The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Ze is restless as he takes care of a class. He finds out that a student of his is in the hospital for an unknown sickness. The boy Xan's friend Vaughn asks him to visit Xan at the hospital as Xan would really appreciate it. Ze fights with his mother, again, about his powers. He leaves home and goes to the hospital to visit his student Xan. Ze finds something strange as he reaches the hospital and decides to check it out.

---- Xan is still in the hospital. He is still weak. Vaughn confesses to Xan that he loves him. They share their first kiss. Xan is approached by two strange men dressed in the white-coats of doctors. They tell him he is dying, but he can give up his soul to save the Earth. Xan chooses to give his soul for the Earth.

---- Luka loses his satchel while leaving the hospital. Thieron calls him and lets him know that he knows about it. Luka goes to the car to find that Thieron has Aija with him. Zuri finds Nala with him and Thieron. They leave.

---- Aija and Zuri join Kuna on a Harvest Stopping Mission. They go to the hospital.

---- Aija, at the hospital, stumbles upon Luka's satchel and goes after it, instead. 

---- When she is out of the hospital, releasing all the collected souls from Luka's satchel, Thieron comes. 

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****19.3 - Aija****

"Do you know the trouble I went through to get those souls?" his voice was laced with danger.

Aija threw the bag straight at him, took the kitten in her hands, and jumped off the bench, not noticing that he'd caught the bag in one swift motion. She held the blade Kuna had given her during her first mission with R'ies. She pointed it at him and took a few steps backward.

Thieron smirked. "The blade is of no use against me."

Of course, she knew she was no match for him. She ran in the direction of the Hospital. There would be people inside, and he wouldn't be able to hurt her. Kuna was in the Hospital.

She didn't make it far. She had taken all but three steps when Thieron caught hold of her effortlessly.

"Let go!" she yelled, gripping the kitten closer.

"I'm here for you," he said, and his voice drew a shiver down her spine.

Aija struggled to get out of his unyielding grip. He was insanely strong. She kicked him in the knee, and for a second, his grip loosened. She pulled out of his grasp, lost her balance, and fell to the paved ground letting the kitten and Kuna's blade fall from her grip. The blade slid on the ground and stopped a few feet away from her. It was now too far for her to retrieve it. The kitten was quiet and unmoving as she picked it up and got up to run. 

"Kitten, say something!" she said as she ran. "I wish you could talk."

Thieron's strong hands gripped her tighter this time, and he turned her towards him. He was tall. Like, really tall. She looked up at him, and her first thought was that he was handsome.

She shook her head, scolding herself for having inappropriate thoughts in an inappropriate situation. It left her feeling embarrassed. He was the enemy, handsome or not.

"I came here for you, human," he whispered, his voice husky and lilting.

"Me?" she asked stupidly.

"Yes, you," Thieron said.

Was he going to kill her? Was this how her life ended? He had undoubtedly been trailing her a long time ever since she had seen him kill Rez.

Thieron dragged her with one hand, the satchel across his body. She held on tightly to the unmoving kitten. She tried to escape his grip, but she was not equal to a Ytai in strength. He took out his Scroll and called someone. Luka, she assumed. He said something in Ytèan as he dragged her to a car. He sounded angry.

"No!" she shouted. "Help! Someone help me!"

"There's no one here to help you," he told her as he walked to the car dragging her with him as if she was a mere child.

She heard him shout into the Scroll in the same lilting language of the Ytai.

"What do you want from me?" she asked as he pulled her close to him.

He held her close and looked into her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. He was too good looking, and the situation wasn't right. He was fire enticing her to touch him, to willingly get her hands burned.

"You," he said simply.

They reached the car, and she saw Luka. And Nala.

Nala?!

Thieron called out to her and Luka.

Aija saw Zuri, so she called out to her. Thieron opened the rear door of the car and pushed her in. He shouted something at Luka as he got in after her. She tried to open the opposite door, but it wouldn't move.

"Save your efforts," Thieron said. "They won't open no matter how much you try."

A few seconds later, Luka got into the driver's seat, and Nala got in a bit later just as Luka started the car.

She wanted to ask Nala what was happening, but clearly, the girl was Ytai and was working with Thieron and Luka. How had Aija not noticed that Nala was Ytai? She had all the small signs - her height, her two-colored hair, her two-toned eyes, her secretiveness.

Nala turned around as Luka drove away from the Hospital. She looked sad, but Aija didn't care. If she were indeed sad, she wouldn't have done this. Nala turned back ahead.

Aija stared at Nala's head, wishing desperately that her anger could burn the Ytai girl. Zuri had once told her that Nala was distant; that she didn't know what Nala did and that Nala always seemed to avoid her questions. Now, Aija understood why. Nala was Ytai and worked with Thieron killing humans. And she had dared to go around with Zuri; to make it seem that she liked Zuri.

Zuri really, really liked Nala. Aija knew it even though Zuri hadn't openly admitted to it. And, Nala had had the audacity to play with sweet Zuri, while she went around killing humans. Nala had basically kidnapped Zuri's best friend. She wondered if Zuri would be alright. She had just seen the girl she liked kidnap her best friend.

