Page 77 of Israel

Chapter 29

Thank God he’d picked the blowtorch.

Fire was the one thing that wouldn’t harm her, whether she was bound or not. Still, Ashley made her eyes wide and shrank back as he approached, like any normal person would do. She had to keep him from getting suspicious.

Draw him in, and then hope to hell she was stronger than he was. And faster.

He came at her, moving the flame in mesmerizing circles. “We’ll get the demons out,” he said. “And then you’ll be mine, like you were supposed to be.”

“Maimed and burned?” she asked, letting her voice shake. “How is that supposed to work, exactly? I can’t be a loving wife to you if I’m in the hospital.”

“No hospital,” he said. “I’ll take care of you. And then when you’re chastened, we can be together.”

Chastened? Seriously? The thought of some poor woman at this maniac’s mercy, hurt and bleeding, turned her stomach. And it sure as hell wasn’t going to be her.

He moved the flame nearer to her face, watching her draw back. Then he moved it down her neck, across her shoulder and down her arm, just close enough that it would make her flinch—if she were really capable of being burned.

“Don’t,” she said. “You’ll be sorry. Just let me go.”

“Oh, no,” he said. “You’re mine.”

“I’m not,” she said. “I’m Israel’s.”

He made an angry sound and jerked the flame so that it touched her skin. When she made no sound, his gazed at her, eyes wide. Then he moved it closer.

The flame danced on her skin, but no burns appeared.

“What the—” He leaned closer, staring in disbelief.

Ashley surged forward, planting her feet on the ground and half-standing, taking the chair with her. She took Avery by surprise with a head-butt, stunning him and making him stagger back. Then she heaved herself backwards.

The chair hit the floor with a crash. Ashley tucked her chin to avoid hitting her head and rolled to the side, yanking at her zip ties. One broke, and the other pulled the chair arm away from its support. She kicked free of the chair and rolled to her feet.

Avery was staring at her, frozen. Ashley looked down to see flames licking at the bottom layers of her skirt. It must have hit the blowtorch when she fell, and ignited.

As she watched, the flammable tulle burst into flame, the fire climbing her skirt with terrifying speed.

“No, no,” Avery moaned. He pulled the coverlet off the bed and moved toward her. Ashley stepped back, raising her hands.

Then she laughed at him.

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with, do you?” she said. “Fire can’t hurt me. I’m a demon, too.”

She swirled her flaming dress at him, and when he flinched back, she grabbed his hand and yanked the ring off. Clutching it in her hand, she turned and ran for the door.

Israel always hated going into a hostage situation blind, not knowing what he was up against. It was ten times worse when the hostage was the woman he loved.

Avery was only one human, but he was both clever and crazy, which made him dangerous. There was no telling what kind of nasty traps he might have set up in there.

And Israel’s gut was churning, his wolf howling. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry.

He made his way around to the back, keeping to the shadows. When he reached the door, he pulled out his pencil flashlight and checked for wires and sensors.

Nothing.

Which didn’t mean there was nothing there.

He tested the door handle, very carefully.