Bound by Darkness (32 page)

“As I already pointed out to your mate, I doubt Sasha considers herself mine.”

“Larem, I don't know what has happened between the two of you. Obviously you've got some serious stuff to work through, but stop and think for a minute. After almost being killed, Sasha has to be terrified, especially when she has no idea who's behind the attack. Right now, she's vulnerable, hurt, and barely able to take care of herself.”

Laurel tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him. “So who is the one person she trusts enough to protect her tonight? You. Just you. And don't think we didn't offer to run you off and take your place if she wanted us to.”

Then she gave him a quick hug. “Now, I'd better get out there before Dev decides to leave without me.”

They both knew her warrior husband wouldn't do any such thing, but it was nice to part on a teasing note. He locked the door after Laurel and set the alarm.

“Well, boy, let's make the rounds.”

The dog followed him from room to room as Larem
checked to see that the windows were locked. It seemed unlikely that anyone knew for sure where Sasha was living now, but on the other hand, someone had evidently been following her.

He saved Sasha's room for last, not wanting to disturb her. It was still another hour until the time Laurel said he should check on her. Chance quietly stalked into Sasha's room, acting like a perfect gentleman. He walked around the periphery of her bed, testing the air and whining softly. Obviously, Larem wasn't the only one who wished he could crawl under the covers and lay his head on the pillow beside hers.

After checking the window lock, Larem allowed himself the small privilege of watching Sasha sleep. The room was dark except for the light that poured through from the hallway. That didn't matter; his eyes functioned better in dim light than a normal human's, allowing him to drink in Sasha's beauty. He wanted nothing more than to gather her up in his arms and hold her tight.

The thought of how close he'd come to losing her made him physically ill.

Chance moved up next to him and rested his head on the foot of the bed. Larem smiled at the dog. Boy, talk about kindred spirits. Both of them had it bad for the same woman. That was okay—he was more than willing to share her with his four-footed friend.

Sasha might not appreciate waking up to the two males standing over her, although she probably wouldn't mind Chance sticking close by.

“Stay, boy. I'll check in on both of you soon.”

•    •    •

The living room was a lonely place with both of the other occupants of the condo sleeping down the hall. Larem made the rounds again, more because he was restless than because he thought there was any immediate danger.

He stared across the street, trying to see where their Paladin guards were hiding. Even with his superior night vision it took him a while to spot them lurking in the shadows. It was doubtful that anyone passing by would see them at all.

Larem went back to trying to outdistance his demons.

Half an hour later, he finally admitted that no amount of pacing was going to help and stretched out on the couch. It was a few inches too short for comfort, but he needed to wake Sasha shortly anyway and didn't want to risk falling asleep.

Lying on his back, he laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. It was the first time since discovering Sasha carried his child that he'd had a chance to really think about things. It was almost impossible to sort out the tangle of emotions knotted up inside him.

Starting with the fact he was going to be a father. A child that he and Sasha had created in a moment of angry passion. He tried to picture an infant with his eyes and her hair or the other way around. The images made him smile even as they scared him.

True, he'd always imagined a day when he'd find the right mate and start a family, but that was before his life had been ripped out of Kalithia by the roots.
After that, he'd pretty much given up looking beyond the day at hand. Despite his efforts to find a place for himself in this world, somehow, someday, he'd always hoped to find a way to go back home and pick up the pieces of his life.

As unlikely as that possibility had been, it had kept him moving forward one day at a time, but now he'd been cut completely adrift. How could he return to Kalithia and leave his son or daughter behind? Here, half-Kalith children could blend in and live a normal life. In his world that wouldn't happen, and he'd never subject a child of his to the pain of prejudice.

He would've expected to be angry over having the decision made for him, but oddly enough, all he felt was relief and maybe a bit of excitement. It didn't really matter to him
where
he lived; the
why
was far more important. A child gave him a new sense of purpose, a new focus for his future.

But what if Sasha decided to return to her life back in Missouri to be closer to her father and friends? She might not want him to follow, but he would. Granted, the move would be hard. At least here in Seattle, the Paladins were willing to accept him as part of their inner circle. That was unlikely to happen anywhere else, but it was a risk he'd have to take to remain near his child—and the woman who held his heart.

From the beginning, he'd been fighting the attraction he felt for Sasha, but no longer. His feelings for her ran deep and true. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to keep her and their child safe.

Anything, that is, but walk away.

•    •    •

Closing his eyes, Larem reached out with his senses to listen to the night. When he'd first arrived in Seattle, it had taken him weeks to grow accustomed to the noises that humans took for granted. Right now it was quiet except for the buzz of the city in the background. But for a second there, he could've sworn that something had jarred.

Sitting up, he waited to see if he heard it again. There. It was coming from down the hall. A soft moan and a whine. The first was Sasha, the second a worried Chance. Immediately, Larem was up and running.

He paused in the doorway. Chance stood beside the bed watching Sasha thrash around, twisted up in the sheets. The dog looked relieved to see Larem and backed away to give him space at the head of the bed.

“Sasha, wake up.”

She stilled briefly but then started struggling again. Larem drew on his replenished pool of energy as he cupped her face with his hands and used a small trickle of healing warmth to soothe her. It didn't help.

He said her name louder this time. “Sasha, it's time to wake up.”

No response.

“Please, honey, I just need to make sure you're all right.” He shook her shoulder slightly, just enough to break the hold sleep had on her now.

Finally, she blinked up at him. “Larem? What's wrong?”

“Sorry to wake you, but you were having a nightmare.”

“Yeah, I was.” Her eyes looked haunted. “I keep hearing that car and then I jerk awake just before it hits me. Then I'm back down in the tunnels with someone following me. I keep running, but I end up going in circles. It's all mixed up together.”

