Tempted by Fire

by Kimber White

  Val had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. His goatee lent him a devilish appearance. He spoke with a clipped Russian accent. Grace told me he emigrated fifteen years ago at the age of twenty. He was stern, angry, and was having the worst time keeping his wolf in check. He reminded me of Kian. No sooner had I thought it before Kian himself charged Val. Grace drew in a breath beside me, but I took her by the arm.

  The air shimmered around my brother as he threw up a cloaking spell. Smoke swirled. Val dropped low, arching his back, ready to shift. I could see Kian plain as day, but the others couldn’t. He was right in front of Val; he reared back and drew in a sharp breath. Then, he blew hard, sending smoke straight into Val’s face. Val lunged, hitting nothing but air.

  Kian stepped back and dropped the spell. He stood with his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face. Val’s face turned blood red.

  “Shouldn’t be too difficult,” Kian said. “I’ve been dodging shifters like you for three hundred years, boy.”

  Xander growled at Kian. He was right. Like it or not, the Kalenkovs and the Brandharts had to work together.

  “Enough,” Grace said. “We’ve wasted too much time already. This can be simple.”

  Her cellphone blinked at the center of the kitchen table where she’d left it. She’d gotten a single text from her father. “You’re late for church. Father Dmitriev’s expecting you.”

  She knew immediately it was her father’s way of trying to warn her away. Though Andre had encouraged his children to attend mass regularly, he never required it once they’d grown into adulthood. Grace said he believed it should be their own choice. Avelina messaged Xander right after. She confirmed Vadim and the three other shifters I’d seen the other night had escorted Andre into the church. The priest was there with them. We had no idea whether he was friend or foe.

  “I don’t like it,” Milo and I spoke together.

  “I don’t want you anywhere near this,” I said. “I agreed to let you come this far so you could explain things to the rest of your family.”

  “And Kian just made it abundantly clear how easy it is for any one of you to get close to a wolf without him knowing.”

  Val snorted, still seething from Kian’s actions. “You’ve got one trick,” he said. “But the minute you strike, you reveal your position. And the whole pack knows where you are.”

  “I think I can handle four wolves,” Kian said, still smirking.

  “It’s not four wolves, you idiot!” Val sneered at him. “Vadim’s connected to hundreds. Who knows how many he’s got in Chicago. But, even the wolves across the ocean will see what he sees if he sends out a call.”

  “I’m not planning to let him live that long,” I said, my tone sober.

  “Good,” Grace’s cousin Erik said. He and his brother Edward had been mostly silent. But, I sensed their bloodlust plainly from the glint in their wolf eyes.

  “It’s time,” Grace said. She grabbed her phone off the table and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans. “You can all coordinate where you want to be. I’m not waiting another second. Vadim’s pack already took my mother away from me. I’m not giving him a chance to take my father. And to Pavel, he’s only worth keeping him alive long enough for me to get there. So, everyone here better be prepared to move fast.”

  She came to me and gripped my upper arms. She locked eyes with me and gave me a solid kiss. Even here, even now, my Grace stirred my fire. I should have taken her again already, at least a dozen times. I would seal my mark and strengthen our connection. For now, it was time to go to war.

  I shot a look at Xander. He gave me a nod and gestured to Kian, Loch, and Finn. Avelina had already taken a position high above the church. Kian would join her. If Vadim called for the hundreds of reinforcements Val claimed he had access to, they’d never make it within a hundred yards of St. Basil’s without tasting dragonfire.

  “Be careful,” Grace said. “For all we know, he’s got the dragonstone already.”

  Chances were she was right. Val had searched his brother’s house but couldn’t lay hands on the black box Grace said he kept it in. Andre would have taken it with him. He’d planned to use it to bargain for Grace’s freedom.

  “It’ll be all right,” I assured her. “Even if Vadim has it, he won’t have time to turn it into any kind of weapon. I mean, he could throw it like a rock, but I’m pretty sure we’re all capable of handling that.” I gave her a wink, hoping to lighten the mood. Grace touched my face and headed for the door.

