Donna Grant - Fire Rising

Sammi looked at the tray loaded with fruit, meats, bread, and fried eggs that were now cold. She had been famished when Jane brought in the food, but then the questions had begun.

“When was the last time you had a good meal?” Banan asked.

Sammi scrunched up her face and looked at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re skin and bones. No’ the way Jane and I last saw you.”

“Maybe I’m on a diet,” she said with a shrug, hoping he bought it and had forgotten how much she loved junk food.

Banan gave a loud snort, telling her he knew she lied.

“Fine,” she said. “It’s only been a day since my last meal.”

“You’ve been here three,” Tristan said.

No. That couldn’t be. The last time she had remained at one place for longer than two days, the Mob had come close to catching her. She had learned the hard way to stay on the move and talk to as few people as she could.

It was always the tingle at the back of her neck that alerted her she needed to move on. That tingle was back, something she hadn’t expected while at Dreagan.

Then again, she hadn’t intended to stay but one night. What had she done? What had she brought to Jane?

The dread, the anxiety was like acid churning in her stomach, making her sick.

“Sammi?” Banan said as he jumped up and came to stand beside her, his hand on her arm. “What is it?”

“I have to go,” she said and tried to lift the tray off her. Her shoulder twinged, the stitches pulling at her effort.

Tristan was immediately at her other side. “Easy,” he said and took the tray. “You’ll bust the stitches.”

Even with the tray gone, she couldn’t leave the bed because Banan kept ahold of her arm. Then Tristan was back, boxing her in.

“You don’t understand,” she cried. “If they come, they’ll destroy it as they’ve destroyed my life!”

She was panting from the exertion, sweat dotting her skin. Something warm and wet ran down her arm, but she was too upset to worry about it.

Sammi shoved the covers aside and swung her legs over the side, barely noting that she was in a Victoria’s Secret cotton T-shirt gown that must belong to Jane.

Tristan’s hands came down on her shoulders and held her steady as he knelt beside the bed. “You’re bleeding.”

“I have to leave.”

“Why?”

Sammi shook her head. It was as if her thoughts were muddled, as if sleep once more weighed her down. “They’ll come for me. They always come for me.”

“Who?” he persisted.

Sammi’s already weak body was fast losing what little energy she had. Tears stung her eyes as frustration filled her. She was so tired, and they kept asking questions. She couldn’t remember what she had told them and what she hadn’t. The burden of it all pressed down on her, sinking her further and further into a place she knew she’d never come back from.

She shoved him aside and got to her feet. He was standing before her once more, blocking her way and forcing her to look at him. His hands were large and held her carefully but securely in front of him.

He watched her cautiously, as if studying her. In his eyes she saw truth and understanding. If anyone could help her, it just might be Tristan.

If she dared to tell him.

He smoothed a lock of hair away from her face, his large hand gentle and reassuring. It would be so good to let someone else carry her burdens for a while. She was just so … tired.

“Sammi, who is after you?” he urged, his voice going deeper, smoother.

It was almost as if his voice was inside her head. “I don’t know who they are exactly.”

He gave a nod, a slight lift to the corner of his lips. “Tell me what you do know. Let me help.”

She shook her head. Sammi didn’t know how she kept from telling him everything. In her mind she recounted the entire incident.

It was a relief actually. To share her burden within her mind helped more than she had realized. She should have done it sooner.

“It’s all right.” Tristan’s thumbs were slowly rubbing her arms in circles. It was such a small movement, but it was comforting. His touch soothed her, calmed her.

Reassured her.

How could she fight something that felt so good? Her dream man was touching her, talking to her in his sexy voice. If only she was brave enough to tell them all she knew. If only she had the strength to stay on her feet for more than two seconds.

She didn’t resist when he pushed her back onto the bed. His hands were quick and concise as he pulled up her sleeve and wiped away the blood before replacing the bandage.

Then she was once more beneath the covers. As soon as she was able, she would leave, she told herself as her eyes grew heavy. It was the only option left to her.

“I doona think she even knows she told you,” Banan said.

Tristan gazed at Sammi. The panic and fear he had seen in her eyes left him cold. “Nay, she didna.”

“How did you do it?”

He had no idea. Something inside him urged him to push Sammi, but even as he did it, he could feel his magic probe into her mind. Now he knew the magic he had as a Dragon King—he could make people tell him whatever he wanted.

Sammi wouldn’t appreciate it. If she ever found out.

Tristan shrugged. “It just happened.”

“Ah,” Banan said with a nod of understanding.

Tristan rubbed a strand of her hair between his fingers. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her. He wanted to shelter her from the people who dared to go after her.

He looked up to find Banan watching him. Tristan released Sammi’s hair but didn’t step away from the bed.

“Sammi is Jane’s sister,” Banan said. “Doona trifle with her.”

“In other words, stay away?”

Banan walked around the bed to stand beside him. “I’m just asking that you no’ mess with her if you need to ease your cock. Find another woman for that.”

Tristan made himself look away from her and into Banan’s face as he calmly changed the subject. “Our initial check showed she hasna used her credit cards, mobile, or accessed her bank in a month.”

“The pub was destroyed a month ago. That means she’s been out there on her own this entire time.”

“What has she been living off of?”

“By how skinny she is, I’m betting she missed quite a few meals.” The longer Tristan thought of all Sammi had told him, the angrier he got. “I’d like to meet the assholes who blew up her pub and shot at her.”

“Me as well. Want to help me look for them?” Banan asked with a cheeky grin.

“I’d like nothing better. Then I’ll show them they should pick on someone their own size.”

“And if it’s Ulrik?”

“We’ll put him in his place once and for all.”

Sammi’s eyes snapped open. For a minute she simply stared at the wall. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so rested. It wasn’t just her mind either. Her body was better as well. Her shoulder still ached, but it wasn’t the constant pain of before.

She rolled onto her other side to see the clock read 5:03 a.m. in soft green light. Sammi jumped out of bed and shoved aside the curtains to see the sky already lightening.

It would be dawn soon. She could easily slip out of the manor to her car and leave before anyone woke. It wasn’t exactly the nice thing to do, but she wasn’t trying to be nice.

She was trying to keep her sister and those at Dreagan safe.

Sammi jerked off the nightshirt as she strode into the bathroom and turned on the shower. A quick dig in her purse produced a clip that she used to secure her hair before she stepped into the spray of the hot water.