“They have never asked me to transport a man before,” Garrick replied with a frown as he looked at the thread locator. He slapped the thing against the palm of his hand a few times and frowned. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He glanced up through narrowed eyes. “It looks like you’re going to get your mate, you lucky bastard. I have no idea why I cannot bring her to you.” He shrugged, pointed the device toward Daffyd and waved his arm. “I’ll see you later.” He grinned. “Though, you will not see me again.”
The ground gave way to little square bits and Daffyd fell through the surface, hurtling downward. After what seemed an eternity, he landed in a dark and cool place. He made a face at the stench of rotting food and mildew filling his nostrils. Bent over with one hand on his knee, and the other pressed against a cold stone wall, he shook his head to chase away the strange dizziness he acquired from the odd transportation.
“Please don’t do this. Please!” A woman’s fear-filled voice rang in the darkness.
Nothing got his blood pumping and cleared his head as well as a woman who needed his help. “Finally, I have something to do.” He pushed away from the wall with a growl. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m on my way.”
It wouldn’t take him long to reach her. Though his hearing was exceptional like all defenders, he could tell she wasn’t far away.
A quick look around showed him that he was at the end of an alleyway. The woman’s cries came from the other end. The sound of rending cloth reached him and he put on a burst of speed.
He heard many male voices and scowled. He wanted to stop whatever assholes assaulted the woman, especially if she turned out to be his mate. Still, mate or not, she was a woman in need and he could do nothing less than save her. After all, it was his job.
He stopped a few feet back and took stock of the situation. Four young men held a woman down on the ground. The youngest appeared to be in his early twenties. Still a boy when measured with Daffyd’s age, but he was a grown man assaulting a defenseless woman, nonetheless.
Eager hands pawed almost bare breasts while the woman begged them to leave her alone. That she was obviously very pregnant, didn’t escape his notice. Mate or not, she needed his help.
A shock hit him square in the gut when she raised her tear-filled eyes and met his gaze. She lifted a slender, arm toward him. “Help me. Please, help me.”
He wouldn’t have known what she said if it weren’t for his exceptional defender’s hearing. Daffyd doubted the others heard her. The words barely left her lips. One male had his hand in the center of her chest, pressing down while he pawed her with the other. She could barely breathe, if her shallow gasps were any indication.
Daffyd’s control snapped at that pleading whisper. Reaching out, he grabbed the closest youth by the back of the neck and pulled him away from the group with a jerk.
Turning him around, he brought the man’s face so close, their noses almost touched. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you to respect women?” he asked before he none too gently pushed the thug away. The man flew backward, hitting the wall opposite him with a satisfying crack.
With a groan, the young man slid to the ground, unconscious.
“Hey! What do ya think you’re doing, man?” the tallest of the four asked. The snick of a switchblade sounded and Daffyd tried not to smile. It seemed as though he would get his much-needed workout after all.
Chapter Three
Elle watched, terrified as the new man yanked the four boys off her with little effort. It appeared as though the man had more strength than any one man should possess. Tall, his short brown hair streaked with gold, he looked like a body builder or a model. Perhaps he was one of the two. Though model seemed more likely. He was beautiful. At least he had his size to help him. He was at an unfair advantage with the three youths he hadn’t knocked unconscious glaring at him as though he were the one committing the crime.
The leader of the gang pulled a knife, the sickening sound of the blade snapping open had her shutting her eyes to say a prayer of forgiveness. Her heartfelt plea would most likely get the poor man killed. No matter how big he was, if he didn’t know how to defend himself against an armed attacker, he would die here tonight because of her. Elle gathered her tattered blouse around her and scrambled away from the scene. She didn’t want to watch, certain that the man was about to die and it would all be her fault.
Still, she couldn’t look away. She kept staring at them with some morbid fascination, wanting, needing to know that the man would prevail, even with the odds stacked against him. Grabbing two of the youths, her hero slammed them together, their heads cracking against each other audibly while the leader stabbed at him with the knife.
With a scream, Elle moved back, her hand to her chest. Still holding up the shredded remains of her shirt, she held her coat close about her as she attempted to put distance between herself and her attackers. She didn’t want to leave the man alone, but she knew that she would be no help at all. If anything, she knew her presence could distract the poor man and get him killed.
Standing, she made to run away, but a sharp pain had her doubling over, her hands against her stomach. “No!” She couldn’t lose Barry’s child. The baby was a small part of him—all she had left. “Please. God, please don’t take my baby.”
She fell to her knees, unable to do anything but grip her stomach and watch as the leader of the group kept stabbing at the man who would have been her savior had the criminal not had a knife.
Blood seeped from several wounds and the man laughed. He actually laughed! “Do you think your puny efforts will harm me?” He grinned at the thug. “I am Daffyd Soduur, Defender of Mikkant. You cannot harm me. I never sustain lasting damage.”
He ripped his shirt from his impressive torso and wiped the blood from his wounds, only there weren’t any wounds. His tanned skin was as smooth as though his injuries had been nothing more than an illusion.
