Born to burn

9. THE QUIET BEFORE. _________________________

FEZ’S PLACE – 8:24 A.M. TUESDAY

•

„Are you in?” Fez says. Kimi is silent, she walks to the curtain and draws it back. Outside, the city hums with a soft morning. Summer wind. Streetlights. Cicadas. It looks peaceful, the kind of false calm that only exists before something terrible happens.

„Guess that means we’ve got front-row seats to the resurrection of a legacy the Council swore was dead.” Kimi whispers, still staring at the street.

„Better stock up on whiskey and train.” Ash grins, sharp and reckless.

„Phoenix isn’t just prophecy. She’s the daughter of ruin. The blood-ink signature the Council tried to erase. The fire they couldn’t smother. And now she’s waking.” Kimi whispers.

When does she remember who she is? When do the seals fall? They won’t just remember. They’ll kneel. Or they’ll burn.

Now, they all know one thing. Power means nothing if they can’t reach her. Suppose she won’t trust them. So now comes the harder part.

„So… how the f***k do we get close to her?” Ash asks, raising a brow.

„You mean without her clawing our eyes out?” Fez shrugs, voice bone dry.

„Yeah, kinda. Before we talk to her… we need to know who she really is.” Kimi says quietly.

„Not just what she is, not only her bloodline. Her life. Her rules. Her rage.” Ash nods, the humour fading from his expression.

„We need to know her life. Not just who she is. But who she had to be, to survive till now.” Kimi lowers herself into the chair across from him, legs tucked under her.

„We need to understand the girl behind… or we’re gonna f***k this up before we even start.” She adds. So… again, they gather files. Photos. Testimonies. Shadows and scars collected across sixteen years of silence. Names. Dates. Police reports. Fez scans the files and exhales through his teeth.

„F.uck me…” He utters, voice low with disbelief.

„Brutal.” Ash reads aloud, his voice dry and steady.

„She grew up in a g.oddamn warzone.” He adds, flicking through the reports slowly.

„She’s been in the system since age five. Entered foster care after that car crash…” Ash reports, scanning the file.

„Six different foster homes and f***k… so many foster families I don’t even wanna read it. All before age nine… seven suspected of physical and s.exual a.buse. Three confirmed. No convictions. No follow-up. CPS closed the case due to 'inconclusive evidence'.“ Ash said, his voice flat with disbelief.

„Where’s she been since?“ Kimi asks, and Ash exhales through his teeth.

„Seven years in South Rainier.“ He starts scrolling slowly.

„Placed with Michelle and Gregory Langston. Labelled as 'stepfamily' by the courts.“ He pauses, then reads deeper.

„Michelle’s got three charges for possession… opiates, benzos, unmarked pills. All piled down. No stability. She bounced between jobs, rehab check-ins she never finished, and psych evaluations flagged for mood disorders and chemical dependency.“ He said, scrolling again.

„Wasn’t Phoenix ever reported for neglect?” Kimi asked, her voice edged with quiet fury.

„Three times…“ Ash replies without hesitation.

„One teacher. Two neighbors. Same story. Phoenix shows up to school looking malnourished, with bruises in odd places, and falling asleep in class. One time, she came in with a black eye and told the nurse she 'fell off the porch.' A social worker stopped by once. Michelle said she was 'spirited,' and Phoenix backed it up. Case closed. Again.“ He finishes, voice bitter.

„And the stepfather?“ Fez asks, though he already knows the answer. Ash’s expression hardens. He doesn’t look up.

„Gregory Langston. Former mechanic. History of alcoholism and 'disciplinary concerns' at three jobs. Two assault priors, both pled down to disorderly conduct. The system scrubbed what mattered. What’s not in the official files? Witness statements that got 'lost.' One from a neighbour who said he’d seen Phoenix flinch whenever Gregory got within arm’s reach. Another flagged 'possible grooming behaviour,' but it never went further.” He says coldly.

