Tainted (Netherworld Book II)

by Christie Rich

  He kicks at the cage walls again, but they remain strong. Ian is still leaning up against the bars, his head at an odd angle. When he finally wakes up, he’s going to have a really kinked neck.

  Brock shoves the dress into my arms again. He points at a doorway on the left of the dais. “Go change before I have to insist you do it right here.”

  I roll my eyes, then take the thing to the room to get away for a minute. When I twist the silver knob, it sticks, but I manage to get the door open with a shove. The second I’m inside, I slam it shut, looking for a chair to put under the handle because there’s no lock. The only furniture in the room are a long mirror and an oddly shaped velvet couch. Maybe it’s a settee. I don’t really know what to call it. It’s taller on one end and tapers toward the other. The arms are rolled with an inlay of carved dark wood. Someone set it against the corner at a very strange angle.

  It’ll have to do. I go to the side with the widest gap against the wall and freeze. A little girl with big blue eyes stares back at me. She’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen, with long sun-kissed blonde hair which brushes the floor in her crouched position. From the look on her cherubic face she’s about to scream. I hold up my hands and take a step back, keeping her in view. “It’s okay. Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought I was alone.”

  “They don’t know I’m here,” she whispers before she peeks over the couch toward the door.

  I lower to my haunches. “I won’t tell them. I promise.” I stick out my hand. “I’m Amelia.”

  Her fingers curl around three of mine, and she gives a good pump. “I’m Kimberly.”

  I make myself as small as I can. “Will you help me move this couch, Kimberly?”

  She nods and stands. I push while she tries to budge it. Her slight frame isn’t capable of much, but I admire her spunk. Throwing more of her weight into the effort, she smiles. With another shove, it slides into place. It’s not much, but I don’t want any peepers coming in while I’m getting dressed. For good measure, I lift her onto the middle cushion. She laughs.

  With her here, I can almost imagine I’m not about to make the biggest mistake of my life. Kimberly’s smile withers. “Are you scared?” she asks, her eyes filling with compassion. “I don’t like being scared.”

  What am I supposed to say? My heart still hasn’t calmed. Sweat is trickling down my back in tiny streams, and my hands won’t stop shaking. In the end, I nod.

  “I’m sorry,” she says. “I didn’t want to do it, but he made me.”

  I shove the dress over my head then yank it over my pants. No one needs to know what I’ve got on under the frills and lace. As far as I’m concerned, the more clothes the better.

  I kneel in front of her, trying to pin her with my stare. “What do you mean, Kimberly?”

  “My mommy called me Kimber. I like it better.”

  I nod. “Okay, but will you answer me if I call you Kimber?”

  She smiles. “I would have answered you anyway. I’ve been keeping you from changing things here. Daddy said I had to.”

  “Daddy?” My mind rebels against the idea of this girl being raised by Malcolm.

  “Kimber,” I say, using the most serious tone I’ve got. “Sometimes parents tell us to do the wrong thing. It’s always better to do what you think is right. Do you think what you’ve done is right?”

  She shakes her head, tears brightening the blue of her eyes. “He says he’ll hurt Kaylee.”

  My pulse thumps into my fingertips. The thought of another girl being involved with him is too much to take. “Who’s Kaylee?”

  “My sister. He got us when Mommy died. She was real sick.”

  My stomach tightens until I want to throw up. “I’m so sorry, Kimber. Where is she?”

  More tears spill down her cheeks. I reach up to wipe them away. She startles then stills. Anger rises until my fingers shake again. “Does he hit you?”

  She glances away. “Not most days.”

  Malcolm Blake is the worst kind of evil. His smile could disarm most anyone, but a little girl looking for someone to love her would be taken in completely . . . like I was. “I’m sorry,” I say because I can’t think of anything else. I won’t tell her lies. I have no idea if I can get her away from him. If she’s dreaming, like I am, there’s no way.

  She shifts to wipe her eyes. Her tiny voice is barely discernible. “Do you know a lot about dreams?”

