In Darkness Transformed

by Alexis Morgan

  Doc walked into the kitchen, his hair still damp from his shower. “Did I hear my name being mentioned?”

  Mike answered before she could. “I was telling her that we approve of her and Eli.”

  The other man gave a sorrowful sigh. “I would only point out that I’m a much better catch, but there’s no accounting for taste. Besides, Sarge would kick my ass for trying to get between him and his woman.”

  She laughed, but only because Doc expected it. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to share the truth with them. “Eli plans to disappear completely, hoping to keep all of us safe from the men hunting him. He knows I can’t abandon my people, not when so much is changing.”

  Turning her back to them, she added, “Not that he asked me to go with him.”

  Both men immediately bracketed her, offering their version of rough comfort. Doc patted her on the shoulder. “Eli is a lot of things, Safara, but stupid isn’t one of them. He knows you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. You know it, too.”

  She sniffled a bit. “I do?”

  “Yeah, you do.”

  That flat statement came from Mike. “And if he doesn’t figure it out for himself, let us know, and the two of us will teach him the error of his ways.”

  He flexed the fingers on his left hand. “This arm might be out of commission, but Doc can hold him while I deliver a stern lecture with my right.”

  She gave each of them a quick hug. “I might just take you up on that offer. Now, we’d better see what’s going on outside.”

  No sooner did she say the words than a parade of oversized men came strolling in. Her father brought up the rear right behind the two Kalith warriors. She looked past him to see where Eli was, but he didn’t come inside. She realized the Paladin named Lonzo was missing as well.

  What was going on?

  When she started toward the door, her father blocked her way. “Eli and Lonzo are busy dragging some guy trussed up in zip ties and duct tape out of the van. Seems Eli has a few questions for him.”

  She wanted to be in on that discussion. “Everybody, help yourselves to the food and drinks.”

  If the guy outside was the one who had run Mike off the road, she didn’t care what happened to him. But in case he wasn’t, he could probably use a drink about now. She grabbed beers for him, Eli, and Lonzo.

  Mike came with her, leaving poor Doc to deal with everyone else. She stepped out on the porch just in time to see Eli drop their unexpected guest into one of the chairs and then callously rip the duct tape off the man’s face. Not that she blamed him. None of them had any reason to have much sympathy for the guy, especially if it turned out he was part of the crew who’d come close to killing Mike.

  She shoved the beer into the man’s shackled hands without saying a word. He downed half of its contents before muttering, “Thanks.”

  He didn’t seem at all concerned about being held prisoner by Eli and the Paladins, which made him either incredibly brave or crazy. He studied each of them in turn, his expression turning hard when he spotted Mike. “Are you okay?”

  The major glared at him. “Why do you give a rat’s ass how I am? You and your friends did this to me.”

  The man sat up straighter, his anger palpable. “No, sir, it wasn’t me. They’re not my friends. Not anymore. I didn’t sign on to kill one of our own.”

  “What were your orders?”

  He briefly turned his gaze in Eli’s direction. “We were told Sergeant Yates here might not be as dead as everyone thought he was. We were to verify that. If we did find him, we were to ascertain how he walked away from a crash that killed everyone on board.”

  Eli’s answering smile had nothing at all to do with good humor. “I didn’t walk away. I died just like everyone else.”

  Their prisoner’s response came flying in from left field, leaving them all speechless. He smiled up at Eli and calmly said, “Huh, so I’m not the only one.”

  LONZO FROWNED AND leaned back against the porch railing. “Well, hell, I never saw that coming. People with that particular ability are pretty damned rare, and it seems we’ve found two in one day.”

  Eli used his pocketknife to cut through the zip ties before offering it to their prisoner. “I’d like to see some proof.”

  The man immediately slashed his palm and held it out so they could all watch the wound disappear.

  Okay, then, back to the questions. Eli started with the basics. “What’s your name?”

  “As of today, Tyson Dahl.”

  Evidently Eli wasn’t the only one whose identity was fluid right now. “What unit are you with?”

  Tyson shrugged. “Recon marines. My current assignment is classified.”

  Mike crowded closer. “Do I have a target on my back?”

  Good question. Depending on how Tyson answered it, he might just get to keep on breathing. While he didn’t seem all that concerned about being their prisoner, he was clearly pissed off about what had happened to Mike.

  “We were only told to keep an eye on people known to be friendly with Sergeant Yates, but then you started asking questions about us. One of my former associates decided to give you a friendly warning to stay the hell out of our business.”

  He flexed his hands, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “He’s not like us, Sergeant Yates. It will be a while before he can grip a steering wheel again.”

  Okay, so this guy could live a while longer. “So I’m guessing I’m not the only one who is AWOL right now.”

  Tyson actually laughed. “Yeah, although I’m not sure you can go missing from an organization that doesn’t officially exist.”

  Mike snorted. “They exist all right. They operate out of a remote corner of Fort Bragg.”

  Tyson’s eyes hardened to the color of cold steel. “Not anymore. They bugged out. And before you ask, I have no idea where they’ve landed.”

