Page 32 of Chasing the Flame (The Sacred Flames Of Ruin #1)

The drive home is silent, tension saturating the cab of my truck. Averie hasn’t said a word since we walked out of the diner, and I haven’t been able to wrap my head around the atrocities of the covenant.

There’s a quiet rage building within me.

I’ve tried to calm down since the meeting, but the closer we get to Averie’s house, the worse it gets.

I can’t shake this feeling, and I’m not sure why I’m so worried.

Maybe it’s the adrenaline, the information we learned, or even concern over Averie’s situation.

My heart plummets to my stomach when her driveway comes into view, and my mood instantly crashes. The gravel crunches under my tires, and the birds sing a symphony that does nothing to help my mood.

I sneak a glance at Averie and can tell by the set of her jaw that she has something to say. After a few minutes, Carson Plantation looms like the gothic vision I always knew it could be.

It’s the beginning of September now, and there’s a bite in the air, signaling that a change of seasons is imminent. Apprehension snakes through my chest, weaving through my body and coiling tightly around me .

I park the truck and go to help Averie out, but she’s already climbed down. Averie rushes toward the front door and doesn’t spare me another look. She’s running, and it guts me to the core to watch it happen.

Sighing, I slam the door behind me and follow her inside, the alarm bells dinging in my head like a broken record. Something isn’t quite right, but I shrug it off and continue my trek into the house.

When I enter the foyer, I scan my surroundings, searching for Averie. I spot her, perched on the edge of the couch, her eyes glued to the portrait over the fireplace. She looks furious, but I can see the tension in her body, and the anxiety creeping back in with her trembling hands.

She doesn’t even stir as my boots creak across the floor.

It’s like she’s stuck, frozen in time with her eyes fixed on it.

I let my eyes roam over the portrait, taking in Averie’s pained expression and Luke’s sadistic smile.

Trepidation rolls through my body, sinking its claws into my stomach.

I still can’t seem to shake this feeling.

“Averie?” I say quietly, taking a few steps toward her, stopping when she startles and sends a glare in my direction.

“ You ,” she grumbles. She doesn’t move from her spot, just stares with pursed lips. She looks dejected and exhausted, and it sends another pang of worry through my chest. “I should’ve left it all alone...”

Fat tears are falling down her cheeks, glistening like the morning dew. She looks defeated. I want so badly to go to her, but something is keeping me rooted to the spot.

Did I fuck up? I couldn’t have…

I know she has to be feeling this. There’s no way I misjudged the signs. So why is she suddenly mad at me ?

“Averie, I—”

“No! Let me speak,” she cries, wiping away the tears and leaving her spot on the couch. In an instant, she’s in front of me, her sage-colored eyes shining with years of unspent grief. “I can’t—this is too fucking much. Too fast… I-I need some time to think, Jettson.”

My heart shatters, my eyes brimming with tears. Why is she running? He’ll kill her if she stays. “Averie, no…please don’t do this,” my voice cracks, the tears falling down my cheeks and soaking my shirt. “He’ll kill you. Just like Jenny .”

Saying her name out loud is like a knife to the gut.

It shreds my insides, pain twisting in my chest and squeezing my heart.

Averie sucks in a breath, biting her bottom lip.

“It’s not— fuck !” She screams, frustration etched in her expression, and runs a hand through her hair.

She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and centers herself.

When she opens her eyes again, I can see the plea in the depths of her viridescent gaze. “I’m more useful here. I can help.”

For a second, I’m sure I’ve misheard her.

There’s no way in hell that woman thinks she’s staying here!

And for what? To play spy? Over my dead fucking body.

“Absolutely not,” I seethe. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you stay here.

Not after that. You don’t have to stay with me if I misjudged the situation between us—”

“This isn’t about u s! Fucks sake, it’s about Luke!

What we did was wrong, even though I’m unhappy…

it’s no excuse. I should’ve waited until I left Luke.

Two wrongs don’t make a right.” She gives me a sad smile, like she’s already decided and there will be no budging.

“I can get the information Dahlia needs. I can do this.”

I should’ve waited until I left Luke…

She plans to leave him? An ember of hope kernels in my chest, and I stoke the flame. “Averie, I don’t like the idea of leaving you here. Not after everything we’ve learned. Just…le t’s go.”

