Dark Flame (Flame 3)

When the door opened, an older woman with wavy black hair drew the door wide and beckoned them to come inside.

The guard closed the door and Agnes smiled at Juliet. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

When Agnes opened her arms, Juliet moved in and accepted the warm embrace.

Agnes continued, “I’ve been so worried about you. I’ve felt uneasy every night for the past week. And now I see why.”

Agnes wasn’t nearly as tall as Juliet and had to look up at least a foot to meet Brannick’s gaze. Juliet made the introduction.

The older sage fae had intense gray eyes and stared into Brannick’s for a long moment. Her eyes narrowed and she settled her hand on his arm. “You’re an alter vampire, but you’re more than that now. Why? Or is this the thing I’ve been hearing about. Something to do with two other Crescent Border Patrol officers. What are their names?”

“James Connor and Nathan Vaughn.”

“Yes, and each is engaged to a witch. They share powers now, don’t they?”

“They do.”

Agnes’s penetrating questions forced Brannick to turn toward Juliet. Framed in relationship to Vaughn and Connor, he realized he was on the same track as these men.

Juliet returned his gaze, but lifted her chin. “We don’t have to make the same decisions, Brannick. Your friends each had a very different experience from ours.”

Not so different, in Brannick’s opinion. But he didn’t speak the words out loud.

Agnes shifted the subject as she placed her hand on Mary’s forehead then traced the teal-colored flames on her cheek. “She’ll be out for several more hours, but I can feel that her dreamglide blocks have been strengthened. Was this your work, Juliet?”

“Yes. Roche was coming for her in the dreamglide.”

Agnes once more met Brannick’s gaze. “You were involved as well.”

“I fired at him when he broke through, but he escaped unharmed.”

“Glad you were there.” Agnes looked to be about fifty, which meant that was the age she’d been when she entered Five Bridges. The flame serum slowed the aging process so that long-life was attained by everyone enduring the transformation. But the serum didn’t reverse age.

Agnes turned down the hall and waved them forward. “Come with me. My team is expecting Mary. She’ll have medical attention as well as a witch healer.”

~ ~ ~

Juliet watched Brannick settle Mary on what was essentially a hospital bed. Recovery from dark flame wouldn’t be easy for her. Despite the fact that she’d only had the drug in her system for a short time, the volume of the drug that had kept her comatose over a period of days meant she’d have to go through a painful withdrawal.

A trained nurse would stay with her throughout and the healing efforts of a witch would help make the transition tolerable.

Agnes assured Juliet and Brannick that Mary would receive the best care, then led them out into the well-lit courtyard. Brannick took both bags from Juliet, a thoughtful gesture.

Several townhouses flanked either side of the lush central landscaping. Juliet counted three doors on each side. Agnes headed toward a cottage at the back of the property, past another green belt with tons of purple petunias and beds of white alyssum.

The small, charming house had the look of something well-tended by a woman who loved to garden. A massive spray of pink climbing roses formed an arch over strong metal supports. Brannick had to dip his head not to get caught by a few flowers that needed pruning.

“I used to live back here, when I was first consigned to Five Bridges and made the place my own. I probably should have torn the cottage down when I built the townhouses. But I liked the house a lot so I kept it as is.

“When I got your call, Juliet, I had one of my assistants bring over some essential groceries. Just let me know if you need anything else and I’ll send one of the guards out.”

She unlocked the door, then handed the key to Juliet. “You’re both welcome to stay as long as you need to. Though I should warn you that we have guards on the rooftops and there is no levitating allowed above the second-story rooflines. My guards are trained to shoot on sight, to wound first, if possible. But if not, we’ve stopped caring who dies. Do you understand? We’re fighting to save lives here and we’re under frequent attack, not unlike Vaughn and Emma at their safe house.”

Juliet nodded. “I understand.”

Brannick’s warm, rich voice flowed over her shoulder. “We both do.”

Agnes once more narrowed her gaze at Brannick. “Of course you do. You built a tunnel rescue set-up with support from the human part of Phoenix.”