Wild Fire by Heather Glidewell
*****
I made it back into the house after dark. It was still earlier than the day before but late enough that as I entered through the back door faces looked up at me from the kitchen table. It was an odd sight to see Helen and Rose sitting at a table with my mother and father. My heart sank, this was going to be some form of intervention.
“Dawn.” My mother said cheerfully getting up to make me a plate of what had been prepared for dinner. “Have a seat.”
The only place available was next to Krista, which I was grateful for as I took my seat and nervously picked at my shirt. I was not prepared for what was about to happen. She put the plate down in front of me and sat back down next to my father. I picked at the plate for a second eyeing each of the girls cautiously. I knew that Krista wasn’t a problem, we had a connection that the others didn’t.
“There has been some tension between the four of you here lately.” My father said suddenly putting his fork down. He had on his dad face which meant we were nearing a lecture. “It is so thick that even the allies have made comments about it.” Nobody said anything. “I am tired of constantly catching your choice words for my daughter as I walk around the house.” My father looked at Helen and Rose and they looked shocked. “Yeah I’m a telepath too. How shocking.” He popped his knuckles. “For some reason you think that this was our plan. To bring you all here to fight a battle that is not yours to fight.” Helen and Rose looked away from him. They didn’t like their own hateful words being thrown back at them.
“Let me tell you something.” My mother chimed in her lips pursed. “I never wanted to tell my daughter what she was. I didn’t want her to have to deal with the responsibility that comes with being a Warden. It was hard enough watching her grow up with this power in her.” She paused and looked lovingly at Krista. “I knew Krista’s mother and father well. When we lived here before Dawn was born. They became some of our best friends and we were saddened when Krista was murdered.”
“This is something out of our hands. Nick received his calling and traveled around the world not only to find you guys but to find those that would join us if a battle was inevitable.” He frowned. “Nick wasn’t there when Dawn was attacked. Or when her mother found her levitating above her bed. Nick wasn’t there when Miranda lashed out at Dawn using dreams as a way to attempt to frighten her. Nick didn’t comfort Wesley when the nightmares took over. He was given a mission and he worked to make sure that his mission was completed.” My father glanced at Rose. Her lips narrowed her eyes showing just how upset she was about this conversation.
“You remind me of a Demon I know. A woman full of piss and vinegar. Amazing talent, wonderful artist. She had an issue with authority which got her into some pretty heavy trouble. She was banished to the deepest pit of hell. Lucifer wanted her as far away from him as he could get her.” Rose looked at him longingly awaiting her name. “I would tell you her name if I was allowed to say it.” He looked apologetic. “I am grateful for Lucifer’s help so I do not need to piss him off now.”
“Helen you remind me of an Angel I knew a long time ago. He was strong willed always wanting to help. He brought the harvest to the hungry and fought off the enemy of the weak. He built hospitals and clinics dedicated to helping the less fortunate. He was bitter though, blamed God for loving humans more than his own Angels.” Helen blinked at my mother. “Even if I gave you his name it is not what it is now. Twenty years ago he was given the job of a Watcher. His name was changed and I never saw him again.”
“We are not saying that these are your parents just that you remind us of these beings that we knew.” My father pointed out. “You are not the first of your kind to struggle with their bloodlines. Most likely you will not be the last either.”
“Our problem is that you blame Dawn for every little thing that goes wrong. You want to question the things she has seen, the things she has done. She is a leader but she is not your leader.” My mother frowned. “I know this isn’t going to clear up the issues between you guys. I just want to at least open your eyes to what’s going on. Set some things straight. This is not Dawn’s fight this is all of ours. If Miranda was successful you would all be dead.”
“I also ask that while you are in our house you treat our family with respect. Not only have there been foul things said, but thought about Dawn. One of you had even gone so far as to mentally attack Angie. I will not put up with that. If you cannot live in peace under one roof you are welcome to move to another location where a telepath will not be poisoned by your thoughts. If you think for some reason that you are better than either of us I plead with you to bring on the challenge. You are strong, yes, but we are much stronger than you and our powers cannot be neutralized.”
There was silence for a moment as everyone looked at each other.
“I’m tired of everyone thinking that she’s the perfect one.” Rose said her eyes flashing between the two of them. “I didn’t want to come here. I would much rather not be here at all. Adam is the reason I came. When Dawn came running into my apartment in Dallas she was determined to save me. I didn’t need her, I had it under control.”
“Rose do you know who that was?” My mother asked leaning back.
“The dark haired demon that everyone out there is scared to death of.” She huffed and crossed her arms.
“You were plastered against the wall scared to death.” I said glaring at her. “Adam was knocked out on the floor. What were you going to do?” I pushed my plate away and put my elbows on the table. “Let me tell you something about that dark haired demon. He's a Neutralizer. His job is to hunt us down and make us powerless so that either him or Miranda can come in and murder us. You couldn’t get your water to work. My fire sure as hell doesn’t work around him. I am done being scared of him.”
Krista reached out and took my hand.
“He is the one that took my life. My first love.” Krista sniffed.
This was not a conversation that she wanted to have.
“His whole goal is to make you powerless. He wants to take every shard of innocence from you, for without innocence there is no light it makes you dark and hateful. For eighteen years I sat in Purgatory waiting for my second chance. While you grew up and had a childhood I am a thirty six year old stuck in an eighteen year old body!” She squeezed my hand. “I agree with Damien here. I am also tired of hearing your harsh thoughts about Dawn and her mother. You fear Damien, and for good reason but he is not that one that can strike you dead with just a thought.” Krista straightened up and looked at my mother.
“Wait that power comes from you?” I asked following Krista’s gaze. “I always thought that was one of dad’s traits.”
“Let’s discuss that later honey right now we have more pressing matters.” She smiled sweetly but there was something in her eyes that told me not to speak again.
“I told you that I have done this for a millennia and I got lip. Shawn has seen Wardens other than yourselves over the years. Never has there been a call for all four of them to be together. They may travel in pairs but never as all four. Why do you think all of you wear an amulet now?” My mother continued. “So here is the deal. Either you four get along or I’m going to separate you, and the only place you will see each other is on the battlefield.” She threatened.
“This fight is beyond the four of you getting along. You are here you have chosen to fight to save Earth as well as Heaven and Hell. Sheridan would not offer you better.” My father pushed back from the table. “Now that we have this all straight I have a pressing meeting with an old friend.” My father got up and walked out of the room leaving his plate on the table. My mother frowned at it, she had raised me to clean up after myself but my father was so used to being taken care of that he didn’t think to pick up his plate.
“Don’t make us do this again.” My mother said picking up her plate as well as my fathers and placi
“That was fun.” Rose mumbled getting up from the table and depositing her plate in the sink and walked off her head held high.
“They will not always be there to protect you Dawn.” Helen spit at me. “You have been nothing but a thorn in my side since I met you.” She got up and threw her plate in the sink shattering it.
“What was that about?” I looked at Krista.
“She thinks you told them to do this.” Krista explained pushing her half eaten plate away from her. “I would suggest watching your back. The images in her head were not pleasant.”
“Great.” I picked a little more at my food and decided I wasn’t that hungry after all.