Page 16

Morgan blazed down the highway. He swerved through a sea of cars, catching curses and glimpsing obscene gestures. Daphne’s voice crackled over the radio on his bike, “Morgan, I’ve got Abernathy leaving the warehouse at four this morning. Same van we spotted in the ED, but I lost him somewhere between Lancashire and 17.”

“I’ll check it out after the warehouse.”

“Okay, but this is some weird shit I’m seeing. He did... something to the guard on duty. He came around the side of the warehouse, attacked the guard from behind, then suddenly the guy gets up and just... opens the door for him.”

“What the fuck?” he called back.

“Could it be like your hex bullets?”

“No. There’s no way.” Morgan thought over the roar of his vehicle. “There are other magical methods of domination, though. According to Frey, that’s exactly the kind of power Abernathy is after. We’re going to need Theresa in on this. If Abernathy found a way to use magic, he found a source to steal it from. Find out if any witches have gone missing since you last checked. Don’t give away too much information, Daph, I don’t want the Council sticking their noses into it.”

“You got it.”

Daphne ended the call as he rounded the exit down onto a long, open stretch of road that straddled the wastes and the city. He hit the gas to max out his speed and leaned forward when something ahead lit the sky, nearly blinding him. A blast split the air, and a pillar of black smoke rose to the sky.

A tremor shook the ground, and Morgan’s control slipped. His bike skidded across the pavement, throwing him from his seat. On instinct he summoned a shield between him and the earth when his magic faltered suddenly. It was as if his power was being pulled away from him. The shield flickered as he neared the ground, shattering as he collided. He rolled across the dirt and sand, pain cutting at his skin as he rolled over stones. His vision spun as he came to a stop.

Morgan heard the hum of jets above. He strained to look up, making out four—no, two—med trans headed toward the smoke. He tried to lift himself to his feet and a sharp pain shot through his left arm, up into his shoulder and neck. He rolled onto his back, reaching for his broken arm to heal himself. Light shined beneath his palm, but then he felt it again—another pull—like a rope being wrested back and forth. It was stronger than his, more desperate, and it was taking most of his power to accomplish its task.

Dread clawed up his stomach and into his throat. His pain vanished beneath realization, and he willed himself to stand, scrambling to his battered motorcycle.

“Please run, baby. Please- please start for me.” He kicked the starter several times only to get a sputter in response. He would normally be able to kick start it with magic, but he didn’t dare. Not now. He screamed, kicking the starter once more with force. “START!”

The engine roared to life. He wheeled around on the spot, trying to sense where his magic was going. When he found it, his heart caved inward. It was coming from the direction of the explosion—and quickly drawing closer.

“No...”

Shane’s voice came over the radio, “Morgan! I’m with Lexi! She just got an alert from Aaron’s vitals monitor! He’s in critical condition, but we can’t get a location!”

The med trans flew overhead, back the way they had come from. Morgan was on them before he realized he was already driving. “Central Hospital! I’m right behind him!”

Morgan barreled through the front doors of the hospital, knocking people out of his way to yells of indignation. He skidded to a halt in front of the reception desk, slamming his fists on the counter. “Officer Aaron Jones, where is he?”

The receptionists at the desk were both on the phone. One held their finger up in his direction, and Morgan growled furiously, eyes burning bright. He flung the phones from their hands with a wave, ripping the base sets from the desks with them as the receptionists screamed. “Aaron Jones! Now!”

The employee in front of him clacked away at the computer, shaking. They gave him the room number in a panicked voice, an operating room on the third floor, and Morgan ran to the elevator.

“Wait! You’re not allowed in the OR!” the receptionist called after him weakly as the elevator doors closed.

He shoved the elevator open the second he reached the third floor, the doors screeching in protest against his magic. Ignoring the room numbers, he reached for their bond, running through the halls. He burst into the operating room at the end of the hall to a hail of rebukes from the staff. His heart stopped, glimpsing exposed skin covered in blood behind them.

