The sensation burning inside my body was like nothing I had ever felt before. At first, it was a flicker like a match striking in the dark. Then, suddenly, it roared into a firestorm. Heat shot through my veins, curling around my bones, and I could feel my own heart hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape.

I opened my mouth to scream, but what came out was a broken sound part growl, part cry.

“What’s happening to me?” I whispered hoarsely, my voice trembling. My knees ...