  “I hate this,” Milo said. “I hate every fucking second of this. I half want to kill my father.”

  “He’s had to sell his soul to keep his children safe.” The voice came from behind us. Avelina had moved so swiftly, so quietly, no one heard her come through the back sliding door. She wrapped a flowing piece of black silk around her shoulders and closed the door behind her.

  Val and Edward lost their shit. Their wolves came half out. Finn and Loch were right there, shoving the two men away from our mother.

  Milo shot me a look. I gave him a slow nod. He might not like it, but Avelina was no threat to any of them unless she wanted to be. And if she’d wanted to be, they would already be dead. She moved like liquid, gliding across the floor. She went to Milo and pressed a hand to his cheek. His eyes glinted silver, but he stayed stock still.

  “I know a little of what that’s like,” she said. “And I’ve been protecting my sons a fair bit longer than your father has. There are choices. Sacrifices. You cannot begin to know what it takes. But, I will tell you this, if any wolf here tries to hurt one of my family…”

  “Enough,” I said. “You can negotiate terms later. Grace is already on her way to St. Basil’s”

  Avelina turned to me. “He’s got them in the main room near the altar. The priest and Grace’s father. Two wolves on each of them. Vadim is in the priest’s office in the back. He’s alone. He’s been conducting business on his cellphone. They had takeout delivered about an hour ago.”

  “Terrific,” Leo said. “We don’t even need you for this then. This is a family matter anyway.”

  “Like it or not,” I said. “We are family now. And I am not leaving Grace’s side.”

  I went out the front door. I felt the air change behind me as Kian and Avelina went out back and took to the air. Xander and Loch were taking wheels. They drove one of the tricked-out SUVs we kept in our fleet. If anything happened to Andre, they wanted to be ready to get him out of there. Finn was with me.

  “You need to stay back until I tell you,” I turned to Val. “You and the rest of your crew get anywhere near that church and Vadim’s going to sense you coming. Stealth is my specialty.”

  Grace had rounded the last corner in front of the bagel shop. She was about a block and a half ahead of us.

  “They see her,” Milo said through gritted teeth. His fangs dropped. “There are two wolves standing just outside the restaurant. They’re his.”

  “I see them,” Finn said. “On it. Milo, Erik, Edward, you come with me. Val and Leo, why don’t you head around and take the block behind the church? You see any other of Vadim’s men, call ahead. Avelina and Kian are circling overhead.”

  Grace walked up the church steps. She kept her back straight, no hesitation in her step. My dragon simmered beneath me. I wanted nothing more than to shift, swoop down, and spirit her away over the rooftops. But, if we didn’t neutralize Pavel now, we may never get another chance.

  “I fucking hate this,” Milo said again. I shared his sentiment. He walked into the bagel shop with the others. Xander pulled the car up alongside the church. The wolves at the restaurant took notice. We were out of time. I started after Grace.

  “Wait a minute,” Val stopped me. “Aren’t you going to do your stealth thing?”

  A hiss of fire came out of me as I turned to him. “You let me worry about that. You just be ready to move.”

  My heart exploded in my chest as Grace let out a scream. I moved like lightning and charge
d through the front door of the church.

  It was all wrong. Had Avelina underestimated? Grace stood in the center aisle, her face ashen. The priest was dead. He lay across the altar, his throat slit, half shifted. His tail hung limp beneath him and his sightless eyes stared at the ceiling.

  Pavel Vadim sat on the steps of the altar wiping the blade of his dragonsteel knife on a white cloth. His four guards surrounded him. Andre sat straight-backed in the pew closest to the altar. He hadn’t yet turned to see Grace. I realized that’s why she screamed.

  “Papa,” she cried. “No!” Still, Andre hadn’t turned.

  “Took you long enough,” Pavel said. He carefully laid his blade down on the step beside him. Then, he picked up the weapon lying next to his knee. A Smith and Wesson Model 10. He spun the cartridge and held a single bullet in the air. My heart dropped.

  “He held out longer than I expected,” Vadim said, dropping his gaze to the priest’s body. “Usually the first slice is what does them in.”

