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“Yes, but you’re grumpy for some reason, so I had to set up the punchline myself.”

“You choked me!”

“And you stabbed me, so I think we’re even now. No?”

My eyes flickered to her wrists. “Where are the handcuffs?”

Ray nodded toward the building. “In there, do you want them back?”

“Funny.”

“Oh, lighten up, Ilsa. What do you have to be so gloomy about?”

Losing my job, my livelihood, the part of me that made me feel worthy of a family that didn’t otherwise accept me. Having my ass kicked by a demon. Being stupid enough to go after a demon in the first place. Then being aroused by said demon. Believing in demons at all. And finally, the injury that ruined my leg and career.

Glaring at her, I shook my head.

Then I heard it.

“What the fuck was that?” Ray asked. All humor was lost from her voice, and she sounded scared.

As I scrambled to my feet, my leg gave out underneath me, and slapping Ray’s hand away when she went to grab my arm to help, I shushed her when she complained. Straining my ears again, I know what I heard, but I prayed I was wrong.

Screams.

“Ray, someone is in the building.”

The adrenaline was surging in me again, and Ray took a step backward from the flames, shaking her head. “That’s not possible, I checked and double-checked. There was no one in there.”

Running toward the building, I recoiled when a supporting pillar collapsed, followed by a shower of sparks blasting through the front door. Scanning the area, I pivoted when the scream echoed out again.

Not this building, the one next to it.

The flames had spread.

“Help me,” I cried, turning back to Ray. She hadn’t moved, her eyes wide, still shaking her head. “Ray!” Clapping my hands gained her attention, then I pointed to the building behind me. “We have to save them.”

Without checking to see if she was following, I raced to the adjoining building, shouldering the door until it gave way and immediately dropping to my knees. The place was full of smoke, blinding and choking. But through it, I could hear someone calling for help, and it drove me forward.

Removing my top, I wrapped it around my nose and mouth and squinted, constantly blinking against the blinding tears caused by the smoke.

“Where are you?” I called, moving the moment I heard a response.

Rushing past the front counter, ignoring the burn of my eyes as the smoke pummeled into my face with every step I took, I made my way to the back of the building.

A kitchen, ovens, large steel counters.

A bakery, some unfortunate soul had been here late, prepping for the next day.

When I found him, I cursed. With the collapse of the shared wall, an industrial oven had fallen, and his leg was trapped beneath it.

“Help me,” he coughed out, trying desperately to prise himself free. I tried, God knows I tried, but the damn thing was too heavy. All too soon, I could see it in his eyes, the resignation, knowing he wouldn’t get out of there alive. Cursing again, pain tore through my body as I tried once more in vain to shift the heavy equipment.

His eyes, I had seen that look, and I wasn’t going to accept it. Not again.

But the oven wouldn’t budge.

Ready to give up, I sunk to my knees. The smoke was overwhelming. If I didn’t get out of this place soon, I’d die with this man. This isn’t how I saw myself going out, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave him.