Page 12 of His Fiery Mate

“Sure. Those are printed from my laptop files. Thanks, Tanner, for coming up here and agreeing to work with me.”

“Happy to do it. See you in the morning, or rather later this morning.”

She grinned, showed him to the door and locked it behind him. Tanner North was not at all what she had feared. He might prove to be an interesting companion… or not.

CHAPTER 5

MELISANDRE

Knowing real sleep would elude her and the mist and fog rolling in from the harbor would hide her from prying eyes, Melisandre stepped out onto the balcony and called forth her drakaina. The fiery mist filled with color, thunder, lightning, and ice swirled all around her. She reared up and beat her wings against the air, lifting her into the night sky, ablaze with the shimmering hues of the aurora borealis. Curtains of green, pink, and violet light danced across the heavens, casting an ethereal glow over the city of Kodiak below and the pristine landscape that lay just outside the city limits. The icy peaks in the distance called to her as they glistened under the celestial display, creating a scene of otherworldly beauty.

Amidst the breathtaking spectacle of the northern lights, Melisandre soared gracefully through the frigid air, allowing the fog and the mist to shroud her in their embrace. Her scales shimmered in the colors of the aurora, reflecting and amplifying their radiance. Each beat of her powerful wings sent ripples of energy through the sky, as if she were a living extension of the spectral display.

Melisandre's eyes, a deep, luminescent blue, scanned the vast expanse below with a mix of curiosity and ancient wisdom that seemed a part of her DNA. Her long, sinuous body moved effortlessly through the air, navigating the currents with a grace that belied her size. She exuded an aura of both strength and serenity, her presence commanding and awe-inspiring, but there were none to see her.

As she flew, the aurora seemed to respond to her, the lights intensifying and swirling around her in intricate patterns. It was as if she and the sky were one, engaged in a silent, cosmic dance, each movement perfectly synchronized with the other. The spectacle was mesmerizing, a symphony of light and motion that seemed to transcend time and space.

Melisandre let out a low and mournful roar, a sound that echoed through the mountains and valleys, reverberating with a sense of ancient power. It was a call of both dominance and harmony, a reminder of the natural world's untamed beauty and the delicate balance that sustained it.

Below, the sparse wildlife of the Alaskan wilderness paused, sensing the presence of the majestic creature above. Wolves howled in response, their cries blending with Melisandre's roar in a hauntingly beautiful chorus. The world seemed to hold its breath, captivated by the enchanting interplay of light and sound.

As the night wore on, Melisandre continued her flight, her silhouette a dark, majestic figure against the vibrant canvas of the aurora borealis. She had heard tales of drakaina—especially those recently turned—becoming sky drunk and flying too far before plunging to their deaths. But she was not one of them. She was a guardian of the night, a living legend of the frozen north, embodying the mystery and magic of the Alaskan wilderness.

Eventually, the first hints of dawn began to creep over the horizon, the aurora's brilliance gradually fading in the encroaching daylight. Melisandre, sensing the change, turned her gaze towards the rising sun and slowly headed back towards Kodiak. She wasn’t sure how much time had elapsed and wanted to make sure she wouldn’t keep Tanner waiting.

With one last, powerful beat of her wings, she glided through the evaporating fog being eaten by the morning sun and ended her ethereal flight under the dancing lights of the aurora borealis with a graceful landing on her balcony. The sky brightened as the air around her returned to its serene stillness—the city and the surrounding wilderness once again shrouded in its quiet, timeless beauty.

The minute she landed she could hear her cell phone trilling. She glanced at the caller ID but didn’t recognize the number. That didn’t keep her from knowing who the caller was.

“Tanner?”

“There’s a fire at an abandoned school just outside of town. A couple of teachers took his middle school students on an overnight field trip. At this point we don’t know how many are trapped.”

“Send me the coordinates; I’ll meet you there. And Tanner?”

“Yeah?”

“Try not to be too heroic and get yourself killed.”

He laughed, “Hellhound, remember?”

He ended the call and she stared at the phone. She had no problem remembering he was a hellhound. In fact, that was what worried her the most.

TANNER

The old school building was engulfed in flames, the inferno lighting up the early morning sky. Flames licked at the walls and belched thick black smoke, the crackle and roar of the fire echoing through the once-quiet hallways and deafening the cries of those who were trapped within. Tanner, his jaw set in grim determination, led his team through the front entrance. The heat was intense, but he barely felt it. He always had to remind himself that those who followed him did not have his natural protection. Tanner had a secret that no one on his team knew. It made him different from his fellow firefighters: he was a hellhound, immune to the flames that could so easily consume the rest of them.

"Stay close and keep low!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos via the comm units. Their firehouse had not been the only one called in, but even though he had lesser rank and fewer years of experience, the other team leaders bowed to his dominance and authority. Tanner never questioned whether he would be in charge; he just took over and led his team and others in a way that preserved life—not only that of the firefighters who followed him, but those they fought the fire to save. Tanner’s team, a tight-knit group who trusted him implicitly, followed his lead without hesitation.

His heart pounded, not from fear, but from the weight of memories pressing down on him. The last time he’d been in a situation like this, he’d been a rookie, and it had ended in tragedy. A young boy Tanner couldn’t reach in time had been lost to the voracious flames. The memory of failing that boy haunted him each time he donned his gear and yet spurred him to ensure it never happened again.

As they navigated the smoke-filled corridors, trying to stay as low as they could, Tanner's sharp eyes scanned the environment. Another advantage of being a hellhound, all of his senses were sharper and more refined. The fire seemed alive—hungry, ferocious, and relentless. Doors creaked and buckled, and the oppressive heat warped the walls. He pushed the memories aside, focusing on the mission at hand. They had to find the students and teachers still trapped inside.

"Tanner, we have movement up ahead!" said Jimmy through the comms unit, his voice cool and calm.

Tanner nodded and pressed forward. They reached a classroom where the frightened middle schoolers huddled together, their eyes wide with terror.

"It's going to be okay," Tanner said, his voice steady and soothing. "We're getting you out of here."

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