“I lose my mind when I’m around you. Everything is so intense,” she whispered, her voice tiny. “I’m afraid of the depth of our relationship. My parents—”
“That’s not us, baby. I’m not your father. I’ve been waiting for you almost twenty years. After all this time, do you still think I’m going to run?”
He got to his feet and wrapped her into his arms. She rested her forehead against his chest, her hands at her sides, her shoulders slumped. He kissed the top of her head.
“It’s normal to feel fear or uncertainty. Why do you think it took me three years to go back to you? I didn’t want to see what was standing in front of me. I was afraid of the future. You’d been a great friend, but all of a sudden, you were more, so much more. I didn’t know what to do with it. You were the most precious thing in my life and I was scared senseless. What if you got hurt? What if I hurt you? How could I protect you in this vile world? I wanted to keep you safe from everything, including myself.” He sighed. “And when I realized I couldn’t do it, that all that was left for us was to try and make the most out of our time together, you ran.”
He cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him.
“It doesn’t have to be like that anymore, Kaila. We can make it work.”
Chapter Eighteen
Kaila stared at their entwined hands. Seamus’s words rattled her. You ran. He wasn’t like her father. She was. She was the one running, escaping from the possibility of a life together. She was the one too afraid to stay and fight at his side for love. She chose to ignore her feelings, to lay hidden beneath layers of invisible rancor and past hurts.
“I love you.” As the truth tumbled out of her, Kaila’s hand flew to her mouth. She had just told Seamus she loved him. His lips curled into a beautiful smile and his eyes twinkled with such hope, it left her breathless. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach and she scrunched her eyes shut. What had she done?
He clasped her hand. The familiar touch was like the anchor of a boat during a storm. It grounded her. Peace settled over her. She knew his hands. They were large, scarred, and calloused. They were the hands of a soldier born to protect humanity against evil. They were both deadly and gentle, capable of breaking a man’s neck as easily as igniting an unquenchable flame of desire in her. They were the hands of a man who cared and protected.
She laced her fingers with his, gripping him firmly. Tension left her body. There was no going back. She had confessed. It didn’t mean she was any less afraid, but knowing he felt the same, that he too was as lost as she was in a raging sea of emotions, soothed her.
She wasn’t sure if the tremor came from within her or from Seamus’s fingers as he lightly skimmed her jaw. The pad of his thumb grazed her lips and she parted them in anticipation. His mouth brushed over hers like a fleeting dream. She flattened her palm against his chest. The steady thump of his heart mirrored hers. He kissed her again. A lone tear escaped her, his tenderness undoing her.
“Babe.”
She buried her face in his chest, releasing the emotions she had sought to keep hidden for so many years. He held her close. He was like a mountain, solid and unmoving at her side no matter what.
Gradually, her tears ebbed. She sniffled. Seamus put his hand underneath her chin and tilted her head, wiping off any stragglers.
“Better?” he asked.
She nodded. She rubbed her eyes and took in a shaky breath.
“Sorry,” she said, sweeping her hand over the wet spot she’d left on him.
“Don’t be, babe. I know how overwhelming it is.”
“You know, I still hate when you call me babe,” she said, smiling.
He burst out laughing. “And that’s exactly why I’ll keep calling you babe until we grow old and gray.” Her heart jolted. He gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Now, let’s get dressed and out of here before I decide to take you again.”
Her gaze dipped to his semi-erect cock. She arched her eyebrows and grinned.
“A man wants what he wants,” Seamus said, turning his back to her and retrieving her clothes. “Here.”
She thanked him and quickly slipped back into her pants. As she was throwing her shirt over her head, her fingertips brushed her collarbone. She froze. “My necklace,” she whispered.
Her blood turned cold. She clawed at her neck as if by doing so could magically reinstate the missing chain.
“Seamus, I’ve lost the necklace Mel gave me.” Too stunned to cry, she sunk to the ground, trembling. “I’ve lost Mel.”
