Real Shadows - M.E. Clayton Page 0,41

it. “Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll go check your room and then…the one on the shelf.” His hands came up to cradle my face. “But promise me you’re going to stay put. Your legs are bad off. Do not walk on them until I’ve taken a look, okay?” I could only nod, but that was all it took for Xander to sprint down the hallway.

I sat on the counter on the verge of losing my shit as Xander checked my room. How did he get into Xander’s house? I knew there was a huge chance he would finally find me once I made the decision to use my real name here in Brant, but how in the hell did he get into Xander’s house?

Getting past Xander’s security system seemed to confirm that whoever this person was, he or she was good with computers. It would explain always finding me. It would explain getting inside Xander’s house. His deadbolts only engaged from the inside of the house. They protected us if we were home, but they did not a damn thing if we weren’t.

I watched as Xander came back down the hallway and stop at the wall shelf. He was so tall that he didn’t need to get on his tiptoes to inspect the shelf. When Xander put the rabbit there, he had sprinkled a thin layer of vacuum dust on it, so we’d know.

And by the defeat in his stance, I’d say we knew.

Chapter 20

Xander~

The rabbit had been moved.

The one in the bedroom was still untouched, but the one in the hallway had been moved. And as much as I knew that was Fallon’s greatest concern right now, her legs were mine.

I turned towards her. “I’m going to go get the First-Ai-”

“Have the rabbits been moved, Xander?” she asked again, not one bit concerned about possible burns on her feet and legs.

I did my best to measure my tone. I didn’t want to alarm or upset her. “The one in the bedroom hasn’t been moved, Fal-”

“But that one has, hasn’t it?”

“Let me get the First-Aid kit and…then hear me out, okay?”

“Xand-”

“Fallon, baby, please,” I begged. Yes, I was worried about her mental well-being, but I needed to see to her physically as well.

She gave me a small nod of her head and I raced towards upstairs to the attic where I had my industrial First-Aid kit, not caring about the shards of ceramic on the floor. I did a lot of my physical work up there, so that’s where I had it. The kitchen and both bathrooms had standard First-Aid kits, but her legs were going to need burn salve and maybe some bandages.

I grabbed the First-Aid kit and was back in the kitchen in record time. I dropped down to inspect her feet and legs, and upon a clearer inspection, it looked like some salve was enough to do the trick. Her skin wasn’t blistering, so the burns hadn’t been scalding. “I think some salve-”

“Xander.”

That’s it.

Just my name.

Just my name said in a tone that I knew she wasn’t fucking around anymore. Fallon was no longer in the mood to indulge me. Her fear was giving way to anger and I’m fairly sure the anger was at me.

I began to apply the salve to the reddened splotches on her feet and legs. I’d prefer to wash her legs off with a cool, wet towel, but I didn’t have the time. Fallon wanted answers and she wanted them now.

“It was moved, but…hear me out.” I looked up at her from where I was on my haunches tending to her legs. “It’s possible we could have done it, Fallon.”

Her eyes blazed, clearly offended, and on the defensive. “I would never move either of those rabbits,” she spat. “What are you talking about? Did you fucking move it?”

I stood up and looked into her furious face. “No,” I bit out. “I didn’t move it.”

“Well, I sure as hell didn’t,” she insisted again.

“Sonofabitch, Fallon,” I swore. “When we got home last night, you begged me to fuck you up against the wall with everything I had. And I did. It is quite possible that we shook the walls enough to move around some of the things that are hanging there.”

Her hand shot out as she pointed towards the wall where I had taken her. “You fucked me over there, Xander,” she pointed out, but not after making me question everything I had been proud of last night. “Do you honestly think your skills were