In Too Deep (14 page)

“
Oh please,” she breathed into his mouth, her hips moving against him. She took two handfuls of his hair and yanked his head back to kiss down his throat, ripping a growl of her name from his lips.

* * * *

Jess shot up off the bed, her heart pounding in her chest. Malachi’s vicious smile was burned into her mind. His cold voice echoed in her ears as he taunted Fallon.

She scrambled into her clothes, shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.

“What is it?” Slater sat up with a yawn, watching as she bounced into her jeans. “What’s wrong?”

“
We need to get to Brody’s. Now. Malachi came to her at the Talia’s Pizzeria.”

Slater got up to pull his own clothes on, and then tied his shoulder length hair back.
“I thought you said that bastard was dead.”

“
Fallon warned us he wasn’t, but he was on fire when he flew into daylight. Shit, he didn’t look right in the vision, like he was still messed up. Come on, we need to go now. I need to talk to her. Malachi hurt her worse than anyone ever did.” Why hadn’t they listened to Fallon? God, Jess knew this was her fault. She should have seen, she should have known.

“
What happened?” Slater snagged his phone and keys on the way out.

“
Look. You can’t repeat this. Fallon doesn’t talk about that day, and I don’t blame her. I didn’t see what happened, but that piece of shit drugged her and mindfucked two mages into brutalizing her.” Jess closed her eyes, and shook her head. “Fallon stopped them, and went after Malachi. She pulled herself together and freed us all after what was done to her.” Jess wiped at her eyes, and started for the truck. He followed on her heels.

Fallon would be there. She better be there. If she did anything but stay, the outcome was bad. If she left it was bad. If she went after Malachi on her own, it was really fucking bad.

Jess climbed in as soon as Slater unlocked the truck. She turned in her seat to face him as he slammed his door shut. “She’s going to do one of two things. I half hope she’ll run, but I know deep down she won’t because she wants revenge. I think she’ll stay, but she’s got to be freaking out, and I’m not positive Brody will be enough to keep her here. If she tries to run, Malachi will no doubt snatch her up at the first opportunity he has. Okay?”

Slater wasted no time as he tore out of the driveway and headed to Brody’s.

He asked, “For what? What does he want her for?”

“
To ward everyone he has. The fighters. His minions. Everyone. If he could actually get her to do work for him, she’d basically be helping them abduct Others and help force them into fighting for him. She would never do it, she’d die first. But Malachi can make her wish she were dead.”

“
We won’t let that happen.” He squeezed her hand.

“
I hope I’m right. I hope Brody’s already enough for her to stay. She’s just so damned bullheaded.” Jess wrung her hands.

“
Hey, love, didn’t you say you already had visions about the two of them happy and settled? Doesn’t that tell you she’s going to stay?”

“
Okay, you’re right. She’s my best friend, baby. I just need to get to her and make sure she’s all right.”

“
Well take a deep breath and relax because we’re here. Just let me recommend you don’t go tearing in there like a freight train.”

She hopped out of the truck and rushed up the back stairs where she saw Fallon’s
back and Brody’s hands on her in the window of the door.

Jess stopped and laughed.
“Well, I’ll be damned. They got there faster than I expected.”

“
Good.” Slater grinned. “I have to say, Brody looks a lot happier since Fallon showed up. But let’s take this inside instead of playing voyeurs.” His phone rang and he frowned at the display. Jess turned back to him.

“
Hayden,” he answered. If the sheriff was involved he must know something. “What happened?”

“
Where are you?” Hayden asked.

“
Brody’s. Do you have something?”

“
No, but something is going down. Fallon and Brody saw something behind Main Street, and I think it might be Malachi. I’m coming over.”

“
All right. See you then.”

“
Shit, I was right.” Jess took a deep breath. “I hope Fallon doesn’t run.”

“
She won’t.” Slater touched her cheek. “Baby, Brody’s a good man. You know that. He wouldn’t be doing that,” he nodded up at the window, “if he wasn’t fully vested in your friend.”

“
I know.” She had to smile because she knew they would work out.

* * * *

Brody tasted so damned good Fallon forgot every single reason why he was such a bad idea. His hands flexed on her ass, his hard length rubbing against her until she was lost to the sensation.

He kissed and sucked and nibbled along her collarbone and up her throat before taking possession of her mouth again. Her hands trailed down his chest to his button fly. Then there was a rattle against her back
. Someone was pounding on the door.

Brody was good. He broke the kiss and set her on her feet before the door even opened an inch.

“Shit.” Fallon fell back against the wall next to the door, and tried to catch her breath. His taste was on her tongue, the heat of his hands branded on her body, the feel of his mouth ingrained in her senses. She had never wanted a man so badly in her life.

Jess burst through the door with a grin.
“Well Fallon, I’d tell you I told you so, but you wouldn’t let me say a damned word.”

Fallon was still in sensory overload and couldn’t come back with a sharp reply so she flipped Jess off.

Brody licked his lips and leaned against the kitchen island with his eyes closed and his hands folded over his fly. Probably a good thing they arrived when they did, because Fallon was ready for so much more than his kiss.

Slater followed right behind Jess with a glance at Fallon, then Brody, and back to her. His brow arched but worry still etched his face.
“Jess is convinced you ran into the devil himself.”

Fallon snorted, her rampant lust forgotten at the mention of the vampire.
“Close enough. Malachi showed up at the pizza joint. He offered me another chance to work for him.” She took a deep breath and shot a look at Jess, who was standing right in front of her. “You never mentioned he was up here.”