“GET OUT!” he roared, his eyes flashing their most violent shade. The staff screamed and ran from the room in panic.

In front of him, covered with surgical drapes as monitors beeped steadily from behind the operating table, lay Aaron. A tube was shoved down his throat. Bruises blossomed across his soot-covered face. And from the center of his torso rose a large, jagged piece of metal.

“Aaron...” Morgan lifted both of his hands in front of him, trembling as he fought back tears. “You are going to be okay. You hear me?” With one hand he focused on the shrapnel. With the other he felt for the breaks in Aaron’s flesh. “That’s not a request, Officer Jones. You... are going... to be okay.”

Angry voices shouted from beyond the doors. He whipped his head back, lifting two security guards from their feet behind the windows. With a jut of his chin, he tossed them backwards down the hall, wailing. He cocked his head toward a large, metal cabinet, dragging it down onto its side with a rattle from its contents, and barricaded the door.

Morgan fixed his attention and magic back on Aaron. The shrapnel came flying out with a squelch, clanging to the tiled floor. Blood started to flow, and the monitors picked up pace. He focused on the blood, restoring it, moving it back to where it belonged. He closed his fist tight, willing the flesh, sinew, and bone to stitch itself together, and the beeps—the struggle of Aaron’s heart—slowed.

Morgan approached the table. He ran his hand back and forth above the man, searching for any injuries he may have missed, then released his breath in choking gasps as relief flooded him. His name was being called somewhere behind him as he undid the cuff that held the breathing tube in place, carefully pulled it out, and let it fall to the ground with a clatter. His shaking fingertips traced along the cuts and bruises. The cuts closed. The bruises receded.

“I’m so sorry.” Morgan trembled, eyes running over the gorgeous figure in front of him as he berated himself. He could’ve helped him. If he had just been straightforward from the beginning, shoved aside whatever pride or fear that kept him from being the person Aaron needed him to be—been at his side to get the answers he deserved. Aaron shouldn’t have had to ask Daphne to fill in the blanks. He shouldn’t have had to go running off after Abernathy on his own. It should’ve been him and Aaron—together.

The doors banged as someone called his name again. Without looking, he flicked his wrist to move the cabinet aside. He summoned a chair from across the room, screeching across the tile, before collapsing into it and resting his head in one hand to collect himself. Shane and Lexi entered slowly, glancing over Aaron where he lay. They turned to Morgan where he sat, heaving, covered in dirt and his own blood.

Lexi’s eyes were full of tears. “You... you saved him.”

“We’re still connected,” Morgan rasped, tilting his head to gesture at Aaron’s arm, “I felt it the second he was in danger. I think... I think my magic was keeping him alive on its own.”

Lexi burst into sobs and Morgan winced as she threw herself at him. “I knew- you cared- about- him!” she managed to choke out between gasps.

A laugh escaped him as a wall in his mind tried to erect itself that he knocked down immediately. He had already admitted the truth to Daphne. He could say it in front of Shane and Lexi. “Yeah. I do.”

The three of them stayed at the hospital with Aaron as doctors and nurses came and went, setting him up in recovery. They assured them that he was going to be fine, but it could be hours before he woke due to the trauma. They wanted to keep him under observation, unsure if there would be any complications from being healed with magic. There wouldn’t. Morgan was more than well-versed in restoration magicks, but he didn’t have the strength to argue. He also didn’t want to cross any lines with Aaron and assume what was best for him—other than scaring off the surgeons that wouldn’t have been able to save him, of course.

While wary of Morgan, the attending physician expressed that there had been little hope of keeping Aaron alive when he arrived. The shrapnel had damaged his spinal cord, along with several other organs. According to them, he shouldn’t have even survived the trip there. The doctor gave them a curt nod before leaving the room, and Shane ducked out behind them to give Daphne an update.

