Larem’s leg was killing him as he limped his way down the street and cursed the gods’ sense of humor. Couldn’t they have made it so that his erratic gift as a healer would at least work better on himself? Yes, his body was repairing itself far faster than a human’s would, but it still hurt like hell.
Earlier, he’d waited until Laurel was ripping into Lonzo for lying, to sneak out of the lab. His poor roommate should’ve known better than to try to put something over on the Handler. Laurel had too much experience with Paladins to let him get by with his ruse.
On the other hand, she had no reason to think Larem would be in any great hurry to vacate the place, especially after his near collapse right after Sasha left. Because of his Kalith metabolism, the pain medication she’d given him hadn’t lasted nearly long enough. Once it had worn off, all he could think about was getting the hell out of the lab and back to his duties at the shelter.
The animals he worked with always soothed his restless spirit. All they needed to make them happy was a gentle touch and acceptance. His hand twitched as he remembered how good it had felt to have Sasha squeeze his hand when she thought he was asleep. Maybe that’s why he and the dogs got along. They had that much in common.
He walked through the back door of the clinic, doing his best to shrug off the pain and frustration of the past few days. His furry friends had enough problems of their own without having to pick up on his tension. As soon as he started across the room, several heads turned his way. Most weren’t human, but one was. Dr. Isaac smiled and headed straight for him.
He clapped Larem on the shoulder. “Hey, I was getting pretty concerned about you. Usually if you’re going to miss a shift, you call.”
“I’m sorry to have worried you, Doctor.” Larem opened his locker and slipped on his lab coat. “I hope my absence didn’t cause any problems.”
The vet was frowning when Larem turned back toward him. “You’re limping. What happened? Are you all right?”
“I injured my leg. It just needed a few stitches.” Major surgery, actually, but confessing that would only worry the man. “It happened right before my shift yesterday. I’m sore, but otherwise fine.”
“That’s good.” Then Dr. Isaac jerked his head toward the cages on the far side of the room. “Better check in with Chance over there first thing. He’s been staring at the door nonstop. I’d even go so far as to say that he’s been missing you. If you can convince him to forgive your transgressions, I’d like to check him over.”
Knowing the dog, Larem planned on making a cautious approach. “He’ll no doubt make me pay for keeping him waiting.”
Yeah, he’d have to make up for lost ground with the temperamental dog. At least that would give Larem something else to focus on other than Sasha’s dark eyes and halo of fiery hair.
“Hey, Chance, I’m back.”
A quick snarl made it perfectly clear how the dog felt about that. He’d been lying down but immediately lurched to his feet as Larem approached his cage, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. At least he wasn’t repeatedly charging against the door of the cage the way he had in the beginning.
Larem dragged a low bench over to the cage and gingerly lowered himself to sit. The position was far from comfortable for his leg, but it beat sitting on the floor. He closed his eyes and turned his focus inward, seeking the warmth and light. His supplies were low, but he was able to pull additional energy from the sunlight streaming in from a skylight.
When he’d amassed enough to share, he turned his gaze on the dog, keeping his attitude neutral. Slowly, he let the healing warmth trickle toward the animal, concentrating on the damaged leg to ease any residual pain. The growling slowed and then disappeared. The trickle became a stream until finally Chance lay back down, his big head resting on his front paws, and his body relaxed.
The two wounded souls sat in peaceful companionship for quite some time. When Larem thought the dog would accept his approach, he stood up and reached for one of the leashes hanging on a peg on the wall. Chance’s ears quirked forward as he followed Larem’s every movement with interest.
He remained calm when Larem attached the leash and led the way over to the examination table. “Chance, behave yourself, and I’ll take you for a long walk.”
The dog immediately sat down as if understanding the terms of the deal. Dr. Isaac kept his movements slow and deliberate as he came toward Chance.
“Good boy, this won’t take long, I promise.”
