Dark Protector

by Alexis Morgan

  Finally, rather than letting his opponent lead in the deadly dance, Devlin spun to the side and then lunged forward, running his opponent through. The Other wasn’t dead yet, but Devlin knew a fatal blow when he saw one.

  He jerked his sword free and turned his attention to the second one. The youth moved with lithe grace; all it would take was one small mistake and Devlin would end up back on that stainless-steel slab in Dr. Young’s lab.

  As they circled each other, Devlin tried to come up with a compromise solution. Although he fought each battle with a fierce determination to protect his own world, he took no joy in killing.

  “If you surrender, we’ll send you back across to your world when the barrier flickers again.”

  A mad flurry of parries and thrusts were his answer, and he had to resort to brute strength to overcome his opponent. The crazed look in the youth’s eyes told him that any further offer of mercy would be rejected. He did the only thing he could at that point and made the Other’s passing mercifully swift.

  As his lungs labored to catch his breath, Devlin wiped the sweat off his face and then the blood off his sword with a handkerchief. The bodies and weapons could be retrieved later, but for now he had a mystery to investigate. Slowly, he began moving back down the passage. Every few steps he paused to listen to the nature of the silence. It had an empty feel to it, as if whoever had been following him had abandoned the chase.

  If it weren’t for the previous attack, he would have passed it off as a product of his imagination. But his gut told him that someone had been there, someone who hoped that the two Others would damage Devlin enough to render him easy prey for an ambush. When that didn’t happen, the coward had slunk off into the shadows to await the next opportunity. Devlin quickened his pace. It was time to rejoin his men.

  The sound of footsteps whispered in the quiet, but this time he recognized the presence of another Paladin. Unless he missed his guess, it was D.J. coming toward him. Judging by his slow, deliberate pace, his friend wasn’t in pursuit of any strays. Most likely he and the others had finished routing their opponents, and he was coming to offer Devlin any assistance he might need.

  He sheathed his sword and leaned against the wall, glad for the chance to take some weight off his leg. Just before D.J. came into sight, though, he straightened up. No one needed to know about his leg, not even his friend.

  “Since you’re not dead, I assume they are.” D.J. glanced past Devlin to the empty passage behind him. “How many?”

  “Two.” He shook his head. “I swear they keep getting younger.”

  D.J. shrugged. “At last count, we’ve cleared out another half a dozen.”

  They started back down toward the rendezvous point near the elevator. Just as Devlin expected, there was no sign of anyone else nearby. His gut instinct wouldn’t let him shake it off, though, and he owed it to the others to warn them to be more careful than usual.

  “D.J., I have to ask you something about the last time I died. Did you or any of the others notice anything strange about it?”

  D.J. stopped walking. “You mean other than finding your sword stuck in the barrier?”

  “Yeah, other than that.”

  “No one has mentioned anything specific, but that alone spooked us more than a little.”

  “In what way?”

  “Well, was someone trying to cut their way into the Otherworld, or trying to permanently damage the barrier?”

  His eyes were bleak. None of them wanted to think about the horror such a disaster would cause. The Others crossed the threshold heavily armed and ready to kill, and the few who escaped the Paladins reacted to their new home in one of two ways.

  The worst ones went on a killing spree until they were brought to bay and destroyed. The second group learned to adapt to the new life in which they found themselves. They quickly lost the unnatural, sickly pallor that came from living in the darkness. Over time their eyes became more accustomed to the bright sunshine, making it all but impossible for the Paladins to track them down. But as they became more human, the negative energy from their origins sloughed off and was absorbed into the land around them. If enough of them crossed in a short time, the damage to the ecology of the planet might very well be irreparable.

  Devlin lowered his voice to a hushed whisper, pitching his words so they would carry no farther than D.J.’s acute hearing. “Someone followed me into the passage.”

  D.J.’s hand strayed to the hilt of his sword and his steps slowed. “We missed one?”

  Devlin shook his head. “It didn’t feel like an Other. The movement felt human, but I was too busy to check for certain. Did you see anyone that didn’t belong down here?” Then he remembered the missing guards at the elevator. “The guards? Did they come back?”

  “They’re dead.” D.J.’s eyes filled with anger. “They weren’t Paladins. Evidently Kincade sent some of the guards down as reinforcements before we could get here. They didn’t stand a chance against half a dozen heavily armed Others. The only thing that saved the situation is that the elevator had been sent up for us.”

  “Are they all accounted for?”

  “We haven’t had a chance to find out.”

  If one of the guards had managed to avoid the slaughter, he might have become lost in the maze of corridors. And if he’d stumbled onto the battle between Devlin and the two Others, he could hardly be blamed for turning tail and running. Yet the explanation didn’t ring true. Even if the man didn’t want to confront a Paladin whose need to fight was in full force, that didn’t explain why he hadn’t sought out one of the others for help.

  “Let’s get back to the others and do another sweep through the area. Then we’ll call Colonel Kincade to come collect his dead.” Not that the bastard would dirty his hands with such grim work himself. No, he’d send some other poor fool to take care of that little chore. As long as Kincade didn’t have to face direct evidence of his incompetence, he’d go right on sending his men to do the dying while he collected the glory.

