Underground Guardians BOX SET: Includes 'Protector' and 'Healer'

by Lisa Renee Jones

  Obviously, Mason had some special gifts. Physic abilities didn’t make him dangerous. It simply made him unique. She almost laughed out loud as realization washed over her. The scientist in her was hard at work trying to make her reasoning about Mason logical rather than emotional. She sighed. Right now she simply wanted to get rid of Roger and get back to Mason.

  Flipping on the light switch, she groaned as she remembered it was broken. She pulled open the door to find Roger looking frazzled and upset. She cracked the door, no intention of inviting him in. “What in the world are you doing here at this time of night?”

  “I can’t take us being so strained.” His frown deepened. “Can I come in a minute?”

  “Roger.” She hesitated, trying to figure out what to do. Clearly he was upset but letting him in while Mason was there wasn’t going to help matters. “It’s late. Let’s talk tomorrow. How about we meet up early for coffee?”

  “Just a minute,” he pressed. “Please.”

  Holly sighed with resignation. What option did she have without being totally rude? She stepped backward waving Roger forward. How had her life become suddenly so complicated?

  She turned and started walking, wanting to turn on the light in the living room before Roger made his way behind her. Task complete, she turned as Roger entered, preparing herself for his reaction. He wasn’t going to like Mason’s presence but this was her home and she wasn’t hiding anything. Crossing her arms in front of her body, she waited.

  Roger started talking as he entered the room. “Holly, I can’t stop thinking about…” He stopped mid-sentence when his eyes settled on Mason. “What’s he doing here?”

  “Roger,” Holly said through clenched teeth. Her voice held a warning, as did her expression. “You know Mason and I are friends. Just like you and I are friends.”

  He let out a bitter laugh. “We aren’t the same kind of friends.”

  Holly exchanged a quick look with Mason and then planted her hands on her hips. “What is your problem Roger?”

  Roger tipped his chin toward Mason. “He’s my problem.”

  Holly’s mouth dropped open but, before she could speak, Mason pushed to his feet. “Why don’t I give you two a minute alone?”

  “No,” Holly said firmly moving around the coffee table to stand beside Mason and placing her hand on his arm. “Roger, I think you better leave.”

  Roger’s eyes went wide. “You hardly know this guy and you’re kicking me out over him?” He made a disgusted sound. “I can’t believe you.”

  Holly stared at Roger, baffled. Who was this person standing in her living room? It certainly wasn’t the Roger she knew. “I’ll walk you out, Roger.”

  “Fine,” he said and turned toward the door.

  Holly looked up at Mason. “Sorry about this.”

  Mason reached down and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not a problem.”

  The gesture was so tender it made Holly’s breath catch in her throat. It was amazing how his touch made her tingle all over. For just a moment, she searched his eyes but his expression was carefully guarded.

  Holly swallowed. “I’ll, um, I’ll be right back.”

  Roger was leaning on the porch railing when Holly stepped through her front door, leaving it opened so that they had some light. Silently, she cursed the burned-out circuit.

  “You’re mad at me,” Roger said. “I can see it in your eyes.”

  Holly frowned. “I’m not mad but I’m more than a little confused by your crazy behavior.”

  “It’s just… I thought… Oh, hell.” He ran a rough hand through his hair. “I always thought we’d end up, you know—”

  Holly decided it was best to confront this and get it over. “Dating?”

  “Exactly,” he said, expelling a breath as he said the word.

  “Roger,” Holly said gently. “You’re a dear friend and a trusted research partner. To add a romantic element could be terminal. I would prefer to keep things as they are and I’m sure, if you take a step backward and look at things objectively, you will too.”

  Roger stared at her, his expression blank.

  Holly stared at him, hoping for some form of response. She got none.

  Okay. Now what?

  * * * * *

  Mason paced the living room feeling as if he was a caged animal. The sexual tension Holly had evoked in him was still raw and far too consuming. Try as he might, both in words and actions, resisting her was no easy task.

  Something deep, carnal and wholly possessive urged him to take her, to make her his in some unexplained way. Raking a hand through his hair, he closed his eyes as he felt the intruding vibrations of a dark awareness.

  Arion presence.

  More than one.

  Mason’s eyes popped open. Holly. In a matter of seconds, he stepped onto the porch behind Holly, resting his hands on her shoulders. Above her head he met Roger’s gaze.

  Sidestepping Holly, Mason held Roger’s gaze and walked toward him, his eyes placing Roger in a trance like state. “Roger, are you listening to me?”

  Roger nodded. “Yes, I’m listening.”

  “Mason?” Holly said from behind him.

  Mason ignored her, keeping his eyes tuned to Roger’s. “When I tell you to, I want you to walk to your car as quickly as possible. Do not run. Get inside, lock the doors and drive away. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, I understand,” Roger said nodding, his face expressionless.

