Deep Trouble Read online

  “Not my place to say anything. Although, I still think you need to sit her down and talk to her about whatever is bothering you.”

  He groaned. “The nightmares haven’t been a problem for a while now. I know she’s not going to endanger herself or the twins.” Brody paced away and came back shaking his head. “I haven’t once asked her to slow down. Shit, she’s said it herself, she’s pregnant, not weak.”

  “Yeah, but she overheard you talking to Adam after a nightmare. You scared her with whatever you said.”

  “I’ll talk to her,” Brody promised.

  The bells rang on the front door, and Brody’s skin crawled. He looked up to find a tall man with a wiry build. Magic leaked off him as he entered the place with a cold smile. “I’m here for my appointment with Fallon O’Shea.”

  “Dean, she’s Fallon Dean now,” Brody pointed out.

  A grin split his face, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief. “A pleasure to meet the man who finally tamed the wild child. He held out his hand. I’m J.D.”

  “Brody Dean,” he replied, gripping his hand, probably too tight.

  J.D.’s brow cocked as he stared back, one corner of his mouth tipping up.

  Adam cleared his throat and gave him an uncertain glare. Brody dropped the customer’s hand and turned toward the door where Fallon had just arrived.

  Her head tipped slightly, and her tension was palpable as it flowed through their connection. She stopped by the door, not bothering to step closer.

  J.D. disappeared, reappeared beside Fallon. Just that quick, they were both gone before Tremaine could make it across the street to Inktastic.

  “Fucking shit,” the mage shouted, pulling out his phone.

  Brody crossed the room in a blur and caught Tremaine’s wrist, stopping him from dialing whoever he was about to call. “What the hell was that? Why do you seem to know secrets about my mate?”

  Tremaine took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. “She didn’t tell you, did she?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Fuck. Look, we can worry about that as soon as we have her back. But considering who and what he is, we don’t have a lot of time. Let me call Robert. He’ll get Preston, and we can all take a little trip to find out where the hell that bastard took her.”

  Brody let him go. “Hurry, but I want answers while we wait.”

  “You’ll get them.” Tremaine speed-dialed Robert as Amethyst joined them.

  “That was the assassin?”

  “Assassin? What the fuck does an assassin want with Fallon?” Brody barked.

  Tremaine held up his hand. “Yeah, need your help. Preston too. Hurry up. Fallon’s in trouble. I’ll explain when you get to Inktastic, but I need both of you. Now!” He shoved his phone in his pocket.

  Brody snapped, “Start talking.”

  “Don’t worry, Fallon will do whatever she needs to protect herself and her children. She’s taken on the dark mage before.”

  “Assassin?”

  Tremaine nodded. “Yeah. Assassin. One who had a contract for my death. Fallon stopped him forty-five years ago.”

  “Which made her about nineteen.”

  Tremaine rocked back and forth on his feet and nodded. “Yeah. And before you ask, I didn’t know her age when we were together. It was brief and didn’t end like most of her relationships. Though I did leave when I realized how young she was.”

  Brody rubbed the back of his neck, trying to calm the surge of anger.

  “That was years ago, Brody. Before you were even born. Don’t be pissed she didn’t tell you. Neither of us has thought about it in years. And can you honestly say you’ve told her about every woman you were with over the years?”

  “Shit, no. It never came up.”

  “There you go. And after the Dales captured us, and Malachi forced us to do what we did, it’s not something we talk about. Can you blame her for not wanting to rehash it?”

  “No. But if that wasn’t the problem, what is?”

  Robert and Preston appeared beside them. “What’s going on?”

  “Jarod Deathbringer took Fallon. Preston, you need to help us track her so we can get her back.”

  “I’m coming,” Brody said firmly.

  Robert opened his mouth, but Tremaine shook his head. “He should be there. Might put his mind at ease.”

  “Shit, this could take a few to find her,” Preston stated. “Robert and I have to search her out first, and then we’ll be back for you. Be patient. It won’t take long, but we have to pinpoint where she is before we bring anyone.”

