Touched by Darkness (45 page)

Greer had escaped injury, while Julie Thornton and

Luz each received another knock-out punch of

losing yet another loved one.

But the Belian—at least this one—was gone,

bringing Damien's assignment in Zorro to a close.

Kara tried not to think about that, tried not to have

any hopes or expectations. What Damien might feel

for her and what he could commit to were not

necessarily in sync.

She stood outside his hospital room. This was his

third day here, and he'd be released tomorrow. He'd

healed faster than a normal human with the same

injuries would have. The doctors and nurses had

been amazed by his progress. Even so, he'd had a

rough time of it. His fast metabolism, broke down

pain medications too quickly to offer relief. He'd

had to rely on drawing in energy to heal and control

the pain, difficult to do in his weakened state.

Even so, the side effects from the concussion he'd

suffered when the Belian hit him with the shovel

were gone by the first day. And today, the last of

the tubes and drains were supposed to be removed.

Kara opened the door and stepped inside, limping

slightly. Damien was resting against the elevated

head of the bed. His eyes were closed; sunshine

from the nearby window streamed over him. He'd

kicked the covers back and wore only long cotton

pajama bottoms, a concession to modesty, as he

preferred to sleep in boxer shorts or nude. None of

the nurses had complained about his bare chest.

Imagine that.

That magnificent chest was marked with white

bandages covering his left shoulder and an arm

sling to keep that side immobile. The bruises on his

face were fading. His hair was loose and his

features relaxed. A few days' beard growth made

him look dark, dangerous, sexy. He looked good

enough to eat—a sure sign of her own recovery. He

opened his silvery, mesmerizing eyes.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey, yourself. I see you lost the rest of your

accessories."

"Damn tubes," he muttered. "Especially that

catheter. Belial had to have invented that article of

torture. They'd never have done that to me if I had

been conscious."

"They took it out after the first day."

"One day too many," he growled.

She repressed a laugh. "Hopefully the equipment

hasn't been damaged."

His eyes took on a heated gleam. "I would think

not."

Desire snaked through her body, but she ignored it.

Since the Belian had been exiled, they'd danced

around their private issues, acting like impersonal

friends rather than lovers.

"Where's Alex?" he asked.

"He’s having lunch with Luz, then she'll bring him

here. She met me at the airport, and we both picked

him up. She really missed him. I thought it would

be good for them to have some time together."

Feeling the press of guilt, she turned and walked to

the window. Outside, Austin traffic inched along

15th Street. "I think Luz needed to get away from all

the relatives coming into Zorro for the funeral. I

hope she never learns I'm the one who shot her

sister."

"You're not the one who killed Serafina. She was

long gone before we got to the Belian. And I don't

think Chief Greer will tell Luz exactly how things

went down at the Thornton house." He paused.

"That's the second physical incarnation you've

ended."

Maybe her shock should have been greater, but she

was worn down from the guilt and the memories.

She turned to face him. "You know about

Birmingham?"

"I checked it out as soon as you told me about

Richard Wayman." There was no judgment in his

eyes, only understanding. "Kara, you had to shoot

that trooper. It was no longer human, and it would

have killed you."

"I'm a doctor. I'm supposed to help people. Not

shoot them and watch the blood spurt out." She'd

been grappling with a lot of things the past few

days. Still, she'd kill again, if necessary to protect

her loved ones or herself. Her fingers tightened on

the bag she was holding.

"I almost forgot. I brought you some food." She

placed the bag containing fruit, peanut butter,

crackers, and cookies on the table by his bed. The

hospital fare wasn't enough to satiate his enormous

appetite, even though the nurses took
turns bringing

him ice cream and leftover desserts from the

cafeteria.

"Thanks. Any Oreos in there?"

"Yes, two packages."

His smug satisfaction had her smiling and

dissipated some of her dark mood. He was such a

guy. She eased herself into the visitor chair to take

the weight off her throbbing leg. Absently, she

rubbed the cast on her arm. After Damien was

discharged from the hospital tomorrow, he'd

probably leave the area entirely. Luz and Alex

would be up to the room soon, and she had some

things she wanted to say only to him. They needed

to address their relationship—or, more likely—its

closure. It was frightening—terrifying, actually—to

even consider they had a relationship; or to try to

salvage one that maybe had never existed in the

first place. Disconcerting to throw pride to the

wind, to bare her soul to a man who might toss her

feelings back in her face. But she'd opened the

door, and she'd told him how she felt when she

whispered
I love you.
She didn't want to close it

back. "What is it?" Damien asked.

As usual, he was too perceptive. "I've been thinking

about some things you've said to me over the past

few weeks."

"My words coming back to haunt me?"

"Something like that." She met his gaze. "You

shared some very wise insights. One is that there

are no guarantees in life. We can't always play it

safe. Sometimes we have to take chances. You also

said a Sentinel soul chooses its destiny. I'm

assuming other souls also do that."

He nodded slowly. "They do."

"So probably I—or my soul—chose a life as a

conductor."

"That's very likely."

She drew a deep breath. "Then maybe I'm supposed

to use those abilities. Maybe I need to be

conducting on a regular basis."

