Playing With Fire

by Cynthia Eden

  Wasn’t that her usual way of life, twenty-four seven? She should be bursting with power.

  “There’s one more time it comes out.” He was close enough to touch her.

  He did.

  His hand lifted. His fingers brushed down her cheek. “It comes out when you’re aroused. When the passion heats within you.”

  Oh. Ah, okay.

  “I felt your power when I was with you,” he whispered.

  His head bent, and his lips brushed lightly over hers. “I want to feel it—you—again.”

  The hunger for him, the lust that he could stir so effortlessly, wanted to rise once more within her. Wanting Dante had always been easy for her.

  Pretty much as easy as breathing.

  Loving him? So much harder.

  He kissed her once more, his tongue licking lightly over her lips. He seemed to enjoy that little lick across her bottom lip.

  She sure enjoyed it, too.

  Then he pulled away.

  “Do your work. Finish your tests. When you’re ready for me”—his gaze heated—“come to me.”

  He turned and walked away.

  When the doors closed behind him, Cassie finally sucked in a deep breath.

  “There aren’t any antibodies,” Cassie whispered as she stared at the samples before her. When the primal virus was spread, the host didn’t create any antibodies to fight off the disease.

  Except . . .

  She glanced at her own results. Her breath heaved out. “I have the antibodies!” Cassie jumped to her feet. She had to synthesize them. That was going to be tricky. Her blood was poison to the vampires—both a poison and a cure. She had to get the poison out, but still use the antibodies that would help those who’d been infected.

  All along, the cure had been right there. Right freaking there. She’d been bitten by a primal, and she hadn’t changed. She’d thought the poison in her blood stopped the change. But no, it was so much more than that.

  She was the cure.

  Jon had actually been right. It’s me.

  She might not be able to help Trace yet, but she could help Vaughn . . . soon. So very soon.

  She just had to get the poison out first. Get the poison out, and then she’d have the cure they needed.

  Hope grew inside her, and it felt so good. Incredible. No more lives lost to the primal virus. No. More.

  The doors to the lab flew open.

  She spun around, heart racing. “I’ve almost got—”

  Eve was there, looking grim.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I was watching the security monitors in the outer room. We’ve got company coming.”

  Company? “The last phoenix? Is she already—”

  “No, it’s not Sabine.”

  Cassie knew Eve had become well acquainted with Sabine’s story, especially since Sabine had once come after Cain.

  Those phoenixes . . . always trying to kill each other.

  “It looks like it’s Charles,” Eve said, “but he isn’t coming back alone.”

  Cassie headed for her own security monitors. Pulled up the feed.

  There was Charles—she saw him climb from a black SUV. There was Charles and—

  “Impossible,” she whispered.

  That could not be Jon Abrams exiting the vehicle and coming to stand next to him.

  She leaned closer.

  The same blond hair. The same hard jaw. The same hawkish nose.

  She was staring at a ghost. “He’s dead. I saw Jon Abrams die!”

  “The guy doesn’t look dead to me,” Eve muttered.

  “I shot him.” He’d fallen. He’d been dead, hadn’t he? It wasn’t like she could have mistaken a living man and a dead guy.

  Jon shoved Charles toward the hidden entrance, except it wasn’t an entrance that was hidden any longer. Charles was walking the guy right up to the supposed-to-be-secret facility.

  “Charles knows the code to get inside,” Cassie whispered. She counted at least ten armed men with Jon.

  If those men got inside . . .

  She slammed down the button for the alarm before Charles could reach the key pad. When the alarm was activated, the whole security system went into high alert.

  Normal codes were ignored. I’m sorry, Charles. I can’t let them in.

  She knew what Jon would do.

  Her fingers frantically flew over the keyboard as she typed in her password, making damn sure that no one would be able to override the system. As long as the alarm mode was set, Jon wouldn’t get in.

  But those inside also wouldn’t get out.

  The doors banged again. “What the hell is happening?” Dante demanded.

