In Darkness Reborn (3 page)

“No one else would be calling.” The words were said with brutal honesty, but no self-pity.

“Ah, um, I see.” She didn't
want
to feel any sympathy for him. “I would like to review your duties with you. When can you start?”

“I'm available now if that isn't too soon, Dr. Sebastian. Otherwise, whenever you find convenient.”

“How about an hour from now? That would allow me enough time to finish up a few things.” Like figuring out what she could trust him to do. After all, no one really knew what his agenda had been in crossing the barrier.

“That would be fine. And Dr. Sebastian?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for not refusing the offer of my assistance.”

Better to start off with the truth. “I had no choice.”

His sigh came across loud and clear. “I feared as much. I will speak with Devlin Bane immediately.”

Was that a faint note of hurt in his voice? She surprised them both by saying, “No, don't. I really can use the help.”

This time the silence came from his end of the line. “Are you certain? That you could use
my
help?”

“I don't think I could swear to that, Mr. q'Young, but there is certainly more to do around here than one person can keep up with.”

“Then you may expect me in an hour. And please call me Barak. I have yet to grow used to my new surname.”

“I'll meet you outside the alley entrance and escort you inside.” She disconnected the call before she gave in to the temptation to take it all back.

Barak paced the perimeter of the gym, wishing like crazy that the hands on the clock would move. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn that they had been frozen in place for the past fifteen minutes. He could leave for the Center after another two laps. Maybe the hour would have passed more quickly if he'd reported back to Laurel's lab and offered to stock supplies for her, but he didn't want her to see him right now.

She was the only human who knew him well enough to sense his moods. If she suspected that his reasons for leaving her lab weren't purely for his own selfish reasons, there would be hell to pay, to quote one of the Paladins' more colorful expressions.

One more lap to go before he would start the brief walk down to the Center to meet Lacey Sebastian. As her image filled his mind, his feet sped up. He liked the way her hair carried the warmth of the sun in its color, and the way her bright blue eyes had widened in surprise when she'd first seen him. It was as if she'd reacted to him the way a woman reacted to a man she found attractive, not a man she saw only as the enemy. Maybe he was reading more into her reaction than he should, but he could hope. With effort, he resumed a slower pace. Finally, he turned the last corner and left the gym behind.

As usual, the guards pointedly ignored him as he walked out the front door of the building. He pulled on his sunglasses, still not adjusted to this sun-bright world. The warmth felt good on his skin, but he always took care to wear a sunblock since he had no idea what prolonged exposure to such intense light would do.

The walk would do him good, though. He spent so much time alone that it pleased him to lose himself in the throng of tourists and locals crowding the sidewalks.

How would they react if they discovered the truth of his existence? Panic? Hatred? It still amazed him to know that the Regents and their warriors, the Paladins, had managed to keep his world and its people secret from their fellow citizens. Devlin had told him that it had been easier in more primitive times and had grown harder as technology continued to shrink their world. Even so, Devlin insisted most people wouldn't believe what was right in front of them unless forced to do so.

That was fine with Barak. He had no desire to be used for experiments by some government agency. He only wanted to be allowed to live out his solitary life in peace—even if it was lonely.

He slowed as he turned the last corner before the Center. On this morning's earlier visit with Devlin they had managed to avoid running into any Paladins, but this time it was unlikely that he'd be able to approach the Center unchallenged. Bracing himself for the worst, he entered the alley that sheltered the secret entrance of the underground labyrinth that housed the headquarters of his mortal enemies.

As he scanned the area for possible threats, he walked by one of the many homeless people who haunted the streets of Seattle. The unmistakable click of a handgun told him he'd just made a mistake, possibly a fatal one.

“Where do you think you're going, you alien bastard?” The man reeked of filth and fury. “One wrong move and you're dead—which you would have been weeks ago if Bane had been thinking with his brain instead of his prick.” The hatred was emphasized by the painful jab of a gun barrel into Barak's back as a grimy hand grabbed his collar.

There had been a time when he would have welcomed death, even at the hands of a hated Paladin, but no longer. As Barak shifted into battle position, a familiar voice rang out.

“Penn! Let him go this minute.”

“Stay out of this, Lacey. I caught him sneaking around the Center. Even Devlin Bane can't protect him now.”