His brows drew together. "Kara—"

She rushed on before he could finish. "And you

told me that sometimes we have to trust in the

universe."

He didn't respond, just watched her. Not

encouraging, but she plunged on. "I'm ready to take

a leap of faith. To take a chance. That includes

being willing to love again. I think you should do

the same."

He sighed. "I almost lost you on Monday. Almost

got you killed because I didn't identify the Belian

soon enough." His face took on an expression of

abject pain. "I couldn't bear losing someone else I

cared about."

Her heart felt like it was sinking. Now she knew.

He couldn't get past the pain of his past—not a

surprise. He didn't want to risk experiencing such

grief again. She'd taken her best shot. He knew how

she felt. But he wasn't responsible for her feelings.

She wouldn't beg or make him feel guilty.

"So I guess that's it, then." Barely holding onto her

composure, she opened her purse and pulled out his

crystal. "Let me give this back to you."

She rose and placed the necklace on the bedside

table. Then she turned to go. She knew she'd see

him again, that they'd have to make some decisions

about Alex. But right now, she needed distance,

needed time to pull herself together. "I'd better go

find Alex."

"Kara." His fingers closed around her good wrist,

pulled her back. "Come here."

She turned, vision blurring, as she fiercely told

herself she would not cry. "There's nothing more to

say."

He tugged hard, making her lose her balance and

stumble forward. She couldn't use her broken arm

to brace herself, so she ended up sprawled across

him. "What—"

His big hand grasped her chin as his lips

commandeered hers. Stunned, she started to protest

—which may or may not have been a mistake,

depending. It gave him full access to her mouth,

and he took it. God, the man could kiss.

"Ummm," she managed. Then her mind stopped

functioning, overruled by hormones going on full

alert. Somehow, she ended up in the bed with him.

And somehow her leg got slung across his, while

his hand slid beneath her sweater. How did he

always manage to do that to her—

"Mom!
What are you doing?"

Alex's voice was like a wave of ice water. She

jerked back and scrambled off the bed. "Alex! I

was— We— I—" She yanked down her sweater,

which had ridden halfway up her midriff, and felt a

flush heating her face.

Alex was grinning from ear to ear. "You were

kissing Mr. Morgan."

"Just telling him good-bye," she muttered, deciding

a change of topic might be her best defense, while

she studiously avoided looking at Luz. "It might be

nice if you remembered your manners and greeted

Mr. Morgan."

"Hey, Mr. Morgan." Alex waved at the bed. "Luke

said hi." He raised his backpack, which he'd

refused to let Kara put in the trunk with his

suitcase. "I've got the ... you know."

"Who's Luke? And what have you got?" Kara

asked. Damien and Alex just looked at each other.

Luz touched her good arm. "I need to get back to

my mother's
casa."

Kara finally looked at her, and was disconcerted by

the knowing expression on her exotic face. "I'm

glad you came. I know Alex was delighted to see

you."

"I missed my
chico."
Luz smiled at Alex. "It was

like part of my heart was gone." Pain flashed into

her eyes as she turned to Damien. "I am sorry my

sister shot you, and you, too, Kara. I do not know

why she did such a thing." Her face crumpled, and

a sob escaped her lips.

"Your sister wasn't herself," Damien said quietly. "I

have no hard feelings."

Luz's shoulders shook from her sobs. Kara

enveloped her in a comforting hug. After a

moment, Luz pulled back, dabbing at her eyes with

a tissue. "I am sorry." She took a deep breath.

"Some of the responsibility for what happened is

mine,
Señor
Morgan. I always knew something was

wrong with Serafina. She was a lost soul. She went

from man to man, was never satisfied. But I should

have suspected something when she started acting

strangely."

"When was that?" Damien asked.

"About two months ago. My sister became angry

and withdrawn. I sensed a new darkness inside her,

but I thought it was just a temporary depression. I

should have done more to help her."

Damien exchanged a glance with Kara.

"Sometimes there's nothing we can do to change

fate. Your sister's problems, and her actions, were

not your fault."

Luz shrugged, radiating sadness. "Perhaps you are

right." She looked at Kara. "I will be back to work

next week, if you still want me."

Kara hugged her again. "Of course, we want you.

You're part of our family."

"Gracias."

"We'll see you on Saturday, at the funeral," Kara

added. "But if there's anything you need, anything I

can do, call me."

"
Sí
." Luz leaned down to hug Alex. "Take care of

yourself,
hijo. Te quiero."

"I love you, too, Luz." Alex waited until she was

gone, then he whirled toward Damien. "Now?"

"Now is good."

"Now what?" Kara asked, looking from one to the

other. Damien was as impassive as ever, but Alex

was squirming with excitement.

"I got you something really neat from the

Tennessee Aquarium." He opened the backpack and

lifted out a sizeable object crudely wrapped in

glitter tissue paper, held on with about twenty

pieces of tape. He offered it, glowing with pride. "I

wrapped it myself."

"So I see." She took the gift, her heart lightening.

"How sweet of you to bring me something."

"Open it now, Mom." Another glance at Damien. "I

think you'll really like it."

"All right." She settled back in the chair and

carefully undid the crumpled paper. She held up a