Darkness Unknown Read Free Page B

woman went from sound asleep to wide awake in a heartbeat. She jerked upright, her eyes wide and a little scared. Then she reached out to reassure her guardians.
    â€œDown, boys. He doesn’t need you in his face.” The animals immediately disappeared from view.
    If she’d been pretty while asleep, she was stunning wide awake. And he’d been right the first time: her eyes were a bright green with flecks of gold in them. Right now they were focused on him with sharp intelligence.
    â€œGood morning, Mr. Donahue.”
    How the hell did she know his name? Then he spied his wallet on the small table next to the chair. She’d rifled through his things?
    He let a little temper show in his words. “You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Mrs….”
    â€œGwen. Gwen Mosely, and it’s Miss.”
    That pleased him far more than it should. “I would offer to shake your hand, but I’m a bit tied up at the moment.”
    When she made no move to untie him, he tried again. “I won’t hurt you, Miss Mosely. If you’ll just untie me, I’ll leave and never bother you again.”
    Preferably without answering any of the questions she was likely to start asking, ones he couldn’t answer.
    â€œMy dogs found you last night, and my brother and I brought you up to the house.”
    He could imagine what shape he’d been in when they found him. After a fierce fight, he’d managed to escape from the Others, but he hadn’t expected to live through the night.
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œYou were a bloody mess.” Her eyes darkened. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me how you came to be in that condition.”
    â€œYou suppose right.” With the toll healing took on his body, he simply didn’t have the energy to think up a believable lie. “You don’t want to know the details.”
    â€œWell, yes, actually I do.” She leaned forward, as if to encourage him to start talking.
    He went on the attack. “Why didn’t you call the authorities? Or are you in the habit of taking in wounded strangers and tying them up?”
    Her fair skin flushed. “I thought about calling Sheriff Cooper, but he would have insisted on calling an ambulance. I didn’t think you’d want the local medical authorities to get their hands on you. A man with your particular abilities could end up as a lab rat somewhere.”
    His stomach clenched. She was right—but her reaction to his ability to heal didn’t make sense. Unless she knew more about Paladin physiology than any civilian had business knowing.
    â€œI would have survived the experience.” Short of a head shot or amputation, he could survive almost anything, but she didn’t know that. Or shouldn’t.
    â€œMy mistake, then. Next time I find you cut to shreds and half-drowned, I’ll save myself a lot of work and call nine-one-one.” She had a redhead’s temper, all right.
    He tried his most winning smile. “Did I forget to thank you? This is a far more pleasant wake-up than I expected to have.”
    She wasn’t buying it. “Save the charm for someone who might fall for it, Mr. Donahue.”
    He couldn’t help laughing. “Okay, but the gratitude was sincere. I really do appreciate what you did for me.” He tugged at his ropes again. “Now, can you cut me loose?”
    She gave him a slow nod. “On one condition. You stay for breakfast and meet my brother.”
    That seemed like a simple enough request, but was it? What difference did it make if he met her brother or not? Maybe he should find out.
    â€œDeal.”
    She smiled. “Good.” She began working on the ropes before she spoke again. “There’s a bathroom down the hall on the right. I’ll lay out towels and a toothbrush for you. Your clothes are clean—well, your jeans and socks are. I’m afraid your shirt was beyond salvaging. My