Lacey came closer, her feminine scent filling Barak's senses. If he attacked this Penn now, she might get hurt.

“Back off right now, Penn. And don't tell me that you've forgotten that Barak was coming to work in the lab with me.”

“No one told me he was expected today.” Penn released Barak's collar and shoved him forward.

Barak spun and shoved back. “I do not report to the likes of you, Paladin.”

Despite the layers of dirt, there was no mistaking the Paladin for other than a warrior. He came charging right back, murder in his eyes. Barak moved into an attack stance, ready to meet the bullets with his bare fists if necessary.

Lacey Sebastian shoved her way between them. Did the woman have no sense at all? Barak snagged Lacey's arm to pull her behind him, only to realize his opponent was doing the same thing.

“Let go of her, Paladin. Or does your kind fight behind their women?” he sneered, his temper talking now.

“I don't need her help to teach you some manners, scum.”

Penn managed to get past Lacey long enough to slam his fist into Barak's jaw, snapping his head back. Retaliating, Barak landed a solid kick to the Paladin's gut.

“Enough!” Lacey grabbed both of them by the front of their shirts and used their own momentum to fling both of them to the ground. She stood over them, glaring down at them.

“Darn it, Penn, do you want to end up getting hauled off to jail again? Devlin said that the next time it happened, he'd let you rot in there. And you!” she said, turning her anger in Barak's direction. “Is this going to happen often? If so, you can just find yourself another job. I don't need this crap.”

“Aw, Lacey…”

“Don't start with me, Penn Sebastian. You know I can take care of myself—you're the one who taught me!”

The other man's name caught Barak's attention. “Penn
Sebastian
?”

“Yeah, he's my brother.” She shot Penn a dirty look. “Although right now I'm not too proud of the fact.”

“In that case, I offer you my sympathy, Dr. Sebastian.” Barak pushed himself back up to his feet and brushed off his jeans.

“Go to hell, Other.” Penn also stood up, ignoring the new layer of dirt on his clothing. “I don't want the likes of you near my sister.”

Barak sneered. “You have no say in the matter. Why don't you go back to playing with trash, where you belong?”

Lacey snapped, “Shut up, Other, or I'll have you scrubbing the lab floor with a toothbrush for the next month.”

She stared at him for several seconds in angry silence before stepping back. “I hope you two are ready to quit acting like five-year-olds, because I don't have time for this. And you both should know better.”

Barak took a step backward to show his willingness to end the confrontation. “My apologies, Dr. Sebastian. I spoke out of turn.”

Penn shot Barak one more defiant look before doing the same. “Next time, warn me when he's supposed to be here, Lacey. If he shows up unexpectedly, he's fair game, the Regents be damned.” He stalked away, shoving his gun back in his waistband.

“Penn—”

“Not now, Lacey. Take him with you and get the hell out of here.”

Lacey stared after her brother, a look of raw pain on her face. Barak turned his eyes in the opposite direction, knowing it would embarrass her that he'd witnessed such a private moment between the two siblings.

“Come on, Barak. We're overdue in the lab.”

He fell into step beside her, wishing there was something he could do to make up for this inauspicious start. He cursed Devlin Bane for not warning him that Dr. Sebastian had a brother among the Paladins. No wonder she wasn't thrilled to have him thrust upon her. They continued on in silence for another minute or two.

“I suppose I should apologize for that whole mess, Barak.”

Her comment startled him. “You were not the one who was acting, as you said, like a five-year-old.”

“No, but I did know that my brother was on duty today. He's…well, his temper does a Paladin proud. If I had been on time, none of that would have happened.”

And if Lacey had been
his
sister and a Paladin had gotten near her, he would have reacted the same way Penn had—not that he liked having anything in common with the man. But why was a Paladin doing guard duty? All the other guards he'd encountered had been mortals.

He attempted to lighten the mood of their conversation. “So other than scrubbing the lab floor with my toothbrush, what duties have you assigned to me?”

Her smile was a bit forced, but it was still a smile. “I thought today I would show you the equipment we use to monitor the volcanoes in our region. You know, seismographs and the like.” Then she frowned. “Or maybe you don't know. I keep forgetting how strange all of this must be for you. We know so little about your world.”

