Wicked Legends: A Dystopian Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection

by hamilton, rebecca

  He grabbed for her wrist again, and threw himself down the stairs, pulling on her as he went. She baptized the steps several times before they reached the bottom floor, and by the time they stepped outside, she was panting and shivering convulsively. All she could think about was curling up somewhere, and the only somewhere she could think about that was familiar was a terribly long way away.

  "Where are we going? The survivor's station?"

  He took one moment to pause, eyes clouded with uncertainty and she realized that he had no plan past running from the building.

  "Ezekiel? Are you taking me back to Ami?"

  "No," he said.

  "Why not?" she asked. "Will they look for us there?"

  "Not exactly."

  "Then what?"

  "Because by now he's probably dead."

  Phoenix: Act 8

  Night had hunkered down around them by the time she found herself standing next to Ezekiel on the top step of a respectable looking brownstone. She wanted to believe she knew how they'd gotten there, but the truth was she'd been so engrossed in her own misery that she'd let him drag her along, not caring how many times her feet slapped against pavement or cement, not truly giving much thought to the times he'd lifted her into his arms and carried her. She thought perhaps he'd carried her a good deal more than she'd walked, but standing shivering in a cold sweat in front of the brownstone door, she couldn't clearly be sure.

  And by now, she didn't really give a damn, anyway.

  She swayed on her feet as he knocked on the door. Almost over, she told herself. A few minutes more and she could curl into herself somewhere and hope the headache would subside, believe that the little fire ants that must have somehow embedded themselves beneath her skin would give her rest. Except that now that she stood still, all of those things seemed to magnify. Even her vision gave in to the misery, blackness seeping in from the sides. Her legs went to water.

  Ezekiel caught her just as the door groaned open.

  "Eazy?" A woman's voice. Sultry if Theda had ever heard it.

  "Bridget," Ezekiel said.

  There was a long pause that even in Theda's weary state she understood as awkward.

  "It's her," Ezekiel said.

  An even longer pause hummed in the air. And finally a shuffle of movement, the feeling of air moving across Theda's cheeks. It felt deliciously cool and painful at the same time. She shivered again.

  "A spitter," Bridget said.

  "Couldn't see that coming, could you?" A bit of dark humor in Ezekiel's voice, but for the life of her, Theda couldn't understand what it meant.

  "And you both stink."

  "It's the puke."

  "More than that," Bridget said. "She smells like she hasn't washed in months."

  Theda felt Ezekiel's shrug and for a second felt her face flush. Another wave of nausea, no doubt.

  "I don't suppose she has," he said.

  Bridget sighed. "Well, get her undressed and showered. And don't think I'm doing it. I'm not touching that filth. You know where everything is. I'll go make a couple of sandwiches."

  Ezekiel grunted something that could have been a thank you, but all Theda registered was undressed and showered. She tried to twist in his arms. Tried to protest that she didn't need to shower. That the last thing she wanted was a shower. That the thought of a thousand tiny needles of water striking her skin might actually put her into a coma.

  "Stop it," Ezekiel commanded. He was already clunking up the stairs in his boots, heading for what Theda assumed was a bathroom. She started to cry.

  "That's ridiculous," he said. "What the hell are you crying for? You really do stink."

  Another wash of heat swam up from her toes. "Don't make me," she blubbered. "Not yet."

  "It will make you feel better," he said.

  She wanted to tell him he knew nothing about withdrawal, but for some reason couldn't. And damned if she could find the wherewithal to fight him off as he eased her onto the toilet and pulled off her shoes. All she could do was let the hot tears stream down her cheeks.

  She felt his finger on her chin as he tilted her face up to meet his. He was crouched next to the toilet, holding her steady with one arm. The hardness of his features, of the solid jawline, the chiseled cheekbones, softened for a moment. His eyes actually looked sympathetic as he regarded her. She thought he might agree to let her live in her own filth until she felt better. She tried a weak smile, hoping it might be the catalyst that made him decide.

