Playing With Fire (22 page)

Cassie glanced over her shoulder. Dante and Cain were both there, looking grim. Behind them, Jamie strained to see over their shoulders.

Fear was bright in his eyes.

“Cassie says a dead man is trying to break into the lab,” Eve told them, voice tight. “And that guy Charles led him here.”

“I don't think Charles had much of a choice.” Cassie could see the side of his face now that he was closer to the security camera. It looked like he'd been . . .

Burned?

Her heart beat faster.

Dante rushed across the room. His shoulders brushed hers as he bent to stare at the screen. “That's the bastard we left at the ranch.”

The bastard was up and walking around just fine.

She pushed a few more buttons on the keyboard. Another security feed popped up, and she saw that Charles was trying to input his code.

When the code didn't work, there was no mistaking the look of terror on his face.

Then Charles glanced up. He would know where the small security camera was hidden. He stared right at that camera and mouthed,
please.

“What happened to his face?” Jamie demanded. He'd crept up beside Dante. “Who is that guy with him?”

“Someone very dangerous,” Cassie said as she tried to keep her voice calm. “Jamie, will you go back to your room? Lock the door and stay there.”

His eyes widened. “Are they—vampires?” His main fear.

She knew that would always be his fear.

Cassie shook her head. “They're the people who make the monsters.”

His eyes hardened. “Then they're like you.”

The words hurt, but they were true. She nodded. “Yes.”

Dante growled. “Watch it, kid.”

She glanced at Dante. “Please, take Jamie to his room. Make sure he's safe.”

He nodded, but still gave her a good glare as he ordered, “You stay here until I get back.”

Where was she going to go? Their main exit was currently blocked by a group of armed men.

Her gaze slid back to the security feed as Dante took Jamie away.

“Is there a way to get sound on that thing?” Cain asked.

She tapped the audio.

Heard nothing.

Then Jon's gaze rose to the camera. He'd found it, too. “Hello, Cassie.”

Chill bumps rose on her arms. The audio was working just fine.

“That bastard sounds familiar to me,” Cain said as his gaze turned to Cassie. “Was he at Genesis?”

“Yes,” Cassie whispered. “Jon was a . . . successful experiment.”
So they'd all claimed.

“Cassie, open the door and come out to me.” Jon's voice was mild. And he kept
smiling.

“He's insane if he thinks you're going out there,” Cain snapped.

Yes, he was insane. She could see that quite clearly.

“If you don't come to me,” Jon continued in that same, almost relaxed, voice, “I'm afraid I'll have to hurt your friend here, while you watch. You
are
watching, aren't you, Cassie?”

She couldn't look away. Her eyes were glued to the screen as—as flames flickered over Jon's hand.

Flames?

“What the hell?” Cain was leaning over the screen. “Is he a dragon shifter?”

“No,” Cassie whispered. The flames were so close to Charles.

“He's a phoenix?”

“No,” she said. At least, he hadn't been. “He was human when he entered the Genesis Program. He was given a splice of shifter DNA, but he
wasn't
a phoenix.”

“I'll give him a little burn,” Jon said, “just to show you how serious I am.”

He put those flames against Charles's right arm.

Charles screamed.

So did Cassie. Her hand slammed down onto the intercom.
“Stop!”

The flames died away in an instant. “Ah, Cassie, I knew you were there.” Jon stared up at the camera. At her. “Now be a good girl . . .
and let me the fuck in.
”

 

“What's happening?” Jamie demanded, huffing out fast breaths.

Dante knew the kid was rushing to keep up with his footsteps, but there was no way they could slow down. He wanted the boy safe and secure, and he wanted to be back at Cassie's side.

“Who was that guy with Charles? Is he—”

“He's someone who should be dead.” Dante planned to correct that problem at the very first opportunity. He pushed open the door to Jamie's room. “Stay here. Keep the door bolted, and no matter what you hear, don't come out until I come back for you.”

Jamie's eyes filled his face. “What are you going to do?”

“I'm gonna get rid of the unwelcome company at the door.” Dante turned away.

But Jamie grabbed his arm. “You won't . . . die will you?” There was fear in the boy's voice.

He had known fear too much in his short life.

“Death doesn't stop me.”

Jamie's lashes dropped. “You're not scared of anything. I-I want to be like you.”

