Tainted (Netherworld Book II)

by Christie Rich

  At least I hope he does. He hasn’t made a move for Maybell since he got here. Perhaps he’s changed tactics. Maybell certainly hasn’t been an asset since Peter skewed her mind.

  Maybell shakes her head. “I’ve considered it a long time, Seth. I never thought it was a good idea for you to take a recruit, but you never asked us . . . your team. We were told what would happen, which, by the way, has not. There is too much animosity among our people, and this girl is the cause. I like her as much as the rest of you, but you’re not the right choice for her.”

  Daegan laughs, “In this one point, we agree, Maybell.” Maybell hisses at him, which elicits another laugh. “Amelia is a rare gem and should not be wasted. Your efforts to retain her will fail. One way or another, we shall have her.” His gaze sweeps the crowd. “And the rest of you. I am here, not as the emissary you hoped for, but as the voice of reason. This madness needs to end. You’re losing; why not negotiate the terms you want using your greatest possession.” When he glances at me, he smirks before he lets his gaze lower to the woman in my arms. The pounding at the doors continues, leaving no doubt who is trying desperately to break in.

  A primal piece of me wants to toss Amelia out of the way so I can take off Daegan’s head again, but no matter how many times I do it, he recovers. Lashing out will only lessen my advantage. Amelia’s fingers come up to cover mine. She gives a solid squeeze, as if to reassure me.

  I glower at Daegan. “Why are you really here? You’re stalling.” I turn to the others. “Can’t you see what he’s doing? You let an Erobos into your world. Did you really think he was going to leave here without conquering?”

  The doors burst open behind me, and a horde of Erobos rush us. The guards, not so worried about me and Amelia anymore, clamor to defend their leaders. Malcolm disappears instantly. I pull Amelia to the corner, preparing to defend her, but the Erobos rush past us all. Peter is left staring, and Brock takes off for the back of the room. Daegan makes it there before Brock. He shoves the glass lid off the coffin and gently takes Amelia’s broken form into his arms. He leans down to place a gentle kiss on her pale lips. Unlike the fairytales, she doesn’t wake. I grab Amelia’s hand and run. We have to stop Daegan. I knew he wasn’t here for me.

  Bodies blur together as Malcolm’s guards attempt to stop the Erobos from advancing. Cries of rage and defeat compete for my attention, but only Daegan has it now.

  We make it near the dais, and Amelia stops to stare at the empty throne. I tug on her arm, but her head whips around as if her eyes are glued to the thing. For someone who has lost a piece of her soul, she doesn’t seem intent on getting it back. The idea of losing her memories to Daegan is too much. I can’t let him take her. With Malcolm, there was always an option of reclaiming this part of her, but with Daegan, it would be impossible.

  Everything spins in my head: the voices, Daegan carrying the missing piece of me, my father’s throne with the gold medallion in the center. When I catch a glimpse of the emblem, I freeze. It has the same scene as the cuff. Adrenaline spikes my pulse. This is a part of the key. It has to be.

  The last thing I want is for Daegan to have a slice of my soul, but if it’s between that and finding the key, he can take it. I don’t need those memories anymore. I love Seth, which is all that matters. Yeah, I’d like the reassurance of remembering him and what I promised to do, but in the scheme of things, it’s no longer important. We’ve got a clock ticking, and I intend to stop it before time runs out.

  Seth tugs me forward, and I’m pulled back into the moment. Chaos erupts around us as guards fall to the floor under the Erobos onslaught. When I look back at Seth, he has a sword raised at an Erobos soldier. He releases me to clasp the weapon with both hands and swings. Before the guy can spin away, his head detaches from his shoulders. Black tendrils rise from the torso, snaking through the air as if on a wayward current. Seth stabs the body multiple times until it crumbles in a cloud of dust. The particles dissolve into nothing.

  More men come at us. I look around for anything to use to defend myself only to come up empty. “I need a weapon,” I yell at Seth.

  He grunts, slicing into another attacker. “I’m a little busy, Amelia. Run like I taught you.”

  I’m sick of running. I’m sick of these creatures. I don’t want to deal with them anymore, but if I don’t do something, I’m going to lose two parts of me tonight. A guy rushes at me, but I sidestep. When he fumbles for balance, I make for Malcolm’s throne.

