Burning Desire [Eternal Flames 1]

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

Daytona circled the clearing deep in the woods of his small town of Crystal, Colorado. He searched to make sure his landing would go undetected. A black, ninety-five foot long dragon, standing over sixty-five feet tall, with large spikes going down his back and a wing span ranging over thirty feet wide, tended to make people scream. At least in all the Japanese movies he had seen. Besides, shifter law dictated keeping his ability to change into another creature remain a secret. Anyone caught coming out to the world would be executed by the Paranormal Council immediately, and he loved his life. So Daytona had no intentions of letting that happen. It was doubly difficult for Daytona, because he not only had to hide his ability from the humans, but from the other shifters in his small town that stood outside Denver.

Daytona was a dragon shifter, amongst his greatest enemies…Phoenix shifters.

Personally, Daytona had no issue with the fiery birds. He wished that the two would get over the past and move forward into the present. Why didn't the people remember how, at one time, the two used to work together and their worlds were all the stronger because of their combined forces?

Long ago they were allies and friends and, many times, mates. They fought the enemy side by side until, for whatever reason, the leader of the phoenix refused to allow his daughter to mate with the dragon king's son. The two lovers refused to be parted and had secreted away, only to be found dead for reasons unknown.

The phoenix blamed the dragons, and the dragons blamed the phoenix, causing the Great War of the Shuites. Many died on both sides, and after almost a hundred years of battle, and the death of both leaders, the war fizzled out, and both beasts went their separate ways.

The hate and disdain remained, and if one was ever found on the other's territory, without permission, it was no doubt that the person would be killed. Which was why Daytona was never more grateful for his ability to hide his scent.

Finding a location where he could shift, fly, and not be seen, was not easy.

When Daytona had his falling out with his father, he had searched hard and long until he found this small town. He had known coming to Crystal that the phoenix shifters resided here.

However, they had an opening for the Captain of the fire department, and his ability to be able to conceal his scent had him applying for the position.

When Mayor Justice Abruzzo had called him and then interviewed Daytona, the man had hired him on the spot. Telling his father, the King of all dragons, about his plan to leave Denver had pissed the man off, but Daytona was determined to follow his own path, break away from his clutch, get out from under his father's thumb and determination to marry him off. Daytona was gay and had no intentions of finding a nice wife and settling down. If he was going to settle down, it would be with the man of his choice, not the woman his father thought would make a great partner.

Landing, sparkly black lights filled the space around him, as Daytona shifted into his human form.

Kneeling, Daytona picked up the small black onyx stone he created with each shift he went through, and placed it in his running pants.

All dragons created a gem when they shifted back to their human form. It was part of the treasure they accumulated and kept hidden from any and all that surrounded them.

Taking off to the station in a slow jog, Daytona was thankful that his dragon wasn't like a wolf or cat shifter, or any of the other animal shifters out there. Those people had to make sure they had spare clothes somewhere so their bits and pieces could be covered. His dragon would tuck his clothing under his scales and then magically return them when he shifted back to his human form. It was very cost effective.

Slowly jogging into the firehouse, Daytona nodded to his men, that had already arrived at the station.

"Hey Day, have a nice run?" Henry yelled out.

Nodding and not slowing down, Daytona replied, "Yeah, I'm gonna grab a quick shower and I'll be out in a few."

"Good, ‘cause we don't want you smelling like ball sweat. That s**t is just nasty," Craig yelled from the kitchen.

Daytona laughed. "You wish you could smell my balls."

Their laughter faded as the door closed to the showers. Daytona quickly turned a knob and started removing his clothing.

Stepping into the shower, he hissed at the cool spray covering his body and turned the hot water knob once more.

He took a moment to enjoy the feel of the warm moistness spreading over his heated body. It always felt so good to feel the spray of the shower tapping at his highly sensitive skin, right after a nice long shift and fly. Hell, Daytona didn't know what he enjoyed more, the shower, or the s****l release he almost demanded whenever he brought his dragon out to play.

Hearing the door open, Daytona turned when Larry yelled out, "Hey Cap, Craig wants to know if you want some bacon and eggs this morning?"

"Sounds great, I'll be out in about ten."

The door closed and Daytona quickly soaped his hair and face, thinking how he really needed a shave. Rinsing off, he then grabbed the bar of soap. Daytona began to scrub his broad shoulders and wide muscular chest. Making his way down his thick muscular thighs and to his hard as a rock shaft that shifting always brought out in him.

Placing the soap back on the shelf, Daytona took his stiffy in hand and moaned. It felt so f*****g good as he stroked himself, and then took his other hand and messaged his balls.

