Ignite: Paranormal Romance Series (Burning Moon Book 2)

by RK Close

  She pulled me down to my knees. Her eyes danced in the firelight, and her smile was without worry or concern. She seemed happy.

  Olivia took my face in her hands and drew me toward her for a kiss. The kiss was deep and searching before her lips traveled across my cheek and down my neck, where she hesitated.

  Would she bite me? I held my breath.

  Then I realized that I wanted her to. She needed it, and I wanted her to have it. “Do it,” I said.

  She pulled away from me, uncertain. “No.”

  I held her face in my hands and guided her mouth back to my neck. Again, she lingered there. “Do it, Olivia,” I encouraged, my voice rough with passion. And then I felt it—pain shot through my body like an electrical shock until everything went white.

  I woke breathing hard and holding my neck. It had felt so real. The clock on the wall revealed that I had to be at the fire station in thirty minutes. Groaning, I jumped out of bed and went into the bathroom to splash water on my face before examining my neck in the mirror. There were no wounds, just smooth skin and the remnants of a phantom pain that was slowly fading.

  I walked into the station, ignoring the greetings from other firefighters, who were ending their shifts, and headed right for the coffee pot. After filling a mug, I nodded at a few people before heading for my dorm room. Once there, I sat on the bed to drink in the peace and quiet.

  The strange dreams kept playing in my mind. My phone sat on the small desk, and I thought about calling Olivia once again. Did she sleep in the daytime? Would I disturb her? I had no clue what I was dealing with, and obviously, I was in over my head. After a moment’s hesitation, I texted her a quick message, to let her know it was me so she’d have my phone number as well. She didn’t reply.

  There was a knock at the door, and then Cole poked his head inside. “Hey, brother. Why are you hiding out in here?”

  “Rough night,” I replied.

  Cole grinned and let himself into my room. He pulled out the desk chair and sat in it backward, resting his chin on his arms on the back. “So Olivia the Vampire keep you up late?”

  “How’d you know—?”

  “I gave her your address. You can thank me later. I’ll take mine in beer,” he said, obviously feeling good about himself.

  “It’s not what you think. I’ve been having strange dreams lately. I don’t wake feeling very rested.” Cole’s brows came together. “Besides, I didn’t think you liked Olivia.”

  “I didn’t, but after she saved that kid, it’s sort of hard to look at her the same way. Still don’t like vamps in our town.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “So, what happened between you two?”

  “Not much. Did you see the news?” I asked.

  “No, but I heard about it from Liam. Not good for any of us—vampires, shifters, or witches, right?” Cole was quick to include Zoey in our secret, albeit small, supernatural group.

  I was surprised he included the vampires in the same breath. “No, I guess not. It sure was easier to stay under the radar before the vampires moved into town. But if it weren’t for them, we might not have ever known that Zoey was a witch.”

  Zoey knew what we were long before she let us in on her secret. She was still a mystery—an unknown. Nobody knew much about her or how she ended up tending bar a few months ago. Learning that she was a witch may have ruined him for any other woman. Zoey was like us—hiding in plain sight.

  Cole shook his head as if pushing away a thought, then stood and opened the door. “Liam wants to see us in his office after lineup.” He left before I could respond. I’m sure Liam wanted to talk about what Victor knew.

  I would call Olivia after sunset. Maybe she could arrange a meeting.

  10

  I must have called four times, but Olivia never answered. She didn’t reply to my text messages either. I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or concerned. The next morning, when my shift at the fire station was over, I drove to the address she’d given me.

  On the north end of town, past the hospital, there were residential streets lined with lavishly remodeled twentieth-century homes, some worth a small fortune.

  I stopped a few houses away from Olivia’s. The address she’d given me had an L-shaped porch with two swings and wicker furniture. It made me think of a home belonging in the Deep South. The porch and its furnishings were painted a glossy black, along with the shutters that hung on either side of the windows.

  The grand mansion looked as though it had been freshly painted with bright white paint. I considered knocking on the front door but remembered her warning and decided I’d give her more time before throwing caution to the wind.

  An enormous oak tree shaded most of the yard. Well-cared-for rose bushes sat below the raised porch. The last of the seasons flowers still managed to hold on. I wondered if they did their own gardening at night, or did they hire someone? The random thought made me smile. I wouldn’t be curious about such a thing if they weren’t vampires.

  I considered the home for a few minutes more, before driving away. I’d give her until this evening to return my calls, and then I was coming to pay the vampires of Flagstaff a visit.

  I tried to kill time by doing some grocery shopping. I must have run into every girl in town that I’d ever taken out. With all the small talk, it was over an hour before I escaped the grocery store.

  After putting away the groceries, I cleaned the apartment from top to bottom. I’d been embarrassed when Olivia made her surprise visit and wanted to ensure that never happened again. The bachelor pad looked pretty good when I was done—I even went to the laundromat down the street.

  When the laundry was cleaned, folded and put away, I walked to the bakery for another coffee and a pastry. Zoey and I almost ran into each other when she was exiting the shop. It wasn’t a surprise to see her there--She lived above the bakery.

  “Oh!” she said.

