Warrior's Hope (Dark Protectors #16)(37)

“Ooh, the painted lady migrates the farthest of all the butterflies. She’s a beauty, too.”

Paxton couldn’t help but smile. “There are guards waiting to take you back to our home. I want you to go. Word of your innocence will be out by tomorrow, but for now, we don’t want to take any chances.”

Santino looked over his shoulder at the other two men in the cell. “What about them?”

“They’re not leaving yet,” Paxton said shortly. “Go home, feed the dog, and I’ll be there to see you soon. Stay out of the tunnels.”

“I never want to go back there as long as I live,” Santino said sadly. “In fact, we should move.”

“Fine by me,” Paxton said. “The Realm techs cleaned out the entire tunnel, which is now empty.” All the computers and everything else had been confiscated by Zane and his soldiers. Even so, there was no need to bring back bad memories.

Santino threw both arms around him, hugged him, and lifted him. Apparently the old guy had some strength left in him yet. “I am so sorry. Please tell Hope I’m heartbroken about everything.”

“Hope’s strong, and she’s fine. She’s already forgiven you,” Paxton said easily. He didn’t know if that was true or not, but he knew Hope well enough to believe that she’d forgive Santino the minute she saw him. That was just her nature. “Go. I’ll be home later.”

“All right, sounds good. I do need to investigate the painted lady butterfly,” Santino said, scurrying down the hallway.

“Make sure somebody gets him some boots,” Paxton called out to the guards. Then he turned back toward the other two in the cell. “Looks like you took a fist to the teeth, Henric,” he said cheerfully.

Henric glared at him. “This isn’t the end.”

“Oh, I believe it is,” Paxton said. “Right now, we’re rounding up the rest of your group.” As far as he knew, there were only twelve of them in this Defenders cell and most were currently on missions out of the country. But the Realm forces were good—they would find them all. Then they’d move on to the other cells.

Fralep looked at Henric out of one eye because the other was swollen shut. “I told you we should have beat him on a regular basis.”

“Santino wouldn’t let us,” Henric said. “We didn’t really have any leverage until we got that thing in his head.”

Pax let the killer they’d created show in his eyes. “That was Kurjan technology, as was the minuscule bomb you put in my woman’s head.”

“Your woman,” Henric snorted. “She’s not going to live long enough to be anybody’s woman, and even if she were, I think the Kurjans have dibs, don’t you?”

Fury clacked through Paxton on the heels of rage, but he let his expression go to pure boredom. “Which one of you has been working with the Kurjans?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Henric said. “They want the same thing we do. To stop the ritual.”

Paxton’s gut turned over. “You’re a traitor.”

“No, I’m not,” Henric said. “I did the right thing for our people, and while I might be temporarily indisposed, we have others, Paxton. So many. Some close to you.”

Paxton took the blow to the gut but didn’t move, didn’t even twitch. “Tell me more.”

“Oh, I think you know. There’s only one person in the world who would’ve agreed to blow off Hope Kayrs-Kyllwood’s head if I didn’t report in. Just one. Even the Kurjans want her alive.”

“My father,” Paxton said, something tearing inside him.

“He hated you with everything he had,” Fralep said, chuckling. “He saw a weakness in you that I never could figure out. You were a dumb kid, but you grew up to be a pretty decent fighter. Yet I’ve never seen such raw hatred. He’ll be coming for you.”

For the first time, Paxton let a smile tilt his lips. “I’m going for him first.” Then he opened the door to their cell, noting how they both stiffened. They were about to regret making sure his training was so good. “After you tell me everything you know.” He shut the door. “Who’s first?”





Chapter Fifteen


Hope knocked softly on the door to Paxton’s house, acutely aware of the disapproval emanating from the soldiers in the trees around her. It wasn’t easy being the only female vampire on earth, not to mention the demon king’s daughter and the vampire king’s great-niece. She was accustomed to people watching her. She was not used to the waves of disapproval.

Obviously, word had not yet gone out about what Paxton had done or that none of this was his fault. Still, she couldn’t help a tiny slice of hurt that he hadn’t somehow figured out a way to talk to her. Of course, he had been gone for the last few years, probably by design. The Defenders seemed to have known what they were doing.

The door opened, and he stood there, all six foot six of him, broad, muscled, and mean. If he was surprised to see her, he didn’t show it. Instead, his gaze rose to the trees across the icy street. “I feel Liam,” he murmured.

“Yeah, but Liam’s on your side,” she said. She’d at least managed to tell Liam what had been going on.

“There are several out there who aren’t.” He grasped her arm and drew her inside the warm home, putting his body between her and the trees. For several moments, he stood there, making himself a perfect target.