He moved forward, one hand behind his back. A shaft of moonlight fell across him, revealing his face for the first time. He looked... normal. His face was nondescript, its features all in the usual places, none of them standing out in a way that would made him either good looking or ugly. He had long dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail, and an earring glinted high on the cartilage of his left ear. Lattimer was dressed all in black, but that wasn’t unusual either. The only thing that stuck out about him was the gun tucked into his waistband. That snapped Danny out of his wooziness.
“You’re going to kill me because I didn’t draw what you wanted?” Terror sent his heart rate spiking, the rush of blood from his pounding pulse echoing in his ears. This couldn’t be happening. A fan was about to murder him over his art. He wanted to do something, say something but he just gaped at the man in front of him. Lattimer stood there smirking, clearly enjoying this.
“No. I’m not going to kill you.”
Danny started to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking this was another malicious prank that had gone way too far. But he hadn’t even finished releasing the breath when Lattimer spoke again.
“I’m going to make you regret ignoring what the fans want.”
He pulled the hand from behind his back, revealing that he held a metal mallet — the kind used to tenderize meat. That set off Danny’s terror again.
“No. No!” Danny struggled, frantically trying to get loose. The ropes burned his wrists but he continued to pull and yank. He’d rather have rope burns for a few weeks than permanently lose the use of his hand. “Don’t do this!” he begged. “I can draw Ignite. I’ll draw whatever you want. You with Ignite. A comic with Ignite rescuing you. Or a Slice of Life with you and Ignite and a fucking dog if you want. Please! I can do any of that if you cut me loose!”
“It’s too late for that.” Lattimer raised the mallet high over his head, his face twisted with wild, wicked glee.
Danny screamed.
Chapter Seventeen
B
laze drove downtown, engine rumbling as he scanned the city streets. It was quiet tonight. No signs of trouble anywhere to be seen. Perhaps the unusual inactivity was why he had an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had a sense that something was about to happen. Something bad. Maybe Leon’s crew had managed to rally and get more Croton on the streets. Or maybe one of the other crime organizations were making a play into that market.
That was Blaze’s initial assumption. Except, that assumption didn’t sit right in his gut. He gripped the steering wheel, leather gloves creaking with the movement. Even as he eyed the streets for trouble, his thoughts kept returning Danny. He should be home, safe in bed, and fast asleep. But his instincts were telling, no screaming at him that something was wrong. Something was wrong and he needed to get back there now.
Blaze wasn’t about to ignore that sense of dread. A quick check to make sure the way was clear and he hit a U-Turn in the middle of the street. Tires screeched, smoke billowing up from the pavement when he floored it. He sped back to Danny’s neighborhood, parking a few blocks away from his house. The feeling of dread in his chest expanded as he jumped out of the car, already sprinting to his lover’s house before it completed lockdown mode.
He reached Danny’s house, noting that it was dark and quiet as expected for this late at night. The door was closed, but when he grabbed the knob and turned it swung open. Blaze remembered locking it when he’d left. He moved inside silently, in order to keep the element of surprise. His senses were heightened even more than usual as he made his way to the stairs. He could hear a low-voiced conversation above him. And there was something in the air. Fear. Danny’s fear. He’d barely processed that his hunch had been correct when a high, terrified scream tore through the house.
Blaze gave up the element of surprise and ran up the stairs, taking them two at time. At the top, he sprinted down the hall, boots heavy and pounding on the floor. He didn’t break his stride when he reached Danny’s door. He dropped his shoulder and smashed it down, barreling into the room. Someone stood over Danny, arms raised above their head, hands gripped tight on the handle of a mallet.
Blaze didn’t hesitate, didn’t give a warning to stand down. He simply shot a bolt of power at them. It struck with a loud crack. The metal mallet conducted the power, sending electricity traveling down the attacker’s arm, and shocking them into dropping it on the floor with a yell of pain. Blaze stalked forward ready to put whoever this was down permanently.
“Look out he’s got a gun!” Danny yelled.
The assailant spun around with a gun pointed at Blaze but he was already in motion. He sprang forward and tackled the man, grabbing the hand with the gun as they crashed to the floor. The attacker managed to get a shot off, but it went high and hit the ceiling, raining bits of plaster down on their heads. Blaze knocked the gun out of his hand, it fell to the carpeted floor with a muffled thud.
With both weapons out of the way, Blaze gripped the assailant by the front of his shirt and yanked him up. He recognized the face from the online ID he’d studied. Charles Lattimer. He yelled in Blaze’s face, practically foaming at the mouth.
“No! You won’t stop me! I helped make his career. He owes me Ignite art!”
“Nobody owes you shit,” Blaze growled before he hit him with a vicious head butt. Lattimer’s eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp in his hold. Blaze released his grip on the shirt and let him drop to the floor with a thump. He didn’t move, but Blaze kept one eye on him while he reassured Danny.
“I’ll have you free in a second, baby. Let me secure this asshole first.”
“Okay.”
Blaze took out a pair of zip ties and cinched Lattimer’s wrists up tight. As an extra precaution, he did the same to his ankles. Then he shoved the still unconscious man out of the way to get to Danny. Lattimer had tied him to the chair at his wrists and ankles, the ropes so tight beads of blood had welled up on his skin.
