Bound by Darkness Read Free

and immediately stuck two fingers in his mouth and blew hard. The shrill whistle brought all conversation to a screeching halt.
    Devlin walked up to the podium and glared around the room, his eyes locking up with Larem’s briefly. He gave a slight nod before moving on, maybe expressing his approval that Larem had dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt to better blend in with his companions. He’d also tied his hair back with a leather thong, although Larem wasn’t the only male in the room sporting hair down past his shoulders. Devlin himself wore his dark hair long although it lacked the sprinkling of gray that gave the Kalith people their distinctive look.
    â€œOkay, everybody, listen up. I’d like to introduce our new administrator, who’s here on behalf of the Board of Regents.”
    Before he could complete the introduction, the crowd turned restless as several Paladins shouted out comments and questions. Larem didn’t bother to join the chorus of angry voices, figuring it wouldn’t accomplish anything. Still, there was part of him that was glad the Paladins weren’t going to make it easy for the Regents’ representative to impose his will over them.
    Devlin obviously had a different take on the situation. When the rumbling continued, he shouted, “Will you guys shut the fuck up!”
    Then he flushed red as he turned to face his unpopular companion. “Sorry about that.”
    Lonzo looked like he’d swallowed a worm. “Did Dev just apologize to a Regent?”
    â€œYeah, that’s just wrong.” D.J. rose up on his toes to see better. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
    â€œYeah, you will,” Hunter muttered, “but can you see the guy?”
    D.J. shook his head, as if to clear it, before answering, “He’s a she.”
    That had all of them stretching their necks, hoping to see over the crush of oversized men that filled the room. Finally, the new administrator made it easier on everybody by climbing up on a chair. As the woman waited for her unwilling audience to fall silent, she did her own fair share of staring back at them.
    Larem’s heart lurched in his chest. Not only was he a she, but she was striking. Or at least she would be if she didn’t wear her flaming red hair yanked back from her face in that unruly wad at the nape of her neck. He couldn’t see what color her eyes were from across the room, but they looked dark and intelligent. Her clothing was plain yet showed off her compact feminine curves rather nicely.
    If she was nervous facing a boisterous crowd of angry men, it didn’t show. He respected that about her, but then he’d served with a female Sworn Guardian long enough to know that courage wasn’t determined by gender.The woman’s gaze swept past Larem without pausing, which would ease Devlin’s concerns but left Larem feeling oddly disappointed.
    When she cleared her throat and prepared to speak, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. When she was done, he’d report back to Barak and Lusahn before deciding what to do next. His first choice was to stay right where he was because he had commitments he didn’t want to renege on. Too many were depending on him and his particular skill set. If forced, he’d hide out at Hunter’s place for a while, but that reeked of cowardice. No, if he and this woman were to be enemies, it suited his nature to face her directly.
    â€œGentlemen, my name is Sasha Willis.” Her voice had an appealing huskiness to it as her words rang out over the room, carrying to the far corners with a surprising amount of confidence. Larem wasn’t the only one who straightened up to get a better look at her. There was a lot of power crammed into that petite package.
    â€œMy last name may sound familiar as my father is a member of the Board of Regents. I have been serving in Ordnance for the past five years, reporting