Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(62)

She sneezed as if to prove her point.

“He's pretty old, though he doesn't look it.” Toby eased himself from the floor, and Jacqueline grasped his arm to support him. His color slowly returned. “You all right?”

“I'm fine,” she said and ducked her head. “I'm sorry… that I… killed you.”

“You didn't know.” He squeezed her hand. “I should have guessed that blood would activate the box. After all, it belongs to your family line. The O'Gradys.”

Jacqueline shook her head as she sat him in the chair. “O'Grady? That's not my maiden name.”

“You may want to talk with your parents about your heritage.” Toby appeared fine for a once dead man, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

“So can I have the key to the bar or what?” Matilda tapped her foot. “I need a drink.”

“Oh, hush. Give the man a chance to catch his breath.” Jacqueline glared at the old woman. “If you're that thirsty, get a beer out of my fridge.”

“Why didn't you say you had beer in the first place?” Matilda helped herself to a beer and sat at the kitchen table. Sniffing loudly, she said, “I think you've got incoming.”

A gust of wind breezed through the kitchen, bringing with it the scent of decay and dust. Jacqueline stared, her mouth open at the strangeness that kept on surrounding her.

“This should be my new friend.” Toby gritted his teeth. “Be on alert. I don't know what his game plan is.”

Jacqueline watched as a young man materialized in her kitchen. Something about him was familiar, as if she'd seen him before. But where?

“Hello,” he said and nodded at her.

“This is Gabe,” Toby said. “This is—”

“Jacqueline. Oh, I know.” Gabe nodded to her again, a bright smile on his face this time.

Jacqueline shivered as the blood rushed from her face. She had seen this guy before. It had been pouring down rain, and she could have sworn he looked a little older, but—


“Toby, get away from him,” she shrilled a warning. “This is the wizard that killed my husband.”

Toby stared at her, his face dark and unreadable, but he didn't move.

“Did you hear what I just said? He murdered Eric!”

“I don't think that's possible,” Toby said as his gaze leapt between Gabe and her.

“Yes, it is. I know what I saw.” Jacqueline shook her finger, pointing it at the stranger in her kitchen. “I'll never forget that face.”

Gabe inched forward and raised his hands. “Jacqueline, my dear, you are mistaken. I have not been out of the box in hundreds of years.”

“You sure?” She backed away, cocking her head, but her backside pressed against the wall.

“Trust me. That's something you don't forget.” Gabe offered a small smile. “I'm the Keeper of Souls. We're actually related.”

“Toby, could I talk to you in the other room?” Jacqueline wasn't interested in figuring out the links on her family tree. She knew that the other guy was a murderer no matter what he said. Her concern was getting Toby alone and forcing him to see reason. “Please.”

Toby nodded. She extended her arm; he clutched her bicep and hoisted from the chair. Jacqueline led him into the living room.

“What the hell,” she whisper yelled once they were alone. “What are you doing? That guy killed Eric.”

“Not possible, Jacqueline.” Toby rested against the staircase for support.

“Yes, possible, Toby. I know that face.” She knew it like the back of her hand. Every night she saw him in her nightmares.

“I doubt you do. That face belongs to someone you couldn't possibly have seen, someone who died a long time ago.” Toby's jaw had a stubborn set to it that Jacqueline found both appealing and frustrating.

“Toby, I—”

“That is the face of my son.”

Jacqueline let the words die in her mouth. Uh-oh. This was a major problem. Just one more in a long chain of problems she couldn't begin to comprehend. The stubbornness on Toby's face turned into misery, and she couldn't help but wonder about his son, his past life. What did she know about the man standing before her? The same man she had so easily trusted despite his threat to kill her one day. Until yesterday, Toby had been the cute bartender she watched from a safe distance. But she found herself wondering about this strange man, this wizard, who crawled deeper beneath her skin.

“Toby, tell me what's going on.” Jacqueline reached for his hands.

A sigh released from him as he turned away. “You killed me. I went into the Box of Souls. I met Gabe. He appeared to me in that form.” He glanced at her but his guarded expression gave her pause. “That of my dead son, a form that would comfort me. If he'd lived, Gabe's current appearance is what he would have looked like. So you see, there is no way you could have seen him. He couldn't have killed Eric,” Toby said as his jaw trembled, reflecting the deep sadness in his voice. Her heart ached for him as he’d said the word son.

“Maybe I'm wrong.” She frowned still not convinced of the evidence. “But there is a strong resemblance to the guy I saw.”

Toby palmed his neck. “Look, I don't know why Gabe wanted out of the box, but part of the reason I'm back is because I made a deal allowing him come with me. I think he really wanted to meet you. You've sort of become the talk of the Underworld.”