The Darkness Beyond

by Alexis Morgan

  He got right up in his friend’s face, both hands clenched in fists. “You said you had my back, Trahern. Fat lot of good that did.”

  Those cold gray eyes narrowed and Trahern’s lips twisted up in a nasty sneer. “Yeah, and if you hadn’t gone off half-cocked as usual, none of this would have happened.”

  Lonzo tried to intervene. He yanked D.J. a step back. “Guys, we don’t have time for this shit.”

  D.J. shook Lonzo’s hand off his shoulder. “Stay out of it, Lonzo, or you’re next.”

  Trahern simply smiled at him, the glint in his pale eyes just daring D.J. to try it. It wouldn’t be the first time a couple of Paladins went at each other just to blow off steam. However, as satisfying as a down-and-dirty mood adjustment might be, they all needed to focus on getting Reggie back. It wasn’t his friends’ fault that everything had gone to hell.

  D.J. backed up another step, for the first time really noticing that Cody looked pretty damned worried. “Hey, kid, you doing okay?”

  He ignored D.J.’s question to ask one of his own. “Where’s Reggie?”

  There was no use in hiding the truth. “They took her across the barrier.”

  The kid charged right at him, grabbing a fistful of D.J.’s shirt. “You were supposed to save her, you bastard.”

  “I tried.”

  Cody got right up in his face. “Not hard enough. It’s your fault she’s in this mess in the first place, Knightwalker.”

  Okay, so Cody had obviously gotten the full complement of Paladin traits, including a hellacious temper. Cody had done nothing to deserve the situation he was in. Neither had Reggie.

  “You’re right, Cody. That’s why I’m going after her.”

  “If you go, I’m going, too.”

  That was the last thing D.J. needed right now. “Sorry, but that’s not happening. We’ve already had this discussion. I can’t be responsible for your safety when I don’t know what I’ll be walking into.”

  “It’s not up to you, D.J. I’m an adult. I make my own decisions.”

  Trahern rejoined the conversation, breaking the kid’s hold on D.J. “Listen, Cody. Trust me on this. You don’t want to make this any harder for D.J. to succeed. He’ll do better working on his own.”

  Then he turned to D.J. “Devlin’s on his way here with Barak. They’re bringing you suitable clothing, and Barak will brief you on a few things before you go across. He’ll drop the barrier for you, too.”

  Okay, that was a big plus. D.J. hadn’t been sure how he was going to handle that particular problem on his own. Tradition was one of the two reasons the Paladins fought with blades rather than bullets. The other was that bullets could shred the barrier, making it take longer to repair itself. The longer it was down, the more of those crazy fucking Others came pouring across.

  But right now, he didn’t give a damn if they destroyed this little patch of hell permanently as long as he could get through to the other side. Reggie’s safety was the only thing that mattered.

  “I’ll show you which cave it is, but then I’m going back inside just in case something happens while we’re waiting.”

  The other three followed him around the boulders until they reached the entrance. He pointed to the ground. “Reggie managed to leave her footprints and marked the right one for me.”

  His friends looked impressed, but Lonzo asked, “Did you check out the other two caves?”

  “The far one only goes in about eight feet. I didn’t explore the first one.”

  “I’ll take a quick look while Trahern waits for Devlin and Barak. Once they land, we’ll catch up with you.”

  “Sounds good. Cody, you’re with me.”

  D.J. didn’t wait to see if the kid followed him. He headed inside and straight back toward the barrier. He paused just before the last turn to wait for his companion to catch up with him.

  “Where’s that light coming from?”

  “You’re about to get your first look at the barrier that separates our world from Kalithia. This is just a small stretch. The one that runs under Seattle is much bigger, as is the one in southern Missouri. The damn thing is scattered in bits and pieces all along the Pacific Rim and anywhere else there are major fault lines.”

  “Seriously? No shit?”

  For the first time in hours, D.J. grinned and echoed Cody’s response. “Seriously. No shit. This will beat any computer game you’ve been playing to hell and back.”