  Brody made a shooing motion. “Go. Faster you’re back, the faster we can kill that motherfucker.”

  Preston and Robert were gone with a pop.

  “About Fallon,” Tremaine started, “I’m going to tell you because she keeps putting it off though she swore to me she’d tell you tonight after you two went home.”

  “Tell me what?” Brody demanded.

  “It’s about your twins.” Tremaine avoided eye contact, looking around the room.

  Brody watched as Amethyst went pale.

  “What about the twins? What’s wrong?” she squeaked out.

  “Nothing. Though some might say one is an abomination,” Tremaine answered.

  “What the hell do you mean by that?” Brody asked.

  Tremaine met Brody’s gaze. “Your little girl is also a werewolf.”

  Brody’s heart stopped a beat. “That’s not possible. The fetus would never take if that were the case.”

  “Not true in Fallon’s case. Sometimes there are exceptions for druids and shaman. Your little girl isn’t the first of her kind.”

  Brody frowned. “My little girl?”

  Tremaine grinned. “Your boy is all druid. Your daughter is both. She’ll be stronger, faster, but have less magic than your son. When Fallon wanders off to shift, it’s because the baby wants to shift. The only way to keep the babies viable and healthy is to shift magically, forcing both of them to do the same.”

  Brody nodded slowly. “That’s why? I can’t believe she hasn’t explained this to me. She’s worried I’ll freak out, huh?” He paced away, rubbing the back of his neck. “All she had to do was tell me.”

  Tremaine nodded. “Yeah, but she was worried how you’d react after hearing a few of the conversations you had with Adam.”

  “And she was talking to you because why?”

  “Because I have books that document similar cases. I also knew a druid who had a wereleopard baby. So she’s been talking to me because I know there is nothing wrong with the baby.”

  “She didn’t even tell me.” Amethyst pouted.

  “But our babies should be fine if she shifts when she needs to?”

  Tremaine nodded “Exactly. There is nothing to worry about. It’s unusual, but it’s not totally unheard of. Unfortunately, your fear made her paranoid about your reaction. I swear to you, she promised to tell you tonight.”

  “I’m going to sit her ass down and have a long discussion about keeping secrets from me. Her damned silence made my worrying worse. We could have avoided half the bullshit if she had just spoke up.”

  “Hey, you didn’t open up with her either. Fallon overheard stuff that made her wonder how you’d react. She thought the worse. That’s what she does. She plans for the worst every single time, if you haven’t noticed, so she kept it to herself because you weren’t open with her either.”

  Brody started to argue, but then stopped and clenched his fists. “Fuck.”

  “Let me make a suggestion,” Tremaine said, “Sit down and get it all out in the open. Tell her everything on your mind and she’ll tell you hers. Simple as that. But if you want her to talk to you, you need to do the same.”

  “I plan to. As soon as they come back and take us to this asshole.”

  Chapter 11

  Fallon spun away from Jarod the second they landed in a dark, cavernous space. She threw up shields and watched as they lit up when he tried to advance on her.<
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  His hand brushed the shield and his arms and legs flung out as he was knocked into the dark. He hit a surface with a thud, but the darkness kept her from seeing where he landed.

  “Good luck getting through,” she snarled.

  “No one will find us. Not ever. We’re so far below ground there is no way to track either of us. You can’t flash away. Eventually, your shield will go down.”

  She snorted. “Wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

  He laughed a stereotypical, evil one. “Oh, I’m quite sure you won’t live through the night.”

  “Don’t hold your breath. You couldn’t best me when I was a kid.”

  The only light came from the shield illuminating a foot around the wall of energy. She couldn’t see him anywhere.

  “Wasn’t expecting a lovesick brat to do anything but run and scream. I won’t make that same mistake again.”

  A fireball slammed into her spell. He snarled in frustration when it bounced back in his direction.

  She laughed. “Did you really think I would make this easy?” A trill of fear danced through her. Now Brody had a real reason to worry. She might have to shift if they stayed away too long. Thankfully, she would be able to keep the shield up without any trouble.

