Tainted (Netherworld Book II)

by Christie Rich

  Peter stills and gives me that curious glance of his. “Honestly, I don’t remember much of what happened. It’s all a bit fuzzy.”

  Seth lets go a sigh from deep within before sitting and crossing his legs as if this is going to take a while, which I suppose it will. I decided to make myself comfortable as well. Once I’m settled in, I search for the right way to explain something this unimaginable. “When I saw Kelsby being overtaken by so many Eros, I had to do something. The thought of letting them have him was too much, so I grabbed him. I had no idea what effect the Eros would have on me. They came after me as a group and covered my skin. There was no way I wanted any of those things inside me, so I pushed back. I figured since they were all about darkness, I should try to send them some light. At first they resisted, but then something happened. They began to change from grotesque demons to ethereal angels. But it was as if they couldn’t take the light. Ian told me I destroyed all of them.”

  Peter’s mouth opens slightly, and he just stares at me as if I’m crazy. “Ian went back there? Of all the stupid things he could do. He could have been converted.”

  Good to know that’s what he got out of what I just told him. I shake my head and move to stand up. This is pointless. Peter doesn’t want my help. All he wants to do is argue.

  Seth grasps my hand, halting me. His chuckle makes me grit my teeth. “I’ve already reprimanded Ian. He’s been instructed to never return to the world.”

  Peter nods, but he frowns and stands to pace the cell. “How is the world existing without the dreamer? He died, did he not?”

  Seth’s mood shifts, and the air around me fills with dread. “I have no explanation for you, brother. The world should have collapsed with his demise; however, it is an anomaly we must investigate.”

  Peter stops his pacing to glare at Seth. “Sending agents there is the last thing you should do. It’s bad enough you still have me here. We both know there’s no hope for me. You need to let me go while I still have the ability to control the Eros.”

  I can’t believe what Peter is saying. We’re supposed to stop trying after everything we’ve already done to save him. I don’t think so.

  Before I can protest, Seth speaks. “We will not give up on you until there is no other option.” Peter shakes his head, but Seth keeps going. “Amelia is more important to me than any other person in this world or any, but you are my brother, and I will do everything I can to rid you of the demons, one way or another.”

  Peter’s at the bars again in an instant. His voice comes out harsh, anxious. “I won’t let you do it. She’s too important to the survival of our race. It will be difficult without me, but you, Ian, and Zed can manage the zones. I’m counting on you to bring me back when you know more about Amelia.”

  Here he is again making decisions for me. I’ve had about all I can take of being ignored. I glance at Seth, who seems to be considering what Peter said. This is stupid, and I’m not going to give them a chance to make me change my mind.

  I jump to my feet and lunge forward, thrusting my arm through the bars to grab Peter’s hand. The Eros awake the instant my skin makes contact with his. The air stirs and charges with dark energy that presses into me. Seth comes behind me and pulls me toward him, but I hang on to Peter, who’s drawn into the bars with a sharp thwap. He grunts and makes cursing noises that I can’t quite make out.

  Seth’s lips brush my ear before he says, “Amelia, let him go.”

  All at once I’m transported back to the volcano, back to his demands for me to release Kelsby. I elbow him in the stomach and lurched toward Peter to shove my other arm between the iron bars. I clutch Peter’s neck and hug him close.

  He stares into my eyes, a wild hope lingering in his while the Eros disappear from his hazel irises. The darkness grows until they seep out of Peter’s skin and into the cell.

  To my surprise, they hover above him as if studying me. Before, when Kelsby was being converted, they sought me out without any hesitation. I can’t help but wonder if these Eros remember me and what I did.

  Behind us, Seth scrambles to the control panel and starts pushing buttons faster than I can make out. The portal opens, and the slithering Eros are sucked inside until they’re nothing more than pinpricks of darkness. With a loud clap, the portal closes.

  Peter collapses, and I’m forced to let go of him before he hits the floor. Seth whirls me around, his eyes crinkled at the corners, his mouth pressed together. He shakes me once. “What were you thinking?” But he doesn’t give me a chance to answer. “You did the stupidest, bravest thing…” He pauses. “I guess I should be used to your heroics by now.”

