All Chapters of Set Fire and Burn: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter 10 Set Fire and Burn by Ruth NalioAfter I’d finished putting away my clothes, I got dressed, then tucked my empty bag under the bed. It was too early for me to care about my hair, so I walked out of my room and down the hall to the smell of coffee. My stomach was tight with nerves. Zander hadn’t been the friendliest person so far, and I was technically a ‘guest’ in his house. Shaking off the nerves, I decided I was going to act like I owned the place. I marched into the kitchen, fully prepared to snoop through all the cabinets until I found a coffee mug, only to find that Zander was sitting at the island with an extra mug already set out next to the pot.“There is sugar in the cabinet to the left of you and milk in the fridge,” he said without looking up from his coffee.“Thank you,” I said, a little thrown off.“I know you miss your mother, but if she’s human, it’s best if you stay away from her until you learn to control yourself,” he added.“You listened to my conversation

Chapter 12 Set Fire and Burn by Ruth NalioAngelica… Zander finished up his work in about an hour and left Ash in charge before taking me back to his house and ordering me to take a shower and get some rest. I flipped him off as I walked to the bathroom without another word. Had I not desperately wanted a shower to soothe my aching body and wash the blood out of my hair, I would have told him to eat shit and die while I sat on the back porch drinking his alcohol, just to spite him. As I walked into the bathroom, I looked at the tub and smiled. Plugging the tub, I walked back out of the bathroom and toward the kitchen.“What’s wrong?” Zander asked as I walked into the kitchen.“I need a glass of sweet red wine, hell, I want the whole damn bottle on ice,” I informed him as I began opening cabinets.“Does this look like a bar?” he demanded as he got up and began closing the cabinets I was leaving open, yet another small way I was spiting him.“Nope, but a girl can dream.” I spun around

Chapter 14 Set Fire and Burn by Ruth NalioAngelica… I’d watched the sunrise alone on Zander’s back porch, silent tears of self-pity slipping down my cheeks. Zander had stayed inside, occasionally pacing by the doors, as if to check on me. Prisoner; the term had resonated inside me each time his large frame had paused behind the glass. He was my jailer, his immaculate home, my cell, his restaurant and club, my work detail. Would the day come when my time was served? Or would the rest of my existence feel like this? Trapped in a world I didn’t understand, with powers I couldn’t control, and parents who’d abandoned me to be raised without a clue of what I’d become.Zander walked out with two mugs in hand as the sun climbed higher in the morning sky. “Coffee, just how you like it,” he said, setting the creamy mixture next to my empty cocoa mug with its sad cinnamon stick leaning pathetically against the side of the froth-marked interior. Zander walked over to the railing and stood looki

Chapter 16 Set Fire and Burn by Ruth NalioAngelica…We sat at a table along the wall , and almost immediately had menus placed in front of us. To my horror, the entire thing was in French. Not only had I not taken French in high school, but I’d also only passed my German with a D-. “What do you recommend?” I asked, trying to play it off as too many good choices.“The smoked duck is delicious. Coupled with the sweet potatoes and the wine I plan on ordering, I think you’ll like it. Would you care to start with a salad?” he asked, glancing up from his menu.“Do you have normal salads? That’s the only bad thing about Olive Garden. I’m a garden salad with ranch kind of gal,” I asked, trying to sound less in over my head.“If that’s your idea of Italian food, you might be disappointed, but yes, I can make sure you get a standard salad,” he said with a smile.“I guess I’ll have to let you order for me and show a little faith then,” I said with a smile. “The duck it is,” he said with a smil

Chapter 18 Set Fire and Burn by Ruth NalioAngelica…Jade came in about ten minutes later. “Is it safe?” she asked, gently closing the door behind her.“That depends, you plan on turning into a raging bitch?” I asked, hating that she probably could see that I’d been crying.“Look, Mr. Stone sent me in to see if you were okay. I’m not here to push anyone’s buttons, I’m here for a paycheck. Seeing you put Del in her place was just a perk,” she told me as she plopped down on Zander’s desk and looked at her nails.“Can I ask you a personal question?”“Go for it, but this is your only freebie. All other questions will cost you,” she said with a wink.“Have you ever killed anyone?” I asked nervously.“Damn, I guess you hit just as hard with questions as you do with bar tops. No, I haven’t killed anyone. I’ve cursed a few people, but then again, I’m still young by immortal standards.”“Is asking your age considered a personal question?” I asked with a smile.“Considering I’m hotter than your