She presses her body into mine, placing a hand on my chest. She tilts her head up, looking at me with such trust and admiration that I avert my gaze, my throat thick with emotion. I can’t look at her when she says it. She’s going to stay. I feel it deep within my bones.

“Jettson, please . Don’t be upset. I have to do this.

For myself, and for those girls…for Jenny.

” I snap my eyes back to hers, soaking in every word.

“I need you to understand that I’m not running.

Not from you. You’re what brought me back to life.

” She chokes on a sob, but pushes through it, like she’s determined to get it all out.

“I will leave Luke, but not before I help those girls. I can’t do that to them.

I won’t forget them like everyone else.”

And then, so soft I thought I imagined it, “I love you.”

She moves away from me, and my fingers grasp at the open air.

Time seems to warp, bending and stretching, speeding things up when I want them to slow down.

I feel cold without her touch, and a chill skates up my spine.

Averie’s eyes widen and dart past me. I don’t have to wait long to guess what’s going on.

A steady clap sounds behind me, and when my gaze connects with Luke, my blood instantly boils. He looks smug, like he’s just discovered the find of the century. Warning bells are ringing in my ears again, and I just know this is about to get ugly.

“Well, well—look what we have here! You two look awfully… cozy ,” he says icily.

His eyes never leave mine, not for a second, as he crosses the room toward Averie.

She freezes when his hand snakes around her waist, tugging her toward him.

“What? You didn’t miss me? This is the thanks I get for returning home early to surprise you. ”

“N-no, that’s not it!” She cries, and he grins at me.

He breaks eye contact for a moment to grab hold of Averie’s chin, forcing his lips to hers and grabs her ass hard.

Averie squirms under his touch, clamping her lips shut despite his efforts to tongue-fuck her mouth.

She whines when he bites down on her bottom lip, and he brutally shoves his tongue in her mouth.

My fists are clenched at my side, but I can’t afford to blow Averie’s cover. Not with so much at stake. Warm copper and iron flood my mouth, and I realize I’ve bitten down on the inside of my cheek. Fuck.

When he’s done molesting her right in front of me, he turns his attention back to me. His grip on Averie’s ass is painful. I can tell in the grimace that skitters across her face. Her bottom lip is bruised, and I know he enjoyed every minute of displaying his self-perceived dominance.

“What’s this I hear about Averie leaving me?” I flick my gaze to his, my heart stuttering inside my chest. “The way I see it, you two were going to run off together. Is that what I’m hearing? Hmm?”

If looks could kill, I’d already be dead. Averie’s fear is palpable, and I’d give anything to grab her and take her into my arms. I don’t know how violent this is about to get, and I don’t want to put her in any more jeopardy than I already have.

“Luke, it’s not what it looks like—”

Averie cries out as Luke grabs a fistful of her hair, yanking her toward him.

There’s a wild look in his eye, one that has me fucking panicking.

I won’t do this again, I won’t lose someone else I care about.

“Aw, but isn’t that exactly what it looks like?

! Don’t fucking lie to me again. You’ve been sniffing around here for a while now—slowly worming your way in. ”

He throws Averie to the ground and comes toward me.

She lands with a thud, crying out when her head catches the corner of the table.

An angry snarl reverberates through my chest, and I feel the beast under my skin growl, rising to the fight.

I clamp down on its leash, forcing my magic to rise to the surface instead.

It wasn’t needed, though. Luke comes at me with his fists and lands a right hook to my jaw.

In seconds, we’re tussling, each of us throwing wild punches at the other. “I’ll fucking kill you!!” He screams, landing another punch to my left eye. I jab with a right hook, clipping his jaw and sending a spurt of blood flying.

He swipes at the blood, his eyes glowing with menace. He plans to kill me. I can feel it with every advance and every hit.

Averie is still knocked out cold, and I want to check on her. I want to make sure she’s okay, but I can’t afford to get distracted. If he gets his hands on me… it’ll be over. So, I sink into the fight, dodging as much as I can and taking hits when I can’t.

