Breaking Free (21 page)

He smiled slightly and mouthed the words,
I love you.

Fallon heard her father’s screams, and pounding against the shield
, but he was safe, out of the sun. Right now, her brother lay dying, and that was her first concern.

* * * *

Darkness called to him. Peace and quiet after so much hell, and all he wanted was to stay by his little wolf’s side. He didn’t care what he was, as long as he could be with her.

“You won’t hate me?” she asked, her tears falling on him.

He tried to speak through the pain, but his voice was gone.
I love you.

She leaned down, her hand holding together his ruined throat and her silken fur brushing against his skin. Her sharp teeth slid into
the flesh of his shoulder, this pain sweet, until a burning rush pushed through him, seeming to ignite his blood.

He cried out
, but only air came out of his mouth.

“Shift, Devlin. It’s the only way now. Shift and all the pain will slide away.”

His eyes locked onto hers, so different from her human eyes, but the bronze felt warm, safe and he took her command, letting his beast roll through him.

He rolled to his side, out from under her hands and felt his
throat pull back into place, the skin knitting back together as fur flowed down his contorting body.

Hands pulled the ruined clothes from him, and then he felt her
clawed fingers shifting through his fur. “Look at me, Dev.”

Bewildered, he
settled into a sitting position and stared into her eyes. He felt her love and fear wrapping around him. Lacking words, he leaned into her, offering comfort.

Unsure if his meaning was clear, he
scooted closer, butting his head against Jamie, who wound her arms around him and cried while the battle continued to rage around them.

“Thank you,” Fallon told Jamie, and ran her hand over Devlin’s head when she looked into his eyes. “Couldn’t lose my big brother when I
just found you.” She leaned over and placed a kiss on his head before turning back to the fight.

Jamie murmured, “I got you, Devlin. You can sleep. I know
what comes next, and you’re going to wake up hungry later. I will do everything I can to make the transition easier.”

He wanted to laugh, but sleep was already pulling at him. Newly changed wolves rarely had the energy to do much more than hunt, which wasn’t an option in the tunnels, and then sleep. He let himself drift, his head slouching into her lap.

Exhaustion wasn’t far off, but Fallon stuck
with the battle until a very old Shadowstalker walked into the room. Seeing the man who had drugged her ten years before, and then strung her up for the worst night of her life, filled her with fury and energy so intense, she didn’t even think as she charged toward Santos.

The vampire had
somehow escaped the destruction of the San Francisco ring. He wasn’t going to survive long enough to sneak away again.

“You don’t get to live this
round.” Santos slipped into shadow, but she closed her eyes and felt for him. Her wrist flicked, and she sent her mana-blade right into his chest. Quickly pulling a second short one, she closed the distance.

Fallon
plunged her second dagger into his chest, then yanked the first blade out to slash across his throat, her second knife spilling his guts on the floor. She wrapped her hands around his head and started chanting, the smoke increasing as flames tore through the Shadowstalker.

Stepping back, she let Santos fall to the ground, crumbling to
ash that blew away on the breeze that churned through the room.

Brody’s arms wound around her and she leaned against him, more tired than she’d been in a long time, not that she would ever admit it.

Declan leaned against the shield, watching everything as the sun faded. Her father was looking less human by the moment.

“He’s going to need blood soon,”
Erik assessed. “Think Victoria would mind a trip out?”

“Hope not,” Fallon said lamely. She looked to Robert. “I know it’s been a long
, brutal battle, and I know we have our own injured, but can you fetch her and something to tide him over?”

He nodded. “Sure. Though I don’t know how you plan to keep anyone safe when you tear that
shield down. He’s not looking too friendly at the moment. Not even toward you”

“
Get Victoria, please. I’ll worry about the shield when she gets here. We left during sunlight, so she’ll probably be ticked we didn’t bring her.”

He nodded and disappeared.

“Fallon, Sugar, sit,” Brody gently instructed.