“He wasn’t even supposed to be there,” Lexi said quietly from the other side of Aaron’s bed, “He said they put him on desk duty for stepping out of line.”

Morgan raised a brow without taking his eyes off Aaron. “Stepping out of line?”

Lexi bobbed her head. “I guess... after we talked to Daphne this morning-” She winced suddenly, and her eyes snapped up.

“It’s okay. She told me.”

“Oh, good.” She heaved a breath in relief. “He got so worked up over it that he stormed into the Chief’s office. He wanted answers about the force’s tactical runes. He didn’t get anything but a write-up though, and they took away his cases.”

Morgan leaned toward the bed, taking Aaron’s hand to lace their fingers together, a pride swelling up in him as he smiled down. He didn’t want Aaron getting himself into trouble, but he very much admired his nerve. And maybe his blatant defiance. Just a little.

“I needed him to know the truth,” he said, “I wish I hadn’t been so harsh about it. I wish I’d just... talked to him.”

Lexi shifted forward, eyeing the way Morgan held tight to Aaron’s hand. “You really messed him up, you know? He’s devoted everything to what he does, and in one fell swoop you had him questioning all of it.”

Morgan nodded sadly, cupping his other hand over the back of Aaron’s.

“Morgan...” Lexi continued, a hand moving to her chest, three fingers showing with that odd tick of hers. It was strange the way it caused his eyes to linger, something about it nagging at the back of his mind. “I know it’s not my place to say this—Aaron would kill me if he heard, but he’s unconscious and I’m a notorious meddler for the people I love—but while it’s only been a short while that you’ve known him, Aaron has looked up to you for years. I saw it in his eyes the moment I pointed you out to him.”

“Saw what?” he asked.

Lexi giggled through her nose. “That same look you had when you saw his picture.”

Morgan chuckled, hanging his head in defeat. All his years of trying to be cold and mysterious, undone by some handsome boy that gave him warm, fuzzy feelings.

“And please don’t freak out when I tell you this,” she continued, “But I think... I think he’s... in love with you. I think he has been since long before you stormed off to rescue him that day. I know that might sound weird, but... I’ve always sort of thought that you two... belong together.”

Morgan’s chest ached at that word so badly that he barely heard the rest of what she said afterwards.

Didn’t Aaron almost say as much that night? And what did you do with that information? All he did was try to hand you his fucking heart, and you slapped it away.

His melancholy was interrupted by a knock at the door, and a uniformed officer with dark hair and a pointed face entered. He gave Lexi a polite nod before turning with a scowl at Morgan. His eyes moved from Morgan’s face to his hand, still intertwined with Aaron’s, and they bulged with outrage before he broke into a disgusted laugh.

“You’ve gotta be fucking shitting me,” he sneered, “Jones is fucking some underworld witch? The Chief is gonna love this.”

“You utter one gods-damned word-” Morgan was at his feet, inches away from the man with magic dancing in his eyes. “You so much as think too loudly in the presence of someone else about Aaron’s personal life, and I will strangle you with your own entrails while you choke on your severedcock.”

The officer’s demeanor shifted from disgusted, to angry, to near pissing himself in seconds. Shane peeked into the room with a smirk from the hall, enjoying Morgan’s threat far too much as he took a seat.

“Do you understand me, Officer-” Morgan glanced at the badge on his chest. “Bryce?”

“Yeah- yes, Mister Fell. Sorry.” Bryce’s throat bobbed as he nodded. He stared over Morgan’s shoulder to Lexi. “Good to see you again, Miss Queen.”

Lexi crossed her arms with a glare. “Bryce.”

“Uh, could we have a word? In the hall?”

“No.” Lexi seethed. “I’ll be telling them whatever you have to say the second you leave, so you can just spit it out.”