Throwing his head back and with his eyes closed, Daytona focused on the pleasure he felt as he moved his hand up and down his c**k. He just wished there was someone there helping him.

Instantly Daytona went to his imaginary man. For almost a month now, Daytona had this small shower dream man. He had long dark hair, with the bluest eyes, and full plump lips.

"Oh yeah...fucking beautiful," Daytona groaned as he continued stroking his c**k.

His man would drop to his knees and take those luscious lips and wrap them around Daytona's shaft. He would suck him down his throat.

"Ah f**k!" Dayton hissed as he felt those lips, and the throat muscles massaging his d**k over and over.

His balls began to lift as his pleasure built and Daytona knew he was about to c*m, then the little minx took a finger and started pushing it into Daytona's ass, "Fuuuuuuuuuck!"

Seed shot from his d**k and onto the tile in front of him as more coated his hand. It kept spewing until Daytona didn't think he had any more to give.

Just as Daytona was rinsing off, the alarm ripped through the station.

"Station 8, Station 8...respond to a structure fire at 8675 Fawkes Drive. Respond to a structure fire at 8675 Fawkes Drive. Scene is not secure."

"s**t!" Daytona hissed as he quickly shut off the water, wrapped a towel around his narrow waist, and rushed to his locker.

Without shame, Daytona dropped the towel and quickly jumped into his gear. They usually have a few minutes to gear up, but it took Daytona less than forty-five seconds.

"Damn Cap!" Craig yelled out as he snapped his helmet on and jumped into the fire truck.

"It's the Shelter! Go! Go!" Daytona hollered as he jumped into the passenger seat and grabbed the CB. "Station 8 in route."

There was a crackling sound and then the dispatch operator’s voice came through, "Station 8, be advised, the call came in three minutes ago. Caller was saying the fire is on the second floor. The caller also stated almost everyone has been evacuated. He didn't know how many more might be in the building, but there are three known civilians still on scene, for sure."

"Ten four dispatch. Station 8 two minutes out. Please advise any changes," Dayton replied.

"Roger. Any new information will be noted and released on this channel."

Daytona turned slightly and raised his voice for everyone to hear, "Okay men. We have a full structure fire at the Shelter building. Remember it is three stories high and old as fuck."

"f**k, this sucks!" Larry said.

Nodding, Daytona shouted out over the loud horn Craig pulled to make room for their engine to pass, "We don't know how many people are left inside. As you guys know it can hold about fifty people, and some are small children."

Craig asked, "Cap, weren't they having that fundraiser today?"

"Son of a b***h! I completely forgot about that," Daytona snapped.

Henry sat forward. "But it wasn't scheduled to start until around eight. It's just going on seven."

"They were having some big breakfast that started at six. Levi closed his diner to cook for it and even told us to swing by. I completely forgot," Craig said loudly.

Henry gasped, "Son of a b***h!"

Everyone quickly looked in the direction Henry was staring at in awe, and Daytona spat, "f**k!"

Smoke covered the entire top floor and had already started to spread to the second floor as Craig pulled in, tugging the horn to get the massive crowd to spread out and allow them in.

Jumping from the truck, Daytona started yelling orders, "Okay, lock the hose and get the electricity off, as well as the gas main. I'm going to go talk to Nash and Frankie."

Nash was the Captain of the police department. He ran all the patrol officers, as well as the investigative department. He was also a phoenix and someone that took his job seriously, and really cared about the men that worked for him.

Frankie was one of the few officers that Crystal had. He was also one of the two Daytona had trained to run the engine, just in case there was ever a fire that all his men would need to tend to.

This was one of those fires.

"Nash, I need this crowd backed up about a block. We have no idea how bad this thing can get and I don't want innocent people hurt."

Nash replied firmly, "On it now. Viktor and Marco are doing it as we speak."

Daytona moved slightly when part of the roof fell to the ground, sparks and ash with it. Turning back to Nash he asked, "Can I use Frankie? I need someone to run the engine so my men and I can get in there."

With a sharp nod and tilt to his head, Frankie took off to get things going and then Nash said,

"Daytona, Nina and Levi are still in there. She refused to leave with everyone else, and rushed upstairs to help some of the families out."

"Nina? As in Mayor Justice's wife, Nina?" Daytona said in alarm.

With a concerned look, Nash said, "Go get her the f**k out of there, Daytona. I don't care if you have to do it with her kicking and screaming."

