Dante's Fire(20)

Selina moaned and kissed him back with a ferocity that shook through her  like a storm. The familiar taste of him, smell, touch swamped her  senses and made her weep with joy. A tear leaked down her cheek but she  couldn't pull away, just sank her fingers into his long silky hair and  opened her mouth wider so he could claim her.

When he pulled away, one thumb caught her tear and he murmured her name, kissing her cheeks as he held her tight

She pressed her forehead against his. "I love you, Dante Stark. I want  the chance to be with you. When you disappear to help another woman, I  want to be waiting for you. I want to be the one to guide you back into  the light. Don't you think we both deserve to be happy?"

He hugged her tight and whispered her name. "I guess even superheroes deserve a happy ending."

Selina smiled and buried her face in the crook of his arm. Warmth and a  feeling of home washed over her. "I think superheroes deserve one the  most."





Epilogue



DANTE leaned down and kissed the beautiful woman before him. As usual,  her lips softened under his, and her taste swamped his senses, plunging  him into pure heaven on Earth.

He deepened the kiss, but she laughed, pushing him away as he growled  and nipped at her bottom lip. She swatted him away. "No, I'm not burning  dinner tonight. You'll have to wait until my gourmet meal is on the  table."

The heavenly scent of biscuits and spiced pork drifted in the air. "Fine. But we're eating fast. I missed you."

"Missed you too." She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned in.  Dante pressed a kiss to the top of her head and wondered how he'd gotten  so lucky.

They made it work. Their relationship had its challenges, with his  secret identity, his sporadic disappearances, and the rumor mill. They'd  talked about the best way to move forward, and agreed Daniel needed to  stay. Dante remained hidden in the night, belonging to the women who  needed healing and his soon to be wife.

Once the team and Selina's boss heard about Forrester, they washed their  hands of the client and she got the promotion she'd always deserved. On  her own. They went public with their relationship, and took the heat.  The first few weeks were rocky, and Chase had tortured him on his gigolo  reputation. Slowly, things calmed but there were still looks and  judgment. Many warned her he was after her money.

Selina usually told them she was after his body.

Things had been quiet the past week, and they got into a nice routine of  cooking dinner together, and spending a quiet night at home. He moved  into her apartment, and found the warm, happy space filing the holes in  his soul.         

     



 

Just like she did.

"I'll open a bottle of wine," he finally said, heading to the wine rack. "Red is good with pork?"

"Sure. I'm using this spicy recipe for the sauce but-Dante? Are you alright?"

The shimmer of energy pulsed around him, and his skin prickled in  warning. He let go of the neck of the bottle and mentally hung on. His  gaze swung to hers, and she nodded quietly, knowing within seconds he  would be gone. He clung to her image as long as possible, and the warmth  and support on her face made his breath come easier, his muscles  relaxing slightly.

She would be waiting for him.

The room spun faster and faster like a crazy teacup ride at a carnival.  He fought off the familiar nausea, closed his eyes, and hung on.

When he opened them, he blinked and tried to focus. He'd gotten better  at judging and adapting to his surroundings quickly, knowing it was  necessary for survival.

An alley. Dumpsters overflowed with rotting garbage, and the stench rose  to his nostrils. The sidewalk was wet. He spun around, looking for her,  and finally zeroed in on his target.

Three men. One woman. She knelt on her knees, her silver hair streaming  down her back like moonlight. The memory of his mother hit him hard, but  he'd trained himself to let the images rush past him so he could  concentrate on the present. Dante moved quickly, his feet pounding in a  blinding rush as he raised his hand to mark them.

He never made it.

With a high shriek, an ear splitting noise echoed in his head. He  stumbled, tried to shake it off, but the pain slicing through his brain  was too much. He dragged in a breath, pushing himself harder, needing to  get to the woman in time.

Seconds after the piercing cry, another sound blasted through him. Low,  keening howls hit the airwaves, and the sidewalk trembled with the  stampede of paws. Dante looked up, frozen.

Dozens of dogs came bounding down the alley, teeth bared, saliva  dripping, Cujo incorporated. Bodies lean, ears pricked back, they jumped  on the startled three men all at once, tearing clothes, nipping,  sinking teeth into tender skin.

The woman rose to her feet. Untouched. Looking at the scene with a tiny  smile of satisfaction as her attackers screamed and fought them off,  stumbling drunkenly in the alleyway.

Dante watched with her, as justice was served.

Blood pooled in the streets and the dogs chased them down the alley until they disappeared.

Slowly, he turned and studied the woman in front of him.

Her green eyes were startling with her silver hair and white skin,  almost translucent. Long, slender limbs. Pale, pink lips. Dressed in  jeans, casual t-shirt, and boots, she looked like a normal woman he'd  pass on the streets without a glance back.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She smiled. His heart stopped. He sensed he'd known her from another  time and place, and a surge of energy sizzled. Not sexual. More like  meeting a childhood friend or sister after years of being apart.

"About time you got here. I've been trying to channel you for a while,  and it's not like I can hire a PI with your qualifications. A good thing  those Neanderthals came after me or who knows how long I'd keep  looking."

Her humor was vaguely familiar, as if they had bantered before. "Who are you?" he repeated.

But he knew the answer, knew in his heart and soul even before she said it.

"I'm your half-sister." A mischievous grin curved her lips. "My name is Sage."

The name stirred his memory. He took a step closer. "Have we met before?" he asked.

She shook her head. Silver hair spilled over her shoulder. Those meadow  green eyes darkened with a pain he knew only too well. "No. But I've  been looking for you for a very long time. I knew you were out here."  Her jaw clenched. "I knew I wasn't the only one."

They drifted closer until they stood inches apart. He shook his head,  trying to make sense of the overwhelming and shocking truth. He had a  sister. Blood. Family.

And she was like him.

"Do you know about my power?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes. Mine revolves around the animals. An earth element, I  think. I don't know the rules but I sense there's more out there. Will  you help me find them?"

She put out her hand.

Slowly, Dante took it. As their fingers wrapped around each other, a  sense of homecoming surged through him. Blood to blood. Power to power.

Not alone.

"Yes. But first I want to introduce you to somebody."

They smiled at each other, and Dante knew his life would never be the same.

And it was a very good thing.



The End