If she could reestablish a positive working relationship, though, she’d guide them back into compliance with the regulations established by the Regents for the good of all. The Paladins were the best at what they did, but somehow this bunch had gone way off track—to the point of harboring the enemy among their ranks.
Her father and some of his associates were all for shipping the ringleaders out, scattering them over the globe. She’d managed to convince the Board as a whole that to do so would only spread the contagion.
No, containment was the appropriate goal and her first in a long list. As the elevator whisked her down to the ground floor, a surge of pure adrenaline hit her veins. The battle for control was about to begin.
It was time to report to the conference room. Larem had reluctantly agreed to attend the meeting as the sole Kalith representative in the crowd. Barak and Lusahn had offered to come, too, but Devlin had advised against it. At least he’d agreed that one of them should be there to hear what the representative had to say. Larem had no idea why the Paladin leader had picked him and hadn’t bothered to ask.
Larem joined the long line of Paladins making their way toward the meeting place. A fair number simply ignored him, tolerating his presence only because they’d been ordered to. Inside the room, he paused to locate his friends, who had promised to save him a place. Lonzo and Hunter stood along the back wall near one of the exits. Lonzo was on duty and needed to be the first one out the door if the barrier crashed.
“Hey, roomie, thought maybe you’d changed your mind.” Lonzo scooted to the side to make space for Larem between himself and Hunter.
D.J. joined them in the back, his eyes flitting around the room. “Rumor has it the new administrator has been ducking Devlin. What’s up with that?”
Lonzo shrugged. “Maybe he’s afraid of the big man.”
Hunter laughed, his ruined voice holding little humor. “If so, maybe the guy is smarter than we gave him credit for. Think if one Regent rep went missing, they’d get the message and leave us the hell alone?”
Larem ignored the banter, focusing instead on a sudden stir at the front of the room. Devlin had walked in, but for once he wasn’t the one leading the parade. Whoever had entered just ahead of him was too short to be seen over the assembled Paladins and guards.
Interesting.
Few in the crowd had even noticed that the party was about to begin. Devlin looked back to bark something at Trahern, who had followed him into the room. The other Paladin nodded and immediately stuck two fingers in his mouth and blew hard. The shrill whistle brought all conversation to a screeching halt.
Devlin walked up to the podium and glared around the room, his eyes locking up with Larem’s briefly. He gave a slight nod before moving on, maybe expressing his approval that Larem had dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt to better blend in with his companions. He’d also tied his hair back with a leather thong, although Larem wasn’t the only male in the room sporting hair down past his shoulders. Devlin himself wore his dark hair long although it lacked the sprinkling of gray that gave the Kalith people their distinctive look.
“Okay, everybody, listen up. I’d like to introduce our new administrator, who’s here on behalf of the Board of Regents.”
Before he could complete the introduction, the crowd turned restless as several Paladins shouted out comments and questions. Larem didn’t bother to join the chorus of angry voices, figuring it wouldn’t accomplish anything. Still, there was part of him that was glad the Paladins weren’t going to make it easy for the Regents’ representative to impose his will over them.
Devlin obviously had a different take on the situation. When the rumbling continued, he shouted, “Will you guys shut the fuck up!”
Then he flushed red as he turned to face his unpopular companion. “Sorry about that.”
Lonzo looked like he’d swallowed a worm. “Did Dev just apologize to a Regent?”
“Yeah, that’s just wrong.” D.J. rose up on his toes to see better. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“Yeah, you will,” Hunter muttered, “but can you see the guy?”
D.J. shook his head, as if to clear it, before answering, “He’s a she.”
That had all of them stretching their necks, hoping to see over the crush of oversized men that filled the room. Finally, the new administrator made it easier on everybody by climbing up on a chair. As the woman waited for her unwilling audience to fall silent, she did her own fair share of staring back at them.
Larem’s heart lurched in his chest. Not only was he a she, but she was striking. Or at least she would be if she didn’t wear her flaming red hair yanked back from her face in that unruly wad at the nape of her neck. He couldn’t see what color her eyes were from across the room, but they looked dark and intelligent. Her clothing was plain yet showed off her compact feminine curves rather nicely.
If she was nervous facing a boisterous crowd of angry men, it didn’t show. He respected that about her, but then he’d served with a female Sworn Guardian long enough to know that courage wasn’t determined by gender. The woman’s gaze swept past Larem without pausing, which would ease Devlin’s concerns but left Larem feeling oddly disappointed.
When she cleared her throat and prepared to speak, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. When she was done, he’d report back to Barak and Lusahn before deciding what to do next. His first choice was to stay right where he was because he had commitments he didn’t want to renege on. Too many were depending on him and his particular skill set. If forced, he’d hide out at Hunter’s place for a while, but that reeked of cowardice. No, if he and this woman were to be enemies, it suited his nature to face her directly.
“Gentlemen, my name is Sasha Willis.” Her voice had an appealing huskiness to it as her words rang out over the room, carrying to the far corners with a surprising amount of confidence. Larem wasn’t the only one who straightened up to get a better look at her. There was a lot of power crammed into that petite package.