  I’m not leaving here without the medallion. My feet carry me over corpses and dissolving enemies. It’s an entire obstacle course of mayhem, but I try not to look at the disfigured faces and maimed bodies. I leap up the steps until I’m right in front of the giant throne. The scene, even clearer now, depicts the forest with the beast hiding behind the tree, but there’s something new. There’s a river toward the bottom of the piece. I narrow my eyes, wondering why this looks so familiar, but I don’t have time to study it.

  I have to stand on the tall throne to reach the medallion. Ignoring everyone else around me, I home in on my task. My fingers curl around the cold metal. When I tug, it stays put. I yank and yank, but the thing won’t budge. By the time I stop, I’m gasping from the effort.

  A face comes into view: Daegan. My vision blurs, and I swear my heart stops. His piercing blue eyes slide over me only to find mine again. “Do you require assistance?” he asks, as if he’s a gentleman born of the past. I look around, hoping for Seth or Ian at my back, but it’s just me and Mr. Scary. I swallow hard. He laughs. I peek to the side of the chair at the empty coffin. Where did he put me? His voice is casual, almost flirty. “Amelia, would you like some help?”

  What I’d like to do is get the hell out of here. Having him this close to me makes my heart race and my palms sweat. It’s not because I’m attracted to him, either. This man is dangerous. I give him a close-lipped smile. “I’m good.” Then I go back to trying to remove the piece.

  Surprisingly gentle fingers slip mine out of the way. I’m frozen where I stand, staring down at him as he studies the medallion. He glances at me again, a secretive tilt playing at his lips. Taking a deep breath, he twists then pulls. The thing pops out of its base. I can’t even breathe anymore. I have no idea what he’s going to do, but when he offers it to me, I hold out my hands to take it. He releases it, then steps away. Before I can take a real breath, he turns with a dagger in his hand. He clasps it by the blade and extends his hand until it’s right in front of me. His deep voice reverberates inside me. “You may need this.”

  Slack jawed, I take it. Then he leaves through the curtains behind the coffin. The noise of the moment crashes into me again. It’s probably not the best idea to be on display. When I look again, not much has changed, which makes me wonder how much time has passed since I raced up here.

  Seth’s still battling Erobos. I finally spot Ian toward the back. He’s up to his eyeballs in the creatures, but the grin on his face makes me chuckle. The smile, both his and mine whither when another wave of Erobos enter the room through the rear doors.

  Ian’s already swarmed by the things. He doesn’t need any more. Seth pauses hacking those around him for only a moment, but it’s enough for someone to stab him in the side. I scream his name and race toward him. He turns, shaking his head at me. By this time, someone else slices through his back. I watch in horror as more Erobos catch him with their weapons.

  His voice croaks out for me to run. How can I leave him? I stare at the medallion in my hands then back at him. His body slumps forward, and he falls to the tiles. Even though I know he’ll be pulled back to his realm because of the curse and he’s immortal, tears leak out of the corners of my eyes. Anger swirls inside me. Our mission was not supposed to turn out this way.

  When a guy to my side notices me, he grins before he attacks. Instinct kicks in. I shove the disk in my hand behind my back, and arc the knife toward his face. When the blade connects and sinks in, I gag, but make myself go on the offensive. Hi
s eyes fly wide as if he didn’t expect me to be so aggressive. I tell myself this man can’t die. We’re in a dream for heaven’s sake. I slide the blade along his neck. My fingers shake while my mind refuses to process the damage I’m inflicting. He’s not a person, I tell myself over and over again. The man makes a gurgling sound before he falls to the floor. I step away, backing toward the wall. The only thing here is the door to the tiny room. There’s no point going in. It doesn’t have an escape hatch; I looked.

  A low muffle comes from my right. I concentrate to make out what it is. When it comes again, my body stiffens. What a scumbag. Malcolm left Kimber here.

  I slide along the wall, trying not to catch anyone’s attention. My insides coil thinking about her in there alone and scared. I slip inside, making as little noise as possible. The cold air jolts my senses. Kimber is curled into a ball on the couch, crying. When she sees me, her blue eyes show a hurt I recognize. “He left me here,” she says in such a tiny voice I can hardly hear.

