One Night to Burn (Fire, Stone and Water)

by Dawn, Autumn

  “It’s unique,” she said honestly. “I like it.” She frowned as she thought about what he’d said. “What do you mean, you ‘incorporated part of your old home’? How? Did you have it shipped overseas?” She frowned, considering the logistics; he lived in ancient Italy. Had it survived? When did he fetch it? He’d planned this place for a while if he did something like that.

  He looked thoughtful. “There is a way for our kind to travel through the veins of fire under the earth. You would get lost, but I travel where I will. I visited my old dwelling and took pieces of it. You see some of the stonework here.”

  The inside was light and airy, and quite modern, until she looked closer and noticed some eclectic pieces were antiques. The chest between the couches could have come from a pirate ship, and she’d swear the stately grandfather clock could have been one of the first of its kind.

  She was reluctantly impressed. “You like old things.”

  He considered her gravely. “I am an ancient being, Kira. I feel more settled if my things also possess the weight of age. Besides, some things only improve with time.” His smile was slow and sly, stealing her breath.

  She looked away to dilute the effect and inspected the kitchen. Granite countertops went well with the long oak table and upholstered chairs that graced the dining table. The appliances were spanking new, and the mosaic tile underfoot could have been first laid in an ancient Greek house. She stared at it in consternation. “Is this…?”

  “Yes. It shows Apollo. He was an annoyance, but a talented musician.” He rubbed his foot over the stringed instrument Apollo held. There was a giant sun in the background and golden horses wove through the border.

  Her brows shot up. “You knew Apollo? Was he an elemental?”

  He snorted. “Yes, though he enjoyed his groupies. At times, I even think he believed he was a god.”

  “Huh.” She crossed her arms as she studied the mural. The things he remembered happened such a long time ago. “Is he still alive?”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “No. The cult got him a long time ago.” He waved his hand, signaling the end of the discussion. “Come, let’s inspect the rest of the house.”

  She would have loved to ask more questions about the cult, but he was so grim she decided to drop the subject. Instead she asked, “You know, at times you talk almost like a modern guy. Is American slang is rubbing off on you?”

  He shot her an ironic look. “I chose to take advantage of human goods and services. It makes sense to learn the local dialect.”

  There were three bedrooms and two baths, with the rooms situated on opposite sides of the open living and dining rooms. No space had been wasted on hallways. She admired the master bedroom with its private bath and chose a different bedroom. “This one can be mine,” she declared, aware of Raze’s scrutiny. She didn’t care what voodoo her hormones attempted; she wasn’t hopping into bed with a homicidal maniac.

  “As you wish. Are you ready to see the well now?”

  She frowned. “There’s a well on this cliff?”

  He gestured for her to follow as he indicated a tapestry of a picnicking couple outside the master bedroom door. Judging by the couple’s peasant garb and the sheep grazing in the background, it was done long before her time. He pulled aside the heavy fabric to reveal a long curving ramp, lit by the glow of lava.

  Her mouth watered at the savory scent of sulfur. “Why couldn’t I smell that before? One little tapestry shouldn’t block that.”

  “It’s shielded. You can open it, but no one else can find the passage uninvited. You need an easy food source available at all times. It will be months before your metabolism slows down. I don’t mean to see you starve; it makes work for me.”

  “You’re all heart,” she said dryly, preceding him into the passage. Torches flared to life as she stepped in, and she wondered how he did things like that. She might have experimented herself, but the smell of volcanic fire was too compelling. Though she’d eaten not long ago, she was already salivating. Maybe just a nibble…

  Lava welled and eddied in a larger version of the pool back in his cave. This one was the size of an Olympic pool, oval, and radiated a more potent fire. She sighed in bliss and sat at the edge to feed.

  Raze reclined on a backless couch situated against the wall and piled with cushions. Surprisingly mellow, his head propped on his hand, he indulgently watched her eat.

  When she was done, she stared thoughtfully at the far wall. “I’m not going to be able to go back to work, am I?”

  “No.”

