Ignited By Flames

by Day, Vella

  Chapter Ten

  Just as Anderson was about to leave, his phone rang. He held up a finger to quiet the group. “Excuse me,” he said. He returned his attention to the caller. “This is Detective Caspian.” He listened for a good thirty seconds. “Is he dead? I’m glad. I’ll head on over now. Thanks.” He disconnected and then addressed the group. “I have no idea if these two cases are connected, but someone just attacked mine owner, Gregory Malpan.”

  “Shit,” Declan said. “How is he? Not that I liked the guy, but I don’t want to see anyone else harmed.”

  “He’s alive,” Anderson said.

  “Did a wolf do it?” Greer asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m going over to the hospital now to get the details. Malpan’s finally conscious, so hopefully, he’ll be able to tell us who attacked him and why. I’d love to get an identification even if there is no connection to the man who killed Betty and Henry.”

  “It’s probably someone he cheated,” Declan mumbled under his breath.

  “I’ll let you all know what we find out,” Anderson said, acting as if he hadn’t heard Declan’s comment.

  “Do you think the two cases could be connected?” Uncle Jamison asked.

  “Probably not, but Malpan is one of the few miners, besides yourselves, who mine sardonyx. Bottom line is everyone needs to be careful. If there is another maniac on the loose, we have to be vigilant.”

  A moment before Anderson reached the door, Birk rushed in. Everyone turned his attention to him. “You find anything?” Anderson asked his cousin.

  “I had Chris look at the video feed. While it shows this mystery man coming into the store, the guy kept his head down the whole time. The hat he was wearing shaded his face. It was almost as if he knew where the cameras were located.”

  “I don’t know how he would know that. I’ve never seen him in the store before,” Tory piped up. “And I’m good with faces.”

  Greer shook her head. “I’ve never seen him before either.”

  Anderson blew out a breath. “Look, we have no proof that the man wanting to buy jewelry made from sardonyx is anything other than a customer. However, I’m hoping Malpan can shed some light on it. Don’t worry, we’ll find who killed Betty and Henry sooner or later.” Anderson pulled open the door and left.

  Uncle Jamison stood. “I know Anderson is on this case, but we need to put out some feelers. Use our network and maybe warn anyone going back to Silver Lake that it could be dangerous. If one of these Changelings got through once, more might come.”

  As if Uncle Jamison’s word was law, they shoved back their chairs and took off. While she had debated not telling Blake what happened because he’d want to search for the guy himself, she didn’t want any secrets between them.

  Brother Richard had found the mother lode of sardonyx! The only thing dampening his joy was that he’d barely escaped town with it. Good thing he was able to enter the forested area before that damned dragon shifter got a hold of him. He had to admit it had shaken him to the core. He’d been in this place less than a week, and the number of dragons flying overhead had been unnerving. While he had never seen any of these creatures attack a person, their size alone was enough to scare the crap out of him. He was thankful these beasts never had the desire to go to Silver Lake.

  As soon as Brother Richard no longer sensed the dragon, he’d stashed the stolen car in a dense patch of foliage along the side of the road since he couldn’t afford for the police to find it. If they did, he’d be screwed for many reasons. The last thing Brother Richard needed was to be arrested and kept in jail indefinitely for illegally entering this dragon-loving place. Moreover, he didn’t relish returning to the city on foot—even in his wolf form—both of which would be tough.

  Once he stepped out of the car, he undressed and then tied his prized possession in his shirt. After he shifted, he took off for his lair deep in the forest where no one would find him.

  Even after traveling on the uneven path for twenty minutes, he had no problem locating the spot where he’d been staying for the week. He’d marked it well. Wanting the sardonyx safe, Brother Richard dug a deep hole and dropped his valued asset inside. While the amount of sardonyx would be enough to power his Changeling Clan for a while, he wanted to take home more. He alone would save his Clan.

