The Darkest Touch

by Gena Showalter

  His chest ached.

  He hated that stupid ache.

  Well, enough! Time to put an end to this. To all of this. "Why do you still want me?" Apparently, not enough. "Haven't I proven I can't ever give you want you need? Not for long, and never entirely."

  "Those are excellent questions," she said, unable to meet his gaze.

  Her response angered him. Killed him just a little, too.

  What? He'd expected her to tell him he could give her everything she needed?

  "Whatever my reasons, we can still enjoy each other for a time," she said, hopeful. "Can't we?"

  Until someone better came along? His anger magnified, an unholy fire in his veins.

  Conversation is optional. Just have to find the edge of the realm and open the door to the next, all while keeping my damn hands off her.

  Impossible. He knew the tightness of her sheath, and had to experience it again. Experience her. She had become a sickness in his blood. He gave a razor-sharp laugh at the irony. Like the demon, she had no cure.

  Can't live this way. Just might snap.

  For Cameo and Viola. For Baden. For the box. Hold on, keep it together.

  "I agreed to pay for your help," he said. "And I will. But I'll give you nothing more."

  *

  OUCH. BECAUSE OF the bond, Torin's attitude cut at Keeley when before it had merely challenged her. And because no other race bonded quite like hers, he would never know how much he hurt her unless she told him--which she wouldn't.

  Guilt wasn't what she wanted from him. He felt enough of it already.

  "If you don't want to talk about sex..." she began.

  He inhaled sharply. Tone guttural, he said, "I don't."

  "Then how about we discuss your soon-to-be new favorite subject? Me!" Might have lost the first skirmish, but I'll still win the war. His heart is as good as mine.

  "I'm listening," he said.

  "I've been married once. At sixteen, my parents forced me to wed the king of the Curators. The union lasted four miserable years, and I made sure there were no babies. He was a terrible father to his other children."

  "Dude. I feel like an idiot. I knew you'd been given to a king, but not that you'd married him. Your title should have been my first clue."

  "Well, Detective Torin, it was just a few months after the king died that I became engaged to Hades, the worst deceiver ever to walk the earth. It was the biggest mistake I've ever made." Started negatively. End positively. "My favorite color is rainbow, and I firmly believe raisins are nature's sweetest candy. I don't care what the haters say! I know everything about everything, and the only time I've ever been wrong is the time I thought I was wrong."

  His lips might have quirked at the corners. "The fiancee of Hades. I should be used to it, but I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the idea. What was it like?"

  "Exciting. At first. He was magnetic."

  "And homicidal."

  "Yes, but at the time that was part of his charm. He taught me how to protect myself."

  "The lesson cost you, though."

  What did he mean? Too afraid to ask.

  Grinning wryly, he said, "So...what would you say is your greatest flaw?"

  "Why? Is this a job interview?"

  "Could be."

  For what position? "Well, my greatest flaw is probably that I'm far too unselfish...in bed."

  He choked on a laugh. When he calmed he said, "You were locked away for centuries, right?"

  "Right."

  "Then how are you so...modern?"

  "Easy. I once had a seer in my employ. She possessed the delightful ability to allow others inside her head to watch the future unfold, and I did. Often."

  "Fun, but not exactly helpful. You knew the future, and yet you ended up in prison."

  "True. I suspect she willfully withheld that aspect of my life. What better way to escape my sinister clutches?" But enough about her. "What about you? Give me the down-and-dirty deets."

  Wrong choice of words. Or maybe the right ones. They both shuddered.

  She shuddered with remembered--and still-throbbing--desire.

  Why did he?

  "If you want answers," he said, "you've got to eat. I mean it."

  Oh, very well. He'd been honest every step of their journey. He'd said he wouldn't poison her, and she believed him. She made a big production of eating a single morsel, exaggerating every motion.

  "More."

  Fine! She grabbed a handful and stuffed everything inside her mouth. There was so much she could barely chew.

  His eyes twinkled merrily, giving him a boyish, even roguish, appearance. "I've never been married," he said after she'd swallowed.

  When he said no more, she rolled her eyes. "Wow. Slow down. I'm not sure I can handle all this new information."

  "My greatest flaw is my total lack of flaws. Do you know what a burden it is, being perfect all the time?"

  She fluffed her hair. "Yes, actually, I do."

  He smiled and nudged her with his shoulder. Then, realizing what he'd done, he frowned and cleared his throat. "What do you want to know about me?"

