Fire and Fantasy: A Limited Edition Collection of Urban and Epic Fantasy

by CK Dawn

  “You weren’t thinking of leaving this party, sweetheart, were you?” A familiar voice sounded above her head. “Your daddy might get offended you didn’t say goodbye.” He bent over her, laughing. “To be honest, I’m offended.”

  Her vision cleared just before she saw Dan’s hand come around her neck. He started pressing hard, the movement constricting her airway. A wild look of pleasure gleamed in his eyes. Oh my God, he’s enjoying this. The thought seemed so absurd. Yet, it made terror much more palpable. The cold stone floor underneath her pressed into her back.

  Dan kept his hold firm as Cassie tried to pry his fingers from her throat. Tears formed in her eyes causing his face to go hazy.

  “Don’t worry.” His breathing became ragged. “I won’t kill you now. I just need you to calm down and come along.”

  Cassie closed her eyes, blinking away the tears. Her thoughts shifted. Something primal overtook her, something she never felt before. A strange calm replaced the panic. She opened her eyes and managed to smile. She saw with satisfaction the look of surprise on Dan’s perverse pretty boy face.

  “You should...let...me go.” A hoarse whisper came forth, but before Dan could do or say anything, she wriggled her body to create a small space between them. When it became just wide enough, she nestled her knee into his crotch and pushed with all her strength. It gave her enough time to twist further, bringing her knee up and into his crotch a second time with more force. He screamed and loosened his grip.

  Cassie jolted up and her fist shot out to connect with Dan’s jaw. The move surprised her as much as him but there was no time to think. She had seconds to get out and she prayed Gabe was not far behind.

  One of Rafe’s men, a tall lanky guy with long stringy black hair, ran to her side and pointed his gun at Dan. “Go!” He yelled at Cassie. Forcing her legs into action, she ran for it. A shot echoed behind her but she didn’t turn around to see the result.

  Once out of the building, she staggered against the wall, disoriented. A cool breeze brushed her heated face. Early morning sunlight peeked through the clouds. The air encompassed her, thick and misty. Looking around, she noted her location on the side of the building. “Main road. A cab.” She broke into a run while trying to hug the wall for cover just in case.

  Cassie’s heart gave a painful squeeze. “Please let Gabe get out of there unharmed.” She pleaded to an unseen force while picking up speed. She ran against the instinct telling her to go back and stay with Gabe. Any other time she would argue with him and do what she thought was right, but not this time. She was in over her head and she knew it. Gabe would have a better chance of getting out alive if he didn’t have to think about keeping her safe.

  Cassie rounded the building and slowed down. An ache crept up her soles as her bare feet made contact with the Strip’s warming cement. Trying to stay off the illuminated pavement, she hoped her lack of shoes wouldn’t garner her unnecessary attention. As she tried to mix into the remaining crowd out on the street, she soon realized these people were returning to their hotels after a long night of partying, and her bare feet didn’t appear the worst of the eclectic scene. She sighed. The excitement of last night seemed like another lifetime ago. So much had changed since the time she walked into The Obelisk. She blinked trying to shake away the odd turn of events.

  She found a cab and told the driver the address to the motel. As the car drove further away from the building, Cassie collapsed into the seat. Her whole body started shaking. By the time she got back into the motel room a second time--the first to grab a credit card to pay the cabbie--she shook so hard she had to lie down. Yet, not before losing the meager contents of her stomach. She stared at the mess without care and then crawled into bed.

  The motel room’s water stained popcorn ceiling gave her little distraction. Silent tears began to spill forth. Tears for the parents she lost, tears for the mother she never knew, tears for what her father was, tears for Gabe, and tears for herself. By the time the tears stopped flowing, Cassie sat up on the bed determined and resolved.

  “As of today, things will change. I have to understand who and what I am. What my purpose is,” she said to an empty room. Her hands curled into fists as if punctuating her words. Thinking about all she’d been through and all yet to come her way, she said, “No more tears.”