  I shake my head and turn my attention to Peter, who hasn’t moved one bit. “Open the cell,” I demand.

  Seth frowns at me. “Tests must be run before Peter can be released. Have a little patience.”

  I scoff. “Whatever. Do it. I want him out of there.”

  Peter lifts his head finally and stares at me with a shocked expression covering his features. He takes a deep breath and says, “Thanks.”

  I have half a mind to thrash Amelia. The other half of me wants to kiss her senseless.

  She smiles at Peter, then at me, nearly glowing. Even though she’s trying to put on a strong front, I still catch the fear in her eyes. There’s no point in me berating her now. In the future, I will have to be more careful. We will have to make agreements before I take her into any situation which might put her at risk. For now, I allow myself to breathe a bit easier.

  Peter stands, his legs wobbly at first, but he manages to make it to his bed. Amelia takes a seat on the chair, slouching immediately as if she is drained. I can’t say I blame her.

  In fact, I’d like to join her for a rest. It’s rather unfortunate I do not have time. If there is a chance Peter is, in fact, cleansed, we need to get him back to overseeing his worlds as soon as possible. And the only way to do it is to examine him.

  Since he is already in the right position, I begin the scan, paying close attention to the monitors and gauges. This equipment is so out of date it looks like a set from one of Kelsby’s black-and-white movies.

  “How do you feel?” asks Amelia.

  Peter chuckles. “If you’re asking me, I’m not quite sure yet.”

  I glance at her. She smiles at him, relief flashing in her eyes. “If a man can joke, I’d say he’s pretty good.”

  Peter looks at her. For one redeemed from darkness, he doesn’t show the exuberance I would expect; however, he has been through quite a bit.

  The door crashes open, and Maybell speeds to my side. She pushes me out of the way and pores over the monitors until she finds the one revealing Peter’s progress. Her body slumps, and she heaves a sigh. “You could’ve called me if you were going to experiment.”

  I hold up my hands. “It wasn’t my doing.”

  Amelia stares at Maybell with an uncertain look. Maybell, in turn, shifts her attention to Amelia. The two women don’t say a word as they size the other. After a moment, Maybell frowns. Amelia lowers her head. Maybell’s interest in Peter is quite odd. She’s never given more than a cursory glance or two his way.

  The room fills with an unsteady silence which shouldn’t be here, not when we have recovered a crucial member of our team. The panel to my right beeps, and several green lights flash. After a loud clang, the door to Peter’s cell creaks open.

  He sits up, his gaze darting from the door to me and back again. When I nod, a bright smile warms his face. He stands and edges forward until he’s at the threshold. I’m not sure why he hesitates, but the fact he does lets me know where his heart is and has been during this entire struggle for his soul.

  I waste no time in closing the distance between us and wrap him in a hug. He doesn’t respond as quickly as I’d hoped; however, eventually he folds his arms around me. I haven’t been this close to my brother in more time than I care to think about. Giving a gusty grunt, I clap him on the back and step away. “It’s good to have you out
of there.”

  Peter nods. “I can hardly believe this is real. If I didn’t know where they come from, I would think I was dreaming.”

  We all laugh until the sound fills the room, until my heart fills with utter joy . . . until my brother finally gives me a real smile.

  We fall into silence again, but I’m unwilling to stay in this wretched place an instant longer. “Come. We have work to do.”

  Maybell is the last to leave and catches the light on her way out. I wait for her to enter the stairwell. Perhaps I should test her, but right now all I want to do is celebrate with those I care about. Besides, we still have Kelsby to sort out, and somehow I don’t think he will be too eager to take Peter’s place in the cell.

  The way the Eros reacted when Amelia purged them from Peter was not expected. It appears they are learning with each interaction they have with her. With them in the Metaspace with Volos, I can’t help but think he will learn, as well.

  Our only hope is Amelia’s ability to adapt is greater than Volos’s ability to destroy.

