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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 wake 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.
Zach’s eyes bulged as he stared at Maggie Ross. Feeling a sense of shame, Danny wished the guy had not been sitting right there to witness it. The woman glowered at him from mascara darkened eyes and planted both hands on her hips. “You promised me you would keep him safe!” She yelled. “I gave my baby to you and you promised me you would keep him safe!”
All of a sudden her bravado imploded upon itself and Maggie became a whimpering puddle of tears. Danny held her as he gave assurance that Leon had made it through surgery and she could go him now. Still mopping at her tears, she nodded and allowed him to usher her into the ICU. Danny looked back at Zach.
“If Jodie comes looking before I get back, tell her I won’t be long.”
“Will do!” Zach promised, looking relieved to have a legitimate purpose at last.
*** *** ***
JODIE SAT ON THE CUSHIONED bench seat with Rose in her lap, just outside Grace’s room. Visible through the glass picture window opposite, Luke’s older daughter slept peacefully. Beside the bed in an armchair, John had also fallen asleep. Grace had an IV but other than that, it was difficult to envisage the trauma she’d been through. The medication kept her calm, the blankets hiding the horror of her injuries.
Two things came to Jodie’s attention following Grace’s return from surgery, things Jodie would never have thought she’d notice amidst such chaos. The newfound ability that had revealed Summer to be a bear surfaced a second and third time. Though unexpected, the new information gave her something else to focus on. Given the nature of what she’d just learned, Jodie hadn’t made up her mind whether or not it would prove a good thing.
It had happened when she sat down with Grace and gave her a kiss, intending to tell her how much she loved her. The untapped energy of Grace’s beast filtered outward and Jodie’s own energy tried to merge with it. Grace had just one beast and it wasn’t leopard, Jodie could feel nothing but wolf coming from the girl. If she wasn’t Therian, she couldn’t possibly be Luke’s daughter.
The event that subdued the revelation happened when she scooped Rose up into her arms to come and sit outside in the corridor. Jodie’s ability had fired up a second time and merged with Rose’s, though the child remained unaware. Glad of the close proximity of the bench seat to the door of Grace’s room, Jodie staggered forward and fell onto it as the wave of energy and knowledge hit her.
Like Grace, Rose possessed the Lycan trait of wolf that they’d gained from Mara. Unlike Grace however, Rose possessed Luke’s attributes, both of them. If it proved unusual for Luke to be both Therian and Lycan and extremely rare for Danny to be double Therian, what the heck did that make Rose? All of a sudden Jodie wanted to wrap the poor child up in cotton wool and closet her away from the whole world.
“Aunty Jodie?” Rose’s small voice piped up.
“Yes?” Jodie asked, weary as she anticipated questions about what had happened to Grace.
“Who’s that man over there? He keeps looking at you.”
Whirling around in the direction Rose had pointed, Jodie saw Lancaster leaning against the wall. Emotions welling up, Jodie fought to contain herself with Rose watching her. The poor thing had been through enough traumas for one day, Jodie couldn’t afford to lose it now.
Sliding Rose off her knee and asking her to stay seated, Jodie promised to be back in a few minutes. She held no fear in her demeanor walking toward him. Whatever terror he’d imposed upon her, he could do little now that would be worse. She didn’t feel afraid of him anymore, experiencing disgust and little else.
“Why are you here and what do you want?” She asked, her tone scathing.
“I came to see how the kid was.” For the first time Jodie could hear genuine concern in his voice.
“Well, you’ve seen. You can go now.”
“For what it’s worth, I am sorry. I regret that the children have become caught up in all of this.”
Jodie gaped at him. “You’re sorry?”
“You were right about my intentions Jodie; you’re a very perceptive woman. I tried to attain you and Luke for my own purposes, which is not going to change in a hurry. What the two of you have is too valuable to let lie and would be a disaster in the wrong hands.”
Realization dawned on her. “You knew.”
The General studied her for a few seconds as though trying to determine what she spoke of, but Jodie had no doubt he knew what she meant.
“Of course I did, I am of your clan. While the abilities vary from person to person, the energy in each clan is derived from the same source.”
