Shadows & Secrets (Lick of Fire Book 4)

by Jane Hinchey

  “Fine.” I wasn’t hurt, not in the physical sense. Emotionally? Emotionally I was reeling. Emotionally I had shattered into a million pieces and wasn’t sure I’ve ever be whole again.

  “Hands behind your back Shelton.” Jordan barked, waiting until dad obeyed before approaching with glowing handcuffs and collar. I never expected to see my father in them – it was surreal. “You’re under arrest for violation of the SIA law one – endangering human life.” Jordan read him his rights such as they were.

  “But…”

  “Shut up.” Jordan punched him in the stomach and I gasped, “if you know what’s good for you-you'll keep your mouth shut because right now? Right now I want to rip your fucking throat out for what you’ve done to her. I am only just holding it together, I just need one fucking excuse, one, and I’ll end you.” I’d never heard such a menacing tone and even I swallowed in fear. It was true, Jordan was furious, it was emanating from him in waves, his movements jerky, his face tense, his jaw clenched.

  I followed a safe distance behind when Jordan hauled him up the ladder non to gently and into the den. I could see the nark mobile outside, blue and red lights flashing. I was wondering how he managed to get his tires changed so fast when someone climbed out of the car and headed toward the house, dressed in a black uniform with a red badge pinned to his belt. Another SIA Agent.

  “I called for backup. When I knew the spell had been broken I knew we’d have a lot of fried vampires in the morning when they stepped outside and ignited. Our number one directive is to keep the public unaware of the supernatural.”

  Jordan handed dad over to the other agent who didn’t so much as glance my way, simply took dad by the arm and led him out to the car. I figured he’d return any second and help Jordan take me in. That’s what they were here for after all.

  “You ran.” I looked at him in surprise. He was angry. Furious. With me? Hang on one red hot minute! Pure reflex had a fireball appear in my hand and he arched a brow.

  “If you make me burn down my Grandparents house…” I didn’t finish the sentence. I’d what? Hate him forever? Kill him? To be honest, I didn’t know what I’d do, but I knew what I needed to do, and that was to protect myself.

  “Outside.” He pointed to the rear of the house. I glanced out the window and saw the other SIA agent sitting behind the driver’s wheel, waiting. So, Jordan thought he could bring me in on his own. Pft. I had news for him.

  Stalking out of the room, my hands clenched into fists but fire leaking out anyway, I stormed down the passageway and out the back door, down the steps, to the familiar patch of scorched grass. I rounded on him.

  “You expected me to stick around and let you take me into SIA?” I accused. It was his turn to look surprised. “I heard you, dick. On the phone. Saying you’d bring me in.”

  I was not expecting him to throw back his head and laugh. Long and hard. It was disconcerting, to say the least. And a tad hurtful. I felt my eyes well up with tears and did my best to blink them away before they overflowed on to my cheeks.

  “Oh, Rae.” He shook his head, slowly regaining his composure. Then he caught a glimpse of my face and sobered instantly. Stepping toward me he stopped when I raised my hands and shot a fireball at him. It bounced off his chest and to the ground where it fizzled out.

  “Just so you know, fire can’t hurt me either.” He continued his approach, a little more cautiously this time. “It isn’t what you think babe, I swear.” I stepped back as he approached. I was tired of having the people I loved betray me – it wore a girl down after a while.

  “Sure.” I didn’t believe him, not for one second. The nark mobile parked out front with a second SIA agent waiting in it told me differently.

  “I was on the phone with the Director of the SIA, Nate Wilder. He wants you to come in-”

  “-so he can run more tests on me!” I jumped in before he could finish speaking, but he was shaking his head.

  “No. Not more tests. They’ve got your blood. It’s confirmed you’re paranormal.”

  “What then?” I eyed him suspiciously. What else was there?

  “He wants you on the team permanently. He wants you to sign a contract to become a fully qualified SIA Agent – which also means you have to undergo the training. He wants to meet with you to discuss all of that. I’ll prove it.” Whipping out his phone, he dialled, then with his eyes boring into mine, spoke into the receiver, “Yeah Nate? I’m with Rae. She’s under the assumption that we want to bring her into the SIA to run tests. Can you repeat to her what you said to me?”

  There was a pause while Nate responded and Jordan listened. I squirmed with an ever-growing sense of embarrassment. Had I got it wrong? Then Jordan thrust the phone toward me and I took it automatically.

  Tentatively I spoke, “Hello?”

  “Rae, great to put a voice to a name. I’ll keep this brief, but I wanted to reiterate what Jordan has already told you. I’d like to meet with you, in person, to discuss you joining the SIA on a permanent basis. Your blood tests came back positive as Fire Demon, so you’re good to go there, we just need to do some paperwork – I’ll warn you though, you will have to undergo a medical, that’s part of our hiring process – and then you’d commence training.”

  “I-” I didn’t know what to say.

  “I’m going to have to go, sorry Rae. We’re arranging another team to head out to Maxxan to try and contain the vampire situation. I’ve authorized Agent Buchanan to set up an ongoing field office in Maxxan – if it helps sweeten the deal after your training is complete you can work out of the Maxxan office.”

  “Okay.” I squeaked. Nate hung up with a quick goodbye and wordlessly I held the phone out to Jordan.

  Jordan slipped the phone into his back pocket.

  “Um.” I looked at my feet, unsure what to say. I’d jumped to conclusions, misjudged him and it didn’t sit well with me. I’d had a lifetime of people doing that to me and I knew it didn’t feel good to be on the receiving end.

  “I’m sorry.” I apologized, feeling small. But also relieved, because the man I’d fallen for hadn’t betrayed me after all.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. I understand how it must have looked to you.”