  I sit beside her and take her into my arms. “I know, baby. It’s okay. I’m getting you out.”

  “I can’t leave,” she says. “Daddy told me I could never leave.”

  Ice trickles down my spine. Why would he tell her such a thing? I really need Seth, but he was getting sliced and diced the last time I saw him. For all I know he’s been pulled back to his realm.

  My dress is the most ridiculous thing. It’s hard to do anything with all the frills, so I put Kimber down and find my top and jacket. The door opens when I’m pulling my shirt into place. Maybell walks in, placing a finger over her pursed lips when Kimber screams. “I’m not here to hurt you, child. We must leave.” I throw on my jacket and zip the medallion up inside. It’s cumbersome and weird, but I think of it as a shield. Ignoring Maybell, I pick up Kimber and make for the door. Maybell hasn’t moved out of the way. When I lift my blade, she stiffens. “We are not enemies, Amelia. There are reasons for what I’ve done.”

  The only emotion I can find right now is hate, which isn’t exactly the best thing to harbor when there’s a bunch of Erobos around. “I don’t care about your reasons. All I know is you’ve totally screwed any chance I had of recovering my memories.”

  She shakes her head. “I set this up so we could get your memories back. They said they’d trade the you now for the one before Seth took you.”

  I stare, unbelieving. “You can’t be that stupid.” She hisses at me, but I don’t care. It’s the truth. “What would make Malcolm want my memories since I came into the Dreamscape, Maybell? Did you even think about that? Or were you too focused on flirting with Peter?”

  The yellow of her skin takes on a blue undertone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You may have fooled Peter, but not me. You knew Seth would never let me go. This was all a ruse so you could become Peter’s confidant.” I let the real accusation out. “You’re in love with him.”

  At first I think she’ll argue, but she slumps against the wall, nodding. “He was so insistent on taking you, I had to come up with a plan to stop him and to get him to see you weren’t the best option for him.”

  “I never wanted him, Maybell. Why didn’t you just tell him how you feel?”

  A sad mask slides into place. “He’d never choose me, but this gave me a chance to spend some time with him.”

  I frown. “Why wouldn’t he choose you?”

  She shrugs. “Look at me. Without power to fix it, I look different than anyone else.”

  I grunt. “What are you talking about? You’re beautiful. You may not be human, but why should it matter? Peter’s a shifter. He could take any form he wanted.”

  She frowns. “He’d have to want to first.”

  I can’t believe she’s here talking to me like this. She totally betrayed us. “No offense, but we don’t have time to shoot the breeze. I’ve got to get Kimber to safety. Do you know why Malcom would make her stay in this world?”

  Maybell pushes away from the wall. With each step closer, Kimber shakes more. “Tell me what your daddy said, sweetheart.”

  Between the pull of my realm and my injuries, I’m losing my hold on this world. If I’m not careful, I’ll be yanked away before I can get Amelia out. Three men have pushed me to the stonework, spiking me with their gear. I roll away, stabbing one opponent in the ankle as I go. He wails in pain, which makes me smile.

  I jump to my feet, spinning in a wide arc to clear some room. Two men fall; ten step back. I take another swing and another until a circle emerges. With the motion, I falter, but manage to right myself. The men look to one another as if for strategy. I don’t give them time before I attack again. Most often, Erobos leave me alone. They know better. This assault seems more delay tactic than an actual battle. When I get enough clearance, I assess around me.

  Ian is in the rear corner of the vast room, while Peter is near the center. It’s good to know he hasn’t completely converted. He’s close, even without Eros influence, which horrifies me. With all my searching, there’s no sign of Daegan. If his men are still here, so is he. What is he doing with Amelia’s missing part? She may not care about her memories any longer, but I do. To leave even part of her to the Erobos is unthinkable. I will do all in my power to retrieve her soul. Daegan has never done anything but get in and get out unless he thought he could win, or he was doing something horrible to the world. I haven’t felt his influence at all. The only person affecting this world is the little girl.

