Darkness Past

by Sherryl Hancock

“Is Kashena okay?” she couldn’t help but ask, addressing her chief concern.

  “She’s fine, I’m sure,” Christian said. “But AG Chevalier feels that she’ll need to be with Agent Bach for a while, and she wants to make sure you’re safe in the meantime.”

  Sierra’s mind raced as she weighed her options.

  “So, if you can give me an idea of your agenda,” Christian said, “I can make plans accordingly.”

  “I want to go to San Francisco,” Sierra blurted out, having made the decision in an instant, her true desire winning out over all her internal arguments.

  “I’m sorry?” Christian queried, sounding surprised by the outburst.

  “I want to go to San Francisco,” she repeated, feeling more sure about it this time.

  She waited in silence to see if he’d question her. To his credit, he merely nodded. “I’ll make arrangements. When would you like to leave?”

  “As soon as possible,” she replied.

  Christian nodded again, then turned and walked out of the room.

  An hour later they were driving to her house to pick up a few things.

  “You said ‘Sergeant,’ didn’t you?” Sierra asked after a few minutes. “You don’t work for DOJ, do you?”

  “No, ma’am,” he said. “I work for San Diego PD.”

  “Do you do bodyguard work there?” she asked, thinking that didn’t sound right.

  “Narcotics work,” Christian answered, then glanced at her, seeing her perplexed look. “I’m a close friend of Midnight’s—she trusts me to do the job right.”

  Sierra blinked a few times. Midnight Chevalier did things very differently than the previous AG would have.

  Christian smiled. “Midnight’s best friends with my cousin, Joe. He’s over in San Francisco watching over Agent Bach’s girl.”

  “I see,” Sierra said, still trying to understand.

  Christian’s phone rang. He hit the hands-free.

  “Collins,” he answered.

  “Hey, it’s Mace,” said a man’s voice.

  “Hey, man, how’s Cat?”

  “She’s good, man. Doctors say she can go home in a couple of days.”

  “But what home?” Christian asked, an edge to his voice.

  “Kana and Palani’s,” Kevin answered.

  “I was hoping you’d say that,” Christian said, breaking into a smile.

  “Yeah, you know K. She takes care of her own.”

  Sierra listened, perking up at the mention of Kana Sorbinno’s name.

  “Indeed she does,” Christian replied. “Thanks for the update, man. Did you get anything out of those guys?”

  “Nah, not really,” Kevin said. “But Cat says that they asked a lot about Elizabeth.”

  “Really?” Christian asked. “Family business, then.”

  “Sounds like it.”

  Christian nodded, not looking happy in the slightest. “Well, keep me up to date. Keep an eye on Cat when K heads back out with Midnight too, will ya? And check on my girl every so often too, huh?”

  “You know I will,” Kevin replied. “All for one.”

  “One for all,” Christian replied with a grin.

  “Later, man.”

  “Later,” Christian said, then hung up the phone.

  Sierra had questions swirling in her head. The people that surrounded Midnight Chevalier had long been a curiosity of hers. So much had been said about Midnight’s “people”—so much, but so little. Sierra remembered the report about Midnight’s friend and now bodyguard, Kana Sorbinno, being shot during Midnight’s campaign. The subsequent stories about Kana being gay and Midnight being “more involved” than just a friend. Followed closely by Midnight’s well worded speech about love knowing no gender, and how anyone that paid attention could see, however, how in love she was with her husband. Since then, many people had been curious about the people who seemed to both shield and stand behind Midnight Chevalier. This was a chance she couldn’t pass up.

  “So, can I ask who Cat is?” she asked tentatively.

  “A member of my team,” Christian answered, reaching for his cigarettes and glancing at her. “Do you mind if I smoke?”

  “Not at all,” she said. “What happened to her?”

  “She was attacked, actually the same day Agent Bach was shot.”

  “Oh my God, is she okay?” Sierra asked.

  “Yeah,” Christian said. “It sounds, though, like they may have been after Liz, Cat’s girlfriend.”

  “Girlfriend?” Sierra queried in a slightly odd tone.

