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Authors: Evi Asher

Burning Ember (6 page)

BOOK: Burning Ember
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Soon, he was at the edge of the woods. Scarlet’s scent was still strong, but as he ran through the trees, it became confusing.

He stopped and frowned. Then he heard the chilling laughter in the distance. He recognized it instantly and felt a surge of relief that he’d packed the sawed off shotgun and rock salt cartridges.

“Fuck… Fuck… Fuck!” he spat out, and started running again, putting in a burst of speed.

He had to get to Scarlet before Luke had his way.

“Just stay safe, pyro. The cavalry is on its way,” he said softly as he ran. “There is no way I’ll let that freak hurt you.”

 

Chapter Five

 

 

Archer ran through the trees as if he was insubstantial, having no effect on his surroundings. He placed each step with perfection, so he never made a sound. He let his beast have enough control to lead him though the circling deluge of Scarlet’s older scent to the fresh trail.

It wasn’t long before her unique fragrance became stronger, and Archer added his other powerful senses to make finding her easier. His sharp hearing picked up on the snap of a twig to his left and Archer turned mid-step, running in that direction. He slowed when he got closer to her. It was obvious she was running from Luke and he didn’t want to add himself to her list of reasons for flight.

Then, Archer saw her hunched over between two large trees, her hands on her knees as she dragged breaths into her oxygen-starved lungs.

He slowed his own breathing, then spoke in a low voice so that he didn’t spook her. “Scarlet…”

Her head snapped up, and she looked like she was ready to bolt.

“No—don’t run, I’m here to help you.” He held out his empty hand in a non-threatening gesture, but her wide eyes focused on the hand that carried the sawed off pump action.

“This is loaded with rock salt—all it would do is sting you.” He took another step towards to her.

“Answer…me a question?” she asked through ragged breaths.

He nodded and fought to control his beast, whose response to Scarlet was starting the transformation again.

“You are here to rescue me?” She kept a wary eye as he inched closer to her.

“Your very own knight in shining…” He looked down at himself. “New-Rock boots.”

“Ah huh, yeah.”

He almost laughed when she rolled her eyes at him.

“If you are here to rescue me, what good will rock salt do?”

He didn’t say anything as he turned to his right, lifted the shot gun, pumped it with one hand, and aimed at Luke. The ghost was speeding towards Scarlet with his hands raised up in claws, a look of diabolical evil etched into his features. Archer almost didn’t pull the trigger in time because Scarlet screamed and his beast tried to burst from his skin.

Gritting his teeth, he fought his beast as he pulled the trigger. The rock-salt-filled cartridge hit Luke and the spirit vanished in a puff of vapor.

“That won’t hold him off long.” Archer offered his hand to Scarlet. “Come with me if you want to live,” he said in a fake Austrian accent as he grinned.

Scarlet looked over at where Luke had been, shrugged as if she had decided on the lesser of the two evils, then she took Archer’s hand. “
Hasta la vista
, baby.”

Archer approved. At least she had a sense of humor. They started running, and he slowed his pace, keeping her hand in his, so he wouldn’t lose her in the forest.

He stopped without warning and held a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet, as he showed her to stay put. He moved through some trees, letting the blade in his wrist sheath fall into his hand.

He’d spotted Geo through a gap in the trees and knew he had to incapacitate the Enforcer before they could move on.

Archer slid through the trees with no sound as he snuck up behind Geo. If he had any hope of taking the Enforcer out, Archer had to have the element of surprise. He didn’t look back to see if Scarlet had followed him despite his instructions not to.

Archer got behind Geo without the Enforcer being aware and used his left hand to grab Geo’s forehead. Pulling his head back, Archer used the blade in his right hand to slit the Enforcer’s throat.

Geo fell down clutching his throat, gurgling on his own blood.

Scarlet gasped. “Oh, my God. How could you do that? Are you a monster?”

It was Archer’s turn to roll his eyes. He turned to Scarlet and asked, “Would you have preferred me to leave him capable of catching us, and right on our tails?”

She gaped at him.