She half
-laughed and moved the two steps to slide down the wall. Her eyes wanted to close, but she fought it. She needed food, and she needed rest, but she wasn’t going to let anyone give her shit about being pregnant and overdoing it. She’d never be allowed to do anything again.

Expecting or not, the truth
was even Brody was wiped out.

Robert reappeared with Victoria.

Fallon hopped up. “Hi, sorry. Tell me you brought him blood.”

She
held up a duffle bag. “Fresh would be better, but until we get him back home, this will have to do.” She looked over at the shield and frowned. “And what’s your solution?”

One brow arched as Fallon nodded toward her father
. “Walk near the shield, I’ll put up another one and take down the first. At least until I know everyone is safe.”

“That works.” Victoria didn’t waste time
crossing the room. Once she was close enough, Fallon did as she said, and locked Victoria in the shield.

Victoria
grinned. “So, Fallon’s father? Sorry, this isn’t the best option, but for now, it’s going to have to do.”

He nodded, his eyes closed.

She reached into the bag, tore a hole at the top of the first pouch and handed it over.

Declan grimaced
, but drank it dry. Before he could drop the bag, Victoria handed him a second, then a third, and a fourth before he slumped to his knees, his hands on the ground.

“You okay?” Fallon asked softly, kneeling on the other side of the glittering wall.

He finally looked up and nodded. “You don’t trust me though.”

“I’m doing what my mate asked. I’m being careful.”

“He’s your father,” Brody said gently.

Fallon shook her head sadly.
“He also would have done what Sarah did. She moved too fast, and I couldn’t stop her. I didn’t expect her to go after Malachi like that, or take him to the sun.”

She looked up at
her mate, her heart breaking for the fact she couldn’t save his first love. Even if Brody was hers always and forever, she hoped to save the woman who had brought him happiness before.

Brody
dropped to his knees and took her face in his hands. “I’ve already mourned her, Fallon. I won’t say I’ll never feel some pain from time to time, but I have everything I need and want right here in front of me.”

Fallon nodded, and he pulled her into his embrace.

“I know you would have saved her if you could, but she gave me the one thing I needed. She kept you safe. Now, let your dad out of there, and let’s go home.”

She leaned back and smiled back at her mate. “I love you.” She stole a kiss before he could answer and brought the shields down.

Declan scooted toward them and held his hand out to her. Fallon let go of Brody to hug her father for the first time she could remember. “I wish I’d known you were alive,” she whispered.

He wound his arms around her. “
It couldn’t be helped. I’ve never had the kind of friends you have. One or two people coming to my rescue would not have been enough.”

She sat back. “You have an old friend in Edenton right now.”

One corner of Declan’s mouth lifted. “Gabriel is there?”

“He was there for my wedding. And when I found out you were alive, I may have taken it out on him.”

“I didn’t give him a choice.”

“
He told me. Come on. It’s time to go home.”

Robert looked to Declan and Victoria. “You said you know someone who can help Mr. O’Shea?”

Victoria smiled. “I do and they won’t mind.” She turned to Declan with an arched brow. “Consider me your OBA sponsor.”

“OBA?” Declan asked with a cocked brow.

“Others’ Blood Anonymous. Trust me, if you want to lead a productive life without killing those you care about, you don’t want to be addicted to Other blood. No good can come of it.”

Devlin blinked.
“You’re a Shadowstalker?”

“Not by choice, and there are ways around the addiction. Come, on, I’ll do what I can to show you a better way.”

Robert held out his hands. Victoria and Declan each took one and they disappeared.

Brody squeezed her. “Think your father will be okay with your husband being a werewolf?”

She snorted. “Considering his son is, I think he’ll learn to deal with it.”

* * * *

Jamie had shifted back and now sat against the wall in Hayden’s shirt. Devlin was still in wolf-form, his head in her lap. The mood had shifted to triumph, happiness, and hope.

All she felt was love and relief.