“No, trust me. You don't.” When Jamie's gaze lifted once more, Dante pointed at him. “Stay here. I'll come back for you.”

Jamie stumbled back with a quick nod. Dante hurried out, but he heard the lock engage behind him.

He'd be back for the kid as soon as he dealt with that ass Jon Abrams. The man had followed them all the way to Mississippi? Talk about a fucking thorn in their sides.

The lieutenant colonel was overdue for his trip to hell.

Jamie stared at the closed door. Whoever that man was outside, he was dangerous. Cassie had been afraid of him.

Dante hadn't.

But then, Dante feared nothing.

He just faced whatever threat was there. Eliminated it.

Fear didn't control him.

Jamie glanced toward the broken wooden chair in his room. Charles was outside. No one would be in his room. Before he'd cut out, had he left his keycard behind again? Before, it had just been tossed onto the small desk in his room.

Dante feared nothing.

Jamie wanted to be like Dante. He didn't want to fear the monsters anymore.

Everyone else . . . was busy with that guy—had Cassie called him Jon? They wouldn't be paying any attention to the vampire that was locked up.

No attention at all.

Jamie grabbed a few of those broken chunks of wood. He'd just see if Charles had left his keycard behind.

And if he had . . .

I will be like Dante.

He wouldn't fear anyone.

Or anything.

 

“Let him in,” Cain said as his fist hit the table. “We'll give the bastard a welcome that he won't soon forget.”

Cassie shook her head. “He died, I know he did.” He'd died—and now the guy was conjuring fire. “He's . . . he's become a phoenix.” It should have been impossible.

But these days,
nothing
seemed impossible. Not with science and magic at play.

“You don't
become
a phoenix,” Cain immediately argued. “You're born one. You—”

More fire was spinning out there.

“Maybe you don't have to let me in,” Jon snarled. That calm veneer was cracking with every second that passed. “Maybe I'll just kill him in front of you, and then I'll set the building on fire until you have no choice but to flee.”

“He's a dead man,” Cain said. The words sounded like a vow. Probably were.

Eve wrapped her hand around his arm. “Jon Abrams has some very powerful allies in the government.” Her gaze slid to Cassie. “Genesis isn't ever going to be truly dead, is it?”

No, it wasn't. As for being dead, Jon obviously wasn't, either.

“I can't let him kill Charles.” Cassie
couldn't
let him die. Charles was her friend.

Two men in black—one carrying a small briefcase—rushed toward the sealed door upstairs.

“They'll get through sooner or later,” Jon said as his gaze cut to the security camera. “The longer it takes, the angrier I become.”

Charles was trembling beside him.

“Let me in,”
Jon snarled.

Cassie's mind raced. She'd been so close to the cure. So close. She needed more time. Time that Jon wasn't going to give her.

She focused on Eve. “You have to get out of here.”

Eve blinked at her. “Don't you mean
we
have to get out?” she asked carefully.

Cassie shook her head. “Jon might not even know you're here. He's after me. You can take my test results—and go. There's an emergency tunnel that will spit you out half a mile from here. Jon won't look for you there—”

“Unless Charles has told him about it,” Cain cut in, his voice tight. “The way that poor bastard is hurting, I think he's telling everything he knows.”

I can't let him hurt anymore.

Cassie spun away from the screen. She grabbed samples of her blood. Dante's. Got her results. She was racing as she secured them all in a container that would keep them safe. “Here.” She shoved the container at Eve. “Take these.
Go.
”

Cassie couldn't open the door upstairs until they'd gotten a solid head start.

“You really think your Dante is gonna let you go out there and face that guy?” Cain demanded. His big body had tensed. “I can go ahead and tell you, that's
not
happening.”

Dante isn't going to have a choice.
“Charles isn't dying,” Cassie stated forcefully.

“I'm waiting, Cassie!”
Jon shouted. Oh, yes, that calm mask had shattered.

She knew he wouldn't wait much longer. Quickly, Cassie pressed the intercom button. “It takes a while to dis . . . disengage the security system. I'm working as fast as I can!”

He stilled. “You're lying. I can hear it in your voice.”

Cassie glanced at Eve. “Go, please. Take the tunnel. I'll meet you in New Orleans. We can meet up at Vaughn's dad's place.” It was the safest rendezvous point that Cassie could think of. “Midnight tomorrow. I will be there.”

