Genesis

by Christie Rich

  What was that supposed to mean? I gulped and reached for the spec. My hand shook the closer I came to it. It was like fighting gravity, but I managed to snatch it from him without touching his skin.

  He laughed. I wished he’d stop doing that, but that just made him laugh again. “This gift comes with a message.”

  Before I could ask, he raised his fingers to my temple. His blazing touch seared my skin to ashes. I screamed as my head exploded in unimaginable pain.

  I shot out of bed and made it to the door before I realized what I was doing. Only a second passed before the door flew open and Heath had my shoulders between his hands. He studied my face then let out a ragged sigh. “I thought you were being murdered.”

  I sneered. “It felt like I was.”

  He ran his hands over my arms but stepped away from me moments before the other lords arrived.

  Taylor scanned the room then frowned at me. “What is wrong?”

  “Nightmare,” I admitted.

  Luke yawned. “Must have been one hell of a bad dream. I heard you from three floors away.” Here he was acting like nothing had happened between us earlier. Did he even remember what he had done?

  Zach stepped toward me. “Luke has assured us you will be safe in your room due to the security measures on this ship, but are you certain you will be okay to sleep alone tonight?”

  A mischievous grin slid along my lips. “You offering to join me?”

  He gave me a serious expression. “You inviting me?”

  Um…that went too far already. I didn’t know what to say, so I shook my head.

  He chuckled. “Let me know if you change your mind, lass. I’d love to keep you company tonight. If I’m not mistaken you still owe me a date. Sunrise, remember?” When he winked at me, my stomach fluttered in that delicious way only he could cause.

  “If anyone will be sleeping with Rayla, it will be me.”

  Four lords glowered at Luke.

  “What?” he said. “This is my house.”

  Heath scoffed and punched Jett in the arm. “Seems you missed out on some major benefits while Rayla was in your realm.”

  “Indeed,” said Jett.

  I grumbled curses under my breath. Yeah. Way too far. “No one is sleeping with me, okay.” I got a few shrugs, but more pouts. “I’m sorry for disturbing you guys. I’ll try not to do it again. Now, will you please leave so I can get ready for the show?”

  Heath stepped closer, making my blood pump faster. He moved in close enough for me to be the only one to know what he said. “If you let me guard you tonight, I guarantee to give you the show of your life.” Dark brows waggled over smoky eyes when I blushed.

  I herded him toward the door while he smirked at me over his shoulder. I pushed his face away from me and said, “Get out.” Clenching my teeth, I shook my head and motioned toward the rest of them. “All of you.”

  One by one they walked into the hallway. Zach lingered at the threshold and turned back to me. “Are you sure you’re okay, Rayla?”

  Leave it to him to see through my bluster. I swallowed and nodded, doing my best to put a convincing smile on my face. “I’m fine. I’ll see you in a little while.”

  His stare bored through my eyes. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  I smiled at Zach. “Right,” I said, giving him what I hoped was a believable grin. I wanted to tell him about Luke, but what if I was wrong? What if I had merely placed blame on him because I didn’t want to see my own part in what had happened?

  He gave me a nod then headed for his room. I shut the door softly and leaned against the cool surface. No dream had ever felt so real. My left temple still burned from the Angel’s touch. At least, I thought he was an angel. Man, my mind had to be working overtime to come up with something like him.

  That was just it. I didn’t think I was capable of creating that level of perfection. It hurt my head to even think about him, so I made my way to the shower hoping the water would wash the experience down the drain. It didn’t take long for me to get ready though because as nice as my shower was, I couldn’t stop the unwanted questions about Luke from swamping my thoughts.

  When I walked into the great hall the noisy room fell to a mere buzz of whispers. I scanned the crowd looking for the lords. Somehow being without them was like being naked. I pulled at my neckline again, hating this dress for the fiftieth time. Amazing since I had only been wearing it for a few minutes. No matter what I did, my cleavage heaped out of the thing.

  Luke was going to get more than an earful when I saw him. Maybe this was what he was used to seeing women in, but I didn’t like being so exposed. Sure, I fit in with the locals, but this was once in my life when I wished I didn’t. I just shook my head and started for the corner.

  Luke intercepted me before any of the other lords could make it to me. Man, he looked good. He wore a grey suit that had clearly been made for him, hugging him with each stride that carried him nearer. His hair had grown out a bit more and skimmed his shoulders, but I didn’t comment because I didn’t want to make a big deal of it. He was nearly back to his glorious self. Unsurprisingly, his face lit up with his smile.

  “Rayla, you are exquisite.”

  I brushed my hands against my powder blue satin skirt. How could I be mad at him when he had been through so much on my behalf? “Thank you,” I said, actually meaning it. “You look good too.” His immediate frown told me my reply hadn’t been what he was hoping for, so I improvised. “I mean, wow, Luke, you look amazing.”

  He flashed his sun god smile and placed a hand at my lower back. At least my dress covered that much of me.

  The other lords met us in route, all decked out in high fashion couture. Most of them filed in line behind us, but Heath walked ahead of us as if taking point. My eyes followed the line of his braid to his gently swaying hips. Man, those pants should be framed and mounted in a museum. Needless to say, they hugged him in all the right places. He shot a look over his shoulder and caught me ogling. I glanced away. He laughed.

