Burning Souls Excerpt

I can't get the paragraphs to load exactly right, but here is an excerpt of the new release. This is actually the first scene of the book.

Liquid Silver Books Hearts Afire Series - October Installment

Excerpt: Burning Souls

They’re burning alive. God help them. Mia Nolan stared, wide-eyed, at the house as she parked her car along the beautiful, tree-lined street. She was a safe distance away, but felt as if she were in that house, eyes stinging, throat choked with black smoke. She heard the fire raging in her ears.

Without realizing it, she ran toward the house. An upper window burst and flames shot through, like feelers, searching for something, anything to devour. She heard the smoke-stifled whimpers of a small child. Closed her eyes and felt a small, confined space around her. A crack of light. Cupboard doors. The child was in a downstairs cupboard.

“She’s still in there,” she murmured.Her eyes flew open. “She’s still in there!” She barely heard her voice. Blood roared in her ears.

She ran at the house just as a fireman rushed out with a child under each arm, running toward the safety of an ambulance.

“In the kitchen cupboard!” She screamed at him.He turned and looked at her. Dark eyes. Burnished skin.

It was him. Her heart almost stopped as recognition flashed in his eyes.
Something electric passed between them. Mia caught her breath. The girl was still in there.

“Under the sink! The cupboard under the sink! Hurry!”

He deposited the children into the waiting arms of an EMT, then turned and ran into the house.

Mia couldn’t get enough breath into her lungs. Her heart thumped double-time. “Please, God. Please, God,” she coughed between ragged breaths. She bent over, hands on her knees, and watched the door. Seconds seems like eons.

She closed her eyes and saw the cupboard doors opening. Arms reached in for her.

Then they were bursting through the door toward safety.Mia fell on her knees and sobbed.

“Thank you,” she cried to the heavens. “Thank you.”

She felt a hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay, ma’am?”

She looked up to see the concerned eyes of an EMT.“Come on. We need to check you out.”

Her brain was buzzing. She didn’t want anyone touching her. Prodding her. “No, I’m fine. Really.

Better than fine. They’re all okay, aren’t they?”

He nodded. “Looks that way. Very lucky family.”

“I need a few moments. Just shaken. That’s all.”

“We all are.” He patted her shoulder. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Okay. We’re just over there if you change your mind.”

He gestured to the nearby ambulance.“Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”He turned to leave.She caught his arm. “Excuse me. Do you know the name of that firefighter?”

“Which one?”

Of course. There were several firefighters on the scene.

“The one who brought the three kids out.”“Yeah. That’s Josh. Josh Waters.”

Mia held herself steady while a fresh wave of dizziness moved over her. “Thanks.”

The ambulance worker moved away but she barely noticed.

It was him. After all these years, she was finally face-to-face with the man who saved her from a burning house eleven years ago.

He’d saved her life, and she hated him for it.