  She sighed heavily. “I’ll probably have to relocate temporarily.”

  “Yes.” He was amused that she’d finally come to that conclusion.

  “I still have to go home and take care of my apartment. I need to speak to my boss and deal with my mother. She’ll need some kind of an explanation.” She frowned. “You said there was a way to travel through veins of fire.”

  “You would not find your way.”

  She straightened. “Would you take me?”

  “You’re asking for a favor?” he purred. That had possibilities.

  She didn’t like the glint in his eye. “I could fly home. I’d get hungry, but I’ll survive. Once I landed, I’d build a fire and eat.”

  He snorted and prowled toward her. “You know that won’t work; you’d become too weak. You need me.” He knelt and their eyes locked. “You will owe me a favor.”

  “I won’t do anything degrading or immoral,” she warned. She didn’t like admitting it, but she was afraid of him. She’d have been a fool to dismiss his strength and power. He might be nice now, but what if he got angry? He was capable of anything.

  He grinned and pulled her close before she protested, murmuring, “Hold tight.”

  They rose as sparks and plunged into the lava pool. Unprepared, she shrieked. She might be a fire being, but she was only days old. Human fear of fire overwhelmed her and her spark-self gibbered with terror.

  Disoriented, she glued her barely corporeal self to Raze as best she could, mixing her sparks with his. She felt his laughter, but he obligingly drew her into his cloud. Enveloped by him, the fear and dizziness eased. He crooned, projecting a reassurance, and she shuddered with relief, unconsciously snuggling closer.

  They traveled with blistering speed through rivers of lava, twisting madly through a highway of fire. Whether he used landmarks or if instinct guided him through the red-lit roads, she was weary when they exited and arrived in a small lava tube. She lay on the rock, panting as if she’d run a mile.

  Raze studied her and inspected their accommodations. “We’ll rest here. You can’t go any further tonight.”

  Was it night? She closed her eyes and may have napped, stirring only when he drew her to her feet. She blinked at the large platform bed covered in black sheets and a silky quilt of burnt orange. “Where did that come from?”

  “I make more than dresses.” Raze guided her to the bed, and she didn’t protest when he lay next to her. After a full day merged with his sparks, a little snuggling was nothing.

  She woke to murmuring. Opening her eyes, she saw Raze talking to a petite winged being. Made completely of fire, the creature saw Kira and dove into the lava.

  Raze saw her wide eyes and smiled. “Fire sprite. They’re touchy about strangers, and she doesn’t know you.”

  “She?” She didn’t like that, for some reason.

  His smile widened. “No one you need to know.”

  Grr. She threw off the covers and peered intently into the lava before drawing in her breakfast. She didn’t want anything to pull her in.

  “They will not visit my home as long as you dwell there,” he said conversationally. “They will respect your territory.”

  There were a lot of interpretations to that. She frowned at her bracelet. “You told her I was just a visitor, right?”

  “I told her what she needed to know. Now, what do you need to do first today?”

  Clearly she wasn’t g
oing to get anything more out of him. She raked a hand through her hair, grimacing as she was reminded of its new length and color. She rubbed her nose ring, trying to think how to explain it to her mother and boss. She hadn’t really had time to think this through. “I need to go home first.” She’d hope for inspiration while they traveled, because she definitely needed a plan. She couldn’t just go up to her boss and say, “I quit.”

  Chapter 3

  “I’m sorry for the short notice, but I’m resigning.”

  Stacy blinked in surprise. A sturdy Athabascan woman, very little surprised her. She was a nice lady and a good boss, and Kira wanted to give her more notice. “Are you serious? You are! But why?”

  Kira shifted uncomfortably and glanced over her shoulder, but Raze stayed in the truck as asked. Dang, she was cold. Her red hair was stuffed under a knit hat and she was bundled in a parka, thermal underwear, boots and gloves, but she was freezing. It had warmed up to -40 F but her truck seat was still frozen, stiff despite the twenty minutes she’d let the truck warm up. She felt like it she’d been sitting on an ice block all the way to town. Frozen seats had been bad enough as a human, but now she wondered if her posterior had turned black.