  Christian gave her a measured look. “Yeah, Liz and Cat are dating. Liz is Midnight’s niece.”

  Sierra nodded, surprised by that but knowing she shouldn’t be. Midnight Chevalier had already stated quite publicly that she didn’t care about things like that. Love knew no gender.

  “So that’s what you meant by family business?” Sierra ventured. “Because they might have been after the AG’s niece?”

  “Yeah,” Christian said.

  “But you’re not related to Midnight Chevalier, are you?”

  Christian grinned. “Well, no, but neither is ninety-five percent of her family.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  Christian laughed at that. “What Midnight considers her family is a group of us who have become her extended family. Either because they’ve been with her from the beginning of her law enforcement career, or by family ties with those members, or by being the lovers, wives, girlfriends of the aforementioned.”

  “And you’re a family-tie member?” Sierra asked.

  “Yeah,” Christian said. “So’s my wife, in a few ways.”

  “A few ways?”

  “Long story.”

  “I see,” Sierra said, not wanting to be a pest.

  His phone rang again; he answered it.

  “Collins.”

  “What’s a good-looking guy like you doing way up in Sacramento?” came the husky reply.

  Christian’s smile was brilliant. “Talking about my beautiful wife, as it happens.”

  “Oh shit, what are you saying about me?” Stevie replied, laughing.

  “I was just trying to explain to Chief Deputy Youngblood the intricacies of our family.”

  “Oh God,” Stevie replied. “That ought to have her confused for a week or two. No one understands us, babe, you should know that by now.”

  Christian glanced over at Sierra. “Oh, I dunno. She seemed to be grasping the concept pretty well.”

  “You get into the whole Donovan, Mace, Erin, Jeanie thing yet? Or the Joe, Rick, and Midnight thing yet? Hmm? Or better still, my sister, Kyle, and Midnight? That’s when it gets complicated, babe.”

  Christian rolled his eyes. “No, I hadn’t gotten into all that,” he said, glancing at Sierra and seeing her eyes on him expectantly. “But it looks like I’m gonna end up explaining it all now.”

  “Oops, sorry,” Stevie replied, not sounding like she was. “So you obviously got up there okay?”

  “Yeah,” Christian replied, “and I’m headed to San Francisco on a 2 p.m. flight.”

  “Huh?”

  “Chief Deputy Youngblood wants to go to San Francisco,” Christian replied, his eyes staring straight ahead.

  “Oh,” Stevie replied, sounding perplexed but not questioning further. She knew her husband and that he was purposely not explaining.

  “Hey, Mace said that this thing with Cat might have been family related,” Christian said, his tone serious now. “Promise me you’ll be careful out there.”

  “I will be, babe, you know that. Dave isn’t even sending us out alone right now.”

  “Mace having to cover both you and J?”

  “No, Dave’s going out with me. Mace is going out with Jeanie.”

  Christian nodded, looking comforted. “Good.”

  “We’ll be fine, babe, don’t worry.”

  “Good.” Christian said again, his expression serious.

  “I’ll let you go. I know you’re tr
ying to juggle driving, smoking, and talking to me all at the same time.”

  Christian laughed—his wife knew him well. “You got it.”

  “You be careful up there, too, okay?” Stevie said, her tone softening.

  “Always, love, always.”

  “I love you,” she said seriously.

  “And I you,” he replied, his smile gentle.

  Sierra knew she was seeing a man deeply in love with his wife. It made her heart ache. She missed Kashena desperately. She hoped Kashena wouldn’t be too angry with her for showing up in San Francisco, but she just felt she needed to be there. That was the beginning of the realization. She didn’t miss Jason at all, and he’d been gone for eight months. Kashena had been gone less than two days, and she missed her presence keenly.

  She was risking having Christian Collins report to Midnight Chevalier that one of her Chief Deputy AGs decided to make a run to San Francisco because she missed her girlfriend. To her credit, she’d insisted on using her own credit card to pay for both her plane ticket and Christian’s, as well as for the rental car. She had no intention of filing a claim to get the money back either. This trip was personal, not business. She would have done it sooner, but Kashena had warned her to be careful and not travel at all while she was unprotected.

