Defeat the Darkness (20 page)

“I thank you for your hospitality.” Barak dropped some bills in the tip jar anyway. “Perhaps next time, I'll bring Lacey with me. I suspect the two of you have much in common.”

Hunter walked out the door without looking back. It was the right thing to do, to start putting some distance between himself and Tate Justice, even it felt as if he'd ripped all of his old wounds open, leaving him bleeding and raw. As he stumbled down the steps, he drew what comfort he could from the cool feel of his cane's ivory handle.

D.J. hustled to catch up with him when they were out of direct sight of Tate's house. “Why aren't we headed back down the way you showed me the other day?”

“I don't want anyone seeing us showing too much interest in the trail.”

“Meaning Tate.”

Hunter smacked D.J. on the arm. “You think? Devlin tells me to play this low key and then you lead a fucking parade right into town. If you'd called ahead, I would've met you somewhere else.” He spun around to face D.J. head-on. “And you could've warned me who you were bringing with you.”

Hunter shifted the grip on his cane so that he could wield it like a club. D.J. eyed it uneasily, which showed he was smarter than Hunter thought. “I don't know what the hell you and Devlin were thinking, D.J. Maybe we could've avoided that whole fucking mess if you had called ahead.”

Lonzo moved up beside Hunter. “And maybe we wouldn't have. We're all sorry Tate got sucked in like that, but we had to find out how you'd react if the five of us are going to be working together. Now we know.”

Hunter stared back at the two Kalith males. Neither of them made a move in his direction, but he recognized warriors when he saw them. They hadn't attacked him even though he'd given them enough provocation. Hunter knew that what had happened to him hadn't been their fault, but it felt damned weird thinking that way.

He relaxed his hand to let the cane slide back down to its normal position. Ignoring the two Paladins, he
stuck his hand out to the one he'd choked. It was hard to tell who was more surprised by the gesture.

“Let's start over. I'm Hunter Fitzsimon, and I'm sorry I attacked you.”

Larem's smile started in his eyes. “I am Larem q'Jones. If it's any comfort, I'm still trying to figure out how I ended up with a Paladin for a roommate.”

He nodded in Lonzo's direction. “However, fighting a common enemy has made the transition easier.”

Barak laughed softly and offered his hand to Hunter as well. “My mate-to-be is the sister of a Paladin, and my own sister now lives with another of the Seattle Paladins. It makes for interesting family dinners.”

Hunter studied Barak for a second or two. “I knew of you from your visit to Missouri when Trahern was there, but that was all. I regret my lapse in control.” Oddly enough, he meant it.

“From the strength of your reaction, I suspect you had ample provocation.” Larem rubbed his neck. “I hope that we're past that now.”

Unfortunately, Hunter's control was too hit-or-miss to promise that. “Let's just say I'll try my best to maintain when I'm around you and leave it at that.”

“That is all we can ask,” Barak said in his quiet way. “Now, Devlin said you had a stretch of barrier in a cave for us to look at.”

Feeling better than he had a few minutes ago, Hunter led them down to the beach from the far end, taking the same approach that his late-night visitors used.

“They came this way, but the last time they cut through Tate's backyard to the woods. I assume they use
different routes to prevent anyone from picking up on any patterns. Last night they weren't talking, but they weren't particularly quiet in their approach. Previously, when they came up the trail and past Tate's place, they talked the whole way.”

“Ballsy of them.” Lonzo knelt down to study the trail. “It's impossible to know for sure, but I think this print was made by a Kalith, since the sole is smooth. These others pretty much have to be human.”

Hunter nodded in agreement. “Come on. We need to haul ass if we're going to get around that point up there before high tide. We can check out the cave and then go uphill from there back to where you parked.”

The five men walked single file around the narrow strip of rocks still above the tide mark. Once on the other side, the beach widened back out. Hunter stopped and looked back.

“Maybe they choose their route based on the tide tables. It's probably safer for them to come this way if they want to avoid being seen. But if the tide's in, they have to come down the hill or go wading.”

