Consuming Fire

Chapter 74

As the Captain continued to shout orders at the SSS members who handled the communication between the jet and the compound, there was chaos everywhere. Hunter felt her heart beating like a hummingbird's wings in her chest as Will pulled her away from the chaotic area. The SSS members stayed clear of them so they could run to their rooms and gather whatever it was they needed.

Hunter had never dressed so quickly in her life. Her suit had been finished that morning and the tests were successful. She stared in her bedroom mirror at the suit of black and crimson fabric that Ella and her designers had made. There were beautiful flames engraved along her wrists and ankles and a large flame reaching from her torso to her neck. With her wild, red hair she looked fiercer than ever.

Suddenly, Hunter couldn't help but feel like she was in a great, big, unbelievably weird dream.

I'm in a badass superhero suit about to go and fight my deranged high school friend at the White House. When did this become my life?

She had no time to think about the press who would eat this up, no time to feel terrified that she would be doing this alone and no time to remember what it felt like to run into a burning restaurant or face the unknown. She could only remember what Dr. Rosenthal had told her in the letter he wrote:

You must all face you future as heroes in this world. You are not just children anymore; you are warriors.

Someone rapped on her door and she yanked it open. Will stood there, his suit colors of black, dark blue and tinges of gray. The suit fitted him to a tee, accentuating every muscle of his body. His eyes rolled over her suit and instantly, his mouth dropped.

"Phwoar ... you uh-"

"Yeah, you too."

Will's mouth spread into a grin. His smile still melted her, but she had no time to marvel over him. She went to push past Will and head for the jet when he shoved her back insidethe room and slammed the door shut behind them.

"Wh-"

His lips pressed against hers and silenced the words in her mouth. Hunter momentarily lost herself when they both softened and she had wrapped her hands around his firm biceps, his fingers gently scratching the line of hair beneath her neck that sent shivers of ecstasy down her spine. The feel of their silky suits pressed together was thrilling.

She moaned against his lips, wanting more of him, but he smiled and pulled away with one last gentle peck, his hands still cupping her face.

"I was going to say that I'm coming with you to the White House," he began and when she opened her mouth to object, he covered her lips. "But I know you won't let me. There hasn't been a moment of our time together where I haven't tried to save you Hunter, and vice versa, and I understand that this is one mission we must fight apart, but ... it's okay. I know you'll save Jack. I know you'll survive this, and not because you have an 'eternal flame' or some bullshit like that. I know you'll come back to me-" His doe-brown eyes bore into hers, large fingers tracing a line down her cheek. "Because if there's anyone who can pull someone out of the darkness and remind them of what love is, it's you."

"I hope so." She gripped his hands tight.

"And whatever happens today there's something I have to say."

"What?"

He gave her a crooked smile. "I'll tell you when it's over."

Hunter threw her fist into his arm. He jokingly frowned and made out that she'd hurt him. "You can't do that to me, what if-"

Once more, he grabbed her chin and kissed her passionately. She wanted to push him away but his kiss was too intoxicating and the fire roared for him.

"That's not fair," she said.

He laughed. "Race you to the hanger!"

Despite being frustrated, Hunter couldn't help but smile at the child-like happiness in his eyes as he sprinted to the stairs. It reminded her of Fearne.

As she closed her door, she prayed his belief in her would be enough, so that when it was all over and he said the words he so desperately wanted to keep, she could say hers.

"I love you," she whispered under her breath.

Then she ran after him.