Promise Me You'll Never Feel Afraid

LYRIC'S POV

I woke up to a bright light, after my eyes focused I could see the hallway passing by, I looked up to see Jimmy carrying me.

“Hello sleeping beauty.” He smiled at me.

I smiled, not used to getting compliments. Everyone always paid attention to Cinder, her hair, her sense of style, her attitude. It's nice to get noticed, especially by someone as handsome as Jimmy.

He stopped at a door and grew quiet, he grinned “Your sister's waiting for you.”

“How do you know?”

“I can hear her heart and breathing.”

“Oh.”

He opened the door and carried me in, laying me on the opposite bed as Cinder. She looked bashful, a look I'd never seen on her before.

“Good night Lyric.” Jimmy pressed a kiss to my forehead and left, waving to Cinder who nodded back.

“Lyric! Guess what?” She now seemed bubbly.

“What?”

“Zack, he...he kissed me! It was aimed at my forehead but I rolled over and he kissed me! On the lips!” She beamed. She must really like him, she's my sister and I've never seen her like this. It was totally out of character.

“That's great Cin!” I leaped to the other bed and hugged her, feeling her body heat was higher than usual.

“Jimmy...” I started, blushing.

“Jimmy what?”

“Jimmy kissed me, on the lips. I...I loved it.” A smile crept to my lips.

“That's so great!” She hugged me now, where I sat next to her.

“Lets go to bed, I'm tired.” I yawned and stretched.

She nodded and we crawled under the covers.

_---

The next morning, I woke up and got out of bed. “Cinder time to get up.” I shook her foot.

“Need...sleep...” She groaned, rolling over.

I rolled my eyes and went into the bathroom, doing what I had to and taking a shower. When I got out of the shower I found a pile of clothes. I was surprised to find a pair of Batman booty shorts in it, not questioning it, I put on the clothes and did my hair and make up. When I left the bathroom, Cinder was getting out of bed, yawning. “Good morning.”

“Mmhm.” She headed to the bathroom. I headed to the kitchen, and had a quick breakfast before a note appeared from no where. I took I off the fridge and read it.

After breakfast, go to Shadows' office. Werid.

Taking the note with me, I went to the designated place. As I reached to knock, my arms were yanked to my sides, a bag was thrown over my head and I was lifted roughly, and carried kicking and screaming to I don't know where.

I felt a warm wind on my bare legs and my arms, am I outside?
I was dropped to the ground, my arms released. I tore the burlap sack off my head and glared daggers, seeing Shadows standing in front of me. Oh jeez, we're on the fucking roof!

“I decided it's time for you to learn how to fly.” he stated simply.

Fly?! I get that I have wings but I can't control them, not to mention flying!

“I can't.”

“You will.” He marched up to me and seized my forearm, yanking me to my feet.

“You know I can't just pop them out.” that got me a slap in the face. I gasped at the pain.

“Don't speak to me with such disrespect. You found the shorts in your clothes today I trust?”

I nodded.

“This is why.” Suddenly he yanked my arm, sending my feet off the roof and my entire body into the air, off the edge. I fell down, gravity yanking me harder and harder with each passing second. Air whipped around me, my scream echoed as I fell.

My heart raced and I began to cry, my tears going up my forehead and disappearing into the air.

“Please! Please help! Shadows please!” I cried, fearing the death that waited for me just a few feet away.

“Jimmy!” I yelled, knowing if he could help me he would. But he didn't.

The air was freezing and I shivered, still screaming and crying. Suddenly I stopped. I felt arms around me, I looked up to see Brian with a hard look on his face, bat wings protruding from his back. He flapped them and flew us back up to the roof where Shadows stood with his arms crossed.

“Aw, I see you couldn't do it.” he said with fake sympathy.

Brian let go of me and I fell to my hands and knees. “P-please, not again.” I begged, shaking.

“Until you can control your wings, we'll continue. Remember though, Syn might not be there to catch you every time.” In a blur of movement, I was thrown back off the roof. I wailed as I fell, getting closer to the ground every second. My hair whipped back, catching sticks from nearby trees, I began to flip in the air, trying to get to something to stop falling. “Please! Please!” I yelled repeatedly as the Earth got closer.