Or she'd be dead.

Eve nodded. She knew all about Vaughn and his father—they'd also been tied to Genesis.

After a grim moment, Cain took Eve's hand, and they ran for the door.

Cassie sucked in a couple of deep, hard breaths.
Think, think!
She had to keep Jon out of the lab. Had to keep Vaughn and Trace and Jamie safe.

And Dante . . .

If she went out there to Jon, would he leave the lab alone? There was a chance he might just take a deal. A big
might
. Her fingers trembled, but she pressed the intercom once more. “I come to you, and that's it. You let Charles go. You leave.”

“You're hardly in the position to bargain!”

“Fine, then I don't come to you, and I stay in here and I shove a knife into my chest.” Totally bullshitting. Would he be able to hear that lie, too?
Please, don't.
“Then you can get the samples from my dead body—how about that? Will that work for you?”

His eyes widened. “Don't!”

Maybe she did have some power.

Jon hesitated, then spat out, “Fine. You come up to me. When I've got you, I'll send good old Charles here down.” His smile was dark and twisted. “But get your ass up here now, Cassie.
Now.
”

She jumped back and whirled for the door.

She found her path blocked by one very enraged phoenix shifter.

J
amie had found Charles's keycard tossed away. His fingers were slick with sweat as he slid it across the panel that secured the vampire's room. The vampire—Vaughn—would be in there, waiting.

The door opened soundlessly. Jamie had his stake in his hand. He wouldn't hesitate this time. Not even for a second. He'd go in, and he'd make the kill.

I won't be afraid.

He'd be just like Dante.

Jamie stepped into the room. His gaze scanned to the left. To the right.

He didn't see the vampire. But, the guy had to be there, right? He had to be.

“Hellooo . . .” the vampire whispered. He lunged at Jamie.

The guy had been on the freaking
ceiling.

“Heard you . . . coming . . .” His teeth went for Jamie's throat.

 

“You are not going out there.” There was no way Dante was letting Cassie risk her life.

“I can't let Charles die!”

“He won't. I'll go drag his ass back inside.” Easy enough. There was no need for Cassie to be at risk.

But she was shaking her head at him, sending her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders. “Jon will attack you—”

Uh, yeah. Dante was a phoenix. Was that supposed to scare him?

“Let him try.”

“He's controlling fire. He
died.
He's like you,” she said, voice rising. “And if he's like you—”

She thought that jerk was strong enough to send him to hell, for good?

Dante pulled her into his arms. Kissed her. Hard. Demanding. “He's another experiment.” He knew that had to be the case. He just didn't understand how the hell it had come to be. A phoenix made, not born? “He's new, and I've got plenty of age on my side.” Like vampires, a phoenix's power increased with age. “I can defeat him.”

“Dante, I won't let—”

“Sweetheart, don't make me shove you in a closet again.”

Her eyes slit. “Try it and you won't like where I shove you back.”

He kissed her again. “Let me fight this one. You keep working on your cure.”

He did not want her facing Jon again. That man had hurt her, tracked her—that guy deserved a beat down.

Or a burn down.

But then Dante heard a scream. A long, terror and pain filled cry.

Cassie's breath caught. “Is that . . . Jamie?”

He'd left the kid in his room. He'd made sure he was safe.

Cassie ran for the doors.

“I'm done waiting!”
Jon shouted at the same instant. “Charlie boy is dying now, and that death is on you!”

Dante caught Cassie's shoulders. “Find Jamie,” he told her as he felt a tremble ripple through her body. “Make sure he's all right. I've got the bastard upstairs.”

She nodded quickly, then she was running down the hallway.

Dante waited until she vanished then he headed for the elevator. He'd heard the deal that Cassie had made with Jon. She'd been going to exchange her life for Charles's.

He wondered just what kind of deal Jon would offer him. Not that it mattered.

Death was all the bastard would get.

 

Vaughn was loose.

Cassie stared at the open door to the vampire's cell, her heart thundering in her chest. The door should have been sealed.

A keycard had been tossed on the floor
. Charles's keycard.
And that had been Jamie's scream. It had come from that room, she was sure of it.

Jamie had gone after the vampire again.

