Blaze’s fist shot forward, striking Leon with a double right jab to the face, chased by a left hook. Normally he would have followed up with a kick to the torso since his opponent was usually shielding their face by that point. But he couldn’t risk taking his feet from the metal beneath him. Instead, he dropped down low and punched him in the gut. At the body blow, Leon wisely stepped back out of range.
Leon laughed and swiped a gloved fist over his bloody mouth. “There he is. I was starting to think you were too scared to do anything more than be a tomato can.”
“Not scared. Just making adjustments.” He shook his arms out and raised his guard again. “I hope you enjoyed those hits you got on me. Because you won’t get another one.”
“We’ll see about that.”
He swung but Blaze was ready for him. He blocked the hit with his forearm, then blocked the next one Leon threw immediately after. Before Leon could recover, Blaze punched him in the throat. On instinct Leon’s hands flew up to protect the area from more damage while he struggled to get his breathing restarted. Blaze gave him no quarter. He hit him with strike after strike, always on a different part of the body, moving faster than Leon could even think about blocking.
Blaze kept punching but Leon bounced back each time like an inflatable bop bag. Croton really did kill the fear and pain receptors. Taking a risk, he raised a knee and slammed it between Leon’s legs. Apparently, Croton couldn’t block all pain, because Leon screamed and doubled over. Blaze took advantage, punching down and striking Leon on the temple. He brought his knee up again, this time catching Leon on the chin. Bone crunched and a tooth went flying. Leon swayed backward, arms pinwheeling. If it wasn’t for those boots he would have fallen on his ass.
It was time to end it. Leon had staggered back out of his range, so Blaze slowly stepped forward. He grabbed Leon by the throat with one hand, his arm muscles straining as he lifted him in the air. Those boots fought against him, trying to bring Leon back down, but Blaze held him firmly.
Leon choked and coughed under the force of Blaze’s grip. Fireworks crackled above their heads, washing them both in red, then blue, then shimmering gold.
“You won’t kill me,” he wheezed.
“No, I won’t. But this fight is over. With my hand on you like this I don’t have to worry about a stray spark hitting Danny. I can electrocute you enough to knock you out, take Danny, and leave you up here unconscious.” He squeezed, and let enough power rise that Leon would feel the buzz on his skin. “It’d be a shame if while you were out of it you rolled off and fell to your death.”
“Wow, I guess you’ve got me.” Leon coughed again. “But who’s got your boyfriend?”
Blaze whipped his head around to look at Danny. The woman was back. She stood directly in front of Danny who eyed her warily. When she pursed her lips and blew out a tiny breath, Blaze didn’t expect anything to happen. But somehow, that tiny breath knocked Danny back as if he’d been struck by a gale force wind. The pole snapped from its base under the force of the invisible gust. With nothing to hold him, Danny plummeted over the edge, screaming as he fell.
“Jordan!”
“Danny!” Blaze roared his name, as if the sheer volume of his voice could stop his fall. He dropped Leon and sprang forward, sprinting to reach Danny. Without hesitating, Blaze dove off the Arch after him. A blast of his power gave him enough speed to close the gap and catch Danny in his arms. But he didn’t have a way to stop their free fall.
Blaze reached out, trying to use his electromagnetic power to bring him to one of the legs of the Arch so he could control their descent. But they’d fallen dead in the center, he was too far away to reach it. He had only seconds. He could use his power to slow their descent and hopefully form a cushion to lessen their impact.
Unfortunately, from this height and velocity, he didn’t know how much good it would do. But he had to try. He might break every bone in his body when he hit the ground but hopefully, he would take all the damage and Danny wouldn’t be harmed as much.
“Hold on, baby,” he yelled to be heard over the rushing wind.
Danny didn’t respond. He just looked at him with eyes open so wide the whites showed all the way around.