And he would keep it that way. Any knowledge the Paladins gained would only be used as a weapon against his kind.

“Despite the differences, Dr. Sebastian, there are many similarities. I'm sure that I will be able to make the necessary adjustments.” Just as he had made so many already in this bright and complex world.

She opened a door in a long hallway full of such doors. He made note that it was the third one down. At this point, he still had no idea if they would allow him entry to the Center on his own, or if he'd have to be met and escorted every day. That would grow tiresome, for both him and Dr. Sebastian.

“Welcome to my little bit of the world.” Lacey stood back to let him enter.

The room was crammed with a great deal of machinery, the purpose of which he could only guess at. He closed his eyes and let the constant hum of so much electricity shimmer along his nerves. Hopefully, she would allow him ample time to understand what all of the dials and graphs and chattering computers were measuring.

Lacey stopped to study a series of instruments that had needles tracing out patterns in ink on paper. To him, the markings looked much like the heartbeats printed out by the machines that monitored Laurel's patients.

He risked a guess. “I would assume that these track land movements on the volcanoes? Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier, perhaps.”

Just as he spoke, one of the needles began swinging wildly, scratching out a jagged pattern on the paper. At first, he thought Lacey hadn't heard him. She stood staring at another monitor on the far wall as its readings turned blood red. His stomach roiled as if the floor had lurched and swayed beneath his feet. With effort, he ignored the powerful urge to grab on to something for support. The tremors were too far away to affect the Seattle area, yet he felt them deep in his gut and in his bones. Luckily, Lacey didn't question his startled reaction to the alarms sounding.

Lacey met his gaze with a grim smile. “You guessed right. That's Mount St. Helens saying hi.” Then she pointed to the other screen. “And that's the barrier going down.”

Which meant his people and hers were battling in the tunnels where the two worlds collided. The two of them could only watch the brightly lit dials and wonder how many would die.

B
arak drew a shuddering breath, his empty sword hand clenched at his side. Perhaps if the Paladins were successful in restoring the barrier quickly enough, no one would have to bleed. His kind had lost so many already, and he couldn't wish death for those of his world who were driven to seek the light.

Even worse, now that the Paladins had names and faces that he knew, he found it impossible to wish them all dead in the never-ending battle between their two peoples. The confusion made his gut ache.

Lacey stood next to him, her eyes flickering between the machine marking the heartbeat of the restless volcano and the one tracking the barrier's ups and downs. The emotions crossing her expressive face were riveting: grief, fear, and sheer determination.

When the readings from the mountain settled and held, she turned her full attention to the barrier readings. Finally, after what had been only two minutes by the clock, the readings regained stability, all solidly back in the green. Relief washed over her face.

“Now that that's over, we can get back to business.” Her attempt to sound matter-of-fact and businesslike would have succeeded if not for the slight quiver in her voice.

He let her think he hadn't noticed. “I assume you monitor all the volcanoes and fault lines.”

Lacey nodded. “That's why we're here.”

She led the way into her cluttered office, gesturing for him to sit down. He lifted a pile of textbooks and set them in a neat stack on the floor to clear a space for himself. Lacey rooted through some files before finding the one she'd been looking for.

“I've made up a schedule for you for the next couple of weeks.” She held out a piece of paper to him. “Until we figure out exactly what your duties will entail, I've matched your work shifts to mine. Once I know what you can do, we can work you into our normal rotation. I like to have someone on duty here around the clock.”

In his experience, trust was a gift to be given only sparingly. She might think he was here to prove his worth to her department, but that road ran in both directions.

“Whatever you say, Dr. Sebastian.”

Leaning back in her chair, she stared at him, her troubled eyes studying him. “I think we should make it ‘Lacey,' don't you think? After all, you've seen the Sebastians at their worst, squabbling out in the street. I apologize for Penn again. His attack on you was unprovoked.”

Had the roles been reversed, his own people would not have tolerated a Paladin loose in their streets.

“There is no need to apologize for your brother, Lacey.” The use of her first name was a gift he would savor. “And I appreciate your willingness to let me work here. It will feel good to be of use again.”

She looked puzzled. “But what about Dr. Young? I thought you had been working in her lab.”

