“Sami, what’s happening? I can’t see.”
Sami glanced at the front door. No chance they were going that way.
“Hold on tight,” he said as the floor above cracked with another shuddering groan.
Hellfire pressed her face into his scaled chest and Sami hunched down, making sure to cover her completely as more of the second floor fell on top of them. Although he had Hellfire protected from the flames, the smoke was filling the house, cutting off oxygen. Sami twisted his neck and looked up.
Part of the second floor was gone and he could see a small section of the roof gaping open to the night sky. Light snowflakes drifted down from the heavens, only to quickly dissolve into nothingness from the heat of the fire.
“Hold on my love, I’m going to take us out of here,” he said and felt Hellfire tighten her grip on him.
“Okay, hurry, please. I can’t breathe.”
Assured that Hellfire was secure, he gathered himself, then with a mighty thrust, gave a giant leap upwards. He pulled his wings close, drew on all of his power, and shot straight up. Wood, drywall, insulation, and cross beams tore apart, splintering as he blasted through. Debris flew in every direction as they were freed from the burning home.
Sami flew up to the hill where Deacon had taken his last breath. Only now, there was no one about. Carefully, he set Hellfire on her feet worried that she had been hurt or had inhaled too much smoke. Then he shifted back into human form. “Are you okay?” he asked, heart in his throat as Hellfire shivered and absently rubbed her chaffed wrists.
Snowflakes, large and fluffy, continued to drop as she stared down the hill. The only thing left to see was bright orange flames reaching for the stars. Sirens from firetrucks and other rescue vehicles were loud in the night as they raced to the fire. A fire which was already too far gone to save the home they destroyed, but which the humans would try to keep from spreading to other homes.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said vaguely, but how could anyone really be okay after all that?
Not convinced, Sami looked her over. “What … what about the … the b-babies?” he asked, voice shaking at the idea that he was having not one more baby, but two.
Oh gods, two more babies! I don’t know anything about being a father, and with all that keeps happening around me … Just the thought of putting more life in his hands left him feeling sick.
Hellfire didn’t respond. Instead, her gaze dropped to see what Sami had shoved into her hands. With a gasp, fresh tears began to trickle down her face.
“I miss them so much,” she whispered, and sudden pain lanced through him at the sight of the framed photo of her family he’d snatched off the mantle.
Sami swallowed, guilt once again eating him up. I did this, I burned her home down, the only thing she had left of her parents. I really fucked up this time. But then, what else is new? That’s what I do, what I’m good at, fucking things up!
“I’m so sorry,” he said as his power shivered over and through him. Intense anger and guilt drew him down. The same worthless feelings that he’d lived for with so long started to suck him back under. Hellfire deserved more, a better man. He should have just left her alone.
Suddenly she looked up at him with a frown, wiped her eyes, and shook her head. “Sami?”
He was already losing himself to the darkness. Pain was filling him along with panic and he didn’t have anything to cut himself with to relieve the pressure. As Hellfire closed the distance between them, the faraway illuminations of the fire glinted off her razor-sharp wings.
Sami reached out. He’d cut himself and force the pain away.
Hellfire moved back. “No, Sami, what are you doing?” she asked, horrified.
“I-I need too, it’s growing out of control,” he rasped as if the air was being pulled from his lungs.
“No, you don’t.” Hellfire said gently as she drew close to him once again. But his dragon was roaring in agony and his power was dragging, dragging him down as it grew stronger.
“I don’t want to hurt you, I’m losing control,” he whispered and took a stumbling step back, away from her. I can’t let her get hurt again because of me, I can’t.
“Sami, stop,” Hellfire said. Her voice rang out clear and strong, cutting through the haze of his mind. Sami blinked in surprise as he met her gaze.
“It’s alright, you’re going to be okay,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him.
Sami’s breath left him in a great whoosh and a sob tore from his throat. He was home. Hellfire was his home. No matter where they were, as long as he was with her, he was home.
“It’s alright, Sami, I’ve got you, love.”