  “Rescind that order, D.J. We’ll see they’re taken care of. They died doing our job. It’s the least we can do.”

  • • •

  Laurel’s back ached and if someone didn’t show up soon to relieve her, she wasn’t going to be held responsible for her actions. Two of her patients had walked out of their own accord a few hours ago, leaving her just one to care for, but that one was almost more than she could handle.

  “Let me up, Doctor.”

  She ignored the command, as she had for the past twelve hours. Instead, she concentrated on catching up on all the paperwork she’d let slide for the past two days while she’d dealt with the deluge of injured Paladins. Most had needed only rudimentary first aid.

  Unfortunately, the one who needed the most care was Trahern. He wasn’t pleasant to be around when he was healthy. Injured and hurting, he was a real bastard.

  “Let me up.”

  From the sound of rattling chains, he was pitting his strength against his restraints even though he was in no shape to break free. Even in top form it was unlikely he could prevail against the chains, since Dr. Neal had ordered new ones made of a stronger alloy for the older, more violent Paladins. Still, her breath caught every time Trahern marshaled his considerable strength and gave it another try.

  She gave up on the paperwork. It was time to check her patient’s vitals again. He hated being touched even more than she hated having to touch him. But she’d taken a vow both as a doctor and as a Handler to see to it that the Paladins received the best care she could give them, even if they didn’t want it.

  “It’s about time.” Trahern’s ice-colored eyes glared up at her in impotent fury. “Let me go.”

  She ignored him as she reached out to take his pulse. The monitors showed a slight increase in temperature over the readings from an hour before. Paladins weren’t prone to infection, but it wasn’t unheard of. It could also be due to Trahern’s progression toward becoming Other.

  An
d right now, with the way he was acting, she wouldn’t advise him to make any long-range plans.

  “Get your hands off me.”

  “Mr. Trahern, we’ve had this discussion before. I make the decisions regarding your care, not you.”

  He waited until she placed her stethoscope against his chest, then made another attempt to break free. She jumped back out of reach, almost stumbling to the floor. His laughter was nasty and mean.

  “That’s enough, Trahern.”

  She hadn’t heard the door open. Devlin Bane was standing just inside the lab door, with poor Sergeant Purefoy trying to block his way. Obviously Devlin had come charging in without waiting to be announced. Under other circumstances she might have protested, but right now she was relieved to see him. Devlin had a reputation for being the biggest and baddest around. If anyone could intimidate Trahern into behaving, it was Devlin Bane.

  Amazingly, Sergeant Purefoy stood his ground. She had to admire his gumption, since Devlin could slap the man aside like a gnat if he wanted to.

  “Sergeant, it’s all right. Mr. Bane is here to help me.” She deliberately let the guard think that Devlin was there at her request. “I should have said something earlier, but I didn’t know exactly when he was coming.”

  Devlin arched his eyebrow at her lie, but didn’t say anything. The guards relaxed their stance and backed away. Sergeant Purefoy was still not happy, but he jerked his head toward the door, telling the others without words to leave.

  “If you need help with these two, call me.” He shot Devlin a dirty look on his way out of the lab.

  “My, my, Doctor. Your guard dogs are showing their teeth,” Devlin said, sauntering closer to where she stood.

  “No need to gloat, Mr. Bane. They’re just trying to do their jobs.” She turned back to her unpredictable patient. “I was just explaining to Mr. Trahern here that I need to complete my examination. The sooner we get it done, the sooner he stands a chance of getting out of here.”

  “Let me up, and I’ll let you touch me anyway you want to.” Then Trahern made kissing noises at her, his face contorted in a travesty of a leer.

  “Damn it, Blake, cut it out.” Devlin loomed closer, his own temper showing in his stance and clenched fists.

  “Get screwed, Bane.” Trahern turned away and in a burst of fury, he began jerking on the chains until his wrists bled.

  It was time for drastic measures. Laurel headed for the drug cabinet. She always kept a sedative drawn and ready when Trahern was in the building.

  When she turned around, Devlin had literally taken matters into his own hands. They were around Trahern’s throat, forcing the injured Paladin to look him in the face.

  “Damn it, Trahern. Do you want them to put you down? Because if that’s what you’re pushing for, just say the word and I’ll take you out right now.” The words were all the more frightening because of his calm tone, as if he didn’t much care which answer he got.

  “I’m waiting, Blake. What do you want? If it hurts too much, we’ll end it. But I can tell you that I don’t need this right now. I need you to get my back.”

  The three of them waited: Devlin with that almost unnatural calm, Laurel with her heart in her throat, and Trahern, his eyes wide and wild. She didn’t know if she could bear to see Devlin ease his friend’s obvious pain permanently, but a guilty little part of her would be relieved that she wouldn’t have to be the one to decide.

  “I hate this.” Trahern’s words had lost their fury, but the grief was almost harder to hear.

  “We all do, Blake, but it’s how it is for us. Let the doctor help you sleep some more.” He released his hold on Trahern and stepped back, the crisis past for the moment.

