Kindling Flames: Burning Nights (The Ancient Fire Series Book 6)

by Julie Wetzel

  Makani laughed. “Of course.”

  Darien waved and strolled over to the door to collect Vicky.

  “You’re just going to leave them?” Vicky asked as she joined him for the walk back down the squeaky hall.

  “I think Makani has it under control.” Darien said as they walked. “And if he needs me, I’ll know.”

  “True.” She pondered what happened while they walked. “Explain something to me.”

  Darien turned his head to show he was listening.

  “I felt you add Makani to the kiss, but it didn’t affect me the way it did his people,” Vicky remarked. “Why?”

  “For two reasons,” Darien said as he took Vicky’s hand and wrapped it up around his arm. “I flooded Makani’s mark with more power than usual to make sure it held. I knew it would spill over into his kiss, but I did not realize the impact it would have.”

  “So you overdid it a little bit.” Vicky teased.

  “Yeah,” Darien said, slightly ashamed that he didn’t have better control over his power.

  “And the second?”

  “I was keeping him from reaching you in case something happened.”

  Vicky looked at him concerned. “Like what?”

  Darien got real quiet as they walked. “Things have been known to go wrong when marking a powerful master.”

  Turning her head, she waited for Darien to explain.

  “The bonding of masters is never done in public, but I wanted the rest of the Council members to see and know what was going on so there would be no question about their fate, he explained. “Forming that connection usually takes many blood exchanges to ease the two power bases together so it’s not a shock to the kisses being joined. It’s harder on the weaker kiss, but I didn’t want to take the time to condition them properly. It would take away from our time together and leave both Makani and I vulnerable until the process was complete.”

  “So you rushed it?” Vicky asked.

  Darien nodded. “I rushed it knowing that a fast making would cause discomfort for Makani’s young. I also didn’t want to give him time to back out of it. Marking a master holds the potential to do serious harm to both participants if the weaker one decides to resist.”

  Vicky hauled off and punched him in the shoulder. “And when were you going to tell me?”

  “Ouch!” Darien hissed as he recoiled from his abusive bride. “I didn’t think it was important.”

  Balling her fist up again, she nailed him a second time. “Not important! How do you know what’s not important?” she yelled at him on the edge of tears.

  “Shh.” Darien hushed her as he stopped and gathered the upset woman in his arms. “I’m sorry.” He held her and let her cry out her frustration. “Having bound masters before, I didn’t consider the risk great enough to worry about, as long as Makani agreed. I took precautions to protect my people, but I didn’t believe I would actually need them,” he explained, “It’s like wearing a seat belt. It’s annoying until you actually hit something.”

  Vicky chuckled and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. “I’m sorry. I’m just…” she let her words trail off as she clutched onto the front of Darien’s shirt.

  “I know,” he said, cuddling her. “Why don’t we go see about food? I know a turtle that would appreciate getting out of the trunk.” He coaxed her.

  Vicky laughed again. “Yeah. And didn’t you get some chocolate fish for the girls?”

  “I completely forgot about those.” Darien said, shocked that he’d left the delicate gift in the trunk of the car. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into motion. “We need to get those out of the car before they melt.”

  “I love you,” she said in an indulging voice and hurried so she could keep up with the quick pace he set.

  “And I love you.” He pulled her into his side before testing his link with Makani to make sure it was solid and relaxed. There was still much that needed to be done, but now that he had a plan for how to handle the Council, he could finally focus on what was most important. The lovely lady at his side.

  Rifling through his paperwork, Darien pulled three pages out and slid the first one across the table towards Makani. “Sign there,” he said, pointing to the open spot at the bottom of the page.

  Picking up the pen, Makani scrawled his name across the document.

  “And here,” Darien said, whipping the finished page away and dropping a new one in its place. “And this,” he added, pulling the second finished page and placing the third and final sheet in front of Makani. When he was done, Darien drew the paper back, blew across the ink to make sure it was dry, and shuffled the signed sheets back into the document where they belonged.

  “One more time,” he said, pulling the same three pages from another identical document.

  “Are you sure all of this is necessary?” Makani asked as he scrawled his name across the three pages.

  “One copy is probably enough, but it never hurts to have a second in case something happens to the original,” Darien said. He picked up the three papers, made sure they were correct, and sorted them back into their place. He slipped both stacks of paper into their own separate manila envelopes and sealed them up. “Keep these safe,” he said handing one of the files to Makani. “When I get back to Brenton, I’ll file this set with my lawyers. That will complete the processes of incorporating the Hawaiian Council. I’ll also get a team of inspectors and auditors out to make sure all the holdings are above board and up to code. For now, you’ll be listed down as a satellite branch of Ritter Enterprises. Once everything is settled, I’ll start the process of breaking the Council out from the company. It shouldn’t take any more than about six months in total.”

  “You’re very good at this,” Makani said and picked up the envelope.