All at once everything disappeared, the panic vanishing. He could breathe. His power dissipated, leaving his dragon purring with contentment. Sami clutched his mate like the lifeline she was.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered again. The power she held over him, her ability to calm the raging storm was both amazing and humbling. However, he still felt an enormous amount of guilt. Sami buried his face against Hellfire’s head. He never wanted to let her go.
“For what? You saved my life,” she said.
“I destroyed your home. Your family’s home,” he said and tried to pull away, but Hellfire held him tight and didn’t let go. Miraculously, while in her arms, the darkness stayed away.
“No Sami. You didn’t.” She nodded back down the hill. “The Walkers did and it’s just a house, nothing more.” Hellfire’s eyes glowed silver as she stared at him. “You saved me from the Phoenixes, the Walkers, and the fire.”
Sami shook his head. “No, Brim—” He had started to remind her that it was her brother, but Hellfire shook her head and corrected him.
“My brother kicked Deacon’s ass, yes. But it was you who saved me. If it wasn’t for you coming after me, I’d be under his control right now.”
Still he shook his head. “I know how much your home meant to you.”
“Sami,” Hellfire said, staring into his eyes. “Not your fault. Do you hear me?”
He nodded, but didn’t believe. It was his fault, if he’d just found another way and not used fire.
“Sami,” she said again, snapping him out of it.
When Hellfire had his attention, she nodded. “I won’t lie and say I’m not sad about losing my home. My siblings and I, we had a lot of good memories there, but that was also the home of our worst nightmare which was why we no longer lived there. It was too painful. As for the good memories, I will always have them. But you,” She pressed her hand to his heart. “You are my home, Sami. I love you. All my life, I’ve dreamed of someone to make me feel special, loved. Cherished. Someone, who’ll stand up with me and protect me always, not just when it suits.”
She studied him and shook her head. “To have someone willing to die for me? That I never dreamed of.” Her eyes drilling into his soul so deeply, there was no doubt in him that she meant every word. His heart melted.
“I’d do it again,” he said.
Hellfire’s anger flared. “If you ever offer your life for mine again, I’ll hunt you down Sami. Don’t think I won’t!”
He nearly laughed as he imagined her following him into hell and kicking his ass. But for now, he could only stare at her, speechless. He did love her and no matter what she said, he’d lay down his life in a heartbeat for her, no questions asked.
“That back there—” She waved her hand at the fire down the hill. “As long as I’m with you, I am home,” she reiterated, staring into his eyes.
Sami was still having a hard time with the fact that he’d burned her home to ash and almost gotten her killed again, but finally he nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay,” Hellfire said and reaching up, pulled his head down for a kiss.
A kiss filled with love, understanding, and a promise of so much more. Finally, she sucked his lower lip between her teeth, drawing a groan from him as fire began to build inside of him. Letting his lip go, Hellfire pulled back and
without releasing him, stared back up into his eyes.
“I love you, Samarias, my soul mate. No matter what happens, we will get through it together, alright?”
Aching to be inside of her, yet still feeling vulnerable, Sami nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered again, willing to follow her anywhere, and to protect her and his babies with his life.
“Now, where too?” she asked with a little grin as she glanced around.
“Will you come home with me?” he asked hesitantly.
Hellfire tensed. “I’m really not comfortable there.”
Sami nodded. “I know. We could go to our family apartment. It’s not too far, but with all our enemies—”
“Yeah.” Hellfire sighed, and dropped her hands to encompass her still flat belly. She sighed again in resignation. “You’re right, we have more than us to think about now.”
“Look, let’s go to my home. I’ll talk to Tierney, and if you want we can even stay in one of the cabins. Please?” he asked.
Hellfire sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “All right, but Tierney hates me, and so does everyone else in your home. Although, Genna …” Hellfire screwed up her face in contemplation.
“Tierney and everyone else will grow to love you, but what’s this about Genna? If she did anything to you—” he growled.
“No. Actually, our babies are alive tonight because of her. If she hadn’t told me in a weird cryptic message that our babies wouldn’t live through the fire, I’d have let myself be reborn.”