Preston walked over and offered her a hand. She managed to get Devlin draped over her shoulder and accepted Preston’s help. He pulled her to a standing position and gave her a smile.

“That was pretty impressive back there,” he admitted.

Jamie snorted. “I was a mess. Wasn’t at all prepared for the emotional onslaught. I didn’t realize how many emotions would weigh me down from both sides. There were times it took everything I had not to pass out.”

He gave her a knowing smile.
“You shifted into half-beast. You realize very few wolves can do that. Don’t you?”

“Yeah, and I’m not sure I could again. Devlin was in trouble and I just did it.”

“To protect your mate.”

“You were busy hacking heads off the bad guys, I’m sure you hardly noticed me.”

“Wrong, Jamie. I keep an eye on everything, and I wasn’t about to let anything happen to you if I could prevent it. Or Devlin.”

“I’m glad you’re on my side. I’d hate to be the enemy.” She grinned.

“I can’t imagine you ever being the enemy.”

Jamie
looked across the room and shook her head at Slater and Jess. They were covered in blood, making out like they depended on the other’s oxygen to keep breathing.

“I’m not as vicious as my sister, and I may be slightly creeped out seeing that
.” She nodded over at the indecent display of affection.

Brody and Fallon came over hand-in-
hand. Brody nodded at Devlin. “Want help with him?”

There was no way she was letting him go. Not for anything. “I’ve got him,” Jamie answered immediately. “He’s going to wake up soon. Let’s go home.”

A week
later, Devlin lay in his mate’s bed, holding her close. Her crystal blue eyes stared into his, a smile playing across her lips.

Tracing his fingers over her heart, he smiled back at her. “Thank you for breaking me free of my past and all the horror I’ve witnessed. You
’ve made me a better man.”

“No,” she laughed softly. “You were
already a good man. I may have opened your eyes, but you’re seeing what was already there. I’m glad it’s my dream you walked in on, and made true.”

He grinned. “Does that lake exist?”

Sitting up, she nodded. “Want to go for a swim? It might be chilly, but I’d keep you warm.”

“Tonight, after we get back from
the party, we can. Although, I wouldn’t mind staying hidden away a little longer.”

“Oh, but you’ll have fun, and with all the craziness, you haven’t had a chance to see Gabriel, or your father
, since the commotion.”

“Victoria
said Dad’s doing well.” He half-laughed. “Malachi would have changed me if Sarah hadn’t stopped him. I’m slowly getting used to meat, but I don’t think I could handle drinking from a person.”

“Sorry I hesitated. You said you didn’t want to be a monster. That you were afraid of what you would become. I just…”

He sat up, took her mouth in a kiss and pushed her back to the bed. Looking down at her, he grinned. “You took what I said and tried to honor it. I told you, you are not a monster, and you didn’t make me one. The Dales would have broken me had they changed me. You gave me life, love and happiness. So don’t worry about the rest.”

“I’ll give you love forever and then some. You’re mine, and nothing’s going to change that.”

* * * *

Brody laid sprawled in
their favorite meadow. Fallon sat over his waist, smiling down at him. “If I didn’t miss everyone back home, I’d say we should stay and never go back.”

“Mmm, but we can always come back any
time we want,” he murmured as he rolled on top of her. “I’ll never argue when you want to steal time for ourselves.”

“That’s going to be harder with twins
.”

His smile spread as his brow arched. “Twins? How do you know?”

“I can sense their magic. Two little druids. At least they’ll be able to run with us.” She winked.

“How soon will they take another form?”

She shrugged. “Mom told me I was shifting by one, to all sorts of crazy animals. If I saw it, I could do it. Most druids stick to a handful of forms, and sometimes only one. Usually, by two or three though.”

“Twins? I can’t wait to hold them.”

“Neither can I.”

He scooted down her body to kiss her tummy. “Ours,” he grinned up at her
. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

“You can make me
very happy, one more time, before we get out of here. We did promise to come back for the party.”

“Hmm, and I’ve been greedy, keeping you away from your newly found brother and father.”

