Dark Defender (7 page)

He eased closer to her, offering his unspoken support. She didn’t move in his direction, but neither did she shift away—maybe because all her attention was focused on the television. The two reporters launched right into the sordid details as soon as they were back on camera. The first day or so, all they had talked about were the judge’s sterling character, his distinguished career, and how much he would be missed.

But now, there was a different feel to their report. The first words out of the woman’s mouth had Blake on his feet, ready to punch his fist through the TV screen.

“…an unnamed source at the police department has indicated that they are investigating allegations that Judge Nichols’s recent death may have been due to his suspected involvement in some questionable financial activities. Examination of his personal bank records have revealed sums of money that exceed the normal salary of a judge.”

“Liars! I’ll sue them for every dime they’ve ever had!” Brenna’s eyes shot sparks. “Wait until I get my hands on them—they do NOT know who they are messing with.”

“Brenna, can you tone it down? There’s more.” Her picture appeared on the screen behind the two reporters.

“Ms. Nichols, also injured by the car bomb, has mysteriously disappeared from the hospital where she had an armed guard. However, both the police and a spokesperson for the hospital have denied knowledge of any such guards. Furthermore, a nurse was wounded when an unknown gunman shot through the window of Ms. Nichols’s room. In the resulting confusion, Ms. Nichols disappeared, apparently in the company of an unidentified male companion. It is not known at this time whether she went willingly or was taken by force.”

With a look of feigned concern, the reporter leaned slightly forward and spoke directly to the camera as a phone number appeared at the bottom of the screen. “Anyone who has knowledge of Ms. Nichols’s current whereabouts should call the police at the number below.”

“Son of a bitch.” Could it get any worse?

Blake turned to Brenna only to find her flipping through the phone book on the desk, muttering under her breath. When she picked up the receiver and started dialing, he pushed down the button to disconnect the call. She tried to bat his hand out of the way.

“Stop it, Blake. I need to set those people straight.”

He didn’t budge. “Yelling at them over the phone is only going to make things worse. If you stop and think, you’ll know I’m right.”

She was gripping the phone so hard her knuckles were white. “They’re spreading lies about my father. Isn’t it bad enough he was murdered, without killing his reputation, too? Being a judge was his life’s work. He would not have jeopardized that for any amount of money.”

As a rule, the Regents didn’t involve themselves in matters outside their mission to prevent the world from being overtaken by the Others. But if they felt their secrecy was threatened, they could and would take decisive action. If Brenna began screaming loud and long that her father was being framed, she would be vulnerable to attack from the Regents, as well as the rogue members who were likely behind the car bomb that had killed her father.

Trahern had enough on his plate, tracking down the corruption within the Regents, without having to ride herd on Brenna at the same time. Damn it all, he was going to have to break his vow of silence and tell her the truth—about the Regents, about her father, and worse yet, about himself.

It was a total cluster fuck.

T
rahern’s eyes took on a decided chill. “Look, I need to shower. When we’re both dressed, we’ll check out and then get breakfast and talk.”

She should have expected him to duck out of answering her questions. “What excuse are you going to use next, Blake? When the weather cools off, we’ll talk? Or when the sun comes up in the west?”

“Damn it, Brenna, give it break.”

They stood in awkward silence until, unable to stand his hard gaze any longer, she turned away to face the bed—the one with the covers and pillows messed up on both sides, not just the one where she’d slept.

“You
slept
with me? Without asking me if it was okay?” Brenna didn’t know whether to be outraged or disappointed that she didn’t remember how it felt to have that hard body of his stretched out beside her.

“You woke me up whimpering in your sleep. The only way I could quiet you so I could get some sleep was to cuddle you.”

He said “cuddle” as if the very idea was repugnant. Was touching her so awful? He certainly hadn’t seemed to think so yesterday when he kissed her at the hospital.

Before she could respond, he marched into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

The shower ran for a solid twenty minutes. Blake’s duffel was sitting on the desk across the room; how long before he came out for his clean clothes and shaving kit? Long enough for her to rifle through it, she decided, though she didn’t know what she was looking for. Answers, sure, but he wouldn’t have left anything lying around that would be of much help—he was too smart and too secretive for that.

Rather than risk his ire, she’d keep her hands to herself. Maybe she was being naïve, but she had to trust someone. The police certainly hadn’t endeared themselves to her, with their prying questions and the false reports they had leaked to the press about her father.

She picked up the duffel and set it outside the bathroom, then rapped on the door. “Blake, here’s your bag. I thought you might want it.”

He mumbled something that may or may not have been “thanks.” She backed away, figuring he wouldn’t open the door as long as she was standing there. Did he think she was trying to get a quick peek of him, naked and still damp from his shower? Whoa, she did NOT need that image in her head. Just that quickly, her breasts felt heavy and her nipples stirred and hardened, aching for a man’s touch—Blake’s touch. How would that stern mouth of his feel, nuzzling or suckling them? Her hand strayed toward the knob on the bathroom door and she jerked it back.

