Paladin (Book Two of the Elemental Paladins series)

by Montana Ash

  Ryker snorted rudely, “Processing how to be an arsehole maybe. If you’re having second thoughts about Max being your liege, then just say so. You know she would never force you.”

  “I’m not having second thoughts.” Much, he added silently as he paced back and forth.

  “You’re hurting her.”

  Darius stopped in his track and squeezed his eyes shut upon hearing those three words. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Ry. I don’t mean to. I love her.” He added, gruffly. And he did.

  Ryker cleared his throat at that and lost some of the attitude. “I know you do. And I get it – at least some of it. I know all the talk about the chades must have brought up bad memories about your brother –”

  “Stop! Don’t go there, Ry.” His voice sounded guttural even to his own ears. His brother was not up for discussion. “I mean it. This has nothing to do with him.”

  “You don’t want to talk about Charlie? That’s fine.” Ryker raised his hands in surrender even though he had just said his brother’s name. Didn’t Darius just say he didn’t want to talk about his brother? What was Ry trying to pull? Was he purposefully trying to piss him off?

  “Don’t say his name.” He warned.

  His tone had Ryker crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes, searching Darius’s face. “Fine. What about Diana, then? What are you planning to do about that mess?”

  Darius felt a tick in his jaw. “That is not up for discussion either.”

  “Oh, isn’t it? Well, I’m sorry Sir Darius. Why don’t you tell me what we can talk about?” Ryker’s voice was heavy with sarcasm and he could tell he was beginning to lose patience. Well, so was Darius. He felt like his entire world had been turned upside down in the past few weeks. First, Max had waltzed into a bar and decapitated a chade with a samurai sword. Then she turned out to be a Goddess. Then she had flattened him in order to save a chade. A chade! And then Diana had pushed his buttons, using his years of percolating lust to ram through his iron-fisted control.

  “She’s not just any old lay, Darius! She is a fellow knight, in this Order. She’s a friend, more than a friend – she’s family!” Ryker continued, heatedly.

  Darius was starting to feel the tenuous thread on his control getting thinner and thinner as each of Ryker’s words lashed at him. He was feeling real anger towards Ryker like he hadn’t in a long time. When he had first moved in, Ryker had been practically impossible to live with. If not for the fact that Darius owed him a blood debt – or rather, multiple blood debts – he would have given up on him in those early days, despite the fact that Darius had nowhere else to go and nothing else to do but latch onto the lifeline that was the Lodge. Ryker had mellowed somewhat over the years so that he was at least civil but he was still far from the noble paladin leader Darius had first met over a hundred years ago. And now he had the nerve to spank him because he was being a little moody?

  “Need I remind you of your behaviour where Max was concerned not two months ago?”

  “As I recall, you raked my arse over the coals.”

  Darius kept his mouth studiously shut. He didn’t want to dig himself into a deeper hole.

  “Come on, man! I’m trying to help you here. You know you can’t lie to me, right? I can taste a lie.”

  Darius narrowed his eyes. Just as he suspected; Ryker was admitting he had used his empath abilities on him. It was definitely not what he wanted to hear. “I haven’t lied.”

  “Maybe not. But you’re sure as hell omitting a lot. Do you want to know what you’re omitting?”

  “No!” The one syllable was a growl but the stubborn bastard continued on as if he hadn’t spoken;

  “I see the way you look at her when you think nobody’s watching; like a precious treasure made just for you. I see the way your eyes track the movements of her hair; daring the wind to tease those wild locks. I can feel the longing coming from you in waves; the need to feel, the need to touch, the need to have. And you have had her, haven’t you Darius? Twice now …”

  CRACK!

  *****

  Fuck, damn, shit! Darius swore silently as he shook the pain from his fist. Ryker always did have a hard head. Darius hadn’t meant to hit him. He didn’t even realise he’d moved until he felt the pain arrowing up his arm but now here he was, staring down at the unconscious form of one of his best friends … and his Captain … and a Goddess’s lover. Of course Ryker knew what would hit him the hardest and his aim had been perfect. Hearing his most secret desires aired out like that had pushed him over the edge – because they had all been true.