  Twenty-One

  Gabe cracked the door of the motel room and peered inside. He found Cassie standing by the window looking out and tapping her index finger against her forehead. Her long hair sat in a high ponytail and she had changed into jeans and a black tank top. A sigh of relief set free as he opened the door wider.

  Cassie spun to face him. Her gaze travelled up and down his body. He knew she saw the numerous cuts and slashes covering his flesh as a look of terror crossed her face. For a few seconds, she stood still. Then, with unshed tears filling her eyes, she ran to him. He caught her at the waist and held her against his chest. Her arms glided around his neck.

  “Are you okay?” Cassie moved back and stared. “You’re bleeding all over!”

  “The wounds are already healing,” he said, caressing her cheek. He pulled his gaze from her face to search the room. “We have to leave now. Rafe’s waiting for us outside. He’s going to take us to a private airport and loan us his jet to get out of here.”

  “What happened back there?”

  Gabe fought an internal battle. Half of him wanted to comfort and soothe her fears. The other rational sense told him to get out fast. Logic prevailed. “I’m sorry. We don’t have time now. I’ll tell you in the car. Grab your things and let’s go.”

  Standing in the doorway, he watched as Cassie dashed about the room in frenzy. Within a minute or two, she managed to stuff everything in a suitcase. Her posture hinted at exhaustion, but her gaze remained firm, resolved. She’s holding up pretty well. He gave her a reassuring smile as they headed outside.

  Passing the front desk, Cassie pointed toward the unconscious clerk behind the counter. “Not very diligent, is he?” She stopped dead, just inches from the exit, pulling Gabe to a halt beside her. “You didn’t do that…did you?”

  “No witnesses. Makes it easier.” As her eyes began to widen, he added, “He’s just asleep. Like the doorman from before, remember? It’s okay.”

  She sighed, but kept walking forward. Her eyes glazed over.

  Once outside, Gabe nodded at Rafe who sat composed in the passenger seat of a sleek black Audi. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes. The driver, dressed in the special ops fatigues, stared out the front window. He didn’t move at their approach so Gabe opened the back door for Cassie and hopped in beside her.

  “Go,” he said, not at all in the mood for argument or small talk. Rafe mimicked the order and the driver slammed on the gas pedal. The car weaved through the early morning traffic.

  “It’s good to see you again, cherie.” Rafe reached for Cassie’s hand and brought it to his lips. Gabe grunted and narrowed his eyes at the fallen boss. Son of a... He leaned forward ready to grab Rafe, but halted midway. His attention wavered as he noted the bloodstains and rips on Rafe’s gray suit. Rafe’s injuries would already be healing, but he’d sustained them on Cassie’s behalf nonetheless. Gabe held back his fist.

  “Tell me what happened now,” Cassie said, pulling back her hand and placing it on Gabe’s arm.

  Gabe smirked at the small victory. “We took down enough of them to make our retreat. But, we don’t yet know the extent of the damage. The room where they held me was destroyed, but the blast wouldn’t kill a demon with Val’s power.” He put his hand over hers. “His infrastructure’s been taken out, but contingency plans are bound to be in place. There’s no way of knowing how fast he’ll be able to come after us.”

  “And when he does come after us?” Cassie’s voice shook.

  “We need to find a place to hide out awhile.” He thought about it for a moment, searching for a solution. Other than the points of power, he had limited knowledge of Earth’s territory. “It
has to be somewhere off the map where we can figure things out without worry. We’ll need a few weeks at least, but preferably until the time of the prophecy.”

  “Yes, far from here,” Rafe said. “The more remote, the better.”

  Cassie almost burst from the seat as she said, “I think I may know a place.”

  Gabe eased her back to the cushion and raised a questioning eyebrow.

  “Zoey has a cabin in the mountains in Vermont,” she said, her hands darting about in all directions. “Her grandfather left it to her a few years ago. She’d let me use it if I asked her.”

  Gabe nodded. He might not have a clue about Vermont, but a cabin in the mountains sounded secluded enough. “Might work. As long as it’s away enough from hot zones to give us some time.”

  “How cozy,” Rafe muttered under his breath. “Maybe I’ll come join you.”

