Fire Danger (9 page)

Burning, burning, his flesh catching fire, streaking off his body until just his skeleton remained. The feathers of his wings turned black and then fell until he was nothing but a skeleton. That too gave way, shattering in the intense heat. He was dead, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, never to be seen anymore.

But then, high above the volcano, the ash fused. First an unrecognizable lump of gray, it quickly separated into a form. His body knit back together. Skeleton, bone and tendons regrew, organs, skin and blood returned. He returned to human and then rose from the ash of his prison, his voice still the harsh caw of his bird form. Phoenix beat his wings higher and higher, away from the heat of the volcano, surging up into the night, crying out. The cry became a hoarse shout of a human, part legend and part man, until he fell from the sky, recovering himself enough to glide back into the safe house nearby, where he could finish putting himself back together.

Rachel knew that she should be scared. Fire fascinated her, called to her as if it was something she should have known all along. The knowledge of what lay in her subconscious, now coming to the forefront, and her fire abilities gave her strength. The idea of her controlling fire was wonderful and terrifying. Part of her embraced it and part of her wanted to run for the nearest mountaintop.

“If you’re going to go to a peak, a volcano like Masaya would be more appropriate,” Phoenix said, his voice amused.

Mary had a little lamb.
She clamped down on her wayward thoughts and the background noise smoothed out. His mind receded until they were two separate minds. Mostly.

She held up her hands, and her fingertips flickered with fire.
Yes.

“Rachel. You know it’s too late to run. It was too late the moment you arrived in San Francisco.”

She concentrated on the fire. She wanted it to grow and leap to life, and mingle with his to create a large flame, one that could burn down the night. Rachel swallowed as the fire receded, once again focusing on Phoenix.

“In all the lives I’ve led, all the centuries I’ve lived, I’ve never had a woman involved in Challenge before. For the most part the decades pass uneventfully. Sometimes there are fights, and we win or lose, and there is a punishment or a reward. Mostly we live side by side with the Demonos, and the shapeshifters and other paranormals live their lives without interference from us. We observe and occasionally direct the flow of history. We hope when we make changes it will help our cause, but it doesn’t always turn out that way.”

“How—” Her voice was harsh, and Rachel cleared her throat. “How do you guys live, all those years? How do you get money, places and lives?”

He chuckled. “You haven’t met Sphynx. Shani, the female of the duo, aside from being an incredible fighter, has the ability to see trends far into the future. She set up trusts and intricate holdings a long time ago. Elemental, Inc. is a fully operational company, with employees and many parcels of land, bank accounts and much more. Even if we all died tomorrow, the company would continue for decades without realizing anything was wrong. The other part, the ability to function in the modern world, is trickier, especially now that the digital age is upon us. But we manage.”

She swallowed again. “And me? What am I? Besides an Ifrit?”

“Your memories should start coming back, now that we have broken through the block that held them at bay.” He rose, still holding her hands, and she rose with him. “Googling Ifrits won’t tell you much,” he said gently, nodding to the computer.

JT chose that moment to come out of the bedroom, meowing faintly. She smiled at the cat and broke contact to go pick him up. He butted her neck and kneaded her arm for several moments before pushing his paws at her to be let down.

They watched the small feline trot into the kitchen. Rachel turned to Phoenix again, knowing her question was in her eyes, even while she was keeping her mind clamped down.

He perched on the arm of the couch. “In legend, an Ifrit is a large winged creature, mostly evil, that can manipulate fire and do many other things. They are also called Djinns, and litter many folkloric tales.
The Arabian Nights
, for one. In reality, Ifrits generally keep to themselves, generally marry each other and tend to live in sparsely populated areas. The desert is the most popular spot. Many are winged; some are not. What I—what we—need to figure out is what powers you have and why you were made to forget. I think you have a relative who protected you. Your parents died fifteen years ago?”

Rachel’s reply was a short flick of her chin.

“Hmm.” Phoenix said.

The “hmm” was so deep with meaning that Rachel paused in the act of opening her mouth. She thought for a minute, turning things over in her mind. Then an idea, clear and sharp, hit her. It was right, and also very wrong at the same time. Wrong because if she was right, she had been in this game, without being aware of it, for longer than she had imagined. “How long have you been in San Francisco?”