  I went to Grace’s side. Finn was just outside. Val and Leo came in behind me. I didn’t have to be a wolf to sense theirs. They too noticed that Andre had yet to move. His hand hung by his side. I saw the first slow drops of blood slide from his wrist to the ground.

  “It’s over,” I said. “And we haven’t been properly introduced.”

  Vadim smiled. “Gideon Brandhart. That’s the first thing I got the priest to tell me. Then, he told me something else. He said you’ve taken something of mine.” Vadim rose to his feet. He held that single, pearl-colored bullet in his hand. Dragonstone.

  “Where did you get that?” Grace asked. I reached behind me and squeezed her hand.

  “This?” Vadim said, blowing on the bullet. He slipped it into the chamber and snapped the weapon closed. I didn’t have to see the rest to know he’d loaded each chamber with the same ammunition.

  “How do you think Father Dmitriev could afford to renovate this place? Weekly donations?”

  “How long?” I asked. “How long has he been your supplier?”

  “Son of a bitch,” Val said. He charged Vadim. As his wolves bared their teeth, Val slowed. “That stone belongs to my brother.”

  Vadim shrugged. “Everything he owns belongs to me, Valentin. Everything. Including you. Now, the priest assured me he had more dragonstone than I’d ever seen in my life. He said your brother would point me to it. That’s when I killed him.”

  “Andre, turn around!” Val shouted in Russian. Andre let out a barely audible moan. Val’s shoulders dropped. Grace let out a choked sound.

  “Do what he says,” Vadim shouted. He stepped off the altar and kicked Andre’s leg. Andre slumped to the ground and rolled into the aisle. He had a six-inch dragonsteel blade sticking out of his chest. It would kill him. He had maybe minutes left.

  “I’ll kill you,” Val said. Vadim curled his lips into a smile. Val was too emotional. He didn’t see the flick of Vadim’s wrist. His shot rang true, hitting Val in the shoulder. I didn’t know what dragonstone did to a wolf shifter, but I damn well knew what it would do to me.

  Throwing Grace behind me, I let out a roar of fire. It set the pews aflame and engulfed two of Vadim’s men. They shifted, screaming, but my fire burned way too hot. It took them three seconds to die.

  Vadim side-stepped. His eyes went wide in shock. He didn’t know. He hadn’t guessed. Erik, Edward, Leo, and Milo’s wolves charged into the church. I felt Finn at my back with Xander close behind. It was now or never. Killing him was the easy part. But making sure he died too quickly to transmit anything about us to the rest of his pack would be harder. The fire that burned him would have to be ten times hotter than what I’d just used to kill his men.

  “There will be no negotiation,” I said, walking slowly up the aisles. “You’re done, Vadim.”

  “Grace is mine,” he said. “I have an agreement with her father.”

  I kept my eyes on Vadim’s weapon. He recovered from his shock quickly and cocked the gun, pointing it straight at my chest.

  “No!” Grace screamed.

  Vadim’s hands were steady. In a split second, he could end me. The roof of the church exploded outward; flames shot up to the sky.

  Dark clouds swirled as Avelina and Kian cloaked themselves. I could see them plainly. My mother’s blue dragon beat her wings, sending a cyclone through the church. It knocked Vadim’s two remaining wolves off their feet. Only Vadim stayed upright.

  “Grace, get back,” I commanded. But she had already dived to the end of the pew. She cradled her father’s head in her lap.

  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “He already knew. Dmitriev.”

  “Shh,” she said. “Quiet, Papa. It’s all right now.” She looked up, pleading with me to make her promise true.

  Finn moved quickly. He dove to Grace’s side. He pulled the blade out of Andre’s neck and sliced it across his wrist. I only hoped there was enough life in the man for it to matter. My brother pressed four drops of his blood against Andre’s wound.

  “Drop the gun,” I said. “Even if you shoot me, you won’t last more than a second. My mother will turn you to ash.

  For the first time, Pavel’s hand shook. “You can’t be real. It’s a trick. Andre’s done something. Put something in the wine he offered me.”

