Ignite (Midnight Fire Series Book One)

  Ignite

  Midnight Fire Series Book One

  By

  Kaitlyn Davis

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright 2011 Kaitlyn Davis

  Cover Art: Manipulated by Kaitlyn Davis from attribution licensed flickr creative commons photos by: Andrea Rose and Look Into My Eyes The right of Kaitlyn Davis to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifical y permitted in writing by the author, as al owed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be direct infringement of the author's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  This is a work of fiction and any resemblances between the characters and persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Other Titles by Kaitlyn Davis

  Simmer (Midnight Fire Series Book Two...coming Spring 2012)

  To my family, my friends and my fans

  Thanks for al of the support.

  Table of Contents:

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Kira watched as he languidly stood up, flexing his muscles as though he had just awakened from a long dream. He stretched his arms over his head and cracked the bones in his neck before final y settling his gaze on her. She hardly recognized him, the boy she had fal en in love with. Where minutes before there had been light and emotion in his eyes, there was only a black hole, a seemingly endless abyss. Kira had never seen him look at her that way, like less than food, like vermin, even since the first time they’d met.

  "Aren’t you going to run?" He asked with sinister humor coloring his words. The smirk on his face might as wel have been a knife cutting through her heart. The darkness had always cal ed him, but Kira had always thought that being with her would be enough to keep him from crossing over. She saw now that he’d surrendered to his nature and for the first time she felt real fear when he looked at her.

  Kira stepped backwards on shaky feet, trying to digest the question. She didn’t have an answer. How could she turn her back on him and run away? It was he, the man she loved, trying to kil her. There were no options. Could she forget it al , al the nights they had shared kissing and swapping secrets, and fight to kil ? Or, would she run and admit there was no hope that he would return to her?

  Kira said his name and reached out her hand, searching one last time for the man she’d lost.

  "Yes, honey." The word hit her like a slap in the face as it rol ed off of his tongue drenched in sarcasm.

  Kira looked up at the sun, stil hidden behind the shadow of the moon, and sprinted into the tree line behind her. She couldn’t give up on him now. But, when the eclipse was over, maybe she would final y find the strength to fight.

  Chapter One

  As Kira waited in line for a parking spot, she studied the sprawling two-story building that took up her entire line of vision. It was decorated with the words "Charleston County High School" and graffiti covered brick with a layout much different than the one of the private school she had attended in New York with numerous buildings spread over a few city blocks and sandwiched in between larger corporate ones. And, the students wandered here at a pace much different than the bustle she had grown used to during the past five years spent at the boarding school she had begged her parents to attend. But, last year her father had been laid off, and Kira knew she’d be back home for her senior year. Her family had lived in Charleston for about four years, but Kira’d never met anyone during her summers home. This would be new for her, a huge school that she would definitely get lost in and tons of people who’d probably never even heard of ‘The Met.’

  A car honked behind her and Kira continued moving at a slow pace down the parking lot as students took turns swinging trucks into super-sized, yel ow lined spaces. As she took her turn pul ing the eco-friendly car her parents loved into a spot, she knew she wouldn’t quite fit in here.

  Kira looked to her left at the person sitting in the passenger seat of a pickup truck, a ful two feet above her, and felt as tiny and invisible as she probably seemed to him. But enough, she shook herself; she hated self-pity more than anything. Kira grabbed her shoulder bag and made for the front door with the rest of the crowd. She did give Charleston one thing, the smel of marsh and pine was a heck of a lot better than that of car exhaust and garbage.

  "Name?" the secretary asked as Kira entered the main office for her schedule.

  "Kira Dawson."

  "Year?"

  "Senior." Kira ran her hands down the sides of her royal blue sundress, smoothing out the wrinkles to make a good impression on her new classmates.

  "Here you go, honey." She took the folder and pul ed out a schedule. Advanced Calculus Room 253C. Kira walked out to the hal way and looked around for a sign or anything to point her in a direction, but only saw bare brick wal s. After a few minutes, someone final y took pity on her.

  "Are you new?" A handsome blond guy with a lanky build was standing behind her looking over her shoulder at the paper. "Oh, 253C, not an easy walk from here. Come on, I’m next door to you." She fol owed, having no real other choice. "So you are new, right, or have my great looks made you speechless?" Damn, she hated being cal ed out.

  "Yeah I’m new, and what good looks? You’re so tal I can’t even see your face."

  "Touché." He studied her for a moment and Kira final y got a good look at his face, which she had to admit, wasn’t too shabby. He had wispy hair the color of summer corn, a slightly crooked nose spotted with light brown freckles and a wide, friendly smile ful of perfectly white teeth. There was something about his eyes, green with flecks of yel ow, that she found familiar and almost comforting. "I’m Luke Bowrey," he extended his hand, natural y tanned from a summer in the south, and she shook it.

  "Kira Dawson. Nice to meet you, and thanks for the help."

  "Not a problem, when I see a damsel in distress I just can’t help but act the knight in shining armor." She laughed despite herself. Kira knew he was cocky but she also instantly knew they would be friends.