  All Sierra knew was that she needed to see Kashena, and she needed to be there when Kashena needed her.

  Back in San Francisco, Sebastian had finally ordered Kashena out of his room.

  “Go get a hotel room and get some sleep, Kash, or I’m going to kick your ass,” he’d threatened.

  “Oh, there’s a threat I’m going to take seriously,” Kashena said, rolling her eyes as she stifled a yawn.

  “See?” Sebastian said, his look pointed. “Go get some sleep. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  Finally Kashena had acquiesced and left the hospital, going to a hotel nearby. As soon as she got into the room, however, she called the hospital to tell them where to get ahold of her in the event that Sebastian needed her. She took a shower, washing and drying her hair. Not bothering to get dressed, she slid under the sheets of the bed and was asleep a minute later.

  “I just need to know what room she’s in,” Sierra cajoled.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, we can’t give out that information,” the woman at the counter said for the third time.

  “Maybe I can help,” Christian said, stepping up to the counter and holding up his badge. “This is a police matter, miss,” he said, his smile warm and sexy. “I’m sure you can understand that it’s important that we speak with Ms. Marshal.”

  The young woman behind the counter stared open-mouthed at the outrageously handsome man standing in front of her. Badge aside, she’d give him anything he wanted, just anything.

  “Oh,” she said, finally finding her voice again. “I see. Well in that case…” she said as she tapped at the keys of her computer. “It says here that Ms. Marshal is in room 1022.”

  “Is there an adjoining room?” Christian asked.

  “Yes, room 1023 is an adjoining room.”

  “Is it available?” Christian asked, his smile brilliant, light blue eyes intense.

  “Yes, sir,” the woman said.

  “Excellent,” Christian said. “Can you book that room? And can we get a key to Ms. Marshal’s room as well?”

  “I…” The woman hesitated, wanting to say she couldn’t give out keys to other people’s rooms, but looking up at Christian, she saw him smile again and figured why not? “Certainly, sir. Your name?”

  Minutes later Christian had secured a key for his room as well as one to Kashena’s. As he escorted Sierra to the elevator he muttered, “Won’t be using this hotel as safe house anytime soon.”

  Sierra laughed softly. “You charmed her into that.”

  Christian widened his eyes, his lips twisted in a grimace. “That’s my point.”

  Sierra nodded, realizing that had they been out to hurt Kashena, it would have been easy. That was very dangerous.

  At the door to Kashena’s room, Christian handed her the key and her overnight bag.

  “I’ll be next door if you need me,” he said, his voice casual.

  Sierra looked back at him for a few seconds. She’d been wondering how she was going to approach seeing Kashena again with Christian looking on ever since they’d left the hospital. When they’d arrived in San Francisco, Christian had driven her over to the hospital without even asking if that’s where she wanted to go. The hospital staff had told them that Agent Marshal had gone down the street to the hotel. Sierra hadn’t been sure if Christian knew exactly why she was in San Francisco until that moment in the hotel hallway.

  She nodded, appreciating both his discretion and his lack of apparent judgment on the situation. He quirked a grin and walked over to his door, opening it and waiting for her to do the same. She went into Kashena’s hotel room, closing the door quietly behind her. She immediately saw Kashena lying asleep in the bed. Leaning back against the door, she stared at the woman who’d haunted her every thought for quite a while now.

  She set her bag down and kicked off her shoes. Sitting on the bed, she touched Kashena’s cheek gently. Kashena was awake immediately, her deep blue eyes widening when she recognized Sierra.

  “What? How? Wait, where’s Collins?” Kashena’s words tumbled out over themselves.

  “Relax,” Sierra said, smiling. “He’s next door. He brought me here.”

  “Why?” Kashena asked, looking perplexed.

  “Because I asked him to,” Sierra answered.

  Kashena drew in a breath, her eyes reflecting concern and caution.

  “Please don’t be angry with me,” Sierra said, lying down next to Kashena and reaching up to touch her cheek again. “I needed to be here with you.”

  Kashena propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at Sierra, her eyes searching. Finally she leaned down to kiss Sierra’s lips softly.