  Cassie glanced over her shoulder. Dante and Cain were both there, looking grim. Behind them, Jamie strained to see over their shoulders.

  Fear was bright in his eyes.

  “Cassie says a dead man is trying to break into the lab,” Eve told them, voice tight. “And that guy Charles led him here.”

  “I don’t think Charles had much of a choice.” Cassie could see the side of his face now that he was closer to the security camera. It looked like he’d been . . .

  Burned?

  Her heart beat faster.

  Dante rushed across the room. His shoulders brushed hers as he bent to stare at the screen. “That’s the bastard we left at the ranch.”

  The bastard was up and walking around just fine.

  She pushed a few more buttons on the keyboard. Another security feed popped up, and she saw that Charles was trying to input his code.

  When the code didn’t work, there was no mistaking the look of terror on his face.

  Then Charles glanced up. He would know where the small security camera was hidden. He stared right at that camera and mouthed, please.

  “What happened to his face?” Jamie demanded. He’d crept up beside Dante. “Who is that guy with him?”

  “Someone very dangerous,” Cassie said as she tried to keep her voice calm. “Jamie, will you go back to your room? Lock the door and stay there.”

  His eyes widened. “Are they—vampires?” His main fear.

  She knew that would always be his fear.

  Cassie shook her head. “They’re the people who make the monsters.”

  His eyes hardened. “Then they’re like you.”

  The words hurt, but they were true. She nodded. “Yes.”

  Dante growled. “Watch it, kid.”

  She glanced at Dante. “Please, take Jamie to his room. Make sure he’s safe.”

  He nodded, but still gave her a good glare as he ordered, “You stay here until I get back.”

  Where was she going to go? Their main exit was currently blocked by a group of armed men.

  Her gaze slid back to the security feed as Dante took Jamie away.

  “Is there a way to get sound on that thing?” Cain asked.

  She tapped the audio.

  Heard nothing.

  Then Jon’s gaze rose to the camera. He’d found it, too. “Hello, Cassie.”

  Chill bumps rose on her arms. The audio was working just fine.

  “That bastard sounds familiar to me,” Cain said as his gaze turned to Cassie. “Was he at Genesis?”

  “Yes,” Cassie whispered. “Jon was a . . . successful experiment.” So they’d all claimed.

  “Cassie, open the door and come out to me.” Jon’s voice was mild. And he kept smiling.

  “He’s insane if he thinks you’re going out there,” Cain snapped.

  Yes, he was insane. She could see that quite clearly.

  “If you don’t come to me,” Jon continued in that same, almost relaxed, voice, “I’m afraid I’ll have to hurt your friend here, while you watch. You are watching, aren’t you, Cassie?”

  She couldn’t look away. Her eyes were glued to the screen as—as flames flickered over Jon’s hand.

  Flames?

  “What the hell?” Cain was leaning over the screen. “Is he a dragon shifter?”

>   “No,” Cassie whispered. The flames were so close to Charles.

  “He’s a phoenix?”

  “No,” she said. At least, he hadn’t been. “He was human when he entered the Genesis Program. He was given a splice of shifter DNA, but he wasn’t a phoenix.”

  “I’ll give him a little burn,” Jon said, “just to show you how serious I am.”

  He put those flames against Charles’s right arm.

  Charles screamed.

  So did Cassie. Her hand slammed down onto the intercom. “Stop!”

  The flames died away in an instant. “Ah, Cassie, I knew you were there.” Jon stared up at the camera. At her. “Now be a good girl . . . and let me the fuck in.”

  “What’s happening?” Jamie demanded, huffing out fast breaths.

  Dante knew the kid was rushing to keep up with his footsteps, but there was no way they could slow down. He wanted the boy safe and secure, and he wanted to be back at Cassie’s side.

  “Who was that guy with Charles? Is he—”

  “He’s someone who should be dead.” Dante planned to correct that problem at the very first opportunity. He pushed open the door to Jamie’s room. “Stay here. Keep the door bolted, and no matter what you hear, don’t come out until I come back for you.”

