Flamethroat (26 page)

‘
You
’
ve driven her away,
’
said Jack, pointing a finger at Georgia. Once again, Jack felt the fight in him dying with Georgia
’
s touch. He felt oddly relaxed and knew he could trust her.

No
, his mind said.
She is tricking you. Avalon was right. Georgia is up to something.

Jack snatched his arm away from Georgia.
‘
What
’
s your Power then, huh? I asked you that day in the stables
–
you said it was a secret. I thought you were just trying to be coy, but now I know you didn
’
t want to tell me.
’

Georgia looked up at Jack with great, shining eyes, full of tears.
‘
Wh-what do you mean? I
’
m not tricking you. Jack, don
’
t you remember? She burned me! How could I do that myself?
’

‘
Oh, I believe Avalon burned you, but I think you provoked her.
’

Georgia
’
s eyes watered.
‘
How could you? I thought you liked me.
’

‘
I like Avalon
more
,
’
Jack said harshly.
‘
She is my best friend. Do you really think you can come between two friends so easily?
’

Georgia glared at Jack.
‘
You choose her? You choose a fire demon over me?
’

‘
Every time,
’
he replied.

‘
You
’
re mad,
’
Georgia said.
‘
Utterly mad.
’

‘
Probably,
’
Jack agreed.
‘
Now tell me what you have done.
’

To Jack
’
s surprise, Georgia rolled her eyes.
‘
Ugh. It
’
s so hard convincing the ones that are already in love.
’

‘
What?
’
Jack said confused as Georgia flopped back onto the sofa.

She smiled.
‘
Well, it
’
s really a long story, sweetheart.
’

Her voice changed. It was no longer girly and simpering, but hard and cold.
‘
You are only a pawn, my dear, so I wouldn
’
t flatter myself too much if I were you. This venture has already proven to be far too complicated with the fire demon involved. I think I
’
ll leave it here and call it a day.
’

‘
What are you going on about?
’
Jack demanded.

‘
I tell you what though, not many people reject me,
’
Georgia continued.
‘
You must be the first. It is very difficult to manipulate someone who is already in love.
’

Jack stared at her, confused.

Georgia sighed.
‘
Most men don
’
t notice until it is pointed out to them. Women, however, they can sense it.
’

‘
Sense what?
’

‘
Manipulation of the emotions. Persuasion. Do you remember, I told you how persuasive I could be?
’

Jack nodded and suddenly he understood. When Georgia had asked him to saddle her horse, she had touched his arm. When asking him to come for dinner and inviting him to stay for a week she had she had grabbed his hand both times. The night when he had kissed Georgia, he had been comforting her. The urge to kiss her had been overwhelming. And today, had she not convinced Jack of Avalon
’
s abandonment whilst hugging him?

‘
You … you persuade people to think what you want?
’
said Jack, unsure.

Georgia nodded,
‘
It works better on men, you know. Girls don
’
t find me quite as charming, you see.
’

‘
Avalon said you were up to something. Why me? Why try to separate us?
’

Georgia rolled her eyes.
‘
Oh please, it
’
s not as though I actually fancy you, Jack, for goodness sake. You are not my type at all. I like strong, muscular men. You, my friend, are like a string-bean, all lanky and skinny.
’

Jack felt his ears burning,
‘
Then what?
’

‘
I use people, Jack, to get what I want. I thought a Healer would be a nice addition to my collection.
’

‘
Your collection?
’

Georgia nodded.
‘
I have thirty-six boyfriends and eleven husbands. They buy me things, pay my rent and do my chores. I don
’
t have to work at all. Though, keeping up forty-seven different relationships is quite hard. It
’
s a full time job you know.
’

Jack
’
s jaw was wide open.
‘
Forty-seven?
’
he repeated aghast.
‘
But … how? Don
’
t your partners see you in the City with other men?
’

‘
Oh, no, did I forget to mention that I am a shape-shifter? I can change my appearance at will.
’

Understanding blossomed inside of Jack
’
s head. The realisation must have shown on his face, for Georgia began laughing.

