Tainted (Netherworld Book II)

by Christie Rich

  His voice remains steady, but Zed’s body holds a tension I need to investigate…when I have time, that is. “I’ll take him,” he says without turning. “See to Amelia.”

  I nod, my fingers curling into fists. Desire to protect my recruit wells inside me, but if anyone is to blame for our predicament, it’s me. I should have taken more time with her and not rushed her interaction with the Erobos.

  We haven’t seen Eros in the Dreamscape for more than two centuries. I can’t help but suspect someone is leaking information to the Erobos. Peter could be the culprit, but I doubt it. His determination to fight the demons inside him was nothing short of heroic. We still have to figure out how he was ambushed, where he was taken, and what happened to him before he came back to headquarters.

  He didn’t move as we stabbed him repeatedly, which kept his transformation from taking hold. His agony remains in my soul. It is time to do some cleaning, for all of us.

  I bypass the elevators in favor of the stairs to the basement. If Peter is still fighting the Eros, he needs our help, and if Amelia is not up to the task, I will have to do it.

  The second I open the door at the bottom step, I sneeze. Dust motes flutter in the air, illuminated from the dim light behind me. Everywhere I look, I’m reminded of how much I’ve neglected this place. Even now, I should be fortifying it. Hopefully soon Amelia will find the remaining pieces to the key, which will allow me better access to my power . . . if I can survive the curse.

  When the door shuts behind me, a soft glow drifts in from the containment room. Tortured cries rip through the space, and I find myself faltering at the sound, not to mention the acrid stench of singed hair wafting my way. It’s been so long since one of us had to face this. To think it is Peter here and not me or Ian is astounding. I swallow past the lump in my throat and stride into the room.

  Maybell barely glances up at me. “They aren’t responding, Seth. So far, we’ve purged hundreds, but I’m afraid I cannot coax the rest out. They may have rooted.”

  “No,” I say, not willing to accept my brother’s demise. “Where’s Amelia? I told you to use the girl at the first.”

  Maybell’s long back stiffens. “I’ve done what I thought was best for all involved.”

  I growl. She is overstepping her bounds. “As important as Amelia is to us, we cannot lose Peter.”

  My brother coughs then spits onto the metal floor of his cell. Smoke rises from his head and arms where hair used to be. I take in his shredded clothing and tattered exterior, yet fire lights his expression. In moments, his hair returns, but the scowl remains.

  A disgusted grunt comes out of Maybell. “Peter doesn’t want the girl involved.”

  “Don’t be stubborn,” I tell him.

  He grimaces. “She’s not strong enough.”

  “Who are you to say how strong I am?” Amelia cuts in, striding to stand beside me. Her green eyes hold a fierce light, and her back is straight as a board. She shoves stray strands of her dark hair away from her face, continuing to glare at Peter.

  He laughs. “The lady has spoken.”

  If possible, she bristles more. “The lady is about ten seconds away from whooping your sorry—”

  What has Ian done now? “Amelia,” I cut in, keeping my voice level.

  She whirls on me. “What?”

  I step nearer to her, holding her gaze. “I know you’re frightened.”

  Rage fills her frame. “Shut up! You don’t know anything about what’s going on inside me.”

  “And I thought I had anger issues,” says Ian.

  When did he get here? He is the most likely cause of Amelia’s distress. He’s been asking for a beating since he met her, and today he shall have his answer. I spin on my heel and connect my fist with his face. My knuckles crunch in pain at the contact. He staggers backward, holding his nose and glaring. “Hey! I don’t deserve that. I’ve been trying to talk your girl down from a darkness rush, and this is the thanks I get?” He storms into the hall and out of sight, while Amelia and Peter stare.

  Maybell glides over to place her hands on Amelia’s shoulders. Maybell tips Amelia’s chin up until her mouth closes and the two women lock eyes. Silence resounds in the space until Maybell shakes her head. “It’s a bad idea. It’s too soon.” She lets go of Amelia and faces me. “Seth, Amelia might be tainted.”

  I grunt. “It’s too early to tell.”

