Wicked Burn

by Rebecca Zanetti

  “Misguided attempt to save her ass.” Nick crossed broad arms. “I take it you two, ah . . .”

  Simone nodded. Better for him to think that.

  Bear’s eyes widened. “Me and Simone? No. Ewwww.”

  Simone shook her head. God. He was such an ass sometimes. “Shut up, both of you.”

  Nick wiped more blood off his forehead. “I don’t understand.”

  Bear looked at him, then at her, and then back at Nick. “We go way back, have worked together, and that’s it. We’re friends.” He grimaced on the last word. “As much as I have friends. I mean, if I have to have them. It’s not like—”

  “Bear,” Simone snapped. “Shut up.” The Guard soldiers were watching him, curiosity and suspicion obvious in their expressions. No mission on record had Simone working with a bear shifter. Or any shifter, for that matter.

  “Zaychik moy?” Nick eyed the guards. “You have some explaining to do.”

  Bear barked out a laugh. “Little bunny?” His eyebrows arched. “Um, that’s an interesting nickname. You’re not exactly bunny-like, now, are you? What the heck?”

  She rolled her eyes. Why did Bear give two craps about a silly nickname? “I like rabbits.” There was a time, a century or so ago, when she’d raised them. They liked her, too. Although she definitely regretted sharing that information with Nick during a vulnerable, postcoital, forever-together moment. Those sure as hell didn’t last.

  “Bunny. You like rabbits.” Bear rubbed his chin, his gaze inscrutable. “Did you tell him that during sex?”

  Now wasn’t the time. “Shut. Up. Bear.” Simone allowed morphing blue plasma to dance down her arms.

  The soldiers stiffened around them.

  Bear held both hands up, not even remotely appearing harmless. Even wearing faded jeans so old they were more white than blue and a T-shirt with Harry Potter on the front, the animal in bear was more than evident. “Okay. Back to business. What does a trial entail?”

  “Just a normal trial,” she said, not liking the calculating gaze Nick was shooting her way. “The prosecution will present evidence, and I’ll defend myself. It’ll be fine.”

  Nick coughed. “Bullshit.”

  “Excuse me?” Simone snuffed out her plasma.

  “A conviction for treason means your powers are blasted out of you, or it can mean death.” Nick flashed his teeth. “Bear, if you want your old friend to survive, you’ll help us out of here before her transport arrives.”

  The soldier guarding the door shook his head. “Any action to prevent our mission is tantamount to a declaration of war.”

  “Like I give a fuck.” Bear kept his gaze on Simone.

  Nick gave the equivalent of a demon growl. “I concur with Bear.”

  The soldier snarled. “Unless Zane Kyllwood condemns your actions, demon, the Coven Nine will declare war on the entire demon nation. Again.”

  Unfortunately, the soldier had a good grasp on the political situation.

  Nick set his stance. “Zane Kyllwood has no idea I’m with Simone, and he certainly did not approve my actions. This is all me and not the demon nation.” He studied Bear. “You in or out?”

  Bear lifted one dark eyebrow. “Simone?”

  “I need to face these charges.” She tried her damnedest to keep panic from her voice. “We just finished a war . . . Let’s not start another one quite yet.”

  “True.” Bear shrugged. “Yet, I’m in.”

  He’d barely gotten the words out before the lead guard hit him with a plasma ball in the center of the chest. Bear flew through the air and slammed into the bar. He rose, beginning to shift, and the other three guards pummeled him with plasma until he dropped unconscious.

  Lucas ran forward and faced the same attack to save his boss. One of the guards drew a gun and shot him several times in the chest. He clutched his arm and fell, falling on his face, out cold.

  Nick growled. Vibrations of air from him, dark and menacing, pierced the oxygen. The Guard soldiers cried out, two of them grabbing their temples. One fell to the ground, his body convulsing.

  Simone panted, her eyes widening at the nightmarish scene. Turning, she watched Nick’s eyelids droop as he managed the demon mind attack and ripped through their brains. “Stop it,” she whispered.

  “No.”