  “Hey, Zoey.”

  She smiled but still looked guarded as she glanced up and down the street. “Is Cole with you?”

  I smiled. “No. He’s working out at the gym, I think.”

  When she turned to leave, I grabbed her arm to stop her. She almost jumped and looked at me like I was about to attack her. The moment of fear that flashed across her face was soon replaced with annoyance. I quickly let go.

  “I just wanted to thank you for coming to Cole’s party. It meant a lot to him—and me.”

  She looked away. “It was nothing. I enjoyed being there and Cole’s a great guy.”

  I felt encouraged for Cole and decided to press the issue. “He really likes you, you know?”

  Zoey’s face turned sad. “I know.”

  “But you don’t like him that way?”

  “No, I do like Cole.”

  “Then what’s the problem? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  She took a sip of the coffee she was holding, then sighed. “It’s complicated, Seth. Please don’t encourage Cole. I don’t want to hurt him.” She turned and disappeared around the corner of the building.

  I wanted to ask her what she meant, but there were other pressing concerns I needed to deal with today. Cole’s love life would have to take a backseat.

  I stopped by Liam’s to help him work on the cabin. It was almost far enough along to receive an occupancy permit.

  Liam worked on lighting while I installed bathroom fixtures. Jessica finished some painting and was preparing to leave. She needed to be at the gallery for some deliveries.

  “Don’t forget the date of the grand opening, Seth. You’re welcome to bring a date,” she said with a knowing smile.

  “Are you referring to anyone in particular?” I teased back.

  “Don’t encourage him, Jess. He has issues with commitment,” Liam said absently as he installed a ceiling fan.

  “Look who’s talking,” Jess said, slyly.

  “I’m in a committed relationship,” Liam defended.

  “Finally,” I said, winking at Jessica.

&n
bsp; Jessica reached up to touch Liam’s back. He climbed down off the ladder and pulled her in for a long embrace.

  “Will I see you tonight?” Liam asked.

  “I’ve got plans with Daisy,” she said, giving him a pouty face. “I’ll call you tomorrow—promise.”

  “You better,” Liam said before stealing one last kiss on her cheek as she tried to move toward the door.

  She smiled at me, and I shook my head. It was so strange seeing Liam in love again. But in a good way. I’d worried that, after he made the hard choice to leave his high-school sweetheart, he might never find it again. They say things happen for a reason. I was happy for my big brother.

  “Bye, Seth.” She waved and pulled the door closed.

  “What’s it like?” I asked.

  “What?”

  I gave him an annoyed look. “You know. That.” I pointed at the door Jess left through.

  Liam gazed after her with a contentedly. “It’s the best feeling in the world. I don’t know how I survived before meeting her. I guess I really wasn’t living. Or maybe living a half-life.”

  An uncomfortable silence passed, and Liam went back to his work before changing the subject. “What’s the story on the vampires? Were you able to reach Olivia?”

  I stopped what I was doing and opened the large white cooler that sat in the corner of the room. I pulled out a couple of beers and offered one to Liam. He lazily climbed down from the ladder and sat on the floor and leaned against the wall.

  “No. I’m worried about her, but don’t know if it’s okay for me to check on her. I just don’t understand their ways,” I said, busying myself by peeling the label off the bottle.

  “We should speak with Victor. We need Olivia to make that happen.” He gave me one of those alpha looks that said get it done. “We could grab Cole and all go together. You know where they live?”

  I nodded. “She told me never to go there. I’m not certain if she was setting limits, or if it’s dangerous.” I took a swig of beer. Liam nodded. “I had a dream. One of those dreams.”

  Liam turned his intense gaze on me. The first time either of us dreamed like this, it was right before we discovered what we were. The next time Liam began having dreams was when the vamps came to town and he met Jessica, his mate.

  In both instances, big things seemed to happen when one or more of us experienced intense dreams. “I think I saw our mother in the past when we were children,” I said, watching Liam’s expression change from reflective to hard in a moment.

  “Why do you think it was her?”

  “Just the same feeling I’ve had each time I see her in a dream. You were there and so was Cole, but we were so young,” I said, shaking my head as I remembered the fear on her face.

  “What happened?”

  “It was confusing. Bits and pieces of memories, if that’s what they were. We were in a dark forest and she was running with us. You ran beside her and tried to keep up. She held Cole and me in her arms. We slowed her down.”

  Liam watched me and his expression softened. “Was she frightened? Were you?”

  The feelings of the dream washed over me, and I fought down a shiver. It was difficult to remember being so vulnerable. As a small child, we were defenseless. She was our only shield.

  “Yes, she tried to sound brave for us, but her face couldn’t hide her fear. It frightened me, but I don’t know what it was she was afraid of.”

  “So you don’t remember what happened to her, to us?”

  “No, I don’t even know for sure that it actually happened. It could just be a weird dream, regurgitating the few facts we do know.” I rubbed my hands over my face and then through my hair. “There was someone or something in the woods with us.”

  “Yes?”

  “At one point our mother was gone, and I don’t know where she was, but we were alone in the woods at night. It was cold and we were frightened. I saw eyes that glowed blue in the darkness and then a face.”