‘
I wanted to get Avalon out of the way so I could have you all to myself. But it seems I cannot tempt you away from her. Oh well. I tried.
’

‘
You sent her away.
’
Jack was almost ripping his hair out.
‘
What did you say? What did you do?
’

‘
I posed as you of course,
’
Georgia said, inspecting her fingernails lazily.
‘
I told her that I did not want her, that she should go. She got upset and became offensive, so I slapped her. That is when she burned my hand.
’

Jack curled his fingers into a fist and glared at Georgia,
‘
Avalon thinks I hit her?
’

Georgia rolled her eyes.
‘
If you ask me, she needed a good slap to put her in place.
’

‘
You are ridiculous,
’
said Jack through gritted teeth.
‘
You are nothing more than a common whore.
’

‘
Harsh words,
’
Georgia said.
‘
Would you prefer it if I looked like this?
’

Georgia
’
s form melted in front of Jack
’
s eyes and before him stood Avalon. She was the spitting image of his best friend but there was something not quite right about her. It was her eyes. Her eyes were cold and dark.

‘
Stop it,
’
said Jack.
‘
You have no right to steal her face.
’

Georgia giggled girlishly, something Avalon would not do.
‘
I could murder someone, looking like this and they would never find me.
’

Jack was filled with rage, but arguing with Georgia was not important right now. Jack knew he needed to catch up with Avalon and explain everything that had happened. He knew his arrival would not be welcome.

‘
Change back,
’
Jack ordered.

‘
Why? Don
’
t you like this?
’
Georgia advanced on him and slid her arms around his neck.

Jack looked away, determinedly.
‘
You aren
’
t Avalon. She is ten times better than you.
’

‘
Look at me, Jack,
’
Georgia cooed in Avalon
’
s husky voice.

Against his better judgment, Jack looked into the face of Avalon Redding, who had her arms around his neck, their mouths only inches from one another. He swallowed hard as he tried to block out the tantalising thoughts that floated through his minds eye. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss Avalon. He had wondered it many times before now, but Ava wasn
’
t to know that.

No. This wasn
’
t Ava.

‘
You might look like her, but you are nothing like her.
’

‘
I can be whatever you like, sweetheart,
’
Georgia said, brushing her lips along Jack
’
s collarbone. He felt shivers through his spine. Something stirred in the pit of his stomach as he looked into her face. Avalon
’
s face. He swallowed hard as Georgia rearranged her expression into one of blazing determination; the expression that the real Avalon wore, day in, day out.

A small explosion occurred in the pit of Jack
’
s stomach as Avalon
’
s lips met his mouth. She kissed him thoroughly. Deeply. Her lips were full and soft; for a moment he believed that he was truly kissing his best friend. Jack thread his fingers through her long hair, his lips moving gently against Avalon
’
s. But this wasn
’
t right.

Jack grabbed Georgia
’
s wrists and removed them from around his neck. He stepped away and wiped his mouth.

Georgia pursed her lips.
‘
You
do
love her,
’
she said.

‘
She is my best friend,
’
he replied.

‘
No,
’
Georgia smirked.
‘
Not like that.
’

Jack ignored her.
‘
I wish I hadn
’
t met you. I should have listened to Ava. She knew this was a bad idea.
’

‘
Should have, yes,
’
Georgia agreed.
‘
Good luck getting her to believe it wasn
’
t you who hit her.
’

With one last look at Georgia being Avalon, he grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

At once, Jack took the path he knew Avalon would have taken. He would head through the forest instead of taking the main road, in the hopes that he might catch up with her. Who knew, perhaps she would stop so Hawthorne could rest. The chances were poor.

AVALON REDDING

An Hour Earlier …

I was too upset to fly. Instead, I wandered through the forest, tears streaming down my cheeks. I made no effort to keep my voice down whilst I cried and ranted at Hawthorne, who walked behind me, clearly afraid. I sent flames hurling at nearby trees and boulders, relishing in the destruction. Hawthorne whimpered behind me, uncomfortable with my rage.

I could not get Jack
’
s face out of my head. I cursed loudly, kicking rocks and whacking things with a large branch I had found.

How dare Jack talk to me like that? How dare he lay a hand upon me? Here I had been thinking all along, that when push came to shove, Jack would choose me over Georgia. How stupid I was to think that.

The words Jack has said echoed through my mind
. You are the most selfish person I have ever met.
I don’t know what I was thinking, being with you. Of course I choose her. Why would I choose you? You’re nothing but a fire demon.

He had called me a fire demon, something that I had not expected. Jack had always praised my gift and was supportive of me, so calling me that was just as unforgivable as slapping me.