Fused in Fire (Fire and Ice Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  Fused in Fire

  Fire and Ice Trilogy, 3

  K.F. Breene

  Copyright © 2017 by K.F. Breene

  All rights reserved. The people, places and situations contained in this ebook are figments of the author’s insane imagination and in no way reflect real or true events.

  Cover by:

  Eric Wilkerson

  http://ericwilkersonart.com/

  Contents

  Fused in Fire

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  Also by K.F. Breene

  About the Author

  Fused in Fire

  I thought the threat from Seattle was finished. That we showed up in time and took care of business.

  I hate being wrong. It really ruins my day.

  When Roger, the alpha of the North American pack, shows up at my door with the news that a demon has made it to the Underworld with knowledge of me, some hard decisions have to be made.

  Do I stay above ground, with all my magical friends, and wait for the battle to come to me? Or do I seek the demon out, and pluck the threat out by the root?

  I don’t want my friends to die on my behalf. I could never life with myself. But if I venture into the Underworld, it’ll be the most perilous journey of my life.

  This time, it isn’t just my life hanging in the balance, it is my eternity.

  Chapter One

  Fifty yards. That was all that separated me from the lethal, pasty-white monster intent on slicing me in half. Long, gnarled fingers ending in wicked claws dangled at the sides of stringy, bowed legs. Sharp fangs descended from black gums, and swampy-looking skin sank between sharp ribs.

  The thing was hideous. I would never get used to the vampire monster form, a vampire’s stronger, faster form that allowed it to inflict incredible damage. This monster in particular, an elder, could boggle the mind with his power and viciousness.

  Knees bent, mind focused, I waited with my hands slightly in front of me. As soon as he made a move, the time allotted me to plan or strategize—hell, even to yell oh shit!—would be minimal. I would only be able to react and hope my weapons landed before his did.

  The vampire twitched. I flinched.

  Fooled me.

  Stillness resumed, drowning the area in silence. A battle was about to kick off, like it had every couple days for the last month and a half since Darius had given me this large warehouse.

  I yanked out ole trusty, my sword, while desperately trying to access the ice magic that allowed me to fling things telekinetically. It was a super-cool power in theory, but each time I used it, the cold energy expanded to fill my entire body, freezing my humanity, stealing my breath and my emotions.

  Using the ice power reminded me of my heritage. Reminded me that, technically, I was demon royalty—and if I wasn’t careful, I’d become just like the horrible, disgusting demon that had awakened this ability in me. I’d defeated Agnon in Seattle, but I’d never forget how it had used its power to turn humans into violent, vengeful horror shows.

  I feared I would lose myself every time the cold power consumed my body, and that very fear was blocking my ability. I knew that, but I couldn’t seem to get around it.

  “Waiting for this to start is easily the worst thing about training,” I said. Rocks of all sizes and other debris littered the ground near the walls. “Darius’s monster form is a close second.”

  Callie huffed from her position way off to the right. Her husband Dizzy tsked, away to the left and (hopefully) out of the danger zone. The four of us made a big diamond.

  “Reagan, that isn’t very nice,” Dizzy said. He adjusted the football helmet covering his head. “He can’t help what his fighting form looks like. I bet you never make fun of shifters after they change.”

  “They turn into furry, pettable creatures.” I rolled my shoulders.

  “She makes fun of shifters before they change,” Callie said with a grin. She palmed her helmet, which was a size too big. “Why are we wearing these things, Dizzy? It flops down and then I can barely see. That’s got to be more dangerous than not wearing one.”

  “Remember the last time?” he asked, his voice rising. “Reagan exploded our spell and blasted us.”

  “I fell on my butt that time. Not my head.” Callie adjusted the satchel draped around her shoulder and across her chest. “Give me a butt guard if you’re so concerned.”

  “You need a mouth guard,” he muttered, bending back the flap on his own satchel so ingredients and spells were easily reached.

  I shook my head to wipe away the smile. I loved when the dual mages ragged on each other, but now wasn’t the time. I had to focus. I had to pretend they’d actually kill me if given the chance, which was hard when I knew the worst I was likely to be subjected to was some deep gashes—something that was, annoyingly enough, not enough to jump-start my ice magic.

  Sometimes I really hated my fast-and-loose approach to danger.

  I cleared my mind and saw my surroundings with fresh eyes.

  Two high-powered mages waited to the sides of the cavernous space, facing me, pulling ingredients out of their bags in preparation to take me down. In front of me, a mere fifty yards away, waited an incredibly fast monster, his arms slightly out to the sides and claws splayed. He surveyed me as prey. As something he would capture, consume, and toss aside.

  The vampire launched forward. Faster than thought. Headed in a straight line right for me, his claws out, his fangs dripping saliva.

