In Darkness Reborn (26 page)

“We brought sandwiches and more drinks. Tell us where it would be best to set up.”

Lacey let them lead her back to their car. Anything was better than staring at the dark mouth of the tunnel with only her own fear for company.

A little before dawn, Penn came to her. His face was streaked with dust and dirt, making it impossible to read his expression. “We're breaking through, Lacey.”

She shrugged off the blanket that someone had wrapped around her shoulders. “I'm coming in.”

“I think you should wait until we know. He wouldn't want you to see—”

“No, Penn. I'm exactly who he needs to see when they clear the way. And I need to tell him exactly how I feel about him.” She drew a deep breath. “I love him, Penn. And if he'll have me, I want to spend the rest of my life making sure he never forgets that.”

“You know it won't be easy, sis. There will always be some who only see him as the enemy. But if it means anything, you'll have my blessing.”

“It means everything.” She let him wrap her in his arms. “It means everything. Now let's go find him.”

Trahern was waiting at the entrance with a hard hat in his hands. “You shouldn't be coming in here.”

“If it were you trapped in there, Brenna would claw her way through to you.” It was nothing less than the truth.

“Yeah, I know. That doesn't mean I'd like her putting herself in danger for me.” He thrust the hat into her hands. “If you're coming in, put this on and watch your step.”

He led the way through the narrow passageway they'd cleared to where Devlin and a couple of Paladins were gingerly lifting rocks and passing them bucket-brigade style out of the way. When they'd created a hole big enough to shine a light through, Devlin blocked her view until he could see what lay beyond.

He turned toward them, his face set in grim lines. “Get some stretchers. I can only see Ben Jackson, or what's left of him, and a couple of men I don't recognize.”

The terror that threatened to overwhelm her eased off. Devlin went back to lifting rocks. When he had an opening wide enough to accommodate his broad shoulders, he crawled through and disappeared. Lacey could only watch and pray.

Barak breathed. Again, and again. That was more than he'd expected after the mountain had quit dancing around him. His enemies had died long before then; their fear of the earthquake had kept them from staging much of a defense against the stroke of his sword.

But maybe they had been the lucky ones. The way out of the tunnel was blocked by several tons of rock. He would die of thirst and hunger long before he could dig his way out. His only regret was never knowing the sweetness of Lacey Sebastian in his arms again.

He closed his eyes, too weary to hold on to consciousness. At least in his dreams, he could still hold his lover and know her warmth. Gradually pain faded away, and sleep came to gently carry him away from the hard rocks beneath his back and the dust settling over him like a blanket.

“Devlin, I'm coming through.” She didn't wait for permission but followed right on his heels into the opening beyond.

She bit back a scream when she came face-to-face with one very dead Ben Jackson. His two accomplices were sprawled in a bloody heap just beyond him. The horror in their final expressions didn't speak of an easy death.

“Take this flashlight, Lacey.”

Trahern handed one through to her before he started working his broad shoulders through the opening behind her. Devlin was already crawling farther back into the tunnel where the roof hadn't collapsed. She could see his light making sweeping arcs as he looked for some clue to Barak's fate.

She worked in the opposite direction, taking the left side along the wall as Devlin turned and came back toward her. If he'd found Barak, he gave no sign of it. Rather than assume the worst, she kept walking, her eyes firmly on the ground ahead of her.

Something sticking out from under a pile of rocks caught her attention. A shoe or a boot? It was hard to tell from a distance.

“Devlin! Blake! Back here.”

The two men started toward her as she made her way over piles of rocks and debris. Oh, Lord. The shoe was still attached to a leg. Barak's leg.

“Barak!”

No answer. She tried again as she clambered closer to her target. On her knees, she began shoveling handfuls of dust and rock out of her way. Devlin joined her as Trahern held his light up high so they could see what they were doing.

“Is he?…” She put her hand on his leg and almost collapsed in relief when she realized his skin was warm. “He's warm, Devlin!”

It didn't take long to clear off the thin layer of rock and dust that covered Barak from head to foot. He stirred briefly and mumbled something about dreams when she touched his face. It was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard.

“He's alive!”

Devlin grinned. “I'll get Laurel.”

Lacey cupped the side of his face and called his name.

“Barak, honey, can you wake up? We need to know how badly you're hurt.” She picked up his hand and rubbed it between her own. Trahern handed her his jacket to cover him with.

