Page 83 of Burn Me Down

“Roll, Beck. Roll on your side,” I called out, and saw a shadow running across the debris from the far end of the rubble. I didn’t know if it was my imagination, one of the ghosts here to watch a death, or another living person.

Beck started to roll on her side, and I watched the flames round the far end. As I figured it would, the fire turned and came streaking back. No, this was not happening. Running backward toward the fire closest to us, I leaped in the air, and in a wrestling match slam, I landed on Adam in the flames.

“Ah, fuck,” he yelled as my pet touched his ears and hair. The scent of singed hair stirred the darkness in me. He let go like a great snake uncoiling itself from my body, and I jumped up to run to Beck. I blinked as I watched Asher pick her up and throw her over his shoulder.

He looked at me and then ran for the quickly closing gap as the two lines of flame rushed together like they were lovers looking to be reunited. I could hear Beck’s muffled screams, her eyes on mine, as Asher ran over the debris. His pace never slowed as he leaped through the narrow gap and landed on the other side. The wall of fire closed in his wake and blocked them from view.

Relief washed over me as I turned around to face Adam. He had whipped off his shirt and wrapped it around his head to stop the burning. Adam bent down and picked up the knife I’d thrown at him, gripping them both as his maniacal eyes turned to me. Evil burned in his dark glare. I cracked my neck as I sniffed the air, allowing myself this one last moment with my pet and the beast within me to enjoy the kill.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to play with fire,” I asked, my hands closing into fists as a growl rippled from deep in my chest. Orange and red were all I saw as the flames danced behind him. They were taunting Adam, beckoning him to come closer so they could eat their fill as they cheered me on. I was one with them, but Adam was nothing more than food.

I braced myself for the attack as Adam snarled, lifted the knives in the air, and ran at me with a yell. The blades glinted in the firelight. The flames reflected like a mirror, and time slowed as I watched him. Lowering myself, I braced for the hit, but Adam jumped into the air with a scream that sounded like hell had opened before me.

Bang, bang.

Adam’s eyes went wide as blood appeared on his chest. I stepped out of the way as he fell face-first to the ground. His hands twitched, and his body jerked as the eye I could see rolled in my direction. He gulped at the air like a fish, his last words still on his lips. As his eyes turned dull, I looked around and swallowed hard. I didn’t recognize the man, but I knew what the badge on his belt meant.

He was obviously an officer but dressed in plain clothes. He stared at me and then down at Adam.

“Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your back.”

I watched him as he motioned for me to get down, the roaring in my mind screaming at me to die in a hail of bullets. But then I heard Beck screaming my name, and I knew what I would give for one more moment with her.

“Unless you want to end up like him, get down on your knees, now.”

I closed my eyes as I dropped and put my hands behind my head. I had stepped from one hell to the next, but at least this one would allow me the memories of Beck’s touch and the feel of her skin. The sweet smell of her hair and the way her eyes sparkled when I called her Cookie. How she made me feel and how my heart warmed with just a look from her eyes that held so much love were all things that I would never forget. I had new memories to keep me sustained, and I was going to hang onto every single one of them forever.

“Jacobs, what are you doing?” I jerked at the sound of Asher’s voice.

My brother was walking toward me. I wasn’t sure when he’d come back through the wall of fire.

“I have to arrest him, Asher. You did the right thing in calling me,” the detective said as he lowered his gun.

“I called you so you could take down Adam Grady. He was the suspect in all the fires. Grady set up my brother,” Asher said. Okay, even I thought that was a little far-fetched.

Jacobs shook his head. “You know I don’t believe that. You can’t tell me that both you and Violet mistook this man for your brother.” He pointed to Adam’s dead body. “I know you want to protect your brother, but he is a murderer and needs to be taken in.”

“Please Jacobs, I’m begging you to reconsider,” Asher said, his face twisted with torment.

“It’s okay, Asher. You did the right thing,” I said, so only he could hear. History may have been repeating itself, but I held no anger toward him this time. As long as Beck was safe he could’ve called in the army for all I cared.

“He needs to pay for his crimes,” Jacobs said.

Asher looked down and our eyes locked. The pain in his eyes intensified as I mouthed it was okay. I wanted him to know that I would be fine, but as his eyes brimmed with tears, I worried that this time my arrest would break him. Sighing, I looked away as my heart constricted. I’d finally gotten my brother back only to lose him all over again. This world was cruel as it pulled the marionette strings attached to me.

“I really wish you hadn’t said that,” Asher said, his voice sad and so soft that I barely heard him.

Bang.

I flinched and looked up to see Asher with a gun. I didn’t even know he could shoot. The detective stumbled backward, looking down at the blood blooming on his chest.

“I’m sorry, Jacobs. I really liked you, and I hoped you’d walk away, but I can’t let you take my brother in. I turned my back on him once. I’ll never do it again.”

Bang.

Jacobs fell backward, his chest rapidly rising as I stared in shock. Asher held out his hand to me. I clasped arms with my brother, and like the final piece of of a puzzle my soul was whole once more.

“Asher….”