Blaze started gathering his power, building a sphere of electricity around them, when suddenly the air turned as cold as a meat locker. Before he had a chance to process the incongruous change in temperature, a thick sheet of ice shot up beneath him, and he landed on his back with a solid thump. The second he hit, he started sliding down what appeared to be a gigantic ice slide. Blaze tightened his hold on Danny, making sure he didn’t tumble over the edge. They whooshed down the ice slide, going so fast that castoff ice and slush flew up in their faces. At the bottom, they shot off into the grass. Their momentum propelled them forward, and they tumbled and rolled for several feet before they came to a stop.
A crowd of shocked on-lookers rushed over and formed a circle around him and Danny, asking what happened, phones out and recording. Blaze ignored them all in order to focus on his rightfully terrified lover. “Are you okay?”
Shivering, his face ashen beneath the normally rich brown of his skin, Danny nodded.
“I’m in one piece.”
Fireworks were still going off over their heads as Blaze stood and helped Danny to his feet. A slim blond pushed through the crowd. Blaze hadn’t ever worked with him before, but he knew who he was by the short, white fur coat he wore despite the July heat. “Frost. Thank you.”
“No problem. I was already on the fairgrounds so I ran over as soon as I heard what was up. The others arrived right as I was throwing up the slide.”
Blaze looked behind him to see Ignite flying up toward the top of the Arch, using his flames to melt the ice slide as he went. Helios floated to the ground, a defeated but still cocky Leon in his grip. Lady Shade was nowhere to be seen. Nina and Big Rob arrived and started working crowd control. Nina was in jeans and a t-shirt but her mask hid her face. She held her electrified escrima sticks in her hands, twirling them around as a deterrent to those trying to push forward and get closer on her half of the circle. Behind him, Rob was in full gear, his deep voice booming as loud as the fireworks.
“Y’all get back. I said get back!” He stomped his foot and the ground rumbled beneath them. Everybody backed up then.
Rob looked over his shoulder at Blaze. “We’ve got it from here.” He nodded at Danny. “Go get him taken care of.”
“Thanks, man.” He cast a nod of gratitude at Nina, then swung Danny up into his arms bridal style and sprinted back to his car.
Jordan got Danny settled in the passenger seat, buckled his seat belt, then hopped over the hood to get to the driver’s side. He went back the way he’d come since those barriers were already destroyed.
“Do you have any injuries?” he asked as he drove at only a slightly slower speed than he had getting there. “I can get you to the hospital faster than waiting for an ambulance.”
“No,” Danny said quietly. “I want to go home and rest.”
Jordan hoped he was okay going back to his place. His security system would come in handy in case Leon’s crew tried to exact revenge for their boss’s defeat and capture. Thankfully Danny didn’t protest when it became obvious what route they were on. Jordan activated his in-dash phone and placed a call.
“Dad. Can you come by my place tonight? I need you to take a look at Danny.”
“Is it an emergency?”
Jordan looked over at Danny. He didn’t have any visible injuries, but he was still ashen, and he sat there in the seat, limp as a ragdoll. “I don’t think he needs to go to an emergency room but it’s still vital that he’s seen soon.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome, son.”
They ended the call. By now Jordan had arrived at the first entrance to the lair. He sped through each one, noticing that Danny didn’t react or even so much as move at any of them. In the garag
e, he lifted Danny out of the passenger seat. He didn’t protest or even tease Jordan about being carried. He lay still and silent in Jordan’s arms, face tucked against his chest. Terrified at Danny’s shutdown, Jordan wanted to squeeze him tight, and reassure them both that he was okay, but he restrained himself. He needed to stay calm.
The elevator ride was quick as always, and in the apartment, he carried Danny straight back to the bedroom. Jordan gently set him on the edge of the bed then stripped him out of his clothes. He got Danny into one of his pajama tops that he liked to wear when he slept over, smoothing the too big shirt over his shoulders, then helped him get beneath the covers. After seeing the smallest of shivers, he went to the linen closet to grab an extra blanket. He spread that out over Danny as well.
Jordan pulled the armchair next to the bed, prepared to sit and keep watch. But before he could sit down, a chime sounded, alerting him that someone had used a guest code to take the elevator to the apartment level. His father had arrived.