  “Oh sh—” I threw up a sheet of flame, forcing him to run through it. His black, stringy hair caught fire. He kept coming, ignoring the pain I knew my fire must have caused him.

  A jet of red streaked toward me from the right. I ripped the fire from its current location, shifting it into the path of the hex. I unraveled the spell easily as green shot toward me from the other side.

  Then Darius was right in front of me, slashing. His claws raked my leg before I could block. Searing pain bit into my flesh. I grimaced as I slashed with my sword, cutting his side. He dodged back, but I didn’t have the chance to advance on him. A tornado had filled the warehouse, the turbulent air whipping at my hair, my clothes, and even my sword. I sent a stream of fire to disintegrate it as Darius slashed again. The triumph of dodging him was short-lived. He bodily picked me up and threw me.

  “Use your power!” Callie yelled at me. I could barely hear her over the roar of a magical beast somewhere in the vicinity. That had to be one of Dizzy’s spells. He loved making larger-than-life creatures that were all bark and very little bite.

  I ignored it as I hit the ground and rolled. Claws came at my face.

  I flinched and rolled again, jumping up and catching the arm already coming at me. Before I could throw him over my shoulder, a spell splatted my ankle. Instant agony throbbed up my leg.


  Darius spun, whipping me around. I flew again, right toward a massive tiger with glowing red eyes and too-large teeth. It opened its mouth as I neared, unable to stop myself or alter course, before chomping down on my middle.

  Another flare of intense pain joined that of my ankle. I hollered but retained the presence of mind to cut down with my sword, stabbing the animal’s amazingly real-looking shoulder. Glowing red seeped through the honey of its magical fur before the spell burst, spraying out magical knives.

  Heat coursed through me. I made fire coat my body, fizzling the magical projectiles as they hit and neutralizing the spell that had attached itself to my ankle. My power now raging within me, I turned up the heat intensity but reduced the size of the flame, making a sort of head-to-toe body armor.

  Darius grabbed my arm, probably intending to throw me again. Instead, he flinched almost immediately. His hand sizzled.

  “Ouch, huh?” I said, blasting him in the face with more flame. “There go your eyebrows. It’s the worst, I know.”

  He reeled backward. I landed two quick punches into his middle and swiped my foot toward his legs. He jumped over it and shoved me, sending me rolling across the floor like a tumbleweed. A green spell hit my fire armor and exploded, knocking me backward for another ride across the floor.

  My head thunked against the concrete floor. I made sheets of fire drape down around me on all sides, closing me in and hopefully giving me a moment to recover.

  A ghastly face pushed through the layers of flame, followed by that swampy body. He struck, those three-inch claws aimed center mass. Fear shot through me, tied to my survival instinct. Cold surged up, out of nowhere, hampering my fire. The heat around us dwindled and the ice throbbed in my middle. Strange thoughts crowded my head before I realized they weren’t mine.

  She is not making enough progress, I heard from Darius.

  Darius is improving beyond measure, Dizzy thought.

  That vampire better not hurt her, or I will make it wish it wasn’t turned, came from Callie.

  My breath dried up and I reacted without thinking. Air condensed in front of me. Sparks flew as Darius’s claws cut through my invisible shield. I pushed outward. An explosion of magic picked the vampire up off his feet and hurtled him across the room.

  Rage rose inside me. Vengeance. Every dark emotion I’d ever had, intensified.

  I am solely yours, mon ange, for all eternity, echoed from Darius’s mind as he skidded across the ground. I loved when he called me his angel, a sentiment that was hard to hang on to just now. You are my sanctuary. My soul.

  Your mother would be proud, echoed from Callie. She loved you so much.

  Is this the part where I’m supposed to think things to help her? Dizzy asked himself.

  The cold throbbed within me, radiating out from my middle and through my limbs. Rocks and boulders rose into the sky from near the walls, hovering. Darius stopped rolling and jumped to his feet, facing me again. His body flexed, ready to attack, but this time, I wasn’t nervous. This time, I wanted to pull his arms out of the sockets and toss them away. I wanted to punch into his chest and yank out his blackened, still-beating heart.

  Two streams of magic came at me from either direction. My fire licked at the ice magic, begging to be used, but most of its potency was blocked.

  That didn’t matter.

  I flicked my hand, lazily tossing up an invisible wall. I didn’t know how my magic could manipulate the very air, but it did, and in some situations it worked even better than the fire.

  The spells hit it and melted, sending steam curling upward. A laugh left my mouth, inhuman and raspy. A demonic sound.

  I saw Callie and Dizzy retreating, heading for the door. It had just gotten too dangerous for them. I was too dangerous for them. But I couldn’t come back. I’d forgotten how to turn away from the aching need to tear apart the world and every living thing within it.

  Rage beat in time to my heart, begging me to kill.

  No, to permanently maim.

  No, to use a living being like a puppet. To turn the human race into my slaves.

