Atone in Darkness Read online

  “Well, shit, I’ve been wondering when the dam would break.”

  But instead of berating her for falling apart, Chase lifted Marisol onto his lap and wrapped his big arms around her. “Don’t give up, Doc. They haven’t won yet.”

  As a scientist, she was used to dealing with facts and couldn’t help but point them out to him now. “But we don’t have food or a map or a place to hide. They won’t stop coming until we’re dead. You know they can’t afford for the truth to get out. They already blew up—”

  There were so many other reasons why the two of them were bound to fail in their attempt to escape, but Chase cut her off midtirade in a most unexpected way. He captured her face with his hand and kissed her. When she started to protest, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping in and out of her mouth. The sensual assault short-circuited her thought processes, overriding her fear and her anger and leaving nothing but an aching awareness of the powerful male body that surrounded her. She wrapped her arms around Chase’s neck and gave herself over to the moment.

  A few seconds later, he pulled back and stared down into her eyes. “Damn, Doc, I didn’t expect that.”

  Before she could decide how to respond, he lifted her again, settling her back on his lap, but this time straddling his thighs. That brought her core in direct contact with the rock-hard proof that the kiss was having a profound effect on him, too. The frustrating man stroked his hand up and down the curve of her spine, stopping just short of her backside. In a futile attempt to assuage the heavy ache in her breasts and the heat pooling at the juncture of her thighs, she rocked forward and leaned into his chest, trying to connect to him in every way she could.

  His palm had just settled over her breast with a soft squeeze when an all-too-familiar sound flipped their off switch. This time the helicopter was flying much lower. Chase twisted to the side and covered her body with his. “Don’t move.”

  Like she needed to be told that. She could hear his heart pounding out a heavy rhythm as they waited to see what happened next. Her biggest fear was that the helicopter was hovering while men rappelled down to the ground. It seemed like forever before it flew back over the falls and disappeared downstream.

  When once again they had the valley to themselves, Chase rolled up to his feet. He signaled her to remain where she was while he crept closer to the edge of the trees to study the sky. “It veered off back in the direction of the camp this time. Maybe to refuel or something.”

  While they waited to make sure the enemy stayed gone, he pulled out a granola bar and gave her half. “We’ll give them another few minutes and then start walking.”

  The small snack did little to ease her hunger, but she knew they were almost out of food. As soon as she finished it, he offered her a hand up off the ground. “Try to keep up.”

  That did it. She hauled off and punched him in the arm as hard as she could. While she wasn’t strong enough to have done him serious damage, she took pleasure in the way he rubbed the spot where she’d hit him. Then he raised his hand to brush a stray lock of hair back from her face. It took all her willpower not to lean into the surprisingly gentle touch. She couldn’t afford the risks it presented. Not when the unexpected burst of passion they’d shared presented another threat to her equilibrium, different from the enemy overhead but just as powerful.

  Clinging to her anger was the best coping mechanism she had at the moment. “I was keeping up just fine until you up and left me, you big jerk.”

  He shot her a small grin. “Yeah, I deserved that. But for what it’s worth, I was on my way back when you came around the bend. I promise I won’t do it again.”

  It wasn’t exactly an apology, but it was close enough. He also offered her the pack, maybe figuring she needed that bit of control right now. Chase looked like the warrior he was as he slung the strap from the rifle over his shoulder. The fierce determination in his steely gaze as he settled the weapon against his chest made it clear that there would be no quarter given if the enemy crossed their path. At any other time in her life, his easy familiarity with the weapon and the violence it represented might have scared her, but not today. Instead, it was oddly comforting.

  It was time to get moving. She pasted the shattered pieces of her mental well-being back together as best she could and offered him a determined look. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  She almost thought there was a flash of heat in those blue eyes as he spoke, which made her wonder if they were talking about the same thing at all. Before she could make up her mind, Chase started heading up the hillside. He paused long enough to grin back over his shoulder.

  “Doc, I thought you said you could keep up.”

  She didn’t bother to respond, not that she didn’t want to pop Chase another good one on the arm for still being a jerk. But right now, with the enemy breathing down their necks, she didn’t have the energy to spare. With one last look at the sky above the valley, she followed him up over the crest of the hill.

  9

  * * *

  The press of a soft, feminine body next to his wasn’t helping Chase’s concentration one bit. He’d done his best to suppress the memory of how perfect his keeper had felt in his arms, straddling his lap with her lips locked on to his, but it wasn’t easy with her close enough that he could feel the heat of her skin. It didn’t help at all when Marisol leaned in even closer to whisper, “Is anyone there?”

  He delayed responding to her question as he forced his full attention back to the cabin in the small clearing below. Through the scope on the rifle, he scanned for signs the place was currently occupied. There was no smoke coming from the chimney, but that didn’t mean anything. The weather was warm enough right now that a fire wouldn’t be needed to heat the place. However, there were no lights on, either. He could be wrong, but his gut said the place was vacant right now.

