Shadows of Fire (19 page)

“What
makes you think I won’t tell Reese all of this?”

Ronan
pressed his mouth to hers, crushing her lips against her teeth before pulling
back with a sigh. “Because, my sweet love, you won’t be alive when he arrives.
Anymore than the puny humans I fed upon. Fires are wonderful creatures. And
since there is no one else to save you …”

Ronan
was right, of course. Both the professor and Glenn had each tried to save her.

She
wondered if Paul Morgan had known his son was the cause of her tortured life.
His questions at her initial interview for his drug experiment would have corroborated
when and where she was turned. After all Ronan had shared, Alex suspected the
professor had specifically chosen her. Perhaps Paul believed saving Alex would
atone for his son’s brutality. Glenn had simply pulled her out of death’s arms,
believing a vampire’s life was better than none at all. Tears welled in her
eyes and slipped down her cheek.

Ronan
stood and walked to the doorway leading into the cask room. Blue light flashed
from his fingertips. “I understand you don’t actually burn to death in a fire.
The smoke and heat will kill you long before the flames reach you.” A loud rush
of wind came from the adjoining room. “My father’s education actually came in
handy. The chemical combination I developed ignites in air and burns wherever
it lands. There will be no evidence of an accelerant when the fire marshal
investigates both deaths.” He looked at Chris on the floor and then at her. “Of
course, I will tell them you died in your own fire.” He snatched up the broken
chair leg. “Now, now, there is no reason to cry, Alexandra. It will all be over
shortly.”

Ronan
misunderstood her tears. She didn’t weep for her own life, but for those whom
she’d loved and had been stolen from her. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered.
Alex was too weak to move. In reality, it was her desire to become human that
had killed her. Whether she died at the demand of the tribunal in a few months,
at Ronan’s hands now or in six decades, her mortality had been her choice.

Ronan
arched the wooden stake high over his head. She refused to flinch from this
final blow to her heart. Without those she loved, there was no greater pain he
could inflict upon her. She would not beg Ronan for her life. Alexandra
Flanagan intended to die with her dignity intact.

In
disbelief, she watched him shatter the bulb above her. Without a word, Ronan
strode out of the room. He slammed the cellar door. The thunderous snick of the
lock was the last thing she heard before the fires of hell erupted from the
cask room.

Chapter Nine

The
engine’s lights pulsed through the streets of South Kenton, barreling into the
night toward another structure fire. And not just any structure— O’Malley’s
Tavern. There was no way this wasn’t somehow connected with the professor,
Glenn, and the rogue vampire. Unusually wired, Reese’s knee jumped.

When
the alarm rang a little after 2 a.m., he’d been lying on his bunk trying to
work through the puzzle. Pieces were clicking in to place, but some key element
was missing. Reese believed Alex hadn’t committed the murders, but his gut
screamed whatever she was hiding would be the key to solving everything. Their
afternoon of mind-blowing sex had ended with her walking away. There had been
something final in the way she’d kissed him, turned her back and gotten into
her car. He’d been too pissed at Josh and his outburst to analyze it at the
time.

When
he’d arrived at work, Josh had gone out of his way to avoid Reese. Until they
found Hope—and he had to believe they would—Reese was going to be hard pressed
convincing Josh of Alex’s innocence.

Alex
had been working with Glenn and the professor to perfect the blood wine. All
the vamps killed, it turned out, were regular clients of the winery. The humans
who had died, save for the professor, had been sucked dry. Glenn was dead. His
house burned. And now the tavern blazed. There was no doubt the fires of the
last three nights were related and the missing connection lay in adding up the
common denominator.

Who
hated vampires living off blood wine enough to systematically purge them and
its creators from the population of South Kenton?

The
engine pulled into the dirt lot of the tavern, the tanker close behind. Fire
had already destroyed the right side of the building. Flames and smoke rolled
out of the broken windows, sparks dancing in the freedom of the night. Liquid
fire dripped down the side of the building and lay unfed in the dirt lot.

