Dark Warrior Untamed

by Alexis Morgan

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes, Piper. Yell if something else happens. And let me know what the virus scan shows. I need to check in with Dame Kerry.”

  “Okay.” Piper took a healthy swig of her tea. “I probably overreacted, but that was just so strange. If I find out who did this, I’ll show them a reckoning.”

  “I’d pay to see that.” He resisted the urge to pat her on the shoulder on his way out. “I’d appreciate it if we kept the specifics of that e-mail between us for now. If it is just a prank, there’s no use in getting everyone in an uproar. I’ll check with Kerry and Ranulf, though, to see if they’ve had any problems.”

  Piper frowned. “All right, but if it happens again, I need to tell Kerry.”

  “Agreed.”

  Basking in sunshine, Kerry moved down the row deadheading her favorite roses, stealing a short break from her paperwork. She planned to prune one last stretch before tackling that stack of correspondence piled high on the dining room table. By then, Hughes would have had time to sort the day’s mail, so she had that to look forward to as well. Great.

  When the sliding door opened, she cut another wilted rose and dropped it in her basket before looking up. She’d hoped it was Ranulf, but it was Grey. She hid her disappointment and studied her new Chief Talion.

  “Good morning, Grey. How are you settling in?” Something about him made her think he’d never really left the military. Despite his casual sports shirt and khaki pants, he always carried himself as if he were still in uniform. She knew he thought he should bow in her presence and only held back because he knew she wasn’t comfortable with such gestures.

  “Better, thanks. I met Sandor for breakfast at a wonderful local café this morning, so that got today off to a good start.”

  “That’s great. I’m sure he can give you lots of pointers about the area.”

  Grey’s eyes maintained a constant surveillance of their surroundings. “It’s nice that you’ve kept up the rose garden. It’s always been quite a showplace; Dame Judith took great pride in it.”

  Kerry dropped another handful of rose petals in her basket and looked around. “I’m pretty new at this, but I’ve consulted a local master gardener on what to do when. I’m thinking about adding a stone bench and fountain in the far corner in Judith’s memory. You know, a quiet place to read and enjoy the flowers.”

  He nodded in approval. “She would’ve liked that.”

  Grey silently trailed behind Kerry as she moved from bush to bush. Then she looked back and noticed the lines of tension bracketing his mouth. No doubt her time out here in the garden was about to end.

  No use in beating around the bush, rose or otherwise. “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong, Grey?”

  He took her basket and carried it as they walked back toward the house. “Probably nothing, but someone tried to send Piper a virus or something attached to a strange e-mail. I was wondering if you’d had any similar problems with your computer today.”

  “I haven’t logged on yet, but I was about to head that way. Is Piper’s computer all right?”

  “She was running a scan when I left her. You might want to do the same.” He hesitated and then added, “Or I could do it for you.”

  He wanted to go messing around in her personal files? “No, that’s okay. I’ll check my morning messages and then set the system to run a full scan.”

  “All right. If you need me I’ll be my office. I would appreciate knowing if the problem is more widespread than just Piper’s computer.”

  Those fierce blue eyes saw too much, including her reluctance to let him do what was probably just his job. If it had been Sandor making the offer, she wouldn’t have hesitated.

  Grey hadn’t said a word, but she knew she had insulted him without meaning to. Eventually she would have to give him a chance to prove himself and his loyalty. Maybe it was time to get started on that.

  “You know, I have several phone calls I need to make this morning. If you have time, perhaps you should run a scan on Ranulf’s laptop, as well as mine, since you know what you’re looking for. If you’re sure you don’t mind, that is.”

  His expression remained distant and chilly. “Not at all. If you’ll log on, I’ll take it from there. I won’t open any of your personal correspondence unless I see an e-mail address similar to the one Piper received. After that, I’ll run a complete scan.”

  Maybe it was time for some frank conversation. “Grey, I know I’m not Judith, nor do I want to be. I’ve been on my own since my teens, and it’s difficult for me to ask others to do what I’m used to doing myself. I’m still learning to delegate.”

  His ice blue eyes warmed up several degrees. “I’m afraid I have tendencies in that direction myself.”

  She grinned and looped her arm through Grey’s, surprising them both. “Should make for an interesting working relationship, don’t you think?”

  He managed a small smile. “I’m sure it will.”

  The seed was planted. Let them stew over that one for a while. Eventually they’d decide it had been a fluke or maybe even a prank. Then it would be time to launch the next salvo, this time aimed at one of the Dame’s most trusted employees. Or better yet, the one who was working so hard to get himself in Kerry’s good graces.

  That could be fun.

  Certainly the attacks would be more effective if they came from multiple directions. If done properly, the Dame and her friends all be spinning in circles and pointing fingers at each other. Since one Talion had gone renegade, it wouldn’t take much to convince everyone that it had happened again. Imagine losing two Dames in such a short time.

  Such a tragedy. So sad.

