“Sundae, you look worried.”
She nodded, and took a step forward. “I am vexed. I can’t find you.”
He chuckled. She was always a cryptic speaker. It was because Sundae straddled two worlds; the dream realm and the living realm. She had difficulty keeping focused on reality. “I’m right here.” He tossed another fireball, and Sundae shrank back.
“Where is here, Hunter?”
He shook his head, and locked his sapphire eyes with her sky blue ones. “Sundae, you’re confusing me.” He stepped forward and placed her tiny hand in his, ignoring the sliver of desire that shot through him. “See, I’m right here.”
“No, you’re not.” Her voice matched her unhappy eyes. “We’re here looking for you. Can you help me find you?”
“You’re the most confusing woman I have ever met.” He ran his fingers through his blond curls, and turned back to throwing fireballs. He needed to be ready if danger struck his family again.
“Hunter, give me your hand again.” Sundae reached out to him. The fire orb in his hand disappeared, and he took her hand. Suddenly they were floating in the air.
“Oh my gosh, Sundae, I didn’t know you could fly!”
“I can, but only in the dream realm. You are dreaming, and I need you to wake up and find clues as to where you are so we can find you.”
He gave a tight, nervous laugh, and rolled his eyes. “I know when I’m dreaming.”
“I need you to wake up.”
“Sundae, are you having a strange episode?”
“Hunter, please wake up. Find clues and tell me in your dreams.” She let go of his hand, and he sank back to the earth. She remained above him like an angel floating through the clouds. Only this angel had no halo or wings, not that he knew of anyway. “Remember this dream and my warning. You are not safe.” She closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry for this.”
Her face morphed into the face of the scariest clown Hunter had ever seen. Her teeth were filed into sharp spikes, her face painted white and red. Her lips were cut back to create a smile that almost reached her ears. Blood-red tears fell from her eyes. He was terrified of clowns, and she knew this. Her image did the trick. He fell backwards in an attempt to escape, and when his rear hit the ground, he woke up, sweat covering his body, his heart racing, and his eyes attempting to adjust quickly to the darkness surrounding him.
When the adrenaline steadied, he felt a throbbing in his head. He reached a shaky hand to the pain, and felt the injury and warmth from a liquid that coated his fingers. When his eyes adjusted, he pulled the hand back and saw the unmistakable crimson of blood. The coppery scent mixed with sickly-sweet infection reinforced what he was seeing. His mind raced to try and remember what happened. The last image he remembered was of Ophelia smacking him over the head with her gun. Dread crept up his spine as he realized he was a prisoner to a wolf in another dimension, a dimension no one knew he came to, no one but Natalia. That was something at least. Natalia must have told Rebecca, and Rebecca must have enlisted Sundae’s help to find him.
“We’re here looking for you. Can you help me find you?” Sundae’s word from the dream faded back into his head.
“Sundae,” he whispered. She was looking for him, and he needed to send her clues.
“No, actually it is Friday, I think.” Another gruff voice broke into his thoughts. He looked around the darkened room, and realized with trepidation that he was not alone. “Who’s there?” He moved quickly attempting to find a safe corner of the room, only there was a jerk against his leg. He reached down and felt the shackle around his ankle. “Where am I?”
“You’re a prisoner of the wolf pack… just like us,” The male voice offered.
“Ophelia’s pack?” Hunter asked confused. She invited him here. Why was he a prisoner?
“No, Brick and Ophelia’s pack,” the impatient, faceless voice offered.
It all flooded back to him like a tidal wave. Ophelia had offered to help him find a possible cure for his sisters, and when she got him over here, she kidnapped him… but why? “I don’t understand.” He tried to create a fireball in his hands, but discovered he had no access to his magic. “Why does my magic not work?” Panic filled his voice.
“You were probably injected with the same nanobytes we were given.” The man hidden in the shadows lit a match. The fire licked wicked-looking shadows across his dark face. “I’m Roger, and this…” he shined the light toward a girl who looked about ten years old with curly red hair and dark green eyes, “is my daughter, Freya.” She offered a weak smile even though she looked terrified as she hugged a rag doll under her chin.
“She took our magic and kidnapped a child?” He asked incredulously.
“She has done far worse than that.” A strange woman’s voice indicated there were more prisoners in the room than the three that were talking.
“Where are we? My friends are looking for me. They need help.”
The brusque, shaded man laughed. “And without powers, how do you plan to tell them?”
“One of my friends can talk to me in my dreams,” Hunter whispered.
“Well now, that is a nice friend to have, and an interesting power.” Roger gave Hunter specific instructions on how to locate them. Hunter laid down, and attempted to fall asleep. The darkness in the dungeon-like room helped ease him into slumber. He closed his eyes and began counting sheep, only they turned into fireballs, and before he knew it, he was in the world of dreams looking for Sundae.
Chapter Four
Savannah
SAVANNAH COULDN’T BELIEVE JADEN, THE bulky, redheaded dragon shifter, had led them on a wild goose chase all afternoon. Everywhere they looked, they couldn’t find hide nor-hair of Hunter or one of this world’s werewolves. It was like they went underground, like they suspected they were being hunted. Or maybe Jaden was keeping them safe for some reason. Savannah didn’t know the dragon shifters, and had no reason, other than Rebecca’s word, that they could be trusted.