  “Does that baby bump mean you aren’t the same feisty bitch you were when you were a kid? I’ve heard rumors about your wrath. Maybe that faded when you tied yourself to a flea-ridden mutt.”

  “Say what you want. I’ve learned patience since our last encounter. Doesn’t mean you won’t get what’s coming.” If she had to fight, she would wait for him to make a mistake. Until then, she was staying behind her shield. Otherwise, he would have no problem targeting her twins.

  Besides, if she knew Tremaine, he would convince Robert and Preston to track her down, right after the bastard told Brody about their werebaby.

  She pressed her hand to her stomach and wished she had gained the courage to discuss his fears and explain why their twins were special.

  Jarod sighed. “The shield won’t stop me from draining you.”

  She laughed out loud. “Funny. You couldn’t drain me even if you were on top of me.”

  “Nothing can prevent me from sucking your essence from your soul. That baby too.”

  Her brow arched, knowing he couldn’t get past the wards tattooed into her skin. Unless he skinned her alive, which he’d never manage to do. He couldn’t touch her magic. She wouldn’t tell him that, though.

  “Nothing to say?”

  She stared into the dark, her best estimation of his location.

  “The shield won’t keep me from you.”

  After Tremaine was attacked, Robert had showed her how translocation worked. Even he couldn’t get past her shields unless she allowed it. At that moment, she hoped like hell Robert didn’t try to get past them.

  A popping sound caught her breath. Her shield dipped toward her before flashing so bright she was momentarily blinded. Jarod slammed against the wall.

  A snarl rent the air. “Don’t need to get past the shield.”

  The air crackled, his magic spinning up. She pulled at it, reinforcing her shield. As much as teaching the bastard a lesson appealed, playing it safe was wiser.

  First time ever, she’d outwait the asshole playing games.

  * * * *

  Brody prowled back and forth in the lobby of Inktastic like a predator being taunted at the zoo. When the pop signaled Robert and Preston were back, he spun around and pinned them with a glare. “Where are they?”

  Preston held up a hand and gave him a look. “First, calm your ass down. We’ll take you there, but you need to understand a few things first.”

  “Stop stalling, and tell me what the hell is going on with my mate and my children,” he snarled.

  Robert stepped up face to face. “First, she’s behind a shield he can’t penetrate. Second, she’s not fighting, she’s waiting. Third, they are underground, in the dark. Fourth, Jarod was too preoccupied trying to get past her shield and being slammed into the wall to notice us there. We have the element of surprise, but I need to know you’re going to be okay underground.”

  Brody stared back, unflinching. “Doesn’t matter where she is. I need to be there.”

  “Trust him,” Tremaine told Robert. “He’ll be fine. He didn’t have a problem when we all went after DeMarco and Malachi.”

  Preston slapped his shoulder. “On the plus side, Jarod won’t be interested in a werewolf. Use your speed and jump him as soon as you smell him.”

  Robert glared at Preston. “And what if he turns around and tries to drain him?”

  He shrugged. “He’s got the same warding all of us do. Even if Jarod was willing to drain something other than a magic user, he wouldn’t get anywhere.”

  Brody’s gaze switched back and forth between them. “What are you talking about?”

  Tremaine snorted. “The wards Fallon tattooed on all of us do a lot more than protect you from a vampire’s gaze. Your resistance to most magic is now through the roof, and knowing Fallon, and how she protects those she cares about, you’re probably damn near invincible.”

  “Then get me there.”

  Robert held out his arms. Tremaine, Preston, and Brody all touched him. In less than a heartbeat, they were plunged into darkness.

  A nasty stench of dark magic filled the room though Fallon’s own flared in the center.

  The swish of clothes rustling caused Brody’s head to jerk to the side. He charged, running through the darkness.

  “Your mangy beast?” Jarod snarled.

  There was a pop two feet in front of him. Brody turned on a dime as another sounded directly behind him.

