Fire in the Smokies (Durham Wolves)

by Becca Jameson

  “This much dynamite will blow a hole in the side of this mountain so big, the only thing the authorities will find will be bits and pieces of your flesh. In fact, if you don’t shift, they won’t find anything but a dead animal. Even better.”

  McKinney turned his back on Jaxon and meandered back toward the box. Now or never.

  In less time than it took for the vampire to flinch, Jaxon dropped the tangle of ropes and leaped through the air, pouncing on his victim as he turned to face the wolf.

  Jaxon was huge in wolf form, larger than the average red wolf. And he was smart. He just prayed he outwitted this vampire.

  With surprise on his side, Jaxon battled for the upper hand.

  McKinney blocked his face from the claws Jaxon unleashed upon him. McKinney stumbled backward. Just what Jaxon intended. He pressed on, scratching the vampire any place where flesh was exposed. He growled and drooled and snapped his teeth at McKinney, not with the intention of ripping him limb from limb, but rather hoping to press the vampire back a few feet until he reached his goal.

  It worked. McKinney stepped back. Jaxon pawed forward, standing on his hind legs and slamming his huge paws into the vampire. The moment Jaxon had the bloodsucker where he wanted him, he pounced forward with all his strength, toppling McKinney and sending him careening backward—right over the exposed piece of rebar that stuck straight up out of the concrete.

  The twisted piece of iron hit its intended target dead center, ramming through McKinney’s chest until it stuck out the other end.

  McKinney’s eyes grew so wide Jaxon could see the whites filling with blood. He stumbled back and watched in stunned shock as his worst enemy succumbed to an agonizing death.

  Blood. So much of it. Jaxon was surprised to see blood. He’d expected something out of fiction to occur, like maybe McKinney suddenly going up in smoke and vaporizing, or cracking in half as though he were made of concrete and disintegrating to ash.

  Neither was the case. Instead the vampire appeared almost human. He gurgled blood out of his mouth. His chest heaved, pumping only a few more times before stopping entirely. At last, McKinney went limp, his body hanging awkwardly over the stake; all life drained from his corpse.

  Jaxon stepped back. Shock kept him from moving for a moment. He stared at the body as though it would spring back into action. It had been too easy. He hadn’t thought the entire plan through beforehand, but now that he paused to consider the ramifications of his actions, he’d have to be honest with himself and admit he hadn’t really expected this result.

  Dead. The bastard was fucking dead. Thank God.

  Jaxon turned then and ran out of the cave. His brothers would be frantic by now. He bounded through the trees, branches and leaves slamming into him. He barely noticed. He just wanted to get as far away from the scene as possible, touch base with Serg and Mic, and then wrap himself around his mate and love her for as long as they both should live.

  “Serg? Mic?” Jaxon kept running, his goal clear. Base camp. He needed to reach the base and talk to the sheriff.

  “Where the fuck have you been?” Sergius’s voice was music to his ears. Even though he was pissed to high hell, Jaxon had never heard a more glorious noise ringing in his head. “We’ve been worried sick about you.”

  “I was a little preoccupied. Where are you?” Jaxon kept running. It wasn’t far, but he was impatient.

  “Base. You?”

  “On my way. Don’t move. Can either of you see Brianna? Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine and accounted for. Still battling the flames with the others,” Sergius stated.

  It took less than a minute more for Jaxon to arrive back at the base. He circled behind the huge trucks where he’d left his pack and shifted. No doubt Sergius and Micah had seen him arrive, but he still couldn’t very well waltz in wolf form into the group of humans gathered at the base.

  Just as Jaxon pulled on his jeans and reached for his sweatshirt, Sergius rounded the fire truck. He strode forward with his gaze narrowed. “What the fuck happened to you?” he barked.

  “McKinney.”

  Sergius stepped back, bonking into Juliana who approached from behind. He sucked in a breath. “Seriously?” He tugged his mate into his embrace and held her tight.

  “Would I lie about that goddamn vampire? Yes, seriously.”

  Micah came up behind. “Did you say you saw McKinney?”

