In Too Deep (25 page)

There had to be something the mages missed. Sure Preston could track magical energy and the dark mages may be able to cover the metaphysical evidence, but maybe they left something physical behind.

Fallon’s hip ached and the world rocked back and forth. Her stomach rolled over, but she was at home and safe in Brody’s arms.

Brody, that terrified look on his face before the world went black.

“
Stop rocking, Brody,” she whimpered. “I don’t feel so good.”

Everything stopped, the world stopped spinning. She opened her eyes to find Brody’s tearstained face. They were in the
living room on the couch and they weren’t alone, but she couldn’t look away from him.

“
You okay?” His voice was rough as he brushed his fingers across her cheek.

“
Better,” she breathed.

“
Hey Fallon,” Dakota said softly. “Is your leg your only injury? Think for a minute. I want to help you.”

She tore her eyes away from Brody, to look up at the Dakota.
“Just my leg. I made Isaac bleed before I got away.” She tried to sit up, but her hip protested and she fell back into Brody’s embrace. Black spots winked over her vision and she closed her eyes.

Brody touched her face, and she looked into his eyes.
“Careful. I wanted to change your clothes, but your leg was….” He shook his head, and ran the back of his fingers down her face. “I thought your leg was broken until I heard the bone snap into place. I just didn’t want to hurt you worse.”

“
None of that is your blood?” Dakota frowned, and waved his hand over her.

Fallon glared back at him.
“Would you prefer it was?”

“
No. I didn’t mean that.” Dakota insisted. “I just want to be sure I’m not missing something.”

Fallon took a deep breath and nodded, but even thinking about what happened in that van pissed her off.
“My ex,” she laughed bitterly, “thought he’d get me back. He was going to take me against my will, to Goddess knows where. I’m going to kill that bastard.”

“
What happened?” Dakota asked softly.

She reminded herself that he wanted to help. He probably needed to know a few deta
ils, but they wouldn’t help him. Besides her leg, she was fine. However, the details might help others in the room.

Fallon snarled,
“He dragged me into a van. Someone started driving while he tried to force himself on me. He claimed he loves me.” She closed her eyes, trying to replay the event.

Brody squeezed her tighter
and a low growl rumbled through his chest.

Her hands clenched into fists as
the anger hit her again, but some of that was Brody’s rage filtering through their connection. She took a deep breath and coldly told the rest. “I shredded his arms and shoulders with my nails. Probably broke his nose again. Nearly bit his lip off when the motherfucker tried to kiss me. He was getting ready to shift when I gutted and then electrocuted him. There is no way in hell he got far, unless someone picked him up.

Robert cleared his throat. She looked his way. He stood just inside the door with his keys still in hand and Preston next to him.
“Sorry Fallon.”

Preston
shook his head. “You nearly did kill Isaac. He only managed to get through the woods to the next road. I’m pretty sure dark mages picked him up. I couldn’t trace shit past where he fell. You know I’m good enough to find him if the dark mages hadn’t erased his trail.”

“
How the hell did they do that?” Slater asked.

“
The dark mages can erase all traces in a small area as long as the individual wasn’t there long, and they can erase their own trails. The Dales don’t want to be found yet, and I’ve been doing my damnedest to find them.” He rolled his eyes. “Hayden is still out there, looking for clues. Typical arrogant fae thinks he’ll find something I can’t.”

Brody took a deep breath. His tone was low and dangerous.
“How the hell did he live through all of that?”

Robert shook his head.
“The Dales wouldn’t have wasted the effort to bring him back if he had died. Someone will be able to put him back together.

Fallon shifted her weight and acute pain washed over her. She gasped and her hands balled into fists.
“So Dakota, still want to help?” She tried to infuse some humor into her voice, but failed.

“
Yeah,” Dakota moved closer, “but you’re going to need your pants off so I can see.” He gave Brody a wary look.

Brody muttered,
“Please, just fix Fallon.”

Fallon started to open her pants.

Jess moved beside her and held up a pair of scissors. “Your jeans are soaked in blood, and you don’t want to move that much. Just let me cut them off.”

“
Fine.” Fallon answered and looked up at Brody.

Jess quickly cut the material away. Fallon looked down. Her hip and half her thigh were covered in black and blue bruises. No wonder any movement hurt so damned bad.

Dakota knelt down beside her, and a growl rumbled out of Brody. She looked up to find his teeth bared in a snarl. Fallon wrapped her hand around the back of his head and pulled his face down. “Look at me, baby, just at me,” she purred.

Mated wolves were naturally possessive. Brody was in full on protect mode. There was no way he was going to be able to think clearly while she was injured. She didn’t want Brody doing something he’d regret, so she had to keep his attention on her.

Fallon felt Dakota’s warm hands on her hip and thigh and fought back the urge to grit her teeth. Brody’s eyes started to move down her body, and she pulled his chin back up. “Uh-uh, right here. He’s healing me. So you chill out and look at me, Brody. Right here, just at my eyes.” The growl went away and he smiled a little.

The pain faded completely as Dakota finished the spell. He stood up an
d backed away, looking really nervous. She sat up, and when that didn’t hurt, she stood to get a better look. The bruises were gone with the pain. She didn’t move away from where Brody sat on the couch.

“
Thank you, Dakota, I appreciate it.”

Brody closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her
back. His growl moved into his purring one.

Dakota wiped his hands on his thighs and backed right into the door.
“No problem, but I’m just going to go home now.” He shifted his gaze to the corner. “Clint, you ready?”