“My last name may sound familiar as my father is a member of the Board of Regents. I have been serving in Ordnance for the past five years, reporting directly to the Board.”
Once again, she panned the room, as if assessing each man individually before continuing. “You have absolutely no reason to trust me at this point, and I certainly don’t blame you for feeling that way. Too many times the organization has failed you. But I’d like to change that. Rest assured that I have the utmost respect for the Paladins and the amazing job you all do.”
She drew a deep breath. “For starters, I plan to meet with the Handlers to reestablish a set schedule for all types of testing, including scans.”
Once again, murmurs of discontent started building. She ignored them and waited for silence to settle over the room before speaking again.
“I am well aware that Colonel Kincade used scans as a punitive measure. I’ve already issued orders to ensure that practice will cease immediately. Diagnostic procedures are to be done on a regular schedule only, unless the Handlers feel a particular case warrants more frequent monitoring.”
Larem bet that his eyes weren’t the only ones that immediately sought out Trahern. It was common knowledge that his test results had been getting steadily closer to the edge for years. They all knew that the only reason the Paladin still lived and breathed was because Brenna and Laurel had been too stubborn to give up on the man the last time he’d died. By all reports, it had been a close call. Too close.
“In that same vein, I’m happy to announce that I will be authorizing additional staff and funding to enable Dr. Young to continue her studies in that area. She and I will be discussing the matter in greater detail in the near future.”
Trahern looked happier, but not by much. Devlin had left the administrator’s side to stand next to his longtime friend in a show of support. From the look the Willis woman gave him, she hadn’t missed the gesture or mistaken its meaning.
“I will be study
ing all of your files, hoping to familiarize myself with everyone who is stationed here in Seattle, starting with the Paladins. As time allows, I’ll move on to the guards and other support personnel. I understand that we also have special guests living and working here in Seattle. I will be dealing with them, too.”
Okay, so that definitely sounded like a threat to him. At least she hadn’t come right out and demanded that the local Kalith population be rounded up for immediate disposal. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t at some point. He doubted his friends would appreciate the dark turn of his thoughts, but then they had nothing to fear from the Regents. Paladins were too short in supply for their masters to risk alienating them completely.
The meeting was evidently winding down as Sasha Willis continued. “I know you all have questions, ones I hope to answer in time. For now, I want to extend my personal gratitude for the work you’ve done, and continue to do, here in Seattle. Thank you for your attention, gentlemen.”
Then she hopped down off the chair and made a beeline for the door. Once again, Devlin headed for the podium. His men fell silent, waiting to hear what their leader had to say.
“Like the lady said. We have questions and she has no answers—yet. I’m asking that you give her a chance.”
“What fucking choice do we have?”
The comment came from somewhere in the middle of the pack, but Larem didn’t recognize the voice. Devlin must have, though, because he shot the guy a sharp look.
“The long and the short of it is, none at all, but let’s not assume the worst until we have to. I’ll say it again: give the lady a chance. She can’t be any worse than Kincade. Who knows, she might even surprise us. Now, get your asses back to work.”
The grumbling this time sounded more like the usual kind. Lonzo made his escape, heading for the tunnels. D.J. muttered something about having an e-mail to check into and then plowed through the crowd with his usual disregard for those in his way.
Larem had almost reached the door when the warning blast of the Klaxons went off. He ducked back out of the way, clearing the path for the Paladins behind him as they all rushed to answer the call of duty. Part of him envied them their clear purpose in life, but at the same time he hated the necessity for it. How many of his own people would die before the barrier was restored? How many of his Paladin friends would bleed?
He watched as Hunter and D.J. followed Lonzo into the elevator that plunged down to the tunnels below the city, their game faces on.
“Larem!”
Devlin came charging up, his favorite sword clutched in his hand. Larem instinctively retreated a few steps before common sense took over and reminded him that they were friends, or at least not enemies.
“What do you need, Devlin?”
“Find Sasha Willis and make sure she made it out safely before all hell broke loose.”
Both men looked around, but if she was in the area, Larem didn’t see her. That came as no great surprise. The milling crowd of Paladins pretty much all topped six feet, making spotting one small human woman almost impossible.
“I’ll find her.”
Not that he wanted to. But for Devlin’s sake, he’d make sure the woman stayed out of the way of those who had work to do. Pencil pushers, as D.J. called those in administration, played no role in the daily grind of a Paladin’s life. If the Willis woman managed to get herself in the path of the fighting, she’d learn the hard way why she had no business trying to tell the Paladins how to do their jobs.
Larem ducked back into the conference room in case the representative had sought refuge there, only to find it completely empty. Where could she have disappeared to so quickly?
Her office was located a few blocks away in the admin building, while this one housed the Paladins themselves. It also contained some of the research facilities, including the geology department where Barak and his mate both worked. If he didn’t find Sasha Willis soon, he’d ask his friends to join the search.