“Help
. . .
”

Cassie rushed inside. She didn't have any weapons with her, no drugs at all, but she couldn't leave Jamie in there alone, because that was
his
voice whispering for help.

And there he was. Curled into a fetal position near the far wall, with blood around him. Jamie was hunched, rocking back and forth, whispering, “Help . . .”

Her heart ached as she ran to him. “Jamie. Jamie, I'm here!”

But where was Vaughn? She didn't see him anywhere. Had he gotten out after attacking Jamie?

When she touched Jamie, he screamed and tried to leap back. “Get away! Get away! I'll kill you!”

“No, it's not Vaughn. It's me.” She tried to make her voice soothing. Dante kept saying she had power with her voice, she could sure use some of that power right then. “It's Cassie. I'm here to help you.”

Tears leaked down his cheeks. “There's no way to help me.” His breath sawed from his lungs. “H-he bit me.”

The primal virus.

She grabbed Jamie's arm. “Come with me to the lab,
now.
”

“I'm dead! I'm
dead
!” He jerked away from her and bent to grab a chunk of wood. Then he was back, his hands shaking, as he grabbed her fingers and curled them around the wood. “Don't let me change.” He brought her fingers—and the stake—up over his heart. “I don't wanna change. I don't wanna be . . . like that.”

He was surprisingly strong, and she had to yank with all her might to get that stake away from him.
“No!”
Cassie yelled because he wasn't listening to her. He was trying to die right in front of her.

But at her yell, Jamie stilled.

“There's time.” Those words were a lie. He already had the virus in him. “Come to my lab.” She'd never had a sample from someone so newly exposed. Maybe there was something she could do. Maybe.
Please.
“Come with me.”

“Promise . . . first. Kill me if . . .”

She wasn't making that promise.
“Come with me.”

He nodded.

She didn't drop the stake. Vaughn was out there. Somewhere. Cassie didn't know what he might do, and she had to keep some kind of weapon ready.

They raced down the hallways, their footsteps pounding as the alarm kept blasting. Jamie's blood made a trail behind them.

There was no sign of Vaughn. Yet.

At the lab, she pushed open the doors and they ran inside. Cassie grabbed a syringe and took some of Jamie's blood.

Then she got to work, checking the sample, using her microscope—

The cells were already changing. Mutating so quickly.

“How is it?” Jamie whispered.

“It's going to be fine,” she told him, her voice wooden. “Just . . . give me a few minutes.”

The cure was in her blood, but she didn't know how to get out the poison. He was changing into a vampire right then, and her blood was poison to vampires—

Cassie stilled.

He hadn't changed fully, not yet.

Jamie was still human. Primarily. But every second that passed would change that fact.

Her blood wouldn't kill him as long as he was human. But when the change was complete . . .

Cassie whirled toward him. “Jamie, I want you to trust me.”

His eyes were wild and desperate. “I . . . feel it . . . inside . . .”

“
Trust me,
Jamie.”

He gave her a slow nod. “What do I have to do?”

“Take my blood.” If she was right on this, her blood would either cure him.

Or it would kill him.

 

Dante was ready when the elevator doors slid open. Jon had whirled toward him in surprise. Had the fool really expected Cassie to come up?

Dante didn't waste time. He lunged forward and snapped Jon's neck before the man could do more than send tendrils of smoke from his fingertips.

Jon's eyes were wide with shock as he fell to the ground.

Jon's men immediately started shouting and aimed their guns at him. Yes, it was what he'd expected, too.

The bullets sank into Dante's chest.

One bullet hit Charles. Sent the man's blood spattering into the air. Charles was yelling, trying to grab for Dante.

It all happened in just a few seconds' time. The elevator doors hadn't even shut yet . . .

Not yet.

Dante grabbed Charles and threw him past those open elevator doors.

More bullets hit then, driving into Dante's back. His legs stopped working, and he fell to the ground.

The doors shut.

He knew death was close. “Get the fuck . . . back . . .” Dante snarled, and he sent his fire racing toward the men with guns.

Their weapons melted. They got the fuck back.

He lifted his hand. Tried to reach for the elevator.

His blood smeared the panel.

His heart began to slow.

His body sagged. His gaze slid to Jon. Jon had died first. Would the bastard rise first, too? The phoenix who rose first would have the killing advantage. If Jon got to his feet, if the man got his power back first . . .