“I know I cut you!” The gang leader thrust his knife forward, stabbing the man again. “Ha! Wipe that shit away, you bastard.”
The man merely smiled, revealing an irresistible dimple. Elle gasped as she watched the gore disappear and his wound heal before her eyes.
“What the hell are you, man, some sort of vampire or something?”
The man who called himself Daffyd Soduur just gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I have already told you. I am Defender of Mikkant. You cannot permanently injure me, nor can you kill me. I am immortal.” Reaching out, he grabbed the front of the criminal’s shirt. Twisting the material, he lifted the young man off his feet. “No one assaults a woman in my presence.” He lowered his voice until it was little more than a growl. “No. One.”
With a flick of his wrist, he flung the thug against the wall on the far side of the alley. The kid hit the wall with a sickening thwack. Turning, the man faced her, his expression filled with concern. “Are you okay?” He moved toward her and though Elle feared the worst, she still couldn’t seem to look away from his sculptured male perfection.
What was wrong with her? Closing her eyes, Elle shook her head. “I-I think I’m losing my baby.”
Strong arms scooped her up from the ground and held her close. “Don’t worry. I have you now. I won’t let anything happen to your child. I swear it.” He looked down, meeting her gaze with eyes the color of the darkest chocolate. “Do you have other children, or is this your first? Do you have children at home who need assistance?”
“This is my first,” she said with a shake of her head. “Please take me to a hospital. I don’t want my baby to die.”
“Your baby will not die. I swear it.”
Elle wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t make promises he might not be able to keep, but another sharp pain made her gasp, then cry out. “It hurts. I can’t stand it. It hurts so much.”
“Shhh…love. It will be all right. You’ll see,” he said as he carried her toward the entrance of the alley. He didn’t bat an eye
when the pavement started to ripple and break away, swirling in a strange pixilated whirlpool before them. “I will see to all of your needs.”
Elle screamed when he stepped into that strange pool. Darkness surrounded them and they fell for what seemed an eternity. “What’s happening? Where are we? Where are you taking me?”
“I am taking you to a place where the people can save your baby. I am taking you to my home planet, Mikkant. I am defender there. My people will do whatever it takes to see that you and your baby live. I promise you this.”
“Oh, God!” Elle sobbed. “You saved me from a group of murderous thugs, but you’re not much better, are you?” Just my luck, she thought. The man who rescued her from four young men bent on raping and possibly killing her would turn out to be a nut case himself. How could such a beautiful man be that crazy?
She clutched her stomach and tried to force his image out of her mind. How could she even think about how he looked when her baby’s life hung in the balance? She clutched her middle, tears streaming down her face. She didn’t want to be alone with this man, but she knew that she would never make it to help on her own.
Like it or not, Elle knew she had to trust him whether she wanted to or not. It was the only chance to save her baby. Perhaps, once she was better, she could escape him if he didn’t want to let her go.
After a while, the falling sensation eased. It felt as though they flew through the air instead of plummeting to the earth. The air temperature had changed as well. It wasn’t as cold. In fact, it was a bit on the balmy side. A warm breeze ruffled her hair and she turned her face into it. The strange quiet was soothing, her nerves calmed and the almost unbearable ache in her stomach eased for a short time.
Several minutes later, the clouds overhead broke and the silvery light from a giant moon illuminated the landscape. A large building loomed before them with crenellated towers. It appeared to be a castle surrounded by a thick, stone wall that stood at least fifty feet tall. Surrounding the wall was nothing but water, its rippling waves dappled by moonlight. It was then that Elle realized they were flying or, more to the point, he was flying and carrying her with him.
The pain in her stomach increased again and Elle forgot about everything, but praying to every God she could remember, asking them to save her baby’s life.
They landed on a large balcony. A wave of his hand opened the glass doors before them. Striding through them, he hurried over to a large bed and placed her on the soft mattress. Reaching out, he pulled a long, gold cord over her head.
Almost immediately, a door opened and a man hurried in. “Yes, Defender?”
“Get the healer, Samau. Her baby is in distress. We must do what we can to save them both.”
Elle stared up at the man who saved her from her attackers. He looked so worried. It was as though he felt responsible for her. It was ridiculous when she thought about it. He didn’t even know her name and he acted as though her life and the life of her child were more important to him than anything.
“I’ll never be able to repay you for saving us.” Something told her that she would die this day and she would never see or hold her baby. “I don’t think I’m going to—”
“Shh…” Daffyd grabbed her hand and kissed the palm. He pressed it against his face. “Don’t think about that.” He pressed his free hand against her belly. “Your child moves. It is still alive and so are you.”
“But if I should die…” she couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence.
“You will not die.” He stared into her eyes for a moment, then sighed. “If you should, I will care for your child as my own. He will never want for a thing.”
“It could be a girl, you know.” She smiled through her fears. What if she really died here? Who would mourn her? She bit her lip as another pain ripped through her abdomen. Who would mourn her anywhere? It was time she finally came to grips with the fact that she had no one. This strange man had given her more in the last twenty minutes or so than anyone had since Barry died.