With a sharp nod, Daytona took off back to his men, yelling, "Alright guys, lock and load and stay smart. We stick together and don't go off on our own. We know that Nina Abruzzo and Levi Anderson are still in there trying to get the families out. That's our job! Lets' get her and Levi the f**k out of there and take out this beast!"

With a "f**k. Yeah!" chorus, everyone rushed in with hoses and axes in hand.

Placing his breather on, Daytona rushed into the smoke filled room. The smoke was so thick, you couldn't see a foot in front of you and the light had been completely sucked out of the room.

Daytona had been here often. He not only volunteered a couple times a week, he also wanted to know the buildings he might have to enter one day. However, then the lights were on, and there wasn't black smoke filling the air.

His adrenalin was running high as he made his way to the stairs, and spoke into his helmet mike which they all had in order to communicate, "Stay close and be ready. Larry, watch the ceilings, we don't need one falling on our heads or we won't be good to anyone. The rest of us need to listen and pay attention for any possible stragglers."

Just as they were rushing up the stairs, Levi ran right into Daytona, damn near knocking him down the stairs. He was holding what looked to be a young child in his arms, both were coughing and trying to breathe.

Removing his two portable oxygen bottles from his pack, that he had for just this type of scenario, Daytona placed one on the child and the other on Levi, yelling, "Where is Mrs.

Abruzzo?"

Levi pulled the mask up and shouted, "She's still up there. Ref…" cough…"refused to come until…" cough…"she made sure everyone was out." cough…cough…cough.

"You have him?" Daytona said indicating the child Levi held.

Levi nodded and Daytona yelled, "Take him and go. We'll get the mayor's wife."

Quickly Levi rushed past the other men and Daytona increased his speed up the stairs.

A faint orange glow was seen farther down the hall and the sounds of light bulbs bursting and walls creaking could be heard.

Daytona and his men rushed closer and the light became brighter as the sounds of the mattress springs breaking loose were coming from the engulfed rooms ahead.

Daytona suddenly tripped over something and fell forward.

On his hands and knees, he felt around and touched a soft form that was the size of a petit woman or larger child. Even with his dragon senses it was difficult to determine whether this was Nina or not.

Looking closer, he could finally discern Nina's long beautiful red hair that hung past her shoulders to her mid back.

"I found her!" Daytona hollered into the mike.

There was a loud creak and what sounded like the ceiling falling behind Daytona.

Craig placed one of his portable oxygen masks over Nina's head, and spoke, "We have this, for now, Cap. Get her out of here and hurry back in."

Daytona nodded and started walking as Larry laughed. "Don't forget the marshmallows."

"I want hot dogs!" Henry yelled out.

Craig quickly grabbed up a hose saying, "And don't forget the tea bags this time!"

Firefighter humor was something few understood. You had to be part of the brotherhood to get it most of the time. Yet, it was something they needed to have, to help keep down the urge of flight or fight.

Just as Daytona was making his way back to the stairs, a large explosion filled the air, and Daytona felt the floor give. He, along with Nina was dropped through to the basement.

Quickly Daytona covered Nina with his body as fiery debris fell over them and smoke filled the room.

Daytona yelled, "Roll call!"

No one answered.

"Roll call, Goddamn it!" Daytona screamed louder.

"f**k!" Daytona hollered as more debris fell on him.

Looking up and around, Daytona knew they only had seconds before the entire building came down around their heads and killed them all. Daytona did the only thing he could do.

Calling to his dragon, he felt the rush of cool air flow around his body as the tiny black jewelled speckles surrounded his body and he grew until his head was poking out of the hole in the floor and he was looking out the back window.

Making sure he had a good grasp on Nina, Daytona flapped his wings, and slammed out of the back of the building just as an explosion ripped through the air.

"A f*****g dragon!"

Daytona ignored the voice of what he knew to be the mayor and immediately shifted to his human form.

Ripping off his mask and gloves, Daytona felt for a pulse and listened for breathing, not finding either. Daytona yelled, "Starting CPR! We need to get her to a hospital, now!"

"Nina! Oh by the God's, Nina!" Mayor Justice screamed as he dropped to his knees, yelling,

“Angelo, get the car!"

Daytona felt a faint pulse as the large black SUV pulled next to them and everyone quickly got in. Daytona never letting Nina go.

"What the f**k is a dragon doing in my town?” Mayor Justice hissed.

Daytona didn’t look up as he felt for a pulse and realized Nina had stopped breathing once more.

Taking a deep breath, Daytona gasped, "Trying to save your wife's life." Then he brought his mouth over Nina's once again.