Consumed by Fire (Fire 1)

“Merlin, down,” James said in a voice of unshakable command, and Merlin immediately dropped down, putting his head on his paws. Evangeline turned back to the path ahead of them and let out a strangled cry of horror.

The shallow patch of river where they'd crossed was now a raging torrent, carrying tree limbs and debris in its wake. “If you’re going to scream then go lock yourself in the bathroom,” James said coolly, idling the engine for a moment while he surveyed the flooding water.

“We’ll drown.”

“Oh, ye of little faith,” he mocked. “I can drive through this blindfolded.”

“Please don’t.”

He glanced over at her, the engine idling, revving. “I told you I’d keep you safe, didn’t I?”

“I don’t think you’re much good at controlling forces of nature.” She managed to keep her voice from shaking, but just barely. She was terrified.

He grinned, and she realized with a kind o

f dazed wonder that he was enjoying this. Bastard. “Trust me, Angel.”

She wanted to tell him never in this lifetime. She wanted to laugh in his face at the absurdity of it. The words came out before she realized what she was saying. “I trust you,” she said, and she knew it was the truth.

His smile vanished as he looked at her. “I actually believe you do.”

“Then get moving. You’re not Charlton Heston and this water isn’t going to part like the Red Sea.”

Without another word, he gunned the motor and they went flying, hitting the rushing river with a huge upsurge of spray. She could feel the tires slip, feel the camper begin to lift in the water, the back end swaying.

Evangeline covered her mouth with her hands to keep from screaming, as James managed to move the vehicle forward, somehow, some way. And then suddenly the huge box of a vehicle found purchase again, and a moment later he had pulled them onto dry land. The dusty road they’d followed to the farmhouse was now a muddy track, but mud was more manageable than water, and after a few minutes they were on blacktop, heading south as siren-screaming fire trucks passed in them the oncoming lane, heading for the ball of flame they had left behind.

Evangeline realized she’d been gripping the sides of the seat so tightly her fingers were cramped, and she had to force herself to loosen them. She sank back, shaking in relief.

“Good thing you trusted me,” he said dryly. “Think what kind of shape you’d be in if you had any doubts.”

She unfastened the seat belt and started to head toward the back in silence when the edge of her robe caught on something and fell open, giving James a full view of her body.

“Not right now, dear,” he drawled. “You’ll have to wait till tonight for me to take care of your needs.”

“You asshole,” she said, anger flooding through her, wiping out the lingering tenderness.

“That’s getting old,” he said. “Why don’t you come up with another epithet for me? Surely there are some more creative insults.”

“Fuckhead. Dickwad. Shit for brains,” she readily supplied.

“Now I object to the last one. I’m actually quite smart, even if I do stupid things.”

“Like what? I thought you didn’t admit to mistakes,” she said bitterly.

“Mistakes like you, Angel.”

How could she leave herself open like that? She jerked away the moment the words left his mouth, shaking with fury and despair. How did he manage to get past her defenses each time? How did he manage to talk her into lowering them long enough for him to deliver some stinging emotional blow?

It was a good thing he was dumping her—she had to get away from him. She’d forgotten that need in the turmoil of the last few days. He’d hurt her and broken her heart, made love to her and then rejected her, and she’d lost the ability to think clearly. Even now she wanted him to pull the vehicle over, to take her in his arms, to make love to her even if he couldn’t love her.

But it was never going to happen.

She headed toward the back of the RV. At least she’d find some privacy in the bathroom. “I don’t suppose one can take a shower when the RV is on the road?” She used her iciest voice.

“One certainly can,” he mocked. “Just go ahead and try to scrub every trace of me off you. And inside you.”

She’d never considered him particularly cruel, but now she wasn’t so sure. “Let’s just hope there’s plenty of water,” she said, closing the door on the tiny bathroom quietly behind her.