Poisonous Pleasure by Jennifer Salaiz Page B

Dominic and Jason, who looked back at her in amazement. “Faster, please.” The air picked up, rotating around her until her hair flew freely around her body. “Now go to my friends and greet them, but return back to me.”
    Smiling, she watched their hair blow roughly as the wind did as she commanded. Jason started laughing while his shirt molded to his chest. As quickly as it reached them it retreated and came back to her.
    “Thank you, air. You may go.”
    Marcella knew immediately that she wouldn’t have to be in witch form to control the elements. Somehow, once she made the connection, something inside of her clicked, releasing the secrets on what she needed to do. Now, it was nothing more than materialization. She’d be able to do it on command. Impressed by how quickly her collector was learning, she shifted to her true self.
    Dom placed his index finger out, pointing at her. “Amazing, but you cheated.”
    “No, I didn’t. I just tapped into what I knew I’d find. You said yourself go into witch form.”
    “You’re twisting my words. I wanted you to stay in collector form and try to tap into being a witch.”
    Marcella placed her hands on her hips. “I’m not twisting anything. Maybe you just need to be clearer. Anyway, I don’t want to fight with you. Changing form helped. I won’t have to do it again to tap into the elements.”
    The song repeated once again and she bowed her head respectively. “Watch and see.” Lifting, she turned to stare at the fire, debating on what she wanted it to do. Studying the flame, she tried to listen to what the orange fiery glow was telling her, but all she could see was her old body inside the flames, burning off her flesh. Marcella blinked hard, clearing her thoughts. The accident was the last thing she needed to think about.
    Words to the song filled her and she let them calm her growing anxiety. The lyrics began to speak of the fire being alive. She lifted her hands as they played. The flames grew, rising a good five feet. “More.” They shot up, higher until she lowered her hand, watching them decrease.
    A smile crossed her face when she suddenly had an idea. “Fire, come to me.” A little shocked, she watched a baseball sized orb float across the expanse until it hovered inches above her opened palm.
    “That is fucking awesome,” Jason said, walking over to her. “How did you do it? I’ve been trying my damndest, and it doesn’t move for me.”
    “Feel it, become one with your element. Trust me. You’ll know when it happens. There’s a feeling that pulses through your body. It’s unbelievable. Turn…Wiccan, and look at the trees. I promise you’ll have a new respect for everything of the earth after you see what I’m talking about.”
    “Witch,” Dominic said from beside her.
    “No, I don’t like it. It just doesn’t sound right. I prefer Wiccan.”
    “Whatever. So, what are you planning to do with that fire? You’re making me nervous. Can you put it back?”
    “Of course. I’m sorry.” Marcella willed the small ball of flames back into the sandpit and watched Jason. The tattoos were gone, but other than that his appearance was the same. When he opened his eyes, Marcella watched him stare around in fascination.
    “This is the coolest thing I think I’ve ever seen. Everything is so…colorful.” Jason closed his lids, his face taking on a look of deep concentration. Marcella screamed and jumped back as his body became engulfed in flames.
    Jason laughed hysterically while he held up his arms and looked at them covered in the glowing color. “This is fucking amazing. It’s not even burning me. Become one with the element, right? Fire is my element. I love fire.”
    Leveling his hand, Marcy watched a ball begin to grow in his palm. When it got to the size of a basketball he repeatedly tossed it in the air, and caught it.
    “All right, enough lessons on the elements today. Send the fire back to the pit. This was a bad idea. Loverboy