UNCONTROLLED BURN (21 page)

An explosion from the cask room sent hungry flames through the door. The fire leapt and tasted the beam on the ceiling above. Happy to have found new fuel to feed its voracious appetite, flames ran in wild joy along the old wood.

In the confusion, Ronan swung his fist and connected with Reese’s ear. “I had nothing to do with it.”

Sparks of pain shot through Reese’s head, disorienting him. He loosened his grip and Nason scrambled for the mask.

“My father turned her human,” Nason yelled.

Reese grabbed the vamp’s foot and pulled. Ronan’s fingers grazed the edge of the mask, but didn’t quite connect. He kicked out in anger, finding only air. Nason flipped the air tank from his back and hurtled it at Reese, who deflected it easily. Heat and smoke were stealing Ronan’s strength.

Poisonous air filled Nason’s lungs and he shook in fits of coughing.

Reese stood and retrieved the axe, letting his anger fuel the hatred. If what Nason said was true and Alex was human, the vampire had added the woman he loved to his list of victims. Reese stared down at Nason—a rogue who’d broken every civil rule of the vampire code. The asshole had left him without a choice. There was no doubt Nason was the vampire they hunted, the one who had been killing his own kind and infiltrated the RISEN ranks in order to stay one step ahead of the investigation. The vampire tribunal would sanction his death.

“I should not kill you so mercifully.” Reese raised the axe.

“Taking my life will not save hers.” Ronan’s words came out on hacking coughs. “Alex is dead to you, Colton.”

With a mighty roar of contempt, Reese brought the axe down, ending the murderous reign of the rogue vampire. The tribunal might never discover Ronan’s motives for all the killings, but at the moment, none of that mattered.

Exhausted, Reese dropped the axe. Alex looked lifeless curled against the wall. Flames fluttered above them. In moments, everything would combust. Without thought, he scooped up Josh’s helmet and flung the air tank over his shoulder. Leaving them would be like leaving Josh in the fire. And no firefighter ever abandoned a comrade.

Gathering Alex close, he stalked from the office, slamming the heavy wooden door behind him. It might buy him the few precious moments he needed to save Alex’s life. He laid her unresponsive body on the floor next to the stairs. If air would revive her, Reese couldn’t chance taking the time to get her outside.

The yellow light in his mask flicked off, vibrating as the alarm screamed in protest. Still, he pulled it from his face, flipped the purge valve on the regulator to push the air out and pressed the mask to Alex’s face. She didn’t move. Didn’t stir. Could Nason have been right? Had she somehow become human? Reese tamped down the fear and leaned into her ear.

“Breathe, Alex. Don’t leave me alone.” The vibration stopped and the alarm cut off in mid-wail. His fucking air tank was empty. In desperation, Reese detached the hose from his tank and attached the mask to Josh’s. Gently, he covered her angelic features once again and waited. But even with the air flowing, pushing into her lungs, Alex didn’t awaken. The air should have allowed them to heal. She wasn’t burned. It should have been enough to revive her.

Reese fell back on his haunches in defeat. Alex needed something more from him.

He simply needed her.

Reese knew with absolute certainty he could not live another decade without her by his side. Hell, he wasn’t sure the pain piercing his chest would allow him to draw his next breath.

Leaning over, he filled his nose, not with the smoke permeating her hair and clothes, but with the pure essence of Alex. The beast rose and Reese sank long fangs deep into her flesh, gorging on her sweet nectar.

Chapter Ten

Six months later

“A little to the left,” Reese yelled up to Josh from the dirt parking lot. A talon of moon hung high in a sky filled with stars. The warm spring breeze ruffled his hair, carrying the earthy scent of the surrounding forest.

“Here?” Josh shifted the cumbersome wooden sign and centered it on the front of the newly renovated tavern roof.

“Yep, right there.” Reese jumped to the roof with ease. Grabbing the power drill, he began setting the bolts. “We should be able to have the grand opening next week, right before Easter, like we planned.”

“Guys at the station have been bugging me about getting the old watering hole back.”

“Yeah, well, they’re being a little impatient. It’s not like I’ve ever renovated a demolished building. Let alone two.”

Josh slapped Reese on the back. “Looks like you’ve found your next career.”

His friend hadn’t quite found his easy rhythm, but Reese hoped it would only be a matter of time and he’d move on. Or, maybe, he’d never stop looking for Hope. Even after all these months, no new information had been uncovered.

“You still planning on heading out to Montana?” Reese asked, hopeful his friend would stay and help him run the tavern.

“Yeah, probably week after next.” Josh held the sign while Reese secured it with a couple more bolts. “The tribunal’s still trying to piece together the remnants of the professor’s research you pulled from the fire. Not sure what I can do to help, but staying here …” Josh paused. “Let’s just say, South Kenton’s lost its appeal.”

Reese swallowed hard. Nason had surprised Josh at the back of the tavern the night of the fire. He’d taken him down with the wooden stake he’d used on himself and dragged him into the kitchen, removed his gear and headed downstairs to finish off Reese.

Only, it had been Reese who’d come out of it alive—not Nason.

When he’d come into the kitchen and found Josh’s burned and lifeless body, Reese had replayed Glenn’s death. Fortunately, the physical damage hadn’t been as severe and, unlike Glenn, Josh had survived.

“You ever think about why Alex and the other vamps turned to the professor?” Reese asked.

“Immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when you’re missing the people you love.” Josh looked over and forced a sad smile. “But you know that.” He cleared his throat. “I might not want to be human, but I sure as hell can’t sit around and wonder what the hell happened to the woman I love. I figure if I’m out kicking some rogue vampire ass it will keep the grief, the anger
and
the emptiness at bay.”

Reese couldn’t bear the pain in Josh’s eyes and he steered the direction to something easier. “A little less talk and more work might help.” Reese pointed to the pile of bolts and the other drill beside him. “It’s been a bitch working on the construction alone.”

“Somehow, Colton, I don’t think you really wanted our human friends nosing around while you modernized the wine cellar downstairs. I’m sure they wouldn’t think much of your recipe.” Josh went to work attaching the other end of the sign.

“But can’t you just see Timmon’s smart mouth hanging to the floor at the site of the vat full of blood?” Reese laughed. “Speaking of blood, another load of pigs arrived at the farm yesterday.”

Josh looked at him thoughtfully. “It’s not hard being there?”

“Nah. Feels right. Like I’m continuing the work Glenn started.” Reese shrugged. “Besides, I’ve been enjoying experimenting with the blood wine mixture. I figure the new mix should yield a hundred bottles every couple of days. Ten times what Glenn used to get. The tribunal’s looking to set up several more wineries.” Reese set the last bolt. “By the end of the year every vamp in California will be able to live off Alex’s blood wine.”

They gathered the tools and jumped to the ground. Standing in the wash of the angled spotlights on the roof, they stood a moment and admired their work. “You think Glenn would’ve approved?” Reese asked quietly.

“Flanagan’s Tavern,” Josh said, reading the sign. “Yeah. He’d approve.”

“You fools going to stand out there all night? There’s plenty more work inside.”

Reese stared at his wife standing in the open door. The lights from the new dining room silhouetted Alex’s beautiful figure.

“Pull out the whips, why don’t you?” Josh joked.

“You’d enjoy it too much, Burkett, and I’d never get you two to finish anything.”

Reese jumped over the three stairs onto the porch and kissed her sweet lips. “You actually tell him about the flogger?” he whispered.

Alex swatted his arm and nuzzled his ear. “He was kidding, you idiot.”

“Enough.” Josh joined them on the porch. “Haven’t you figured out that’s the kind of stuff that got you in this condition in the first place, Alex?”

Reese splayed a hand over her protruding belly. If Josh weren’t there, he’d fill his hands with her swollen breasts. “Shh, don’t tell her that. She still hasn’t figured it out.” He swept Alex into his arms. “I was hoping to get lucky tonight.” He had no idea the prospect of being a father would make him so happy. Both of them suspected she’d been just human enough to conceive. They had no idea if the smoke from the fire or her transformation back to vampire the night of the fire had affected the fetus. Only time would answer that question.

Whatever the outcome—they’d handle it all with love.

The End

Please Enjoy this Excerpt from

Nina’s Contemporary Romantic Suspense

In His Eyes

Chapter One

Margaret Callaghan hid her heartache behind dark sunglasses and the Starbuck’s double-double mocha latte she carried like a shield. The steaming coffee hadn’t helped dislodge the hot coal of despair burning her throat or soothe the quiver of her bottom lip. Mercifully, the front receptionist’s desk of Summit Rehabilitation and Wellness Clinic was empty at this hour of the morning, giving her hope that she just might be able to reach her office and pull herself together before anyone could question her misery.

It just wouldn’t do to have the staff witness the owner’s life spiraling out of control. Maggie had worked hard over the past three months to keep the whole sordid mess of her impending divorce out of the workplace. Today, the task felt nearly insurmountable.

Sorrow burned the back of her eyes. The heart she thought had hardened months ago shattered into tiny pieces of agony at the thought of spending so many days away from her kids. Maggie knew she was making the right decision, and damn her husband if she’d spend another minute lamenting over a man who could treat her love so callously. Every journey began with one step, and today—she’d taken hers.

With her head down, Maggie quickened her pace, breathing a sigh of relief when she got through the workout room, with its gauntlet of elliptical trainers, stationary bikes and treadmills, without encountering any of the early morning regulars. Only the treatment room and six therapists stood between her and the sanctuary of her office.

“Oh, good morning, Maggie.” Keith, her lead therapist, came out of his office.

Maggie nearly ran him over in her haste to escape the scrutiny of her staff.

“I’m glad I caught you. Do you have a minute to talk about the new guy starting on Wednesday?”

“Just give me a few.”

He bent and studied her face. “Hey, you all right?”

She gulped from the cup she held in front of her wounded heart. “Just peachy. Just had a hard morning with the kids—”

“Good morning.” Karen Wilson’s words lilted out in a sing-song melody of happiness as she sidled up next to them. The fresh scent of the autumn morning clung to her bright red jacket. “I left pastries at the front desk when I came in. TGIF, right?”

Nine years ago, she’d started at the clinic as lead therapist and instantly become friends with this animated woman. Five years later, little Margaret Morgan Callaghan from the trailer park had signed the papers making her the sole proprietor of Summit Wellness and Rehab Clinic, and Karen had become her personal secretary and indispensable right hand. Over the last year, while Maggie’s fourteen-year marriage disintegrated, Karen had expanded into the role of confidante, cheerleader and crusader.

Her friend’s gaze skittered from Maggie to Keith and back again, recognizing the barely-controlled hurt and bitterness tearing Maggie apart.