Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(49)

“Reveal,” he whispered and waved his hand. Nothing out of the ordinary appeared.

With a long sigh, he hurried into the bar. Jacqueline stood by the window marred with sweaty handprints, but her face filled with wonder.

“What are you?” she asked, rushing him.

Toby flinched at the question. God, how he hated having to explain what he was. Now that she knew about his powers, no doubt she would turn tail and run. Women were all the same.

“What are you?” she asked again, a little more forcefully, but reaching for him.

“Are you okay?”

“Dammit, Toby, just answer my question.”

“I'm a wizard.”

She frowned and tilted her head to the side. “No, really. What the hell are you?”

“Really. I'm a full-fledged, card-carrying member of the Brotherhood.” He pulled out his wallet and handed her a white card with gold edging.

“B.O.M.,” she read aloud. “Bomb? What do you guys do? Shoot off explosives?”

“No,” he said, trying to stifle a smile. “It stands for Brotherhood of Merlyn.”

She stared at him again but he would take that over her running from him.

“Sounds like a club for gamers. Do you guys do a lot of role-playing games?” She laughed, but hysteria tinged the sound. Jacqueline pointed at her head. “Maybe dress up in wizard hats with pointy stars at the top?”

Toby looked at his feet. “I'm a wizard, but I don't have a hat.”

She handed him back the card. “Look, I don't know what was up with the crazy light show outside, but I think you should consider coming up with a better line than the 'I'm A Wizard' thing.”

“Oh yeah? What do you call yourself? “

“I should go.” She eyed the door behind him and rubbed her neck. “It's late …” And there it was. Jacqueline backed away from him. “I'm confused about a lot of things. Is it safe? Is that woman gone? What did you do to her?”

Toby leaned against the glass, fighting the urge to sigh as she hurried toward the door. Being a wizard wasn’t easy. Flicking a piece of hag from his shirt, he released a calming spell his father once taught him.

“I sent her to a better place.” Her face paled as she breathed deeply. Toby hoped the spell would ease her worries. “You're right, though. It's late, and you should go on home. Get some rest, banshee.”

Her body stiffened.

“What did you call me, Toby?”

“Banshee.” He gave her a second to process that and added, “I saw what you did tonight. You pulled Belinda's soul from her.”

“You could see that?” Hope lit in her brown eyes. “So I'm not crazy?”

Toby chuckled. “The jury is still out on your craziness, but I know what I saw. I've been asked to keep an eye on you, too.”

“Why?”

Toby stroked his beard, debating how much he should tell her. Telling her too much could send her running to the wrong people or out the door again. Not telling her enough could get her killed. Neither was pleasant to think about.

“You are special, Jacqueline,” he said. “You aren't a full-blooded banshee yet. That makes you unique, powerful, and very wanted.” Wanted in many ways with or without her powers, but she had to know the strength of her natural beauty. Toby could not ignore the fact any more than her destiny.

“I thought banshees were dead spirits,” she whispered and sank down in a chair.

“They are. And that's why you are so valuable to certain people. You aren't dead, yet you can steal souls.” Toby joined her table, but she didn’t shy away.

“I don't steal them.” Jacqueline stared out the window, eying the yellow tape flapping in the wind, and sighed.

“Not yet. You haven't learned how.” Toby brushed her hand, keeping his tone low and even.

Her big brown eyes settled on his face. “What do you mean?”

Toby tried to look away, but he failed. Stroking her hand, he said, “You are a soul stealer, Jacqueline, destined to help people cross beyond the veil and into the next dimension.”


Her mouth opened and closed. No easy way to explain it to her as a wizard he grew up in this hidden world. “It’s okay to ask me questions.”

Envisioning the lavender seeping into her skin, he continued rubbing her hand. Jacqueline’s shoulders relaxed and her knee brushed his under the table. Toby didn’t want to stop touching her; he didn’t want to let her go, but he had no choice.

“What about the old woman? Was she a… banshee… too?”

“Yes.” He stared at the saltshaker.

“What did she say to you?”

Toby warred with himself. The old woman had spoken the truth, but he wasn't sure how Jacqueline would take it. A hand scrubbed his face as he pieced the words together in his mind. Why was he the one that had to deal with this? Telling her was half the battle. With a small growl of frustration, he took a deep breath.

“Jacqueline, you are going to have to die, and I'm the one who's going to have to kill you.” Toby couldn’t look her in the eye.





Wizard Truths




Jacqueline gulped and stepped back. “Did you say you were going to have to kill me?” She stared at Toby, mouth hanging open.