Bounty's Flame

by Lia Davis

“Is it wrong that I feel so at ease with you, like I’ve known you all my life?”

  He cupped her cheek and held eye contact. “Not to me. The Phoenix knows me. That is what you are feeling. You may even have her memories when she wants to share them with you.”

  “I think she’s confused. She’s quiet right now.”

  “Maybe. She could be letting you get to know me.” He kissed her forehead. “You should get some sleep. We have training in the morning, and we need to form a plan of attack.”

  Ugh. More training. At least with Caleb, she had a physical opponent that was easy on the eyes.

  “I’ll kick your ass this time.”

  He chuckled. “We’ll see.”

  “Not happening.”

  Caleb paced his living room. He had no doubt that Levi was searching for them and knew Caleb wouldn’t give up his mate. At least not without a fight. How come he didn’t know Levi was the one who had captured and killed Opal all those year ago?

  “I’m not sitting by while you run into a trap and possibly get killed. Mel may still have some mixed feelings, but I don’t. Call it intuition or whatever, but I have a strong feeling we—and I do mean the three of us—must work together in order to come out of this alive. Levi is an evil man.” Amelia shuddered and hugged her waist.

  Caleb sighed. He saw the strength within her. Hell, he even knew she was strong enough to fight by his side. However, he worried he’d be distracted by her presence, and Levi would use it against him. What choice did he have? One thing he’d learned about Amelia in the short time she’d been with him was that she was stubborn. If he left, she’d follow him anyway.

  “Fine,” he growled out, then pinned her with a hard stare. “We do it my way.”

  Amelia straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “Deal.”

  Sitting beside her, he fired up the laptop. After it came online, he brought up the blueprints of Levi’s headquarters.

  Amelia leaned into him and asked, “How did you get that?”

  He smiled. “I told you, Razor’s a genius.” Pointing to the center of the screen, he explained his plan. “The ground floor is the night club. The second floor is HQ, and the top two floors used to be apartments. No one lives in them now. I’m guessing Levi uses them for storage.”

  “Something doesn’t seem right. I mean, the place he took me and Melissa had a dirt floor, or may the floor was covered in dirt.” Amelia straightened. “Is there a basement?”

  Not that he knew of. He clicked through the files, searching for any note of a basement. Could there be another property Levi owned? Razor would have found it.

  On the heels of that thought, the genius entered the room with two large pizzas and a two-liter. Setting the items on the coffee table, the younger demon arched a brow. “What?”

  “Is there a basement under the night club?”

  Razor shrugged. “There isn’t one listed in the plans, but you know that now. It is possible for one to be added, but not without the humans knowing.”

  Amelia shook her head. “Levi has powers. He can weave magic. I’m not sure how, but I’ve seen it.”

  “Seen what?” Caleb asked.

  “When he…the day Melissa died. Before then, I didn’t believe in the supernatural or paras. Levi had some kind of crystal and a pendant. I didn’t get a good look at it.” Amelia started to fidget.

  Caleb linked his fingers with hers. “It’s okay. Take a breath and try to remember. I know he’s not human, but he hides his true nature too well.” Caleb ground his teeth. Levi must be part warlock. Although, there were demons who could weave magic.

  Amelia calmed a bit before speaking. “He spoke a few phrases in Latin. Then Melissa crumbled to the ground at my feet.”

  “Fuck. He knows how to call out the Phoenix. I’m betting he also knows how to contain her.” Caleb glanced to Razor, who had his brows drawn together and a frown on his lips. Yeah, Razor knew as well as Caleb did the only way to contain the Phoenix outside a human host was with her mate’s blood.

  They were walking into a trap. No matter how much they planned or how safe they tried to be, they were screwed.

  Caleb closed the computer and stood. “Razor, pack the car.”

  Amelia rose to her feet. “What about the plan?”

  “We go in and kill the bastard. That’s the plan.”

  7

  Amelia glared at Caleb’s back, tapping her foot against the rock floor of the cavern. The hellhound was keeping something from her. She felt it. Why else would he abandon the idea of planning an attack? Unless they were walking into a trap, and there was no way out of it. Meaning Levi had plotted to get the two of them together from the start. Hence why he’d hired Caleb in the first place.