  "Here’s your stop. Hope to see you later," he rushed in the classroom next-door right as the bel rang. She hurried to do the same, and sat quickly in the first seat she could find. The math was easier than she was used to, as were chemistry, biology and Spanish. Her morning went smoothly as she fol owed people from classroom to classroom and eventual y into the cafeteria big enough to hold al 1500 students at the school.

  Kira had packed her lunch, so she made her way down the rows of tables, searching for an open seat in a friendly crowd, almost giving up until a huge hand landed on her shoulder.

  "Need saving again?" She smiled to herself; it was Luke coming to the rescue once more.

  "I wouldn’t mind it." He nodded to the left and she fol owed him to one of the smal er tables where two boys and another girl sat. "Everyone, this is Kira. Kira, this is everyone." She noticed the girl rol her eyes.

  "Luke, truly amazing introduction," a slightly goofy looking boy with shaggy brown hair and black rimmed glasses said, and extended his hand.

  "Hey Kira, I’m Miles, this is Emma and that’s Dave." He pointed to the girl, who had dyed blonde hair, more makeup on than Kira was capable of applying and was wearing Lily Pulitzer, and the boy, who had his tanned arm around her chair back and was sporting a basebal cap for the Dal as Cowboys. "We al moved here last winter, but thanks to you we’re no longer the new kids. Not much change happens here. I think five students in one year must be a school record."

  "Wow, so everyone is pretty set in their ways then? Good thing I found you guys, or good thing I looked lost enough that Luke felt some pity for me." Kira adjusted her own curly red hued hair, slightly nervous in front of this new crowd.

  "We would have found you eventual y," Emma added, "We’re some of the only kids not here since birth and probably the only ones not here since middle school, so it was almost inevitable that we’d adopt the new kid and not upset the balance."

  "The balance?" Kira asked, a little confused. Her school in New York had been a constantly changing atmosphere with girls dressed in anything from Gucci to Forever 21 to leggings with holes in them from a flee market.

  "It’s like this," Luke put an arm around Kira’s shoulder and steered her to the left side of the large, open room. "First, the cafeteria is divided into four with freshman in the front near the grotesque processed food smel and older kids fil ing in the back until you get to the seniors around us who have the best window view out to the lake and the biggest tables. Then, each year is divided into your standard groups. The jocks have a table," he pointed to the corner that was a sea of blue jerseys for the boys and girls in uniform. "Next are the footbal players and the cheerleaders who fawn on t
hem, the next table over is the just plain popular because of good looks and in rare cases a stel ar attitude. In the middle are the average uncategorized and the most down to earth people you’l meet. And final y, rounding out the senior class we have the drama nerds mixed with the emos, because who real y can tel the difference there." She stared at the groups, sort of seeing the distinction in clothes and stature, black leotards looking garments versus regular jeans and a t-shirt or pompoms, but not total y understanding it. She wasn’t used to groups, except for rich and scholarship, which was the only divide at her private school. But even then it was sometimes hard to tel just from looks, because the wealthiest students would come to school wearing oversized sweaters with moth holes and the poorest student might spend a month’s income on one dress.

  "Luke, you forgot the misfits." Miles added, his head turned out the window.

  "Meaning us?" Kira asked, certainly feeling like this motley little group didn’t fit into any of the categories Luke had mentioned.

  "Nah, we’re stil the newbies, those are the misfits. Don’t know how I forgot." Luke turned Kira towards the window, in the same direction Miles faced, at the tables outside where four students, three boys and a girl were lounging, al pale despite their position in the sun. "They sort of keep to themselves."

  "Why?"

  "Don’t know. I don’t real y know anything about them actual y." Kira thought Luke was holding something back, but she’d only known him for three hours and didn't want to accuse him of lying, especial y after al he’d done. She looked outside for a moment longer, and even through the glass she could tel there was something different about them. It was more than the distinction between a jock and a drama nerd. It was something almost tangible, but whatever it was, she wasn’t going to harp on it now. She had friends to make.

  "So, where are you guys al from?" Kira asked while sliding into one of the open chairs circling the table.

  Dave just pointed to his hat. Kira guessed he was the silent type.

  "He means Dal as," Emma supplied, "I am too. We never knew each other before moving here, isn’t that funny. I mean, he went to my rival school, so not that surprising, but stil , it’s pretty crazy."

  "Fate?" Kira supplied, knowing it was the confirmation Emma searched for and guessing Dave would keep silent.

  "Yup, that’s what I like to believe." They smiled at each other, and Kira knew she’d get used to the silence from Dave and would hopeful y become friends with Emma. She liked Emma’s perfectly styled hair, manicured nails and careful y applied makeup, and figured she would bank on it for a date at some point.

  "Wel , I’m a northerner al the way, or I was until my parents moved down here. I lived in Boston, and wil hopeful y be back in Cambridge in no time." Kira smiled because Miles definitely looked like the Harvard type with the pile of books next to his lunch. But, she felt a little edge to him too.