  “I know it’s sudden, but I’m moving to Hawaii. I met someone.” Boy, that was lame. She wiggled her nose and fought not to fuss with the nose ring that was the sudden focus of Stacy’s attention. She’d spent fifteen frustrating minutes at home trying to remove it with wire cutters and had ended up with a sore nose and a broken tool for her efforts. Raze was amused.

  The jewelry wasn’t even scratched.

  Stacy seemed to be struggling for words. “But you’ve always been such a careful planner.”

  “Right. Well, I was due to let down my hair,” she said weakly.

  “So who is this guy?” Stacy demanded. “You’ve never brought anyone in here… Oh. My.”

  Somehow Kira knew it wasn’t just another drunk being brought in for booking that elicited that stunned comment. Cringing, she turned and froze, stunned.

  Raze was coal black, black as a starless night. His midnight skin cast blue shadows, not brown. She blinked in shock as a couple of her coworkers chuckled.

  Devin “the pizza” Cane, whose walnut skin looked pale in comparison, grinned proudly. “Hey, once you go black, you never go back.”

  Kira pinched the bridge of her nose.

  Raze sent him a princely look. He appeared to be royalty, dressed in an expensive looking long coat and rakish hat. Even his gloves seemed costly. She hadn’t known there was a cold weather chic, but he pulled it off.

  “Right. Stacy, guys, this is Fire.”

  “He certainly is,” Stacy murmured appreciatively.

  Yikes. “So yeah, you see what I mean,” Kira stammered as Raze put an arm around her waist. She shivered as he fed her welcome heat, instinctively snuggling to make the most of it.

  “I certainly do. Well, we’ll miss you, but somehow I think you’ll be pleasantly occupied.”

  Raze flashed Stacy a blinding smile.

  Kira smiled weakly and fled. She sat in the running truck and gripped the steering wheel.

  “Yes?” he asked as he settled in.

  “Nothing,” she said and started the truck.

  They were nearly to her mother’s house before she recovered enough to say, “So, black, huh?”

  “Is there a problem with that?” he asked mildly.

  “No. Yes. I mean, my mother comes from the Deep South. She’s got issues.”

  “She objects to men of color?”

  “She will object to you and me. It’ll cause a fight, because she’s wrong and I’ll defend you. I don’t want to leave on a sour note.” Her stomach churned as she imagined the battle to come. She thought of asking him if he could be less black and flinched. She shook her head in shame. “Never mind! I’m a grown woman and I won’t grovel.” She squared her shoulders, steeling herself to weather the scene to come. It was time she stopped being afraid of her mom.

  Louise was strong willed and unreasonable at the best of times, and very skilled at making her feel guilty. No matter what she did, Kira never won her approval, but it didn’t stop her from trying. The nose ring was going to be bad enough, but his apparent nationality would cause a horrible scene, and Kira had learned to avoid those at all costs.

  Trying to soothe his feelings, she said, “You look good, but also a lot like a walking, breathing piece of ebony.”

  He stared at her ironically. “This is not exactly easy.”

  She assumed he meant maintaining his human appearance. “I appreciate that. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble for me.”

  “You don’t have to cower for me, either,” he chided. “A lady does not gibber in fear.” He raised his brow at her indignant look. “You have every reason to be calm.”

  Easy for him say. She parked in front of her mom’s place, a simple ranch style house on one acre. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  The cold bit her lungs, so she held her breath as she hurried to the house and walked in without knocking. “Mom?” She forced a smile as her mother looked up from her knitting. Dang, it was cold in here. Mom must be saving heating oil again.

  A heavyset woman with graying blond hair, her mother smiled in welcome and then frowned as Raze followed her in. “Who is this?”

  “Mom, meet my friend Raze. Raze, this is my mother, Louise.”

  “I’m honored,” Raze said formally, though her mother didn’t rise. Kira directed him to a seat in the small living room, choosing the couch next to him when he took an armchair. “Mom, you’d love Hawaii.”

