Shadows of the Past (19 page)

Brody waved his hand.
“Seriously, dude, skip ahead.”

Hayden nodded.
“Well, I asked her to look into me to help her heal herself. She admitted that she knew about me watching and that she had gotten off on it.” He slammed his hand on the table. “I should have known. She swam to where I was hiding before pleasuring herself.”

“Just tell me you don’t do this with other women. I will lose all respect for you if that’s the case.”

“No, of course not. She’s the first woman in a long time that I’ve wanted. The first woman I have ever craved with every fiber of my being.”

Brody
scrubbed a hand over his face. “Hey, if it works for you both, it’s cool. I’m going to make damned sure I make a lot of noise when I go back there. I don’t want Fallon to castrate me if she catches me back there when Amethyst is naked.”

“It’s a good thing I trust you, because I would have my own vengeance.”

“Don’t worry, and I have a feeling Amethyst would kick my ass herself. She did manage to shove both Dacia and me off of her. She nearly knocked me on my ass and I’m a big wolf.”

A stupid grin spread on his face.
“Amethyst wanted Fallon to apologize for her.”

Brody glared at him.
“She was defending herself. Dacia doesn’t listen, but violence tends to get through.”

“
I’m pretty sure we can blame her father for that.”

“Fuck if I know. Once she has her target, it takes a little beat down to make her back off.”

“I still can’t believe Amethyst challenged her and won.”

“She’s a bright girl. She must have realized it was the only way to stop her.”

“True.”

“So
, the healing?” Brody asked with a grimace.

Hayden nodded.
“I wasn’t sure I could heal all of it. She finally made eye contact and basically relived what she did in the lake. She was healed after that.”

Brody pushed a hand through his hair and nodded. “Then you two were good.
Right? I mean, I got the impression you two had something going on when Dacia went off the deep end before leaving.”

“Things were great until I opened my big mouth this morning.” Hayden dropped his head into his hands.

“What did you say?”

“
That I couldn’t live without her.” Hayden pushed his fingers through his hair.

“Shit, she probably
flashed back to her ex. What are you going to do?”

“Yeah, well most likely.
I don’t know what I can do. I can’t apologize, I meant it, I don’t want to live without her, but I don’t want to control her.”

“Tell her that, explain exactly what you meant.” Brody
gave him a serious look. “She lights up when you’re around, so give her a little time.”

“If I
’d just kept my damned mouth shut,” he groaned.

“Not always the easiest thing when you feel that strongly. Trust me, I know, but tell her
exactly how you’re feeling. Then, if she needs it, give her the space. Carl stalked her, so you have to remember that.”

The little shit was dead and she was still afraid.
It was a good thing he was gone because Hayden would gladly kill him again

His phone rang, and it was Fallon
’s number. Hayden hoped it was Amethyst, but her phone was in his pocket. That was his fault. She dropped it because he couldn’t wait another second to be inside her.

Shit, maybe I did try to possess her
.

“Morning,” was all he said, hoping it was Amethyst on the other end.

“Hayden, it’s me, Amethyst.” She sighed and then continued on in a stream of words that flooded him with relief. “I’m sorry for freaking out. You just said the one thing guaranteed to make me think of why I moved out here. All rational thought slid out the window. I know you didn’t mean it like he did. I just….”

“Don’t apologize. We can talk about it later. I won’t take back what I said, but I didn’t mean it like you probably thought. I want
you
in my life but I don’t want to control your life. You made me feel whole, at least until I scared you off.” He sucked in a breath and held it.

“
I know.” She paused. “Fallon and I are down at the bar, and we should talk. I don’t go in for a couple of hours, and you have my phone. I left it on your floor when you wanted me off of it so bad.” She let out a desire filled moan. “And, Hayden, that was a really good way to get me off the phone and a great way to wake up, just in case you were wondering. It wasn’t the sex that made me freak, it was just me being dumb.”

“You aren’t dumb, little nymph, you are allowed to be scared, especially when someone sweeps in and knocks everything off balance.”

