Fallen: A Divine Mystery

Chapter 21. A Trap

Theo sipped his chamomile tea while Ann tended to his wounds. With the skill of an experienced nurse, she opened the kitchen cabinet and retrieved a tall green bottle labeled 'Herbal Elixir'. Pouring some onto a clean towel, she gently applied it to the deep scratch on his forehead.

As the scent of alcohol reached his nostrils, Theo's skin stung and burned, causing him to squint in pain. Ann blew on his forehead, providing relief. "You're handling it well. Now, please take off your shirt."

He complied, revealing a bruised ribcage. Fortunately, his wounds weren't too severe. Thank Divine his instincts had kicked in when the pile of bricks was about to strike him. In that split second, he had managed to curl his body into a fetal position. It allowed him to avoid fatal injury.

Ann glanced at him with concern. "It's going to be a little painful..."

Theo sighed in disappointment as he looked down at his teacup. "Are you sure your friend doesn't have anything stronger to drink?"

"No, but this chamomile tea will aid in your recovery," Ann said, her voice soothing as she applied the herb-soaked compress to the scratches on his back.

"Shit! That hurts!" he yelped, wiggling.

Ann gave him a stern look. "Stop acting like a baby!"

"Then give me something a man can drink to numb the pain!"

"Charlie doesn't drink," she explained. "This elixir is the only thing with alcohol."

He pondered for a moment. "Fine. It will do."

"Theo!"

He rolled his eyes. "Look at the kind of friends you choose."

"My friends are perfectly fine," she retorted, pouring more elixir onto her cloth of torture. She approached his side, causing Theo to shiver. "In case you forgot, Charlie has helped you a lot. And Maci -"

"She tried to seduce me!" he spat, his hand instinctively moving to protect himself as her cloth neared him.

Ann let out a sigh. "I know."

He furrowed his brow. "What do you mean - you know?"

"She told me she tested you. To see if you were a loyal boyfriend and didn't sleep around."1

"How considerate!" he remarked sarcastically.

Ann shrugged. "Well, you used Marci to distract me and get me out of the building. I think you two are even."

"True, I manipulated her temper against her. But that's why I'm the only one with scratches. It could have been much worse."

She lowered her gaze, her voice unusually quiet. "I know."

Theo reached out and took her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

Tears glistened in her eyes, causing his heart to ache. "I thought I was going to lose you..."

He kissed her hands, trying to offer comfort. "This is what I was afraid of. With me, you'll always have to go through this. Again and again. Because it's my job to put my life in danger."

Ann listened to him, silently sobbing.

"But you don't have to do it," Theo said. "If it's too difficult, just tell me. I'll understand."

She wiped her eyes and looked at him with determination. "Okay, let's make a deal, then."

His heart raced, sensing the gravity of the conversation. "What kind of deal?"