Claiming His Fire (9 page)

“If I’m the guy who growls,” I murmured, not wanting to scare her off. “Who are you?”

She shrugged, her expression falling. “I’m the girl who sets shit on fire.”

Her face stayed flat, serious, but there was something in her eyes that reached out to me. A little sadness, a tinge of insecurity. This firecracker had a vulnerable side, and it surprised me that I would get to see it so soon. Those walls didn’t just have cracks, they had big, gaping holes.

I wrapped her hand in mine, gently tugging her closer “There’s more to you than that. I can sense it.”

And just like that, she shuttered herself off. Shoulders stiff, eyes dull and lifeless, lips pulled into a flat line. “Of course there is, but that’s all you get for tonight.” She pulled her hand from my grasp, dragging her fingers over my palm. Giving me one final tease before pushing me away.

“I think it’s time for me to say goodnight.” She brushed past me, closed off once more. But I’d seen that softer side, sensed her attraction to me. I knew there was something holding her back, but not enough to actually break the mating bond. She wanted me, and that scared her. But I could work with fear. Disgust, no. Hate, no. Fear, absolutely.

“What about tomorrow?” I asked as she made her way to the door.

“What about it?”

“Do I get more tomorrow?”

She huffed, acting irritated, but I couldn’t miss the flush of her cheeks or the smile tugging at her lips. “We’ll see.”

Shadow was scowling at his phone again. Not that I cared, or noticed, or was staring. Damn him for hanging out in the denhouse, being all handsome and scruffy and broody. I’d been working all morning and into the afternoon to organize the fair following the charity ride, and at first it’d been almost peaceful. But then Shadow showed up, and he said nothing to me. No hello, no good morning. He’d been sitting in the corner with a notepad and his phone the whole time, completely ignorant of the fact that I was in the same room. Even as the pull toward him nearly strangled me.

I really needed to snip this red thread before it tied me in knots.

Charlotte sat at the bar with a very sexy-looking Rebel, the two of them being all flirty and adorable. She’d brought her brother with her this time. Julian was a nice kid if a bit awkward and gangly. Those teenage years could be hellish. Still, he’d said thank you when I brought him a pop, which earned a bit of a nod from me. Good manners were hard to find sometimes. My eyes flicked to Shadow at that thought. He was a man with manners. Polite and charming, with a ridiculous chest and hard abs and a full Adonis belt cut on each his hipbones. A damned testament to the metabolism of shifter men.

Also, who would have known how hot sweat pants could be? The fact that the man could make those nasty old things he’d been wearing last night look so good just irritated me. No one should be that sexy wearing heavy-knit cotton.

Unable to resist, I snuck another peek across the room. Shadow sat in the same spot, still frowning, still staring at his phone, still handsome enough to make my heart stutter a bit. Still not noticing me in the slightest. Damn him.

Sighing, I stood and headed toward Rebel’s office where Julian was supposed to be hanging out in front of the television. I needed to make a few phone calls, and that was where all the carnival documents were stored. Plus I couldn’t stand to be ignored by Shadow a moment longer. It was seriously messing with my head, especially after the way he’d acted last night. How had we gone from flirty talk to not even a hello in so few hours? What was his deal?

Just before I reached the office, the door to the rear parking lot flew open and two of the largest men I’d even seen came storming inside. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as they stalked toward me, both scowling. I sensed the energy around them, saw the aura of violence and rage they projected. These two were not to be fucked with, but there was a teenager on the other side of the door to my side—a blind one. I couldn’t let them get near Julian.

“You lost?” I asked, crowding close to the door and mentally calling to the corners. Keeping my magick close to the surface would be prudent considering the two towered over me. My skin tightened, a slow, hot sensation that spread from my fingers up my arms as my magick built within. The ache grew, every inch of me reacting to the burn of the flames licking through my veins. To the power flowing through me.

The shorter of the two growled loud and deep, barely even bothering to flick his eyes in my direction. “Shadow. Now.”

I threw out both arms as they moved to walk past me, to the door behind which Julian probably sat. The burn inside of me intensified, causing me to shiver as flames sparked at my fingertips.

“He’s not in here.”

