“The Risks are plain…when a
man becomes a fireman, his act
of bravery has been accomplished.”
–Chief Edward Croker,
New York Fire Department When I am called to duty, God,
Whenever flames may rage;
Give me strength to save some life,
Whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person
From the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert
And hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling
And to give the best in me
To guard my every neighbor
And protect his property.
And if, according to my fate,
I am to lose my life,
Please bless with your protecting
My children and my wife.

- Author Unknown

Meet the A-Shift Team introduced in TRIAL BY FIRE (in order by rank)
Warning: Tantalizing plot tidbits ahead. Continue at your own risk!

Captain Sean Tanner

Referred to as “Captain Hard-Ass”, but only by the occasional unfortunate idiot. When push comes to shove, the Captain’s loyal team is quick to set the record straight. Devastated by the tragic loss of his family, Tanner’s carefully erected walls of ice guard a broken heart he’s certain will never heal. Even his men don’t realize how closely their beloved leader is flirting with personal disaster. Only the woman who has secretly loved Tanner for years will succeed in mending his shattered soul…and open his eyes to the encroaching danger threatening to ensnare them all in a lethal crossfire.

Lieutenant Howard “Six-Pack” Paxton

Two hundred and fifty pounds of ripped tough-guy with a fondness for Harley motorcycles, bleaching the tips of his dark, spiky hair, and most of all, his bachelorhood. This big bear of a man is also a softie with a weakness for Pez candy, cute little kids, and brainy women. A horrendous childhood shaped Paxton into a force to be reckoned with, one who’ll never allow himself to become vulnerable again, even as he answers his calling to help others. He doesn’t count on Kat, the feisty little teacher who rocks his world, instructing him on the subjects of trust and love. When a ruthless arsonist/murderer draws them into a malicious web, Paxton’s past and present collide in an explosive trial by fire, threatening his future with the woman he loves.

Zack Knight, FAO (Engine driver/Paramedic)

Cursed with a brilliant IQ and the social life of a turnip, Knight’s motto is “Gorgeous goddesses don’t do geeks”. In his own words, outside his team he’s more at home with books than babes. Zack is so positive of his undesirability, the mere idea of romance makes him break into a cold sweat. He’ll stick to tinkering with his engine, leave the passion and intrigue stuff to his insane teammates, thank you very much. But his fortress won’t hold. Cori, an outrageous beauty, tosses his glasses, digs beneath the shy persona Knight wears like armor to loose the modern-day warrior underneath. And none too soon. This quiet, gentle man must unleash his inner alpha male if he’s to protect them both from an unimaginable terror—two relentless enemies with fifty million reasons to succeed, one of them with a secret, perverse agenda. A man bent on possessing Cori in every way…and watching Zack burn in hell.

Eve Marshall, FRS (Firefighter/Paramedic)

A tough, no-nonsense lady quite capable of rumbling with the big boys, Marshall has learned to take every punch life has to offer. A woman of mixed racial heritage, she’s finally found her niche. Station Five is her home, the boys of A-Shift her family. None, however, mean more to her than the man she’s fought against loving for years, the one man she can’t have--Captain Sean Tanner. Given his tragic loss, she knows acting on her feelings is out of the question. For so many reasons, a relationship between them is unattainable. To Eve’s surprise, Sean turns to her, and she must decide whether to lay her job and heart on the line. When a monstrous terrorist plot threatens Tanner and the entire team, Eve will risk all of that and more to save the only man she’ll ever love.

Julian Salvatore, FRS (Firefighter/Paramedic)

For A-Shift’s hot Latino lover, “self-esteem issue” is not part of Julian’s vocabulary, at least on the surface. Julian can have any woman in a crowded room with nothing more than a crooked smile, and does. Unfortunately, his affair with walking the wild side demands a steep price. In a moment of blinding stupidity, Julian stumbles across a heinous secret that may cost him his life. A guy can only tread the razor’s edge for so long before he risks losing the respect of his team and the woman who sets his body and dead soul ablaze. But giving in to his feelings for Grace means endangering her life and saddling her with a man who doesn’t know how to love. Even so, the cool defense lawyer is his only ally and she’s not giving up on him. She believes his story of murder and intrigue when everyone else treats the former playboy with skepticism. Julian and Grace rush to stop a plot that will lead to disaster. An evil that someone powerful will do anything to keep hidden.

Tommy Skyler, FRS (Firefighter/Paramedic)

The youngest member of A-Shift, free-spirited Skyler is the eternal optimist. The blond, gorgeous All-American son every parent wishes for, and the brother every sibling envies. Much to Tommy’s amusement, the team is fiercely protective of him. Confident in his ability to pull his own weight, he takes their affection and mentorship in stride. All of that changes when Tommy is brutally attacked. His body is left broken, his world blown apart as the faces the possibility that his career is over. Worse, he’s a loose end, the sole survivor of a rampage of vengeance. But he’s not alone. His team rallies around him, as does pretty ER nurse, Shea--the lone witness who interrupted the attack. Now Tommy must struggle to his feet if he hopes to keep them both from being silenced forever. And the only way to protect the incredible woman he’s fallen for will mean placing himself back in the line of fire.