"Give me your Scroll," Thieron demanded of her.

Aija turned away from him and bent in on herself. Thieron pulled her to himself, searched her pockets, and found her Scroll despite her best efforts to push him away.

He lengthened the device and broke it into two as easily as tearing a piece of bread in half. He rolled the window down and threw the pieces out. Aija stared at him. He was stronger than Etrie.

He looked at her, and she noticed for the first time he wore a nose ring; his eyes were framed with kohl, and his ears were pierced by many tiny gems as earrings (She herself wore only one on each ear, she noted). He carried a dangerous beauty.

Luka said something in Ytèan, and Thieron responded back in the same melodic language. Luka drove faster, and they had crossed Innermost already. The roads were emptier and darker.

Aija brushed the kitten's head softly; it purred. Aija smiled, it wasn't dead after all. She was relieved. 

She tried to open the car's door on her side. It didn't. Well, she wanted to give it another try. What if it had worked?

"I told you not to waste your efforts." Thieron sounded airy.

"Now," he said in CommLang, looking at Luka.

Aija frowned, wondering what he had meant when Luka stopped the car abruptly by smashing on the breaks. It screeched in the lonely dark night.

Aija nearly crashed into the window, but Thieron held her firmly. The car came to a sudden stop, and Aija felt Thieron's arms wrapped around her as something crashed into the vehicle.

Thieron let her go, and she heard him step out of the car. She was dazed for a second; then she held the kitten and tried to open the door. It didn't open. What in the world was going on? Thieron had just gone out the same door. How?

"It won't open for you," Luka said and stepped out.

Aija glared at Nala. Nala turned away, having the nerve to look guilty. Aija kicked at the door, growing more frustrated by the second. She had to get out.

"Aija stop." Nala pleaded, turning to look at her. "You'll get hurt."

"Don't you dare say a word to me, you human killer."

Nala flinched at her words, and Aija wanted to say more, but the door opened, and her legs hit the hard metal of the car.

"Ow!" she groaned the pain blinding her vision for a second.

Thieron got in, pushed her to the other door, and moved closer to her. Luka pushed someone into the car beside Thieron and shut the door. The person had smooth dark skin, his hair shaved off. He turned to her, and she froze at the sight of his icy green eyes.

"Ze?"

"Ai..." he said.

Ze was what crashed into the car? He had scratches all over his arms, and he was bleeding at places. He held his right hand in his left, and it looked sickly, swelled up. After the initial shock wore off, Aija found her words.

"Oh my... Ze, are you okay? Why are you here?"

"Quiet!" Thieron roared.

Ze must have been badly hurt. He was wincing in pain as he held his arm closer. He grew quiet.

"Ze..." Aija whispered.

She was perplexed. Why was Ze there? Why was he in the same car as her? How did he wind up in trouble along with her? The questions were eating at her, but since Ze was quiet, she remained quiet too.

Luka drove fast. They drove for a pretty long time, and Aija was growing impatient. They drove into a small town, and she saw hills looming on the horizon. Luka drove towards them and eventually started climbing one. A long-time later, Luka stopped the car in front of a two-storey house.

Nala helped Ze out and dragged him into the house. Aija sat right there, refusing to move. Luka opened the door on the side as Thieron got out from the opposite side.

"Come," Luka said, his voice surprisingly honeyed.

She refused. She didn't look at him and stared at the kitten in her hands. Luka made a move to hold her when Thieron said something to him in Ytèan. Luka left.

"You can't escape," Thieron said, looking at her.

Her legs were still hurting from hitting them on the metal frame of the car. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She just wanted to go home to her family. What had she gotten herself involved in now? She didn't want to be caught prisoner by aliens who wanted to destroy her people.

"You can come in on your own. Or, I can drag you in."

She blinked back her tears; she wouldn't cry. She was strong. Zuri wouldn't have cried; Zuri would have fought back. She sat in the car, clutching the kitten close to her.

Thieron gripped her arm and pulled her out of the car; he closed the door and dragged her into the house as she tried to pull away. The house was warm inside and smelled like vanilla. How ironic, she thought immediately.

Ze was seated on a sofa clearly in pain. Thieron put her on the sofa beside Ze and let her go. He took the kitten from her, looked at it carefully, and then placed it on a soft cushioned chair.

Nala and Luka were standing behind him as he dragged a chair and placed it in front of her and Ze. He sat on it, removed his overcoat to reveal a half-sleeved t-shirt and tattoos running down both his arms. They were a strange design, some of them looping around each other.

Thieron untied his hair; it was straight black with dark red highlights. The blood of humans he has killed stains his dark hair, turning them red, she thought. A reminder.

He tied his long locks up into a bun at the nape of his neck, and a few shorter strands escaped. He stretched like he had had a long day.

All the while, he stared at her, trying to figure her out. His eyes rested on hers, and it was quiet for one long moment as she held his stare.

He was a demon carved from the memories of his victims, streaked with their blood and with the softest possible gaze. The demon's eyes held something else.

"Do you even understand how terribly you've ruined the night?" his voice was gruff, his accent mellifluous.

