Marked By Fire

by Meg Ripley

  Jason gave a nod of approval before moving off to visit with some of the other men at the drinks table.

  Lance crept slowly toward the pools of water, remembering what it had been like to dive into the large pond on the farm as a child. Eyeing the other dragons cautiously, he bent his neck forward and lapped at the crystal liquid. It was pure and clean; better than any water he had ever tasted as a human.

  He slid forward until he was completely submerged, feeling the water rush between every scale and under each claw and spike. With a burst of energy, he shot from the surface of the water into the air, scattering a spiral of droplets as he expanded his wings with a snap and zoomed over the tops of the hedges. It wasn’t the same as flying over the open fields and woods of Illinois, but it was more than he’d had in a while. Lance reveled in the rush of air over his scales.

  Still, he knew he could only go so high. Looking down, he had a better view of The Club’s garden than he had from the ground. There were more members present than he had originally noticed, and there was no denying the fact that most of them hadn’t bothered to shift. What had he gotten himself into?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Sabrina flipped her hair over her shoulder in frustration. “Look, Gina, it’s really not that hard. You just open up the front and load the envelopes, and then type them up on your computer.” She rose from her desk and went to the printer, where Gina stood looking lost.

  “I can’t ever seem to get them in there right. They always jam.” The young secretary stared at her with wide blue eyes.

  Normally, Sabrina wouldn’t really mind helping out a coworker, but she had taken Gina through these particular steps far too many times. It didn’t help that the phone hadn’t stopped ringing all day, including her cell. Uncle Wade had been trying to get a hold of her all week, and she didn’t have time for his antics.

  “Here. There’s a little diagram right here on the inside of the door that shows you how to orient the envelopes.” Sabrina pointed to a little sticker that she had pointed to countless other times. One of these days, she would talk to human resources about being a little more selective in their hiring.

  The phone rang again behind her just as Lance Rockland stepped out of his office. Sabrina had expected the new CFO to be just like any other corporate bigwig, trying to pinch her ass at the water cooler and standing by her desk just so he could stare down her shirt. But this man was completely different. Handsome and much younger than the geezer who had retired last month and left the position open, Lance always kept a polite distance from her.

  “Sabrina, I’ve got a package that needs to go out today. Can you tell me where you keep the packing tape and labels?” His question was strictly business, and his eyes never shifted from her face, but when he looked at her, it was as though he was staring straight into her soul.

  “Sure, they’re right here.” She opened a nearby cabinet and pointed to the supplies. “I can wrap it up for you if you’d like.”

  “You have enough on your plate, but thanks.” He grabbed what he needed and turned back toward his office.

  No other boss would have turned down the offer, taking advantage of any opportunity to pile his work on someone else. “Hey, do you still want to try that café? I plan on going down there today if you want to come.” Sabrina could have kicked herself. She wasn’t a flirt, especially not since her last relationship. Her ex had left a bitter taste in her mouth that made her question her choice in men.

  Lance paused, running a hand through his dark hair. “Well, I suppose I could…” He stopped and looked at her, his face stiffening. “Thanks, but I have a lot of work to do.” He retreated into his office and shut the door.

  “The phone’s for you.” Gina was standing in front of Sabrina’s desk, the receiver in her hand. “He’s says he’s your uncle.”

  Sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly through pursed lips, Sabrina tried to let go of her anger and frustration. The only saving grace was that the work day was nearly over, and soon enough, she’d be able to go home to her comfortable apartment and a generous glass of wine. Taking the receiver from Gina and throwing herself back into her desk chair, she pressed the phone to her ear.

  “Hi, Uncle Wade.”

  “Hey, kiddo!” His voice was far too loud, and Sabrina immediately leaned forward to punch the volume button on the keypad. “I’m on the road again, and it looks like I’ll be traveling your way. Thought I might have a little time to visit with my favorite niece.”

  “Oh, that’s great.” She wanted to sound more enthusiastic, but it just wasn’t possible. Uncle Wade was sweet enough, but he was a bit of a crackpot. He had a lot of theories about government secrets, subliminal advertising, and Area 51; unfortunately, that was only the tip of the iceberg. “I’m afraid I have a pretty busy schedule at work, though.”

  “Not to worry at all! I was just hoping to crash on your couch for a night or two. I won’t bother you at all during business hours, but maybe we could catch up in the evenings. Unless, of course, you have a date or something.”

  Sabrina closed her eyes. Her parents had been gone for several years, and Uncle Wade seemed to think it was his job to make sure Sabrina found someone to take care of her. “No, I can’t say I do.”

  “Well, you know I’d normally have something to say about that. I mean, a young woman all on her own in New York City can’t be a good thing. But at least this time it means you have time for your old uncle. Maybe we can hunt a few dragons while we’re at it.”

  She shook her head. Wade had never been grounded in reality, and she had loved that about him when she was a child. When he would come to visit his brother and sister-in-law, he would take Sabrina out in the back yard or to the park to hunt for giant reptilian creatures with wings that breathed fire. Of course, they had never found any, and she had long since outgrown the idea. Still, it was hard to turn him down. He was crazy, but in a very likable way. “Maybe so. We’ll have to see. What are you coming to New York for, anyway?”

