Page 38 of Chasing the Flame (The Sacred Flames Of Ruin #1)

I’m disoriented as fuck. There’s an aching pain in the back of my skull and I can’t make heads or tails of what happened.

I woke up lying face down on the porch, which is fucked in itself. I can’t remember why I’m even out here, or how it happened. I’m struggling to reconcile with where I woke up vs what I was doing that would’ve brought me out here in the first place.

Picking myself up off the porch, I dust my clothes off and wobble toward the door. It feels like my feet are lead, stuck in quicksand and I’m drowning in it.

My stomach clenches painfully, a wave of dread fogging my mind. I feel like I’ve forgotten something important. Something crucial and I can’t seem to get a hold of the thought.

I’m almost to the doorframe when a single thought comes flooding back.

Averie . I stumble inside, shouting her name.

My heart drops to my stomach as I take in the small cabin.

My eyes scan the kitchen area, the bed, couch and rest of the room.

The bedsheets are crumpled, bunched up like there was a slight struggle.

Panic claws at me, rearing its ugly head at the worst possible moment.

I lumber toward the bathroom, almost falling face first into the tile from dizziness. It has got to go. I don’t have time for this shit. I flick the lights on, jerk back the shower curtain only to have my chest fall in disappointment.

It’s the same, no signs of Averie, no signs of even being used.

It’s like she vanished into thin air.

Luke . The only plausible explanation.

The pain is ripping me to shreds, fear and worry rushing through me like an electric current. I yell, dropping to my knees, pounding my fists into the tile as my screams and sobs fill the room. I’ve failed her. Again.

I let my guard down last night, I must’ve. It’s my fault she’s gone… but I’ll be damned if I let that monster fucking have her.

Pulling myself together, I get off the floor, and spring into action. There’s phone calls to make, and I need to get a hold of Dahlia. Thank fuck I still have her number.

I snatch my phone out of my back pocket, inspecting it to make sure nothing is broken. Surprisingly, it looks like my body took most of the impact. My vision swims, but I manage to voice command call her, anxiously waiting while the phone rings.

She answers on the third ring, sounding completely out of breath. “Yeah?”

“It’s Jettson. Listen, we have a fucking problem,” I snarl into the phone. “Luke has Averie.”

Whatever smart ass retort I’m sure she was cooking up, seems to die, and silence fills the receiver. “What do you mean,” she asks slowly. There’s an edge to her voice, and a tone I don’t care for.

I know I fucked up. I don’t need this shit from her. “I don’t know what happened, but I woke up face down on the goddamn porch, okay? He has her!”

“Calm down, calm down, don’t get your bloomers in a twist. Did Averie have her phone on her?

Wait, scratch that. It doesn’t matter. I can ping Luke’s phone.

I’ll have her coordinates in minutes,” she says in that irritating southern drawl.

There’s a clicking noise in the background that can only be her keyboard, and the repetition grates my nerves.

It feels like an eternity waiting for her algorithms to do the work. Dahlia hums appreciatively, occasionally pausing her typing to switch to the mouse. I’m vibrating with nerves, antsy to get this done with, and I still need to call my father.

“Got her!” Dahlia giggles—like she has the best secret in the world. “You’ll never guess where they are.”

“He took her back to the house, didn’t he?” Dread drops in my stomach like lead, rooting me to the spot.

“You’re no fun! But yeah, that’s where they are.

I’m hacking into the feed now. Do you want some assistance?

” There’s a pout to her voice, and I can’t help but feel a nagging sense that she needs to be there.

Despite my reservations, and the fact I don’t particularly care for her after our first encounter… I cave.

“Yeah, that would be great,” I say, sighing a little. “Send me the live feed when you have it. Meet at the cabin? You have my location, right?”

“Already on it. Yeah, I’m right around the corner. I’ll be there soon.”

The phone line goes dead, and I groan. Of course she’d stay close. There’s so much about that statement that’s worrisome, but I don’t have the time or energy to deal with it. Right now, my focus is getting Averie back, and killing the psychopath that’s holding her hostage.

So, I call my Dad. It doesn’t take any convincing to get him on board. He’s more than ready to be done with the Blackthorne’s. As it stands, I can’t say I blame him.

This is a shitshow, and I’m already regretting involving Dahlia. She’s fucking insane, and none of her plans to get us inside are feasible.

The worst of it? My father loves her. He’s practically eating out of the palm of her hand and I’m ready to strangle him.

She cackles at something he said, and I have to tamp down my irritation. We should be progressing by now. It’s already after six, and night will be falling soon. Luke’s feed was cut hours ago, but we still managed to learn that all the major players will be in attendance.