Bryce shot Morgan a glance. Morgan took a few steps backward toward the head of Aaron’s bed with a wave for him to continue. Bryce cleared his throat. “Well... Jones wasn’t authorized to be at the site of the explosion. We think he may have overheard the name of the alleged suspect from the staff and... overreacted. He took his personal vehicle to the scene so that console couldn’t lock his patrol car down.” He cast a wary look around the room, pausing.

“Oh, my gods, just fucking say it, Bryce,” Lexi snapped.

Morgan gave her a curious look.

She rolled her eyes. “He’s saying the city isn’t going to pay for Aaron’s hospital expenses because he went as acivilian.”

Bryce reddened as Shane whistled from his seat. “Good old ECPD. Really lookin’ out for your own, huh?”

Morgan chuckled darkly at the jab, wholly unsurprised. “What do you expect from the people that couldn’t even be bothered to go looking when he was reported missing?”

When Bryce didn’t respond, Lexi jutted her head forward impatiently. “Anything else you want to avoid saying for fear of Aaron’s boyfriend turning you into the snake you are?”

Morgan flinched at the title he wasn’t aware of. Shane shot him a grin.

“Uh,” the man sputtered, “Just that... Roddick and Stern didn’t make it. Stern tripped the bomb as they entered the warehouse. Jones was running up behind when it happened. Security on site said they saw a bright, purple light in front of him as the blast hit.”

Bryce gave Morgan another look. Most of the city was aware of Morgan’s signature color, and that was confirmation enough of his theory. If Aaron had used a shield on purpose, it would have been blue. Their connection had done exactly what Morgan meant it to from the moment he spoke the words of binding—protected Aaron.

“If you could have him get in touch with the station when he’s up and about, that’ll be all.” Bryce nodded to Lexi.

Morgan stared him down as he left. Bryce caught his eye, offering a nod in understanding that he would make good on his threat should anyone come at Aaron.

“Fucking creep,” Lexi hissed, “That asshole’s been giving Aaron shit since their days together in the academy. I bet he was just dying to deliver that news. Aaron doesn’t need this right now! He can’t aff-”

A payment confirmation chimed from the scanner on the bed frame, and she snapped her head away from the closed door. Morgan returned to his seat, taking Aaron’s hand back in his own without meeting her wide stare.

“You... you didn’t have to do that,” Lexi sputtered.

Aaron stirred. His eyelids clenched, only for an instant, as his head rolled to face Morgan on the cheap pillow. His grip tightened on their clasped hands. “Morgan...” the name left him in a hushed groan, and Morgan’s heart fluttered.

He leaned forward, brushing Aaron’s knuckles with his lips. “I’m here.”

Aaron settled at his voice, and his hand went slack. Lexi let out a choked sob of a breath, and he could practically feel Shane’s smirk on the back of his head.

He couldn’t explain any of this. Why he was so driven to find Aaron when he was missing. Why he broke so easily for him when he asked for his help with the rift that day, or when he wanted to take him on a date. Nor why hearing that a man he had known for mere weeks felt something as strong as love for him didn’t send him running. And he certainly couldn’t explain the joy he felt at hearing his own name on those lips in sleep. If he had lost his head, he didn’t want it back.

As badly as he wanted to stay, he stood, gently releasing Aaron’s hand.

“You’re going?” Lexi gave him a sad look.

Morgan nodded. “Yeah. I messed myself up pretty bad. My arm is healing, but my magic is almost drained from...” With another glance at Aaron, he cut himself off. He reached into his jacket, withdrawing two envelopes bearing a purple crest, passing them to Lexi. “Can you make sure he gets this? One is for you. Invitations to our Harkening Ball.”

Lexi took them gingerly with a nod. She flipped through them, furrowing her brow as she pulled something out from between the envelopes. With a curious stare she handed the card back to him. The Lovers card. Morgan shook his head, pocketing the card.

“Didn’t know you could tell the future too,” she said with a chuckle, “Anything you want me to tell him when he wakes up?”

Oh gods. The things you want Aaron to hear when he wakes up.

