Tainted (Netherworld Book II), Page 3

  I take her shoulders to push her away until I can see her beautiful green eyes. “Where were you?” If she left her dream world, I will need to excuse myself to the training room. I asked her to stay put.

  “I waited for a while, but I went into the jungle looking for you.” She hesitates a little too long for my liking before she says, “There was a man in my dream. He said my dad sent him to protect me.”

  My lungs constrict, and my muscles harden. I’m barely able to keep my fingers from balling into fists. Somehow, I manage to continue to stroke her back and keep my tone level. “Who was he? Have you seen him before?”

  “It was the guy from Charlotte’s dream. The one I was dancing with. He came to me once before…moments before you brought me here. He warned me about you.”

  I lift my brows. “Didn’t seem to help.”

  She smiles. “You’re telling me. He said his name was Brock.”

  “What else did he say?”

  Her lips press together as her eyes crease at the corners. “Claimed my dad is alive.” She quiets for a moment. I can’t seem to bring myself to comment. “I didn’t want to hear what he had to say, so I went searching for you. He warned me not to go into the jungle.”

  I must find this man, discover what his goals are, his weaknesses. Thus far, he has not actually been a help to Amelia. This is a good thing for me, yet I am curious what his motivation for contact is. I searched everywhere for a trace of Amelia’s family. If her father is alive, it could only mean one thing: I have work to do.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Mel. Unfortunately, I had my own nightmare to deal with.”

  She searches my face, for what, I’m not sure. “What happened? I knew there had to be something wrong when you didn’t come back.”

  My tone grows dark with the tension inside. “It’s Peter. He’s been compromised.”

  She gasps, her eyes widening in alarm. “What does that mean?”

  “He brought Eros to Headquarters.”

  Her hand slides along my arm, down to my fingertips. Her touch quickens my body until my mind retreats. Her dark emotions are the only thing keeping me from seeking my pleasure with her. Still, I brush my lips against hers.

  She shivers.

  I smile.

  “I should have been there,” she says.

  Having her with me would have been a burden. I would have been too concerned for her to take care of my brother. Now he has been decontaminated, the circumstances have changed. “He is contained, but we won’t know if he remains tainted for a while. I will not lie to you. Your help would be very valuable.”

  Her mood lifts, and I breathe a bit easier when she asks, “What do you need me to do?”

  “Right now, I need you to tell me all you know about your father.”

  Seth’s question sets a permascowl on my face. “I don’t want to talk about my so called father.”

  He presses a kiss to my forehead, and I pull in a long breath, trying to calm myself. It would be better for Seth to figure out who Brock is, but it isn’t like I have any say in what happens where my protector is concerned. The guy shows up whenever and wherever he wants. For all I know, he brought the freaking bugs with him to my dream world.

  For a moment, I’m distracted by Seth’s soft touch. He’s an absolute billboard of diversion — makes me want to forget every bad thing that’s happened. He makes me think of more soft kisses or not so soft kisses, which sounds great about now.

  He’s not pressuring me to respond to him, but his silence is enough. “Fine,” I say. “What do you want to know?”

  My hair moves under the force of his smile. “Only what you remember about him.”

  I duck my face against his chest to breathe him in. He smells of the woods in the morning, which makes me wonder where he was before he came to me. “That’s just it, Seth. I don’t remember him. I saw him for the first time the day you brought me here, yet he says he’s been my protector for a while. He made it sound like my dad wanted me to have a crappy life. He said my father raised me in the way that was best for me. Can you believe that bull?”

  Seth’s voice turns serious. “Misguided parents are not rare, Amelia. What else did he say to you?”

  I tip my head back and glare at him. “I don’t think most parents would purposely leave a kid. Yeah, it happens, but from what I’ve seen, most kids have parents who love them.”

  The compassion in Seth’s eyes quells my anger, but just a bit. His soft tones feather over me. “You don’t think your father loved you?”