“You seem to balance everything,” she admitted. “I’m just not sure I’m ready for forever. I’m not saying let’s not try, just that I’m not on that page yet.” He heard her swallow, she was heading into nervous. “Just come down to the bar, and I won’t bat your hands or mouth away if you want to be a little up in my business.”

“
Mmm, but I am the sheriff and I won’t maul you in public. I promise,” he said and she giggled. A grin spread on his lips. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Hurry.”
He could hear the smile in her voice before she hung up.

Brody told him,
“Let her pretend it’s not forever. Don’t force that on her, and you’ll be fine.”

“Thanks
.” He nodded as he got up. “Are you heading to In 2 Deep?”

“
Yup. May as well.”

Amethyst slid into the booth across from Fallon. She felt a little better.

Jess plopped down next to her and snarled,
“What did Dacia do to you last night?”

She couldn’t help the wicked grin that appeared on her face.
“Pushed Hayden and I together.” She knew Dacia sat in the booth behind her, stewing and definitely listening to every word.

“How bad did she hurt you?” Jamie had taken the seat next to Fallon.

“Just some bruising.” For now she would leave it at that. It was better if Dacia thought she wasn’t as badly hurt as she had been. Amethyst wasn’t a fighter, not until she was cornered. Thanks to Fallon, she could defend herself when the need arose. Amethyst just preferred to avoid violence.

She c
ould have healed from the damage without Hayden’s help, but it would have taken time. Healing others was easy, healing herself took a lot out of her unless she used another person’s emotions. She could have slipped into the water to heal, but what she did with his help would have taken hours instead of seconds.

Jess grinned
, and then Jamie did too. They simultaneously asked, “And did he heal you, or did you help?”

She
rubbed her hands down her legs and blushed. “He started, but asked me to help, and I did by accident. Everything just sort of happened from there.” Then, she took a jab at Dacia with her next thought. “You know how it is. You want someone, they want you, but you know neither of you are going there. Something happens and next thing you know you’re having all this explosive sex.”

And then she looked up to find Lincoln staring at her, his face bright magenta
and green eyes wide. “You know,” she stammered, “if you know there’s girl talk going on, you may as well keep your pretty little behind on the other side of the bar.” Amethyst nodded at the other end the dining room.

Lincoln shook his head
. “You are hungry, though. Right?”

Y
eah she was, so they ordered. Once he left, Jamie squeezed her hand, “You really do love Hayden. It’s there, even if you won’t admit it.”

Talk about stopping her heart. She wasn
’t going there, couldn’t, it was too soon. Last time she thought she loved someone she found out she was wrong. He stalked her and then handed her to the Silver Council when she left him. That forced her to use her powers she had never trusted.

She took a deep breath
. “Just slow down. I’ve only known him a few days.”

Fallon lit up. “Sometimes that’s all you need.
”

Amethyst dropped her eyes and twisted her fingers through her hair. “H
e seems like everything I want, but I’m not ready to roll over and commit the rest of my life to him. I know he’s older, and not by like a decade or two. Hayden was reminiscing with Slater about something that happened last century, and so that’s a little intimidating. And most old fae still think of their women as possessions. I won’t be. So until I’m sure he realizes that, I just can’t.”

Dacia came to the end of the table with a black and blue face
. She looked at Jamie, not her, and asked. “She loves him?”

“Yes, and he loves her, though Amethyst
won’t believe it for a while. If Hayden is smart, he won’t push and let her come to her own conclusion.”

“Why are you asking her and not me?” Amethyst glared
up at Dacia. She felt a little violent that the hussy might try to steal her man. And then she realized she wanted him to be her man.

“I’ll get a straight answer from the
empath. You’re still in denial.” Dacia rolled her eyes like that was the obvious answer. “Besides, I want to apologize. I honestly don’t know what came over me.”

“Bullshit.” Fallon snapped.
“Did you forget that you attacked me not that long ago?”

