Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(102)

“Okay.” She visibly shook out her shoulders and then launched herself into motion.

He strode into a jog, keeping track of her steps, his senses on full alert for any danger around them. The smoke screwed with his perceptions, too.

They ran for nearly an hour, winding along next to the river in case the fire descended upon them. Cara’s breath became labored, and her steps slowed until Talen could walk briskly and keep up. He directed her through another series of trails until they came to a cabin set against the hill.

She paused next to a blue spruce and leaned over, hands on her knees, her breath panting out.

He stilled and listened, using all his senses to track the area. Nothing.

Finally, she lifted up and jerked off the material around her face. Her eyes softened, and she eyed the cabin. “Our first time was in a cabin like that,” she whispered softly, her voice hoarse.

“I remember.” He studied her breathing and frowned at the slight wheeze from her chest. “’Twas the best day of my entire life.” And it was. He’d mated her in a cozy cabin after rescuing her from the enemy. The moment she’d become his, he’d become whole.

She nodded and coughed out smoke. “Mine too.”

He set the cooler on the ground and pressed a hand against her upper chest. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She nodded and patted his knuckles. “Just inhaled some smoke.”

His own chest burned from her obvious pain. Every hurt she experienced settled deep inside him. “I’m sorry.” It was his responsibility to protect her, and he was doing a piss-poor job of it.

She rolled her eyes. “Unless you started the fires, you don’t need to apologize for anything.”

“Yet I am.” He released her.

“You don’t control the world, Talen.” She straightened and brushed dirt off her jeans.

How many times had she told him that through the years? “We need to get going again.”

She glanced with longing at the cabin.

“That cabin isn’t secure enough, sweetheart. We’ll find a better spot,” he said, retrieving the cooler of virus samples.

“All right.” She cleared her throat and moved again, edging into a jog.

Talen followed right behind her, his instincts sizzling along with the fire that felt like it was coming closer. But if they stuck to the river, they’d be all right.

Well, until the demons found them. He had to get Cara to a safe place before he fought. She was his only priority.





Cara concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other without tripping and falling onto her face. Tension from Talen all but choked her, competing with the smoke swirling around. The gun lay heavy against her rib cage. She’d use it if she had to, but it had been a while since she’d practiced with a target.

If the demons caught up with them, her husband would take them all on and order her to run. She couldn’t leave him to a mind attack, not when she could at least shoot and disrupt the demon brain waves with a bullet to the head.

Her foot slipped on dry leaves, and she stumbled.

He instantly grasped her elbow until she’d regained her balance. “You’re doing great,” he said.

His heat warmed her from behind as he kept pace with her—so solid and protective.

She ducked away from an overhanging branch. “They must want the samples, right?”

“That’d be my guess,” he said.

“How did they find us? I mean, how did they know we were delivering the samples today?” She jumped over a downed tree.

“I’m not sure. Best bet is somebody at the lab in Seattle, because I can’t imagine anybody at our headquarters doing it,” he said mildly, his footsteps silent in the forest.

The air heated, and she lifted her head, stilling. A crackle filled the afternoon. Slowly, she turned to the right. “Fire,” she whispered.

Talen grabbed her hand, looking around.

Cara gulped in smoky air. The demons were behind them, the river to their left, the rock mountain to their right, and fire up ahead.

“Across the river.” Talen charged down the grassy bank, heading for the water.

Cara kept pace, her tennis shoes slipping on moss, her gaze on the rushing river. “Looks deep.” Even though it was fall and snow hadn’t dropped yet, the river rushed as if a full snowpack was feeding it.

“Wet summer and fall,” Talen said tersely. They reached the bank, and he glanced down at her shoes. “Is there any traction on those?”

She slowly shook her head. “Not really, but I’ll be okay.” She tried to peer past the rushing water to see how slippery the rocks looked, but white and frothy bubbles masked the bottom of the river.

“Too risky. Stick to the bank and run.” He released her hand. “I’ll be right behind you.”

She nodded and moved off rocks to the smooth grass, her gaze on the ground. They ran for nearly fifteen minutes, mostly uphill. Her mind was so full of fear that she missed the end of the trail.

Suddenly, she was falling.

“Ack!” she yelped, her hands windmilling, her legs kicking the air.

The rocky mountain blurred by, while the rushing sound of water echoed up. She glanced down.

Holy crap.

The river. The wild, tumultuous rapids below her held more rocks than water. In a ball, in a ball, in a ball. She curled tight.