It was too bad she was dying. She could feel it. Her life ebbed away with every strong contraction. Every gripping wave stole more of her energy away as her baby seemed to fight harder to escape the prison of her womb. It was fitting. She would give up her life for her child without a second thought.
It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to reach up and cup her hero’s cheek. “Thank you, for trying to save me, Daffyd, but I think I’m a total loss. Please save my baby, even if it’s at the expense of my life.”
Chapter Four
Daffyd held her smaller hand in his. She squeezed his tight, but not enough to harm him. Her head thrashed on the pillow, perspiration covered her brow, locks of dark russet sticking to her face. Reaching up, he brushed the damp hair from her forehead.
Never before in his life had he ever felt so inadequate. He was of no use to her other than a body to hold her hand. A lump formed in his throat when he realized that this gorgeous woman could die in his arms, in his bed, and he didn’t even know her name.
“I will care for your baby. I will care for both of you. You will not die.” Daffyd wanted to gather her in his arms, hold her close, and tell her everything would be all right. He couldn’t. Not yet. He would only frighten her more.
He met her violet gaze, marveling at the color of her beautiful eyes. “Tell me your name.” He would have compelled her had that been one of his powers. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. So far, that he knew, only the defender, Tristan had that particular ability. He’d often considered the other man lucky to have that power. Now, Daffyd realized that he was the lucky one. Tristan had not yet found a woman with whom to share his life.
“Elle,” she said on a groan. “My name is Elle.”
“A beautiful name for such a beautiful woman.”
“Ha! Right. I’m fat and sweaty and screaming. I’ve probably broken your fingers squeezing them, and you say I’m beautiful.” She shook her head. “If anyone is beautiful, it’s you. Who else would have helped me in that alley? Who else would have carried me to get help?” She cast her gaze around the room with a frown. “Why didn’t you take me to a hospital? I’m dying. My baby is dying.”
Tears slid down her cheeks. Real fear filled her face “Why did you bring me to this place when you know I need a doctor?” She tried to sit up, but Daffyd gently pressed her backward.
“The healer I have provided for my people is the best there is. She will be here soon. You and your child will be fine. You’ll see.”
Daffyd prayed to the gods that he wasn’t lying to her. Though he’d only known her for a few minutes, he knew he needed this woman in his life. What other woman would be so brave at facing death? Only a woman capable of being the mate of a defender could be so bold.
The sound of hurrying footsteps reached him and he almost bowed his head with relief. He would have gotten the healer himself, had he been able to leave Elle’s side. He had no doubt in his mind that she would have told him to go, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave. He needed to be with her, holding her hand.
“You know, it’s funny,” Elle said as she stared at him, her eyes glazed over as she panted through the pain. “I don’t know you, not really, but I know you better than I know just about anyone else.” She shook her head. “Isn’t it odd how much you can learn about someone in such a short time?” She squeezed his hand.
“What do you think you know about me, love?” He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. He was unable to stop himself. He needed the contact with her.
“I know that you’re honorable.” She attempted a smile, but it turned out more of a grimace as she groaned with the pain. “I know you’re brave and that you would put a stranger’s life above your own. I also know that you have a high tolerance for pain because I’m squeezing your fingers tight and you haven’t flinched once.” She gasped and reached for her stomach. “I wish I had a high tolerance for pain right now.”
“What else do
you know about me?” He wanted to know. First impressions were everything. These first impressions meant even more. The trauma would magnify what she felt, and if she found him lacking, it could make her reject him. Gods knew how Daffyd needed her to accept him as he was, because he was too damned old to change now.
She attempted to smile again. “I know that you put others’ needs before your own.” She looked around. “This is your bedroom, isn’t it? You know, if I have my baby in your bed, you’re not going to be able to sleep here. I’ll most likely ruin the mattress.”
“Anything else?”
“I know that you’re some kind of super hero. As crazy and impossible as it seems, you’re stronger than the average man, you can fly, and if I’m not mistaken, you have somehow taken me to another planet because Earth only has one moon, not two.” She paused to concentrate on her breathing. “One other thing,” she said after she caught her breath.
“Yes?”
“You must be someone important because the average Joe doesn’t live in a castle.” She stared deep into his eyes. “Who are you?”
Chapter Five
Elle stared at the man who held her hand so tenderly. Who was he and why did he care what happened to her and her baby? It wasn’t as though she didn’t appreciate his help. She thanked God for his arrival in that alley and for the strange powers that gave him the advantage over the four young thugs who had most likely planned to kill her.
“I am Daffyd Soduur, defender of Mikkant.”
“You said that before.” She gasped when another pain gripped her. It was as though someone tried to rip her apart. Sweat beaded on her brow and dripped down into her eyes. Reaching up, she brushed it away. “Where’s you’re healer? What’s taking her so long?”
The words had barely left her lips when the door burst open. Two women and a man rushed in.
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