  The issue was that he wasn’t ready or able to go back to Silver Lake yet. That would take some research on how to do it. Clearly that portal thing was the ticket, even though he’d never heard of anyone mentioning they’d used portals before. Thank goodness, he remembered the location where he’d arrived, so at some point, he’d return home the same way he came.

  The return trip notwithstanding, he wanted to find more of this magical rock to secure his Clan’s future.

  All Richard had to do now was wait for the next red moon, touch someone about to enter the portal and take his place. That was assuming that same man wasn’t standing watch, asking all sorts of questions. If that were the case, returning might be harder than Richard first thought.

  Brother Richard had already tried using his phone to call one of his Clan members to let him know where he was—not that he knew his exact location—but he had no service. Maybe he’d have to steal someone’s phone and give it a try. He certainly couldn’t afford to buy a new one. While the man and woman he’d killed had some kind of foreign money on them, he would have to ration it if he planned to stay another few weeks.

  When he’d first stepped through that ring, he thought he might end up someplace familiar, but boy had he been wrong. Only by studying the storefront windows this past week was he able to figure out he was in a town called Edendale, wherever that was.

  Granted, the money here was different, but that didn’t mean all that much. Most countries had currency different from the United States. Oddly enough, none of the cars were a familiar brand, but he did spot someone with an iPad. He could only conclude that he was on some remote island, which might be why there were those flying dragons circling overhead all the time. One big plus of landing here instead of someplace else was that the weather was warmer than in Silver Lake, and secondly, everyone spoke English.

  His trip to the jewelry store the other day had merely been an excuse to scope out the shop for sardonyx. While they didn’t have what he wanted, a bonus was finding the stunning woman with the strawberry blonde hair. Hell, he’d nearly salivated when he first noticed her. At night, he couldn’t stop thinking about what it would be like to taste her. The problem was if she accepted a date with him, once they started chatting, he might let something slip about Tennessee and prove to her that he didn’t belong.

  The next afternoon, Brother Richard returned to town. Not that he was following the stunning jewelry store woman or anything, but when he happened to spot her enter some spa store, he decided to see what she was up to. Had she not been with a tall man who looked as if he could break anyone in half, this might have been his one chance to bump into her and strike up a conversation. Shit.

  When Brother Richard casually glanced in the window to check on the lady, his heart had nearly stopped from the rush. There was enough sardonyx in the store to keep the Changelings safe for a long time. Unfortunately, the store also had surveillance cameras in every corner. If at the end of his time in Edendale, he’d found no more sardonyx, for sure he would return and take whatever he needed.

  Yes, it would be best if he could just purchase a few lamps instead of resorting to stealing, but he had little money. Not only didn’t he have any credentials with him to get a job in this town, his skills as a landscaper might not transfer well. Too many of the plants and tree species were unknown to him. Other than the fact this place had a ton of sardonyx, it sucked.

  After stealing the sardonyx lamp from the woman’s house and almost getting caught, he decided it might be better to find someone who mined it instead. This morning, while he was in a coffee shop, Brother Richard had overheard two guys talking about Gregory Malpan’s copper mine. When the
y mentioned the vein of sardonyx his workers had unearthed, his ears perked up. He figured this miner guy might be his ticket to fame. So off he went to have a little chat with Mr. Malpan. Too bad when he spoke to the owner about cutting a deal, the guy ended up being a whining, sniveling, fool who refused to deal. He had been such an asshole.

  The only good thing to come out of the trip was that right before Malpan passed out from his beating, Malpan told him about the Caspian mines. According to him, they had the mother lode of sardonyx, and Brother Richard couldn’t wait to take it off their hands.

  The SinCas jewelry store had been open for an hour when Thane showed up with several small cameras in hand.

  “What are those for?” Tory asked her brother.

  “Security. We have cameras installed near the ceiling, but none are at counter height.” Thane stuck one right under the lip. “This way we’ll be able to see their faces and possibly catch someone who is an expert at sleight of hand.”