  Her mom wasn’t sidetracked. “What is that awful thing in your nose?”

  Kira darted a look at Raze, who seemed unperturbed. “A nose ring. Why?”

  “It’s horrible! I raised you better than that. I can’t believe you’d do something so stupid. What will your boss think? It’s irresponsible.”

  “I can take it out for work,” Kira lied.

  “It’ll leave a hole in your nose. What are you going to do when your nose runs?”

  “Hm. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something. I’m moving to Hawaii.” She braced herself.

  Her mother didn’t disappoint. “What! What are you thinking? I heard it’s so expensive there, and the Japanese own the whole island. I hear they’re terribly rude.”

  “I liked it. The weather is definitely nicer.”

  “Our summers are the best. I can’t understand why you’d leave.”

  “Seven months of snow on the ground is a bit much, and I get depressed in the winter. Everyone does.”

  “That’s no reason to throw away a perfectly good job. The economy is down and jobs don’t grow on trees. What are you going to do when you run out of money?”

  “That won’t be a problem, since I will support her,” Raze said firmly. “As my bride, she will lack for nothing.”

  There was a moment of absolute silence. Louise stared at him before exploding, “What! What do you mean your bride? Did you get married?” When he merely inclined his head, she threw down her knitting and ranted. “Oh, your grandfather is turning in his grave right now. How could you? I’m sorry, don’t you realize how hard the children of mixed parents have it? They’ll be called Oreos! You can’t marry a Negro…”

  “Excuse me,” Kira interrupted firmly. “You have no right to talk like that to him. I’m a grown woman.”

  Her mother turned purple. “How dare you talk back to me! I know what’s best for you, you ungrateful…where are you going?”

  Raze stood and clasped Kira’s hand, bringing her with him. “I’m afraid I can’t allow you to speak to my wife this way. Feel free to call when you can control yourself.” He headed for the door.

  Kira cringed as her mother followed them, still ranting. Instinct made her want to soothe her, to tell her Raze wasn’t really her husband (he wasn’t), but his defense was so unprecedented; she didn’t have the heart to ruin it.

  She was w
retched cold by the time they got back to her apartment, so she stripped off her coat and boots, but left the scarf and hat as she slid into fleece slippers. Cranking up the heat, she surveyed the place. There was no point in shipping her furniture to Hawaii; ditto the kitchen implements since she no longer ate like a normal person. Troubled by that, she took the boxes she’d picked up into the bedroom and threw open her closet.

  “You might reconsider,” Raze said, fingering the sleeve of her sweater.

  She swore. “How can it be disintegrating? I’m freezing!”

  “Your body temperature is hotter now, regardless of how you feel. If it helps, I can teach you how to make clothes that won’t smolder. Pack a few of your favorite things and we’ll work on it when we get back home.” He paused thoughtfully. “There are a few skilled tailors among us who might be able to copy your favorites.”

  “You’re offering to take me shopping?” she asked, too distressed to pay attention. Overnight, all her things had become useless. She hadn’t realized how much of her sense of security was wrapped in her stuff.

  Disgruntled, she packed some things and looked around. After her important papers, laptop and a handful of books were packed, she had two boxes. Feeling she should have more on principal, she filled the third box with odds and ends and taped it up. If it wasn’t fireproof, she didn’t need it, and it was obvious she could no longer tolerate Alaska’s extreme cold. “I guess I can leave the truck at Mom’s,” she said hesitantly.

  He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I have enough for both of us, and I’ll provide for you,” Raze assured her.

  She shrugged him off, unhappy with the situation. “This is temporary. I appreciate your help, but you know this won’t last. We’ve been thrown together, but we’re definitely not compatible.”

  “How do you know?” he asked calmly, carrying her boxes to the door. She would call the landlord and the Salvation Army to make arrangements to deal with her stuff as well as give up her deposit. She hated to be an inconvenience, but there was no way she could stay and clean. She was starving, already longing to return to the lava.