Firestorm

Prologue

Flowing into the command room, Azar-Rai Granger hovered, gaze on the built-in desk which ran the length of one wall. The blaze was slow to eat through here as it was in other areas of the compound, and it puzzled her, making her curious about the components comprising the structure.

Nothing was impervious or nearly impervious to her fires.

The single man at the desk held a radio in his hand and his green face was pinched into lines of distress as he worked the keys on a keyboard with one clawed hand.

We need help here, dammit, I said now! he thundered and slammed the radio onto the desk, but it didn’t so much as protest beneath the rough handling.

Azar-Rai came human as she moved across the floor, her original goal—no this probably had been the goal all along, she just hadn’t known it until now—came clear in her mind.

Whatcha doing?

He looked up and his black eyes flared in surprise. Witch. He held up a hand and the energy that issued forth catching her off guard, sent her sailing across the room.

She smashed into the dark wall that felt like steel at her side. Her head jerked with the impact and tapped the wall, drawing a groan from her.

He was on his feet, hand outstretched, and a metallic sound sliced through her eardrums seconds before chunks of rock surrounded her. She tried to shift, but felt heavy and drowsed.

Rock bit into her legs and sliced through skin. She bit back a cry of pain and he laughed.

You’re not as strong as you thought, are you, witch? he sneered. This is my house.

An energetic wall of rough energy slammed into her, pinning her against the wall. The air grew heavy, and dense, little air flowed through, and her limbs refused to move. Metal grating against metal was the only sound she heard, though he appeared to be laughing at her.

What’s the matter, witch? he asked mockingly. Cat got your powers? He was laughing again, but everything came to her as if through water.

She wiggled, gasped in air, but it was so heavy with metal and rock it burned her nostrils going in and made her stomach lurch.

The four-points spell was a dark and deadly spell that trapped the attacked in a cocoon of soundlessness and rock that eventually crushed the mind. It was all illusion as she recalled and a very nasty one at that. It was one of the more interesting forms of glamour she’d ever come across.

Closing her eyes, she shut out the metal. Once trapped, most didn’t survive because they had no idea how to work free of the points, but she’d been broken to dark magick on the forms of this spell.

Her chest felt gritty, and she knew if she took in much more even the fire—the fire. She gave herself over to the fire, becoming flames inside before shifting into air.

What? he exclaimed. You’re a fairy fire shifter? You still can’t escape me.

Azar-Rai slithered around the gnome, silent as air and slammed into the back of his head causing him to pitch forward.

You’re guarding this room for a reason, aren’t you? she asked softly. What is it?

He rolled onto his back and the wood of the floor shot up at her. Azar-Rai let out a cry as a piece smacked her cheek. A splinter cut into her skin and flame danced on her face, burning it away as her airy body grew hotter.

The gnome got to his feet, face contorted in a mask of determination, and she flew at him. At the same time, he launched more rock at her. The debris collided with the electromagnetic field surrounding her elemental body and the rocks shattered into flinty pieces that blew back on time.

He let out a scream as he was assaulted by his own handiwork, and she flew up his nose and into his brain, a wisp of air. He blew out hard, but she sank into his mind, shattering his mental shields and sucking out the information inside before turning him into a flame from the inside out.

He howled as she exited his body, and Azar-Rai watched him burn to ash before going to the computer, but it was already locked down.

She was no hacker, and didn’t even have time to try, so she set the equipment on fire and headed out. On exiting the building through a window, Azar-Rai found her partner outside on the porch. He was fighting off two gnomes with little success. So she became a fireball and barreled into one attacker while Keon kicked the other gnome in the knee, breaking the cap.

She became human and faced the house. Fire lit her fingertips, and Azar-Rai flung her hand forward. The dull glow raced toward the structure four steps in front of her, igniting the home in a blaze. She watched the brick burn for a moment and blew a slow breath that met the fire, causing it to flare and spread.

