Embraced by Fire

by Delamore, Louise

  She pulled a few papers out of a tray on her desk and was grabbing a pen when it hit him.

  “Did you say your name was Kait?”

  She looked up, surprised. “Yes, Kait Jones.”

  “Kait or Kat?” Ryu leaned forward in his chair, watching her face.

  “Kait, nobody’s called me Kat for years. Do I know you?” she asked cautiously.

  “Ryu MacKay. I was a year ahead of you at school. I didn’t recognise you straight away, your hair’s darkened as you’ve got older.”

  Leaning back in her chair, she ran her eyes over his face, clearly trying to match a memory to the man sitting in front of her. “Ryu MacKay—I can’t believe it.”

  He shrugged, oddly pleased she recalled him, despite needing prompting. “I’m not surprised you didn’t recognise me, we weren’t in the same year. I remember you because you were in the newspaper for rescuing that kid in the pool.”

  Kait chuckled. “Yeah, my fifteen minutes of fame.” She straightened and looked at the paper in front of her, time for reminiscing clearly over. “What can I do for you, Ryu?”

  He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat slightly. “I was hoping for a job. I do fire-eating, fire-walking…that sort of thing.”

  “I remember you did street shows while we were at school. My friends and I used to look out for your performances. You were very good. I didn’t hear what you did after graduation?”

  “I’ve only done street performing, but someone told me Fantasia Alive pays well and there’s regular work. I need the money so…I hoped you’d give me a shot.” He phrased his answer carefully, hoping to avoid her implied question of what he’d done since school.

  “What did you do after you left school?”

  Okay, so much for hoping he could avoid answering. “I joined the army but it didn’t suit.” Not the way the special unit he was part of now suited.

  His team was more than work colleagues, they were family. He felt part of the unit in the most fundamental way. He rubbed the tips of his fingers against his jeans as he remembered Adrian asking him to fill in on this undercover op at the last minute. As if he’d say no. Now he needed to make sure he didn’t fail.

  Kait finished making a note and asked, “Is this something to tide you over till you find something else, or are you looking to make it a career?”

  “Does that matter?”

  “Not really.” She tapped the pen against her lips as she considered him. “It helps if I know how long you plan to be with us. I would rather you were honest about needing only short-term work so I can plan ahead.”

  He rolled his shoulder hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. “In that case, honestly, I’m only looking for short-term employment.”

  “How long?” she asked, jotting something down.

  “Couple of months maybe, I’m not really sure.”

  She smiled and his gut clenched at the way her face softened. “Thank you for your honesty.”

  Honesty. If only she knew, she wouldn’t be so impressed. He cleared his throat. “No problem. So, do you have anything available?”

  “You’re in luck.” Another one of those smiles. “We’ve been looking for new performers and we don’t have anyone doing fire at the moment. You could be exactly what we need.” She stacked the papers and pushed them to one side. “I remember seeing you perform at school, but I’m afraid I need to see your current skill level. Do you have your equipment here to give me a demo?”

  “Yes, it’ll take me a couple of minutes to set up.”

  “Great. I’ll show you where.” She pushed away from her desk and led him into the main practice area.

  Once again he snuck a glance at her ass. How was he going to cope working here with that sort of temptation?

  Chapter 2

  Ryu opened his bag and set up the stand he’d designed for his routine. The base was a three-legged, cast-iron pot, heavy enough he didn’t need to worry about it tipping over. He filled it with some fuel and dropped in his torches.

  Next, he attached a metal platform to the top and placed several flammable balls in their specially designed holders. Finally, he set his cigarette lighter where he could reach it easily.

  “Ready?” He looked over at Kait who was leaning against one of the concrete pillars running the length of the room.

  She was no longer alone. The practice area had emptied and his impromptu audience of curious performers relaxed while they waited for him to start.

  Kait nodded. “Whenever you are.”

