It was still light outside, so we decided to walk to the nature park near the mall. A quick drop-off of our stuff at my house, and the sweet aroma of dinner making Zoe even happier, we got to the fire pit in a good mood. It was almost enough to make me forget about the tattoo shenanigans. Zoe had been throwing twigs and dry leaves into the pit, and Annabelle had pulled out a book to read. I was listening to Delia plan out her wardrobe.

"So I'm hoping to start planning different outfits with this nail color. Bailey, we should absolutely raid your mom's manicure kit, that way, we'll get nails out of the way."

I nodded and smiled. "Sure, but let's do it in the back yard. My room reeked of acetone for a week last time!"

Delia rolled her eyes. "Fine. At least you're willing to compromise."

Zoe took the bait. "Hey! I compromised!"

"Zoe, I know for a fact that you're going to one-and-done that beautiful dress. That's a total waste, you could totally wear that on a date or something!"

"Boys are the last thing on my mind. Track is more important."

Delia shrugged, then turned to Annabelle. "What about you? Wanna join in?"

Annabelle gave a silent nod and a smile, only looking up from her book for a few seconds. Annabelle wasn't much of a talker, but she never had an issue staying engaged in conversation.

"So Bailey, I know you said cheer squad is too competitive, but what about color guard? The girls there are way nicer, and I think learning to dance could possibly help you out with the clumsiness."

"Yeah, until I dance my way into the bleachers and cause a schoolwide scandal." I laughed.

"No way, Bailey. You'd be awesome if you really tried. You know I'd always help as much as I can, that includes the social circles, obvi."

"I'll think about it." I really would. If Delia could teach me something good to audition with, I'd actually consider it. She never had an issue dealing with the other cheerleaders because even though she was the sweetest one, she could and would bite when necessary.

"Alright, now. Limousine, my parents have it covered. I won't have us arriving to the dance in any old car. I'm going to see if I can find a corsage to match Zoe's dress, if not, I might make one out of black lace or something. Shoes, I can handle. Zoe, will you agree to black shimmer flats?"

Zoe made a face, then nodded.

"Coolies, now that leaves us with-"

"Queenie! Enough with the dance talk. Any more of it and you're going to summon one of the cheer skanks."

"Zoe, that's such an ugly word." Annabelle piped up.

"All I'm saying is, if she keeps it up, the vampires will come flying in demanding each and every detail of her outfit so they can one-up her or something."

Delia quirked her eyebrow up and Zoe. "You say that like they're listening out for every time someone hears the word dance!"

"I see a lime green corduroy mini-skirt in your future."

Delia gagged. "Ugh, Zoe that's just horrible to even imagine!"

The two of them began to go back and forth with each other, and I glanced down at the glittering red stones on my finger. In the fading light, I could see flecks of green and blue in the stones, and I began to get lost in the color. The ring pulsated it's gentle warmth into my hand and throughout my body, wrapping me up in a familiar and safe feeling. Hesitantly, I reached for my tattoo, the one thing I'd been wanting to forget about. I wondered if it was still burning hot like Annabelle said it was.

My fingers had barely brushed against my back, whispers filling my head for just a moment, then being drowned out by-

"Dee-dee! Is that you?!"

All four of us groaned at the sound of the sickly sweet voice. Five foot-seven, bright red hair, too thin for her boobs and captain of the cheer squad, Alexandra Atkins was-a presence, to say the least. She constantly demanded attention in everything she said and did, she was the kind of person Delia strived not to be.

"Oh no, the fact that Zoe predicted a fashion disaster must mean the world is off balance." Delia muttered as Alexandra stalked up to us, her lime green corduroy burning into my eyes.

Cold green eyes examined us with disdain. "Oh, a-and I see you're with your little friends." She smiled, her face resembling a Barbie doll more than a person. "Charmed. So anyways Dee-Dee, you haven't caught me up on details for the dance. Who's your date, what's your ride, I need pictures of dress and shoes-"

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Annabelle and Zoe, who both looked on with with impatience. I felt my body heating up as my annoyance rose, and I noticed wisps of smoke rising up from the fire pit. I heard Delia's tone shift, clearly she'd had enough of Alex as well.

"Um, Alex. I do have company you know. Lets talk later." Delia said gently.

"Oh sure, the motherless one and her antisocial nerd sister need all the help they can get. You're so sweet, like Mother Teresa or whatever."

Alexandra turned to walk away, but Delia stopped her. "Sorry Alex, I didn't hear what you said."

The mean girl had a wicked grin on her face. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were running a charity for hopeless losers."

My body heat was through the roof, and with each word, more smoke rose from the fire pit. Embers began to glow ever so slightly, almost out of view.

"No one else would give them the time of day, so you're taking it upon yourself. You're such a sweetie. Maybe you could be her mother, Dee-Dee." Alex was speaking in a baby voice now, and I could feel the heat overtaking me, fire ripping through my body centering from my tattoo, and Delia-Delia had a look of wrath on her face.

"Shove it, Alex!" Delia's voice dropped, she and Zoe had always been the closest despite their opposite personalities, and none of us took well to people mocking Zoe's home life.

Alex walked over to Zoe, propping her foot up against the fire pit's weak brick lining. "It's a shame, really. I guess your dad really wanted a boy, huh?"

"Shut up!" I screamed, and the pit burst into flames, a trail separating off from the blaze and lapping at Alex's shoe. Her foot and leg were soon engulfed, and she screamed, a shrill siren piercing the woods.

Zoe immediately pushed her away from the flames, ripping off her jacket and beating at her leg. The flames subsided, and left behind was a trail of bright, angry red and peeling skin.

Alex had at least stopped screaming, now her face was covered in snot and tears as Delia attempted to comfort her while on the phone with the ambulance. Annabelle stayed behind with Delia and Alex while Zoe and I walked back to the park entrance. I was shaking everywhere, my body heat only lowering slightly. I knew something weird was going on with that tattoo. Had I really just set someone on fire? Even if she was the Queen Bee and determined to make us miserable, did she deserve to be burned?

"That bimbo really-she really got to me, Bay. I thought I was over it, I thought-"

I pulled her into a hug, trying not to cringe as she cried out. "You're really burning up, Bailey. Are you-did you-?"

"I don't know. I just really want to go home."

It was nearly dark when the girls came out of the park, both looked at us solemnly. Annabelle spoke up. "I managed to convince the paramedics that Alex tripped and fell onto some embers. Lets get going, we're both kind of getting the creeps."

The walk home was silent, except for when I nervously brushed my fingers against my tattoo.

She comes, child. Be wary, do not venture out after dark. She will find you, she'll destroy you

Power is in the blood. Blood of the Sidhe

Both worlds will fall to her. Your lives, your people, everything

Every time I blinked, I saw white-blonde hair and cold, dead eyes.