  Then he stood aside and let Cody get the first glimpse of his new worldview. At least it would give the young Paladin-to-be something to think about other than where the heck Reggie was and if D.J. would be able to pull off a rescue.

  The helicopter swooped in low and fast, landing only long enough for them to jump out. Barak hit the ground first, while Devlin followed more slowly, bringing up the rear and carrying the equipment they’d brought with them. It was hard not to laugh at his Kalith friend trying to walk on legs that had turned to rubber.

  Although Barak had flown in a chopper before, he’d been badly wounded and hurting at the time. He clearly hadn’t enjoyed this experience much more. Judging by the slight greenish tinge to his normally pale coloring, he wouldn’t be anxious to try it again soon.

  Devlin moved up beside him. “Barak, are you okay?”

  The Kalith warrior nodded, although he didn’t look convinced. He stumbled slightly, but Devlin caught him before he actually hit the ground. After a few steps, he looked steadier.

  He stared up after the retreating chopper. “Even when I lived in my world, I had heard of such things. Back then I never dreamed I would actually have a chance to fly in one. As amazing as it was to see the land from so high in the sky, I would prefer not to do so again.”

  If the situation wasn’t so damn serious, Devlin would’ve laughed. They were almost to where Trahern stood waiting; he immediately asked Barak, “Do you have any idea why two Kalith males would want to steal a human woman?”

  Barak accepted the abrupt greeting with his usual calm reserve. “I have no idea, but it cannot be good.”

  Devlin couldn’t agree more. “Where’s D.J.?”

  All trace of good humor disappeared from Trahern’s expression. “He’s inside the cave waiting for us. Or at least I hope he’s still there. I don’t know who this Reggie is, but she’s definitely got our boy tied up in knots. Think she’s the reason he’s been off his feed lately?”

  “Let’s keep moving. I’m afraid he’ll panic and do something crazy if we don’t get back to him soon,” Devlin suggested. “But to answer your question, yeah, she is. Seems she’s been busting his chops online for a couple of months. Somehow she managed to get past the firewalls he and Cullen installed and was messing around in the Regents’ server. D.J. said she found the history of the Paladins that Brenna has been working on.”

  “Well, that sucks, but it explains a lot.”

  Devlin studied the area, memorizing the layout in case they had to come back. “Where’s this Cody D.J. told me about?”

  “He went back into the cave with D.J. to get his first look at the barrier. They’ve been gone about half an hour. There’s no telling how stable the barrier is, but our boy is definitely champing at the bit to cross over.”

  Knowing D.J. as well as he did, Devlin picked up the pace. “Then we’d better haul ass.”

  “Sounds like Trahern and the others are coming this way.”

  Cody nodded but couldn’t tear his eyes away from the barrier. The hum filled his head like a melody he’d heard before but couldn’t quite place. And, oh man, the colors! He’d started to take a picture of the barrier with his cell phone, but D.J. almost knocked it out of his hand.

  “If you don’t want Devlin to stomp your phone into dust, I wouldn’t do that.”

  D.J. went back to pacing. Whoever this Devlin guy was, he must be big-time scary from the respect both D.J. and Trahern had in their voices when they spoke of him. Guess he’d find out soon enough because several people were definitely hoofing it d
own the passage to the cavern. A few seconds later, they filed in.

  Cody reluctantly turned away from the mesmerizing light show to face the newcomers. He nodded at Trahern and Lonzo, but it was the other two men who held his attention.

  The one in the middle had to be Devlin. Damn, he’d thought Trahern was big, and Lonzo and D.J. only slightly less so. This guy was absolutely humongous. Heck, his muscles had muscles.

  The big man headed straight for him with his hand held out. “Cody, I’m Devlin Bane. It’s nice to meet you, although I wish it were under better circumstances. You’ve certainly managed to dive into the deep end of our little version of reality. You hanging in there?”

  “More or less.” For some reason he felt compelled to add, “Sir.”

  Devlin nodded with approval and continued with the introductions. “This is Barak q’Young. He’s originally from Kalithia, but he lives here now.”

