When she stumbled for the second time, Devlin finally realized what the problem was. Without breaking his stride, he swept her up in his arms and carried her down to the other end of the alley where she could see Trahern’s legs sprawled on the ground behind some boxes. Oh Lord! He wasn’t moving. Fear for him burned like acid. How many more times could he die and come back human?
Not many.
Chapter 11
Devlin set her down and then flattened one of the boxes for her to kneel on. She dropped to Trahern’s side, fearing for his life. A bright splash of blood had stained the entire right side of his shirt and had pooled on the ground next to him. She checked his pulse and was relieved to find it was steady. His eyes blinked open.
“Doc?” He made a feeble attempt to sit up.
She put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him back. “Yeah, Blake, it’s me. Try not to move until I see how badly you’re hurt.”
When she tried to peel up his T-shirt, it stuck in the already thickening blood. She pulled a scalpel out of her bag to cut the material away, but it was slow going.
“Devlin, I need your knife.”
A deadly-looking blade appeared in front of her face. “Don’t do anything fancy, Laurel. We need to move him out of here before any of those cops pulling up out there decide to get curious. We don’t need that kind of trouble.”
“I can walk.” Trahern tried once again to push himself up off the ground.
“Lie still! Move like that again and you’re likely to get cut with this knife. That’s not what you need right now.”
She managed to cut away enough of the shirt to see the wound more clearly. She generally treated Paladins for blade wounds, but a bullet had created this particular one. It had cut a deep groove along Blake’s abdomen.
Devlin looked down over her shoulder. “How bad is it?”
“A bad bleeder, but not fatal.”
Grabbing several packs of gauze squares from her bag, she put together a makeshift pressure bandage and used surgical tape to secure it in place. Once they had Trahern somewhere more private, she’d do a better job tending the wound. Right now, both men were tense with the need to get out of the alley. She didn’t blame them; she was feeling pretty exposed herself.
“That should hold him until we get him inside.” She pushed herself to her feet. Devlin was standing with his back to the wall, a nasty-looking gun in his hand. He always looked dangerous, but this was the first time she’d ever seen him with his game face on. It scared her, even knowing he was guarding her and his wounded friend.
“Uh, Devlin, we can go.”
His eyes flicked in her direction and then down at Trahern. “Stay here until I check the street.”
The police were still at work on the accident; the last thing they needed to do was carry a wounded Trahern past them with his shirt in bloody shreds. While Devlin scouted out a safe route, she slid her arm around Trahern’s shoulders and helped him into a sitting position. None of the Paladins showed much reaction to pain, but his face was drenched with sweat and he bit his lip to keep from moaning.
She both hated and admired their stoicism. “Go ahead and curse if it will help, because standing up is going to hurt even worse.”
He didn’t waste his breath on talking of any kind until she had him up on his feet. While she gathered up her medical supplies, he leaned back against the wall with his eyes closed. Judging by his pallor, nothing but sheer cussedness was keeping him on his feet. There wasn’t anything she could do about the blood on the ground, but she moved the cardboard over it to hide it from immediate sight.
“Shall we try?”
She wrapped Trahern’s arm around her shoulder and helped him start shuffling down the alley. They’d gone no more than a handful of steps when Devlin returned. He immediately took Trahern’s other side.
“Almost everyone is still congregated at the other end. I didn’t mean to be gone so long, but I wanted to check out the situation about the car while I had a chance. Seems there was no one in it. The owner is hopping mad, because the police are accusing him of negligence for not setting the parking brake and leaving the car in neutral. The owner swears he always sets the brake and that someone had to have messed with the car. The cops aren’t buying his story because the car was locked up tight. Anyone trying to open the door without the key would have set off an alarm.”
Trahern shook his head. “The wreck was timed to hide the sound of the gunshot.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too.” Devlin angled his body to stand between Trahern and the crowd a block away. “I can’t support you like this while we’re out in the open. If the bastard wants to try another shot at one of us, I need to be able to move fast.”
She felt Trahern shift more of his weight to her shoulders. “Sorry, Doc, but it’s you and me.”
“Come on, big boy, let’s get across the street.”
They started forward again, finding their rhythm. His long legs took one step for every two of hers, but they kept at it. Once they reached her side of the street, they turned their backs on the ruckus a short distance away and made their way up to her place.
Devlin blocked their way. “Why is the door standing wide open?”
“I probably didn’t close it on my way out. When I heard the crash, I ran out and then went back to grab my medical bag.”
“Wait here.” Devlin had his gun in his hand as he disappeared inside her home. It didn’t take him long to check the place out.
“All clear.” He slipped the gun into his belt at the back of his pants and reached for Trahern. “Where do you want him?”
“The guest bedroom. We can lay him down in there.”
Trahern snarled, “Quit talking like I’m not here. Take me into the bathroom and leave me alone. Once I get washed up, I’ll be out of here.” He frowned at Devlin. “I’ll need something clean to put on. Walking down the street like this might draw some attention.”
