Page 105 of Fire Dancer

I did it again and again, shoving the flames away from the center of the door. Then I stepped aside as Delaney ran at the door with Jananovich’s rolling chair. It battered through in a cascade of sparks, and Delaney stumbled forward. I leaped through next, and Ingo followed.

The hallway was ablaze, but successive sweeps of my hands cleared a narrow escape path. Standard procedure in a fire was to drop and crawl, but wielding magic was a little like wielding a bat, so I stayed on my feet and plowed forward, barely able to see through the smoke. Every time we advanced one step, fire and smoke flooded in behind us, pushing us ever forward. Our first few steps were tentative, then faster as the fire thinned, untilwe burst through a door at a run. All three of us crashed to the ground, coughing and sputtering.

“Wow,” Delaney managed between hacking coughs.

Sputtering, I pulled her and Ingo away, then turned to stare at the inferno. An inferno I’d kindled.

Considering the circumstances, Dad would be proud.

Ingo flashed a weak canine grin and licked the side of my face. He was proud too.

Me three,I decided a moment later.Me three.

Chapter Twenty-Six

PIPPA

Ingo, Delaney, and I sat in the sweeping driveway, watching the building burn. And burn and burn.

Jananovich was dead. Several other vampires too. Ingo, Delaney, and I had survived. So, mission accomplished.

But damn, had it been close.

Ingo leaned into me, his furry shoulder soft against my leg. I wrapped my arms around him and held him close.

Years ago, we’d sat together like this on mountaintops, wondering about the future. Now, we were in that future, and for all the chaos around us, hope blossomed in my heart. Especially when Ingo sighed wearily and turned, coming nose-to-nose with me.

My chest warmed. We used to do that too, back when we were head over heels in love.

I spoke into Ingo’s mind, quickly correcting myself.

Still madly in love.

He flashed a tired canine smile, then nudged my side.Are you all right?

I sighed and plucked at my sleeve. “Not bad. Just a little ashy. What about you?”

He dipped his muzzle in a nod.Good enough.

He was playing it down, because I’d seen the blood. Thank goodness for accelerated shifter healing. I only had a few bruises myself, though I was dead tired from directing the fire.

Sirens blared in the distance, and people ran to and fro. From the looks of things, Kyle had enacted Plan B — calling in local police, claiming he’d received an urgent, anonymous tip about human trafficking at La Puebla.

So, whew. The police had acted quickly enough that the wolves of Twin Moon Ranch didn’t have to reveal themselves. I could sense them nearby, though, keeping a close eye on things.

Then,whoosh!A pair of dark shadows fell over us, and we all flinched.

Delaney looked up, and her eyes went wide. “Dragons?”

I nodded as Erin and Nash swooped by in dragon form.

I leave my kid sister alone for a short time, and this is what happens?Erin joked into my mind.

I grinned.You were the one who dragged me into a lightning fight.

She chuckled, then glided in a long, smooth arc while glancing around.Do we care that people are fleeing?

We do if they’re vampires,I replied.