  She glanced over at Bear, who was out cold and bleeding freely. Thank goodness the wounds were in the chest. Shifters had a hard time recuperating from head shots. And politically, he was all right. No matter how the day ended, at least he’d be protected because he hadn’t had a chance to do anything amounting to a declaration of war. But man, was he going to be pissed.

  A second soldier dropped unconscious to the ground from Nick’s attack.

  The third tried to form plasma down his arms, but the flames sputtered.

  God, Nick had gotten even more powerful through the years. Most demons could perpetrate mind attacks, but not to this degree. They shot both images and pain into their victims’ brains, which could be destroyed forever. “Nick. Stop it.” Even though the Guard was after her, these were her people, and they were just doing their jobs.

  He ignored her, his chin lowering.

  A helicopter set down outside the wide block of windows, and several Guard soldiers jumped out.

  There was no escape, and they’d kill Nick.

  Simone sucked in air and drew on all her power. Nick was concentrating hard on the soldiers and didn’t turn her way. The bastard wasn’t leaving her a choice. She concentrated, drawing on the power of the universe and the molecular compounds around her, creating plasma out of oxygen. Taking a breath, she threw a ball of plasma at his back.

  The fire hit hard and knocked him into the sofa.

  He jumped up and spun around, red spiraling into his face. “What the hell?”

  Winding her arms, she propelled ball after ball at him, burning his clothes, but stopping short of a truly damaging shot, just in case she needed his help getting out of there. She hit his arms, his shoulders, his legs. He growled, twisting and turning from the blows, but not attacking her mind.

  She’d counted on him not harming her. Physically, anyway.

  Bootsteps pounded outside the building. Damn it. To keep him alive, she had to knock him out before they entered the room. Not for one second did she question her need to save his life.

  So she twisted her aim for his face.

  He ducked, and the fireball smashed into the door, throwing it off the hinges. Bellowing, he lunged for her, hitting her mid-center and taking her down with a tackle that stole her breath. He landed on top of her, his furious face an inch from hers. “Do not make me hurt you.”

  Hurt her? He’d just bruised her entire body. She sent flames down her arms.

  “Damn it.” He flipped her over, planted a knee in the small of her back, and clasped her wrists together, ignoring the fire. Seconds later, something strong wrapped around her wrists and up her forearms.

  He stood and jerked her to her feet.

  Her mouth gaped open. He’d tied her hands behind her back with his damn belt. Then she smiled. Idiot. She changed the oxygen and increased the heat of her flames, burning the leather completely away.

  Her hands remained tied.

  Her smile slid away.

  He leaned in, rubbing the burn marks along his hand. His gaze was hotter than any flame she could create. “Do you really think I fetched you without some protection from your fire?”

  She jerked against the restraints. “You dick.” His belt had been leather over coiled steel.

  He smiled, and so much threat lived in the expression that she stopped struggling.

  The door burst open, and several soldiers ran inside. Guard soldiers.

  Plasma flew from the first three, each shooting a different color of fire, all hitting Nick mid-chest. He dropped. The smell of burned fabric and flesh scorched the air.

  Simone screamed. “Stop. By the power of the Coven Nine, stop the attack.”

 
The solder in front shook his head. “You don’t currently speak for the Nine.”

  Nick slowly stood, his face a frightening white, his body smoldering.

  Simone stared. Nobody, and that meant nobody, should’ve been able to stand after that attack. Nick had a strength that was unreal. “Stop,” she whispered.

  He lowered his chin, no doubt starting a mind attack.

  Five soldiers faced him, and fire flashed out, all different colors. Such fire would kill a non-witch. Simone reacted without thought, throwing herself in front of the injured demon. Fire and then pain detonated throughout her chest.

  Nick caught her before she hit the floor, and the last thing she heard as the darkness claimed her was him bellowing her name.

  Chapter 3

  The blast he’d taken had short-circuited his nervous system, and he hadn’t been at a hundred percent before the hit. Nick kept his face stoic as he lifted Simone while baring his fangs. Several of the Guard soldiers took a step back.

  A demon rarely let the fangs show, and the sight was supposed to be chill-inducing. However, he wasn’t strong enough to manage a mass mind attack, and they all probably knew it. “This is war,” he said softly, not missing the roll of fear through the air.

