Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(67)

“Wait,” Gabe pleaded. But Jacqueline was more interested in studying his pulled apart image as her arms widened. “Please, Jacqueline.”

“What would happen to you if I pulled my hands apart as far as I could?” Jacqueline flashed a sly smile. “I bet these hands could destroy you, split your very being. Doesn't sound like a pleasant option to me.”

“I'm sorry.” Gabe looked like a bloated fruit ready to explode. “I was only trying to help. This isn't the kind of person you are, Jacqueline. What would Toby say if he saw this side of you?”

Toby. She flinched at the name. Self-doubt crept into her consciousness.

“Toby wouldn't… want… you… to… kill me.” Gabe's voice garbled as he desperately struggled to speak. His essence was fat, reminding Jacqueline of the over-juiced Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

“You don't know anything about Toby.”

But she did. And for all his gruffness, his tough talk, she knew that Toby was a kind person on the inside. He probably wouldn't want her to end Gabe this way even if he had attacked her.

And wasn't this exactly why the other wizards wanted her? To kill?

No. She was not a killer.

Carefully and with all the concentration she could muster, Jacqueline brought her hands closer together until Gabe no longer stretched out. She imagined the sparks in her hands doused with water. A breath whooshed from her lips. To her relief, they died out, leaving only a small scorch mark behind on each palm.

“You did it.” Gabe’s voice reflected awe and a huge grin formed dimples in his cheeks. “You actually controlled the power.”

“Who says I couldn't?” But she hadn’t been sure, not entirely, that she could control the banshee’s power.

“Everyone in the family. The last time there was a case like yours, the half-banshee destroyed most of Europe before she was finally stopped.”

She dusted her hands and let them rest on her hips. “Well, if my ancestors handled her the way you were trying to handle me, maybe she just freaked out.” Jacqueline enjoyed a deep breath and released it in a yawn.

“But you didn't freak out, Jacqueline. You can control it.” Gabe sat on the couch, shaking his head. “This is amazing.”

“Does it mean you're going to stop trying to kill me?”

“I don't know. Wait,” he said as her eyes narrowed again. “What I mean is, if you can control your power without the help of anyone else, maybe there is hope.”

Jacqueline thought about that for a minute. Hope. A word to cling to, a word she desperately had needed all these long months of being alone and confused by the odd changes occurring within her.

“How can I test this idea that I can control what I'm doing?” she asked and eased into a chair. “I don't want to hurt anyone.”

“Simple. We set a trap, and you use your power on someone who might deserve to have their soul ripped out,” he said. “That way if you can't control it, then it's still a win-win.”

“Um… I don't know if I want to kill someone even if they are bad. That's not my decision to make,” Jacqueline said, alarmed by the idea.

“What if it was the wizard who killed your husband?”

Jacqueline gasped, shocked at the idea, and yet… tempted, too. For a year, she had waited and searched for the man responsible. But it wasn’t about revenge, not by itself. Part of her wanted to know why.

“Not that I'm agreeing, but how would I find him?” And could she trust Gabe? He still looked like the man she had seen a year ago.

“You need to be someplace he can be lured into the open. Obviously, he's been watching you, so why not help him out?”

“You mean bait?” Jacqueline chewed her lip as her fingers danced over the end table. Angela. Hadn't she invited her to dinner that night? Jacqueline relayed the information to Gabe and he agreed their safest option for luring the killer into the open was dinner.


Her stomach twisted though. “But what about Angela? I don't want her to get hurt. Or her friend for that matter.” Jacqueline exhaled. “No. This is a bad idea. Too risky. We should talk to Toby.”

“Look, no wizard is going to attack you in front of an entire restaurant full of people.” She crossed her legs as he leaned forward. “He'll wait till you're alone. Only you won't be because I'll be there to guide you. Let's leave Toby out of it for now.” Gabe grinned, but the idea still didn’t sit well in her stomach. “Think of it this way, you need to prove you can control your gift and get the other wizards to back off. See, all they think they have to do is put a command spell on you, and you’ll do whatever they want. But if you show them that you are the one in command, they might give up on their idea.”

Standing up and taking the initiative might be the upper hand she needed. Gabe had a point and she had a point to make too.

“Well, I like any plan that doesn't involve me dying or being controlled by others. I'm in,” Jacqueline said. “I'll go call Angela.”



****



“Jacqueline, this is my friend Derek,” Angela said.

Jacqueline reached to shake his hand, but instead Derek wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. Reflex made her return the hug, though she didn't like pressing herself against some stranger. When he pulled away, both of his hands rested on her shoulders, and he gave her a shy grin.