Amethyst’s brow arched as she glanced at Fallon. “She attacked you?”

Jess snorted. “She did, but Fallon beat her down.”

A frown pulled at Amethyst’s mouth.

“Just like you did,” Fallon interjected.

“You did,
Amethyst.” Dacia sighed. “I’ll admit I wanted to hurt you, but after Fallon taught me my lesson, I wasn’t about to attack you, not physically.”

Amethyst remembered the shadowy stuff drifting from Dacia when she knocked her out. “Crap. When you fell, a dark mist came off you. I thought I was seeing things.”

Dacia shook her head. “I’m not really sure what happened. I remember parking my car. I was talking to a friend. Then I woke up in Jess’ office with no clue how I got there.”

Amethyst glanced at Jess with wide eyes.

Jess shrugged. “I saw enough play out to know you would be fine, and that Dacia would legitimately not remember what she did.”

“There’s a bad vibe in town. Everyone is acting strange.
Me too, apparently.”

A shiver travelled down Amethyst’s spine. “Has it been going on long?”

“Since before you got here. Not sure when it started.”

“What are you doing at Amethyst’s table?” Hayden
’s voice projected through the building, rumbling the ground and windows. He stood by the door next to Brody who held his arm. “I swear, if you touch her again, I will rip you apart.”

Dacia winked at her before turning to face Hayden
. “Don’t worry. I’ve apologized, and I will leave you alone. Besides, she packs a mean punch. I couldn’t heal my nose and Dakota won’t help me either.”

“You healed a hole through Tomahawk’s shoulder, why couldn’t you heal your nose?” Fallon asked, a little too curiously.

Dacia shrugged. “Just couldn’t. I can’t always heal myself. My father told me it was to teach me a lesson when I’m in the wrong.” She turned back to Amethyst. “Anyway, I’m sorry, Amethyst.” Dacia left in a hurry and everyone stared after Dacia, a little confused.

“
I know I’ve seen her heal herself,” Fallon stated.
“Is it really possible that she can’t heal a wound because she was in the wrong?”

“Yes,” Hayden
answered. “There are some old school air fae who will put that curse on a child. Her father is a harsh man. I imagine he did it to teach her a lesson.”

“Why wouldn’t Dakota heal her nose?” Amethyst asked quietly. “I thought she was friends with Tom and him.”

Jess shrugged sheepishly. “Uh, I saw how bad your ribs and bruising were. I told him, and Tom did witness everything that happened at the bar. She was in the wrong. Fuck, I heard several ribs snap even before I caught the vision of how that all healed.”

Amethyst blushed
. “Right, well, I’m all better.”

“She is indeed
.” Hayden grinned and Jess hopped up so Hayden could scoot in with her. He was wearing his uniform, which he looked really good in. He leaned in, putting his mouth right against her ear and breathed the words, “Still freaking out?”

“No
.” She licked her lips as he sucked her lobe into his mouth.

“Good, because I want to take you out tonight.
Please, just you and me after work?”

“Sure.”

Lincoln brought their food and blurted out, “You really are radiant today, Amethyst, it’s almost too much to behold.” He gasped and backed away, right into a table and then hurried out of the room.

“What?” She stared after him.

“He’s sensitive, he sees it,” Hayden murmured as he took her hand.

“Sees what?” Now she was nervous all over again, heading right into freaked out.

Fallon grinned. “I think it’s the fae version of what Brody and I share.”

Amethyst frowned, and started eating. That wasn
’t what she wanted to hear. She felt it, but if others could see it she couldn’t ignore it until she wrapped her head around it. She really needed some time to process it.

* * * *

Amethyst shut herself back down. Hayden wasn’t sure what the problem was now. She had been happy to see him, and now her hand was loose in his.

“Hey, little nymph, talk to me.
What’s the problem?”

She jerked her hand away and shook her head
. “Just need to think.”

Brody rolled his eyes
. “Give her a break. She’s not thinking like you. She’s thinking like a human on the timing thing.”

