Page 114 of Ignite

There was no way we’d outrun or even outdrive the wall.

I’d been stupid to think that our little dam hidden between sloping hills would be enough.

It wouldn’t be enough to save my horses.

I’d led Ethan to our death.

“Come on.” Ethan grabbed my hand, dragging me to the edge of the dam. “Call your horses, get them to the water.”

“We’ll be boiled alive.”

“Or it might be our only chance. Keep to this side, the fire will hit the other edge, and hopefully …”

Neither of us wanted to finish the sentence.

I sighed after Cider heeded my call and Wildfire followed until they were knee-deep water at the edge of the dam.

“Ready?” Ethan asked and I nodded. Even with his encouragement, I struggled to swim out to the pontoon in the protective clothing, but fear had given rise to adrenalin and energy. When pushing me up onto the pontoon didn’t work, he managed to hoist himself up and then somehow half-dragged, half-rolled me up.

“So far, so good.” His voice held the confidence his eyes lacked. I’d been such a fool to think we had all the time in the world to get our shit together. I should have—

I took a breath and then another. Regrets were for tomorrow and right now, even that wasn’t something I could count on.

“What if—“ I snuggled closer into his chest. There was hardly enough room for two of us to lie prone on the platform. Ethan sat side-on to the fire, making sure it would hit him first. His silhouette was the most perfect vision if it was going to be my last. The horses, at least, had a fighting chance. They could try to outrun the flames or find the dustbowls where there was nothing to burn.

Surely, dirt didn’t burn?

“Rylee, babe, when we get out of here there are a few messages for you to read. But there’s one thing I didn’t get a chance to say.”

“Not now.” I turned towards the heat. Shit. I could almost see the flames subsuming the ground. Talking was no longer enough, we needed to shout over the roar. “No talking, just kiss me. I want a kiss hotter than the flames. Do you think you could do that?”

Embers floated down like summer rain.

Ethan wrapped me inside the two protective jackets. How had I thought he was anything less than a hero? His only protection was a gym shirt which would melt first and ask questions later.

Ethan was prepared to kiss me until he died, forcing me to spend the rest of my life—

Ethan’s mouth devoured mine, hungrily extracting each kiss. Sending my head and my heart into the clouds as I wanted somehow to savor each moment. If this was going to be our last, I needed to remember his taste, his feel.

I needed to remember how his tongue caressed mine before plunging harder. In the midst of the end, I wanted to shun all clothes and die with him knowing I loved him.

I loved him.

He’d never know how much, but it was as clear and certain as the wall of flames that—

“Ethan.” I broke away. No longer needing to shout or yell his name over a roar.

“Ethan, look.”

I sat back, finding his hands and linking our fingers together. United, but no longer facing death?

“There’s no wind,” he said, twisting to look at the wall of flames halted by a miracle.

“There is, but the change came through. The easterly came through.”

Tears cleaned a trail down his face, washing away the ash I hadn’t noticed in our kiss. Paralyzed with shock and relief, we watched the fire burn back on itself. Losing some power in its retreat. I’d heard about the power of a wind change, but never seen it from this close.

Our tears now intermingled with laughter and kisses as Ethan rolled me onto the platform. Covering my body with his, I’d already pushed the jackets away.

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