“Where?” asked Quinn. Nick didn’t sense it, either—but then again, he wasn’t a Fire Elemental.

And then he felt it, the reason danger rode the wind. It had nothing to do with the storm in the east.

And everything to do with the smoke to the west.

Quinn spent each moment vacillating between wanting to kill Tyler and wanting to hug him.

“Stay in the truck,” he snapped, when he parked alongside the woods. She could smell the smoke now, a primal scent that warned her to stay away.

But she glared at Tyler and climbed out anyway.

“Stay in the truck,” Nick agreed. But he wasn’t focused on her. He was focused on the woods. She wondered how much he could sense, whether Gabriel was in immediate danger. “This guy isn’t messing around. You saw that.”

“He didn’t shoot me in the dance studio,” she said. “Didn’t you tell me that they don’t kill normal people?”

“They kill anyone,” said Tyler, “if it leads to the greater good. He didn’t kill you in the dance studio because you weren’t a threat.”

“Well, I’m not exactly a threat now—”

A gun fired in the woods, and Nick and Tyler both jerked her down and against the truck. Adam crouched beside them.

“I am not helpless!” she snapped. But her heartbeat was in her ears, blocking other sounds.

Nick was practically breathless. Too pale. He’d healed his head wound, but she wondered how much damage he’d really taken. “Can you get to the house?” he said. “Everyone’s number is on the wall. Call Michael. Tell him—tell him—”

“I’m not leaving you,” she said.

“Damn it, Quinn, I can’t help them all! I need—I want—”

Another gunshot. Everyone froze.

The wind kicked up, a sudden gust that lifted her hair. The air temperature dropped ten degrees. Nick went paler, if that was possible. “He’s hurt. He’s hurt. He’s—”

Another shot.

“Go,” said Tyler. “If you can get to a phone, call nine-one-one.”

“We’ll go,” said Adam. “Come on, Quinn.”

Then he grabbed her hand and dragged her, not leaving any room for argument.

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 32

The woods blazed with fire, consuming dead leaves and trees and anything it could find to burn. Nick moved beside Tyler, hating that his mortal enemy was going to be at his side when he found his brother’s body.

Stop thinking like that.

But he couldn’t sense Gabriel now. The flames were too thick, and smoke clouded the sky, blocking what sunlight crept through.

More fire was good, right?

Or did it mean that Gabriel had lost all control, and the fire was raging of its own accord?

Nick stumbled and lost his footing.

Tyler caught his arm and hauled him to his feet.