Sami stared down at her, shocked.
Hellfire swallowed. “I knew I was pregnant but I never imagined I was having twins, although they do run in my family, so it makes sense.”
“I’m so sorry, no wonder you were so angry with me,” he said, wanting to kick himself for not realizing once he got Goldy pregnant that Hellfire could be as well.
Hellfire shook her head. “It’s fine. I understand now, and you couldn’t have known.”
“When did you find out?” he asked.
Hellfire gave him a wry grin. “Remember when we stopped at the pharmacy on the way to the airport?”
Sami nodded and frowned.
“I bought a home pregnancy test and did it on the plane to Ireland.”
“Oh gods,” Sami groaned, hating himself even more. No wonder she had looked like she was crying when she came out of the bathroom, she had been.
“Sami, don’t.” Hellfire hugged him close. “Please, we both need to stop beating ourselves up over all this.”
Sami nodded, but didn’t know if he’d ever be able to let it all go.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Dracones Home
SAMI AND HELLFIRE flew home to find Tierney, Jax, and Brimstone waiting for them as they landed.
“Tierney said our home burned down?” Brimstone asked as he hurried over to his sister.
Hellfire swallowed and with a quick glance at Sami, turned to her brother. “Yes, I’m sorry. The Walkers attacked us. Sami saved my life—again.”
Brimstone sucked in a deep breath and pulled his sister into his arms. “Fuck, I’m just glad you’re okay. Stop trying to give me heart attacks, will ya?”
Hellfire smiled at Sami as she hugged Brimstone back. “Where would the fun be in that?”
“Hellfire!” Brimstone growled, though there was a catch in his voice.
“Fine, I’ll try,” she amended.
“You better do more than try. I can’t lose another sister,” Brimstone whispered but Sami heard him.
Hellfire swallow hard and nodded guiltily. “I’m sorry. I’ll try not to worry you anymore.”
At that, Brimstone snorted and pulled away. “Yeah, and I’m the Easter Bunny!”
Tierney and Jax had both pulled Sami into a hug as well, whispering how glad they were he was okay.
“What happened bro?” Jax asked when they released him.
Sami sighed, still angry with himself for going anywhere unarmed. “The Walkers came back. One of them held a knife to Hellfire’s throat and I had no bloody weapons.” He shuddered at the feeling of helplessness and knew he’d never forget watching his mate being dragged to the door.
“Shit, I should have gone back, made sure you were okay,” Brimstone said, but Hellfire slipped her arm around Sami’s waist and glared at her brother.
“I don’t think you would have liked being around for our hot reunion,” she said.
Brimstone’s mouth gaped open, but Hellfire just smiled. “Sami and I are now bonded mates, you have no idea what it’s like—”
“Ah, yeah, don’t need to hear about your mating, thank you very much,” Brimstone said, cutting her off and covering his ears.
Hellfire laughed and rolled her eyes at him. “Anyway, my sexy, ferocious mate was incredible—”
“Gah, stop!” Brimstone yelled.
Hellfire ignored him. “He saved my life twice tonight. He burned those fuckers to little piles of ash.” She smiled up at Sami, love shining bright in her eyes.
Brimstone lowered his hands and nodded. “Good. I am glad those fuckers are no more.” Then he slapped Sami on the back.
Sami nodded, though he still felt bad. It wasn’t just Hellfire’s house, but had belonged to all of her siblings. “Unfortunately, I also started the house on fire, I’m really sorry.”
“Fuck the house, you saved my sister. That’s all that matters,” Brimstone said.
HELLFIRE GAVE SAMI a squeeze, knowing how much of a relief Brimstone’s words were to him.
“Can I talk to Hellfire, privately?” Tierney asked Sami.
Hellfire glanced up at Sami in surprise as his arm tightened protectively around her.
“Don’t worry. She’s your mate and I respect that. If she doesn’t do anything to hurt you, or anyone else here, then I won’t hurt her either. I promise,” Tierney said, staring at Sami and talking like Hellfire wasn’t even there.