My head is still fucking splitting, and all this goddamn chatter is making me antsy. I’m ready to fucking go.

It must be written all over my face because I feel it the minute the tension heightens.

“None of this is working,” I argue, completely frustrated by the two of them cozying up.

“No matter how you dice it, we’re going to have to move around several dozen people.

” I give my Dad a pointed look, trying to convey that the simplest solution would be to use magic.

He glares at me, and shakes his head no. I grit my teeth, looking away. If I don’t, I’m going to say some shit I’ll regret. But, I don’t even have to defend my thought process because Dahlia shocks the hell out of us both.

“You two are so fucking obvious it’s ridiculous.

Communicating in silent looks… like I’m not smart enough to figure it out.

That’s just insulting. Yes, you idiots I’m fully aware there’s something not quite ri ght about the two of you.

And as you can see…” she leans in, flashing a cocky smirk.

“You’re not the only beast in the room, Jettson. ”

Her hazel eyes flash, molten steel that turns obsidian, and I catch a glimpse of the beast lurking within. “ What are you ?” The words come out as a whisper, and I’m suddenly wondering just how much Dahlia has kept from us intentionally.

“Like you… just different.” She cocks her head to the side, sizing me up.

I sneak a glance at my Dad, who’s totally giving Dahlia a look. One that screams she better start talking… fast . She doesn’t. No, she just sits in infuriating silence.

“Umbraquor,” my father says finally, shrugging nonchalantly. I jerk, giving him an incredulous look. Umbraquor’s may be the guardians of shadows and the void, but they’re typically never trustworthy.

Dahlia shakes her head, grinning at him and practically swings her feet. “Bingo, Elliot! How’d you guess?”

He shrugs again, “Lucky guess.”

“It was the eyes, wasn’t it? They always give me away,” she says with an unhinged cackle.

“Ya see, I wasn’t completely honest in the beginning.

But can ya blame me,” she jerks her arm in my direction.

“This one here looked like he wanted to murder me the first time I met him. Didn’t exactly scream trustworthy, ya dig?

If his eyes wouldn’t have flashed emerald during the meeting I would’ve assumed he was human. ”

By now my patience is totally threadbare and I’m ready to string this woman up by her neck. “So what do you want then? Because clearly you want something.”

“Nothing more than I’ve already said. To watch Luke take his last breath, and to have my fun with Daddy dearest .” Dahlia narrows her eyes at me, and I can tell there’s more to that comment than she’s letting on.

Then, what she said finally clicked in my brain. “Daddy dearest?” I ask, shooting another look at my Dad. His stoic expression sends a chill down my spine. He knows something.

“Oh, oopsie. Did I forget to mention that I’m Luke’s half sister? Silly me,” she giggles, casting a dark glance in my direction, then to my fathers. “Yeah, fucktwit is my brother. I’m your cousin, and I suppose that makes you Uncle Elliot.”

I curse, running a hand through my hair and scratch my beard. This shit is getting fucking ridiculous. “Alright Dad, what the fuck are you not saying?” I’m seething, frustrated, and ready to head to Carson Plantation and burn it all down.

I’d burn the world for her.

Dad sighs, slumping down in his chair and rubs his forehead.

“Donald has never been faithful a day in his life. It’s no surprise that he’d have children that we’ve never met.

” He gives me a look that has me gripping the edge of the table, and bouncing my knee at a rapid pace.

“Luke has always craved power, so I think… I think he’s trying to take over the covenant, by whatever means necessary.

How does Averie play into that? I’m not a hundred percent sure, but the spell looked like it was for waking something ancient. ”

It feels like the wind has been knocked out of me.

Dahlia swears, worrying her lower lip, and darts glances in both our directions.

Then, after several moments of uncomfortable silence she erupts like a raging inferno.

“For fucks sake! Somebody, say something,” she hisses, slamming her fists on the table.

At Dad’s quirked brow she relents, sighing as she says, “ Obviously I understand he’s trying to stir up some major shit. But get it the fuck together! ”

I groan, sliding a hand down my face. She’s right, we need to get moving.

“Alright, let’s cut the shit. I don’t care what we have to do to get inside.

Damn sure don’t give a flying fuck who gets hurt either.

I’m getting my girl back. So either help me come up with a fucking game plan worth a shit, or get out of my way. ”

Dahlia smiles at me, newfound respect shining in her eyes, but I don’t have time to linger too long on the thought.

It’s time to fuck shit up.