  “My thoughts, too. Levi could use Caleb to trap me.”

  Fear burned in Amelia gut. We can’t let that happen.

  “I know. I’m thinking.”

  While Mel thought about it, Amelia decided to question Caleb. “We’re going into a trap?”

  “Yes.”

  She pursed her lips while she chose her next words. “Levi set you up because you’re our mate.”

  He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he continued to check his gun and pack ammo. So she was right.

  “You have a theory on how he plans to capture Mel.”

  The muscles in his jaw worked before he finally spoke. “He could use my blood to capture Mel without a host. It is possible he could even control her.”

  Amelia shook her head. Not going to happen. She wouldn’t let it. Yet, she was nothing but a human without Mel.

  “The mating,” Mel chimed in, her mood lifting a little.

  “What about the mating?” Amelia didn’t mean to speak out loud.

  Caleb jerked his head up, his body going taught. Turning, he pinned her in a heated stare. “Complete the mating? I don’t see how that could help.”

  “Why not? We would be bound together and stronger.”

  “We would also be more vulnerable. Once bound, Levi could use my blood to control her. I won’t let that happen.” He drew his brows together and shook his head.

  Amelia closed the distance between them and cupped his cheek. “Then don’t let it. I’m new at this mating thing, but from what Mel said, it forms a psychic and emotional bond between the three of us. We could link together and stop Levi. With yours and Mel’s powers, we’ll be stronger than he is.”

  His beast flashed in his eyes as he covered her hand and rested his forehead against hers. “You sure you want to bond? There is no breaking it.”

  “Yes, we’re sure.”

  He closed in on her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and jerked her body to his. Heat spread through her as desire surfaced. The demon was hot, and she was weak when it came to him. She flattened her palms to his chest and fisted his shirt.

  “Do it already.”

  Too fast for her to track, he struck, sinking his fangs into her shoulder. The sting of the bite dissolved into a wave of bone-melting pleasure. Mel echoed her moan as Caleb tightened his hold on her.

  “Open up to him.”

  Mel’s voice brought her out of the drunken haze. Clearing her mind, Amelia opened her mind and body to him, accepting the mating. She didn’t realize until that moment how much she wanted him. Not on a lustful-in-her-bed kind of way, but as a mate, another part of her soul.

  Tiny threads of awareness formed and weaved together. Caleb’s power flowed into her mind. His scent filled her, mingling and changing her own. Flashes of memories scrolled by of Caleb and what must have been Opal, then they switched to Mel’s point of view.

  Love, acceptance, and heartache rushed at her all at once. Amelia fought for air, overwhelmed by all the sensations. Caleb wasn’t just bonding with her, but with Mel, as well. They were forming a triad.

  Amelia gasped as Caleb’s and Mel’s powers merged and spread through her, as if finding a balance. Her whole body hummed, making her hypersensitive to her surroundings. When she started
to pull away, Caleb caressed her scalp with his free hand. The feeling of his fingertips massaging her head soothed her. Once she relaxed, the magic slowed.

  Another moment passed before the storm inside her calmed. Caleb extracted his fangs and lifted his head. His eyes glowed silver and gold as he stared down at her.

  “Are you okay?”

  Nodding, she sagged into him. “Yes. I can feel you inside me.”

  He smiled. “It will only grow stronger with time. You could even use my power like you can Mel’s.”

  Amelia nodded again, letting the information sink in. She felt dizzy, but it only lasted a moment. Then her body shook slightly. She pushed free of Caleb’s arms out of fear she was going to be sick. As soon as she stepped away from him, red smoke swirled around her. The next instant, Mel hovered next to her, stretching out red and gold wings.

  “What are you doing?” Fear sliced Amelia’s gut, and she reached for Mel.

  The Phoenix laughed and darted away to fly around the room. “As I thought, the bond allows me to separate from you, but I’m not sure for how long.”

  Crossing her arms, Amelia watched Mel dance around the room. “I’m not sure I like it.”