  “I don’t see anyone moving around down there, but that’s no guarantee they won’t show up at any minute.”

  “So do we go around and keep walking?”

  If it had just been him, that’s exactly what he would’ve done rather than risk being seen, but Marisol was on her last legs. Earlier he had to move quickly to support her when she almost tumbled down a steep slope. It wasn’t for several minutes that he realized he had continued to hold on to her even after she’d regained her balance for no reason other than he liked the way their hands fit together. She hadn’t protested, but for both their sakes, he’d made himself let go even though he immediately missed that small connection.

  Now wasn’t the time to think about why that was, not when he needed to find them a place to hole up and rest, not to mention they badly needed food. They had one granola bar left. He had planned to let her have the whole thing, but then they’d spotted the cabin. He hoped like hell there was something to eat down there. A single granola bar wouldn’t replenish Marisol’s depleted energy levels, and he couldn’t keep going much longer himself without something more substantial to eat.

  In top condition, he could go without food for days if necessary. Armed with swords, the Paladins stood the line to protect humanity from bloodthirsty invaders from Kalithia, another world separated from this one by a mysterious high-voltage energy barrier. To his knowledge, no one understood the physics of it all, not that it mattered. It was what it was. When the barrier went down and stayed that way, he and the other Paladins had to stand and fight, knee deep in blood and bodies, until the damn thing stabilized again. It wasn’t as if there was a pause button they could hit when the crazies kept boiling across from Kalithia just so the Paladins could catch a breather and eat something.

  But he wasn’t in top condition, not after the hell those bastards had put him through since they’d snatched him off the street. Right now, as compromised as he was, he couldn’t protect himself, much less Marisol. It was time to throw the dice and hope for the best.

  “I’m going down there. You stay right here until I check the place o
ut.”

  He was up and moving before she had a chance to argue. His former keeper wasn’t much for taking orders without discussing the situation to death. While he appreciated intelligence in a woman, right now he didn’t have the energy or patience to explain things.

  At least she didn’t follow him down the hillside. He kept to the trees as long as he could, only breaking cover after he stopped to study the clearing one last time from a closer vantage point. Still no sign of anyone moving around inside the cabin. The place was nearly square, most likely with the kitchen and living area one large room across the front.

  Considering he didn’t see an outhouse, they might have lucked out and found a place with indoor plumbing. He suspected Marisol would appreciate that particular feature, although she hadn’t complained at all about having to take off into the bushes whenever nature called. She clearly wasn’t used to roughing it, but all things considered, she had proven to be remarkably resilient.

  He crept farther into the clearing, his finger on the trigger and ready to fire the rifle if necessary. When he reached the side of the house, he crouched down and moved forward until he was under the closest window. He slowly raised his head just far enough to peek inside. The place looked deserted, but he checked out three more windows before finally letting out a deep breath and circling back to signal Marisol to join him.

  Once she started down the hillside, he stepped up onto the porch and tried the door. Locked. No surprise there. He hated to damage the place, but he’d kick the damn door in if that’s what it took to get inside. Before going to that extreme, he looked under the mat and then slid his fingers along the top edge of the windows and shutters. Next, he checked under the rocks that formed a small flower bed along the front of the house.

  His efforts were rewarded when he discovered one of the rocks had a plastic plug on the underside. When he removed the stopper, a key fell out into his hand.

  Marisol rounded the corner of the cabin just as he opened the front door. She hurried to follow him inside. It was amazing how good it felt to have the thickness of an old wooden door between them and the rest of the world.

  “See what you can find in the kitchen while I check out the other rooms. Cross your fingers there’s something to eat in there.”

  While she started pulling open the handful of cabinets over the kitchen counter, he opened the first door he came to, which turned out to be a bedroom. The furnishings were sparse and simple, but the double bed would still be a cut above spending another night sleeping on the ground. The other door turned out to be the bathroom, complete with at least the basic amenities. Considering the camping lanterns scattered around the place and the woodstove in the kitchen, he had to guess there was no electricity.

  Well, beggars can’t be choosers and all of that.

  He returned to the kitchen, where Marisol had a row of cans and boxes lined up on the counter. That looked promising. “What did you find?”

  She pointed at the cans as she counted them off. “Five cans of soup, four of tuna fish, and various canned vegetables. We also have corn bread mix, pancake mix, and two boxes of mac and cheese. Not exactly deluxe dining, but more filling than granola bars.”

  There were three other cans that she’d set apart from the others. “What are those?”

  She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Canned processed meat.”

  He couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t tell me you’re a food snob, Doc.”

  Marisol turned her back to him as she shoved the offending cans back into the cabinet and slammed the door with more force that was necessary to get the job done. “I grew up on that stuff. I’d have to be starving before I’d eat it again.”

  Well, that didn’t fit with the mental image he had of her. As tempting as it was to ask a few questions about Marisol’s past, he had more important things to do right now.

  “I’ll bring in enough wood to cook with and heat the place if necessary. It’s still pretty comfortable in here, but I’m guessing it will get chilly at night.”

