She repeated the process. Stab the beast, hack it, free her hand, imprison it again. Tears slipped from her eyes, but she didn’t relent. The animal howled in agony as she tore at it. Kaila hoped that it lost enough blood for her to either jump safely or somehow control it.
“Come on, Kaila. “
She was close. She squinted, measuring the distance to the leg. She’d have to give it a leap of faith. She cut at the animal and hung on with her dagger.
“One, two, three.”
She tore her hand and shot through the air. Kaila crashed against the bony leg. Her breath whooshed out of her lungs. She wrapped her arms around the bony structure and ground her teeth to keep from sobbing. She wasn’t done yet.
“Time for the second part of the plan.”
Kaila grimaced as she forced herself to loosen her hold on the animal. The bone glistened with the fresh blood from her hand. She swallowed. It wasn’t the time to take stock of her injuries. She had to climb the creature to its neck so she could take control of its descent. She trembled violently as she hugged the bone. She tried to secure them around the structure. Her legs slipped. Fuck. Her teeth started to chatter and her skin became clammy. Her mind was catching up with the situation and she was beginning to panic. She wasn’t safe. She had to keep fighting. She couldn’t succumb to despair now that she’d gotten so far. Slowly, she started to ascend the beast. Her raw hands rubbed against the coarse bone, the pain so excruciating, her vision blackened more than once.
“Up, Kaila, up. Just a little more.”
She was almost there. One last step. She glanced down. She’d left behind a trail of red hand prints. A scream lodged in her throat. Abruptly, the beast let out an ear-splitting cry. Kaila froze.
The Dream Catcher bucked. Its head thrashed from side to side as if trying to get rid of an annoying mosquito buzzing around it. For an instant, she clung on, afraid to move and fall. She couldn’t stay there. She had to reach the top so she could control the beast. Kaila latched on to the next piece of bone and dragged her left leg up. Her right followed. One more. Her fingers curled around the hard rod and slipped. She hurled toward the ground. A scream tore her throat. The face of her mother danced behind her eyes, followed by her laughing sister and Seamus’s soft, blue gaze and playful smile. She’d failed them all. Tears rolled from the corners of her eyes and vanished into nothingness. She was going to die.
Chapter Eleven
“Seamus?”
The sound of Kaila’s voice, even if it was little more than a croak, brought a smile to his lips and a flutter in his heart. He wanted to bury his face in her neck and cry. He’d been so close to losing her. He flapped his wings as they soared through the darkness.
“Is this another dream?”
Seamus laughed. The emotion that unfurled inside him almost choked him up.
“No, babe. No dream.”
“You’re not dead.”
He glanced at her. Her brown eyes were huge, dread and hope etched into their depths.
“No, babe, I decided that today was not a good day for either of us to die.”
He brought them to the ground a few feet away from where the Dream Catcher had finally fallen to its death. There was nothing left of it except a drying carcass. Gently, Seamus set Kaila on her feet. He itched to draw her to him and kiss her. He needed to hear her beating heart and feel her breath on his skin to assure himself they were both alive. Yet, he abstained. Instead, he noticed a metallic glint near the dead animal. He strode forward to retrieve it. It was Kaila’s dagger.
“Here,” he said, returning to her side.
Kaila held out her hands. They were burnt, bloodied, and raw. He clenched his teeth. He looped his fingers on her jeans and tugged. She stumbled forward. He ignored her protests and slid the dagger into its sheath. Though he wanted to keep her there, safely in his hold, he forced himself to release her. She walked away from him and stared at the skeleton, shaking her head in disbelief.
“How? What happened? I saw that monster eat you up,” she said.
“It didn’t chew me up. The beast swallowed me in one piece. It’s like in that children’s story, Pinocchio, when the whale eats him. Once I was inside the Dream Catcher, I regained my bearings. I heard you hacking it from the outside and I began doing the same from within. As it lost blood, it lost power. Remember, babe, Dream Catchers are made of terrors, monsters, and nightmares. Things which don’t really have a material presence, only the one we give it.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you slashed it open, it began to disintegrate until there was nothing left but an empty shell.”
