The Fire Within (24 page)

“Let my mother go.” Dante allowed his inner fire to coat his hands.

Cranston shook his head. “I can’t do that. She was here when I got here, and she knew instantly what I am. Now I have to kill her too.”

Dante started to move, only to stop at the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. “Don’t do it, Cranston.”

With a shrug Cranston replied, “In for a penny.”

Dante thought his heart would stop beating then and there when he heard the gunshot. His first wild thought was,
What do I tell Dad?

His second thought was to remember the silencer.

The third, that Elizabeth had probably been the one to fire.

Cranston stumbled back with a cry as red dusted fluff burst from the arm of his jacket. Elizabeth had hit her target, but hadn’t taken him down.

Dante dove for Cranston, determined to get him away from his unconscious mother.

Cranston leapt over the railing and onto the grass at the edge of the house, running as if his life depended on it. Which it did. Dante was going to fry him for laying a hand on his mother.

“Cranston!”

Where the fuck were Damien and Seth? They should have been here by now, should have had his back. His breath misted in the cold evening air as he chased Cranston through one front yard after another. He spared a brief thought for Elizabeth and his mother, and hoped they were both in the house, safe and sound. He trusted Elizabeth to take care of his mom. She’d stay by the fallen woman’s side, protecting her as best she could.

He could feel his breath rasping in his throat now, his heart pounding in his ears as he ran and ran. Still Cranston didn’t stop, leaping at one point over a tricycle one of Dante’s neighbors had left out of their garage. Cranston never looked back, never stopped to check where Dante was. He just kept moving. The white parka made it easy for Dante to follow Cranston.

When Cranston headed into the small copse of trees behind one of the houses, Dante followed the flashes of white. Finally away from humans, the Shem turned on Dante, showing his true colors.

The Shem had once been partly human, like Dante and his brothers. But the Shemyaza chose a different path in life, turning their backs on their heritage and clinging to Shemhazai’s teachings instead. Their monstrous appetites were reflected in their appearances, turning them into monsters.

Like Dante and all of the Nephilim, Shemyaza could disguise themselves, hide their inhuman sides behind a human facade. But unlike Dante, when that disguise was dropped, what the Neph were faced with was a horror out of a human being’s worst imaginings.

Ooze dripped from Cranston’s black lips, the same green miasma that filled the Shem’s aura. His skin was blotched, bruised and diseased. His hands were tipped with black, jagged claws that Dante knew from experience were far sharper and stronger than they appeared. Rotted, fanged teeth filled his mouth to overflowing, stretching his jaw obscenely. And unlike Diana, who’d fed off of fear until the soul was gone, this Shem fed off the flesh of its victims, absorbing the soul through the victim’s physical pain.

“It’s over, Cranston.” Dante’s flame erupted, turning him into a being of living fire.

“I don’t think so, Nephilim.” Cranston dropped into a combat crouch, surprising Dante. He didn’t think Cranston had it in him. “I tried to leave. I would have gone away, and you never would have seen me again.”

Dante’s gaze narrowed, sharpened on the creature he intended to kill. “You hurt my mother and tried to kill Elizabeth.”

The Shem looked confused. “I didn’t try to kill Ms. Rand.” Then it grinned. “Although she would have been tasty.” He shook his head. “But I’d be crazy to target the mate of a Nephilim.”

“But not too crazy to target my mother.” And for that, the fucker would burn.

Cranston shrugged. “She’s Nephilim. She knows the risks she takes when she hunts us.”

Dante gestured with his hands and flames engulfed the Shem.

He screamed, dropping the now white-hot gun, his lips pulled back in an inhuman snarl of rage. “You’ll pay for that, Neph. Your precious Elizabeth will taste so sweet when I take her.”

Dante grinned viciously. “Bring it, Shem.”

The Shem’s claws lashed out, but Dante danced out of the way. He returned the favor, scoring a hit on the Shem’s parka.

The Shem shrieked as the parka caught on fire, tearing it off before Dante’s fire could touch his skin. “Damn it. I
liked
that jacket.” The Shem shivered violently. “That’s one more I owe you.” The Shem, a monster in black slacks and a green sweater vest, swiped at him again. This time its claws hit the mark, and dark fire raced along Dante’s already injured arm. The Shem’s claws broke the straps of the sling and his arm dropped hard.