“Yes, she was kind enough to keep me busy.”

Understanding was quick in coming. “Ah, busy but not especially productive. Well, my budget is such that I need to squeeze as much as I can out of every minute, especially in times like these, when the mountain is so restless. I'm glad to have someone to help shoulder some of the load. I'm scheduled to do some field work this week; how do you feel about hiking tomorrow?”

“I would enjoy some time spent in the outdoors.” Especially alone with this woman, out in the fresh air and warm sunshine, just the two of them far away from the prying eyes of the entire Regents organization. Maybe for a little while, Lacey would forget
what
he was and see him for
who
he was: a man enjoying the company of an attractive woman. Knowing how her Paladin brother would feel about it only enhanced his pleasure in the idea.

“Give me your address and I'll pick you up in the morning. Say, around six?”

“I'll be ready.”

But first he'd have to call Devlin and find out what one wore to go hiking.

Lacey knew Barak was hurting from the long day, but petty as it was, she deliberately kept up the grueling pace back to her truck until thirst forced her to stop. When she paused to take a swig of water out of her bottle, Barak immediately sank down on a boulder, another sign that he regretted coming along on this little expedition.

Well, too bad. She'd been hauling equipment up and down these trails by herself for years. While she'd been doing that, how many Paladins had Barak killed? It was about time the mountain exacted a little revenge.

She reluctantly admitted to herself that he'd done everything she'd asked of him without complaint. The few questions he'd asked had been intelligent and to the point as they'd checked the field equipment set to monitor earth movements around Mount Rainier. Lately Mount St. Helens had commanded most of the department's attention, but with Rainier looming over Seattle, it never paid to get complacent. If the big mountain ever decided to blow, thousands of people would be in the path of destruction.

She shifted her pack to keep it from digging into her shoulders. Her back itched due to the day's increasing warmth, but that was easier to take than the biting cold on the mountain in the winter.

She stashed her water bottle back in her pack and set off down the trail. Barak wasn't quite so quick to get started, but she heard the crunch of gravel as he fell in behind her.

“We're almost there.”

“That is good news.”

Barak sounded a bit breathless. Maybe if she grilled him on what he'd learned, it would distract him from his aching feet and sunburned nose.

The trail had widened, so she waited for him to step up beside her. “So tell me, what data are we hoping to gather?”

Barak kept his eyes firmly on the trail ahead. As he replied to her questions, his responses impressed her, though she didn't want them to. Her sudden surge of sympathy for him wasn't a welcome feeling either. But judging from the stubborn tilt to his jawline, he wouldn't appreciate any sympathy.

The trailhead was about a quarter of a mile ahead. As much as she looked forward to shedding the weight of her backpack, she wasn't relishing the thought of being shut up inside the cab of the truck with Barak for the long trip back to the city. Normally she stopped to eat along the way, but that would only prolong their time together.

When they made the last turn in the trail, she glanced at her silent companion. His normal pallor was worse than usual and she slowed her footsteps, concerned that he might not make it as far as the truck. The last thing she wanted was to have to call for an emergency pickup just because she'd been taking cheap pleasure in her new assistant's misery.

“When's the last time you drank something?”

“I ran out of water shortly after we reached that last checkpoint.” His pale eyes met hers.

That was over two hours before. She didn't know which one of them was the bigger fool: Barak for not complaining, or her for not keeping a better eye on him. He stumbled slightly, his feet dragging slightly as he struggled to keep his balance. She muttered a curse as she caught him in her arms. When he tried to resist she tightened her hold, but she realized her mistake as their bodies came together in an unexpected rush of heat. Her lungs forgot how to breathe as she stared up into his handsome face. His eyes met hers briefly before glancing down at her mouth. Was he about to kiss her?

“Barak?” His name came out in a whisper.

He started to lean closer, but then shook his head as if to clear it and stepped back. Afraid he might still stumble, she wrapped one of his arms across her shoulders, ignoring her body's response to his nearness. The sudden ache in her chest reminded her that it was the wrong time, the wrong place, and this was definitely the wrong man. Surely it wasn't disappointment she was feeling, but relief.

When he resisted her help, she said, “Don't fight me, Barak. We're almost to the truck. I have extra water there.”