She put her hands up in surrender.
“Honestly, hon, until I had the vision just a little bit ago, I didn’t even know. I would have warned you if I even suspected he might be alive.” Jess pulled her into a hug. “Are you okay Fallon?”

Fuck no, of course not
. But she couldn’t tell Jess or anyone else that. Jess would blame herself for not seeing everything sooner, but she couldn’t control her visions.

Fallon focused on Brody and that kiss.
“Fine,” she answered, before moving to stand beside Brody at the island counter.

Jess narrowed her eyes because she knew Fallon too well to fall for that.
“No, you aren’t. Brody may have distracted you, but I know what that monster did.” Jess was furious, but scared for her. “I honestly thought you killed him last time.”

Damned werewolves could smell through lies because emotions have a scent, so Fallon clung to her own anger, hoping to drown out the fear.
“So did Robert. I told you all Malachi wasn’t dead.” She turned to Slater. “How deep is the shit? What’s the whole story with the Dales?”

Slater pulled Jess close and stroked her back in long gentle sweeps. He looked over Jess’ shoulder.
“They showed up around a month ago. They were scouting, but we thought we scared them off. No one had seen them again until the Saturday when they tried to take Brody, but not since. I’ve had the other enforcers looking for signs since then. Hayden’s been looking too.”

Brody clenched his jaw and looked toward Fallon.
“As much as I want to hunt them down, Slater feels its best I don’t.”

Slater nodded.
“You are the target. You’re my best man. Of course I don’t have you looking for them. They want you.”

“
Yeah. I get it.” Brody’s hand landed heavily on the counter. “Still doesn’t mean I have to like the decision.”

“
Neither do I, but it was the right choice.” Slater met Brody’s gaze. “I trust your abilities. If they come after you, you’ll be fine, but I don’t want to put a bigger target on your back.”

No, but Fallon knew Brody’s target was bigger just by being near her
. She hated that.

So the Dales were back and Malachi was running the show. He was coming after her no matter what. That was fine, she had unfinished business with the vampire.

She looked into Brody’s eyes. “At least they didn’t get what they wanted.” He didn’t look so convinced.

“
What do they want?” Slater asked, pulling her attention.

Fallon let out a harsh laugh.
“If Malachi is pulling the same old shit, he’ll go after your strongest enforcers first. Both to tear apart your pack structure, and to use them in his fighting ring.” Fallon looked up at Brody, who looked almost as confused as Slater, before turning her attention back to the alpha. “He’ll probably try for Dakota because he’s a healer. Jess because she’s close to you. Me, but he’s had plans for me for years, and I won’t do a damned thing for him. Your sheriff will be on their list because earth fae are badass warriors. Anyone else who might put up a good fight in their ring will be on that list. When he’s beaten down morale, he’ll come for you.”

“
They thought they could take me?” Brody asked brokenly. “They came on a night I was a mess, so they could take me?”

Fallon turned to Brody, her heart breaking because he was staring at a picture of his dead wife. Goddess
,
what was she getting herself into?

She put on a brave smile and touched his face, pulling his gaze back to hers.
“That’s what they thought, but you proved them wrong.”

“
No.” Brody shook his head, his hands fisted at his stomach. “You killed them. I only hurt them, but not bad enough. If you hadn’t been there, I couldn’t have outrun them.”

Her brow rose and she pointed right at him.
“No. You would have been fine when you got wherever you were going. It took me a good fifteen minutes, maybe more to heal you and then you were out for another ten or so minutes. They took some time to heal before they came after you. That was all you, baby.” Her mind reeled. She should not have called him baby, she never called anyone that. Too late, and it felt right. Oh fuck, this was getting too deep for her.

His eyes hardened.
“I damn near tore her head off. I ripped the male’s arms off his body.” The feral expression on his face did nothing but turn her on. “Maybe you could teach us all a thing or two to deal with them. Permanently. Make sure we don’t do something as stupid as I did when I ripped that bastard off of you and hurt you worse.” He winced, tracing a finger over her throat where she’d been bitten. She almost gave in and kissed him, but she reined herself in because she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop.

“
Jess says you taught her a thousand ways to protect herself from all sorts of things. Would you teach us what you can?” Slater asked hopefully.

“
Good idea. I don’t work tomorrow.” The more everyone knew the better off they’d be. “You better invite anyone else who might be powerful enough to put up a fight in their ring. Shaman, mages, fae. They aren’t terribly picky.”

“
And druids.” Jess glared at her. “Though he wants you for so much more.”

“
Don’t remind me,” Fallon snarled, “I have no intention of warding a single one of his coven or pets, and I won’t be his plaything.” She paced away because Brody was strung so tight he was making her tense. “Robert McCallister is heading out. I’m not sure how many other Council Enforcers he’ll bring.”

“
You want Robert here?” Jess burst out in surprise, “After what Malachi made him and Tremaine—” Fallon slapped her hands over Jess’ mouth and shook her head vehemently. She was not talking about that. Jess stared at her with wide eyes.

“
You know that wasn’t their choice. I warded both of them against their gaze. Malachi can’t pull that stunt again.”

Brody gripped her shoulders in a firm hold.
“What did Malachi make them do?” His outrage cracked through her defenses. She wanted to let him keep her safe, but no one could.

“
Please, don’t ask.” she pleaded with him. “What happened is not important now. I made sure Malachi can’t play that hand again. Please, just drop it.” When she met his gaze, Brody was mortified, like he’d figured out what happened. She desperately hoped not because she refused to relive private hell.

“
Are you sure Malachi can’t do that again?” Jess demanded.