Blood Flame Read online

  “So, you’re the moral Border Patrol officer above taking the usual bribes.”

  Connor saw no reason to deny who he was. “I am.”

  Evan frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on Connor.

  Every warrior instinct Connor possessed rose to high alert. Now that he faced his enemy, the man intent on killing them both, adrenaline flooded his veins. His gaze made a sweep of the man, his stance, the relaxed state of his hands, the way he held himself.

  Evan had confidence, more than he should if he was alone and facing a seasoned BP officer.

  Which meant, Evan had someone with him.

  The dark cloud hanging over the entire area, including the vampires partying below, confirmed Connor’s belief the man had been corrupted by a witch. Or maybe it was the other way around.

  Evan shifted his gaze to Iris. “So, we meet again, yet under very different circumstances.”

  “You don’t need to do this, Evan. We were friends, once, remember?”

  “Well, that was before you helped kill my wife.”

  “You know I did no such thing.”

  “Oh, but you did. You ended the investigation.” Evan continued in this vein, apparently wanting Iris to know how badly she’d failed him.

  With Evan’s attention shifted away from him, Connor was able to focus on Iris. She was in an unusual state and seemed relaxed yet every sense she possessed had reached out to her environment, including the spell. She might be talking with Evan about past events, but she was analyzing everything around her.

  It seemed odd he knew this, but Iris had been trying to tell him something similar in the garden and he began to get what she meant. He shared a connection to Iris now, an awareness of her intentions and her desires.

  Evan addressed Connor once more. “You were more directly involved, having shot my wife in the chest point blank.”

  Connor knew it would make no difference at all, but he said it anyway. “Killing Heather destroyed something inside me. I want you to know that. She was anguished when she died, emaciated because her handlers had her strung out on blood flame. But her last words hurt the worst.” He didn’t say what they were.

  Evan’s footing slipped slightly, his eyes widening. He regained his balance, making use of levitation, to once more stand on the metal railing of the bridge. “Her last words? None of my extensive research turned up any such thing. You’re lying.”

  “I was the one there, Evan. I had to look into her beautiful, despairing green eyes. I heard each word she spoke.” He slapped a hand against his chest. “They live in here. They always will.”

  “What did she say?”

  Connor debated telling him. If Evan was motivated to hear his wife’s final words, that could work in their favor. “I want you to forgive Iris for her failure to keep Heather’s case alive. From what I understand, she worked tirelessly to find your wife. Others above her shut the case down. They’re to blame. Iris was just doing her job. So, let her off the hook, then I’ll tell you.”

  A hot wind blew suddenly against his back and Iris’s arm tightened around his neck. He felt it as well that Evan’s witch was making her presence known.

  Connor continued. “Your friend doesn’t seem to like the idea. Is this really up to her?”

  Evan’s gaze shifted away, his lips turning down.

  Iris whispered, “She’s communicating with him.”

  “How?”

  “Telepathically, I think.”

  “Is that something you can do?”

  “No. That is. I’ve never tried. Never even thought about it.”

  Evan’s shoulders had lost their straight edge and his nostrils flared. His lips turned down as he addressed Connor. “Fuck Heather’s last words.”

  “Just as I thought. Pussy-whipped by a witch.”

  The hot wind slammed so hard into his back he lurched forward, lost his levitating balance and Iris slipped off his boot.

  He caught her quickly around the waist, holding her against him, then levitated straight up going as fast as he could. He had one intention, to get Iris the hell out of there.

  But he didn’t get far. The spell stopped his ability to think in its tracks. He barely knew where he was. He began to descend slowly and the more he did, the clearer his mind became. He attempted a lateral escape, but the same thing happened. The witch had them penned in.

  There was no escape now and there would be no reasoning with Evan, no more bargaining, nothing. This would be a battle to the death.