“I’m so glad you’re here. So glad you came back.”
Blaze quickly got him untied and helped him up from the chair. “Are you all right?” He asked as he patted him down, checking for other injuries.
Danny put a hand to his temple, gingerly touching the area. “I wish I could say I’m fine. But he hit me in the head pretty hard. I should probably go to the hospital and get checked out.”
“Absolutely.”
“But I need something first.”
“What?” Blaze tensed, ready to assist and get Danny anything he needed.
“A hug.”
Relieved that was all he needed, Blaze relaxed. “Come here.” He gently pulled Danny into his arms.
“Why’d you come back?” Danny asked against his chest.
“I had a feeling something was wrong. It kept telling me to get back to you.”
“Wow. Do you think you can sense things?”
“Only when it comes to you.”
Danny shuddered. “I’m so glad you made it in time. He was about to smash my hand so I couldn’t draw anymore.”
He rubbed Danny’s back. “Let’s go. I’ll drop this piece of trash off at the county jail then take you to the hospital.”
“Okay. Let me put on some pants.”
Danny pulled away, but before he made it to the dresser, a familiar sound rang out in the night. Sirens, steadily growing louder and coming closer.
“Shit.”
“My neighbors must have called the police when they heard the gun shot,” he said as he opened a dresser drawer.
Blaze would have preferred to handle this without having to interact directly with the police but what was done was done. He moved to flip on the bedroom light. “Hopefully they won’t be dicks about asking for my identity.”
Danny turned away from the dresser, a pair of sweats dangling from his hand, his brow creased with worry. “But they might. You should go.”
Jordan frowned down at his injured lover. “I’m not leaving you. Especial
ly not with him in here with you.” He glared down at Lattimer, still unconscious on the floor.
“Go and come back as my concerned boyfriend who I called to come over and help. That way you don’t have to worry about awkward questions or anyone getting a close look at you. Besides, Lattimer is tied up and knocked out. He can’t get to me again.”
“Damnit.” Blaze cursed with frustration. He didn’t want to leave Danny for a second but what he said made sense. “I’ll be back in five minutes.” He dropped a careful kiss onto Danny’s forehead before he rushed from the room and down the stairs. Disappearing out the front door just in time, he melted away into the shadows as the street lit up with flashing red and blue lights.
It took him less than a minute to make it back to his car. He went around to the trunk, where he kept a spare set of clothes. Blaze took off his top with its attached cowl and his gloves, and tossed them into the secure case with his emergency suit. Then he pulled on a t-shirt, and sweats over his pants. It wasn’t the most comfortable but it would do for now.
He slid into the driver’s seat, activating the color change that allowed him to drive without anyone realizing the car was the one used by Blaze. The Challenger gleamed silver under the streetlights as he drove up to Danny’s house and parked at the curb. Dressed in the faded t-shirt and sweat pants, he gave off the impression he’d hurriedly thrown them on at home in the middle of the night. He rushed up the walk but a police officer stopped him before he could step onto the porch.
“What’s your business, sir?”
“This is my boyfriend’s house. He called and told me they had a break in.”
“Your name?
“Jordan Wells.”
“Let me verify that.”
Jordan nodded and stood there impatiently as the cop spoke into the mic on his shoulder and waited for a response. It was a struggle to refrain from knocking the guy aside in his determination to get back to Danny. Finally, the cop nodded.
“Okay, you’re clear to go in.”
“Thanks.”
Jordan went inside, jogging up the stairs and into Danny’s bedroom. Lattimer sat on the floor, awake now but groggy. The zip ties on his ankles had been removed, and the ones on his wrists swapped out for a pair of police cuffs. Danny stood with his arms tightly wrapped around himself, answering questions put to him by the officer. He looked up, a relieved smile on his face when Jordan walked into the room.
“Jordan!”
He opened his arms and Danny ran right into them. Jordan held him close for a moment, taking the time to once again reassure himself that he was okay before gently guiding him back over to the officer.
“I need to get a few more details from you Mr. Griffin. You said he’s been stalking you.”
“More like harassing me online. I’ve got screen shots of stuff he sent me. And he hacked my social media accounts last week.”
The officer scribbled the information down in his notepad. “And how did the vigilante Blaze come to be here?”
Jordan tensed. They hadn’t had time to work out a cover story. But he didn’t have to worry. Danny answered without missing a beat.
“Thanks to a few friends and contacts through social media, Blaze knew that Lattimer was harassing me because of my superhero art. When he showed up here tonight, he told me he’d started tracking Lattimer after hearing that he doxxed my account.”
“And where is he now?”
“I don’t know,” Danny lied smoothly. “He tied Lattimer up and said the police would handle the rest. He took off when we heard the sirens. I don’t know how to contact him.”
The officer flipped the notebook closed. “All right. We’ll need you to come down to the station to file charges and fill out an official report.”
Jordan cut in to the conversation. “Does he have to do that tonight? He’s hurt and I want to take him to the hospital.”