“Right
.” He sighed. “Apparently, I have work to do.” On their way in, he’d received a text from Slater, requesting he come to the hospital when he had a chance. Working out the new bump in their relationship was going to have to wait. “Will you please still have dinner with me?”

When she looked up
, she nodded, looking a little scared, but she leaned in and kissed his lips. It was slow and sensual. Her hand moved up his stomach to cover his heart, as her sweet tongue glided against his.

Sitting back, she murmured,
“I already said I would.”

He stood up before he pulled her into his lap and did a lot more than just kiss her
. Hayden couldn’t help himself, he leaned down to press his still tingling lips to her temple. “I’ll pick you up at the shop, if that’s all right.” He slid her phone in front of her

Amethyst smiled back at him.
“Mmhmm, go. You’re too much temptation just now, and I really do need to think.”

That gave him hope
. Still, he couldn’t help wondering what she had to think about. Wasn’t what they shared obvious? His mood darkened as he walked to their cars.

Hayden glanced at Brody and asked,
“Do you know what Slater needs?”

“No, just got a text
. It went to all the enforcers, and a second to me asking if you were with me.”

“Right, well, let’s go see what this is about.”

* * * *

Hayden parked in the lot across from the hospital. He couldn’t get through to Slater, and he wasn’t answering his texts. Whatever the fuck happened had to be bad.

It wasn’t like the alpha to keep him in the dark.

Brody caugh
t up with him, and Hayden asked. “Where are we going? Or do you know what happened.”

“Just know which room we’re heading to. It’s in quarantine, and there are guards apparently.”

They took the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. It was only on the fourth floor. They stepped into the hallway, and then had to wait for the doors to be opened into the sterile white hall.

Slater leaned against the wall next to
Stacey’s room with two of his enforcers, Mark and Brian. Slater scrubbed a hand over his face as he pushed off the wall.

“
Hey, what in the Abyss is going on?” Hayden asked.

“
I don’t know. A lot of shit happened all at once.” Slater stepped in front of Hayden. “Stacey is in some weird coma. She keeps mumbling but won’t come to. Clint was shot. A female nymph is here and she’s also in a coma. Then there’s Darla. She’s missing.”

“What?” Hayden
’s head started to spin through the possibilities.

“Oh, and who ever caused this mess is, or was Zack. Except he basically faded out and shriveled up after the accident.”

Hayden’s heart stopped. “What?”

“It’s fucking weird. I don’t know what to tell you. The whole thing is a mess. We haven’t told Tomahawk yet. Simons hasn’t been in yet
because he had to see his youngest off to school. Stacey’s coma started last night some time.”

“
Is Clint awake?”

“On and off.
He isn’t showing the signs Stacey has.

Hayden had a sinking feeling as he stepped into Clint’s room, and found the enforcer’s chest bandaged
. “Shit, what happened to you?”

“
Was shot,” he groaned. “Fucking hurts.”

“Who did this?” Hayden pulled a pen and paper out.

“Zack. He attacked a woman. I didn’t see much of her, just her white hair. Then he did something to Darla.”

Hayden gritted his teeth. “What do you mean, he did something to Darla?”

Clint shook his head. “He was shot, I clawed the shit out of him, but he still managed to walk into the road. Darla stopped.” He panted and shook his head. “She slammed on the brakes and got out of the car. He crawled to her and I screamed at her not to help.” Clint squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t fucking know what happened. He grabbed her ankle, and then all the color seemed to drain from him as it poured into her. Her hair changed, her eyes, even her skin tone. She doesn’t look the same.”

“Told you, it sounds bat shit crazy,” Slater said from the door.

“Unfortunately, it’s not. That’s the Shadow Fae. The woman, she had white hair?”

Clint nodded.
“Yeah. Long, silky. Sort of reminds me of Amethyst. Her hair had that same sheen and it wasn’t like gray white, but like shimmery.”

That sounded like what he knew of Opal Lakes. “I need to see her.”