“Kaila, no. Listen to me, babe.” Seamus crouched at her side and gathered her into his arms. He tugged her hands from her face, forcing her to look at him. His blue eyes were wide, urgency clear in their depths. “Mel isn’t lost yet. Remember, Sloth has drawn us in here for a reason. If he terminates Mel, then what purpose would we have for being here?”
“But—”
“No buts, sweet thing. We’re going to finish dressing and get out of here. Okay? We’re going to find Mel. It’s what we came here for. We are Guardians and we are going to fulfill our mission, soldier,” he said.
He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears. She sniffled and nodded. They were Guardians. She had to think positive. They would find Mel and escape from this hell. He offered her his hand. She stood and took her boots from him. Her hands shook as she laced them.
Her thoughts were a turmoil. None of this made sense. First Sloth thrust them into total darkness, then light, then fire, and now water.
“Seamus, don’t you think it’s strange that everything is so calm here?”
He strapped his sword back on and pursed his lips.
“I don’t know, babe. Maybe he wants to give us a respite? He’s a mind fucker and we’ve been dancing to his tune since we stepped through his door. In the darkness, we felt mind-boggling fear. In the white labyrinth, we were sleepy or numb to the world around us. In the red hell we argued and almost killed ourselves, and now here, well, I’m not sure.”
“Starvation, a relentless hunger which makes no sense but keeps you in a false state of calmness,” she mumbled, recalling something she had read in one of her psychology books back home. Her heart hammered in her chest. She shook her head as she stared at Seamus. It couldn’t be.
“What is it, Kaila?”
“He’s walking us through the symptoms.”
“Huh?” Seamus said.
“I think, I mean, I’m not sure. I rather not share my theory. Not yet, because if I’m right, when we leave this room, he’s going to do everything in his power to draw us apart.”
“I think he’s been trying to draw us apart from the moment we entered this place.” He gave her a wry grin.
She shivered. Could it be that Sloth had set them on the path of reunion only to break them apart later? She crossed her arms over her chest, a dawning ache beginning to spread across her every nerve.
“It’ll be all right, babe. We have each other. He will not win.”
Seamus swept her off his feet and took to the sky and toward the door where they had entered. She bit her lip. Her stomach plummeted and the wind swooshed in her ears.
How could he be so calm when outside that door was the unknown?
Chapter Nineteen
They’d been walking for what seemed like hours. Every step they took, every corner they turned, increased the tension floating around them. The air was thick and humid and Seamus struggled to breathe. Sweat rolled across his shoulder blades, and his wings weighed him down.
He had emerged from the cavern with a cool head. He was refreshed, focused, and prepared. The fact that after so many years Kaila had told him she loved him was a balm to his soul. She’d always been his trigger, that thing in the world which made him want to live no matter what, but now he knew for sure she loved him, it had made the possibility of a future together tangible. He and Kaila would have a life together. Nothing would stop them. Failing was not an option.
He peered at her. At first, he
had seen her military training kick in as well. She appeared determined. Her eyes darted left and right, searching for escape avenues and potential enemies. There was a single-minded purpose to her. She was ready to fight.
That had changed. Her shoulders slumped. Her arms dropped to her sides and her grip on his hand became limp. Strands of hair stuck to her cheeks and her forehead. Her lips were pressed together and her gaze absently set on what lay beyond. Every few seconds, she blinked rapidly as if trying to clear her vision.
“Mel!”
As Kaila cried out her sister’s name, he turned his head. She tugged for him to quicken his pace. He gazed down the gloomy hallway. A dank breeze swayed the flickering torchlight, creating a dancing army of shadows upon the walls. He stopped, forcing Kaila to do the same.
“Kaila, there’s no one there.”
“Yes, Seamus, she’s right there. At the end of the corridor. I saw her.”
Kaila’s tone was full of conviction. Seamus’s scalp prickled. His fingers automatically hovered over the hilt of his sword. “Babe, I think you’re mistaken. There’s no one here except us.”