Larem had been prepared to intervene if the dog decided to act up. But Chance remained still while Dr. Isaac ran expert hands over his fur, only whining a little when the vet pressed and poked his bad leg. Then to everyone’s surprise, Chance accepted a couple of treats directly from the doctor’s hand as soon as the exam was over.
“He’s doing great, Larem. I swear you work magic with my patients. Go ahead, you two. Take your walk, but don’t overdo it. It’s a nice day and someone should get to soak up some of that sunshine out there.”
“We’ll be back in a while.”
“Take your time. And Larem,” Dr. Isaac said, his faded blue eyes twinkling, “one of these days, maybe you’ll trust me enough to explain how that secret mojo of yours actually works. In case you’re wondering, I do know how to keep a secret.”
Then he walked into his office and shut the door, leaving Larem staring after him, both stunned and speechless. At least Dr. Isaac hadn’t sounded angry. Would he ever figure these humans out? Probably not.
Finally, Chance whined and tugged on the leash. Larem smiled as he patted the dog on the head. “All right, my friend. Let’s take that walk.”
Chapter 10
Back in her hotel room, Sasha couldn’t get the image of the man she’d seen on the street out of her head. She wasn’t sure why, but she was convinced it had been Larem. Laurel hadn’t said anything about him when Sasha had called her about the condo, but then again, she was the man’s doctor. Maybe that whole patient confidentiality thing applied.
The good news was that the barrier had finally stabilized, so the Paladins could stand down. Devlin had e-mailed Sasha to say he’d set up a rotating schedule to give everyone a little extra time off. She just hoped the barrier cooperated long enough to give them a chance to catch up on their rest.
Still, neither Devlin nor his wife said a word about Larem. If it had been him, where was he going? He’d been heading in the same direction he’d gone after they’d stopped for coffee.
Maybe she should take a short walk herself. Work could wait. While the sun was still up, she’d get out and enjoy the fresh air. She pocketed her keys and enough cash for a latte. Outside, the day had grown a little cooler. She could come to really love living here in Seattle. Although she was aware of her father’s doubts the Regents would appoint her to the job permanently, that didn’t mean she shouldn’t do her best to prove him wrong.
Of course, any more “incidents” would crush any chance she had. On some level she didn’t regret what had happened despite how horrific it had been. Instead, it only solidified her determination to make things better for the Paladins and their guards. How many of the existing Regents had firsthand experience in what it was like for such brave men?
Very few, she would guess, and that needed to change. Sometimes she thought the Regents were almost petrified. Anything new, any change in how things were done, and they responded by digging in their heels. They hated that Devlin had married a Handler, but five minutes in the couple’s company and Sasha had known for certain it was a love match.
Yes, she understood the Regents’ concern about the Seattle Paladins allowing Kalith to live in their midst, but again they didn’t know any. Granted, she’d only met one, but if Larem was typical of his kind, then she couldn’t see how the world was worse off because of his presence.
Now if she could only keep him out of her thoughts for a while. Hoping coffee would help, she hung a right and headed for the nearest coffee shop. Thanks to a short line, she was heading back
out the door sipping her favorite combo in just a few minutes.
What next? Certainly, she wouldn’t go hunting for the elusive Kalith male who had already made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her. Maybe Larem was right to feel that way, considering what he had gone through because of her. And there was still the question of who had tricked her into going down into the tunnels alone and why.
The sun had gone behind the clouds, darkening her mood. She did her best to shake off the shadows. Far better that she savor her drink and the sunshine as she walked back to her hotel. No doubt that would be the smart thing to do.
Before she reached the end of the block, though, an enormous white dog came barreling around the corner dragging its owner along by its leash. She had no idea what breeds had donated their DNA to produce this particular dog, but the results were definitely intimidating.
Most of the people around her scattered to get out of the dog’s way, understandably leery of an animal with teeth that would give the average alligator a run for its money. Not to mention the fact that he probably tipped the scales pretty close to where Sasha herself weighed in.
