Page 5 of Fallen (Designation #2)

ROWAN

I’m already regretting agreeing to this.

Lev’s idea to scope out this supernatural hangout for unicorn leads is solid, but The Horned Haven is a cesspool.

Shifters, witches, and a few vampires slink through the dimly lit bar, chatter full of secrets and betrayal from what I can gather.

My instincts are on edge, my beast itching to shift and clear the room.

But I keep it locked down, my focus on Lev, who’s weaving through the crowd like he was born for this.

The way he has somehow mastered part of his magic, fading into the shadows so smoothly is almost eerie. One second, he’s there, his unruly curls catching the glow from the lights; the next, he’s gone, blending into the graffiti-covered walls.

It’s sexy as hell, but it’s also driving me nuts. I can’t protect him if I can’t see him. Amand’s beside me, scanning the room, his hand twitching like he’s ready to grab Lev the moment he reappears.

“Relax, Rowan,” Amand murmurs. “He’s got this.”

“Relax?” I growl, keeping my voice down. “He’s playing ghost in a bar full of predators. You know how much I hate this. Besides, you’re just as much on edge as I am.”

Amand’s lips twitch as he claps a hand on my shoulder. “Yeah, but we can't smother him, unfortunately.”

I grunt, folding my arms across my chest. He’s not wrong.

But every time he fades, my beast roars to drag him back, to pin him down and keep him safe.

It’s not just protectiveness; it’s the venom in my veins, the mate bond that makes me want to claim him in every way possible.

I shake my head, trying to focus. We’re here for answers, not to lose myself in Lev’s orbit.

The bar’s a riot of color and noise, with glittery cocktails named after unicorns—Moonlit Horn, Stardust Stab, you name it. I don’t even know how the fuck Lev found this place or how we’ve never come through here just for shits and giggles.

Lev’s voice pops into my head, his deadpan commentary from earlier: “Unicorn-themed cocktails? What’s next, glitter shots that make you prance?

” I smirk at the memory, but it fades when I spot him reappearing near the bar, his expression tense.

He’s talking to a wiry shifter with a mohawk, keeping his voice low.

I strain to hear, but the music drowns them out.

Amand nudges me, nodding toward the back. “Over there.”

I follow his gaze to a corner booth where a burly shifter is holding court, his voice carrying over the noise.

He’s got a wolfish grin, his eyes gleaming with booze and bravado.

“Horn jobs, man,” he’s saying, slamming his drink down.

“Clean, quick, and no one sees it coming. Best way to take out the trash.”

My blood runs cold. Horn jobs. A euphemism for unicorn killings, no doubt. Our first real lead, but I don’t trust this place. Too many eyes, too many scents. Lev’s still at the bar, his back to us, and I’m itching to drag him out of here before trouble finds us.

“Rowan,” Amand warns, sensing my tension. “Don’t start anything.”

“Too late,” I mutter, my gaze locking onto a vampire who’s sidling up to Lev.

He leans in, his hand grazing Lev’s arm, and my beast roars.

Lev’s trying to play it cool, his magic flickering as he half-fades, but the vampire does not back off.

He says something, Lev obviously forcing a laugh when his eyes dart to us.

That’s it. I’m across the room before Amand can stop me, my fists curled at my side. “Back off,” I snarl, shoving between Lev and the vampire.

The vampire’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t move. “Relax, snake. Just making conversation.”

“Make it somewhere else,” I say, pulling Lev behind me. His scent floods my senses, calming my beast but not enough to back down.

Lev’s hand tugs at my jacket. “Rowan, chill. I’m fine.”

I don’t look at him, my focus on the vampire. The bar’s gone quiet as heads turn to face us. The vampire smirks and raises his hands in defeat. “Alright, tough guy. No need to get territorial.”

But he doesn’t move fast enough, and my patience snaps. I grab his collar, slamming him against the bar. “You don’t touch him,” I growl, my voice barely human. My tongue darts out, a hiss following, the strange urge to sink my claws into his neck and release my venom growing.

“Rowan!” Lev’s voice cuts through to me. He’s fully visible now, his hands on my arm, pulling me back. “You’re gonna get us kicked out.”