“It’s too dangerous—the Enforcers are too dangerous for me to display mercy. Besides…” He grabbed her hand again. “That didn’t kill Geo. All it did was slow him down until he can heal—as if I would take a friend out permanently.” He shook his head as if the thought was a no-brainer.

She gasped again. “These monsters are your friends?”

“They aren’t monsters,
belan.”
He used the Lycan word for fire. “They are just doing their jobs.” He pulled her again, setting off at a faster pace. Geo wouldn’t be down long and then he would be after them. Luke wouldn’t be down much longer either. He must have almost rebuilt his essence.

“Your friends were trying to kill me,” Scarlet huffed as they ran.

“You threatened the security of the Eternal,” he pointed out.

“What the hell is the Eternal?”

“Questions later—run now.”

 

* * * *

 

“Can we please slow down now?” Scarlet asked, still panting from Archer dragging her around by her hand. She was exhausted. Her whole body was trembling, and she didn’t think there was one muscle in her body that wasn’t screaming in agony.

They were at the edge of town, and the man hadn’t slowed his punishing pace.

“We have to hurry. I don’t know how much time we have, and I came without backup.”

Scarlet raised an eyebrow. “You knew they’d be after me?” She didn’t even touch the question of why she’d suddenly become more popular than a rock-star.

“I had a hunch,” he hedged.

“And you came alone… Impressive,” Scarlet had to force herself to admit. Those men-creature-things—whatever they were—had scared the spine right out of her.

Archer glanced over at her as he pulled her deeper into town. He slowed their pace to a fast walk.

Scarlet caught his glance and felt her cheeks warm. She hadn’t noticed before—must have been the running for her life thing—but this guy was all kinds of gorgeous. Even in the dark, his stormy blue eyes caught her attention. She wouldn’t mind taking some time to have a good look at him when they weren’t moving at breakneck speed.

No, I’ve got to get moving away from here.

She swallowed the sudden and unexpected wave of disappointment that thought brought, and tried to focus on where she was going next.

“Hey, thanks for the rescue and all that, but I can make it on my own from here.”

He looked over at her again, with a frown creasing his brow. “Sorry, Scarlet. That’s not an option.”

“Listen here… whatever your name is—”

“Archer.”

“Archer—thank you—I’m a grown-up and I can look after myself. So thanks again, but I can take it from here.” She dug her heals in, forcing him to stop, or pull her arm from her socket.

He turned to face her and stepped closer, forcing Scarlet to tilt her head back and look up at him.

“I don’t think you realize how much danger you are in,
belan
. Not only do the Enforcers have a death warrant on you, but the human police are looking for you, too, since you apparently decided it would be a good idea to burn down their bus depot.”

“Human?” she asked.

“Right now, your best bet to get out of this situation alive is if you stick with me, and since I’ve come all the damn way here, and probably seriously pissed off a good friend, you are coming with me. We clear?”

She jerked her hand out his grasp. “No one tells me what to do. You got it? So, run along,” She made a flicking motion with her fingers. “And I’ll be fine from here.”

He looked around as if looking to see if anyone was watching them. A couple across the street had stopped to look over at them. He grabbed her hand again, and pulled her in to the mouth of an alley.

“If you don’t come with me, you will die,” he said in a quiet, but earnest tone.

Scarlet felt heat start to build in the hand he was clasping. “Is that a threat?” Her voice had dropped lower as the heat intensified.

She looked down at their hands, and orange flame danced on her skin, engulfing his hand as well.

Archer was staring at the flames, and Scarlet was amazed that he wasn’t burning.

“It doesn’t hurt you?” she asked.

His eyes snapped up to her face. “Spell—kill the flames, Pyro, I’m not threatening you.”

Pyro?
The flames died when she realized he knew more about her than she did. It might be a good idea to stay with him for a while, so she could get some answers. Heaven knew she needed answers.

“Fine, I’ll go with you—” She was cut off by the distant sound of chilling laughter.

“We’ve run out of time.” He tugged her out the alley and down the road.

Scarlet winced. “Ease up your grip a bit, would you. I’m not going to run away.”

“Sorry.” He threw her over his shoulder, and relaxed his grip on her hand a little as they neared the diner.