  Darien shrugged. “I do this all the time with the small businesses back home.” He looked down at the log on the desk. “Just not usually with ones that are this disorganized. Kusanagi was well on his way to being audited by the IRS. I see ten violations that should have sent up red flags. And that’s just on the first page.” He flipped through the sheets in the log. “The best way to stay hidden is to stay off the government’s radar. I’ll get you an accountant to straighten this out before someone gets wind of it.” Closing the file, he turned his full attention to Makani. “And you may want to check everyone’s documents to make sure they are up to date. It’s much easier to fix your documents before you need them than try to deal with the law after something happens.”

  Makani nodded his understanding. “I’ll have them checked.” He paused and considered Darien. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay and run the Council yourself?”

  Darien laughed at him and stood up. “I have already told you I have no intention of ever running a Council,” he said with smile as he gathered his things from the desktop. “My business and kiss are more than enough trouble for me.” A stray thought made his smile widen. “Besides, I just got married and that’s going to keep me busy for a while.”

  “Well, congratulations on that,” Makani said, standing up. “I wish you the best and I’m sorry that your honeymoon was ruined.”

  Darien shrugged. “It wasn’t a total loss,” he admitted. “Victoria and I were able to get out and see some of the island, although we never got over to Volcano National Park.” It was the one regret he had.

  “Well, the next time you come, you must make sure you get over there. It is a sight to see,” Makani assured him.

  Laughing, Darien came around the desk to stand next to the younger vampire. “Yes,” he agreed. He would have to come back to check on the Council and transfer the Grand Master’s position to Makani, but he was unsure if he would ever return to Hawaii for a vacation. It was true that he and Vicky had a good time sightseeing, but the entire trip had left him exhausted. The idea of doing it again was almost enough to make him shudder in dread. “Make sure to call me if you need anything,” Darien said, changing the subject. “I�
�ll come as fast as I can if trouble arises.”

  “Of course.” Makani paused as he considered something left undone. “What did you want to do with Kimberly?” he asked.

  Darien stopped and looked at him. “I don’t have any plans for her.”

  “You’re not going to punish her for trying to kill Victoria?” Makani asked in disbelief.

  Sighing, Darien shook his head. “I’ve already talked with her about why she did it, and I think Kusanagi did a good enough job of punishing her.” He looked towards the doorway, envisioning the woman as she had been. “If Kusanagi tormented her as much as everyone claimed, how can I blame her for taking an action that she thought would get her out of a bad situation?“ He looked back at Makani. “Now that she’s out from under his control, I think she’ll make a full recovery.”

  “But, you’re just going to let her go like you did Kou?” Makani asked.

  Darien paused as he thought about the missing man. They had not seen or heard from him since he left on the night of Kusanagi’s death. But Darien suspected Kou was on his way to a quiet life. Or at least he hoped the man was. “No,” Darien said, shaking his head. “Kou was different. He wasn’t abused the same way she was. I’m going to leave Kimberly in your care until we know for certain there were no lasting effects to her psyche.”

  “I don’t think there will be a problem,” Makani said with a smile. “Gabriel has been spending a lot of time caring for her.”

  “Then she should be in good hands,” Darien said. He’d seen the way the younger vampire had been fussing over Kimberly. It was clear to anyone that the man had a thing for the woman.

  “Then, I guess this is Aloha,” Makani said, holding his hand out for Darien to shake. “Have a safe trip home.”

  Darien smiled as he took the man’s hand. “Aloha,” he answered. “And make sure to call me if you need me.”

  “I will,” Makani said. He released Darien’s hand and went to put the file away.

  Turning away from the new Grand Master of Hawaii, Darien went to find Vicky. The nightingale floors sang as he walked across them for the last time. Over the week he’d been there, he’d grown to like the strange squeaking of the nails rubbing against the brackets. As he stepped down from the hall, Darien examined the koi pond and was glad to see the water was being properly maintained. He was going to miss the flash of the bright fish as they darted around the pool. He turned towards the front door and thought about the possibility of installing a koi pond at his menagerie’s home.

  “Good evening, my master,” Shuri said as he stepped from the building.

  Darien stopped, surprised that she was waiting for him on the porch. “Good evening, Shuri”

  “Are you finished with the Council?”

  “Yes,” he answered. “Once Mano is done helping Victoria load up the pineapples, we’ll be ready to go. But I still don’t see why we need so many.” He looked down the sidewalk to where Vicky and Mano were moving boxes around in the trunk of the car.

  Shuri smiled. “It’s customary,” she said in an amused voice. “Proper Hawaiian pineapples are impossible to get on the mainland.”

  “One or two I can understand, but why do we need twenty?” Darien said in an exasperated voice.

  A snicker sounded from Shuri. “You can always freeze them,” she suggested.

  “Perhaps,” he said, thinking of all the things he might be able to do with pineapples. As he started down the path towards the car, Shuri fell into step behind him.

  “Oh!” he said stopping suddenly and turning to face the kitsune. “I nearly forgot this.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the pearls he’d claimed from Kusanagi and held them up for Shuri to take. “Here.”

  Shuri looked at him in disbelief.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t give them back to you as soon as I killed Kusanagi, but I needed someone I knew I could trust to help get things with the Council settled,” Darien explained. “Holding your gems ensured that you wouldn’t just disappear. I know it was improper to force you to help, but since you forced me into killing him, I felt I had some right.”