  None of us speak as we ascend the staircase to the first floor. We make our way to the elevator where Brian greets us. His smile broadens when he glances at Peter. “I knew those rumors weren’t true. They couldn’t be with Amelia here. Glad to have you back.”

  Peter nods. “Not more than I, lad, I assure you.”

  As the elevator doors close, I turn to Maybell and ask, “Are Zed and Ian still here?”

  Her tone is flat when she answers. “Zed left with Olivia a few hours ago, but he mentioned they were nearly done for the night. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re back by now. And since you told Ian not to return to the rogue world, he’s been observing it from your office.”

  If we are to make a plan, we need to have all of the team together. We can function without Kelsby for a time. I am interested in what Zed and Ian will think about Amelia’s ability, especially since we know her gift wasn’t a fluke. “Good,” I say and leave it at that. If Amelia is correct and something has gotten to Maybell, we need to be very careful with what she is allowed to know. However, I do not wish to upset the brightest member of my team.

  I reach up to touch Maybell’s shoulder. She jumps slightly under the lightest pressure of my fingers. I do not reveal I have noticed her reaction. Instead, I smile at her. “Will you track down Zed and Olivia for me? We’ll be waiting in my office.”

  Maybell’s expression falters, and for a moment I glimpse displeasure in her face, which she quickly covers with a smile and a nod. Without saying another word, she leaves when the elevator doors open.

  Members of my team come to greet us and warmly welcome Peter’s return to our small fold. Amelia also is greeted with hugs, not to mention the occasional slap on the arm. She laughs and jokes as if she’s been a part of us forever.

  Once we reach my office, I close the door behind me. Ian sits in my chair, searching screen after screen on the wall. They all show different angles of the volcanic world of the dead dreamer.

  While Peter and Amelia occupy the two armchairs across from my desk, I take my place next to Ian. “How’s the investigation going?”

  Ian doesn’t bother to glance at me when he answers. “A lot slower since you’ve grounded me.”

  I shake my head, smirking at him. “Someone has to look out for your neck, since you won’t do it yourself. Have you discovered anything of significance?”

  He shrugs, not giving away anything. “Not since I’ve been stuck in your office. But considering as how you are asking, even though I couldn’t see them when I was on world, I felt them.”

  Amelia appears by my side to stare at the screens, too. “So you’re saying I didn’t actually destroy them?” Her gaze jumps from one screen to the next, a frown forming on her mouth by the time she makes it to the last one. “Where are they?”

  Ian turns his head to glance at her, but his gaze lands on Peter instead. His eyes widen, and the words forming on his mouth die. Not very often have I seen my brother Ian speechless.

  Peter smiles at Ian, no hostility showing in his expression. He, too, stands and walks to Ian’s side. All of us turn our attention to the monitors, but Peter is the first to speak. “What sort of feelings did you have while you were on world?”

  Ian pauses, rubbing his eyes before he scraps his palms down his face and over his mouth. He shakes his head. “It’s hard to describe. At first I thought it was the mere absence of the Eros, but after a while I realized it was something more. A definite presence is there.” His expression turns serious, causing my stomach muscles to clench. “Amelia did something to them. I just can’t for the life of me figure what.”

  “Are they a threat?” Asks Peter.

  Ian shifts his stance and crosses his arms. “I wish I knew. Before Seth forbade me to visit the world again, I was trying to get them to respond to me. The thing is they wouldn’t come anywhere near me.”

  Amelia’s tongue clicks against the roof of her mouth before she asks, “How can you know any of this when you couldn’t even see them?”

  Ian stares at her, but instead of getting angry like he usually would, he nods. “I know it sounds crazy. If I hadn’t been the one to experience it, I wouldn’t believe it either. I can’t really explain, other than every time I came near one, for a moment, there was a connection between me and whatever was there. Since we know the only beings on the world other than the dreamer were Eros, it has to be them, except in a different form.”

