Page 95 of Fire Fight

Then I straighten. Muscles stiffening.

I smell lighter fuel and don’t know if it’s a flashback or real as my system swings into red alert, pushing against Drake, my internal alarms blaring. “Do you smell that?”

“Fire!” a girl screams.

A second later my nostrils burn with the scent of petrol and acrid smoke. More people shout, feet thundering towards us. The party turns into pandemonium.

Beyond them, a plume of smoke rises into the air.

“Has anyone called emergency?” Drake yells, his deep voice commanding instant attention. His eyes lock to mine for a second, then he shakes his head, turning to intercede Gretchen as she comes screaming past us. “Phone and get a fire crew out here.”

“Hudson?” Rox sprints out of the house, scanning for her target. “Hudson, quick. Your car’s on fire.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

DRAKE

It would be amusingto watch everyone rushing around, the air filled with smoke and panic, if it weren’t for the misery on Cadence’s face. Her embarrassed fear leaves me wanting to phone my friend again to arrange more destruction.

Maybe torch Hudson’s bedroom. Possibly while he’s asleep in it.

At least get rid of the guest shower decked out like a pervert’s private playground.

Cadence hugs herself, head down as we follow the surging crowd. Hudson sprints through Gretchen’s house, running along the footpath to reach his parked car. The last part of the journey, there’s enough light from the greedy flames to illuminate the outrage on his face.

“But… how…?” Hudson sweeps a hand through his hair, face crumpled in misery and utter confusion.

He turns to me, accusation clear in his gaze but I shrug. Everyone saw me standing with Cadence and his brother when the car caught fire.

Travis is good enough to destroy any evidence. There’s no chance anyone will pin this attack on me, any more than they did the last one.

Cadence reaches out to Hudson, the destruction cutting through her disgust at his behaviour; her natural impulse to offer comfort and support, but he shakes her hand off his arm.

The crowd withdraws from the flaming wreck in the driveway as a siren blares, the note rising and falling as the emergency vehicle descends the winding hill streets.

A second influx of partygoers joins the ranks as the truck arrives, men quickly jumping to the ground, sorting hoses and moving people back to a safe distance. I hover near Cadence, watching her more intently than I watch the flames.

The moment her gaze moves away from the burning debris, it finds me. Her expression is dazed as she moves to my side. “Did you do this?”

Even with her voice pitched low, we’re packed so tightly nearby students can overhear. A point proved when Gretchen storms over, taking my arm and aiming a vicious glare at Cadence.

“Stop making false accusations against myinvitedguests, especially when you’re the one who causes nothing but trouble.” She lifts her nose in the air before loudly proclaiming, “Blaine had nothing to do with the fire. He was with me the whole time.”

I pat her hand, skin crawling from her touch but worried anything more abrupt will increase her hostility towards Cadence.

“You don’t need to lie for me, Gretch.” I nod to the cameras mounted either side of the garage door. “The CCTV footage will show them quickly enough who did it, and it wasn’t me.”

Both girls relax at the differing responses, and I gently remove Gretchen’s hand.

I need to get Cadence out of here before the night overwhelms her completely. “We should leave. The party’s over.”

“Butyoucould stay,” Gretchen protests. “There’s plenty of room.”

I shake my head. “Your parents don’t want us inside, stinking of smoke.”

The way her eyes linger on me, I doubt she cares, but steps back a little, nodding. “Yeah, I guess.”

I turn and walk along the street to where my vehicle’s parked and after a second’s hesitation, Cadence follows me. Luckily, my car is outside the perimeter set by the first responders, and the road ahead is empty as we pull away from the excitement.

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