  It would be a shame to destroy Greyhill Danby. He’d always been a decent sort, but he’d crossed over to the enemy camp. He should have reported in regarding the new Dame’s incompetence by now. Instead, nothing but silence. No doubt his overdeveloped sense of duty was getting in the way.

  As far as the others, it was widely known that the Viking warrior Ranulf had long been poised to make the leap into full-blown insanity, likely brought on by extreme old age. That he’d mated with the usurper was only further proof of his instability.

  But Sandor Kearn’s stalwart support of Kerry Thorsen shouldn’t have come as a bit of shock. He’d always been charming, all glitz and little substance. Then he’d refused to carry out an execution order, and instead dragged those three mongrels home for Kerry and Ranulf to raise. Purebreds would’ve been one thing, but mutts? Had they no sense of dignity?

  Obviously not.

  Time was of the essence, of course, considering the damage being done to the noble heritage of their people. Even so, the destruction the ones conspiring against the legitimate heir required a great deal of care. Once everything was in place, execution of the plan would be fast and swift.

  Execution. The word had such a nice ring to it.

  Tick tock, they were on the clock.

  Too bad they didn’t know it.

  Grey still hadn’t returned from his meeting with Kerry. What was taking him so long? Piper wanted to know if anyone else had gotten the bizarre e-mail, and she was almost off for the day. She’d feel better if she knew she could write the whole thing off as a hiccup in the system.

  Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to go looking for Grey. If she hurried, she could talk to him and still catch the next bus. She collected the morning’s correspondence and slung her book bag over her shoulder. She headed toward the dining room where Kerry did most of her paperwork.

  As usual, there were papers scattered all over the table, but Kerry was nowhere in sight. Only Grey sat at the table with two laptops open in front of him, his attention focused on the screens.

  “How did the scan go?”

  She hadn’t realized that he’d noticed her. “All clear. No sign of any damage and no record of the e-mail itself. How is that even possible?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” He looked up at her. “You’re the only one who receive
d it.”

  Was that accusation in his voice? She gathered her resolve. She was probably just overreacting—again. Darn the man, why did he bring that out in her? There was something about him that made her feel as if he was constantly judging her.

  “Look, next time I see Sandor, I’ll ask him to do his computer mumbo jumbo on my system. Maybe he can solve the case of the disappearing e-mail.”

  “No need to bother him with it. I’ll see what the scans turn up on the rest of the computers after lunch.” He stood up. “Speaking of which, want to grab a bite? I can drop you off at school after.”

  Okay, that she hadn’t expected.

  “I don’t want to inconvenience you, Grey. I can take the bus and get something at school.”

  “It’s up to you.” He shrugged before adding, “But I’m going out for lunch anyway, and the university is on the way.”

  It was difficult enough sharing an office with him. Being in his car again—not to mention sharing a meal—would be even harder. When she didn’t answer, he grinned mischieviously.

  “What’s the matter, Piper? Afraid I’ll bite?”

  Afraid that he wouldn’t was closer to the truth. The smart thing would be to politely turn him down, but evidently she wasn’t feeling all that bright.

  “Let me write a quick note for Kerry on a couple of these letters, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  “Either you bribed someone or you are the luckiest man alive. No one finds a parking space this easily in the University District.”

  Grey gave Piper a look that was just short of a smirk. “Timing is everything.”

  “Right. Maybe that works for you, but I take the bus because I’m so tired of circling the block a dozen times looking for a place to park.”

  Grey parallel parked with disgusting ease. If she had been behind the wheel, she would’ve had to take at least a couple shots at it before she got close enough to the curb.

  As he locked up the car, Piper studied the nearby restaurants. She wasn’t picky, but somehow she didn’t see him appreciating the places that catered to the local college students. Cheap and greasy didn’t seem to fit the image Grey projected, even if he’d dressed more casually today.

  “Sandor recommended a deli up the block. He was spot on about the place we ate breakfast, so we’ll see if he’s as good with lunch.”

  She fell into step beside Grey. “If it’s bad, we can always make him reimburse us.”

  “Somehow I don’t see that happening. But I am supposed to join him and Ranulf for one of their workouts this week. I can always forget to pull a few punches. Ranulf might even help.”

  Grey kept surprising her. If it weren’t for the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, she would have thought he was dead serious. She found it hard to picture him pounding on Sandor, but the Talions were the warrior class, and he had reached for his gun when she got that e-mail. She’d never spent time around men who carried concealed weapons before and wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

  From day one, she’d found both Sandor and Ranulf easy to talk to. She liked the way they treated Kerry and Lena, as well as the three kids. Grey was a different story though. Oh, there was no mistaking that he could be charming when he wanted to be, but those predator’s eyes saw too much and could go from summer sky blue to arctic ice in a heartbeat.

  “We’re here.” Grey snagged her by the strap of her pack and pulled her to a sudden stop.

  “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

  He held the door open for her. “You’re thinking awfully hard about something. Want to share?”

  Uh, no. That wasn’t going to happen, not now and not ever. She settled for an easy lie. “I have a test today.” That much was true.

