Fallen Melody: Fallen: Book 1

by Layna Snow

  “Emily! We have to go!” She urged.

  Tim still had the gun. Could still get them. Kill them!

  But Emily was still grappling with Tim, unable to get away.

  The last thing that Melody wanted was to go back into the fight, to get near that evil man ever again. She wanted to run! To hide!

  But she had to help her friend.

  The idea made her skin feel twitchy, like something was crawling all over it. But she couldn’t leave Emily in this mess, not one that Melody was responsible for. Especially not when she knew that she would heal a lot faster than Em.

  Melody did her best to shore up her courage.

  When Tim’s elbow shot back, in preparation for a punch, Mel grabbed it, pulling him backwards.

  He fell and cursed, an ugly word that Mel never wanted to hear again, dragging Emily and Mel down with him.

  Pain.

  Pain radiated from a place near her behind, radiating up her back and paralyzing her for a moment.

  Emily quickly tried to hit him in the face, but Tim bucked, throwing her off of him.

  Before he could get up, Melody kicked him in the side, the only place she could reach from her position on her butt.

  When she pulled her leg back to kick him again, Tim grabbed onto her foot, dragging her towards him. “Motherfucker! I will enjoy handing you in to them. I don’t care what they do to you. Maybe they’ll even let me help!” Tim raved as he twisted her ankle until an odd, sickening crack echoed through the air.

  The sound deafening in the night. Too loud, too sharp.

  It took a moment for the pain to register, but when it did, it was so great, that Melody screamed.

  She couldn’t hold it in, though she tried. The agony pulsed, traveling up her leg and flooding her mind. Every beat of her heart, another fresh wave of pain overtook her, swallowing her under its depths.

  She wanted to fight, wanted to hurt him, but she just couldn’t, not when he held her foot, twisting still.

  Mel’s vision went blurry, her eyes leaking like the shower head. Her nose even started to run, and still little whimpers of pain were wrenched from her. She didn’t know how she was going to survive it.

  But she had to get away. She had to stop the pain!

  Just then she heard a voice calling from the forest. Did he have help?

  She couldn’t make out who it was, but Mel felt terrified. If Tim hurt them this much, then another person could only do more!

  “Mel? What-“ she heard, the voice uncertain and young. Ian!

  “Go!” she half screamed, as Tim retched her foot another few inches. But the figure moved closer.

  “Ahh.” The sound coming from behind her was appreciative, and that’s when she realized that all her trust had been misplaced! Ian couldn’t be bad too, but she didn’t see any other explanation.

  The young man seemed hesitant though, even scared as he swore, which was followed by that horrifying boom.

  Then in a blink, the shape before her burst into reds and fell to the ground.

  “NO!!!” But Ian didn’t get back up, and Melody knew that time was running out. Tim had the gun and he could kill Emily still!

  Mel did the only thing she could do from where she was. She pulled back her other foot and kicked him in the face.

  She could feel the heel of her foot crush the bone in his cheek, but she didn’t stop to think, she simply pulled herself back, using her arms and her good leg to drag herself away.

  “Oh God, Mel! He killed Ian! His head is just…. Gone! I’m going to be sick!” Emily called, and Mel looked at her with sad eyes, hearing the panic in her friend’s voice. The same panic that rushed through Mel.

  That threatened to take her under again. To make her freeze again.

  But she couldn’t let it!

  Looking towards the man who caused so much horror, was shocking. Terrible.

  Face full of blood, eyes closed. Tim was motionless.

  Not dead.

  Not yet.

  “Come on, he’s out now. We need to go!” Em shouted. Mel tried to get up with only one leg, but it was difficult. Any weight on the broken one sent splinters of anguish up her body.

  “Hurry!” Em rushed, but Melody had to hop, leaning some of her weight on Emily in order to move, and it was at least 10 feet to the car.

  It seemed like forever, eternity, an endless distance with terror and anticipation tearing through her body.