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” he assured Danny before leaving the room.
In the entryway, his father stepped off the elevator, dressed casually for the holiday and carrying his black medical bag. He blinked, casting Jordan a surprised look. Only then did he realize he was still in his gear. He tugged off his helmet, letting it dangle behind his shoulders.
“Hey, Dad. Thanks for coming. It’s Danny. We had a situation earlier.”
“The one down at the Arch? Cell phone videos of it are already on the news.”
“Yeah. He says he’s not hurt. But he’s listless and quiet. Too quiet.”
“From what I saw, he’s probably in shock. Take me to him.”
Jordan led the way back to his bedroom. His heart squeezed when he looked at his lover. Danny was already a tiny thing, but tonight he looked especially small and vulnerable huddled beneath the blankets. He barely made a bump laying there in the center of the big bed.
“You did the right thing helping him get warm,” his father said as he went to sit in the chair Jordan had put next to the bed. He set his medical bag on the floor.
“Hi, Danny. Remember me? I’m Dr. Wells, Jordan’s father.”
Danny turned his head to look first at Jordan then at his father.
“Hi.”
“I heard you had an exciting night. Do you mind if I take a look at you?”
“Okay.”
His father looked back over his shoulder. “Son, I know you’re worried. But give me a moment to examine him. I’ll call you back in as soon as I’m finished.”
Jordan didn’t want to leave, but he understood the need for privacy. He leaned down and placed a kiss on Danny’s forehead, trying not to freak when he felt how cool his skin was. “I’ll be right outside.” He quickly strode from the room and closed the door behind him.
In the hall, he paced. “Home. Adjust temperature to Danny’s setting.”
The system replied in a crisp robotic voice. Raising temperature.
He continued pacing, fists clenching and unclenching, but there was no one to fight. There was nothing for him to do but wait. Just as the tension started to become unbearable, the door opened. His father stepped out into the hall, pulling the door closed until it was open a crack.
“How is he?” Jordan asked, his voice tight with worry and fear.
“He’ll be fine. I gave him a sedative to help him sleep. Right now, he needs warmth, rest, and fluids. Maybe some orange slices when he wakes up. Keep an eye on him and if anything changes, give me a call.”
The tension bled out of Jordan’s shoulders. He nodded, relieved. “Will do.”
His father hesitated. “I’m glad you called me. It’s been some time since you asked one of us for help.”
“Dad.”
His father held up a hand. “No, that wasn’t a reprimand. Simply letting you know that I’m happy to be included and you’re always welcome to ask. Bring Danny by the house when he’s feeling better. Your mom and I would love to see you both.”
Jordan couldn’t help but snort at that. “He might not even want to see me once he’s recovered. Not after what he went through tonight.”
His father smiled and reached out to squeeze Jordan’s shoulder.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. Before the sedative took him under, he had nothing but good words to say about you.”
“Thanks, Dad. I appreciate you saying that.”
“You need to get some rest too. Super powers or not, you look wrecked.”
Jordan huffed a tired laugh. “I feel wrecked. Leon knows exactly where to hit to hurt the most.”
“It’s a shame that boy went down that path,” his father said shaking his head. “Well, I should go and let you sleep. Which you’d better do. Dad and doctor’s orders. Expect your mom to call and check-in.”
“Of course.”
After the elevator door closed on his dad Jordan went to the kitchen. He placed a grocery delivery order for everything Danny might need or want for the next few days, poured a glass of water and went back to his bedroom. Gently pushing open the door, he walked into the room on silent feet, not wanting to disturb Danny’s much needed rest.
Jordan set the water glass on the nightstand and looked at Danny. As his father had said, he was sleeping peacefully, his face calm and breathing even. He’d almost died. Leon had set up his scheme, forcing him to relive Travis’s death in the most traumatic way possible, with callous disregard for Danny’s life. Thankfully this time, he’d managed to prevent a horrific tragedy.
A relieved breath shuddered out of Jordan’s chest. He stood there for a long moment, head bowed, thanking whatever entities were listening for getting Frost to them on time, and ultimately sparing Danny’s life.
