It was time to end this. Cullen waited until Joq glanced at Lusahn again and charged right at the Other, bringing his sword down with all the strength he could muster. At the last possible second, Joq countered, and in doing so, managed to yank Cullen’s sword right out of his hand.
Cullen scampered backward, grabbed the little table by the bed, and threw it right at Joq’s head. As the Other ducked, Lusahn shouted Cullen’s name, and her sword came flying toward him. He snagged it out of the air just as Joq moved in for the kill.
“Are you ready to die, human?”
“Been there, done that. No big deal.” Cullen motioned for Joq to come and get him. “Paladins die all the time, Other—but we don’t stay that way.”
Blood from a cut on his forehead dripped down into Cullen’s eyes, temporarily blinding him, but he’d seen enough of how Lusahn fought to guess what her teacher would try. He caught the side of Joq’s blade with a crushing blow, knocking him in one direction while the Other’s sword flew in the other. Lusahn got to it before Joq could.
They all knew Joq was dead. He just hadn’t laid down and quit breathing yet. With sweat pouring off his face and his hands shaking, he pleaded with his former student and friend.
“You don’t want to kill me, Lusahn. You and I both know that.”
Cullen laughed. After all the evil the bastard had caused, after the senseless deaths of her Blade, Joq thought he could call on their friendship to save him?
“Who have you been working with?” The chill in Lusahn’s voice dropped the temperature ten degrees.
When Joq made a slight movement toward the door, Cullen cut him off. When he looked back toward the staircase, Lusahn cut off that route of escape.
“Who have you been working with?” she repeated.
“It was Larem.”
“Liar. He wasn’t happy about me working with Cullen, but his honor was never in question.”
“Not happy?” Joq sneered. “He hated you for choosing a human to bed, when you would hardly let a Kalith male near you. If you needed a lover, you only had to look to your own Blade, or”—his voice cracked—“to me.”
The shock on Lusahn’s face was painful to see. “You never offered.”
For an instant Joq’s face softened, allowing the full depth of his feeling to show. “I did, but you chose not to hear.”
Then he gathered a cloak of anger and hatred around himself. “I’m done talking. So what’s it going to be, Lusahn?”
“You die, Joq. When Larem gets loose, he’ll head straight for the Guild. If the Guildmaster is working with you, he’ll execute you to protect himself. If the Guildmaster is still a man of honor, he’ll execute you for your crimes. Either way, it won’t be an easy death. I can at least save you that.”
It was the truth, and they all knew it. The only question was, who would swing the sword to end Joq’s life? Cullen wanted to be the one. He’d killed so many Others in his lifetime that one more wouldn’t add much weight to his already burdened soul. He’d never had to kill one in cold blood, which was how it felt, now that Joq was cornered and unable to defend himself. But he’d do it to save Lusahn the pain.
Joq grew quiet and still. He looked Cullen straight in the eye, as he bent his head in a quick bow, then went into a full-out charge in a heartbeat. Cullen jerked his sword up and braced himself for the impact as Joq impaled himself on the razor-sharp blade. Lusahn screamed, and time stood still as Joq’s hand floundered for support on Cullen’s shoulder.
His pale eyes widened in surprise, either at what he saw waiting for him on the other side of death or in shock at the pain. Cullen gently lowered the older male to the floor as Lusahn knelt at Joq’s side, tears streaming down her face.
As Cullen pulled the blade free, Lusahn lifted her mentor’s head into her lap, cupping the side of his face with her hand.
“Why?” she choked out.
Joq didn’t answer, saving his last bit of energy to stare up into her face. Then he slowly turned to Cullen, grimacing in pain at the movement. “Take her away from this, human.”
“I plan to.”
“Good. She deserves better than darkness.”
Blood bubbled out of his mouth as his final breath rattled and then stopped, leaving the two of them shrouded in silence. Cullen wished he could allow Lusahn to grieve for all that she’d lost, but there was no time. Eventually Larem would get free, and then all hell would break loose. They needed to get to the tunnels and the barrier with the children.
Escaping to his world was their only hope.
“Lusahn, we have to get moving.”
Cullen’s hand came down on her shoulder in comfort, but the urgency in his voice was a reminder that the danger wasn’t over. She looked up at her human lover, tears streaming down her face. How could it have gotten this bad so fast? Had it only been a handful of days since Cullen had appeared in her life?
He left her side long enough to yank the blanket off the bed and cover Joq’s body. Then he gently picked up Joq’s weapon, wiped it clean of blood, and laid it across Joq’s chest, a sign of respect. The gesture eased her heart enough that she could stand and step away from the shrouded figure.
Cullen stood at her side. “Remember him as he was, if you can, and that he cared deeply about you.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected.” He pulled her into his arms.
“Why didn’t he say anything?” Although what difference it would have made, she didn’t know.
“Maybe he figured if you were interested, you would have picked up on the signals he was sending. Since you always treated him as a valued friend and mentor, he didn’t push the issue.” He rested his face against her hair. “He settled for whatever you were willing to give.”
She smiled. “You wouldn’t have settled, would you?”