  I want to believe he did . . . does. Damn. I don’t want to care at all. “He hurt me; then he left. ‘Nough said. He didn’t fight to keep me. He didn’t ever do a damn thing for me.”

  His expression shifts as if he’s dividing three hundred by pi. “Perhaps he knew you were better off without him.”

  The excuse would at least be something. “Yeah, well, maybe he just didn’t want to bother.”

  Seth gives me a soft smile, yet his eyes are tight. “About this Brock — did he do anything out of the ordinary?”

  The last thing I want to do is relive my latest experience with Brock. “Like what?”

  He shifts closer. “Did he affect your dream world? Could you feel his interference? It would be a definite breech of your desires.”

  I shrug, trying to feign indifference. “He could have brought the bugs with him.”

  Seth glances away and stands, leaving me holding onto air. “The change in landscape is most likely a result of your interaction with Eros. It will take some time for your life force to stabilize.”

  Shooting him a smirk, I say, “I kind of figured.” The humor in my voice fizzles on a dark thought. “It won’t be permanent, right?”

  He still doesn’t look my way. “I cannot say, Amelia. Your soul should have been protected because your body is here; however, this is the first time I’ve encountered such a scenario.” He tucks his thumbs into his pockets and looks distractedly toward the doorway. “It will take time to discover the answer to your question.”

  I pause, trying to figure out why he’s withdrawing from me. “What if it’s permanent?”

  His expression remains neutral. “I told you to leave Kelsby; you didn’t listen.”

  The words are like a sucker punch to my gut. “I had to help him. It wasn’t like you were gonna do it!”

  His steely blue eyes latch on to mine. “My entire team knows the risks. Kelsby—”

  Disturbed, I wrap my arms around myself. “Is what? Expendable?” I stand up to move in front of him, ignoring the see-through floor. “What kind of messed up team do you have?”

  The muscles in his chest tighten and release, highlighting the hard planes I itch to explore. I give myself an inward head-shake. What’s wrong with me? I should be angry with him, but I’ve seen what he deals with every day. The darkness out there staggers my mind. How he manages to keep his focus is amazing. I press my hand against his shirt, where his heart beats a steady rhythm. “I get what you’re saying. I just think it sucks.”

  He gives me a sad shrug, capturing my hand between his warm fingers. “It does. I’m sorry for involving you.”

  I roll my eyes. “Stop apologizing, already. You said I signed up for duty; maybe one day I’ll remember.” He squeezes my fingers as his expression falls. I cup his cheek. “It doesn’t matter anymore, Seth. I want to be here. I want to help.”

  Light flickers in his bright blues. He quirks a tawny brow. “It’s about time.”

  Smiling, I cuff his bicep. “You could have made it easier, you know.”

  “Is that so?” His lips twitch into a skeptical pout. “For future reference, how exactly could I have made the process easier for you?”

  I want to give him some flippant answer that doesn’t mean anything, but I can’t. The truth wants out, and I’m going to let it. “You could have shown me who you were to begin with.”

  He cringes. “A mistake I will regret forever.”

&
nbsp; Since we’re being serious, I decide to ask him something that’s bothered me for a while. “Why do you think I’ve lost my memories from before?”

  As if looking for an answer before he speaks, he searches my face. “Let’s hope you did lose them. The truth is they could have been stolen. I don’t trust this Brock; however, I’d like you to see what he wants. Don’t encourage his presence, but don’t send him away, either. In time, we will discover who he is working with. If your father is still alive, he has managed to cloak his presence from Oneiroi sight.”

  “Do you think he’s working with the Erobos?” Daegan’s image floats into my memory. His piercing blue stare, his dark aura. Why did he let me go? Why didn’t he try to convert me or anything other than press me against him? I can still feel his lips brush my ear, hear the soft cadence of his voice.

  “Amelia?” Seth asks.