After several deep breaths, Jordan stepped away from the bed to gear down. He tossed the suit on the chair. He’d return it to the garage later. No way he was letting Danny out of his sight. He pulled on a pair of his pajama pants and slid into bed next to Danny, folding the extra cover away from his side so he wouldn’t get too hot. Laying a gentle hand on Danny’s chest, he let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat reassure him as he fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Four
D
e ja vu hit Danny when he woke to Jordan softly speaking into the phone. Unfortunately, this morning after wasn’t nearly as pleasant as the last one. His head spun as he remembered falling from so high up, certain he was about to die with thousands of St. Louisans to witness. The spinning intensified, so Danny screwed his eyes shut, sucking in tiny breaths in an effort to calm himself.
He focused on Jordan’s voice, not worrying about the words, just letting the deep timbre of his lover’s voice soothe him back from the edge of terror. It didn’t take long, and soon he was able to understand Jordan’s side of the conversation.
“I can’t leave him. He’s asleep right now but when he wakes up, I need to be here for him. Tell me what the deal is over the phone.”
Danny frowned, wondering if something was happening with Leon, who as far as he was concerned should be under the county jail. He spoke, letting Jordan know he was awake. “What’s going on?”
Jordan spun around. He studied Danny for a moment before holding the phone away from his face to answer.
“The local heroes are getting together for a meeting. They want me to come by.”
“You should go,” Danny said as he propped himself up on one elbow. It could be important. Especially after last night.”
“No.” Jordan shook his head. “I need to be here to take care of you.”
“I’m fine.” He wasn’t actually but he knew that the other heroes wouldn’t have called Jordan the morning after he’d nearly died if it wasn’t important. “Leon is in custody and this place is alarmed better than the Louvre. Go to the meeting.”
Jordan hesitated, clearly reluctant. But Danny didn’t waver. Finally, he nodded and raised the phone again.
“Rob? Yeah, I’ll be there.
What’s the address? All right. I’ll see you soon.” He looked back at Danny after ending the call. “I’ll only be gone for one hour.”
“Take your time. Bring me back some donuts.”
“You got it, boss.”
He came over and leaned down for a kiss. Unashamedly needy, Danny raised his arms to wind them around his boyfriend’s neck, squeezing tight for a long moment. Jordan returned the hug, rubbing his back in slow up and down sweeps. When he felt like he had enough of the soothing comfort, Danny blew out a deep breath and released him.
“You’re sure you want me to go?” Jordan asked as he straightened.
Danny nodded. “I’m sure.”
“Okay.”
Jordan squeezed Danny’s hand once then left the room, taking all his strength and energy with him.
Once the elevator hummed on its descent to the ground floor, Danny got up to use the restroom and shower. He had clothes there but after pulling on a pair of his briefs, he chose to dress in one of Jordan’s shirts. Even freshly laundered it still held a lingering scent of him and he needed that right now. Then for good measure, he went into the gigantic walk-in closet and snagged one of his hoodies too.
Wrapped in his boyfriend’s clothes as if they were a security blanket, he went out to the kitchen, the floor cool beneath his bare feet. It was only when he sat down with a glass of orange juice and a breakfast bar that it truly hit him.
He’d nearly died last night. Leon had ordered him thrown off the Arch like he was no more important than a sack of rotten potatoes. He’d survived the fall, thanks to the combined efforts of Jordan and Frost. But holy shit. He’d been the pawn in a game between hero and villain and nearly lost his life for it. It wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat.
What did that mean for him and Jordan? Caleb had mentioned taking action to protect him in the cyber world but what about the physical world? He had no illusions that he could turn himself into a bad ass warrior and didn’t have any particular desire to do so. Still. Something had to give. He’d been mugged, cyber harassed, physically assaulted in his own damn house, drugged and kidnapped all in the space of a few months. Much more of this and he’d end up pulling a Rapunzel, except he’d be the one locking himself away in a tower where no one could get to him rather than an evil adoptive mother.
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