"What happened to you?" Flame asked me as he saw the bruise that had bloomed on my cheek despite my attempt to cover it. I didn't even know why I wanted to cover it. Maybe I was just felt like my life was somewhat normal now that I had an actual friend. I usually hit that kind of thing from my mother though, I didn't want to worry her.

"Frank," Was my only reply, Flame's face twisted into a scowl.

 "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry you didn't hit me?" I smiled at him to relive some of the guilt from him.

"He is taking out his frustration on you," he said and hung his head.

"I wish I could get back at Frank, if I even try to confront him he punches me," I said quietly but hopefully. 

I was secretly hoping Flame would go and beat him up. Having someone willing to stand up for you was such an overwhelming feeling. Even if yesterday at the fair was strange, I could forgive it.

"I will teach him a lesson for you," Flame said then walked off. 

Success! I broke out into a secret smile and followed Flame as he walked down the hall, almost strutting. 

Frank was in the middle of a group of friends as always, Flame shoved his way into the core of the group. I walked in the path that Flame had created, getting so many glares from Frank's friends as I brushed past them. Upon grazing shoulders with me, some of them even jumped back widening the path as we walked through. Flame walked right up to Frank despite Frank's height Flame's stance dominated the situation.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Frank yelled at Flame.

"I thought I told you not to hurt Victoria again," Flame growled.

"Firstly I don't know what you're talking about and secondly you never said that idiot," Frank mocked before he punched Flame right between the eyes. As Frank's hand hit Flame's face I heard a crack and Frank quickly pulled his hand back.

"I think you will find that your hand is broken," growled Flame in a soft voice.

Frank ran off nursing his hand. Flame just stood there completely still.

"Thank you!" I yelled, ran over to Flame and hugged him.

Flame hugged me back. He has strong arms and held me tightly but it didn't hurt. We stayed in that position for a time that seemed like forever. I didn't care that people were staring; all I cared about was that there was someone hugging me and that cared about me. 

Flame's body was deliciously warm.

Flame finally pulled out of the hug and said "we should get to class."

"Yeah," I replied, but deep down I didn't want to go to class. What I wanted was to be hugged by Flame again and this time never let go. Alas, Flame started walking away so I followed him.

***

I sat next to Flame in homeroom he was looking down at something on his lap. I peered over his shoulder to look. It was a phone and he was texting someone. I whispered right into his ear since my head was on his shoulder "You know you can't have phones in class right?" 

He jumped a little but ignored me and continued texting. I gave him a moment but he was completely focused. I lent over and whispered, "Who are you talking to?" 

"My p... I mean .... friend," he whispered.

I sat back into my seat, this is kind of mean but I thought I was his only friend. How could he already have friends here if he just moved? Maybe they are still in his old town? Was I just the worst at making friends? That had to be it. 

"Oh no this is bad," he muttered.

I looked up and asked "What is it?"

"I have to go," he whispered.

He got up "you can't just leave," I exclaimed.

The bell went; he smirked and said, "Now I can."

He got his books and left the room. Where was he going? I picked up my books and followed him.  He put his books down on top of some lockers and ran off. I put mine down next to his and walked fast to keep him in sight but not too close. He ran through the crowd really fast and dodged everyone who was lingered and chatting. Where was he going and why did he does he need to go that fast? Surely no class was that important to need to break out into a full-on run. Without books too. He turned a corner I ran to keep up. He had walked into the part of the school that was being rebuilt. The builders weren't there yet. I stopped at the glass doors, hesitating, should I go in too?

The teachers warned us of how much trouble we would be in if we were caught in there and also how dangerous it was. Flame hadn't had that speech yet. So maybe he just didn't know... 

I took a deep breath and stepped into the construction site. I continued following Flame I had to tell him it was too dangerous. I could see his footprints in the sawdust, they twisted down the hallway. As I kept walking the hairs on my arm and back of my neck began to stand up. An uneasiness swirled into my stomach. I knew this feeling wasn't just from breaking the rules, there was something very bad going on here. Flame was just at the end of the hall, I could see his bright hair in the hazy plaster dust. He stopped suddenly, instinct took over and I ducked behind a wall but I couldn't keep myself from watching. He looked around sniffing; his movement was sharp and jumpy. "I know you're here!" he called out.

