Page 53 of Cruel Savior

Not someone. One of the women. I jumped up and ran for the building.

"Axel. Wait. You can't go in there. It's too dangerous. Wait for the FD! I can hear the sirens."

I grunted in response as I skidded to a stop close to the open doorway. The flames were out of control and filling the entire space. He was right that I shouldn't go in, but that wasn't going to stop me. No way in hell could we wait and risk that one of our women wouldn't make it. Not when she was clearly still alive.

I was going to have to take a chance at the back door or one of the windows. I raced around to the other side of the building. It was dark now, and a little harder to see back here. I wasn't sure if I could tell whether the doors or windows were rigged. I decided to assume that the door would be, but that the windows were likely safe since we'd had no issue at the clubhouse.

I just needed something to break the glass...

Of course, where was an ax or a hammer when I needed one? I might not have had any tools nor could I see shit in the pitch dark back here, but I did know there were some cast iron tables and chairs out here. Many of the employees used this area for their breaks when they could manage to get away from the busy tables.

By sheer memory I ran in what I thought was the right direction, practically stumbling into one of the chairs a second later.

Fuck.

I hefted that motherfucker over my head, and using the flames inside the building as my guide, I slammed it into one of the windows, hoping to God whoever was stuck inside wasn't too close and that it wasn't rigged with explosives. The glass shattered, some of it bouncing my way and slicing my skin. I ignored it and fished my arm inside to unlock the window and open it more fully so I could get in without slicing my arms and legs into ribbons.

I could hear the sirens wail as they closed in on the building, but I wasn't about to wait for them. I scrambled through the too small opening and cursed tiny fucking windows. There was no way I was going to get anyone out through this thing, which meant the front or back door were my only other choices.

I pulled my hoodie up over my nose and hoped to fuck it blocked enough of the smoke from my lungs to get this done. I was going to be pissed if I died of smoke inhalation.

"Hello!" I yelled as soon as I was inside. Flames were everywhere, licking up the walls and across the ceiling. Debris had already fallen all over the place, probably from the initial explosion. Which meant the structure was already compromised, and it wouldn't be long before the fire caused the rest of it to collapse.

I was halfway through the building when I saw a body on the ground, flames licking at her legs. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I looked around the burning room for anything I could use to douse them. When my gaze landed on the partially burned curtains still hanging on the wall, I sprinted to them, yanked them free, and ran back. I grabbed the ends not currently on fire and used them to douse the flames on her legs. It felt like it took forever, but they finally extinguished and I collapsed on my hands and knees, coughing.

My hoodie had dropped from my face, and I could feel the smoke already burning my lungs. It was difficult to take a breath. It was then I noticed the blonde curly hair and realized who I'd found.

Oh no. No. No. No.

My adrenalin spiked and I jumped to my feet. I rolled her over and scooped her into my arms. I wanted so badly to check for a pulse. If she wasn't breathing and didn't make it...

Forcing those thoughts from my head, I stood and tried to assess which way to go. Through the flames at the front door or the somewhat clear path to the back door that could be rigged with explosives. Either way, I was fucked. But if she died... I made the split-second decision to risk the flames. I was pretty sure I could still move fast and we stood a better chance of making it out that way.

"Axel!"

I heard my name but couldn't tell from which direction. I was out of time. I sprinted for the front door, dodging debris and straight through the heart of the fire because there was no clear path.

The heat instantly became unbearable and it felt like I slowed to a crawl. I didn't think we were going to make it. It felt like my entire body was on fire. But somehow, by some miracle I felt a pull at my arms and something heavy wrapped around me seconds before we crashed to the ground.

Suddenly I was surrounded by people and the woman was lifted from my arms. I tried to ask if she was alive, but I couldn't breathe let alone speak. My attempt only resulted in a series of coughs that I couldn't stop, until I started to puke.

"Jesus, man. Are you fucking crazy or do you have some kind of death wish?" I recognized the voice and the face looming above me as that of Mike Brown, one of the long-time volunteers for the Sultan Fire Department.

"Someone had to," I wheezed, finally getting some air in and out of my lungs. "Is she alive?"

"You could have gotten more people killed if you'd collapsed in there. My guys would have had to go in, and that building collapsed seconds after you emerged."

I was going to strangle Mike for his continued bitching. I reached out and grabbed his coat and yanked him down to my level. "I asked if she is alive, motherfucker." I imagined the look in my eyes was as wild as I felt, but I could tell by the look of fear in his, he'd gotten my message.

"Yeah, she's alive. Barely."

"Someone needs to get JD and tell him" Every word out of my mouth felt like glass shards scraping up my throat. Smoke and fire were evil little shits. "I couldn't have been in there for more than a minute or two."

"Eyewitness says you were in there for more like five to seven. You're damned lucky you are still conscious."

I rolled over on my back and stared up at the darkened sky. He had no idea the sheer will I used to get her out of there. Not only for JD's sake, but for Mandy's too. If I had died in there, she would have been really pissed at me. And I would have lost my second shot at the woman I loved.

---