In The Dark

by Sarah K. Jensen

  “I don’t think it’s safe for Laif to stay with me.” Heat flooded her face. Would they see the strong attraction she had toward him and know that she feared falling into bed with him?

  She couldn’t.

  At fourteen she hadn’t fully understood, she did now. Guardians had to keep themselves morally clean to continue to fight the Oíche Scáthanna. She had learned that the hard way. Suddenly, as a mere child really, she’d found herself alone and pregnant and unable to defend herself and her unborn child.

  It had taken six months of intense meditation and prayer and begging God for forgiveness before she’d been able to again pick up the small sword and dagger entrusted to her. She’d promised then that she would not allow another man to touch her until she married. So far, it had been easy enough. She wasn’t very attracted to many men. She hadn’t even kissed anyone since Jacob.

  But now. Well, Laif’s body seemed to call to her on a very visceral level. One could say, even on a spiritual level. If she stayed alone with him, she was scared to death that she wouldn’t be able to resist.

  “You are completely correct. We were going to insist that you two didn’t stay alone together. As a matter of fact, we were thinking that maybe you could both stay out at our place.”

  Memphis smiled at Lydia. “That is so nice of you to offer, but it would take me forty minutes to get to work each day.”

  Lydia frowned. “You shouldn’t be going to work until you’re better. And what about Shane? Is he safe for you to be around?”

  Memphis had forgotten that it wasn’t safe for her to return to work. Kyrell had found her there and if she went back, he would most likely find her again. The safeguards placed on her apartment building could not be used on businesses opened to the public. It had been almost a year since she’d seen Kyrell. And now he’d turned up at her work and possessed her boss. Her friend. No. She couldn’t return to work, or to Shane.

  Her heart was breaking. She’d loved her job. Well, not the piercings, but the people. Callan had loved Shane.

  He was one more person that had let her down and that she had lost. When she went to work for him, she’d told him how important it was for her that she not be around anyone who drank. That it was something she would never be able to be around. He’d thought it was because of Gary, but that was just a part of it.

  When someone consumed harmful substances, it weakened their spirit and made it easier for the Oíche Scáthanna to overtake their body, to possess them. Not that it always happened, but it could. She refused to take the chance.

  “No.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I can’t go back there. I’ll have to let him go.” She couldn’t help the tears that fell. The only way to keep Shane in her life would be to allow him to know what she was and to have his promise to never drink again. But he’d promised that before. She would not allow Kyrell to find her son because of Shane.

  “Hey.” Bryson stood and looked very uncomfortable. “You don’t have to give up everyone you care about, just maybe stay away for a little while. You probably don’t have to let him go for good.”

  Memphis swiped at her eyes and shifted to lie back in bed. Dr. Begay helped her and smiled brightly.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I had a brother that I didn’t see for over six years. He’d started drinking when he was twenty, after losing his girlfriend and unborn son in a car accident. He turned his back on the Guardianship, on us, but we never gave up on him. Even though it was too dangerous for me to see him, we talked often.

  “My grandfather and other brothers saw him, but for some reason, whenever I was around, there was a demon to step in and attack me. Twice, he tried to kill me.” She opened the white lab coat and carefully slid her purple silk shirt up to just below her breasts. The scars over her left ribs brought Bryson to her side.

  “He did this to you?” he growled. Bryson brushed his fingers over the four jagged scares with a softness that made Memphis ache. “And you go around him now?”

  Dr. Begay raised her brows and looked bemused. “How about you tell me your name before you start jumping all over me for forgiving my brother.”

  Bryson’s cheeks and neck flushed a deep red. “Sorry. It’s just that…” He trailed off, removed his hand from the doctor’s stomach, and straightened out her blouse. “Sorry. I’m Bryson.”

  The doctor smiled and extended her hand for him to shake. “I’m Alannah and I think it would be a good idea for us to grab a bite to eat and talk. I get off in an hour if you’re interested.”

  Bryson looked like a little boy who’d gotten his first bicycle from Santa Claus. “I’m interested.”

