Blaze of Fury

What does a woman do when there is no way out
of an abusive situation? She hires a man with enough power to
kill—a man proven to show no mercy.

Ice has been favored by the Shasta realm—a
gap between mortal and immortal worlds where human spirits join
those of their ordained animal spirit to become shifters. Those
chosen receive one name, which embraces the nature of their soul.
He…is a stone-cold killer, but only in the name of justice.

After twenty-two years of hell, Sasha finally
escapes the people that have tormented her for over two decades.
Her freedom came with a high price—the loss of her oldest daughter.
Now the sharks are circling again. This time she’ll do whatever it
takes to save the only family she has left.

Ice is surprised when he meets the woman who
secretly contacted him to kill not one—but three men! She does not
look like a killer. When she offers him the little money she has,
he refuses. This is a job he will do for free.

Can a man who put his heart on ice decades
ago and a woman who lost the ability to trust find love on common
ground? Or will they go their separate ways once the deed is
done?

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rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents either are products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.

Blaze of Fury

Copyright © 2013 Storm Savage

ISBN: 978-1-77111-483-7

Cover art by Martine Jardin

All rights reserved. Except for use in any
review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in
part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written
permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books

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Smashwords Edition

Blaze of Fury

Perfect Strangers 1

By

Storm Savage

To the downtrodden…never lose hope.

For Austin and Crocket…who gave me their
light in my darkest days. You came to me after my first breakdown
and stayed until I rose from the ashes of my past like a phoenix. I
still feel your presence and because of your sweet, perfect love I
have been able to move forward.

Until we meet again, my sweetest friends…I
will write and feel your spirits lighting my way.

Chapter One

He was nothing like she’d expected. His voice
on the phone had been soft and sexy—mysteriously alluring. Standing
here now, peeking around a cluster of trees, she gazed at the man
standing on a remote area of the Crescent City beach. He’d
instructed her to meet him here at exactly sunset, and if she
didn’t show that she would not have a second chance.

Her heart beat faster as she quickly retraced
her thoughts, wondering if she could actually go through with this
daring plan, wondering if he’d accept the little cash she’d been
able to scrape together. This was the riskiest thing she’d ever
attempted.
Not that my life has been full of adventure.
She
inwardly mused.
Well, not the good type anyway.

Never in her farthest thoughts did she
imagine herself here—now—staring at him.
He looks like a
god!
She sighed.

She thought he would have at least come fully
dressed, yet there he stood, stoic-like, bared to the waist with
long black hair draped past his massive shoulders and down his
back. His darkly tanned skin added to the feral aura he cast.
Though he had his back to her, she assumed the front view would be
no less impressive.

Sucking in a deep breath, she nervously
straightened her shirt then walked into the open. As if he’d heard
her very first step, his head turned sharply in her direction. She
stopped, momentarily stunned by his sharp senses and the
penetrating stare from those black eyes. Her breath caught in her
chest as the intense stare swallowed the distance between them.

Walk, just walk, one step at a time, you
can do this.
She forced her feet to move. He on the other hand
stood motionless and just stared with those haunting eyes. For a
split second she wondered what ghosts from his past had created
such a savage appearance.

His gaze slid over her like a hungry animal
sizing up its prey as she approached. Every nerve in her body
sparked to life. She prayed he couldn’t see her legs trembling. The
closer she drew to him the more intense his aura became. He stood
tall, very tall and powerful-looking over her five-foot-five frame.
He must be almost seven foot!
She swallowed hard. Her throat
went dry.

“I’m Sasha,” she murmured while hesitantly
offering her hand.

He said nothing. Didn’t take her hand in
greeting. Just stood like a tower of raw sexual prowess in silent
splendor—all the while taking her heart in his hands with those
blazing eyes. She felt him bare her soul and she wanted to run.
This man was clearly not one to mess with. Suddenly afraid, she
turned to go.

“I-I’m sorry…this was a mistake…I should
go.”

“Why?” he asked in a voice so naturally
commanding it forced her to stop in her tracks.

Slowly she turned back toward him. She
couldn’t help but look him over. The long black strands of hair
framed a face so handsome, expressive, and full of rage and passion
that she could barely catch her next breath. Her gaze moved over
the shimmering locks of thick hair hanging several inches down his
muscular chest—a chest any woman would long to run her hands over.
She imagined it felt as hard as it looked.

She let her visual trek dip lower to the
amazing rippling abs. His dark skin and midnight hair, dampened by
the ocean mist, glistened in the last streaks of light from the
setting sun. She secretly gasped as her eyes returned to his face.
A flawlessly straight masculine nose set between high cheekbones
and above naturally pouted, sensual lips combined with those killer
eyes—this man redefined the meaning of animal magnetism.

How can one man possess a body and face so
utterly perfect, yet send chills of fear and lust over me at the
same time?

“Because you look…” She hesitated while
twisting the hem of her shirt. “Uh…scary.”

“Good.” His deep throaty voice resonated
around her. Laced with ferocity and sensual sway at the same time,
it was soft, sexual and made her shiver with mixed emotion. “I am,”
he added.