“Seamus, you shouldn’t be alive. And what about the blood? There’s no blood.”
He cut her off by raising his hand. “Kaila, some things are not meant for the human mind to understand and this is one of them. This is why there are Guardians and HGs. It’s mind-fuckery and we’re more prepared for this shit.”
Anger flared in her brown eyes. Fuck. He’d gone and said the wrong thing, hadn’t he?
“So what you’re saying is I’m not ready? After I just fought that fucking beast on my own, burnt my hands, and almost killed myself, you’re saying I’m not good enough?”
Seamus rubbed his temples. “No babe, you are more than good. You did pretty well up there, but had Dreamy here eaten you up, you probably wouldn’t have made it out, and had I not picked you up, you’d be smashed against the floor.”
“Go to hell, Seamus.” Kaila stomped off, leaving him staring after her.
He threaded his fingers through his hair, pulling on the strands. He wanted to punch something. Couldn’t they ever not argue? There had been a time when they’d talked through everything. What had happened?
He followed her at a distance, seizing the opportunity to take in their surroundings. Sloth clearly had a thing for monochromatic colors. First a black cave, then a white labyrinth, and now a bright red room that reminded him of the sparks in a fire. The wall to his left appeared different than the one to his right. It was a dimmer shade of red and seemed to become narrower at the top. Above them, there was no ceiling, only a yawning darkness. Unease curled in his belly and the hairs at the back of his neck rose.
“Wait up, Kaila.”
She didn’t acknowledge him, and he rushed to catch up with her. He grasped her wrist, spinning her around with force.
“Didn’t you hear me?” he asked.
Kaila’s gaze narrowed. Her lips pursed into an ugly grimace.
“Let go of me, Seamus. Why don’t you let this weak human die already?” She poked him in the chest with her index finger. “I didn’t ask for your help.”
Seamus scrubbed a hand over his face. “What is wrong with you? You’re not making any sense. I know you didn’t ask for my help. I gave it freely, but you aren’t going to deny that we are different, are you?”
“Fuck you.”
Blinding rage took over him. Seamus dug his fingers into her arm. He was tired of all this nonsense. He pulled her closer. Her arm shot out to keep him away, but not fast enough. He swooped down and claimed her lips. She gasped, and he seized the chance to push his tongue into her warm recess. He groaned. She tasted better than he remembered. For a brief moment, she grappled with him, attempting to break lose, but he grabbed her arms with ease and held them behind her back.
He twisted his tongue around hers, drawing it out from its reluctance and forcing it to battle with his. Something in his chest tightened as she responded. Yes. He sucked and tugged and demanded more. She gave it to him. Her body arched against his, her mouth seeking his with almost as much desperation as he possessed. His hold on her slackened. He wanted to touch her everywhere. To press his lips to her body and taste every inch of her. His hand trailed to the curve of her ass, then to her waist. Then, bang! Her knee slammed against his leg. He released her, cursing. He’d probably be incapacitated for life if she’d hit her mark.
“Fuck you, Seamus.”
“Whe
never you want, babe. I know you’ve got the hots for me, even if you just tried to castrate me and failed miserably.” He laughed.
Kaila spun and walked away from him again. She was probably not trying to be sultry, but her hips swayed in that way that drove a man to stare. She lifted her arm and gave him the finger. He grinned. She was pissed and sexy. He loved it.
Seamus took in a shaky breath. Watching her back on her feet, her spirit alive and surging, was soothing. He rubbed at the spot where she’d kneed him. It hurt, but it was proof that she was herself again, not lying in a puddle of blood, shredded to pieces by a monster. He glanced at the Dream Catcher’s skeleton out of the corner of his eye. He hadn’t told Kaila the details of what he’d suffered inside the beast. The images of her dead body, broken, destroyed. He didn’t wish his worst enemy a fate like that.