„Let me guess. That perv passed the background check just well enough to stay legal.“ Kimi mutters, her tone dry and furious.

„There’s a line here from a counsellor at Rainier High. Says Phoenix showed signs of 'complex trauma response.' Described her as 'hyper-vigilant, emotionally detached, socially distant, aggressive under threat.' No surprise there.“ Ash murmurs.

„She was living under pressure almost her whole life. Locked doors at night. Slept with one eye open. She didn’t act like a victim because she couldn’t afford to. And the system? It never looked closely enough to see past the silence.“ He adds and then scrolls to the next image. It’s a school photo… probably a yearbook ID. Phoenix, fifteen. Eyes flat. One white streak in her raven hair. Her posture is rigid. Jaw set. There’s quite a big bruise under her right cheekbone, but she’s not hiding it. She’s daring the camera to notice it. Ash lifts the tablet slightly and turns it toward Kimi and Fez.

„Everything about her says don’t try me, but after what horrors she got that aura… I don't even wanna imagine it.“ Kimi whispers, the edge in her voice cutting sharp.

„Police were called out to the house seventeen times in the last two years. Domestic disturbance. Yelling. Broken glass. One report says Phoenix was seen climbing out of her bedroom window. Michelle claimed she was sneaking out to 'party.' But no drugs ever showed in her tox screens. Just… bruises. Missing time. Money.“ Ash lists off, voice clipped and bitter.

„Jesus.“ Fez mutters under his breath, and Ash finishes the summary.

„She had three suspensions for fighting. One for theft. One for threatening a teacher who grabbed her wrist. But every teacher who actually saw her said the same thing. She was too smart. Too sharp. Too still. The kind of girl who’d already learned not to waste energy on fear.“ He says, each word soaked in something colder than anger.

„And money?“ Kimi asks, eyes narrowed. Ash nods slowly.

„Oh yes, she has cash… I suppose more than she can count? But at what cost?” He answers quietly.

•

Fez stares at the photo again, then exhales through his nose.

„She's just building an exit strategy.” He says, voice dark and steady.

„She’s not just surviving. She’s engineered herself for war.” Kimi said, her voice like stone.

„She lives in it. Day by day surviving…” Ahs adds, and Kimi exhales slowly, the photo still in her hand.

„So, let me get this straight.” Her voice is razor-sharp.

„Her stepfather’s a violent drunk with sealed priors and open access. The kind of man who treats locked doors like invitations. Touches like they’re owned.” She looks down and swallows hard.

„Stepmother’s high more often than not. Pills. Barbiturates. Neglect isn’t just what she didn’t do, it’s what she let happen… she turned away from it like it didn't include her.” No one interrupts, and Kimi keeps going…

„Phoenix survives by trading what she has to. Staying one step ahead. Pills, favours no one talks about. Parties where money and danger blur. She walks in like a queen and walks out with enough cash to help herself get out of the ghetto…keep planning her escape.” Fez shifts beside her, but Kimi’s eyes are locked.

„And through it all, she’s still thinking. Still watching. She’s smart. Sharp. Always have a backup plan. She doesn’t trust anyone. And honestly? I don't blame her...” She whispered, looking into the distance, deep in her thoughts.

„And somehow, beneath the bruises and the silence? She’s a fivefold f.ucking hybrid. Five bloodlines wrapped in one girl. She shouldn’t exist, but she is. And on top of that, her uncles cloaked her in enchantments so old… it didn’t just hide her, it shielded her. Sealed her. Buried every trace of what she really is deep inside her...” She added, her voice steady. Kimi looks up now. Her voice steady.

„She’s not just a girl who survived what would’ve broken f.ucking everyone… human, hybrid or pureblood... She’s a weapon which slipped under the Council’s nose and now is waking up and growing horns without even knowing it…” Silence follows. Heavy. Thick with something just shy of awe.

„F.uck...” Ash breathed out, and Fez was all this time just staring out the window, listening to all this, thinking how the f***k approach someone like this? Was he the one who’d be able to? But what he didn't know at that time… was that he was the only one who could.