  We reached the wall of people. There was no way we were getting through them, but to my surprise they stepped aside as we moved forward yet just as quickly closed the space once we were past them.

  My lungs tightened. So many bodies this close suffocated me. Breathe, I told myself. I had to breathe.

  My heartbeat washed out all other sound. A hand rested on my shoulder, and I turned to see Taylor step closer.

  He leaned into me. “There is enough air, Rayla. Fight the feeling. Do not show weakness to these people.”

  I stiffened my spine and smiled at him, leaning in as if I was going to kiss his ear. “Thanks for the pep talk, but right now I need a little more than that.”

  Without warning, his lips brushed my cheek then my mouth and suddenly my lungs expanded greedily. Before he could step away, I caught his hands and gave him a peck. “Thank you, Taylor.”

  He offered a short nod and fell back in line. Surprisingly no one gasped at my behavior; no one even looked like they had seen what just took place.

  After what seemed like forever, we came to the edge of a sunken theater. It was at least as big as the Colosseum back in Ignis, but I would have never known it was here if I hadn’t been this close.

  Dancers flitted and floated across the stage below us, trailing colorful ribbons behind them, making the floor come to life. Soon music cut through the noise of the crowd, unlike any I had ever heard. It matched the ethereal dancing, and I couldn’t quite tell if the dancers were following the music or the other way around. I didn’t even want to blink, worried I would miss something spectacular.

  We descended the stairs slowly because I wouldn’t go any faster. I probably made a few people mad by being in their way, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. One of the things I had promised myself before I left for college was to catch some shows on Broadway. Well, if I ever made it to New York, I doubted anything they had to offer could live up to this.
Anticipation hung in the air like a charged storm ready to release a show. My nerves responded, sending me into a emotional frenzy.

  When we finally reached our seats, I let Luke guide me down. Only after she spoke did I realize I was sitting by the queen.

  She leaned toward me and clasped my hand. “Do you like it?”

  “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

  She patted my hand. “This is the preshow. You just wait.”

  I nodded, not wanting to talk anymore. Thankfully, she laughed and sat back.

  From this distance I could see and hear everything. So many things wanted my attention, but I settled on a scene where two men struggled for the same woman. She writhed between them, twisting and turning from one to the other. I knew exactly how she felt.

  Someone was watching me. I followed the pull to the source. It wasn’t Luke like I expected. It was Heath. His tawny eyes glowed with an intensity I had never seen in him, or anyone else for that matter.

  I smiled, but he just kept staring. I would have said it was creepy. It should have been creepy, yet in this gargantuan theater full of more people than I could imagine, I could only look at him. I let my eyes travel the line of his cheek to the up-tilted corner of his mouth. Oh, that mouth.

  “Rayla?” said Luke.

  “Mmm?”

  “You’re missing the show. It’s about to start.”

  I pulled my gaze away from Heath and made myself look at the empty stage. The music intensified making my stomach knot up until a crash of thunder startled me. Fog rolled across the stage and writhing figures shrouded in white emerged from the eerie depths. For a minute I forgot I was looking at dancers. They moved so gracefully they appeared to be an extension of the smoke.

  A young woman came into view wearing a billowy gown that would have made any bride envious. Her blond hair trailed behind her with bright white blooms braided into her mane. Seemingly searching for a way out, she wandered the expansive stage.

  The music grew darker as the mist thickened around her. Her fear was almost palpable, but wait, just then a light appeared in the distance. It cut through the fog, banishing it to the nether realms as it marched closer to the trembling girl. She reached her hand longingly toward the light.

  But it wasn’t a light; it was a man—a man who held a striking resemblance to the one sitting next to me. I leaned closer to Luke.

  “Who is that?” I whispered.

  The frigging queen actually shushed me. When I turned back to the play, other men had come for this girl. Four other men to be precise.

  Subtle.

  I cleared my throat and was shushed again.

  Oh bother. What was the point in telling me my own story?

  What started out as amazement toward these people had swiftly turned to annoyance. I suddenly wished I could go to bed. It was late and I still hadn’t spent any time training with Luke.

  My mind continued to wander and even though I probably wouldn’t admit it to anyone else, I closed my eyes a few times. I didn’t want to see the ending of this play.

  “What is the matter, my lady?” Taylor asked. He had been seated by Luke which I was sure was deliberate.

  I pointed to my head and made a face.

  “Headache?” he mouthed after he got more shushes.

  I nodded.

  Luke touched my temple and I nearly flew out of my seat. That was where the angel had touched me in my dream, so why did it kill in real life?

  “Did you hit your head?” asked Luke. All thought of the play fled his worried face.

  “No.”

  “You have a rather large bruise forming.”

  The queen took notice. “We have been preparing for this for a very long time, young lady. I think you can sit through a few more minutes.”

  I turned toward her. “Of course, your majesty. Forgive my rudeness.”

  She patted my hand and turned toward the stage again. So much for getting out of this. If there was one thing I had already learned here, it was to never piss off a queen.