Let’s go, Keon called.

She turned to her brother, not by DNA. No, her relationship with Keon had been forged in the fires of survival.

She went to him and closed her arm around his waist and shifted into a breeze that carried them away from the scene of their latest assault.

Chapter One

Madison Carloni pulled her truck to a rocking stop in time to see the reddish glow streak across the sky. She leaped out along with the couple in the cab next to her and rushed up the driveway.

Fuck, Madison. The woman’s tight words jerked her gaze to her face. Her brown eyes were wide, though there was nothing but anger burning in them.

Son of a bitch, a male voice exclaimed. What is going on?

She didn’t glance behind her at the human who’d been attached to her organization at the behest of Necron, the righthand man of the ruling leader of the demon Underworld. She heard the wonder in his tone as she shifted her gaze to the house.

The brick and wood siding were burning as demons attempted to escape. They couldn’t break out despite the frantic attempts they made.

It’s like a prison, Duncan, the human male, murmured in a tone rife with horror. Can’t you do something?

No, Madison muttered. We’ll have to wait for it to burn off. It’s Fairy Fire Wing.

Which is? Duncan demanded. He had a bit of a clue, but he wasn’t up on fairy magic so it would pay to be sure since his life could be forfeit if he made any mistakes.

It’s a fire inferno spell created by fairies for dark witches, the woman next to Madison said. Necron will be furious at this betrayal.

Madison snorted as she jerked the sleek cell phone from its holster attached to the waistband of her worn, low slung jeans. She paced several steps away from the house and began doing a quick walk through to see if the entire compound was on fire.

If the fire fairies turned against Necron, he was going to have a hell of a fight on his hands. Air fed fire. The aurai would put a smack down on the demons that would leave the demons smoldering for years.

She put the phone on speaker as she walked and listened for the familiar voice of the man who’d sent her here. She was in charge of her own fate, her own destiny, or so she’d thought when she’d joined the Dark Hollow Coven years ago.

Her attempt to break away from her family had looked good on the surface, but hadn’t been easy when it came right down to it for one simple reason. She carried Carloni blood and Carlonis never turned their backs on family.

Report, came the icy command of her cousin, Jeno. Jeno was one of the high priests of her family, and he’d willingly gone into the ranks of the Underworld’s leader.

The place is burning, but the good news is not all of it is, Madison said as she stared past the main house to a few of the other cottages where demons stood on porches watching, enraged.

The main house? he asked.

Yes, and the houses in the north are gone, while the others are burning more slowly. It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen, she murmured. The person or persons who did this employed some gnome magick.

Impossible, Jeno said tightly. Most of the gnomes in the area are aligned with Kryto.

Kryto, the reigning Underworld leader who’d made the mistake of aligning with the good witches to create a Dual Congress. She thought it was bad news for them all, especially the dark witches who would be forced to answer to good witches for the unsavory things they did.

However, the long arm of the law could be brought down on the rebel witches for this, not that it would do much good without a force to blame.

Look around, see if you can determine if this was betrayal or the case of a smart witch, he ordered. Necron will want full details, and I want to be able to give them to him.

Then you should send another team out here because I have work to do, Jeno, she snapped. I have clients to—

That is your work, he cut her off sharply. Dark Hollow has been conscripted into the ranks as part of my team. You’ll do as you’re told or else, cousin.

Don’t pull that shit on me, Madison growled. I don’t have any desire to be part of this shit. You can damn well do whatever you want, Jeno, but you can’t force me to hop on the bandwagon with you.

I can and I will, he snapped. Necron will kill you and every one of your remaining employees and coven members if you don’t join with him against the witches and aurai and their allies.

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Madison closed it, anger snaking through her, burning her gut.

You can do this the hard way or my way, he said. The rest of your people are already aware of what’s in store for them. They were at the meeting last night, but you, smartass, thinking you’re immune just like your pal, Selene, weren’t. If you aren’t careful, you’ll end up dead just like her.