Reese
jumped from the engine, gloves, mask, and helmet donned before he turned to
grab the loops of the hose from the side of the truck. One car stood alone in
the lot, but he didn’t recognize it. It was well past closing time. The place
should be empty. The dispatcher hadn’t given them any information about
possible victims.

“Colton,
Burkett,” Deputy Chief Sykes called to them, “rescue. Water will be right
behind. With a car in the lot we need to see if anyone’s in there. A quick
sweep.”

Wordlessly,
Reese grabbed an axe, Josh the thermal imager, and they ran into the building.
Flames engulfed the paneled walls to his right and twisted up along the ceiling.
Thick smoke rolled just above their heads. The cracked mirror behind the bar
swam with the reflection of the fire. Bottles of liquor lining the wall had
exploded in the intense heat, spilling their contents down the wall. The
building was more involved than they’d first believed. There wasn’t much time
before flash over would occur and the whole room combusted.

“You
start here,” Reese called into his mic. “I’ll search the back. If we need to,
we’ll both head downstairs.”

Josh
nodded and Reese strode purposefully toward the kitchen.

“Hello?”
he called as soon as he pushed the door. Flames hadn’t yet reached this corner
of the tavern. Only smoke and heat warbled along the ceiling. Reese scanned the
room, curious to see the charred markings on the far wall. A kitchen fire he
could understand, but the fire hadn’t started here or it would be burning out.
Someone had evidently doused these flames before the main fire spread. He
walked around the prep island, getting a closer look.

A
body lay face down in front of the stove. Reese dropped the axe and rolled the
man over. The wood protruding from Ronan’s chest held him suspended in death.
The kid had probably been following up on leads Reese had told him would best
be left to him and Josh.
Stupid shit.
Obviously the rogue vampire,
whoever the hell he was, had caught him unaware.

Without
hesitation, he pulled the stake from the guy’s chest. Reese pushed off his face
mask and helmet while he waited for the wound to close. Ronan’s eyelids
fluttered and he coughed. Air rushed into his lungs. “Ronan, it’s Reese. You’re
going to be fine.”

The
fog of death receded from Ronan’s eyes and he focused on Reese. “She’s here.
Watch out, Reese. She’s dangerous.” Ronan’s fingers dug into the sleeves of
Reese’s bunker coat as he tried to pull himself to a sitting position.

“Stay
put. Rest. We have a minute.” Reese tried to calm the trembling kid. “Who?
Who’s here?” he asked, though Reese already suspected he knew the answer.

Ronan’s
gaze flew wildly about the room and he coughed up blood while his body
continued to heal. “Alex,” he finally managed to choke out.

The
name slammed into Reese’s gut as solidly as a mule kick. Josh had been right.
His erection had stood between him and the obvious truth. “Alexandra Flanagan?”

“Hope
… she was right … I … I wanted to confront her.” A coughing fit seized Ronan.

Reese
rolled Ronan on his side. Coming back after death was a bitch. As annoying and
reckless as he found Ronan, even an asshole didn’t deserve this pain.

“She
… she killed Chris,” Ronan continued when he caught his breath. “I caught her
in the cellar sucking him dry. Reese, I tried to stop her. But she’s too
strong. Too powerful.” Ronan took a great gulp of air, his lungs filling more
easily. “She tried to kill me. Like all the others. She’s the one. The rogue
that’s been burning the vamps—”

“Alex?
You’re sure?” Reese could barely push the words over his dry lips.

“You
think I’d make something like that up?”

Reese
supported him while Ronan struggled to sit up.

“I’m
no liar. For chrissake, Colton, open your eyes! Put it all together like I did.
One …” Ronan shoved a fist in Reese’s face and lifted his index finger. “She’s
been working on the blood wine with the professor. Two …” he thrust another
finger in the air, “all the vampires killed and burned were her
clients
.”
He spit the last word out with venom. “Three. Obviously, she couldn’t finish
this without killing Glenn and burning down the winery. Damn it all, Colton!”
Ronan slapped his hand down hard on the linoleum. Reese got the feeling he
would rather have slammed it into his face. “You’ve obviously been fucking her,
but you shouldn’t let it get in the way of doing your job!”