  Amelia’s eyes bulge as she wraps her arms around her stomach. Her moods shift in rapid succession, mirroring the changing forms of the trapped Eros. Why hasn’t Maybell discarded them? Amelia’s gaze darts to the glowing orb holding the monsters. Electricity slithers over the outside in a dizzying array. She stares as if mesmerized.

  Maybell may have a point.

  Crazy thoughts spin inside my head, making my vision blur, then land on the Eros contained in Peter’s cell. All at once, anger, cowardice, and malice form a tight ball inside my gut.

  I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut. Why am I here again? I can’t seem to think, yet all I can focus on are the hundreds of Eros hovering near the edge of the cell. If I reached through the bars, I could touch them.

  Strong hands clamp on my shoulders to spin me around. I blink a few times just to make sure he’s not a hallucination. Seth stares at me, wary written all over him. I launch myself into his arms and bury my face into his shoulder. Distracted by his scent, I lose myself for a few seconds. When Peter mumbles something, I pull away to look at Seth. “What’s wrong with me?”

  His hands press me closer as he inhales a long breath. The warmth from his body seeps into me, distracting me from the horrible creatures not three feet away. I fist my hands into his shirt to keep the dam holding my tears from breaking. I’m so done with this.

  After a moment he lifts himself away from me to walk to the panel on the wall. He hits a few buttons, and the cell behind me buzzes. I don’t dare turn, but I have to.

  Electricity zings through every inch of the space. Peter writhes on the floor, screaming. His hair sizzles and cracks with sparks. I race to Seth, trying to stop his hands from fluttering over the buttons. “You’re killing him!”

  Seth’s voice holds a calloused resolve. “About now, he wishes I were.”

  I slap his hands, but his deft movements are unstoppable. Even so, I try. “Stop! Seth! Stop this!”

  The muscles in his forearms jump with his movements. One second the whole place is lit up, and the next it’s all gone. The Eros disappear into a void with a thwap that rings in my ears.

  Peter lifts himself to all fours, panting in huge gulps of air. I shake my head. How can he withstand such torture? These people are nuts. When he looks up, his hazel irises are rimmed in black. The line spreads inward in a starburst until it reaches his pupils.

  His strange eyes land on me, void of emotion. I stagger backward into Maybell, who steadies me with her long, yellow fingers.

  Zed pokes his head into the room, tentatively, as if he’s noncommittal about coming inside. I can’t say I blame him. His gaze sweeps inside, and, to my surprise, lands on me. “Is everything in order here?”

  My mouth falls open. Is he serious? Seth bypasses Maybell and me to open the door, only to push Zed into the hallway and close it.

  Maybell lets go of my shoulders, but she bends lower until her face is right in front of mine. “Are you okay?” she asks.

  Tears spill over. I want to hide my face, but the compassion in her eyes stops me. “I sure hope so.”

  She pulls me into her arms, and her warmth encompasses me. My thoughts transport to a time where my mom held me, before she gave up on life . . . before my dad became a monster. Slowly, my arms circle her waist. I cry into her abdomen as she cradles my head. “It’s okay, Amelia. It’s going to be okay.”

  “This is rich,” says Peter. “I’m the one who got lambasted, and she’s the one you comfort?” Normally I would be offended, but his tone is light, and when I look at him, he smiles.

  I give him a wobbly
grin and sigh. Who are these people?

  Maybell swipes a finger against my cheek. Even though I’m pretty sure of the outcome, I ask anyway, “Did you get them all?”

  Neither one answers right away, but Peter speaks up. “It’s manageable now.”

  “How many are still inside you?”

  He glances up, tapping the bars. “I’d say two, maybe three.” Peter stands there, casual, as if he didn’t just get fried. Suddenly, his hair grows a good three inches. No one comments, not even me. I can’t. It’s all too weird. He’s giving a good show, but his fingers are shaking.

  “Why don’t you sit down?” I ask, glancing at the metal platform in the corner of the cell.

  As if it’s the best idea he’s ever heard, he smiles, then ambles to it. Every movement makes me cringe.