Dante saw stars as agony ripped through him. “
Figlio di puttana bastardo!
”

Blue light shone down on them, and suddenly Seth was there, his blade drawn, standing between Dante and the Shem. “Sorry I’m late.”

Dante gritted his teeth. “Elizabeth?”

“Safe. Damien’s with her.”

Fear Dante hadn’t even realized he felt dissipated at Seth’s words. “Good.”

The Shem held up his hands. “I have no desire to fight you too, Neph.”

Seth grinned. “Too bad, Shem, because you need to die for your crimes.”

“I see.” The Shem sighed. “A man has to eat, you know.”

“No. I don’t.” And Seth attacked with all the viciousness of a man whose mate had almost been killed by a Shemyaza. His blade flashed as he dueled with the Shem, drawing blood as he scored a hit on the Shem’s stomach.

Dante joined the fight, trying to ignore the throbbing hell his arm had become. Damn it, he’d need to take one of those damn pain pills once he got home. Using his good hand, he flung fireball after fireball at the Shemyaza, trying to trace where he would dodge away from Seth’s blade. It was a delicate dance the two men had perfected over time, Seth’s blade moving in such a way as to force the Shem into the path of Dante’s fire.

The Shem’s claws grew to six inches long and gleamed in Seth’s light. Seth cried out as the Shem scored a hit on his wings, staggering back as the appendages of light proved they were vulnerable to attack. Seth bled from the wound, real blood that would prove fatal to the Angelus should they not get it under control.

Dante did something he’d never tried before, determined to get the Shem off his brother. He pulled at the fire within him, calling it with everything he had. He dug deeper than he ever had before, pulling energy until nothing was left but Dante and all-consuming heat. His flame grew and grew, blazing against his senses until he was blind to everything but the heat and the light.

Dante carefully released that flame, that blazing fire, and opened his eyes.

Seth was staring at him in awe. “Holy shit.”

The Shem was backing away, his expression horrified.

Dante grinned. Anything that horrified a Shemyaza was good enough for him.

Seth whistled softly. “Dude. You have
wings
.”

Dante paused in the act of chasing down the Shem. “What?”

“Wings, Dante. Made of pure fire.”

Something bright and red and hotter than hot fluttered past his shoulder. Seth was right. It was a wing. “Whoa.”

“That’s not possible.”

Dante shrugged. Apparently, it was.

The Shem darted off into the darkness, and Dante took off after him. He wasn’t going to risk flight, but the wings seemed to give him speed as they fluttered at his back. He wasn’t sure, but at one point he thought he
did
leave the ground.

He managed to catch the Shem before it could break through the trees. “It’s over, Shem.”

The Shem turned, despair and anger fighting across his face. “You’ll never take us all, Neph. We know who you are now.”

“That remains to be seen.” And Dante raised his arms, his fire swirling around him in a deadly dance, lifting the hair off his neck in a rush of super-heated air. Immune to his own fire, Dante laughed, the sheer joy of the flame dancing across his flesh almost euphoric.

With a simple thought, he unleashed the full force of that dancing flame on the Shemyaza who’d tried to kill his mother and threatened his woman.

The stench of burning flesh filled the air as black smoke billowed out of the Shemyaza. Cranston shrieked briefly, so quickly engulfed by Dante’s fire that he was dead before he could drop to the ground.

“Damn. Remind me not to piss you off.”

Dante turned to Seth with a grin. “Damn straight.”

Seth laughed. “You might want to tone down the flames, Johnny Storm. I think we might be close enough to civilization for someone to come investigate. They don’t need to see your Human Torch imitation.”

“
Testa di cazzo.
”

“It’s not nice to call your friends shithead, shithead.”

Dante laughed and, with great reluctance, doused his flame. By that time the Shemyaza was reduced to nothing but ash. There was no body to clean up, and no need to remain in the cold that was now seeping into his bones. The ache in his arm, forgotten in his fiery anger, returned with a vengeance. He clutched it close with a grimace. “C’mon, fly-boy. Let’s go home.”

Seth nodded wearily and retracted his wings with his own pained grimace. “We need to report to Gabriel, especially about your new appendages.”

Dante sighed. He was not looking forward to the archangel’s interrogation, as gentle as it would be. They’d disobeyed Gabriel’s orders, and despite their success the angel was going to be pissed. “Shit.”