  “You do?” I’m not sure I’d have been so understanding if the shoe was on the other foot. This time when he stepped closer I didn’t retreat, letting him cup my face and tilt my head up to his.

  “It’s going to take you some time to believe that I will never hurt you, never go behind your back, never betray you. I get it. I know it takes a lot for you to put your trust in me – believe me when I say I will never, ever, betray it. Or you. In any way.” He kissed me softly, “I love you. You are my world. There is no me without you.”

  Our foreheads were pressed together. His hands locked onto my waist while mine coiled around his neck. I believed him. I felt it, in the beat of his heart, the flow of energy between us. As much as I fought it, as much as I ran from it, I finally had to admit it. He was mine and I was his.

  This time I cupped his face and drank him in, my heart thumping.

  “I love you,” I whispered. The smile that lit up his face was worth it. I’d only ever said those words to my mom. Ever. It was monumental but the love shining out of his eyes told me it was worth it. He was worth it. The risk was worth it.

  “I love you too.” And I had to admit, hearing it was pretty awesome.

  Our lips met, the kiss soft, a mere brush of flesh against flesh, but it was all the more poignant because of it. Our hearts were in that kiss, in that gap between heartbeats, in that one sliver of time that was inexplicably ours amongst the chaos. I was his. He was mine. Together we were one.

  “We do have a problem though,” I said, my lips a hairbreadth from his, the act of speaking sending a wave of lust through me as my mouth seductively brushed his as I spoke. He sucked in a breath and then let it out slowly.

  “Oh?” slowly he lifted his head, giving us space, “What’s that?”


  “Grandma’s Will. If I leave Maxxan, I’ll lose the house.”

  “I do believe she had a contingency plan.” Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a folded over envelope and handed it to me.

  “What’s this?” I eyed it suspiciously. Was this another letter from my Grandma?

  “Read it.” He prompted. Still, I continued to frown, studying the envelope, with my name scrawled on the front.

  “What does it say?”

  “I don’t know. She gave it to me before she died. She said I’d know when to give it to you. I think this is the time.”

  With trembling hands, I opened the letter:

  My darling Raelene. You’ll have to forgive an old woman and her funny old ways and by now I hope you’ve forgiven me for the Will. It was the only way I could think of to get you to stay in Maxxan and if you’re reading this, well it was successful, was it not?

  Let us talk about Jordan. I knew he was the man for you the moment I laid eyes on him. And I knew you’d fight him tooth and nail. I hope you’ll forgive this old lady revealing some of your secrets to help him in his quest to win your heart.

  And don’t go blaming him for this – he had no idea either. Call it intuition, six sense, psychic ability, but I had this feeling of knowing that the two of you belonged together, that he would do right by you, that he would be the calm to your storm. If you’re reading this letter then know that I am smiling because I was right!

  By now I assume you’re stressing about the Will and leaving Maxxan, for I’m aware of what your future holds – and it’s great things. Jordan has in his possession another letter – to be given to Mr. Jacobs. It’s an addendum to the Will, giving you permission to leave Maxxan but retain your rights to the house. Now don’t blow a fuse, my dear, Jordan didn’t know about any of this and I’m sure he’s an honourable man who did not open these letters.

  Maxxan needs you and I know you’re destined for great things here Rae. Now go, join the SIA, be the strong, courageous, brilliant woman I know you to be. And tell Jordan I said hello.

  All my love,

  Grandma

  “What does it say?” He asked after I lowered the letter, hands still shaking.

  Shaking my head in wonder I handed it to him wordlessly. He quickly scanned it before handing it back.

  “She has the gift.” Jordan grinned.

  “The gift?”

  “Of Sight. She was a seer. I never knew.” Putting his arm around my shoulders he led me inside. So much to take in. Could Grandma predict the future? But why hadn’t she predicted Grandpa’s death and what had happened to me? I voiced my concerns to Jordan, who shrugged, “maybe it didn’t work that way for her. Maybe she can only see fated mates? I don’t know.”

  “You have another letter?” She’d mentioned one to give to the Lawyer.

  “I do.” He nodded.

  “For the lawyer?” He nodded again. Okay. I absorbed the weirdness of it all, filed it away, made a promise to myself that I’d dig further into Grandma’s past, find out her history, for is she was a seer, did that mean she wasn’t one hundred percent human? It seemed that for every answer I had a dozen more questions demanding answers.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Ready?” I wasn’t expecting to go to Redmeadows tonight. We had a horde of vampires that we were expecting to go up in a puff of smoke as soon as they unsuspectedly walked in the sunlight at dawn. Which was, I glanced at my phone, in two hours’ time!

  “To fight rogue vampires?” Jordan cocked his head toward the car waiting out front, “we’ve got a team coming in from Redmeadows but a kick-ass fire demon and her hell hound would be a definite asset for this operation.”

  “You know I love it when you talk SIA.” I grinned. Tucking Grandma’s letter into my back pocket I reached up on tiptoes and planted a kiss on him that had our toes curling, then I pulled back, nodded, gave him a wink and declared, “Let’s do this.”

  It was time to claim Maxxan back from the vampires.

  THE END

  Don’t worry, the correct file WILL have a pre-order for my next book in the Lick of Fire Series, Dark Desires, right here!

  If you loved Secrets & Shadows

  I’d love for you to spread the word, tell a friend…tell a stranger, tell your mom!

  And please leave a review

  It doesn’t have to be much, a star rating and a few words on what you loved. Reviews are the biggest reason why a reader picks up a book and finds their next favorite read.

  DARK DESIRES – BOOK TWO

  Releasing 24 July!

  Pre-order here soon!

  BLURB GOES HERE – see, I told you this was the wrong file!