  Iris loosened her hold on him and leaned back. She glanced at Evan then back at him. “You do what you’ve gotta do.” She then pushed hard enough to disrupt his hold on her waist so that she fell away from him, letting go of him completely.

  “Iris,” he shouted, as she fell backward. He started after her, but the hot wind was a wall now and wouldn’t let him get to her.

  Just as Iris would have hit the side of the ditch, she righted herself in the air. Holy shit, she’d levitated. A few of the more powerful witches and other species could do the same, but it was rare. Or maybe it was her connection to Connor, the mirror-effect she’d talked about earlier.

  “I’m okay,” she called to him, dropping to balance herself in the rocky dirt. “I suggest you take this asshole out. Evan used to be a good man, but he’s no longer here.”

  Connor didn’t have to think twice. He drew his gun and fired repeatedly. But Evan waved a hand and the bullets appeared to fly around him. More witch power, but how was he doing it? How was a vampire accessing the witch’s abilities?

  Connor holstered his Glock then moved in swiftly, flying to the bridge and dropping down on the pavement. He drew his short-sword from its sheath. Evan’s lips curled back in a grimace. He rotated his shoulders and lost his duster. He was lean, but bulked up.

  He grabbed his own sword, lowered his shoulders and knees, a smile forming on his lips. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

  “Then you never thought Iris and I would die from the blast?”

  “There was a chance, but my woman said Iris was special and didn’t have the usual prejudices against vampires that most witches do. She was right. And it’s made the game a lot more fun.”

  “What’s your witch’s name?” Maybe if he knew who he was battling, he could figure out how to beat Evan.

  “None of your business. Besides, she’s a very private individual. She wouldn’t want her name known.”

  “She’s using you, Evan.”

  The hot wind rushed into him again, striking once more from behind. He flew forward, rolling hard. He landed on his back at Evan’s feet. His sword had been knocked from his hand and Evan’s blade was now at his throat.

  “Not smart to anger a woman.” In a swift move, Evan swept the sword up, reversing direction to bring the rounded hilt end down on Evan’s skull.

  Connor blinked twice, then nothing.

  ~ ~ ~

  Iris hid under the bridge in a temporary spell she’d built. It wouldn’t last long. The other witch’s power circled almost endlessly in the entire area. Across the stream, the vampires drank, shouted, and danced around the fire.

  Iris had a bad feeling about where all this was building. But she’d already called Lily at the Crescent station, explained what was happening and requested Vaughn as back-up. Lily said she was on it.

  Tears touched her eyes. She couldn’t hear Connor’s voice anymore. Instead, Evan and the witch talked quietly.

  She knew Connor wasn’t dead, because she could sense his life-force. She could only suppose he was unconscious.

  The wind suddenly blew in her direction beneath the bridge. The next moment, her own spell peeled away and Evan was right there, levitating in front of her.

  He grabbed her with his powerful arms then pulled her with him as he flew backward. He moved so fast, she couldn’t even fight him. Instead, she worked hard just to hold her balance. She even tried to engage her newly realized levitation ability, but couldn’t. If he released her no
w, she’d fly off and probably be crushed by the blow.

  Instead, she saw the vampires and the fire below her and the next moment, Evan flung her in the dirt. “Enjoy her, boys. She’s yours for the night.” He glanced at Iris, his green eyes manic. “Now you’ll get to experience how my wife was raped over and over.”

  Turning, she saw that Connor lay face down in the dirt, wincing as he came back to consciousness. He was too far away to reach, at least twelve feet.

  Two of the vampires leaped on Iris. They smelled like whisky and there was a sharp blood flame tang in the air as well. For a moment, she was pinned down, but the vampires were out of control and began hitting each other, vying for first rights.

  She gathered her witch energy, sending it down her arm and into her hand. The victor jumped on her, and began pulling at her jeans. She slowly started to rise to a sitting position, holding her hand steady, her gaze fixed on his temple. All she had to do was touch him in this vulnerable spot or at the base of his neck and he’d die.