Reese’s
hand shot out and fisted in Ronan’s shirt. He yanked the man’s face an inch
from his nose. To hell with Ronan’s pain. “My private life away from RISEN is
none of your fucking business, Nason.” He shoved him away, gathered his gear
and stood. He couldn’t bring himself to admit Ronan had a point. Hadn’t Josh
said the same thing? Was his heart blinding him to the facts laid out in front
of him? “We’ll get the job done. If Alex is the one, the tribunal will see to
her trial.”

Ronan
struggled to his feet. “The woman needs to die!
You
need to finish
this.”

The
effort brought on another coughing spasm, but Reese only stared incredulously
at the arrogant vamp. There was no way in hell Reese could mete out that kind
of justice without a tribunal hearing—especially against Alex. Focusing his
energy, Reese clenched his teeth against the angry vampire rising within. Ronan
had pushed a little too hard. “I
will
get the job done.” He replaced his
face mask and helmet and turned back toward the bar. “Chances are she’s long
gone by now.”

“No.
I’m sure she’s down in the cellar.” Ronan’s declaration came out hard and
clipped.

Reese
turned back to him. “Why would you think that?”

“She
spouted things about Glenn and the professor and distilling the blood wine … something
about tainting true vampire blood … and breaking the code. How the hell would I
know? She stabbed me! But I’m telling you, she’s down there.” His shaking
finger pointed toward the cellar door. “You have to go down there.”

Something
wasn’t adding up. The vampire
before him had morphed from weak victim to impassioned juror at lightning
speed. And though it was possible Ronan could have come to the same conclusions
as Josh, the vamp had wrapped Alex and the crimes into a tidy package a little
too quickly for Reese’s taste.

The
room next to them rumbled as the fire roared in victory. Instinct had Reese
throwing Ronan to the floor and laying over him protectively.

“Burkett,
you there?” Reese asked into the mic.

“The
bar flashed over. Roof came down,” he heard in his headset. “We can’t get to
you. Two hoses battling here. You need help?”

“Negative.
Kitchen’s clear. No one’s here. I’ll make a quick check of the cellar and head
out the back.”

“Ten
four. We’ll be there when this is under control,” Josh said.

If
Alex was indeed down there, Reese needed to get her out as quickly as possible.
And he sure as hell didn’t need Ronan around when he brought her back up to
question her. He stood and offered Ronan a hand up. “You’re a stupid shit. You
know that, Nason?” Reese pushed the words out with a laugh, hoping Ronan would
think he believed his story. “Lucky, but stupid.” He flicked the vampire’s
ripped shirt. “No one approaches a rogue vamp alone. You’ll have a good story
to tell at the next tribunal.” He scooped the axe up from the floor. “No one
needs to know you were here. Why don’t you head out the back door and make
yourself scarce? Make it quick. Things are heating up in the other room.”

Ronan
nodded and slogged out into the night.

Turning
back to the cellar, Reese studied the scene again. Everything looked as it
should. Walking down the stairs, he worked to focus on his job and keep his
mind off Alex. He didn’t want to think about those sapphire-colored eyes
searching out victims or that sweet smile luring vampires into traps. He
couldn’t believe those talented fingers could be used to drive stakes into
their hearts or set fires. He hadn’t been able to coax her fangs to graze his
skin, let alone suck a human dry. No, Reese couldn’t quite wrap his head around
Alex doing anything but tending bar, arguing with customers and warming his
bed.

Training
stopped him at the door to the wine cellar. Every muscle drew taut. A year of
fighting the beast had honed his skills. Instinct told him it lived and
breathed behind the barrier. He took off his glove and touched the door with
the back of his hand. Hot. He checked the lights in his mask. Only one green
light had gone out. Plenty of air to go back for a line. But did he have the
time? Getting water involved Josh pushing through the bar or dragging a line
around back. If Alex—or Chris for that matter—was in this room, they had only
him to save their lives.