She stiffened and tried to extract her hand from his hold. He gripped her more tightly. She huffed.
“Can we at least get closer and check it out?” she asked.
“We can cautiously have a look.”
At that moment, a disembodied, unrecognizable voice echoed through the hall. The light of some of the torches quivered and then extinguished completely. The hall was plunged into semi-darkness. Seamus unsheathed his sword. At the same time, Kaila wrenched her hand free and darted down the hall.
“Kaila, no.” He raced after her, listening with dread as Kaila called out to her sister to wait.
“Kaila, Sloth is tricking us. That can’t have been Mel.”
Left and right, doors began to materialize. The icy touch of fear clasped around his heart, squeezing it almost painfully. He beat his wings, ready to take flight, when he caught sight of Kaila. She stood in front of a slightly ajar, arched wooden door, flanked by two lanterns. He skidded to a halt and crept in behind her.
“She’s in there,” Kaila whispered.
“Babe.”
Gently, so as not to startle her, he curled his fingers over her forearm. She didn’t react. He tugged lightly, then with more force. She spun with a scream. The tip of her dagger pricked his stomach. Shock tore through him. His sword clattered to the floor, and he raised his hands, palms out, for her to see.
“I’m going after my sister, Seamus. God knows I love you, but Mel is in there and I’m going to find her and take her home.”
He nodded. He swallowed drily, tasting the salty drops of sweat which trickled down his face. Kaila’s gaze was unfocused. “Kaila, babe, I understand, but we need to be careful. We can’t just barge in there.”
She tilted her head as if hearing something. Deep lines appeared on her forehead and she chewed on her bottom lip. “Come on.”
He reached for her, but too late. She pulled the door open and sprinted through. He blinked. He stared at his raised hand. It was empty, devoid of the woman he loved. She had slipped through his fingers. He dropped his hand to his side. It began to shake. He lifted his gaze. His mouth fell open.
Inside the room stood a tall glass box with a metal frame. It glowed with a soft light, illuminating the rest of the small chamber. In all his years of service as Guardian, he had never seen anything similar. He retrieved his sword from the ground and approached the container. His stomach rolled at the sight within.
Kaila was within the box. Her legs moved as if she were walking, but she remained in the same place in the center of the structure. She gestured and spoke to someone, her lips moving, but no sound he could hear coming through.
His hands grew clammy. He inhaled deeply and then exhaled softly. He had to keep a level head. Reacting without thinking would get him or Kaila killed. He gritted his teeth.
He glanced around. The chamber was small, with simple white walls. The box was in the center. He looked up. His heart skipped a beat. There was no ceiling, only awning blackness.
He returned his attention to Kaila and the glass cage. His first instinct was to pound on it, but he didn’t dare, lest it produce a nasty aftershock, or worse, it did something to Kaila. He prodded it with the tip of his sword. The wall shimmered and bounced like a giant bowl of translucent jelly. He tried pressing harder into the material, but it didn’t even dent.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at Kaila. She pointed at something only she could see and twisted her head to look behind her. She halted. Her lips mouthed his name. She appeared panic stricken as she searched left and right for him. Finally, shoulders sagging, she turned back in the direction she’d come from. His heart broke as he observed her wipe away tears.
“I haven’t abandoned you, babe.”
He sheathed his sword and stared at the glass-like substance. Option two. Cautiously, he touched his fingers to it. A severe shock racked through him. His teeth clacked together and he bit into the side of his tongue. Blood filled his mouth. Kaila’s image wavered before him as he crumpled to the floor.
Chapter Twenty
Seamus drifted in and out of consciousness. Images of his life flitted across his mind. His first day of school. The day he met Kaila. Their kiss on the hill. Their passionate lovemaking.
He moaned. Kaila’s gentle voice echoed in his ear.
I love you.
His eyes snapped open and reality sunk in. He covered his face with his hand, attempting to hold back tears. What was he going to do? How was he going to get Kaila out of there?