  Caleb hugged her to him. “You’ll get used to it. Let her be free.”

  “Okay, but only when we’re at home…” She turned in his arms, brows drawn. “Where will home be? I mean, provided we are successful in killing Levi.”

  Mel flew over and wedged herself between them. Amelia’s lips lifted. Even in ghost form, she could feel Mel as if she were solid.

  “We can live at the farmhouse,” Mel said. “We’ll fix it up and make it ours.”

  The excitement rolling off Mel gave Amelia hope. Had the Phoenix seen their future?

  The cold touch of Caleb’s fingers on her cheek drew Amelia’s attention to him. He shook his head. “One thing at a time. First, we have to take care of Levi. Then we’ll make plans for a future.”

  He walked out of the room, distancing himself from them. Amelia glanced to Mel. The bird shrugged and floated over to her, merging them together once again.

  “He’s just worried. He’d rather keep us locked up at home than take us to The Rage and hand us over to Levi.”

  Amelia sighed. “I know. I’m nervous, too.”

  They would survive this. One way or another, Levi would pay for all the lives he took in trying to capture the Phoenix. Mel deserved to be free, to live.

  8

  Caleb didn’t like exposing Amelia by taking her to The Rage as if they were on a date. The security team watched them from the time they entered the club. He was surprised Levi hadn’t made an appearance. Unless the bastard wasn’t there.

  “Things are too quiet. I don’t like it.” He pressed his lips to her neck as he spoke.

  Amelia let out a soft laugh for those who were watching them and threw her arms around his neck. “I agree. Something isn’t right.”

  “Levi is up in his office, talking with his head of security,” Mel said, her tone sharp, as if she was ready to peck out the crime lord’s eyes and light his ass on fire to watch him burn.

  Caleb stroked Amelia’s cheek with his knuckles. Being connected to her and the Phoenix both scared him and calmed him. It was also a relief to hear Mel’s voice in his own head and feel her emotions. “They will come for us soon.”

  “Yes,” Amelia and Mel said at the same time.

  Just then, he spotted Rock, the head of security, walking toward them. Behind Rock were two more demons. Caleb let out a low growl, while Amelia gripped his arms, her nails digging into his skin.

  Mel said what they were thinking, “They’re going to separate us.”

  Panic started to rise in Amelia, making Caleb lock gazes with her.

  “We will still be able to link, even in different rooms.”

  She nodded. “I know. It still doesn’t make me feel any better about this.”

  “Just go along with whatever happens.”

  “Okay.”

  Rock stopped beside them. “I see you kept your end of the bargain.”

  “Where’s Levi?”

  Beside him, Amelia stepped back, shaking her head. “You bastard. You set us up.” She turned to run, but the two demons that had followed Rock blocked her escape. She cast Caleb a sharp glare. “You’re going to pay for this.”

  Caleb curled his lips to keep the smile from forming. If he weren’t bound to Amelia, he’d almost believe her. He glanced to Rock. “Where’s the rest of my money?”

  Rock nodded. “This way.”

  It took all his power not to rip the two demons escorting a protesting Amelia to the other side of the bar, where Caleb had guessed the entrance to the basement was located.

  Once inside Levi’s office, Caleb fisted his hands. The crime lord sat behind a dark mahogany desk and smirked. The gleam in the man’s eyes told Caleb Levi had planned this all along.

  “I brought the female to you. I want my money.”

  “What’s the hurry?” Levi tapped a pen on his desk as he studied Caleb.

  Reining in his control, Caleb shrugged. “I have other assignments I need to start. Plus your loud-ass club gives me a headache.”

  “I want to make you a business offer.”

  Suspicion crawled up his spine like icy fingers while his gut burned with fear for Amelia and Mel. The longer he bullshitted around with Levi, the longer they were locked up in the basement.

  “What kind of offer?”

  “I could use another tracker, especially one with your skills and power. I can pay you three times your current rate.” Levi’s features softened, and a lazy smile formed. But his eyes told Caleb the male was lying and stalling.

  Stalling for what?