Selene had been her coven leader and boss. Her death had bequeathed everything Selene had to her as the second in command of the coven.

I’m in control of my own life, Madison gritted out as she turned her back to the burning scene. She’d joined Dark Hollow to prove that, despite her family’s objections and protests. I don’t want this.

Then you’ll die and there is nothing I or the rest of the family can do to protect you, he told her coolly. Think it over.

She let out a low growl, breath huffing in and out of her fast, shoulders rising and falling. I can’t believe you. Why would you go and join them? They mean us no good.

The dark-breeds, half demon and half humans were on the lowest rung of the power totem pole. The pure demons mocked them and viewed them with scorn. They had useful skills the demons coveted and never hesitated in forcing them to use them against the enemies of the demons when possible.

Fine, she said coldly. Fine. I’ll do my bit.

Report to me after. He ended the call, and she turned back the way she’d come just as an explosion rocked the house.

She didn’t have time to let out so much as a scream before being thrown toward an arriving car.

****

Something wasn’t right about that building, Keon called.

His voice was low, but carried from the living room of the small house Azar-Rai rented near the Warehouse District.

I know. She braided her hair and gave the ends a brief look. The black held hints of copper now and the curl looked as if it was starting to loosen to waves. The place felt different than the other ones.

How’d you find out about it? he asked, his tone curious.

She sighed, her lips flattening momentarily. Keon had been a good friend to her in the years after their escape. He’d been the only one who could possibly understand the nightmares and constant fear she’d lived in. He’d been the sane one while she’d been the strength during their brief time on the streets.

His family had found them and taken him home while Azar-Rai had gone into foster care. She hadn’t been there long when Keon’s aunt had adopted her. He had no doubt been the reason for that.

I got a tip, she said as she pulled her blouse on over the camisole and buttoned it before heading for the living room. Someone who said it was a place worth checking out. I’m glad I listened. That place is like a fortress.

Not if we got into it, he commented dryly.

We went in by air, you dick, she said and fell onto the loveseat, angling her body to face him where he sat on a chair. The energy was stifling and dark, too. Did you find out anything or were you just playing around?

He gave her an amused snort. Right. Playing around. Before I was attacked, I stumbled onto a small cache of some kind of strange metal. Then the gnome came in.

Did you get any of it?

Unfortunately not, he said. But there was something strange about it. It sort of glowed and felt like rock.

I think some of the buildings must be made out of it, Azar-Rai said. We need to get back in there. The computer system was locked down. I set them on fire, but I doubt that changes anything.

Probably not, since the intel is more than likely backed up someplace else, Keon said. I also happened upon a dark breed who was talking to some guy. It looked like he was making a deal because the girl handed something off to him.

Like what? she asked with a frown. Azar-Rai had gotten the impression that was a home base, not a place where the demons would bring visitors or do deals.

He shrugged and his expression closed up which put her on alert.

What did they exchange? What was said? she demanded, sitting forward. Tell me.

Why don’t you tell me why we were really there, he snapped. You haven’t been honest with me since you got your new job.

Yes, I have, she muttered.

She’d gone to work at the Local Council three years ago as an assistant. Her degree in witch law had qualified her for the job. On the other hand, it was her connections that had gained her the promotion to councilor.

She’d replaced a powerful and popular councilor who’d gone to work for the Dual Congress which was based in New York at the moment.

You’re such a liar, he said softly, shaking his head. I know you’re keeping something from me. I just can’t figure out what.

You want to know? Azar-Rai asked. I’ve been working with Amara Holt.

Are you crazy? he demanded. She’s a treacherous bitch who’s just going to stab you in the back someday soon.

Azar-Rai shrugged. I’ve got it under control. Now, tell me what else you saw.

What did she want you to do?

What I did, she said through gritted teeth. "A couple of hits are being ordered in the next day or two on a couple