  “Good. I’ll walk with you. Wait until I say go. Shut your eyes now.” Roger shut his eyes. “When I say go, open your eyes and do as I have instructed. You understand?”

  “I understand.”

  Mason turned and looked at Holly. She looked confused and more than a little apprehensive. “You’re scaring me, Mason.”

  The wind picked up around them alerting Mason as to how near to showing themselves the Arions really were. “Everything will be fine but I need you to go inside and lock the door.”

  “Mason—”

  He fixed her in his gaze. “Just do as I say, Holly. I trust you to have sense and listen. Roger is another story. He won’t listen and, for his own safety, I need to get him out of here. Now go inside.” He paused. “I need you to call for help.” He gave her Sterling’s cell phone number, repeating it two times so he could be sure she got it memorized. “His name is Sterling. Tell him I told you to call. Do you have the number down?”

  The wind lifted her hair from her shoulders, making her look as if she was a part of the force building around them. He could see the torment in her eyes even on the dark porch. “Yes, but I should call the police—”

  “No police,” he said, cutting her off. “Go inside, lock the door and call Sterling.”

  “But—”

  “Now,” he said in a curt command. “Right now.”

  Holly’s eyes widened and then she whirled around and went inside her house, shutting the door and leaving him and Roger in complete darkness. Mason waited until he heard the door lock before turning to Roger. “Go now,” he said.

  Chapter Six

  The minute Roger started backing out of the driveway, Mason walked toward a cluster of trees, where the Arions lurked, watching and waiting. Preferring an offensive stance, Mason moved toward their location. This was one of those times he was thankful for his enhanced night vision. He, like the Arions, wasn’t limited by the night.

  He drew to a halt in the center of the trees, standing in the middle of the greenery. Three Arions stepped from the woods. They formed a triangle to his position, trying to cage him.

  He knew the one in the middle. Tad Benson was a ten-year special Operations veteran and an old friend. Now Tad was his brother’s right arm man and his enemy.

  The odds were not in his favor at three-to-one considering these were Arions he was dealing with. His mind raced with different battle strategies. He had a weapon but it wouldn’t be much help against three Arions. He needed to buy time until Sterling arrived and evened
the score a bit.

  And he was betting Tad had an agenda or he would have already attacked. “What do you want, Tad?”

  “You know what I want,” Tad said in an irritated voice. “Or should I say what your brother wants?”

  “Yeah, well,” Mason said bitterly, “tell David to go to hell.”

  “Join us, Mason,” Tad returned quickly. “He wants you by his side. You won’t regret the choice.”

  “You apparently have defective hearing, so let me repeat myself. Go to hell, Tad, and take David with you.”

  Tad shook his head. “I told David you would be foolish.”

  The two men on either side of Tad exchanged a look and then Tad gave a curt nod. They started toward Mason.

  A voice from behind said, “Not a very fair fight.” Sterling stepped to Mason’s side.

  “In the nick of time,” Mason said without taking his eyes off the Arions.

  “I aim to please,” Sterling said and then, true to his nickname,”Renegade”, he added, “Let’s get this party started.”

  Mason was damn glad to have Sterling by his side. The man loved to fight and was truly fearless in battle. It was as if he lived for the high of combat victory.

  Without warning, Sterling planted a blade in the chest of the Arion standing to the left of Tad. Mason watched the enemy yank it from his chest, growling as he started forward.

  Mason’s own form of trouble, the Arion to Tad’s right, stalked toward him, swinging his big paw of a hand. Mason ducked and jabbed his attacker with a right hook to the stomach. The Arion hardly flinched. Punches and kicks were exchanged, blow for blow.

  He was acutely aware of Tad’s absence from the fight. And he worried for Holly. He managed to catch a glimpse of Sterling going one-on-one with the other Arion but he couldn’t see Tad.

  Fear for Holly quickly turned into anger. That part of him he didn’t fully understand began to take control. He kicked the Arion with newfound strength, successfully knocking him to the ground. “Where’s Tad?” Mason yelled, hoping Sterling knew.

  “I don’t know,” Sterling said, with a grunt as he landed a punch.

  Mason did a visual sweep of the area and, in doing so, made a grave mistake. The Arion was on his feet with lightning speed and launching himself at Mason. This time, with a razor sharp claw extended.

  Mason saw it just before it actually made contact. Shit. Only a select group of Arions even had the damn things, yet he always managed to fight the ones that did. He jumped backwards, trying to dodge the thrash of his attacker’s hand but it was too late. The claw sliced through his shirt and straight through his side, with surgeon-like precision.

  “Enough!” Tad yelled angrily.

  The pain radiated through Mason’s body like liquid fire. An Arion had cut him only once before. Judging from the level of pain, this time was a hell of a lot worse. Forcing himself to manage the pain, he looked toward Tad’s voice.

