She had been claimed by something as old as time. It flowed through Flame’s body taking her back, whirling her back in time where she saw the beginning of life, the beginning of fire. A tiny ember in the uterus of Mother Nature which grew with intensity. A fiery embryo of life flickered with awareness, needing to be released and exploding into the universe of life. But Ignis needed air and so Ventus was born, the two brothers frolicked happily for a time across the heavens playing games with the constellations, forming the stars into puzzle pieces to make pictures, but like all children they ventured too far when not watched closely. The elements needed a home to explore their awareness in safety, and Terra, Earth was born. A grounded brother, linked to his surroundings, Terra would not wander. Like the good brothers they were, Ignis and Ventus followed their new sibling and remained as they matured in their new confines. Like a playpen, Earth housed all three of the brothers as they grew with Mother Nature watching in fondness.
The tiny planet grew life as Terra played with the toys Mother Nature provided. Huge dinosaurs were a thrill to any young male and Terra was no different. The earth was the boys’ plaything and Ignis sent fire to send the massive beasts scampering making Terra laugh with Ventus fueling his brother’s flames. But the boys grew older and new toys were needed to amuse them.
Primitive man was born, until he became too primitive for the brothers who now could count nine in all. Ancient Rome danced in Flame’s thoughts as she watched the brother’s play. The brothers were now grown, each deadly in their element. To many of the elements, humans were no different than the dinosaurs, some were carnivores, some herbivores, all had more emotion though. That is what set them apart and spared their era—for now. Humans were amusing with their many emotions and differences, and they could change with the tide to match the brothers’ needs. Like tiny soldiers the elements could play war with their toys, knock buildings down with the thrust of a careless hand or temper tantrum.
Not all the elements felt the same way, some had matured, few were merciful, or the humans wouldn’t survive. Flame shivered as her mind was privy to sudden avalanches and earthquakes. Ignis took Flame farther to things she had no concept of, frightening wondrous magical things.
Flame was given the barest glimpse of the stars, in her thoughts she understood Ignis felt they weren’t worthy to see her uncovered. He showed her the heavens. In Ignis’ world, she was healed and whole as they ventured farther into the universe. The stars conversed and pointed at her, whispering as Fire shielded her from view. The sun smiled at her—
smiled at her.
Was it real?
The universe was spinning too fast for Flame to see more and she could only shake her head in bemusement as Ignis stepped out of her fireplace with her in his arms. He was no longer engulfed. They were in her home. Flame was saturated in sweat and she was shaking when he set her on her feet in the shower. The cold water was turned on high and Flame gulped it greedily, she couldn’t get enough. She could see Ignis watching her. Flame gave in to exhaustion and slumped onto the showers cold tile floor. She felt she could live there for the next hour as the water turned icy and soothed her flesh.
Her chin was gripped and Ignis was crouched off to the side. His eyes were flaming, burning into her soul. “That is how an element makes love,” his tone was warning. “If you come to me again you will be mine for eternity. I will never release you. I will claim you repeatedly the way I did in the clouds, and then some. Think on that.” He rose to his feet and turned to leave.
“Fire?”
Ignis turned and gazed down on her. To say his expression was searing wouldn’t do him justice.
“I will come to you again.”
She cocked her head up at him in defiance. Flame wasn’t afraid. He gave a slight nod, she couldn’t explain the new look he had on his face. When he turned and walked away, Flame hung her head as the water continued to sluice across her back and shoulders. Her knees were quivering as she examined herself between her thighs. There was blood but no burning. Her fingers caught some of his essence and she brought the substance to her face. It looked like lava, it smoldered. She watched as it slipped its way down the drain.
* * * *
“You look burnt out.”
Flame could have laughed at her co-worker’s analogy of her the next morning. “Yep, pretty much sums me up today, Ray.” she said.
She was still feeling somewhat tender. Having sex with fire was enlightening and hot—very, very hot. She suppressed a giggle.
“Rough night?” Ray asked.
He looked her up and down from head to toe. He did that often. Ray was a nice-looking man, average build, a little older than Flame. He had a mop of unruly red hair he hated but looked cute with. Ray was a good person at heart; Flame liked him, she trusted him. He had asked her out, but she had politely turned him down and said she avoided relationships with fellow co-workers. She wondered if she was being a hypocrite; after all, she worked with fire—had sex with
Fire
.
“I know you won’t date me,” Ray began. “But as your friend, I suggest you get a bit more sleep. Our occupation is stressful enough.”
“Really?” she responded dryly, as she sifted through a new, what had once been a very expensive home, that was almost finished, yet was now charred remains.
Flame stepped over a smoldering beam. For a brief second, the wood ignited with a lick of fire as though a tongue tasted the timber, and she saw Ignis gazing at her. Ray stomped it out in startled annoyance then joined her.
“Yes, really,” Ray said and frowned at the beam in bemusement. He then hurried to her side with a shake of his head, as though shrugging his thoughts off.
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Really, honey,” he began and Flame winced.
Shit.
“Ray we’ve been over your choice of names for me.” Flame had stopped to glare at him. To tell him she could start calling him ‘baby’ or ‘sweetheart’ wouldn’t matter—he’d like it.
Men.
Ray held up his hands in supplication. “Sorry, I’m not sexually harassing you. I have four little sisters who I still call, muffin, sweetie, lamb chop and monster.”
Flame widened her eyes. “Monster?”
“Tomboy—don’t ask. Suffice to say she wants to be a cop; the bad guys won’t have a hope in hell.”
Flame chuckled and ventured further into the debris. She frowned when her gaze settled onto the remains of an old rag doll. She scrunched her nose and sniffed the doll, lifting it into her gloved hands. It smelled of an accelerant. The doll was in what used to be the living room.
