Playing With Fire (Phoenix Fire #3)(23)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Cassie hadn’t made a single sound—not a moan, not a whimper—while the doctors had been working on her.

“She feels pain.” He knew she did. He’d seen her react to pain before.

He pushed away from the wall. Headed toward her. “Get back,” he ordered the doctor with the graying hair.

The man immediately stumbled back. He didn’t move fast or far enough, so Jon shoved him out of the way.

“Cassie.”

She didn’t respond. Didn’t even blink. She was staring straight up at the light.

“Cassie!”

Still nothing.

Jon bent his head over hers, forcing her to see him. But she didn’t. Her pupils were fixed. She was still staring straight ahead, and not appearing to see a damn thing.

He cut away the gag. They didn’t need that. The woman’s body was there, but her mind was somewhere far away.

Interesting trick. He hadn’t realized that Cassie would be able to pull off something like that.

He’d underestimated her.

Again.

“I won’t make that mistake again.” He motioned toward Dr. Shaw. “Keep going.”

“H-her heart rate seems to be dropping.” This was from the guy he’d shoved back.

Jon glanced at the heart monitor. Yes, it was dropping. “We’re not in the danger zone yet.” He stepped away from Cassie. “Finish.”

Dr. Shaw nodded quickly as she stepped forward.

“I . . . see . . .” That weak whisper was Cassie’s voice.

Jon stiffened. “What do you see, Cassie?”

“Dante . . .” Her lips actually curled. “I see his fire.”

An alarm began to sound, echoing through the facility.

“I see . . . his fire . . .”

Impossible.

But . . . Jon felt a surge of fear inside him as he whirled to race from the room.

CHAPTER SIX

When a guard saw him and shouted out a warning,

Dante decided—

Screw the subtle approach.

—even as the shriek of an alarm blasted through the night.

He rose from the shadows. Lifted his hands—and sent fire flying toward the thick fence and its barbed wire. The flames blasted right through that flimsy protection, and he walked straight ahead, clearing a path with his flames as he went.

He kept the fire burning. When a guard tried to shoot him, Dante sent flames his way. The guard yelled and ducked for cover.

Humans. So predictable. Give them something to fear, and they always broke.

It had been that same way for centuries.

More guards came at him. What did they hope to accomplish? Did they think they’d take him down with the bullets long enough to subdue him? Not happening. It wasn’t a weak, confused moment after a rising. He wasn’t going to let those bullets hit him.

His flames were burning bright and hot, and he melted the guns in their hands.

More screams from the humans. They always screamed.

He looked up and saw the lens of a security camera focusing on him. Dante stared into that lens. He knew the fire lit his face, probably made him look like the devil.

Like he hadn’t been called the devil a time or twenty in his lifespan. “You have something I want!” he yelled. “Give her to me or”—he lifted his hands, let the flames dance—“I will burn this place down around you all.”

“He’s bluffing.” Dr. Shaw peered over Jon’s shoulder at the computer screen. “Isn’t he?”

“No, he isn’t.” The fire-throwing bastard.

Dante had risen with his memories intact. And he’d also risen very, very pissed.

“I-I thought you left him—”

“I guess the phoenix didn’t like to be left behind.”

“But we just started the experiments on Cassandra. We need more time!”

More time. Jon leaned forward and pressed the intercom button. “If you burn us, you kill her, too.” Had the phoenix’s fury blinded him to that fact? “Do you really want her to die?”

Dante’s face was a stark, intimidating mask of fury as the flames surrounded him. “I want Cassandra.”

“Why is he fixated on her?” Dr. Shaw asked. “Are they lovers? Are they—”

“The phoenix would destroy any lover he took to his bed.” Jon had read that tidbit in the research notes he’d acquired. “His fire is too dangerous.”

“Five seconds, and I start burning down buildings!” Dante roared.

Jon flipped the switch that connected him to all the guards on a secure frequency. He knew his message would be sent to their transmitters. “Shoot him. Full force. Do not let that bastard—”

Before any bullets could fire, Dante swept out with his fire. It rose—and the security screen went blank.

Jon’s gaze flew around the monitor bank. Every security screen had gone blank, and there were over fifteen cameras installed out there.

The facility was for research, not long-term containment. It sure couldn’t hold off someone of the phoenix’s strength.

“I don’t think he’s going to wait for her to come out.” Dr. Shaw edged toward the door.

No, he wasn’t. The phoenix was coming in, and Jon knew he’d burn anyone who got between him and Cassie.

Jon also knew he couldn’t lose Cassie. She was vital to his mission goals. “Take him down!” he ordered once more then rushed from the room and ran back toward the lab. Toward Cassie.

He shoved open the door. She was still strapped on the table, and her gaze was still fixed on the light.

He grabbed the scalpel and sliced away the straps that held her down. He pulled her up, but her head sagged back weakly. “Cassie!”

She didn’t respond.

“I’m going to destroy your phoenix, you know that, right?”

Still nothing.

“Lieutenant Colonel?” Dr. Shaw’s voice shook. She’d been racing behind him in the hallway. “He won’t get in . . . will he?”

Yes, he would. “He’s going to smell her blood on your hands.”

The other doctors were there, too. They’d backed away the instant Jon had grabbed the scalpel.

“He’ll probably try to kill you all first.”

There was a sharp gasp and two of the doctors immediately ran for the doors.

Fools. What had they thought would happen? That paranormal research would be a safe occupation?

“B-but we didn’t—” Dr. Shaw began, sputtering as the faint color leeched from her cheeks.

Jon pulled Cassie into his arms. Wherever she’d gone in her mind, the lady wasn’t even close to coming back yet. “You cut her open.”