  He found Sterling pressed against a tree trunk with Tad’s long claw at his throat. Mason’s eyes met Sterling’s. He saw no fear in his friend’s eyes. Not that he expected he would.

  “I have a message for you, Mason.” Tad’s voice held a gloat.

  “I’m listening,” Mason said quietly, buying time as he mentally tried to redirect his pain. Stickiness, wet and plentiful, clung to his shirt and dripped down his body.

  He couldn’t stop the blood flow, but he could shut down the worst of the pain. Had to. Sterling’s life, and maybe Holly’s, might just count on him performing.

  “Consider this a warning,” Tad said sharply. “We could kill Sterling now and we could kill the woman.” He surprised Mason by stepping away from Sterling. “Consider this a gift from David. A show of his allegiance to you.” He paused and then added, “He expects it returned.”

  “He knows my position on this,” Mason said without hesitation as Sterling moved to his side. “I will not join David. Not now. Not ever.”

  The three Arions moved to stand side by side. “He won’t remain patient,” Tad said. “Especially not with the woman involved. She will join our cause or she will die.”

  Mason’s exterior was calm and cool but inside he was already urgently planning a way to hide Holly. “If anything happens to Holly Heart, I will come calling. Tell David she has my protection.”

  “Don’t be foolish,” Tad said. “You can’t beat David. This is the end of the road for you and Holly Heart. Time is up.” He paused, and motioned with his chin towards Sterling. “And your friend lives only because your brother forbid me to anger you. Mark my word, he’d be dead otherwise.”

  Without giving Mason time to respond, the three Arions turned toward the woods. The wind lifted the dirt around them, blowing leaves as if a storm was suddenly upon them. Then, as if it had never occurred, everything stilled and the Arions were gone.

  Sterling took a good, hard look at Mason’s side. “You’re going to need lots of sleep to heal, man.”

  “There isn’t time,” Mason said. “You heard what Tad said. I have to hide Holly.” But he was getting weaker by the moment and he knew it.

  “You’re no good to her dead.”” Sterling looked at Mason’s pale face and moved to help him. Mason leaned into him without question.

  “Let’s get you inside,” Sterling said, concern barely concealed in his voice.

  “David won’t give up,” Mason mumbled half to himself.

  They began the walk to the house, Sterling taking a big part of Mason’s weight. “Be glad he hasn’t. It saved our asses today.”

  Mason snorted.

  “You need stitches to stop the bleeding,” Sterling commented as they took the first step leading up to the porch. Before they could take another, the door burst open and Holly came running down the stairs.

  * * * * *

  Holly watched out the window, desperate to know what was going on outside.

  The instant she saw Mason walking toward the house, slumped over against the strange man, her heart fell to her stomach. She ran to the door and onto the porch, desperate to find out why Mason was slumped over on the other man. Her heart beat double time in her chest. Her first glimpse of Mason confirmed her fear. Something was terribly wrong.

  Pale as a ghost with blood dripping down his side, he looked like he might collapse at any moment. “Oh, my God,” she exclaimed urgently. “You’re hurt.” She stopped directly in front of him, surveying his injury. “Bad. You’re hurt bad. We need an ambulance.”

  “No,” Sterling said before Mason could. “I can take care of him.”

  “He needs a doctor,” Holly argued as she pushed the door to the house open and held it so they could go inside.

  “I’m fine, Holly,” Mason said but his voice was soft, his energy clearly low. “I just need to rest.”

  “This way,” Holly said directing both men toward her room.

  “Damn, this hallway is small,” Sterling complained as he tried to maneuver Mason to the bedroom.

  Once Mason was on the bed, Holly went down on her knees beside him and started tearing his shirt away from the cut. After a moment of inspection, Holly looked up at Mason’s friend. “Sterling, right?”

  He nodded.

  “I need hot water and towels. Top cabinet in the bathroom.” She paused. “Quickly.”

  Her attention went back to Mason, not even considering Sterling might not do as she asked. She examined the cut. It was a deep gash, long and dangerous-looking. “Mason,” she whispered. His eyes fluttered open, his face even paler than when she first saw him outside. “You have to have stitches.”

  “You can stitch me up, right?” he half-mumbled, half-whispered.

  “I don’t keep those kinds of supplies around here.” Why didn’t he want to go to the hospital? “I’m not a practicing physician, I’m a scientist.”

  Sterling reappeared, setting the requested items on the floor beside her. Holly grabbed a washcloth and wet it before gently dabbing at the cut.

  Mason’s eyes flutte
red shut again. “And you’re a doctor,” he said. “Stitch me up, doc.”

  “I told you I don’t have the supplies.” She applied pressure to the wound and looked up at Sterling. “We have to take him somewhere to get this bleeding stopped.”

  Mason grabbed her wrist, drawing her attention. “I can’t, Holly. Stitch me up.”