Page 38 of Watch Me Burn

Damn wolf moved like a cat. I never heard him coming, never even knew he was in the same cave that I just wormed my way into until he grabs me, I shriek, my fire goes out, plunging us into darkness, and he says, “Hey, Red. Calm down. It’s me.”

Conall.

What the hell happened to my warning signal? For the past week, any time Conall was around, he made my palms tingle. Now, after one civil conversation, I don;t think he’s a threat anymore because he’s a wolf shifter and not a witch hunter?

Come on, Bridge, that should make himmoreof a threat.

“How did you find me?” I demand, trying to break out of his hold.

Conall’s fingers dig into my sides, keeping me where he wants me as he ducks his head, his nose against my throat. “I could smell you.”

I slap the first fingers I can reach. What the hell is he doing? “Well, stop it.”

He immediately lets me go. Patting my sides, he releases me from his death grip, then backs up so that there are at least two feet between us in this cramped cove. “The fire gave you away, too,” he admits. “The light, plus I could smell the burning, too, before it vanished.”

Of course he can.

I lift my right hand. I’m still frightened enough that it’s a cinch to hold it palm up as a tennis ball-sized orb of super hot fire burns roughly a couple inches over it.

He shields his eyes, but other than that, he doesn’t move away or react to the fireball.

He does, however, give me that trademark glower of his. There’s something a little different about it, too. Almost likethere’s a hint of relief tucked inside of it. “I told you to wait for me.”

“Right,” I agree. “And I decided not to listen.”

The big wolf shifter grumbles deep in his chest. “It’s dangerous down here, Red.”

“I’m fine.”

“You sure? I could’ve sworn you muttered something about being lost. Tell the truth. You don’t even know where you’re going.”

“Of course I don’t,” I answer flippantly. “That’s why I have my fire and a map and a way forward.” Then, to prove what I mean, I take a couple of purposeful steps ahead of me—and away from Conall. “I told you. I’m fi—ahh!”

I’m not fine. I’m so not fine.

I don’t know what happened. The rocky ground gives out from under me, and as I start to drop, my flame winks out again as my hands flail, searching for something to grab onto.

The rocky walls of the narrow column I’m plunging down are craggy and rough. I can’t get a grip, and I shriek one more time as the rocks scratch the shit out of my leg.

Just when I’m sure that this is it, that I’m falling to the middle of the earth where even the lava might be too much for my fire, something strong and sure and possessive snatches my wrist. There’s a small bounce as gravity fights against Conall’s grip, but the wolf shifter wins. Using only one hand, he hauls me out of the hole, tugging me against his chest.

His arms wrap around me.

I cling to the shifter as my life flashes before my eyes.

Shit. I’m not even thirty yet. I’ve got a whole lot more life to go, and I might actually get to live it now thanks to?—

Conall shifts his hand, cupping the back of my head, his fingers weaving through my hair. I can feel the way his heartpounds inside of his chest against mine, even through the flannel shirt he has on now.

I let him hold me. Right now, I’d letanyoneoffer me comfort.

I keep waiting for his ‘I told you so’ even as he does. When the most he does is shudder against me, as though he actually would give a crap if I plunged into the darkness, I slither out of his hold.

He doesn’t stop me.

I take a deep breath, calming myself. Once I have, I lift my hand. Another fireball hovers over my palm, allowing me to get a good look at Conall.

“Watch your step next time, Red. Okay?”

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