  “So be it.” The lead soldier stepped to the side, tall and stoic. “Carry her to the transport, or I will.”

  A low growl rumbled up from Nick’s chest. “You touch her, and your brain will never be the same.” He hadn’t cheated death for more than a century to lose her now. By her breathing, she was healing from the blasts, thank goodness.

  The soldier didn’t blink. “Just take her to transport and get in. You’re under arrest for harboring a fugitive, or for fleeing with a fugitive, or for just pissing me off. I don’t give a shit. Right now, you’re coming with us whether you like it or not.”

  Either the guy wanted everything taken care of in Ireland, or he was smart enough to know that Nick wasn’t letting Simone out of his sight. Good thing. Facing the Coven Nine held little appeal to Nick, especially since they’d most likely call for his death, but he couldn’t let Simone go alone. Somebody had done an exceptional job of setting her up. Though he would sacrifice for her, he had to protect his people, as well. He had to distance himself from Zane and the demon nation. “I’m working alone and not under Kyllwood authority.”

  “I’m sure that’s how it’ll come down, whether or not it’s true,” the soldier sighed, gesturing again for the door. “Let’s go.”

  Yeah, that’s probably exactly how it’d come down. The witches could take care of him without eliciting war from the demons . . . if Zane acted like a politician instead of a soldier or a friend. Unfortunately, Zane sucked at being a politician and was an incredibly loyal friend. At the moment, he was on a mission to save his younger brother from a kidnapper, so at least he was otherwise occupied and couldn’t be drawn into the disaster right away.

  As if on cue, Nick’s phone buzzed. He freed his hand, dug it out from his back pocket, and glanced at the face. “I have to take this if you want to avoid immediate war.” God, he hoped Zane was all right.

  The soldier huffed. “Make it fast.”

  “Plan to.” Nick shifted most of Simone’s weight to his other arm before sliding the phone against his ear. “Zane?”

  “Yeah. We’re good. Got my brother back, and he’s fine.”

  Relief coursed through Nick, even though he was surrounded by armed soldiers. “Good to hear. Ah, I’m in a situation and am heading to Ireland for a bit.”

  Silence ticked for a second. “Define situation.”

  “Simone’s in trouble, and I’m just helping out. You need to lead the nation and excommunicate me.”

  More silence . . . this one heavy. “The Guard must’ve found you, right? Where are you? I can be there in a second.”

  Oh, hell no. Zane, like many demons, had the ability to teleport from one place to another, and he’d just done that at least twice to save Logan. Another jump would be unhealthy, as would facing down the many guards around Nick. “It doesn’t matter. Just trust me.”

  “I do trust you, but you taught me that backup is a good thing. Plus, the Enforcers are here, and their job is to protect Simone.”

  Nick closed his eyes and breathed before facing the guards again. Damn, he wished he had the ability to teleport, but not all demons could, and that was a sad fact of life. “That would tear the witch nation apart, and Simone would be furious. Stay there and do your job. I’ll do mine.”

  “You sound funny. What’s happened? Did somebody attack you?” Zane’s voice rose, fury vibrating. “Have you been hit with plasma?”

  “I’m fine, Mom.” Nick’s sarcastic tone failed since his voice cracked. Damn it. “Do your job, Kyllwood. You’ve worked too hard to get where you are and you need to let me handle this.” They both had sacrificed way too much. Hell. Nick wasn’t even sure he remembered how to be gentle, much less kind after the way he’d lived the last century. He clicked off just as Zane started in with an impressive tirade of threats. God, friends could be a pain in the ass sometimes.

  The lead soldier nodded. “You did the right thing.”

  “No shit.” Nick stepped over one of the still-unconscious men just as the lead soldier bent down and hauled Bear up and over his shoulder with a pained grunt. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “He’s coming, too.”

  Big mistake. “You can’t kidnap the head of the Grizzly nation without starting a war with all the shifters.” What the hell was wrong with this guy? Nick eyed Lucas, who was bleeding on the floor. He’d heal from the injuries but not soon enough to lend assistance to his leader. “Put Bear down.”

