Embraced by Fire

by Delamore, Louise

  —K

  —

  She pressed send and waited, breath locked in her lungs, for his reply.

  —

  From: Johnny.Blake@FantasiaAlive.com

  To: Kait Jones

  Subject: RE:

  I’m sorry, Kait, I’m pretty sure I was followed on Saturday.

  They know about you.

  —J

  —

  Blood drained out of her face, leaving her pale and shaking. They know about you. They know about you. They know about you. The words danced in front of her eyes. She blinked, blinked again, trying to focus. Her fingers clenched and for a moment she couldn’t type.

  —

  From: Kait.Jones@FantaisaAlive.com

  To: Johnny Blake

  Subject: RE:

  What’s going to happen? Am I ok?

  —K

  —

  She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead and waited for his reply. And waited. Just when she thought he wouldn’t reply…

  —

  From: Johnny.Blake@FantasiaAlive.com

  To: Kait Jones

  Subject: RE:

  No.

  I’m sorry.

  —J

  —

  No, she looked at his two bare sentences, and wanted to throw up. That answered her question. No, she wasn’t okay. She was so screwed. Why, oh why, had she decided to Lone Ranger this one? Heck, not even the Lone Ranger, at least he’d always had Tonto. She needed help and she needed it bad.

  She dragged her eyes away from her computer screen, not wanting to look at Johnny’s upsetting email anymore. Reality rushed in like a wave. She gripped the edge of her desk, desperate for something to anchor her. She hadn’t been imagining things last night. Someone was watching her. Suddenly the night took on even scarier proportions.

  She was going to have to tell Ryu. She was going to have to look in his eyes when he found out everything she’d hidden from him. She hated herself for admitting part of her reluctance was over something as trivial as her feelings and her hopes. He would never look twice at her after this, not with magic in his eyes. Not that he ever had. Bye-bye secret fantasies.

  ****

  Ryu shouldered through the door into Fantasia Alive with a smile on his face and a bounce in his step.

  “You’re in a better mood today,” Carol said, looking him over. Taking in his faded jeans, black t-shirt, and worn boots that looked like they belonged on a German paratrooper.

  They were Ryu’s favourite boots. Practical for his job, plenty of room for a knife and, as a dragon, it was always wise to wear something you could use to stomp out flames.

  “Darn tooting.” He gave her a full grin.

  Carol laughed. “It’s ages since I’ve heard anyone say that. What’s put you in such a cheerful mood, and can I have some?”

  “Productive weekend and Monday wasn’t bad either.” He gave her a friendly wave as he left reception and walked toward Kait’s office.

  Spock had decrypted all the files and as a result they had fresh leads to follow. They still hadn’t found Johnny, but the net was drawing tighter. Whistling under his breath, Ryu knocked on Kait’s door and, without waiting for an answer, pushed it open.

  Kait’s appearance shocked the whistle right out of him. She was gripping the edge of her desk, white knuckled. Her eyes like huge, green craters in her chalky face.

  “What the hell happened?”

  At his words her eyes jerked up and her mouth opened on a silent “O”. He slammed the door closed behind him. Whatever she had to tell him, he doubted she wanted it to be privy to anyone walking past.

  “What the hell happened?” he asked again.

  She waved a shaky hand toward the chair. “Take a seat.”

  He sat without taking his eyes from hers. She licked her lips nervously. Whatever was going on, she didn’t want to tell him. His jaw tightened, his good mood washed away in a rush of dire presentiment.

  She blinked and her throat moved in a convulsive swallow. “I’ve done something I shouldn’t have.”

  He kept his body perfectly still, his expression blank. “What have you done?”

  “On Friday, after you left with the flash drive, I received another email from Johnny.” She clasped her hands on the desk, refusing to look at him, as she told him how she’d agreed to meet with the man they were all looking for. How she’d made a copy of the drive and given it to Johnny, and how he now wanted the original.

