In Darkness Reborn (5 page)

Rather than backtrack the way Trahern had brought him, Barak followed his own instincts. Just as he'd thought, they'd taken several unnecessary turns before arriving at Devlin's office. Had that been Devlin's idea or Trahern's? It didn't matter. It took more than a few wrong turns to confuse him. Unlike the Paladins, who only spent time underground when they had to, it was the way of life in his world.

He kept going until he reached the entrance from the alley, where he paused to test the air. Closing his eyes, he breathed in slowly, sorting out the various scents. He noted the faint remnants of Trahern's aftershave. Penn Sebastian had left his particular stench in the hallway. It led in the direction of the men's room down the hall, so Barak ignored it. Another man had recently come in the door, but it was no one he recognized.

He angled his head to the left and breathed in again, tasting the sweet fragrance that was Lacey Sebastian. She smelled of flowers and sunshine and a scent that was all things feminine and desirable. Although his body stirred in response, he paid it no heed. Turning in the direction of the geology lab, he wondered how Lacey would feel if she were to learn that Barak could track her in total darkness with the way she flavored the air.

But as with most of the humans who knew him, she'd been taught to look at him only as the enemy. They called him an Other, never asking what he called himself. His own people were as bad, ignoring the fact that the humans were a close cousin to their own species, with only small differences between them. Frustration and anger burned deep in his gut, constant companions for far too long.

He bit back a curse at the gods as he fought to control the need to strike out at someone…anyone…but no handy target presented itself. Instead he found himself right outside the lab door without remembering just how he got there. Out of habit, he tested the air once again. Lacey's scent was stronger here, making his blood heat up and pound through his veins in anticipation. He smiled. Penn's mistrust of Barak around his sister was well founded.

He opened the door and walked into the lab.

Lacey picked up the phone, about to rip into Devlin Bane for delaying her assistant so long, when she heard the lab door open. It was about time Barak showed up. As far as she was concerned, the Paladins had given up all claims to Barak's time when they had foisted him off on her.

And she was going to make sure he knew it.

She pretended an interest in the current readings from Mount Rainier, letting Barak cool his heels behind her. After a bit, she glanced over her shoulder in his direction.

“Glad to see you finally showed up.”

His pale eyes narrowed and his lips twitched as if wanting to smile. However, his face remained impassive as he said, “My apologies. I would've arrived earlier if I'd known that Devlin Bane wanted to see me.”

Darn, she hated it when she was full of righteous indignation and the target for her temper was both polite and apologetic. “Yes, well, don't let it happen again. Undependable help is worse than no help at all.”

Barak nodded. “I will endeavor not to be late again, Dr. Sebastian.”

There he went again, being polite when she wanted to fight. What was it about him that had her feeling all edgy? It wasn't as if he was crowding her, but it felt that way. She wrote down some numbers she didn't need and moved further down the counter. He followed her, still maintaining his distance.

“How are you feeling today?” she asked.

Barak frowned. “Fine.”

His tone said clearly that he didn't want to discuss the subject. Too bad.

“Does your kind always get sick in high places?”

There was no mistaking the temper in those pale eyes now. “My kind, as you put it, vary in their reactions to things, just as your kind does.”

So she'd hit a nerve. “Sorry.” Not that she meant it. “I should have asked if you always get sick in high places.”

“I don't know. That was my first trip to the mountain. Are there any other rude questions you want to ask?” He stepped closer, as if trying to intimidate her with his height.

Thanks to Penn and his friends, she'd learned early on to ignore such behavior. She stepped closer, crowding his personal space with her hands on her hips. “I'm not asking to be rude, Barak. If you're going to be a liability, I need to know that.”

Standing so close to him made her painfully aware of him, just as she had been yesterday on the mountain. She'd lived her life surrounded by Paladins, all of them the biggest, toughest guys in town, and size and muscle meant little to her.

Yet something about Barak made him sexy and virile. She backed up a step, appalled that she would even think such a thing about him. Even though he was dressed in human clothing, and had learned some of their ways, he was still an Other—one who had killed her people and invaded her world. He should have died or gone back to his own kind.

Something of her thoughts must have conveyed themselves to him. He crowded her again, pinning her against the counter without even touching her.

“I will not be a liability to you, Lacey.” His rough voice and odd cadence made her name sound like a caress, sending a deep shiver of awareness through her.

She had to regain control of the situation. “Look, Barak. I'm sorry that Devlin's interference got us off on the wrong foot this morning. Why don't you continue reading through those manuals on the machines while I finish calibrating them? When you're done, we'll talk about any questions you might have.”

She slid to the side, turning her back to him. She could still feel the heat of him standing behind her, but he didn't speak for several seconds. Finally, he walked away. She let out a breath and willed her hands to stop shaking.

For several minutes she concentrated on her research until she gradually became aware of Barak staring at her with a puzzled look on his face. When she glanced in his direction, he looked away.

“Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

He frowned. “I was wondering if someone else had been in the lab this morning.”

“Not that I know of, but it wouldn't be unusual for one of the others in the department to stop in to check the readings. Even some of the Paladins come in for the same reason if the mountains are restless. Why are you asking?”