  Gabe remained silent, but bore a hole into Rafe’s head with his eyes. Complete and total...If I could only...Head on a platter. His thoughts wove a violent tapestry, before he tore his gaze away. Turning toward Cassie, he saw the question in her stare, but he wasn’t about to start spilling his guts about ancient history so he gave her a clear warning look to back off. She smiled at him innocently.

  They arrived at a small private airport and turned into Rafe’s hangar. Lying on the outskirts of the city, the area sat well hidden from would be trespassers. The runway stretched about a mile into the desert. No one seemed to be around, yet a twin propeller plane stood ready at the entry of the hangar.

  The driver got out and held the doors open for Rafe, Gabe and Cassie. Gabe reached for Cassie’s hand and led them toward the plane. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another man approach Rafe and extend a package to him. He watched as Rafe took it, dismissed the man and walked over to them.

  “Here’s all the documents you’ll need for the flight and I suggest you keep using these for awhile.” He handed the package to Gabe.

  Gabe spilled the contents into his hands. He nodded at the two passports, driver’s licenses, and thick pack of cash. Then, the name on the ID caught his attention. “Jack,” he asked, tapping the plastic. “My alias is Jack Coff?”

  “Why? A perfect name for you. Jackcoff,” Rafe said with a cruel grin.

  “Asshole.”

  “Yeah. That would’ve worked too.”

  “Bella?” Cassie interrupted, looking over her own documents. “So my name’s Bella Coff. Are we supposed to be husband and wife, then?”

  “Well, I was thinking of you two more as brother and sister.” Rafe winked at her.

  Cassie laughed.

  Gabe wasn’t about to be so generous. “Husband and wife are far more inconspicuous. Don’t you think so, darling?” he said, motioning to Cassie. He took her hand again and resumed walking toward the plane.

  The sound of Rafe clearing his throat brought the pair to a standstill. “Are you forgetting our deal?”

  Gabe turned around, a prickly feeling at the back of his neck. “Now? You want to cash in on it now?”

  “Now is as good a time as any.” Rafe shrugged. “The pilot needs time to go through the pre-flight procedures anyway. Twenty minutes at least. More than enough time for a little tête-à-tête.” He cocked a brow at Cassie.

  Cassie slanted her eyes at Gabe and withdrew her hand from his grip. “What’s he talking about?”

  He started to say something, stopped, started again. Yet, before he could say anything, Rafe interrupted. “You see, cherie, your guardian here needed some help doing his job. So he came to me.”

  Gabe felt the fire rising. He fought to contain the anger and settled on a low snarl.

  “But here’s the thing,” Rafe continued. “We don’t seem to agree on certain key...ideas about the prophecy.”

  “What kind of key ideas?” Suspicion laced every word of her question.

  “Why don’t we go into the office and discuss it.” Rafe motioned toward a metal door on the opposite side of the hangar.

  “Fine,” Cassie said curtly and started walking after Rafe.

  Gabe stood motionless despite having an overwhelming desire to run after her.

  “Aren’t you coming?” She tapped her foot, waiting for his answer.

  Every fiber of his body tensed. “I had to promise him he could talk to you alone,” he said, crossing his arms. “Go ahead. This shouldn’t take long.” The last part was pronounced as Gabe peered at Rafe with all the fury in his being.

  The office turned out to be a small security room. It made Cassie fidget with her nails. It looked too much like an interrogation room, bare light green walls and a rectangular metal table with two chairs on either side. Bet it’s soundproof too. She shifted her weight to each foot twice.

  When Rafe reached for her hand, she jumped in surprise, but gained her composure and followed without a word as he led her to one of the chairs. If this would shed any light on her future, she would give him her full attention. As she sat down, he reached for the chair on the other side and set it next to hers. She forced herself to remain calm as Rafe’s hands landed on either side of her chair to pull it even closer. The proximity of their bodies was far too intimate even in the unnerving setting.