  Greer went over to check out his handiwork. “No one will be able to come in here and avoid being caught on camera.”

  Thane smiled. “That’s the point!”

  For the next half hour, her cousin installed the devices, and Greer actually felt more secure knowing that no one could steal something and get away with it. His or her face would be in cyberspace for life. When Blake had first come in and attacked her, there had been a lot of blind spots in the store. Now no more.

  For the rest of the day, Greer worked hard to stay focused on her job. While she couldn’t see the bank from the front of the store, she knew Blake wasn’t far away, and that thought kept her libido going crazy. She had it bad, though in a way, Greer considered it a good thing. It meant they really were mates.

  “Are you going to see Blake tonight?” Tory asked once their customer left.

  “I haven’t heard from him today, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he just stopped by.”

  As if she were psychic, her cell rang. She snatched it out of her purse and checked the caller ID. “Well, what do you know? It’s Blake.”

  Tory grinned. “Answer it, cousin dear.”

  Greer smiled. “I’ll take it in the back room.”

  Tory laughed. “That’s smart. I don’t want to be any more jealous than I already am.”

  Greer smiled and stepped into the back room before taking the call. “Hey.”

  “How are you? Any more men looking for sardonyx?”

  While his tone held some humor, she almost shivered. “No, and if anyone comes in, we have enough cameras positioned around to see every face. Thane installed a ton of monitors today. I wasn’t watching carefully, but I believe he put some in the display case. That way, we’ll be able to see everything a person is looking at.”

  “That’s fantastic.” Noise sounded in the background, but she couldn’t tell if he was in an office with the door open or in a larger room. “I was wondering if you’d like to come over to my place tonight for dinner?” he asked.

  “You cook?”

  He laughed. “Absolutely. Just because I was raised with hired helped doesn’t mean I don’t know my way around the kitchen.”

  “I apologize for assuming. To be honest, it was because you were a man that I drew the conclusion, and that was wrong of me.”

  He chuckled. “No problem. It’s a common misconception. Truth is, once my mom married Hanson, my parents were always going to benefit concerts or to some party. As a result, they weren’t home a lot, so I hung out in the kitchen. Teresa was our head cook, and she took me under her wing. I learned a lot.”

  “I’m thrilled. My cooking skills are sorely lacking. What time would you like me?”

  “Seven?”

  “I’ll be there. I know you live above the bank, but how do I get in? You said it was secure.”

  He gave her the passcode for the entry in back. “Just come hungry.”

  “Oh, I will.” Hungry for him.

  When she returned to the store, Tory was helping another customer. From then until closing, it turned into a revolving door of people, which was a good thing for business, but not so good for her nerves. She couldn’t wait to have one peaceful night with Blake—one without interruptions.

  Blake was actually a bit nervous about this evening. He wanted to see Greer; correction: he needed to see Greer. She’d become like a drug. While that might seem crazy to an outsider, it was the truth. He’d never felt like this before with any woman.

  While he did want to have dinner with her, he had a hidden agenda in asking her to his place tonight.

  The outside door to his apartment opened, causing his body to heat. He glanced at the security camera, even though he knew it was Greer. Hell, he could sense her, but he wanted to see what she was wearing.

  Big mistake. At the sight of her short denim skirt and cute white T-shirt, his cock turned rigid. Forcing down his strong urges, Blake pressed a button that unlocked the inside door. She stepped into the entryway and took the stairs. Oh, how he loved the sound of her heels as she climbed the steps up to his apartment. He stood at the entrance with the door open. When she rounded the bend, she looked up, saw him, and smiled.

  “Welcome,” he said.

  “Good thing I work out. That is one long set of stairs.”

  He chuckled. She wasn’t out of breath at all. “I’ve thought about installing an elevator, but I often enter from the roof.”

  “Cool.”