  “Saw him? Ha. I fucking killed him.”

  “You what?” Sergius screeched the word before he glanced back and forth and reined in his temper. “Where? How?”

  “Are you okay?” Micah stayed calmer, stepping toward Jaxon while he let his gaze roam him from head to toe.

  “I’m fine. If you two would shut up for a second and let me catch my breath, I’ll explain.” Jaxon gasped for air. He’d run faster than at any other time in his life.

  Sheriff Hardin came around the corner, no doubt following in the footsteps of Jaxon’s brothers and Juliana. The wolves held no secrets from Hardin. If anything, Jaxon needed the sheriff now more than his own brothers. He didn’t know a thing about what to do with a dead vampire body.

  It wasn’t as though he could suggest they send a coroner out to collect the corpse. What if it didn’t present the way a normal human did? How would they explain a vampire in the forest? They didn’t need that kind of publicity. No, the four men were going to have to be secretive about whatever plan they decided upon.

  “What happened?” Hardin asked. Concern etched across his forehead in the form of creases where his eyebrows drew together.

  “McKinney trapped me. Apparently he overheard you on the radio and knew where I would be today, so he set a rope trap that yanked me into the air when I stepped in the center of it. I was in wolf form, of course. He then proceeded to threaten Brianna if I didn’t do as he said—”

  Sergius cut him off. “Why didn’t you contact us?”

  Jaxon exhaled and glared at his brother. “Do you think I had some sort of hero complex here, Serg? For God’s sake man, I tried. You might recall he managed to block you and Juliana from communicating last spring when he kidnapped her.”

  “Right. Of course. Sorry.” Serg nodded toward Jaxon.

  “Well, he’s expanded that capability. Now he managed to block me even from a great distance. As though he zoned in on me from across the forest and shielded me from communicating with you. It was freaky.” Jaxon leaned down and stepped into his boots.

  “Anyway, the bastard had me cornered. I decided the best thing to do was to go along with him until I could see a better escape route.” Jaxon stood and buttoned his jeans. “He dragged me into a cave like a pet dog and then had the audacity to tie me to a loop of rebar in the wall. Seriously? Like I couldn’t just shift and untie the knot? I don’t know what he was thinking.

  “He left for a few minutes to get his stash of supplies from the cave. The man had sight as good as ours by the way. He never used a flashlight or anything to see… So, while he was gone, I shifted, untied and resumed my position pretending to be tethered. McKinney waltzed back like he did this sort of thing every day and proceeded to arrange to blow up the cave with his famous stash of dynamite.

  “As soon as he turned away, I pounced, driving him backward until he fell onto a long, protruding piece of rebar sticking straight up out of the concrete.”

  Everyone gasped.

  Hardin spoke next. “And this worked? He’s dead?”

  “Deadest guy I’ve ever seen.”

  “Was it like…normal?” Hardin paced, his hand running through his hair, no doubt contemplating how he was going to recover the body and handle the fallout.

  “Perfectly natural. Blood gushing out. Pupils dilating. Heart stopping. Dead.” Jaxon’s chest heaved, relief washing over him. He glanced at Juliana and winced. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be so graphic.” Clearing his throat, he continued, “Granted, I’m not suggesting you send an ambulance out to the cave. I can’t guarantee he’s completely humanli
ke. Perhaps the four of us should take care of it ourselves and keep the entire episode under wraps.”

  “Seems like a good idea.” Hardin was visibly stressed. This was apparently not the way he pictured his day going. He lifted both arms in the air and dragged a path through his mussed hair over and over again. He turned from side to side as though searching for the answers lurking in between the forest leaves.

  “Well, let’s go now. Get this over with. I for one am looking forward to a good night’s sleep without having to worry about that bastard sneaking up on me.” Sergius zipped up his jacket and stuck his hands in his pockets.

  Jaxon knew he wasn’t cold, but more like chilled. To the bone.

  The relief of disposing of McKinney once and for all would put them all at ease.

  When the group rounded the trucks and headed back to the base area, there were very few people mingling around. The fire chief was leaning over a large map, pointing at various locations and discussing strategy with two other men.