  “I know you feel confused,” Rafe said with no further delay. “But, I want you to know I’m here for you. I can be your...friend.” He smiled with those soft full lips. Her hardened resolve slipped a peg. “You will have to make some serious choices. You should know all of your options, however, before you decide on the right one.” He paused, his striking face a little too near for comfort. A drone of power circled around him she hadn’t noticed before. It was familiar yet different from the energy that surrounded Gabe. She couldn’t quite put her finger on the difference.

  “Okay, I’m listening,” she said, trying to cover up her discomfort.

  Rafe leaned back in his chair, his tone more serious. “After Albert talked to the angels and got dismissed by them, he came to me asking for help. He told me the prophecy, which I committed to memory.” He paused and tapped his finger against the side of his head. “He urged me to join forces with demons together with him. I have to say, I had known Albert for a long time.” He paused. “Never realized he was that ambitious, the old dirt bag. Can’t say I blame him though. Ambition is one of the greatest driving forces of humanity and I subscribe to it myself.” He took a deep breath and his sensuous mouth twisted as if he was caught up in a private joke.

  “So why didn’t you join him?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest in a protective posture. Rafe might be attractive, but he oozed danger from every pore.

  “There was a difference in what we wanted.” Steel sparked in his eyes, a predatory gaze. “He wanted to make sure he was on the side of those he thought would be most powerful. I, on the other hand, am happy standing alone. Well, as alone as a boss ever is. And...” He lowered his voice as if to share a secret, “And I may be a fallen, but I will never sink to the level of demons. I may be content with my position. I may not seek redemption for myself, but I’m not about to let demons run amok either.”

  Cassie shook her head. Her breath left her in one long whirl, pushing the air between her teeth. Well, at least I know a little better where this one stands. Her hands fell to her lap as she relaxed a bit.

  “In any case,” Rafe said. “Keys have too much power for their bodies to handle. Bonding is necessary for their survival. But, what if I said your choices weren’t as limited as you think? What if there were other options besides choosing either an angel or a demon?” He leaned in, his lips near enough to kiss...or bite.

  An unexplainable and instinctive pull beckoned her toward him. The energy inside her threatened to break out. She sat on her hands, begging it to stay put. I don’t need a purple fit! She tilted forward, trying to shake off the feeling and concentrate on his words.

  “Nothing in the prophecy says you have to bond with one or the other, Cassie. In fact, the prophecy says the Key will bring balance. And what
would serve this purpose more than bonding with a fallen?”

  Cassie couldn’t find words to answer him. Her senses spun along with her thoughts. Tipping her chair back on its hind legs, she distanced herself from his shocking suggestion.

  Rafe sighed and said in a patronizing tone, “Bonding with a fallen won’t change anything in the world. Things will stay as they are. Everyone wins.” He leaned back in the chair and waited for Cassie’s reaction with a triumphant look in his eyes.

  Cassie’s heart raced and her mind reeled. Could it be so simple? Is this what I’m supposed to do? She looked over Rafe, considering her options. His long legs crossed gracefully, his right ankle upon left knee. His strong hands interlocked upon his lap. His jaw line was set firm and proud. The harsh light of the room accented the chocolate highlights in his rich black hair. High cheekbones and an inviting mouth completed the delectable picture. Bonding with him would have its benefits. Cassie licked her lips. As the suggestive idea of her and Rafe together began to swim in her head, a single word surfaced to the top as her heart contracted. Gabe?

  Before she could say anything aloud, Rafe’s narrowed eyes said he’d caught the shift in her thoughts. “If you’re thinking Gabe could be that fallen, you might want to think again,” he said, so matter-of-fact, one would think he was discussing his dinner selection.

  “Why?” Suspicion wiped away all previous ideas.

  “He wants redemption,” Rafe said easily. “Bonding with you will go against his orders from the Angelic Council. Therefore, no redemption.” He waved his hand at her. “But if you don’t care, then you should consider him, of course.”

  Cassie’s lips curled in a cynical smile. So, this was his plan all along. She laced her words with honey, “And I’m assuming you have another fallen in mind?”

  “I’m willing to sacrifice myself for the good of everyone.” Rafe bowed his head in a gesture of feigned humbleness.