Bound by Darkness

by Alexis Morgan

  For a man who swore he hated dancing, he looked pretty proficient at it. Devlin and Laurel were the next couple to join in, followed by Trahern and Brenna. Pretty soon all the mated pairs were dancing while the other males looked on in envy. But after the first song, all the women abandoned their partners and chose new ones.

  Lonzo, not to be outdone by D.J., was showing off to a salsa number with Sasha, her pretty face flushed and happy as she did her best to follow his lead. Whoever was manning the stereo switched over to a slower pace after the salsa ended to give everyone the chance to catch their breath.

  Larem had been waiting for that exact moment to make his move. He held out his hand to Sasha, giving her the final decision.

  Sasha didn’t hesitate, letting Larem pull her close as the gentle rhythms surrounded them. They fit together better than she would’ve thought considering the difference in their heights. Cocooned in the darkness of the crowded patio, she gave in to temptation and laid her head against Larem’s chest. A heartbeat later, he nestled his head against the top of hers, his breath softly tickling her cheek.

  Dancing with Lonzo and D.J. had been fun, but this was different. Ever since that instant when Larem had grabbed her in the elevator, she’d wanted to feel his arms around her again. It was insane, and she knew it.

  That didn’t make it any less true.

  Unfortunately, songs never lasted more than a few minutes. As the final strains died away, she forced herself to step back. Larem resisted letting her go only briefly, but it was long enough to let her know that she wasn’t the only one with regrets.

  She held on to his hand, tugging him down so she could be heard over the heavy metal that started blasting from the closest speakers. “I’d like a cold drink before I get whisked away again.”

  He nodded and plowed a path through the crowd, towing her along behind him. When they broke through to freedom, he finally let go of her hand. It was for the best, but for the first time she felt the chill of the evening air.

  “What would you like?”

  Larem had leaned down close to her ear to ask. She turned toward him, toward that mouth that she very much wanted to taste again. For a second she thought he’d read her thoughts because he swayed toward her a fraction of an inch before abruptly standing back.

  She blinked, wondering if she’d only imagined that small connection, but then she sensed another presence. They weren’t alone. Lonzo was standing right behind them, popping the top on a beer. She realized she’d never answered Larem, but accepted the pop he held out to her.

  “Thank you.”

  She hoped he realized she meant for more than just the drink. It was hard not to be disappointed by the missed opportunity, but it was definitely for the best. She didn’t know what to do about the attraction she felt for Larem. Rather than stand there next to temptation, she set her drink aside and went looking for D.J.

  Chapter 12

  Lonzo nudged Larem with his elbow. “You gotta quit looking at her like that. She’s cute and all, but Sasha’s the boss, not to mention her old man is a Regent.”

  Larem was tempted to tell his roommate to fuck off and mind his own business, but Lonzo was right. Larem was playing with fire, and they both knew who’d end up getting burned if her father found out a Kalith warrior was itching to get naked with his daughter.

  “There’s nothing going on.”

  “Yeah, right.” Lonzo nodded toward the dance floor where Sasha was dancing with D.J. “I doubt anyone but me and Hunter know for sure that you’re seriously interested in her, but you need to be careful.”

  “I had one dance with her, and so did you.” He glared in D.J.’s direction. “Go talk to him. He’s on his second.”

  Lonzo snorted. “Yeah, he is, but she isn’t cuddling with him like she did with you. I’ve got to tell you, bro, those were some serious moves you put on her out there.”

  “So I was lucky enough to get a song with a slow beat instead of whatever you want to call that racket.” His words came out as more of a growl than intended.

  Lonzo understood him well enough to know that when Larem’s accent grew thicker, his temper was on the verge of exploding. That didn’t mean he’d back off.

  “I’m not trying to piss you off, man, but you need to tread carefully. You already made waves when you went all heroic and saved her life, not to mention how you got all territorial when you faced down those two punks earlier. Toss in holding her close like that on the dance floor, and you might as well paint a sign on her back marking her as yours.”

  Anger slid through Larem’s veins. “I didn’t hear her complaining.”

  “No, you were both too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else. But I wasn’t the only one watching, and there was definitely some speculation about what was going on. Maybe you could deflect some of that if you’d go dance with someone else. Better yet, a couple of someone elses.”

  That was the last thing Larem wanted to do, but he had to admit Lonzo was right. “Fine, I’ll go dance, but the first person who laughs gets his ass kicked, especially if it’s you.”

  Lonzo grinned. “Fair enough. Meanwhile, I’m going to steal Sasha before someone else does.”

  He laughed when Larem glared at him. “I’m just looking out for your interests, roomie.”

  “Sure you are.”

  “I sure as hell am.” Lonzo turned serious. “I don’t poach.”

  The party slowly wound down. With everyone pitching in, the final cleanup didn’t take long. One by one, the cars and trucks disappeared from sight. Larem was catching a lift to the apartment he shared with Lonzo, but he wanted to make sure Sasha had a way back to her hotel. Yeah, she was a big girl and could find her own ride, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

  Lonzo, always the mind reader, leaned close and murmured, “Want me to ask her if she needs a ride?”

