Page 9 of Blood and Embers (The Rose Vampire Coven #7)

T hey were heading to a known Bagwell Pack hangout near the rail yard when Pike’s phone went off.

The caller was Adras Morrigan, a colleague of Nox Samara, their primary interrogator.

He and Nox were sifting through the minds of the Bagwell wolves that had been captured.

Reasons for his call, none of them positive, raced through Pike's mind.

“Hello.”

“Your beloved is in danger." Were Adras's first words, and Pike's heart froze. “The prisoner had information regarding a plot to lure him and his crew to a fire they set. They plan to capture him and use him to blackmail the Rose Coven. Bagwell knows that Scott Jones is a beloved.” He closed the call and started running back to where they’d parked their car.

"What is it?" Hugh asked while he ran beside him.

“Bagwell is after Scott.” He said and quickly explained the situation.

“Fuck!” Hugh shouted. “Do you know where he is?”

“I know his station, and we should be able to follow him from there.” Pike was frantic beyond imagination, but he maintained his nerve and composure.

He had to think clearly and keep his wits about him.

Scott's well-being depended upon it. He tore through the streets toward the fire station and tried to reach out to Scott to gauge his reaction.

He could feel him focused and working, but there was no fear, no panic, just that he was focused on his job. He was on a call. "He's not at the station." Pike pulled to the side of the road. "I reached out to him, and he's working. He's on a call."

“They set a decoy fire to trap him.” Hugh voiced Pike’s own thoughts. “Can you track him?”

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden text. Adras had texted him the address of the fire. "I love you, Adras, my God, I love you."

"I wouldn't let Scott hear you say that," Hugh interjected. Pike showed him the text as he pulled away from the curb.

"I love you, Adras, my God, I love you too." Hugh agreed wholeheartedly with the sentiment.

Scott made his way to the top floor, clearing the way and ensuring no one was inside.

The crew was targeting the blaze, and two were venting the roof.

The fire was concentrated on the first, second, and third floors, with the largest blaze on the first, where it had been clearly set.

The arsonists were a little outside their usual area, but still, it had the markings of the same person.

The accelerant used was gasoline, just like all the club and bar fires.

He cleared the top floor and was heading down when he heard something from behind him on the stairs.

He called out and went back up, but he found no one.

He was certain that someone was there. Scott reported to the Captain that he was going to check the top floor one more time before coming down.

The smoke was getting thick, and it was difficult to see.

He continued to search and call out for anyone there.

Suddenly, someone darted across in front of him, knocking backward onto the floor.

He quickly scrambled back to his feet and adjusted his equipment.

The air was so thick that he couldn't see where they had gone. He called out again, warning them of the danger and advising them to leave with him. “I’ll guide you down and share my oxygen. You need to get out of here before the floor collapses.”

There was no response. He continued to search, and then once again someone ran at him, but this time they grabbed him and wrestled him to the floor.

"You're coming with us, Jones.” The person’s voice was raspy and deep, and their strength was considerable.

They pulled Scott from the floor and stood him up, as if he were a rag doll.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Scott demanded.

"We're here to collect you. You're coming with us, Jones."

“My engine company is outside. You're not getting away with this." Scott stated and pushed back from the man's grip.

“I don’t have fucking time for this.” The man took Scott by the throat and started to squeeze. He glanced over his shoulder at someone to his left. “They said it was fine if he was dear, right? We can kill him, right?” Scott started to kick out at the man and claw at his grip.

They pulled up close enough to watch the action but far enough not to be noticed. Pike and Hugh jumped from the vehicle and ran to the back of the building. The firemen and other first responders were out front dealing with the fire. The back was their way inside.

They scaled the back of the building up to the roof. Pike sensed his beloved in crisis on the top floor, and his vampire became enraged. When they reached the roof, they smelled jackal, and their rage exploded at the thought of a jackal attacking a beloved of the Rose Coven.

Scott’s panic and struggle hit Pike hard, and he found the opening in the roof that had been vented and dropped through. He was followed by Hugh, and they hit the floor hard and with purpose. Before them stood two jackals, and one had Scott by the throat.

Pike turned wild and vicious, running at the jackal who held Scott and tore him away from his beloved, removing his hand by snatching and breaking the wrist. Scott fell to the floor, clutching his throat and gasping for air.

Pike grabbed the jackal, who was prime for a fight, even with a broken wrist, and wailed on him.

The jackal tried to get his footing and respond, but he was too slow, and Pike was fueled by a rage that would not be quelled by anything except the jackal’s death.

They fought hard and bloody until Pike took him to the floor and, with a slice of his elongated nails, opened the jackal's throat.