Suddenly I was roughly caught, I dug my nails into Brian's arms as he flew us back to the roof.

“Please, I'll do anything. Stop. Please.” I whispered to Matt, unable to look up at him. I was breathing heavily and found it hard to force air into my lungs.

“You gotta learn.” Matt yanked me from Brian and whipped me off the roof again.

2 hours later

I was on my hands and knees, coughing from yelling so much. I could barely speak, I was shaking uncontrollably. My arms wobbled and I knew they would soon give out.

“Please. Please no more.” I rasped.

“You are hopeless. So I got some...motivation.” Matt sneered.

“LET ME THE FUCK GO YOU FUCKING DICKHEAD!”

My head flew up at the sound of my sisters' voice. I saw Zack holding her in the air, above his head as she struggled against chains at her wrists and ankles. The look on his face was blank, as if he had no clue what he was doing. He just kissed her, now this?!

My eyes widened “No! Shadows please no!”

“Lyric are you okay!?” She suddenly noticed me.

Suddenly I her her scream, he threw her off the roof.

“No!” Without thinking, I dove off the roof. Letting go of my fear to focus on getting to my sister who
was screaming profanitys as she fell about 5 feet away from me. I ignored my hair in my face and made my body straight, speeding up till I grabbed her.

I cried in pain as my back seemed to explode, the pain was gone almost instantly I stretched out what I knew were my wings and we parachuted to the ground, me landing on my feet.

I set her down on the ground, my legs wobbled. Cinder's eyes widened at the sight of my wings.

Suddenly, Matt, Zack and Brian were standing a couple yards away, looking at my wings in awe.

My legs gave out and I fell to my knees.

I looked back to see my wings were not the bat wings they were before, they looked more like...angel wings. They were covered in white feathers.

“Pull them in Lyric.” Matt said, sounding detracted.

I managed to contract the muscles, and obliged with only mild pain.

I looked up to see the look on Zack's face go from blank to furious. He turned to face Matt and bared his sharp teeth, eyes black with rage.

Matt turned on the smaller man and bared his elongated teeth. “Is this a challenge Vengeance?”

Zack clenched his fists at his sides. “Maybe.” He said threw his teeth.

Power radiated from Matt, and I instinctively cast my eyes away. From the corner of my eye I saw Cinder with her head bowed in submission. I've never seen her like this...maybe its her mutant thing. I know Matt and Zack are werewolves so..uh...actually I don't know what Cinder's power is. I was in a room alone when she did what ever it is she does. Maybe she turns into a wolf too? If Matt is the alpha, which he clearly is, it must be her instinct to bow before him.

She's gonna be pissed.

Zack took a half step back, seemingly involuntarily.

He then gave a sharp growl of defeat, scooping Cinder into his arms and give me an apologetic look before going back inside. She shook slightly in his arms, still shaken up about the fall.

“I knew that would be enough motivation, if it wasn't...well we'd be down a maid.” Matt said like it was nothing.

I knew I should be beyond pissed, but I couldn't be. I was sad, and frustrated. Sad for Cinder, she was so thrilled that Zack kissed her, then he goes and throws her off the roof, frustrated because if I could control my wings, he never would have done that to her. This is all my fault.

I didn't notice tears falling down my cheeks until they hit the ground.

Brian knelt in front of me, gently pulling my face up by my chin, I noticed his wings were gone. What is he? Is he like me?

He picked me up carefully and took me inside, passing a smug looking Matt.

I continued to cry as he took me to a room I've never been in, and lay me on the bed. “W-where are we?” I asked, looking at the walls that were striped with purple and black.

“My room.”

“What are you? What is Cinder?”

“I am a shape shifter. I can turn into anyone or any animal. Or, if I want, I can have certain attributes of a certain animal. Your sister is a wolf mutant. She is basically a werewolf with natural powers.”

“Natural powers?”

“We don't know what her powers are but she has some kind of ability. Matt drinks blood for his powers, your sister doesn't have to.”

“And werewolves and wolf mutants get along?”

“Of course, their practically one and the same.” he looked like he wanted to say more.