“So you can do what I can do?”
With a rueful laugh he shook his head. “I have no idea what you can do Jodie. All I know is that with the power you and your brother possess, your potential is far greater than mine. I selfishly wanted to use that to my own advantage. If you could learn to control your emotions better you would both make fine ISIC agents, with the appropriate training of course.”
“I’m not sure I want to be tied to you any more than I already am,” Jodie just couldn’t bring herself to trust a single word that came out of his mouth.
Lancaster’s gold tooth winked under the fluorescent lighting as he grinned. “You annoy the hell out of me Jodie but I do like your spunk.”
Frowning and positive she had just been insulted, Jodie crossed her arms. “That is no way to win someone over.”
“Nobody said I was trying to. I’ve given my apology where it was due, I’m satisfied with that. You’ll come to me when you are ready.”
“Like hell I will!” Jodie retorted, indignant at his cocky attitude.
“There are times when your intelligence is a credit to you.” He drawled in bemusement. “...And then there are times when you are more than transparent, such as now. Your curiosity is your biggest downfall.”
“What curiosity?” Her attempt at nonchalance failed to hide the fact she knew exactly what he was talking about.
“You are dying to find out more about what you can do with that ability of yours. I’ll bet you are standing there just hoping I’ll start talking about mine, so that you don’t have to be the one to bring it up.”
“You just did.”
Laughing again, he pushed off the wall and let his hands fall to his sides. “Perhaps I felt generous today. Are you going to ask, or aren’t you?”
“You’re an asshole,” Jodie scowled at him.
“And what are you going to do about it?”
Jodie tucked her hair behind an ear and huffed a great sigh. “I’m going to ask you once and only this once, to tell me about your ability. But I won’t say please because you haven’t earned it.”
Lancaster clapped his hands, “really Jodie, you would make a great agent.”
She responded by narrowing her eyes to thin slits and pursing her lips even tighter together. No, she said to herself. I won’t play this game with you.
“I can remember the scent of every shifter I’ve ever encountered,” he said after a pause. “No matter how long ago it was, if I meet them again or come across their scent I will recall everything I knew about them.”
Jodie’s mouth fell open and she knew in an instant that he hadn’t expected her to show surprise. “Is that everything? Because that’s nothing like what I’ve had happen.”
“You will have some degree of that. Maybe less than what I can do, maybe more. But do tell me girl, if this is such a shock to you, whatever have you been doing in the meantime?”
She didn’t want to tell him but Jodie couldn’t seem to help herself. “I can tell what kind of shifter people are.”
The general arched a brow and ran a thumb across his lip. “That’s not extraordinary. Any alpha with enough power can tell the difference between Lycan and Therian.”
“That isn’t what I meant. I can sense which animal people possess, and if it’s more than one.”
Now she had his complete and undivided attention. “You don’t strike me as the type to invent something as rare as this, nor do you seem the sort to exaggerate.”
Jodie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Why would I do that with you? Admitting something like this gives you more ammunition against me, it would be ridiculous to exaggerate.”
“It’s a very dangerous skill to possess in my circles. Be very wary of whom you share that information with, it could get you killed.”
As Lancaster’s eyes locked with hers, Jodie felt a chill run down her spine. Peering back over her shoulder she stole a glance at Rose who watched them both with intrigue, the picture of innocence. Jodie felt a heavy burden settle on her shoulders as she envisaged the future Rose would have. She knew the general was right. The less people that knew of her ability the better off she would be. Just as the fewer people knew Rose’s secret, the safer she would be.
With her head turned away, Jodie heard Lancaster mutter something under his breath. Tearing her attention away from Rose, she glanced up to find Danny walking toward them both and he did not appear pleased to see his boss ‘bothering’ Jodie in the corridor.
“Lancaster,” Danny greeted curtly.
Jodie moved away from the general, placing herself at Danny’s side. Their Therian energy interlocked in an instant, bringing great comfort. Lancaster watched them with interest.
“The bond you two have is quite remarkable.”
