Burn (The Sinclair Falls Novels Book 1)

by Shae Mallak

  SEVENTEEN

  There was nowhere for either of us to run. The last ten minutes of our hike home I watched dark clouds gather overhead and when we were only a mile from the cottage, it began to rain, releasing a torrent as we reached the clearing and made a mad dash for the door.

  I was doing my best to ignore him and the hot tension hanging in the air, but it choked all other thoughts from my head except Jonah’s face when I pushed him too far.

  For a moment there, however brief, he looked almost frightened. The idea of something scaring him so much made me want to hide under the covers and pray that whatever it was would go away. Only, I knew it wasn’t going to do any such thing. Ava said herself—the dragon will get me on the mountain. Her friends were never wrong.

  The rain pattered on the glass roof and thunder roared, shaking the panes like it was threatening to blow the house down. I had to admit, though, watching the rain from a glass house was pretty cool…brooding, half-naked man in the kitchen aside.

  Shortly after we made it back indoors, Jonah peeled off his shirt, which was clinging to every muscled ridge on his chest. He threw the soaked garment into the sink—I wisely kept my opinion to myself about that—and pulled a beer from the fridge, slamming the door shut and continuing to bang around the kitchen as loudly as possible.

  In an attempt to get as far from Jonah as I could in our confined space, I wandered upstairs. I quickly changed into dry clothes then crawled into the far corner beside the nightstand. I felt safer there, sitting on the floor with my sweatshirt over my knees like a blanket and held up to my face. It smelled like home. And like Jonah. And, after I was done crying, smelled like sadness.

  I don’t remember falling asleep, but I remember dreaming—running for my life, walls of fire on either side of me and getting closer. I looked over my shoulder at what was chasing me, expecting to find the black dragon swooping for me, but it was Jonah, chasing after me like life depended on it. Maybe it did. It felt like it did.

  Surprised, I stumbled over my feet—or a rock, I wasn’t sure—and tumbled to the ground. A moment later Jonah was there, on top of me like he was doing a push-up and I happened to be underneath. There was fire in his eyes, red flames flickering where black pupils should be and my mouth opened to scream, but no sound came out.

  A shadow swept over us both and for a second I didn’t see anything. Then I blinked and instead of Jonah above me, it was the dragon, its thick strong neck bent in a graceful curve, it’s hot nostrils pressed against my cheek.

  Evelyn, it whispered. Evelyn…

  I woke up with a jolt like waking from a nightmare, the movement causing Jonah to nearly lose his hold on me as he carried me from the corner to the bed. His reflexes were quick, however, and he found his balance again, glaring down at me.

  “Silly woman,” he muttered. He was still shirtless, I noted, and I felt a hot blush flair from my scalp down to my toes. Instead of setting me down on the bed, he swiveled and sat down himself, adjusting his hold to keep me in his lap. I blinked up at him in a daze, too groggy still to fight him. "Don't you know by now," he told me, "Everything I do is for you?"

  "That's not how it works," I replied automatically. He gave me a confused look so I elaborated. "You can't shield me from life forever, Jonah," I pointed out, a frown starting to crease his brow. I could tell he was about to protest so I held up a finger to his lips. Soft, kissable lips... Focus! "In a relationship, you're supposed to stand beside me, not in front of me."

  "But you're just so..." he cocked his head, searching for the right word. "Soft," he finished, making me laugh. "If something were to happen to you—"

  "Things have already happened to me, Jonah. It's called life. It's called being human. If you spend the rest of your life trying to protect me from it, you'll only make both of us miserable."

  Jonah stared at me for a while, his face only a few inches away from mine as he still held me in his lap, unyielding. Then, without warning, he kissed me. And, heaven help me, I kissed him back.

  For a moment—for a fleeting, wonderful moment—it was just me and him. It was like a movie, when two people kiss and the rest of the world ceases to exist for them. For that brief moment, he was the only thing in my world. Just him and those lips, soft and warm and pressed against mine. I held onto the moment and to him like it was the only thing keeping me alive. Like maybe his kiss alone would save me from my fiery fate.

  But it wasn't a movie. I wasn't Sleeping Beauty or Snow White or any other silly princess, asleep and waiting to be rescued by a man on a valiant steed, ready to slay the monster and kiss away the dangers. I couldn't hide in a tower the rest of my life waiting to live. Or, in my case, waiting to die. But damn he was a good kisser!

  It was what he wanted the whole time. From the beginning, standing in my living room back home, he told me he was going to have me. That I was going to fall in love with him. But that couldn't possibly be what I was doing, could it? I hated him. He tore me away from my family, from my life, from—from everything I knew.

  Then again, Rapunzel only knew life in her tower until one day a handsome stranger helped her see the truth, helped her see the rest of the world—what life could be outside the confines of the prison she made for herself. Rapunzel always had the ability to leave, but she never did. Why? Because the tower was familiar. It was her life, her home. What if the alternative was worse? What if it got her killed?

  But what if it was better? Even if only for a moment, wouldn't it be worth it? If a blind man was given the choice between spending the rest of his life in darkness, or being able to see for five minutes before dying, which would he choose? A life spent in safe darkness or a brilliant, shining moment before it all ended forever? Kissing Jonah was my brilliant, shining moment. Right before the world went up in flames. Literally.

