Blaze of Fury by Storm Savage Read Free Book Online Page A

have
herself together and promised to take things very slowly with the
boy. I can’t deny her. Will you allow me to cancel this last job?”
She offered him her cell phone. “Read for yourself what Sienna said
if you don’t believe me.”
    Ice accepted the phone and read the messages.
Not a hint of emotion traced his face as he read.
    “I rarely see love like this between a mother
and daughter. You travel the same wave with her.” He looked up from
reading. “I will honor your request and let the boy live…for
now.”
    “This isn’t a case of backing down. I am not
afraid to finish. I just don’t want to hurt my daughter if a
glimmer of hope exists. The kid is still extremely immature.
Perhaps now that the ringleaders have been taken out he will change
his ways.” She paused with a grateful look. “Thank you…thank you
for taking Jona out. He was pure evil.”
    “I must admit, I am impressed by your genuine
nature.” He handed the phone back to her.
    Sasha smiled slightly with a casual shrug.
“I’m just me. I don’t bow to peoples’ standards and I follow my
heart. Doesn’t exactly make me very popular as most people I know
turn themselves inside out to fit into this world. I was shut away
from society for such a long time that I have no social circle to
impress.”
    “What do you do for a living?”
    “I own a small bakery. After the divorce I
used my settlement share to open the shop. I make enough to get by
and I can work alone, which I prefer. I do my baking by night and
Sienna runs the sales counter by day.”
    “Sounds like you dropped out of the
mainstream a while ago.”
    “Yeah…a long time ago…” Her thoughts drifted
for a few moments over her past. So much heartache and trauma—she
wondered how she’d survived at all. “Life doesn’t always play by
the rules.”
    “No, it sure as hell doesn’t,” he said, then
added, “Are you hungry?”
    She nodded. “Perhaps we should tend to your
wound first.”
    “I’m fine. I heal fast.” He grabbed the
cooked fish off the grate then tossed them onto paper plates.
“Let’s eat.”
    His physical resilience made her want him all
the more. He ignored pain and killed without mercy just as she’d
been told. She watched him prepare their meal. Though fish was her
least favorite meal, the way he cooked it actually made it taste
good. She picked around the bones, enjoying the moist meat while
feeling Ice’s eyes steadily upon her.
    “Do you catch the fish while in your animal
form?” she asked.
    Their eyes met and he appeared taken aback by
her straightforward question. He simply stared while chewing. After
swigging water from a bottle, he wiped his mouth.
    “Yeah. No need to mess around with bait and
tackle when I can just pluck them from the water with my
hands.”
    “You mean your claws?”
    He cracked a smile. “Actually, they are
talons.”
    “Ah, so you can smile,” she teased.
    “Sometimes.”
    “Will you tell me about it? How did you get
this way? Were you born with the ability to become a bird?”
    “No…” He looked past her with a distant
expression as if he wanted to avoid the subject.
    She waited and ate quietly, hoping he’d share
his story.
    “I was chosen by the goddess Shae, ruler of
hawks, to protect these woods from those who seek to hunt the
protected creatures which make their homes here.” He paused
expectantly, most likely thinking she’d have another question. When
none came forth, he continued. “A long while back, when I was a
young man attending Forestry school, our class took a field trip
into this part of the country to study the endangered species and
get hands-on training as Forest Rangers. We were ambushed by a
group of poachers…hunters that kill for sport and often target
endangered creatures.” Again, the remote stare indicative of
suppressed rage sent a chill over her. When he spoke, his voice
sounded cold. “Our professor tried to reason with the group of men
and asked them to leave.