As the angry looking crowd closed in, Amora couldn't help but look at each and everyone of their terrifying faces. They were faces of murderers, murderers that would very much enjoy tearing her to pieces with vicious smiles adorning their murderous expressions.
So why was it so hard for it to give into the fire that was burning her from the inside out, trying to force itself out and burn each one of their leering faces to a crisp?
Because she was afraid?
Because she didn't want to become another one of those terrifying faces?
"Phoenix!" She looked up at the man with the glowing hazel eyes, his eyes seeing right through her from his perch on the nearby tree "Don't be afraid Hermosa! Let your gift lead you!"
She gave him a small nod, and finally let go.
***
It wasn't the tsunami of power that she had released before when she had first lost control. It wasn't the small flames that crawled over her when she did have control. It wasn't even the waves of warm fire she felt rolling within her when she was with Garrett.
This was like...
She had just been uncaged. Her anger, her frustration, her nerves, everything that ate away at her was released in her fire.
The mob circling her jumped back with frightened yelps as a wave of flames rolled off her and flared out in a circle, singing their toes where the wave of fire had lapped the shore. She could feel the heat surrounding her as she felt herself lift off the ground, the flames beneath her driving her upwards.
Nothing else mattered in that moment, just her and the fire.
Some of the men lifted their weapons as the flames lapped closer and closer to their forms while others had the good sense to run. "She's going to burn the forest down!" their screams were almost amusing "Run for your lives!"
A small pain suddenly shot through her as an arrow grazed her arm. She glared down at the man who shot her like an annoyed goddess "Demon! You may play with our minds and try to burn us up, but you will die before you leave here today!"
In her anger, the fire flared out, burning an unlucky few, engulfing them in flames. Terror rose in Amora as she remembered her fears. Fear tingled in her chest as it crawled through her. She was going to hurt these people if she continued to give in. Stifling her anger, she sank down to the ground and focused on what Garrett had told her about control.
Seeing her retreat from the sky as a sign of defeat, the leader of the men scoffed and charged at her.
She closed her eyes again, fire was emotionless, uncaring of who it hurt and who it saved with its warmth. It was her job to direct it, care, anything else would burn these thugs to a crisp rather than deliver her justice.
This time she didn't follow the fire or her emotion, she followed the flow of power that she had been ignoring. The one that acted like fire and sharpened her instincts.
Garrett had said to follow the fire, let it become part of her. She had done that, but that wasn't what control was to her.
Following the power pulsing through her, she opened her fiery eyes and shifted to the side, letting the man fall on the scorched ground. As if controlled by an entirely different person, Amora glided past the remaining men. As if in a dance, she moved in rhythm with an unseen force, she encircled herself and the men in a ring of fire while elegantly dancing around their attempted attacks.
Standing in the middle of that ring of fire she continued to follow the waves of power pushing her in a dance, causing the flames to rise and fall.
Above the fiery dancing gypsy, a shocked Garrett watched from above. He knew it was time to move in, they were all enclosed and distracted by Amora's flames. But the adoration and overwhelming warmth that filled him watching his Dragon at work completely overwhelmed him. He finally came out of it as Amora's fire filled eyes met his, greeting his hazel with an invitation.
He smirked, it was his turn to put these bastards in their place.
Amora smiled as she watched Garrett fall to the ground, just behind the unaware bafoons trying to get to her through her own circle of flames while others tried to escape the growing circle around them.
"Hey guys! Long time no see!"
The men all turned toward Garrett with confounded expressions, causing a little laugh to bubble up through her.
Garrett laughed "I see you've met our little Phoenix over there" Amora rolled her eyes in annoyance "Well I guess its time to get some Sleep wouldn't you say"
With that single word, the entire mob collapsed onto the charred ground. Their awful snores mingling with the sounds of the forest and the crackling of the fire.
Garrett smirked at her "Well Dragon, you seem to have done well" Amora rolled her eyes "Phoenix? Really?" He shrugged "Dragon is what I get to call you. Its off limits to everyone else"
Amora blushed as the fire rose around them "And why's that?"
He gave her a confusing smile "Because I was the one who kidnapped you of course. You and I we share a special connection wouldn't you say?" Amora huffed "Sure, now can you help me out with this weasel?"
He raised a brow "Weasel?"
She stuck her tongue out.
He sighed "I don't think I have it in me right now Dragon" Amora looked at him, her fear showing clearly in her eyes "Amora" the fire shot up around her as he tried to step through the wall of flames.
"Damn it! Ow!"
Amora sunk to the ground, hugging her knees "Sorry so sorry!" She closed her eyes, trying to tame the fire again. The power was enough to guide her in controlling the blaze, but trying to shut down the uncaged fire in her now... trying to bring it back to just heat under her skin seemed impossible. Her eyes widened as the flames grew around her. Just as before when her emotions took over, the flames rolled off of her as the fear took over.
"Amora, you can do this! Just breath please!" Garrett was coughing and hacking now, stuck in between her personal wall of flames and the outer ring encasing the mob.
"Oh god!" She whimpered, she was going to kill everyone, she was going to engulf the people around her in flames whether she.
Suddenly something jumped through the flames, pinning her down to the charred ground. "Ah! Get off of me!" She screamed and fought as the form pinned down her body, a weak sense of calm started to wash over her as she tossed underneath the larger form on top of her.
Opening her eyes, she finally recognized the man on top of her. Looking into his hazel eyes, her fire immediately responded.
"That's it" He smiled as Amora's breath's became slower and the fire slowly simmered out, leaving only the charred ground, sleeping pile of slightly singed men and smoke lingering in the air.
"Good job my Dragon" He rolled to the woman's side, holding her face gently in his hand. "You did it" He murmured, swiping a tear off of her marred cheek. "You didn't hurt anyone" He whispered as he kissed her forehead.
Warmth rushed through Amora with every little touch, if it weren't for the overwhelming physical and emotional exhaustion, she was sure that something else would've happened. Something more...
Garrett picked up the exhausted woman, holding her gently in his arms, and walked away from the remnants of his dragon's fire.