Born of Fire

Shahara’s heart pounded. Digger wouldn’t last long against young men. They were doomed.

Syn grabbed her hand and started pulling her to the bedroom. “What are you doing?”

“Do you trust me?”

She snorted. “Not even a little.”

“You better learn,” he said before releasing her and throwing open the bedroom window.

As he started climbing out, panic took hold of her over what he would want her to do next. “Oh, no way I’m climbing out there.”

“C’mon, Shahara.” He held himself precariously in the window that was five stories up. “We have no choice.”

She shook her head. “No!” she said emphatically.

His dark gaze narrowed as Vik flew through the window. He swooped down, then returned to hover over Syn’s shoulder.

Vik ruffled before he shouted, “They’re almost here.”

“Shahara!” Syn’s gaze turned deadly. “Move your ass. Now. We have to get out of here.”

But it wasn’t that easy. She couldn’t do what he asked. She couldn’t. “I’m terrified of heights.”

He ducked his head back in. “You’re what?”

She swallowed as old memories surged. The pain and broken arm, most of all the raw fear . . . Had she not landed on a pile of garbage that had cushioned her fall, she’d have been killed. As it was, she’d been seriously injured. “I fell out a second-story window when I was a kid and ever since I get sick from heights, Syn. Really, really sick.”

Just the thought of it . . .

She wanted to run.

He let out a slow breath. “Great, leave it to me to find the one tracer in the universe afraid of a little height.” He clenched his teeth, then looked back at her. “Give me your hand.”

“Why?”

A loud thud sounded against the front door. “Open up, old man. Or we’re blasting through!”

“It’s me or the Rits, Shahara. Who do you choose?”

That was a choice?

But in the end, she knew he was right. She had to suck this up and be a woman. “I choose option three,” she said, giving him her hand.

Syn pulled her into his arms. “Hold tight and don’t look down.”

Shahara did as he said and swallowed her panic. Strong arms wrapped around her in a protective cloak an instant before they shot upward at a dizzying speed.

She looked up at his steely features. “What the . . . ?”

“It’s a spring-loaded cord.” He pushed her up over the lip of the roof.

Trembling, Shahara crawled to safety and did her best not to think about how far above the ground they were. “What did this accomplish?”

“Not much.” Syn pulled himself up over the ledge and pressed the button to rewind his cord into its wrist compartment. He surveyed the surrounding rooftops, then pulled a baton from the pocket on the outside of her backpack. “Grab the one out of mine.”

Frowning, she did as ordered while Vik circled back to them with another report that more were coming.

Syn pressed a button in the center of the twelve-inch metal cylinder and the baton expanded to six and a half feet. Before she could ask what it was for, he pole-vaulted over the lip of their building to the top of another.

Her head went light at the mere thought.

Surely he wouldn’t . . . “C’mon,” he said, looking back at her.

Oh, hell no . . . “You’re crazy!”

“Certifiably insane.” He flashed a charming grin. “Now move before we get caught.”

I’m gonna die . . .

She heard the blasters firing in Digger’s apartment and knew she had no choice except to follow.

Holding her breath, she duplicated Syn’s pole vault even while she feared her limbs or the pole would collapse. It seemed to take forever before she reached his side.

He gave her a chiding stare. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

She glared at him.

With an irritating laugh, he left her side and skipped over two more roofs like a graceful dancer.

Shahara watched with envy. “You make this look so easy,” she breathed. “If I fall I swear I’m going to kill you.”

Once she caught up to him again, he retracted the poles. “Remember where this is. It’s the best friend a thief ever had.”

“I’m not a thief.”

“Oh yes you are, baby. You stole me from the Rits. And I assure you Merjack considers it a worse crime than grand larceny.”

“I really hate you. And stop calling me baby!”

He pulled her up against his steely chest. His eyes twinkled with merriment and he dipped his face so close to hers that his breath tickled her lips.

“As long as I evoke some strong emotion from you,” he said, rubbing his nose against hers, “I’m happy. Anything beats apathy.”

He released her and looked around as if considering his options. She had to admit, he made a sexy sight as he stood tall and proud while surveying the rooftops that surrounded them. There was a feral grace to his stance that the woman in her couldn’t help but appreciate.

Shouts erupted as Vik swooped down. “They’re on the other roof.”