  "You're going to wash. I don't care if it kills you," he said.

  "Give me another smear," she whispered. That would help. She knew it would.

  "And have you drown?"

  "What do you care?"

  That got him. He clamped his mouth shut and swallowed. Theda watched his Adam's apple bob up and down.

  "One more smear," she urged. "What does it matter to you? It will make me nice and docile." She tried to flutter her eyelids at him coquettishly. He laughed.

  "Seems to me you're already pretty docile," he said. Instead of peeling off her jeans and shirt like she expected, he simply plucked her from the toilet seat and plopped her into the tub. Steam struck her face as he ran the hot water.

  "Stretch out," he said. "Not like that, you'll drown. Keep your face up and stretch your legs toward the tap."

  With the buffer of clothing, it didn't hurt as much as she thought; she found she could move her limbs just enough for him to run his hands along her body, scrubbing hard with a bar of soap. He paused long enough to rinse her free, studying the bloodstains that wouldn't come out with a thoughtful crook to his mouth. Then he grabbed the shampoo and worked it into her hair.

  "Rats nest," he said. "You haven't washed it or combed it in months have you?"

  He was rough, and the feel of his fingers in her hair brought renewed tremors across her skin. She trembled and instinct brought her knees to her chest.

  "I told you to lie flat."

  "I can't," she said, the sob catching in her throat. He simply didn't understand; every fiber in her body rebelled against touch. Every muscle was aching, every synapse was crying out for her drug.

  "You can," he said. "You will." His hands went to her thighs and pressed her legs flat before his fingers went to the bottom of her T-shirt. It took a few moments before she noticed that he had his monstrous knife in his hand again. Before she could gasp in panic that he would do her harm, he had cut through the material and sliced up to the neck, pulling both edges to the sides and exposing her bra. One flick and that was cut in two as well.

  His gaze caught on the hard nipples as though they'd fetched up on them. Theda didn't have time to be ashamed; he brought the soap to her skin much the same as he'd done to her clothing. He scrubbed methodically and clinically until the lather was a thick froth, and though he lingered a little too long on her breasts, he did eventually rise to her neck and scrub behind her ears much the same as a mother would do to a child.

  "Getting there," he said but there was a thickness to his voice despite the matter-of-fact words. "Stay still," he said, aiming the knife again toward her jeans and slicing through both Pant legs as though they were made of gelatin.

  Her panties had been gorgeous once: vivid purple with lace in all the right spots. In her mind, she saw them the way she had when she bought them, but looking at them now she could see how ratty they had become. It wasn't the thought that he'd be cutting them and exposing her that made her hands fly to cover herself. It was the thought that she didn't want him to see how ugly those panties were now.

  She caught his eye and thankfully he held to hers. Despite the sensory overload, the nausea, the cramping in her muscles, she could still admit how beautiful those eyes of his were. She told herself that eyes as beautiful as that would have to feel some compassion.

  "I'll be gentle," he said. "Close your eyes."

  She did as she was bid because she knew she was going to have to endure it, and closing her eyes would surely make it easier. If sh
e had enough imagination left in her fevered brain, she could even pretend her underwear were brand-new.

  She wasn't sure what to expect, a languid motion across her labia, a sensual flicker against her opening, but it was over before she had time to feel embarrassed. A few quick strokes, light but thorough.

  He lifted her from the tub, helping her to stand by holding her against him as he wrapped a thick towel around her and brushed his hands up and down over it, bringing warmth to the surface of her skin. He'd been right, she did feel a little better. While her muscles were still weak, she didn't feel as though she would fall if left to stand on her own. Without a word, without checking to see if she needed it, he scooped her from her feet and left the steam of the bathroom behind as he kicked open a door to the left. He deposited her almost tenderly on the edge of the bed inside.

