On Fire

She looked up at him, and his breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful, and for an instant the outside world fell away. Desire raced through his system, sucking him into a tornado of sensation that spun him around and spit him out.

“I can’t see him…I feel him.”

Kade raked his hand over his head and tried to translate her words into something that made sense. “I wish to hell I knew what you were talking about.”

She grabbed his arm and pulled him around to the side of the ambulance. “I’m psychic. There, I’ve said it. If you can make sense of it, great. If you can’t, too bad.”

He was ready with a humorous comeback, but her teeth were clenched, her face serious, her expression close to desperation. Something he knew far too much about these days.

“I had no idea.” What was he supposed to do? Indulge her fantasy? “So where is he? Give me a direction, something to go on. That’s what you do, right?”

She closed her eyes and extended her hands, palms facing forward. Like something out of a science-fiction movie, she turned in a circle.

Kade held his breath, hope knotting his nerves together, but reality set in as she finished her pirouette and opened her eyes.

This was nuts. He squeezed his cane handle, considering her odd demeanor with skepticism.

“Over your right shoulder, there’s a grove of trees. He’s hiding there.”

Should he believe her? Or should he stuff her in a squad car and get to work on this investigation using material he could see with his own eyes?

“Fine, you can discount my empathic observation, or you can check it out for yourself.”

How had she known about his doubts, or how deep they ran inside his head? “I’ll humor you this once, Savannah. Then you’re going downtown.”

If his statement frightened her, it didn’t show on her face. Her slight, “you’ll see” smile, however, bothered him. She could have staged the scene to throw the investigation in another direction, away from her, but there was only one way to find out.

He turned, spotted the grove of trees and limped toward them.

The stagnant air was heavy with humidity and smoke. He made his way across the span of lawn to the point where the grove stood as a gateway into a densely wooded area, thick with water oak and pine.

The light stopped where the tangle of vegetation began. He hesitated. The hair on his neck bristled and oddly enough, he could feel her watching him, nudging him forward, begging him to accept her proof. Believe her claim…take the bait.

He shook it off and stepped into the grove, listening for the sound of movement, anything that would indicate he wasn’t alone.

Irritation jetted through him as he moved deeper into the stand, determined to disprove her information.

The grass rustled to his left.

He focused on a cluster of shadows and stepped toward the sound, ready to scare the hell out of whatever small creature had the unfortunate luck of crossing his path.

A flurry of movement disoriented him. He heard footsteps behind him, but it was too late.

Someone slammed an object against the back of his head and his world went black.

SAVANNAH’S MIND went blank for an instant.

Kade was in trouble.

In a full sprint, she ran to the grove, pausing near the overgrown opening, before pushing into the center of the trees.

The light was minimal, but she could just make out the shape of a body on the ground. “Kade!”

He moaned. “Get out! Run!”

“He’s gone.” She knelt next to him, helping him into a sitting position. She brushed his shoulder with her hand, feeling a degree of his pain.

“Looks like you and your mom get to share an ambulance ride tonight.”

“I don’t need an ambulance. I need the guy who just tried to take my head off.”

“I should have warned you.”

“You knew this was going to happen?”

“Not exactly, but I felt his desperation when you cornered him.”

“I’d like to say I believe you, but…”

“Save it, Decker. I eat skeptics for breakfast and I’ve dined on the finest. Why do you think I hide my abilities and my eye color? It’s to protect myself from people like you.” She picked up his cane and stood up, feeling exhausted.

“Can you get up on your own?” She already knew he could, but she helped him to his feet anyway, placing the cane in his hand.

“What’s wrong with your hip?”

“I was in an accident.”

“Is it painful?” She knew the answer; she’d tapped into the sensation.

“For the most part, yeah. But I’m working through it.”

She pulled his arm around her shoulder and they stumbled out of the grove in silence.

Nick Brandt spotted them and crossed the lawn, a frown on his face. “This isn’t summer camp kids. It’s no time to be sneaking off into the woods.”

Kade grinned at his friend, but didn’t take his arm off Savannah’s shoulder. He liked the way she fit next to him, liked the tension he felt trapped inside her body screaming to get out. It was sweet torture with a twist. The contact made him feel better, eased his pain.

“You’ll like what we found on our foray. A voyeur with a club. He was watching.”

“I’ll get a team in here. If he left anything behind, we’ll find it.”

“Then there’s Dr. Dawson.” He purposely stared down at her. “She arrived on scene in her nightie again. Better check her for residue.”

“He really needs the bump on his head examined. It’s affecting his brain.”

He liked the glimmer of challenge he saw in her cool blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, doc, but you’ll have to come with me.”