Path of Cinders (Alternate Routes Book 9)

by Chapel Byrne

  “I want to reassure you, but I don’t understand how he’s operating and…I contacted my headquarters to ask for some security guys, but they said I needed to take care of things myself.” He was obviously cranky about that. “But, as much as I can, I’ll protect you.”

  “Yeah, because obviously he can find me and he’s not just after you. So, uh, maybe me staying away from you isn’t the right move.” She laughed, awkwardly. “I literally grabbed the little knife for cutting limes. Like, that was my big idea for protecting myself.”

  “I don’t think he’d do anything in front of other people. He wouldn’t want to draw attention to himself. I’ll wrap up here and be at the restaurant ASAP, okay? If we can either be in public or somewhere like my place where I can have a little easier time defending us, that’s probably best. Is that okay?” It sounded less like a question and more like a formality to get out of the way.

  “Totally. I’ll just make sure I’m not alone until you get here.”

  It was mere minutes before Shane was striding in the doors and wrapping warm, protective arms around her. “I’m sorry I put you in his sights.”

  Lina shook her head. “He’s crazy, and it sounds like it would have happened even if he and I were just in the same town.”

  “Probably true,” Shane admitted. “But, since this is what it is, you’re welcome to hang out with me whenever you aren’t at work.”

  “And you think I should still come to work? Seriously?” She tried not to let her fear and confusion make her sound snippy.

  “He’s crazy, but there are a few things I feel pretty sure about. One of those is that he wouldn’t attack us in front of witnesses. Which is why we’re also going to follow through on your smart PR idea and do volunteer stuff to fix his perception of me. At the very least, it will make him pause while I look for solutions that don’t make you mad at me.” Shane sounded so calm and so sure.

  “Okay. I trust you.” Lina nodded and tried to let go of her fear. “But maybe we could also work on fire stuff? I…I still don’t want to use my fire for anything but good, but, uh, I think defending myself and other people is good. So…” She looked at him uncertainly, hoping he’d see that it wasn’t hypocrisy.

  He nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. Maybe you’ll be a superhero after all.” He grinned.

  On the drive to Lina’s apartment, Shane said, “When I got in touch with headquarters to see if they could spare security, we talked about you.” He said it casually, eyes on the road, speeding just a little more than Lina would have liked.

  “Me? Why did you talk about me?” The only reason Lina could imagine was that they objected to him buying her clothes or were worried that she was the wrong girl to be his arm candy. “I hope you’re not in trouble over something to do with me.”

  He chuckled. “On the contrary. They think you’re something special. They wanted me to see if you’d be open to me working some of the PR magic side of my job.”

  She pulled her brows together, not understanding. “Like, try to teach me to be more like you?”

  “Not exactly. You’ve got the potential, if the spotlight is put on you the right way, to be someone who draws attention, who can turn heads and open doors. And, from their perspective, whether we sort out making you a successful musical act or whether we just make it so that the woman accompanying me everywhere is part of the draw, you’re worth investing some resources in.” His tone stayed casual, but there was this hint of promise around the edges, like maybe he was offering Lina the sort of celebrity and success that most people daydream about at least once in their lives.

  It took Lina a second to process what he was saying. “So, like, formalizing the part of things where I go to stuff for work with you?”

  “Something like that.” He smiled a little as he executed a perfect parallel parking maneuver into a small spot right in front of Lina’s door.

  “But, what do you mean with the musical act thing?” Lina’s face was wrinkled up in a confused look.

  Shane didn’t answer but, with his usual unexpected speed, slipped from his seat and around the car to open her door before she could do more than lift the handle. Lina didn’t repeat her question then, because it felt kind of embarrassing to mention that on the street. What if her neighbors overheard and laughed at her naïveté for thinking he might actually be talking about making her some kind of musician.

  As soon as they were in her place, with the door closed, she said, “Hey, what was that about musical act?” She headed back to her room to pack up clothes so she could stay at Shane’s until the Grey thing was sorted.