  When their lips parted, Sierra said, “You know, it never occurred to me that Linda might have come…”

  Kashena gave a short sarcastic laugh. “Linda doesn’t do anything that doesn’t have anything in it for her.”

  Sierra pressed her lips together, determined not to comment on how wrong that was.

  Kashena kissed her again. Any thought Sierra had about Linda was gone moments after that. Kashena’s hands held her face gently as they kissed. She lay back, gently pulling Sierra with her and over her. They continued to kiss, reveling in being close again

  Sierra pulled back, looking at Kashena and seeing how exhausted she looked.

  “How much sleep have you had?” she asked.

  “Not a whole lot in the last forty-eight hours.”

  “And here I just woke you up,” Sierra said, grimacing.

  “I’m glad you did. I want you here,” Kashena said, reaching up to kiss her again.

  Minutes later, Kashena removed Sierra’s clothes and they made love. Lying together afterwards trying to catch their breath, Kashena held Sierra to her, her lips against Sierra’s temple.

  “I want you here,” Kashena said, her hands tightening around Sierra, indicating which “here” she meant.

  Sierra smiled, her cheek against Kashena’s shoulder, her body still half over Kashena’s. “I want to be here too.”

  “Here?” Kashena echoed.

  “All the time,” Sierra answered.

  Kashena smiled tiredly. Rolling to her side and taking Sierra with her, Kashena kept her arms around the smaller woman. She fell asleep holding Sierra to her, feeling Sierra’s lips and breath on her neck. She woke later that night, feeling Sierra stir.

  Brushing her lips against Sierra’s forehead, she caressed her skin, hearing Sierra sigh. Kashena smiled in the darkness, wrapping her arms tighter around Sierra and feeling her snuggle closer.

  “Kash?” Sierra said softly after a few minutes.

  “Hmm?”

  Sierra was quiet, hesitating. Maybe this wasn’t the time to mention
this.

  Kashena pulled back, looking down at Sierra in the dim light of the hotel room.

  “What’s up, babe?” she asked softly.

  Sierra raised her head. “I got a letter yesterday,” she said cautiously.

  Kashena nodded slowly, waiting for the rest.

  “Jason got his orders. He’s coming home,” Sierra said in a rush, as if saying it quickly would lessen the impact.

  Kashena’s arm, wrapped around Sierra’s shoulders, dropped away as Kashena looked back at her.

  “When will he be stateside?” Kashena asked evenly.

  “Next week,” Sierra said, already sensing Kashena pulling away.

  Kashena nodded again, accepting what she was hearing.

  “It’s going to be so difficult,” Sierra said.

  Kashena rolled to her back, her hand that had been on Sierra’s waist sliding away as she stared up at the ceiling.

  “What’s difficult? He’s your husband,” Kashena said, her tone matter-of-fact.

  Sierra propped herself up on one elbow, reaching out to touch Kashena’s stomach. “I meant in terms of my feelings,” she said softly.

  Kashena gave her a cynical look.

  “I want to see you, Kashena. I need to.”

  “It’s not going to be that easy, Sierra,” Kashena said wearily.

  “I know that,” Sierra said, “but I need to see you.”

  “You will see me,” Kashena said. “I’m still going to be your bodyguard.”

  Sierra stared back at her, her lips trembling. “Please don’t do this,” she pleaded. “I’ve never felt this way. I feel so much for you, so much I don’t understand, but so much I need. Please don’t pull away now.”

  Kashena winced at the sheer desperation in Sierra’s voice. Her own thoughts were in turmoil. She’d known Sierra was married, and to a Marine, no less. But somehow she’d never stopped and thought about what would happen when he came back. And now it was happening, and now she felt sick. Her automatic thought was to back off, to keep her emotions shut down; it was easier that way. But Sierra’s dark eyes staring down at her, begging her not to pull away, were tearing at the iron-clad control Kashena was so proud of.

  Exhaling slowly, Kashena pulled Sierra down to her and kissed her softly. Her thumb brushed gently over Sierra’s lips, silently telling her not to say any more. They kissed for a long time, caressing and touching. No more was said about Jason’s arrival home, but it was a looming cloud on the horizon.