Light My Fire (21 page)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dana didn’t know how long she stood staring at her father’s headstone. The words tumbling around in her brain felt insignificant for what she wanted to say. “I’m sorry for letting you down, Dad.” There, that pretty much summed it up.

“Lordy, you’re a frustrating child.”

Dana spun and frowned as Emmaline huffed and puffed her way up the small slope to the gravesite.

“I don’t remember it being this hilly. Did they add a few?”

“No, I’m fairly certain it’s the same amount of hills as always.” Dana hurried forward when the heel of her aunt’s pump caught in a gopher hole and threw Emmaline off balance. She caught Emmaline before the woman fell onto her butt. “What are you doing here and why are you wearing heels?”

“It’s respectful, dear.”

Dana rolled her eyes. “Like Dad really cares about your choice of footwear.”

“Hmm, like he cares about you falling in love with a dragon?”

She tried to ignore Emmaline’s wizened expression but her aunt wouldn’t let her off so easily.

“Don’t try to deny that you love Aiden. The sparks that fly off the two of you are enough to start a fire.”

“He claim marked me. I can’t help it that it makes me want to jump his bones.”

“Hon, too much information.”

Dana tossed her arms in the air. “You brought it up.”

“You and I both know what’s really going on here. You’re scared of letting your father go.”

She gaped at Emmaline. “What are you talking about? I had to
let him go
twelve years ago.”

“Physically, yes. But the heroic image you built of him? Well, that’s a ghost that’s overstayed its welcome. And I certainly didn’t do anything to dissuade that.” A fine sheen of tears glistened in Emmaline’s eyes as she brushed her knuckles along Dana’s cheek. “Your father wasn’t a perfect man, but he loved you more than anything in this world. The only thing he ever wanted was to see you happy.”

“No, he also wanted to protect me. And what do I do? I turn around and get involved with the very ones he tried to protect me from.” Her mind immediately tracked to the amazing night of sex she’d shared with Aiden and Jace. She waited for the shame to overtake her but her body heated instead, which only brought on a fresh wave of guilt. Emotion sat heavy in her chest. “I wanted to make Dad proud. Become a famous artist. Get married and have children. All the things normal people are supposed to do.”

Emmaline lowered her glasses and stared over the wire frames at Dana. “Hon, you’re a Cooper. We don’t do normal. You’d be fighting your natural DNA.” She shoved her glasses back in place and gave a hearty chuckle. “Good Lord, just the idea of it. Can you imagine any of us normal? What the hell would we do without Raul? Or Leo? Or even that little pain-in-the-ass Wheezer? Would you just get rid of them all? Shut them out of your life?”

Dana blinked. “Of course not. I love those guys.”

“Exactly. You love them regardless. Because your heart doesn’t give a damn what society thinks of a bunch of irregular outcasts.”

“What you’re saying doesn’t apply to Aiden and Jace.”

Emmaline cocked her head to the side. “Why? Because they’re dragons?”

“No.” Dana frowned, her head pounding as she tried to sort out the right words. “I mean yes. My father—”

“Was misguided. Yes, the path he took to protect you was chosen out of love but it doesn’t mean it was the right one to take. Sometimes the very thing we’re trying to protect ourselves and our loved ones from is precisely the thing we need to be our happiest. To be whole.”

Emmaline’s words sank into Dana’s psyche like a missing puzzle piece. No, not missing. Just misplaced for a while.

The hollow ache in Dana’s chest began to dissipate and she offered Emmaline a tremulous smile. “I hate when you go all smart on me.”

“And I hate ruining such a touching scene.”

Dana swung toward the unexpected voice. A tall stranger in a charcoal business suit stepped into the clearing, his wingtips crunching in the leaves as he advanced on them.

“Who are you?” Emmaline angled herself in front of Dana, shielding her. “What do you want?”

An unpleasant laugh chuffed from the stranger. He drew nearer, revealing the reptilian slant of his irises. “I think you both know the answer.”

Fear spread through Dana’s frozen limbs until she remembered the claim mark. “It’s too late. Aiden and Jace have already marked me.”

“I know. I detected the stench of it before I even walked up here.” His mouth took on an evil twist. “No matter. I’ll just have to wait until it wears off.”

Wears off?
She really needed to have a chat with Aiden and Jace about leaving out these important little factoids.

Morgan—at least she assumed it was him. Kind of hard to say without the proper introductions—lunged forward. Dana turned to run and tripped over the edge of the headstone.
Oh my God. I’m worse than one of those broads in a bad horror flick.

