by Johanna Rae
The glass sliding door in the living room had been left wide open, the sheer curtain billowing out into the wind. Even without such an obvious choice for inspection, Danny would’ve smelt the blood long before he got there. With a sickening dread he stepped out onto the deck and saw Leon’s body. Lying twisted and broken, an arm clutched to his midsection and head lolled forward, resting on the wooden planks.
Danny’s vigilant gaze swept the yard for signs of an unforeseen threat, finding none he dropped down beside his fallen comrade. The knife wound to the stomach appeared a messy one and Leon’s hand cupped over it did little to stem the blood flow. Looking at the scarlet flood around his body, Danny found it hard to believe he had any left inside at all but Leon still had a pulse. He wasn’t dead yet.
“Lee hold on, we’re going to get you some help.” Danny soothed, his hand resting on Leon’s upper arm. Yanking his cell phone out of his pocket, Danny called for an ambulance.
Danny also called Matt Ormsby and asked him to meet them at the hospital. Knowing Jodie had gone to the office, Danny requested that Matt bring her with him. In the remaining minutes before the paramedics arrived, Danny tried to piece together what might have happened.
Penny had mentioned that John and Rose were visiting Irene at Seaview. She’d seen Leon change, but hadn’t given them any indication as to what had happened. The scene didn’t include a weapon, nor had he seen one in the kitchen with Penny. Not that he thought her capable of this act in the first place.
She had also said that she had tried to save everyone, thus implicating more than just Leon. Where’s Luke, what the hell is going on? Danny doubted that Luke would do something like this, it seemed an alternate universe away from throwing a toaster in a drunken rage.
Continuing to rest his palm at Leon’s bicep to offer comfort, Danny’s confidence plummeted. The pallor of the cat-shifter’s skin suggested he’d started fading fast. Shifter healing wasn’t always enough, Therians were not invincible. If Leon lost too much blood, his body would have nothing to repair itself with.
The paramedics appeared and Danny stepped aside to grant them the space to move Leon. A cloud of discord settled over him as he watched them working on his comrade, Leon might’ve been a pain in the ass from time to time but his work had never been questionable. Even though his attitude might have needed adjustment, Leon had always been a credit to the Unit. Danny knew without a shred of a doubt that Leon would have fought with all that he had.
Penny’s hysteria expanded as attempts were made to get her inside the ambulance, determined not to leave the house until John or Jodie got there. Solemn faced, Eddie came to stand with Danny.
“What the fuck happened?” He whispered.
“No clue.” Danny answered. “I’m going to ride in the ambulance. Leon isn’t going to be alone if the worst happens before they get there.”
“It had better not come to that or someone’s ass is going to be on a platter,” growled Eddie.
“Someone’s ass is going to be on a platter anyway.” Danny vowed. “I need you to scope the house. No doubt the police will show up eventually. Make sure the place is clean by then and learn whatever you can.”
Eddie nodded. “No problem.”
Clapping him on the back in a gesture of appreciation, Danny took a deep breath and strode toward the ambulance.
THE MOMENT JODIE WALKED into the hospital with Matt, Danny arose from his uncomfortable waiting room chair. She wanted to run to him but managed to retain a measure of control. Even without knowing why they’d been summoned, she knew it was bad. Matt’s presence changed things. Not completely ignorant of Leon’s persona beyond nightclub security; Matt still didn’t have the whole picture. Though Jodie had a long list of questions, she would wait for Danny’s lead.
The grim expression he wore disquieted Jodie and the walk from the doorway to where he stood felt like a marathon. “How is he?” Matt’s voice broke the silence.
“Not good I’m afraid.” Danny replied, thick lashes hovering over his troubled eyes.
Matt sank down on the chair and slumped forward, elbows on knees and hands obscuring his face. When he’d composed himself, he straightened his posture and looked at Danny again.
“Well how bad is it? Do I need to have his mother drive down from Auckland?”
Closing his eyes briefly, Danny nodded. “That would be a good idea, we won’t know anything until he gets out of surgery but prepare yourself. If he survives this, he’s a very lucky man.”