  Okay, Cody hadn’t expected to actually meet someone from the other side of the barrier. Huh, so that’s what an alien looks like. So much for all those little green men with big heads and buggy eyes in all the UFO shows on television.

  D.J. interrupted. “Fuck the chitchat, Devlin. The longer we delay, the harder it will be for me to find Reggie. Barak, bring the damn barrier down now.”

  Devlin crowded closer to D.J. “You don’t give the orders around here. Do I need to remind you that if you’d followed protocols, we might have avoided this bullshit in the first place?”

  D.J. held his ground. “Screw that, Devlin. You can keelhaul my ass when this is all over, but right now there’s a woman’s life on the line. Just let me get on with what needs to be done. Every second you waste jawing at me is one more she’s spending in hell.”

  Cody watched the interplay between the two men. He wouldn’t have wanted to cross either one of them. Despite the obvious tension in Devlin’s stance, his voice was calm when he spoke again.

  “I get that, D.J., but you’re not going quite yet. Strip off. Barak brought you some of his old clothes to wear so you’ll stand a better chance of not getting caught.”

  Cody watched to see if they’d brought a second set of the alien clothes. Obviously they weren’t planning on his going with D.J. To hell with that. Reggie was his friend, not theirs. He eased closer to the barrier and leaned against the wall of the cave. As long as he didn’t draw unwanted attention to himself, maybe he could figure out some way to follow D.J. when he crossed into the other world.

  Yep, wait and watch, that was the name of the game.

  Chapter 11

  D.J. peeled off his jeans and shirt and tossed them aside. He yanked the tunic Barak handed him on over his head and then pulled on the black trousers.

  Barak held out a pair of boots. “I wasn’t sure these would fit you, but it would be better to wear them in my world if you can.”

  D.J. toed off his running shoes and slipped his feet into the boots. He’d walk on broken glass if that’s what it took to find Reggie. He took several steps to try them out. While he did, Barak transferred D.J.’s supplies from his backpack to a smaller one that was similar in design. Both must have come from Kalithia.

  He could live with the boots. “They’re a bit snug, but they’ll do.”

  “Good, add this cloak and you’re all set.” Barak stepped back to check him out. “I know you will adapt to the thinner atmosphere in my world as easily as Lonzo and Trahern did. It would be better if you had Berk to act as a guide, but I know you aren’t willing to wait for him. I wouldn’t be either.

  “Hunter promised to get word through to him to be on the lookout for both you and your woman. If possible, Berk will find you and pass you off as one of his men. It’s normal for the Sworn Guardian to do all the talking. Once you’re with him, keep your mouth shut unless you’re in private.”

  Then Barak knelt down and opened the equipment bag Devlin had carried in. He pulled out a scabbard designed to hold a curved blade.

  “Strap this on.”

  D.J. did as he was told. As soon as he had the leather belt settled around his waist, Barak adjusted it a bit and then held out a Kalith blade.

  “Larem sent this to you. It was his, and his father’s before him. He hopes it will bring you both luck and success in your rescue mission. He greatly regrets not being able to accompany you.”

  D.J. wouldn’t have asked him to. Larem had just found out he was going to be a father, not to mention that there was a death sentence hanging over his head back in Kalithia.

  “He has enough on his plate right now. But let him know I will treat his family’s sword with the greatest respect. I understand the honor he has paid me.”

  After a few practice swings, D.J. nodded in approval at the way the sword fit his hand. “This thing is totally sick. I guess all those lessons you guys gave us in your style of fighting are going to come in handy.”

  Barak nodded, his expression grave. His own woman had been kidnapped by professional killers, and he had called the fury of a mountain down on his own head to end the threat to Lacey. Like Devlin, Barak knew exactly what D.J. was going through.

  “I would come with you myself, but legally, Berk would be obligated to arrest me the minute I crossed into Kalithia. I find myself reluctant to test the depths of his friendship for me.”

  D.J. had to laugh at that. “Not a problem. Besides, I wouldn’t want to face Lacey if I managed to get you arrested in Kalithia. She’d be over there in a heartbeat. The bastards wouldn’t know what hit them.”