“Stay away from her,” Emmaline screamed.

“Why? What are you going to do, old lady? Shoot me?”

A loud crack rent the air and Morgan toppled over, a bullet hole the size of a large marble centered in his forehead.

Immobilized by shock, Dana and Emmaline stared at the lifeless body sprawled on the ground. They both jumped when cheerful whistling cut through the eerie silence. Terrified some crazed gunman was coming to finish them off, Dana snatched Emmaline’s hand and ran pell-mell for the Suburban.

“Dana!”

She slid to a stop, nearly toppling again when Tony’s baritone sliced through her consciousness. Disbelieving, she glanced behind her, toward the slope she and Emmaline had just descended. Tony stood at the top, holding the butt end of a fancy rifle against his shoulder. She barely had time to register the flannel shirt hanging sloppily over his baggy cargo pants—definitely not his standard attire—before he jogged down the hill to join them.

It took a moment to find her tongue. Once she did, she popped out the first thing that entered her head. “I thought you were going to watch my booth.”
Oh for Pete’s sake, Dana
. The man saved her life and she was worrying about her stupid booth? “You know what, scratch that. I’m just glad you showed up in time.”

“That makes two of us,” Emmaline piped up, brushing off the sleeves of her sweater.

“Actually, it makes three.” Without warning, Tony swung his rifle sideways, slamming it into Emmaline’s skull.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Aiden’s cell phone went off again as he thundered down the exit ramp. He checked the caller ID and groaned. “It’s Mom.”

“Of course it is. She has some kind of freaky radar that lets her know precisely when the shit is hitting the fan.”

Biting the bullet, Aiden punched the talk button. “Hey, Mom. How’s everything?”

“Your father and I are just about to board the plane. Going through security was a nightmare. But isn’t it always?”

Board the plane?
A cold sweat started to break across the nape of Aiden’s neck. “Uh, you and Pops taking an impromptu vacation to Hawaii or something?”

“No, sweetheart. The council has decided to come out there and celebrate your special night in style. Didn’t you get my message?”

“Not that I recall.”
Fuck
. “It isn’t necessary. Coming out here, I mean.” A choking cough erupted from Jace, and Aiden shot a look toward his brother to ensure Jace wasn’t about to keel over.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We wouldn’t miss it for the world. Oh, they’re calling our row of seats. I better go. I’ll call you as soon as we land.” She hung up and Aiden stared at the receiver before tossing the phone back into the cup holder.

“Please tell me they’re not coming out here.”

“Not just Mom and Pops. The entire council.”

“Oh Jesus.” Jace slumped deeper into his seat. “Could their timing be any worse?”

The sign for Shady Acres appeared up ahead and Aiden turned on his blinker before swerving into the middle lane. “Let’s concentrate on finding Dana and calming her down first. Everything else we’ll just have to wing.”

They pulled into the cemetery’s service drive. The small chapel on the hill appeared deserted, as did the roadway. Not many out paying their respects on such a dreary day. The drive forked off and after a moment of indecision, he continued going straight. His choice paid off when he spotted Dana’s Suburban and Emmaline’s Town Car parked beneath a massive oak.

“Halle-fucking-lujah.”

Relief rocketed in Aiden’s chest, seconding Jace’s sentiment. Aiden pulled up behind the Town Car and unsnapped his seat belt.

“Holy shit.”

Aiden jerked his head around at Jace’s exclamation. Before he could ask what was wrong, Jace shoved open his door and barreled from the vehicle. His heart racing, Aiden stumbled after him. The first thing he noticed was Emmaline lying on the other side of the tree, blood trickling from a nasty gash near her temple. She stirred as Jace checked her injury and Aiden ran to assist his brother.

Jace looked up, his face set with worry. “Do we have anything to stop the bleeding?”

Aiden couldn’t recall seeing anything in the Navigator that’d help. Glancing down at his shirt, he dug his fingers into the shoulder seam and ripped the sleeve off. Jace supported Emmaline’s head and Aiden wrapped the cloth tube around her skull and knotted it firmly.

“We need to call 911.” Aiden started to rise.

Emmaline opened her eyes and clutched Aiden’s hand. “I’m fine.” Her voice came out in a croak. “But he has Dana.”

Fury and fear duked it out in Aiden’s gut. He stared at Jace over Emmaline’s head. “We’ve got to figure out where Morgan might have taken her.”

“Morgan? I thought his name was Tony.”

Aiden dipped his focus to Emmaline. “Who are you talking about?”

“Tony. Dana’s assistant.” Emmaline struggled to a sitting position. “He’s the one who put this bump on my noggin, after he shot the suit up on the hill.”