It was bad enough that every time she stared into those silver gray eyes of his, her entire body sat up and took notice. Giving into a bad case of lust was the last thing she needed right now. She’d had such an awful crush on him the whole time he’d lived with them, except when she was hating him for putting up with all those girls who hung on his every word in high school. She had known that they had been attracted to his air of danger even then. Hadn’t it bothered him to know that while they were willing to sneak out to be with him, none of them wanted him knocking on their front door?

No doubt it had been one of them who had introduced him to that little roadside park. Not that she was jealous. Well, maybe a little bit, but hot sex on a picnic table was not exactly one of her fantasies.

The click of the bathroom lock snapped her back to the present as he stepped out surrounded by a cloud of steam. Blake’s white T-shirt clung to his torso, clearly outlining every one of his lean muscles. His jeans looked as if they’d been bought for comfort rather than style. The soft, faded denim suited him, and the small hole at the knee made him look more approachable.

But it was his bare feet that made her annoyingly aware of him as a man. There was just something about a man walking around barefoot that she’d always found sexy.

He reached for his socks and shoes. “Let’s settle up our bill and get out of here. The less time we spend in one place, the better. I also need to change cars, because rentals are too easy to trace.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She reached for the bags with her hospital gown and the few things he’d bought for her. “And then we’ll talk.”

He didn’t look happy, but he didn’t argue. “Yes, we’ll talk.”

They each did a last sweep through the room to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything. When she started to open the door, he held it shut with his hand. “But there’s something you need to think about, Brenna.”

“And what’s that?”

“Before you starting asking questions, make sure you really want to hear the answers.” Then he walked out.

The lights flickered for the third time in as many minutes. Jarvis shivered, the chill in the air not entirely due to the depth of the cavern. The night had been a long one and it wasn’t over yet. For the moment the barrier was at full strength, but it wasn’t likely to stay that way.

At least they’d had enough time to clear away their wounded and dead. Rumor had it that hot food was on the way, but that was probably wishful thinking. Right now, he’d settle for some of those MREs that the military used for field rations, or even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Water would be good; hot coffee even better.

“Sir, the last of the dead have been transferred to headquarters for treatment.” The guard looked unbelievably earnest and young, until you looked into his eyes. He’d seen enough action over the past two days to ensure his eyes would never look young again.

“How many were there?” Jarvis leaned against the wall of the cave, too tired to care if he ever moved again.

“Two of ours dead, with another half dozen seriously wounded.”

Considering the number of Others who had crossed the barrier, that was miraculously low. “Tell your men to stand down for the next four hours. We’ll take the first watch.”

“Yes, sir.”

His fellow Paladins might not appreciate his decision, but they had more stamina than the purely human guards. If the barrier resumed blinking on and off like a damned lighthouse, they would need the guards rested and ready to fight.

When the guard was out of earshot, he pulled out his radio and signaled headquarters. A blast of static had him cursing; nothing electronic worked quite right this close to the barrier.

It quit crackling long enough for him to hear a voice.

“Where the hell are the reinforcements you promised?” he demanded.

He could only understand about every other word, but they didn’t add up to good news. Help was days away, not hours. He felt like hurling the radio against the cave wall.

“Yes, sir, I understand. I also understand that you and the others never take this fault line seriously. One day it’s really going to flex its muscles, and we’ll be lucky if we live long enough to say we told you so.”

He hit the disconnect button before the Regent could offer more excuses. He’d heard it all before, and it had been decades since he’d believed anything they had to say. The New Madrid fault line might not have the glitz and glory of the Pacific Rim, but it was just as deadly. He was sick and tired of seeing his fellow Paladins die over and over again with little relief, and it had been almost five years since he’d taken a vacation longer than a three-day weekend.

He could always ask for a transfer. The local command, tired of his constant demands for more help, would probably be glad to see him go. But he was too old, too close to the end of his journey toward madness, to want to learn the resonance of a new section of the barrier or to memorize all the tunnels that provided access to it.

Pushing away from the wall, he headed down the passageway to where the next Paladin stood watch. He ignored the row of dead Others, their faces contorted in the final pain of knowing they’d failed to find sanctuary in this world. Generations of Paladins had fought off the constant threat of invasion, never knowing what drove the dark warriors to suicide rushes across the barrier.

Or caring.

He approached the Paladin with caution. Their nerves were all stretched to the breaking point from too much fighting and so much death. A wrong move on his part and his comrade would swing his sword first and ask questions later.

He pulled a couple of breakfast bars from the pocket of his cargo pants. “Thought you might like something to hold you until the meals arrive.”

“Thanks.” The weary warrior took the bar without taking his eyes off the barrier.