  “It gets worse,” she said, finally looking up.

  “It gets worse?” His voice sounded flat in his ears.

  “Johnny thinks they had him under surveillance and saw us meet on Saturday.” She cleared her throat. “Since then I’ve felt like someone was watching me. Last night I totally freaked out walking to my car.”

  “I’m curious to know why you didn’t ring me. Did the number I gave you perhaps not work? Or was it your phone that was out of commission?” His skin was as cold as his voice. He recognised the feeling—a precursor to rage. In a moment, fury would flame through his body burning away the frost.

  “I…I wanted to give Johnny a chance to turn himself in.” Her eyes widened as she watched him.

  He checked if his eyes had gone dragon, they hadn’t, but from the way the colour saturations in the room were changing they were close. “Did I, or did I not, warn you these people were dangerous?”

  “Yes, you, umm…you did.” She was back to not looking at him.

  “Then why, for God’s sake, did you go and meet the little rat-bastard alone?” He wanted to shout, but knowing the building wasn’t empty his voice dropped to a raw growl.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I wanted to help him.”

  Ryu ran his fingers through his hair. Shit. Yelling at her wasn’t going to help. What was done, was done. He needed to focus on what steps to take next. Launching himself out of his chair, he paced her small office in quick, angry steps.

  “Do you have any idea what these people are capable of, Kait?”

  “Johnny said they would kill him…and me, if they found out.” She looked at her hands again as if they held the answers.

  “Well, Johnny-boy is right. As of Saturday, death is definitely on the agenda.”

  “I’m sorry.” Her whisper was almost silent.

  He sighed. “No, I’m sorry. I obviously didn’t make the danger clear enough.” He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to order his thoughts, then said, “We can’t change what’s happened, but we can make the best of this situation.”

  “I didn’t tell him about you.”

  “Thank the Lord for small mercies.” If she’d spilled the beans about Ryu and his team it would have been game over.

  “I’m not completely stupid.” The force behind the words told him she was trying to convince herself more than him.

  “I know you’re not, you were looking out for a friend. Unfortunately you’ve never been in a situation where being a good friend could get you killed.”

  Her lips trembled and she pressed them together tightly. He swore silently to himself. Walking around to her side of the desk, he dragged her chair around so she was facing him. Ignoring her gasp, he knelt in front of her and tucked both her knees next to his right hip. Leaning forward, he took her face in his hands and caught her eyes with his.

  “It’s going to be okay. It might seem like a mess right now, but it’ll be all right. We’ll find a way to make this work.”

  “How?” Her eyes glistened and the word held a quiver.

  “Well, that’s the question isn’t it?”

  “Oh, Ryu, I’m so sorry I screwed things up.” Her voice caught on a sob.

  Pulling her close, he wrapped his arms around her. Not the most comfortable position but he could tell it gave her comfort. He hated seeing a woman breakdown, but it was worse when the woman in question wasn’t the type who usually cracked.

  She didn’t cry, which surprised him, she just held him tight and bur
ied her face against his neck, breathing in his scent. It was such an animalistic action, more typical of a shifter than a human, that he questioned his instinctive interpretation. As he stroked her spine he let his own nostrils flare. She smelt of fear and sadness, jasmine and cinnamon lotions, and intrinsically Kait.

  He lightly touched his lips to the softness of her hair, wishing he could bury his face in the silky mass. “You didn’t screw things up, they were a mess already.”

  “I wish I’d called you.” Her voice came out muffled against his neck and he reluctantly pulled away.

  “You remember that next time you have a crazy impulse to go off on your own.” He should stand up and put some distance between them, but he didn’t want her to see his body’s extremely inappropriate response to being so close to her. This was neither the time nor the place. His constant lament.

  “I will, I promise.” Her voice was fervent.

  He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers linger on the red-hot strand.

  “What are we going to do?” Her eyes searched his face as if the answers were written there.