  Jamie’s eyes filled his face. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m gonna get rid of the unwelcome company at the door.” Dante turned away.

  But Jamie grabbed his arm. “You won’t . . . die will you?” There was fear in the boy’s voice.

  He had known fear too much in his short life.

  “Death doesn’t stop me.”

  Jamie’s lashes dropped. “You’re not scared of anything. I-I want to be like you.”

  “No, trust me. You don’t.” When Jamie’s gaze lifted once more, Dante pointed at him. “Stay here. I’ll come back for you.”

  Jamie stumbled back with a quick nod. Dante hurried out, but he heard the lock engage behind him.

  He’d be back for the kid as soon as he dealt with that ass Jon Abrams. The man had followed them all the way to Mississippi? Talk about a fucking thorn in their sides.

  The lieutenant colonel was overdue for his trip to hell.

  Jamie stared at the closed door. Whoever that man was outside, he was dangerous. Cassie had been afraid of him.

  Dante hadn’t.

  But then, Dante feared nothing.

  He just faced whatever threat was there. Eliminated it.

  Fear didn’t control him.

  Jamie glanced toward the broken wooden chair in his room. Charles was outside. No one would be in his room. Before he’d cut out, had he left his keycard behind again? Before, it had just been tossed onto the small desk in his room.

  Dante feared nothing.

  Jamie wanted to be like Dante. He didn’t want to fear the monsters anymore.

  Everyone else . . . was busy with that guy—had Cassie called him Jon? They wouldn’t be paying any attention to the vampire that was locked up.

  No attention at all.

  Jamie grabbed a few of those broken chunks of wood. He’d just see if Charles had left his keycard behind.

  And if he had . . .

  I will be like Dante.

  He wouldn’t fear anyone.

  Or anything.

  “Let him in,” Cain said as his fist hit the table. “We’ll give the bastard a welcome that he won’t soon forget.”

  Cassie shook her head. “He died, I know he did.” He’d died—and now the guy was conjuring fire. “He’s . . . he’s become a phoenix.” It should have been impossible.

  But these days, nothing seemed impossible. Not with science and magic at play.

  “You don’t become a phoenix,” Cain immediately argued. “You’re born one. You—”

  More fire was spinning out there.

  “Maybe you don’t have to let me in,” Jon snarled. That calm veneer was cracking with every second that passed. “Maybe I’ll just kill him in front of you, and then I’ll set the building on fire until you have no choice but to flee.”

  “He’s a dead man,” Cain said. The words sounded like a vow. Probably were.

  Eve wrapped her hand around his arm. “Jon Abrams has some very powerful allies in the government.” Her gaze slid to Cassie. “Genesis isn’t ever going to be truly dead, is it?”

  No, it wasn’t. As for being dead, Jon obviously wasn’t, either.

  “I can’t let him kill Charles.” Cassie couldn’t let him die. Charles was her friend.

  Two men in black—one carrying a small briefcase—rushed toward the sealed door upstairs.

  “They’ll get through sooner or later,” Jon said as his gaze cut to the security camera. “The longer it takes, the angrier I become.”

  Charles was trembling beside him.

  “Let me in,” Jon snarled.

  Cassie’s mind raced. She’d been so close to the cure. So close. She needed more time. Time that Jon wasn’t going to give her.

  She focused on Eve. “You have to get out of here.”

  Eve blinked at her. “Don’t you mean we have to get out?” she asked carefully.

  Cassie shook her head. “Jon might not even know you’re here. He’s after me. You can take my test results—and go. There’s an emergency tunnel that will spit you out half a mile from here. Jon won’t look for you there—”

  “Unless Charles has told him about it,” Cain cut in, his voice tight. “The way that poor bastard is hurting, I think he’s telling everything he knows.”

  I can’t let him hurt anymore.

  Cassie spun away from the screen. She grabbed samples of her blood. Dante’s. Got her results. She was racing as she secured them all in a container that would keep them safe. “Here.” She shoved the container at Eve. “Take these. Go.”