He smiled grimly. “You are beginning to understand. We both are. I decided to come here seven years ago on the force of an impulse so strong it couldn’t be ignored. I didn’t know why, but I do now.”

“Around the time I was kicked out of my foster home and made my way here.” She said it flatly.

“It’s tied in.” He went to the window and looked out over the horizon, to the edge of the water, as far as he could see. “You’re a part of this, whether you like it or not.”

“Maybe I can help fix it.”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe it shouldn’t be fixed. I would never say this to her, but maybe Haures was right.”

She stared at him. “What…what do you mean?”

“I’ve been alive for a thousand years. I’ve seen things, so many things. I’ve seen mankind’s cruelty; I’ve seen things that would curl your toes. You’re here. That’s all I need. Maybe you’re here to give me a companion after this is all over.”

* * * * *

He stretched his wings, feeling the air under them. He hadn’t flown for a while, content to stay at home and tend to his needs. He kept a watchful eye on Kamal and the family, but they had shown no inclination to take revenge for his actions. The council hadn’t condoned it but they hadn’t punished him either, and both combined made Farouk confident he had done the right thing.

Now he knew why. The mental voice was unmistakable, a hint of the woman he had once thought to marry before she had so treacherously given herself to a human. Now he understood why Kamal had acted so calm these years. He had a secret. How the daughter had escaped, Farouk had no idea, but it was inconceivable that it would be allowed to stand.

His wings creaked slightly, years of neglect in the stiff tendons. The strong leather in between needed tending after the disuse, and he had found salve to see to the material. It would have been easier if he hadn’t had to hide his intentions from his family, but if his plans were revealed, his clan would be honor-bound to report him.

He had done nothing wrong, but he had been lucky to escape censure. He had righted a wrong, fixed an abomination, or thought he had. There was work yet to be done.

Not yet,
he told himself. He needed a few more cycles to regain his full strength to be able to tackle the job ahead. This time, when he went to finish the job, he would make sure it was done all the way. This time, when the job was finished, the clans would see that he had done the right thing and applaud him.

This time, there would be no survivors.

Chapter Seven

“You’re not serious. Elementals are supposed to save the world.”

Phoenix squared his shoulders and shook his head. His mind was blocked from her, and she had no idea what he was thinking.

“It’s unimportant. What is important is finding out the truth about you.”

The stiffness of his body told her this was not the time to pursue this line of questioning. Unsure whether she should believe him, Rachel filed the comment away for future attention. Then the memory of the car accident drew her back. “Why don’t I remember? Why don’t I know?”

He turned to look at her and his big body almost filled the window, blocking the view.

“Why don’t I have wings if I’m what I saw in that vision? Why don’t I have more…power?” Her body heated again, and part of her wanted to be that winged creature with the power of fire at her command. She
yearned
for it, like it was a part of her she hadn’t known was missing until this moment.

Phoenix shrugged, his shoulders flexing. “There was something there, interfering, maybe protecting. I’m not sure. As to your wings, not all Ifrit have them.”

“Shouldn’t I look more…different?”

Another shrug.

Heat warmed her face as her temper started to fray. The visions Phoenix had teased from her mind made her feel off-balance, like a wobbling top. She dashed across the room to him, her face heating with anger. “I am so confused.”

Rachel did the only thing she could think of. She kissed him.

Phoenix reacted, his arms immediately closing around her. His tongue sought hers, probing, demanding a response, which she gave, meeting his desire with a hot, burning need of her own. It flared like fire between them, passion that came to life instantly.

He broke off the kiss only to nibble on her ear. His breath was warm, and she shuddered with wanting him. She had to have him. She was projecting desire and she didn’t care.

He chuckled. “Come, Rachel. I want you so much. This Phoenix is hungry.” His hips thrust against hers, leaving her no doubt of his fierce arousal.

“Yes. Now. Now.”

“Hungry Ifrit too.” His laugh was fierce and possessive, tinged with hunger. Phoenix lifted her and kissed her. His lips moved over hers until she let out a breath and opened her lips to his.

With Phoenix she was a queen. All the pent-up passion inside her could finally be expressed without fear. But her desire, her needs, were so intense she thought maybe even an immortal Phoenix couldn’t deal with it.