  “This isn’t the end of the world. In fact, I’m sure we can find a way to work it to our advantage.” He paused. “However, you’re in a lot more danger than you were before. These people do not like loose ends of any sort.”

  She closed her eyes. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to shut out the truth, or if she was trying to absorb the true import of the situation.

  “Kait, look at me.” He waited until her eyes opened, then said, “I know Johnny’s your friend but you need to focus on your safety, not his problems.”

  “I just wish…” Her voice trailed off.

  He ran his thumb along her cheekbone catching the single tear that finally escaped. “Yeah, me too.” Some things just didn’t need to be said.

  He pulled her into his arms again, letting her rest her head on his shoulder while she gathered her thoughts. He wanted to be angry with her for going behind his back to help Johnny, but he couldn’t. He was angry it happened, but he wasn’t angry at her.

  If it was one of his friends in trouble he’d do everything in his power to help. The difference was he had skills and experiences to help in this sort of situation. Skills and experiences Kait did not have. That lack made her determination and bravery more striking.

  At least she’d told him rather than deny the seriousness of the situation, or worse try solving it herself. He cringed at the thought of Kait trying and dying. He pulled her a little tighter against him and listened to her quiet breathing. There was something infinitely precious about her.

  With his focus on her, rather than his thoughts, he couldn’t help but become more aware of the contact between their bodies. The soft, womanly warmth of her breasts pressed against him did nothing to subdue his increasing tension.

  Finally, unable to hold her anymore without letting his hands wander inappropriately, he pulled away. At least he tried. Kait’s hands tangled in his t-shirt pulling him up short. Startled by his abrupt movement, she looked at him in the same moment he looked at her. Their eyes locked.

  Fate.

  That’s what it felt like. One of those moments in time that no matter what you do you can’t escape. He didn’t want to escape. A small part of his brain was shouting he had no choice, he must escape. He ignored it.

  Her pupils dilated and her tongue flickered over her lips. He wasn’t sure who moved first, but before he could stop himself he lowered his head and let his lips capture hers.

  Perfect.

  Sweet.

  His lips drifted softly against hers, making no demands, simply relishing the contact. He wanted this, needed it. His past experiences had jaded him, but something about Kait brought back the magic.

  Her arms rose and wrapped around his neck, pressing more of her body against his. He sank the fingers of one hand into the brightness of her hair. The other he slid down her thigh, holding her tighter against him. He wished her legs were on either side of his hips instead of both of them tucked to the right. He hadn’t felt so aroused in the longest time.

  Her lips parted, inviting him deeper. His tongue delved into her mouth, playing with hers. His heart pounded in his chest so hard he could feel it in his fingertips. He deepened the kiss further, his mouth devouring hers. She rose to the implicit challenge, giving as good as she got.

  His dragon stirred. The ache in his body became almost painful as his desire to take her, to make her his, became overwhelming. His palm tingled as he slid his hand up her thigh, over her hip, then under her blouse. The softness of her skin stretched over her ribs. Her breasts were trapped between their bodies but he cupped the side of one full mound. Hating the fabric of her bra interrupting his enjoyment of her skin. She moaned softly.

  The sound brought him crashing back to reality. What on Earth was he doing? His mind filled with Neil’s nasal voice telling him he was making the right choice. Telling him getting close to her was a way to control her, to get information. Telling him sex was a tool, and so was he. The pleasure in his blood dried up, replaced with old, bitter memories.

  This wasn’t right. He couldn’t do this, not to Kait and not to himself. She was afraid right now and desperately seeking comfort, but he wasn’t the man to offer it to her. He’d promised himself he’d never again have sex with a woman directly involved in a case he was working. When he had sex it was going to be for pleasure, not work, and he wasn’t going to hear Neil’s voice in his head. There would be no one in the room but him and his partner.

