A feeling Fallon knew all too well.
Susan pulled out of Sally’s grip as soon as she saw George approach from the barn. His brawny arms opened and wrapped around Susan. “Baby, don’t cry. Me and the boys, we’ll find the little devil.” His chuckle fell flat, as well as his heartfelt attempt to assure his wife. “Shhh… Baby, please don’t cry.” The mournful whine in the big man’s voice nearly brought Fallon to her knees.
With the grace of God, Fallon held onto her composure by a mere thread. Hot, angry emotion stung her eyes. “I’ll find him.”
George’s smile was as weak as his chuckle had been. “Thank you. But the men folk are searching. Best you stay here with Susan and her ma.” He angled his head to gain Susan’s attention. “Baby, I need to go now. I’ll bring our boy back home.”
Susan covered her mouth with her hand, forcing back the cries that refused to stop. She nodded rapidly, allowing her mother to embrace her once again and guide her into the house.
Silently, George stood for a moment and watched his wife disappear in the house. When he knew she was safely inside he tipped his hat to Fallon and walked away. Some distance between them he stopped in the shadow of a large pine tree. Fallow saw his shoulders begin to quake, saw the stream of tears racing down his cheeks. He hung his head, swiping away the evidence of his heart breaking with the back of his hand. With a deep, shuddering breath he continued onward.
Fallon pushed away from the hitching post. She couldn’t just stand around and wait for Chavez. If he had Billy maybe she could talk him into letting the child go. Fat chance. But what else did she have? She gazed around at the mountainous land stretching in all directions.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She glanced over her shoulder to see Adrian heading straight for her. She was hell-bent that he wouldn’t stop her. “I’m going to search for Billy.” She increased her steps.
“No, you’re not.” With long, determined strides he easily caught up with her. A hand on her biceps brought her to a stop. Gently he pressed his lips softly to her forehead.
She angled her chin staring up at him. “Yes. I am.”
Lightning raced across the sky sending shadows across Adrian’s face as it hardened. “No.”
She breathed in the fresh scent of the upcoming storm. “Yes.”
“Damn it, Fallon, don’t argue with me on this one.” Thunder cracked with the same intensity in his tone.
“It’s Chavez. I know he has the boy.”
“You don’t know that.” He ran his palms up and down her arms. “We’ll find him.”
“And you don’t know that it isn’t Chavez.” She felt raindrops fall, but only a few, as if it were a mere warning.
“I’m sure of it.”
Liar. He was only attempting to reassure her. “Then it won’t hurt for me to join the search party.”
“No,” he answered sharply. “I want you in the house. Safe.”
“So, you think it might be Chavez, too?”
He jerked off his hat and ran his fingers through his mused hair. “Darlin’, I just can’t take the chance you might be right.”
“He wants me.”
Menace vibrated from Adrian’s throat. “Over my dead body.” He placed his hat squarely on his head.
“Be reasonable.”
“Reasonable? I thought I was being reasonable.”
“You can’t make me stay here.” Fallon couldn’t fathom being the cause of the child’s abduction. Adrian couldn’t expect her to remain behind, to sit across the table from people who might blame her for the missing boy.
Adrian must have sensed her discomfort. “Dammit. You can come with me, but you must follow my instructions to the t.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t test me, Fallon,” he warned. “I’ll do whatever is necessary to ensure your safety. Now, c’mon and stay close.”
With a rise of his hand he masked both of them from human sight. Fallon heard Adrian’s bones and tendons pop—shifting. It was a beautiful sight to see soft, downy feathers bud from his pores, covering his body, as his arms shifted into large, extended wings that spanned at least eight feet wide. As his facial features melted into sharp eyes and a beak, his legs morphed, his feet becoming strong talons. He raised his beak toward the sky and released a cry that echoed in the night.
And then he was airborne. A beautiful wingspan against the dark sky, she knew he masked his actual size from human eyes. They would see only what he wanted them to see, a normal raven.
