Free Shadows of Fire by Nina Pierce Page A

Josh called this meeting,
where the hell is he?”
    “How the hell would I know?” Reese
stepped from the bathroom, finger-combing his wet hair. The shower had done
nothing to wash away his irritation.
    Ronan had been at the cabin for
nearly an hour annoying the hell out of him.
    “Wasn’t my turn to babysit him,”
he said. Josh had called before noon and scheduled an emergency meeting for one
o’clock, forcing him to leave Alex at the tavern. Though both Chris and the
part-time bartender had shown up, he hated leaving her without the protection
of another vampire. He’d heard Glenn’s concerned thoughts and knew the man
would be hours before getting back to the tavern. With his patience paper-thin
and his anxiety jacking his nerves, Reese was none too happy his roommate had
yet to show.
    “Did he happen to share with you what we’re doing here?” Ronan had his fancy boots resting on the coffee table, a
glass of red wine in his hand.
    “Feel free to make yourself
comfortable,” Reese muttered. “And no, he didn’t.”
    “Cabernet. Not my favorite, but
it’ll do.”
    It was a two-hundred dollar
bottle of wine Reese was saving for a special occasion. After his morning with
Alex, he’d hoped they would be sharing it over a candlelight meal. There was no
sense mentioning that fact to the cocky vampire. “Listen, if he doesn’t show in
the next half hour or so, we’ll just have to reschedule. I’ve got plans.”
Needing his space, Reese walked to his bedroom. He had no idea what had
prompted the kid in the living room to join RISEN. Everything about this
assignment seemed to piss Ronan off. Whatever . RISEN had thought they
needed eyes out in the community so they’d sent in the young vamp. The guy
displayed his egotistical attitude as obviously as his high-end clothes and
annoying accent. Reese had to work with him, but no one said he had to make
friends with him. He grabbed his jeans from the end of the bed, shucking off
the towel at his waist.
    “Would those plans happen to be
with one, Alexandra Flanagan?” Ronan leaned casually in the doorway, sipping
his wine. “I wouldn’t mind a little piece of—”
    In a single heartbeat, Reese was
in Ronan’s face, sending the wine glass crashing against the wall and wrapping his
hand around the vampire’s throat. “Don’t say another word. Don’t even breathe
her name.” Reese’s fingernails dug into the tender flesh as the scent of Ronan’s
anger and confusion filled the air around them. “As a matter of fact, if I ever find you alone with Alex again, I won’t be responsible for my actions. You feel
me asshole?”
    “A little bonding time, boys?”
Josh’s voice broke through Reese’s fury.
    “Just clearing up a little
misunderstanding.” Reese pushed Ronan out of his face, unaware, until that
moment, just how worried he was for Alex. No matter how annoying he found the
kid, it was no excuse for his explosive outburst. “Sorry, man. I—”
    Ronan waved him off. “Forget it.
I was out of line.”
    “How about you boys kiss and make
up? We’ve got some real work to do.” Josh’s half-cocked grin and raised eyebrow
implied humor Reese didn’t feel. “I’ve got some information that may blow our
whole investigation out of the water.” Josh smacked a pamphlet on his palm.
    Reese quickly pulled on jeans and
tamped down his frustration, following them into the kitchen. He pushed aside
his personal life and refocused on their assignment. “I hope you’ve got the
silver bullet. I’m ready to take down this bastard.” Reese clapped his hands
and rubbed them together in anticipation. Any new information would be better
than stumbling blindly forward as they’d been doing for the last year.
    Josh eyed him warily. “Just keep
an open mind.”
    “Don’t I always?” Reese asked.
    Ronan let out a snort.
    “I don’t know what I walked in
on, but I need you both to let that go and pay attention.” Josh unfolded a
state map on the cracked