Tainted (Netherworld Book II)

by Christie Rich

  My heart stutters. “You do?”

  Her body stiffens slightly, and she pauses too long for my liking. “He still has at least one Eros inside him.”

  The words don’t want to come out, but they finally do. “Impossible. He went through the decontamination process. Maybell cleared him.”

  “I don’t know if that’s what you’re doing to Peter, but you’ve seen how well it worked for him. And I’m not sure, but I think there might be something wrong with Maybell, too.”

  The idea sends my thoughts spinning. “Peter is stronger than Kelsby. He can contain those inside him for a time. As for Maybell, I haven’t noticed a difference in her.”

  Amelia tips her head back and runs her fingers through her hair. “I don’t think Kel has any idea he’s tainted. Maybell — no chance she knows. She’d freak. I’m still not sure about her anyway.”

  I glance at her sidelong. “How do you know Kelsby is?”

  “He has those shadow things in his eyes.”

  My breath slows. “What are you talking about?”

  She leans away from me, as if to get a full view of my face. Her concerned eyes search mine. “You know—the swirly dark things he and Peter both have.”

  I shake my head, trying to contain my anxiety. “I’ve never seen shadows in either of their eyes. Are you sure about this?”

  She nods. “It’s pretty blatant. I can’t believe you haven’t seen them.”

  I wanted to take her to my office to discuss our options for tomorrow, but our plans have now changed. “Are you up for a visit with Peter?”

  She groans. “Really?”

  How can I ask so much of her? How can I not? I brush a hand over her hair. She leans into my touch, which sends a pulse of desire through me. “I merely want you to show me the shadows.”

  Her mouth hardens. “And then we’re out of there?”

  “He bothers you so much?”

  She clasps her hands in between her knees and rests her elbows on her thighs. “Peter doesn’t bother me at all. He’s actually pretty nice, but those things inside him, they make me crazy. I don’t know how to handle the emotions they bring out in me.”

  My throat catches. “What emotions?”

  With a whoosh of breath and a bow of her head, her eyes flutter shut. Her voice is hushed. “Even from here I can feel them.”

  Panic rises is my heart. Could Maybell be right? Could Amelia herself be tainted? “What exactly are you feeling?”

  She shakes her head, eyeing the door to the basement with blatant unease. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s like they’re talking to me, beckoning me closer. All I want to do is run away.”

  I pull her close to kiss the top of her head. “Your response is a good one.”

  Her voice is tiny when she speaks. “Can’t you feel it?”

  I give her a halfhearted smile. “I’m afraid not, but I didn’t have Eros attached to me.”

  Apparently her mind takes the same course mine does. “Nothing got inside me, Seth. I would know if it had.”

  I tip her head back and gaze into her smoky green eyes. “Are you sure? Perhaps we should run some more tests.”

  I understand Seth’s concerns, but I’m not going to allow anyone to shoot lightning through me, no matter how much I love him.

  How Peter can stand it is beyond me. “I think we have worse things to worry about than me. Besides, this is only part of me. The real me is still back in your realm.”

  He chuckles and brushes the tip of his finger against my nose. “Not too excited about the process?”

  Despite his actions, the creases at his eyes and his stiff posture tell me the truth. “Are you kidding? Being fried from the inside is not on my top ten list of things to do.”

  At least he takes a moment to consider what I have to say before he answers. “Do you feel strong enough to assess Peter?”

  I nod, not really feeling it, but he doesn’t need to know. He smiles and pulls me to my feet. I do my very best to keep up the pretense as we walk through the door.

  Most basements have some sort of smell, and this one is no exception. There’s the usual musty odor that permeates everything, but something else lingers reminding me of an overused ashtray. It’s colder than I remember, too. I wrap my arms around myself. I can handle the cold, but the stench has to be dealt with.

  “Do you smell that?” I ask.

  Seth stops and sniffs. “Would you describe what you’ve noticed?”

  “Does Peter smoke?”

  He shrugs. “I do not think so.”