„And what if she finds out who…” Ash begins, but he doesn’t finish the sentence cause Fez looks up at him with narrow eyes. They all know how it probably ends. No need to hear it aloud.

„Okay, yea… So, what now?” Ash asks, widening his eyes at both of them.

•

FEZ’S PLACE – 10:19 A.M. TUESDAY

•

„Now…we need to f.ucking find out how to get closer to her…right? And also, how the hell is she still alive?” Kimi asked, her voice sharp with disbelief.

„Because she wasn’t born only to survive. She was BORN TO BURN.” Fez answered without hesitation.

„She had one job. Stay alive. And from what we read? She did it too f.ucking well.” He mutters, flicking the ash from his cigarette.

„Clean hands. Dirty world. That’s how she kept breathing.” He added, nodding once. Kimi looks up, her eyes hard, unreadable.

„She’s a f.ucking weapon wrapped in trauma. Razor-sharp. And no one’s had the right key to unlock her without bleeding.” He continued. Ash’s voice drops lower, cautious.

„You think she’ll listen to you?” He asks, and Fez stands slowly, pacing toward the window.

„Not unless I prove it, I see her. Not the prophecy. Not the bloodline. Her.” He said, his tone flat and focused.

„She’s been labelled her whole life.. Shoved into boxes she never asked to be in. Survivor. S.lut. Liar. Threat…If I show up with answers she didn’t ask for? She’ll cut me down before I even get to speak.” He brainstormed out loud...

„So what then?” Ash asked quietly. „What do we give her? How to approach her? Please tell me you have a plan…” Fez doesn’t answer right away. The cigarette burns low in his fingers. His gaze flicks from the window to the door like he’s imagining the moment she walks through it.

„No, but I can give her what no one else ever has.” He says, finally.

„I show her care and give her friendship.”

„Really? That’s lame as f.uck.” Kimi scoffs, raising an eyebrow.

„Maybe, but it’ll work.” Fez replied, and this time the smirk that touches his mouth is cracked and tired.

„Why would it?” Kimi studies him, voice sceptical. Fez drops the cigarette into the ashtray and exhales slowly.

„Because before anything else…” He said, voice low and deliberate.

„I’ll speak the only language she still trusts. I’ll give her a choice. Not fate. Not prophecy. Business. Power. Control. Cash on the table… clean, fast, hers.” He doesn’t blink. Doesn’t soften it.

„I let her name her price. And if she bites, then maybe, just maybe… I’ll have a chance to say more.” He said, his tone steel-edged.

„Money’s not greed to her, it’s survival. It’s freedom. It’s hers. The only thing between her and the grave. That's what she lives by…” Kimi leans back, eyes narrowed.

„So we buy our way in?” She asks with a frown.

„No.” Fez’s gaze sharpens.

„We offer. Big difference.” They both watch him now, fully engaged.

„She won’t see a leash?” Ash asks, and Fez smirks.

„She’ll see the outline of one. But that’s the point. I’ll make sure she knows that if she takes the deal, it’s on her terms. She’ll walk into it knowing every edge of the blade. We’re not here to save her. We’re here to give her the tools to save herself.” He says, deep in thought.

„That’s a gamble.” Kimi said, and Fez nods slowly…

„Sure, but everything about her is. Might as well go all in and see what gives.” He said, flicking ash into the tray.

„Alright, so what’s the move?” She asked. Fez glanced toward the clock.

„I'll pick her up from school today. No pressure. No pitch. I ask if she wants a ride.” He says. Ash raises a brow.

„And she’ll just say yes?” He asked.

Fez grins now. Dark. Crooked.

„She won’t say yes. But she’ll choose to get in that car. And that difference? That’s everything.” He said, eyes glittering with something razor-sharp beneath the calm.

„She’s not stupid.” Ash mutters, eyes still on the file.