  Jaxon looked at the fire chief and thought about checking on Brianna. The chief was busy and Jaxon knew Brianna would be pissed if Jaxon made an issue over her with the chief. She’s fine. If any of the firefighters were in danger, people would be scrambling. Deep breath. He turned back and followed his group. But after everything, her safety niggled at him. “You okay?” he communicated to her.

  “Fine. Get out of my head. I’m working. You promised.”

  He smiled at her stubborn streak, relieved by her tone that told him she was indeed fine.

  No one paid any attention as the five of them jumped in the sheriff’s cruiser and drove away.

  They only needed to go a short distance. Taking the car was more for show than anything else. It would have looked awfully suspicious for the men to have simply walked away into the trees. It was hardly a day for hiking.

  “How are things on the fire front?” Jaxon questioned. He sat in the front seat with Hardin.

  “Progressing. It’s slow work. The weather hasn’t been cooperating so far, but the forecast calling for rain keeps increasing. I think we’re up to an eighty percent chance of showers this afternoon. That would be a welcome relief.” Thank God Hardin knew what was happening on that front. No matter what, it would be a relief if rain would put an end to Brianna’s work for today. Vampire or no vampire.

  Hardin glanced over at Jaxon. He grinned as he stopped the car. “I’m happy for you, by the way.”

  Jaxon flushed. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Everyone climbed out of the cruiser and headed in the direction Jaxon indicated.

  “See that tree? That’s where he set up the trap that landed me in this predicament.” No one asked why he hadn’t been paying enough attention not to notice a fucking rope trap. Jaxon was glad for that small miracle.

  They followed his lead in silence until they reached the cave. “Here we are. It must’ve been used for tours many years ago. That would explain the iron loops set in the walls.” Jaxon stepped inside.

  Hardin pulled out a flashlight and shined it all around the chamber.

  “What the fuck?” Jaxon ran deeper into the entrance and spun in circles. His heart pounded. Sweat trickled across his brow.

  Nothing.

  No body. No vampire. No McKinney.

  “Jaxon?” Sergius asked.

  Juliana touched his arm. “Maybe it wasn’t this cave?”

  “It was. He was right here.” Jaxon pointed at the rebar sticking out of the cement path. He leaned down to touch the iron stake he’d used to pierce the vampire. Sticky blood still dripped down the rusted metal. “How the fuck did that bastard get out of this mess?”

  Everyone gathered closer to inspect. They each leaned over and checked the ground and the surrounding concrete. There was a lot of blood. But no body.

  “Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.” Jaxon stood and kicked a large rock with his boot. He spun around. A pile of ropes lay in the corner where he’d been held captive. Several sticks of dynamite lay scattered across the ground where they’d been disheveled in the battle.

  The box that contained who-knew-what was gone.

  “Jesus Christ,” Jaxon screamed in frustration and stomped out of the cave.

  Brianna…

  As if that dynamite was in fact lit and attached to Jaxon’s tail, he wasted no time shifting and running toward the flames. With no regard whatsoever for his clothing, the shreds landed on the forest floor as they tore from his lupine frame.

  If he thought he’d run fast before, that was nothing compared to the speed he excelled at this time. If that bastard laid even one finger on his mate…

  The wind picked up as he ran. He could hear his brothers yelling his name, but he didn’t stop. He needed to get to her. Make sure she was safe.

  Nothing else was acceptable.

  And then he saw her. He came to a ridge, the same one he’d been using earlier to watch her, and spotted her frame below. She was still in the same position in the line of men, fighting against nature.

  As if he planned it, the sky suddenly let loose. Huge drops of rain landed on Jaxon’s fur, soaking him through in no time.

  He gasped for breath and watched as the firefighters looked up toward the sky and then resumed their actions. It was going to take a hell of a lot of rain to put out this fire. He prayed a torrential downpour was about to descend. How many more hours could he sit back and watch while his mate battled these flames?