  I scan the distance for Amelia, but she is not to be found. My heart pounds her rhythm; my breath plays her song. She’s here, but where? The door to the side chamber opens. Maybell sticks out her head, only to disappear into the room. She’s got to be with Amelia. My only hope is Maybell has seen her mistake for what it is. She and I will be having a long conversation about expectations and field work. If I can no longer trust her, she will no longer go out.

  Daegan emerges from behind the curtains at the back, carrying Amelia’s shadow. He’ll not leave this world with any part of my mate. Despite my injuries, I use the rush of adrenaline to shift, taking Dragon form. My body expands until my head nearly touches the ceiling. I whip my spiked tail behind me to dispatch the men rushing me and turn my attention to the real threat. But the men only come at me harder, giving me their all as they hack away at my scales. I only have moments before I’ll be forced to change again, so I dart my head toward Daegan. He spins out of the way, but I knock him down with my neck.

  His cargo rolls away from him. He grits his teeth, which elongate with the rest of him until he too takes up more room than the space offers. He’s chosen a dragon, as well. Unlike me, his form is black as midnight, his eyes a fiery red. His head dips, and with his snout, he rolls Amelia out of the way. Her skin reflects iridescent colors as she tumbles toward the wall.

  Ian appears beside us, but Daegan sends a stream of fire at him, making him pull back. Daegan angles his big body to block me from Amelia’s soul. Maybell pops her head past the door once more, her feline eyes flying wide before she slams it again.

  The noise of the room bombards my senses. It is not good to be in such an enclosed space as a thirty-foot tall dragon, but I’ve been in worse situations. Daegan whips his tail at me, but I counter with mine. Malcolm’s men still fight to defend what was once a stronghold. Even Peter has joined our side. How long he will stay is anyone’s guess. We could use more men. Ian is bleeding from at least as many wounds as I am. Peter is too far away for me to tell. For a mission which was supposed to be in and out, it’s one of the longest in history.

  Hoping I will have enough time to slide around Daegan, I revert to my human form, dodging a fireball to let it slam against Malcolm’s absurd chair. Something’s not right with it, but I don’t have time to process the image. With Daegan scattering the seating arrangement and knocking over everything in sight, it’s hard to focus, but I make it to the door, throw it open, and slam it closed. My chest is heaving as I take much needed breaths.

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nbsp; Someone crashes into me. I draw my sword and twist, but Amelia’s beautiful face comes into view. I let the sword clatter to the tiles in favor of yanking her closer. Our lips meet; the brief contact spikes my blood. She gives me a huge smile and launches herself at me again. Finding time to laugh at this moment brings a jolt of joy to my heart, which lessens the tug of my realm. This is Amelia. Her essence couldn’t ever be anything but uplifting.

  Maybell holds the little blonde girl, who sniffles into Maybell’s shoulder. Despite her calm demeanor, she won’t look at me. She’s not the sort to apologize, so I don’t expect one. It would be nice if she would at least get in the game. This isn’t the first time we’ve had a dispute. We can work through anything, but we need to get out of here first. Since she’s not going to make contact, I say, “Promise me you’ll get Amelia back safely. I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.”

  Amelia leans back, belting me in the shoulder. “It didn’t work! I said the word over and over, and it didn’t work!”

  I peer at the girl, who peeks at me through her fingers. I walk to her and hold out my hands. She cuts her eyes to Maybell and down at me, then leans toward me. Maybell huffs, but I can’t help how much better of a rapport I have with children than she does.

  The girl clings to me with an intense urgency, breaking my heart. Malcolm is a monster who needs to be dealt with. “How did your daddy leave, sweetie?”

  She tilts her head to stare at me. “I let him.”

  I give her a nod. “If we take you with us, will you let us leave, too?”

  Her reply comes swiftly. The strength in her tone is surprising considering her age. “Daddy said I had to stay.”

  It will be my great privilege to end Malcolm Blake. One day it will happen. He doesn’t deserve to exist. If Ian is right, and Malcolm has somehow managed to gain immortality, I’ll have to find a way to remedy the situation. The man is a cancer to both humans and Oneiroi. He needs to be severed. I brush the wisps of hair away from her face. “Sometimes dads tell us to do the wrong things.”