In Darkness Reborn

by Alexis Morgan

  “Okay. By the way, Laurel wants you to come to dinner again soon. She’s been looking at recipes again.” Devlin’s mouth quirked up, sharing his slight dread of his lover’s experiments in cooking.

  Barak took the comment as the peace offering it was. “Thank you for the warning. And as you said, the vegetables were edible.”

  Once Devlin disappeared, Barak considered how best to approach Lacey. He moved closer to her door and was relieved to see her at work on her computer. For the moment, it was probably best that he leave her alone. But before he could retreat to his work area, she looked up and saw him.

  “Don’t hover out there. I won’t bite. Or cry.” She managed to smile, although her eyes looked a bit red.

  “I promised Devlin we’d make sure no one sees us together outside of work.”

  “I won’t have my life dictated by anyone, not even you, Barak. If I want to see you, I will.”

  Part of him was selfish enough to appreciate her determination, but he didn’t want her hurt. “You might be willing to risk it, but I’m not.”

  It hurt to turn his back on her and walk away, as if he’d jabbed a knife in his own chest. Out in the lab, he picked up his clipboard and pretended to work.

  Damn men, all of them and all kinds. Paladins, Others, brothers, bosses. From the time she’d been a little girl, Lacey had remained focused on one goal: finding some way to make Penn’s life better, safer. Luckily, she’d developed a real love for geology and vulcanology. If she hadn’t liked them, she’d have found some other discipline that would have allowed her to serve the Regents in some capacity.

  But right now, she was about to chuck it all and find some sane people to work with. And maybe some eligible men who didn’t know which end of a sword to hold, much less how to wield one.

  She had tried dating outside of the organization, but that meant watching every word to make sure she didn’t reveal something she shouldn’t. The few men she’d dated among the guards had been too afraid of Penn to do little more than show her to her front door. Paladins rarely had siblings, yet they seemed to have an unspoken agreement to stay away from each other’s sisters.

  And when she finally found someone whose touch set her aflame, he had to be an Other! Right now she wasn’t sure whom she was maddest at: Penn, Barak, or Devlin. Not that it mattered. Ever since Devlin had walked out, Barak had been pretending she didn’t exist.

  Well, that was going to change right now. She paused to check her appearance, wishing she had worn her sexy dress rather than her usual jeans and T-shirt. If Barak wouldn’t come near her, she’d go to him.

  He flinched when he heard her approach. Good, he wasn’t immune to her, no matter how hard he tried to act that way. Time to go for broke. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and leaned in close, pressing her breasts against the rock-hard planes of his back. He kept working, but his pulse sped up.

  She kissed his neck and then worked her way up to breathe next to his ear, sending a visible shiver through Barak. Sliding her hands around to his chest, she whispered, “I make a mean veggie lasagna. How about dinner at my place?”

  He froze. “Didn’t you hear what Devlin said, Lacey? We can’t be seen together.”

  “I heard; I just don’t care. Now, either you come to my place for dinner tonight, or I’m going to show up at your apartment. Your choice.” She held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t refuse her.

  He slowly turned to face her. Although he wasn’t smiling, she thought she saw the smallest bit of humor in his eyes. “You are one stubborn woman.”

  “Are you surprised? If I hadn’t learned to stand up for myself, Penn and his friends would have walked all over me. Either that or they would have wrapped me up in bubble wrap to keep me safe.”

  “Can you blame them?”

  She laughed. “No, probably not, but hiding is no way to live. Which brings me back to tonight. My place or yours?”

  He looked at her long and hard before making his decision. “Yours. I’ll come after dark.”

  “But it stays light until ten o’clock this time of year.” She trailed her fingers along the strong line of his jaw. “I don’t want to wait that long.”

  “Then eat dinner without me.” He caught her wayward hand and held it still over his chest.

  She still had one hand free to wander. “I wasn’t talking about dinner.”

  He grabbed that hand, too. “Stop that, woman! What if someone came walking in here right now?” Despite his stern words, his touch was gentle. “I’ll be there as soon as I think it is safe.”

  “I’ll keep everything warm and ready for you.” She ran the tip of her tongue across her upper lip.

  “Fine, but right now I have to go spend some time with your brother in the gym.”

  “Tell him hi for me,” she said as he got up and walked to the door. “And, Barak, you might want to bring your toothbrush. We need to go out to the mountains tomorrow, and it will save time if you don’t have to stop by your place on the way.”

  He started to say something but realized that he was fighting a losing battle, one that he probably didn’t want to win anyway. After he was gone, she realized that she was staring at a closed door with a big, stupid grin on her face. Tonight would be special. More than special.

  If she hurried, she could get her work done in time to make a quick stop at the mall on the way home. Most of the time she slept in one of Penn’s old T-shirts, but suddenly she felt like wearing something a whole lot sexier. Maybe something black and slinky.

  Yeah, that was the ticket.

  The scent of lasagna filled the kitchen; the table was set; the candles were lit; and the bed was turned down. Everything was ready, especially her. But so far, no sign of Barak. He’d promised to be there as soon as he knew it was safe, so maybe that was delaying his arrival. Or had something happened at practice? No, Barak would have called, or he would have had Devlin do it.