A tendril of magic floated through the air, but Hellfire was to embarrassed and angry to noticed. She couldn’t believe Tierney was asking Sami for permission to talk with her, like she was an object.
Then as Sami and Jax sucked in a shocked breath, she frowned.
Sami glanced down at her. “Tierney is bound by her promises.”
Hellfire’s eyes widened in surprise and then her anger evaporated as she realized that Tierney was just trying to reassure Sami that she had no intent on hurting his mate.
Sami nodded at Tierney. “Only if Hellfire is willing.”
Tierney turned to her. “Well? Can we talk privately?”
Hellfire nodded. “Fine.”
Sami loosened his hold on her and Hellfire walked away across the yard where they’d have some privacy. She turned to wait for Tierney only to jump when she found the woman right behind her. Holy shit! Tierney hadn’t made any sound at all.
Hellfire and Tierney stared at each other for a second then Tierney grimaced. “Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot.”
Hellfire narrowed her eyes. “You don’t have to pretend. I know you don’t like me.”
Tierney sighed deeply and her gaze softened. “Hellfire, I don’t even know you. What I didn’t like, and won’t stand for, is seeing someone I do love being hurt.”
Hellfire pursed her lips. She hated that she had done just that. “I didn’t mean—”
Tierney held up a hand, stopping her. “Maybe you didn’t mean to, but you did hurt him, badly.” Tierney sighed. “Sami explained what happened. About the dream and Brimstone and Nera filled us in on the rest. I’m sorry you’ve gone through so much. I just wish you’d gotten to know Sami better before you hurt him. You’d have known that he’d never hurt you or anyone you love,” she said and tears glistened in her purple eyes.
“I do know that. Now,” Hellfire whispered, guilt weighing her down.
She saw Sami start toward her, concern on his face and held up a hand, stopping him. ‘I’m fine,’ she told him before facing Tierney again.
“If I could go back and cha
nge things I would.” Hellfire shrugged. “I can’t undo the past.”
“I know, and supposedly everything happens for a reason, or some shit like that. I just don’t want to see him hurt like that again. I hated being unable to help him,” Tierney said.
Hellfire swallowed hard. “I know what he did.” She tried to keep the tremble out of her voice but it still betrayed her.
Tierney shook her head, glanced over at the men, and then back at Hellfire. “We almost lost him. Look, whatever happens, please don’t hurt him. Don’t leave him, it will kill him.”
“I’m so sorry,” Hellfire whispered, fighting to hold back her own tears. She couldn’t meet Tierney’s eyes. “I hate myself for what I did. Sami is wonderful. I never meant to hurt him.”
“Do you love him?” Tierney asked.
Hellfire felt heat filling her face. “Yeah. Yes. I do. More than anything,” she said and meant it.
Tierney smiled then. “Good. So, we both love him and want him to be happy, right?”
Hellfire nodded, wondering where Tierney was going with this.
“Well, you’re his mate and like I said earlier, unless you hurt him or anyone else here, we won’t have a problem.”
Hellfire pursed her lips for a moment, then spoke. “Well, unless they attack me or mine, I won’t bother anyone. Although, what about Goldy?”
Tierney sighed. “Right. Goldy. We all care about her. She has a beautiful soul, and she really cares about Sami.”
Anger and jealously filled Hellfire, but Tierney shook her head. “Sami loves you. You are his soul mate, so don’t worry about Goldy. Really, she cares about him too much to try to hurt him through you. Did Sami tell you, she helped him find you?”
Hellfire swallowed, stunned and confused. “No, he didn’t. Why would she do that?”
Tierney shrugged. “Like I said, she cares about Sami and besides, it’s part of her pure nature.”
Hellfire wanted to snort but held back.
Tierney continued. “Just remember, she’s also been hurt. So try to understand. Give her space and time.”
Hellfire nodded. “I’ll try,” she said, doubtfully. “But I’m not taking any crap either,” she warned.
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