Zoe Helios." And then, he's gone.

I'm tingling all over from the meeting, from fighting the visions and sink to the sand to fall into them-

-his lips burn on yours, his power engulfing you, n***d skin hot against your flesh, long hair winding around your quivering body as you both moan your need into the night-

I emerge a short time later, blushing furiously, but eager to see him again, for real, in the flesh.

I might burn in a hell of my own making, but the visions I've seen tell me he, at least, is my destiny and I won't fight Gaia on that truth.

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