“Hell, no. I knew from the first that you were worth fighting for.”
“But that first time you were fighting with me, not for me.” It felt good to smile.
“And I came after you the first chance I got.” His expression turned serious. “I’m not giving you up, Lusahn. This world is no longer safe for you or the children. I want you in my life, but I want you to have choices. When we cross the barrier, I’ll take you to your brother if you need time to adjust. But either way, we need to get the hell out of here before it’s too late.”
He was right. Individually, they were lost and alone. Together they could be a family, even in a strange world.
She hurried to the staircase. “What should we take with us?”
“Weapons, enough food and water to last until the barrier drops, and whatever the children need to make them feel safe.”
“You check the kitchen for supplies while I talk to Bavi and Shiri.” Shiri would do anything Lusahn asked, but Bavi deserved an explanation and the chance to choose his own life’s path.
“Okay, but talk fast. We need to be in the caves before the star rises in the sky.”
She ran. When she called out Bavi’s name, he immediately shoved the bed from the door. Judging from his pallor, the noise from the basement must have carried upstairs.
“Cullen and I are fine, Bavi, but things aren’t good.” Turning, she said, “Shiri, go see if you can help Cullen in the kitchen while I talk to your brother.”
The little girl skipped out of the room. At least one of them wasn’t frightened. Lusahn put her hands on Bavi’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eye.
“Bavi, you are the son I’ve never had, and I love you as if I had birthed you myself. I don’t have time to explain everything right now, but I will, the first chance we get. Right now, Cullen and I want you and Shiri to go with us to the caves where the barrier runs through. When it goes down again, we will take you and Shiri across to live in his world, in the light. But I won’t force you to go—even though it will kill me to lose you.” She looked out the window into the darkness beyond. “This is your home, and you may want to stay.”
Bavi follo
wed her gaze and shivered. “Cullen will protect us from his people?”
“He will keep us safe there, and my brother will help. Both of them would lay down their own lives to keep you and Shiri safe, as I would.”
“We go, then. A family should stay together.” His voice cracked, and he let her pull him close for a brief hug.
When she let him go, he looked around the room, frowning. “I will pack Shiri’s books and blanket.”
“And a change of clothes. We need to travel light, so only take what is necessary.”
“Can I take your brother’s practice blades? I will need them if Cullen is going to teach me to fight.”
“I’m sure my brother will be honored that you wish to use them, Bavi. I’ll go gather my things, too.” She stopped in the door and looked back. “We will keep you safe, Bavi. This I swear.”
It would be her last vow as a Sworn Guardian, but she couldn’t think of a better one to end her career with.
Devlin’s office had turned into Command Central. D.J. had set up extra computers. Trahern was in the corner, honing his sword. Lonzo held his cell phone in one hand as he took notes. He’d called in a few favors from a friend on the Seattle police force, but so far all they’d collected was a bunch of negatives.
They knew where Cullen wasn’t: his home was vacant; his car was still parked in the garage; and there was no record of him entering or leaving any of the Regents’ installations in the whole damn state. That just left the rest of the universe for them to search.
Devlin hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours. His eyes were gritty, his mouth tasted like shoe leather, and his temper was just shy of a full boil. Glancing around the room, he knew he wasn’t the only one on edge. They’d all lost friends they’d fought beside, but always in battle or in the lab, when they’d died one too many times. It was part of being a Paladin—the ugly part that came with the job.
But to have one of their own just up and disappear was killing them all. He wasn’t used to grasping at straws, but right now he’d pursue any lead, no matter how tenuous.
If Cullen could phone or e-mail, he would have—so either he was dead, or there was no phone service.
No phone service…He looked around at all the technology that surrounded them: landlines, computers, e-mail, cell phones. Something about that idea had Devlin sitting upright, poking and prodding it until it hit him.
Son of a bitch, he hoped like hell he was wrong!
He grabbed the phone and dialed Laurel’s cell. When she answered, he asked one question that she dutifully passed along to Barak. The Other’s answer had Devlin cursing loud and long. When that wasn’t enough, he cleared his desk with a sweep of his arm, sending papers and everything else flying.
The other Paladins stopped to stare at him, and he fought to regain control. Cullen had always been the calm one—but if the Professor was where Devlin suspected he was, the man had given up all claims to sanity.
Devlin slowly stood, meeting Trahern’s gaze and then D.J.’s, knowing they would take the news the hardest. “You can stop searching. I know where he is.”
Lonzo hung up from talking to the police and joined the rest around Devlin’s desk, looking even grimmer. They knew the news wasn’t going to be good.
“That crazy fool decided to play hero! He crossed the barrier to confront Barak’s sister himself.” He had no proof, but it was the only explanation that made sense.
“So what do we do now?” D.J. asked.
“We wait. And if he—when he crosses back, we make sure he’s safe and sound. Then we kick his ass up and down the tunnels for being an idiot. I get first crack at him, then the rest of you can take turns.”
Trahern sheathed his sword. “Sounds good to me. If there’s anything left of him when we’re done, we should let Laurel have a crack at him for good measure.”
“I want someone watching the barrier where he crossed twenty-four/seven. I’ll take the first shift. The rest of you go catch some sleep.”