“Tomorrow is fine.” The officer went over and hauled Lattimer to his feet. “Let’s go, buddy.”
Lattimer’s entire demeanor had changed now that he was about to face real consequences for his harassment and assault. He shuffled out of the room, cowed and sniffling, shoulders slumped, and eyes directed at the floor. Jordan didn’t have an ounce of sympathy for him. And he hoped Lattimer had a hell of a headache from that headbutt he’d given him.
“Let’s get you out of here too.” He went over to the closet and dug around until he found a duffel bag.
“What are you doing?”
“I want you to stay with me for a few days until you’re healed and this is all sorted out.”
His arms wrapped around himself and exhaustion on his face, Danny agreed with a tired nod. “Okay. Throw whatever clothes in there and I’ll get some of my work stuff. And I’d better send my roommate a message so he’ll know where I’m at.”
Between the two of them they had Danny packed up in a few minutes. As soon as they were finished, Jordan guided his still noticeably shaken boyfriend out to his car and drove them to the hospital.
***
“And it’s okay if he sleeps?”
“Yes. We no longer recommend staying awake after a concussion and although he received a good knock, he doesn’t have one.” The doctor smiled warmly at Danny. “You’ll have a headache for a while. Just be mindful and come see us again if anything changes.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Danny said.
“Yes, thank you. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
They left the emergency room with a small prescription for pain pills and Danny’s wrists treated and bandaged. The drive home from the hospital was calm, quiet. Danny held onto his hand for most of it.
On the way up to his apartment, Danny leaned heavily against his side. The sun would be up in about an hour, but he crawled into bed anyway.
“Right now, I think I’m most mad at Lattimer for ruining a good night’s sleep.”
Jordan was used to pulling all-nighters but he understood where Danny was coming from.
“You’re gonna cuddle me, right?”
“You know it.” After pulling the curtains closed, he quickly undressed down to his briefs, then got in bed. Under the covers, he pulled Danny in close to lay on his chest.
“Thank you for saving me tonight.”
Jordan gently raised Danny’s right hand and dropped a kiss on his bandaged wrist. “I’m glad I made it there in time.”
“Me too.”
They lay there in the dark room. They didn’t speak but Danny’s fingers curled and lightly scratched his chest while Jordan rubbed his arm and pressed light kisses to the top of his head. When Danny’s body went lax with sleep, Jordan eased him onto the pillow. He slipped from the bed and went out onto the bedroom balcony, leaving the glass doors cracked so he could hear if Danny woke up and needed him.
What was he doing? Danny could have been seriously injured tonight. Luckily, he’d been able to make it there in time to save him from irreparable harm. But what if next time he didn’t make it? No, there shouldn’t even be a next time. Jordan scrubbed his hands over his face. Was he leading Danny into a life full of danger? The way he had with Travis?
Jordan thought of his cousin, long dead for the past twelve years. He, Leon, and Travis had all run together, Travis joining them because he looked up to his big cousin. The three of them had got up to petty crimes, vandalism and graffiti eventually graduating to joyriding and street racing. To three teenage boys who’d never faced any consequences for their actions, it was all fun and games. Until it wasn’t.
Jordan gripped the railing. He’d destroyed lives. Stolen hope from a community. What gave him the right to put his tainted hands on Danny, who was pure and sweet? Hands that held too much power, unnatural power that had been granted to him because he’d grieved and raged into the night. If he were truly a hero, he would let Danny go before he caused him any more harm.
He looked over his shoulder to the sleeping form of his lover. His grip on the railing tightened even more, until the metal
bent under his hands. Danny was in his home, in his bed. He couldn’t give that up. Not now. Maybe not ever. Danny was his. And he would do everything in his power to protect him and keep him safe.
Chapter Eighteen
A
few days after the assault, Jordan was down in the shop garage. He’d initially planned to take time off and hole up in his apartment with Danny while he healed. But his resilient boyfriend had insisted on Jordan continuing to work, and chose to spend most of his time down in the garage with him. Jordan had to admit that he liked having him near.
Everyone had taken to Danny, treating him like a little brother. Or as Nina teased, the shop mascot. He sat and watched the crew work for a few hours each day, often drawing little doodles of them that he then gave them to take home. In return, they offered to fix up his Altima. Danny always laughed at the offers, assuming they were teasing. Jordan however, knew they were serious.
This afternoon, Jordan was underneath a car, installing undercarriage lights, while Danny sat cross-legged on a chair, watching the hustle and bustle around him. The bruises on his temple and face were fading but he still wore bandages around his wrists to keep the raw skin from his rope burns protected. He and Nina were talking, as she showed him the flyer for the upcoming Fourth of July Cookout that JW Autobody sponsored for their neighborhood. It was held a couple of days before the actual holiday.
“Wow. Free food, games, fireworks. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this.”
Jordan rolled out from beneath the car before he answered. “You live on the other side of town and it’s a small event, just for the local community. It’s not anywhere as big as Fair St. Louis.”
“Still, it sounds like a blast,” Danny said as he continued to look over the flyer.
“You’ll get a chance to see for yourself if you’re up to going.”
“Heck, yeah! My headaches are gone and I want some barbecue.”
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