Page 49 of Praying for Thunder

The inner walls of the old building were no match for fire, including the dressing room wall, which was not made of brick. From beyond Anita’s swinging shovel, I watched as the beauty stations set fire like a lit match. All the items that offered a façade so many men had enjoyed now burned and popped as if alive. The blaze behind Moola was like a moving sea of fire—

My nightmare.

I cried so hard, knowing what was coming next and how Moola—this courageous woman—was going to suffer. Then I thought of what I had been told… “Go to him.”

On my feet, with no rhyme or reason other than a voice in my heart, I ran along the side of the building. There was only one who could save her now. I wailed, “Dioooooooo!” Past the corner of the building, I could see there was nothing but chaos in the front. Smoke billowed and windows exploded. Some men were helping others. Some were jumping in cars and racing away. None of it mattered. I just hoped I could be heard. “Dioooooooo!”

A roar rumbled past me… Then another one, “Thunder!”

I didn’t even get to turn around and see him coming. A moving arm wrapped around my waist and lifted me off the ground. It was Dio, on his moving motorcycle. Diablo had sensed Ani’s blood…

Barely acknowledging the miracle, I swung an arm to where he needed to be. “Go!” But, Grims was already headed there. Dio, never stopping once he had gathered me, was on his tail.

Anita was grunting, still hitting the wall with a shovel so hard her hands now bled.

A scream echoed from inside.

I cried, “Moola! Moola!”

Understanding perfectly what was going down, Dio kicked down his stand and got off his bike, trying to hand me to Grims. His Pres shook his head, already off his bike, running past Anita. “Stay with them!” Running to the rear of the building, he yelled, “That hose may save her!”

Gasping through my panic, I finally noticed a green hose snaking inside the window. It was moving. I caught only a glimpse of more movement inside, but it was too smoky to tell what was happening.

Moving so fast I couldn’t gauge his actions, Diablo was suddenly throwing the shovel to the side. As soon as Anita recognized him, she uttered, “Diablo?”

Then she went limp.

With his free arm, he easily caught her as she fainted, then carried us both away from the window. About twenty feet away, he set me down, then laid her on the ground. His voice was so low when he told me, “Watch her, Thunder,” and his eyes… blazed red.

“Yes, Diablo.” I squatted by her head to protect my Ani.

I was the only person present and awake to witness silver eyes coming through the dark. Grims, with all his clothes scorched from his unharmed body, was running with an unconscious and steaming Moola in his arms.

Diablo was already waiting and immediately started spraying them both with water.

As Grims laid Moola gently to the ground, his voice was even deeper than Diablo’s. “Smoke inhalation, but breathing.” While Diablo drenched her heated body, Grims ran to his bike, retrieving clothes from a saddle bag. Dressing while rushing back to Diablo, he demanded, “Make a hole. Needs to be convincing.”

Diablo asked no questions and put his back to the wall, confirming, “She’s got minor burns.” He lifted a knee, then jammed his boot backward, creating a bigger window.

Grims carefully lifted Moola’s body. “I’ll get her help. Work on ‘bean spiller’.”

As Grims jogged away with Moola, Diablo’s red eyes faded to his normal dark color as he came to me. “Are you hurt?”

I was visibly shaking. “No.” I petted Anita’s hair. “My Ani okay?”

“Oh, yeah. I promise. Just resting.”

I assured him, “I understand secrets, Dio.”

He smiled, resting his hand on my leg. “I know that, my dude—”

He jolted. Fell back on his butt. “Redemption—” His jaw locked and his eyes slammed shut. “Miami.”

Not sure what was happening, I nervously nodded, petting Anita’s hair. “My Ani?”

His body eased as if the attack, or whatever was happening, had ended. After a deep breath, his eyes opened. “Thunder… Did a voice tell you Miami?”

Again, I nodded, touching her sweaty face. “My Ani.”