Free In Darkness Reborn by Alexis Morgan Page A

been in this world long enough to develop a feel for how things should have been. Until he did, he could only rely on his senses to keep him safe.
    And his nose was telling him that it was no coincidence that the man whose scent he’d caught near the alley entrance that morning had also been the one who had rifled through his notes, leaving them slightly out of order. Had he done so on purpose, as a warning? He could have just been waiting to talk to Lacey and picked up the papers out of curiosity.
    Barak didn’t think so. Or why would the intruder have gone to such lengths to avoid being seen by Lacey? No, someone was checking to see what Barak was doing in the geology lab—perhaps someone who thought he might be a threat.
    There had been no trace of the blue stones in the man’s scent, but that didn’t mean much. Unless the stones came into direct contact with someone with the talent for working them, they acted just as any other jewel might, reflecting available light and not much else.
    The Regents weren’t about to allow a manhunt through the underground offices, so he’d have to rely on luck to find his elusive quarry.
    â€œWhy don’t you break for lunch, Barak?”
    Lacey walked out of her office, bending from side to side to stretch out her back. The action emphasized her soft curves and narrow waist and his body flashed hot and hard with need. Ever since meeting her, his nights had been plagued with dreams of her in his bed, her bright blue eyes filled with smoky desire and those long legs riding high around his hips. He glanced back at his notes to keep her from seeing the heat in his gaze.
    He about fell off his chair when she put her hand on his shoulder as she reached past him to flip his book closed. “Come on, Barak, you’ve been reading those manuals for almost four hours without a break. Not even I could stand to study them for that long without giving myself a headache.”
    â€œI have to admit my attention has wandered a bit the past few minutes.”
    â€œI can see why. I’m surprised you can keep your eyes open.” Lacey stepped back, giving him room to stand up.
    â€œI believe I will go out for a bite. Would you care to join me?” The invitation slipped out before he could help himself.
    For a long second, he thought she considered accepting, but then she frowned and shook her head. “No thanks, but I appreciate the offer. I brought something from home.”
    The idea of going out just lost its appeal, but he couldn’t very well change his mind without making her suspicious. That he would also have to contend with Penn Sebastian going and coming increased his reluctance to leave the building.
    He headed for the door, wishing that he could come up with a legitimate excuse to stay. At the doorway, he paused for one last look in Lacey’s direction. To his surprise, she was watching him walk away. She blushed when he gave her a parting nod before stepping out into the corridor. For the first time in hours, he felt like smiling.
    That lasted as long as it took him to reach the door that led to the alley. He’d rather not fight with Penn Sebastian, but the alley was the only way in and out of the Center that he’d been shown. It was unlikely that anyone would allow him free access through the rest of the complex to find another way out.
    But that wasn’t all that was bothering him. That elusive scent was back. He slowly turned in a circle, testing the air in each direction. The sickening sweet smell of cheap aftershave combined with male sweat came from the direction opposite the geology lab, reinforcing Barak’s conviction that the man had been snooping around rather than having been here on legitimate business.
    The real question was why.
    To his surprise, the scent was strong in the alley as well. It would be a simple matter to ask Penn who had recently passed by him; the hard part would be to get the irascible