Page 18 of Surge of Fire

Aydan jerks away from me, and my head lamp focuses on Granger as he comes racing across the cave. The big man doesn’t seem to give two shits about the dangerous obstacle course between us. He charges through it, hugs me tightly, and then hugs Aydan. His face is a mask of fear that I can easily see, even through the dust still in the air.

“I didn’t see you guys. I wasn’t sure what happened to you and–” Granger’s voice shakes and his skin looks pale as he struggles to put his fears into words.

“We’re okay, buddy,” Aydan says, hugging him again tightly as they both cough, letting him take comfort from his strength.

Dr. Duncan finds us quickly, and then we all search until we come across Fred and Will. Will has a few cuts on his head, Fred a few on his face, but, otherwise, everyone is okay. We all stand together for a long moment, breathing, looking around at the loose debris, charting a path back out.

It’s another second before Dr. Duncan says, “Well, this was an exciting first day. More than you know. Another earthquake means that there will be more to discover in this cave, so be ready for our next class.”

Granger, Aydan, and I exchange a glance as we follow him back out of the cave. And I don’t need to hear them to know that we’re all thinking the same thing:What the fuck did we sign up for?

EIGHT

Aydan

I graba beer out of a cooler and pop it open. It’s not my favorite brand, it’s something light and flavored with lime, but I take a sip and don’t mind the foofy drink one bit. I take a few more sips to try to calm my nerves before I scan the party again. It’s nighttime, and there’s a bonfire and a smaller fire in the clearing. It’s technically on campus grounds, but in a quiet corner, which has clearly been used for a number of parties over the years.

Nearly all the students in the program are here. Some hang around the fires, others dance to pop music playing on a nearby stereo, probably from one of the only stations up here. But the truth is, I don’t care about the music, the beer, or the random science majors. I want to find Sam and Granger and just chill out. The damn earthquake earlier today has gotten under my skin.

I was going to kiss Sam in that moment. I didn’t care about our families, our past, or what I was risking, I was going to kiss her. She’d pissed me off with that Will guy. Gotten so far undermy skin in such a short time that I really wanted to punch the bastard. But then the earth had started shaking, and she was too far away from me, and I imagined something falling on her. Something crushing her. And it was like I couldn’t get to her fast enough. Couldn’t hold her tight enough.

“Fire Science major?”

Jerking, I look to my side. A short blonde in a tube top is grinning up at me. She has one of those cherub faces, and one of those voices that is just a pitch or two too high.

She’s not my type, but I say, “Yeah, you?”

“Geology. Technically, Petrology, the fascinating and exciting study of rocks. I’m Jill, by the way.”

“Aydan.” My gaze goes back to searching the crowd. Granger and Sam are both taller than the average person, so it shouldn’t be hard to find them. But clouds conceal the moon and stars, so the only light to make them out is by the fires.

“What do you think of the Phoenix Institute so far?”

I take another sip of my beer and tear my gaze away from scanning the shadows. The woman is pretty, I guess, in her own way. Unfortunately for her, I’ve only got one woman on my mind, and it’s not her. Still, we’re going to be spending nearly three months together, so it’s probably best not to be a total asshole.

“It’s fine. Exciting and different.”

She beams. “Right? I mean, I was excited to see what all the secrecy surrounding the place was, but I wasn’t prepared for how much fun it would be. The biggest surprise has been working alongside so many Fire Science majors. I mean, you guys are big and hot, although you’re by far the biggest guy here.”

Her tone is flirtatious, and I almost want to sigh. A lot of women don’t give two shits what kind of man someone is as long as he’s tall. I’m pretty sure Sam is the only one who looks at meand sees a lonely little kid rather than whoever the hell I appear to have turned into. She’s also the only one who knows how to get under my skin the way she does.

“Yeah, we’re a tall lot,” I manage, then take a few steps around the fire.

Freezing, I spot Sam. Four Fire Science guys, and I know that’s exactly who the fuck they are, surround her. She’s sitting on a log just barely in the light from the smaller fire, laughing, her face stunning in the glow of the fire. My heart lurches, and I start heading toward her.

“So, uh, I’ll see you later?” whoever-the-hell-she-is asks.

“Yeah,” I mutter, finishing my beer and chucking it into a bin as I walk.

One of the guys sits down on the log beside her, and I realize it’s that asshole Will from class. He sits so close their bodies touch. Jealousy, ugly and dark, crawls under my skin. He leans in towards her and says something else, and then she’s laughing again, a drink in her hand. Clearly, the fucker thinks that after a drink or two, she’ll be ready for him. I’m going to show him just how wrong he is.

“Got you a beer.” Granger’s in my face a minute later, pushing another drink into my hand. The look on his face changes from excited to concerned in a flash. “What’s wrong?”

I gesture toward Sam and the guys, shifting from one foot to another. I want to push Granger out of the way so I can deal with the whole pack of them, but I know I owe him more than that.

“Ah.” He glances back at her, his disappointment obvious. “That group has been all over her. I haven’t even gotten to talk to her yet.”

“Apparently, they think this is going to be the summer of easy fucks,” I say, and there’s rage in my voice.

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