  Holding her hands out towards the necklace, she paused and considered the gift, looking for a trick. “At what cost?”

  “No cost,” he said, pushing them towards her so she would take them. “Just make sure to mind them better and stay out of trouble.”

  Carefully she took the gems and held them close to her chest. “Thank you,” she said, pausing to consider him. “To repay you for your kindness, I shall give you a warning.”

  Darien cocked his head in curiosity.

  “As the son of a winged servant of Kami, it’s amazing that you’ve lived as long as you have. Most half breeds never make it past infancy. You must truly be blessed to have avoided your fate for so long, but be wary of your wife. If her children are truly yours, their birth will draw unwanted attention and their lives with be fraught with danger. Protect them well, Nephilim, for they hold power that could change the world.”

  Darien froze in shock while she caught the leather strip the jewels were attached to in her mouth, shifted forms, and raced off into the night. He took a step to call after her, but she was gone before he could get a word out.

  “What did she mean?” Vicky asked.

  Darien turned to find her standing behind him with her hands over her stomach. His mind spun with Shuri’s parting words. “I don’t know,” he admitted. He searched the darkness one last time for the five-tailed fox, but she was gone.

  Vicky closed the distance between them. “What’s a Nephilim?”

  He racked his brain for a moment, pulling up the little he knew of the mythological creature. “It’s the offspring of an angel and a human,” he said, pondering the lore he knew. There had been chapters about them in his books, but he’d never actually met one.

  “Are you a Nephilim?” Vicky asked curiously.

  “I don’t think so.” He couldn’t remember the monks ever saying anything about his parents except that they were killed in a fire. Surely if he had been the son of an angel, they would have said something to him.

  “Well,” Vicky said as she leaned into his side and wrapped her arm around him. “Angel baby or not, it’s time to go home.” She pulled on him to get him moving in the direction of the car that was waiting to take them to the airport. “If we miss our flight, Zak will probably come down here and chew on you for keeping me away,” she teased.

  Darien chuckled and wrapped his arm up around her back, holding her close as they walked. “You know we’re traveling by private jet,” he teased back. “Our flight leaves whenever I say it does.” That wasn’t entirely true. Their flight plans had already been logged, but they were in no danger of needing to delay their departure.

  “Then take me home,” Vicky said, cuddling against his side. “I’ve had enough of Hawaii for a while.”

  Letting out a snort of amusement, Darien agreed. “So have I.” He squeezed Vicky to him as they made their way down the path to where Mano held the car door open. After helping Vicky into the car, Darien paused and looked out into the night, thinking about what Shuri had said. Could he be the son of an angel? He shook his head, driving the thought away for now. There was no way to tell what he was until he’d done a little research. But everything he owned that could shed some light on the subject was back at home.

  Settling back into the seat, he pulled Vicky against him and relaxed. Soon they would be winging their way back to Brenton and away from this chaos. Back to a job that took damn near every minute of his day, a pregnant werewolf in his downstairs bedroom, and a whole mess of annoying vampires that he couldn’t get rid of, along with a hellhound that still ate the hems out of his pants any time the creature had the chance. A smile slipped across Darien’s face as he thought about his life. They were going home.

  There comes a time in every writer’s life where then get stuck while writing a story. Something doesn’t go as planned, or they realize that they don’t have enough inf
ormation on a subject to continue what they’ve started. This is how I felt about Burning Nights.

  The first part of the book was simple. It was fun to write and flowed well, and then I got to the Hawaii part.

  Not only did I get tied up in the fact that I was now writing in a real world setting that I was unfamiliar with, I didn’t like the way the story was turning out. Unhappy with what I’d done, I cut over twenty thousand words out and dropped the story in lieu of something that wasn’t irritating me. I jumped over to my dragon series and plugged away at that for a few stories.

  This helped to clear my mind of the detritus the original version to Burning Nights had left floating in my brain. Every now and then, I would jump back to it and reread it or add a bit here or there, but I was having a really hard time getting into the story. It was mainly the unfamiliar setting that was holding me back. See, if you use a real world setting and get it wrong, there’s always a slew of people ready to point out your errors. And that terrified me.

  But fear is only your mind holding you back and I received so many requests for the fifth instalment of the series. So, despite the fact that I didn’t have enough information on the location I wanted to place the story, I had to push on. CTP and I set a deadline goal and I filled my lack of knowledge with as many travel videos as I could find. So, to anyone in Hawaii that may be offended by incorrect details, I’m sorry.

  As to those that helped me along my way. Thank you.

  Thank you Mom and Laura for reading over my stuff and keeping me real, Kathy-Lynn for always pushing me for that next chapter, Krys for understanding when I spend way too much time tapping away at my keyboard, and everyone that loaded up those stupid travel videos on YouTube. How you can make such a magical place as Hawaii sound so mind numbingly dull, I will never know.

  And last, but not least. Thank you to my fans for reminding me there are people out there waiting for the rest of the story.

  Originally from Ohio, Julie always dreamed of a job in science. Either shooting for the stars or delving into the mysteries of volcanoes. But, life never leads where you expect. In 2007, she moved to Mississippi to be with her significant other.