She laughed, “Yes, well, I have plenty of time to catch up with them.”

* * * *

Declan found Gabriel sitting on the porch, watching the party. Sadness hit him hard. He’d left his wife in Gabriel’s care, and until the day she died, he never knew about the curse, thanks to a promise Gabriel made to Moira for the safety of their children. If he had known he was the one to blame for her giving up, he would have found another way. In the end, running didn’t work so well.

Wiping at his eyes, he took a seat next to Gabriel. “Hello
, old friend.”

Gabriel reached over to squeeze his shoulder with a warm smile. “
I’m happy to see you well. How’s the new diet?”

“Takes some getting use
d to. Victoria says it’s a blessing I didn’t start with Other blood. I haven’t acquired a craving for it, so regular human blood keeps me sated.”

“How are you doing?” Gabriel asked more seriously.

Declan looked into the crowd and found Fallon snuggled up to Brody next to the fire pit. Devlin had his arm wound around Jamie smiling into her radiant face. “Better. Turns out I have a lot to live for.”

“You do indeed. Now, I just wish Amethyst would get around to giving Opal and
me some grandchildren.”

Declan chuckled. “A nymph, Gabe? I’m amazed you settled down with anyone, let alone a free
-spirited water nymph.”

“Ah, but I am in love with her, and have always been.”

“And she shares that sentiment.” Opal grinned as she dropped into Gabe’s lap. She held a hand out toward Declan. “It’s a pleasure to meet the man Gabriel respects so much.”

Declan’s brow cocked as
he placed a light kiss on her hand. “Pleasure is mine.” He looked back to Gabriel. “You and I disagreed on how I protected my family. You gave me a piece of your mind, and then some, more times than I can count. What the hell do you respect?”

“This may not have worked out
the way any of us wanted,” Gabriel replied, “but you created two wonderful children who grew into amazing people. You gave up more than you should have had to in order to keep those you love safe. The point is, you did what you believed was right, no matter what it meant for you. So, yes, I greatly respect the man sitting beside me.”

He wasn’t sure what to say, but was spared forming a response when Victoria sauntered over in a dress that she likely stole from a
vintage movie set.

She offered Declan the wineglass full of blood. “We’re at a party, so stop moping, and drink up. I would hate having to explain to Fallon that I failed as your OBA sponsor if you became tempted.”

“OBA?” Gabriel asked, thoroughly intrigued, though Opal was giggling in his lap.

The little nymph smiled impishly at her man. “Others
’ Blood Anonymous. You know, like Alcoholics Anonymous?”

Victoria shrugged, “The title works, though it’s not official or anything.
Declan is doing well though. He’s perfectly safe to be in the company of Others.”

Declan nodded
. “Luckily, my daughter had the insight to send me to a woman who has been through similar circumstances, and managed to fight her addiction on her own. Victoria is helping me avoid the pitfalls she found early on.”

“I’m glad I could make your transition easier.” Though Victoria was focused on a young man across the yard.

Opal spoke up, “That one is pretty.”

Declan shook his head. “He seems a little young
for you, Vic.”

Victoria sighed. “He’s older than he appears, but he’s too innocent to corrupt.” She wandered away, disappearing into the shadows.

“You’re not interested in Victoria?” Gabriel asked in surprise.

“Not interested in anyone. It may have been decades, but I’m not over Moira. I have much to live for,
plenty without needing a woman in my bed during the day.”

Nodding thoughtfully, Gabriel asked, “Do you have any plans?”

“Stay in Edenton to be close to my family. Other than that, I don’t know yet what I want to do. It’s been a very long time since I had any semblance of a normal life.”

“At least you have that chance now.”

He smiled as he found his children with their mates. Never in all this time did he think he’d have anything to look forward to, but he had a whole world of opportunities before him.