  I settled against the seat and leaned my head on Luke’s shoulder. I felt him watching me throughout the rest of the play.

  Coming as no surprise to me, the girl ended up picking the shining blonde and the others were cast away, slinking back into the darkness.

  I had one word for this fiasco: cheesy. They hadn’t even bothered to hide their message.

  I stood and clapped with the rest of the crowd, but if they thought I was going to choose Luke just because they made up a lame play, they all needed a lobotomy.

  Anger gathered in my throat, but I bit it off. For once, I would like to be able to enjoy my time in the realms. Maybe after I picked a bondmate I would find some happiness, but I clearly wasn’t going to get any now.

  I insisted that Luke take me back to my room after the play was over. The queen wasn’t happy, but I had done what she asked so who cared what she thought. Certainly not me.

  Luke hovered in the doorway, obviously waiting for me to invite him in. I made a show of yawning and covered my mouth.

  “Sorry,” I said. “But I’m just so tired. Thanks for taking care of my headache.” He’d given me a concoction that I downed without even thinking much about it until afterward. Thankfully, it had taken the majority of pain from me. Now I just hoped it didn’t come with untoward side effects.

  A sad frown settled on his mouth and he sighed. “Okay, but I’m right across the hall if you need me. I had hoped we would have a little more time together today. I count the hours until I can see you again. Do not hesitate to contact me.”

  I nodded and shut the door. The last thing I needed was a repeat of this afternoon. Luke had to think the passion between us earlier meant something, but he was wrong. The more I thought about it the more I was convinced I had been under an enchantment of some kind. I just wished I knew for sure if he had been as well, or worse, if he had been the one compelling me. I hadn’t felt the tug of compulsion, but something had been off. One thing was certain. I needed to be with more people than the lords. Tabitha’s warning hit me anew. I had no idea if she was right, but I sure as heck didn’t want to find out.

  I woke the next morning having survived the night without any bad dreams, or really any dreams at all. For the first time in a long time, my mind was refreshed and my body rejuvenated. The only thing that still bothered me was my questionable injury.

  My head still hurt a bit, so I went to the bathroom to check out my not so little bruise. It was still where it had been last night, blossoming out from my temple toward my forehead and cheek. I cringed when I touched the tender edges. The purple tinge had lightened to a yellow-black. It looked awful, like someone had clobbered me, but I still couldn’t remember how it happened. I mean, yeah, it sat in the exact spot my dream angel had touched, but how could a dream damage my body in real life?

  For all I knew I might have hit into something when I shot out of bed. It didn’t really matter because the thing was on its way to becoming just a bad memory.

  Figuring out the time of day here was hard to gauge. The light stayed pretty much the same outside. Altasia was a beautiful endless city, but somehow I had expected more. I’d imagined being on a lush mountainside or something like that, but here the view consisted of clouds and…wait for it…more clouds. Still beautiful, but where was the water?

  After dressing for the day, which was harder than it should have been due to Luke’s idea of appropriate attire, I poked my head out the door and immediately jumped back.

  A humongous body blocked my view. I placed my hand on my pounding heart and tapped his shoulder.

  Nicco turned to greet me. “My lady, how may I assist you?”

  I could think of several things, but I kind of doubted he’d agree to smuggle me out in his luggage. Well, I took another look at him, good thing to know I’d probably fit in his luggage if the need arose. “Hey.” I said. “What are you doing here?”

  He gave me a lazy grin. “I should think tha
t was obvious.”

  I wanted to punch him, but I smiled instead. “That’s not what I meant. I already have more body guards than the queen of England. Why are you here?”

  “I merely follow orders, miss.”

  I moved so I was right in front of him and looked up into his nearly black eyes. Something about his eyes had always brought a hint of recognition, but I still couldn’t figure out how that was even possible…unless I’d seen him somewhere before I went to Ignis and not realized it. I didn’t know why I let it bother me because I would probably never figure it out. “Nicco, answer my question.”

  He smacked his lips together then ran his hand over his forehead. “Heath thought it would be good to have a guard posted at your room.”

  Huh? “Heath ordered you here?”

  “No,” said Heath from behind me. “But I did ask him to come.”

  I turned to give him a smart comment, but my voice died before it started. He was dressed in battle gear, of some kind. Leather. Black and sexy as anything I had seen on a man. His armor clung to every hard line of his body, and man, was I enjoying the view.

  He tilted his head to the side and smiled. “See something you like?”

  Nicco laughed. I gave him a sneer over my shoulder. “Not helpful.”

  Heath stopped a few inches closer to me than I was comfortable with, but I wasn’t about to back away. I stared at everything but his mocking face.

  “Good morning, Heath,” I finally said because I didn’t know what else to do.

  He laughed. “Step a little closer and it will become even better.”

  I licked my lips and caught his smoky eyes. “Where is everyone else?”

  He inched nearer. “Does it matter?”

  It should, but all I could think about was shutting his stupid mouth with my lips. Instead, I shrugged. “I just wanted to know what the plan was for today.”

  His smile broadened. A little bit more, and his dimple would show. “I can think of plenty of things to do with you, but none of them involve the others.”