  He rolled his shoulders and swung his arms a few times, loosening the muscles. It was a while since he’d played with fire for an audience, and he was, he reluctantly admitted, more nervous than he expected about messing up.

  He reached into the pot and pulled out a torch, lighting it with the cigarette lighter. Fire surged across the tip of the torch and the familiar acrid scent of smoke hit his nose. He threw his mind into the flame, burning away distractions as heat flared in his veins.

  With a bold grin at his audience, he stroked the flame across the sensitive skin of his inner arms. The intense heat left a wake of tiny copper scales as his body instinctively protected itself. The scales vanished almost instantly, leaving his skin smooth and unmarked.

  He reached for a second torch. Touching the tips of the two torches together, he transferred flames to the new torch. With both lit he began a slow, almost lazy juggling pattern. Kait’s eyes followed the graceful dancing flames and he almost purred in satisfaction.

  After a few more throws, he caught the shaft of one of the torches between his teeth. There were quick, indrawn breaths from those watching and he smiled inwardly at their reaction, people always loved that move.

  Looking at the torch he still held, he flexed the fingers of his free hand, making sure the audience caught the movement, then he closed his fist over the flame, extinguishing it. Another satisfying gasp.

  Taking the torch from between his teeth, he spun it between his fingers, making the flame flutter and surge, then he ran the flame over his tongue. Once, twice. The dragon hidden beneath his skin roared silently at the taste of fire.

  Lifting the torch higher, he carefully lowered the burning tip into his mouth and closed his lips, snuffing out the torch but capturing the flame. After pulling the torch free he kept his mouth closed. The taste of fading fire dancing on his tongue was intoxicating.

  Spinning both torches like a baton twirler, he flexed the small muscles at the back of his throat and blew two bright flames, reigniting first one torch then the other. There was a murmur from the crowd. Few fire-eaters could hold a flame in their mouths that long and he knew they were impressed.

  Of course, he had an advantage over most performers. He didn’t need to hold the flames in his mouth. He could create his own.

  Lifting both torches to his mouth he did a double extinguish, then dropped them into their stand. Concentrating on controlling the fury of his fire, he blew a small flame onto the tip of each finger. The murmur from the crowd was louder now. He looked at his audience, his eyelids low, partially hiding his eyes. A happy buzz flooded his system. In this moment he wasn’t an agent, he was simply a performer, enjoying people reacting to his skill.

  The next part of the performance had a deliberately sensual edge and he let his eyes roam the audience, a slight smile on his lips. When he was sure he’d hooked them, he stroked his flaming fingertips over his throat then across his chest and stomach.

  As his fingers skimmed his body, he let his gaze linger on each of the women. Let them imagine his fingers were stroking them; let them imagine their fingers were stroking him.

  Finally, he reached Kait, who was watching him with fascination. His fingertips tingled as his tactic unexpectedly backfired. In his mind, he was no longer touching himself, she was. The thought made heat burst under his skin.

  Desperate to regain control, he let his eyes lock onto hers. He lifted a hand and leisurely sucked the flames from the tip of each finger, his eyes
never leaving hers. The dragon twitched its tail in pleasure when her chest shuddered in response.

  Once all his fingers, bar one, were back to normal, he broke contact and let his eyes move to include everyone. With his burning fingertip he touched the three juggling balls resting on the platform, waiting for a rush of flame before moving onto the next. He extinguished his fingertip with a quick lick.

  With the balls burning merrily, he pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket and stuck one in his mouth. He leaned forward and lit the cigarette from one of the juggling balls. The unpleasantly familiar taste of bitter molasses coated his mouth. The dragon objected to the false flames, preferring its own. Leaving the cigarette in his mouth, he scooped up the balls and began juggling.

  Mentally crossing his fingers, he hoped he still had the dexterity for this next manoeuvre. Juggling one-handed, he took his cigarette out and blew a clearly defined smoke ring. The sooty scent mingled with the smoke already lingering in the air. As the ring started to dissipate he blew more, juggling the balls through the rings.

