Dallas Fire & Rescue: Fire Devil (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Aliyah Burke

  “Any news?”

  Carter ran his hand through his hair as he turned to see Charlie walking in carrying a duffle bag.

  “Nothing more than she’s in surgery and a coma. Fuck, Charlie, she may not make it.”

  “Stop thinking that way.” He thrust the bag in his direction. “I brought you a change of clothes. You don’t want to reek of fire and smoke when she comes to.”

  While he didn’t want to leave even to change, he took the bag and did just that. When he strode back in, he spied Sheryl there, standing with her husband, rubbing her large belly.

  She stared at him then wobbled over, wrapping him up in a hug. “She’ll be okay. I brought you some food, you need to eat.”

  “You didn’t have to.”

  “I know I didn’t, but we’re family. So is Gina.” Charlie helped her to a seat. “We’re here until we hear something. You don’t need to be alone during this time. Now sit down and eat something, both of you.”

  Carter sank on the sofa and reached for one of the covered plates. “Thank you.”

  Sheryl rubbed her stomach once more. “Like I said, we’re family.”

  He felt the same way, the only problem—a part of the family was missing. Gina was somewhere he couldn’t help her—where the fight to survive would be all her own.

  Don’t leave me now, Gina.

  Carter picked up his fork and ate not because he was hungry but because Sheryl’s glare dared him to defy her.

  Please don’t take her from me. I need her in my life. The prayer became a mantra from his lips to God’s ears.

  Chapter Nine

  Davidson needs help! The panicked thought ricocheted through her as she tried to cry for help.

  Where’s my phone? I thought I just had it in my hand. She patted along the cement through the darkness to locate it and put in another call for help. Why is it so dark here?

  Voices, extremely faint, reached her.

  Help was nearby. All I have to do is get them to realize where we are. And warn them that the assailant may still be down here.

  It didn’t matter how much she screamed, as the voices never grew closer. In fact, they faded.

  Davidson’s blood smeared beneath her fingers and she refused to give up on her friend. She just had to scream louder. They would hear her eventually.

  Eventually, never came and she sank to her knees by her friend and cried. They were on their own and somehow, she had to help him. I won’t let you down, Davidson. I promise I won’t give up.

  The tears leaking from the corners of her eyes were wiped away with tender caresses and she heard a voice she didn’t think she would ever hear again. A voice belonging to Carter Liaci.

  “Open those green eyes, Gina. Come on, baby, look at me.”

  Open them? They’ve been open. I’ve been tending to Davidson trying to get some help.

  Still, she listened and the blurry shape over her formed and allowed her to discern who was at her side. Carter. “What took you so long?” she asked then coughed.

  His eyes were suspiciously shiny as he gave a rough chuckle and pressed his forehead to hers. “Christ on a saw, you scared me, Gina.”

  “Davidson. He’s injured! He needs help and why aren’t you in your turnout gear? You don’t usually do a rescue in a tee shirt and jeans. Why am I in bed? I was on the floor. What’s going on?”

  Carter kissed her lips lightly. “Let me get the doctor first, then we’ll talk.” He disappeared before she could say anything else.

  For the next ten minutes or so, she endured lights in her eyes, the doctor asking questions that she quite honestly thought were ridiculous. They had yet to answer her about Davidson and she felt desperate to know how he was doing and if they’d managed to get him out as well.

  While it appeared to take forever in her mind, eventually it was only her and Carter left in the room. Her hospital bed had been propped up slightly but not by much. Her throat felt dry but she didn’t care. “Davidson?”

  Carter sat beside her and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. His expression looked solemn as he shook his head. “I’m sorry, baby. He didn’t make it.”

  “No. No, he’d just been knocked out when I found him! I called for help. I called and Covel answered. He knew we had trouble.”

  Brushing some hair away from her face, he skimmed his thumb over her lips. “The building exploded after your call, Gina. By the time we got to you, it had been too long for Davidson without treatment. That combined with the smoke inhalation, he just couldn’t be saved. I’m so sorry.”

  “No.” She refused to believe that. He couldn’t be gone.

  “Gina, I wouldn’t lie to you about this. We almost lost you as well. You’ve been in a coma for the past month.”

  His words ran through her head but didn’t make sense to her. A coma? “No, that can’t be right.” She smacked her lips searching for moisture. “I answered all the questions right on what day it was.”

  “No, baby. You didn’t.”

  More tears burned at the corners of her eyes and she didn’t even try to halt them. She just allowed them to fall. She mourned the loss of her friend. Mourned the loss of her own time and memories.

  The next time she woke, she was wrapped in a pair of strong arms. Carter had climbed into the hospital bed with her and held her.

  “Has anyone told Davidson’s wife that he’s gone?”

  “He had a wife? I thought the two of you were a couple.”

  She tightened her fingers in his shirt. “No, we were just friends. She doesn’t live in town. In fact, she is overseas right now in France. Wasn’t due back until a little before Christmas. Has she been notified?”

  “I don’t know, baby. I’ll find out for you.”

  “Did they find the guy who did this to him?”