  I frown as we walk into the room. Peter is stretched out on his bed, his eyes trained on the ceiling. There’s no sign of cigarettes or cigars or pipes. The only things in the cell with him are the cot he’s occupying, a blanket, and a toilet.

  Prison doesn’t suit him. His complexion is pasty, matching his cracked lips. His dark hair has grown a few inches since I last saw him, and he seems like he’s lost weight.

  Guilt lands in my gut. It’s not fair that he came to save me and ended up like this. I’ve been a total wuss, but no more. I don’t care how uncomfortable it is, I’m going to help him. I can’t stand to see him lose more and more strength every day because I’m afraid.

  He takes way too long to roll over and sit up. With a grunt, his shoulders slump forward, and his chest lifts sharply with each breath.

  Seth stands behind a chair and motions for me to sit. I smile, trying to focus on something good and right instead of the unease slithering through me.

  I watch Seth go get another chair because I can’t quite stand looking at Peter without him beside me. It’s silly. Peter’s been pretty stable every time I’ve seen him. He hasn’t made a move to hurt me, but the thing or things inside him could do quite a bit of damage if he lost control of them.

  Only when Seth is settled beside me do I glance at Peter. His hazel eyes study my face. Like a tractor beam, my gaze gets stuck on his. The loneliness inside him radiates out and into me. I hate seeing people depressed because it reminds me of all the times I’ve been down.

  “Hi, Peter,” I say to cut the tension.

  “Hello, Amelia.” He studies me some more before he says, “It’s good to see you. Are you feeling better?”

  He can’t seriously be asking about my wellbeing. He’s the one in a cell. “I’m fine,” I tell him. “You?” Although I know what his answer should be, I’m interested in what he thinks or is at least willing to share.

  A dark sound reverberates in his chest, as if the Eros want out. “Holding my own at the moment.”

  Finally, Seth cuts in. Before I can be too relieved, he ruins it with being blunt. “Amelia told me she can see shadows in your eyes. I’ve asked her to point them out to me.”

  Peter sits straighter and comes close to the bars. His demeanor has shifted to one of curiosity and maybe even hope. “Will you describe them?”

  He’s not calling me crazy right now, which kind of freaks me out. I lean a closer, but Peter doesn’t cooperate. His gaze shifts downward, making me hunch even farther.

  Not to be deterred, I twist my head and steady myself on my knees. “They’re dark swirls circling your irises. It’s more noticeable in Kelsby because his eyes are bigger, but yours are definitely visible.”

  Peter’s voice lowers, which beacons me closer. “How many do you see?”

  I push everything out of my mind and stare into his eyes. They’re darker than they were the last time I saw him. With the brown overshadowing the green, it’s difficult to make out anything at all, but I catch movement in his right eye. One, maybe two. Something else moves, but this time it’s in his left.

  I lean back. “At least three.”

  Peter’s expression doesn’t change. He’s hiding something. I just wish I knew what. “I’d say five.”

  “You can feel them distinctly?” I ask, not sure I really want to know the details of what he’s going through, but unable to stop myself. My mind swirls remembering the momentary pleasure
they gave me. I push the thought away, disgusted.

  He shrugs. “Sometimes when emotion overwhelms me, they become separate entities vying for prime position; however, most of the time they hide in the shadows.” His demeanor shifts, and he stares straight at me, as if he’s a fortune teller trying to read tea leaves. Seth grasps my hand and pulls me more firmly against the chair. I can’t look at him, though. Peter has me pinned with his intensity. “Inside each of us lives darkness. It resides in the secret places that taint the soul.”

  Seth stands up. “Not in Amelia. She doesn’t have secret places, brother.”

  Peter blinks a few times and his body straightens. “Amelia is a complex person, Seth. You’d be wise to remember it.”

  A frown overtakes my face. “What are you implying?”

  Peter shakes his head. “I sense a duality in you, far deeper than any human I’ve encountered, including Rhea.”

  Seth pulls me to my feet. “That’s enough, Peter. You are not in a level state of mind, and saying such things will only frighten someone we need desperately.”

