Fire Storm by Ally Shields

president ordering you to return home.”
    She sighed. “I guess I’m in trouble, huh? How bad?”
    “I did my best to explain, but he wasn’t pleased. In light of his recent warning, he interpreted your leaving without permission as open defiance.”
    “But he never would have agreed,” she protested.
    “He said that too. And that you knew he wouldn’t agree.” Steffan paused, and she almost heard the regret in his silence. “I’m sorry, but he’s given you twenty-four hours to return.”
    “Or else what?”
    “I didn’t ask.”
    Yeah, the threat was obvious. What would she do if she couldn’t be a Guardian? She’d trained her whole life for the position: the martial arts, the weaponry. Hell, being a Guardian was her whole life. But going home without Andreas just wasn’t an option.
    “I felt I needed to warn you,” Steffan said. “I’ll keep in touch and let you know if anything changes.”
    “OK, but nothing will change my mind. I can’t come home. Not yet.”
    “I know that, but the president is getting a lot of pressure to do something. There was a bar fight in Olde Town last night, and Martin couldn’t get there before several were injured. He lives too far away.”
    “It shouldn’t be his responsibility.” Ari let out a long, resigned breath. “They need to bring in another Guardian, hopefully temporarily, but I don’t know when I’ll be back. It could be hours or months.”
    “You can’t expect the council to wait indefinitely. I get it that you need to do this. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same, but the president will be furious. I’ll do what I can, but don’t expect any miracles.”
    She heard a branch snap and saw the coven’s second-in-command coming through the trees. “I won’t, and thanks, Steffan. I gotta go, but I’ll call you soon.” She stood, dropping her phone in her pocket this time.
    Rebekah waved to her. “You can join us now. We have an answer.”
    The witches were still seated in the circle when Ari re-entered the clearing. Sophie rose and came toward her. Her forehead was creased in a sympathetic frown. “I don’t know if this is really going to be helpful or not. He’s inside the O-Seven’s stronghold in Germany. We can’t get past their magical wards on the fortress, but we followed his trace to the castle walls.”
    Ari’s heart pumped harder. She’d expected it, but… Gabriel’s one word description pounded over and over in her head: impregnable…impregnable…
    She stared at the priestess helplessly. “So how do I get to him?”
    Sophistrina shook her head. “If we knew the answer, our fight with the vampires would have been over centuries ago.”
    “There’s got to be a way.” Ari heard the desperation in her voice, but she didn’t care. “Andreas will help us, if I can only contact him. You have to help me, Sophie.”
    “I’d like to, but…” The priestess’s eyes filled with compassion. She drew a deep breath. “It’s true we’ve never had anyone on the inside before.” She hesitated. “It would take time and patience to blend our magics, but it might be worth the effort. Come home with us. Work with the Witches’ League. We’ll train you.” She arched an eyebrow at Ari’s quick frown. “How much will you do for your vampire?”
    “Not a fair question, but I think the answer is obvious. I—”
    Ari whirled toward a surge of Otherworld power. Four vampires teleported into the midst of the clearing, and the air filled with witches’ screams and the savage snarling of the undead. The witch standing nearest to them died instantly from a broken neck. Ari acted on instinct. She fired a bolt of crimson witch fire, incinerating the first vampire on contact. Startled by her attack, two other vamps hesitated long enough for Ari to catch them with a series of arcing flames. Fueled by rage and frustration, she poured fire into them until nothing but charred ashes remained and her magic was drained. The fourth vampire