The House of Fire

by M. Goldsmith

  “As overwhelmed as I am right now, I do believe you. I agree we were fated to meet. I feel as if I’ve known you forever. But I’m not sure about coming home with you.”

  Ash understood Brooke’s hesitation. After all, Ash was a stranger to her. Witnessing her Fire power must have been shocking for an ordinary human.

  “You don’t have to decide this minute. But, I want you to know what I love about Aether and why I think you belong there. We are one people. The strong do not pray on the weak. There is no crime in Aether. We live as one, in harmony. Can you say that about humankind? Trust me, Brooke. Go meet Hawk and the others. Help me. I need you. I don’t think they can do this without you. My people will be indebted to you.”

  “I don’t care about debts. I care about saving you. I’ll go meet them, and we’ll get you out of here. I promise.”

  Ash lifted her gaze to the camera and placed her hand over her heart. “Thank you, Brooke. Thank you for everything.”

  ****

  Hawk

  Hawk kicked at the covers wrapped around his feet in the motel bed. Flipping from his side to his back and over again, his loud exhale echoed around the quiet room. Hawk’s jaw tightened as he thought about Ash’s suffering. Shaking his head, and rubbing his stubbled chin, he let his jaw go slack. Emptiness filled Hawk. His chest ached. He dug his fingers deep into his flesh and rubbed at the tightness which remained. Ash’s surrender nearly tore a hole in his heart. Hawk’s powers pulsed near the surface itching to be released. Slow measured breaths helped him regain his control.

  Finding out if she was alive was the only thing that mattered right now. But time sped by like the hand on a stop watch, another enemy, like Barrington and Devlin. Violent thoughts raced through his mind: Devlin, bloody and dead at his feet, and Barrington on his knees, begging for mercy. Hawk wanted vengeance not justice. There would be no trial for Devlin or Barrington. The Protectors would decide their fate.

  He punched his pillow fluffing it for the tenth time. Sinking his head into the foamy disc, he pulled the sheet to his chin. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get his brain off Ash. As much as he trusted her intuition, he still worried about Brooke Barrington. What would happen if she betrayed Ash? The more he thought about it, the more he realized his belief in Ashlyn remained absolute. Everything would unfold as it was meant to, and anyone who hurt Ash better say their prayers.

  Turning to face the digital clock on the nightstand, Hawk groaned. He whispered under his breath, “What the hell time is it anyway?” He spun the dated looking timepiece toward him and watched as the red glowing numbers flip to 5:46. They weren’t meeting River and Brack until seven, and he gave up any hope of sleep.

  The bed creaked as Hawk inched his way out to go to the bathroom. The light from the parking lot shone through the thin curtains creating a spotlight effect. Hawk bit his cheek to keep from laughing when he noticed Quill and Kai lit up in the beam. They were spooned together, and Quill was snoring a boisterous melody. The three had done rock-paper-scissors for the single bed just like when they were kids. Kai protested adamantly when he lost, complaining he and Quill had been more than close enough in the car. Even in his sleep, Quill managed to lighten any dark mood.

  Hawk flipped on the lights as he stepped into the bathroom shutting the door behind him with a soft click. He blinked rapidly while his eyes adjusted to the bright light. Cranking the hot water, steam filled the small, stark space. If he could just wash away the jitters. Hawk held out his hands and watched as tiny tremors shook them. After about three seconds he retracted them abruptly, clenching them into two tight fists staving off his agitation. His boxer briefs hit the floor, and he stepped under the warm spray. It seeped into his aching muscles, tight from tension. The water cascaded down his back, and he moaned at the sensation.

  Vibrations hummed through his body when he sensed the first tingle of his link with Ash. Her voice was soft and shaky. Where had his beautiful, feisty, Fire Guardian gone? Seeing her severely injured and in pain had set his powers into motion again. Waves of anger settled inside him when he thought about her suffering. The need to have her safe in his arms and away from those madmen took over his rational thought. No way he would allow her to give up hope when he was so close.

  Thunderous hammering shook the flimsy bathroom door pulling Hawk out of his stupor. “Hawk? What the hell are you doing in there? The entire room is shaking. You better not be jacking your hammer. I’m serious. I know you need to get some, but this is ridiculous,” Quill scolded, from the other side of the door.