“Okay. Thanks for the honesty.” Matt let out a shaky sigh, glancing at Jodie before settling his eyes back on Danny, “are the people working on him... safe?”
“At this point surviving the surgery is our concern,” Danny responded. “I spoke to Laura Chapman when we first arrived, she’ll be the one to assess him and monitor his recovery if he makes it through. She will ensure that any anomalies with his healing will be overlooked.”
“Thank you.”
“Any indication of how long the surgery will take?” Jodie asked.
“It could be a couple of hours or more, why don’t you stay here in case there’s word on his condition? Jodie and I will go and get us all some coffee,” Danny said, directing the suggestion at Matt.
The moment they were alone and headed down the corridor toward the cafeteria, Danny reached for her hand. With a gentle squeeze he allowed their energies to merge. She looked up at him, waiting for the real story about what had happened.
“Your mother is here honey,” he said in a hushed tone. “She’s sedated, so we’ll take care of Matt before we go and see her, if that’s alright with you.”
“Is she okay?” Jodie’s heart pounded wildly.
“Yes. She didn’t sustain any injuries but she’s in shock, they were unable to calm her down. She saw Leon shift.”
“Oh God... what else happened?” Jodie gulped in a breath and it burned all the way down.
“While we were on our way to the hospital, Eddie found a letter at the house. The pigs offered Luke an ultimatum, compliance or lose Grace.”
The trembling came on so suddenly that Jodie had to stop walking. Danny wrapped his warm strong body around her and she tried to seek comfort from it. “Did they... Is she...” The words wouldn’t come out as Jodie couldn’t reconcile herself with the possible responses.
“Honey...” Danny put a hand to her face, stroking her cheek and brushing her hair aside. As he tucked it behind her ears, their eyes met. “We called the school and she didn’t go in today. Luke’s gone too. I think Leon was hurt trying to stop them from being taken.”
“Oh God... Oh God...” Jodie went weak at the knees and Danny tightened his embrace to stop her from collapsing to the floor.
“Doug’s already on it, we’re doing everything that we can. We’re going to get them back okay?”
“Dad...” she breathed, clawing at his chest. “What about Dad and Rose?”
“Mark’s gone to get them, they went to visit your Grandmother. John had his phone turned off so Doug hacked
Seaview’s computers, we know they signed in as visitors. They’ll be okay honey; the pigs can’t touch them there.”
“Okay.” Jodie blinked back the tears as she clung to him.
“You can go and see your mother now if you prefer. I just didn’t want to leave you alone there and I need to be in the surgical waiting room.”
“I understand. I’d like to sit with her, I’ll be all right.”
“Sure honey. Let’s grab the coffee and we’ll swing by Penny’s room on the way back to Matt.”
The resonating calm in his tone placated her. Still clutching him tight Jodie took a few steps forward, desperately trying not to think the worst.
Chapter 31
Sitting next to her sleeping mother, drowning in turmoil, Jodie’s distress consumed her. Everything that had happened from the moment she first met Danny’s leopard passed through her mind in a blur. I can’t breathe, this is not my life. I’m going to wa
ke up and this will have all been a manifestation of my subconscious. Jodie’s thoughts turned to Danny and she squeezed her eyes closed. No... because then I’d have never met
Danny, I need this to be real. I’m just going to have to deal with it.
Jodie’s cell phone rang and she cursed herself for having forgotten to turn it off. Zach had called from the supermarket wanting to know if they needed any coffee grounds. Coffee grounds? They needed a lot more than freaking coffee grounds.
Jodie’s voice cracked as she responded. “I... I... I can’t remember.”
“Jodie, what’s happened?” His instant concern made her stomach lurch.
“I’m at the hospital.” Jodie’s voice contained not a single ounce of emotion.
“Who’s hurt, what’s going on?”