"Good," she whispered.

A smile crept to his lips slowly as he considered her response.

"I got that strong soul tonight, not by force, but by his own will. Do you know how rare it is to get one like that? Do you know how desperately that soul was needed?"

"Damn you!" Ze said.

"Quiet," Thieron told him.

Aija wondered how much of all this did Ze understand. Did he know anything about aliens? About Harvesting?

"I'm glad I ruined it for you," Aija said, trying to keep calm.

Is this why both she and Ze had felt the day had been anticipatory?

Thieron smiled. It was as if he was proud of her response. He stood and walked to her. He bent so that they were face to face, grabbed her by her shoulders, and drew her closer to him.

His eyes were blue like the night, a nuance of light in the pitch dark. But as she looked closer, she noticed that they were faintly different shades of blue. It wasn't really noticeable, but once she had seen the difference, she couldn't un-see it.

"I wanted you only to irk Etrie," Thieron whispered. "He kept you close, always. But, I see some use in keeping you now."

"You won't kill me?" she whispered before she could stop herself.

He looked at her, his eyes studying hers. "No." He let go and said, "Not yet."

He spoke to Nala and Luka in Ytèan, and Aija moved closer to Ze.

"Are you okay?"

"I think my arm's broken."

"How did you find me?"

"I was at the Hospital," he said between clenched teeth. "I had gone to see Xan. I saw this guy drag you into the car. So I ran back to my hovercycle, took it, and followed."

Aija didn't know what to say. Poor Ze... He was now caught up in this mess; because of her. He had followed them to help her. She felt bad.

"How much do you know about the Ytai?" she asked.

"About what?" he looked at her bewildered.

"Aliens," she whispered.

He looked at her as if she had told him it was snowing outside.

"Do you think you think you can run?" she whispered. "Let's go while they are talking."

"I can run."

They stood up slowly, not making a sound, and turned to leave. Thieron saw them and asked, "Where are you going?"

Aija pushed Ze and said, "Go!" and turned back around to stop Thieron, as if that was even remotely possible.

Thieron caught her and pushed her onto the sofa. Ze, who was at the door, now stopped. "Ze, go!" she said. Ze didn't move.

Thieron stood next to her and told Ze. "Stop, come back."

"Ze!" she yelled.

None of the other Ytai made a move towards Ze. He walked back to them, and Aija shouted, "Ze! Please just go!"

"Sit," Thieron commanded Ze, who sat next to her.

"Ze?" she asked, confused.

"Him, I can control," Thieron spoke to her, nodding towards Ze. "You; you're untameable."

Aija – untameable? She almost snorted out loud. But, it felt good to be called so. It meant he saw her differently, a small solace from the enemy.

Thieron removed a blade from underneath his t-shirt. Ze held her close to him despite the pain in his arm.

"I have decided to blood-bind you both – one to me, one to Nala." Thieron declared. "It'll be easier for us to handle you. And, Etrie can't take you back."

Ze's grip on her tightened.

Thieron held the blade higher as Luka and Nala walked forward towards them.

"Try to run," Ze whispered. "I'll try to hold them off."

"I'm not leaving you behind. You wouldn't go without me either, don't expect me to," Aija whispered back adamantly.

"Ai, please."

Thieron pulled a strand of his long hair and cut it with the blade. He nodded to Luka and Nala. Nala went to Ze and held him back as Thieron pulled Aija to himself. Aija fell off the sofa to the cold floor.

"No!" Ze shouted.

"Let me go!" Aija kicked at him.

Luka held her tightly. She wriggled, but of course, he was more powerful. He held her firmly to the floor by her arms. She could kick all she wanted, but it hurt no one. Thieron kneeled, facing her.

He held her right arm and tied the strand of hair around her wrist. She struggled against Luka's grip. 

"No!" she shouted.

"Let her go!" Ze yelled from behind her.

Thieron chanted something in Ytèan as he carved a symbol onto his right wrist and rich red blood welled up. Once done, a thin black line appeared around his wrist from one side of the symbol to the other on its own. Aija looked on, horrified.

Thieron then held her right arm. What was he doing? Luka held her down firmly, and she could still hear Ze's voice from behind.

She tried to shout but seemed to have lost her voice in her fear. Thieron took the blade and looked at her. Tears stung her eyes. What had she gotten herself into?

He carved a symbol onto her wrist, the same as the one on his, and it hurt terribly drawing blood. She cried in pain as a thin black line appeared around her wrist of its own accord, just like it had on his. He was still chanting, and once the line had completed itself, it started to burn all over – like she was on fire.

Thieron seemed to start chanting something else, and the symbols on both their wrists began to glow. He flinched from the pain. Aija couldn't bear that intense pain, and she cried out.

She burned all over. She was alight in an all-consuming fire drowning all comprehension.

She felt something strong, a physical connection between her and the Ytai. The pain consumed her with fervour creating a bond between them.

She cried out in pain.

The bond was afire.

✽✽✽

******** End of Part One of AFIRE********

*** Credits of Video used, go to the Original Creator/Owner. It doesn't belong to me! If it needs to be removed, please let me know.