“I'll make it.” His words were slurred, but at least he was still moving.

They managed the last distance in a series of short spurts, stopping frequently to allow him to catch his breath before trudging onward. Her small pickup had never looked better to her, dents and all.

She helped Barak drop his backpack to the ground and all but shoved him inside the cab. Handing him a bottle of water, she ordered, “Sip that slowly.”

After stowing their gear, she started the engine, then turned on the air-conditioning to aid Barak's recovery.

He was leaning back in the seat, his eyes closed. Every so often, he'd lift the bottle and take another slow drink. Before putting the truck in gear, she poured some of her own water on a clean cloth she had in the back.

“Here. Hold this on your forehead.”

Barak did as he was told. When the cool water touched his skin, he sighed with relief. “Thank you.”

She didn't want his gratitude; not when she was partly at fault for his condition. “You should feel better as soon as it cools off in here and we get some fluids into you.”

His color gradually improved as they drove down the mountain. Was his kind more sensitive to the altitude?

“Feeling better?”

At first she thought he wasn't going to answer, but then he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Yes.”

“Good. I guess we overdid it for the first time out.” Well, she hadn't, but she was used to the mountain and its ways.

“It does appear that I'll have to work harder to acclimate myself.” He closed his eyes, thus ending the conversation.

There was a myriad of questions she would have asked him if he hadn't been the enemy. Why had he crossed the barrier in the first place? What was his homeworld like? What was so terrible that it was worth risking almost certain death to escape across the barrier?

But those questions would go unanswered for now as her unwanted companion fell into an exhausted slumber. She drove down the mountain and back to Seattle with only an oldies station for company.

If Barak could have lifted his head from the carpet without falling on his face again, he would have asked the gods to end his misery right then and there. He'd managed to salvage at least some dignity by walking unassisted from Lacey's truck into his apartment before collapsing. Even now, hours later, he couldn't focus enough to see the clock. Judging by the glow of the streetlight coming through the window, though, it was well into the evening.

He counted to ten, then pushed himself up into a kneeling position. When his head didn't start spinning in circles, he drew a steadying breath and pulled himself up to his feet with the support of the couch. Closing his eyes, he waited for the world to right itself before risking a step toward the kitchen.

One step, two, and then three and four. He was all the way across the living room and into his small kitchen. In bad need of both food and water, he yanked open the refrigerator door. Just as he suspected, he should have gone grocery shopping days ago. He mainly ate fruit and vegetables, but there was nothing inside the fridge that looked inviting.

He grabbed a sports drink and reached for the phone. He didn't know what it said about his new life that he had the local pizza parlor on speed dial. After placing an order for his usual vegetarian pizza, he sat down in his favorite chair and counted off the minutes until the pizza would be delivered.

Only five minutes had passed when there was a knock at the door, too soon to be his food. He reached for the stout stick he kept stashed next to the door. It wouldn't protect him against a gun or rifle, but it was all he had. After a quick glance through the peephole, he set the stick down and opened the door to greet his unexpected guest.

“What do you want?”

Devlin took one look at him and said, “You look like hell.”

“Thanks. If all you came to do was insult me, this conversation is over.” Barak started to slam the door in Devlin's face, but the Paladin shouldered his way into the room.

“Why are you here?” Barak growled.

Devlin helped himself to one of the three beers in the fridge. “I wanted to hear how your first full day went.”

Barak gave up on getting rid of the Paladin anytime soon. He picked up his own drink and settled back into his chair. “Why do you care?”

Making himself comfortable on the couch, Devlin popped the top of the beer. “Because if this deal isn't going to work out, we need to start making other plans.”

“I can make my own plans, Bane. You are not my keeper.” A surge of temper washed through Barak, hot and bright red. “Now tell me the real reason you're here. We both know it isn't for the company.”

“Laurel wanted me to check on you.” Devlin's lip curled up in a sneer. “She's worried.”

For the first time in hours, Barak felt like smiling. Despite Devlin's well-earned reputation as a cold-blooded killer, his mate had him spinning in circles. The way might never be smooth for the Paladin and his lover, but there was no doubt that it was a love match.

“Tell her that I am thriving.”

Devlin looked at him for a long time. “Which is why you look like hell? What happened?”