He then plunged his fist into his chest and pulled out his heart, finishing the beast once and for all.

He stayed there staring down at the infernal creature that had dared to lay a hand on his beloved and wiped his hands on the man’s shirt.

Slowly Piked turned his head to look over at Scott, who was now sitting up and had removed his helmet.

The air had started to clear, but it was still smoky.

Pike moved to his beloved’s side but did not immediately reach out. Scott looked stunned, and he needed just a moment. Scott's eyes met his, and instantly, he was in Pike's arms. He held him like his life depended on it. "How did you know?” He whispered.

"I felt your pain, my love. I sensed your need.”

“This is the bond?”

"This is the bond." Pike smiled so happily that his beloved was not traumatized and was not pulling away. He held him and channeled the love and peace that he was feeling. “I will always know when you need me and I will always be there for you.”

"I can usually handle myself, but that thing... that thing was immovable. I was sure I was going to die, and then there you were.” He buried his face in Pike’s shoulder, and he held him, drinking in the very essence of the man.

After a few seconds, Pike helped him to his feet.

Hugh walked over after finishing the other jackal.

“How will we explain these dead bodies to the police?” Scott asked as he straightened and tried to take a step back, but Pike continued to hold him.

Pike gestured to where the two jackals now lay. “They shifted back to their animal form at death. Just two dogs caught in this terrible fire.” He offered and placed a sweet, possessive kiss on Scott's cheek.

"Are you alright, my love? Are you hurt?" He asked Scott and ran his eyes over his body, checking that he was indeed well.

"I'm okay, really I am." He pressed, and Pike was confident that he was physically okay.

“Hugh and I will go out the way we came. We can’t be seen here." Pike told him, and Scott nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I understand. The crew is downstairs." He said absently. Pike was a little concerned about leaving, but then Scott stepped back and got a hold of himself.

"I'm alright, Pike. Go, I'll finish my shift and meet you at your place when I get off. You can explain what happened here.” Scott liked order, and it would see him through the terror.

"I love you, Scott." He said, and then, not waiting for an answer because he wasn't sure what Scott would say, he and Hugh disappeared through the hole in the ceiling. Scott and his crew put out the fire and cleaned up the area before leaving it to the police and heading back to their station.

"Another arson," Andrew commented on the ride back to the station. "I hope they catch whoever is doing this and catch him soon. It’s too bad about those dogs on the top floor.” He made mention of the dogs, and it caused Scott to look up at him sharply.

“Yeah, that was too bad. I think the smoke got them pretty quickly.”

"Must have been a couple of strays looking for shelter." He theorized.

"They were looking for something." Scott turned away, not wanting to elaborate further.

The dogs were evil beasts, and if it hadn't been for Pike, they would have killed him.

He was suddenly awash with the need to be near Pike.

Every part of him ached to be held in his arms. Waiting for eight was going to be brutal.

Pike and Hugh headed back to the Coven House and reported to Victor. He’d been notified of the plot and had put a team in pursuit of those involved. The day of purging the Bagwell Pack had been successful, as all his properties and businesses were destroyed, along with his paid soldiers.

The short life span of anyone working for Bagwell was starting to get around, and his ability to entice more recruits was diminishing. No one wanted to die for a man who promised payment but only delivered impossible missions against an impossible opponent. They were soldiers, not martyrs.

“Drakon is running a sweep through town, making sure that no remnants of Bagwell's influence remain. It's a bloody business, but he brought it on himself, and now it's time to wipe this city clean.” Victor told them.

“Is Tank Bagwell dead?” Pike asked. His tone carried an urgency that conveyed his fear for the safety of his beloved. Victor glanced over at him poignantly and gave a half smile.

“Not yet, but he will be.” He said. “The Master is talking to him.” Victor chuckled and dismissed them. Pike took a long, relaxing breath and knew that his beloved was safe. Whatever plans Bagwell had to take over the city, they were dead at this point, along with him.

"I'm glad this is over," Hugh said as they left Victor’s office. “That Pack was an affront to every decent shifter in the city. I was getting tired of putting out fires.”

“It will be a while before I let my guard down where Scott is concerned. The attack today nearly tore my heart out. Seeing him with that jackal was something I never ever want to repeat.” They stopped at the elevator. “Not having him with me in my arms right now is really hard.”

"I bet he's feeling it too, my friend. He'll be here soon, and you can claim your beloved.

He's a fine man, Pike, and a gift for sure.

" He reached over and patted his shoulder.

“You guys will work this out. He has a dangerous job, and so do you, but you also have each other; that is all that really matters.

" Pike nodded and agreed. "Go get ready for him, he'll be home soon.

" They parted, and Pike headed up to his apartment to shower and change.