There was no use in arguing with Trahern. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t give in to an injury that was no worse than this one. “I’ve got some extra large men’s sweats that should fit you. Devlin, while I get them, you make sure he gets that wound cleaned out with antiseptic wash, then slather it with this.” She pulled a bottle of Betadine solution and a tube of antibiotic ointment out of the vanity drawer. “Bandages are in the other side. Clean towels and washcloths are in the linen closet.”
While the two men handled the necessary first aid, she rooted through her closet to find the sweats her brother had left behind on his last visit. He wasn’t quite as big as Trahern or Devlin, but the soft fleece would do until Trahern got home.
She handed them to Devlin and then left them alone again. She went into the kitchen to reheat her dinner. By the time Trahern and Devlin joined her, she had three plates on the table and the food ready.
“Sit down and eat. And before you argue, Blake Trahern, remember this is your doctor talking. I know you are the toughest thing around, but either you eat now, or I call the lab and have you picked up and admitted for observation.” She’d do it, too. The adrenaline rush of the crisis was starting to wear off and there were questions she wanted answered before she collapsed for the night.
Neither of the men bothered to argue. Devlin took the seat on her right. “Looks like you ordered a lot of food for one person.”
Lord save her from a jealous man. “The sweats are my brother’s, Devlin, and I happen to like Chinese food. I usually order enough for two or three meals. Saves on delivery charges.”
Both men started shoveling the food into their mouths like there was no tomorrow, probably because they knew the questions were coming and neither one wanted to be the one to answer them. She let them eat in silence, giving herself time to come at the situation from several different angles. What had just happened?
When the eating slowed down, she set her plate aside and leaned forward. “All right, gentlemen. Time for some answers.”
“Look, I’ve got to go while I can still walk.” This from Trahern. His color was marginally better, but the pain showed in the lines bracketing his mouth.
“Not until I—”
Devlin interrupted. “Come on, give him a break. Look, I’ll call D.J. He can take Blake home and keep an eye on him. But while we’re waiting for him, you go pack.”
“Pack? What are you talking about?”
But Devlin had turned his back to her as he punched in D.J.’s phone number. Something was going on, something neither one of the men wanted to talk about. And whatever their problem was, it now involved her. After all, how did Trahern come to be shot in the alley so close to her home? Then there was the little matter of Devlin conveniently being there to rescue his friend.
Oh, yes, the man had a lot to answer for, but it could wait until they were alone.
“Hey, Doc, do you have anything you could give me for the pain? Maybe a couple of aspirin?”
She couldn’t refuse Trahern’s request, but she suspected he was only trying to distract her. “I’ll get some for you.”
When she returned from the bathroom, the door from the kitchen to the garage was open and Devlin and Trahern were gone. She listened for a couple of seconds and heard them talking softly out in the garage as a car pulled into her driveway. Disgusted that she’d fallen for Trahern’s ruse, she took the aspirin herself, figuring that whatever Devlin had to tell her was going to give her a headache.
To keep herself busy, she cleaned up the remains of their dinner and put the leftovers in the fridge. She was stuffing the last of the plates in the dishwasher when she heard footsteps in the garage. Once again, her pulse sped up.
Maybe if she enticed Devlin into her bed, he’d be in no position to duck her questions. The idea pleased her in several ways, although she didn’t want to jump him as soon as he walked in. She’d let him shut the door first.
He came in with a determined look in his eye. She stood her ground, resolved to make him come to her and hoped that she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wait until they got naked. But one look at the expression on his face told her he had other plans for the two of them. He stopped just short of where she stood.
“Where’s your suitcase?”
“I don’t respond well to orders, Mr. Bane.”
“Look, Laurel, I don’t have time for this. We need to get the hell out of here.”
His words hit her like a splash of cold water. Nothing much scared a man like Devlin, but there was extra tension in the set of his jaw.
“Why? What aren’t you telling me?”
He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “Trust me enough to do what I ask. I’ll explain later, but right now you’re not safe here. Go pack enough clothes for several days.”
She wasn’t about to be run out of her own home without good reason. Crossing her arms over her chest, she prepared to wait him out. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.”
Devlin crowded closer to her, using his height to try to intimidate her. “Don’t argue, Laurel. Just do it or I’ll pack for you and carry you out of here over my shoulder. Once we’re settled someplace that’s safer I’ll explain more, but right now there isn’t time.”
She had no doubt that he meant every word. “Fine. Be that way.”
As she marched past him to her bedroom, he caught her arm and swung her around to face him. His mouth, so grim and unhappy, crushed down on hers. The wild flavor of a warrior ready for battle mixed with the taste of her anger to form a volatile mix. It wouldn’t take much for it to explode out of control. She wanted it to; she needed it to. Their tongues tangled and mated, maybe soothing their tempers but fanning the flames of their passion until they both burned red hot. He lifted her up so that the curves of her body fit against the hard planes of his.
“We don’t have time to finish this.” Not that he moved to put any distance between them as he nuzzled her neck.
“That doesn’t seem to matter.” She wanted to climb him or throw him to the floor.
“The sooner you get packed, the sooner we can get naked someplace safe.”