  It seemed like every step took too long. And every moment they were out there, Melody expected Tim to grab them, to hurt them.

  “Did you get the gun?” she asked, terrified that Tim might still have it.

  Then he wouldn’t need to come after them. He could just shoot them in the back.

  “No, but I kicked it away. I didn’t have time to pick it up.” Emily’s voice was rushed, high with fright, with shock.

  Emily urged her to go faster, but she couldn’t. They were so close, but it still seemed far.

  One step, two, three. Finally they were there. Emily helped Mel into the large truck before rushing around to the other side.

  Once there, she dropped.

  NO! No! He couldn’t have gotten her!

  They were almost safe! They were almost out of there!

  Melody sobbed, reaching down to unlock the seatbelt that she didn’t even remember doing up. She might not be able to walk, but she could help Emily if she needed to.

  But there was no need. Em soon rose again, opening the door and getting in. “Had to get the spare,” she huffed, closing the door beside her.

  The spare what? And how could she scare her like that!

  “God! I don’t like leaving Nate like this!” she said, as she tried to push the key into the ignition. But her hand was shaking.

  Finally on the fifth try, the key was in, turned and the truck roared to life. “Here, take my cell, call the-“

  All of a sudden, the car door was torn open.

  Mel’s scream was drowned out by Emily’s, as the other girl was pulled from her seat.

  In the darkness, it was difficult to see, but she heard a whack, before Tim reappeared.

  “No! Em?” Mel called, hoping that her friend would make some kind of noise, showing that she was alive.

  But there was nothing but the loud hum of the truck, and Tim’s laughter. “If you move, I’ll shoot her.” He said, holding the gun pointed towards the ground.

  No, he couldn’t kill her.

  Mel had to save someone, at least one person.

  So she nodded. Tim smiled, blood running down his face, one side swollen and red, the other side devilishly handsome. It was sickening.

  And when Tim asked for her hands, she obeyed, allowing him to put handcuffs on her.

  Anything to save Emily. Any way to help someone. Just one person!

  If she was going to die, so be it. But someone had to live.

  As they started forward, the tires caught on something, bumping over it as they backed up, Mel felt dread leech into her body once more.

  Had they just driven over Emily’s body?

  39

  Seth couldn’t believe that it had taken that long to get a cab. They hadn’t bothered with a tow-truck or a mechanic. They just didn’t have time. The SUV could sit there all night and he wouldn’t care. He didn’t need the darn thing! What he needed was to make sure that Melody was alright.

  It was about ten minutes since Nate and Emily drove by them on the side of the road. Ten agonizing minutes as he sat waiting, wondering and hoping that Mel was fine. He didn’t know how fast they drove, or if they stopped somewhere on the way. He didn’t know if they had blown every stop sign on the way to the house.

  And once they got there, what happened?

  That was the question that bothered Seth. He was sure that Emily and Nate were there before them. It had taken way too long for someone to come pick them up, especially considering that there was only one cab company, and many people drove themselves. The taxi had to be fr
ee, so why wasn’t it here!

  “Calm down, Seth,” Cay muttered, although Seth knew that his friend’s body was tensing as well. Surely he knew how bad things could go if they didn’t make it there. There was no way that Melody would be able to protect herself.

  It finally arrived, but even as they both got in and told the driver where to go, Seth couldn’t help thinking about their plan and everything that could have gone wrong.

  They had told Tim that he didn’t need to fight. Now, he wasn’t so sure. Would he protect her? And would Ian come help if anything happened? Seth had been counting on it, but now that the situation arrived, he didn’t want anyone to offer her protection besides him and Caleb. They were the ones that cared for her, the ones that would suffer exponentially if she was hurt.

  Well, Tim would suffer too. Because if Melody was hurt while he was watching her, Seth planned to kick his butt. Ian would just get fired.

  “Can’t this thing go any faster?” Cay asked, obviously not liking the wait any more than he did. There wasn’t a lot of distance between the houses, and Emily often walked to their house and home, but any expanse was too long.

