Blood Flame (The Flame Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

these dead lovers, was love, something he would never know, not in this life. He wasn’t deserving on any level.
    Suddenly, Iris clutched his arm. “Connor!” Her voice carried panic.
    He turned to her. “What?”
    She released his arm and spread her hands wide, but stared down at her feet or maybe at the bridge pavement. He knew witches sometimes had a sixth sense about things. “What’s going on?”
    She met his gaze, her dark eyes panicky. “The stones of the bridge structure are talking to me. I know you don’t trust me because I’m a witch, but can you levitate us the hell out of here? This bridge is going to blow.”
    He didn’t think twice, but picked her up and shot into the air. He flew straight up and as he did a deafening boom shattered the night sky. The resulting force blasted him hard, propelling him higher and higher. Bridge shrapnel bruised him but good. He could feel his pants getting ripped to shreds, though his boots seemed to be holding steady.
    The witch held him tight, both arms wrapped around his neck, her head buried against his shoulder. Flying pieces of pavement kept hitting him, most ricocheting off the bottom of his boots. They had to be delivering up some hurt to her as well.
    “How you doin’?”
    “My ass. Jesus H. Christ, that hurts!”
    He had no idea who’d set the bomb, but he was pretty sure it was meant for him and for Iris, too. What he couldn’t figure out was why. Who would want them both dead?
    ~ ~ ~
    Iris trembled for more than one reason. She hurt, the bomb had scared her to death, and she had her arms wrapped around Connor. And he was the source of way too many fantasies that could never be fulfilled.
    “Can you loosen your grip?” he asked, his voice sounding hoarse.
    “Yes.” She slowly released the stranglehold.
    The truth was, she’d never flown before and the sight of the earth so far below freaked her out.
    His voice rumbled against her ear. “I’ve got you.”
    For some reason, those exact words and in the man’s low timbre did something to her, made her wish her life was different.
    Made her wish he was anything but a vampire.
    She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this close to a man, any man. Her life in Elegance Territory and as a TPS officer had left her hardened, displaced, and alone.
    “I take it you haven’t been in the air before.”
    “No.” The word came out on a squeak.
    “Don’t look down. It’ll be easier that way.”
    This had all been too much. She was flying for the first time and a Trib assignment had resulted in an explosion on Sentinel Bridge. But equally unsettling was the discovery that a witch she knew had taken a vampire for a lover.
    All this, in less than an hour.
    She was also cut up and had to spend a lot of her energy healing the wounds on her backside and legs.
    As Connor continued to fly her north, she kept her gaze fixed on the distant line of lights, where Phoenix still thrived safely beyond a heavily patrolled border. It was only a couple of miles away, but might as well have been separated by an ocean.
    “Where are you taking me?” She knew they were well inside Crescent Territory. She could also feel he’d begun his descent.
    “My place. I’ve got a few cuts and bruises I need to get fixed up and my pants are shredded. How about you?”
    “My butt hurts and I’m feeling the cold air where I shouldn’t.”
    She felt him chuckle as he descended in front of a townhouse, landing on the front porch.
    Once on solid ground, she found she had a hard time letting go. The muscles in her arms were stiff from holding on. She dragged them off his shoulders and shook them out.
    She’d almost died back there.
    And now she owed Connor. She stared at him, trying to form a sentence to offer her gratitude, but all she did was purse her lips. Nothing would come out.
    Connor frowned at her. “You’re in shock. Let’s get you taken care of. I have a nice Cabernet Sauvignon, if you like wine.”
    “Thanks.”