As Fallon began to shift into mist, he spoke to her telepathically, “Take the form of a bird. I can keep a better eye on you.”
“I can’t.” It was humiliating to admit her inabilities. But she had never possessed the strength to morph into an animal of any sort. The best she could do was fur, maybe a tail or pointed ears.
In a large circle, he soared high above her head. “Hold an image of a bird in your mind and the rest will come.”
Frustration drove her fists to her hips. “I didn’t say I didn’t know how—I said I can’t.” They were wasting precious time arguing.
“I don’t want to hear I can’t. Try.” Impatience clung on each of his words.
“Well, shit,” she huffed. Reasoning with him was like rationalizing with a brick wall. She dragged a deep breath into her lungs. Might as well get it over with and prove her point.
Fallon closed her eyes and envisioned a large Gyrfalcon with white plumage and black barring on its back and wings. She had once read a story to Christy of the large, majestic bird.
All of a sudden a tingle spread across her skin, tiny pinpricks of sensation that made her nerve endings stand on end. Like easing into a soft coat, she opened her eyes to see her body covered in white down. Bones and tendons made grinding, popping sounds as she extended her arms and watched beautiful flight feathers jut out. She wasn’t extremely impressed with the tough-hide of her legs, but her talons and curved beak were sharp.
A high-pitched shrill was her cry of joy. “I did it.” She spread her wings wide, and then lunged into the sky.
“Of course you did, but an eagle would have been more functional. An Artic bird?” He laughed.
“Yeah, but aren’t I pretty? And much larger than the real thing.” She flapped her wings, climbing higher into the sky.
What a thrill. Fallon couldn’t believe the way the wind stroked and lifted her feathers. Caught in her moment of triumph she almost forgot what sent them into the air. “Where should we begin searching?”
“The others are searching the more populated places closer by. It’s strange that I haven’t been able to sense him.”
“Like Maggie?”
“This is different. I wasn’t prepared for Dominic—I am prepared for Chavez. But something’s off. I can’t quite put my finger on it. I don’t sense danger. Yet we searched the house and property. Billy just isn’t there.”
Fallon wanted desperately to believe him. But he was right. There was no evil lingering in the air, no disturbance in the land.
Together they soared over mountaintops, dipped close to ground in wooded areas so that their keen eyesight could search between the trees. They passed stream after stream of running water and several small lakes.
But there was no sign of Billy.
If Adrian didn’t suspect foul play why were they searching so far away from the house? A small boy could never wander off this distance in the time he’d been missing.
A few raindrops fell, but they beaded and rolled off her wings, as she easily soared through the air.
From high above the ground, Fallon noticed that the green lushness of the scenery began to change. Below her the land appeared scorched, damaged, as if a wildfire had touched it. She hated the painful vibes the earth gave off.
“Isn’t this where you fought the battle with that Master vampire?”
“Yes,” Adrian responded dryly.
She could feel the lingering depravity that Dominic had left beh
ind as she swooped lower to take a look.
“Look! Over there.” In a shallow furrow Billy’s little body lay in the fetal position. “Is he alive?” Fallon made a nosedive toward him.
“Wait!” Adrian’s warning gave her pause and she halted mid-air pulling up. “Stay behind me.” They made three circles above the boy, each time the circle was smaller and each time they grew closer. “I don’t sense a trap, but the land is still crying from the previous battle. It’s hard to hear and smell over its sorrow.”
And that was the reason Adrian hadn’t detected the child. The utterance of the injured land surrounding him and the grief it gave off for the boy’s loss were blending together, confusing Adrian. Unlike with the child’s parents he hadn’t exchanged blood with the boy, allowing a personal link to be established.
As Adrian grew nearer relief washed over him. The gentle swish of Billy’s heartbeat, slow and relaxed in sleep, assured him the child was alive. But how did he get here? It was too far for a three year old to travel within the hour he’d been gone.