Her pronouncement sent shock and dread racing along Aiden’s spine. He glanced toward Jace. “Why don’t you go check things on the hill while I get her to the car?”

Jace took off and Aiden braced his arm on Emmaline’s back, helping her stand. She wobbled slightly but managed the walk to the Navigator fine. By the time he assisted her into the passenger seat Jace came tearing back down the hill. Aiden took one look at his brother’s greenish pallor and knew whatever Jace had witnessed wasn’t a pretty sight.

“It’s Morgan.”

“Dead?”

“As a doornail.”

Under the circumstances, Aiden couldn’t find it in himself to feel any sadness over Morgan Kinnit’s passing. He buckled Emmaline into the seat belt and inspected the status of her wound. “Bleeding seems to be slowing down.”

Emmaline made a snorting sound. “No little gash is going to do me in. I’m too hardheaded. Runs in the family.” She reached up and squeezed Aiden’s hand. “My niece has finally seen the light about what’s important. Don’t let it be too late.”

“We’ll find her.” Forcing bravado he didn’t feel, he slammed the door shut.

Dana wiggled against the backseat of Tony’s station wagon, trying not to wince at the rough scrape of the thick ropes binding her wrists and ankles to the bar beneath her back. Tony released one hand from the steering wheel and swung his arm in her direction. She froze. He dug a scruffy ball cap from the mesh sack strapped to the rear of his seat and slapped it onto his head. The breath she’d been holding trickled free.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to get you away by yourself?”

“I, uh, didn’t think I was your type.”

He frowned at her in the rearview mirror. Apparently getting the gist of her meaning, he chuckled. “Oh, you still think I’m gay. Sometimes I forget what a great role player I am. Best in the west, baby.”

What the hell was he talking about?

“And I tell you what, investing in that GPS tracker I affixed to your hunk-a-junk was the best decision I ever made. Worth every penny.”

So that’s how he’d known she was at the cemetery. Little weasel. “Pretty hypocritical making fun of POC when you’re driving around in this rust bucket.”

“Dolph is not a rust bucket! He’s a classic ’72 Pinto station wagon. You should feel privileged to ride in him.”

Dolph?
“Yeah, me and the family of rats living under this seat are overjoyed.”

“Shut up, bitch.”

His crude language only infuriated her more, and planted a seed of suspicion in her mind. “You’re the vandal, aren’t you?”

“Ding, ding, ding. Give that woman a prize.”

She glared at the back of Tony’s head. “I liked you better when you were gay.”

He slammed on the brake suddenly and she hit the metal bar with a hard bounce. Biting back a moan, she listened to his tuneless whistle as he climbed from the car and yanked open the door facing her. Outside, she spotted trees and pretty much nothing else. Tony walked away and she worked her fingers over the knot around the bar. The sound of something being wheeled across gravel drifted to her ears and she redoubled her efforts. Tony reappeared and grabbed her legs. She tried kicking him off but the bindings made it impossible. He loosened the ties anchoring her to the bar. Hefting her from the seat like a sack of potatoes, he scooted sideways and dropped her inside a wheelbarrow. She sneezed at the dust stirring up.

Tony grabbed the wheelbarrow handles and carted her toward a small, dilapidated shack nestled in the woods. Her heart thundering at what he planned to do to her, she scanned the surroundings, looking for an escape route.

“I wouldn’t if I were you. I’ve got traps set all over these woods. Don’t think you’d enjoy getting your leg snapped in two.”

“You’re a real sick fucker.”

“Nah. Just protecting my investment.”

“Enough with the cryptic comments. Tell me why I’m here.”

“Patience. You’ll discover the true scope of my genius in due time.”

“Oh man, you really are a walking advertisement for electroshock therapy, aren’t ya?”

Tony halted outside the shack. He swung open the rickety door and propped it open with a rock before coming back for the wheelbarrow. Battery-powered lights hung from the rafters of the shack, illuminating the gloomy interior. Tony wheeled her toward a beanbag chair wedged in the corner and dumped her onto it in an unceremonious heap. Grabbing her bound wrists, he secured her to the shackle affixed to the wall. He straightened and strode back to the doorway.

She stared after him, her heart pounding like a runaway freight train. “W-what are you going to do to me?”

“I told you, you’ll find out soon enough.” His hand closed on the door handle and he turned to give her a chilling smile. “I’ll come back and get you when it’s show time.”

He shut the door, and the slide of a bolt announced he’d locked her in with only her terrified thoughts for company.