  She could hear Bridget downstairs rattling dishes and assumed she was making Ezekiel some sort of lunch. It had to be long past midnight and yet the woman had been fully dressed and wide-awake when they'd arrived. He seemed to interpret her glance. "She sees the future." He shrugged. "I guess she knew we were coming."

  Theda couldn't do much more than nod. It wasn't such a stretch after all. If she could see the past, why couldn't someone see the future. It was almost comforting to know that there could be one.

  "Who is she?"

  "A lover," he said.

  It was a strangely hurtful blow. She stretched her fingers along where her jeans pocket should have been, searching for her last smear. She'd take it when he wasn't looking, wash away all of the feeling like he'd washed away all of her filth. Except her pants were in the bathroom. She chewed the inside of her cheek thoughtfully, resentfully as she watched Ezekiel assemble blankets and pillows on the floor.

  She was thinking of ways to hit him over the head and escape with the mother lode from his pocket when he faced her, hands on hips, seeming to be considering something. His eyes locked on her bare shoulders as they trembled above the towel and then he sighed decisively and began to strip down in front of her. Her gaze went to his jacket, where the smears waited for her, where they clumped together in one beautiful cache.

  "It's only fair," he said, regaining her attention. He peeled away each bit of his own clothing from boots to jacket and stood in front of her with his eyes closed, arms outstretched. She understood that he realized how vulnerable she'd been in his hands and was repaying her in kind. She let her glance graze his skin quickly, accepting the payment like a hooker would, entitled but careful. She took in each inch of musculature and sinew, noting that the erection she'd felt while he'd been toweling her down had begun to wane. A moment later, he cleared his throat and she realized he was watching her struggle to take her eyes from his member. He quirked a dark brow playfully.

  "I don't wear underwear," he said. "Sorry."

  She twisted away, embarrassed, and eased herself down onto the mattress, burying her face into the pillow, wishing feverishly for a lick of godspit to wipe away the reality.

  "Oh, no," he said. "Not there. The bed is mine. You're sleeping on the floor and when I get back from my shower that's exactly where you'd better be."

  Phoenix: Act 9

  She woke sometime before dawn and realized she was in the bed beside him. The towel was long gone, and in its place was an over-sized T-shirt. Even so, she must have gotten cold through the night and crawled up into the comfort of a mattress with a warm body. It took her a few moments to realize the house was quiet. Quiet enough that if she eased a foot onto the floor, she might well be able to find his clothes. Somewhere in those pockets was enough godspit to carry her through at least a week. If she was careful, perhaps even a week and a half.

  She did manage to get one foot pressed against the cold tile before he stirred. She froze, waiting to see if he was awake, and when he didn't make another move, she eased over onto her side and tipped forward so that both palms and her other foot landed on the floor. Again, she waited. She breathed deeply for at least 30 seconds before she crept her way over to the chair in the corner where he'd dumped his clothes. She wasn't sure she dared look back at him; instead she slipped her hand into his jacket pocket and felt a rush of relief when her fingers wrapped around a cache of cellophane. A large cache, large enough she felt her chest constrict in anticipation.

  "I counted them," said a voice from behind her.

  She squeezed her eyes closed, pulling her fingers from his pocket. "I just want one," she said.

  "Maybe if you're good, I'll let you have one."

  She turned on him, suspicious. "What's your definition of good?"

  He placed his hands behind his head as he lay against the headboard. She watched the triceps tense and let go as he adjusted himself so that he was leaning semi-reclined. "Good might change depending on the situation."

  She studied him for a short while, considering all of her possibilities. "Look, I know you saved me from the mayor and whatever it was he was planning to do--"

  "What he was planning to do was kill you."

  "Yes. Yes, I understand that. But, I would never have been in that position if you hadn't brought me there."

  He started to peel back the blankets and she remembered his nudity from the night before, that he admitted to not wearing underwear and she averted her gaze hurriedly.

  "Don't worry, Minou," he said. "I found some pajama pants after you decided to crawl into bed with me. Wouldn't want you to think I took advantage of you."