Dante's breath stilled in his lungs.

 

“What just happened?” Jamie whispered. The boy was shaking from head to toe. He'd taken her blood. He'd been so scared, but he
had
taken it, and then his gaze had fallen on the security feeds.

She'd been caught by those feeds, too. Dante had killed Jon, but then . . .

Dante.

“Stay here!” Cassie ordered Jamie. He wasn't stable, not by a long shot. She didn't know what effect, if any, her blood was going to have on him. He hadn't died right after taking it. That was a good sign, right?

As long as he didn't have some kind of delayed reaction, he just might be all right.

Please, be all right.

She quickly disengaged the security system for the elevator. She needed it to rise and open easily from the inside and outside—in case she and Dante got stuck out there. A few more clicks on the keyboard . . .
There.

Her shoes slapped against the tile as she ran for the elevator. The doors had already opened. Charles stood there, eyes glassy, blood dripping down his arm. “C-Cassie?”

She grabbed him. Pulled him out of that elevator even as she jumped on it. “Get to the lab! Watch out for Jamie!”

Charles shook his head. “What?”

“He was bitten. I gave him my blood—”

The doors shut on her before she could explain any more. Hopefully, there would be time for a full explanation later.
Hurry. Hurry.
The elevator seemed to take forever to move. And then . . .

The doors opened.

At first, she couldn't even see through the smoke. It was too thick. Dark and heavy, it choked her as she jumped out of the elevator. “Dante!”

Where were the men with guns? Dante's fire had blasted them back, but she knew they weren't gone for good.

She tripped over something. Something heavy and still. She reached down, searching, and felt the strong curve of a man's shoulder. “Dante?” she whispered.

Over to the right, she finally saw something through the smoke.

She saw fresh flames quivering to life.

Jon was rising.

He was rising, but Dante was . . . still beneath her touch.

No.
She grabbed Dante's arms and started dragging him back toward that elevator. They'd get down to the lower floor, then he could heal. All she had to do was buy him some time. Just a little time.

When he rose, would he even remember her?

Coughing, choking on that smoke, she made it to the elevator. Dante weighed a ton, but she wasn't about to let him go.

The flames were burning brighter, and Dante's arms . . . had started to feel warmer beneath her hands.

He was coming back to her.

He just needed to hurry the hell up. Or rather, hurry
out
of hell. She punched in her code at the elevator's security panel. The elevator door slid open and she started to drag Dante inside.

“Shoot her! Don't let her leave!” A woman's voice, cutting through the smoke.

More gunfire erupted. Blasting. A bullet whipped right by Cassie, burning her cheek. But then—

Something lunged out of those open elevator doors.

No, not quite something . . .

Someone.

She caught the wild, woodsy scent.
Trace
. He'd gotten loose—everyone was loose—and he was attacking.

Snarls and growls filled the air.

The woman screamed, a high-pitched, desperate sound.

More gunfire.
Rat-a-tat
.

Cassie kept the elevator door open. “Trace! Come back!”

Flames began to flicker over Dante's body. She realized that if Trace came into that elevator with them . . .
he'll die.
Dante might not hurt her when he rose, but Cassie had no clue what he'd do to a werewolf.

Heart racing, she looked up. She saw Trace's glowing eyes. “Run,” she told him, focusing completely on the werewolf. “Get out of here. Don't stop for anyone or anything. You find Eve's scent. You follow it. You
follow it
!”

Did he even understand her at all? In that instant, with such wildness and fury in his stare, she wasn't sure.

But then the werewolf leaped away. The elevator's doors closed.

And the fire spread along Dante's body.

She inched back, trying to flatten herself against the right wall. Dante was in the middle of the elevator, sprawled on the floor, and the flames were rising. Rising . . .

The doors opened, and she jumped out. The fire lanced over her skin. The flames crackled. Cassie opened up the control pad and did a fast and frantic override of the system. Now that they were back down below, she didn't want that elevator going anywhere. And if the guys upstairs couldn't get down through the elevator . . .

It will buy us time.

Time that she desperately needed.

She stared at Dante. Watched those flames burn. He'd be back to her soon. She just hoped he came back sane.

She'd seen a few of his risings during his time at Genesis when he hadn't come back sane. She'd gotten lucky the last time he rose. He'd remembered her. If he didn't remember her this time . . .