I’ve taken my fifth, excruciating pain shooting through my rib cage. I’m sure the fucker is cracked but I keep going, shoving Luke back further with each attempt at another strike.

Finally, I cave… and shoot a worried glance in Averie’s direction.

She’s crumpled in a heap on the floor, a small pool of blood trickling from her head.

There’s a gash on her temple, one that will probably require a couple of stitches.

Then, she stirs, slowly moving into a sitting position, and I let loose the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

The seconds it takes me to assess Averie cost me the fight.

Luke manages to land a kick to my ribs, and I’m down on the floor in an instant.

He lands on top of me, pummeling my face with his fists.

He gets two more swings before I manage to deflect.

My forearm screams from the impact, but I hold my ground.

“Stop it! Get off of him! Luke, please!!” Averie screams, and I can hear her struggling to get to us.

“I’m going to fucking kill him!” Luke snarls and lands a blow to my forearm that sends it careening into my throat.

Stunned, I cough, trying to catch my breath, but he’s too fast. His hands clamp around my throat, squeezing it mercilessly.

I can’t breathe, my hands grasping his, scratching and pulling with all my might.

But it’s not enough. My vision is blurring, everything is starting to go dark.

I’ve failed .

“I said, GET OFF HIM!” Averie’s voice rings and cuts through the haze of my mind, giving me the last burst of strength I needed. My training kicks in, and I give him everything I’ve got.

I strike his forearm, slamming into him with my left arm, while thrusting my whole body weight into his shoulder.

I buck with my hips, managing to roll and shove him off me.

Forcing Luke to let go of my neck. In seconds, I’m standing and breathing heavily.

I’m struggling to swallow, panic licking up my spine.

Finally, I manage to suck in several deep breaths, and my vision fully clears.

Averie’s eyes slam into mine, a silent plea, begging me not to act. Luke comes after me again, and this time I pull from my magical reserves, knocking him down with a gust of wind. “Turbo tempestas,” I whisper, thrusting my palm in his direction.

The blast knocks into his chest, pushing him back with force into the wall. Dust flies down from above, and Luke clutches at his throat, struggling to breathe under the torrent of wind. His face is turning purple, but I keep my hand raised, pushing every bit of my power into the spell.

“Jettson, stop! You’re killing him!!”

Blackness flits at the edges of my mind, the fury inside me taking over. I let it consume me and pour every bit of my pain into the spell. Averie screams again, distracting me from my task. One look at the pain etched on her face, and I let go of the wind, pulling my power back inside my body.

Luke gasps for air, his face a deep shade of scarlet. The grin that skitters across my face is feral and unhinged. I love to see him struggle, the fucking prick. “Jettson, get out of here,” she says quietly, startling me from my wicked thoughts.

She gives me a pointed look, subtly nodding in Luke’s direction. She means to stay. I shake my head no and give Luke an ice-cold glare. “Yes, Jett, fucking leave. Can’t you see my girl wants nothing to do with you?”

I clench my fists and give Averie one final lingering glance.

She gnaws on her lower lip, nodding once.

“Get out!” Luke screams, jumping from the wall and shoving me toward the door.

Averie’s sobbing, and the sound nearly crumbles my resolve.

I don’t want to leave her here, not with him. Not like this.

Luke grips my shirt, shoving me a final time, and I land on the front porch.

He leans down, whispering in my ear so that Averie can’t hear what he has to say, “Don’t fucking come back, you are no longer welcome here.

You won’t see a dime from me, either. I should’ve killed you all those years ago, for betraying the covenant.

Consider this your last warning, and thank the god and goddess you’re leaving with your life. ”

With that, he slams the door in my face. Rising from my spot on the porch, I dust myself off and stalk toward my pickup. When I reach it, I linger, every fiber of my being begging me not to leave.

I light up a cigarette instead, my hands shaking uncontrollably. All the pent-up rage and fear are scratching at my insides, a festering wound that won’t seem to close.

It’s on my second drag that I hear it. A shrill scream that has my blood curdling, fear sending my heart thumping wildly against my ribcage. I pause, thinking maybe I imagined it, and then I hear it again. Another shrill, mournful cry that sends me racing back toward the house… to her .

Averie needs me, consequences be damned.