Page 54 of Ignite

She could see the flames clearly licking up both sides of the house. The bushes that rested against the walls were on fire, sending sparks into the air.

How did this happen?

Worry about that later, Jazz. Just get the boys to safety.

Ian started crying, and Ivan followed his brother’s lead. They clung to Jazz as she stood trying to find a way out. The bridge was gone. Did she have anything that she could substitute? Planks from the bed? The closet door?

Short of leaping back and forth across the gap, she had nothing. Could she do that? Jump across carrying a child? She’d have to get a running start and do it several times. Hopefully, she’d make it each way without dropping anyone or missing the mark. The shrubs below had ignited and were flaring up. If she fell, it would be bad. Very bad.

She handed Freya to Ian, and the cat transferred her death grip to the crying little boy. Jazz forced her trembling hand to be still and swiped the screen on her phone.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

Jazz could barely hear the operator over the boys’ wailing and the dull roar of the burning bushes.There’s a fire! We’re on the landing! Can’t get out!“We’re on fire! Shit, I mean the house is on fire, and we’re trapped!”

“What’s your address?”

She rattled it off. Isaac added his protest to the cacophony. “Please hurry!”

Never before had she felt so helpless.

She huddled with the three boys on the remnants of the landing. Sparks from the fire underneath spit into the air around them as the house continued to burn. “It’s okay. It’s okay. Help is coming. We’ll be fine.” Tears flowed down her cheeks as she prayed she hadn’t just lied to her panicking nephews. She hugged them close as they clung to her, still crying with fear.

“Jazz!” a voice yelled from the road. The smoke was thick, but she could make out a form. Wolf was there just across the broken bridge. “Hang on!”

A ladder slid across the span. The same one he’d used to get to her roof and replace some shingles earlier this month and had rested in the dip ever since. She moved slightly back into the house to allow it space to rest on the landing. A moment later, Wolf appeared, crawling across the makeshift connection.

“Listen up, boys. We’re gonna play horsey, but one at a time. Ian, you’re first. I want you to get on my back and hold as tight as you can. It’s a short ride, and you can make it, yeah? Then Ivan, and you’ll take care of him while I carry Isaac. Once we get across, Jazz, you’ll follow. Can you do that, baby?”

“What about Freya?”

Wolf’s eyes landed on the trembling animal. “Sorry, cat. I’ll make it up to you later.” He took the feline by the scruff and tossed her across the span to the road. The screech was akin to a kitty cussword, but she landed alive and indignant on the road. “All right, let’s go.”

Jazz held her breath as Wolf made the journey with Ian clinging like a monkey to his back. She did the same while watching him do it again with Ivan.

“How will you carry Isaac?” she coughed out. The acidic smoke was thicker now and was starting to choke her.

“I’ll manage. As soon as you see me get to the other side, you come too. This place is ready to collapse on itself.”

“Okay.”

He held the baby with one arm to his chest and started across. His movements were slower, and Jazz’s focus pinpointed on the man as if her sheer willpower alone would keep him from slipping. He made it to the road and turned to wave her over.

A thought occurred to her. “Just a second!” She turned and ran back into the house.

“Jazz! No!”

She ignored his shout and dropped to her hands and knees, scrambling to her computer desk. The goal was the external hard drive she used as a backup for all her data. If someone was out to get them, there might be evidence on here they would need. She shoved it in the waistband of her leggings and crawled to the open door.

Those few seconds were critical but costly. Her lungs seized up with smoke, and she couldn’t get a clean breath. Coughing violently, she made it to the ladder and started across, feeling the rungs underneath with her hands and feet. It was harder than it looked. Only five or so feet, but it seemed like miles. She had to stop several times, her head spinning like a Tilt-A-Whirl ride as she forced her way forward.

“Come on, Auntie J, you can do it!” Ian cheered her on, and Ivan copied his brother as he always did.

Sirens sounded, and a big rig pulled up with flashing lights. The vehicle disgorged a row of firemen who went to work immediately. Jazz made it to the road, and Wolf snatched her from the ladder just as soon as he could reach her.

“What the fuck?” He held her close in a one-armed bear hug since Isaac was in the other one. Jazz felt his whole body shaking. “I’m gonna spank you later for going back into a burning house, but for now, I’m so fucking glad you’re alive.”

Jazz would have answered him with some sort of smart-ass bratty rebuttal, but she was too busy trying to keep her lungs in her chest. She fell to her knees and tried her best to cough them out. Ian and Ivan sidled next to her on either side as she heaved and spasmed. Her throat burned with the fire.

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