Page 46 of Ignited

The command in his voice almost physically moved Boomer away.

DB took a deep breath, and a burst of electricity surrounded his hands. Karisma’s body jolted.

Nothing.

Boomer bit his lip hard, feeling the blood run down.

You can’t die, Kittycat. No way. Come back.

Chapter 20

DB jolted Karisma again. After a long, agonizing moment, she took a breath.

Boomer sat back on his heels, sagging with relief. “That was too close,” he muttered.

“It’s not over,” DB said. “Did you see that energy line? She’s not just collecting parts of the Orb. She’s connected to it. Where is it?”

Dammit. “I promised her I wouldn’t tell.”

“Tell me. Now.” DB loomed over him, lightning crackling around him. Suddenly he looked like a full-grown dragon—full of power and scary as fuck.

“My cabin. I can go get it—”

“No time. Ziggy, bring my bag.”

DB extended his arm straight out, head-height, and made a vertical slashing motion in the air. With that now-familiar ripping sound, a line appeared in the air, quickly expanding to make a door wide enough for several people.

He made a sweeping motion with his hands, circling above Karisma, and then slid his arms under the cloak and picked her up as if she weighed no more than a five-year-old. The entire circle of crystals came with her, floating in the air.

Carrying Karisma, DB stepped through the portal. Boomer and Mikey followed, with Ziggy and the backpack. There was a flash of a gray field of waving grass… and then they were stepping through another door into the middle of his living room.

And his brother was standing on the other side of the room, aiming his Sig Sauer 9mm at DB’s face.

DB didn’t even stop. He just jerked his head at Bro on his way through to the bedroom. Bro stumbled back, the gun flying out of his hands.

But he was back upright in an instant, growling. Boomer said, “It’s cool. Stand down.”

DB was already laying Karisma on Boomer’s bed, crystals settling around her.

Bro walked up behind Boomer. “What the fuck is going on?”

Boomer ran his hand over his face. “Short version? The dragon kid is fixing Karisma. The spell worked, and then it didn’t. And it has to do with that shit in her damned Barbie toybox.”

Boomer’s brother shook his head. “Fucking magic. What can we do?”

There it was. His bro’s wolf was still on edge, and he was against having Karisma here in the first place. But when Boomer needed him, he was there.

DB called over, “One of you can quit gossiping and get me whatever magic shit the tiger brought with her. The one who’s in love with her can come in here and hold her hand. This is still touch and go.”

Boomer clapped his brother on the back and went in to drag a chair up next to the bed, muttering, “I’m not in love with her.” DB snorted. His brother went to Boomer’s closet and opened it. The toybox was now on the closet floor—Bro must have brought it inside while they were gone.

“Have at it,” Bro said. “Better yet, take it the fuck out of here. But watch it when you try to open it. It stings.”

DB smirked. “Maybe for you.”

He ran his hand over the box, about two inches out from the lock, and then snapped his fingers. The lock popped open.

Bro raised his eyebrows. “Shit, kid. Ever consider embracing a life of crime?”