Sofia: Phoenix Rising - Fire and Water Book 2
Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Pulling into my driveway, I see Ash’s jeep sitting there but I don’t see him. He either ran over to his house or let himself into my place. As I go to let myself in, I can hear Ash talking and become very curious as to who he might be chatting with. Shutting the front door, I put my school stuff on the floor in the entryway and then make my way to the kitchen where I hear the voices coming from. Walking in I see Charlie making a pot of tea and give her a wide smile before taking a seat at the kitchen table next to Ash. “Hi dear. I thought I’d make us a pot of tea while we wait for Lori. She said she had an errand to run before she could go anywhere.”

She brings me a steaming hot mug of it a moment later. “Thank you. The biting chill in the air definitely requires some hot tea to be consumed,” I say with a smile just before I take a sip of the liquid. Ash is sipping from a mug and shortly after Charlie takes a seat at the table and proceeds to drink from a cup too. We chat randomly about the drive and then we discuss the possibility of truly replaceing them in the lighthouse and different ways we could go about rescuing my parents.

Lori walks in, letting the door slam behind her as she does. “Hey, sorry I’m late. I had to pick up and drop off some stuff to my mom’s hotel.” She looks at us expectantly as though we are supposed to jump right up and leave now that she has arrived. “So, are you all ready to go?”

“I’ll be ready in a minute,” I say as I stand up from my seat. “Just going to go to the bathroom so that I don’t have to make you guys all stop halfway through the drive up.” Everyone nods at me, and I watch them gather their jackets getting ready to go to the car while I run up the stairs to the bathroom. As I go to stand up from sitting on the toilet, I suddenly feel extremely dizzy. I place my hands upon the counter area of the sink to steady myself. Righting myself, I decide it was a sporadic occurrence and make my way down the hallway to the steps.

Gripping my stomach with my arms I groan out at the pain that just strikes me. I throw an arm out to take hold of the railing as I lose my balance at the top of the first stair and begin to fall. I cry out in pain and my hand lets go of the railing causing me to fall back against the steps and just before I blackout I feel myself sliding down the stairs, onto the floor at the bottom in a lifeless heap.

I am floating in darkness, or I assume I am because I currently can’t even see my hand in front of my face, but I also do not feel any type of flooring beneath my feet either. Moving my head from left to right slowly, I try to see something, anything but to no avail. Sofia-h, let me out. I can help you. I can hear a voice and have no idea where it is coming from. Beyond my eyesight maybe... hell the voice could be in my own mind for all I know right now. “W-who’s there?” I ask quietly. I don’t feel a need to shout which has me pondering if the voice isn’t coming from within me.

Sofia-h-h-h, I am here, let me help you help us. I realize the phoenix is speaking to me. A moment later a spark flickers in front of my eyes and then it becomes brighter and brighter until I must turn my head from the brightness of it. And then the spark dulls some, to where I am able to watch it as it takes form. A flickering, flaming version of myself is staring at me and I can’t help but stare back. The phoenix is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen in my life. I am in awe that she is a part of me. Sofia-h, loosen your reign of this body. I promise I will share not control it. We must unify ourselves for the battle that will soon be. The evil spirited souls that have come around you of late is astonishing and you need me by your side not locked away, to fight them.

In unison as though looking in a mirror, we tilt our head to the left, to the right, I nod my head in understanding and then together we raise our hands. Palm to palm we place them against the others, splay them wide and then with the slightest shift, we lock our hands together. She steps into me, and we become solidified, finally, we are one being, no longer two separate entities.

“Watch out! She’s flaring again. I don’t know how much more her body can tolerate these spasmatic flares she has been having.” I can hear the worry in Ash’s voice, and I want to tell him I am fine but have no voice to do so. I am unable to move as well. I feel like I am strapped down but can’t even open my eyes to see if this is true.

“Do you think we should try giving her some water? It seemed to help ease the last episode.” I can hear concern in Lori’s voice too and want nothing more than to speak up, but no sound is uttered.

“Back up. Leave her be you two. She just needs to rest. She will be fine soon enough.” Charlie says to Lori and Ash, and I wonder if they feel as intimidated as I do and I’m not even looking at her.

“Let’s go get some food Ash, maybe that will entice Sofia to wake up...” As Lori says this, I hear Ash chuckle and then say okay to her. A moment later I hear the front door open and close and then it is just Charlie tending to me.

“Damn child! That potion wasn’t supposed to affect you like this. Now what shall I do.” Charlie is muttering this as I hear her shuffling around me. “I’m going to have a little chat with that witch, that is for darn sure!” She continues muttering but I can no longer hear her. She must have walked away from me. I so desperately want to open my eyes, but my body just won’t cooperate with me.

Sleep must have taken over me because the next time I can hear people talking, I am finally able to move, to open my eyes and look around me. I see that I have been laid out in my bed and I shift my head to the left so I can look at my bedroom door where I spot Ash standing in the doorway, his back facing me. He has leaned slightly against the door frame, and I can hear him say goodbye to someone and then I see him move, turning himself around to come back into my room. Quickly I shut my eyes and pretend to be sleeping as I feel him climb into the bed with me. As he goes to wrap his arms around me, I roll into him and say, “hey babe, what’s up?”

He jumps a mile, and it makes me burst out in laughter. “What the hell, Sofia! You scared me half to death. Wait! You’re awake! Oh, my stars.” He pulls me tight against him, hugging me with all his might. “Moon above, I thought I had lost you.” Ash exclaims just before he places his lips firmly upon mine.

“Can’t--breathe,” I utter against his lips. He lessens the intensity of the kiss but not by much. Pushing him on his back, I straddle his waist, “I missed you too!’’ I stare down at him smiling widely. “But why are you kissing me like I’ve been gone for a week?”

Ash runs his hand up and down along my back before flipping me over so that I am on my back, and he is now looking down at me. “I’ve got news for you sweetheart; you have been unconscious for a solid week.” I look up at him in shock because it feels like I have only been passed out for 15 minutes (roughly).

Running my hands up his arms, I take his face and bring it closer to mine. “Well in that case...” The make out session turns intense quite quickly and we have managed to shed most of our clothing in the process. Ash starts to pull away from me as he realizes the path we are heading down. “No, I won’t allow you to stop this,” I say in response to his attempt and then I once again roll him onto his back, taking control.

As much as he wants me, I hear him inside of my head, pleading with me. Please stop Sofie, I love you, you know that, but this isn’t how I want this. And as much as I hate to admit it, I know he’s right. However, the only reason I concede to his plea is because of the sudden wave of exhaustion that consumes me. I give him one last kiss and then roll off of him and curl into him as he turns onto his side.