  She hated his upset over the spontaneous touch but really liked that he'd done it. Talk about sweet progress. "Why do you have a butterfly tattoo?"

  One of his brows winged up. "Thought you knew everything about everything."

  "I knew about the Lords of the Underworld before--well, before. My spies told me different reports about the tattoo."

  "Spies? How cloak-and-dagger."

  "I learned from the best. Hades," she added, in case he hadn't put the pieces together. She motioned to his waist. "The meaning."

  "Different things to different people. I got it the day of the demon-possession."

  "So...it's a mark of evil."

  "For me, yes."

  "Well, if you ask me," she said, "a butterfly is a weird symbol for it."

  "I don't think it's a symbol. I think it's a reminder that evil can hide beneath even the prettiest of facades."

  "Do you need the reminder often?"

  "Only every time I look in the mirror."

  She snorted. "Did you just compliment your pretty facade? Your ego must really need some stroking."

  "Something needs stroking all right," he muttered, his heated gaze raking over her, making her shiver.

  Need a brilliant, sexy response. "Oh, yeah?"

  Good one, Your Majesty.

  He stiffened and jerked his attention away from her. "As for random facts about me. My porn name is Dr. Miles Long. I would rather eat the Nephilim I captured than raisins. Sorry, Keys, but raisins are the result of nature taking a shit."

  Ha! "My porn name is Ivanna Longone. And if you aren't careful, I will raise up an army of raisins and we will eat you."

  "That might actually be fun. For me." His grin returned, lighting his entire face. "I'm good with computers, can hack into anything, and over the centuries I have killed more people than I can count. At one time," he admitted hesitantly, "I lived for it. Loved it."

  "You still love it." She remembered how expertly he'd handled the spiders. "But only on the battlefield."

  "And when it comes to the protection of my friends."

  A familiar jealousy surged, stronger than before. To be on the receiving end of that protection...not just for a time or two, but always, her future as important to him as his own...would there ever be anything sweeter?

  "Do they feel the same about you?" she asked.

  "Yes."

  "That must be nice."

  "Better than."

  "Is there a chance they would like me?" Gah! The neediness practically dripping from her tone was humiliating.

  She would have snatched back the words, but he flicked a glance at her, his expression troubled, even pained. "Princess, they are going to go bat-crap crazy for you."

  *

  THEY TRAVELED THROUGH three more realms, and Keeley began to suspect they were being followed. She said nothing to Tori
n. There was no reason to send him on a rampage until she had proof. And he would rampage. His mood had darkened more with every day that had passed. He'd even resorted to doing what he'd promised in the cave: never looking at her and never talking to her.

  The first realm had been a land of total sensory deprivation. Darkness and silence. Getting through it had been painful, both physically and mentally. The second had been nothing more than a mountain of ice they'd had to climb, and since Torin had refused to cuddle, the cold had been just as bad as the darkness. The one they were in currently boasted multiple fields of ambrosia and poppy--narcotics for immortals--and at every turn they had to dodge immortal drug lords determined to protect their stash.

  Torin's protective streak had returned at least, a nice change to his disregard and silence.

  She liked to think he used the quiet to battle the intensity of his feelings for her as well as his desperate need to claim her and that, in the end, his desire would win. But the fantasy only carried her so far, and a light mist began to dog their every step.

  This morning, he'd wandered off to hunt breakfast. For himself. Only himself. He'd made that very clear. He no longer fixed her meals or made her pallets, hoping she would stop trying to seduce him.

  Well, it was working!

  A twig snapped. A warrior she'd never before seen strode into camp, his head high, his shoulders back. May not have seen him, but I know him. He was one of the prisoners from the Realm of Wailing Tears. His lollipop scent proclaimed his identity before he ever spoke a word.

  "Galen," she said with a smile of greeting.

  He was as tall as Torin and almost as muscled. He had pale, curling hair and eyes as blue as a morning sky. Such an angelic appearance. His wings had been removed and were in the process of growing back, small nubbins covered in soft white down stretching over his shoulders.

  A memory prodded her. After the Unspoken Ones had taken over the Realm of Wailing Tears, they'd done everything in their power to get to Galen. The thought of losing him had irritated Keeley; she'd come to like his arrogance and vigor. So she'd taunted the Unspoken Ones through the bars of her cell until one had marched over with every intention of silencing her. Only, she had silenced the creature, using a shiv to open him up from nose to navel, guts spilling everywhere.