  She looked out the front window, glad to see the sunshine fading into the west. Soon her lover would arrive and the evening’s festivities could get started.

  An older couple who lived up the street strolled by, taking their dog for its walk, holding hands as they enjoyed the late-evening air. Lacey smiled. Every time she saw them, obviously still in love after so many years together, she felt a small pang of envy.

  A woman dreamed of finding a man to love her, to hold her hand year after year. But what if it was the wrong man? One her family and friends could never accept? Was love worth giving up everything and everyone for? It was too soon to know how strong her feelings for Barak would become. Maybe it was only a momentary infatuation.

  No, she wouldn’t risk her job, her brother’s respect, and everything else for some guy she just had the hots for. She’d already gone way past mere lust. She wasn’t ready to think about how far past; it was scary enough to know that she was headed down an unknown path and maybe a lonely one.

  A soft knock at the back door jarred her out of her reverie. She hadn’t left the outside light on for obvious reasons, but she recognized the dark outline of a man standing on her small porch. She opened the door and walked straight into her lover’s arms.

  Barak’s kiss had her curling her toes in the carpet and her bones melting. He didn’t rush the moment. They were headed for her bed, but they were in no hurry to get there. His hands stroked the length of her back from her neck to her bottom, stoking the fire already burning hot between them.

  Finally, he stepped back slightly, leaving no more than a hand’s breadth between them. “What is this that you are wearing?” He traced the curve of her breast through the black satin and lace.

  “It’s a negligee. I bought it for tonight, so I hope you like it.” She was fishing for compliments but didn’t really need to. His clear approval was putting a pretty big strain on the front of his slacks. She did a slow turn to show off a bit.

  He caught her and pulled her backward against his chest. “I like it very much.”

  She a
rched her head back to nuzzle his neck and tugged his hands up to cup her breasts. How did he know the exact amount of pressure to have her moaning for more? She slipped a hand back between them to caress the hard length of him.

  “Keep that up, woman, and we won’t make it as far as your bed.”

  She gently squeezed him and laughed softly at his immediate response.

  He swept her up in his arms and carried her down the short hallway to her room. He slowly lowered her to the bed, then stepped back to strip off his clothes. The soft glow of the candles she’d left burning cast his warrior’s body in a warm light for her to admire.

  Then he was beside her, then in her, and everything was perfect.

  “Don’t think so hard, Barak.” Lacey looked up from where she cuddled against his chest. “Or maybe I should give you something to think about that won’t have you frowning so much.”

  She trailed her hand down his chest to his stomach and beyond. Barak closed his eyes and smiled as she cupped his sac and gently squeezed. “Like that, do you?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “How about this?” she teased, giving his cock several gentle strokes.

  “That as well.” Then he turned the tables on her, doing a little exploring of his own.

  She giggled and surrendered to his superior forces. “Take me, Barak. Take me again.”

  He rose above her, settling in between the welcoming cradle of her legs. “You are so beautiful.”

  She knew that wasn’t true, but she accepted that he believed the words to be true. Every move he made, every touch he gave her, made her feel cherished. He leaned down to kiss her, his tongue and taste driving her up and up until all that existed was him.

  “You honor me with your welcome, Lacey,” he murmured near her ear. Passion made his accent more pronounced, sending shivers of pleasure through her.

  As he took her, she wrapped her ankles around his waist and held on for dear life as the two of them rode out the cresting waves of passion. “Yes, that’s it, like that,” she gasped as he filled her with his strength.

  “Come for me, Lacey,” he demanded, their bodies sliding against each other, sweat-slick and hot.

  “Only if you come with me,” she said, straining up to take more of him, more, and yet more.

  Then the night shattered around them in light and heat and joy.

  * * *

  Chapter 16

  I can’t! He won’t let me near him.”

  Ben pulled at his collar, trying to loosen its chokehold. Those further up the food chain had ordered him to find a weak spot among the Paladins for them and he’d done his best, but none of those scary killers were about to get chummy with the likes of him.

  Not even that bastard Penn Sebastian, which pissed him off. Who was he to look down his nose at Ben? It was one thing to act all superior when you carried a sword and skewered those freaky Others for kicks. But Penn was out of the game, which made him no better than anyone else—worse, because at least Ben could do the job the Regents paid him to do. It wasn’t their fault that he didn’t make enough to support his gambling habit.

  But the voice on the other end of the line clearly didn’t care about any of that. One guard and one Regent had already died for not getting the job done. He needed to keep that in mind.

  “All right. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Obviously that wasn’t good enough. He held the phone away from his ear and let the man rant some more. More money didn’t matter. No amount was worth losing his life for, but the cold fear in his gut screamed that it was too late to worry about that. Either he roped Penn into spying for them or Ben would die. Trouble was, if Penn wasn’t the weak link they thought he was, Ben would die anyway. It was all a matter of who would make him suffer the most.

  He shuddered, knowing he’d done this to himself. “Yes, sir, I understand, sir. I’ll bring him into the fold. I promise. I may need some muscle, though.”