  A deep sadness fills me. “Not really. What do you want to know?”

  “Daddy brings me here to help him, but I don’t think he’s telling me the truth. I think he uses me to hurt people.”

  I cringe. “Did he tell you to make us go to sleep?”

  She nods. “I told him I didn’t want to, but he said he’d hurt Kaylee if I didn’t.”

  It’s all I can do to stay where I am. If I get anywhere near him, I’ll find a way to hurt him. “Where is she, Kimber? Is she here, too?”

  She shakes her head. “Daddy won’t let me see her very often. Sometimes he takes me to her, when I’ve been good.”

  Yeah, right. “It’s okay, Kimber. I understand why you helped him.” I pull her fingers between mine. “I need your help now. Do you think you could do something else and still do what your daddy asked you to do?”

  She scrunches her nose. “I don’t know. Will he get mad at me?”

  I lower my voice in case someone waits on the other side of the door. “He can’t be mad if he doesn’t know our game.”

  She smiles but not as big as I do.

  Amelia has been gone a very long time. With all the commotion focused on filling seats and setting up for some kind of ceremony, I have been slowly working on bending the bars in front of me. I’ve attempted to contact Amelia mentally, but someone is blocking me.

  I’ve also tried to wake Ian, but he won’t stay conscious for long. His eyes barely open. In time, he will overcome the drug. Maybell hasn’t looked at me once since she confessed her involvement. Not once did she tell me I was taking the wrong route, yet she was willing to listen to Peter. I should have never left her alone with him.

  For all I know, she was tainted before we exorcised the Eros from him. No matter what happens to me, I have to make sure Amelia severs her connection to this realm before Peter has a chance to make her his mate. I’m not sure how it could be done with only a piece of her soul here, but someone clearly has a plan. I’ve been terribly foolish. I should have trusted my instincts where Amelia was concerned and taken her offer the moment it was made.

  The thought of losing her consumes me until my mind is a red haze of hate. Is this how Peter felt about me all these years? Rhea was a cancer the minute he brought her to headquarters, but he never saw it. After all this time, he still pines for her. He is right. I will go mad if the worst happens.

  If he thinks to unite our team by severing brotherly connections, he’s truly lost. Perhaps Zed has kept Olivia away for this reason. I probably shall never know. Without Amelia’s light, I will be lost to the darkness, which would be preferable if I can’t have her.

  Finally, Ian stirs. He lifts his head, groaning. His eyes sweep the expansive space below us. It doesn’t take him long to find me. “What is all this?”

  “Peter thinks to make himself king,” I say with as little emotion as possible. Rage threatens to consume me, and I’ve got to keep my head. “He’s attempting to make Amelia his mate.”

  He clamps his eyes shut, rubbing them as if they are on fire. “This is a nightmare.”

  I shake my head. “I wish.”

  With Ian aware, we might have a chance of escaping. “Who did you assign to watch this world?”

  His face grows grim, a mirror of my already arduous turmoil. “Peter.”

  I lift my head to slam it against the back of the cage. The pain does nothing to help me focus. Whoever is holding this world together has a strong mind. I’m beginning to think it is the little girl on the craft. Her light was clear, but there might be more to her than a mer
e energy source.

  “What are we going to do?” he asks, drawing Maybell’s glance. He frowns, confusion lingering in his stare. “Why is Maybell with them?”

  I grunt. “Apparently, Peter convinced her of my weakness toward Amelia. He thinks he will be a much better leader.”

  Ian shifts to sit straighter. “He will never succeed, Seth. It takes more than desire to rule a nation.”

  Ancient sadness fills me. “Only too true, brother. My desire has not helped me these long years.”

  His frown deepens with the timbre of his words. “Don’t talk like that. You’ve done the best any of us could have managed. You’ve always been too hard on yourself.”

  I’d like to believe him, but the proof of my misdeeds paces ahead. If I could go back, I would have run the minute I saw Rhea. Time is a cruel reminder of error, especially when one has eternity to ponder. I often hope for an end to this existence, but unlike humans, we have no promise for reprieve.