  A partner who was unlikely to be Kait. He wasn’t good enough for her. Who’d want a man who’d done the things he’d done. Besides, she’d never accept the truth of his nature. In a real relationship his dragon was a secret he’s have to share. He was working a case, when it was over he would leave. Reluctantly, he pulled away.

  Clearing his throat, he said, “That should never have happened. I don’t trifle with women involved in my work.”

  Her eyes opened and she looked at him in bewilderment. Her red lips and dilated eyes evidence he wasn’t the only one who’d been lost in the moment. He caught himself leaning toward her again, desperate for another taste.

  Standing up quickly, he turned his back on her as he tried to get his body under control. Focusing on the pain twinging through his knees from kneeling distracted him from his body’s other demands. He’d never lost control like that.

  He took a deep breath. He knew he needed to say something, anything, to break the palpable tension in the room. “I’m sorry. I can’t stand to see a woman cry.” Except that wasn’t the real reason and he knew it, knew it the same way she must know it was a lie, after all she hadn’t been crying. “I was totally out of line, it won’t happen again I promise.”

  He didn’t dare look at her.

  There as a taunt pause then she took a shuddering breath. “It was nothing, it’s been an emotional morning.”

  He closed his eyes. Nothing? Did she mean it? Did she really think it was nothing, or was she trying to maintain her dignity? It didn’t matter. He opened his eyes. He wasn’t here for romance. He was here to do a job and he was wasting time.

  His body under control again, he forced himself to focus on the issue at hand. Pushing the last few moments into the dark recesses of his mind, he turned over the issues at hand. Trying to work out how to leverage recent events to their advantage without letting Kait get hurt, because keeping her from harm was definitely a priority.

  He turned back to her, his mind once more focused on the job at hand. “Can you print me copies of all your email exchanges with Johnny?”

  She still looked a little pale but she nodded. “Yes, I’ll do that now.” Leaning over her machine she set it to print then hurried out the office to collect the copies.

  He suspected part of her alacrity was due to a desire to have a moment alone. He bit his lip, using the pain to anchor himself. Their kiss had been wonderful, but it could never happen again. In fa
ct, he intended to act as if it had never happened at all.

  By the time she returned with the printouts, he had a rudimentary plan of attack.

  “I’m going read these, then I’ll call my boss and talk strategy.” This was important enough he would have to phone Neil, but he intended to conference Adrian in on the call. “Whatever you do, do not leave this building without letting me know. Clear?”

  She nodded. “Crystal.”

  “Okay, you have my number if you need to get hold of me.”

  He was turning away when he felt her fingers around his upper arm. He stopped and looked at her, eyebrow raised. Was she going to berate him for the kiss?

  “I…I wanted to thank you,” she said hesitantly.

  “For what?” Not the kiss surely?

  “For not yelling at me, helping me even though I’m an idiot.” She shrugged.

  “I told you, you’re not an idiot, you’re a loyal friend. Loyalty like that is a precious gift, one Johnny is squandering.” Bloody Johnny. He brushed the tips of his fingers over hers where they rested on his arm.

  She smiled tremulously and released his arm, her fingers brushing the skin beneath the edge of his sleeve. He stepped back before she noticed his skin’s reaction. Giving her a small smile, he left her office to find somewhere for a private conversation.

  ****

  Ryu sat in his car and read through the printouts Kait had given him. Tracing the dialogue was an odd kind of torture. At the last email he threw the pages onto the seat next to him. The callous little weasel hadn’t even been able to write her name. Adrian was right, there were some situations where sorry wasn’t good enough.

  Thinking of Adrian, he picked up his phone and dialled in the code that would not only secure the line, it would conference Adrian into this call with Neil. When he heard the call connect, he picked up the printouts and quickly read through the first email exchange, pausing to summarize the visit in the park, before reading today’s emails. Then he waited for the explosion.

  “What the fuck!” As Neil attempted to deafen him and Adrian, Ryu held the phone away from his ear.

  “That’s a very accurate summary, sir,” Ryu was unable to resist saying.