He watched her with a most fascinating intensity in his brilliant blue eyes. Why had he, a human, agreed to take part in this dangerous exercise? What was he thinking right now, as he watched her so carefully?
She realized the answer to that question was the one she wanted to know the most. Because, more than anything and for some strange and as yet unexplainable reason, she wanted to know what he thought of her, not as a victim, but as a woman.
Alton reached over his shoulder and lightly touched the pommel on his sword.
I am here, Alton. And I am ready.
Good. HellFire, I wish I felt as confident as you sound.
Alton heard soft laughter in his mind, and then HellFire’s strong voice.
We will prevail. Do not doubt yourself, and do not doubt me. Your goal is mine, and it is just.
Alton almost laughed. No snark from his usually snarky sword? He hoped that was a good sign. Glancing from Ginny to Eddy and Dax, he asked, “Are you ready?”
At their affirmative answers, he turned to Dawson and Selyn. Selyn looked absolutely regal, even though she wore nothing more than a faded bathrobe that must have belonged to Dawson. She stood close beside the vet in the front room, tall and proud and every bit his equal. The two of them already looked like a team.
It was impossible to ignore Dawson’s interest in his exotic patient, but Alton wondered what would happen, once Dawson realized his mortality made anything permanent between them impossible.
Well, it was their problem, not his, though he knew how it could complicate things. Even so, Alton had more than enough to worry about without adding another couple’s hypothetical relationship to his list of problems. “You’ll have the room ready for my father?”
“We will.” Dawson glanced at Selyn. “If he tries to use compulsion, Selyn knows how to handle him. He might be able to control me, but she should be immune to him, right?”
Alton shrugged. “She should be. Compulsion doesn’t work on other Lemurians. It’s something we appear to have developed to use against humans.” He winked at Ginny. “I should have known something was up when it wouldn’t work on Ginny.”
Not that he hadn’t tried, because he had, on more than one occasion. He should have guessed, but discovering she was descended from Lemurian royalty had been a shock. It still gave him chills. Knowing she’d been gifted with immortality, that they would always be together, completed him. He’d never imagined what it would be like to love a perfect woman, and know she loved him in return.
“We’ll be ready for your father.” Dawson glanced at Selyn and then gazed seriously at Alton. “Be careful. All of you.”
Alton thought of Dawson’s words barely an hour later as he and the others followed Roland through hidden passageways used primarily by Lemurian guards to move about within their world. The tunnels were narrow and dark, but there was little chance of discovery as they quickly circumvented the great plaza and made their way to the residential area.
Roland paused just beyond the rooms where Artigos now resided. He touched Alton’s shoulder to get his attention, and whispered, “Will your mother be a problem?”
Alton shook his head and answered just as quietly. “I recently learned she and my father no longer share their living space. Her apartment is connected to his, yet they live separately, each with their own portal to the main passages for access. Because they’ve always been such private people, very few citizens realize they’re no longer living as man and wife.”
“That should make it easier for you.” Roland paused. Then he frowned at something only he could hear, and whispered, “Taron’s trying to contact me. He doesn’t say why, and his voice isn’t very clear, but I’ve not heard from him for days. Maybe he’s got the swords ready. I’d best head below and find out what he needs. Good luck.”
Alton watched as the big sergeant slipped quietly down yet another passage. Then he drew HellFire. “Is the way clear?”
His sword pulsed with a blue glow. “Your father is alone. The way is clear, and the time is right. We must go now.”
Alton adjusted the pack strapped tightly to his back beside his scabbard. He and Dax nodded to one another, and then Dax and Eddy moved to either side of the glowing portal that opened into his father’s rooms, taking the positions they’d agreed upon.
Alton paused as Ginny unsheathed her sword. Together, holding their glowing blades high, they stepped through the portal. Alton’s father sat alone at a small table, but the moment they entered, he leapt to his feet and glared at his son.
“What right do you have, entering my quarters unbidden?”
Before Artigos could mentally call on anyone for help, Alton pointed HellFire at him. Ginny did the same with DarkFire. Blue fire shot from the tip of Alton’s sword while dark purple shimmered forth from Ginny’s amethyst blade.