  Alannah grinned. “Then I’ll meet you in the front lobby in an hour. And just for the record, I’m famished and you’re paying. I want to go somewhere nice.” She turned back to Memphis and said, “If he’s important, tell him the truth. If he can’t give up the booze, then stay away.”

  With a smile to Bryson and a nod to the rest of the Craigs, Alannah swept out of the room with a grace that Memphis could only dream of. Now that woman was beautiful. It wasn’t just that she had a nice body, or that her face was perfectly symmetrical, no, it was the spirit of calm self-assurance and genuine care for others that swam around her like a cloak.

  Alannah Begay was everything Memphis had always wanted to be, without having to try. Memphis could never be like that, she knew. She was too hot-headed. Laif deserved so much better than her.

  “Wow.” Bryson let out a deep sigh. “I’m going to marry her.”

  Mr. Craig laughed, the brother on the chair—who’d asked questions, but other than that didn’t say much, but appeared to watch everything—grinned, and the police guy/brother-in-law patted Bryson on the back.

  “We’re knocking them out pretty quick around here. Fisher last year, now Laif and Bry. Just wait, Kam and Mikia will be bringing home boys soon saying they’re in love.” Police Guy gave a hearty laugh at the discomfort on the other three men’s faces. “What? Mikia is almost twenty and Kambry’s twenty-two. They’re old enough.”

  Mr. Craig turned and glared at his son-in-law. “Bite your tongue. Don’t you go wishing husbands on my baby girls. I’ll be their protector for years to come, not some little punk boy.”

  Memphis couldn’t help it. She laughed. It was apparent these men loved each other. And Memphis understood where Laif got his caveman attitude from. It was obviously inherited.

  The men looked at each other and started laughing as well.

  Love filled the room, and it became too much for Memphis to take. She hadn’t had love like this with anyone other than Callan. Oh, her mother and grandmother had loved her, at least her mother had until Gary. And she knew Joan and Shane loved her. But there was a playfulness here that was uniquely theirs.

  Memphis remembered very little about her father, Ian. Just that, for as long as he had been there, there had been good in the world. Ian had left when Memphis turned four. He’d promised her that he loved her and Ruth, but that didn’t keep him from going away. And when he’d left, it was as if her mom’s spirit had died and never recovered. And, if Memphis was honest, neither had she.

  When her mother died, Memphis’s grandmother had taken her away from Tennessee to a foreign land, taught her all she could about the Oíche Scáthanna and what it meant to be Caomhnóirí na Oíche. She’d had her trained in martial arts and weaponry, and then Grams had died too, leaving her alone and scared in Ireland. She’d had no money, no home, and no one to love her.

  Until Jacob Riley had found her while she was wandering the countryside, contemplating what she’d do, when at the end of the month, the lease on the cottage she’d lived in with her grandmother was up. Jacob had befriended her and walked her back home. He’d been barely eighteen, handsome, and rich.

  He came by every afternoon, bringing her bread, pies, and often fresh fruit. It had taken him a week to kiss her, and she’d been so excited. The next evening, he came by and didn’t go home until dawn. For the next
two weeks, he’d spent his nights in her bed but was gone each morning when she had awakened.

  When her period hadn’t come on schedule, Jacob had bought her a pregnancy test. At first, he’d seemed, well, not happy, but okay when it came out positive, but two days later, he had cussed at her and called her a whore.

  The next morning, his parents had offered to pay for her a flight to America, anywhere she’d wanted to go if they never had to see her or the baby she “claimed” to carry. They didn’t want a poor orphan for their son, and Jacob did nothing to stand up for her. Besides, they’d said he was already promised to another woman.

  With one thousand dollars to get her on her feet—which for a girl of almost fifteen had been a small fortune—Memphis had opened a map of the good ol’ US of A, closed her eyes, and let her finger land.

  Baltimore Maryland would be a new beginning for her and her baby. No, she would not get an abortion or give up her baby for adoption.

  She and Callan had been together and happy ever since. She loved her little man more than anything, and she would make very sure that Laif would be a man she could trust completely before he knew anything about her son.

  “We’re going to let you get some rest,” Lydia said, bringing Memphis’s thoughts back to the room. “If you need anything, have the nurse call me and I can be here within the hour.”