D.J. nodded. “That makes sense. Good thinking.”

“We can post someone up there to watch this direction.” Hunter pointed up the bluff a short distance. “Getting up there won't be easy, but it's less likely we'd be spotted.”

They continued on, winding their way up the hillside toward the narrow ledge that led to the cave. Hunter pointed out where he'd been hiding when the enemies had made their appearance. Then he led them, sidestepping, across to the cave.

Hunter stood back, watching to see how Barak and Larem responded to the barrier. Both men stood within arm's reach of its shimmering surface while the three Paladins waited in silence.

Finally, Barak spoke. “This strip would be relatively easy for someone with my talents to bring down on command.”

“Your talents?” Hunter asked, although he suspected he already knew the answer.

“There are those rare ones among our kind who are gifted with the ability to work with stone and the barrier. My sister and I both have the gift. It is safe to assume that the Kalith who passed through here last night does as well.”

Larem looked disgusted. “That narrows the field down to no more than a handful of possible culprits.”

“The Guildmaster being at the top of the list.” There was no mistaking the bitterness in Barak's voice. “I would give a great deal to catch him on this side of the barrier.”

Hunter had no idea who the Guildmaster was, but it was obvious that both Lonzo and D.J. had at least a working knowledge of him.

“He seems more the type to send someone else to do his dirty work.” Lonzo shifted his weight, his hand on his hip, as if reaching for the sword he wasn't carrying. “Wouldn't Berk be keeping a close eye on him?”

Hunter was starting to feel as if he were watching a foreign film with no subtitles. “Okay, I'm lost here. Who's the Guildmaster and who's Berk?”

Barak was the one to answer. “In our world, we have
warriors who serve to protect our people. They work in groups of four, in what I believe you would call a squad. The leader of such a group is a Sworn Guardian, the other three serve as his or her Blade. The Guildmaster is the man who is in charge of all of the Blades in a given region. Unfortunately, the current Guildmaster is a man of no honor.”

Larem took up where Barak left off. “He has betrayed our people in many ways. Berk is one of the Sworn Guardians working to catch those who have been dealing with someone from your world, trading our blue stones to the humans. We don't know what the Guildmaster gets in return.”

“Well, I guess the next time he passes through, we'll have to ask him.” Hunter's smile had nothing at all to do with being friendly.

Larem surprised him by clapping him on the shoulder. “I will enjoy being part of that particular discussion.”

Hunter winced at the contact, still not comfortable with being touched. Well, except by Tate, but that was over. At least he managed to control his reactions enough to not take another swing at Larem.

As the men watched, the intense colors of the barrier flared brighter. As they fluctuated, streaks of sickly green and yellow flowed through the stream of energy.

“Son of a bitch! It's going down.” Hunter hit the button on his cane and yanked the blade out, ready to protect his companions. “Back out of here. If they come across, you don't want to be trapped in here unarmed.”

Both D.J. and Lonzo had drawn small revolvers, but
the narrow confines of the cave made it no place to start shooting. Possible ricochets weren't the only problem. The barrier could be ripped apart by bullets. “Come on, Barak, Larem, get moving.”

Larem did as they asked, but Barak stood his ground. He held his hands out in front of him, palms forward. Sweat poured off his face, as if he struggled to push against an invisible foe.

Hunter froze, staring at the barrier. Slowly at first, and then more rapidly, the putrid colors faded away, leaving behind only the vibrant colors of the barrier when at full strength. When the last bit of sallow green was gone, Barak slumped forward and let his hands drop to his sides.

D.J. stepped forward to offer support. He wrapped Barak's arm around his shoulders, then muscled him toward the mouth of the cave.

“He'll be all right in a few minutes, but let's get out of here in case his fix doesn't hold. It's doubtful that a bunch of Others are waiting to come party at this particular site, but you never know. I'd rather be outside the cave, where we can use our guns if necessary.”

Hunter waited until the other four were safely outside before he joined them, as he was the only one with a usable weapon. Outside, Barak was leaning against one of the boulders. He looked marginally better than he had only a few seconds before.