“And I...I'm sorry for going along with Shadows', he's the boss.” he seemed sincere.

“I understand, but...why would Zack do that to Cinder? Last night she was so happy because he kissed he-”

“What?!” He beamed and I realized what I just told him. I blushed, we were silent until his smile fell.

“Being the alpha over Zack, Matt has the power to control him. Zack didn't know what he was doing, he had no clue what was going on. Matt had complete control of his body, his mind was unconscious.”

“I hope Cinder knows that.”

“I'm sure Zack's explaining it to her now.”

“Or trying.” I mumbled, knowing how hard it is to talk to my sister when she doesn't want to listen.

He gave me a confused look.

“Cinder is...hardheaded. If she doesn't want to talk to you, you'll know. Sometimes even I have trouble getting through to her. I love her to death but...” I shrugged.

“Oh.”

“Where's Jimmy?” I asked, if he was here he would of stepped in. Right?

“He and Johnny had an interview with Kerrang magazine. They'll be back any minuet.”

I nodded, my breathing now completely evened out. Brian began to pick sticks and leaves out of my hair and I fidgeted with my fingers.

“Thank you for catching me.”

He nodded, and pulled his lips in a tight line.

“What?”

He frowned slightly, “Matt told me if you went after Cinder not to go catch you. I guess he was pretty confident.”

I got agitated with Shadows and got miffed quickly. Hey, miffed is as close to angry as I can get!
Don't judge me, please.

Suddenly the door slammed open and Brian was shoved aside to the floor, I instantly knew it was Jimmy.

“Lyric!” He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me to his chest. “I should of been here! I would have never let him do that!” He let go of me after I pushed at him lightly.

“I know Jimmy, it's ok-” “NO its' not!” he boomed, I flinched back. He's never yelled at me before and...it...scares me.

At must of shown in my eyes because his rage disappeared at once. He looked apologetic and began to frantically apologize. “I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I was so worried and angry when I found out. I thought something could of happened to you and if it did I-”

“Jimmy it's o...I understand.” I avoided saying that it was 'okay.'

He bit his lip “No, you don't.”

I frowned, wondering what he was talking about. He shook his head and helped a flabbergasted Brian to his feet.

“Sorry about that man.”

Brian shrugged, seemingly indifferent about it.

“HOW COULD YOU!?” We all jumped at the sound of my sisters voice in the distance. I flew off the bed, ignoring the head rush as I flung the door open and went into the hall seeing my sister and Zack, she in tears.

“Cin, please let me explain-”

“NO! FUCKING NO!” She hissed, stomping down the hall. Her hands began to get hazy looking, she shook with anger and hurt.

Zack grabbed her shoulder, she wheeled around and he suddenly flew down the hall. She looked at her hands, bright red and orange flamed pulsed around her clenched fists.

My mouth dropped and she began running down the hall for Zack. “Zack!”

I ran after her, ignoring Brian and Jimmy at my sides. “Zack! Wake up! Not funny! WAKE UP!” She cried as she neared his 'crash site'. Apparently he flew in the air and hit the wall, leaving a Zack shaped whole. Cinder was in the wall near him, hands still blazing.

“Zack!”

“Cin-” “BACK UP!” She whorled around, I saw red come towards me and I brought my arms up in a flinch.

But I didn't get burned, when I opened my eyes it looked as if a bubble surrounded from me to the wall where Cinder and Zack were. Brian poked it and found it quiet solid.

“It's...a force field.” Jimmy proclaimed proudly.

“Lyric I'm so sorry!” Cinder yelled, the flamed on her hands disappearing. I dropped my arms and Brian found that the field was gone when he tried to lean on it and nearly fell on his face.

“It's okay, Cinder.” I ran up to hug her as the guys ran to Zack who was coming too, rather slowly.

_--

Later that night, Matt had learned of what happened and decided Cinder would have to learn to control her fire, and I would have to learn how to fly (with Brian's teachings) and how to control my force fields. Jimmy was beyond thrilled at my ability, pride radiated from him. I was glad to please him but...unsure of what to do with my ability's, if anything.

That night, I sat on the bed with Cinder. Trying to get her to open up to me about what I missed.