  “Sorry,” I said. “This is as real as it gets. And you don’t get Grace.”

  He gave a silent command to his wolves. They leaped over Pavel’s shoulder. Xander’s fire caught one of them squarely in the chest, incinerating him on contact. I got the second. He shrieked. By the time he fell to the ground, he was nothing more than floating ember.

  “I’ll cut you a deal,” Vadim said, his voice rising an octave.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Andre rise to his feet. He held the dragonstone blade in his trembling fingers. My fire gathered strength inside of me.

  Trust me!

  It was Avelina’s voice in my head. I let my fire loose. It danced along the ground, stopping just short of Vadim’s feet.

  It should be Andre! Avelina again.

  I wasn’t sure I could control it. My own bloodlust made me see red fire and gold.

  “Gideon!” Grace shouted. She came to me. Her cool hand on my shoulder made me go still. Her father faltered, then rose to his feet. I shot out another blast of flame, pinning Vadim to his spot at the foot of the altar.

  Andre stepped through it. He raised his blade high. Vadim staggered back, too shocked to even process what was happening. Then, Andre Kalenkov plunged his dragonsteel blade right into the Alpha’s neck.

  Vadim shifted as he dropped. Twitching once, his eyes went dim and his blood doused the circle of flames.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Grace

  A crowd gathered in front of the former St. Basil’s. The firefighters had just put out the last of the flames. Black smoke and ash wafted toward the sky. We stood across the street watching from the window of the Bagel Bureau. Nico closed for business and took my advice when I told him to go home.

  Kian and Loch stayed just on the edge of the crowd. No one even noticed them or the blasts of air one or the other let loose, keeping the flames from jumping to any of the surrounding buildings. They were ready to step in if any of the firefighters got too close to danger.

  Papa sat in a booth, his feet propped up. He sipped water slowly; the color began to return to his cheeks. The gaping wound in his chest had all but closed.

  “Dragon’s blood,” Gideon had told me. “It has healing properties. If Finn hadn’t…”

  Finn stood next to me. For about the tenth time, I went up on my toes and kissed him on the cheek. “If Finn hadn’t acted so quickly, Papa would be dead. Thank you. For Val too.” Finn had used some of his blood to heal the bullet wound in Val’s shoulder.

  Finn blushed. “Anything for you, Grace.” He shot me a wink as Gideon let out an involuntary growl.

  “You sure you feel all right?” I asked my father at least as many times as I’
d kissed Finn.

  “I feel stronger than I ever have in my own life,” he answered. Still, his eyes went from blue to silver and in and out of focus.

  “It’s the pack,” Leo said. He put a light hand on my back. “Papa’s getting messages from all over the world. Anyone who submitted to Vadim can feel Papa now.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I knew it. For my whole life, they’d been telling me how pack law worked. The moment my father killed Pavel Vadim, he assumed his role as Alpha of the Russian pack. It was staggering. Also a little horrifying. But it had kept Vadim from being able to give any dying commands to the rest of the pack. They had a new Alpha now.

  “They are good men, most of them,” Papa said. “Many of them were loyal to my grandfather. They know me. There are a few sour apples…”

  “Bad apples,” I corrected him.

  “Right,” he said. “It will take time to root it all out and set things right.”

  “So you’ll leave,” Avelina came back into the center of the room. She pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders. Ever since she landed, she’d kept a cool eye on my father. He held a secret now that no other shifters in the world had and he had access to hundreds of wolves telepathically. The risk and leap of faith Avelina had taken took my breath from me.

  “The day after tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll book a flight for Moscow.”

  I swallowed past a lump in my throat. My father hadn’t been back to his homeland since my mother’s death. I knew what it meant for him to go back. To have the chance to see family and friends he’d had to leave behind. But, it was decided Erik and Edward would go with him.

  “You’ll come back?” I asked.

  Papa smiled. “It won’t be easy. I have a pack to lead. But, I plan to sell off most of Pavel’s businesses and put good men in charge. It will take time.”