  Larem’s first instinct was to say no, but he gave in to the temptation. “Yeah, go ahead.”

  He watched as his roommate stopped to talk to a couple of friends, taking an indirect route to where Sasha stood chatting with Lacey. Smart thinking. That would lessen the likelihood that anyone would think anything of his casual offer to give Sasha a ride.

  To reinforce the idea that Lonzo was operating on his own, Larem left the house to stand outside by the truck. Either Sasha would be with Lonzo or she wouldn’t; all he could do was wait to see.

  A minute later, the front door opened again. Larem had been leaning against the fender of the truck but immediately straightened up as soon as Sasha stepped out into the night air. He ignored the surge of excitement at seeing her coming toward him. Both the Kalith and the Paladins had superior night vision, so he carefully schooled his features to express only mild interest in her approach.

  He ached to explore those feminine curves again, to crush her body against his somewhere a hell of a lot more private than a crowded patio. He closed his eyes and imagined how it would feel to dance with her, only stretched out on a big bed, her satin skin sliding against his. Damn, he couldn’t let himself think that way.

  She walked directly toward him, Lonzo tagging along slightly behind her. Larem waited until they were little more than a car length away from where he stood to open the passenger door for her.

  “Are you guys sure the hotel’s not out of your way?”

  “Don’t sweat it,” Lonzo said, jangling his keys as he walked around to the driver’s side. “It’s not very far from our apartment.”

  “Well, I appreciate it.”

  She paused to eye the high step up into Lonzo’s truck with obvious misgivings. Larem glanced around and decided no one was watching. He quickly swept her up in his arms and lifted her up to the seat, startling a gasp from Sasha and a laugh from Lonzo.

  “Next time warn me!” she said, sounding more flustered than furious.

  She immediately scooted over toward the middle to make room for him. Even as tiny as she was, the cab felt crowded, but maybe that was because ev
ery sense Larem possessed was running hot with her next to him. Pressed together, shoulder to hip, hip to thigh, her warmth soaked through the thin layers of fabric that separated them, the sensation guaranteed to drive him crazy.

  He shifted his position, angling his back toward the door, hoping to give both of them a little breathing room. It didn’t help, not with the scent of her perfume filling in the small space that he opened up between them. Right now, it felt as if both time and Lonzo’s truck were crawling along, intent on straining Larem’s selfcontrol to the limit.

  Finally, they were back downtown and pulling up in front of Sasha’s hotel. As Lonzo drove under the overhang, his cell phone chimed. He checked the text message and cursed.

  “Sorry, folks, but I’ve gotta rock-and-roll. Devlin’s calling in the troops.”

  Larem climbed out of the truck and then lifted Sasha down to the ground. “Drop me here. I can get back home on my own.”

  “You sure?”

  “No problem. I could use a long walk.”

  A really long walk, like right off one of the piers. Maybe the chilly water of Puget Sound would cool his almost painful awareness of the woman standing beside him.

  “So, did he say what was going on?” Sasha asked Lonzo

  “Nope, but if it was really bad, he would’ve called rather than texting. Oh, well, never a dull moment.”

  The Paladin smiled down at her. “Thanks for the dances, Sasha.” Then he grinned at Larem. “Don’t wait up, Lucy.”

  Larem laughed. “Be careful, Ricky.”

  “I will.”

  Larem shut the door and the two of them watched Lonzo drive off. Sasha shivered as she stared after the truck, turning toward Larem only after the taillights disappeared down the street. “God, I don’t know how they stay sane and do what they do.”

  Larem stripped off his jacket and hung it around her shoulders. “Come on, Sasha. D.J.? Sane?”

  She giggled. “Okay, you got me there.”

  “But to answer your question, they are warriors, born and bred to serve their people. They can’t imagine living any other life. If you took it away from them, they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. Perhaps join your military, although some would have a difficult time concealing their special abilities.”

  Sasha’s dark eyes studied Larem, seeing far more than he was comfortable with. He didn’t want to hear whatever she was thinking.

  When she did speak, she surprised him. “Would you like to come up for a drink?”

  Yes, he’d love to follow her up to her room, but to share far more than a beverage. “Sasha, I’ve already been warned that people think I’m interested in you. Do you really think that would be wise?”

  “Probably not, but I’m inviting you anyway.” She looked past him. “If you’re worried about going upstairs with me, we could walk down to that cafe and just get coffee.”

  Larem hesitated for all of two seconds before rejecting that idea. Out in public, there was no telling who might see them, but for the two of them to be together up in her room definitely wasn’t smart either. Far better that he start the long walk home—alone. He led her around the corner, out of the bright lights and into the shadows against the concrete wall.

  “It might be smarter if I just go, Sasha.”

  “Fine.” She held out his jacket. “But why? I’d like to think we could at least be friends.”

  Friends? Like hell.

  “You want to know why? Because two seconds after we shut the door to your room, Sasha, I’m going to want a whole lot more than a drink with you. And afterward, you’ll want me to fade back into these shadows, acting like nothing ever went on between us, but that’s not going to happen. If you’re ready for that possibility, then by all means let’s go up to your room and see where the night takes us.”