* * * *

Preston’s eyes narrowed when he saw Dacia talking to Liz. The woman was infuriating. Ignoring his calls, even when he attempted to use Silver Council business as a means to talk to her. It galled him to no end that she had no interest at all in him. His first goal was to change that.

He made his way across the grass and gave Dacia his best cocky grin. “Dacia, funny meeting you here. I still have a few questions for you. Official questions.” Unfortunately. Though he had cause to be concerned. He had to dig into her past, but he found out why she was so secretive about who her father was.

In fact, her father alone should have been reason enough to stop him from pursuing her, but avoiding women’s tempers was never a strong suit of his.

Dacia’s eyes sparked. “No longer interested in me? I knew that wouldn’t last.”

His nostrils flared, and he couldn’t help the venom in his tone. “Funny. You’re the one who’s been avoiding me. How many times have I left a message?”

Her brow wrinkled as she started silently counting her fingers. “Twice a day. See, here’s the thing, Preston. I’m not just a challenge. If you want me, you better want all of me
.
”

“If this were simply a challenge, I would have given up. The chase is getting me nowhere fast, and yet, I’m standing here before you, still chasing.” He half-laughed.

“You just said you had questions, of the official nature.”

“True, and I do
. However, I would have let your comment slide if I wasn’t still interested in you. Instead, I’m standing here arguing, about a decibel from causing a scene.”

A smile finally graced her lips. “Fine, business first, then pleasure.”

“How much contact do you have with your father?”

Before the words were out of his mouth, her phone rang. The color drained from her face as
she looked at the display with wide eyes.

He looked over to see Remus
Arc displayed on the screen. Well, that question’s resoled. “I take it you should answer?”

She pressed the power button and shook her head. “Asshole wants me to do something I
won’t
do. He may be my blood, but I don’t take orders from him. I may be a bitch, but I’m not the sick, twisted shitstick he is.”

He could feel hatred rolling off her, but he saw the fear in her eyes.

“Hey, Dacia, if you need help, you have it. Whatever’s going on, you can talk to me.”

She snorted. “Not so simple. Never is.” With that she disappeared.

Looked like he needed to go find out what Remus was up to. Dacia scared wasn’t a good sign, and if she was in trouble, he wasn’t about to leave her that way.

Liz gave him a look full of sympathy. “Don’t give up on her. She’s finally figuring a few things out.”

He dipped his head in a nod. “When have you ever known me to give up before I’ve exhausted all my resources?”

She laughed. “True. Though watch her father. He’s plotting something big.”

“Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Wish I knew what, but I do know it has to do with a changeling in Seattle. I have a couple friends looking into it.”

“Anything the Council
can assist with?”

“So far, it’s nothing the Council has any jurisdiction over.”

“You can always call me if you need help.”

“I appreciate that,” Preston answered before starting for his car.

* * * *

Devlin was about ready to take Jamie home. It was good to see his father, Gabriel, his sister, and even the rest of the town. He was making meaningful friendships.
But his mate kept giving him that sexy smile of hers, and he needed her more.

Leaning in, he whispered, “Ready to show me the lake in person?”

“Mmm, that sounds like an excellent plan.”

He put an arm around his sister. “Thank you for coming back for the party. Now, I need a little time with Jamie.”

Fallon smiled brightly. “Still want me to remove the ward hiding your ink?”

He nodded, holding out his arm.

Fallon gave Jamie a grin as she wrapped her hand around his arm and whispered a spell.

When Fallon released him, Jamie’s fingers traced over her wolf, tattooed into his skin. Her whole face lit up as she met his eyes. “You had her put me on you?”

“I told you, you were precious, and I’ll never forget that. Now come on, we have plans.”

She squealed in delight and threw her arms around Devlin, calling out,
“Later everyone.” Then she ran for her Mini-cooper. When she got there, Devlin was behind her. “Come on, Dream-man, I’m looking forward to making our first dream come true.”

She slid into her car and he joined her. “I’m glad you broke me free, so we can make all your dreams come true.”

“And yours,” she promised as she started the car.