"Alexis Morgan - Dark Protector" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morgan Alexis)

Besides, if he had turned Other, she would have known it the second he opened his eyes. Since she
hadnтАЩt called for help, there must be enough humanity left in him to pass all the tests they threw at him.
He clenched his fists and tested the strength of the bonds. There was some give in the straps, but
not enough for him to break free without risking further injury to himself. His body was still utilizing all of
its resources to repair the damage from the other night. It would only delay his recovery further if he
insisted on tearing himself loose from the bonds, even if he could muster enough strength to pull it off. He
drew a breath deep enough to hurt and forced himself to relax, concentrating on easing the tension that
left him irritated and angry.
тАЬGood choice, Mr. Bane. Fighting it wonтАЩt help either of us get our job done.тАЭ Laurel stood a
short distance away, her ever-present clipboard clutched to her chest. Her dark eyes flickered down the
length of his body. тАЬWould you like another blanket?тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
He wasnтАЩt cold, especially not with that delectable female body so close by. One of the side
effects of revival for him had always been the immediate and intense hunger to satisfy all of his bodyтАЩs
basic needsтАФfood and sex being at the top of the list. When he was younger, heтАЩd usually given in to that
impulse with the first obliging woman he encountered. Lately, though, heтАЩd been less willing to be some
nameless strangerтАЩs good time.
His senses, always sensitive but especially so after the journey back from death, were screaming
with awareness of LaurelтАЩs feminine scent, despite the strong medicinal smells that permeated the
laboratory.
He deliberately turned away from her to stare at the ceiling overhead, noticing that sheтАЩd changed
the posters she kept up there for her clientsтАЩ entertainment.
The buxom blondes frolicking on a beach wearing not much more than their smiles were a vast
improvement over the kittens and puppies from last time.
тАЬNice artwork.тАЭ
A smile tugged at LaurelтАЩs mouth as she glanced up. тАЬOne of your friends sent those to me after he
got out. I didnтАЩt have the heart to throw them away without giving them a fair showing.тАЭ
тАЬLooks like something D.J. would have done.тАЭ
She scrunched up her nose. тАЬRight on the first guess. Personally, I preferred the kittens.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre not the one strapped to this damned table like some lab animal waiting to be dissected.тАЭ
The brutal honesty of his words made her flinch, but it was the truth. If, in those first seconds after
he came back, she had seen an Other instead of a Paladin looking up at her through his eyes, she
wouldnтАЩt have hesitated to reach for the drugs that would end it all for him. For now, neither of them had
had to face that little problem.
But eventually they would. Those were the roles theyтАЩd been assigned in this tragedy. Rather than
talk anymore, he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. She was too smart to be fooled, but she
allowed him the small deception. A few seconds later, the lights dimmed and he slept for real.

Laurel wondered if Devlin knew he snored. She drew pleasure from listening to the rough, rumbling noise
as she worked at the computer. It was such a homey sound, making Devlin Bane a little less frightening, a
little more human. He wasnтАЩtтАФnot completely, anywayтАФbut she wanted him to hold on to whatever bit
of humanity he had left as long as possible.
A small electronic ping announced that his waiting time was up, but she decided not to wake
Devlin immediately. Since heтАЩd actually fallen asleep on that steel slab, he probably needed the rest. She
glanced back toward the dimly lit lab. No one had ever been able to explain to her why the table had to
be so uncomfortable. Surely a little padding wouldnтАЩt compromise the strength of the steel. In her
opinion, the Paladins deserved any possible comforts in their lives.
Not that any of them would admit it; they prided themselves on being the toughest sons of bitches
around. And it was true. They all started off big and strong and added mean to the mix as time went on.
Even the heavily armed guards posted outside her door moved carefully when a Paladin was in-house.