  He cupped the side of her face with his hand, brushing the pad of his thumb across her lips. “If not, let me go now before this goes any further. Before I hurt any more.”

  She answered him with a kiss, her sweet mouth softening his frustration. He pulled her into his arms, the perfect fit of her body against his reminding him of the melody that had played while they danced. Perhaps she heard it, too, because suddenly they were swaying in a rhythm meant only for the two of them.

  He leaned into her, loving the feel of her soft breasts pressed against his chest. Her hands latched on to his wrists and then made their way up his arms, finally coming to rest on his shoulders. Their tongues slipped and slid and tempted, hinting at what was to come next if they were to continue down this path together.

  Gods, when was the last time a female held him, wanted him, and made him feel needed like this? Maybe never.

  He became lost in this moment, lost in this woman, and then almost lost his life when he heard a popping sound and something hit the wall above his head, sending chips of concrete raining down on them both. Grabbing Sasha, he pulled her to the ground behind a nearby parked car.

  Sasha clung to his hand. “Larem! Was that a gunshot?”

  “Yes. Stay down while I look around.”

  He crawled toward the back of the car to peer up over the trunk. Nothing at first, but then the sound of tires squealing as someone ripped down the street and around the corner out of sight. Something wet dripped down his cheek. Had he been hit? He touched his finger to the liquid and studied it in the faint light.

  “Larem?”

  He retreated to where Sasha waited and helped her up. “They’re gone. Let’s get you inside.”

  She huddled by his side, her rapid breathing a clear sign of how badly shaken she was. “Shouldn’t we call the police?”

  “There’s nothing they’ll be able to do.”

  “But someone shot at us!” Anger replaced the fear in her voice.

  Larem led her back to where they’d been standing to point at a splash of dark color on the wall. “Yes, they did, but apparently with a paint ball.”

  He fingered a lock of her hair, feeling the sticky residue there. “We both have it on our clothes and hair. Maybe it was just a teenage prank. I’ll call the police if you’d like, but we have no description, no license plate, and no evidence other than a splash of paint.”

  “The little jerks! A little lower and they might have hit the back of your head.”

  “But they didn’t.”

  Her concern for him was sweet, but it was time to get her off the street and in to safety. Maybe it really had been kids playing around, but he wouldn’t discard the possibility that the attack had been something more—a warning of some kind. If it was, Devlin would kick his ass for dragging the local police into Paladin business.

  “Let’s get you inside before that paint dries in your hair.”

  He took one more look up and down the street, unable to shake the feeling that someone was out there watching their every move. Devlin was busy right now, so he’d have to e-mail this to the Paladin to see what he thought.

  Inside, he was grateful that the staff on duty was too busy with other customers to take much notice as the two of them hurried across the lobby. Luck was with them, because the elevator opened as soon as he pressed the button. He’d see Sasha safely to her room and then go back out to do some prowling. He didn’t mind making a target of himself, but he wasn’t about to risk Sasha being harmed.

  Not that he wanted to leave her. He was all too aware that the two of them were only a moment away from enough privacy to finish what they’d started out side on the sidewalk. Better make his stay short and sweet before temptation beat out good sense.

  Sasha was cold and seriously buzzed. It was a relief that it had been a paint ball and not a bullet, but even so, the adrenaline still pounded in her veins, combined with the aftershock of kissing Larem. She wanted nothing more right now than to get lost in his embrace.

  Was that crazy? Probably.

  She’d had her share of boyfriends, but other than with David, the heat had quickly faded, and the relationships had fallen apart. None of them�
��not one—rocked her world with a simple kiss the way Larem q’Jones did.

  Maybe it was the attraction of forbidden fruit, but she’d outgrown her taste for bad boys years ago when David died. No, there was something about Larem’s solemn demeanor and warrior heart that made her want more every time they touched.

  Should she still invite him in? She didn’t know what he was thinking, but for her the question hung in the air, heavy and demanding. She slid the magnetic key in the slot and watched the light change to green. The handle turned easily as one by one, the excuses to linger disappeared.

  That’s when she remembered that she wasn’t the only one splattered with paint. Larem’s dark clothing didn’t show it as much, but there was no missing the dried splotches on the side of his face.

  “You’d better come in and wash up.”

  His pale eyes narrowed as he considered her offer. “If you’re sure you don’t mind. It would be better if I didn’t wander the streets with a blue face.” Then he smiled. “Who knows, someone might mistake me for an alien or something.”

  She forced a laugh. “Yeah, can’t have that happening.”

  Sasha pointed toward the bathroom. “There are clean towels and washcloths on the rack.”

  Larem stood back. “Ladies first.”

  Inside the bathroom, she studied her face in the mirror. Larem had shielded her from most of the paint, leaving only a few droplets clinging to her hair and sprinkled across her right cheek. She made quick work of washing the paint out of her hair in the sink and then scrubbed her face clean.

  “Your turn,” she said as she walked back out into the suite, toweling her hair dry.

  She had to admit that it felt strangely intimate to hear Larem moving around in her bathroom. As if his presence meant more than a friend stopping in for a visit. When the water shut off, she hurried across the room to look out the window rather than get caught staring at the bathroom door when he came out.