With a keen eye he scanned the land and horizon prepared for anything, but strangely he still received no vibes that anything was amiss.
“Stay airborne. I’ll retrieve Billy.” In a graceful swoop Adrian caught Billy in his talons. At the same time he sent a command for the boy to remain asleep. It would do neither of them any good if Billy woke during the flight home. Adrian touched the boy’s memories of the event. They had been wiped clean, leaving no trace as to who had done this to him. Additionally, there had been a veil erected to keep predators away as he lay in his little trench.
It didn’t make sense. This was not done by Chavez. Adrian was positive that he would have known if Chavez invaded his territory. So who was to blame for Billy’s abduction?
With the boy held close to his chest, Adrian rose into the sky to join Fallon. A brush of her wing as she flew by stroked the boy’s dark hair back out of his eyes. “Poor thing. He must have been so frightened.”
Adrian didn’t share his concerns with her as they tried to beat the storm.
Within the cover of some pine trees Fallon and Adrian landed and quickly shape-shifted back into their human form. Billy whimpered in Adrian’s arms and he drew him closer as he released the hold he had on the child’s mind.
“It’s raining,” Billy grumbled, blinking back the drops that hit upon his eyes. “Ma’s gonna be mad if I get wet.”
Adrian shared a smile with Fallon. “I have a feeling your mother is going to be so happy to see you she’ll let you play in the storm.”
“Really?” His little voice rose with excitement.
“Don’t count on it,” Fallon cautioned.
The minute they came into the floodlights of the yard they were bombarded with people. Cougar moved his hand quickly over the top of the boy’s head.
“Hey.” Billy tossed the man a frown.
The noise must have alerted Susan because she flew out the backdoor, Sally hot behind her, skirts flowing around her legs. George came around the corner in a full run arriving beside Adrian at the same time Susan did. The woman was still crying, but this time for joy.
George ripped the child from Adrian’s arms and held him so tightly, Billy groaned, “Daddy, I can’t breathe.” George’s laughter was a mixture of relief and happiness, as he wrapped his arm around his wife.
As the rain started to fall, Adrian said, “Perhaps you should take the rascal into the house.”
“But you said Ma would let me play in the rain,” Billy argued, sitting up in his father’s brawny arms.
Adrian grimaced. Fallon snickered.
“He did, did he?” Susan’s attempt to sound gruff just didn’t work. “I think Adrian was mistaken.”
George slipped Billy into Susan’s waiting arms, but not before he kissed the boy soundly on the forehead. “Take him in the house. I need to talk to the boss.” When his family was out of earshot, he turned to Adrian. “Well?”
Adrian had full intentions on briefing his people, but didn’t wish to worry Fallon further. He ignored George and instead turned to Fallon. “You’re getting wet. Why don’t you go inside?”
She shot him a quick, assessing look. “You wouldn’t be trying to get rid of me would you?”
“Never,” he lied, but he knew she saw through it. “With all the commotion I haven’t checked on Maggie. Would you do it for me?”
“Dammit, Adrian. If this is about Chavez I have a right to know.”
Adrian didn’t have time to argue with her. “You and I both know if this was Chavez’s work Billy wouldn’t be alive.” Fallon flinched, but didn’t say another word. “Now, please go check on Maggie. You and I’ll talk later.”
She wasn’t happy. But evidently she felt he spoke the truth as she turned and walked away.
“So?” George moved before him.
Adrian explained what little he knew about the abduction finishing with, “Looks like we have another threat from an unknown source.”
Chapter Fifteen
As Fallon approached Maggie’s bedroom door the woman inside snapped, “No. I won’t.” Behind the hard oak door she heard Tucker’s voice. “C’mon, Maggie. You have to feed.”
“Not from you.” Maggie’s annoyance rose in tone.
Lightly, Fallon tapped on the door.
Maggie said, “Come in,” as Tucker replied at the same time, “Go away.”
Before Fallon stepped inside the room, she called to Adrian using their mental link. “Adrian. The children are fighting. Maggie’s hunger is driving Tucker wild.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Keep them apart.”