Finally, Barak blinked, then squinted up at her. His smile chased the chills out of her heart. “Lacey. I knew I'd dream of you until I died.”

“You're not dreaming, big guy. I'm really here.”

“Are you sure?” He struggled to raise his head.

Trahern leaned down into Barak's line of vision. “She's real, all right. Besides, if you were dreaming, would I be in it?”

Barak slowly shook his head, his eyes wide with wonder. The tears she'd been fighting all night broke loose as she clutched Barak's hand in hers. “I know it's not comfortable, but try to rest easy until we can get you out of here.”

“I need to tell you…” His voice trailed off, sounding dry and rough.

She fumbled for the bottle of water in her pack and held it to his lips. “Sip it slowly. There'll be plenty of time to talk later.”

“No, now.”

To keep him calm, she leaned down close to speak a few words of her own. “I'm so sorry I blew up over your gifts. They are yours to use as you see fit. That doesn't make me love you any less.”

His beautiful silver eyes met hers. “I cannot imagine a world without you in it, Lacey.”

Trahern cleared his throat. “Uh, look, could you hold off on the mushy stuff long enough for us to get out of this place?”

Laurel came through the opening, followed by Devlin, who was carrying a stretcher. She completed a quick check of Barak's injuries before supervising the two men as they lifted him onto the stretcher. Lacey reluctantly let go of his hand as they began the delicate process of passing the stretcher out into the narrow confines of the tunnel.

Paladins lined the way, each man taking his turn in bearing the burden of her wounded lover. When they finally had him outside in the morning light, each and every one of them insisted on shaking his hand or patting his shoulder before finally loading him into the back of a truck. A helicopter waited in a meadow below to evacuate him to the Regents' medical facilities.

Before they got Barak strapped in, Penn hugged Lacey, then offered his hand to Barak. “I owe you, for her life and my own.” Then he stepped back. “Take good care of my future brother-in-law, Lacey. I still need a few more fighting lessons from him.”

Leave it to her brother to jump the gun. “We never said we were getting married, Penn!”

“You'd be a fool to let a man who loves you that much slip away.” Penn gave her a gentle shove toward the helicopter door. “Let me know when to rent the tux.”

As she crawled into the helicopter, Barak said, “Tell him to rent one soon. That is, if you'll have me. I promise no more secrets.”

It was definitely a day for tears mixed with smiles. “I'll take you any way I can, Barak. I love you, secrets and all.”

Carefully, so as not to jar her wounded warrior, she bent down to press a kiss on his lips, a promise of many more to come.

C
ullen stared at Barak's note in his hands, the light from the barrier making the letters appear to flicker and dance. Her name was Lusahn. He traced the form and shape of her name with his fingers and thought of the woman who waited on the other side. As her image filled his mind, his hand strayed to the small scar on his cheek.

She had marked him that day they'd fought, in ways that didn't show on the outside. Even now, weeks later, he could still see her, moving with the confident power of a true warrior combined with the grace of a beautiful woman. Would she be as passionate a lover as she was an enemy?

He grinned, figuring she'd carve him up for even thinking such a thing.

The barrier was weakening again. He hoped it held for a while longer, because the majority of the Paladins were still on their way back from rescuing Barak. Details were sketchy, but it sounded as if their enemy had risked everything to save Lacey Sebastian. He'd sustained minor injuries, but Laurel would see that he got the best care possible.

They owed it to Barak, for saving one of their own. No doubt he would no longer be Laurel's pet Other but an accepted member of their close-knit community. He wouldn't be crossing back into his own world anytime soon.

Which left Cullen standing at the barrier in his place, waiting to toss the note across to Barak's sister. But someone needed to tell her that her brother wouldn't be coming. He glanced up and down the length of empty tunnel stretching out in both directions.

He smiled and shook his head. He would cross the barrier to tell Lusahn that their two peoples needed to cooperate to end some of the bloodshed. He wondered if he'd live long enough to do more than hand her the note. He hoped so. He very much wanted to taste her passion.

The barrier flickered, flared, and failed.

She was there, just that short distance away, her pale, angry eyes focused solely on him. With a nod, he sheathed his sword and stepped forward. Her blade touched his throat as the barrier closed off his only avenue of retreat. He smiled, knowing he was either meeting his fate or his future. Holding out the envelope, he waited to find out which it would be.