  Seth’s and Zed’s mumbles float in from the hallway. I can only imagine what they’re talking about. Amelia, the great white hope, lost it. Does this make me Orphic? What does that even mean?

  Doesn’t matter right now anyway. I did a big, fat nothing to help Peter, but I’m not out yet. “So . . . what can we do to get the rest to leave?”

  Peter cringes at the mention. Maybe it’s the pain as he lies down? Maybell laughs. “You’re one of a kind, Amelia. Don’t worry about it. We’ll find a way. We got them out of him once before; we’ll do it again.”

  My eyes bulge. “You did?”

  Maybell huffs. “Rhea made sure we all got a taste of the nasties. She was despicable. I never liked her, but I was out voted.” Her eyes narrow with an emotion I can’t quite identify. “Not this time. You’re too important to us to take chances.” She glances at Peter, who nods. “We’ll figure another way.”

  Worry rolls around in my head. “But how can you stand the things?”

  As if still uncomfortable, Peter sits up. He wobbles but manages to steady himself. “The purer you are, the more they affect you. Maybell’s right. We need to protect whatever advantage we may have with you.”

  No pressure, right? I smile. “Good to know I’m needed.”

  Peter’s expression shifts, growing harder, and somehow I think someone else is looking through his eyes. “You will always be needed in the Dreamscape.”

  I give him a long stare. “Like I said, good to know.”

  The door opens, and Seth walks in. He gives a complementary nod Peter’s way, grabs my arm, and hauls me to my feet.

  I stare at his hand, tempted to belt him one. “What’s going on?

  “You’ve been here too long. We need to get you back.”

  “But I haven’t even train—”

  “There’s plenty of time for training.” His eyes shift to the side. “You need rest.”

  “Seth!”

  He pulls me against him. “No arguing. Say goodnight, Amelia.”

  My muscles prickle until I bunch my fists. “Yes, Dad.”

  Maybell laughs and smiles down at me. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Okay?”

  I really do feel like a little girl being sent off to bed. “Fine.”

  Seth doesn’t wait another moment to pull me out of the room. Zed passes us, his fingers twisted into his beard. I stare until I can’t maneuver my head around anymore. How can Olivia stand that thing?

  Before I know it, we’re outside, traversing this world I still haven’t seen much of. Seth is all business as he guides me down the sidewalk away from the inner part of the city.

  “Where are we going?” I watch him tuck his lips between his teeth before he answers me. Somehow, I don’t think he’s trying to be sexy. “Just tell me, Seth.”

  Amelia stares at me, her eyes diming with worry before they harden on mine. “I thought you said I needed rest.”

  “You do, but until we deal with your fear, you will not be able to rest well enough to progress in your training.”

  She nods and walks ahead of me. Her mood is understandable. I hope I can help her shed the darkness lingering around her. Since we are still within Oneiroi protection, it won’t hurt to discuss a few things she needs to know. We have a ways to the portal. Hopefully, it’s enough time. “The first thing I want you to understand is what you are going through is normal. The Eros are more potent than any Erobos could ever be. Eros do not have the capability to manipulate or to distinguish between prey. They seek only to possess. The Erobos seek only to rule. What Daegan orchestrated could have turned disastrous. It still has the potential to cripple us if Peter succumbs to the darkness, but it could have been much worse. If Peter hadn’t been able to warn us, I’m afraid we all would have fallen, and you would have been left to run my realm for eternity.”

  Gasping, Amelia stops. “What happened to the Eros Maybell got out of him? Did they really get sent back to the Metaspace?”

  “Yes.”

  She frowns. “Is it safe to have a such a portal at headquarters?”

  I take her hands into mine, relishing the feel of her skin, even if it is a little cold. “It’s safer than the alternative.”

  A smirk glows on her face. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She glances ahead, melancholy. “So, you’re taking me back to my world?” I nod. She follows me when I start out again. “What do you think has happened to my dream world?”

  Getting her to understand her dream world is directly linked to her mind is my task for tonight. “Nothing.”

  She belts me on the arm. “Ha! You just wait.”