“
Yeah,” he answered shakily, and quickly followed Dakota out.

The door
closed. Fallon tipped Brody’s head back. He opened his smoky blue eyes.

She arched a single brow but her tone was gentle.
“Brody, stop growling. You scared the hell out of Dakota.”

“
Shit,” he muttered, letting her go to pull his phone out. His guilty little frown was kind of cute. “Hey Dakota, listen, I’m sorry....” He paused and wound up smiling. “Okay, be safe.” He set the phone down and took a second to look at her.

She glanced down and realized she was still covered in Isaac’s blood and had no pants on. There was no way in hell Brody was letting her out of the house when he was still in caveman mode. She bent over to dig her keys out her jeans.

He yanked her into his lap and snapped at her. “What are you doing? If you think you’re going up there to get your clothes, your nuts. Some asshole tried to take you. You’re not going anywhere right now.”

She patted his cheek.
“I’m going to send Jess and Jamie to get my stuff out of the apartment. You can bring me something to wear when I get out of the shower.”

His cheeks filled with color and he ducked his head, but he nodded.

She tossed her keys to Jess. “Take Slater just in case. I never really unpacked anything. Everything is in the closet.”

“
We’ll be right back,” Jess said. The three of them left the house.

Preston just shook his head.
“Okay, the whole protection thing you got going, Brody, is pretty fucking scary. I think you just might give Fallon a run for her money.”

Robert shot Preston a look.

“Leave him alone.” Fallon said. Brody scowled at Preston, and she explained, “Pretty sure he felt Isaac dislocate my hip.”

Brody nodded
but didn’t say anything.

She caressed his face.
“I’m just going to take that shower.”

* * * *

Brody took a deep breath as he watched his heart run up the stairs. Thank God she was a fighter.

Jamie handed her box to Brody. He offered a weak smile, and Jess gave him hers. She squeezed his arm
. “She won’t be long. You better get up there,” Jess told him.

“
Thank you.” He went up the stairs to their room and set the boxes beside the closet.

Slater followed and put his down next to the others.
“Are you okay?” His face was blank.

“
Yeah. She’s fine, I’m fine. That scared the hell out of me though. I don’t remember ever feeling so helpless. Not even with Sarah in Iraq.” He opened up one of the boxes and pulled out a pair of sweats and a tank top.

“
I get that.” Slater patted him on the back. “I couldn’t let you run after her, Brody. They could have planned an ambush. Someone picked Isaac up. They were waiting for us.” He rubbed the back of his neck and held Brody’s gaze. “If you had gone after her, you would have been distracted, and there’s no telling what would have happened. I think you know that I made the right call.”

“
I do.” Slater was right, but knowing he could catch up to her and not being able to nearly killed him.

“
We’ll get him. We’ll rip him apart.” Slater squeezed his shoulder and turned to go. “I’ll be downstairs.”

Brody went into the bathroom
and dropped the clothes onto the counter as she stepped out of the shower. She reached for the towel, but he picked it up and tenderly dried her. He needed to protect her, to make her safe, but he knew she could do all of that herself.

She looked up at him with a sad smile.
“I wanted to surprise you. I didn’t even think.” She pressed a hand over his heart. “Things have been so good, I forgot about the Dales.”

“
They are good.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Baby, I’m just glad you’re here, and that you’re okay.” He kissed her, soft and sweet. Her hands tangled in his hair and her tongue delved deeper as she arched into him. He pulled the towel away and dropped it before he could back her against the counter as he caressed her skin.

She pushed him back with a look of determination.
“I need to talk to Robert and Preston. I need to know how the fuck Isaac managed to live after everything I did. His intestines were lying on the floor, I fried him, and the van blew before I had a chance to get very far.” She shook her head, and twisted her hair into a knot. “Once I have answers, we’ll kick everyone out and you can make sure I’m okay.” She splayed her hands over his chest and brushed her lips over his but there was a shadow in her eyes.

He stepped back
and leaned against the wall, watching while she pulled her clothes on.

“
Stop looking at me that way, Brody. Goddess knows I want to let you help me forget what just happened, but I can’t. Not yet.” Her hands knotted into fists. “I just tried to kill someone I cared about. Someone I tried to love.”

Brody never considered how her defending herself could hurt her emotionally. Isaac had been her friend for years, her lover for two. That had to mess with her head and heart. Anything Brody
could say would only hurt her worse. He ducked his head and started for the door.

“
Hey.” She grabbed his hand, pulling him to a stop. “I didn’t mean I regret trying to kill him. I wish I had. Dealing with his death would be so much easier.”

“
I know, Fallon. I’m just happy you’re all right. I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling after what he did.”

“
I don’t even know what to think.” She laid her head on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I will kill him.” She squeezed him tighter. “I have to end this.”

“
I know, sugar.” He pulled her beside him and took her hand.

* * * *

Fallon clung to Brody’s hand like a life raft. The shower washed away Isaac’s blood but couldn’t wash away what he tried to do. She had wanted to love Isaac, but never did. She always cared about him but they were too different to work as a couple.

She never imagined he would pull anything
so fucked up. There was no reason good enough to excuse Isaac’s betrayal. He knew enough about the last time Malachi had her. To hell with him, he could get himself out of his own damned mess. If Fallon saw him, she was going to kill him.

They stepped into the living room. Preston and Robert looked up when they entered the room.
Both mages looked worried.