Groaning with effort, he sat upright. His gaze immediately went to her. She remained trapped in her fantasy, unaware of what was happening outside the box. Sloth would not take her from him. No Sin would ever do that. He would find a way.
“Kaila,” he whispered. “I won’t leave you in there, babe.”
Legs shaking, he stood. He spread his wings wide. The room darkened ominously.
“Listen to me, Sloth, you disgusting piece of nothingness!” Seamus yelled at the darkness above him. “You won’t break us. You won’t keep us apart. You will have to come down here and kill me yourself before you destroy us.”
His veins pumping with renewed energy, he grasped his sword again and jogged around the perimeter. Inside, Kaila continued her search for, he assumed, her sister. Occasionally, she’d look back, probably hoping to see him. The pain that whipped across his chest was worse than the one his arm had endured. Kaila was suffering, and he wasn’t able to help her.
“Vince Malum.”
The muttered words infused him with strength. He studied the structure. It had no latch or doors. He didn’t want to imagine what magic trick Sloth had contrived to get Kaila in there. Seamus looked up. He grinned as an idea occurred to him. Could there be an opening on the top? Rapidly, he flew over the cage and glanced down. Disappointment coursed through him. It was just another window to the interior of the cage. Kaila fell to her knees. He froze, and then hurried to land and barely stopped himself from touching the surface again.
“Kaila,” he whispered.
In her imagined reality, she cradled something as tears streamed down her face and her shoulders shook with sobs he could not hear.
He shouted, “You’ll pay for this, Sloth!”
He ran around the container again, hoping to find something. He stopped near the door, which was still open. The flicker of a flame out in the hall caught his eye. Would he be able to burn or melt the surface of the cage? It was worth a try. He rushed outside and yanked the nearest torch from its socket. When he returned into the room, his heart plummeted. Bile rose to the back of his throat and his hands shook so badly, he almost dropped the flaming stick.
Kaila was curled up on the floor. She clutched her stomach and rocked back and forth.
“Kaila!” He bellowed out her name, going as close to the shimmering surface as he dared.
“Baby
, I’m going to get you out of there. Hang on,” he whispered hoarsely. “Please let this work.”
He placed the fire near the glass and waited, slowly counting the seconds in his head. A wisp of gray smoke curled over the area. The smell of burning alcohol filled the air. Suddenly, the wall turned a light-green color and began to glisten like heat waves in the summer. Seamus persisted. One. Two. Three. Four. His gaze wandered toward Kaila. She lay on her back, her head lolling to the side and her eyes empty of emotion as she stared into nothingness.
“Kaila!” Frantic, he drove his sword into the spot he was burning. It jammed. He swore loudly and tried twisting the blade as best he could with one hand. A thunderous crack reverberated through the chamber.
“Yes,” he whooped.
Leaving his sword trapped in place, he positioned the blaze over the surface again. One. Two. Three. He counted until sixty and then wiggled the weapon. The splitting sound rang again.
Kaila hardly budged. She held her arms crossed over her breasts and her eyes closed.
“Babe, wake up,” he urged. “It’s too early to sleep.”
As if she’d heard him, Kaila opened her eyes. Her gaze was vacant. Her eyes, normally vivid and full of life, were dim and sad. They held nothing but hopelessness.
“No, Kaila. Don’t give up.”
“Seamus?”
“Kaila.”
The sound of her voice reached him. He was breaking through. Excitement coursed through him and he rotated the sword more forcibly. His fingers, still numb from earlier, slipped and skimmed over the surface. Pain shot up his arm and he screamed.
In the box, Kaila recoiled. She covered her ears and shrieked. “You’re dead, you’re dead. We’re all dead. Seamus, Mel. Please, Sloth, let me die!” she yelled.
“No, Kaila. No.” Pushing through the pain, he thrust his sword into the wall again. His heartbeat thrashed in his ears. Panic threatened to overcome him. “Fight, babe. Don’t let Sloth beat you.”
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