Fire and Ash (Rise of the Dragons Trilogy Book 1)

by N. R. Hairston

  Chapter 2

  There was no light to guide me, so it was with slow and careful steps that I made my way to a small parking lot.

  A quick look around told me that Brad’s car was the only one here, which made me frown. Not that I wanted a lot of people here, more chance of discovery that way, but I did find it odd that no one else was around.

  I pondered on that as I took a closer look at my surroundings. The trees had been cleared away, and a large building sat in their place, the name ‘Starbright’ plastered on the front door. This gave me pause. I’d never heard of this company, and from the size, it looked like it could probably employ well over five hundred people.

  I let my mind weave through the possibilities. It was a new company. The glass on the windows still shined bright, and the red brick looked like it’d just been built yesterday.

  Usually, when a new company came to town, especially one with hundreds of jobs, the paper ran a story on it, as did the local news stations, but for this, I’d heard nothing.

  I thought about Brad. Maybe this was his secret. Could he be involved in a private deal that would bring much-needed jobs to this area, or was it something else entirely?

  Figuring I’d never know unless I went inside, I walked to the front door and tried to pull on it, but of course it was locked.

  Not one to let a closed door stop me, I pulled out my lockpicking kit and went to work. If Reid was here, he’d kill me for not doing a better check of the place, but if I wanted to know what was going on I needed to get inside now.

  So, tool in my hand, I set to work. Fifteen seconds later I heard the lock pop. A little pleased with myself, I pushed the door open and crept inside.

  I’d thought I’d be walking through the front door, but this must have been the employee entrance because the first thing I saw was large cardboard boxes, lots of them. Most were slotted in large orange frames, a label with a number on the front of them.

  They went as high as five inches from the ceiling, and I was curious about what was in them. The orange frames were every few feet, and all of them held these boxes. The scent of mildew and moldy paper wafted through the air, and I covered my nose, figuring there must have been a water leak somewhere.

  As I walked, I stayed cautious to the fact that I was not alone. Brad was in here somewhere. Dust from the boxes floated around me, and I put a hand over my mouth, trying hard not to sneeze. The last thing I needed was to alert him to my presence.

  I heard raised voices coming from my right, and I immediately went into a crouch, but still let my feet carry me in that direction.

  They sounded angry, whoever they were, because I definitely heard a man and woman arguing. I just couldn’t make out what was being said. The male voice probably belonged to Brad, but as I’d never heard him speak, I had no way of knowing. Some bad stuff seemed to be going down here, and I knew I needed to get closer to find out what it was.

  Heart pounding, and hands slick with sweat, I breathed in and out slowly in an effort to catch my breath.

  The overhead lights shined brightly down on me, so much so that I had to squint my eyes when I walked. This was weird. If no one was working tonight, then why leave all the lights on? I could only imagine what the utility bill would look like. It didn’t seem a very smart thing to do, but that still didn’t tell me much about who I was dealing with.

  Deciding I’d know more once I got closer, I weaved in and out of the orange frames until I could hear the voices a little clearer.

  I ducked behind some boxes as a tall woman with short black hair, and a face hard as steel, walked back and forth across the floor. I noticed that her hair had golden streaks throughout, gold, not blonde, and that kind of threw me for a loop as I’d never seen hair like that before. Her eyes were the same color, and I figured they had to be contacts. She didn’t have any whites to her eyes, only black, flecked with gold. Very unusual.

  I watched on, determined to gather as much information as I could. The woman’s long strides were as elegant as they were dangerous, and something told me I’d walked in on activities that were well above my pay grade.

  Two men stood off to the side, one as tall as the woman, and the other a little on the shorter side. Their hair and eyes were the same as hers, so maybe it was a posse thing. They both wore black pants and shirts, and neither said a word. I almost got the feeling they were there to guard her, but from what, I didn’t know.

