Free UNCONTROLLED BURN by Nina Pierce

we haven’t. See these circles?” Josh traced several of the colored rings at the fire sites. “She used different colors to indicate the victim’s connection to different people. What do you see?” He gave them a moment to process the information.
    “A whole lot of red mixed in with the other colors,” Ronan said.
    Reese couldn’t believe it had been that easy. “Yes, we got ‘em .”  He punched Josh in the shoulder. He wanted nothing more than to finish this case and bring the SOB vampire to justice. Killing vamps was bad enough, but when it spilled over into the human population, well, that just pissed Reese off.
    “Not so fast, Reese,” said Josh.
    “What, he’s right. Unless the red circle isn’t a vampire,” Ronan said hesitantly. “Then we’ve gotten nowhere”
    “Oh, no, she’s definitely a vampire,” Josh responded.
    “ She ?” In the half century Reese had been with RISEN, there’d been only one other female rogue. “Doesn’t matter her gender. What’s been done breaks all codes. We bring her in and let the tribunal decide her fate.”
    “With that number vamp kills, the woman should be beheaded and burned.”
    Both he and Josh looked at Ronan. What he said was true, but no one, least of all another vampire, wanted to see one of their own punished that way.
    Josh held his palm out, pumping the air in an attempt to slow Ronan’s judgment. “Let’s not be so hasty until you know all the facts.”
    Just the tone of his roommate’s voice put Reese on edge. He had no doubt the man was holding back a crucial piece of information that was going to upset one of them.
    “Are you kidding me?” Ronan stomped away and began pacing the small kitchen. “‘Tis our job to bring this rogue vampire down. Humans? Vamps? This … this … thing has no conscience. She’s left a wake of murder and destruction through two counties.” He waved at the map. “How many more have to die before we stop her? Are you two seriously going soft because it’s a female?”
    “Enough.” Reese knew instinctively he didn’t want to hear the last bombshell Josh was going to drop, but he had no desire to listen to Ronan’s criticism of the vampire tribunal. Nothing was worse than taking down one of your own—even if they had been doing the same. “What don’t we know, Josh.?”
    “Those red circles?” He paused, his gaze locking on Reese’s. “Are all associated with Alex.”
    Silence fell over the room like a thick blanket smothering him.
    No one moved. No one breathed.
    Time hung suspended.
    It was Ronan’s condescending laugh that finally broke the spell of disbelief. “Oh, now that’s rich. The irony of the savior being the slayer …” He stopped to catch his breath. “Seriously, who would’ve predicted our villain was sweet innocent—”
    “Shut up, Ronan. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” Josh’s words came out through clenched teeth.
    Reese fought through the fog of confusion. “Alexandra Flanagan? My Alex Flanagan?” He’d known his undercover work would eventually tear them apart, he just never could have imagined it would take her life. His timing definitely sucked.
    “Yes, Alexandra Flanagan, you idiot.” Ronan stormed back to the table. “Stop thinking with your dick and look at the facts.” He pounded a finger on one of the highlighted circles. “How’s this person related to Alex?”
    Josh slapped his hand away. “Back off, Nason.”
    “No, he’s right.” Reese knew there had to be another explanation, but without understanding everything, he wouldn’t be able to get to the bottom of it. “Tell us, who they are.”
    “The university fire was a student of hers.” Josh moved his finger around the map. “This fire killed her hairdresser. This one was a cashier at Ricker’s Market in town.”
    “That’s a stretch. All three of us could be suspect there,” Reese said.
    “That’s true. But the cashier was a vampire and a regular at the tavern.”
    “Go on.” A cold knot