  “Will Laif be back?” Memphis asked before she could stop herself.

  Lydia looked at her husband, who shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll cool off soon. Don’t feel bad if he doesn’t come back tonight, I have no doubt he’ll be back before too long.”

  Memphis nodded, too emotionally drained to say anything else. If she did, she was scared she’d cry again, and there had been enough of that.

  Chapter 11

  Bryson’s leg bounced up and down in a quick rhythm. Wiping his hands on his slacks, again, he dried his sweaty palms. This is ridiculous, he thought as he stood up and walked the length of the waiting room. He was a top-notch attorney, used to standing in front of courtrooms filled with people. He was a public speaker for goodness sake. But his stomach churned, and his nerves sparked electric shocks under his skin. All because of one woman. Alannah Begay.

  A nurse watched him for a few minutes before coming and asking if she could help him.

  “No. Just waiting for someone.”

  Hoping to not draw any more attention to his crazy nerves, Bryson sat back in the uncomfortable chair. Waiting for his future. He stared at his black dress shoes and wondered if he was overdressed. He’d rushed home, changed into one of his courtroom suits, a navy pinstripe with a crisp white shirt and silver tie. Alannah had said she wanted to go somewhere nice, but she’d just be getting off her shift and probably wouldn’t have a dress. He could take her home to change he guessed.

  A touch to his shoulder made him jump. He looked up and saw a brilliant smile on Alannah’s beautiful face. Her curly brown hair was pulled up into some kind of twist, and her lips were pink. A look down from her face revealed a short, black dress that showed off her body almost too well.

  “You look amazing,” Bryson said.

  She laughed, full and joyful, extended her hand, saying, “Ready?”

  He stood, linked his fingers with hers, and led her outside to his glossy, black Lexus. The interior sported rich grey leather and mahogany wood paneling. The car had a 306-Horsepower V6 with dual VVT-i. This baby could fly and handle the road like a dream.

  Alannah smiled and said, “Well, you’re more practical than I am—when it comes to cars at least.”

  Bryson smiled—because Alannah was smiling—and asked, “How’s that?”

  Her grin grew. “I’ve got a 911 Turbo in sapphire blue.”

  Bryson didn’t see her as a Porsche kind of gal. She seemed more…practical seemed like a good word. At least a lot less showy. “A Porsche? Really.”

  She nodded, looking a little embarrassed. “Before you think I’m a total loon for spending so much and still having so many med school loans, I got it for a really good price. I saved a guy’s life and he’d purchased it the year before. He ended up in a wheelchair and couldn’t drive it anymore. He wanted to give it to me, but I refused, so he sold it to me for a great deal.”

  When she’d pinked up a bit, he’d realized that his reaction meant something to her. So, he chuckled. “Darn,” he said. “I’m in the wrong line of work. I defiantly don’t have many clients grateful enough to give me a car.” At least not anyone grateful enough who could afford to give him a car.

  Alannah laughed, slid into the soft leather passenger, and said, “Yeah, this car sucks.”

  He laughed too, shut her door, and skirted the hood. She was something. Beautiful. Smart. Had a sense of reality. Beautiful and smart came along often enough, but someone who didn’t have their head in the stars, or up their butt, that was something else. Once he slid behind the wheel, he asked, “Where to?”

  “Ambrogio’s. On San Gabriel Street. Do you know it?”

  “Oh, yeah. I know it. Been there quite a few times actually.” Bryson said with a grin and was glad he’d hit the ATM. He didn’t put non-business meals on a card, his dad had always said if you couldn’t pay cash, you didn’t go. That was one reason his parents weren’t in debt and his dad had retired when his mom had gotten hurt.

  Because of the lateness of the evening, and the fact that they didn’t hit many red lights, they were at the modern Mediterranean restaurant in less than ten minutes. Alannah had called ahead, and since the sous chef was a friend of hers from college, they got a table.