  EIGHTEEN

  I was lying on my back on the mattress with Jonah above me, peppering hot kisses down my throat and across my collarbone. He had one hand on the bed beside me, holding himself a few sizzling inches over me; the only part of us that touched was his hungry lips and his other hand as it roamed under my shirt and scorched my skin with his wandering fingers. I closed my eyes and let myself give into it—to the heart-racing feeling of falling.

  "Evelyn," he whispered softly, his lips tickling my shoulder. A moan escaped my lips and I surprised myself by whispering his name in return, and then his mouth was on mine again. His hot breath mingled with my own, warming me from the inside out, like there was a fire in my belly and he was my cure.

  My hands slid down his bare chest, slowly tracing each muscle with the soft tip of my finger. He sucked in a breath when my hands reached his waistband, one hand tugging while the other worked on undoing the button of his jeans. His guttural groan of pleasure made me laugh, encouraging me and flinging all rational thoughts from my mind.

  I trailed my fingers around and up his spine to rest between his shoulder blades, the other gripping his bicep where the wings of his tattoo arched gracefully over the back of the dragon. I could almost feel them flutter under my hand as Jonah growled, burying his face in the crook of my neck. He sucked on the tender skin there as he pushed my shirt up higher until his hand grazed the bottom of my breast then slid around to undo the clasp of my bra.

  I gasped when the clasp flicked open and he slipped his hand underneath the cotton to cup my breast, rubbing my nipple softly with the pad of his thumb, pressing harder when my moans grew louder, his name falling from my lips again. He groped a little harder, pinching my nipple between his fingers, creating a strange sense of pleasure and pain that curled inside me and tried to reach out to him for more.

  My back arched and my hips rose to meet his and I could feel him, hard and throbbing against me. My eyes flew open with a gasp of surprise and pleasure, staring up at the roof as he pressed harder against me, one hand still kneading my breast.

  It had stopped raining and the sun was beginning to peek through the clouds, creating shafts of light
like spotlights from heaven pointed down at the earth. Something flew overhead, the sunlight glinting off its back as it glided lower, turned, and swooped down over the cottage again, getting even lower. It took me a second to recognize the ominous shape, but when I did, my gasps of pleasure turned into a scream of fear.

  Jonah instantly released me, sitting up and staring down at me with a mixture of concern and disappointment. "I'm sorry, Ev," he said, "What—what's wrong?" My eyes were pinned on the sky, wide-eyed, watching the dragon turn once again and swoop down lower. I rose a hand and pointed above him and Jonah twisted to gaze up at the roof at the same time the dragon flew so low I could see the individual scales on its green belly. It roared and opened its mouth, releasing a column of fire, directed right at the cottage.

  Jonah threw himself over me, covering me completely with his body as glass shattered and flames dropped down into the house and licked at whatever it touched. He cursed, looking over his shoulder again at the dragon, which was turning around to dip down for another shot.

  "Who the fu—" he frowned at the beast, then turned blazing eyes on me. "Run!" he commanded.

  He stood up off the bed and pulled me up beside him, then pushed me toward the stairs, repeating his order. I was halfway down the stairs, doing my best to avoid the flames licking at the handrail and growing bigger, when I realized Jonah didn’t follow behind me.

  "Jonah!" I shouted up to him. He yelled back at me to keep going as the dragon came back around and blew another column of fire at the house, the flames cutting off my path to the door. I stood in the middle of the room, indecisive, staring at the fire-blocked front door then glancing back at the loft where Jonah still stood, roaring at the sky.

  I could only see his shoulders and the back of his head and I opened my mouth to yell at him to move before the loft collapsed beneath him. I could feel the fire licking at my heels and the smoke choking out my breath, but my eyes were glued on Jonah. What the hell was he doing? Something dark skittered across his shoulders and stretched up his neck and then there was a loud creak of timber followed by a crash as the loft caved into the bathroom beneath.

  I coughed and tried to focus through the smoke to find Jonah. Instead, there was a huge, black dragon standing in the rubble. It's thick tail swished, uncurling and crashing through the glass wall and it raised its head and shot a column of fire at the other dragon as it passed over again. Then it unfurled its wings, flapping them a few times before rising into the air and flying after the retreating green dragon. The wind from its wings whipped at my face and blew out some of the fire blocking my escape path. I watched the two beasts disappear up the mountain before I turned and did as I was told—I ran.

  Without Jonah's keys, I had no way of getting down the mountain any other way than on foot. I ran as long as I could until my lungs gave out, stopping in the middle of the road with my hands on my knees, taking big, gasping breaths—partly in exhaustion and partly in panic.

  It took me a while before I calmed down enough to remember my phone stuffed into my pocket. I immediately took it out and dialed the first person I could think of and he answered on the third ring, speaking before I had a chance to even say hello.

  "We're already on our way."

  NINETEEN

  I kept walking for what felt like forever, gripping my phone in my hand waiting for it to light up with a phone call, but it never rang. I was still trying to understand what exactly happened when I spotted a car twisting its way up the winding mountain road.