Hmm, inside job?
The owners of the house had recently divorced, the custody battle had apparently been brutal, the husband was a wife batterer and his wife claimed he had beaten their three kids—a nine-year-old boy, a six-year-old girl, and their two-year-old brother.
But would the husband resort to arson? Perhaps to send a message, no one had been home at the time. This could have been a way to destroy anything his wife owned and loved and at the same time show her what he was capable of. Maybe next time the wife and mother wouldn’t get off as easy. They needed to catch this sicko before his threat turned homicide.
“Any thoughts?” Flame asked her partner.
“Yes, a lot, and they are all deeply disturbing.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” she replied. “We need to get a hold of the owner,
now.”
“James Barkley was the owner. A real bad ass son-of-a-bitch. His wife, Melinda, got the house in their legal battle, but it’s been lawyer hell for her to have it changed into her name. The man’s a corporate genius, money up the wazzo. Nasty temper and doesn’t care who he fucks up the—oops excuse me.”
Flame rolled her eyes at him, she wasn’t going to swoon over a swear word. “Well he better hope he doesn’t try to fry his kids. If he does, he will be fucking with his worst enemy.”
Flame grimaced as Ray’s eyebrows rose. No doubt he thought she meant herself. But she didn’t, a spark had caught her attention and for a brief second, she saw the thunderous look on Ignis’ face. His gift wasn’t meant to murder children by men who played at being God with the lives of others. James Barkley had better start praying he was innocent. And if he wasn’t—he had better just start praying.
Chapter 3
Flame was gazing into her fireplace, seeing and yet unseeing with her dazed expression. Ignis was watching her. Ironically, she was drinking a tumbler of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey. Ignis could tell she was lost in thought. Ignis didn’t like the worry on her face. He was already in motion to collect information on James Barkley; she needn’t be troubled. The wife and children were in hiding at a secluded log cabin. They were easy enough for Ignis to find the moment the woman had lit a fire for warmth. They were safe, albeit frightened; Ignis determined James Barkley had indeed set fire to the family home. Ignis would have his brothers help keep watch over the woman and her children, they would need it—for the moment, even his misfit brother Fumus was eager to please him.
Mother must have been pissed at him
.
“Are you thinking of us?” Ignis asked as he stepped from the fire.
She jumped as though startled, that alone made him frown. “Fire can cause so much destruction,” she mused.
“Are you afraid I will destroy you?”
“You haven’t yet.”
His mouth twitched with her evasiveness. “I warned you to back away.”
“I have loved you for as long as I can remember. There is no backing away.” She sighed as she said this. “You are singeing my carpet.”
Ignis looked down at his smoldering feet. He took a controlling breath. He felt so fiery passionate about everything he did with her it was hard to control his natural element. He was too contained in this small room; he was used to having the world at his disposal, his playground. He held out his hand. Flame cocked her head in a charming fashion and gazed up at him cheekily.
“I didn’t call to you,” she said.
“Your heart does.”
“Does it?”
Ignis pulled her to her feet. “I burn for you.”
“Hmm, you pretty much burn, period.”
“You consume my thoughts about wanting to consume your body.”
“You will, won’t you?” Her breath was coming in short pants. Her tiny fingers trailed a smooth path across his cheek in a loving gesture.
Ignis reached for her and she buried her face into his bare chest. He lifted her into his arms and took her back to the fireplace where he walked into it carrying her. Ignis heard her gasp, then settle. Her clothes were burned from her body in seconds, she remained unharmed.
“I’m going to need a second job just for clothing.” He heard her complain.
Ignis rose up through the chimney, keeping her pressed close to his chest. They disappeared into the sky, into his dimension that coexisted with Earth. Before long, they reached their destination and he heard her make a small sound of deep distress and fear. Ignis stood holding her at the mouth of an active volcano, another portal. She gripped his neck and buried her face into his throat as he let her slide down his fiery torso.
“I am an element,” he reminded her. “I will never make love the way a mortal does. Trust me and you will be safe. Give yourself to me and nothing can harm you. Know this, I love you my little Flame. I have loved you for a very long time. The choice is yours; say the word and you will be returned home.” He waited anxiously, having declared his feelings.
Flame looked down into the boiling lava. She relaxed in his arms, her slight tremors stopped. This was no cloud, but it was still him; she needed to understand that. Finally, she nodded up at him and before she closed her eyes, he saw love reflected back at him. Love was trust, and yet so much more. He was asking so much more of a human. She was so brave, he sometimes forgot she wasn’t the same as him, what he asked was no miniscule deed. Flame had no idea of the gift she had just given him. Ignis’ very being was jubilant. He pressed his lips firmly to hers, their tongues danced and twirled as he jumped.
The lava engulfed them, immediately sending rock and molten liquid high into the air in spurts. Ignis breathed for her. As long as he held Flame’s lips she wouldn’t suffocate; as long as part of him was inside of her she was safe, she was one with him. The lava would recognize one of its own—one of Mother Nature’s creations.
The lava rolled them, spun them, exploring their intrusion. Their bodies moved like liquid fire, melting and meshing together. The last time they made love, Ignis had tasted a great deal of Flame but not all. His inflamed cock was hard as cold steel when he plunged into her wet heat. She gasped into his mouth. A human was conditioned to understand a man could be many sizes, but there was always a limit. Ignis had no limit.
Flame quivered as his erection went deeper and deeper. His fire had no boundary. A flame of passion shot from his mouth into her. It penetrated her throat, leaving her enough room to breathe, but it gave no quarter. Lastly, he found her behind and entered, filling her, pushing higher. Her eyes widened in surprise. She had thought he had flowed through her veins last time, as he had. This time he wanted all of her. Her shivering body slumped as he reached all areas of her being.