I feel like sharing today, so here is the rough draft version of the first chapter of Book 3 in the Going Down In Flames series, Trial By Fire. 

 

“Jaxon, I swear to God, if you don’t stop bitching,  I will set your hair on fire.”  Bryn spoke through clenched teeth as she smiled and nodded at the students streaming past her them into the Welcome Back to School Gala. “Aren’t you supposed to have this fake socialite crap down to a science?”

“It’s not the greeting people I mind,” he nodded at a group of students who entered the dining hall. “it’s your proximity.”

That was it. She didn’t care what her grandmother and Lillith wanted. If she had to listen to Jaxon make one more rude comment, she was going to lose it and roast him like a marshmallow.

“Bryn.” Garrett walked toward her with his face wary, and his injured left arm hanging limp in a sling.

And now she remembered why she was doing this. “I’m so glad you came.” Only half of all the students injured during the attacks on campus were willing to return to campus. The other less than perfect dragons allowed the Directorate to talk or more likely bully them into private tutors.

A ghost of a smile crossed Garrett’s face. “I told the Directorate my left arm may not work and I may not be able to fly, but my mind was still functional and they owed me for failing to provide adequate protection. You should’ve seen the looks on their faces.”

“Good for you.” This was why she and Rhianna had engineered the welcome back to school party, courtesy of Lillith and her grandmother. It would be too easy for the Directorate to sweep all the injured students under the rug over Christmas Break.

Garrett headed toward the tables where the Green dragons sat. His friends greeted him like nothing was wrong.

“You think this is a good thing,” Jaxon said. “But you’re wrong.”

“That’s it.” Fire crawled up the back of Bryn’s throat. Smoke drifted from her lips as she spoke. “Get the hell away from me.”

“Gladly.” Jaxon stalked off to join his friends.

Bryn’s best friend Ivy bounded over, with Clint in tow. “I won.”

“You won what?” Bryn asked.

“She bet you’d try to roast Jaxon within the hour.” Clint ran his fingers through his mohawk. “I bet within the first thirty minutes.”

“You made it forty minutes.” Ivy grabbed Bryn’s hand. “I declare your door greeting duties officially over. Time to hit the buffet.”

Once they had food, and were seated at their usual table, Bryn sighed. “Finally, I can relax.”

Ivy’s eyebrows went up. “Maybe not.”

Bryn heard the click of high heels on the marble tile. She cringed. That had to be her grandmother.

“Bryn, why aren’t you greeting people at the door?”

Turning to face her grandmother, Bryn gave a tight smile. “Most of the guests are here, I was hungry, and I was five seconds from setting Jaxon’s hair on fire.” She could pick whichever reason she liked.

Her grandmother frowned. “It’s inappropriate to leave the entrance unless you find someone else to greet your guests.”

“This isn’t my party. It’s a school party.”

“That’s not what we discussed,” her grandmother said.

“I didn’t realize you meant I had to stand at the door all night.”

Her grandmother appeared unswayed.

Bryn pushed to her feet. “If I find someone to greet people, will that make you happy?”

“No.” Her grandmother raised a brow. “But it will do.”

“Fine.” Bryn scanned the room. Who did she want to dump door duty on? Better yet, who could she convince to do it?

Rhianna stood on the outskirts of the Blue Clan, clutching a glass of punch. Coming back to school after her injury was one thing, playing hostess was another. It didn’t hurt to ask.

Bryn approached Rhianna and spoke in a quiet voice. “I have a favor to ask. My grandmother won’t let me sit down unless someone else takes over greeting guests. Do you think you’re up for it?”

“I’m not sure.” She nodded at her classmates. “My reception hasn’t been what I hoped for.”

“Idiots.” Bryn frowned. And where was Jaxon? And then it came to her. “You could ask Jaxon to go with you. He’d be far happier standing up there with you than he was with me.”

“Maybe.” Rhianna caught Jaxon’s gaze and waved.

He said something to the group of people he stood with and came over to take Rhianna’s hand. “What’s wrong?”

“Bryn needs someone to take over greeting at the door. Would you go with me?”

“Of course. We should have done it that way in the first place.”

Okay, he was being nice to Rhianna, but did he have to be such a jerk to her? Not wanting to deal with him, Bryn clamped her lips shut  and rejoined her friends at their table.

Clint pointed to her hair. “I see you decided to go native.”

She rolled her eyes. “My grandfather interpreted my red, blond and black streaked hair as lack of pride in my Blue Clan heritage. So I went blond to appease him.” She reached up to touch the red streak by her temple. “He still hates this nod to my father’s clan, but I refuse to change it.”

“I miss the the black stripes.” Ivy said.

“Me too. But my grandparents took me in, so I’m trying to keep the peace.” With her parents gone, it’s not like she had anywhere else to go. If she alienated her grandfather, she’d be homeless. “Let’s talk about something happier.”

“I got my driver’s license.” Clint puffed up with pride.

“That’s great.” And it gave her an idea. “Maybe you could teach me how to drive.”

Ivy choked on her punch. “Not a good plan. He drives like a maniac.”

“I do not.” Clint flicked a cube of cheddar cheese at his girlfriend.

“You took out the bushes at the end of my driveway, on both sides.” Ivy picked up the cheese cube and popped it in her mouth. “I don’t know who gave him his driver’s test, but they must’ve taken bribes.”

“If I could have your attention.” Mr. Stanton, the Elemental Science teacher and head of the Green Clan stood near the buffet holding a microphone. “I’d like to welcome all of you back after the Christmas Holidays. I’m sure the new year will be an exciting time for all of us. The Directorate has taken security measures to insulate the campus from any more disturbances.”

Disturbances seemed like an understatement.

“Please enjoy the food and your friends company. Classes start bright and early tomorrow. Make sure you rest up this evening.”

“Please.” Clint threw his arm around Ivy’s shoulders. “I’ll be a zombie no matter what tomorrow. We might as well stay up tonight and have fun.”

A growl echoed through the room. Bryn whipped around to see Jaxon facing off with a male from his Clan. “Rhianna does not reflect poorly on our kind.”

The other male narrowed his eyes. “Really? Then why did your father void your marriage contract?”

Uh-oh. Jaxon wouldn’t speak against his father or the Directorate, which left only one option. This was about to get ugly.

The air around Jaxon shimmered as he shifted to dragon form. The other male shifted, but backed up a step. Big mistake. Ceding ground showed weakness. Jaxon lunged, blasting frozen flames and striking out with his talons. The coppery scent of blood filled the air.

Jaxon backed the boy up to the wall and pinned him there with his talons digging into the boy’s neck.

“That’s enough.” An all to familiar voice boomed through the room. Her grandfather was here. Great.

Jaxon released the boys neck, but didn’t retreat.

“Shift back.” Her grandfather ordered. “Now.”

Even though he shifted back to human form, Jaxon never took his gaze from his opponent.

“Jaxon Westgate, what do you have to say for yourself?” Her grandfather asked in a voice that rang through out the room.

“What I have to say, sir, is that the members of my clan will treat Rhianna with respect.”

“Not just me.” Rhianna stepped forward. “My injury wasn’t my fault. Neither was Garrett’s or any of the other student’s who suffered the same fate. We have every right to be here. Don’t you agree, Mr. Sinclair?”