  Darius looked down at Ryker. The big man had yet to move so he bent down and started slapping him, not so gently, in an attempt to wake him. Ryker began to come around a full two minutes later; must have been a damned good punch, Darius couldn’t help thinking with pride. But he didn’t think Max was going to feel the same way if her screech was any indication;

  “Oh, my God! What the hell happened?” She charged out the front door and knelt by Ryker’s prone form, all five of her paladins in her wake.

  “Ah …” Not quite willing to confess, he looked everywhere but at Max. Unfortunately, his gaze was ensnared by eyes that resembled storm clouds. Diana’s eyes were condemning and made him feel about two feet tall.

  “You hit him?” Max’s voice was tremulous and there were tears in her eyes as she gazed up at him.

  He felt sick. “Max, I …”

  She sniffed as she stroked Ryker’s cheek soothingly, “Please just go away for a while.”

  Looking around, he saw that everyone was on the same wavelength. So away he went.

  TWENTY

  “Lucky you have such a hard head, babe. Are you okay?” Max asked, stroking Ryker’s already bruised jaw.

  Ryker grunted. “Fucking big bastard. He always did have a good right hook.” He shook his head ruefully and Diana thought she could see a hint of pride in his eyes. Men! She thought, always with the testosterone. But her levity was short lived as Ryker continued;

  “Darius has been teetering on the brink of insubordination for weeks. I can’t let this go. He’s going to have to be punished.” Ryker’s brown stare was intense as he looked directly into Diana’s eyes.

  Diana swallowed hard, “I know.” She said. And she did know. Paladins and Wardens both functioned under a set of strict rules for a reason and underwent rigorous training regimes and education from the time they were very young. Wardens, because they were so powerful, all ran the risk of abusing all that power, hence the need for the Rangers. The same was true of paladins; they were strong and produced a life-giving energy. Such strength of body and mind could not be free to roam the world without discipline. It was why their training was so intensive before they were allowed to bond to a liege. They not only had to prove themselves in battle but they also had to prove they had the temperament, the control, and the loyalty to serve. They also followed a strict chain of command – and one simply did not punch their commanding officer. Although Darius was not yet bound to Max, and Ryker was not officially his Captain, Ryker was a potentate and the most senior paladin in the house. What’s more, Darius had agreed to living under Ryker’s roof and had therefore submitted to being under his rule for the duration.

  “Punishment? What do you mean by punishment?” Max asked. She was frowning in confusion and Diana could detect the unease in her body. Max had been upset initially, but had perked up as soon as Ryker opened his eyes. She was a big softy under all that steel.

  “Darius struck a superior, Max. That simply cannot be tolerated. Darius will have to be disciplined.” Beyden’s deep voice was sombre as he answered.

  They were all seated around the dining table as was their usual location for a pow wow. Diana could see that Cali, Axel and Lark were apprehensive about discussing the punishment of a fellow soldier and friend, but she also saw the disappointment in their eyes over his actions. They had been very patient with Darius’s erratic and uncharacteristic mood swings over the past
couple of weeks and any one of them would do anything to help. Just as they had been when Ryker first met Max and had made a complete dick of himself with that mouth of his. But Darius kept pushing all of them away, his pride and sense of duty was far too ingrained to allow any sign of weakness. The only time she had managed to strip away some of those defences was when he was buried deep inside of her and even then, the regret that hung heavy in the air afterwards was clear evidence that their attraction was only a contributor to his mixed up emotions, not a help.

  “I don’t like the sound of that, disciplined how?” Max’s eyes were narrowed now and focused solely on her partner.

  Ryker sighed, “In the past, such insubordination would be punished by a public flogging or beating.”

  “WHAT?!” Max exclaimed, her chair falling to the floor as she jumped up. “That’s barbaric! You are not whipping Darius! I don’t care what he did!” Max’s chest was rising and falling rapidly and her glaring eyes were a little panicked.