  “No. We haven’t.”

  “We were working on the arsons and went to check the basement because of the pattern. It was stupid I know but we’d alerted security to keep a sharper eye out.” She tried to recall her notes. “I made notes about it all in my book. I’m sorry, I can’t remember.”

  “I’ll bring your book to you. We’ll figure it out.” Carter brushed a kiss over her temple and rubbed her arms.

  She drifted back to sleep in his embrace.

  αβ

  A week later, Carter carried her into her apartment.

  “I can walk you know.”

  “You’re supposed to be taking it easy. Besides, I like having you in my arms.”

  Gina tried to smile but she still hadn’t found her joy since learning about Davidson.

  Carter set her on her feet‒and wobbly legs‒but remained close enough he could get to her if she needed help.

  Gina made her way to the sofa and sat with a grunt. Less than graceful but she would take it since she hadn’t fallen on her face.

  He got her some water and handed over the glass.

  She stared at his long fingers as she took the water.

  “We have to talk, Gina.”

  She didn’t have the energy to deal with the status of their relationship at the moment. “Did you bring me my notebook?”

  His brows furrowed. “No, baby, I told you already it wasn’t in your desk.”

  In reality, she didn’t recall that but she played it off. “Sorry, must still be tired.”

  “You’re not remembering short term things.” He crouched before her. “Anything else that’s not being recalled?”

  “How would I know? If I can’t recall it, then I wouldn’t know I’m not.”

  “I see you haven’t lost your sass.”

  “Not a chance. I need that notebook, Carter. What about my computer?”

  “I did bring you your laptop.”

  “I made some notes in there, perhaps it will help.” She beckoned with her fingers. “Please?” She read his hesitation but he strode to her bedroom and returned with her laptop. Her hand trembled a bit as she took it from him.

  He settled beside
her and draped his arm along the back of the couch.

  “I’m fine, Carter.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m not leaving you alone, Gina. Get it out of your head. I almost lost you, the fuck I’m going anywhere.”

  “Don’t you have a job to do?”

  “Not right this moment.” He kissed her. “I’m here for a while, get used to it and don’t think I’m letting it go that I said we needed to talk still.”

  Of course, he wouldn’t let it go.

  αβ

  Carter curved his fingers into his palm to keep from touching her.

  Gina tucked some blonde hair behind her ears and sighed as she waited on her computer.

  I almost lost her. A reality that killed him each time he thought about it. Had they been minutes later, she too, would have succumbed to smoke inhalation. As it was, they were concerned about the time she’d been in the coma.

  He moved his hand, gathered some strands of her hair and slipped them around his fingers. Still silken as usual. Part of him felt horrible she lost her friend and a woman lost her husband but he was glad it hadn’t been Gina who’d died that day. They’d lost a total of ten people in that explosion.

  “Okay, here we go.”

  He put his attention on the screen. “Looks like a seashell.”

  “The nautilus spiral.” She coughed. “The red marks are all the arson sites that were done in larger buildings.”

  He stared at her when she didn’t speak for a moment. Tears glistened in her eyes and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Take your time.”

  “Sorry, this is what we were working on the day he died.” She took several deep breaths and let out a sigh. “We’d been unable to find a pattern, other than the areas with the most population were in one specific station’s area.”

  The station number popped and he looked from it to her again.

  “Then we did the rest. And I pulled rosters from when people were in that section. This was too damn good for it to be luck that no one had ever gotten caught. So my thought was they had insider knowledge of response times and procedure.”

  “You’re talking a firefighter. You think it was one of us.” Carter didn’t even try to hide his accusatory tone.

  “I hope I’m wrong. I pray I am, but this makes sense.”

  “And what? He sets this fire, waits for it to go and for us to respond, then shows up a bit later to help out, if he didn’t hitch a ride on an engine?” The moment the words fell from his lips, he recalled the black truck rushing in late and the firefighter who’d jumped out.

  “Look, regardless of the times, there is a distinct pattern here and I don’t have any way of explaining it. When the other information is added in, I wonder why I didn’t pick up on it earlier. They all have some things in common. The oil used to start them. I pick up a hint of certain ones. I’ve sent out a request to find out who orders oil in that mixture.”

  “I can’t believe it’s one of us.”

  “I’m not asking you to. I’m just telling you where we were at.”

  Still, unease gnawed at his gut. “I have something I have to do. I’ll be back with dinner.”

  “Sure.”

  He kissed her then left. Speeding to the station, he parked his truck and headed in, nodding at the men he saw. “Where’s Kyle?”

  “No clue. Maybe Captain knows.”

  He went to Mack’s office and knocked once before stepping in.

  “What’s on your mind, Liaci? How’s Ms. Moyer?”

  “First day home, she’s already working on her theory for who set these fires.”

  “That’s dedication.” He gestured at the chair. “Have a seat.”

  “I don’t want this to be true but I have to ask, given what I’ve seen from her notes.”

  “What the fuck is bothering you, Liaci?”

  “How much do you know about Kyle?”