He stretched his wings and snapped them back into place. Even they ached. He adjusted his now-flaccid cock and shuddered. He hurried after Kaila. The place appeared deserted. There were no scones in the wall giving off light. Instead, the walls themselves seemed to pulse with energy. They glowed from the inside as if behind them a relentless flame burned. He frowned. He extended his arm and placed his pinkie on the rock. It burned.
“Damn it.” He put the digit in his mouth, hoping to sooth the sting. “Don’t touch the walls, babe. They’re hot.”
Kaila didn’t reply, but she moved a little closer to the center of the path.
Where were they? Inside some sort of volcano, perhaps? Deep into the earth? Oddly, the temperature around them was cool. There was even a slight breeze, as if someone had left a door open. He glanced behind him. What if another creature was waiting for them? He picked up his pace. “Kaila, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to separate.”
She pretended she hadn’t heard him.
He sighed. “Come on, babe. I’m sorry.”
She forged ahead. He contented himself with watching her. If he walked closer to her, she’d strike, either verbally or physically. He needed to give her time to cool down.
“Shit,” Kaila said.
Chapter Twelve
Seamus went to her. She stood next to the Dream Catcher’s remains. Hands on her hips, she shook her head. She clucked her tongue as he drew near.
“We’re trapped in a doughnut,” she declared.
“A doughnut?”
Seamus watched her as she pulled out her knife and ripped a piece of fabric from the hem of her t-shirt.
“Yes, in a doughnut. It’s a circular space with a hole in the middle.” She rolled her eyes and continued shredding the material. “Well, not a hole, just a very tall wall, although the breeze has to be coming from there.” She wrapped the cloth around her injured hands. “The question is, how do we get out?” She sheathed her weapon and looked at him.
He shrugged.
Her shoulders imitated his gesture. “What do you mean by that, eh?” She took a step toward him. “You brought us here, get us out.”
“Calm down.”
“No, I’m not calming down. If you hadn’t come through the damn portal with me, none of this would have happened.”
“You might be dead,” he said, trying to keep an even voice.
“Or I might not be stuck here,” Kaila retorted, emphasizing her words by opening her arms to encompass the room.
“You don’t know that,” he snapped.
“Neither do you.”
“No, of course not, but—” Seamus began.
“That’s your problem. You never let anyone mess up, you always have to be in charge. Grand Seamus the boss, the General, barking out orders for everyone. You—”
“My problem?” Incredulous, he stared at her. “You’re the one who keeps people at arm’s length. You don’t want anyone to help you. You always think you can do things alone. You pretend that you don’t need it, but we all need help.”
“I don’t.” Her face contorted. The corners of her mouth drooped and her eyes narrowed into slits that, had they the power, would have evaporated him from the world. “I don’t need anyone. I especially don’t need you,” she said, her tone dripping with venom.
“No one would have said the same an hour ago when you were battling that Catcher,” Seamus replied.
“I would have made it just fine without you.”
“If you wanted to be a pancake.”
Color flushed her cheeks. “What is it to you anyway? I never asked you to come.”
“You know perfectly well I couldn’t allow you to come in here. I did you a favor.”
“And you are now throwing it at my face. What kind of favor is that?” She jabbed him in the chest. “I’ll tell you what kind it is. It’s your specialty. It’s the, ‘I pretend to care and then stab you in the back’ kind of favor.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” He curled his hands over her wrists, careful not to touch her hands. She yanked them out of his grasp.
“I’m talking about us. I’m talking about you, Seamus. You’re an arrogant bastard.” She gesticulated. “Or don’t you remember that day at the hill? Because I sure remember you sticking your hand under my skirt, taking my virginity, and then walking away.”
“What? You were the one who left me.”
Her palm made contact with his cheek. His eyes watered. She yelled, from either frustration or pain, he couldn’t tell. He curled his hands into fists, refusing to back off.