  At last, he placed the balls back onto the rack. Flexing his fingers, his hands hovered over the balls before lowering to cup each flame in turn, extinguishing it.

  Turning back to his audience he blew one final smoke ring, this time in the shape of a heart. Several of the women giggled and he smiled at them. Taking the cigarette, he stubbed it out on the palm of his hand. Ignoring the fragmentary flicker of pain, he threw back his arms and gave an elaborate bow. From below his lashes he watched Kait’s reaction.

  Chapter 3

  Kait joined the enthusiastic applause breaking out from everyone watching. She couldn’t believe how good he was. She hadn’t seen a fire performance like that in… She hadn’t ever seen one like that. Ryu gave another smaller bow in thanks. He’d earned every iota of appreciation. He simultaneously captured the danger of fire-work and managed to exude raw sex appeal.

  She drew in a shuddering breath. When he sucked those flames from the tips of his fingers all she could think about was what those lips could do to her. Her legs felt as shaky as if he’d actually touched her. A man so mesmeric shouldn’t be allowed near women without a warning label.

  Moreover, she knew him, had lusted after him in the past. It was a high school fantasy come true, or since he was still unattainable, a nightmare. Ryu MacKay after all these years. She shook her head. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t recognised the guy she’d had a serious crush on for two years. Of course, she excused herself, he was wearing sunglasses when she met him, and his body had moved from boy to man since she last saw him. One hundred percent man.

  At school he’d been a good-looking boy and quite a few of the girls in her class swooned over him, but now…now he was downright hot. Not that he’d ever seemed to notice the way girls fluttered around him. The boys, on the other hand, had always been wary, like puppies careful not to antagonise a wolf.

  There was no remnant of boyishness now. She watched the flex of his muscles as he packed away his gear. His shoulders were broader and a hint of dark stubble shadowed his jaw in a way it never had at school. Then there was the scar riding across the top of his left cheekbone, that was new. Oddly enough she liked it; it stopped him being too handsome and gave him a dangerous, don’t-mess-with-me edge.

  She remembered the way he’d ducked his head when he asked for a job, his apparent humility sitting awkwardly against her initial impressions. An image of a toy she’d had as a kid popped into her mind. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. The little soft-toy dragon had been one of her favourites. When you squeezed his tail he squeaked and his little fabric flame flapped.

  She looked at Ryu’s broad back as he crouched to zip his bag closed. It was like looking at an actual dragon trying to appear as harmless as a toy. She took a deep breath, dangerous or not, she couldn’t stand here admiring his physique.

  “That was amazing.” She walked over to join him.

  He looked up and her stomach fluttered as eyes the colour of burnished copper met hers. He definitely needed a warning label.

  “Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He straightened, hooking the bag over his shoulder.

  “I’ve never seen some of your tricks.” Damn, she sounded more like an awe-struck teenager than one professional conversing with another.

  A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes and she couldn’t help smiling back. “I don’t reveal my secrets. So, I’ve got the job?”

  She chuckled. “I think the rest of the staff would have me committed if I said no. When can you start?”

  “When do you want me?”

  Right now, she thought before she could stop herself. Heat coloured her neck, and she hoped like hell she hadn’t said that aloud. She cleared her throat. “We’re not in peak season at the moment, but we’ve got a huge children’s party on Saturday and a big engagement the next Thursday if you’re free?”

  “Not a problem, the sooner the better. What’s the Thursday gig?”

  “Corporate event celebrating some kind of anniversary. Indoors, starts at five, ends late.”

  His body tensed and she wondered if he had something against indoor gigs, some fire workers did.

  “Does that suit you?”

  “Perfect.” His smile was a flash of teeth.

  She must have misread his tension. With a mental shrug she began walking back to her office so he could sign a contract. He fell in beside her. His body heat radiated through her thin blouse, and the hairs on her arms stood up as if trying to reach out and touch his wonderful warmth.