  The room lit up with sparkling dust, and Brody tackled Jarod to the ground. The sharp scent of magic burst around him, but nothing happened.

  Brody caught his arm and twisted Jarod to his stomach, wrenching his arm so hard the joint popped out of socket. He shoved hard, and the humerus bone snapped.

  “Got any other bright moves, asshole?” Brody growled.

  Dumbass started chanting.

  Brody grabbed a handful of his hair and slammed his head on the stone floor. Another series of cracks and pops echoed in the room as he let loose a warbled scream.

  He didn’t bother to look but felt Fallon’s presence a few feet away. Calm, collected, and a sense of pride flowed from her.

  Brody snarled, “If you’re smart, which I’m betting against, you’ll stay down.”

  Robert crouched and grabbed Jarod’s shoulder. A second later, Jarod went lax beneath him.

  “Get up, and I’ll take him to a cell he can’t escape,” Robert assured.

  Brody released Jarod and stood. Then Robert flashed Jarod away.

  He turned, and Fallon wrapped her arms around him. Brody picked her up, squeezing tight.

  “I didn’t do anything foolish,” she whispered in his ear.

  “Except not tell me what was going on with our girl.”

  She sucked in a breath and leaned back. He set her on her feet and gazed into her eyes.

  “No more secrets, but Brody, you need to tell me what’s bothering you too.”

  “Should have asked,” he stated.

  She sighed. “Should have come to me with your fears. Maybe I could have set your mind at ease.”

  “Fair enough.” He could resist no longer, and covered her mouth with his. She melted into him, and he knew everything would be fine once all their cards were laid on the table.

  A hand landed on his shoulder, and before he could pull away, they were back in Inktastic.

  “Let’s go home—” Fallon said.

  “Whoa, slow down,” Preston interrupted. “What happened before Brody broke the assassin?”

  Fallon laughed. “Twice now that people he considered lower than slime managed to outdo the asshole.”

  Tremaine groaned. “That’s the problem with cocky bastards. So what happened?”

  She crossed her arms over her che
st and faced off with Tremaine. “I let my shield do all the work. He couldn’t cross through, and it pissed him off.”

  “Why didn’t you end him?” Brody asked.

  She winced. “He plays dirty. He stabbed Tremaine in the back. Quite literally.”

  Brody shrugged. “Still, he didn’t offer much fight.”

  “He would have gone for the babies. If he was carrying a weapon, and I had miscalculated, I could have lost them. I knew Tremaine would get Robert and Preston to find me. So I made the safe choice for all of us.”

  He kissed her again. Brody couldn’t help himself. She’d chosen their babies over ending a battle. His fiery druid didn’t take shit but ensured their safety. “Christ, I love you, Sugar.”

  “Love you too, Brody.”

  Tremaine chuckled. “And if you want to hate me, I did give you fair warning I’d tell Brody everything if you were in trouble.”

  Fallon rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, old man, you’re forgiven. I was going to tell him tonight anyway. Tired of keeping secrets.”

  “Go, you two clearly need to talk.” Robert pushed them playfully, one hand on each of their backs, toward the door.

  Amethyst hugged Fallon before they got two steps. “You better call me later and tell me everything.”

  “I will, but first, I need to talk to Brody.”

  Brody sighed. “We should have worked all this out before now.”

  “Lesson learned.” Fallon arched her brow at him.

  He nodded his agreement. “No more secrets.”

  Chapter 12

  Brody pulled Fallon outside, and she hurried to his truck. He beat her to the door and opened it before pulling her against him to lay another kiss on her.

  “I didn’t tell you about the dreams because I know you and didn’t want you to think I didn’t trust you to take care of our babies. It was stupid, and I knew it but couldn’t help myself.”

  “But I sensed your distress after the nightmares, and I could have done something to ease your mind.”

  “I wish I had opened up. I never realized you heard me talking to Adam. Didn’t dawn on me how much you felt my fear. I’m sorry, Fallon. Never again.”