 

“Sure thing, Sally, I’ll make sure Maggie gets her pie, you have a good night now.”

Scarlet heard the familiar voice and recognized the old guy who’d given her a ride into town.
Joe Denton
.

Archer’s response to Joe’s voice surprised Scarlet. He spun, tucking Scarlet into his arms as he pushed her against the outside wall of the diner, hiding her behind his broad chest. She was so amazed she didn’t respond.

He lowered his head, and spoke in a whisper right into her ear. “Think lovers embrace,
belan.
Remember the humans are looking for you.”

Scarlet slid her arms around his waist and tucked her face into his chest, playing along with his ruse. She wasn’t all that surprised to feel the hard plains of his pectoral muscles under her cheek. She’d suspected the man was built like a movie star.

Joe whistled a pleasant tune as he walked past them, not sparing the pair more than a glance.

Scarlet’s nerves thrummed with the tension caused by her position. Archer surrounded her, and his warm masculine scent was mixed with a wild smell of wind and trees.

Her body was coming alive with every small movement of his. It felt really good to be in his arms

What the hell are you doing?

She wiggled to get out his arms and Archer groaned. Her eyes shot wide as she felt his hardening erection pressing into her stomach. He moved away from her, putting an arm’s length of distance between them, then shocked her further by reaching down to adjust himself.

“What the…” She was about to lay into him for it.

“Oh, come on, you can’t wiggle against me like that and expect me not to get…interested.” He reached for her hand.

“My car is parked a block past the diner—let’s get the hell out of town, while we still can.”

Scarlet swallowed the retort she’d planned and followed him past the diner.

She’d admit she was flattered her movements had turned him on. He’d done the same to her—something that had her a little bewildered. Sure, Archer was hot, and his hard body pressed to hers had been so good, but she was in danger. She had no business behaving like a hormone-addled teenager around the guy.

Archer let go of her hand a block later to unlock the passenger side door.

“Get in,” he ordered, and she was tempted to ignore him.

The man needed a lesson on the value of the word
please.

He’d gone to the driver’s side of the car, opened the door and paused with one long leg in the car. “Well?”

“Fine.” Scarlet got in and slammed the door closed.

He slid into the driver seat and put the key in the ignition.

“Where are you taking me?” The adrenalin that had been coursing through her body was starting to wear off, and Scarlet was thinking twice about driving away with a complete stranger.

“Back to Crossroads.” He started the car and slid it into first for the pull off.

“Whoa, wait—no.” Scarlet reached for the door handle, and opened the car door.

“Fuck.” Archer hissed and slammed his foot down on the brake. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“I’m not going back to Crossroads,” Scarlet shot back, then started to step out the car.

Archer reached out, grabbing her, arm and yanked her back into the car with surprising force.

“Keep all limbs inside the vehicle,” he told her with a deadpan expression. “We
have
to go back to Crossroads— it’s the one place I can keep you safe.”

She glared at him.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but can you try and trust me? I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The decision was taken out of her hands when Luke’s terrifying visage appeared in front of the car’s hood.

“Oh, Archer, you have been a bad dog. The pyro is my toy, not yours.”

The ghost’s chilling voice made Scarlet shiver in fear.

She slammed the car door again and tried to make herself as small as possible in the front seat.

“No, Luke, I didn’t try…I succeeded.” Archer jammed the gas pedal to the floorboard, and the car lurched forward going straight through Luke.

Scarlet fumbled for her seat belt, buckling the thing into place.

“You are going to have to take that off again.” Archer glanced over at her, before he shifted his concentration back to the road ahead of them again.

“What? Why?” Scarlet was about to protest when she heard Luke’s laughter again.

“Get the shotgun.” Archer tilted his chin at the sawed off where he’d dropped it behind the seat. “You have to get a direct hit or…” Archer left it hanging. “Can you handle the shotgun?”

“We are about to find out.” Scarlet unbuckled her belt, reached back, and grabbed the shotgun.

“Watch for him. When he appears, shoot, and,
belan
—don’t hesitate.” He shifted gear picking up more speed.

BOOK: Burning Ember
2.56Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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