“Are you okay, or do you need a few more minutes?” Hunter asked as he stood with his eyes sweeping the trail both above and below the ledge.

Barak remained where he was. “As long as we go
slowly, I'll be all right. Working with the energy is never easy, and I'm out of practice.”

They all waited quietly until Barak pushed himself upright and started back toward the main trail. Hunter motioned for the rest to go ahead of him.

“Let D.J. take the lead, because he's been here before. I'll bat cleanup.”

Hunter waited and watched the path down to the beach for several seconds to make sure they weren't being followed. Or at least that was the excuse he told himself. The truth was that he needed to put a little room between himself and his companions.

If they wondered why he was slow to follow, they didn't say anything. He was hanging in there, but the past twenty-four hours had been a bitch. Even now, it was all he could do to face the two Kalith with any degree of control. That they were dressed in human clothes helped, but only a little. Years of fighting their insane kin had left him with a hair-trigger temper that screamed at him to attack before they could. Being tortured had only served to hone that particular instinct.

About halfway up the hillside, Larem dropped back to walk beside Hunter. If Hunter thought the Other was doing so to accommodate his weaker leg, he'd kick the bastard down the bluff to show him just how well said leg still worked.

But when Larem seemed sure the rest of the group couldn't hear their conversation, he spoke. “I don't know why I feel compelled to tell you this, but I want you to know that I did not choose to live in your world.”

As focused as Hunter was on his own situation, he
recognized some of the same resentment and anger in the Kalith warrior's voice and eyes.

“Then why are you here?” Not that he really wanted to know. Or did he?

“Barak came here expecting to die. Instead, he saved Devlin's woman from a human who would've killed her. Rather than being a martyr for our people, he became a hero to yours a second time when he saved the woman he loves. Her brother is a Paladin. You may have heard of him—Penn Sebastian.”

Hunter nodded. Penn was the other Paladin who could no longer fight at the barrier. Even if the two of them had that in common, or maybe because they did, Hunter had no interest in meeting Penn. Was he a bastard for feeling that way? Probably, but hanging out with Penn would make this change in his life seem too real, too permanent.

“So what did they do, drag you here kicking and screaming?” Hunter asked.

And if so, why didn't he just go home?

Larem stared up the trail, but his eyes were focused on something only he could see. “Lusahn q'Arc, Barak's sister, served our people as a Sworn Guardian. As Barak explained, Guardians are much like your police, only more than that. I was privileged to be part of her Blade, one of the three warriors who fought at her side. Barak was trying to meet with her, to work out a way for the Paladins and our Guardians to fight these common enemies who have betrayed both our peoples.”

“So what happened?”

“Barak's woman was kidnapped by humans. So instead
of Barak meeting with Lusahn, your Cullen Finley crossed into my world. While he was there, we were all betrayed by Lusahn's former mentor. Both of my Blademates were murdered by traitors who left a trail that laid the guilt on Lusahn and myself. Had I stayed, I would've been executed. In fact, Lusahn and I both would have died at the hands of the Guildmaster. Instead, with the help of Barak and three of the Seattle Paladins, we are here.”

“And you hate it.” Where was Larem headed with all of this?

“Not so much anymore. I have made a few friends. I like baseball.” His smile was fleeting. “But I lacked purpose until Devlin asked me to assist you in this hunt. I will understand if my continued presence causes you to wish me gone, but I would offer you the use of my sword.”

Obviously he didn't mean that Hunter could borrow his weapon. Despite his unusual way of speaking, it was clear that Larem was a warrior in need of a battle, just as Hunter was. Although Hunter might not be fighting alongside his friends, at least he was still in his own world. How much worse would it be to have lost all that, especially through no fault of his own?

And how weird to realize that he had more in common right now with his enemy than he did with Jarvis and Jake, not to mention the rest of the Paladins he'd spent his life serving with. Maybe he owed Larem a few explanations of his own. If Devlin had been true to his word, no one from this region knew the complete truth about what had happened to Hunter.