They did, however, find the strangest human-cyborg camp ever. The idea of a human being forced to share a mind with an artificial intelligence like a computer was creepy on so many levels. Secretly, she was relieved her alter ego in this world didn’t have to make that choice, though it saddened her to know that this world’s Savannah died, and left Becky behind. Savannah couldn’t help but wonder how different Becky would be if she had her own Savannah and Hunter growing up. Would she still be the crazy woman she was now?
Her Rebecca had a hard time dealing with their parents’ deaths. She took it personally, and went through a few bad years while she worked through the process of healing. Savvy knew she and Hunter, even grandmother Catherine, were strong anchors to help her through the worst of the storms. There was a good possibility she would’ve become a lot like Becky. It truly made Savannah feel guilty over the rift that developed between them. Savvy knew she should be thankful they still had each other after everything that had happened, but that was easier said than done.
Their family wasn’t perfect, but no matter how much they disliked each other, she hoped they would always find a way to be there for one another. She bent and picked up a couple pieces of stray wood for the campfire. She didn’t mind the assignment to gather firewood. She enjoyed being alone now far more than she ever did as a human. Wallowing in her own self-pity sometimes made her feel better about being a vampire. It reminded her that she lost something important, and made her hold onto the memory of that loss a little tighter. The memory of her love for her siblings was one of the only reasons she could stand to be close to Rebecca anymore, the feelings of what they once shared. She shuddered to think what would happen if she ever lost those precious moments. Without a doubt, her sisterly bond would be irrevocably broken. The genetic desire to rip each other apart when they were in the same vicinity was strong. It was only the pain of her loss that kept the demon on a leash.
“I see you were put on wood gathering detail as well.” Lucky’s warm voice ra
n over her like a soothing water massage in the shower, something she would be happy to have at the moment. It seemed now that she was a vampire, she showered more than ever before. It wasn’t a good feeling to feel dirty in your own skin, but that was her existence now. Even if she wasn’t the monster, she’d still want to clean up. This world reeked of poison and death, and not in a good way. It made her worry about Hunter’s health. It had to be hard on his human body. She only hoped his witch half would make him stronger.
Savannah tossed a look in his direction, and offered a weak smile. His arms were loaded up with wood and dry moss for kindling. He was a gorgeous man, despite the boyishness of his looks. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a body that wouldn’t quit. “It looks like you are doing far better than I.” She looked at the couple of pieces she had picked up and felt guilt at her lackluster job. As a vampire, she didn’t feel cold like others did. Even the shifters would hold up fine. It was Lucky, Natalia, Mystery, Miracle, and Jackson that would suffer the most tonight.
He shrugged. “The faster this is done, the sooner we will all be warm. I understand nighttime here is like a freezer.”
Savannah picked up a couple more pieces. She knew they needed to talk, but didn’t know how to begin the conversation. The last time they spoke about the fire that sparked between them he made it clear he wouldn’t play second fiddle, and she couldn’t blame him. No matter the feelings he ignited in her, she’d always feel like she was playing runner up to Rebecca. They did date first, even if most of it was a fake relationship. There were feelings they both shared for each other. Savannah had enough self-worth to recognize that.
Since they’d last spoken, she realized her deflection at Lucky was more a reaction to Viktor’s desire for an open relationship. She wanted the man she loved to be committed to her, and only her. Unfortunately, being royalty made that difficult. She was promised to Viktor, and would have to marry him regardless of her personal desires. Truth be told, the vampire was a good man, if that was possible, and the match was better than she could hope for. She had a feeling that was because Maverick had a hand in the choice. Viktor was attracted to her, and was open to the idea of eventually bonding, but wanted her to live her life for a while to make sure that was something she didn’t regret. Lucky filled the void Viktor created. He was noble, decent, and kind, and he would not have a relationship with her if she was engaged to another man.
Ironically, Lucky was in a similar situation before he met Rebecca. Turnabout was fair play, she guessed. He was engaged to Felicity, who worked for Celestia, and had an agreement with her that if they were still single at the age of twenty-five they’d go through with the arranged marriage. Felicity’s hand in Savannah’s rebirth killed that idea.
“So, how is Viktor?” He asked as though he had peeked into her thoughts.
“My fiancé? He left. Said we needed space, and I needed time to… sow my wild oats, so to speak.” She told him dryly as she pulled a twig from a fallen limb.
“Sounds like he’s a dick to me,” Lucky stated bluntly.
Savannah spun toward him, vexed by his attitude, and was suddenly aware of their close proximity. “Why do you say that?”
“If you were mine…” He closed the gap tight enough that only the wood was between them. “I would make sure all the world knew it, and I sure as heck wouldn’t be telling you to go find someone else.” He growled deeply, his golden-amber eyes darkened. His scent, which reminded her of chai tea, assaulted her senses, and brought her back to happier moments between them, moments that were no longer allowed now that she made her choice to marry Viktor. Even if she could have him, he’d be bending to his own moral code, which wasn’t right for her to ask of him. If she was a better person, she would release him and move on, but the desire he created in her was intense and difficult to deny. It was one of those cases of wanting something you couldn’t have. The idea that she couldn’t have him made him more appealing. She knew she was being selfish, but she couldn’t turn away from him. It was the snap of one of the pieces of wood that broke the seductive spell he was weaving around her.