  Barak’s smile widened. “True enough. My mate has a fierce heart. But back to business. Devlin and I brought enough supplies for me to remain here in the cave for several days. I will check each day at sunrise and sunset to see if you have returned.” He paused. “I just wish you knew more about who you were after.”

  The comment jarred D.J.’s memory. He slapped his forehead. “I’m an idiot!”

  Lonzo cracked up. “Tell us something we don’t already know.”

  D.J. ignored him and pointed. “I found a word scratched in the rock over here. I think Reggie was trying to tell me who had kidnapped her.”

  Barak studied the marking with a grim expression. “Jeban is definitely a Kalith name. Unfortunately, it is common enough that his first name alone won’t identify him, but it’s a start. We’ll share the information with Berk as soon as possible. This woman of yours is clever.”

  Yeah, she was. Too clever for her own good, but now wasn’t the time to think that way. She’d managed to survive so far. Hopefully her quick thinking would keep her alive long enough for him to find her.

  “I need to get going.”

  Devlin had to have the last word. “Don’t get yourself killed, D.J. You might be a pain in the ass, but you’re our pain in the ass. Besides, I’d like to meet this Reggie. Anyone smart enough to run you around in circles sounds like my kind of woman.”

  D.J.’s, too, but he hadn’t yet earned the right to be thinking that way.

  “Barak, do your thing.”

  The Kalith warrior stood in front of the barrier and held out his hands as he quietly chanted. Almost immediately, the barrier began to fade. As Barak continued to work, D.J. caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Cody was creeping forward while everyone’s attention was focused on the barrier. No doubt he was hoping to jump across into Kalithia.

  It wasn’t going to happen, although he respected the guy for trying. He caught Trahern’s attention and jerked his head in Cody’s direction. The Paladin nodded and immediately positioned himself in front of him. There was no way he’d be able to get past Trahern.

  Cody knew it, too. He shot D.J. a furious look, but D.J. kept his eye on the barrier as he made his way around behind Barak to talk to Cody.

  “I need you to stay here and help Devlin. They’re going to need you to track down the guy who did this to Reggie. If we don’t find him, he’ll go after her again when we get back.”

  Cody didn’t like it, but at least he was listening. D.J
. added his last argument for leaving him behind. “You’re the only one who can cover for Reggie with your boss. Besides, she wouldn’t want you screwing up your classes by missing your finals.”

  “I’ll retake them next quarter if I have to.”

  “Yeah, but can you afford the extra tuition?” D.J. was grasping at straws, and they both knew it.

  Cody could give D.J. a run for his money when it came to sheer cussedness. “That’s my problem, not yours.”

  “Fine, it’s your decision, but Reggie will kick both our asses if you have to drop out because of her.”

  Then he handed Cody the flash drive he’d saved Reggie’s files on and the keys to his truck. “Plus, you know how her mind works. My friend Cullen will stand a better chance of finding the bastards behind this with your help.”

  Devlin had been listening in. “But whether you do this or not, Cody, we’ll see that your tuition is covered until you graduate.”

  Cody’s eyes flared wide. “Why would you do that?”

  “Because you’re one of us now. Now let’s get out of the way. Barak’s almost done.”

  Everyone moved back from the barrier except D.J. and Barak. Not knowing who might be waiting on the other side, the Paladins pulled their swords and stood ready to fight.

  The swirling energy jerked and twitched as if it were alive. Holes that gradually grew until one blended into the next and the next appeared in the fabric of the energy. Two seconds later the whole thing ripped apart and disappeared. D.J. couldn’t afford to hesitate. If he was straddling the line between the two worlds when it popped back up, it would slice him in half.

  A voice behind them shouted, “Holy shit!”

  Cody’s reaction didn’t come as any surprise. All of them had stood at the barrier at some point in their lives and caught their first glimpse of an alien world. Although the cavern on the other side was a mirror reflection of the one D.J. had just left, there was an opening directly to the outside that revealed a small glimpse of the twin suns in the sky over Kalithia.