"Just once," Marcus's lips brushed against Emma's neck, barely there, his voice a low, seductive rasp. "A little harder…" "A little harder…" Nearby, Drake, Kieran, Silas, and even Lucien and Calum in the distance were all doing their own tasks, but Emma could feel the sidelong glances drifting in their direction, subtle yet unmistakable. Emma felt her entire face ignite. Heat crawled from her ears down her neck, burning so fiercely it felt like it might drip blood. Marcus still had zero intention of stopping, though. "Ms. Tibarn, I was out there for days, sleeping in the wilderness, working my life away. Just treat it as a reward." He buried his face deeper against her, nuzzling her skin with the tip of his nose. The wounded tone, the shameless coaxing, he knew exactly how to hit her weak spots. Emma was completely helpless against him. Fine. You want a reward?She steeled herself, gritted her teeth, gathered strength in her fingers, and pinched ruthlessly at the soft flesh at his waist. "Mm—" Marcus sucked in a sharp breath. Then, a sound slipped from his throat, deep, husky, trembling, and wicked enough to make anyone's mind wander. Amid the sizzling crackle of grilling meat, that sound was blatantly intimate. Emma's mind blanked with a loud buzz. On pure instinct, she slapped her hand over his mouth. Dude! We are outside! Not in bed! Silas and the others are right there. How can you make that kind of sound? Emma nearly lost her mind. She pressed harder over his mouth, terrified he'd make another noise. Marcus didn't fight back. He simply lifted his silver-grey eyes to her, innocent and wide, long lashes trembling… Then, Emma felt something warm, soft, and damp brush her palm. A fleeting touch. Almost accidental. She jerked her hand back like she'd been burned, staring at him in shock. He really just… Oh my God… Did he spend these days rescuing people, or taking advanced seduction training? How did he get this good? Emma looked at him, feeling like she was losing her sanity. Just when she wished she could crawl into a hole, Silas' voice cut in. "Marcus, help me over here." Silas sat dutifully at the grill, flipping meat with total focus. He didn't look over once. Hearing his name, Marcus released Emma immediately. "Coming." He knew Emma was someone with thin skin. If he pushed further, she'd truly get angry, so he stood up, shooting her a quick, eager look. "Ms. Tibarn, I'll grill for you." Emma gave him a glare. I'm not speaking to you. Unbothered, Marcus happily fished out two storage bands and set them in her hand. "Ms. Tibarn, these are spoils from this mission. All for you." Then, he spun on his heel and hustled to help Silas. She stared at his back, then at the storage bands in her palm. Just as she finally exhaled, Kieran suddenly shouted, "Fire!" Emma jerked her head toward the sound. The grill in front of Calum had erupted into a towering blaze. A column of orange fire whooshed upward nearly six feet, smoke billowing in thick waves. The shock hit her hard. Before she could react, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, dragging her backward with immense force. Almost simultaneously, a deafening explosion ripped through the air. The grill blew apart entirely, metal fragments shooting outward with sparks and smoke. The lakeside was swallowed instantly by black haze and the choking stench of burnt grease. Marcus and Kieran reacted at the same moment. A torrent of water and a blast of ice crashed down from above.Within the chaos, Lucien's furious roar cut through the smoke. "Marshal! What in the hell did you do?" He face was streaked with ash, his usually tidy clothes a disaster. He jabbed an accusing finger at the destroyed grill and glared at Calum. "I turned around for two seconds to grab meat. How did the grill explode? And with that kind of force?" Calum stood frozen, guilt written from head to toe. Tall as he was, he looked suddenly deflated. Ash smudged across his face. Like a big dog caught doing something wrong, his eyes were full of guilt and confusion. He lowered his head, not daring to meet anyone's gaze and, least of all, Emma's. He spoke in a tiny voice, almost whispering, "I… I saw the fire getting low… So, I added a little fuel…" "And then?" Lucien pressed, incredulous. Adding a little fuel shouldn't cause a full detonation. Calum shrank further, sounding even guiltier. "I saw the fuel didn't catch right away. And earlier, when Kieran lit it, he used a bit of his ability."