Page 54 of Ashes to Ash’s

“He’s a prick, but I kinda like him too. So, gut this fucker, or watch him burn? Both sound fun, and I’m torn.”

“You didn’t get to kill the bitch. You gonna get pissy if you don’t make this kill?”

Blaze ran back into the room, his face practically fucking glowing with excitement.

“Dad says he’s coming to join the fun, so I’m leaving some of the firestarting for him. Been a while, and I know he misses it.”

Yeah. My firestarter family. Suddenly all I really cared about though was my man out there, waiting in the car for this shit to be over. For his horrors to, not be over as such, but to start being righted.

“Ethan, you didn’t kill him yet?”

Ethan barked out a laugh and dropped back down over the man, giving Blaze the side eye, before he manoeuvred the struggling man, and sliced through the side of his throat.

Blaze cursed as arterial spray hit him in the face, and Ethan burst out laughing.

“You shoulda moved, man.” Karma’s a bitch. Blaze smacked the back of Ethan’s head as he stepped away from the dying man, stomping on his junk in the process. The soon-to-be-corpse tried to yell out in pain, but just made a choking sound instead.

“Let’s go burn shit up!” Blaze yelled, as I cast a last look around the fucking horrifying room, and shuddered. Yeah. Time to let it all burn.

Cal

When another car turned up, I thought for sure we were screwed. Who the hell else would be turning up here right now? There was murder and all kinds of shit going on in there. Ash and his fucking insane family had dragged me into this stuff, and now… oh wait. Just as I was trying to get Ren to hide in the footwell, I recognised the lanky bastard getting out of the car. He ran straight towards the compound, and after him, his partners, Dory and Wilma, left the car, and followed at a slower pace.

“Who are they? Will they hurt us?” Well, damn, what the hell was the right answer? They were the Cross family, so it could probably go either way, but I hoped not.

“They’re Ash’s parents. They’re probably here to help him.” Gray had run in there like he was on fire, so hopefully that didn’t mean anyone was hurt. Against my better judgement, I opened the door and slipped out of the car, calling out to Dory, although I called him Mr Cross.

“Hey kid. You’re not up for a little murder?”

Wilma sighed, moving away from Dory and towards me. Her pale hair was pulled away from her face, and hell, even I could appreciate her beauty, although clearly women weren’t my preference.

“Are you okay, Callum? Are my sons okay?”

Dory laughed, pointing to the door of the building, as Gray and Blaze ran outside, whooping and cheering as the doorway erupted in flames behind them.

“Wait. Where the fuck is Ash?” I started to run for the door they’d just set on fire, and strong arms caught me, dragging me away.

“Where is he?! ASH!”

“Yeah?”

He appeared from the side of the building, just as his dad and brother released me, and Wilma hissed a bunch of curses at her husbands. Thank fuck he was okay.

“Ash, for fuck’s sake! I thought you were stuck in there!”

“Hey, you think I’m such a shit dad that I’d leave my son inside a burning building,” Gray demanded, but I ignored him, cupping Ash’s face in both hands.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded, taking a deep breath before that usual grin reappeared on his face, even though it was a little shakier and less confident than normal.

“Yeah, baby, he’s dead, and the place is going down to hell with him.”

“It was my revenge. He let me get splashed with blood first,” Ethan was saying behind us, laughing like he’d just had the best time ever.

“Ash?”

“Yeah, you okay? This was a big deal for you. He’s gone now, he can’t ever hurt you again.”