  Protector training had taught him to control his powers, but lately, Hawk exhibited nothing of the sort. The relentless onslaught of emotions had been taking its toll on him. Hawk prided himself on discipline at all times, and he had failed miserably at maintaining it. Quill’s infernal knocking picked up a rhythm Hawk was having a hard time ignoring. He twisted the handles in the shower stopping the misty spray. With a tug, he yanked a towel from the rack, patted himself dry, and then wrapped it around his waist. Time to face the music. He stepped out of the quiet serene space to face his friends.

  “Wow, man, you must’ve broken some kind of world record,” Quill teased.

  “Shut the hell up, Quill! It’s Ash. Devlin, the psycho with the scar I told you about, hurt her badly.” Words erupted from his mouth like lava, “I’m going to tear that prick to pieces with my bare hands!” Hawk backed up to the edge of the bed and lowered himself to the saggy mattress. He ran his hands through his dripping hair. “Her ribs are broken. She’s got bruises everywhere, and he cut her… I don’t know what to do, guys. I’m not sure how much longer she can hang on.” His shoulders slumped as he let out a broken sigh. “Ash arranged for us to meet Brooke at noon. I hope we aren’t making a mistake trusting Barrington’s daughter. But Ash’s faith in her is absolute. So, I guess we don’t have much of a choice but to go through with the meeting.”

  “She looks pretty innocent in her photo, and Ash obviously knows her enough to trust her. I’m sure it’s going to be okay,” Kai supported.

  Quill pulled out his phone. As it sprung to life, Hawk could see Brooke’s image fill the screen. Holy crap! What is he thinking?

  His friend continued to stare down at the photo when he spoke. “Look at her. There’s a sparkle of innocence in her eyes. Ash says she’s nothing like her father, and I believe her.”

  Looks could be deceiving, but everyone was on board with the Brooke scenario. The part which shocked Hawk the most was Quill’s defense of a woman he had never met. His friend, an easy-going guy with a keen sense of humor, behaved like a different person every time Brooke’s name came up. Hawk had the distinct feeling sparks were really going to fly when they finally met in person. He hoped for Quill’s sake, and of course for Ashlyn’s, that Brooke abided by her word to help.

  Just before seven they headed next-door to River and Brack’s room. According to River, the other Protectors had arrived some time during the night and planned to meet them at a rest stop just outside of town. Since Hawk didn’t want to talk about the details of his latest link with Ash, he asked Kai to update River. His avoidance of the subject certainly didn’t ease the tension which lingered inside him. Even his skin felt too tight. Hawk paced around the small room alternating between clasping and unclasping his hands, and then clenching them into fists.

  Hawk screeched to a halt and faced River. “Damn it! We need to get out of here. What if they’re hurting her again? We need to meet the others and formulate our plan. If Brooke can’t help us, then we better be prepared for anything tonight.”

  River nodded to the others, and silently they grabbed their gear shutting the musty motel room behind them. The Hummer rocked when the five substantially sized men climbed in. Seven miles zipped by Hawk’s window, and his body buzzed with apprehension. It took hold and affixed itself to the whole group. When they reached the rest area, two Hummers were parked only visible once inside the small lot. River backed into a space with his
usual finesse. Before the vehicle even came to a complete stop, Hawk jumped out.

  As his boots hit the ground, gravel crunched under his size twelves. A dense row of tall trees obstructed his view of the highway. The rest area was set back and made an ideal location for their meeting. Good thing the place appeared to be deserted. His brother Protectors were sprawled out on every available surface. Muscled limbs and broad shoulders filled the benches and tables. Dressed head to toe in black, the group could intimidate a squad of Marines. No weapons were visible, but Hawk knew, as he felt his own weapon at the small of his back, they were all heavily armed.