The vampire nervously laughs, slipping away the moment I release him, the crowd returning to their buzzing chaos again. Amand’s at my side, his hand on my shoulder. “Nice one, Rowan. Subtle.”

“Fuck subtle,” I mutter, turning to Lev. His cheeks are flushed, his green eyes bright with a mix of annoyance and something else—heat.

“You’re impossible,” Lev says, but there’s no real bite in it. He’s trying to hide a smile, and it’s doing things to me. “I was handling it.”

“Sure you were,” I say, stepping closer, my hand sliding to his waist.

Amand clears his throat, breaking the moment. “As much as I’m enjoying the show, we’ve got a lead to follow.”

I glance at the corner booth, where the braggart shifter is still talking, oblivious to the chaos. “He’s been flapping his gums about ‘horn jobs’. Let’s get closer and maybe find a table.”

We weave through the crowd, Lev fading slightly to blend into the shadows. It’s unnerving, watching him disappear, but I trust his magic. Amand and I stick to the edges, trying to look casual, but we’re not exactly subtle. Two Basilisks in a bar full of shifters? We’re like bulls in a china shop.

Lev reappears near the booth, his back to the wall.

Guess the table idea is out. I position myself a few feet away, pretending to sip a glittery cocktail that tastes like regret.

The shifter’s voice carries, slurred but much clearer from where I’m standing.

“Silas knows how it’s done,” he says, leaning forward.

“Guy’s got connections. Says the horn jobs are just the start. ”

My blood runs cold. Silas . Lev’s ex. I glance at Lev, who’s gone still, his face pale. He hears it too, and the mate bond flares with his panic. Amand’s eyes meet mine, and I know he’s thinking the same thing: this just got way more personal.

Before we can move, a drunk werewolf stumbles into Lev, knocking him into the booth. The braggart shifter spins, his eyes narrowing. “Who the fuck are you?” he snarls, grabbing Lev’s arm.

Big mistake. My beast surges, and I’m on him in a second, yanking him off Lev and slamming him against the table.

The booth erupts, the shifter’s buddies lunging at me, before Amand steps in, his fist connecting with a jaw.

Lev’s shouting something, but it’s lost in the chaos as fists fly and glasses shatter.

I take a hit to the arm, a claw slicing through my jacket, and I hiss, my fangs itching to extend.

But I keep it together, shoving the shifter back as Lev fades into the background, dodging a punch.

Amand’s got another guy pinned, his eyes glinting with that deadly calm he gets before things get bloody.

The bar’s a mess, patrons scattering, and the bartender’s yelling about calling the cops.

I don’t wait for that, dragging Lev out into the parking lot, Amand on my heels.

Lev whirls around me as we reach the car, our mate angrily poking me in the chest. “You two are gonna get us killed,” he says, but there’s a grin tugging at his lips. “You can’t fight everyone that looks at me wrong.”

I can and I will but I keep my mouth shut. My jaw tightens as a spike of pain runs through my arm, something Lev notices.

“Shit, Rowan, you’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing,” I say, but he’s already rummaging in his jacket for a bandage, prepared more than we ever are. His fingers glide over my skin, his gentle touch stirring up the ever present need when it comes to him. I can’t help it—I pull him against me, my lips crashing against his.

He gasps before melting into me, his hands fisting my jacket. The kiss is hungry and desperate, a clash of tongue and teeth that brings a moan from his lips.

Amand clears his throat as I pull away from Lev. “Really? Now?” he muses. “We just started a bar fight, and you’re making out by the car?”

Lev grins as he leans back against the car. “Blame him,” he says, jerking a thumb at me. “He’s the one with no self-control.”

I smirk, not sorry at all. “Not sorry. But you’re right, we need to get out of here. I think we might also need to meet up with your ex-boyfriend…”

Lev grimaces, letting out a heavy sigh. “I really didn’t ever want to see him again. I don’t even know what to think. I didn’t ever think he’d turn out evil.”

I can’t imagine what’s going through Lev’s mind now. Some part of me just wants to wrap Lev up in a big safe cocoon, away from the rest of the world. The other part wants Silas dead. If Silas is tied to this unicorn killer, I’ll make sure he regrets ever crossing Lev’s path.