  “What did the face look like?” Liam asked, leaning forward, intent on my reply.

  “It was dark, but I think I would recognize him if I saw him again.”

  Liam nodded and relaxed back against the wall. He tipped the bottle up and drained its contents. He stood, tossed the bottle in a nearby trash can, then climbed back up the ladder. “Let me know when you speak to Olivia, or when you’re ready to pay the vampires a visit.”

  I was ready now, but I didn’t want to jump the gun and create any new problems for Olivia. We needed the information her leader possessed, but we would have to tread carefully. If we spooked him or pissed him off, he might withhold what he knew. We’d be right back to square one.

  The sun would be down in two more hours. I left Liam’s cabin and headed back to town. I met Cole for a meal at a local diner.

  “Any word?” Cole asked as soon as we’d ordered.

  “Nope,” I said, trying not to sound as frustrated as I felt about that.

  Cole must have sensed that it wasn’t a good topic and dropped it. “I’m going to the Moon tonight. Want to shoot some pool?”

  “Thanks, but I have something to do tonight.”

  “Suit yourself.” Our meals arrived, and I counted the moments until I could see Olivia.

  The sun had been down for over an hour when I arrived home. I glanced at my phone for the hundredth time that day and was surprised to see a message from Olivia. I anxiously opened it.

  change of plans—victors in a rage

  leaving town tonight

  sorry about everything

  don’t come to the house

  it won’t be good

  Shocked, I reread the message. Leaving? How could it be this big a deal? I sat down, feeling like I’d just been sucker-punched hard in the gut. They were leaving—she was leaving.

  There wasn’t any rational reason for the way I was feeling, but I knew that I couldn’t let her go. At least not without seeing her again. It wasn’t clear why she mattered to me, but she did. She was like a missing piece to a puzzle. One I did not realize was missing until just now.

  What could I do? What could I say to make her stay? I typed a quick response and grabbed my jacket.

  don’t go

  need to speak with you

  be there in 15

  Her response was fast.

  NO

  My response was just as quick.

  too late

  im coming

  I left my apartment, bounding down the stairs two at a time. When I reached my motorcycle, I jumped on and started the engine. The deep rumble matched my reckless mood. My heart was beating wildly in my chest. It was a crazy idea, and maybe I’d regret it later, but I didn’t want to let her walk out of my life without trying.

  I needed to see Olivia, even if it turned out to be the last time. It was more than a feeling—it was a driving desire, akin to survival. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I ignored it. Olivia would just tell me to stay away.

  11

  Olivia

  It all fell apart in an instant. One single act of kindness was the undoing of my pathetic existence. Just when a splinter of happiness had entered my world, it ignited into flames and would soon be no more than ashes.

  I pulled clothing out of drawers and off hangers from within the armoire to throw into a suitcase. Anger and sadness battled in my heart and threatened to consume me.

  Victor had gathered us together and insisted that we must leave that very night. The final nail in the coffin was my face on the news channel. Victor said there was no other way. I was surprised he didn’t insist that we leave that night.

  They’d come for us all, and according to Victor, there was nothing to be done about it. Everyone seemed to stare at me when Victor turned to leave the room. They blamed me.

  I blamed myself for so many things, but this? I blamed Victor. He was the one who did something to piss off Xavier, the powerful vampire who ran Chicago. His clan was the strongest and most ruthless in the country, or so I’d
been told. Nobody crossed him, but Victor did. I didn’t know what he’d done. I only knew that the threat was serious.

  Why weren’t they angry with him? Even when we had to flee from the city, it was me that Edgar and Lorenzo blamed, not Victor. They wanted to hate me, which made no sense at all.

  None of the cowards would dare to disagree with Victor. For all of his manners and hospitality, he was lethal. I may have pushed Victor over the past, but I never underestimated him.

  “Five minutes!” I heard Edgar yell from downstairs. I hated the sound of his voice.

  A moment later, Simon stood at my door with no more than a backpack. “Are you ready?”

  “I’ll be down in a minute.”

  He nodded and left me to finish.

  A framed picture of my family sat on a small table next to my bed. Victor took the picture from my hospital room when he kidnapped me but later regretted doing so. Supposedly, I clung to my humanity. I was expected to embrace my vampirism like a good little leech, but they soon discovered that I was a problem child. I was pretty certain that I’d been a pain in Victor’s ass ever since he’d turned me.

  I picked up the golden frame and stared at it a moment before setting it back down. I sank onto the bed and pulled out my phone.

  Seth called and texted me several times today, but I’d ignored them all. I didn’t know how to tell him I was leaving. The thought of never seeing him again hurt almost as much as losing my family had. How could that be? I barely knew him.

  I decided he deserved to know I’d left and why. With my heart breaking and the memory of his kiss still on my lips, I sent him a quick message telling him we needed to leave. He responded while I was still staring blankly at the phone.

  Panic hit hard and fast. His message said he was coming here—to see me. I texted an adamant NO, but he insisted and then stopped responding to my messages. I called, and he didn’t answer. Frustrated, I shoved the suitcase off the bed and clothing scattered across the floor.