  “Wallowing will not help you save your recruit, my brother.”

  I nod, training my focus to the door where Amelia readies herself for a bleak future. “I’ve tried everything else I know how to do.”

  Ian smiles, a wicked glint on his features. “Then we best try something we don’t know how to do.”

  I straighten, hoping with all my heart he has something in mind to rid us of the evil plaguing us. “I’m listening.”

  He smiles. “Do you remember what you did to turn Rhea’s head?”

  I nod. “I walked up to her and said hello.”

  A chuckle releases from him. “It may have seemed simple to you, but it was much more complex.”

  Now, he has me curious. “How so?”

  “She was drawn to your power. You’ve always been stronger, even cursed. You must use your strength now. I’m still weakened and will likely remain so until after this battle is decided. Take my energy.”

  The door I’ve been watching desperately finally opens. When Amelia emerges in the hideous red dress, I cringe. Peter has never had the best taste when it comes to fashion. Instead of being fresh and highlighting her beauty, it clings to her form, making her garish. His head swivels until his gaze falls upon her. If the expression he dons is any indication, she is exquisite in his eyes.

  He walks to her, taking her hands in his. “I was beginning to think I would have to come in there to get you.” He brings her fingers to his lips. “You are stunning.”

  She dips her chin, letting the gesture be her response, then pulls away to approach Malcolm, who waits in his throne. Ian was right. He is mad. Over a thousand souls fill the expanse, whispers of excitement among uncertainty stirring the air. For whatever reason, he fails to notice the disquiet in the room. Amelia looks over them all. No fear lingers in her features. She stands tall and strong — a queen amid women.

  Malcolm stands with her approach. He pulls her into his arms, making my fists curl. The man should not take such liberties with my mate.

  How he managed to enter the Dreamscape in a corporeal form escapes me. It had to be one of my own who did it, but I doubt even Peter would have been so desperate. It could have only occurred within the past eight years. Gregory comes to mind. The man is much more than he first seemed. I still don’t know what he is, but his purpose seems a good one. We have so much to take care of and discover to protect our realms while time slips away. Malcolm must be dealt with.

  Ian clears his throat. He would be of much greater use to me as a companion in battle, but only he knows the full extent of his condition. The only way Oneiroi can absorb a kinsman’s strength is through mutual agreement. Energy cannot be stolen. There must be an exchange.

  It is time. “Thank you,” I tell him, watching him stiffen as if in anticipation of what I will do. I do not hesitate. Sending him my anger, fear, and unease, I absorb his hope, which is quite abundant for one so volatile.

  He laughs. “I’m not volatile; I’m passionate.”

  Malcolm ushers Amelia to the edge of the dais. “It has been many years since we had my daughter, Amelia, with us. Please give her a warm welcome.” An immediate riot of clapping fills the hall. Once it quiets, he continues, “Today, we take one more step toward true freedom, my friends.” He motions Peter to stand opposite Amelia. “With this union, we honor our commitment to humankind and bind ourselves with our protectors.”

  People all around nod and clap, their expressions full of false pride. Even Maybell watches the man in awe. With everyone so distracted, I take the opportunity to reposition myself. Ian slumps, curling inward.

  Malcolm addresses only Amelia now. “As I told you, when we discovered you were being pursued by the cursed one, we had to take action.” He gives a nod toward the shadows, and the heavy veil of curtains raises. “I am aware of your hesitation to unite with Peter, but it is only due to the corruption of your experiences. One day, when you have matured enough to see the wisdom of what I do today, I shall give you back your memories.”

  My heart lurches as a crypt comes into view. Two glass coffins rest side by side. Amelia stares in horror at the missing part of her soul. She was right.

  I stare as if into a mirror, but the girl in the glass case is no reflection. She’s a slice of me. Malcolm gives me a moment before he goes on. “Don’t you see? You should have never been a part of his life. You’ve been raised to be strong . . . to be a queen.” He turns to point at Seth, who looks on without a hint of emotion on his face. His hands, however, are white from gripping the bars. “But not to this man. He will be the downfall of us all if we don’t take action. He needs to be released to those he belongs with.”