She shook her head, trying to clear his angel pheromones that were stimulating her senses from her mind, and took a few steps backwards. They always say look where you are going, and when her foot slipped on a log or rock behind her, she really wished she had.
Lucky dropped his pile of wood, and used his quick, supernatural reflexes to catch her before she hit the ground. For a brief moment she experienced the sensation of falling for someone, and she rather enjoyed it. It was the first time he had touched her since that day at the mansion when he told her he wouldn’t settle for an open relationship, and she shouldn’t either. The electrical currents traveling throughout her whole body were just as strong now as they were then.
“Good Gods, Savvy! You could’ve broken your neck. Do I scare you that much?”
Savannah shook her head. She could hear his heartbeat race. Fear was the farthest thing from her mind. All she could think of was getting her hormones under control, and that meant putting space between them. “Let go of me, please.” She regretted the harshness of her words the moment they were out, but allowed her eyes to remain cold. She was doing this for his own good. Since becoming a vampire, selflessness was a rarity with her, but where he was concerned, she was going to do it. “You do remember I am a vampire. I’m already dead, and a broken neck won’t send me to hell.”
He lifted her into a standing position, and let her go abruptly as though she had burned him. She reached down to pick up her sticks, her last words spoken without looking back at him. He did the same. The silence that stretched between them was unbearable, so she broke it. “You don’t scare me. I was just being careless.” It was a half-truth, and it would do.
Lucky finished gathering his own dropped wood. “That’s good to know.” He offered a partial grin that showed off the dimple in his cheek. “I’d hate to think I scare the girl I like.”
“I thought you didn’t want to be involved because of the engagement thing?” She looked at him with confusion creasing her forehead.
“I don’t.” He stood up. “But that doesn’t mean I stopped liking you. It just means I will wait to see what you choose. If you decide to marry Viktor, I’ll accept your decision. I know you have a lot of responsibility on your hands.”
“I’ve already decided to marry Viktor. The wedding plans are already in motion.” Savannah couldn’t look him straight in the eye so she focused on the ground, and finding more wood. “Which is why we can’t keep meeting like this and having these private moments.” Her voice cracked at the loss of what could’ve been.
“Are you asking me to stay away?” He looked wounded which cracked her frozen heart.
She shook her head, afraid of the emotion her voice threatened to give away. Swallowing hard past the lump forming in her throat she managed to say, “We can still be friends.”
“Just no more close proximity.” Savannah could hear the anguish in his voice. She didn’t dare look at him. “No more touching moments.” He sucked in a breath. “Are you afraid being close to me will change your mind?”
Yes! She thought, but said, “No.” There really was no reason to lead him on.
He nodded. “Good to know. I want to thank you for letting me go.”
“It is the right thing to do.” Savannah’s voice held no emotion even though her insides were in turmoil like a tornado touching down. She exhaled heavily, a habit she was finding hard to let go now that she was a vampire and had no need of breath. “Besides. You and me, we were doomed from the start.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you had feelings for Rebecca first.” Logic was Rebecca’s friend, and Savvy was finding it helpful now that she was a member of the Evil Dead crowd.
“I did. That is true. But that is more about me, and not you. You and Rebecca are amazing women, and even though you look almost identical, you are both very different.”
Savannah frowned. “How
so?”
“Aside from the vampire and werewolf thing? Rebecca rides the line between good and bad, teetering dangerously on either side. But you, you were pure goodness.”
The key word there was ‘were’. She was, at one time, good. Not anymore.
“Are you ready to head back? It feels like it is getting colder already,” he asked when she didn’t answer him.
Miraculously, Savannah had far more kindling in her hands than she did when she first dropped hers, and she knew Lucky had left some for her. She nodded, but couldn’t leave the conversation this way. She said in her defense, “I don’t really have a choice. You have met Celestia, haven’t you?”
“You always have a choice, Savannah.” His stride matched hers as they headed back to camp. The scent of fire was already on the air. The plume of smoke against the greenish haze signaled that everyone else was probably already back to camp.
The night chill dropped another ten degrees instantly. Savannah didn’t care. Cold didn’t bother a vampire. She stopped dead in her tracks. “No, Lucky, I don’t. Celestia will not release me from the contract. Viktor has made concessions in allowing me to have my own life without him, but he has made it clear the wedding will go on. Truthfully, he is a good man, but he will not release me.”
“Yet, when you walk down that aisle, you will be given the choice to say yes or no.”
“And Celestia has made it clear that if I do, everyone I care about will pay for my defiance. So no, Lucky, I have no choice.”
Lucky turned, his eyes narrowed on her. “Do you think your friends and family are weak? Because from what I can see, your family and friends are strong, and inventive in coming up with solutions to problems. Have you discussed this with them?”
Fire Master Rising Page 3