  “It could, but then I’d be breaking the law,” the driver told him, his voice low in irritation. Seth knew that they were being difficult, but getting home was too important.

  “I don’t think you understand. Our girlfriend could be in danger. She is in danger! We were going to help her but our tires were slashed.” Seth explained.

  “Your girlfriend? As in… both of you and one girl?” His disbelief bothered Seth. He wasn’t going to pretend anymore. He didn’t give a crap. He loved Mel and if anyone wanted to judge them, than they could. Melody was too important.

  “Yeah, got a problem with that?” Cay threw back. Did Caleb want to fight with the driver? Surely this was a bad time to get people mad. But Seth knew that his foster brother was approaching the end of his rope. He needed to express his nervous energy in some way.

  “Not at all. It’s just unusual. I think you got the raw end of the deal though. You should have found two women each. That’s the best kind of threesome. But, I’m not going to complain. We’ve needed a vet around town for years now. I’m just glad that you are here to help out.”

  How had the guy known about his occupation? Did everyone know about him by now? Did everyone recognize him by sight? Seth suddenly got a picture of people coming up to him, talking about their furry friend’s poor digestion and flees.

  Seth didn’t like the notoriety, wouldn’t like the attention, but the picture—as bad as it was—was better than the others stuck in his brain.

  He could see Melody in a variety of places, in a myriad of positions. However, instead of a sexy, lusty look on her face, he could see her vacant eyes, terror etched onto her face forever. He could see her lovely hair tangled, her clothes ripped and torn, and blood dripping from her perfect red lips.

  Seth tried his hardest to push the thought away. She couldn’t be dead! She just couldn’t be.

  By the time they reached the house, he was half mad with worry. And the sight that met him when he got there didn’t make him feel better.

  There were three ambulances, and a large group of cops. What had happened?

  But of course he knew. Something deadly had occurred, and Melody hadn’t been protected.

  Terror burned in his gut as the cab stopped. He ignored the questions the guy asked, ignored how much he passed the guy to pay for the fare. He didn’t even remember getting out of the car.

  He simply stared at the lights that proved that the yard was a crime scene.

  “Sir, you can’t go in there,” he heard someone tell him, but he didn’t look to see who. He didn’t care. He needed to figure out where Mel was, and if she was alright.

  “We live here,” Cay said, his voice raw, grief-stricken.

  The first ambulance closed its doors and raced off, its sirens blazing as if it needed to clear the empty streets.

  “What happened,” he croaked, finally turning to the officer.

  “There was a shooting. Some are alright, but a man was killed and a girl is in critical condition. I don’t think she will make it, but she’s holding on.” He offered.

  Melody was shot? Oh, God! How could this have happened? Their plan was foolproof, wasn’t it? He thought that nothing could go wrong!

  But it obviously did, and they might not ever get to see Melody again. They wouldn’t get to hold her, and start a life with her. How could her life end when it was only just beginning? But apparently, it was.

  Seth could feel tears leaking from his eyes. His chest felt like it was opened, and all his organs were being removed. Surely, this was what surgery without anaesthesia felt like.

  “It wasn’t Melody,” a dark, deep voice sounded behind him. Seth turned, and was surprised to see Axel. He looked different. Maybe it was because he wasn’t armed to the teeth. Maybe it was because he was wearing a suit, one that looked a little awkward and unusual on him.

  “What?” Surely he couldn’t have heard the man correctly.

  Surely he was hallucinating.

  Maybe it was all a terrible nightmare.

  But Seth knew better.

  “Melody wasn’t shot. It was another girl. A woman named Sophia Torres.” The large man announced.

  Sophie? Why was she there? Had she tried to protect Mel? Had she interfered with the break in? Or was she just there at the wrong time?

  It didn’t even enter Seth’s mind that she could have been involved. The girl was too nice, too genuine. She didn’t have a devious or evil bone in her body.