“Yeah. Right.”
From the fire in Tucker’s eyes that matched the color of Maggie’s flaming hair, Fallon would be lucky if he didn’t toss her out on her ass. He paced the floor, glaring at both she and Maggie, before he sat in the chair by the bed. Maggie lay propped against several pillows with a blanket pulled to her waist. A silky black nightgown showed above the bunched bedding.
A smile touched Fallon’s lips. “How are you doing tonight?”
Maggie flashed an agitated glance in Tucker’s direction. “I’d be a lot better if he wasn’t here.” Her features softened. “Did they find Billy?”
“Yes. He’s safe and sound with Susan.”
Concern creased Maggie’s forehead. “Does Adrian know what happened?”
“Don’t bother yourself with that,” Tucker barked. “Adrian will take care of everything.”
Fallon wasn’t sure whether there was a hint of sarcasm in Tucker’s words or if the man was in a rather bad mood.
“I didn’t ask your opinion,” Maggie snapped, then pinned him with a hot glare.
“Dammit, Maggie.” He pushed from the chair and stomped across the room. With his arms folded tight across his chest, he leaned against the wall and watched her like a predator.
Okay. So Tucker was in a bad mood.
Maggie rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “I need to get out of this room.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Tucker snapped, stepping away from the wall. “You are the most unreasonable woman I’ve ever met.”
Tucker was right in this case that she shouldn’t go anywhere. Even Fallon could sense that some of Maggie’s internal wounds had not healed as fast as any of them had expected. Fallon shivered with what Dominic had done to Maggie before Adrian got to her.
“Maggie, Tucker’s right. You really should be resting aground. And you need to feed. Adrian will be here shortly.”
“She wouldn’t be hungry, if she’d let me take care of her needs.” Tucker pinched the bridge of his nose as if he fought to constrain his temper. When he looked up again, he appeared weary. “Baby, let me hold you—feed you.”
Maggie’s lips thinned. “No” was her answer, but her eyes said differently. A blind man could see she loved Tucker, and apparently he loved her. He hadn’t left her side since the attack. So why was it so difficult for the two of t
hem to lay down the barbs and kiss and make up?
Fallon didn’t get time to ponder the thought before the door opened and Adrian waltzed in.
His smile was genuine as he strolled to the side of the bed and sat down. “How’s my patient today?” He cupped her hand in his.
“I’m perfectly fine, Adrian. Will you dismiss your guard dog now?”
He glanced toward Tucker and back to Maggie. “How about I make you a deal? You go aground and let your wounds heal properly. We’ll see how you feel when you rise.”
Fallon didn’t understand why Maggie hadn’t gone aground after the first night. Vampires healed faster with the assistance of the elements. The land held special properties, rich in natural minerals.
“No,” Maggie said.
Tucker crossed the room and stood over her. “Baby, you have to.” There was an ache in his voice as he conceded. “I won’t bother you anymore.” He pivoted, heading toward the door. Fingers closed around the doorknob, he paused. For a moment Fallon thought he’d turn around, instead he opened the door then closed it softly behind him.
Maggie’s eyes misted.
Fallon saw Adrian squeeze Maggie’s hand. “You two can’t go on like this.”
Maggie blinked away the telltale emotion. With a lift of her chin, she raised a single brow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Fine.” Adrian undid the button at his cuff and pushed up his sleeve, before he extended Maggie his wrist. “Feed.”
She gripped Adrian’s arm, accepting what he offered. As she drank, color touched her cheeks. No one spoke as Maggie fed.
With a swipe of her tongue across the wound she released his arm and sank back into the pillows. A heavy sigh pushed from her lungs.
Adrian rose. “Go aground now. I’ll secure your resting place so that you will not be bothered.”
She nodded. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Sleep well.” Adrian gathered Fallon’s hand in his and led her out of the room. Quietly, he shut the door behind them.
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