  Greer stepped inside, and her scent made his dragon jump. Blake’s scales were flashing black against his sand colored ones, matching the speed and intensity of Greer’s light-yellow ones. He leaned over and kissed her. It was the welcoming kind—not too deep. As much as he wanted to do more—a lot more—if he started, he might never stop. “Care for some wine?”

  “Sure.” She hesitated for a second, as if she had expected him to sweep her into his arms and press his body against hers. That would come soon enough.

  “Red okay?” he asked.

  “Perfect. This is really nice,” she said, looking around. “I expected you to be more of a modern guy.”

  He chuckled. “Remember, I grew up in a castle. I was surrounded by old shit.”

  She laughed. “This hardly qualifies as old. Everyone seems to own leather sofas. Your cloth one is nice. I like the comfortable and clean look.”

  “Thank you.” Blake poured the wine and handed her a glass and then held up his. “To mates!”

  “To mates.”

  She sipped her wine and then set the glass down on the kitchen counter. Her eyes shone purple, and her arms flashed. “I wouldn’t mind another hello kiss.”

  “Let me turn off the oven. I don’t want to burn dinner.”

  Greer grinned. “How long do you expect to be kissing me?”

  “Forever.” He placed his glass on the counter next to hers and then jogged to the stove to turn it off. When he returned to her side, he scratched his chin. “Now what did I come over here for?”

  “This,” she said.

  Greer wrapped her arms around his neck, and when she stood on her toes and kissed him, pulses of need and lust nearly felled him. He drew her close, and his body felt as if it was catching on fire from having her breasts plastered against his chest. The kiss turned into a feast. Greer ran her hands up and down his back. Somehow, in all the mental chaos, she managed to remove his shirt without breaking contact. Good thing he’d unbuttoned his cuffs, or she’d have struggled a bit.

  “I think we need to take this someplace else. You up for a little air?” he asked.

  She leaned back. “You want to go outside?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  “Of course.”

  That meant the world to him. “Come on and take your glass. I had planned to show you this after dinner, but I can’t wait.” Blake led her down a hallway that ended at a door. “This leads to the roof. The bank let me do a little remodeling.”

  “How nice of them.”

  Blake couldn’t wait to show her—or ra
ther he couldn’t wait to make love to her under the stars.

  Once they stepped onto the roof, Greer stopped. “Oh, my goddess. It’s amazing. I love all of the lights.”

  The rope lights trimmed a small area in the corner where he’d put a doublewide chaise lounge. He’d stacked it with a ton of pillows and a big blanket to keep Greer warm if she got cold. Of course, he could have always warmed her up with some flames of his own.

  “Don’t let your parents see this,” she said.

  He chuckled. “Why not?”

  “They’d be jealous. This is nicer than their turret.”

  That thrilled him. His goal had been to make this spot romantic. He planned to spend many nights up here with her talking about deep topics, studying the stars, and making love.

  “Have a seat,” he said.

  As soon as she sat down, Blake slid next to her and lowered the back of the chaise so that it lay flat.

  “Snazzy. You thought of everything, didn’t you?” she said as she dragged his head down so that their lips were an inch apart.

  “All I’ve thought about was making love with you.”

  She smiled. “You always say the sweetest things, but how about showing me?”

  “Oh, I plan to.” Now for the feast of a lifetime.

  Chapter Eleven

  Greer was on fire. If she wasn’t careful, her hands would become flamethrowers. No matter how many times she was with Blake, she couldn’t seem to get enough of him. Being with her mate was seriously throwing her off balance though. Greer had spent her whole life being in control. The moment she met Blake, her life had become unhinged—mostly for the better, she might add.

  When he lowered his head that last inch and kissed her, she swung a leg over his thigh and crawled on top of him. Her breasts plastered against his body, causing his hard cock to press against her stomach. Sparks flew. Their tongues tangled, sending wild waves of need through her. As wonderful as this was, she needed skin-to-skin contact.

  She rolled off of him. “I’m way overdressed.”