She concluded that a man such as him never
needed to raise his voice above a whisper to strike fear into
anyone—he was just that imposing. The desire to touch him became
just as overwhelming as the urge to run. Never had a man stirred
her in so many different directions at once.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,”
she murmured, lowering her eyes.

“Not here,” he growled. “Follow me.” He
stalked off in the opposite direction.

For a moment she didn’t move, unsure of what
to do.
Should I follow him or turn around and run home?
He
didn’t look back but kept walking along the water’s edge. She
tilted her head just a little, watching—gawking at the nice ass and
long muscular legs deliciously poured into threadbare skintight
jeans. Stiff gusts coming in off the waves tossed his hair wildly
behind him as he moved. A host of ideas whipped through her mind.
What would it feel like to grab his firm waist and wrap myself
around that magnificent body?
She shook her head.
Get a
grip! He’s not some stud from a romance novel…this man is a stone
cold killer!

Before he got too far away, she broke into a
jog and followed him. Her decision to involve herself with him was
dangerous but she’d come this far and now having seen him, she felt
compelled to follow through. If any man could help her, it would be
him.

He stopped short of the tree line that led
them off the coast but he didn’t turn around. “So…you made your
decision.”

“Yes.”

“Come on then. I have transportation not far
away.”

She gulped for air, never expecting to get
into a vehicle with him, let alone at night. Clutching her purse
tightly, she trotted along behind him as he picked up the pace.
They made their way through dark woods. A full July moon inched
into the night sky and could be seen above the tall redwoods. The
weather was still fairly mild on the north Pacific coast so she
hadn’t brought a jacket, only her handbag and the clothes on her
body.

After following him for what seemed like a
good distance, she caught sight of something shiny up ahead.
Slivers of moonlight cutting through the mighty treetops glinted
off the chrome of an impressive motorcycle.
So this is the
transportation
, she thought with some trepidation. Then she
remembered her previous notion of wrapping her arms around his
waist. A shiver of strange excitement raced over her, as if she was
about to jump on a thrill ride without knowing where or if it would
end.

“You’re in better shape than most,” he said
upon coming to a halt at the bike. “Most people are panting for
breath by the time we get this far. Some don’t even make it.”

She stared up at him with furrowed brows.
“Was this a test?”

He shrugged with open indifference. “Call it
what you want. I figure if they have the balls to keep up then they
won’t back out once the deal is made.”

“Well you’ll have to excuse me, but I don’t
have any balls.”

He almost smiled but quickly took it back.
His gaze swept over her—undressed her—and suddenly she felt
naked.

“No…you certainly don’t. But you’re not
lacking.”

She arched one brow but didn’t offer a verbal
response. She didn’t want him to know his subtle compliment sent a
flurry of flutters to her stomach. Though his physical charisma had
drawn a powerful reaction from her, she wasn’t about to let him
know that the ache between her thighs was not from running.

Men were her enemy at the moment. Despite his
unexpected visceral magnetism, she would not allow her raging
hormones to interfere with her goal. Moreover, he was intimidating
as hell and she’d learned long ago not to trust men, especially
those with power. Once this job was done, she’d have her reward.
I’ll just have to control my lust until then.

“Get on.” His demand left no room for
argument so she slung her bag across her chest, climbed on behind
him and situated her butt on the leather seat.

“Where are we going?”

He didn’t reply. Instead he started the
engine and kicked the bike into gear. They rumbled along a dirt
path until reaching the highway, then he opened the throttle and
the bike took off like a shot down the dark stretch of road. She
grabbed his waist and held tight. This was the first time she’d
ridden a motorcycle, so the sudden shift from a cozy rumble to a
full out growl left her stomach back on the highway somewhere.

His skin felt good to touch, firm and sleek
like fine leather stretched over a hard machine. He was a hard-body
without a doubt, and she didn’t mind at all that his hair blew in
her face as they flew down the road. He smelled amazing—a heady
blend of fresh wood and leather with a hint of spice.
Can this
man get any more appealing?
She gasped at the thought of what
those tattered jeans concealed.
Mercy!
Her imagination began
running amok while snuggled against his bare back.
Stop it!
She silently chided herself.
He’s just a man.

About fifteen minutes later, he guided the
bike onto a back road at a slower pace. She relaxed her grip at his
waist just a bit and peeked around his shoulder to see they were
heading into a denser cluster of woods. By now she had no idea of
her location and realized that her fate was in the hands of this
daunting male.

He pulled into a campsite and parked.
A
tent? He lives in a tent? Where was he raised? In the
boondocks?
Fear threatened to engulf her but she choked it
back.
Here I am in the middle of nowhere with a man reputed to
show no mercy, who not only looks like a savage but obviously lives
like one too.
She slid off the passenger seat, rubbed her
mildly sore inner thighs and swore they were still vibrating. For
the first time she took a good look at his bike and found it quite
impressive. Gleaming black metal and plenty of chrome, accessorized
with leather saddlebags and black leather fringe dangling from the
handles.