  She dragged her mind back to business. “After seeing your act, Ryu, I hope you decide to stay with us for a while. We need powerful performances.”

  “Call me Mac, almost everyone does.”

  She glanced at the man walking next to her. Mac? True his surname was MacKay, but he didn’t strike her as a Mac. Mac was a blunt object. No, she much preferred Ryu. Ryu was enigmatic yet exotic, more like her image of the man.

  “What happens if I call you Ryu?”

  “You can call me whatever you like.” He grinned at her. “As long as it’s reasonably polite.”

  “Then if you don’t mind, I think I’ll stick with Ryu.”

  He shrugged. “You and my grandmother.”

  Despite the shrug he looked uncomfortable so she shifted the conversation. “While I remember, you’ll need to drop the cigarette piece from your act.”

  “You didn’t like it?” He sounded surprised.

  “It was great, but we can’t use it with kids and we’ll be in a non-smoking venue Thursday night.”

  Ryu stopped and stared at her.

  “Crazy huh? Fire-eating’s fine, but no smoking.” She laughed at the expression on his face.

  He shook his head, following her when they started walking again. As she stepped into her office his scent reached her, making her blood hum—all spice, fire and man.

  ****

  Ryu let the door to Fantasia Alive close behind him with a thunk, and started up the road to where he’d parked his car. His cell phone warbled as he was about to unlock the door. Resting his arm against the scorching hot roof, he pressed the answer button.

  “Hello, Mac, how did it go?” The voice on the other end of the phone was calm, but then Ryu never heard Adrian get excited about anything.

  “I’m in.”

  “Who hired you?” a sweet voice asked, letting him know Delilah was with Adrian. “My checks on the boss and manger both came up clean, but I trust your instincts over a background check any day.”

  “I didn’t meet the boss, he wasn’t there. Kait Jones, the manager, hired me. Me, Ryu MacKay, not ‘Henry Adams’ as planned.” He leaned his hip more comfortably against the side of the car.

  “You used your own name, why?” Adrian’s voice was even flatter than usual, he hated it when things didn’t go according to plan.

  “I knew her at school. She didn’t recognise me initially, but I didn’t want to risk her rememberin
g later and having it bite us in the ass.”

  “You never said anything when you looked over the profiles.” Curiosity tinged Delilah’s voice, he seldom made oversights like that.

  “I didn’t order the profiles, Whittler did before he dashed off on his family emergency.” He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice as he answered. He’d had no time to prep for this op, something Delilah seemed to be forgetting. “You’re lucky I was here to pick up the slack on this job or you’d be learning the delicate art of fire-eating.”

  “Yeah, yeah, you’re an angel. What about the profiles?” Delilah ignored his grumble.

  Since his grousing was mostly for effect anyway he let it slide. “The files didn’t go as far back as school and I didn’t make the connection until I saw her. At school everyone called her Kat, never Kait.”

  “Sloppy work, Mackay. After the way Adrian’s talked about your latest work I expected more. Any decent agent would have taken the time to do his own research and profiles.”

  The nasal voice scraped Ryu’s nerves and he swallowed back his instinctive response. If Adrian hadn’t been desperate for help after Whittler left, Ryu would never have agreed to work with Neil again. When he thought of last time… He pushed his anger away, he’d play the hand he’d been dealt.

  “Time was an issue, sir. Actually, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. She saw me perform while we were at school so it gives the whole scenario more authenticity. Plus, I might be able to leverage our shared background.”

  “Just don’t over play your hand.” Adrian issued the same warning every time, regardless of the mission, so Ryu ignored him.

  “I’ve got my first show on Saturday.”

  “So soon?” Delilah asked.

  “What can say? I impress.” He heard Delilah’s laughter down the phone and smiled. There hadn’t been much to smile or laugh about lately but hopefully things were about to change.