  “No. His people are scouting the outer territories, and mine the inner. I can have him in the helicopter before they even know he’s gone.”

  “And? The war?” Nick asked.

  The soldier turned, his knees bending under Bear’s weight. “He was going to attack us, so he started the skirmish. His connection to Simone is unknown, and my instincts tell me it’s important. So he comes to Ireland.”

  Nick pressed his lips shut. They’d have to take the helicopter to the airport, and by then, perhaps both Bear and Simone would be conscious. It might be easier to wage a battle away from headquarters and before embarking on a plane. “Your funeral, asshole.” He moved past the soldier, keeping Simone tucked against his chest and hoping to hell he didn’t pass out while holding her.

  Even in his damaged state, the woman felt right in his arms. Her spicy scent of wild roses filtered up, and something deep inside him, in a place he usually ignored, settled. Yeah. Only Simone could do that. He had wondered whether he’d ever experience the feeling again, or whether he’d recognize it if he did.

  One step in front of the other. One more. He kept his gait steady, even while blue dots jerked across his vision. Blue? Why would dots be blue?

  Fire still burned in his chest, and his ears might as well be stuffed with cotton.

  His boots must be touching the concrete, although he could barely feel his legs. The combined plasma hits had messed with his entire system, and he needed to rest and heal. So did Simone and Bear, for that matter. Gravel crunched, and the sun shone weakly down, shining off the black SUV.

  A dented compact slid into view and quickly stopped. A woman with streaks of purple in her hair jumped out, her eyes a furious blue. “What’s going on here?” she yelled, retrieving a knife from her back pocket.

  “Private matter,” a shorter soldier said, reaching her in seconds.

  Nick opened his mouth, but his voice had disappeared. The human female was probably just a friend to the Grizzly Motorcycle Club, which explained how she’d gotten by the shifters guarding the perimeter. “Leave,” he whispered.

  She shoved the soldier away and ran over to Simone. “Simone? What’s wrong with her?” The knife glinted in the sun as she lifted it, concern and fear wafting from her. “What did you do?”

  Nick edged to th
e side to protect Simone from the knife, just in case. “Wasn’t me. Who are you?”

  The woman glanced at the men rapidly surrounding her, at Bear slung over the lead soldier’s shoulder, and then up at Nick. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but you’re not taking Simone.” The woman reached for a phone from her pocket, keeping the knife level and ready to strike. “I’m Tori Monzelle. My sister is Lexi Monzelle with the Seattle Police Department, and I’m calling her.”

  Nick shouted a warning, but the shorter soldier had already grabbed the nerve point in the female’s neck and pressed. She spun around with impressive speed, her knife flashing out and catching the witch across the arm.

  He bellowed and jumped to the side, dodging in and grabbing her nerve cluster again, this time hard. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she dropped. The soldier caught her easily, ignoring his bleeding arm. “Shall I leave her inside?”

  The lead soldier grunted, trying to shove Bear up his shoulder. “Sister to Lexi Monzelle? Isn’t that the Enforcer’s mate? Kellach Dunne’s mate?”

  Damn it. So that’s who the human female was. Nick had heard she was dating Lucas Bryant, which explained her presence at headquarters. His vision went black, so he held perfectly still. “Yes, and I doubt you also want to kidnap a human. Especially one with ties to not only the Seattle Police Department but to the Enforcers. She’s dating Bryant, so leave her here with him. You know. The bear shifter you left bleeding out on the floor inside.”

  The soldier smiled, sweat dripping down his face. “She comes with us until we figure this all out.”

  Nick shook his head. “You’re fucking crazy.” Or arrogant. Witches rarely gave a shit about the laws of other species, and this guy certainly proved the rule. “Sometimes I forget how much I dislike you fuckin’ witches,” he muttered. A soldier opened a door to the SUV, and he hitched forward. He slid into the backseat, and Simone didn’t even stir. He quickly removed her restraints and settled her safely against his chest.

  She was one witch he didn’t hate, although she’d pretty much wanted to rip his heart out and feed it to the hogs. Not that he could blame her. Not really.