  But Evan leaped in her direction and grabbed her arm. He clucked his tongue. “None of that or I’ll have to hurt you myself.” He then took her arm in both hands and lifted his knee.

  He looked down at her. “You get a choice. Do I break your arm or do you behave?”

  “I’ll be good.” If he’d broken her arm, the pain would immobilize her completely. From her peripheral vision, she saw that Connor was on his feet, but she didn’t look in his direction. She needed to keep Evan focused on her. “Please, don’t hurt me, Evan. I swear I won’t use my killing power.”

  Evan smiled and the partying vampire resumed his efforts to get Iris’s pants off.

  ~ ~ ~

  Connor no longer had either of his weapons, but he saw his chance and took it. He flew straight at Evan, pulled the man’s sword from his sheath, and rammed the blade into his stomach. Evan fell onto his back, grabbing his abdomen, and crying out in pain. Gut wounds were the worst.

  Connor then turned and flew behind the vampire still fumbling with Iris’s pants and used the same blade to cut his throat.

  The other vampires began to move away from him in different directions. He chased one into the muddy stream, who landed on his back. Connor planted his booted foot on the bastard’s chest and held him under the water. He drew his sword back, ready to use the blade again.

  But the vampire rose up and threw Connor into the air. The sword flipped out of Connor’s hand and disappeared into the water.

  Connor levitated, then dove at the vampire, shoving him once more into the muddy stream. He punched him in the throat hard, then pushed him under the surface once more, this time sitting on his chest. The vampire struggled, as much against the pain of having his windpipe shattered as trying not to drown. Connor kept him pinned until there was no more movement. When he stood up, the vampire began slowly drifting with the rushing stream.

  “Connor!” Iris’s hoarse voice called to him.

  Connor flew back to the fire and found Evan, white-faced, sitting in the dirt, but with a powerful arm wrapped around Iris’s throat. He was trembling from the pain he was in, yet he still had control of Iris. The black cloud boiled above them.

  “You come near me, and I’ll snap her neck.”

  One of the remaining vampires suddenly attacked Connor, throwing him into the dirt on his back. Before Connor could move, the vampire landed on his chest and began punching him, in rapid blows. Hopped up on flame as the vampire was, each strike carried unbelievable weight.

  Connor tried to move but couldn’t.

  Iris, he called to her from his mind. He didn’t expect anything to return, but he made the effort anyway. The blows began to feel soft, which meant he was sliding into unconsciousness.

  He had to do something or Iris would die. And Evan would probably torture her first.

  The vampire sitting on him was breathing hard and had stopped punching. It took work to beat the shit out of someone and druggies by nature of their addiction usually weren’t in the best shape.

  The silver streaks in Iris’s spell came to mind. He and Iris had connected in a way he suspected was very similar to Evan and his witch. He focused on Iris, on her witchness, on how much he could sense what she was feeling.

  Her voice entered his mind. Try my killing power, Connor.

  How? Was he really communicating with her telepathically?

  He heard Evan’s voice. “Your boyfriend is dying. But, look. His vampire opponent is using his smarts. He’s picked up a rock.”

  Connor knew the time had come or this would be his last breath. He thought back to how he’d felt when he’d fed from Iris and he let that sensation flow through him once more.

  Power began to race down his right arm, vibrating with what had to be a witch’s killing energy.

  The drunk vampire lifted the rock and at the same time, Connor rose up, surrounded his neck with his hand and pressed two fingers into the base of the vampire’s skull. The killing energy flowed.

  The vampire froze, eyes wide. The rock fell to the ground beside Connor and the vampire slumped over, dead.

  Connor jumped to his feet, ready to take on the last of the drugged-out crew. But the vampire was so wasted, he sat and stared at the fire, oblivious.

  That left Evan. But when he turned in Iris’s direction, she lay on the ground. Alone. Had Evan killed her?