Trapped in the blended glow of light, Artigos went rigid. Eyes wide, lips parted in mid-curse, he was held immobile by the combined power of the two crystal blades.
“What now, DarkFire?”
Ginny’s soft question startled Alton. He’d focused so intently on his father’s angry face, he’d lost track of time.
“He will know nothing for the next few hours.” DarkFire’s glowing light shimmered, softened, and faded. Artigos sat heavily in his chair and stared straight ahead, entranced.
“Quickly,” Alton said. “Call Dax and Eddy.” He couldn’t allow himself to think of what they had just set in motion as he slipped his shoulder pack to the ground and pulled out a tightly folded duffle. His hands shook so badly he could barely hang on to the damned thing. He concentrated on unfolding the bag, on getting the zipper open. He couldn’t look at his father sitting there in the chair, staring into space like a plastic mannequin, a parody of the vital, forceful man Alton had always known—a man who had publicly disowned his only son.
By the time Dax and Eddy entered the room, Alton had his emotions under control and the bag open, and he was stretching it out on the floor. Even his voice sounded steady as he sat back on his heels. “Help me get him inside.”
Dax nodded and carefully grabbed Artigos beneath his shoulders while Alton turned around and lifted his father’s legs. Artigos offered no resistance at all, though his eyes were open. He appeared at least vaguely aware of something going on.
Artigos closed his eyes, though, as Dax and Alton stretched him out beside the duffle and, with Eddy and Ginny’s help, got him tucked inside. At the last minute, Alton grabbed his father’s crystal blade. He caught Ginny’s curious gaze. “I can’t take everything away from him. Not this, too.”
Ginny smiled softly as he slipped the blade and scabbard into the bag beside Artigos, and closed the zipper. “I won’t allow him near it when he’s conscious.” Alton ran his fingers along the zipper and sighed. “We just need to keep it close. Just in case …” The fabric was light enough to allow his father to breathe, but strong enough to carry him using the sturdy handles along the top.
Dax grabbed the handle above the chancellor’s head and shoulders while Eddy lifted the one at his feet. Alton glanced at Ginny. She should have grabbed part of the weight, but instead she stood off to one side with her arms folded over her chest.
“Ginny? Aren’t you going to help Eddy?”
“No.” She stepped closer, wrapped her fingers around his forearm and shook her head. “They can handle him. My place is with you, Alton. I’m staying.” She glanced toward Eddy. “You’re sure you don’t need my help? You’ll be able to carry him as far as the portal?”
“No problem. Now, Alton I might have trouble with, but his father’s not quite as big.” Eddy flashed a quick grin. “Don’t worry—either of you. You deal with Alton’s mom, and we’ll take care of dear old dad.”
“Thank you.” What else could he say? Obviously Ginny and Eddy had worked this out ahead, but he turned to her anyway, and grabbed both her hands in his. “Are you sure, Ginny? It could get ugly. This is treason, no matter how you look at it. It’s a capital offense in Lemuria. We could end up in jail again. Or worse.”
She laughed. Only Ginny …
“I’m sure. Now stop it. You’ve got bigger things to worry about.” She stood on her toes and kissed him. “Wherever you go, I’m there. Jail. Lemuria. Earth. You’re stuck with me.”
“Good. I think.”
Thank the gods!
Relief didn’t come close to describing how her words made him feel, but he held tightly to Ginny’s hand and watched until the portal closed behind Eddy and Dax. He wasn’t going to think of the risk they were taking. He couldn’t. “I hope they’ll be okay.”
Ginny squeezed his hand. “I hope you’ll be okay. I can feel your anxiety. It’s pouring off of you in waves.” She kissed his cheek. “C’mon, big guy. We need to talk to your mother.”
“I know.” He dragged his gaze away from the empty portal. “First I want to give Dax and Eddy time to get him through the gold veil and away from Lemuria. Dax will let me know once they’re ready to leave this dimension.” He wrapped an arm around Ginny’s waist and held her close. When she grinned at him, he leaned over and kissed her perfect mouth, losing himself, if only for a moment, in her heat and her taste, and her soft, full lips.