  They walked up to the counter and studied the menu on the wall. They placed their orders, and Grey led her to a small table in the back corner. After setting his drink down, he turned the table slightly and chose the seat that put his back to the wall and offered the best view of the small restaurant. She’d noticed Sandor do the same thing before. The possibility of an attack was never far from their minds.

  When they were both seated, Grey asked, “In what subject?”

  It took her a second to realize he was asking about her test. “European history.”

  “Is that your major?”

  “No, actually. My degree will be in business, but I had room for one more elective. I love history, and the professor really makes it come to life.”

  “Why European?”

  His eyes darted cautiously around the room, yet his attention was somehow still focused on her. She wasn’t used to having anyone care that much about what she was doing or why.

  “I wanted to learn more about my own ancestry, I guess. And then there’s the fact that growing up I read everything I could about ancient warriors—knights, highlanders, Celts, and let’s not forget the Vikings.”

  She leaned closer and made a pretense of making sure no one was listening. “Don’t tell Ranulf, but I keep looking for his name to show up in a textbook.”

  Grey chuckled. “Good luck with that. He hasn’t lived this long without knowing something about hiding in plain sight, but let me know if you find anything.”

  When their number was called, Grey went to pick up their sandwiches, which turned out to be every bit as good as Sandor had promised.

  “So, tell me. Should I be looking for Greyhill Danby in my textbooks as well?” she asked as they threw out their garbage. She wasn’t sure he was going to answer, but when they walked out into the bright sunshine he finally did. Sort of.

  “That depends on the time period you’re covering in class.” He unlocked the car door for her.

  His expression was completely deadpan, leaving her no clue about whether he was serious. Searching for him could be a fool’s errand, but she might give it a try. She always loved a challenge.

  Lunch had been a nice interlude between the upsetting morning and what would most likely be a tense afternoon as she squeezed in one last study session before her test. At least Grey had proved to be an enjoyable companion, letting his guard down enough to seem younger and more approachable. It was nice.

  But then he pulled the car over at the same place where he’d dropped her off the day before.

  “So Piper, mind telling me why you wanted to insinuate yourself in the Dame’s household?”

  Her stomach lurched as if the Jag had just plunged down a sudden dip on a roller coaster.

  “That’s a rather loaded question, don’t you think?”

  Before he could respond, she held up her fingers and counted off the points. “Let’s see, Kerry and I met and really hit it off. She needs an assistant, one who’s good with numbers and has a background in accounting. I need a job that is flexible enough to work around my classes. It’s as simple as that. Nothing sinister, no hidden agendas.”

  She was proud of how calm she sounded even while lying through her teeth.

  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I don’t want to be late.”

  Grey had deliberately waited to spring the question on Piper, figuring he’d get as much out of her reaction as he would her actual answer. He watched her stalk away, her temper showing in each step.

  So, that went well. Not only did he piss off Piper, but he ruined his own good mood at the same time. Damn, it was easy to forget himself when he was with her. He was the new security officer, responsible for making sure the Dame was safe from anyone who might wish her harm. Even Piper.

  Instead, he couldn’t keep his mind off the angry brunette who’d just disappeared into the building without looking back. Even if she were his type—which she most definitely wasn’t—it was far too soon to be wondering how that smart mouth of hers would taste. Maybe it was an indication that he’d been too long without someone to share his bed.

  Nothing more.

  He slammed the car into gear, and with an apology to his poor clutch, he peeled out of the university driveway and headed for the interstate. He kne
w he should get back to the office, but right now he needed to let off steam more. Getting Piper Ryan in bed was out of the question for a lot of reasons, so he’d have to make do with tearing up the highway for an hour or two.

  “Gee, Grey, that must have been some lunch.” Sandor leaned against the doorframe, a knowing smile on his face. “Or did you get lost driving back here from the deli?”

  “Go to hell, Sandor. Or at least go somewhere else. I’ve got work to do.”

  Grey kept his eyes on his computer screen. Sandor was no fool and damned good at reading people. The last thing Grey needed was for Sandor to think something was going on.

  But instead of leaving, Sandor strolled on in and sat down at Piper’s desk.

  “Kerry tells me that you and Piper had some sort of computer glitch this morning. Need any help with that?”

  Grey’s first instinct was to say no, but he hadn’t been able to get anywhere in tracing the origins of the e-mail. Maybe Sandor would have better luck. He had to trust somebody.

  Grey drew a deep breath and turned to face Sandor. “I told Kerry that Piper thought someone tried to send her a virus. Which is true, but there’s more to it. The e-mail came from an unknown address, one that didn’t fit the usual format. Rather than delete it, Piper opened it.”

  “Not necessarily the wisest choice, but I probably would have done the same thing.” Sandor leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “So what happened when it opened?”

  “According to Piper, the whole system blanked out for several seconds. When it came back up, the screen had a black background and was covered with one phrase written over and over in red.”

  Sandor might have a reputation for being charming, but only a fool would miss the intelligence behind that easy smile.

  “What did it say?”

  Grey dropped the bombshell. “The day of reckoning is coming.”