  Now that I had a count of who else was in the room, I needed to find my target. I scanned the immediate area and stopped cold, my eyes going wide when I saw Brad tied to a chair, unable to move. He had a blue bruise over his eye and blood leaked from his nose and mouth.

  My heart did a somersault, as I assessed the situation before me. This wasn’t what I’d expected when I’d taken the job. I took a deep breath and shook my head. What had I gotten myself into this time?

  Also, though it’d been different in the pictures, Brad’s hair and eyes, too were now black sprinkled with gold. Was this something she’d done to him when he’d first gotten here? I had so many questions and figured the best thing I could do was listen so that I could get more answers.

  I looked at Brad again, and this time I saw through the bruises to the cocky, smug, look on his face. I blinked. He was tied to a chair and had clearly been roughed up, but somehow, he still seemed to think he was in control. Was he crazy or just delusional?

  His voice was hard and biting when he spoke, and I listened closely, hoping to better understand what was going on. “Your ropes can’t hold me. You know that. I sit here out of respect for you and nothing more.”

  And just like that, the ropes disappeared as if they’d never been there. My eyes popped, as I watched, frozen to my spot.

  What the hell? Because that shit wasn’t normal. How did they do that? Who’d done that? Had it been Brad or the woman? Not making a sound, I waited to see what would happen next.

  Mr. Handler stood, that self-assured look still planted firmly on his face. What the hell did he have to be so confident about? What was his game here?

  Shoulders wide, he stared at the lady in front of him. “What do you want, Kyla? Did you call me here for a reason, or just to play games? My wife worries, you know.”

  Kyla clicked her tongue and laughed in a way that had cold chills shooting down my arms. Her face went hard, and when she spoke, her words were laced with acid. “Your wife’s a fool, and you’re an idiot. Your time here is done. You have two weeks left. Go through the proper channels. Get your affairs in order and quit this place in a way that will leave no questions of your absence.”

  Brad snapped his fingers, a sneer on his face. “Just like that?”

  Kyla looked at him like one would a disobedient child. “I said two weeks. Get your shit together. You will not come back here again. I have something else planned for you.”

  Brad touched the dried-up blood on his face. “Like this?” He looked down at the dark liquid on his hand, then wiped it on the side of his pants.

  Kyla’s face stayed hard, her eyes saying she didn’t give a damn about his plight. Her black heels made clacking sounds as she walked across the concrete floor. When she spoke again, her voice held finality. “Just do as you’re told.”

  Brad flexed his hands, cracking his neck from side to side. His features became mean and ugly as he furrowed his brows and gnashed his teeth.

  I held my breath, waiting to see if he’d really attack her or if her bodyguards would give him another beatdown. Mentally I kept notes of everything that was said, even though I was scared out of my mind.

  Knowledge was power, and I still had to tell his wife something when she asked for her report.

  Brad let out a small growl, but the sheen of sweat covering his face and the small tremble in his hand made his tough guy act hard to swallow. “No, I will not do as I’m told.” It came out as a whisper but had the effect of a missile.

  As soon as the words left his mouth the two men with Kyla came t
o attention. They walked forward, both looking like they were ready to break arms and legs.

  They never said a word, but their bodies began to glow, and blue electric light crackled around them. My breath hitched, as I waited to see what would happen next. At the same time, I racked my brain for some type of explanation to how any of this was possible.

  Like puppets having their strings pulled, each bodyguard held up a hand and aimed it at Brad. Teal-blue electricity shot out and hit him in his chest and face. I gasped, as he went flying back and crumpled to the floor, unmoving.

  I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, anything to keep from calling out. I swallowed hard and thought about Reid, thought about my parents, my brother, and sister. There was a good chance I wasn’t walking out of here alive, and there was so much I’d left unsaid with each of them.

  Brad was back up in an instant. I watched in shocked horror as his feet left the floor and he levitated a few inches off the ground. My breath came quickly now, and tears stung my eyes. What was he? What were all of them, and where did this leave me?