“I let the guards grab some sleep.” Jarvis ripped open his own bar and took a bite. It tasted like sawdust but it took away the coppery taste of battle. “We’re on our own for another couple of days.”

“I figured.”

“I’ll tell the others.”

Jarvis continued on down the passageway, repeating the conversation at every station. By the time he’d made the complete circuit back to his own post, he had to force himself to take each step. Bone-aching weariness and frustration drained the last bit of his reserves.

The young guard was waiting for him at his post.

“I thought I told you to stand down.”

“Yes, sir, you did, but I thought we’d stick around until you all had a chance to eat. I’ve sent hot rations around to all of the Paladins. Once they’ve eaten we’ll retire as ordered, sir.”

They both knew he should have followed orders, but they also knew Jarvis wasn’t about to complain. Sometimes the relations between the Paladins and the guards were strained, but twenty-four hours of nonstop combat was a good reminder that they were on the same side of the fight.

“Thanks.”

“Your food should be here in a couple of minutes.”

“Great.”

Jarvis sank down against the wall and stretched out his legs. It felt damn good to be off his feet, even if the rough floor of the cave wasn’t comfortable. He was too tired to care. He’d eat and then make rounds again.

And once the barrier settled down, he was going to get in someone’s face about the fiasco of the past two days. Paladins weren’t goddamn superheroes. They hurt and bled and died, sometimes for good. It was one thing to throw them in too few numbers against the invading Others when the barrier went down unexpectedly. But to keep asking the impossible from those still left standing was both unfair and unwise.

“Here’s your food, sir.”

Jarvis accepted the tray and took a grateful sniff of the rich aroma. At least someone upstairs had done one thing right. He dug into the meal as if it were his last. Time spent here on the front line of the secret war between this world and the darkness on the other side of the barrier had taught him to eat fast, because a hot meal was a rarity not to be wasted.

He was about to eat his dessert when one of the other Paladins called his name. “Hey, Jarvis, look at this. I found it by one of the dead Others.”

A small rock about the size of a marble came flying through the air. He snagged it with a flick of his wrist and held it up between his forefinger and thumb. The many-faceted blue stone caught the light and fractured it into all the colors of the rainbow. He’d never seen anything like it. He’d have to show it to Trahern; there’d been some pretty strange rumors coming out of the Seattle sector.

Just that quickly, his apple pie lost its appeal. Although he ate it anyway, he didn’t enjoy it, knowing the trail of death Trahern had been following now led right into Jarvis’s neck of the woods.

“I want to go home. I
need
to go home.”

Trahern prayed for patience. He’d already told Brenna twice that stopping by the house wasn’t a smart move, but she wasn’t listening. Whoever wanted her dead probably had the place under surveillance. That’s what he would do under the circumstances.

Breakfast had consisted of a drive-through at a fast food restaurant. They still hadn’t had their little talk, so that was hanging over his head. Enough was enough. It was time for Brenna to face some cold, hard facts. Without signaling, he cut across traffic to make a left turn, causing several cars to hit their brakes. The sudden maneuver made Brenna squeal in fright, but he didn’t care. He was pretty sure they hadn’t picked up a tail, but if someone was following them, they’d likely reveal themselves now.

Other than a few nasty looks, no one seemed overly interested in them. Good.

“What was that all about?” Brenna had moved on to temper. “Are you crazy? You could have gotten us killed!”

He shot her a nasty look. “You’re getting your wish, Brenna. I’m taking you home.”

She narrowed her eyes, trying to guess his real intent. “But you said it was too dangerous.”

It seemed that she didn’t trust him. Smart woman. “It is, but you don’t believe me. Besides, you want the truth. I’m going to give it to you.”

They rode in angry silence as he took an indirect route to the judge’s house, finally turning down the street a block over from her father’s home to park the car.

“Why are we stopping here?”

“Because if we walk up to the front door, we might as well stop at the sporting goods store and buy a couple of targets for our backs. Coming in from the alley gives us a fighting chance of making it inside.”

Her eyebrows drew together as she weighed his words and decided how much to believe him. “Won’t they be watching the alley, too?”

“Good question. And that’s why you’re going to wait here until I see what we’re walking into. Once I’m sure the approach is clear, I’ll return for you.”

He handed her his cell phone along with the car keys. “If I’m not back in twenty minutes, get the hell out of here and then call Jarvis. His number is on speed dial. He might not be able to come get you right away, but he’ll know what to do to keep you safe.”

“Watch your back.”

“I will. Stay in the car and be ready to make a run for it.”

“But—”

He surprised them both by planting a quick kiss on her lips. He could tell himself that it was the fastest way to quiet her, but he knew better. Before he could pull back to get out of the car, she latched on to his shoulders and dragged him closer to her. The green of her eyes darkened and the tip of her tongue darted out to moisten her lips.

“What?” He could hear the same heat in his voice.