Free Spark by Aliyah Burke

Chapter One
    The engine coughed and sputtered its last little bit
then died. Much in the way of an actor over-exaggerating on the
screen, as if it wanted to keep the camera and the audience on it
just as long as it possibly could. Kendria Bonher swore, smacked
the steering wheel, only to swear again as pain radiated up her
arm, reminding her of the fracture in it. Dread welled up within
her as she stole another look in the rearview.
    The road behind her was empty. As was the road before
her.
    Tears of frustration gathered in the corners of her
eyes. Exhaustion gnawed at her eyelids like hyenas on a carcass.
She fought it. She still had to get to Atlanta and disappear in the
city.
    Joe would be after her. No doubt. The thought made
her gut tense up and sweat to coat her palms.
    “I could really use you just turning over now,” she
muttered, in a partial prayer.
    She tried the key to no avail. After checking her
surroundings once more, she climbed out onto the two-lane country
road. I should have stayed on the interstate. At least a cop
would be by occasionally. Although, that could potentially
backfire, as well.
    “Can’t even see where I am. Why? Because I have a
dead cell phone and a dead car. Am I about to be killed by some
crazy inbred family?”
    A rumble broke the relative silence around her. Every
muscle in her body went rigid as alarm spiked through her. Had he
found her already?
    Fear had rooted her to the ground, the toes of her
tennis shoes upon the raised edge of asphalt, her heels upon the
dried grass. When a solitary bike roared into view, she breathed a
bit easier, well aware Joe wouldn’t travel alone.
    He would send someone out alone, though.
    The motorcycle slowed to a stop before her. Kendria
couldn’t hide her shock at the dark-skinned feminine face that met
her after the black leather clad rider removed the helmet.
    “Everything all right here?” Her words fell from her
lips in a soft drawl.
    Recovering, Kendria shook her head. “Car problems.” And a fractured arm. Would he send a black woman after me? He
doesn’t have a lot of women working for him other than in a
secretarial manner.
    The woman rolled her bike off the road to the front
of Kendria’s car, lowered the kickstand, and swung her leg over.
Leaving the helmet on the seat, she came to Kendria’s side, a large
smile on her face.
    “We’re not far from Cottonwood Falls. There’s a great
mechanic there; he’ll get you all fixed up.”
    “My cell’s dead.”
    “I’ll give him a call and have him meet us at his
garage. The day is too hot for me to leave you out here.”
    “I have no wish to be an inconvenience.”
    She waved it away, and Kendria witnessed a brief
flash of a tattoo with an anchor and a circle of some sort on it
gracing the inside of her left wrist. “Grab what you need. I’m on
my way in, anyway, so it’s no inconvenience.”
    Kendria watched her unzip the leather jacket and
withdraw a cell phone. At the car, she swiped her purse before
reaching into the backseat for her small suitcase. This, she tossed
in the trunk. If someone took her bag, she’d merely lose some
clothes. Nothing back there to identify her. She did what she could
favoring her arm. Her second priority would be to get that looked
at.
    “Vance’ll meet us at his garage. I’m Sarah, by the
way.”
    “Kendria.”
    Another welcoming smile. “Welcome to Cottonwood
Falls. Let’s go.” At the bike, Sarah handed over the helmet. “You
take this.”
    “No, I couldn’t.”
    Steel entered her eyes. “You will. Come on.” She
swung her leg back over the bike, her black hair falling free. It
took her a few moments, and it was below the collar of the
jacket.
    Swallowing hard, Kendria walked to the bike, jumping
slightly at the large rumble that sliced through the air. She’d
never ridden on a motorcycle before. Is it safe? How good of a
driver is this woman?
    Drawing the helmet down over her natural curls, she
sent up another prayer then