  “Easy, sweetheart.” Ryker soothed, immediately wrapping his big arms around her and chafing her arms. “I’m not suggesting that. I would never do that. I don’t believe in corporal punishment – although, a good solid arse-kicking never hurt anyone … much.”

  Max’s breathing calmed somewhat but Diana could still detect the fine shaking in her limbs and Ryker, for all his gentleness with Max, had a hard look in his eyes. What was going on here? It was like Max had a personal aversion to physical discipline or … Diana’s thoughts trailed off as she realised that was exactly what was going on here; someone had hurt Max. Looking around she could see the dawning realisation on the faces of the others. Lark in particular looked a little green. Given his own past, Diana couldn’t blame the poor guy.

  “Ry’s right, sweet Max.” Axel said, tweaking her nose playfully. Max batted it away much like a kitten would and Ryker bared his teeth. Axel was going to flirt with Max one too many times. Axel continued on, uncaring of the testosterone-fuelled Captain. “A beating is too old school, but he will still need to be disciplined. He will be expecting it and I don’t think he would be able to move forward without it.” Axel said, tone level and devoid of the playfulness present a few seconds prior.

  Diana focused her grey eyes more fully on the jokester of the group. His own blue eyes were serious and held an intuitive awareness that Diana hadn’t acknowledged he was capable of. He was always so flirty and laidback, it was easy to forget he was also very intelligent and had lived and served a Warden under trying circumstances. As he continued to gaze at her, she believed Axel might be the only other person in the room who truly understood what made Darius tick.

  “So I’ll send him to his room or something.” Max said, shrugging casually now, her eyes still defiant.

  Diana tugged on a curl, unconsciously revealing her anxiety, as she shook her head. “That won’t be enough, Max. Axel is right. Darius must atone for his actions. He must be penalised.”

  Something in her demeanour must have stopped Max from her immediate rebuttal again, for she tilted her head, narrowing her clear eyes, “Why?” She asked simply this time.

  Diana answered just as simply. “Because his nature demands it.” It was true; Darius was a soldier, a warrior, a man of duty and fidelity. It wasn’t his last one thousand years of service that made him that way either. It’s what flowed in his veins, what pulsed in his heart, what kept him going all these long years. Darius was a knight, soul-deep.

  “His heart beats with his sense of duty and loyalty. He is a knight down to his bones – down to his very soul. His penance is essential for him to heal.” Max stated, her eyes flashing with that beautiful but strange inner light.

  Diana barely refrained from wincing as Max seemed to repeat her own words back to her, as if she was reading her mind … or her soul. She still found it a little unnerving. “That’s right.” She acknowledged, even though it wasn’t really necessary.

  “What do you suggest?” Max asked.

  “What?” Diana was startled.

  “What do you suggest his punishment be, Lady Diana?” Max asked, her formality unsettling her even more. She looked to Ryker for guidance but her Captain wasn’t giving anything away. Apparently he was deferring to his liege on this one. She swallowed hard; she knew what she wished could happen, what she hoped could happen. Dare she ask? She looked at Cali and her best friend gave her a smile and an encouraging nod. Axel’s sensual lips also quirked on one side in a small smile, as if he also knew what she was thinking. Diana took a deep breath. No guts no glory, right? She thought to herself. And this could very well bring Darius back from a precipice nobody wanted him to be near, so she opened her mouth … and asked.

  TWENTY-ONE

  What was wrong with him? Darius thought in agitation, gripping the steering wheel as the car sped along the coast line. He was the calm paladin, the one always in control. He was thirteen hundred years old, so he’d had plenty of time to cultivate patience. But lately he had been easily distracted, easily riled to temper, and easily tempted by his lusts. He had been disrespectful to Max – not just a Custodian, but also a friend and a sister he never had. He had been rude and temperamental to his fellow knights. He had thrown Diana against a few walls and had his fill of her. And now he had struck an immediate superior. He actually felt a little bit sick – he had punched Ryker! Ryker was going to hand him his arse and Darius was going to let him. There was a time when such an offense would earn him a public whipping. Such practices were no longer the norm but he wouldn’t blame Ryker in the slightest if he chose to beat him bloody.

