Night of Fire by Vonna Harper Read Free Book Online Page B

have to stand on tiptoe to kiss him. Alarmed by how much time was
passing and how unsteady the arch looked, she turned in his arms and did the
only thing she could think of—she grabbed his seed-maker in both hands.
    “Ow! What the hell—”
    Concerned that she was hurting him, she let up a little but
didn’t release him.
    “Careful there.” His hands hovered over hers as if afraid to
disturb her. “Those are the family jewels. Geez, you don’t mess around, do
you?”
    “Now please. We will run. It will take only a few
heartbeats.”
    “If you keep on holding me like that, I’m not going to be
doing any running.”
    Why was she wasting time listening to his arguments? Calling
on the only thing she could think of to reach him, she leaned into him. “I was
a virgin before I took you into me.” The fire made so much noise that she
wasn’t sure he could hear her. The wind pushed smoke around them and the
glow—the glow was like the sun. “That was what I did for you, let you change me
from a girl to a woman.”
    He sucked in his breath. “No argument there,” he said
softly, almost reverently.
    “That was my gift. Now…”
    “I know.” He glanced over her shoulder at the burning arch.
“You want me to risk frying every hair on my head.” He shuddered. “Promise me
something. This is the last crackpot thing you’ll ask me to do.”
    “Crackpot? I do not have a pot with me.”
    “Forget I said anything. Look, will you please let go?”
    “You will take my hand, and we will walk under the fire
together?”
    “Walk, no. Run, yes.”
    Relief surged through her. Releasing his seed-maker, she
held out her hand.
    “I should be locked up,” he muttered, taking her hand.
    The arch crackled, the sound was followed by something that
resembled a scream. Taurus muttered, “Damn.” She couldn’t get out a word.
    Though he tried to hold back, she led the way to the base of
the arch. The people nearby either stared or loudly warned them not to do
anything stupid. In truth, her heart was pounding so that she felt lightheaded,
but she’d already spent a long time where she didn’t belong and was desperate
to return to her world—with Taurus. In her mind’s eye, she saw her parents,
siblings and other relatives. Most of all, she thought about The Lady and the
Bel-fire ceremonies that had marked all the seasons of her life.
    How could her child grow without Bel-fire?
    “Now!” Clutching Taurus’ hand with all her strength, she
lowered her head and ran. Instead of trying to hold her back, he matched her
stride. She felt heat and smelled smoke, heard people scream.
    Then there was nothing.

Chapter Seven
     
    Even before he became fully conscious, Taron concluded that
he’d just had the best sleep of his adult life. The first thing to counter that
impression was the realization that he was on his feet and not in bed. Then he
felt a small, warm hand in his and it all came back.
    He reluctantly opened his eyes. If he’d burned himself— No.
Somehow he’d come through the fire unharmed.
    But where the hell was he?
    As his vision cleared, he took in more and more impressions,
not that they made any sense. At first blush it appeared that he was still at
the top of Carlton Hill with the town of Edinburgh below, but this wasn’t the
hill he’d been at last night—if it had indeed been last night.
    For one, the unfinished but impressive Athenian acropolis
wasn’t there, and there was no sign of the steep staircase he’d trudged up.
Someone had taken away the trash cans, temporary restrooms, sound equipment,
stage sets and other equipment. Even the parking lot and cars were no longer in
evidence.
    Holding Maia’s hand tighter than he wanted to admit, he
looked down at the town—or rather what little there was of it. Because it was
dusk, he couldn’t tell much except that there were no street lights. Hell,
there weren’t even any streets—or houses or commercial district or roads in or
out. Except for a