  I clamp my lids shut, wishing Daegan’s memory vaporized. If only I could get him out of my head. After a moment, I manage to focus. When I look again, Seth’s expression has fallen. A dark pit forms in my gut. Daegan did all he could do given the circumstances. He’s a question that needs to be solved, but I’m determined to keep him out of my thoughts. Inner Sherlock be damned.

  “Sorry,” I say. “Got distracted.”

  Seth frowns, then pulls me into motion. “We don’t have much time before we need to return. Your body requires sustenance, as does mine.”

  I smile. “I could eat.”

  This time when we descend the circular staircase to the bottom floor of the library, Seth nudges me toward the outside. Last time I was in this position, I freaked. Heights are so not my thing, but my fear will not rule me. I take Seth’s arm and focus on each step, avoiding the gaping hole to my left.

  After a moment, I stare at the stacks as we pass. “Is this a real library?”

  He laughs. “As opposed to a fake one?” I nudge his arm, and he tucks my hand more securely into the crook of his elbow. “This is where I store information; however, if there is anything you desire, merely speak your request. It is pretty simple.”

  Something so magical could hardly be simple. “Another genie room, huh?”

  “What?”

  “Genie room . . . your wish is my command.” He frowns. “Man, Seth, you need to get out more.”

  I’m not trying to offend him, but, by his tone, I’ve managed to do it anyway. “I’ve told you; I’m not allowed much physical interaction.”

  I tilt my head. “Maybe we should work on fixing that.”

  His smile lights my heart. “I am available anytime you wish, Amelia.”

  My lips curve into a real smile. “My own personal genie!”

  He nods, although completely bewildered. “You will have to explain this genie thing to me.”

  As fun as our bantering is, I’ve got to focus. “Later. There’s something I want to know first.”

  Stopping short, he says, “Go ahead and ask?”

  “What information do you keep here?”

  Amelia’s question shouldn’t catch me off guard, but I’m not ready to answer. It is only natural for her to be curious, yet the pains of the past are hard to unearth.

  After a moment, she says, “It’s okay. You don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  I desire nothing more than to share everything. If only I could let go of my mistrust. Amelia hasn’t done anything to warrant such a reaction. Perhaps to overcome my doubts, I must press forward regardless of the outcome. My voice is nearly strangled when I speak, but I manage to keep steady. “The first level houses my memory of dreamers. Each level represents a different type of recall. Most are unpleasant.” I shrug, but at the mere thought memories surface. “I have stored them here to keep my mind from becoming overwhelmed with my tasks.”

  She stops on the second tread above the landing. Her eyes sweep over the myriad stacks of books. “How can you keep track of it all?”

  I smile, attempting to keep the sadness at bay. “It is easier to manage this way. Think of them as a physical manifestation of my mind.” She scrunches her nose, and I chuckle. I point at a shelf in front of us then guide her to it. Picking a volume from the middle, I open it. The ledger is filled with notes, ideas and occurrences of my day some two thousand years ago. She takes it from my hands, riffling through the pages. She stops at a few places as her eyes skim the text.

  When she glances up at me, her expression is comical. “So these are all journals?”

  I push her bangs away from her cheek, enjoying the silk of her skin. “In essence, I suppose, but they are filled with more than mere words. When I desire to, I can experience a moment as if it is happening now.”

  A small gasp escapes her. “How?”

  I have no desire to revisit the past, especially in this timeframe. Those were dark days after Rhea betrayed me. I didn’t recover for over two millennia. And even now the memory stabs my mind. “Think of the experience as a waking dream. Each moment in time is catalogued here, where I can search for important tidbits of information.”

  Her brows shoot up. “That’s pretty amazing. Can I do this, too?”

  Her enthusiasm is unexpected, yet welcome. “I suppose you could. We can design a level for you.” A question pushes forward, but I am hesitant. Still, I must ask it. “Are there certain memories you feel are particularly important?”

  She tugs on my hand and leads me out of the library, as if eager to leave. After a few moments, she finally speaks. “I’m worried about a few things. Daegan mostly. I just tripped out over remembering him in that weird world. He’s had some kind of strange affect on me.”