  Clear and present in his mind: a very angry vampire was now loose and roaming this forest. Without a doubt, first chance he got, he would nail Jaxon, his brothers, and any other human who just happened to have ever met them, to the wall—most likely literally, since that was the fate Jaxon assumed he’d just bestowed on McKinney.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brianna shivered, her clothing soaked through. She’d never been so tired and so relieved all at once in her life. Thank God for the rain. She’d been working fourteen hours when her crew was finally relieved of their duties. By morning the next crew would have the fire contained.

  She scrambled through the mud with the rest of her unit until they reached the base. By the time she arrived, her feet hurt and her arms were sore from cutting back brush. The job was brutal. It was tough for a woman to be in good enough shape to do it. Suddenly she was rethinking her great need to fight fires. For about two seconds.

  A long soak in her tub was the only thing on her mind.

  As soon as they arrived at the base, everyone scrambled to load up the truck that would haul all their supplies. The drenching continued. The sky had turned completely dark hours ago in the storm. It was nearly eight o’clock.

  Exhausted, Brianna turned around to find Jaxon standing not far from the crew. He was with the sheriff. Hardin wore a rain slicker. Jaxon stood next to him in nothing more than jeans and a T-shirt. It wasn’t the same T-shirt he’d been wearing this morning. He didn’t even wrap his arms around himself to ward off the chill.

  Even soaked, the man was a sight. Or perhaps in his wet condition he’s even more sexy.

  As soon as the thought filtered through her head, he glanced her way and grinned.

  Greeaat. She’d forgotten the man could infiltrate her brain like an undercover agent imbeds himself into a group of drug dealers.

  Everyone scattered, dashing for their respective vehicles in the downpour. Brianna didn’t even have a car. A coworker had picked her up from her apartment two days ago to carpool to the site. She hadn’t been home since.

  With heavy legs, she wandered toward the police cruiser. “Everything okay?” she asked when she got closer. The look on Jaxon’s face told her all was not perfect.

  He smiled. “Better than. I’ll tell you about it at home. Come on, let’s go. We’re both soaked.” Jaxon took her arm and led her toward his truck, nodding back at the sheriff as they left.

  As soon as they climbed into the cab, Jaxon flipped on the heat and rubbed his hands together. He tugged Brianna to his side and wrappe
d his wet arms around her body. “Thank goodness the temperature didn’t dip as low as expected today. We’d be popsicles.”

  Brianna leaned against Jaxon. He was warm, even soaked. His temperature ran higher than normal humans, no doubt. “Jax, I just want to go home, climb into my tub, soak for a while and then sleep in my own bed for two days.”

  “I thought we’d go to my place. You want to go to your apartment?”

  “Please. I need some time. Alone. I’m tired, Jax. And overwhelmed.” She tipped her head up at him.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Wait? Alone?” He shook his head. “No way, baby. There’s a vampire out there somewhere, and believe me, he’s pissed.”

  “I don’t care. I need to regroup with myself. When I’m with you, you distract me from the world. I can’t think.” Like now.

  He smelled so fantastic, even wet. The soap from his morning shower lingered under the layers of dirt and wilted clothing. And the scent of outdoors that always surrounded him made her squeeze her legs together.

  Lord. Not now.

  The last thing she wanted right this second was to be aroused. She was too tired. And frazzled.

  Her body betrayed her every time Jaxon was near.

  “Bri. I can’t leave you anywhere. Not even your apartment. Hell, especially not your apartment. Do you have any idea what I’ve been through today? I nailed that bastard to a stake. And do you know how much good that did? None. He disappeared. I have no idea if he’s actually dead and somehow just poofed from existence or if he escaped. I don’t know the capabilities McKinney possesses. He could be watching us even now.” He squeezed her and kissed her nose. “Besides, I wouldn’t leave you even if the vampire didn’t exist. You’re mine, baby. We’re mated now. Separation isn’t really an option.”

  Brianna wiggled free of his clutches and sat back. He still had his arm around her, but not as tight.

  “Wait. What? You fought with the vampire?”

  “Yeah. He set a trap and strung me up into a tree. It was fun. Except for the part where he took me hostage and dragged my wolf ass into a cave with the intent of killing me.”