  Peter shakes his head. “Forgive me. I meant no disrespect. I am only making observations. Amelia has a lot to offer us, but you need to be careful with her. One wrong move could ruin her potential. One of which is mating too soon.”

  My gaze ping-pongs back and forth between the two of them. Seth’s shoulders stiffen more with each word Peter utters, while Peter stands casually with his arms folded across his chest.

  “What do you mean?” I ask. “You think I’m like Rhea, don’t you?”

  Peter shakes his head. “You have similarities, but the longer I’m around you the more I’m certain you are not Orphic, yet you are not Sibylline, either.”

  “You, too?” Seth asks. “Has Kelsby been to see you? Or is it Maybell filling your mind with such lies?”

  Peter’s features harden. “Neither have said a word to me. I make my own observations. If you’ve had so many people warn you, why are you ignoring it?” Seth just stares at him. Peter shakes his head again. “Don’t make the same mistake I did. I’ve fallen and am almost lost. Keep her close and protect her at all costs.”

  “Wait,” I say. “I don’t understand. I’m not some little girl who needs you to make my decisions. I’ve got more at stake here than any of you, and I want to help.” I turn to Peter and take a couple steps closer. “I think it’s about time we get those soul suckers out of you.”

  He shakes his head. “It’s too risky. With you close to me, they become, for lack of a better word . . . inebriated.”

  “They get drunk when I’m around?”

  His smile falters, and his expression straightens to all seriousness. “Yes.”

  From the strange light glinting in his eyes, I’m beginning to think they aren’t the only ones.

  One enamored brother is enough to deal with. I do not need two coveting my recruit. At least Zed is occupied with Olivia. Amelia’s gaze shifts from Peter to me, as if for help. She doesn’t know the kind of energy she throws off by simply being. I have no doubt when she is fully trained, she will be astonishing.

  I pull her close to my side, which draws Peter’s attention to me. He’s trying to hide his jealousy, but he hasn’t managed as well as he should have.

  I swallow hard, remembering how his relationship with Rhea affected me. I smile at him, keeping my expression as open as I can. “I’ve been thinking once you and Kelsby have recuperated, we should search for a recruit for you.”

  He sighs. “I may not recover from this one, Seth. You need to prepare for the worst.”

  Amelia huffs and walks closer to Peter again. “I’m going to help you,” she says.

  He smiles, looking her over from head to toe. “What’s your plan?”

  She sniffs and shifts her weight, glancing away from him. “The most likely thing is to try what worked before.”

  Peter smiles then frowns, his attention switching to me again. “Me and Kelsby? I thought Amelia cleared him.”

  Amelia grimaces. “Apparently not. I’ve got more work to do for him, too.”

  To my surprise, Peter shakes his head. “You should let us be. You cannot risk yourself for us. You’re too important to the Oneiroi. If you were to fall, we would lose all hope. If I were to fall, Seth would be a bit busier.”

  “Not true, brother, and you know it,” I tell him. “Zed and I cannot hold the worlds together, and Ian is just about as bad off as you are.”

  He laughs. “Ian is only stubborn. He has no real evil in him.”

  “But you do?” interjects Amelia.

  I’d like to tell her Peter is exaggerating, but it would be a lie. She needs to know the truth. We will likely lose someone from this latest attack. Whether it is Kelsby or Peter, I do not know. Neither one of them is expendable. Both are valuable members of our team.

  Before I can say anything, Peter folds his arms and stares at her, which reminds me we’ve failed to address the reason we came in here in the first place. “Amelia, would you mind describing the shadows in Peter’s eyes? I’d like to determine if I can see them, too. We lost our focus.”

  Peter laughs. “Understatement.”

  I don’t comment, but Amelia stares at Peter again. “Do you see the dark lines shooting around his pupils?”

  I’ve never noticed the detail in his eyes. He’s got gold, dark brown, and mostly green. I have never seen any shadows in his eyes, even now they aren’t there.

  I turn toward Amelia to stare at her. “Are you sure?”