  “Well, I played them a video I took of you singing along when that band covered Hallelujah the other night. If you wanted to try to be a star, we could make it happen. If—”

  “You showed them that? Shane, that’s so embarrassing!” She was mortified. “Like, I assumed that was for you because, like, people who like each other like that sort of thing. But…But…You shared it?”

  Very evenly, he said, “I’m pretty sure that there’s reason for you to believe that I know music. If I shared it, it was because I was trying to help open doors for you.”

  She shook her head. “I just…I’m really weirded out by that. Maybe…just don’t do that again without permission, okay?”

  “Sure thing, baby. But, honestly, we could do something with that if you wanted.” He leaned against the doorframe, watching her. “Either way, say you’ll let me give you the star treatment. It’s one part just enjoying things and one part trusting me enough to give other enjoyment a chance.” He grinned, lupine and smoldering. “Really, it’s a great way to get the company and you both on board with my not-so-secret goal to spoil you rotten and make your life non-stop decadence.”

  She looked at the clothes in her hands, expensive and already bought on the company’s dime. “You mean, more than what you’ve already done.”

  His grin widened. “When it’s my job to keep you as happy as company resources can allow and help the rest of the world see how incredible you are, it’s so much more than clothes.” He shrugged, and it was somehow painfully perfect, proof of just how he had mastered charm. “We could even turn it into something like modeling or being the face of some brands, something that lets you quit the restaurant and really just have the life of pleasure you deserve.”

  As she closed her bag of clothes, she asked, “Did you tell them about my fire? Is that part of why they want to do this? I know you said it was sort of a family business.”

  “Remember a month or so ago when I went to dinner with one of my bosses who was in town to check in?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, the same way that Grey could sense you were here, so could my boss. So, in answer to what you really want to ask, your fire is certainly part of why they want you working with us.” He peered at her. “Is that okay?”

  “I’m just glad that you didn’t bring it up.” She shrugged, and was aware how much less elegant her shrugs were than his. “It’s just something that still feels really personal, you know?”

  “I know.” He nodded.

  “What…” She considered how to ask what she wanted as she slipped past him and into the bathroom for toiletries. “What’s my commitment here? Like, they’re a business. I doubt they’re doing this for the same reasons my boyfriend would be doing this.”

  He chuckled. “Very true. But they really do think that you and I could be a sort of super team. I’ve already seen people who are more drawn toward us, the two of us, instead of me having to pursue them. And, if you do well, maybe they’d offer you a formal job. Though,” and he slipped behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and catch her eyes in the mirror, “I like the idea of us working together better than you getting some assignment of your own, maybe in another city.”

  She leaned back against him, sliding her hips just a little, and giving him a slinky look in the mirror. “Me too.”

  He slid his hands down so that he was holding her f
irmly against him by the hips. “Let me spoil you. Let me help you shine.” He breathed it into her ear, squeezing her hips and pressing his own gently forward. “Please…” It was a hiss in her ear.

  She gave one more slip of her hips, then grinned. “Okay. It sounds maybe fun and interesting. Soon as this Grey thing is sorted out?”

  “We’re not going to delay for that psycho. I say that some extra fun is just what you need to keep your mind a little less focused on that whole mess. I plan to get to work on you immediately.” He grinned.

  “But we’re also still doing the volunteer thing, right? Because, as the only person worrying about your PR, since Grey literally thinks you’re evil, I think we have to do that.” She tried to sound like she was talking business. She knew that was more likely to work than trying to appeal to his compassion for humanity.

  “And does he think you’re evil?”

  “I’m not sure. But doing volunteer stuff with you probably isn’t a bad idea.” She went back to packing up toiletries.

  “I’ll trust you on this stuff if you’ll trust me on my suggestions as your PR guy,” he offered.

  She laughed. “Baby, you already told me my idea was solid. You already trust me.”

  “Yeah, but,” and he gave her one of his charmingly mischievous grins, “I can pretend not to. I’m not above that.”

  Lina rolled her eyes but smiled a little. “Okay, brat. I’ll try to trust your ideas, even if I dislike them as much as you dislike volunteer stuff.”