  A sneer covered Brad’s face as he rose a little farther in the air. Blue electric light shot from his palms, and straight to the two men who’d attacked him. It hit one in the chest and the other in the ribs. They went flying back and hit the ground hard.

  Satisfied that they were out of the way for the moment, Brad landed in front of Kyla and shook his finger at her.

  Undaunted, she ran a long tongue across her teeth like a lioness. “You will obey.” Her voice held authority, and I could easily picture others trembling in her wake.

  “I will not.” Brad held out his hand, and rapidly shot that blue electric light out, hitting her in her chest, face, and legs.

  Unlike Brad and the two men she’d come with, she didn’t go flying across the room. Instead, she simply stumbled a few steps, then opened her mouth.

  Out of it shot more of the blue electricity, hitting Brad hard in the face, and knocking him to the ground. By this time, the other two had risen and raised their hands to share in the attack.

  Brad dropped to one knee, then fell over. Eyes wide, I began to tremble, not sure if this was even real. Perhaps I was caught up in some hallucinogenic dream. I couldn’t explain this any other way.

  Brad lay unmoving now, small whimpers of pain the only sign that he was still alive.

  Blood leaked from underneath him, and I knew he needed medical assistance, but wasn’t sure it would even make a difference.

  Still, looking at his crumpled figure on the ground I realized I had to do something. I couldn’t just stand by and watch him be murdered. Everything in me rebelled against that as it just wasn’t who I was. I had to help, somehow.

  The two men who’d come with Kyla rose to their feet, both looking dazed and disoriented.

  I watched as they slowly gained their bearings and realized I couldn’t fight them, that would be stupid. Instead, I decided to cause a distraction, to give me time to check on Brad and call for help.

  I kicked a couple of boxes over, then quickly dodged out of sight.

  Kyla and the two men’s heads snapped in that direction, and all three took careful steps that way.

  Blood rushing to my head, and heart pounding, I knew I didn’t have long to get to Brad and make sure he was okay.

  I pulled out my phone as I ran, knowing that I needed to call the police and ambulance as quickly as I could.

  Brad lay unmoving, moaning softly as the blood underneath him continued to grow. I was shaking now, and in the distance, I could hear Kyla barking out orders. I had to hurry.

  I started to touch Brad, then drew my hand back. I needed to call the police, yet something told me they wouldn’t make it out of here alive, them or an ambulance crew.

  No. I shook my head. Brad and I were on our own. We couldn’t involve others in this mess.

  He was turning pale now, and I knew in a couple of seconds he’d be gone. Tears clouded my vision, as I went to lay a hand on his shoulder so that he would know he wasn’t alone, wasn’t dying alone.

  Before my hand could make contact, Kyla’s voice stopped me cold. “Touch him and it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

  Chapter 3

  My hand froze in midair, my breath coming in small gasps. She was going to kill me. I knew she was going to kill me, but I wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  I jumped up, hands out, ready for whatever she aimed at me. I was so scared my bones rattled, but I would not stand here and just let this lady kill me. I was going to die. I knew that. A rumble started in my heart and worked its way through my body. I was going to die, and I didn’t even know why.

  Kyla looked curious, but she made no move to attack. “What’s your business here?” Her voice was cool when she spoke, and I blinked, not sure why she suddenly wanted to hold a conversation.

  She walked forward, and Brad grabbed my arm and yanked me to the floor beside him. I hit with a thump, falling hard on my right side.

  I looked at him, surprised he was even still alive, and that’s when I saw it. He was no longer bleeding, and his wounds had simply vanished.

  Shocked, I gasped as he clutched my shirt and pulled me closer. Once I was a few inches from his face, he licked his lips and whispered. “Stay down. I’m going to try and get us out of here.”

  I nodded, sure nothing he could do would help, but willing to try anything.