“I'm not surprised.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “Are you hurting?”

She nodded, her hand straying up to where her head had hit the curb. “A little, but I don't want to take any more pain medicine. You know, because of the baby.”

“That's probably wise.” He wondered if he should risk giving her another dose of his energy. Maybe it would be better to wait until she was asleep again.

She petted Chance, who'd worked his big head under her hand as soon as Larem stepped back out of his way. Her eyes followed him to the door. “You've got to be exhausted, too.”

“I'm all right. I was stretched out on the couch.” He remained in the doorway. “If it helps ease your mind, Chance and I made sure everything was locked, and I set the alarm after Laurel and Devlin left.”

“Thanks, I really appreciate all that you've done, Larem.”

“I was happy to stay.” He backed into the hall. “I won't be far. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything.”

Clutching the covers with her hands, Sasha sat up. “I'd really sleep better if you stayed closer.”

He blinked in surprise. “Okay, I'll go drag a chair in from the other room.”

“That's not necessary.” She flipped back the covers from the empty side of the bed. “I was thinking a lot closer. Besides, we need to talk.”

Still he hesitated. His mind might know she was hurt and fragile right now, but he wasn't so sure his body understood. Before he could make up his mind, he noticed her smile was quickly fading. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings. He walked to the side of the bed and kicked off his shoes. When he started to sit down, she stopped him.

“Such a gentleman. Look, you might as well get comfortable.”

In no mood to argue, he ditched his shirt and pants, conscious of her watching his every move.

“I promise to behave,” he said as he slid in between the sheets.

“I know,” she murmered.

Sasha slowly released the breath she'd been holding as Larem snuggled in close until her head was resting on his chest, his arm wrapped around her. Being near him soothed her in so many ways.

The two of them still had some major hurdles to face, no doubt about it, but for tonight, she needed his warmth and his strength to hold back the darkness. As they lay there in the quiet room, there was one thing she needed to know.

“Larem, how did you figure out that I'm pregnant? I only just knew for sure myself yesterday and hadn't told anyone.”

“It's part of my Kalith nature, a gift that has been lost
to my people for generations because of the fading light in our world. But here, with your bright sun, I have become what you would call a healer.”

She could feel the rumble of his words through his chest as his hand brushed lightly up and down her arm, leaving a warm tingle in its wake. Gradually the warmth spread, easing the aches that had kept her from really falling asleep. On the other hand, she could feel Larem tensing up.

“Tell me more.”

“In my world, I could sometimes do small things—close up cuts, ease minor pain. But when Hunter was dying from a gunshot wound, I took a chance and tried to heal him. My efforts enabled him to come back faster than he would've on his own. By early the next morning, his injuries were all but gone.”

He took a deep breath, relaxing a bit. “Other than that one time, I haven't used my gift on any humans or Kalith to heal major injuries until today.”

He'd been staring up at the ceiling but now angled his head down to look at her. “My gift doesn't always work as it should, so I've been practicing on the abused animals at the shelter. Chance wouldn't have survived his injuries without my help, and it may be the reason he's learning to trust people again.”

She smiled against his skin. “What a perfect use for your ability. I can see why you'd have some misgivings about using it to aid Paladins on a regular basis. Is it weird to have so many friends among those you always thought were your enemies?”

He briefly squeezed her tighter. “It is a problem that all of us who now live in the light must come to peace with.”

“Do you think you'll ever go back?” God, she hoped not, although she wasn't sure she had the right to ask him to stay.

“I had hoped to someday, but now . . .”

She didn't need to ask what had changed his mind, not when his hand immediately settled over her stomach. A feeling of warmth and well-being spread through her, right up until it occurred to her that his magic was Kalith and she was human.

She caught his hand with hers. “Is doing that safe?”

“I would not harm you or the child—our child.” But he withdrew his hand anyway. “But I understand why you would worry.”

“Can you tell if it's a girl or a boy?”

“Not yet. Do you have a preference?”

She smiled again. “I haven't thought that far ahead yet, but I don't think so.”

“But you'll keep our child?”

She turned to stare into his worried face. “Yes, I will.”

“But the Regents—”

She cut him off. “I'll deal with them when the time comes, but the baby's more important. Push come to shove, there are other jobs.”

His relief was obvious. “You'll be a great mother, so fierce and protective.” He gently cupped her face, a small smile softening his somber expression. “Sasha, you know I want to be there for both of you.”

She turned to nuzzle his hand, pressing a soft kiss to his palm. “I never doubted it.”

When she yawned, he pulled her closer again. “Now,
you need to sleep. I have to wake you up again in two hours.”

“All right.”

She closed her eyes and relaxed. Maybe she should be worried about how good sharing this moment with him felt, but that was something she'd deal with tomorrow. Or maybe the next day. Right now, she needed this man beside her and that was enough.

Morning came slowly. Larem hovered somewhere between sound asleep and pleasantly aware of the warm female currently half-sprawled across his body, her head tucked under his chin. If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up. If it was reality—well, he was in no hurry to let the outside world intrude.

Besides, neither of them had enjoyed a quiet night. Every couple of hours he'd had to make sure she woke up. Right now, it was enough to doze with Sasha in his arms.

“You're thinking way too hard.” Sasha blinked up at him sleepily, her fiery hair surrounding her sweet face in a halo of unruly curls. “Got something on your mind?”

Yes, a couple of things, starting with how tempting it was to have her lush body so close to his. All that separated them was the thickness of his boxers and her pajamas. Even that kept them too far apart. Better to deal with one last issue.