  While enjoying a delicious dinner of pan-seared salmon, spiced lamb risotto, and a shared vanilla bean panna cotta for dessert, Bryson and Alannah talked about their lives. Growing up in Texas, where Bryson had lived his whole life, and New Mexico, where Alannah had lived until she was fourteen. The conversation ran smoothly as they discussed their families, and what made them choose their careers.

  Bryson told her about a friend in high school who’d been accused of raping a girl he’d gotten pregnant, and that he’d spent two years in jail, even though the girl later confessed that she’d fully participated and was scared to tell her parents that she was pregnant. His friend hadn’t had the money for a good attorney, and Bryson had wanted to help the guy.

  He’d known the girl, and if the kid she’d had hadn’t looked just like his friend, he wouldn’t have been sure the kid was even his. The girl was not known for having high moral standards. He explained that he took on pro-bono cases if he believed in the client and they couldn’t afford good legal representation.

  Alannah told him about her little brother, Casey, who’d died when he was thirteen because her dad had been laid off from his job at a copper mine and they couldn’t take him to a doctor. He’d gotten a fever and never recovered. She wanted to be able to help those who couldn’t afford to go to the doctor. She worked at a free clinic, three days a week, and when her residency was over, she’d be putting in more time than that.

  Bryson had never had a more enjoyable evening, and he didn’t want it to end. “You want to go dancing?” he asked after paying the bill.

  After checking her watch, Alannah shook her head. “I’d love to, but I have an early day tomorrow, and I should probably be getting home.”

  Disappointment settled over him. He was moving too fast and knew he should back down. With that thought, he realized this must’ve been how Laif felt. How Fisher must have felt last year when he’d met Caitrin and married her two months later. Bryson rose. “Yeah. Okay.”

  Placing her hand on his arm, she stood. “You could drive me home and I could take a cab back to the hospital tomorrow. We could have coffee.”

  Relief flooded through him. And it startled him how intense it was. He should slow down. Then he looked into eyes the color of dark chocolate and wondered, why? He was thirty-two years old and wasn’t getting any younger. He wasn’t sure about her age but figured she was in her late twenties. Heck, he didn’t have
time to go slow.

  Besides, he knew what he wanted, and he wanted her. And unlike Laif, he did know what it was like to make love to a woman and he didn’t think he’d be able to keep his hands off her for long. With that in mind, he should tell her that he needed to get home. Going to her place would be a very bad idea. But when he opened his mouth, what came out shocked him. “I’d like that. A lot.”

  She smiled. “So would I.”

  And so, they ended up at Alannah’s house on Newfield Lane, about five miles from Ambrogio’s and two to the hospital. A great location for a doctor working at Brackenridge. They pulled into the drive of a single-story, white-washed, wood-sided house, sitting on a decent lot with lots of trees.

  “Nice,” Bryson said.

  Alannah seemed nervous for a short second, but it passed so quickly, he wasn’t sure he hadn’t just projected his own nerves onto her.

  “Shall we?” she asked, opening her door. At his nod, she was out of the car and on her way toward the house. He had to hurry to catch up to her. On the small front porch, he took her key, opened the door, and waited for her to enter.

  When he stepped inside, he was pleasantly surprised. The living room, white walls, billowing white curtains, and dark cherry hardwood floors, had an airiness to it that reminded Bryson of the beach, one of his favorite places on earth. It even smelled like the beach.

  Alannah kicked off her three-inch heels and padded barefoot down a narrow hallway. Bryson followed into a spacious kitchen, done in the same airy tones as the living room. Brown and black flecked granite countertops complimented whitewashed, antiqued cabinets, and the dark cherry flooring ran throughout the house.

  Where the house Bryson and Laif shared was warm and masculine, woodsy, and so much like Laif, Alannah’s home was how Bryson would decorate if he had any idea how to decorate.

  On a breath, he said, “This is beautiful.”

  Alannah beamed at him. “I’m glad you like it. It’s taken me two years to remodel it, working when I’m not at the hospital or clinic, and I’m almost done with the two extra bedrooms. The house had ugly green carpet covering these floors, and I’ve pulled it up in the bedrooms, but haven’t sanded and polished those floors yet. But I should have the money and time to finish the floors in the next month or so.”