As bribes went, it was a dandy. She dragged a suitcase out of the back of her closet and opened it on the bed. She started with underwear, making sure to pick out the laciest ones she owned. Since he was going to see them, she wanted to look good.
In the bathroom she loaded up the basics, figuring she could always come back for anything she forgot or buy more. There wasn’t much she couldn’t live without for a few days.
That left clothes. She packed several pairs of basic slacks and the blouses to go with them, clothes she wore to work every day. She added some jeans and three sweatshirts, her hands shaking enough to make it difficult to fold things neatly.
After one last look around, she tucked in two pairs of shoes and a little jewelry. Finally she was ready, although it took a couple of tries to get the suitcase closed. She pulled up the handle and rolled the suitcase behind her into the living room. The drapes had been drawn and Devlin was standing at the edge of the window, staring out into the now-dark Seattle night.
“I’m ready. Where are we going?”
“My place for the night. After that, we’ll be better able to make our plans.”
She picked her keys up from the counter. “Do you want to drive or do you want me to?”
He held out his hand. “I will, just in case.”
A flock of butterflies took up residence in her stomach. “In case of what?”
He offered her the comfort of his touch. “In case the bastard who killed me once and shot Trahern is still waiting out there.”
Goose bumps sent chills up and down her body. “Is he after me, too?”
“I think he wants to use you to get to me, because I’m hard to corner.” Devlin picked up her suitcase. “Maybe he figures if he threatens you, I’d walk into a trap bare-ass naked with my hands up.”
“And would you do that?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
“In a minute and with a smile on my face.” Then he planted a quick kiss on her cheek to lighten the moment.
She followed him out to the garage, feeling sick. If his stalker succeeded in killing Devlin, he’d make sure Devlin stayed dead this time. He’d have to, or else spend the rest of his life running like hell with Trahern and the others on his trail.
She climbed into the passenger seat of her car and buckled up as Devlin drove out into the night. As the door of the garage slowly closed, she looked back and felt as if it was closing on her life, as well.
• • •
“Son of a bitch!”
He was tempted to take a shot at the car as it backed out of the garage, but policemen were canvassing the neighborhood, looking for witnesses to the car accident.
He wasn’t worried about that. When he’d paid that punk to release the brakes and put the car in neutral, he’d been wearing different clothes and a hat pulled down low over his face. His own mother would have had a difficult time recognizing him. He’d come that damn close to grabbing Laurel Young and failed.
He kicked a trashcan and sent it flying across the alley. He should have known that Devlin Bane wouldn’t trust Trahern to watch his woman for him. No sooner had he pulled the trigger than Bane came out of cover to check on his friend.
That should have kept Bane occupied long enough to allow time to kidnap Dr. Young. Instead, she’d managed to walk right into Bane’s waiting arms. Now he’d have to go to all the trouble of tracking her down again. Chances were that it would be days before the canny Paladin let her within spitting distance of her condo again. And she’d be surrounded by a bunch of his cutthroat friends the whole time.
So he’d have to find some way to catch her alone in her lab. Yeah, that could work. But time was running out. If he didn’t succeed soon, he’d have no choice but to make a run for it.
He’d have to leave Seattle one way or the other, but he’d prefer to leave with a nice c
hunk of change stashed away to keep him in good wine and pretty women for decades to come. With that thought in mind, he headed back home to make plans and pray that something would go right for once.
• • •
Devlin kept a wary eye on the rearview mirror as Laurel’s condo disappeared behind them. He had complete confidence that he could evade anyone following their car, but they were still vulnerable to gunshots. As they put more distance between themselves and the danger behind him, his muscles started to relax.
“Are you all right?” His superior vision let him see far more clearly in the dim light of the car than a normal human could. Laurel had leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes.
She managed a small smile. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I want to drive around for a few more minutes to make sure we haven’t picked up a tail, but we’re not far from my place.”
“Good, because I’m ready for today to be over.” She reached over to lay her hand on his arm. “Almost ready.”
The heat of her touch slid through him like a benediction. Oh yeah, he liked the way this woman thought. He accelerated to make the light ahead and then made an abrupt left turn. If anyone was after them, he would have to wait until the light changed again to follow them. Halfway down the block, he cut through a parking lot to change direction. He stopped between two cars parked near the exit to make sure no one was paying undue attention to their activities.
The coast was clear. He drove out of the lot and headed for his place. They should be inside and out of sight within minutes. He headed east and pulled into his driveway a short time later.
Laurel looked more alert, taking in all the details she could. “We’re almost neighbors.”
“Yeah, as a crow flies, it’s no more than a mile to your place.”
He parked her car next to his vintage Porsche. After retrieving her suitcase from the trunk, he led the way into the house. What would Laurel think of the place? He was betting she’d like it fine. He spent too much of his life underground, but coming home to a spectacular view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west went a long way toward making up for it. A six-foot-high cedar fence kept his small backyard safe from the prying eyes of neighbors. Like most of the Paladins, he valued his privacy.
Dark Protector Page 17