Poor Zach. The world’s nicest guy... boy next door and then some, he always seemed to end up with the short end of the stick. Nobody ever seemed to tell him what was going on and Jodie always felt as if she were letting him down. Worst of all, here he was showing concern. Trying to be a good friend despite his unrequited love for her and Jodie didn’t want to tell him a damned thing. When did I become so heartless?
“Jodie?”
“Sorry,” she managed. “Leon’s hurt and its bad, I don’t know if he’s going to make it or not. Luke and Grace are missing, so I’m just sitting with my Mum at the moment. She got so distraught they had to sedate her.”
“Hell, that’s not good. What about your Dad and Rose?”
“Mark has gone to get them; I think they should be here soon.”
A few rustling noises could be heard and other customers in the background. “Do you want me to come?” “Zach...” she started, the rest trailing off.
The distinct hurt in his tone stood out even more over the phone. “Maybe I’ll just get the shopping and wait for you at home, I don’t want to be in the way.”
Whatever she’d planned to say before went out of her head. Jodie knew she owed Zach a lot and she’d been a pretty terrible friend lately. However awkward it became between them, it wasn’t Zach’s fault he had feelings for her. Moreover, he’d been nothing but respectful of her when she moved back into the cottage. Why could life never be simple?
“I would like it if you came.” She said. Ok so I lied, but what choice did I have?
MARK ARRIVED FIRST with John and Rose, then left again to wait with Danny for news. Hugging her father tight, Jodie flashed back to being four years old again. He became her hero, patting her back and promising everything would turn out just fine. More than old enough to know that he could never guarantee such things, Jodie allowed herself the indulgence anyway.
On the padded chair in the corner, Rose had curled up into ball. Her green eyes peeked out from behind lowered lashes and a wall of blond hair. Though nobody had told her what had happened, she’d always been a perceptive child and she could feel it. Neither John nor Jodie wanted to discuss anything in front of Rose, so they sat in a dazed silence. Finally when the four walls seemed to close in on them, John spoke.
“You should go and be with your friends,” he suggested. “Your mother is safe, she’s just sleeping. Go and see how Daniel’s friend is doing.”
With no idea what John had been told about the incident at his place, Jodie felt reluctant to argue. Wrapping her arms around him in a bear hug, Jodie took a deep breath and trekked back to the surgical waiting room.
The space that had been pristine and enormous before, now felt like the dance floor at The Furnace. With the exception of Doug, the entire Unit had come along with Matt and his sister Amy, Lancaster and the two waitresses from the club, Jenna and Summer. Leon, who’d always felt hard done by and second best, had more support than he could ever have imagined. Minutes later Zach arrived, leaving not an inch of floor space to spare.
Sterile aromas wafted by as hospital staff went about their shifts, oblivious to the angst in the waiting room. Patients wheeled by in chairs and on gurneys, and still there no word arrived on Leon. The incessant ticking of the clock on the wall gave Jodie a migraine. What was more draining? Not knowing where Luke and Grace were and assuming the worst? Or in Leon’s case, knowing the worst and not being able to do anything about it?
Laura walked in, shoulders thrust back and eyes searching. Using a hushed tone she asked Jodie to step aside. Bewildered by the formality Jodie obeyed, glancing back at Danny over her shoulder as she walked away, sensing his concern.
“There’s been a car accident,” Laura informed her. “The driver died at the scene and the front passenger is in ICU.”
Knitting her brows together Jodie couldn’t figure out why Laura would tell her this, or how it could be relevant. She gaped at Laura as the information refused to register.
“Jodie, Grace was also in the car.”
Jodie felt certain she would faint. Danny appeared out of nowhere, holding and comforting her with his energy and his presence, becoming all that stopped her from falling apart.
“Is she okay? Oh shit, please tell me she’s okay...”
“She has compound fractures in both legs and a mild concussion but she’s going to be all right. She’s on her way into surgery to have the legs reset and pins put in.”
Tears spilled down Jodie’s cheeks. She felt relieved, yet at the same time more infuriated. How dare they take Grace and then cause her so much pain!
“Where’s Luke?” She demanded. “Did he survive the crash?”