  Cassie couldn’t open the door upstairs until they’d gotten a solid head start.

  “You really think your Dante is gonna let you go out there and face that guy?” Cain demanded. His big body had tensed. “I can go ahead and tell you, that’s not happening.”

  Dante isn’t going to have a choice. “Charles isn’t dying,” Cassie stated forcefully.

  “I’m waiting, Cassie!” Jon shouted. Oh, yes, that calm mask had shattered.

  She knew he wouldn’t wait much longer. Quickly, Cassie pressed the intercom button. “It takes a while to dis . . . disengage the security system. I’m working as fast as I can!”

  He stilled. “You’re lying. I can hear it in your voice.”

  Cassie glanced at Eve. “Go, please. Take the tunnel. I’ll meet you in New Orleans. We can meet up at Vaughn’s dad’s place.” It was the safest rendezvous point that Cassie could think of. “Midnight tomorrow. I will be there.”

  Or she’d be dead.

  Eve nodded. She knew all about Vaughn and his father—they’d also been tied to Genesis.

  After a grim moment, Cain took Eve’s hand, and they ran for the door.

  Cassie sucked in a couple of deep, hard breaths. Think, think! She had to keep Jon out of the lab. Had to keep Vaughn and Trace and Jamie safe.

  And Dante . . .

  If she went out there to Jon, would he leave the lab alone? There was a chance he might just take a deal. A big might. Her fingers trembled, but she pressed the intercom once more. “I come to you, and that’s it. You let Charles go. You leave.”

  “You’re hardly in the position to bargain!”

  “Fine, then I don’t come to you, and I stay in here and I shove a knife into my chest.” Totally bullshitting. Would he be able to hear that lie, too? Please, don’t. “Then you can get the samples from my dead body—how about that? Will that work for you?”

  His eyes widened. “Don’t!”

  Maybe she did have some power.

  Jon hesitated, then spat out, “Fine. You come up to me. When I’ve got you, I’ll send good old Charles here down.” His smile was dark and twisted. “But get your ass up here now, Cassie. Now.”
/>   She jumped back and whirled for the door.

  She found her path blocked by one very enraged phoenix shifter.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Jamie had found Charles’s keycard tossed away. His fingers were slick with sweat as he slid it across the panel that secured the vampire’s room. The vampire—Vaughn—would be in there, waiting.

  The door opened soundlessly. Jamie had his stake in his hand. He wouldn’t hesitate this time. Not even for a second. He’d go in, and he’d make the kill.

  I won’t be afraid.

  He’d be just like Dante.

  Jamie stepped into the room. His gaze scanned to the left. To the right.

  He didn’t see the vampire. But, the guy had to be there, right? He had to be.

  “Hellooo . . .” the vampire whispered. He lunged at Jamie.

  The guy had been on the freaking ceiling.

  “Heard you . . . coming . . .” His teeth went for Jamie’s throat.

  “You are not going out there.” There was no way Dante was letting Cassie risk her life.

  “I can’t let Charles die!”

  “He won’t. I’ll go drag his ass back inside.” Easy enough. There was no need for Cassie to be at risk.

  But she was shaking her head at him, sending her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders. “Jon will attack you—”

  Uh, yeah. Dante was a phoenix. Was that supposed to scare him?

  “Let him try.”

  “He’s controlling fire. He died. He’s like you,” she said, voice rising. “And if he’s like you—”

  She thought that jerk was strong enough to send him to hell, for good?

  Dante pulled her into his arms. Kissed her. Hard. Demanding. “He’s another experiment.” He knew that had to be the case. He just didn’t understand how the hell it had come to be. A phoenix made, not born? “He’s new, and I’ve got plenty of age on my side.” Like vampires, a phoenix’s power increased with age. “I can defeat him.”

  “Dante, I won’t let—”

  “Sweetheart, don’t make me shove you in a closet again.”

  Her eyes slit. “Try it and you won’t like where I shove you back.”