Read Slow Burn for Free Online Page B

nervously. “Someone here has faith in me.” Her
eyes darted back to Erick and then to Derrick.
    The cloud of arousal that seemed to flood the room
dissipated. He took her hand in his and felt warmth and strength, yet there
were underlying currents present. Scents he could only smell as a puma lightly
tinged the air. Derrick leaned back in his chair and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“It’ll be fine.”
    She started to open her mouth, but her posture stiffened.
    Rocky and Erick remained unmoved.
    Then Derrick felt it.
    He recognized the scent in the air: an igniter fuse close
by. “We’ve got to get out of here. Now!”
    Before she could respond, he yanked her to her feet and
against him. Throwing them against the closest wall, he blanketed her body with
his.
    Then he heard the click.
    Rocky and Erick had disappeared.
    Max hid behind a chair, clenching his fists.
    The explosion came with a loud crash that blew smoke and
fire through the entrance of the shop, sending glass and tobacco products
everywhere. Wood splintered and flew through the air. The shop owners and other
patrons took cover behind the large cabinet by the wall nearest Derrick.
    Splinters of wood flew into Derrick and cut exposed skin. He
cursed and continued to shelter Sonja from the blast.
    Staccato gunshots rang, shattering more glass and causing
panic amongst everyone. A few seconds passed, seeming like an eternity. Derrick
turned toward the smoke-filled entrance. He surveyed the rubble, heard
footsteps. Three men, in heavy boots and army gear, he guessed. Shoving Sonja
behind the chair next to Max, Derrick knelt and blinked.
    The other puma nodded.
    Sonja looked perplexed and parted her lips to speak.
    Power built up around them. Crap. She may have given away
their position. With quick thinking, he caught her hand. “No.” He shook his
head. “Not now. Trust me.” He mouthed the words.
    She clenched her teeth and narrowed angry eyes at him, but
seemed to understand because the power pulled back.
    They must be here for her. That’s the only explanation that
this extraction team would use so much force. He nodded once again and looked
over his shoulders for something to distract the hostiles from their breach.
Only one thought came to mind.
    The frightened look on her face let him know that she sensed
what he was about to do. “Don’t kill them,” she whispered.
    He shuddered. He had to protect Sonja.
    Derrick had no intention of making things worse.
    It took another three seconds for the sound of clips locking
into place to reach his ears. Then the chambers loaded with shells.
    Derrick lunged forward, shifting into a puma in midair. His
large paws clapped against the shoulders of the first intruder. He stood on his
hindquarters and snarled.
    Derrick tore the man’s throat out, silencing the
scream-turned-gurgle. In this form, his only thoughts were primal, dangerous.
Protect, eat, fuck, repeat.
    Now someone threatened the puma’s territory.
    Before he could leap away, a bullet pierced his hindquarter.
    He yelped and roared. Then a boot kicked him in the ribcage,
sending him flying back against the wall.
    His massive strength blunted some of the pain. He rolled to
his side. Quickly, Derrick flipped to his feet and prepared to leap at his
attacker.
    A woman screamed.
    Derrick froze. Suddenly, the click of a bullet loading into
the chamber of a piece echoed in his head.
    Derrick closed his eyes.
    Russian voices spoke in hushed whispers. The dampened sounds
of a female crying and struggling against her captors caught his attention.
    With the gun pressed to his temple, he didn’t dare move.
Shifters were stronger than humans, yes, but a bullet to the head could stop
just about anyone. Even the puma had enough sense to know the attackers
outmaneuvered him.
    “Very good,” spoke a deep, rich voice filled with a heavy
Russian accent. “You do not move, kitty. Or she dies.”
    Derrick’s heart pounded against his chest yet he didn’t so
much as