“Tell him everything. And if he needs anything at all, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’ll be there.” He turned back to Aaron, brushing a strand of his golden blond hair away to lean in with a whisper. “I’ll change the story, Aaron. I promise.” His lips caressed Aaron’s forehead, placing a lingering kiss that shimmered violet.

With that bit of magic, Morgan was truly spent. He turned, stumbling as Shane leapt to his feet to catch him under the arms. “I gotcha, boss.”

“Thanks,” Morgan groaned as Shane guided him to the door. He stopped with one foot in the hall. “Hey, Lexi...”

She looked up from the open invitation in her lap with a hum.

“Tell him to turn his line back on, would you, please? I sent him something the morning after our date. I’d really like him to read it. And... if he’s willing to talk to me... he has my contact info now.”

Firelight filled a grand bedchamber. Red curtains lining an oaken, four-poster bed were drawn back. Morgan lay in a pool of sweat. His eyes were heavy. Soft sheets clung to his skin as someone knelt beside him, uttering words that brought him comfort.

“We’ll figure this out. I swear it. I will not let anything happen to you.”

Morgan woke with a groan, drenched in sweat. His hair was plastered to his face. In place of his tattered pants, he wore comfortable joggers, his chest bare. His broken arm was bandaged, but there were no signs of the cuts and scrapes he’d taken from his tumble. Glimmer yawned from his side and gave him a loving nudge with her head. The last thing he remembered was climbing into the car as Shane hooked up his Delubrexa to haul it behind them. He rolled over to check the clock next to his bed and winced.

“Careful,” Daphne whispered from the corner, giving him a start. She stood from the armchair where she sat, closing a book and setting it down before moving to sit at the foot of Morgan’s bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Wet,” he croaked.

Daphne reached out, resting a hand on his forehead. “Oh, sweetie, you’re burning up. Drink some water.” She passed him a glass that had been waiting on his sideboard, and he greedily slugged it down. “Lay back down. You’re still pretty drained. Do you need anything?”

Morgan’s stomach answered for him with a grumble.

Daphne muffled a laugh. “I’ll be right back. Take it easy, okay? You haven’t pushed yourself like that in a long time.”

As he rested his head on his soft pillow, the events of the day drifted through his mind. Flying from his bike. Charging through the hospital. Aaron, bleeding and broken. The way he said Morgan’s name in his sleep.

Daphne returned quickly, and the delicious smell that came with her pulled him back to the present. She placed a tray of hot, chocolate chip cookies on the bed between them, and set a glass of milk on his bedside table.

“Oh, you are just the best,” he moaned.

Daphne giggled as he shifted upright. He snatched up three cookies and scarfed them down, the sweetness momentarily allowing him to forget his troubles. Daphne held out the glass of milk out, and he took it with a smile, practically inhaling a few gulps before wiping his lip.

“You scared the shit out of me today,” Daphne scolded him quietly.

“Sorry, Daph. When I realized he was in trouble-”

“I know, sweetie. You did what you had to, and you got it done.” She patted his leg. “He’s awake. Lexi messaged me about an hour ago.”

Morgan sat bolt upright. “Is he-”

“He’s okay. They’re letting him leave in the morning, but... he got suspended.”

“What?”

“Mhm. He’s not upset. He thinks it’ll be good for him to step away for a bit.”

Morgan sank back against his headboard when he remembered what he had asked Lexi to tell Aaron. He snatched his phone from his bedside table, and his heart thudded madly as he read the screen.

“1 New Message: Aaron Jones”

With a nervous swallow, he tapped the notice.

gt;gt;gt; Aaron Jones:

“Hey Morgan,

Look, I’m still upset, but I don’t know if it’s with you or myself. I get why you got mad. I have things to answer for here too. I just wish you hadn’t left like that. We could have talked this out.

What I really wish, though, is that you’d been here when I woke up. I can’t believe what you did for me today, and I know how bad you burned yourself out doing it. I can feel it from my end. Please get some rest. I’ll sic Daphne on you if you don’t.