  She leans forward, moving out of my arms. Her gaze lingers on Peter. She looks at him as if she’s trying to see into his soul. Even though I don’t care for the idea, I don’t protest when she walks to the cell and leans against the bars directly in front of him. He shifts his weight until he is only inches from her. Wonder is all I notice in his gaze. She stares at one eye then another. After a few moments, Amelia turns to me, incredulous. “You really can’t see them? They’re having a party in his irises.”

  I laugh, and so does Peter. “I’d like to tell you what you want to hear, but all I see are eyes.”

  She cocks her head and says, “Very funny, Seth.” All laughter fades from her face. Even her mock outrage is gone. All that remains is fear. “Why am I the only one who can see them?”

  My expression softens. I want to offer her comfort. I want to take away her fear, but all I can provide her is the truth. “I don’t know.”

  Peter, on the other hand, seems to have answers I don’t. “Perhaps Amelia has abilities unknown to Oneiroi. We have all witnessed she is capable of much more than we ever thought possible with either Orphics or Sibyllines.” His fingers grasp the bars, his knuckles a pale shade of white. Despite his calm demeanor, his voice trembles.

  On instinct, I move to stand directly beside Amelia. Peter hasn’t shown violence toward her, but I am unwilling to let him entertain the notion. He glances at me, and a slight sneer lifts the corners of his mouth. At once I am on edge. I should take Amelia away from him, yet I am curious to what Peter intends to do. Still, I wrap my arm around her shoulders.

  Peter lets go of the bars and takes a seat on his cot with a huff. At this distance, he is no longer a threat; however, I do not let down my guard. I turn toward him and say, “Amelia has many gifts and abilities. I am not disputing the fact. The nature of her origins is still under question, but I am not willing to speculate on something so important.”

  Amelia glances sidelong at me. Her gaze does not linger, but the question held there still sticks in my mind. She also takes a seat. Her voice is wary. “Why does it even matter? I have no desire to discover my origins, not that anyone is asking me.”

  Peter laughs, but the sound is filled with animosity. His mood has definitely shifted. “The answer could determine the outcome of our war. Regardless of what happens to me, I want to make sure none of my remaining brothers meets the same fate.”

  Amelia’s expression darkens. “What does that have to do with me? I’ve
never done anything but try to help you people. How can you sit there and act like I am the evil one in the room? We both know who is straddling the edge of darkness, and it is not me.”

  Peter lifts himself from his cot in slow, deliberate movements which highlight the turn of his thoughts. He walks to the bars and presses his face against them. His eyes come alive with anger and resentment. “I was betrayed by one such as you, girl. I have every right to question your origins, intentions, and anything you do or have done. I am not implying you are a bad person. I am not suggesting you have been tainted by darkness . . . yet.”

  We are making no progress, and Peter’s open hostility is doing nothing to settle my mood. I lift Amelia from her chair, attempting to keep my hold light despite my troubled emotions. When I move to pull her toward the door, she yanks herself out of my grasp and lunges to Peter, her gaze never leaving his face.

  “Can’t you see I want to help you? Can’t you see I am nothing like Rhea? I know she hurt you. I know she betrayed all of you; I am not her. You will not treat me as if I am.” She grasps the bars with tight fingers. “Do you want my help or not?”

  I am so sick of these men with their big attitudes and bigger prejudice. It’s all I can do to keep myself from reaching through those bars and slapping Peter upside the head.

  Seth still stands right by me, my protector. I should be grateful. I really don’t know what any of these men can do. I’m learning, but I’m still not in my comfort zone. I don’t know if I’ll ever be in relaxed here in the Dreamscape.

  I’m still waiting for Peter to answer me, and from the looks of things I’ll probably be waiting a while. At least that’s what he thinks. I turn on my heel and walked to the door. Seth is behind me.

  Just as I moved to pull the door open, Peter speaks up. “Wait. What do you have in mind?”

  I’m tempted to let Peter stew in a pile of questions, but I really don’t want to have to come down here when he’s good and ready. Taking a deep breath, I turn and stare. “I’m not sure if you stuck around to see what happened after I saved Kelsby, but you probably should have stayed for the show. It was better than fireworks, even if I do say so myself.”