“I can deal with it, Rachel. Give me everything. I need all you have. I have to have it,” he said on a fervent whisper.

“Aleric.” She leaned against him. “What I feel, it scares me.”

He gathered her body into his arms, pulling her legs around his waist, and started kissing her neck. “It should scare you. I should scare you.”

“You do. But I want you so much. How is it possible for me to feel both?’

He paused and ran his hand over her neck and shoulders before replying. “Because you’re a half human dealing with an Elemental. You are doing better than most.”

Easing her back, he put her on her feet and then rose. Even at her height he was an impressive half-foot taller than her, and her eyes widened. She touched his chest, and his skin rippled.

Concern beat through his mental signature. Rachel understood that he didn’t know, once the primal part of him took over, if he’d have any gentleness in him. “Show me what you want,” he demanded. “Come here.” He kissed her hard. “Rachel, once you give yourself to me, there’s no going back.”

She kissed his neck and wound her hand into his hair. “No stopping, Aleric. I want you so much.”

“Maybe as much as I want you. Maybe. I doubt it.”

He strode with her to the California king bed that dominated the bedroom, taking up almost the entire room. The soft cotton sheets were smooth against her skin. His knees made indentations on the mattress when he carefully laid her down.

Phoenix lit some candles by waving his hand toward the tapers set in old crystal holders.

Rachel leaned into his hand and there was no more talking. Uttering a low growl, Phoenix took her lips, molding his to hers before sliding his tongue into her already open mouth.

He was pulling off her shirt as he did so, only releasing her lips to motion to her to rid herself of her shirt and bra, tugging his own shirt off as he did so.

Rachel did as he asked, quickly, wanting to feel his naked skin against hers. Once she was bare to the waist, she ran her hands over his broad, muscular chest, loving the feel of his warm skin.

Then she forgot about anything except the wet feel of Phoenix’s lips and tongue on her nipples. His lips were hard and fierce, drawing her into his mouth and suckling deep on her. She felt it all the way to her core, soaking her panties and making her moan.

“Rachel, next time I promise I’ll make it last, but I want to be inside you right now,” he said after he tore his head away from her breasts. “I’ve waited for so long.”

“Yes.” She fumbled for his zipper, and he stopped her hands.

“Better let me,” he said on a groan. “I’m very…ready. Get naked.”

She slid her hand over his jeans, marveling at his length and obvious erect status. “Yes, you are,” she said. “So am I. I’m wet and ready for you.” She undid the zipper of her jeans and slid them and her panties off simultaneously. Phoenix followed suit, shoving his jeans off his body with shaking fingers, and stepping out of them.

Phoenix’s breathing grew shallow, a harsh sound in the otherwise quiet room. Flickers of candlelight danced across his face, throwing his eyes first into shadow and then into light, their blazing intensity apparent.

“Oh, God,” he ground out. “Come here.”

He was impressive, even in candlelight, that large, well-toned body flexing as he moved over her. She gasped at his fully erect cock and swallowed. “Wow,” she said, a little in dismay.

“Trust me.” He touched her, using her moisture to caress her, opening her to him.

“Now, Aleric, now,” she begged, throwing her head back.

He growled again and moved so that the head of his cock was just penetrating her. Giving her a minute to adjust, he slowly pushed inside her a little at a time, letting her body get used to his bulk.

The pleasure was piercing, overwhelming, and Rachel clawed at him. Phoenix reared back and began biting her, hard nips of her skin that enflamed her. Rachel returned the nips, biting and sucking at his skin. Phoenix’s eyes began to faintly glow. With a hoarse cry, he grabbed her hands and threw them above her head, stretching her out against him.

“Aleric!” she cried, feeling the surge in her body and realizing she was about to climax. “Oh God, Aleric.”

“Yes!” he shouted. “Now!”

He plunged into her, all the way, and Rachel screamed. The climax that rode her was fierce and intense, filling her rippling body and mind with such concentrated pleasure she was a little scared. Then Phoenix was roaring, his hands tight on hers and his body shaking. With one final, wild shout, Phoenix came, and the intense pleasure caused Rachel to climax again.

“I bet all of San Francisco heard that,” she said when she could speak.