Ginny’s love surrounded him. With HellFire strapped to his back and Ginny beside him, Alton felt as if he could accomplish anything. “How did I survive so many years without you?”
She laughed and kissed him hard and fast, then backed away and said, “You didn’t. Your life didn’t begin until you met me.”
She had no idea how truthful her words actually were. No idea at all.
Chapter Four
As soon as everyone left, Dawson dug around in the storage closet in the hallway until he found a set of his old surgical scrubs for Selyn. They’d faded nearly white from so many launderings, but they were clean and soft. He figured they’d cover her enough that she wouldn’t feel threatened.
He’d noticed her clutching at the gaping neck on his old bathrobe. She was holding it closed now.
“Try these,” he said, handing her the folded pants and shirt. “They’ll be more comfortable than that old robe. They should fit you. You’re almost as tall as me, and I was a lot skinnier when I was in vet school.”
“Vet school?” She gazed up at him and frowned as she took the scrubs.
“UC Davis, where I studied to be a veterinarian. I wasn’t trained to treat people. Only animals.”
“You healed me.” Smiling, she shook her head. “I’m not an animal.”
He let out a big breath of air. “You can say that again, Selyn.” He walked the few steps to her room, reached around her and opened the door. “Try those on. See if they’ll fit.”
Without a word, she left him standing in the hallway, and shut the door behind her. He’d known clothing was going to be an issue for her from the moment she awoke and immediately tugged the blanket all the way to her chin.
She was probably used to her full, flowing robe, but the one she’d worn last night was totally ruined. The rips and tears could be mended, but bloodstains had already set in the soft fabric. The last thing Dawson wanted was to put Selyn back into clothing that would be a constant reminder of that terrible beating.
Clothing that covered her completely and yet was still comfortable to move in should help her relax a little, especially since she’d be staying here in his home. She’d tried to hide her reaction to his nearness, but he’d sensed her anxiety whenever he got close to her. That was the last thing he wanted—for this beautiful young woman to fear him.
He waited outside the bedroom, leaning against the wall in the hallway with his arms folded across his chest. After a few minutes, Selyn slowly opened the door. He wasn’t certain, but she seemed relieved that he’d waited for her.
At least she smiled when she saw him.
“Does this look okay?” She ran her hands down the front of the worn cotton. “It feels so strange to wear pants. I’ve never worn anything other than my robe.”
Her toes peeked out from beneath the wide pants leg. She lifted up one bare foot and laughed. “The pants look so silly.”
“I don’t think so.” He pushed himself away from the wall, though it was hard to stop staring at her. He paused for one more look. “I think you could wear rags and make them look beautiful.” Her eyes flashed wide in surprise, and he could have bitten his tongue for making such a personal comment. Awkwardly, he turned away and headed toward the kitchen. “C’mon. Let’s get something to eat. Are you hungry?”
She nodded, padding quietly behind him on bare feet. Shoes were something else she’d need. She hadn’t had anything on her feet when Roland brought her in the night before. She’d worn nothing but that torn and bloodied robe that was beyond repair.
Until they had time to shop for clothing, the scrubs were the best he could do. They’d sure never looked like that on him!
The soft fabric clung to her tall, slender frame, and the deep V-neck offered a glimpse of the hollowed shadows between her breasts. He’d seen those perfect breasts last night, when he’d used a syringe to drain blood and fluid from her punctured lung.
He’d not thought of her as a woman then. No, she’d been a badly injured patient, someone he shouldn’t even have treated. He was an animal doctor, damn it! What if he’d harmed her in some way? What if he’d not had the skills to help her?
Shit.
She was fine this morning. He had to quit worrying about what was done and think about what was coming. Alton’s father would be here soon, and before long, if what Alton said was true, they’d be more deeply immersed in the fight against demonkind. Thank goodness Selyn had recovered so quickly. Her body was healthy, her injuries healed from a combination of his medicine, her Lemurian healing ability, and Willow’s magic.
