Dark Protector

The Paladins - Book 1

Author: Alexis Morgan

Devlin Bane is one of the world's best kept secrets. Devlin is a Paladin, born to fight, die and rise to fight again in defense of Earth until madness takes them. Deep in the earth there is a barrier between our world and another. The Paladins call the denizens of that world the Others. The Others are pale, sensitive to light, and come across the barrier crazed and looking to kill. Activity in the tectonic plates brings down the barrier from time to time and the Others come charging across. Lately they've been coming through in larger numbers and no one knows why. When the traitor responsible for that increase decides that Devlin might be a threat to the operation, they order him killed, but getting a Paladin to actually stay dead is the hard part. After the first attempt to end him, Devlin takes longer to resurrect than normal, which leaves his Handler concerned. He hates the tests and scans, but doesn't mind so much spending time with his attractive Handler.

Dr. Laurel Young is what's known as a Handler. She's in charge of stitching the Paladins' wounds up whether they're living or dead, seeing them through their resurrections, and making the decision as to whether they're sane or if they need to be put down. Laurel is proud of her work and has dedicated her life to finding a way to cure or stave off the descent in to madness that all Paladins eventually succumb to. She hasn't had to kill any of her charges, but she dreads it, especially where Devlin is concerned. She knows that her feelings for Devlin would get her removed as his Handler if anyone knew and she can't risk that. Devlin is the Paladin who's lasted the longest without going crazy and her best chance to find what can save the Paladins.

When Laurel has to put down a visiting Paladin, she's grief-stricken and goes home early to deal with her feelings. When Devlin hears about it from Dr. Neil, Laurel's boss, he slips off quietly to go to her place so she won't be alone. Devlin tries to convince Laurel to quit being a Handler, he's afraid she can't deal with having to kill her patients, but Laurel believes it's only right that she cry. Paladins are unsung heroes who often times have no one close to them who will shed tears over them. Their fellow Paladins will grieve their loss, but they see this as the inevitable end to all their lives and more inured to it. After she cries herself to sleep in his arms, Devlin decides to hold her until she wakes. When she wakes in his arms, Laurel can't resist kissing him. When their mutual attraction ignites, Devlin ends up spending the night. Unfortunately, this is not lost on the man looking to take Devlin out. He believes he's found the perfect bait to lure Devlin in to a trap.

This one's a re-read for me. I originally read it a couple of years ago. Devlin did the whole I'm-not-good-enough-for-you-so-I-must-push-you-away thing, but considering that every Paladin that ever lived has ended their lives either at the hands of their enemies or insane and put down like animals by their Handlers, he had a very valid basis for believing they would have no future and any relationship would only bring Laurel more grief. Especially when one considers that, as his Handler, it would be Laurel making the decision to put him down, Laurel giving him that shot, and Laurel watching him die chained to a steel table writhing like a mad man. It's a good thing that Laurel is a strong willed woman and not about to let Devlin push her away. She's not naive, she knows what his life is about. She's patched him up and been there during his resurrections enough to know how dangerous being a Paladin is and, though she dreads the probability that Devlin will go insane and she'll have to make that call, she strong enough to love him regardless of what the future may bring.