  I didn't recognize the vehicle, but no one ever came up the mountain road so I felt it was safe to assume it was my rescue and ride. I moved to the side of the road out of the way and the black Jeep pulled to a stop in front of me. Greg rolled down the window and from the backseat I could hear Ava and Addis talking over each other.

  Greg frowned seriously at the tall flames that were visible further up the mountain and spreading quickly and nodded to the passenger seat. "Get in."

  "Are you okay?" Ava asked as I buckled my seat belt and Greg carefully turned the car around and headed back for town.

  "I...I don't know," I admitted.

  "Are you hurt?" Addis asked next, full of concern. I shook my head.

  "No," I answered honestly. "I'm not hurt." I glanced down at my clothes, covered in dust and ash with pieces singed and burned, but my skin was unblemished underneath. "I'm not sure how," I whispered.

  "Jonah," Greg replied easily. I blinked at him dumbly. "The idiot didn't explain a thing, did he?" he sighed wearily.

  "No," I confirmed, shaking my head.

  "Ugh!" Ava groaned, slapping her hand to her forehead dramatically. "I told you!" she cried, glaring at the empty space beside her. "I told you he wouldn't tell her anything!"

  "You knew?!" I cried, glaring at all three of them.

  "Of course I knew!" Greg retorted. "Why do you think he asked me to watch the twins?"

  "Oh my god," I groaned. "You're not—"

  "No, I'm not a dragon," Greg laughed. I sighed in relief. I couldn't handle another surprise that day. "I'm a bear."

  "A—A what now?" I gaped at him.

  "A bear!" Ava cried from the back seat with a giggle. "Like a teddy bear!"

  "Not quite, Ava," Greg laughed. "Look, Evie," Greg sighed, glancing at me briefly before turning his eyes back on the winding road. "This whole thing with Jonah—its complicated."

  "So I've been told," I muttered.

  "It's true," he replied.

  "Well, then try to explain it to me!" I snapped. "Why does everyone know except me? Why is no one trying to explain any of this to me?!"

  "I told him it was important," Ava said quietly behind me. "I told him it was important you were on the mountain. That's what my friends said. They said—"

  "I know, I heard you," I sighed. "I still don't understand! If you all knew—knew the dragon was supposed to kill me—why did you let him bring me there?"

  "What? Kill you?" Greg exclaimed in surprise. "No one said anything about killing you! Jonah was protecting you!"

  "From a dragon!" I retorted hotly.

  "No! No—Jonah is the dragon!" Greg said like it was supposed to make me feel better. "He's trying to protect you from everyone else!"

  "What are you talking about?" I moaned. "I saw the whole thing with my own two eyes—the dragon attacked the house! It practically set us on fire!"

  "No," Greg shook his head. "Jonah wouldn't—"

  "Jonah didn't," I shook my head. "He chased it away. That's what I'm saying!" I groaned in frustration, dragging a hand over my face. The conversation wasn't getting anywhere! "The dragon attacked us and then Jonah changed or whatever and he chased it away!" I explained.

  Greg hit the brake hard, stopping the car so suddenly the seatbelt locked on me as I shot forward. "Wait." He held out a hand to stop whatever hysterical protest was about to come out of my mouth. "What are you saying? Are you saying there were two dragons?" he asked.

  "Yes!" I screeched. "That's what I've been saying!" I shook my hands emphatically in the air, throwing my head back and grunting with aggravation. "It attacked the house and Jonah told me to run but I couldn't get out because of the fire, and then he turned into a dragon—"

  I took a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly and reliving the moment when Jonah changed from a man into a terrifying beast. Was it him who chased me in the woods the other night?! He scared me to death! The bastard!

  "Damn," Greg muttered, shaking his head. "Lord, help us all," he added softly, then kept driving until we reached Sinclair Falls. "I'm sorry it happened this way," Greg said to me as we all piled out of the car and into the house. "Really—it wasn't supposed to be like this."

  "Then what was it supposed to be like?" I ventured. "I honestly can't think of a good way to tell someone you're a dragon, but Jonah's tactics so far are certainly not the best way to go about it."

  "I know," Greg moaned. "I warned him that the contract thing was a bad idea, but he assured me he had no ch
oice." We stepped into the house after Ava and Addis, who were already sprinting up the stairs to their bedroom, arguing loudly over something unintelligible. "Look," Greg sighed. "None of this is my story to tell—you really need to talk to Jonah."

  "Which I intend to do," I said firmly. "Probably pretty loudly and with a good dose of righteous anger. Assuming he doesn't catch the whole mountain on fire and/or get himself killed in the process."

  "Give him a little break, Evie," Greg suggested. "It's not an easy position he's in."

  "Which is what exactly?" I prodded. "What position is he in that he hasn't put upon himself?"

  "It's complicated," Greg repeated, flopping down onto the couch. He picked up the remote and switched on the television and flipped through channels.

  "I'm starting to really hate those words," I grumbled.

  "Jonah will explain everything after—" Greg stopped midsentence, staring at the TV screen. A special report interrupted whatever program he was skimming past and the footage made us both gape at the screen.