  After all the handshakes and backslapping, River launched the meeting. “Thank you all for driving through the night to get here. Ashlyn has been injured by her captors, and it has become abundantly clear time is of the essence. I texted Cadence regarding the man who beat Ash. She told Hawk his name is Devlin. Cadence sent me a profile on this bastard, and we’re dealing with a professional, a mercenary. Apparently, he’s worked for Barrington for many years. You can all read the details when you have a chance, but let it suffice to say he is an extremely dangerous individual. Devlin is a former Army Ranger who was dishonorably discharged, and his mental health status is highly unstable—”

  Hawk interrupted, “I’m telling you all right now that prick is mine. I’m going to end him, painfully.”

  Powerful tremors shook the ground beneath their feet. A couple of the guys sat up straighter and held onto the tables. Quill must have slipped in behind him, because he felt his friend’s firm touch on his shoulder. Hawk whipped his head around to look at Quill, and the ground settled. Everyone had the good sense not to say anything.

  River continued, “We all understand how personal this is for you, Hawk, but we want to come out of this with as few casualties as possible. The plan right now is to use stealth to enter CEB and extract Ashlyn. When we’ve cleared the facility, we’ll blow the entire complex. Our goal is to make it look like an industrial accident. Before anything happens, we need to retrieve any and all information they have on Ashlyn, including medical samples they may have obtained. Hopefully, when we meet Brooke Barrington later today she can fill in some of the gaps in our intel.”

  Hawk leaned back against an ancient oak his arms crossed over his chest. He gazed up at the open sky and thought about Ash. He knew River had already assigned him to Ashlyn’s extraction team, and his mind was consumed with getting her out. Using his bond, he planned to pinpoint Ashlyn’s location once they were closer.

  One of the teams outlined their idea to use CEB’s own chemicals to blow up the entire facility. Any files in their system pertaining to Ashlyn would be corrupted. Their tech experts were looking forward to planting a virus designed to crash CEB’s entire network. After, they were prepared to search the laboratories for any medical samples and destroy them. River didn’t want to leave it to chance the explosion alone would eradicate the specimens. Hawk and the rest of River’s team would take out the guards on the subterranean level, locate Ash, and get her to safety.

  They worked for several hours before River dismissed the other Protectors. “Go and get some lunch, then make the final preparations for tonight. After we meet with Brooke Barrington and she shares her intel, I’ll update you.”

  Hawk had another goal in mind. He wanted Brooke to lure her father and Devlin to the facility so he could end them both.

  With River behind the wheel once again, the Hummer bumped its way into the lot of the Park Lane Diner. Checking his watch for the umpteenth time Hawk saw it was 11:45. They weren’t due to meet Brooke until noon. Kai and Quill flanked Hawk as they followed River up the wide walkway leading to the restaurant. Heads snapped left and right in their direction the minute they entered. Hawk immediately recognized Brooke from her picture. She sat alone looking small in an oversized booth in the corner.

  Strong fingers gripped and dug into Hawk’s flesh. Quill had taken hold of his arm, halting his progress toward the table. “I’m warning you. You better take it easy on her. I’ve seen that look in your eyes before. Just remember she’s risking everything to help Ash. And, I have no problem knocking your lights out if you scare her with your snarly Protector’s ways.”

  Hawk yanked his arm back from his friend. “What the hell, Quill? You’ve been acting nuts ever since you saw this woman’s picture. By the way, I am house broken you know. I would never threaten a woman no matter who her father is. Now back off.”

  Quill ignored Hawk shoving his way in front of the others to greet Brooke first. As he extended his hand to her, she placed her much smaller one inside of his. Fear and intimidation were plainly evident on her pretty face. “I’m Quill. You must be, Brooke.” Hawk noticed the light in her eyes change as Quill held onto her hand a little longer than was necessary. “Don’t worry about these guys.” Quill winked and added his charming smile. “They’re perfectly harmless.”

  Brooke managed to find her voice. “Somehow, I highly doubt that.” She sat up a little taller and met Hawk’s piercing gaze. “You’re, Hawk, right? Ashlyn told me about you.”

  Broad shoulders and long legs squeezed their way into the cramped booth. Quill introduced River and Kai to Brooke. Kai stared at Brooke with a strange look in his eyes, putting Hawk on edge. What was it about this innocent looking blond that had his friends all mesmerized?

  All except River, who was strictly business. “We appreciate you coming to meet with us, Ms. Barrington.”