  Lonzo gave both Eli and Tyson a considering look. “Have either of you given any thought to what comes next?”

  Safara clutched Eli’s hand, her pretty eyes so damned sad. Yeah, he’d given the matter a lot of thought but hadn’t come up with a single idea that wouldn’t rip his heart right out of his chest.

  He brushed the pad of his thumb across the back of Safara’s hand, not sure which of them needed that small connection more. “Why? Do you have any suggestions?”

  “I do, but this discussion isn’t for everybody, and I need approval from above before I can say more. I’m going to make a quick phone call to put a few things in motion.”

  Eli hated the delay, but as a soldier, he understood about chain of command. Meanwhile, he needed to come to an understanding with their prisoner. He reluctantly released his death grip on Safara’s hand. “You and Mike go on inside and get something to eat. The rest of us will be along eventually.”

  She glanced at Tyson and then back at Eli. “Don’t be too long.”

  “We won’t.”

  Lonzo had already disappeared into the trees, obviously trying to put enough distance between them to prevent any chance of his conversation being overheard. That was fine. Eli had a few things to say to Tyson that should be private.

  He jerked the man to his feet and gave him a shove to send him stumbling down the porch steps. He made no attempt to fight back, which didn’t exactly endear him to Eli. Right now, he could use a convenient target for his temper.

  He jerked his head in the opposite direction than Lonzo had gone and waited for Tyson to go ahead of him. They stopped just inside the tree line. “Two questions. Who were you going to shoot earlier? And what’s your endgame?”

  Tyson sat on a nearby boulder before answering. “I was going to take out the bastard with the sword threatening that couple and their kids. I don’t hold with hurting women and children.”

  The bald statement rang with truth. Like Eli, the marine had probably seen more than his fair share of how the weak and innocent suffered in this world. He waited for Tyson to continue.

  �
�I’ve put as much thought into my endgame as you did before you walked down off that mountain.” His laugh was bitter. “When I was recruited from the marines, I believed in our mission. But somewhere along the way, there was a change in management and the type of missions we were assigned. Like I told Major Voss, I didn’t sign on to hunt our own.”

  Time for another hard question. “When did you die?”

  Another laugh, this one a little more lighthearted. “The first time? I was up on a roof hiding from my foster father, who was a mean drunk. When he dragged me back down the ladder with him, I took a header to the ground. They pronounced me dead at the scene, but I revived on the way to the morgue. That scared the hell out of everybody, me included.”

  Eli clenched his fists. “Tell me they didn’t send you back to that same foster home.”

  “Not after I told them he deliberately threw me to the ground from the roof. He went to jail while me and the other kids got sent to different homes.”

  Damn, he hurt for the kid Tyson had been, but he knew better than to let it show. Meanwhile, Tyson continued with his story. “The next time, I was out on a long-range sniper patrol and took one in the chest. I still remember the world going black. The next day, I hiked back to camp bloody but no worse for the wear. That’s when I was recruited for the spec-ops group.”

  Lonzo finally joined them in the small clearing. “It would be easier on all of us if there was an owner’s manual that explained all the perks that come hardwired in our DNA.”

  Eli had been aware of the Paladin’s approach. “That would be useful. I would’ve settled for knowing I wasn’t crazy.”

  Lonzo smiled as he sat down on a large log. “Sorry, but crazy is pretty much part of the package. Our other sterling qualities include hot tempers, faster-than-normal reflexes, and an immune system that’s resistant to pretty much everything. Most of us are above average in height and strength. We have an inborn need to defend the barrier between us and Kalithia, which only gets stronger the more you’re around it. That driving need to serve and protect is why both of you ended up in elite military units.”

  Tyson looked confused. “Where the hell is Kalithia? Sounds like someplace in the Middle East, but I’ve never heard of it.”

  At least Eli knew that much. “It’s actually another world that somehow butts up next to this one. That’s where the crazies with the swords came from.”

  Lonzo took over from there. “Don’t worry, Tyson. If you accept the offer I’ve been authorized to make you, a peek into Kalithia will be included with the guided tour. For now, just know that our ability to heal stems from someone from that world dipping their toes in the human gene pool.”

  He held up his hand to forestall the barrage of questions he knew was coming. “I’ll explain everything, but not right now. I’ve still got to deal with Chief Dennell, and it’s been a bitch of a day for everybody. I do need to tell you a couple of things before we go inside.”

  He held up one finger. “Regardless of how this plays out, both of you need rock-solid identities to hide from the folks hunting you. Even if you don’t accept the offer I’m about to make, we’ll help you with that. When my friends get through, your records will stand up to anybody’s scrutiny. If you need help relocating, we can do that, too. We take care of our own.”

  Tyson didn’t look convinced, but Eli was willing to give them a chance. “And what’s this offer you’ve mentioned?”

  “There are never enough of us to go around. If you want a job doing the kind of stuff you’re trained to do, come work with us. You were born Paladins. Here’s your chance to find out what that really means. You’d be based here in Seattle for now. Think it over, and let me know.”