  I’m pleased Amelia trusts me enough to tell me this, yet anger flares inside me. Deagan is an infection I must eradicate. “He will become more aggressive with each interaction. You must fight the pull. I, too, have felt the attraction Erobos emit.”

  She shudders, gooseflesh covering her arms. “I don’t want to think about him at all.”

  I nod. “It isn’t your fault, but you must be vigilant; otherwise, when you see him next, he will have power over you.”

  She stops. “What do you mean?”

  “Darkness seeps into unexpected places. It is seductive. Make no mistake — he will not give up, even when you think he has . . . especially when you think he has.”

  Amelia’s hair falls forward as she dips her chin toward her chest. The silky veil hides her face. Her voice hints of the turmoil inside her. “I’m scared. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to keep the darkness away.”

  I take her into my arms, stroking her hair. “Fear can be a good deterrent of evil. It can also consume you.” I tip her head back until she looks at me. A wary haze has covered her, and I cannot let it remain. I must take away her trepidation, but I cannot consume her emotions at this moment. I am too weak. “The truth is I must constantly fight the impulses my fallen brethren send me. They tempt me with lust, power . . . women.” I can’t quite finish what I need to tell her, so I turn away to steel my nerve. “The last few years, I have been able to ward them off for one reason only.”

  She gives me a skeptical frown. “What’s that?”

  I tip her chin back until our eyes meet. “You.”

  She glances away immediately. Her laugh fills the hall as we continue toward my quarters. “We’re screwed then.”

  I halt her with my hand on her arm. “Don’t do it.”

  Her glance grazes over me. “What?”

  This self-consciousness is not a good sign. “Denigrate who you are. You are amazing, Amelia. I won’t let you think any differently.”

  She pushes her arm against mine, and I falter under the movement. “Let me? Who do you think you are, buddy?” Her playful tone contradicts her words.

  I’d like to counter with something equally as spirited, but truth tightens my throat. “Merely a man who loves you.”

  A warm blush covers her cheeks before she moves down the hallway. Desire to hold her through the next century blooms inside me. I
could so easily forget my responsibilities to have her with me.

  Her voice comes out husky, making her even more alluring. “I don’t know what to say.”

  We reach my doorway, and I am overcome with my emotions for her. “Words mean nothing. Your actions tell me all I need to know.”

  She pushes ahead of me, going straight for her room. To her, love is weakness. To me, it is everything.

  I follow her, staying shy of her heels. She sits on her bed while I walk to the small table in the corner. I prefer to eat in here than in a more formal setting. Here, I can infuse my memory into her more easily.

  Even though she cannot remember most of our interactions in her dream world, new memories are easy enough to manage. I won her over completely once. In time, I will do it again.

  She unzips her boots and discards them, followed by her socks and jacket. Her movements entrance me until I force myself to look away when she removes her camisole.

  A lump forms in my throat that I must push down to speak. “What do you wish to eat?”

  “Hmm,” she says, the rustling of fabric sounding behind me. In this moment I desire her. In this moment, I’m left breathless at the thought of making love to her. When I glance over my shoulder, she has replaced her clothing with some lounge wear not normally considered sexy. How then is it my eyes eat her up? An erratic beat pulses in my fingertips. My body hardens in response to her. Her finger taps against her chin while her eyes train on the ceiling. “A salad, maybe?”

  I smile. “Salad? You are not a rabbit.”

  She tilts her head in a mocking nod. “We haven’t trained much today. I’m not that hungry.” Staring, she strides to my side. “Show me how you do the genie thing. This house is pretty awesome.”

  I pull out a chair and motion for her to sit. Her lithe movements bring with them her soft scent. “I once had command of the mortal realm. Even in my cursed state, it is easy to manipulate reality. I can, for instance, think of a restaurant which serves the most savory salmon you could imagine, and somewhere in your world, a steaming plate of salmon disappears.”