  Before he had a chance to speak, pain exploded inside Caleb’s head, and breathing became difficult. Caleb crumbled to his knees, gasping for air. He lost function in his arms and legs, unable to fend off Rock as the demon cuffed his hands and dragged him through a hidden door on the other side of the room.

  His last thoughts were of Amelia and Mel before everything went dark.

  Amelia paced the small glass cell in the same dark, dirty basement she and Mel had escaped from a year ago. Where Melissa had died.

  Where the hell was Caleb? She’d tried to call him, but the mating bond was silent, which scared the shit out of her. What if Levi killed him?

  “He’s not dead.” Mel paced under Amelia’s skin. Amelia had never felt the Phoenix so annoyed, pissed off, and scared all at once before.

  Are you sure?

  “Yes.”

  Okay. Amelia believed her, for the moment.

  Just then, the door opened, and Levi entered the room, Rock behind him. The demon carried Caleb’s too-still body, then dumped him in the middle of the floor. Amelia’s heart sank. She rushed to the glass wall and beat on it.

  “You bastard!”

  “Levi is a dead man,” Mel hissed.

  Yes, he was.

  Glanced at Caleb, Amelia tried to link with him again and got nothing. Please tell me you have another plan.

  “We can try to break whatever spell Levi placed on him, but it will take time. Which we don’t have a lot of.” Mel sighed. “We will need to be separated to do it.”

  Shit.

  Would Caleb survive if we died?

  Mel was silent for a moment. “Yes, but I don’t plan on dying today.”

  The Phoenix’s fire swirled inside her, building and intensifying. A tug on Amelia’s subconscious increased her fear, but she trusted Mel. She lowered the shields Mel had taught her to build in order to keep them both safe from other paras with psychic alibies. A moment later, red smoke swirled around her, and Mel formed beside her.

  The beautiful, large bird whipped her wings out, shattering the glass of their cell. Levi widened his eyes and stumbled back. Rock charged at them, but Amelia thrust out her hand to freeze him in place. She smiled. If she could pull from Caleb’s power, then he was alive.

 
; After a quick glance at Mel to make sure she was holding her own with Levi, Amelia rushed to Caleb’s side. The dark spell was inky and choking, but she could break it. Reverting to Mel’s training on magic, Amelia placed her hands on Caleb’s chest and focused on the thread that linked the three of them.

  Sending the Phoenix’s healing power along the line, Amelia chanted softly, “Undo the dark hold on our mate. He is ours to claim and keep.”

  A snap of electrical energy knocked Amelia a few feet away from him. A little disoriented, she watched Caleb begin to move and slowly rise to his feet.

  “Oh, thank the goddess.”

  A flash of silver caught Amelia’s eye a moment before hot pain shot through her. Glancing down, she saw a dagger sticking out of her stomach. Blood seeped through her T-shirt. Her breaths came in short, painful bursts. With tears in her eyes, she met Caleb’s horrified gaze. A screech echoed through the room as the space filled up with flames, burning everything in its path.

  Amelia fought to keep her eyes open, but they were so heavy. Arms lifted her, cradling her gently. Then she started to move.

  “Don’t leave us. Hang in there.”

  A voice entered her mind, but she couldn’t tell if it was Mel or Caleb. Where was she?

  “No!”

  Caleb roared, the sound echoing off the basement walls. Amelia crumpled to the floor, her hands wrapped around the dagger sticking out of her gut. Fury clouded his vision. When he turned to face Levi with the intent of ripping the bastard’s head off, the crime lord was nowhere to be seen.

  The coward had vanished, running from the three of them like a scared rabbit. Caleb growled while trying to keep control over his inner beast. He needed to get Amelia and Mel out of there.

  He met Mel’s tear-filled gaze as she hovered beside Amelia. He stroked her ghostly feathers, trying to comfort her, then lifted Amelia in his arms. Mel moved closer so she could easily teleport with them back to Caleb’s home.

  Laying her on his bed, he caressed her cheek. “Amelia, stay with me. Mel, do something.”

  Snapping her beak, she shoved him aside with one large wing. “I can’t when your ass is in the way. Stop hovering and get her some water.”