  He was so distracted, he barely managed to swerve in time to miss the small animal that darted out in front of him. He slammed on his brakes and veered to the left, grateful it was a quiet road and there were no cars behind him. Not hearing any sickening thump, he figured the little critter had escaped his tyres. Knowing he had to double check to be sure, he undid his seat belt and stepped out into the cooling afternoon air. At first, he couldn’t see anything in the dense bush that lined the road but then a rustle of leaves caught his attention. He looked to his right where the sound had come from, still not seeing anything. He wished Bey was with him. Being affiliated with the beasts meant animals were naturally calm around him; Beyden was great with animals.

  “Hey, little buddy. It’s okay, you’re okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to make sure you’re alright.” He pitched his voice low and sat down on his haunches making himself smaller. A few seconds ticked by before a small furry head poked up from behind a prickly shrub. A scrawny body followed and Darius couldn’t help but wince in sympathy at how hungry the poor little thing looked. Its fur was still baby-fuzz and was mottled with an array of browns, blacks, sands and greys. Its eyes were two different colours – blue and brown – and it had one straight ear and one floppy one. He had no idea what breed the small pup was and Darius figured the dog had no idea either. It was clearly a mutt. But it was also clearly a baby and too young to be on its own.

  “What are you doing all the way out here? And where’s your mother?” He kept his tone soft and held out a hand so the little guy could give him a sniff. The pup cocked its head much the same way Max did when she was considering something or puzzling her way through a conundrum. He was patient, keeping his hand out and non-threatening. Apparently he now had patience to spare, he thought, annoyed with himself all over again. He was rewarded though, when the little ball of fluff gave quite a happy yip and bounded over to him. Darius caught it up and couldn’t help laughing as the little bugger proceeded to deliver puppy-kisses all over his face.

  “Okay, okay little guy,” he paused and lifted it up, “yep, little guy is right.” He said, noting he had all the right equipment. “Now, are you hurt?” He ran gentle hands over the pup and besides being too skinny and covered in prickles and burs, he didn’t seem to be injured. “What am I supposed to do with you, huh?” He asked.

  The pup cocked its head to the left, right ear flopping at the
tip as he regarded him seriously for a moment. He yipped again before scrambling out of his arms and racing toward the car. His short, uncoordinated legs tripped a bit as he turned almost immediately and ran back to him. Darius felt his eyebrow raise; “You want to come with me? Well, I’m really sorry little man but I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m in trouble you see and bringing back a stray mutt like yourself probably won’t help matters.”

  To his surprise, the fur ball gave a small growl, his sharp little puppy teeth latching onto his pants. If he didn’t know any better, he would think the dog could actually understand him and didn’t want to take no for an answer. Although he knew Beast Wardens could communicate with animals and even paladins associated with the beast domain had a strong connection, he didn’t really think animals could understand English. Besides, he had no affiliation with the animals whatsoever. The pup was still tugging on his pant leg, growling with his little butt in the air, sable tail wagging madly. Darius sighed, rocking back on his haunches and letting himself sit back on the ground, uncaring of the dirt and leaves. The pup immediately let go of its prize and climbed into his lap.

  “You can’t suck up to me, you know. I can’t take you home with me.” His hand paused mid-pat as he realised what he said. He had called Ryker’s camp his home. Twenty years he had been living under Ryker’s roof in that glorious log house by the sea and not once had he been tempted to call it home. He always figured he would be moving on at some point but he just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. He had been humbled and ever so grateful when Ryker had offered him a place to stay and then a position as a trainer at the Lodge. Losing his brother and his paladin status had nearly destroyed him and he had been terrified that his life would never hold meaning again. Ryker had given him a lifeline and a sense of purpose but the camp had never really been a home. No, Max had given him that – had given them all that, he acknowledged. And how had he repaid her? By punching her soul-mate in the face. Damn! I’m such a mess!