Seth laughed as they began to slowly make their way back to Dante’s home. “Better you than me.”

“I hate you so much right now.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Beth tried her best to force her shaking hands to work. “Let me make tea, Teresa,” she said, watching as Teresa began filling Dante’s tea pot with water.

“Why didn’t you run after my son?” Teresa demanded, hands on her hips. There was a dark bruise on her temple that had Beth worried about concussion. “He’s hurt. He shouldn’t be out there alone.”

“Because I knew he’d rather I stayed with you, making sure you weren’t hurt.” She’d known almost immediately where she was needed, and it wasn’t running after a Shem.

“Come on, Teresa. Your hands are shaking. Let me make the tea.”

Before Beth could protest, the tea pot was taken from her hands. “
I’ll
make the tea.” Damien, who’d arrived with Seth shortly after Dante ran off, had helped Beth carry Teresa into Dante’s house. “You two sit.” She was gently seated at the kitchen table and handed a biscotti. “Here, eat. It will settle your nerves. What exactly happened tonight? Gabriel will want a full report.”

Elizabeth had to stifle a laugh, but took the biscotti. Her nerves were fine. Dante would tear Cranston apart for hurting his mother. She just hoped he came home to her unharmed.

“I agree. Why did the Shem come here with a gun?” Teresa asked as Damien put the tea on the table. She took a seat across from Beth, her hands nervously cradling her own mug.

“Simple. He’s the one who killed Jennifer Blake.”

“The lawyer? The one working for the politician?” Teresa sounded surprised.

“Yes. He was stealing from the Blessing campaign... Sort of.”

Teresa scowled. “What do you mean, sort of? You either are stealing, or you are not stealing.”

Beth tried to gather her scattered wits. She kept jumping at every little sound, wondering if it was Dante. Or Cranston. Thank God Damien was here, or she’d be a lot more afraid. Just knowing Seth was with Dante made her feel easier about him being out there, fighting. She’d seen Seth up against Diana, and knew what the Angelus was capable of. Seth was fierce when those he loved were threatened, and Dante was one of the few people he truly loved.

Beth was grateful for that beyond words right now.

“Cranston once worked for Romanov Enterprises. Piotr Romanov is not known to take kindly to people mishandling funds, and Cranston was definitely mishandling them. Andi found out about it, but before Piotr could investigate Cranston himself Cranston’s manager fired him.”

Teresa nodded, her hands still tightly wrapped around the mug. She hadn’t taken a sip yet, but neither had Beth. “So this was revenge against Romanov.”

“Exactly. I don’t even think Cranston knew he was working for a Nephilim, because the two of them never met face to face.” Beth’s hands clenched around her own mug, enjoying the warmth as she continued. “Cranston stole money out of Romanov’s personal fund, diverted it to the Blessing campaign, and began laundering it. He used Jennifer Blake as a blind, not knowing that she was having an affair with Todd Blessing. When she started looking into the financial records, Cranston realized that he hadn’t been careful enough. There
was
a Romanov file on the computer, but not on paper, and Jennifer must have found it. That’s what got her killed, not Shem hunger.”

“So the Shem’s feeding off her was a red herring?” Damien joined them at the table. He took a seat next to Teresa and crossed his legs, very much the gentleman at leisure.

“I think so. It’s also why Cranston stole the files out of Blessing’s office. He had to make it appear that the Romanov file never existed, but my friend found traces of it on the computer and was able to track the money from there.”

Teresa frowned in confusion. “Why didn’t he just take the money and leave?”

Elizabeth smiled grimly. “He wasn’t after
money
. He wanted revenge for losing his cushy mortal lifestyle. Killing Jennifer was a spur of the moment thing. An anonymous tip to the police, a little internet search of Jennifer’s records, use Blessing as the man moving the money around, and voila! Conspiracy du jour.”

Teresa looked thoroughly confused. “But how did he hide what he was from Dante, let alone Piotr?”

“Piotr never saw him, remember. As for Dante, he utilized a trick that Gabriel said he’d seen before. He threw off enough Shem stench to hide himself in that office, and just made sure that Dante only saw him inside it.”

“Clever,” Damien grunted.

“I bet Blessing was next on the murder list,” Elizabeth said quietly, looking up at Teresa’s shocked face. “In order for the murderer-as-Romanov plot to work, Blessing would have to die. The money would then mysteriously reappear in Romanov’s accounts, and the police would go looking for him as the murderer.”