  “Excellent! Then let’s lock up this place and get back to my house. I have a few ways I want to make you hot tonight.”

  Driving to Shane’s, Lina had asked about why his house was safer. He paused a moment, obviously trying to frame his response.

  “Well, in addition to being very familiar to me and having a security system, there’s a panic room. I’ll show you where and show you the code. But, also…It’s complicated, and maybe we can consider it something to learn after your brain and body have a good handle on the fire thing, but there are ways to modify physical structures so that your aura, your energy signature, doesn’t shine at all past the walls.” He nodded, as if he was satisfied with his explanation. “Basically, at the house, the only way he’d find us there is if he followed us. He couldn’t do what he did to you at work and just cruise around trying to pick up your signature.”

  Lina nestled a little into her seat, comforted by the information. “Cool. I’ll stop worrying about how fire practice will just get us in trouble, like lighting some kind of beacon for him. Plus, I’ll be able to sleep without worrying I’ll wake up to a sword-wielding psycho standing over me.”

  “Yeah, you only have to worry about a charm-wielding jerk,” Shane joked. Then said, “And, you know, if I speed, it’s harder for him to find and follow us.”

  Rolling her eyes, Lina said, “Okay. Do what you gotta do.”

  That was all the permission he needed. Shane sped them to his house in record time.

  In his garage, he’d cleared everything away from one wall. If Lina kept her back to the car, it was all concrete in front of her.

  “I want to keep working on small things, on control and holding back, but I think it’s also time we start working on teaching you to throw fire or to burn with your touch. In case Grey somehow gets you alone.” Shane’s voice was hard. “I want you to learn to protect yourself if I can’t be there for you.”

  Embarrassed, she said, “I’m kind of scared. We have no idea what I could do. And we do know my fire can hurt you.”

  He shrugged. “Then I’ll stand behind you, and you aim everything at that wall.” He stepped back. “We’ll start small. I want you to try to flick tiny flames, like I did at the party where the guy groped you.”

  They spent some time, with Shane trying to describe what he thought it might feel like to her to do that. By the time they were ready to call it a night, she was able to shoot off little sparks and make them reach the wall, she just couldn’t do it without the rest of her body getting a little hot.

  “It’s okay,” Shane reassured her. “I don’t mind working naked.” He winked. “And we can work up to clothes.”

  She stood with her hands in front of her, examining them as the pinpricks of light where each small channel ended at her skin softly glowed. “Okay. I just have to be patient, right?” She looked up at him questioningly.

  “Exactly. But, before we call it a night, I want you to do something that I think is going to feel really good.” He stood behind her, massaging her shoulders encouragingly, like he was getting her ready to play in the big game.

  Dubiously, she asked, “What?”

  “I think we should see what you can do if you just let go. Just blast that wall. Because I think one of the big themes of your life has been muting yourself, restraining yourself, and I think some massive letting go is going to be one of the things that lets us help you be fully Lina.” He squeezed her shoulders. “Just inhale and open and blast.” He sounded hungry for the fire.

  Timidly, she asked, “What if it’s too much and I destroy the wall?”

  He leaned down to speak quietly into her ear. “When I moved in, I had that wall made thick and ridiculously strong. This garage was bigger. But I like a little target practice or a chance to let loose, blow off some steam. That wall is going to be okay.”

  “You sure?” She didn’t sound like she was sure.

  “Completely. Just,” he took his hands off her, mindful that she could burn him, “think of everyone who ever mistreated you. Think of Brad and Grey and every jerk who ever groped you or pressured you. Think of every faithless friend. Think of…Well, I know the world is full of injustices that upset you. Let that build in you, become the fire. And then aim that emotion as flame at the wall.”