How could he know? He didn't even see me. He has found me now I better come; out no point in hiding if he knows I'm here. We can just leave together, we clearly shouldn't even be in here.

I was just about to reveal myself when I heard a thud noise coming from the floor above us. I froze. The ceiling started to crack. My breath caught in my throat. Flame walked towards the crack, curiously and cautiously. There was some howling and yelling and the ceiling collapsed. Dust exploded into the air, filling the hallway. I pulled my shirt up to my noise to keep it from my lungs but I already feel like coughing and my eyes stung, I couldn't stop watching though it was hard to make out what was happening. The colour of Flame's hair still stood out through the dust. I could see about seven other human figures and one large four-legged creature. They were all locked into battle. I watched them all even though they kept kicking up the dust. Flame seemed to be on the animal's side, pulling the people off the animal and tossing them to the side as if they were merely rag dolls. I focused on the animal, really trying to squint through my watering eyes. I looked at the tail and the triangular shape of the head. Was it a wolf? It clearly wasn't the wolf I had seen that day but maybe they were related. This one seemed just as big and just as deadly. It tore those people to shreds with Flame's help. I was frozen in fear but also in awe. I was afraid if I did anything I would mess it all up and it would be the same as last time. I wanted to unveil this mystery but the more I watched the more violent it got. Limbs were torn off. 

The wolf ripped a man's head of and tossed in down the hall.

Splat!

It landed a metre away from me. I couldn't help but lower my eyes to look at it. Red eyes stared back at me. Eyes just as strangely coloured as my own. I was transfixed on this beautiful pale face and ruby eyes. I barely just noticed the fact this woman's canines were pointed and bloody before my attention was stolen from her.

"Why are you here leech?" Flame's growl got my attention. 

I looked back up and all the people were laying on the ground around the wolf and Flame. The dusted had settled a little and I could see the scene a little clearer. Flame had a man up against a wall strangling him, he shared the woman's red eyes.

The wolf was a hulking beast of gray fur and scar. But his eyes. They were light blue and they had a human quality to them I couldn't quite grasp. He was intelligent but also a fighter.

 "We were sent to attack the hotel," came the choked reply from the man.

"Hotel?" Flame questioned but the only reply he got was a punch in the face. Flame winced but threw the man to the ground with force.

There was a crack which was likely one of his ribs but he hissed "There is a mortal nearby."

The wolf looked up a Flame as if he were asking something urgent. Suddenly Flame's eyes lit up in shock and he yelled "Victoria!"

Hearing my name sent a shockwave threw me and I backed away from the wall but footsteps approached. I scrambled to my feet throwing my arms up in defence. 

Red eyes loomed over me, hungry. 

I no longer felt that kinship with him as I stumbled backward.

In a flash, they were gone, knocked to the ground and Flame stood over the red-eyed man. 

"You have to get out of here!" he grabbed my arm and started to drag me. 

My feet stumbled to catch up but I couldn't help not being so coordinated. 

"I know, I'm sorry but what is going on?" I asked.

Flame didn't reply he pushed me into the school hallway, the normal world. A few students were chatting loudly. They had no idea what had just happened metres away from them.

"Stay on this side."

***

I didn't see Flame for the rest of the day, I was sick to my stomach with curiosity but I was also happy. I was able to see so much more than I ever had before. Flame would explain everything that happened to me tomorrow, I just knew it. He couldn't claim I was dreaming this time. 

It was dinner time and my family were sitting down around the table. "So what did we do today?" my mother asked.

I couldn't tell her what I really did so I just said while brushing off some of the dust I had missed on the side of my jeans, "not much."

I kept my head down I hate lying to my mother she is so sweet but if I told her the truth she would freak out more than I did. She already deals with way too much stress coming from me.

"MUM the school told us that they are taking us to the snow on the sixth of July!" Jack shouted across the table.

"That sounds fun."

Edited - 13/2/2016

Edit 2 - 23/5/2020