“I’ll go with you, Devlin,” D.J. offered. “When he crosses back, he may need help.”
Devlin didn’t have the heart to deny D.J. the chance to stand watch for his friend. “Fair enough. Trahern, set up a schedule of two-man rotations. The first one should relieve us in six hours.”
“Will do.”
After leaving Laurel a message on their home phone, Devlin picked up his favorite sword and headed for the tunnels. He was looking forward to throttling Cullen—right after he welcomed him home.
It was Cullen’s turn to carry Shiri, but Lusahn knew she’d have to relieve him soon. Although he’d made good progress in adjusting to the thinner air, he was breathing hard as they swiftly climbed the hillside.
“Let me take her.”
She held out her hands to the tired little girl, and Shiri immediately lunged for her. Cullen didn’t protest, a clear sign that he was feeling the effects of the climb.
“It’s not much farther,” she promised, directing her comment to include Bavi. “Just over that rise is the entrance to the caves.”
The promise of an end in sight brought a surge of energy to the boy’s steps. Once they were inside and out of sight, she’d find a hidden place for the children to rest while she and Cullen took turns standing guard.
She paused to look back the way they’d come. Had Larem worked his way free of his bonds? Please, gods, let him still be tied up and helpless. With the star already rising to cast its dim light over the landscape, the neighbors would be stirring. Even if Larem was still tied up, he wouldn’t be that way for long. And as soon as he got feeling back in his legs and arms, he’d run straight for the Guild, screaming for every Sworn Guardian and Blade to join him in the hunt. She shivered.
By the gods, what a tangled mess her life had become! Only days ago, she knew who her friends were and who the enemy was. Now her friends wanted to kill her and her enemy had become her lover, his world her sanctuary. If they lived long enough to cross the barrier.
Life in a new world—the whole idea terrified her. She drew comfort from knowing that Barak had managed to build a life there.
Her feelings about her brother were still mixed. Barak had been her hero when she was growing up, making the pain of his desertion so much worse. Her reasons for hating him had been good ones, but now she was going to need his help to redefine who and what she was. Instead of holding a position of authority and honor, she and her children would be refugees with no roots, no identity.
Her thoughts were as dark as her world had become. Was this what it had been like for Barak? So much darkness that even certain death had been welcome? He must have felt so alone.
Shiri stirred in her arms, reminding Lusahn that she was not alone. She had this trusting little girl, her much more cautious older brother, and she had Cullen. She turned her head, needing a glimpse of his face.
When his dark eyes met hers, he smiled, and his warmth had its usual impact on her. There was strength in that face, and honor in his soul. This man alone, of all those she’d ever met, made her feel complete. No matter where their path led them, they would walk it together. With renewed resolve, she marched up the hillside.
Cullen stepped up beside Bavi. The young Kalith had been grimly silent since leaving Lusahn’s house. He had to be scared, but he was doing his best not to show it. Maybe talking would help distract him.
“Bavi, I am eager to show you my world.”
Bavi took several more steps before speaking. “What is it like, this place where we go?” He shifted the pack on his thin shoulders.
“The colors alone will amaze you. The people there wear whatever colors they want, and the humans themselves have different colors of hair and skin.”
Bavi’s eyes narrowed, clearly not buying Cullen’s story. “That cannot be.”
“I swear it is true. The trees are tall and very green, there is a large body of water called Puget Sound on one side of my city, and there are mountains to the east and west.”
Bavi gave him an unconvincing nod, and Cullen wasn’t sure how much he’d understood. Aware that Lusahn was also listening intently, Cullen continued, “I have a house with big rooms and lots of windows to let in the light. Right now I live by myself, but there’s plenty of room for a family.”
He resisted the urge to look at Lusahn. He didn’t want to pressure her, but damn it, she belonged with him. It wasn’t just the sex, although that had almost blown the top off his head—waking up with her warm body next to his was just as good.
He noticed that the ground had leveled out; they were nearly at the entrance to the caves. He wished he felt better about their chances. He turned to Lusahn.
“Can you feel the barrier from here?”
She closed her eyes, breathing in slowly through her nose and out through her mouth several times before shaking her head. “I’ll have to get closer—probably because I’m tired.”
“Let’s get inside. We’re too exposed out here, especially now that the star is up.”
Damn, he wished they knew how much time they had before the Guild’s forces descended. He and Lusahn both needed some serious sleep before they’d be ready for another battle. The best they could hope for was that the barrier would fail in time for them to escape before the attack came. But his gut told him that trouble was hot on their heels.
“Give me a little time.” Lusahn handed Shiri off to Bavi and then pulled a small blue stone from her pocket. Curling her fingers around it tightly, she stared at her hand and frowned. After a bit she stumbled, and Cullen lunged forward to steady her.
She opened her hand and smiled. The stone was glowing. “Now we can see inside.”
Neither of the kids seemed impressed by her feat, but Cullen sure as hell was. From the little Barak had told them, the gift for working with the stone was rare among their people.
“I didn’t know you had the talent.”
Redeemed in Darkness Page 15