Laura paused, convincing Jodie she would be told something she didn’t want to hear.
“There’s no evidence that he was in the car.”
“What?” Danny hissed, trying not to draw attention to them.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know any more than that. I asked the paramedics who brought them all in, they insisted that there were only the three people in the vehicle.”
Mouth dry and lightheaded as she fought to digest the notion, Jodie spun to face Danny. Looking up at him in desperation, her eyes welled up again. “What does that mean? Why wasn’t he with them? Where is he?”
“Shhh.” Danny murmured, cupping a hand to her cheek, fingertips brushing against her skin and leaving a tingle in their wake. “We’ll find him. We’re going to have to assume that he’s fine until then. You have people here who need you honey, let’s try to focus on that, hmm?”
Cloaked in as much energy as Danny could provide, Jodie felt him squeeze her hand. His eyes flitted to the side to gaze at Laura over Jodie’s shoulder.
“Any word on Leon?” He asked
Pressed against Danny’s chest, Jodie heard Laura sigh and turned her head so that she could see her.
“The fact that he’s still in surgery is a good sign. It means that when they got in there, they thought his chances were strong enough to try to repair the damage.” Reaching out, Laura took Jodie’s hand. “Would you like me to go and speak with your Dad or do you think he would rather hear it from you?”
“I- I should tell him,” decided Jodie. “...But you will come and find us if there’s any news on Leon, or when Grace comes out of surgery?”
“Of course,” Laura nodded, “I’d better get back in there. Be strong okay?”
Gulping back a sob, Jodie squeezed her arms around Danny and buried her face in his chest. He held her a few seconds longer and kissed her cheek. She hated to tempt fate but as she walked back in the direction of Penny’s room, Jodie wondered how things could get any crazier.
LEON SURVIVED THE SURGERY, though a couple of hours passed before they permitted him to have visitors. Still in ICU, the family only policy had been strictly enforced. So while Matt and Amy sat at his bedside, Danny sat out in the waiting room with Zach, the rest of the Unit having gone back to the house to see what they could do to help Doug locate Luke. Danny couldn’t decide why Zach had even come. He’d never met Leon and since Jodie had gone to be with Grace, his presence almost seemed redundant.
Glancing over at him, Danny almost felt sorry for the guy. He didn’t
see Zach as a threat, not even a little bit. While the guy had made his interest more than clear, once Jodie had announced her choice in Danny, Zach had backed right off. Watching him now however, Danny could see that it would take a lot more than a ‘hey I chose someone else’ to distinguish the flame he carried
Zach appeared to have felt the weight of his gaze and looked up. “I’m sorry about your friend, it’s good he pulled through.”
“Yeah,” Danny nodded.
“I’m sorry about Jodie too.”
Oh crap, let’s not do this please? Not right now at least. Danny grasped his ponytail which had slid to the front and flipped it back over his shoulder. “You don’t have to be sorry about that,” he responded with as much patience as he could rally.
“Yes, I feel that I do. I had no right to chase after her when I knew that she was already dating you. I had my chance and I didn’t take it, so... well I’m sorry.”
Danny observed the strain in his expression, knowing how hard this admission must have been to make. Zach held his gaze, trying to do the right thing even if it earned him a slap in the face or a few choice words. Danny had to give him credit for that.
“Thanks.” Rubbing his chin, Danny took a deep breath and adjusted his position in the unforgiving chair.
“Why don’t you go and be with Jodie. I can come and tell you if anything happens here.”
Why would you do that? You don’t have to try to score brownie points with me. “Thanks but I have to wait. Leon’s mother will get here soon. As his boss it’s my responsibility to be here when she does, particularly given the unusual nature of our employment.”
As if on cue, a small bird-like woman with a frizzy blond ponytail came striding in. As soon as she saw Danny she marched over, hips swinging and arms pumping. Eyes widening a little at the aggression she displayed, Danny rose to his feet. Ignoring all manners of personal boundaries and etiquette, she walked right up to Danny and slapped him hard across the face.