Read Online A Blaze To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters Book 1) by Sloane Meyers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sloane Meyers
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal, Adult, firefighter, Secret, Erotic, Alpha, Shifter, werebear, hiding, bear, Mate, female, smokejumper, Crew Chief, Exterior, New Recruit, Nosy
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“Just hang on, Charlotte,” he said aloud to the empty room. “I’ll tell you everything soon enough. I promise I’m doing the best I can by you and the crew.”
Ian’s phone started ringing at that moment, and the caller I.D. displayed a number from Boise. No doubt, their next mission assignment was coming in now. Ian took a deep breath and picked up the receiver. It was time to focus on the next blaze.
Chapter Seven
The next day, Ian found himself in a Twin Otter aircraft for the second time that season. He could feel beads of sweat running down his back as the plane sped toward Yosemite National Park. A tourist’s campfire had gotten out of control, and was heading toward one of the larger mountains. Boise had decided to send in a smokejumper crew to set a backfire, hopefully stopping the wildfire in its tracks before it could get over the mountain.
The air in the plane was stifling, despite the open door of the aircraft. Ian watched the ground whizzing by below, and tried to run through his jump plan in his head. Exit, stabilize, pull. Check parachute for steering control, head toward landing area. Even though this mission only marked his second official jump on the job, Ian had done so many training jumps last year that he felt like he could skydive in his sleep. Still, it never hurt to review the dive flow in his head.
He glanced up at Charlotte, and saw that her eyes were closed and her head was leaned against the side of the airplane. He knew she was fighting nervousness, which still blew his mind. She seemed so calm and sure of herself when she jumped, and she was clearly an expert on landing her parachute. As they neared the drop site Ian shuffled to the door and stuck his head out, nodding at Zach to grab the crepe streamers. Much to Ian’s frustration, Zach had hardly said two words to him in the past day. Ian wanted his second in command and best friend to have his back on the Charlotte situation, but Zach seemed to grow more sullen as the hours passed.
Zach kept his demeanor professional however, as the plane leveled out five thousand feet above the drop site. Ian and Zach both watched as the streamers floated down from the plane, falling straight for the first ten seconds and then banking sharply to the left before settling to the earth.
“Alright, guys, we’ve got our drop site. The plane’s looping around for another pass. Be aware, there’s a sharp crosswind blowing to the north near the ground. It looks like it starts at about one thousand feet above ground level. Gear checks, everyone!”
The crew members all ran through the same gear check they had practiced hundreds of time, checking their chest and leg straps, pull handles and reserve handles, and making sure their helmets were secure. They lined up as the plane looped back around, and Ian nodded to Zach, who saluted him and jumped out. Luke followed, then Trevor. Hunter looked up at Ian for the go-ahead signal. Ian hesitated for a moment, trying to decide if they could all jump on this pass or if he needed to ask the pilot to go around again. But before Ian could make the call, the pilot yelled back over his shoulder.
“Hey, chief, I’ve gotta go around again. The smoke’s billowing to high and endangering the flight. I’m taking us to six thousand feet.”
Ian gave the pilot a thumbs up in acknowledgement, and waited as the plane slowly climbed and swung around over the fire to loop back.
Below them, it looked like hell was breaking through the earth. Orange flames licked skyward, and Ian felt an uneasiness pass through him. This fire looked bigger than Boise had led him to believe. He knew once they jumped, they were stuck down there. A helicopter rescue would be impossible with the amount of smoke the fire was putting off.
Ian glanced at Charlotte again, and she gave him a weak smile. She knew the fire was bad, but it was nothing she hadn’t seen before. This was how the summer would go. The crew would be promised
“Just hang on, Charlotte,” he said aloud to the empty room. “I’ll tell you everything soon enough. I promise I’m doing the best I can by you and the crew.”
Ian’s phone started ringing at that moment, and the caller I.D. displayed a number from Boise. No doubt, their next mission assignment was coming in now. Ian took a deep breath and picked up the receiver. It was time to focus on the next blaze.
Chapter Seven
The next day, Ian found himself in a Twin Otter aircraft for the second time that season. He could feel beads of sweat running down his back as the plane sped toward Yosemite National Park. A tourist’s campfire had gotten out of control, and was heading toward one of the larger mountains. Boise had decided to send in a smokejumper crew to set a backfire, hopefully stopping the wildfire in its tracks before it could get over the mountain.
The air in the plane was stifling, despite the open door of the aircraft. Ian watched the ground whizzing by below, and tried to run through his jump plan in his head. Exit, stabilize, pull. Check parachute for steering control, head toward landing area. Even though this mission only marked his second official jump on the job, Ian had done so many training jumps last year that he felt like he could skydive in his sleep. Still, it never hurt to review the dive flow in his head.
He glanced up at Charlotte, and saw that her eyes were closed and her head was leaned against the side of the airplane. He knew she was fighting nervousness, which still blew his mind. She seemed so calm and sure of herself when she jumped, and she was clearly an expert on landing her parachute. As they neared the drop site Ian shuffled to the door and stuck his head out, nodding at Zach to grab the crepe streamers. Much to Ian’s frustration, Zach had hardly said two words to him in the past day. Ian wanted his second in command and best friend to have his back on the Charlotte situation, but Zach seemed to grow more sullen as the hours passed.
Zach kept his demeanor professional however, as the plane leveled out five thousand feet above the drop site. Ian and Zach both watched as the streamers floated down from the plane, falling straight for the first ten seconds and then banking sharply to the left before settling to the earth.
“Alright, guys, we’ve got our drop site. The plane’s looping around for another pass. Be aware, there’s a sharp crosswind blowing to the north near the ground. It looks like it starts at about one thousand feet above ground level. Gear checks, everyone!”
The crew members all ran through the same gear check they had practiced hundreds of time, checking their chest and leg straps, pull handles and reserve handles, and making sure their helmets were secure. They lined up as the plane looped back around, and Ian nodded to Zach, who saluted him and jumped out. Luke followed, then Trevor. Hunter looked up at Ian for the go-ahead signal. Ian hesitated for a moment, trying to decide if they could all jump on this pass or if he needed to ask the pilot to go around again. But before Ian could make the call, the pilot yelled back over his shoulder.
“Hey, chief, I’ve gotta go around again. The smoke’s billowing to high and endangering the flight. I’m taking us to six thousand feet.”
Ian gave the pilot a thumbs up in acknowledgement, and waited as the plane slowly climbed and swung around over the fire to loop back.
Below them, it looked like hell was breaking through the earth. Orange flames licked skyward, and Ian felt an uneasiness pass through him. This fire looked bigger than Boise had led him to believe. He knew once they jumped, they were stuck down there. A helicopter rescue would be impossible with the amount of smoke the fire was putting off.
Ian glanced at Charlotte again, and she gave him a weak smile. She knew the fire was bad, but it was nothing she hadn’t seen before. This was how the summer would go. The crew would be promised
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