  He looked around, waiting for Evan or his witch to strike, but both were gone, including the inky cloud that had surrounded the bridge and the ditch. He thought he understood. The witch had been forced to use her energy to save Evan and couldn’t engage in battling either of them. She’d no doubt hauled Evan away to heal him.

  In the distance, he saw another vampire heading toward him, but it was Vaughn. Connor could finally breathe.

  He turned all his attention to Iris. He knelt beside her and checked to see if she was still breathing. She was, thank God.

  He gently felt along each arm and leg to see if anything was broken, but she was okay.

  He picked her up, cradling her with her head against his chest then turned to face his brother in arms. “Did Lily send you?”

  Vaughn nodded. “But only after your witch called her.”

  He was taller than Connor, at least six-six. He had steel-gray eyes, straight brows and wore his short black hair shaved at the sides to reveal tattoos on his scalp. Like Connor, he wore a black tank and leathers.

  Vaughn scowled as he dipped his chin in Iris’s direction. “So what’s going on here?”

  Connor saw Vaughn’s mistrust. He told him everything, start to finish, including the fact he’d slept with Iris, and if he survived whatever this was, he planned to continue being with her.

  Vaughn looked appalled then confused. “I sort of get it. I mean, it sounds like she’s saved your ass a couple of times.”

  “She has, but it’s more than that.” He glanced down at her. She was still unconscious. “I’m in love with her. And we share some kind of bond I can’t explain. The weird thing is, I think Evan and his witch are connected in the same way.”

  Vaughn shook his head and waved both his hands in front of Connor. “I’m sorry. This is too fucking much. Her kind has taken out how many of our friends with that killing power they have?”

  “I know.” It was a lot to process and he didn’t expect Vaughn to come around based on Connor’s sudden professed love for a witch.

  Vaughn pivoted to take in the scene. “So, where is Evan? You said you gutted him? The vampire should be dead.”

  “I know, but I think his woman took him away.”

  “Did you see her?”

  “No. She’d be-spelled the entire area.” Connor told him about the wind that kept hitting him and knocking him out of stride.

  Vaughn scrubbed his fingers through his thick, short black hair. “I’ve called in a couple of our men. They’ll be here in a few and we’ll take care of this mess.” He offered a half-smile. “You need some healing time, my friend, because you shoul
d see your face.”

  Connor could only guess since it was swollen all to hell. “No doubt. But could you do one thing for me?”

  “Sure.”

  “My weapons are on the bridge.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Vaughn launched into the air and returned half-a-minute later with the Glock and the short sword in hand.

  Because Connor had Iris in his arms, Vaughn slid the Glock back into its holster, then carefully returned the sword to its sheath.

  Connor thanked him and exchanged one last dip of his chin, then rose in the air and headed south toward Elegance.

  ~ ~ ~

  When Iris woke up, she was in Connor’s arms and flying. Evan hadn’t killed her after all. She didn’t think he was physically able to at the end. He’d been losing blood and strength.

  Her attention, however, hadn’t been focused on him, but rather on the series of blows Connor had taken to his face by the vampire sitting on his chest.

  She couldn’t believe the moment when Connor had touched her mind. She’d told him the only thing she could think of, that he should try and engage her killing power.

  And he had!

  A miracle was going on between them and it was beyond her comprehension. She released a heavy sigh.

  And suddenly, his thoughts were there, inside her mind again. How are you feeling?

  It seemed like such a simple thing to respond with telepathy. Better thanks. Are you okay?

  I will be once the swelling goes down and I get rid of this headache.

  Evan didn’t cut you, then? When he had you on the bridge?

  No. He had other plans. He wanted me to watch those vampires rape you.

  He’s insane.

  I’d have to agree.

  But you hurt him. Do you think it’s possible he died?

  Connor didn’t respond right away. I don’t know. That witch has a lot of power.

  She sighed once more.

  We’re almost home.