She’d been so intrigued by the dog, she hadn’t yet noticed the owner. The dog came to an abrupt stop right in front of her. When she looked up, she couldn’t believe her eyes, and her heart lurched in her chest. Larem. Despite their earlier encounter, she badly wanted to touch him, if only to make sure he was all right.
“Larem? Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”
His reaction to seeing her was interesting. If she had to guess, she would’ve said he looked embarrassed or maybe guilty. “I had things to do.”
She held her fingers out to the dog to sniff. “I can see that.”
“Be careful, Sasha. Chance isn’t particularly fond of people.”
But in direct contradiction to Larem’s warning, Chance gave Sasha’s fingers a quick lick and then plopped his backside down on the sidewalk, clearly in no hurry to get away from her. Moving cautiously, Sasha reached out to scratch the dog’s chin, laughing when he groaned and leaned into her hand.
His easy acceptance made her smile. “See, you’re not so tough, are you, big guy?”
Then speaking to his two-legged companion, she added, “Would you like me to watch him while you get a cup of coffee?”
It was clear that Larem was hesitant, but finally he handed her the leash. “I’ll be right out.”
“Take your time. We’re doing fine.”
Larem really hadn’t wanted coffee, but it gave him an excuse to get away from Sasha for a couple of minutes. For sure, he shouldn’t have left her alone with Chance. The dog was too unpredictable even if he had been on his best behavior since they had left the clinic.
While waiting for his order, Larem kept a wary eye on the pair outside on the sidewalk. The sunshine brought out the gold highlights in Sasha’s hair as she talked to the dog. Chance had his head cocked to the side, looking as if he understood every word she said. With his tail doing a slow sweep back and forth on the sidewalk, Chance was happily soaking up every bit of attention she was offering.
Larem should be pleased the dog was capable of bonding with a human after all he’d suffered at his former owner’s hand. But in fact, what he was really feeling was jealous. He should be ashamed of resenting the badly abused animal’s ability to charm Sasha, but he wished like hell he was the one she couldn’t keep her hands off of.
But he also recognized lonely when he saw it. After all, he lived with it on a daily basis himself. He appreciated the friendship so freely given by Hunter and Lonzo, but that didn’t mean he really fit into their world. Sasha had much the same problem. No matter how good her intentions, those she most wanted to help viewed her as an outsider. Trust and friendship might be slow in coming.
“Sir, your coffee.”
“Thank you.” His respite was over.
After dropping a couple of dollars in the tip jar, he headed for the door. As soon as he walked outside, Chance stood, his wagging tail picking up speed.
“He’s a nice dog.” Sasha handed the leash back to Larem. “Would you mind if I walked with you?”
Yes, he would, but not for the reasons she might think. But he’d always preferred to face his problems head-on, and she was definitely a problem for him.
“We’re not going far. Chance needs exercise, but I don’t want him to overdo it.” Not to mention Larem’s own leg wasn’t back to full strength.
“I noticed he favors one leg. What happened?”
“His former owner used him in dog fights for money.”
Sasha gasped. “That’s awful! The bastard should be gutted for that!”
Larem agreed with her bloodthirsty reaction. “The police and Animal Control got a tip and were able to break up the ring. Unfortunately, some of the dogs were too far gone to save. Chance was almost one of them. The vet was able to repair the damage, but the dog’s lack of trust for anyone on two legs made it difficult to treat him after the anesthesia wore off.”
“He obviously trusts you.” She hurried her steps long enough to be able to pet the dog’s head. “I can’t imagine mistreating an animal like that.”
“It’s taken a lot of hard-fought battles for me to get him this far. You’ve gotten closer to him in the past fifteen minutes than I did in weeks.”
“But you laid the groundwork.”
Even so, Sasha seemed pleased by his assessment as they continued down the street. At the end of the block, she stopped. “I’d better go. The past few days have put me behind on a few things. But D.J. and Cullen have managed to make progress on Colonel Kincade’s files. He sure left things in total chaos.”
No surprise there. “That man was a monster.”