Jodie turned to Danny with both eyebrows raised as a low growl came from his throat. It was unlike him to allow his temper to surface so fast, but he’d grown very protective of Jodie since Lancaster had taken her captive. Jodie used her hand to rub circles on his back, feeling the Therian warmth even through the soft grey fabric of his shirt. Her movement calmed him as she accompanied it with a flow of energy. It all happened in such a casual way that nobody would have guessed Jodie hadn’t ever done it before.
“I can see my presence is causing trouble here so I’ll go. I hope the girl’s recovery goes smoothly, let me know when you find Fletcher.” Lancaster drawled as he walked away, hands in pockets.
After the general had gone, Danny pulled Jodie into a tight hug. She could feel his relief, so taking him by the hand she pulled him over to where Rose sat watching them. Jodie pulled the little girl back onto her lap after they’d sat down.
“How’s Leon?” She asked, turning back to Danny with a tender, olive-eyed gaze.
“He’s still groggy from the anesthetic but the important part is that he’s awake. His mother arrived just before, so I’ve left him in the capable hands of his family.”
“Matt and Amy are still there?”
Danny nodded. “Yes.”
“Good.” She smiled a little, “he’s going to need some TLC. There’s nothing like having your family around you in a crisis.”
When Danny averted his eyes Jodie could have kicked herself. Those kind of easy-to-forget details always seemed to get her into trouble. She searched for the means to undo her careless words.
“Family doesn’t always mean blood.”
The moment the dimples appeared Jodie knew she’d got off the hook, a sexy smile stretching across his handsome face. “No, it doesn’t and the family we choose to have around us is the best kind.”
Rose had grown sleepy in Jodie’s arms, sucking her thumb as she burrowed into the hug. Jodie smiled and stroked her wispy blonde hair back from her forehead. Thoughts drifting, she looked back up at Danny, her mind rewinding to that of the previous night.
Though her decision to move back into the cottage with Zach hadn’t been influenced by anyone else, Jodie had found it difficult. She didn’t want to tell Danny because she feared he would try to convince her to move in with him.
Much as the idea seemed dreamy and romantic, Jodie didn’t feel ready for that level of commitment. She wanted it very much but needed time first. So she kept the agony of the tossing and turning and reaching for him only to find the bed empty, to herself.
“I want you to come and stay with me tonight.” His words carried a level of command but beneath that an underlying plea. Before she could answer, he started speaking again. “I’m worried they’re going to come after you too and I’m going to go stark raving mad if you stay at your place, wondering every five seconds if you are all right. Please will you stay with me for the short term? Just until we find Luke? I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”
Jodie didn’t have the heart to say no. Aside from the truth in his words, the image of being curled up in his embrace planted itself in her head and she couldn’t shake it. The idea appealed so much that she’d agreed before she even realized the words were going to come out of her mouth.
As he let out the breath he’d been holding, Jodie ached for him. She wished she could take away the pressure he’d been under, the responsibility he had to have felt when Leon got hurt. A duty to make things right, deal with the pigs, and the urgent need to find Luke to restore order of things. Jodie didn’t envy his position at all. It was hard enough from where she sat, so Jodie couldn’t imagine what it would be like for Danny. Tilting her head she leaned on his shoulder, careful not to disturb Rose.
With a soft smile, she murmured, “I love you Danny.”
“I love you too honey. I promise you, we will find Luke.”
“I know,” she said, wishing that it were that easy. Taking his hand, she looked through the window at Grace and her father. Her thoughts shifted to her mother, sleeping off a trauma her mind couldn’t process. Last but not least Luke, the only brother she would ever have, broken inside and lost. Things couldn’t be more of a colossal mess but how ever strange it appeared, Jodie felt calm.
She would have done anything to take away the horrors. If someone had told her she could choose to wake up tomorrow with everything blissful and normal, Jodie would have said heck yes. Unfortunately in the real world that sort of luxury wasn’t an option.
The thing that grounded her and kept her sane was the certainty that whatever happened and however things turned out, she had Danny. If life hurled its worst at her, she wouldn’t have to endure it alone.
*** *** ***