Damien nodded. “But you caught Kensington before Cranston was ready.”

Elizabeth nodded, jumping a little as the doorbell rang. Damien got up to answer it, gun in hand, as she continued, “And Kensington, instead of keeping his mouth shut, sang like a bird. Romanov even spoke to me, although he didn’t tell me everything he knew.”

“Of course I did not,
mladshuyu sestru
. At that time, I was trying to protect you. You have no place hunting Shemyaza.” Piotr Romanov, handsome as sin and cold as ice, sauntered into Dante’s little kitchen. “Where is Dante?”

Beth wiggled her fingers in greeting. Now that he was no longer a suspect, she could treat him like the friend he was slowly becoming. “Chasing a Shem.”

He nodded, smiling at Teresa Zucco with all the charm of a man who knew his own worth and didn’t give a damn about what anyone else thought of him. He picked up Teresa’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “Mrs. Zucco. You look exquisite, as always.”

Teresa shook her head at him before rapping him on the head with her free hand. “You are a naughty boy, Piotr.”

Piotr laughed, the sound light and genuine and warm as the summer sun. “
Da
, I am.”

Damien was staring at him like he’d grown a second head as Piotr poured himself a cup of tea.

“Cranston planned on running when he realized we were closing in on him, but Dante and I got to him before he could get away. He knew we wouldn’t let it go, so he came here.”

“And ran into me.” Teresa scowled. “I cannot believe I allowed him to get the drop on me.”

Piotr kissed her hand again. “It can happen to the best of us,
prekrasnyy odin
. That is why we always work in small teams, so that we never have to face a Shem alone.”

Teresa didn’t look convinced, but before she could retort Seth and Dante came into the house. Dante looked pale, worn, his sling gone.

Beth ran over to him, embracing him. “Ow.”

“You’re hurt?” Her voice came out shaky.

Dante embraced her tightly. “Only a little. I’m fine,
tesoro.
”

“Dante!”

Elizabeth turned to see Teresa standing in the doorway. Her hands were on her hips, and her lips trembled as she began to shout at him in Italian. Elizabeth only understood one word in ten, but she got the general idea.

Seth was rubbing at his left shoulder. “I’m going to head home to Abby. She’s craving strawberries.” Seth grinned sheepishly. “I’m having some chocolate covered ones delivered tonight, and I want to be there when they arrive.”

Seth was good for her friend, and Beth couldn’t be happier for them. “Tell her I said hi, and we have to go to lunch soon. And Seth? Thanks.”

Seth nodded. “It’s what we do.” He rubbed his hands together and glanced around the room. “Anyone need a ride?”

Both Damien and Piotr shook their heads, and Seth left after a brief goodbye.

All the while, Teresa was berating Dante for getting injured even as she fussed over him. She insisted on pouring his tea, scowling at Piotr when he offered to do it.

Piotr laughed again. “Very well,
sestra
. I will leave you to fuss over your son in peace.” He glanced at his watch, his expression returning to the cold, remote man Beth had first met. “If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment I must keep.” He bowed once more over Teresa’s hand. “
Dobryj vyechyer
,
malen’kaya sestra.
”

Teresa surprised them all. “
Prebyvaniem bezopasny
,
moĭ brat.
”

Piotr laughed, the delight-filled sound so at odds with the cold-looking man. He kissed Teresa on the cheek and whispered something in her ear that had her laughing and swatting him in response. In a swirl of motion he was gone, leaving behind two very bemused-looking men and one very satisfied Teresa. She settled back down at the kitchen table with a secretive smile. “He’s a good boy.”

Damien opened his mouth, but the glare Teresa sent him had him shutting it quickly. “I think that’s my cue to leave. Want me to report in to Gabriel?”

Dante nodded. “Please do. Elizabeth and I have some things to discuss.”

Damien nodded. “Stay safe, my brother.”

Dante did the man-clench thing with Damien. “Stay safe, my brother.”

“What did all that mean?” Beth whispered to Dante. “The Russian stuff, I mean.”

“You know how I say ‘stay safe, my brother’?” Dante whispered back as Damien took his leave. “That was Piotr and my mother doing the same, except he called her sister.”

“Oh.”

