His Fire Maiden Read Online Free PDF

of them tried.
    Inside the base, the air was stale, tainted by the gut-churning smell of roasting meats. The artificial sun lights gave a low hum. In the docking area the ceilings were high, but from what he could tell, the military base was shaped like a squashed sphere, tapering in height the closer one walked toward the outer edges. The high center point was where they entered, through a tall column that would expand out of the sands to let ships come and go. Overhead a combination of steel beams and windows did little to give the feeling of space. He wondered why they bothered with windows at all. The sand moving past the large panes made it feel like being buried alive. Below, workers aimed lasers at welded bolts, tediously reinforcing them one by one to protect the compound from sand erosion. They were quite the marksmen.
    “About bloody time,” Jackson swore, shaking Dev from his thoughts.
    Dev followed his friend’s gaze to the far side of the docks. Evan carried Josselyn, his arms strained as he rushed toward the ship. The base guards eyed Evan as he passed. Their hostility became palpable, thickening the air.
    Dev instantly moved down to the bottom of the plank to make sure no one went for a gun or tried to stop their departure. He knew Josselyn had come to Rifflen seeking revenge and had most likely found it. What he didn’t understand was why the base’s officials were letting them fly out of there unharmed. But then who was he to question a bit of good fortune?
    “Jackson,” Evan called, stumbling. Jackson rushed down the plank and across the docking area to help Evan carry Josselyn on board.
    Dev’s eyes swept from soldier to soldier, calculating the risk. He listened to the sound of his friends’ footsteps. Suddenly, everything seemed to stop.
    A woman emerged on the far side of the docks following Evan, arms crossed, green eyes hard. Curly brown hair danced around her chin as she moved. The soft locks were at odds with her fierce demeanor. The slender tailoring of her outfit, tight brown pants, and matching deep cut top, accented her tall figure. He found himself studying the curve of her hip and the long line of her legs. Her lips were pressed together in irritation, but they were full and red—the kind of lips that could command men with harsh orders or soft kisses. Dev wasn’t sure which would be more effective a method, but he knew which he would prefer.
    She neared the docking plank, shouldering past a few members of the crowd to stand several paces away from him. Her eyes met his. He didn’t like what her look did to him. Desire surged to his surface, hotter than an exploding Bravon sun. Electric fire snapped between them. He wanted to kiss her but had a feeling she would prefer to shoot him. An entire conversation happened in that one look without words ever needing to be spoken.
    “Who is that woman?” Dev asked, before he could stop himself.
    Evan glanced to where he indicated. “Captain Violette. Long story, but the short version is she’s not too happy with us. I’ll fill everyone in once we’re in orbit.”
    Dev didn’t detect fear buried in the raw emotion swimming in Violette’s gaze, not even a glimmer of it. She looked too delicate to be so tough, and yet his years of training told him not to underestimate this woman.
    “Walk straight,” Dev whispered gruffly, grabbing Evan’s arm and practically dragging him up the plank. They needed to get off the base, but more importantly, he needed away from that woman. He didn’t like the rush of emotion that filled him when he looked at her—curiosity, desire, protectiveness. He was a warrior always ready for battle, but even he could admit when it was best to retreat. “We don’t want to be stuck here waiting for the next chance to take off.”
    Not for the first time since it happened, Dev thought of An’s curse. Evan’s destiny had been realized with Josselyn when they found her imprisoned in stone on an ice tundra of a