  Each word he says registers in my mind, but I can hardly understand him. I’m too consumed with the missing part of me. Seth better do something soon. To give him more time, I shift my focus back to the girl in the box. We’re so close that her energy mixes with mine. The empty coffin beside her reveals Malcolm’s intentions. He means to take this part of me, too.

  My hands shake, but I will not run away. I walk forward to get a better look at the girl. Will I ever have her memories again? I keep my mind focused and hope I’ve done enough to sway these events. I glance at Brock, who stands guard before me. “Did you do this to me?” I ask, keeping my voice low. He avoids my eyes as if ashamed. I hope he is.

  The gigantic doors at the back of the room moan before swinging open. A single man enters. My knees buckle, but Brock is there to steady me. “It’s not what you think,” he says.

  I don’t care what Malcolm has in mind. Anything involving Daegan can’t be good. It isn’t in his nature.

  He strides forward, murmurs from the crowd following him until he stands at the base of the stairs. Only a few feet separate us. At this point, Brock is holding me up. I thought I could stay here long enough to give Seth a chance to gain his strength. Kimber has followed Malcolm’s orders to the letter. He told her to make sure I didn’t change this world. Since I found out, I’ve stopped trying. My only hope now is Seth will be able to break free.

  Daegan’s gaze sweeps over me before he shoots a hate-filled stare at Peter, who straightens at the challenge. “You might as well hand her over now; she will be ours eventually.”

  Peter glances at me. “You’ve taken one woman from me, but you shall not have this one.”

  To my surprise, Daegan nods. He has the decency to at least appear to be bummed, but his voice is what startles me. He sounds as if his heart has been ripped out. “She is not meant for me.”

  The image of Volos creeps into my mind, bringing with it the horror of our meeting. I look at Seth — or rather the cage he’s supposed to occupy. It’s all I can do to keep the smile from my face. When I look back at Daegan, my excitement disintegrates. He frowns and cuts his head to where Seth was moments ago. Immediately on guard, he bends his knees and pulls a blade. “Where did he go?” he demands.

  Malcolm lets out a horrid noise before he calls for Kimber. She opens the door to peek into the room. Her features are curi
ous, completely innocent, until she sees his enraged face. Her tiny voice is barely discernible above the whispers in the crowd. “I did what you asked, Daddy.”

  He groans, his face growing ugly with anger. “I’ll deal with you later.”

  She turns her gaze to me, so hurt I can’t stand it. My voice rings out, full of piss and venom before I can stop it. “Don’t blame her for your failings . . . father.”

  His jaw clenches as he glares at me. “You’re right. She is not to blame.” His hand whips out to crack against my cheek.

  I stand there, not making a sound. Apparently, I didn’t give him enough emotion because he lifts his hand again. Daegan is there in an instant. He snaps the fingers of his free hand around Malcolm’s wrist and twists until something pops. Malcolm cries out, and Brock rushes to his aid. While they’re busy, I take the chance to distance myself from all of them. Daegan laughs, releasing Malcolm. When Daegan’s searching eyes find me, he gives me a flirty wink.

  I shiver. He laughs again, pinning me with his icy blues. How can someone be freaky and sexy at the same time? Without even realizing I’m doing it until I’m mid step, I back up, looking for Seth to rush from of the shadows to get me the hell out of here, so why hasn’t he made an appearance? What’s he waiting for? If he takes much longer, I’ll have to cut and run, which is so not my thing. I remind myself no matter what happens, Daegan won’t be able to take the real me. Wait a minute, how can Peter make me his mate if I’m not even here?

  I study the other me in the coffin and freeze, wondering what she thought before they took her. How they can steal certain memories and leave others is beyond me. Really, what kind of hocus pocus is at work here? Maybe it has to do with what happens in the Dreamscape versus the mortal realm or whatever they call good old Earth.