WAY OF THE SHADOWS by Cynthia Eden Page B

before the flames could lick across the girl’s skin.
    Thomas shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it around Jenny’s body. His gaze lifted and met Noelle’s. “You get out first.”
    Uh, how?
    “Cover up with your coat. Make sure none of your flesh is vulnerable.” He coughed a bit because the smoke was rising fast. “The coat is going to ignite, so you’ll have to strip and roll in the snow as soon as you get outside.”
    He wanted her to run through the fire. Right. But... “You don’t have a coat.” He’d just given his only protection to Jenny.
    His jaw locked. The blaze let her see him clearly. “I’ll be right behind you.”
    He’ll burn. “Thomas...”
    The flames flared higher. “Go!”
    Tears stung Noelle’s eyes.
    “He could be waiting out there,” Thomas warned her. “Get your gun, and cover me when I come out. I need you to get out there and cover me.”
    She was supposed to let him get hurt?
    “Go, Noelle, go... I’ll be right behind you.”
    And, over the roar of the fire, the voice from the darkness of her past spoke again. I’ll always be with you.
    A long tremor shook her body. Noelle ran toward the flaming doorway, and she jumped through the fire. There was a loud whoosh of sound, which seemed to fill her ears. Heat surrounded her, so hot, so—
    Her body flew through the air, and she hit the snow. She rolled because Thomas had been right. Her clothes were on fire. She pushed out of her coat and kept rolling, then hurried back up to her feet, even as she pulled out her weapon.
    I’m not burned. I’m not—
    Thomas flew through the fire. The flames came with him when he left the cabin. He hit the snow, too, hard, and Jenny tumbled out of his hands. The coat Jenny wore was blazing. Noelle shoved it away, even as Jenny yelled for help.
    Jenny wasn’t burned, though; she was safe.
    “Thomas?” Noelle whispered.
    He yanked off the smoking ski mask he’d used to cover his face. He was twisting, trying to put out the fire consuming his clothes and pants.
    Noelle helped him, securing her weapon and slapping at the blaze. Her gloves burned away.
    The fire died.
    Thomas glanced up at her.
    “Are you hurt?” Noelle whispered. She didn’t see any burns, but maybe it was just too dark to notice them.
    He caught her hands. Her gloves were gone, only bits of fabric remained. “Are you?” Thomas demanded his voice an angry growl.
    Noelle shook her head.
    Somehow, they’d both made it out of that hell.
    Jenny was sobbing.
    Thomas rose to his feet. He picked Jenny up in his arms. “Watch my back,” he told Noelle.
    She had her weapon ready again. The killer had to be close. He’d set the fire just moments before, but...
    It wasn’t the time to chase after him. They had to get Jenny to safety. Jenny was the key. She could help them identify her attacker.
    Noelle hurried her steps and followed closely behind Thomas. His hold was gentle on Jenny. He had to be freezing, but he didn’t slow at all. He was fast and strong, and his grip on the young woman was unbreakable.
    For an instant, the snow-covered landscape vanished, and Noelle saw—
    Not flames. Not snow. A forest. Woods. Noelle remembered the moonlight that had trickled through the tops of the trees. She’d stared up at it as he’d held her. His grip had been so strong. So solid. She’d been...safe.
    Noelle’s grip tightened on her gun as the image faded. She glanced back over her shoulder. The cabin was burning; the hungry flames consumed the place, destroying any evidence that might have been left behind.
    But...
    Jenny is safe. She survived.
    Noelle was used to finding the bodies of the victims in her job as a profiler. She usually arrived too late to help anyone. But this... This was different.
    We saved her.
    She kept her gun up as she hastened after Thomas and Jenny.
    I’ll always be with you.
    The voice whispered through her mind, and the voice—it belonged to Thomas.
    * * *
    J ENNY WAS LOADED into the back of an