Burn For Me (Phoenix Fire #1)(29)

That had been his real goal. Killing Thirteen. Capture would have been good, but this way … this way he got to experiment a bit more. Every time Thirteen died, Richard learned so much more about his test subject.

The human swallowed and glanced away, his gaze heading toward the small patch of road that Eve had used when she escaped. “We hit him … hell, at least four times. The guy just didn’t go down.”

He would. With four bullets in his body, Thirteen would be going down. Sooner or later.

Richard tapped his chin and then gave the order. “Follow them.”

“And the wolf?”

That big, snarling beast that had rushed into the woods? “Forget him.” Wolves were a dime a dozen. But Thirteen and Eve Bradley, they were special.

The guard turned away to carry out Wyatt’s orders. Richard didn’t move, not at first. He stared down that twisting road. Hit four times. Wonderful.

If the bullets didn’t kill Thirteen, then the blood loss probably would.

And what would happen to Eve when Cain burned … and rose? Did she have any idea how dangerous the beast was when he first rose?

Probably not. Sometimes, Cain was able to hold on to some of his sanity when he rose.

Sometimes …

But on other risings, the beast took total control. Fire. Hell. Fury. Death.

Eve was about to learn a whole lot more about her new lover. She just might not survive her discoveries.





CHAPTER SEVEN


Cain couldn’t move his feet. They hung limply, scraping over the road.

Did Eve realize what a deadweight he was on her?

That last bullet had lodged low in his spine. His fingers were working—barely—but he couldn’t feel his legs.

And the blood had already soaked his clothes. Too many bullets. Too many injuries.

He knew when death was coming.

Fuck. Eve needed to get away from him. But he couldn’t tell her. Couldn’t do anything but slump over her and try to hold on.

I’m sorry.

For what would come next.

She’d taken the motorcycle over so many roads, then off the roads. They were on a long, lonely field in the middle of nowhere. The engine growled softly, the only sound that Cain could hear.

When he saw the small, stark cabin rising before him, Cain knew Eve had thought to bring them to a safe house. Pity, no house would be safe enough for them.

Just a few feet from the house, she turned off the motorcycle. Tried to push him back. “We’ll be … ah … safe here. This place has been empty”—she gave another push back against him—“ever since—Cain!”

He’d fallen off the motorcycle. He barely felt the crash onto the ground. He was too far gone.

Eve was beside him. She rolled him over and stroked his face. “Cain?” Her voice was soft with worry and fear.

He tried to speak, but blood was choking him. Go. Run. When I come back, don’t let me touch you.

Because when he came back, the darkness inside him would be even stronger.

After a rising, sometimes he couldn’t even remember his name. Sometimes … he didn’t care—about anything or anyone. He just wanted the rush of fury. Of rage.

Every rising pushed him closer and closer to the edge. And with each death, he wondered … will this time be it? This time, would he rise as the monster he’d always feared? The one that lived and breathed inside him?

“Cain!”

He realized she’d been yelling his name. He hadn’t heard her. Couldn’t speak still, so it didn’t matter.

Her hands were sweeping over him and finding all the injuries. Too many. He’d shielded her as best he could and taken all the hits.

Cain knew that he could come back from death. But if Eve had been hit—she wouldn’t have been able to rise. Coming back from death wasn’t a luxury that she had.

Not a luxury. It’s a f*cking curse.

His eyes found hers.

“You took the bullets,” Eve whispered. It almost looked like she was crying.

No one had ever cried for him before. His chest began to ache.

She slammed her fist right into his heart. “You took the bullets! Damn you!”

What? Had she wanted to die? Death wasn’t a nice easy ride. It was a f*cking bitch.

Or maybe that was just hell.

“You’re dying on me …” Anger rumbled in her words. “And, what? I just have to sit back and watch?”

Yes.

She grabbed his jaw and turned his face toward hers. When had he looked away?

“You’re coming back.” Her words were a demand.

He couldn’t speak.

“You’re coming back.” Then she put her mouth against his. Sweet. Death had never tasted so sweet. “You have to come back.”

He could feel the fire building inside him. She had to feel the growing heat, too, but she still kept her hands on his face. Kept her lips so close to his.

“Come back,” she told him once more. “Don’t leave me.”

The flames were going to burst free. He knew it, but first—first he had to die.

His heart stopped beating. The blood choked him. His eyes stayed open, on her.

Eve’s lips trembled. Her hands rose slowly, so slowly, and she closed his eyelids.

“Come back.” A final whisper from her. Her fingers brushed over his cheek. Then she pulled away.