  “Cay? Oh, God! He took her! You have to get Mel back!”

  The voice surprised Seth. For some reason, through all this carnage, he hadn’t thought about Emily.

  Seth could feel his blood pump faster, his body tense and turned to look at her.

  Emily looked scared, her eyes as big as saucers, her head wrapped in a bandage. He would have been concerned for her. He would have pitied her.

  But Seth felt nothing but rage flowing through his body like lava. Burning through his mind. Removing all traces of humanity.

  How dare she feel bad about Melody, when she had a hand in this! If it wasn’t for her and Nate, Mel would be safe right now.

  Caleb must have felt the same way because hostility basically emanated from his body. “You must know where she is. Where did Nate take her?” Cay ground out, his voice much harder than it had ever been in, in the past.

  Seth didn’t blame him. He wanted to growl too. He wanted to yell and scream.

  Emily, shook her head, wincing before pressing her hand to a bandage that was wrapped around her hair. “No, you don’t understand. Tim has her.”

  Tim? Good. At least he could protect her.

  As long as his friend had her safe, he could relax a little.

  That was what they had asked him to do, after all.

  “So?” Cay asked, as if he too was confused about the situation.

  “Tim is the bad one! Don’t you see? He was the one that shot Sophie—though I didn’t know that Sophie was even in the house. Nate was innocent, and Tim shot him too—even if it was in the arm. But he fell and hit his head! He was out cold! It wasn’t him! Tim hit me with his gun.” She explained, pointing to her forehead. She sounded hysterical, crazed, and there was a part of Seth that believed her. No one could be that terrified and be lying.

  But Seth wasn’t even sure that he could trust her. She could have tried to take Mel, only to have Tim thwart her plan.

  He needed to talk to Nate. To punch him until he revealed what really happened.

  Seth looked around until he saw a man sitting in the back of the ambulance. He was slumped over, his arm extended to an EMT. That had to be Nate.

  Seth didn’t bother to talk to Cay, or to ask Axel anything. He simply moved through cars to the construction worker who caused all this trouble.

  There was no stopping him. There was nothing that could hold him back.<
br />
  He needed answers.

  He needed Melody.

  And Seth would tear the world apart to find her.

  “Where’s Mel?” he asked, when he was finally in earshot. He wasn’t going to beat around the bush. He needed answers. Now.

  “I… don’t know.” Nate said, frowning as if in concentration. He did look like he was in pain. His arm was bleeding through the bandage and the EMT was busily trying to wrap the gauze around his bicep.

  “Are you being truthful with me, Nate? I would hate to find out that you knew something that could save her, but you were lying to save yourself. She is an innocent woman, and she could be in danger. What were you planning on doing with her when you captured her?” Seth growled.

  Some deep dark part of him took over. Some primal instinct that he hadn’t known that he had.

  Again, Nate looked confused. But Seth wasn’t going to believe him. Not when Mel’s life hung in the balance.

  “Why would I take her? Do you think I’m some kind of sick serial killer? What would I do with her once I had her? The cops would be after me for the rest of my life.” Nathan explained, and he sounded genuinely puzzled. “Maybe it was the guy Em was getting chummy with.” He sneered, glaring over at the blonde.

  Could it be that he had no idea that Mel was an Angel? Could he be telling the truth? And who was he talking about now?

  Rage rose in his chest like an animal. Bursting through his throat in a guttural yell.

  He needed answers!

  He needed Melody.

  Seth would kill Nate to get the information he needed.

  He reached over, determined to get to the other man but a voice stopped him.

  “Tim is the one that you were looking for,” Axel’s voice came from behind him again.

  “What? Did you know all this time? You are a fucking bastard!” Cay yelled, launching his body at Axel.

  Axel swatted him away like a fly, sending Caleb landing on his butt on the ground. Caleb cried out in pain, but didn’t stay down. He didn’t seem ready to let this go.

  Seth’s brain took over. Just enough to get him to think. To move.

  If Axel knew, then he could help.