“Some of my notes are out of order.”

Lacey set down her clipboard and walked around the end of the counter to where Barak stood. “Maybe it happened the last time you shuffled through them. I do that all the time.”

“Perhaps you are right,” he said, although judging by his frown he clearly didn't think so.

“Let me know if you notice anything else out of place. I don't always lock up when I'm just running down the hall for something, but I can.” Most of what they did wasn't secret; still, she didn't like the idea of anyone messing around with their stuff. “I'll have a key made for you, too. It wouldn't hurt to tighten up security a little bit.”

She didn't have to remind Barak that there were those who might not appreciate his sudden addition to the geology staff. Barak's intrusion into their close-knit community was bound to ruffle a few feathers.

When she'd contacted the IT department to set up Barak's access to the department computer programs, they had flat out refused. She'd asked her boss to intervene, but he'd been almost as bad. Finally they'd set up a restricted e-mail account for Barak, but that had been all.

How was he supposed to work without using the computers? She planned on talking to Devlin Bane to see if Cullen Finley or D.J. would be willing to perform a little of their magic on Barak's behalf. If not, she'd have to think about letting him use her password, although that idea didn't sit well with her, either.

As she moved away, she could have sworn she'd heard Barak sniff. Maybe he was developing allergies to this world. If so, she hoped they made him miserable enough to want to return home. If that happened, they'd all be better off.

Except perhaps Barak himself. Which bothered her more than she cared to admit.

What were those damned Paladins thinking of? It was one thing to have that freak emptying bedpans for Dr. Young, but now they'd given the Other a real job in the geology department. Ben hadn't believed it was true until he'd checked, and sure enough, the spooky-looking bastard had been escorted in by Trahern himself.

Penn Sebastian seemed to be the only one truly troubled by the decision to allow the Other into the Center, but he didn't like anyone getting near his little sister. More than one guy had been warned off asking her out, and they'd been human. Having his mortal enemy working right beside her must have the wounded Paladin ready to chew nails.

A weakness Ben might just be able to exploit. Maybe he'd offer to bring Penn a sandwich for lunch. He'd have to be careful how he approached the man, but a few lunches or a cup of hot coffee now and then would be a cheap investment in what could be a useful relationship. At the very worst, Penn would growl, but even the most wary of beasts could be tamed with patience.

Penn shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position. The hours dragged by as he watched over the alley that led directly into the Center. He rarely had to do more than simply sit in his pile of squalor. Most of the fine citizens of Seattle sped up slightly as they passed him, trying to act as if he didn't exist.

A very few dropped money in the rusty peach can he kept on the edge of his blanket. He supposed he should feel guilty about taking their money, but he didn't. Hell, he probably made their day for them, sending them on their way feeling good about their efforts to help the less fortunate. Besides, considering all that he'd risked and lost fighting an invisible war, the least they could do was buy him an occasional cup of coffee.

He doubted Lacey would approve of his attitude, but he wasn't too happy with her lately, either. What was she thinking of, working with Barak? When he'd found out that she'd spent a whole day with the bastard out on the mountain with no one along to protect her, he'd seen red. Then when he'd tried to talk to her—well, yell at her—about the stupidity of what she'd done, she'd rolled her eyes at him and walked away, leaving him staring at her back in frustration.

That stubborn determination to take care of herself was what worried him most. He understood her need for independence, but she wasn't like him. She could be killed all too easily. His hand flexed painfully, reminding him that even he wasn't completely impervious to injury.

Footsteps had him sliding his hand under the blanket to grip the Glock he kept there. He'd never had call to use his weapons to defend the entrance to the Center, but there was always a first time. Especially now when Devlin was letting a damned Other wander the streets of Seattle as if he belonged there.

“Relax, Penn. It's just me, Ben Jackson.”

Penn glared up at the intruder, the man's face shadowed with the afternoon sun at his back. He eased off the trigger but kept the gun in his hand. “What do you want?”

“I'm going to the deli on the corner to get a sandwich. Coming out this side of the Center is closer.”

“Next time call ahead to warn me, or you might get your head blown off.” Penn was only half kidding.

“Sure thing, Penn. I should've thought of that.” The man took a few steps, then turned back. “Hey, since I'm coming right back by here, do you want me to bring you anything?”

Normally Penn might have accepted immediately, but the words seemed practiced, making him wonder if the man's whole purpose in coming down the alley was to make that offer. But to what end? He reluctantly nodded. “Sounds good.”

“What would you like?”

Again, that subtle note of eagerness. “Whatever you're having will be fine.”

“Sure thing.”

Penn leaned back against the wall, keeping one eye on the technology specialist until he disappeared around the corner. Maybe the man was just being friendly. As Lacey had pointed out all too often, his mood lately had been pretty bad. It wouldn't hurt to loosen up a bit.

He reached for his wallet, grimacing in pain when he forgot and used his sword hand. He hadn't been doing the exercises the doctor had ordered as much as he should. They were damn painful, and he'd only had limited success in improving the mobility in his hand. But if he was ever to return to the tunnels, he needed to get past the pain and work those damaged tendons. Biting his lower lip, he slowly began a double set of reps.