  "And now, my turn," Luke adopted his theatrical voice again. "I, dear lady, am from the far reaches of, drum rol please," he supplied his own when the only response was rol ed eyes, "Florida, the sunshine state with glorious beaches, Disney world and a smal town in the middle of nowhere cal ed Sonnyvil e where I was born and raised."

  "Wait, you’re from a smal town?"

  "I get that a lot, but why, I don’t understand."

  "I don’t mean any offense, it’s just that your personality is so," Kira moved her hands in a wide circle searching for the appropriate word.

  "Charming?" Luke supplied.

  "I think she means big," Miles chipped in and Luke sat down with a nod of defeat, but Kira just assumed it was more playing around, so she quickly agreed with Miles and smiled.

  "You know, I just love your hair," Emma grabbed at Kira’s curly mess. "Do you dye it?"

  "Nope, unfortunately it’s just what I was born with." Kira self-consciously put a hand to her head. She’d always felt weird about her hair. It was a curly mess of bright red and almost white blonde strands that mixed to create a sort of strawberry blonde with a punch.

  "Wel I’m jealous. I wish I had such natural volume and guys go crazy for a red head."

  "Enough guys already go crazy for you," Dave final y spoke up, pul ing Emma tighter into the crook of his arm. Ah, the jealous type, Kira thought.

  Luke took a strand of her hair and wrapped the natural curl around his pointer finger. He stared at it intently, almost as if he were in a trance, and Kira stared at him, stuck.

  "Luke, creepy much?" Emma chimed in. Luke dropped the curl immediately, and he and Kira both turned towards Emma. "Whoa, Luke, Kira has your psycho eyes."

  "Real y? Look at me," Miles asked with wide eyes. "Whoa," was al he said when they looked over at him.

  "Let me see," Luke gently held Kira’s chin so she looked into his eyes. She realized why they were comforting before, she had never seen anyone with eyes quite like hers. They were barely green on the outer rim of the iris, but that hue was quickly overtaken by a yel ow tint with red and orange specks that almost looked like fire. Most people were weirded out by it, but she liked that she wouldn’t be alone in that, at least for a year. "I didn’t think they’d look the same," Luke said softly. Kira paused at the words Luke clearly had not meant to say out loud.

  "Wel , obviously you wouldn’t think a complete stranger has the same eyes as you. What’s up with you today, Luke? You’re acting al mysterious." Kira silently thanked Emma for commenting. She was stil trying to figure out what he was talking about.

  The lunch bel rang and they al stood up. Kira had English with Luke, so he grabbed her arm and started pul ing her through the al too confusing hal ways she feared she would never figure out. After a few minutes, they arrived at the far side of the building and slid into their seats.

  More students began trickling in as the bel rang, but no teacher showed up.

  "Mr. Bel is notorious for being late to class," Luke leaned over and whispered to Kira.

  "Oh, real y? How is he stil -"

  "Lukey," the girl Luke had labeled as a misfit plopped down on his desktop. She had waist-length, stick-straight black hair and her eyes were impossibly blue, almost like ice. "Hitting on the new girl already? Tsk tsk, you should let her get to know everyone before she’s forced to settle on you."

  "Diana," Luke said tersely. "I thought you graduated." She laughed and her eyes flashed almost white as she stared at Luke.

  "No, no. I’m quite content to stay in high school forever. And, I had to wait for my boys." At their mention, the three boys who had been with Diana outside now walked into the classroom. Instantly Kira felt on edge, like there was something else going on here that she was not privy to but was somehow part of. The look on Luke’s face was strained. There was something happening between him and the others that no one else in the classroom but her could feel. She heard laughter and saw students hugging the friends they hadn’t seen in a while, but in the back of the classroom there remained only the tension of a rubber band about to snap.

  "Jerome, Tristan, Jon." Luke said each name with a stiff nod. They circled around him. Kira lost interest in the strained conversation and instead studied the newcomers. Jerome had black skin that miraculously seemed pale and the same steel blue eyes. He was built like a footbal player, like a running back who was speedy yet surprisingly strong. Jon had sandy blond hair, shaved close to his head, with a thin and streamlined build. Final y, she looked at the guy Luke had cal ed Tristan. He seemed different to her somehow, with jet-black hair that hung over his eyes a little, and barely visible dimples that played on his cheeks. His eyes were also an icy blue, but they seemed deeper to her, like steep ravines she could fal into. He stayed out of the conversation, she noticed, as if lost in his own thoughts that seemed more troublesome than the cutting remarks doled out by his friends. He had a rebel without a cause look that made him perilous for a girl’s heart. Suddenly, he turned to Kira, and his eyes seemed to brighten a shade when they landed on hers. He stared, and Kira, who was never one to back down, returned his look with interest.

  "Who are you?" He asked in a barely audible voice fil ed with surprise, one just loud enough to attract the attention of his friends and Luke. Kira melted at the sound. He was dangerous she knew, but something about him made her feel safe and afraid at the same time.