  “You mean you haven’t heard? There’s a big dragon hunters’ convention this weekend. I thought I signed you up for the email list. If you haven’t been getting them, I’ll submit your address again. It’s the only way to really get the word out there without letting the wrong people know about it.”

  Sabrina was hard-pressed to imagine what kind of people were the “right” ones. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy that. What exactly do you do at one of these…conventions?” She didn’t dare say the full phrase out loud. Someone was always listening around the office, and the last thing she needed was a rumor going around that she believed in dragons.

  “Mostly the usual stuff. We discuss the pros and cons of different weapons and equipment, and there’s information about recent sightings. The best part, though, is that we’re getting ever closer to finding a large flight of dragons. I don’t have all the details yet, but Leon told me there may be a group of them living right in New York City!”

  He sounded so excited, and Sabrina didn’t want to dash his hopes. Still, it would be hard to miss one dragon in such a populated area, much less a group of them. “Really? Well, that’s impressive.”

  “Yes, and we must be fully prepared for it. While I’m at your place, I’ll make sure I help you get it all ready to go. I don’t want to leave you defenseless if they go on a rampage.”

  She shuddered slightly as she imagined the type of preparations Uncle Wade would insist they take. He would likely stock her pantry with canned food that was supposed to be good for ten years, remind her how to shoot a cross bow, and insist that she buy fireproof armor. She’d heard from a distant cousin who had visited Uncle Wade’s house that he had it set up similarly. “That’s very kind of you. Listen, I’ve got to get going. The other line is ringing, and my new boss is pretty strict. I don’t want to get in trouble. I’ll see you when you get here. Bye!” Dumping the phone back on the desk, Sabrina slumped back in her chair and closed her eyes.

  “I didn’t
realize I was so hard to work for.”

  Sabrina was so startled at the voice behind her that she nearly fell out of her chair. She straightened and whirled around to find herself face-to-face with Mr. Rockland. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. Sometimes there’s just no better way to get off the phone.”

  The corner of his mouth tipped up, amusement shining in his eyes. “It’s okay. I don’t really mind being the fall guy. Maybe I should be a little bit more of a hard ass, just to make it more genuine.”

  She felt her face flush. “Yeah, you do that. Are you leaving for the night?”

  Lance shook his head and touched the thick overnight envelope he had just set on the front of her desk. “No. I just wanted to make sure this was out here for the UPS guy to get tomorrow morning.”

  There was a tiny voice deep down inside her that was screaming for her to do something crazy, to ask him out, to offer a tour of the city, anything so they would get to spend more time together. They worked in adjoining offices, but that was different. Instead, she said, “Well, I’m taking off. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Have a good evening.”

  In the elevator, Sabrina chastised herself. Maybe Uncle Wade wasn’t entirely wrong about needing a man in her life. It would be nice to have someone to come home to, but she had a terrible habit of falling for the wrong men, and she had no reason to think Mr. Rockland would be any different. He seemed nice enough, but he was still new. As soon as he got comfortable in the office, he would probably show his true personality and disappoint her just like everyone else. Besides, dating someone who worked for the same company was a mistake she didn’t plan to make twice.

  As she stepped out into the parking garage, her mind was focusing hard on that glass of wine she had been dreaming about. So much, she didn’t notice the large figure lurking near the front of her little black coupe until she was reaching for the door handle.

  “You didn’t show up last night.”

  With a squeal of fear, Sabrina leapt back and pointed her car keys out in front of her as a meager form of self-defense. She spotted the tall man who now took a few steps toward her. “Jesus, Max. You scared the hell out of me.”

  “Good. Now, why didn’t you come to the bar last night?” He took yet another step closer, his dark eyes menacing.

  Sabrina pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. “Because we aren’t dating anymore, Max. We’ve been over this more times than I can count. Why won’t you just let it go?”

  “We’re supposed to be together, Sabrina. I know it, and I’m sure you do, too.” A thick hand grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. She could smell the thick stench of his cologne, mixed with that strange metallic scent that always seemed to linger near him. “It’s time you stop playing games and just cooperate already.”

  She shoved her fists against his chest, but he was too strong for her. Sabrina didn’t consider herself a weakling, but Max was a formidable man. He spent most of his free time in the gym, and it showed. “It’s time you stop thinking you can talk me back into having a relationship with you. I don’t want to be with you, and that’s that.”

  “I don’t see why not. I’m good looking and you know I have a great job that pays well. And you can’t deny the fire between us—especially in bed. Don’t you miss those nights? Where you’d be screaming out my name? I can make you do that again, Sabrina. And again, and again, and again.” Max bent his head to nuzzle her neck, tracing his lips up toward her ear.

  “Damn it, I said no!” Sabrina pushed again, gaining just enough distance between their two bodies to bring the heel of her shoe down onto the toe of his. He staggered in pain, his macho façade broken long enough for her to rip the lid off her travel mug and chuck the last of her coffee in his face.

  The brown liquid dripped off his eyebrows as they creased. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Sabrina? I’m trying to give you everything, and all you do is reject me. Well, I’ve had enough.”