  Thoughts swirl and twist inside me. How could the Eros still be there? Their destruction was immediate. We all witnessed it. Yet Ian has been the only one to return to the world. “Have you any idea why the world still exists?”

  Ian hesitates but finally answers. “I think the man who was there was more than a wielder. I think he stole the world from a comatose dreamer.”

  Peter moves closer to one of the monitors as if distance could help him discern what is not there. “We have to find out who the dreamer was and return their world to them. It might be the only way to discover who is behind this.”

  “Volos is the only explanation,” I say.

  Ian cuts in. “Not necessarily. I think this might have something to do with Amelia’s friend, Brock.”

  Amelia huffs. “Brock is not my friend. But if my father is involved, I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s capable of anything.”

  Peter frowns, confusion written on every inch of his face. “Who is Brock? And I thought your father was dead.”

  We have a lot to do to get Peter up to speed. And now is not the time to start conversation about Amelia’s father. “Ian has been following the boy. Amelia’s father is an unknown at this time. For now, we need to focus on getting our team up and running.”

  Not one person standing near me argues, but from the exaggerated frowns and hostile glances it’s only a matter of time before they do.

  A knock sounds at the door. Thankful for the distraction, I call for Zed and Olivia to enter, and not surprisingly, Maybell follows. She still won’t look me in the eyes, but my inquiry for her will have to wait, as well. I give each person in our group a leveled look. “Now we have everyone here, we can begin to take back our worlds.”

  Smiles erupt on weary faces, which brings a smile to my lips.

  Zed ushers Olivia to one of the chairs and stands behind her while she sits. “What did you have in mind?”

  With all the excitement, I almost miss Maybell’s reaction when Seth calls for all of us to brainstorm with the rest of the team. We walk to the open area by the cubicles. People I don’t know lend insight into the discussion, but I’m not really listening. All I can focus on is Maybell’s sneer. Instead of throwing out suggestions like everyone else, she hovers in the background, not saying a word. I haven’t known Maybell long, but something isn’t right with her. I can’t really say she’s been tainted like Peter was or even Kelsby, but I have to wonder what happened to the woman who greeted me with a gigantic hug when I came to headquarters the first
time. If I’m sure of one thing it’s now Maybell doesn’t trust me.

  Well, the feeling is mutual. I could sit and watch her watch everyone else. It might be the sensible thing to do, but I’ve never been one for restraint. I walk beside her and lean against the wall. When I glance her way, she doesn’t look at me. “So . . . this is pretty great, right?”

  She nods. “What did you do to him?” Her voice is barely above a whisper, which makes me curious. Is she trying to conceal our conversation from the others? Or is she just not trying to interrupt them?

  I pick at a chipped spot on my fingernail, wondering if I’ll ever be able to do normal things like paint my nails again. I’m trying to figure out a way to tell her what I did without giving away anything that might hurt us if it turns out she’s tainted. “I really didn’t do all that much. I grabbed him, and the Eros left. That’s pretty much it.”

  She takes a deep breath, her narrow rib cage expanding like a balloon. “I’m glad Peter’s okay. I really am, but you shouldn’t take such risks. I’ve already warned you how the Eros shouldn’t be toyed with.”

  I think back to the talks I’ve had with Maybell, but I don’t recall any involving us discussing toying with the Eros. Sure, she told me about her world and losing the people she loves to the darkness. Somehow, I wonder if I missed part of a very important conversation. “Trust me, Maybell, I was not playing with them. I was trying to save Peter because we can’t function without him. Everyone has done a good job of covering, but how long could that possibly last?” I stare right at her until she looks at me. Her expression stays neutral, all except the tiny lines creasing the corners of her mouth. “I, for one, am not willing to find out.”

  Maybell bends a knee to lift her foot against the wall. Even though her stance is casual, the muscles in her forearms contract, showing deep valleys between them. “So what’s your plan with Kelsby?”

  I scratch the side of my face to disguise my frown. I didn’t think Seth would talk to her about Kelsby. I don’t like harboring mistrust for Maybell, but until I find out otherwise, she is the biggest threat to headquarters.