Page 22 of Blazing Reactions

“That.” She turned in his arms. “Using proximity to throw off my concentration.”

His eyes blazed gold. “Is it working?”

Before she could respond, new alerts flashed across the screens. Energy signatures pulsed at the perimeter, setting off multiple warnings.

“They’re moving again,” Levi reported. “Different pattern this time – I think they’re testing your combined powers.”

“Show me.” Asher refocused on the data, though she didn’t step out of Talon’s embrace. Her powers hummed stronger with him close, their energies naturally aligning.

The tactical display showed attack formations shifting, adapting to their earlier responses. Each new pattern seemed designed to probe their defenses, testing how their powers worked together.

“He’s learning,” she realized, fingers flying across keyboards. “Every time we fight, he’s gathering data on how our abilities combine.”

Talon’s chest rumbled against her back. “Then let’s show him exactly what we can do.”

Lightning arced between them as if in response, connecting with his fire in a display that made nearby equipment spark. He seemed satisfied at their perfect resonance.

“The wards first,” she insisted, though turning away from him took considerable effort. “We need to?—”

His lips brushed her neck, exactly where the mate mark would go. “Need to what?”

“That’s not fair.” But she tilted her head to give him better access, electricity crackling around them. “I’m trying to work.”

“So work.” His voice had dropped to a register that made her knees weak. “I’m not stopping you.”

“You’re not helping either.” She managed to pull up ward configurations despite his continued attention. “Unless distraction is your goal?”

His low laugh vibrated through her chest. “Always so perceptive, mate.”

TWENTY-ONE

Apower surge rocked the building, forcing them to really focus. Asher’s fingers flew across keyboards while Talon coordinated security responses through his comm. Yet neither moved apart, their energies pulsing stronger together.

“The electrical grid’s compromised,” she noted, bringing up new schematics. “But if we reconfigure the wards to channel my power through existing—” She broke off as Talon’s hands slid up her sides, ostensibly reaching for a different screen. “Really?”

“Problem?” His voice rumbled against her ear as he studied the display, though his touch was anything but professional.

“Several.” She leaned back into him deliberately. “Starting with how you keep distracting me when I’m trying to save your building.”

“Our building,” he corrected, the possessive note in his voice making her dragon purr. “And you’re doing plenty of distracting yourself.”

As if to prove his point, lightning danced between them, connecting with his fire in a display that shorted out three monitors.

“That wasn’t my fault.” But she couldn’t help smiling as he pulled her closer. “You’re the one who?—”

Multiple breach attempts registered along the perimeter, each targeting a different power frequency.

“Let’s go,” she said and they headed out of the lab.

The attack hit from multiple angles – coordinated strikes designed to separate them. But Talon and Asher moved closer instead, their powers weaving together instinctively.

“North sector breached,” Levi reported through comms. “They’re using some kind of power dampening?—”

Bursting through the back door, lightning exploded from Asher’s hands, overloading the dampening field before it could fully form. Talon’s fire followed instantly, their combined assault driving back the initial wave.

“Show off,” he murmured against her ear as they advanced.

“Says the man who keeps making his eyes glow on purpose.” She spun under his arm, electricity arcing in a deadly pattern. “Like you don’t know what that does to me.”

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