  He headed for the door but stopped before stepping outside. “There’s no electricity, so that means there’s no hot water. There is a tub, though. If you want a bath, we can heat water on the stove. Maybe there are some clothes in the bedroom that we can use, so we can rinse ours out by hand. They’ll dry pretty quickly if we hang them near the stove.”

  At least the promise of getting clean had chased away the shadows that had haunted Marisol’s eyes when she mentioned her childhood. “That sounds like heaven. I’ll look for a big pot.”

  He made a couple of quick trips out to the woodpile. The owner had conveniently left a box of kindling near the stove, saving Chase from having to troll the woods for something usable. Once the dry wood caught fire, he filled the pot with water and set it on the back burner to heat.

  Meanwhile, Marisol opened two cans of soup and mixed up the corn bread batter. “I’m not sure how the corn bread will turn out since it calls for an egg.”

  “As long as it’s filling, I won’t complain. While all of that heats up, I’m going to take another look around outside. I won’t be gone long, and I’ll bring in more wood.”

  “Sounds good.” Then she frowned. “Do you think it’s safe to have a fire at all? What if the helicopters spot the smoke?”

  He’d thought about that, but it was a risk they needed to take. Right now they both badly needed a hot meal and a way to dry their clothes. “They can’t afford to go around attacking innocent civilians. It’s more likely they’d do a flyby to see who’s really staying here. But to be safe, we’ll bank the coals later to keep the smoke to a minimum.”

  And cross their fingers that the enemy didn’t come calling anytime soon.

  • • •

  CHASE POINTED AT Marisol’s half-empty bowl. “Finish your soup.”

  She stared across the small table at him, her dark eyes narrowed just enough to let him know that she didn’t appreciate the nagging. “I’ve already had one bowl. That’s plenty.”

  “You need to make up for all the meals we missed.”

  She shoved the bowl in his direction hard enough that some slopped over the side. “If you don’t want it to go to waste, eat it yourself. Considering you’re so much bigger than I am, you require more calories than I do.”

  He actually considered it. Nope, she’d already given him most of the corn bread. “Put it back on the stove to keep warm and eat it later.”

  The stubborn woman shook her head and left the soup right where it sat. “I’m going to take my bath and then turn in for the night.”

  He surrendered the fight and reached for her bowl. “Run water in the tub, and I’ll carry in the hot water for you when you’re ready.”

  For a second, he thought she would argue about that, too. She probably wouldn’t appreciate knowing he was disappointed that she simply walked away. From what he’d seen in the time he’d known her, she worked hard to maintain a calm facade, one that reflected her take on what a medical researcher should look and act like. He got that. Sometimes image was everything. He’d spent hours watching her work, her movements precise and methodical.

  But the occasional flare of temper made it clear there was more to the woman who’d worn that lab coat like it was her armor against the world. Once again, his mind traveled back to the hillside when he’d kissed her. Rather than slap him silly, which was what he’d expected to happen, she’d kissed him back and then some.

  He wouldn’t mind going back for a second round—and maybe a third and fourth—but that didn’t mean he completely trusted her. Yeah, from what he’d seen, she’d been on the purge list along with all those other poor bastards on the buses. While he would’ve cheerfully unleashed all of his friends on the guards to give them a hands-on lesson of what happened to those who crossed the Paladins, they would’ve survived the experience. Mostly, anyway. They might have needed months of rehab, but they would’ve lived.

  “I’m ready whenever you are.”

&nbs
p; That was the second time today she’d told him that. Neither time had she been referring to what he really wanted her to be ready for. Disappointment tasted almost as bad as the half-burned corn bread and off-brand tomato soup they’d had for dinner. He pushed away from the table and headed for the pot of water on the stove. He’d been trying really hard not to think about the good doctor peeling off her clothing to soak in that old-fashioned claw-foot tub. It was big enough for two, but somehow he doubted she’d want to share. Too bad. He would’ve loved to scrub her back for her, to slide his soapy hands all over her luscious curves.

  Unfortunately, his body had recovered enough energy to remind him how long it had been since he’d last gotten laid, making his pants uncomfortably tight in a certain area. Maybe when she finished her bath, he’d take one, too, but sans the hot water. Because right now, a dip in ice-cold well water might be the only cure for what ailed him.

  • • •

  MARISOL WASHED AND dried the few dishes they’d used and put them back on the shelf. The thick layer of dust on everything was another indication that it had likely been a while since anyone had stayed there. The only clothes they’d found were men’s. She’d put on a flannel shirt and drawstring shorts that threatened to swallow her whole. Quite the fashion statement, but better than the filthy stuff she’d taken off.

  Luckily there’d been a set of sweats that Chase could squeeze into. They’d also made use of two pairs of heavy wool socks, but they’d both drawn the line at borrowing the man’s underwear. What would the owner of this cabin think when he returned to find out someone had taken advantage of his hospitality, uninvited and unwelcome? If she had more cash with her, she would’ve put some on the table with an anonymous thank-you note for the use of his home.