Bigger finally looked down at me, his eyes practically glowing, sending a wave of power through my blood as my magick side sensed danger.
Shit shit shit.

“Get the fuck out of the way, witch. We have business with Shadow.”

I leaned toward them, refusing to give up my post in front of the office door but not willing to send them storming into the bar area either. If I could protect Julian, I could protect Shadow. In theory. “And there’s a human boy in there who doesn’t need to know whatever your business is, so I suggest you call Shadow on the phone and let him come to you.”

The bigger man growled, creeping closer, crowding me against the door as he snarled. “I said, get out of the way.”

A wave of power washed over me, cooling my fire for a single moment. A force not my own. My rage intensified, the burn coming back hotter and stronger, each hand engulfed in blue flames. Whatever magick he was trying to pull off wasn’t going to work on me. No way, no how.

“And I told you no.” I glared back at the beast of a man, burning inside and out as my protective instincts surged. Screw them, no one was getting past me. Julian was just a kid and, to be honest, as strong as Shadow seemed to be, these two dark-haired giants looked as if they could mop the floor with him. Literally. But they’d have to get through me before they even tried. I protected my own, and Shadow was kind of mine.

“Fuck this.” As Smaller went to push past me, I silently chanted to my element and urged the flames centered on my hands to burn brighter, making sparks shoot from my fingers. Grabbing Smaller’s arm, I directed my flames to my palms. Searing him and burning myself in the process.

Smaller roared in pain, pulling back, yanking me almost off my feet. The smell of singed hair and flesh made me nauseous, but I couldn’t let go. I couldn’t let him get past me. I couldn’t let him get to Julian.

Or Shadow.

Smaller roared again and swung at me. Bigger edged around the side of me, trying to knock me back. Grasping, releasing my own pain in a low growl worthy of any of these animals, I clung to Smaller’s arm as hard as I could. The two men pulled and pushed, trying to get their hands on me, trying to win, but my heat kept them back. The burn of my protective element too much to come close to for long. I rode out their attacks, shaking and concentrating on increasing the fire through the pain radiating through my chest and up my arms. Blisters formed—his skin, mine, I couldn’t tell. Couldn’t see past the brightness of the first to recognize arms and hands. But I held on. I fought. I protected. And I set the three of us on fire.

When Smaller snarled and lunged at me as if to bite, I kicked out, striking his thigh and forcing him to one knee. Before I could adjust to the new position, Bigger grabbed me from the side, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing to the point that my ribs popped. I kicked and twisted, my arms burning bright all the way to my shoulders, but to no avail. He had me completely locked in his hold with my feet dangling, unable to move or even breathe. Through the flames and the burns and the heat, he held on. Crushing me.

But then a growl sounded from behind us, one I recognized. One that made my heart drop and flutter at the same time as my flames disappeared back under my skin.

With no other warning, something hard and heavy hit Bigger from behind, knocking us both to the ground. My attacker landed on top of me, his weight crushing me into the concrete. Shadow stormed over, grabbing Bigger by the shoulder and literally tossing him into the wall with one arm. As the concrete cracked under the force of Bigger’s body slamming into it, Shadow grabbed me by the elbow and dragged me to my feet, gentle but demanding. I whimpered when his hand touched my burnt flesh, but otherwise let him manhandle me.

“Did they hurt you?”

I shook my head, leaning into his hold, letting my body relax against his as my adrenaline pumped. “Pretty sure I did the hurting myself.”

Shadow snarled, holding me tight and angling his body to stand between me and the other men. “You touch her again, and I’ll have your pelts. I don’t care who you think you know.”

“The bitch attacked me,” Smaller cried, holding his blistered arms against his chest.

Shadow took a step forward, but I grabbed his belt loops and held tight, pulling my chest flush with his back. I clutched at him, desperate for the feel of his skin against mine, shaky and cold in the aftermath of the fight. His muscles relaxed even as his growl grew harsh and loud. One hand slid around to hold on to my hip, to pull me tighter, to hold me close to him. And I didn’t mind a single bit. The fear and the pain and the sudden loss of adrenaline left me cold and tired. I didn’t want even an inch between us.

Bigger smirked, looking from Shadow to me and back. Noticing my hands on Shadow’s waist and his on my hip. Calculating. “You want a filthy witch, have her, but know that Blasius will be hearing about this.”