Thank you for being honest with me, and with yourself. I think I get how you must have been feeling about our date now. Part of me still says to keep my distance, but the other part of me wants to rip these sensors off and come running to you in this awful hospital gown, ass cheeks out and everything.

I’m not saying this to hurt you. I miss you. But I think I need to take some time to figure all of this out. I know what I did today was stupid. I won’t act like that again.

And I’m going to hold you to your promise, okay? Don’t change the story for me, Morgan. Change it for yourself.

Your knight in ridiculous shining armor, Aaron

P.S. I will think about the ball. I would love to be there with you.”

Clutching the phone to his chest, he released his held breath, closing his eyes. “He... he misses me.”

Daphne laughed softly, and he opened his eyes enough to see her beaming from across the bed. “What else does he say?”

Morgan passed her the phone. Her eyes widened as she read, and her face turned into sweet pout. “I don’t know what the part about him being your knight is about, but it made my heart do a dance for you.” She smiled, handing the phone back.

He let out a gentle laugh, rereading Aaron’s message. “You ever hear of a game called Realms of Reverie?”

“Oooh!” she squealed, “That high end VRRPG? Half the tech forums are filled with players constantly trading specs for their personal rigs. He took you to play? You? You played a video game?”

“What’s so weird about that?” Morgan gave her an indignant purse of his lips. “Yeah. He had me create a character and he showed me around. I really enjoyed it. I think he’s some local badass in there or something. Triple digit levels. Absurd, glowing gear.”

“What’s his IGN?” She raised her brows inquisitively. “Sorry, in-game name.”

“Oliveron.”

“What?“ she almost yelled, taking Morgan aback, “Aaron is the Oliveron? No way!”

He shrugged, completely lost. “I... guess? Unless there’s more than one?”

“Nope. No duplicate names in there.” Daphne shook her head, pulling up something on her comm. “Wow. You know he’s the top player in the whole city? For like- a decade now, I think.”

“Huh.” He was strangely impressed.

“It’s like you’re dating a celebrity!” she giggled, “Although, I guess so is he.”

Morgan bit his lip. “Am I though?”

“What? A celebrity? Or dating Aaron?” She smirked. “Yes.”

He rolled his eyes, completely unable to hide his besotted smile. He would love to claim to be dating Aaron. The celebrity bit he could do without. “You sound just like Lexi. You know she referred to me as his boyfriend today?”

“I’m not surprised.” Daphne chuckled. “She has this theory that you two were destined to find each other. Given recent events, I can’t say I disagree.”

Morgan laughed, shaking his head. They ate more cookies, and he began to feel less burdened. He smiled at Daphne, deciding to be as bold as she had been for him lately. “So, what’s up with you and Shane?”

She choked on her cookie. “Wh- What are you talking about?”

Morgan gave her a knowing grin, absentmindedly scratching Glimmer’s head. “Please. Do not tell me you haven’t seen the way he stares at you. Especially when you’re practicing your craft.”

Daphne gave him a panicked, you’re-out-of-your-damn-mind look. “He’s obsessed with magic, not me.”

“If you say so,” he sang.

Daphne huffed, “What? You fall head-over-stupid for a boy and suddenly you think you’re some kind of love savant?”

Morgan laughed with his whole body, hardly feeling any pain now. “No! It’s just... that’s how Aaron stared at me. Like I was the only thing that mattered.”

“And he will again. I know he will.” Daphne got to her feet, fixing the comforter where she had sat before picking up the empty tray. “Now, get some sleep. I know you hate actual sleep, but you need it.”

“It’s not so bad lately,” he yawned, flopping onto his belly and pulling the covers up to the back of his neck.

Daphne stopped in the doorway. “Hey... Morgan?”

“Hmm?”

“Do... Do you really think Shane likes me?”

“Mhm,” he hummed, drifting off.