He almost stumbled when all those thoughts collided at once. Damn, but if he didn’t know this was all really happening, he’d think he was losing his mind. Demons and Lemurians and talking swords and a talking dog! Aunt Fiona’s spirit must be loving every minute of this. She’d warned him, hadn’t she?
Chuckling softly, he held open the door at the end of the hall. Selyn glanced at him and stepped through. She had to be starving, but she’d not said a word. BumperWillow jumped off the living room couch and trotted alongside, blond curls bouncing and tail wagging. Eddy’d been smart to leave her behind.
The dog seemed to make Selyn more comfortable with him, though Daws couldn’t blame her for being nervous around a strange man. Even though he’d been the one to treat her injuries, she’d been unconscious the entire time. He wondered what it must be like, to awaken after such a nightmare and discover you were in another world among complete strangers.
He regretted that Roland had decided to leave before Selyn regained consciousness. At least she knew him, if only slightly. She didn’t know Dawson at all, though he had every intention of changing that. Just not quite yet.
Carefully, he refrained from touching her as he guided her to a stool at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. The last thing he wanted to do was make her more nervous than she already was. It had to be hard for her, knowing that, other than the dog, she was alone with a man in his home. Except, she didn’t seem as nervous, now, sitting comfortably on the tall stool, looking wide-eyed at Dawson’s bright kitchen filled with morning sunlight streaming through the big windows.
Like a flash it came to him—what she was seeing, what she was experiencing for the first time. “You’ve never seen sunlight before, have you?” He paused beside her, fascinated by her expression, by the sheen of tears in her sapphire-blue eyes.
She shook her head, transfixed. “Never. I’ve heard of it. My mother used to speak of it with such longing. She told me of the sunlight glistening off the water on the bay near her home, before Lemuria sank beneath the sea. How the blue sea sparkled like diamonds. She loved to swim with the dolphins.” Selyn turned away from the sunlit window with its view of Sedona’s famous red rock formations, and smiled at him.
It was the first true smile of hers Dawson had seen, and if he hadn’t been holding on to the edge of the granite bar, he’d have had to grab it to keep from stumbling. Her smile blazed a path right through him.
“Do you know dolphins?” she asked.
He had to clear his throat to get his voice to work. “I’ve seen them.” He wished the ocean was close enough to take her there right now. He wanted to give her anything she desired, whatever she dreamed of. “We’re a long way from the ocean here in Sedona, but one time, years ago, I watched dolphins swim beside a boat in the Pacific. Beautiful, fascinating creatures.”
She had a dreamy expression on her face when she nodded. “I would like to see dolphins one day. And the sea. I definitely want to walk along the shore and stick my toes in the waters of the sea. Those are the stories I remember the best. The ones my mother told of her life before the DemonWars, before the purge that sent her to the mines and a life of slavery.”
Without thinking, Dawson reached for Selyn and wrapped his fingers around her hand. She didn’t pull away, but her head snapped up. She stared at him from wide, almost frightened eyes.
He didn’t turn her loose. He kept his grip light, as nonthreatening as he could, but he had to touch her. Needed this connection now, at this precise moment. “I promise you, Selyn. When this is over, when the demons are gone and all this crap is done, I’ll take you to the ocean, and we’ll walk along the shore. You can hunt for seashells and dip your toes in the water. Your entire body, if you want.”
He stared at her as she watched him. Her lips curved up in that delicious smile once again, and he was almost certain his heart stuttered in his chest.
“I would like that. I would like that very much.” And then she tugged her fingers free of his.
This time he let them go.
He took a step back, moving out of temptation, if there were such a place while she was here, in his home. In his world.
“It’s almost lunchtime, but I’m going to make us some breakfast. Eggs and bacon okay? Or do you prefer cereal?”
She actually laughed at his question. “I always feel lucky if we’re allowed bread and a piece of cheese when we break fast. Surprise me. I have no idea what kind of foods you eat.”
“I guess it’s all pretty strange to you, isn’t it?” He glanced over his shoulder, talking to her while he pulled a couple of pans out of the cupboard, and then raided the refrigerator.