  Laurel quickly swabbed Trahern’s arm with alcohol and injected a powerful sedative. His wary eyes met hers for a few seconds as they both waited for oblivion to carry him away.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  She managed a shaky smile for him. “So am I, Blake. So am I.”

  His eyes rolled back and his face went slack. She knew she shouldn’t, but she brushed the hair back from his face and then pulled the blanket up higher on his chest.

  When she stepped away from her slumbering patient, Devlin was staring down at his friend with bitter sorrow etched in the harsh planes of his face. He looked as if he would shatter into a million pieces.

  “He’s getting close to the limit.”

  It wasn’t a question, but she answered anyway. “The readings are worse than last time, but he isn’t there yet. It helped that you were here to pull him back. He doesn’t respond well to me or Dr. Neal, but he seems willing to listen to you. The next time he comes in,” she said, wishing they didn’t both know the next time might very well be Trahern’s last, “it might help if you were nearby when he wakes up. Just in case.”

  Devlin nodded but didn’t move. She needed to get him away from Trahern. “Look, I could use a cup of coffee. I’ll get someone to relieve me now that he’s asleep. That shot should give him a good night’s rest.”

  She reached for the phone and made a quick call. A few minutes later, her favorite technician came through the door. Kenny looked like a prizefighter who’d lost more than his fair share of bouts. But despite his rough appearance, he had a gentle touch with his charges. She trusted him to see to it that Trahern slept undisturbed.

  “Page me if he starts to wake up or if there are any problems.”

  Normally, she would have added an explanation about where she could be reached. But leaving the building with a Paladin, especially Devlin Bane, wasn’t something she was ready to share with anybody. It was bad enough that the guards would see them go out together. She was never sure how much they reported back to Colonel Kincade, or Dr. Neal, for that matter.

  Kenny merely nodded and reached for the chart. If he thought it odd that she was leaving with Devlin Bane, he gave no indication.

  As she gathered her jacket and purse, Devlin caught her by the arm. “I’ll meet you somewhere.”

  That was a good idea. Yet why risk being seen in a local coffee shop? She surprised them both by saying, “How about my place in thirty minutes?”

  “That’s not smart.” He nodded in the direction of the scan room.

  The memory of how close they’d come to disaster brought a blush to her cheeks. “Fine. I’m hungry. How about that Italian place off Pioneer Square?”

  “I’ll be there. Now call in your watchdogs so I can get out of here.”

  A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth even as she tried to show her disapproval.

  “Sergeant Purefoy, Mr. Bane is leaving now. He has promised to behave. Let me know if he gives you any trouble, and I’ll make sure the next needle I use on him is rusty and dull.”

  The guards filed in and then filed out with Devlin walking meekly in their midst.

  She straightened her work area, giving Devlin enough time to leave the building. On the way out, she stopped in the women’s room to run a brush through her hair and touch up her lipstick. She needed all the help she could get after the kind of day she’d had. If she could catch up on her sleep later, she’d be better able to face Trahern in the morning.

  But for now, she was going to have lunch with a fascinating, handsome man. If Dr. Neal found out, she would simply tell him that she and Devlin had needed to discuss Trahern’s situation, which was true. If Trahern found it easier to maintain control with Devlin there, perhaps that would hold true for others, as well. Anything that would help a Paladin make the transition was surely worth discussing.

  Maybe she was only fooling herself about her reasons for being so excited about a simple meal, but with luck it would also fool everyone else—including Devlin Bane.

  Chapter 5

  Devlin found a spot in a back corner and watched the door from behind the questionable cover of several large potted plants. He had no business seeing Laurel outside of her lab, but the need to be with her, away from the prying eyes of cameras and microphones,
was riding him hard.

  The memory of her gentle treatment of Trahern bothered him more than he cared to admit. He doubted his friend would appreciate knowing the good doctor had tucked him in as if he’d been a toddler who’d collapsed after throwing a temper tantrum.

  There had been nothing sexual in the way she’d tugged up the blanket or brushed Trahern’s hair back from his face, but the episode had left Devlin feeling edgy and raw and so damn jealous he hurt. What kind of bastard begrudged a suffering friend a simple, comforting touch? And damn, Trahern was so close to crossing over to the horror of becoming Other. He knew he’d shocked Laurel when he had offered to put Blake out of his misery, but he’d meant it. No one deserved to see the last of his soul slip out of his grasp. He only hoped that D.J. or Cullen showed him the same kindness when his time came. He’d hate like hell to know that Laurel, with her gentle manner and kitten posters, would be forced to end his life.

  The bell over the restaurant door jarred him out of the downward spiral of his thoughts. He stood up briefly, just long enough so that Laurel could spot him. She gave him an unsure smile before starting forward. Something about her looked different. Just before she reached the table, he realized that other than that one day in the scan room, this was the first time he’d seen her without the armor of her lab coat on.

  His memory of how she’d looked with her blouse open was vague because the room had been so dimly lit. But he remembered all too clearly the silky smoothness of her skin and the taste of her mouth, and how it had felt for a few burning seconds to feel her underneath him.

  Laurel’s steps faltered, reminding him that she read his thoughts and moods better than most. He tempered his rising desire and leaned back into the corner of the booth, trying to look relaxed and harmless.