Page 35 of Blazing Hearts

Their strokes were slow, languid; both from their shared tiredness but also in the knowledge that they had each other. There was no reason to rush.

Kara drew around Mallory’s nipples, enjoying the feeling of them hardening at her touch. She pulled herself into Mallory’s neck, kissing slowly up its length and across her shoulder; feeling Mallory gently exploring her simultaneously. Unlike their previous encounters, which had been urgent, primal, raw. This was different. They knew they had one another, they weren’t going to lose this. Closing her eyes, Kara felt her way up and down Mallory’s body, pausing at her breasts and pussy, feeling Mallory do the same in return. Until she could take it no longer and dove her fingers between Mallory’s warm folds, wet from her desire. She was desperate for this too. Kara slipped one finger inside her, then two, as she drew circles around her clit with her thumb. A shudder of need rattled through Mallory’s body before Kara felt Mallory’s fingers pushing inside her pussy too. In unison they moved, slowly, ever so slowly, whispering nothings in the darkness.

Eventually their crescendo hit, washing over the pair of them as they held one another, their breathing perfectly in sync. Kara pulled Mallory into her chest, laying a kiss into her silky hair.

* * *

The piercing shriek of the station alarm jolted Kara out of a restless sleep. Her eyes snapped open, and for a split second, she stared at the ceiling, disoriented. Then, the gravity of the sound clicked into place, and adrenaline coursed through her veins. She rolled out of her bunk, her body moving on instinct honed by years of experience.

“Warehouse fire. Outskirts of Phoenix Ridge,” the dispatcher’s voice crackled over the intercom as Kara grabbed her gear. The mention of the location made her pause for half a breath. She knew the place—a sprawling, decrepit structure that had long been a fire hazard waiting to happen.

The team filed into the engine with practiced efficiency, their banter subdued, replaced by a grim determination. Kara slipped into the passenger seat, her mind already mapping out possible scenarios. Her captain’s instincts kicked in: organize, assess, execute. The fire wouldn’t wait, and hesitation was a luxury she didn’t have.

The drive felt both agonizingly slow and too fast. Outside, the world was cloaked in the inky stillness of early morning, the kind that amplified every sound—the wail of sirens, the roar of the engine, the quiet murmur of her crew discussing tactics. As they neared the site, Kara caught sight of the fire in the distance, its glow reflecting off low-hanging clouds like a malevolent sunrise.

When they arrived, the scene was pure chaos. The warehouse was an inferno, flames licking hungrily at the night sky. Thick, black smoke billowed upward, carrying the acrid stench of burning wood and chemicals. The building was a skeleton of its former self, parts of the roof already collapsed and others threatening to follow. Emergency vehicles were scattered like toys, their lights strobing red and blue across the scene. Civilians—workers, perhaps, or people who had been nearby—huddled behind hastily erected barriers, their faces pale and frightened.

Kara stepped out of the engine, the heat hitting her like a physical force. Her gear felt heavier than usual, but she shoved the discomfort aside. She turned to her crew, her voice steady despite the roar of the flames.

“Scotti, take the north side with your team. Check for anyone trapped and report back. Cass, you’re with me on the east side. We’ll sweep the first floor and see if we can figure out the source of this thing. Stay sharp—this building’s a maze, and it’s not going to be forgiving.”

The team nodded, their trust in her evident. Kara didn’t take that lightly. She adjusted her helmet, her gaze lingering on the warehouse for a moment longer. It loomed over them like a beast, its structure groaning under the strain of the fire.

As they approached, the heat became almost unbearable. The air was thick and stifling, each breath a reminder of the danger they faced. Kara’s eyes scanned the scene, cataloging every potential risk—the sagging beams, the erratic bursts of flame, the telltale signs of an impending collapse. Her gut churned as she caught a whiff of something chemical beneath the smoke. She made a mental note to warn the others to be careful with their air supplies.

* * *

Inside, the world was a hell-scape of flickering light and shadows. The flames created an ever-shifting dance of brightness and darkness, making it difficult to navigate. The heat was oppressive, pressing down on them like a weight. Kara moved with purpose, her every step deliberate. Cass and the rest of the team stayed close, their communication reduced to clipped words and hand signals.

The first signs of danger came sooner than expected. As they cleared a corner, Kara noticed a support beam leaning at a precarious angle, its base scorched and weakened. She gestured for Cara to stop, her instincts screaming at her to backtrack.

“Structural instability,” Kara said into her radio, her voice calm but firm. “Scotti, watch for weak points. We’ve got compromised beams on the east side.”

The crackle of static was followed by Scotti’s acknowledgment. Kara continued forward, her senses on high alert. The building groaned around them, the sound a haunting reminder that their time was limited.

The intensity of the fire made it difficult to think, the constant roar filling Kara’s ears and vibrating in her chest. Sweat dripped down her back despite the protective layers of her gear. She focused on the task at hand, compartmentalizing her fear and exhaustion. They reached what appeared to be an office area, its door partially caved in. Cass worked to clear the debris while Kara checked for signs of life.

“Nothing here,” Kara reported, her eyes scanning the smoke-filled room. She turned to Cass, her expression unreadable behind her mask. “Let’s move on.”

They pressed deeper into the building, their progress slow but steady. Kara couldn’t shake the feeling of unease growing in her chest. The warehouse was too quiet apart from the fire, as though the building itself was holding its breath. She glanced at Cass, who gave her a nod of encouragement.

Suddenly, a loud pop echoed through the space, followed by a cascade of debris from above. Kara instinctively ducked, her heart pounding as a cloud of dust and ash enveloped them.

“Everyone okay?” she called out, her voice tight. Cass coughed but gave her a thumbs-up. Kara’s relief was short-lived as she noticed a fresh crack forming in the wall to their left.

“This place is a death trap,” she muttered to herself, her grip tightening on her radio.

Despite the growing danger, Kara pushed forward, her determination outweighing her fear. The stakes were too high, and she wouldn’t leave until she was certain they’d done everything they could. Her mind flickered briefly to Mallory, an unexpected warmth cutting through the cold knot of anxiety in her chest. Kara forced the thought aside, her focus snapping back to the task at hand.

By the time they reached the next section, the fire had intensified, its heat radiating like an open furnace. Kara’s instincts screamed at her to pull back, but she knew they had to make one final sweep. Her radio crackled with updates from the rest of the team, their voices tinged with exhaustion and urgency.

The explosion came without warning, a deafening roar that swallowed the warehouse in an instant. The force of it lifted Kara off her feet, flinging her backward as if she were weightless. She hit the ground hard, her helmet smacking against concrete as her breath fled her lungs. A cacophony of crashing beams, shattering glass, and roaring flames followed. The world around her was a blur of noise and light, the sharp tang of smoke filling her mouth and nostrils.

Dazed, Kara struggled to orient herself. Her ears rang, muffling the shouts of her team and the crackling inferno consuming the building. When she tried to move, pain seared through her right leg. She gasped, her hands instinctively flying to the source. A heavy beam had fallen across her thigh, pinning her to the ground. The jagged edge of the wood bit into her gear, and she could feel the heat radiating from it.

Panic surged through her, but she fought it down with practiced discipline. Kara had been in tight spots before, but none quite like this. The air was thick with smoke, and each breath felt like pulling fire into her lungs. She shoved at the beam with all her strength, gritting her teeth as pain shot up her leg. It didn’t budge.

“Cass! Scotti!” she shouted, her voice hoarse. The words barely carried over the chaos around her. She strained to hear any response, but all she got was the ominous groan of the warehouse shifting under its own weight.

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