Page 35 of Firefighter Midlife Wolf

“Give it to me!” Darcy demanded, greedily flinging her hand toward Jessica. “Now!”

Verna braced her feet, preparing for the next volley. “Don’t do it. I don’t think she can take it from you unless you give it willingly. Otherwise, she would’ve found a way to get it from me a long time ago, before she ever thought about poisoning me or tricking me.

“I always hated you!” Darcy roared.

“I can’t say I’m offended,” Verna cracked.

Hayden’s voice sounded in Jessica’s head. We’ve called in some of our other pack members. They should be here any time. I know we can find a way to end this.

I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt.

The elemental glanced to the side, and a slow smile spread across her face. Even her mouth was full of fire, and she blazed bright in full daylight. She pointed at the car. “Give it to me now, or I’ll blow up the car. And everything in it.”

Terror froze her muscles. Jessica didn’t need to look to know exactly what Darcy meant. Jack was still in the car, hindered by his casts. Whether he was her patient or not, she’d want to protect him. They’d already risked his life by bringing him along, though none of them could’ve predicted this.

I’ll get him. Hayden burst into a run, skirting around Jessica and Verna toward the car.

With a simple movement of her hand, Darcy sent a column of fire shooting through the air. It exploded against the ground in front of Hayden, sending him flying back.

Hayden!

I’m all right, he grunted.

Jack was struggling to get out of the car, but the cast on his leg was making it difficult. It’d gotten caught on something, and none of them could even get close without Darcy interfering.

Her heart hammered. Everything inside her told her not to give this amulet to Darcy. She could feel it, heavy around her neck, part of her. It warmed as she moved closer, picking up the waves of heat radiating from the fiery woman. It would do untold damage if it got into Darcy’s hands, but what could she do? They’d all die anyway. At least this way, Jack would have a chance.

“That’s right,” Darcy coaxed. “Finally, someone who has some sense about them. All you have to do is everything I say, and you can all go on with your miserable lives soon enough.”

“Life won’t be worth living if you’re in charge,” Verna sniped.

“Make all the nasty comments you want,” Darcy replied. “None of it matters now.”

Heated wind blew through Jessica’s fur as Darcy’s flaming hand reached out toward her. The heat was almost unbearable, even in her wolf form, and she couldn’t imagine how her weaker human state would’ve handled it. She bent her head forward, giving Darcy the freedom to take the amulet from her neck, but she kept her eyes lifted. There was no way in hell she’d take her eyes off this creature, and hell was right there on Earth.

“Finally!” Darcy’s burning fingers closed around the stone.

Heat bloomed through Jessica’s body as she burst into flame. She screamed as the fire moved through her, consuming her, becoming her. She yanked herself away from Darcy, desperate to get away, but it was too late. The entirety of her body was ablaze.

Jessica! The pain and heartache in Hayden’s voice pierced straight through her. She tried. She’d tried so hard to do the right thing, but none of it mattered in the end. She couldn’t save her patients, and she’d never have a chance to be with her mate. Everything was lost. She howled for her loss as the flames rippled along her body.

“What’s happening?” Darcy cried.

Jessica realized then that the flames, though bright and terrifying, didn’t hurt her. She no longer felt anything from them other than a glowing heat that warmed her bones and blood. She looked down at her coat, which was no longer tufts of thick fur but gentle wafts of flame. She wasn’t on fire. She was fire. The amulet burned brightly at her chest, the thick chain a comfort around her neck. Jessica didn’t know how, but she knew the necklace had to be responsible for it all.

She dug her claws into the dirt, feeling the power rising through her.

What are you doing? Hayden pressed.

Don’t worry about it. Hayden had been reassuring her so much, but now it was her turn. Because she knew. It wasn’t anything she’d been told, and she sure wouldn’t have fathomed it before now, but Jessica instinctively understood. She and Darcy were on even ground now when it came to the fire. But Darcy didn’t have fangs. She can’t hurt me now.

Jessica charged.

Darcy tossed fire at her, left and right. It bounded off her shoulders and swept past her face, filling the air and scorching the earth. None of it mattered. The fire was as inert as air to Jessica as she closed the distance between herself and her enemy. Her haunches contracted and expanded as she leaped up. Her paws forced Darcy back, knocking her to the ground once again.

“You bitch!” Darcy cried, her voice strangled with fear now that all her confidence was gone. “Give it to me! It’s mine! You can’t do this to me!”

Jessica knew she couldn’t take any chances. She clamped her teeth around Darcy’s throat, feeling the gush of boiling-hot blood in her mouth.

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