He pushed Smaller down the hall, heading for the bar area of the building. “If she ever burns me or a packmate of mine again, her head will be mounted on my wall.”

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you about fire?” Shadow asked, turning us both to watch the men walk away. “If you get too close to the heat, you’re going to get burned. Stay away from her, and you’ll be fine.”

Smaller scowled and spat before growling a simple, quiet, “Mutt.”

Shadow lunged, striking Smaller in the jaw and drawing blood before the man could even spin all the way around. The two fell to the floor, swinging and growling as the sounds of fists meeting flesh echoed down the hall. Bigger rushed past me along with another dark-haired man, this one even bigger than Bigger. Biggest? They worked together trying to pull the two men off one another. I wanted to jump in, to protect Shadow, but my adrenaline crash was in full swing, and I could barely take a step without stumbling.

“What the fuck is going on back here?” Rebel rushed around the corner, looking angrier than I’d ever seen him. He shoved past the larger men and grabbed Shadow, stepping between him and Bigger. Relief flooded me as Rebel protected my Shadow, making my body sag. I backed into the wall and slid down to the floor, unable to stay on my feet a moment longer.

My Shadow
…oh hell.

“Do you know there’s a witch here?” Smaller asked, glaring at Shadow but yelling at Rebel.

“Yeah, I do.” Rebel shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest, daring the other shifter to say more.

Bigger stepped beside his smaller counterpart, his hands up as if in retreat. “Can we quit wasting time? We need to talk to Shadow.”

Shadow backed toward me, keeping himself between me and the strangers. “Head into Reb’s office. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Biggest stepped toward him. “We don’t have time for your—”

“I said Reb’s office.” Shadow stepped right up to the three, appearing unafraid by the men who towered over him. “Cahill should probably head to the bar so Klutch can take care of those burns. You two, office. If you want my help, you play by my rules. Otherwise you can keep on driving to Chicago.”

“Julian’s in there,” I whispered, rising to my feet with one hand solidly against the wall. I once again pressed myself against Shadow’s back, clinging to his strength and warmth. “That’s why I was trying to stop them.”

The three men looked past Shadow, Smaller sending me a glare that probably should have made my knees shake. Rebel’s growl made him pull up quick, though.

“There’s a human child in that room, and you choose to get into a fight with the fire witch who’s trying to protect him?”

Bigger frowned. “We were looking for Shadow.”

“Yeah, well, by the blood on his knuckles, I can see you found him.” Rebel hurried into his office, almost immediately reappearing with a curious-looking Julian. “Deal with your shit, but if you threaten or start a fight with any of my den again, including our non-member guests, your asses are mine. C’mon, Cahill. You can spend a little time with my road captain. Shadow? Want to take a look at his burns?”

“Nope,” Shadow said, staring at the remaining two strangers. “Let Klutch handle him. She needs me more.”

Rebel looked over Shadow, an inquisitive expression on his face as his eyes traveled to where I had my arms wrapped around the shifter. “You sure?”

Shadow growled low and deep. “Yeah, positive.”

I slipped back, releasing my hold on Shadow, uncomfortable with the attention the other shifters in the hall were giving us. Rebel met my gaze and cocked his head, inspecting. Making me shrink back. But then he shook his head.

“I don’t think I want to know. Wait here, I’ll be right back.” Rebel turned and walked down the hall, bringing Julian and Smaller, or Cahill, with him. Bigger and Biggest walked into Rebel’s office without another word and slammed the door behind them, leaving Shadow and me alone in the hallway.

“Are you okay?” Shadow asked, turning to look me over.

“I’m fine.” I wrapped my arms around myself, being careful with my burns. “Who are they?”

He shrugged and shook his head. “A group of shifters from down south.”

“They seem like assholes, especially the smaller one. Cahill.” I smiled as Shadow snorted a laugh. “They refused to listen to me when I told them they needed to call you before they went storming into Rebel’s office. I didn’t want them scaring Julian.”

The look he gave me was filled with more meaning than I could comprehend, with a depth to his eyes that gutted me. “I’d be just as much of an asshole and just as pissed if the situation were reversed.”