  "I didn't crawl--"

  "Are you sure?"

  She thought about it. "No," she admitted. "I don't remember much."

  He hooked his legs over the edge of the bed, and she could see that he did indeed have pajamas on. His chest was bare though, and she had to bite her bottom lip to remind herself that this man had abducted her. He stretched as he stood, raking his fingers through his hair.

  "I want to leave," she said.

  He placed one palm against the wall, leaning against it, considering. "I suppose you can do whatever you like."

  "You won't stop me?"

  He shrugged. "It's a free country."

  "I don't have any clothes."

  "Then I suppose that makes it a little difficult, doesn't it?"

  She ignored that. "And I have one smear that you took from me. I want it back."

  "That I can't do."

  "You will."

  "I won't. You spent almost 48 hours coming down from the last batch. You're clean. You should stay that way."

  "It's not your decision to make."

  "Of course it isn't," he said. "But I didn't go through all of that just to give you your poison right back." He went over to the dresser beneath a window and rattled a drawer, pulling out a fresh pair of jeans that he stuck his legs into. Pulling them up, he said, "You can leave if you want to, but you should know that there'll be more of me. And this time it won't be a lowly mayor sending a Huntsman after you."

  "He can't come after me anyway," she said. "You--"

  "I killed him, yes." There wasn't a note of contrition anywhere in his voice. "I had to. But that doesn't mean we got off Scott free."

  "No one cares about a little thing like a murder, anymore."

  "You'd be surprised," he said. "On the streets, maybe. Results of cheating husbands and wives, perhaps. All sorts of reasons to take another life; all of those are acceptable, I suppose. But not what we've done."

  She eased herself down on the chair, on the very edge, unsure. "And what is it that we've done?" She fixed her narrowed gaze on his. "Especially when I've done nothing. When it's you who did the killing."

  He laughed at that. "You've done the worst. Do you really think I'm working for the mayor?"

  "But he's supposed to be cleansing his district of zealots. That's what he said. That's why I was there. He hired you to arrest me."

  He pulled a spruce colored T-shirt over his head that made his eyes seem all the more green when he regarded her.

  "Seven months ago a man began sp
outing things about being able to change things. About his soul evolving. About the fact that maybe things weren't finished here like we all expected."

  A dark suspicion crept along her spine. "How long have you been watching me?"

  He smiled. "You first saw me four days ago." The way he said it, the very focused way he watched her face, she knew it was a lie.

  "How long?"

  "Come on, Theda. You know how long." He had the grace to look uncomfortable.

  Her mouth went dry. "My first trick. You knew him."

  He nodded. "Your first was the Beast's son."

  She noted the use of the past tense. "Was?"

  Ezekiel nodded. "A zealot is a zealot. He killed him. But not before He tortured information out of him. Or should I say, had information tortured out of him." The smile returned, but this time it snaked over Ezekiel's features in a way that made her spine tingle in realization and revulsion.

  "You killed him."

  He spread his hands to his sides, palms up. "What choice did I have? It was him or me. A man doesn't say no to the Beast."

  "And now it's you or me, I suppose." She was off the chair without even realizing she stood, backing toward the door. His re-vision stole back into her consciousness, and she felt again so clearly a sense of panic that she couldn't breathe.

  He was next to her in moments, before she could twist the handle of the door or bolt down the steps. His hand was on the small of her back, pulling her toward him, making her hips meet his. His other hand had found a way to capture her fingers, pulling them forward so that her palm met his chest. She could feel the thudding of his heart.

  "Once I saw it," he murmured. "Once I saw it all, I couldn't go back. I couldn't let them do to you what they planned." His eyes were searching hers and she felt trapped there, pinned by the force of the emotion in his voice.

  "If you saw it all, then you know what happened to you."

  His eyelids fluttered closed, remembering. "I do. I forgive you. If there is such a thing as forgiveness in these times, I forgive you."