Page 27 of His Fiery Mate

One after another, the planes followed, each one dumping thousands of gallons of water on the fire before heading to the harbor to refill. Steam billowed up in great clouds as the flames were temporarily beaten back. Tanner watched with a mix of relief and awe as the water bombers made pass after pass, their efforts providing a critical reprieve. Between his mate and the water planes, the wildfire was gradually coming under control.

“Alright, let’s push forward!” Tanner urged his team. “We’ve got a chance to get a handle on this sucker. Let’s not waste it!”

The crew surged ahead, working with renewed energy. The combined efforts of the ground team and the aerial support began to turn the tide. Slowly but surely, the inferno’s advance was halted, then reversed. The flames that had seemed unstoppable were now shrinking, beaten back by the relentless assault from above and below.

Hours later, as the sun began to set and the fire was finally under control, Tanner stood once more on the ridge, surveying the smoldering landscape. The planes had done their job, and his team, working with the others, had held the line. Exhausted but triumphant, Tanner allowed himself a moment of quiet pride.

“We did it,” Jimmy said, coming to stand beside him.

Tanner nodded, a small smile breaking through his grim and grimy expression. “Yeah, we did. But let’s not forget, there’s always another fire.” He tapped his comm unit. “The chief and Asher Wells have the stations covered. Let’s get some rest while we can.”

As they headed back to Tanner’s truck, his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of what he believed to be the ice phoenix followed by a kind of weak wheezing. He realized the latter had to be Melisandre, and that something was very wrong.

“Jimmy, I need to check something out. Catch a ride on the rig,” he called over his shoulder as he sprinted towards his truck.

“Do you need help?” called Jimmy.

“No. I’ve got this,” he jumped into his truck, started the engine, and headed for the other ridge, praying he was right.

CHAPTER 11

TANNER

Tanner arrived on the ridge. The ice phoenix was nowhere to be found, but there was a large dark shape puddled on the ground, and for a moment he couldn’t feel her life force. From the time they’d had sex, he’d been able to feel her presence without the feelings of disorientation and nausea. Instead, he felt lust and peace, which seemed to be an interesting combination that he was finding great comfort in.

He floored the truck, making short work of the distance between them. He threw open his door as he slammed on the brakes and put the truck in park. “Melisandre!” he shouted as he ran to her.

She lifted her head. “Could you not yell at me? The smoke and ash have given me the worst headache ever.”

He skidded to a stop beside her, cradling her dragon’s head. “Even worse than the one when you realized I was your fated mate?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure anything was worse than that.”

“Not funny, drakaina mine. I know it had to be you that made the wind shift away from the city...”

“Not just me. There was a second dragon. I never could have turned the fire without it.”

“Who was it?”

“I have no idea. One minute it was there, and the next, it was gone.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure it out. What were you thinking when the ice phoenix challenged you?”

“Don’t start getting pissy with me. He didn’t challenge me. He didn’t even know I was there. When he realized he’d be up against a dragon, he called it quits. But we can’t let him get away. I can track him through the air. Wanna go for a ride, hellhound?”

“You’re crazy…”

“But you love me.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Since you can’t hang up on me this time, you should know, I love you, too. So, since we have that settled, how about we go put an end to Stuart?”

“I thought you’d never ask. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Let me put it to you this way hellhound, either you climb aboard, and we go together, or I leave you here and go end the little bastard myself.”

“What a bloodthirsty creature you are, my fiery mate.”

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