Dante smiled at his mother. “I’m calling Dad to come and get you.” Dante winced as he reached for the phone. “I don’t trust myself to drive right now.”

“I can do it, Dante.” Teresa gathered her things. “I know myself well. I have a slight headache, but I’m certain I have no concussion.”

“Are you sure, Mama?” Dante cupped her cheek in his hand and studied his mother’s face intently. Whatever he saw there seemed to reassure him. Beth saw the relief that washed over his face, and was glad for it.

“
Si.
I am fine,
la mia fiamma
.” Teresa kissed her son’s cheek. “Take care of your Elizabeth, hmm?”

Dante’s answering grin was evil. “I plan on it.” He walked his mother to her car, leaving Beth waiting by the kitchen table. To give herself something to do she began cleaning up the tea cups and half-eaten biscotti.

“Elizabeth.”

She turned, only to find herself engulfed in Dante’s arms. He kissed her with a desperate longing that had her leaning into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tight.

He’d been scared, and now was seeking comfort whether he understood that or not. But Beth did. She’d seen his pained relief when his mother had begun yelling at him, the sheer desperate want when he’d looked at Elizabeth. Something had happened out there, and now Dante needed Beth to make it all better.

She freed her mouth long enough to mutter, “Bed.”

Dante allowed her to tug him toward the stairs, his gaze hot and fiery on her the entire way. She could feel his heat licking up her back, her neck, along her rear end. He touched her with his flames, and she shuddered in response.

At the top of the stairs he wrapped her in his arms once more. “I need you, Elizabeth.” He kissed her again, desperate and hungry.

“Bedroom,
tesoro
.”

He shivered against her. “
Si.
Bed.” He growled a warning when she shoved him off her. “Elizabeth.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him, crooking her finger at him and backing toward his room. “C’mon, fire man. Let’s get horizontal.”

He didn’t laugh the way she’d expected. Instead, Dante stalked after her, his clothes hitting the floor as he got naked.

Good plan.
Elizabeth pulled her own sweater off, then toed off her boots. “On the bed.” He whimpered, looking pained, and she laughed. “Dante. Get on the bed so we can fuck like bunnies.”

He practically bounced on the mattress, he hit it so swiftly. She would have laughed again if he hadn’t immediately grabbed his arm. “Ow.”

“Ugh. Stay put, you stubborn son of a bitch.” Dressed only in her bra and panties, Beth raced down the stairs to grab Dante’s pain pills and a glass of water. She carried them both upstairs, handing them to Dante with a scowl. “Take them.”

He meekly swallowed the pills and lay back down. “Now what?”

She was pleased he hadn’t fought her on the pills. “Now I ravish you.”

“Oh. I like ravishing.” He groaned as she licked the side of his neck. “Is this the part where I think of England?”

She giggled. “You’d better be thinking about more than that.”

He tugged her close. “Trust me. You’re the only one I’ll be thinking of.”

She smiled slightly. “Well?”

He cupped her face in his hand and turned her toward him, leaning in for a kiss. She felt the tenderness in his kiss, the love in his trembling hands.

She was home, where she belonged, and she was never leaving, Francesca and Lillian be damned.

He ended the kiss gently, and much too soon. “I love you, Elizabeth.” His expression was filled with love and desire.

She couldn’t keep the smug look off her face. “Good.”

One golden brow rose. “Good? Just ‘good’?”

Aw
,
listen to him grumble.
Poor baby.
He’ll break out the puppy eyes soon.
“Not good?”

He glared up at her even as his good hand cupped her ass. “Elizabeth, I want the words.”

She hadn’t understood how serious he was about those three little words. How uncertain of her he
still
was. It was her fault, she knew. Her doubts about how fast their relationship had developed disappeared the moment he had run after Cranston, leaving her behind. The combination of pride and terror couldn’t be denied. “I love you too, Dante.”

His slow smile lit her from the inside out. “Good.” He kissed her again, taking her mouth slowly at first, gently, silently telling her of his love.

But all too soon gentle kisses weren’t enough. It had been too long since he’d been inside her, and she needed him.

Before she could do what she’d planned, his fire licked along her skin. “Dante.” She gasped, her breath stolen as his fire curled around her nipples, dancing over them, heating them.

“Love you.” His flame stroked her between her thighs, caressing her clit. “I
need
you.”