  Hope rose in her chest, thinking this would finally be the time when Max walked away. He’d been chasing after her for two months since she broke up with him, and no matter what she said or did, he’d never been willing to give up the fight.

  But he grabbed her once again, his fingers digging into the flesh of her arm. “You’re going to see, Sabrina. You belong with me, and I’m not going to let you go.” He raised one massive fist in the air.

  “Hey!”

  The shout rang through the parking garage like the peal of a bell. Time stopped for a moment as Sabrina looked toward the elevator, seeing a handsome dark-haired man running toward them. He let go of his briefcase and let it crash to the concrete floor, and his face was a fierce mask of anger that made her tremble inside.

  When Lance reached them, he pulled Sabrina behind him with enough force that it broke Max’s grip. He was a good head shorter than Max, but he didn’t seem to notice. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “This isn’t any of your business,” Max gritted out through his teeth. He slicked back his hair with one hand, the same one that had been destined for the side of Sabrina’s face only a moment ago. “Just a little lovers’ quarrel.”

  “I might be new here, but I’m pretty sure there’s something in the company handbook about harassing your coworkers. Perhaps I should call Human Resources and ask them if you’re up to date on your sexual harassment and workplace violence training videos.”

  Sabrina could just see Mr. Rockland’s profile, and she couldn’t stop staring at it. His jaw was firm, and the slope of his nose suggested an ancient Roman warrior in his lineage. He had thrown his shoulders back and crossed his arms, making a shield in front of her. An electric thrill shot up through her stomach and out to her fingertips. If she reached out to touch her car, she was sure blue sparks would fill the air.

  “Perhaps you should just stay out of it,” Max retorted. “Like I said, this is between me and Sabrina.” His eyes were liquid ink as they turned to her, barreling into her soul and making her shrink back against her boss once again.

  “Look, asshole, you can either get in your car and go home, or I can call security. I’m pretty sure the CEO won’t want to hear about his marketing director getting hauled out of the building.” Lance’s voice was calm but firm; he meant business.

  Max glanced back and forth between the two of them. “Fine.” He turned to her, pointing his thick finger toward her face. “But this isn’t over. You will listen to me, Sabrina. I’ll find a way to make it happen.” He stormed off across the garage. A few moments later, his cherry-red sports car went squealing toward the door.

  When Max was gone, Lance turned to her. “Are you alright?”

  She felt completely frozen in place, unsure of what to think or do. This wasn’t the first time she’d had a man threaten her, but it was the first time she had someone step in to protect her. Lance had quelled the situation with little more than words, and it was very impressive.

  “I…I think so.”

  “He didn’t actually hit you, did he?” His eyes were wild as they checked her over for damage, indicating he had been ready to do far more than talk or call security had the situation warranted it.

  She shook her head. “No. No, he didn’t get that far. Thank you.” Dazed, Sabrina retrieved his briefcase from where it had fallen and dusted if off before handing it back to him. “I really appreciate it.”

  “I’d like to imagine anyone else would have done the same thing.” He pressed his lips together as though he wanted to say more.

  “Well, maybe.”

  But Max had argued with her here before, and there had been other executives on their way to their cars who hadn’t done anything but avoid eye contact.

  “You said you’re heading home, right? Get in your car, and I’ll follow you. I don’t trust that guy, and I want to make sure you’re safe.” He opened her car door.

  She shook her head, suddenly ashamed of the fact that her boss had to come to her rescue. “You don�
�t have to do that. You’ve already gone to so much trouble—”

  “Sabrina,” his voice was commanding, “it wasn’t any trouble, but if it was, then I should at least have the satisfaction of knowing that I actually did something for you. Sending him away isn’t going to do any good if he just shows up at your place.”

  Biting her lip, she got in the driver’s seat and fired up the engine. Max knew exactly where she lived, and his parting words still echoed in the back of her mind.

  Lance was right.

  She checked her mirrors constantly as she twisted through the streets, but his Lexus was always right there behind her. It made her feel safe and nervous at the same time. Why would Lance stand up for her like that when he barely knew her? Was he just that gallant of a gentleman? Did he have something else in mind? Either way, she knew she had to find out more about him. He had kept himself so reclusive since he’d come to Carlton and Corbin, and he was definitely not like other men.

  Finally, she swept into the parking garage under her building and parked in her designated space. Each apartment was given two parking spots, and Lance pulled immediately into the second one. He got out and came around to her driver’s side door, opening it before she could gather her things together and let herself out.

  “I’ll walk you up,” he said. “Just to be safe.” His face still bore that hard, solid attitude of anger and authority. A vein throbbed in his neck; the drive hadn’t given him enough time to calm down.

  Sabrina didn’t argue. Just because she hadn’t seen Max’s car in the garage didn’t mean he wasn’t around. He was a tricky man, and he would do whatever he had to if he was determined to get to her. He had even gone so far as to follow her to the mall on a weekend when she had wanted to do a little shopping.

  “Alright.”

  At her door, she turned to him and smiled. “Would you like to come in for a drink? It’s been kind of a rough evening already.” Her mouth said the words without her permission, but she couldn’t pull them back now.