Read Online The Darkening by Robin T. Popp - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robin T. Popp
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grabbed a bag of bagels and cream cheese sitting next to a nearly full coffee machine and led the way back to her office.
As she laid out the bagels, cream cheese and some bottles of water from her mini-fridge, she said, "I don't see any bruises or cuts on you. Are you hurt in any way?"
"No. I feel fine." He downed some water, then took the bagel she handed him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said, starting to work on another bagel. "So you don't remember a thing?"
"Nothing."
Marge knocked on the door and came in carrying a
pot of fresh coffee and two cups. Lexi ignored her curious looks as she set about pouring them each a cup.
After she left, Lexi said, "I don't know how much help I'll be. We met for the first time yesterday, but I'll tell you what I know." She told him as much as she could about who and what he was-and why he was there. "It bothers me that you don't know what happened to you last night after I left," she finally said. "Maybe we should call Adrian for help."
Darius shook his head. "Not yet. If this memory loss is some kind of demon attack, I don't want to expose him to the same threat."
She nodded and reluctantly agreed. "No evidence of physical injury makes me think it's magical in origin. Maybe you were hit with a spell. If that's the case, there might be something we can do about it."
"Like what?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
"I don't know-reverse it or find a counterspell, maybe."
"You can do that?" he asked, sounding impressed. She hated to disappoint him.
"I don't have enough formal training for something like that. But I have a friend who does. She might be willing to give it a try-if you are."
He looked hopeful. "I'll do whatever it takes to get my memory back."
Lexi picked up the phone and punched in Heather's number. After a second, her friend answered. Lexi described the problem, and Heather's offer to help was immediate. "Can you bring him out here?" she asked. There was almost a breathless excitement in her voice that made Lexi frown when she hung up the phone.
"Problems?" Darius asked.
"No." She tried not to sound annoyed. Now was not the time to act like a werewolf-in-heat trying to keep the only available virile male to herself. "She'll see us, but she lives out in Jersey, so the sooner we leave, the better."
Leading him out of the office, she stopped at the front desk to get the keys to the company car from Marge. "We're going out."
Marge smiled knowingly. "Take your time. I'll tell Jonathan that you called in sick, shall I?"
"No, that won't be necessary," Lexi told her sharply. "I'll be back when I'm done." To prove her point, she grabbed the top folder in her in-box, opened it and then snapped it shut again. "Why is this back in my box?"
"Because TJ gave it back. He says he refuses to go after Irish mobsters."
Lexi swore under her breath but didn't put the folder back. "Fine."
After a quick walk to the parking garage at the end of the block, they reached the company's black Yukon. Lexi hopped in behind the wheel and turned to check on Darius-and smiled. The last passenger to ride in the SUV hadn't been as tall as Darius, and the seat was so close to the dashboard his knees were hitting it.
"Why don't you slide the seat back?" she suggested. "Reach down on the floor. Feel that lever there? Pull up."
She waited for him to comply, but wasn't too surprised when he couldn't find the lever. There were people who rode in cars every day, knew the lever was there and still couldn't find it. How could she expect a man who'd only been in a car once before to know where it was or how to operate it?
"Hang on." She leaned across the center console and tried to reach under his leg to reach the lever, but
the angle was awkward. She couldn't help noticing the way his leather pants molded to his skin, clearly defining the muscles of his legs-and other parts. She was in a small quandary. Unless she wanted to get out and go around to the other side, she was going to have to
As she laid out the bagels, cream cheese and some bottles of water from her mini-fridge, she said, "I don't see any bruises or cuts on you. Are you hurt in any way?"
"No. I feel fine." He downed some water, then took the bagel she handed him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said, starting to work on another bagel. "So you don't remember a thing?"
"Nothing."
Marge knocked on the door and came in carrying a
pot of fresh coffee and two cups. Lexi ignored her curious looks as she set about pouring them each a cup.
After she left, Lexi said, "I don't know how much help I'll be. We met for the first time yesterday, but I'll tell you what I know." She told him as much as she could about who and what he was-and why he was there. "It bothers me that you don't know what happened to you last night after I left," she finally said. "Maybe we should call Adrian for help."
Darius shook his head. "Not yet. If this memory loss is some kind of demon attack, I don't want to expose him to the same threat."
She nodded and reluctantly agreed. "No evidence of physical injury makes me think it's magical in origin. Maybe you were hit with a spell. If that's the case, there might be something we can do about it."
"Like what?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
"I don't know-reverse it or find a counterspell, maybe."
"You can do that?" he asked, sounding impressed. She hated to disappoint him.
"I don't have enough formal training for something like that. But I have a friend who does. She might be willing to give it a try-if you are."
He looked hopeful. "I'll do whatever it takes to get my memory back."
Lexi picked up the phone and punched in Heather's number. After a second, her friend answered. Lexi described the problem, and Heather's offer to help was immediate. "Can you bring him out here?" she asked. There was almost a breathless excitement in her voice that made Lexi frown when she hung up the phone.
"Problems?" Darius asked.
"No." She tried not to sound annoyed. Now was not the time to act like a werewolf-in-heat trying to keep the only available virile male to herself. "She'll see us, but she lives out in Jersey, so the sooner we leave, the better."
Leading him out of the office, she stopped at the front desk to get the keys to the company car from Marge. "We're going out."
Marge smiled knowingly. "Take your time. I'll tell Jonathan that you called in sick, shall I?"
"No, that won't be necessary," Lexi told her sharply. "I'll be back when I'm done." To prove her point, she grabbed the top folder in her in-box, opened it and then snapped it shut again. "Why is this back in my box?"
"Because TJ gave it back. He says he refuses to go after Irish mobsters."
Lexi swore under her breath but didn't put the folder back. "Fine."
After a quick walk to the parking garage at the end of the block, they reached the company's black Yukon. Lexi hopped in behind the wheel and turned to check on Darius-and smiled. The last passenger to ride in the SUV hadn't been as tall as Darius, and the seat was so close to the dashboard his knees were hitting it.
"Why don't you slide the seat back?" she suggested. "Reach down on the floor. Feel that lever there? Pull up."
She waited for him to comply, but wasn't too surprised when he couldn't find the lever. There were people who rode in cars every day, knew the lever was there and still couldn't find it. How could she expect a man who'd only been in a car once before to know where it was or how to operate it?
"Hang on." She leaned across the center console and tried to reach under his leg to reach the lever, but
the angle was awkward. She couldn't help noticing the way his leather pants molded to his skin, clearly defining the muscles of his legs-and other parts. She was in a small quandary. Unless she wanted to get out and go around to the other side, she was going to have to
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