“And you just let me go? I was barely eighteen and confused at what had happened,” she continued. Her fingers trembled as she brushed her bangs from her face.
“Yes,” he roared. “I let you go and I was a fool for it, but I was just as confused as you. I made a mistake for which you’ve never forgiven me. And I’ve tried repeatedly to make it better, and you’ve kept me at a distance. And for what, Kaila? For what?” Seamus gazed into her eyes. “You’ve been running from the possibility of us for over almost twenty years, but there is no escape. I’m not your father. I’m not going to run. Ever. We’re mates. Forever, whether you want it or not.”
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth, he assumed, to object. The idea of kissing her just to shut her up ran through his mind. However, he knew it would do no good. Touching her would only fuel her anger further.
She turned from him, her dark gaze unreadable. “Stay away from me.”
She spoke softly, but her tone was loaded with wrath and a certain sadness. Her shoulders sagged. Seamus pounded his fist against his thigh. The nerve in his jaw ticked. The taste in his mouth was foul. He hated arguing with her, and yet they did it all too often. If only she would accept things, life would be easier for the both of them. He spat on the ground. The area sizzled.
His brow wrinkled. What was that? He crouched and dribbled some more spit onto the floor. The ground crackled like a bunch of logs in a fireplace. He hovered his hand over the area. Hot. He straightened and searched for Kaila. She was almost out of sight.
“Kaila, I know you hate me, but we have to get out of here.”
As expected, she paid him no heed. Seamus leaped into the air. Their options were limited. Return to where they’d come from, or into the center of the doughnut. The opening was small, but sufficiently big for him to squeeze through with Kaila. In both cases, they would be traveling toward the mysterious.
Chapter Thirteen
Kaila couldn’t help the scream that tore through her. The ground cracked and shifted. Molten lava spewed forth, a sizzling trickle that thickened within seconds. Sweat rolled down her back and the soles of her feet warmed unpleasantly. She spun in a wide circle, searching for a way out.
The skeleton. It would provide a sturdy frame. She raced back, almost crashing into Seamus as he swooped down before her. Relief at the sight of him vanished quickly. Survival instinct kicked in. He’d hurt her. He would continue to do so.
“Don’t touch me,” she screeched.
She continued to run, ignoring his protests. She could do this alone. Had he not been here,
she would have done it alone anyway. She didn’t need him. She didn’t need anyone. She sprinted toward the carcass of the Dream Catcher. She lurched forward, almost losing her balance as the bones began to dissolve before her. She took a step back, crashing into Seamus’s solid frame.
“Let me—”
“Do it,” she snarled, cutting him off.
“It would be easier—”
“Just do it, Seamus.”
She kept her gaze averted as he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her. The sound of flapping wings filled the silence. She knew it would be easier for him to fly if he cradled her, but he didn’t ask her. The infuriating man respected her. From the air blowing on her, he flew high up.
“I think I see an opening there.” His warm voice caressed her ear, and she shivered involuntarily.
“Anywhere is better than that hot floor,” she said.
Kaila stole a look at the ground below. A river of liquid fire splashed angrily against the center wall of the room. From her vantage point, it resembled a tall, jagged rock that reminded her of an island. Seamus flew over it. There was a narrow opening on top that led into absolute nothingness.
“I think it’s the only way out, Kaila. If we go up, we’d be returning to the white halls and I’m sure another Dream Catcher would appear.”
Kaila nodded. Their options were limited.
Seamus cleared his voice. “We always were the investigative sort.”
“I guess,” she said.
Seamus soared over the depression.
“If it’s okay, I’m going to cradle you. It’ll be easier for me to maneuver.”
“Okay.”
With what appeared to be little effort, Seamus changed her position. Kaila hooked her arms around his neck. She kept her gaze glued to his Adam’s apple. Otherwise, she could do something foolhardy like kiss him or slap him, or both.
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