„She’ll know it’s bait.” He added, voice dry. Kimi steps beside Fez, arms crossed, eyes sharp.

„Yeah.” She said. The silence stretches for a moment. Fez exhales slowly, cigarette burning low between his fingers. He doesn’t look at them as he speaks. He stares at the girl in the photo. Blank eyes, white streak in her hair and bruises fading like ghosts.

„We need to be smart with her.” He said, voice low. Measured. Deadly careful. Ash frowns. Kimi watches quietly.

„Not just clever, but f.ucking surgical.” Fez continued, every word was weighted.

„She doesn’t see trust the way normal people do. She sees angels. She sees the fine print. She sees what it costs to believe in someone. Everything to her is a setup. A trick. A test. Every outstretched hand is just a collar waiting to close around her neck.” He said, voice growing colder. He finally looks up, his eyes dark. Cold.

„And where did you come up with this, huh?” Kimi mocks him with a grin.

„Just brainstorming… and f***k you.” He flips her off, and they all laugh for a change.

„No f.uckers, now seriously! One wrong step and she’ll vanish. Mentally, physically, spiritually… gone. She’ll cut us out of her story like we were never in it. And that’ll be it.” Fez says.

„You’ll never get another chance.” Kimi’s voice cuts in, quiet.

„Exactly…” He agrees, gaze sharp as shattered glass.

•

„Okay. F.ucking hell. Enough dancing around it. Let’s roll.” He growled. Fez stands, the weight of too many truths coiled in his spine.

„Tell me the now. Where did the agency dump her?” He asked sharply. Ash’s fingers are already moving.

„They dropped her four blocks from us. 218 Alder Way. East side, past the Story Tree. The old colonial they remodelled last spring.” He reported. Fez swears under his breath, dragging smoke through his teeth like it might stop the building fury behind his eyes.

„And she’s already mapped the city. That’s why she showed up at that party…” He spits, and his voice cuts in low.

„F.uck… no way!” He snaps.

„What?!?” Kimi askes.

„Guess where the agency enrolled her.” He said, already knowing the answer would burn.

„Silverton High. The first day was yesterday.” They both freeze.

„That’s not just a school. That’s a f.ucking wolf den.” Kimi’s voice is like glass. Fez nods once.

„And she just walked into it wearing trauma and secrets like perfume.” She mutters as Ash closes the laptop and looks at them both.

„You know who goes there...” He says, barely contained.

„You really think they’ll notice her?” She asks carefully. Fez scoffs, sharp and bitter.

„You really think they won’t? Kimi, come the f***k on.” He snaps again.

„She’s drop-dead gorgeous, walks like she owns gravity and dares the world to choke her for it. Those arrogant, Alpha-fueled motherf.uckers?” He growled.

„They noticed her. I guarantee it. She probably walked into that school like a goddamn spark in a powder room. Every hormonal Lycan in that place lifted their f.ucking heads when she passed. Especially them.” Silence stretches, thick and scorching. His tone burns.

„She wouldn’t back down.” Kimi says, eyes narrowing like she can see the memory through smoke.

„If anything, she probably made them blink first, and that’s exactly why they’ll want more. Victor’ll stalk the edges of her silence. Dorian’ll snap just to see if she breaks. But neither of them owns her yet.” Ash lifts his head, eyes gleaming.

„But… she’ll be human to them, right?” Ash mutters.

„Yes. They’ll smell weakness, but she probably won’t flinch. She’ll look Victor dead in the eye and not step back. And Dorian?” He sneers.

„He’ll circle her like a riddle with teeth. Try to solve her before she cuts him open.” He added. Kimi folds her arms, jaw tight.

„They’ll test her… probably bully her just to see her reaction. Push till she bleeds.” Fez continues.

„Because that’s what they do with anything they don’t understand. They’ll think she’s prey until she proves she isn’t. And by the time they figure out what she really is?” His voice drops to a razor-edge whisper. Almost deadly quiet.

„It might be too f.ucking late.”