Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

He must’ve been training Seconds.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Seth and I are going to check out a lead on the group pursuing Becca. Would you have Zach and Jared field our calls?”

“Sure.” Nodding a greeting to the others, he crossed to a desk that was nearly as large as David’s. After laying the sword atop it, he seated himself behind it. “Where’s Leah? Should I send calls requesting a healer to her?”

Seth shook his head. “She’s checking on her shop today, so only call her if the others aren’t available.” Leah had been the proprietor of a children’s clothing, book, and toy store before she’d been swept into the Immortal Guardians’ world.

“Will do.” Darnell stared at his computer screen as his fingers flew over the keyboard. “Anything else?”

Chris held up a finger. “I may need you to help us gather more information on Augustus Benford.”

“Because?”

“He may be the ringleader and is more secretive than Roubal was.”

“Okay.”

Sean glanced from Chris to Darnell. “Are you a cyber sleuth, too, Darnell?”

Chris snorted. “Are you kidding? Darnell can do more on a computer than anyone else on the network’s staff. When David asked him to serve as his Second, I offered Darnell a ten million dollar signing bonus to stay on at network headquarters.”

Darnell grinned. “I turned him down.”

Stunned, Sean stared at him.

“See what you can find,” Seth requested with a smile.

Then he and David left to do some intelligence gathering of their own.





Chapter Fourteen





Nicole’s knee bobbed up and down after Seth and David’s departure. Energy thrummed through her. She didn’t know what fed it: the bitter cold she’d been subjected to, the healing energy Seth had infused her with, or the adrenaline rush that lingered after jumping out of a freaking jet without a parachute. But she couldn’t seem to sit still.

Sean’s knee began to bob, too.

We’re so alike, she thought with an inward smile.

His big hands curled over the arms of his chair. One index finger tapped an impatient beat. And he kept sending her little glances from the corner of his eye.

Nicole couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Sean steadfastly kept his expression blank so Reordon and Darnell would read nothing in it. She wasn’t sure that was necessary though. While spilling the tale of their adventure to Seth and David, she’d gotten the distinct impression that her intimate relationship with Sean was an elephant in the room that caused more amusement than alarm or disapproval.

Childish giggles sounded behind her.

Turning in her chair, she glanced toward the doorway.

Roland Warbrook walked by, a grin creasing his often dour features as he dangled his son, Michael, upside down.

She smiled. Roland was one of those austere sorts who tugged at her heartstrings, because his demeanor always changed—his face lighting up in such an adorable, swoon-worthy way—whenever he was with his wife and child.

“Roland,” Chris called.

Backtracking, Roland halted in the doorway, turned his grinning son upright, and settled him on his hip. “Yes?”

“Would you teleport Sean and Nicole home? We’re done here, and they could use a break after what happened.”

He arched a brow. “What happened?”

“They were forced to bail out of a private jet at 40,000 feet without a parachute.”

Roland whistled. “Sure. Let me return Michael to his play with Adira first.” He continued up the hallway.

Nicole smiled at Sean. “He’s such a sweetheart.”

Every male in the room guffawed.

“What?” she protested. “He is.”

“You know he can hear you, right?” Sean asked with a grin.

She winced. “Damn it. I forgot.”

Roland returned. “Ready?”

“Yes.” Nicole rose. “I’m sorry we interrupted your playtime. Thank you for taking us home.”

His lips turned up in a rare smile as he offered her a slight bow. “It’s my pleasure.”

Moving to stand beside her, Sean whispered in a loud aside, “I think Roland may be suffering from oxygen deprivation, too. He’s being nice.”

The elder immortal cuffed Sean on the side of the head.

Nicole laughed.

“Do you even know where we live?” Sean asked.

Roland gripped their shoulders. “Yes. Sarah and Marcus forced me to learn the addresses of every immortal stationed in the area.”

Sean pursed his lips. “And did you tell the other immortals where you live?”

If he had, Nicole hadn’t gotten the memo.

“Hell no,” Roland replied drolly.

She and Sean laughed. Then David’s study faded to black.

Weightlessness engulfed her. Though such rarely bothered Nicole during teleportation, today it was too reminiscent of what she’d felt when they’d been yanked out of the plane. Unexpected panic filled her. As soon as they materialized on the front porch, she grasped Sean’s hand and fought to keep her breathing even.

Roland’s brow furrowed with concern. “Are you all right?”

She forced a smile. “Yes.”

“Are you sure? Perhaps I should’ve driven you.”