The closest exit was down the hallway, past Devlin’s and some of the others’ offices. He headed that direction first.
Sure enough, he spotted her hovering outside Devlin’s door. She looked up as Larem drew near. He wasn’t sure what to do. After all, he was only charged with ensuring she hadn’t been caught in the crush of bodies rushing down to the tunnels.
Mission accomplished. Job done. He could get back to his own business with a clear conscience, at least after he reported to Barak what had been said in the meeting. He kept his eyes straight ahead, intending to walk right by the woman without making any contact. Unfortunately, she had other plans.
“Excuse me, but did you happen to see where Devlin Bane went?”
Larem slowed his steps just long enough to answer, “He headed down to the tunnels when the alarm went off.”
She cocked her head to the side, as if puzzled by his answer, but maybe it was his Kalith accent that surprised her. Humans often mistook it for German or eastern European. With luck, she would as well.
Finally, she slowly nodded, as if he’d confirmed her suspicions. “I’d ask when he’ll be back, but I know that depends on how long the barrier stays down and how many Others are waiting to charge across.”
What could he say to that? He settled for saying nothing. Before he could walk away, though, she stopped him again.
“Sorry, but I’m kind of turned around. Can you point me toward the exit? I’ll head back to my office until Bane returns.”
“The door to the alley is back this way.”
He waited while she jotted Devlin a quick note. As she stuck it on the small corkboard the Paladin leader kept on his door, Cullen walked into sight, offering Larem the perfect opportunity to make his escape. After all, Devlin had thought it best if all the Kalith kept a low profile for a while. How could he do that and act as escort for the woman they were all supposed to avoid?
“Hey, Cullen, I’m late for an appointment. Could you show Miss Willis how to get back to her office?”
Without waiting for his friend to respond, Larem walked away. Maybe he should feel guilty for forcing Cullen to take over, but Sasha Willis had already picked up on his accent. If she recognized him for what he was, who knew where that would lead?
He doubted anyone connected with the Board of Regents would appreciate Kalith warriors wandering around unescorted. In fact, no one would be surprised if orders didn’t come down to do a lot more than restrict their access to Paladin facilities.
Just before the turn at the end of the hall, Larem risked one last look back. Cullen was showing Miss Willis something on his computer screen, giving Larem the perfect opportunity to study the woman without her knowing it.
She was listening intently to Cullen and nodding occasionally. Cullen, one of the resident computer geniuses, looked impressed when she said something and pointed toward the screen.
But it wasn’t just the woman’s intelligence that held Larem’s attention. While almost all Kalith had dark hair and pale gray eyes, Sasha Willis was the opposite. Her hair was a deep red, the warm color of embers burning brightly, and her eyes were dark as night.
A couple of curls had escaped from her attempt to subdue them. His hands itched to pull those pins from her hair and set it all free. Such fiery beauty shouldn’t be restrained. He bet she hated the halo of curls that would surround her face, softening the strong angles of her high cheekbones and full mouth. How would she taste? Tart? Sweet?
He had no business wondering about such things, and just his luck, he’d been caught staring. Rather than run, he nodded in her direction and then calmly walked away. Perhaps she’d think he’d only been assuring himself that she was receiving the help she needed. Rather than worry about it anymore, he headed for the geology lab to consult with Barak and Lacey.
Chapter 2
Sasha did her best to follow Cullen’s detailed explanation about the network he and D.J. had designed for the Paladins. So far, she’d understood most of what he was saying, at least until she’d se
nsed someone staring at the two of them. Straightening up, she took a slow, casual look around.
It didn’t take long to spot who was watching them—the guy who’d initially helped her was still lurking nearby. The question was why he felt compelled to hang around, especially when he’d jumped on the first opportunity to hand her off to someone else.
Interesting man, though. He moved with such quiet dignity and spoke English with an odd cadence, as if it wasn’t his native language. No surprise there. Paladins lived and worked all over the world. He might have been transferred into the area from almost anywhere.
As he nodded and then turned away, she forced her attention back to the computer screen. Who was he? She could ask Cullen but found herself oddly reluctant to do so. Besides, all the local Paladin personnel files were waiting on her desk back in the admin building. She could always shuffle through them to find out his name later.
The only thing that bothered her was why she found him so oddly compelling after such a brief encounter. Sure he was handsome, but all the Paladins she’d met so far had that inborn charisma so characteristic of alpha males. Most likely this particular guy stood out from the crowd only because she’d encountered him one-on-one, rather than as part of that angry mob she’d faced earlier.
She realized that Cullen had stopped talking several seconds ago. “Sorry. I guess I’m still trying to take all this in.”
He shot a quick look down the hall where the mystery man had gone. “Want me to show you the way out now, Ms. Willis?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Cullen logged off his computer and stood up. “It’s down this way. The door leads out into an alley where we keep a guard posted all the time. Since you’re new, I’ll walk you out to make sure there’s no problem.”
Bound by Darkness Page 2