One who had played games with lives on both sides of the barrier. His involvement in the theft of the blue stones from Kalithia had led directly to the series of events that destroyed Larem’s old life and forced him into this one. Instead of serving his world as an honored warrior, here he was walking a dog. He drew great satisfaction from being able to soothe the wounded spirits of Dr. Isaac’s patients. But life in this world wasn’t the same and never would be.
“I won’t argue that. Unfortunately, Kincade managed to hide his activities so well that no one even suspected what he was up to.”
Larem disagreed. “The Paladins certainly knew, but either no one wanted to hear what they had to say on the matter or someone was covering for him.”
“Why do you say that?” Sasha came to an abrupt halt. “Do you know something specific or are you just guessing? My father and the other Regents would’ve done something if they’d known.”
All right, either she was gullible or too innocent to see the darkness in others. He suspected it was the latter.
“Sasha, the man got away with robbing my world for years. He had to have left a trail, especially when it’s obvious that he wasn’t working alone. There was the guard who tried to kill Laurel, and that Regent in Missouri who shot Trahern. Not to mention whoever killed that very same Regent before Jarvis and the Paladins were able to interrogate him.”
Sasha’s pale skin took on an ashen hue. He reached out to steady her, but she jerked back out of his reach. “You’re not privy to the inner workings of the Regents.”
“No, I’m not.” He stepped closer, deliberately crowding her. “But I have personal experience in dealing with what happens when someone decides the rules don’t apply to him. If it weren’t for Kincade’s unbridled greed, I wouldn’t be stuck here with you.”
Sasha’s eyes briefly widened in obvious shock, then narrowed in anger. “Well, I’m sorry for burdening you with my presence.”
Chance whined, clearly confused by the sudden change in the atmosphere. He looked from Larem and then back to Sasha. Larem hadn’t meant his comment to be an attack on her, but he didn’t regret the blunt truth he’d spoken.
“You’re not the Regents, Sasha.” But she was their representative, and they both knew it.
&n
bsp; “No, but I hope to be one, and I respect the work they’ve done and what they stand for.”
He flexed his hands, trying to control his temper. “Don’t ask me to cheer them on when their successes are written in the blood of my people.”
She stepped closer, getting right in his face. “If your people would stay where they belong, there’d be no need for the Regents at all. And what about the Paladins? You seem to have no problem with them.”
“No, I don’t. They are honorable warriors.”
In fact his problem at the moment was how much he wanted to wrap this woman in his arms to protect her from everything dark and ugly in this world. She was both strong enough and resilient enough to handle anything that might be thrown at her, but he hated to see her idealism get battered and bruised.
He busied his hands petting Chance’s soft fur. “I’m sorry, Sasha. I didn’t mean to pick another fight.”
It was obvious her own temper was running hot, too, but finally she sighed and retreated a step. “Yes, well, like I said, I have work to do.”
He stayed where he was, watching her walk away and wondering how things had spun out of control so quickly. It didn’t help that Chance tried to follow her, fighting to break free of the firm grip Larem had on his leash.
“Down, boy.” He tugged Chance back by his side. “We have to let her go.”
Finally, Chance whined and gave up, his head down and his tail drooping. Larem knew exactly how the big dog felt—it was as if the sun had dimmed and its warmth faded. Both males stood and watched Sasha until she disappeared around the corner. Frustrated and weary, they made their way back to the shelter.
God, Sasha so didn’t want to be having this meeting right now, but neither did she have a good reason to postpone it any longer. Devlin would’ve come to her, she supposed, but she’d decided that he might appreciate her meeting him on his own turf. It would be interesting to see how this played out. Right now, she’d be grateful if they just got through the next hour without any bloodshed.
Okay, that was an exaggeration, but she’d had a crappy weekend, thanks in part to the fight she’d had with one Larem Jones and his buddy Chance. She wasn’t mad at the dog, but she certainly had to question his taste in humans. No, make that his taste in humanoids. Chance probably didn’t care about the distinction, but right now it was an important one to her.
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