Nina Croft | Deleted scene from FLYING THROUGH FIRE

The door slid shut behind her. Saffira leaned against the wall of the corridor and tried to slow her breathing. Sweat pricked her forehead, heat from the vision.

Thorne had burned because of her. She’d been powerless to help him, to save him.

It’s not real.

Not all her visions came true. Maybe this was a warning of what might be.

And she’d already lost Thorne. He’d closed himself off. He’d given ten thousand years to his people. Now they were dead. Perhaps he was right, and that meant he was free. They were both free.

She pushed herself up, hating the weakness that made her stumble. The visions drained her strength, but she had to sort herself out before she saw Devlin or he would want to know what was up, and what could she say?

In the back of her mind, deep down, she’d always known it would come to this.

She shook the thought aside, not wanting to think about what was to come. She’d always been afraid of burning; had the flames already consumed her in some forgotten vision?

Thorne had been right; she hadn’t thought of anyone but herself and Devlin in the past year. She’d been totally immersed in their love. It had been a magical time, and she’d believed she deserved it. She’d saved the goddamn human race. Sort of. And besides, she would have visited later; she was supposed to have had fucking eternity.

Time enough for everything.

Now time was running out.

The strength was coming back to her limbs. Good, because she was going to need all that strength. She headed to the nearest transporter bubble.

“Bridge,” she murmured. The ships mind control systems were still offline. Wouldn’t be brought back up until Thorne was away.

He’d been like a father to her, but that was over. She’d broken the first ties when she had lied to him, betrayed him. He’d said he understood, but she’d known that underneath he’d harbored resentment. The remaining ties had snapped when she had abandoned Espera and her people.

How hard would it have been to visit?

Guilt gnawed at her insides.

She’d always had a selfish streak.

The transporter bubble opened onto the bridge. It was empty but for Fergal sitting at the console.

“Hi,” she said.

He glanced up. “Hey, there. I’m just tweaking the program and keeping an eye on our incoming.”

“Are they still heading this way.”

“Yeah. On a direct course. There’s also a third, seems to be following but farther behind. It’s these two you’re going to have to avoid.”

She leaned closer. “Can I see?”

“Sure.” Fergal flicked on the monitor and the screen filled up with an image of the two dragons flying through space. In a way, they were beautiful, fierce and powerful, and they called to something deep inside her. But then she was part dragon. It had been in her blood from birth, and she had strengthened the connection when she had made the change. Probably more so than anyone alive.

She took a mental note of the coordinates flashing on the screen. They were still four hours out. Plenty of time. Or no time at all when compared to eternity.

“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll go check if Devlin has Thorne’s shuttle ready.”

This time she didn’t take the transporter bubble but walked to the docking bay. She needed time to think this through. Sort out what she needed in her head, and the best way to achieve it.

And put off seeing Devlin for the last time.

She didn’t know if she was strong enough, but she had to be.

Her steps slowed as she drew close, and she cleared her mind. She needed to keep the truth locked down in that lower level where they only went in the most intimate moments when their minds became as one.

As she entered the docking bay, he was coming down the ramp from the shuttle he was readying. Her heart still gave a little jump each time she saw him. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, with his tall, lean figure and his black and gold hair. The scar running down his cheek adding to the attraction. When he caught sight of her, his lips curved up in a smile, and as she came to a halt in front of him, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard.

For a second she relaxed against him, gave herself over to the kiss, emptied herself of everything but the taste and feel of him. Finally, she pulled away.

“How did it go with Thorne?” Devlin asked.

She screwed up her face. “Not good. He’s determined to go, and won’t let me in. Said I should leave, that I’m endangering everyone by hanging around.”

He leaned across and kissed her forehead. “We’ll be out of here as soon as he’s on his way.”

She licked her lips. “I think I might have one more go. I’ll call him, tell him the shuttle’s ready, and try and convince him one more time.”

“Well, you know him better than anyone else. Go for it. Rico seems to think he’s our one hope. You want me to stick around?”

“No, I think I’ll have a better chance alone.”

“Okay. I’m going to get some food. Is there anything I can get you?”

“Ice cream?”

He grinned. “Of course,” he said and strode away.

At the last moment, she had to touch him one more time. She raced down the ramp and he turned at the bottom. She ran into his arms, hugged him tight.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“No. Not really.” She forced a smile. “It will take time, but I will be.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Go call Thorne. I’ll feel better once we’re away from here and on the move.”

“I will.” This time she held her feet in place as he disappeared into the transporter bubble.

She worked quickly, tapping into the systems manually. She knew the Blood Hunter better than anyone. Better even than Devlin. After all, she had five hundred years on Earth to study the plans.

When she was sure she had done everything she could to buy herself enough time, she wiped the ship’s memory and headed to the shuttle Devlin had prepared for Thorne.

She purposefully didn’t think as she sat in the pilot’s seat and switched on the engines. The shuttle lifted, hovered, then the docking bay doors opened and she was heading out into open space. Tears pricked at her eyes as she left the Blood Hunter behind. She watched the rear screens, saw the docking bay doors close and then the explosion that would seal the doors and give her enough time to do what she needed to do.

Two minutes out, she sensed him in her mind.

“Don’t go.”

“I have to. I love you, but I have to do this.”

“Why?” The question was tortured.

“I’m the only one who can end this. I started it, and I need to finish it. I should have died a year ago. We’ve had that year and it’s been the best time ever.”

“You promised me eternity. How am I expected to go on without you?”

“You’ll find a way.”

“I’m coming after you.”

“You can’t. I’ve seen to that.”

She raised the wall in her mind and shut him out forever.

FLYING THROUGH FIRE by Nina Croft

Dark Desires #6

Winged monsters have been seen in the skies, and a pestilence follows in their wake, threatening the very survival of mankind. Only the crew of the Blood Hunter knows where they come from, and only one man has the power to send them back—Thorne, a human/dragon hybrid in possession of mental powers beyond comprehension.

Candace Decker doesn’t need anyone to look after her—she’s a badass werewolf more than capable of protecting herself and those she loves. All the same, she’s always been drawn to Thorne’s strength. In an uncertain world, he’s the one man who makes her feel safe. And what Candy wants, she usually gets.

But while Candy is tenacious, Thorne’s willpower has been honed over ten thousand years. He might want her, but the last thing he needs is an infatuation with a young, impetuous werewolf. Candy makes him lose control, and that could have disastrous consequences.

As the threat escalates and they become separated by time and space, Candy must find a way back to him, because while Thorne alone has the power to defeat the dragons, only together can they finally bring peace to the universe.

Romance Paranormal [Entangled Select Otherworld, On Sale: November 7, 2016, e-Book, ISBN: 9781633757769 / eISBN: 9781633757769]

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