Free By the Enchantment of Moonlight (The Forbidden Realm #2.5) by Serena Gilley

said, taking Pimma’s hand. “Let’s go save that human.”

Chapter Six
    P imma followed close behind Swift. Smoke was seeping through the broken window; the building interior must be nearly black with it by now. There was no time to waste if they were going to rescue that man. Swift insisted on caution, though, and that was slowing them down.
    “Hurry! Get in there!” she pressed him.
    He touched her arm and motioned for her to be silent. “Let me go first. Once I know it’s safe for you, I’ll signal you in.”
    On one hand, Pimma found it very pleasant that he should be so concerned for her well-being. On the other hand, there was no time for such sentiment. If anything Amarie said could be believed, getting this human to safety was their first priority right now. Still, the way Swift’s deep emerald eyes bore into hers with unspoken emotion…she couldn’t help but feel her cheeks go suddenly warm.
    He slid open through the jagged break in the glass. Pimma clenched her fists and prayed to the Skies that he would be safe. She peered through the opening after him. There were no flames evident inside the building, and all the noise and activity seemed to still be out front, way down at the other end of the warehouse.
    Between the rows of crates and shelves and various other equipment stored here she could barely make out the evil orange glow of fire through the darkening smoke. The actual flames were a good distance away in this cavernous building, but this sort of smoke was a serious hazard.
    “Where are you?” she called to Swift.
    She had lost sight of him. Her eyes watered and stung. Had he fallen to the floor? Was he overcome already? Her heart pounded and her stomach turned over.
    But no, he was fine. He called to her and she was able to barely make out his form far down below.
    “I’m down here. It’s better near the floor. Come on, but be careful.”
    She turned back toward the alley and took a deep breath of fresh air. Holding it in her lungs, she slipped through the broken pane into the building. As he said, the air was thick and heavy with smoke, but it got better when they flew lower. By the time she reached the floor, it was almost bearable. They might survive this, after all. One quick glance around told her the human might not be so fortunate.
    “He’s over there!” she said, pointing just a few feet ahead of them.
    The man lay in a motionless heap near the door. He must have been trying to pull it open when he was overcome by the smoke. Were they too late? She hoped not.
    “He’s barely breathing,” Swift said, making a quick assessment. “We’ve got to get him out of here. How much dust do you have?”
    “Some.”
    “We’ll have to combine,” he said, prying the human’s eyes open and peering at them. “I just hope it’s enough. This man needs help quickly.”
    “Where should we take him?”
    “I don’t know. We can’t go to the other building, as Miranda will look for us there at some point. She thinks we’re still locked in that box.”
    Just hearing him mention that awful enclosure send her mind reeling back to what they’d done there. If her cheeks had been warm a minute ago, they were on fire now. How on earth was she supposed to keep her mind on this dangerous rescue when her body tingled with memories?
    The quick, smoldering glance Swift sent her didn’t help very much. Thankfully a noise just outside the door distracted them both.
    “Is that a car? Some kind of human conveyance?” she asked in a startled whisper.
    “Sounds like it.”
    “Miranda must be back! She’s come to finish what she started and make sure this man is dead.”
    What could they do? They couldn’t fly upward to hide in the rafters; that would be certain death. The loud thud of a car door slammed and footsteps hurried to the door. A key rattled and turned in the lock.
    “Get out of here, Pimma,” Swift said through clenched teeth. “Hide! I’ll distract her, try to get her to follow