  “Please, call me Brooke, and I’m happy to be able to help Ashlyn anyway I can. I’m truly sorry for what my father and Devlin have done to her. She’s a very special person. Tell me how I can help you.”

  River explained in detail the information they required from Brooke regarding the holes in their intel. Impressed by how candid and forthcoming she was, Hawk’s opinion of her promptly rose. He knew Ash had obviously been right in placing her trust in Brooke. As much as he didn’t want to admit, there was a light in her eyes gleaming with innocence and kindness.

  Hawk watched as Quill fixed his gaze on Brooke seemingly spellbound. His best friend licked his lips, as his eyes focused on her mouth when she spoke. Quill was more subdued than Hawk had ever seen before. No jokes. No wisecracks. Kai, only marginally better, gaped at the poor girl. What am I going to do with these two idiots?

  “Brooke, are you sure you want to do this? Once you help us go against your father I mean, there will be no turning back. Do you think you’re ready for those consequences?” Quill questioned.

  “Yes, I definitely am. I don’t blame you for having doubts about my sincerity, but I know what I’m doing here. I haven’t had any sort of real relationship with my father my entire life and I don’t expect that will ever change. What my father and Devlin have done to Ashlyn is horrific.”

  “We appreciate your candor, Brooke.” River handed her a small black duffle bag. “This device will block all the camera feeds in the building. I’ve enclosed instructions for installation in the bag. Do you think you’ll be able to get in without being detected and take care of it?”

  “It won’t be a problem. It’s very quiet in the lab at night. I’ve figured out how to get down to the lower level where they are keeping Ashlyn. I’ll take care of it, I promise.” Brooke pulled her shoulders back and sat up straighter.

  Without looking at River, Hawk addressed her directly. “There is one more important detail I’d like your help with. Do you think you can come up with an excuse to bring your father and Devlin to the lab tonight? We would like to…question them.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ashlyn and Hawk

  Ashlyn’s body slowly recovered over the next several hours. Testing her ribs, she poked her fingertips gently into her still purple flesh. Wincing a little, she inhaled deeply and then let out her breath slowly. Well, I’m definitely better than last night. Now let me see what’s happening under this bandage. Ash slowly picked at the tape and unraveled the length of gauze from around her neck. Small strips were
taped vertically along the wound holding it closed. Gingerly, she pried each piece free revealing a thin scar. She wished she had a mirror to see it properly, but instead she explored it with her fingers. After, she gently probed her eye and cheek. Oh great, that still hurts, too. She squinted as waves of anger washed through her. As soon as their guard is down, I’m going to fry those two psychopaths.

  She continued to seethe, and the anticipation of Hawk’s arrival weighed heavily on her. Ash knew she was helpless. Her Fire itched under her skin as she waited. It brought to mind a quote from one of her favorite books, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. “Time is a trap. But that’s where I am, there’s no escaping it. Time’s a trap, I’m caught in.” How apropos the quote seemed to her at the moment. Not only was she trapped in her cell, but she felt trapped by time itself as if it were a living breathing entity. Now that she knew Hawk and the other Protectors were so close, the hours flattened her like a heavyweight holding her down. She had no idea how long she had been held captive. The days, hours, and minutes blended together. With no real concept of time, being cut off from the normal sights and sounds of the outside world, Ashlyn was left feeling bereft. Is it morning still? I can’t tell if it’s the middle of the day, or the middle of the night.

  The whoosh of the slot in her door startled Ash. Her now standard issue cardboard tray slid in. One of the water bottles teetered until it landed on her sandwich squishing it a bit. Mindlessly going through the motions, Ash stared off into space groping her way through the items on the tray. Her stomach rumbled in response to the smell of food, but Ash didn’t even feel hungry. She tore off pieces and forced them past her lips, tasting only sawdust. When she finished, she brushed the crumbs off herself and paced the confines of her tiny cell. She kept it up until her ribs started to protest, and her whole body ached. Ash’s Fire continued to hover close as she curled up on the mattress with a creak. I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes. The weight of her lids could not be fought as if they were being forced shut. Still weak, she dozed off into a restless sleep.