“Even Lemuria is strange to me. I’d never been outside the mines until I met Roland, and then only to the level above the one where we live and work. I had to be very careful not to be caught when I met him.” She sighed. “Obviously, this last time, I wasn’t careful enough. I’ve heard of so many places, but I’ve never seen any of them. Not even pictures. We had a few books to learn to read, but none with pictures.”
He started the bacon frying and grabbed clean flatware and a couple of plates. “How is it you know as much as you do?” He smiled at her, hoping to put her at ease. The things she’d never experienced had to make this simple breakfast in a kitchen in Earth’s dimension utterly mind-boggling. “You’re comfortable with our language. That’s something I’ve never thought to ask. How is it all of you speak English?”
She grinned. “Ah, that’s where my Lemurian heritage helps. We speak and understand all languages. No matter what you speak, we hear and understand the words, all the nuances of the language. You might be speaking English, but I am hearing Lemurian.”
He set a glass of orange juice in front of her. Her eyes lit up. “What is this?”
“Orange juice. From a type of fruit, a citrus. Try it.”
She sipped. Her eyes widened, and she took a huge swallow. Then she set the glass down and slowly licked her lips. Dawson almost groaned when the pink tip of her tongue swept over the fullness of her upper lip and then brushed the lower.
Staring at the glass, now only half full, she said, “This is wonderful. We have water and tea in the mines, but nothing like this.” She took another swallow. Again she licked an errant drop from her top lip.
He couldn’t stand it. Turning away, Dawson poured himself a cup of coffee, took a swallow, and burned his tongue.
Shit.
He’d never felt so awkward around a woman in his life, nor enjoyed himself more. He loved the fact he could show her new things, give her new experiences. Orange juice was safe, but that wasn’t where his imagination wanted to lead him.
The image of her perfect body, covered in bruises and contusions, flashed into his mind. She’d been through too much. More than any woman should have to bear.
Damn. Stick to new memories, Daws. Good memories.
Something besides slavery and brutality and a life where the sun never touched her smile.
The snap of bacon frying drew him back to the stove. Selyn took another sip of orange juice and closed her eyes, as if lost in the sensual pleasure of the cold drink. Dawson tore his gaze away from her before his damned testosterone-fueled brain went off on other sensual pleasures, other things he’d like to show her. “Did you go to school?”
That was a safe question, wasn’t it?
She shrugged. “Not really. Our mothers taught us what they could. There was nothing organized for us. We’re slaves, after all. Not worthy of an education. I can read and write, and I know my numbers and the basic history of our world. I know some history of Earth, but not as much as I should.”
She smiled as she ran her fingertip through the condensation on the side of the glass. “I know how to fight. How to protect myself.” Then she sighed. “At least, I thought I did. Birk’s attack taught me I’m not as strong as I thought.”
Dawson put the strips of bacon on a paper towel to drain, and stuck some bread in the toaster. Then he cracked and beat half a dozen eggs, poured off most of the bacon fat, and dumped the eggs into the pan. Concentrating on the eggs, he asked her the question he’d avoided so far. “How did it happen? What did you do, that you were beaten so badly?”
She stared at her hands clasped around the base of her glass of juice and shook her head. Her long, dark hair rippled in midnight waves over her shoulders. “I don’t really know. Birk caught me coming back from a meeting with Roland. Normally, catching one of us in the passageways where we don’t belong would warrant a slap, maybe the loss of what few privileges we have, but he surprised me with a solid punch to my jaw. I wasn’t expecting it. I never recovered from that first punch, not enough to fight back. He was too strong, too fast… .”
Her voice trailed off as she gazed once more at the sunny window. “I’m afraid to go back to the mines. I know I have to, but I’ve never been so close to death before. It was terrifying.”
“You were badly hurt. Your injuries might have killed a human woman … or man.” He shoved the eggs around the pan, concentrating on the lift and swirl of brilliant yellow, watching them solidify as they cooked. When they were almost done, he raised his head and caught her sapphire gaze in his own. “When you go back,” he said, “I’ll go with you. I don’t want you to have to face that bastard alone. Never again.”