  “Christ, this again? I told you, he was transferred here to see if I could get him to toe the line.”

  “I know that, Captain. That’s not what I mean. I mean how well do you know him?”

  “Why are you asking?” Mack put down his pencil and rested his arms on the desk.

  “Gina had a diagram of the fires, dates and stations responding. She also has a list of cross-referenced names of roster members. Kyle is the consistent one on them.”

  Mack leaned back. “You seriously suggesting Kyle has been setting these fires?”

  “He’s arrogant, thinks he can’t be touched, and has a hero complex that puts all others to shame.”

  “We can’t convict him based on his arrogance, Carter. This is a serious allegation. Do you have anything else?”

  “There’s been trace elements of oils left behind at each scene. She made a list of them and they are: Patchouli, cedar, ginger, sandalwood, and amber.”

  “Something that should mean something to me, I’m assuming?”

  “Kyle has a mixture of that made up special. He told me about it one day as he was putting some on. He said the ladies loved it.”

  “Are you sure this doesn’t have anything to do with the fact Kyle hit on her numerous times before you got back?”

  Anger spilled into his gut. “I didn’t even know about that until just now, thank you for sharing.” I seriously need to talk to Gina.

  “Let’s go talk to Kyle and see what he says.”

  “I think he’s going to run if we approach him.” Carter shifted in the chair and tried not to think of that bastard hitting on Gina.

  “Has to be done. If he has nothing to hide, he won’t mind long.” Mack stood. “Let’s go. I put him in the back taking care of some things.”

  There was no sign of him. Anywhere in the station. Mack popped his locker and frowned when he found the stash of oil.”

  What bothered Carter was the note there:

  You were so close. I’ll be seeing you soon, Carter.

  “Fuck.”

  The men shared a look and Carter shook his head.

  “I have to get to Gina. He may be after her again.”

  “Go, I’ll call the cops.”

  There was no answer at her door and he nearly put his foot through it to open it, but used the key and sighed heavily when he found her sleeping on the couch.

  “Gina,” he said touching her shoulder.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I need you to come with me.”

  A yawn. “Why?”

  “Please, don’t ask, just trust me. I need to get you somewhere safe until we find Kyle.”

  Another yawn. “Okay,” she agreed without argument.

  Carter picked her up and carried Gina to his truck. She wasn’t staying alone and he had more confidence with the security at his place than hers.

  Epilogue

  Six months later

  “What are you doing, Carter Liaci?” Gina squealed as he sprayed her with the water gun.

  “Winning.”

  “I thought we were supposed to be on the same side here?”

  “We are but if I soak you, I get to see you as if you were participating in a wet t-shirt contest. So you see…win-win for me.”

  She rolled her eyes and pulled the wet shirt away from her body. They were celebrating two things. Carter’s godson had successful surgery to fix a faulty valve in his heart and Carter had been in court with her this morning as they put Kyle away for arson and murder.

  Swinging up the gun, she aimed at him just as he picked up Gunnar, his godson.

  “Can’t hit me while I’m holding my godson.”

  “Chickenshit,” she muttered.

  Damn man looks so good holding a baby.

  She walked in the opposite direction, vowing to get him the second he put Gunnar down.

  As they waited for the cake, he appeared beside her, dressed in a dark gray shirt that conformed to his strong torso and blue jeans that did wild things to her belly. “We’ve been dodging any serious talks for a while now, Gina.”

  She took the bee
r he offered and allowed the cool brew to slide past her lips and down her throat.

  “I want to marry you again. I want you as my wife. When I almost lost you, I couldn’t even begin to describe the fear that raced through me. I’ve never stopped loving you, I know you know this. Please give me another chance?”

  She leaned against the rail and stared at his face.

  He watched her in return.

  “I’d say it’s a negative five in style points for a proposal but it’s totally you, Carter Liaci.” Gina put the beer down and cupped his face. “I love you too and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to admit it to you. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  His smile released a flock of birds in her belly.

  He drew her close. “I love you, woman. Can we work on giving Gunnar a godsibling to play with?”

  “Godsibling? What the fuck is that?”

  “I want Charlie to be the godfather of our baby. He’s my best friend.”

  “Don’t you think we should be pregnant first before we pick that out?”

  “Hence, my question of working on it.”

  Gina laughed, her heart feeling light. “Whatever you want, Carter.”

  “Same thing I’ve always wanted. You, baby. You.”

  Their lips met and she wound her arms around him, holding him tight to her. This was what she’d come back home for. Carter.

  Other Books in the Dallas Fire & Rescue Series

  All the books in this series can be located here:

  http://paigetylertheauthor.com/BooksDallasFireAndRescueKindleWorld.html

  Thank you for being part of our releases and we hope you enjoy the other books in the series.

  You may have noticed that Carter is a twin. His brother Cameron’s story, Embers of Lust will be releasing in Jan 2017. I hope you enjoy both stories!

  Additional books by Aliyah Burke:

  Sensual Romance Publishing

  Holiday Surprise: Unwrapped

  Raw Exposure

  A Knight’s Vow