  Lina tried to breathe deeply and evenly. She closed her eyes and thought of all the things Shane had listed. But she didn’t just think in big generalities. She thought of actual blows Brad had landed. She thought of Grey scaring her at work. She thought of all the men, since she was 12, who had tried to grab her, who had said lewd things, who had tried to catch her alone. She thought of customers who treated her like meat or like a non-person. She thought of all the racism and sexism and hatred. She thought of recent news stories, of abuses of power and helpless citizens. She felt something building in her, felt her nostrils flaring and her mouth set in an ugly twist, and suddenly she was roaring, eyes open, and blasting the wall in front of her.

  The release and the sight of her fire, white hot and billowing, immediately sobered her. She stumbled back a step, gasping. Her instinct was still that this had been too big, too much. That she now needed to hide so that nobody noticed her and made her pay.

  But Shane’s voice cut through that. It was practically a moan. “That was magnificent. Oh, baby, you’re incredible.” He tentatively put a hand on her rapidly cooling shoulder. “Do you see your power? Nobody gets to restrain you or hurt you ever again.”

  She had a thought. She coldly asked, “If my fire would burn you, would it burn Grey?” Lina looked over at Shane.

  His eyes lit up. “It just might.”

  “Well. Good to know. Because I don’t believe in murder, but I do believe in defending myself and other innocents.” And then her coldness turned into a teasing grin. “Even if the innocent in question is devilishly annoying when he turns on the work charm.”

  Later, in bed, Lina was voracious and wild. She threw herself into sex, the pleasure and the pain of it, with greater abandon. She wanted to be done holding back. She moaned and wailed as she never had before. It drove Shane to greater heights, wanting to coax every sound from her throat. This wasn’t about tenderness but about a raw expression of power, of passion that, at least for the night, was unbounded.

  As she lay finally spent, he kissed her breasts, his tongue lingering around her nipples. She squirmed drowsily at his touch. He rested his hand at the top of her thigh, the warmth of his fingers teasingly close to the warm
th that radiated from between her legs.

  Slowly, he rubbed his hand, letting his fingers graze her most sensitive places. He looked up from her breasts, and whispered, “All I want for you is a life unrestrained. Always like this. Your flesh fulfilled. Every pleasure. That’s what you deserve, baby.” He slipped his fingers slowly into her, massaging. “That’s what you deserve.”

  She had thought she was done for the night, but found her hips gently moving, working in time with his fingers. She contemplated all the garbage that life had thrown at her. How she had lived through it and always tried to be good. And she contemplated how excruciatingly good it had felt to let go with both her fire and her body that night.

  No one was being hurt, and she felt her power. This, perhaps, was who she was meant to be. And Shane was going to show her how to be the fiery and fulfilled superhero she wanted to be. She might burn more than just the patriarchy.

  She laughed and it turned into a moan. This man of charm and fire was going to get her there.

  CHAPTER 9

  In the morning, the night’s unleashing felt more like an intense dream. Lina could tell that, in the smallest way, she still felt what she’d felt. But, with sunlight and with sleep to salve her mind, she was back to moderation and restraint. She yawned, stretching and laughing a little at how disappointed Shane would be. His own zeal for pleasure and a lack of restraint didn’t fizzle out in sunlight.

  For two people who were being hunted, they lead surprisingly normal lives. Normal for them, at least. There was work, there were nights out, and there was now volunteering.

  Of course, while Lina’s restaurant work stayed the same, in spite of her feeling a bit more cautious, the other things they might call work were a bit less pedestrian.

  Lina considered the fire practice part of her work. She was committed to figuring out how to access and use her fire. She got excited as she moved forward, as it became easier to access and she could shift her focus more to control. Though she didn’t plan to use it the way that Shane did, she humored him when he set up exercises for her that were specific to that. She practiced flicking a tiny flame across a room and into a glass of alcohol. She practiced forming fire balls and blasting them at pictures he printed of Brad, of Grey, or of people he knew had annoyed her or worse. She listened as he explained more complicated delivery routes or uses for the fire or the heat, carefully reframing the application from whatever revenge-oriented scenario he presented into something that seemed more like what she might actually use it for. She started considering getting in shape and making a costume. If normal people were out there these days, living out their superhero intentions without powers, maybe she should go for it.