  I tuck my hands into my pockets while I search the area for threats. When I find none, I continue. “The only changes in your world have been your thoughts. Once we’re back there, I’ll show you. Fear attracts the darkness. When you realize you have complete control, it will no longer be a problem.”

  Her voice tightens. “You didn’t see them. They were horrible.”

  I keep myself relaxed, calm. “They were a manifestation of your fear. Nothing more.”

  She seems to consider this for a moment before she says, “I hope that’s true.”

  I smile. “Hope is all you need to move forward; hope is the beginning of all things.”

  She gives me a crooked smile. “Wow, Seth, you’re pretty deep.”

  Even though I try to keep it under control, a grin spreads along my mouth. “I’ve had plenty of time to postulate the foundations of life.”

  A frown pulls at her lips. “Do you like your life?”

  Such a strange question. “I haven’t a chance for another. Humans are the only ones who choose to fight the reality of their existence.”

  A dark noise climbs out of her throat. “Humans don’t know about the Dreamscape or the Netherworld . . . or whatever else is out there after we die.”

  Her outrage puzzles me. “You know what, Amelia? I was wrong. Hope is not the foundation of all things. It’s faith. Humans may not have all the answers, but they do have the opportunity for a beautiful life. If they could stop worrying so much about the end of it, they might be able to enjoy it.”

  “True,” she says then pauses. When she speaks again, her tone has shifted, her anger gone. “So you think all I need to do is believe the flies won’t be there, and they won’t be?”

  Even though I’d like to give her a different answer, I shake my head. She needs to understand the depth of the situation. “If you give darkness a chance to take hold, it will.”

  She sniffs, straightening, but her tone remains guarded. “I’ll do my best.”

  I take her arm to turn her toward me. “Don’t you realize how amazing you are?”

  Giving it a good effort, she attempts to stare me down. “Enough of the pep talk, Seth. You’re giving me a headache.”

  I pat her back and rub my fingers along her shoulders. “We’re nearly to the portal. I’ll get us through to your world as quickly as I can, but should we be attacked, I need you to use your safe word. Do you remember it?”

  “Yeah. It’s one I can’t ever forget.”

  I’m curious, but I don’t delve into her mind to retrieve it. “Good.”

  Finally, out o
n the edges of the city, she gazes over the sprawling countryside where pockets of trees break up the wheat fields.

  “Whose world is this?” she asks.

  A sigh spills out of me. “It’s collaborative. Headquarters was designed to keep out the Erobos, but as our numbers have dwindled, we’ve also lost parts of the world. It no longer encompasses the vast space it once did. Now, it is nothing more than the city and a bit of what you see before you. The rest is gone.”

  The moment transports me into the past. “I wish you could have seen it.”

  Her fingers alight on my arm. “Someday we’ll get it back.”

  Hope fills me. When I touch her cheek, she nestles her face into my palm. Electricity only she can create in me flows through my body. “If anyone can make it happen, you can.”

  She grins and pumps the air with her fists. “Yeah, I’m that awesome.”

  I laugh. “Did you ever doubt it?”

  The light leaves her eyes before she grits her teeth. “Hell no. You even have to ask?” she says, but her expression unveils her lie.

  I tip her chin back. “Forgive me for being so foolish.”

  She cocks her head to the side and riffles her fingers through my hair. “Forgiven.” When she pulls me in for a kiss, my breath catches in my throat. My thoughts jumble into nothing more than loving her. I press her closer until her heartbeat thumps against mine. Colors flare behind my eyelids, and the world fades away.

  When we pull apart, I’m left with the loss of her, even though she is inches from me. She smiles again, surety back in her expression. Jumping into action, she grabs my hand. “If we’re gonna kick the darkness out of my world, we’d better get moving.”

  I’d rather send her back to my realm without having her traverse any of the Dreamscape; however, considering how long it took her to get here earlier, I don’t dare try it again.

  “Good to see your mood brightening,” I tell her.

  “It’s weird. Now that we’re away from the Eros, I’ve pretty much lost my pissy gene.”

  Smiling, I squeeze her hand. “We’re all the better for it.”