A half-amused grunt came from his lips. Moving slightly, he released her hands and leaned on his elbows to meet her eyes. “Probably. I was shielding but I may have…lost control there at the end.” He was still breathing heavily, perspiration dotting his forehead and chest.

“Good.” She put her arms around his waist and held him.

With a sigh, Phoenix lowered himself beside her, his head next to hers. His brown curls spilled over the pillow, and Rachel reached up and idly twined one over her index finger. “A thousand years,” he murmured.

She moved, propping her head up with her hand. “A thousand years for what? No sex?”

He chuckled, the sound muffled by the expensive cotton sheets. “Hell no. I’m not designed that way. I have an understanding with the Dhampirs, and they supply what I need when I need it.”

She added Dhampir to the checklist of paranormals to google when the morning came.

He traced circles on her back absentmindedly. The sweat had cooled, leaving her slightly chilled.

Except where Phoenix touched her. Fire danced under her skin at the caress of his fingers, and she grew moist again. No lover had ever affected her this way.

Then again, no lover she’d ever had before was a thousand-year-old incarnation of one of the oldest supposed myths of the human race. It was probably fair to assume Phoenix had had a great deal of time to hone his skills. And being the Elemental related to fire—of course he would set her body ablaze.

His hand stilled and then he was pressing a kiss at the base of her neck. Rachel shivered, feeling the kiss all the way down to her toes. “You didn’t mind my skills a little while ago.”

Damn it. She had to learn to shield fully. “I didn’t, Aleric. I’m still adjusting.”

“Good.” The bed yielded to his body as he stretched out fully. Placing another kiss on her neck, he looked deeply into her eyes, stroking her hair.

Rachel immediately warmed up, her body heating.

“Shielding is white noise, Rachel. The easiest way is to make up a nonsense song or string of words that you can use to mask your thoughts.”

“Like my nursery rhyme.”

“That works. Practice it until you can maintain it while you are doing other things. You should have a few, just in case.” Tracing her cheek with his thumb, he put his fingers under her jaw and lifted her head to his. “What you need to do is make it so it’s automatically part of your mind. You need to keep it running at all times, even if it’s subconscious. That way if you need it, you can instantly shield.”

She put her hand over his and laced her fingers with his. “I’ll try,” she promised. “I can’t say I’ll be perfect tomorrow.”

“You’re mine now, Rachel,” he said suddenly, meeting her eyes. “Mine.” He said it again, fiercely.

She saw a fire in his eyes she had no idea how she had inspired.

“Don’t you know?”
An image of the intense physical release he had felt shot through her, and she first trembled and then laughed.

“Mine,” he said again and pulled her close, tilting her face to his.

* * * * *

Finally. Finally
. Finally Ron was going to get to do something. He had been itching to do something, and finally the being had given him another task.

It wasn’t much. It wasn’t nearly as much as he wanted to do, or what he understood his ultimate task to be, but it was something. Something to tide him over until the actual day came when he would get to use his guns. Hopefully guns plural, anyway. This would be a small something, but it would cause grief and destruction.

It was a pity he had to make it look like an accident. That was what the being had said. It had to look like an accident
to humans.

He knew he was a little too curious. Things were strange, and his well-honed sense of preservation was screaming that he was in over his head. Part of him wanted to leave the job behind and hide in South America. A job was a job, though, and this one paid well. Paying jobs didn’t come along every day, and if he ran on one, it would get around fast. Besides, he had a feeling if he tried to run, he would be found and punished. He shivered at the thought of what form his punishment might take. So he stayed. Even if it meant lurking for far longer than he liked. Get in, do the job, get out. That was how he operated.

It would be simple to do. Newspaper was easy to get, and once it caught, it would take the rags he’d bought at the thrift store with it. All he had to do was scatter it strategically around the apartment, make sure some candles were burning so it would look like they had caused it, light the newspaper and rags until they were blazing and get out.

He studied the address. It was just an apartment, with no apparent riches to recommend it. He wasn’t even allowed to loot it first. Just a lower middle-class apartment on the second floor of a block of apartments, near BART and shops but otherwise boring. He had no idea why the being would want to burn this place down, but she was. The reasons why didn’t matter.

Time to get started. Ron rubbed his hands together in glee. He loved fires.