  Then he stood up and walked away. Eli hung back to give both him and Tyson time to process what Lonzo had just thrown at them.

  Tyson looked a bit dazed. “Is he on the up-and-up? I mean, all that stuff about another world—that’s crazy talk, right?”

  Not all that long ago, Eli would’ve agreed with that assessment, but not now. “It’s crazy, all right. But here’s the thing: I’ve actually been to Kalithia.”

  Not to mention the woman he loved was born there. “Let’s go. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

  Tyson remained silent until they were in sight of the cabin. Then he nodded as if he’d just reached a decision. “What have I got to lose? I’ll give Lonzo and company a chance. If it doesn’t work out, I can always disappear.”

  Eli couldn’t fault the man for hedging his bets. He pretty much felt the same way. When they walked inside, Safara was hovering near the door and walked straight into his arms. “Is everything okay?”

  Considering Lonzo had just offered him a way to stay in the area where he could watch over Safara and her people, even if from a distance, things were a whole lot better than just okay. Hell, just a short time ago, he was alone and afraid to trust anyone. Now he was surrounded by all of these people, some from his old life and some from his new one, all of whom knew his secrets and would protect them.

  He smiled down at the woman who held his heart in her hands. “Everything might just be fine.”

  21

  It was clear from the smile on his face that Eli had connected with the Paladins. Good for him. It would certainly be better than having him disappear completely. She was happy for him. Really. Sort of, anyway.

  He and Tyson were in the kitchen piling their plates high with food. Somehow Tyson had gone from prisoner to guest, although she doubted he was really trusted. For his part, he tried to act relaxed while at the same time keeping his back to the wall so no one could slip up behind him. She couldn’t blame the man for being skittish. Just like Eli and his two friends, Tyson had been dragged into a whole new reality.

  Her father looked happier. When she’d come back inside, he’d been talking with Barak. The Kalith warrior had remained beside him when Lonzo cornered Jakes for a short but intense discussion. She didn’t know what had been said, but both men had looked satisfied by the interaction.

  Right now, Doc and Mike were having a good-natured argument over the chances of one of the local pro sports teams with Hunter and Larem.

  It was odd to feel so alone in the crowded cabin. Maybe it was because she was the only woman, or because she was still struggling with the aftermath of the battle at the park. Add that she wasn’t sure what came next for her, and it was no surprise she was feeling so unsettled. She did know that with all the excitement of the past few days it would be difficult to settle back into her mundane routine.

  Lonzo said something to Eli, who then glanced in her direction before nodding. A few seconds later, the Paladin appeared at her side, two beers in hand. “Safara, can I borrow you a minute? Let’s head out to the porch, where it’s a little less crowded. “

  “Sure.”

  She accepted the beer he offered her and followed him outside. He motioned toward the chairs. When they were seated, he took a long drink and then set it down beside him. “This has been one helluva day.”

  “True enough. A few too many surprises. Some good, some not.”

  Some awful, but she suspected he knew that.

  His next words confirmed that. “I’m sorry about your cousin.”

  “Me, too. He was a good man. Or at least used to be.”

  Lonzo nodded. “It was easier for us when we thought all Kalith were just a bunch of crazies, but that changed when we met Barak. He nearly got himself killed saving the life of my boss’s wife. Barak is now married to a Paladin’s sister, and his sister is married to a Paladin. They adopted a pair of Kalith kids who’d been orphaned when their parents came down with the light disease.”

  Really? How had they not heard about any of that?

  “How did my father take that news?”

  “Better than expected, which brings me to why I wanted to talk to you.” He shifted in his chair to face her more directly. “How attached are you to being a deputy? I’m asking because I’ve been aut
horized to offer you a job with our organization.”

  She had been taking a drink and almost choked. Lonzo pounded her on the back. “Easy there.”

  When she could breathe, she asked, “What kind of job?”

  “As I told you earlier, we’ve been planning on reaching out to the enclaves of Kalith living on this side of the barrier. We’ve waited this long because we were pretty sure they would react about like you did earlier, not that we’d blame them.”

  Considering their mutual history, she wouldn’t apologize for not blindly trusting the Paladins. “For what it’s worth, I’ve been trying to get my dad to find some way to learn if the old ways still held true or if the Paladins would accept us.”

  He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “This would be a pilot program, because the whole situation is problematic for both sides. We’re willing to accept those Kalith already here, but we can’t let that change in policy open the floodgates from your world into this one.”

  That made sense, especially from the human perspective. After all, this was their world. If too many Kalith came across the barrier, the existence of another world would get out. God knows what kind of chaos would ensue.

  “So you’re looking for someone to tell my people to stay where they belong?”

  “Hell no. We want someone to act as our liaison with the Kalith who are already here. You’d make first contact and get the message out that we’re not on the hunt. If you’re interested, I can set up a meeting with my boss to discuss the details.”

  This was the second time he’d mentioned his boss without using the man’s name. That could only mean one thing: Lonzo worked for the scariest Paladin of them all. The man was a legend among her people, and not in a good way. She swallowed her fear long enough to say, “You work for Devlin Bane.”