  Still on his back, he put his sweaty hand inside of my own. It was the only lifeline I had at the moment, so I held to it as tight as I could.

  He then reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small container, throwing it to the ground near Kyla and the two men. Thick black smoke rose from it and clouded the room. He’d had this planned. He must have known what was going to happen and had come prepared.

  I coughed, my eyes watering over. The smoke made things murky and gave Brad the opportunity to shoot that blue electric light from his palm and wrap it around the throats of the two men.

  From his spot on the ground, he raised them into the air, as they kicked and clawed to get free. Then he dropped them, and they hit with a splatter that told me they’d never walk again.

  Brad jumped to his feet and brought me up with him. I shivered, looking at the destruction around me, terrified of what came next.

  Kyla held out her hands as if to attack, and Brad snatched me up, pushing me behind him, out of the line of fire.

  I’d never been so grateful to someone in my life. I didn’t know why he put my protection before his own, and at the moment I really didn’t care.

  He spoke to me in an urgent whisper. “You want to make it out of here alive, you’ll do as I say. Hold on to my waist and no matter what, don’t let go.” Did he really think he needed to tell me that? Nothing in the world could remove my hands from around his waist.

  Kyla’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, and her lips curled into a sneer that turned her face into a horror show. “This is treason!” Her voice was hard and rough, full of righteous indignation and anger.

  Brad didn’t say anything, just held up his hand and encased her in blue electric light, weakening her. She tried to walk toward him, but her movements were stiff and forced.

  Brad smiled slightly and using what could only be described as telekinesis, he held out his hand, and slowly drew her forward. She looked shocked, and tried to struggle, but was unable to break his hold. The electricity blazed through her skin, and I knew she couldn’t stay standing much longer.

  I watched in amazement. How many powers did this man have? Telekinesis was something you saw on TV, not something that people were actually able to do. Well, it hadn’t been before this moment anyway.

  When he’d guided her to just inches away from him, he reached into her pocket and pulled out a small silver missile-shaped device, about the size of a keychain. He closed his hand around it and breathed a sigh of relief, before letting my hand go, and quickly moving forward to check the pockets of the dead men and getting th
eir small silver devices as well.

  He kept one hand up the whole time, making sure to hold Kyla in place.

  He came back a second later and lowered her to the ground, finally releasing his hold on her. She wobbled a bit and tried to stand, but her legs buckled and she went to her knees. He bent over her, that cocky look back on his face. “You will give me my freedom. All I ask is to be left alone! That’s all I want.”

  On the ground, Kyla tried to raise her hand, but it shook so bad, she ended up dropping it back to the ground. “You. Will. Obey. Me,” she said, her voice getting lower and lower as her body grew weaker and weaker. As a last-ditch effort, she reached for the necklace around her neck and snatched it off.

  Brad grabbed my hand, panic now on his face. “She just called in the cavalry, come on, we have to get out of here.”

  As he said it, we heard a loud boom as blue light busted through the right side of the building, knocking the wall out.

  My eyes went in that direction, thinking how messed up it was that we’d made it this far only to be taken out by the cavalry, whoever they were.

  Brad’s palm was moist. “Don’t let go of my hand! No matter what happens, you stay holding on.”

  The left side of the building erupted and more light shined in and this time I heard raised voices as the sound of footsteps headed our way.

  Cold fear worked itself into my gut and wouldn’t let go. We had to do something, but what?

  Brad too seemed defeated. His shoulders slumped, and a frown covered his face. “I don’t know if I have the energy for this. Just whatever you do, don’t let me go.” I shook my head. He kept saying that like I actually had other options.

  Once I assured him that I would hold on as tightly as I could, I felt a small lift, then the smell of gasoline and car fumes hit my nose. Dizziness washed over me, and my legs seemed to have turned to Jell-O. Leaning against a nearby wall, I opened my eyes to see we stood in a garage. Brad’s car, the same one I’d followed earlier, was now sitting in front of us.