  Judging by the immediate offer of names and numbers to call, he’d finally managed to get something right. After a few more last-minute instructions, he hung up. Asking for muscle had been a stroke of genius. Now he just needed a plan for how to use his new assistants.

  He couldn’t risk another fiasco like last night. The events of the evening were pretty hazy, but he’d woken up sporting a few bruises he hadn’t had when he’d left work. Memories of the first three bars he’d checked while looking for Penn were crystal clear. It was the fourth one, where he’d finally found the Paladin, where things went to hell.

  Sebastian had not been happy to see him; that was certain. If memory served correctly, Penn had gotten up to leave as soon as Ben had arrived. Fear mixed with too many beers had been a bad combination, and Ben suspected he’d shot his mouth off about Lacey Sebastian.

  Even if she was boinking the Other, her brother hadn’t wanted to hear about it. If Ben had really said it. He shifted his jaw from one side to the other, wincing at the dull pain. If he really had been stupid enough to say that, he was lucky he was alive.

  What he really didn’t remember was driving home or how he’d gotten upstairs into his apartment. A couple of empty bottles by his bed might account for that—not that it mattered. Right now, he needed to formulate a plan to force Penn Sebastian to betray his fellow Paladins.

  If he succeeded, it would be one for the history books; there’d never been a breath of scandal connected to the Paladins. But the scam ripping off the blue stones from the Other world could stay hidden for only so long. Eventually, Devlin Bane or one of those other bastards would figure out what was going on and decide to put a stop to it.

  And God help them all when that happened.

  But for now, Ben needed to figure out how best to use Penn Sebastian’s weak point. As far as Ben knew, the only person Penn cared about was his sister.

  If someone were to threaten her, Penn would do anything to keep her safe. Anything. Now Ben just had to find a way to use that bit of information. Maybe he wasn’t a dead man quite yet.

  Lacey sighed and leaned into Barak. They seemed incapable of going more than a few minutes without touching, kissing, breathing each other’s air. Out on the edge of the wilderness, they were free to be just another couple. The few people they’d encountered on the way up the mountain had smiled or waved, each intent on their own enjoyment of a beautiful day.

  “Kiss me.” She smiled up at him, her eyes full of promised heat.

  He tucked a stray lock of hair back behind her ear, basking in her warmth. His lover was a wonderfully demanding woman. As their lips came together, he sought out the sweetness of her mouth with his tongue, pleased with her murmured encouragement as he took on a new energy from his head to his toes. Then the ground rolled under his feet, almost sending him to his knees. He froze, hoping against hope that the sudden surge came from the strength of their shared passion.

  But a wise man never lied to himself, especially about something that could get them both killed. He gently broke off the embrace, wishing he could trust Lacey with his secrets. Once she found out, she’d expect him to use his sensitivity to the moods of the mountain to help the Paladins, at the expense of his own kind and his honor.

  The dilemma made him sicker than the shifting of stone beneath his feet.

  “We’d better be going, don’t you think?” He gave Lacey a gentle push in the right direction: down and away from the mountain’s anger.

  “What’s your hurry?” She tried to step right back into his arms.

  Desperate times. “The sooner we get back to your place, the sooner we can have some of that leftover lasagna.”

  She giggled. “Are you sure that’s all you’re interested in?”

  This was no time for teasing, but he couldn’t resist. “Fishing for compliments, Lacey?”

  “Yeah, maybe.” Her eyes twinkled with good humor and the satisfaction of a woman who knew her man wanted her.

  “All right. If I give you one, will you get moving down the mountain?”


  “Yes.” She planted her feet to wait him out.

  He pretended to give the matter grave consideration. “Fine. You make great lasagna. Best I’ve ever had.”

  Her laughter rang out in the summer air. “Ooooh, you sweet talker. That kind of sweet talk will get you a piece of cold lasagna and not much else.” Then she kissed his cheek and dutifully set off down the path ahead of him, adding a little extra swing to her walk for good measure.

  Barak waited until Lacey turned the corner ahead of him before reaching out to touch a nearby boulder, hoping that he was wrong. The connection was always stronger with his eyes closed; the stone immediately told him its truth.

  The mountain thrummed with dark energy; it was about to unleash some of its fury by tossing bits of itself down toward the valley below. Barak muttered under his breath, wishing the ground below his feet could be soothed with his words.

  But right now, wishes weren’t going to be much help.

  He withdrew his contact from the stone and picked up his share of the lab equipment. For the sake of speed, he considered leaving it behind, but that would involve questions he couldn’t answer. By the time he caught up with Lacey, his senses were reeling with the increasing pressure building below his feet.

  They weren’t going to make it all the way down in time unless they started running. Did he risk their safety for the sake of his secrets? The question wasn’t even worth considering.

  He set down the cooler and toolbox. “Lacey, drop the equipment and start running!”

  She looked at him with understandable confusion. “Why would I do that?”

  He latched onto the kit in her hand and yanked it away from her. “Drop it and run. I’ll explain later.”

  Not that he’d need to. If they didn’t get moving right then, it would be too late for explanations. “Run!”