He wasn’t stupid; he turned and ran. I flipped the gun, retained flesh on the hand holding it, and then fired. The bullet ripped through his thigh, and he came to a stumbling, crashing halt, a strangled sound wrenched from his throat as he wrapped his hands around his leg. Blood pulsed over his fingers and spurted onto the floor; I’d obviously hit an artery, meaning he’d bleed out in very quick time if he didn’t get help soon. But he wasn’t getting it from me, not until the room was secure and I knew Jackson was safe.

I became full flesh again and peered around the doorway. Jackson was battling two men, one of whom was on fire but weirdly not screaming. A third was taking aim at Jackson’s head. I raised the gun and fired. It wasn’t a particularly good shot and didn’t go anywhere near the guy I was aiming at, but it at least drew his attention away from Jackson and focused it on me.

I flung myself back into the room; the bullet aimed at my head gouged into the door frame, sending splinters flying. I took a deep breath, then rolled forward and flung fire at the felon. He swore and threw himself sideways, but my flames followed him, pinning his arm to his body before quickly wrapping him in a cocoon of flame. He screamed, even though they were cindering his clothes rather than his flesh. I threw him roughly against the wall and silenced him.

I switched my focus to the man Jackson had set alight, catching his flames and dragging him away and down before pinning him to the floor. It gave Jackson the chance to concentrate on the other one and, in very little time, all four were under control.

“You okay?” Jackson’s gaze was sharp as it swept me.

“Yeah.” I carefully wiped a hand under my nose. Becoming fire had at least stopped the bleeding, but my face hurt like hell. “I am, however, seriously pissed off.”

“That makes two of us.” Jackson stepped over the body of the man he’d knocked out, then bent and grabbed a fistful of the second man’s shirt, hauling him roughly upright. “You will talk, or I will ensure that it’s your body that burns rather than just your clothes.”

The man shook his head violently from side to side, and then raised a hand, urgently pointing at his throat.

I frowned and stepped forward. “You can’t speak?”

He nodded and opened his mouth. No sound came out.

“Mute.” Jackson dropped him back to the carpet none too gently. “Don’t attack us, don’t even twitch, or I will follow through with the threat.”