  But first, I would make this vampire beg to serve me. I would devour him.

  He ran at me, his movements graceful, his speed slower than it had been. No, I realized, he was moving just as quickly—my reactions had sped up to match his. When he reached me, I dodged his strike and countered. His rib cracked.

  Something deep inside of me quailed. My fire fluttered to life, but the cold quickly doused it again.

  I picked up the vampire and threw him, slamming him against the far wall. The sweet agony of wrath pounded through me, harnessing the rage, the hate, the glory of destruction, and turning it into a vicious soup.

  I rose into the sky—five feet, then ten—and hovered there. The rocks sailed toward me, and I made them circle my person as I drifted toward the faltering vampire. Shields of air filled the spaces between the rocks. If a spell or attack came, I would be completely covered.

  Pull back, my beloved. Focus on me. Stay with me. Darius rose to his knees with obvious effort.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized how much pain that meant he was in.

  My fire fluttered up again, but I couldn’t latch on to it. The cold surged up in greater power, sucking me under. Wiping out my ability to feel anything but hate. Making it impossible to want anything but destruction.

  “Will you not fight, vampire?” My voice clawed out of my throat, sickly and cracking. “Are you content to remain on your knees before me, like a coward?”

  “I will always remain on my knees before you, my love. I will fight for that right. I am yours.” The pasty monster turned back into a man. Deep burns covered parts of his skin. Rips and scrapes marred his chest and arms. A bump in his ribs suggested a bad break. “Find yourself, Reagan,” he said softly. “Come back to me.”

  Rushing filled my ears. The need to kill flashed through me, impossible to deny. I flung a boulder at Darius, intending to crush him.

  Eyes solemn, he didn’t move. He’d lived through some of the bleakest times in human history, not to mention other magical creatures’ attempts to wipe out his kind, only to wait on his knees for an out-of-control demon-woman to end his life. A thousand years for this…

  It is always a woman. His thought echoed, something he’d said before our first intimate encounter in Seattle.

  His undoing was always related to a woman.

  The rock veered at the last moment, punching through the wall to his right.

  I screamed in frustrated rage, warring with myself. More rocks flung themselves at the walls all around him. They crashed against the ground. Ricocheted off the ceiling. The door ripped off its hinges. The larger loading bay doors flew outward, twisted and bent. Glass shattered, littering the warehouse floor.

  Still I hovered, in turmoil. Freezing. Trying to fight my way back, but not sure how.

  “Remember your mother,” Darius said softly. I somehow heard him over all the noise of my destruction. “She, too, kneeled before you. Remember the stories you’ve told me in the quiet hours we’ve spent together. She would’ve given her life for you, as I will. Remember her.”

  Memories crowded in, of my mother on the bright green grass in front of me, her head bowed, telling me to either end her life or fight for my own. Her again, this time decked out in leather and sweating as the forest around us roared with flame. More images, of a similar battle I had fought with myself, trying not to lose myself to the lure of my power. To the feel of my magic.

  That had been with the fire.

  Now I battled with the ice.

  “It is within you, Reagan. Your strength far surpasses your power. Come back to me.”

  Emotion welled up. Using it, I internally grabbed at the fire magic and yanked it up from my depths. Like ink in water, the two halves of my magic feathered around each other, but they would not merge.

  Balls of flame sprang to life throughout the warehouse. I dropped a few feet in t
he air. Any rocks I hadn’t yet thrown dropped with me, becoming ten times heavier. The rage receded and the agony of heat rose until the two were nearly the same potency.

  I inhaled a lungful of sweet air, sighing it out in relief a moment later. Both halves of my magic throbbed, equally functional but not very strong. It was all I could manage.

  “Can you rise higher?” Darius asked me, standing in jerky movements. He clearly hurt something awful.

  A pang of guilt hit me. The rocks around me plunked down onto the concrete, becoming too heavy for me to keep afloat. The fire kept on, though, moving lazily through the air.

  Wanting to make his sacrifice worth something, I focused on the dull ache of cold and tried to push myself higher. Instead, exhaustion came over me and I sank. An echo of his thoughts twirled, just outside of my grasp.

  “That’s it, I think.” I let the fire wink out. “That’s all I’ve got.” I shook my head, the guilt intensifying. I half wished I couldn’t remember the things I did under the influence of the cold power. “I’m sorry about…you know.”

  A furrow creased his brow as he stiffly walked toward me. “You have learned to cap your fire magic.”

  I frowned as he stopped in front of me and feathered a thumb across one of my eyebrows. I may not have gotten enough of a hold on the ice magic to stay sane, but at least I could use it to prevent the fire from making me look weird. You had to look at the silver lining.

  “A cap?” I asked, surprised. I’d thought he was going to comment on my apology. He usually told me not to be absurd.