  That's right. That's why she'd killed her first Unspoken One, garnering the wrath of the brother.

  "How'd you get here?" she asked. She knew a little about his history. Best friends with Torin and the other Lords...until he revealed their plan to steal and open Pandora's box to Zeus.

  When all the warriors were cast to earth, a long bloody war erupted between Galen and the Lords. One still going strong.

  Well, he might be Torin's enemy, but he isn't mine.

  Take that, warrior!

  "Been shadowing you," Galen admitted. "And I'm not the only one. There are three demon-possessed crazies out for your blood. Torin's, too. But they didn't make it through the last doorway. You're welcome."

  "You stopped them?"

  "Violently. Couldn't let them near my girl."

  She beamed at him. "That's so sweet. Thank you."

  He nodded in acknowledgement.

  "Hungry?" She offered up a handful of dried poppy seeds. The hard work required to steal them should have made them taste sweeter, but Torin's lack of attention had left a bitter coat on her tongue.

  Galen shook his head. "I don't have long. Torin caught my tracks and is hot on my trail. I just wanted to say thank you for distracting the Unspoken Ones when they came to my cell."

  "My pleasure. Honestly." Why couldn't she be attracted to him? He was beautiful, fierce and a bad boy to the max.

  But he wasn't Torin. Stubborn, disdainful, poisonous Torin.

  "By the way," he said. "Whatever you're doing to the warrior, keep it up. I've never seen him so riled."

  Please. "He's not riled. He's as calm and cold as, well, something that's calm and cold."

  "No. He watches you. A storm is brewing inside that boy, and one day, it will break free. I have a feeling you'll both be happier for it."

  The light mist finally stopped, the sun shining.

  "You want him happy?" she asked.

  "I never said that," he huffed.

  Another twig snapped.

  "Go," she said, shooing with her hands. But Galen didn't move fast enough, and she had to flash him a few yards away as Torin burst into their camp. Such an act might have seemed like a betrayal to Torin, and she knew he would not like it. But it wasn't a betrayal--it was a safety precaution. No fight meant no injuries.

  No injuries meant no picking sides.

  "Someone was here," he said, his voice lashing like a whip. He looked left, right. "Did he threaten you? Attack you?"

  There's a chance this man has been watching me.

  A chance a storm is brewing inside of him.

  Satisfaction filled her. Ignoring his questions, she said, "Where's your breakfast?"

  Silent, he searched the camp perimeter for the culprit, and as he did so, the sun glowed a thousand times more brightly.

  "Let's go," he said. "The edge of the realm is only an hour away."

  Found it already? Without her?

  Panic budded, only to fade. He could have left her behind, but hadn't. Galen had to be right.

  The satisfaction intensified as she popped to her feet and motioned Torin forward. "I'm ready."

  Scowling, he took the lead. They made it to the edge of the realm an hour later, just as predicted, and because she had kept a lock on Galen, she was able to ensure he wasn't far behind.

  And, okay, yeah, that wasn't exactly a safety precaution. But she liked Galen and owed him for taking care of those demon-possessed crazies. Surely Torin would understand. One day. After he'd thrown a massive man-fit.

  He looked over his shoulder and frowned at her. Why? What was he thinking?

  She opened the doorway and, after he unlocked it, stepped through. She stayed close to his heels.

  Honk!

  A busy interaction of cars suddenly surrounded them, a vehicle swerving to avoid hitting them, then swerving again to avoid a crash with another vehicle. It ended up smashing into a pole.

  The realm of the humans. Torin's realm, she realized, where his friends waited.

  Dread quickly replaced her satisfaction. Everything was about to change. All too soon, Torin would meet up with the other Lords. Men and women he loved. Keeley would do as she'd promised, finding the missing girls, the spirit, and the box. Torin would do as he'd promised, pleasuring her, and then they would part ways. He would no longer need her.

  But I'll still need him.

  Foolish thoughts, steeped in fear of failure. Only setting myself up to quit.

  Never! Her fight for his heart wasn't over yet. There's time.

  More honking horns. Torin yanked her to a sidewalk, away from the traffic. Someone bumped into her. A female. The look she gave Keeley, as if Keeley had just been scraped off the bottom of her shoe, only to shift her attention to Torin and gasp, caused a droplet of anger to splash through Keeley.

  "I am royalty," she snapped as the ground shook.

  Firm fingers shifted through her hair, and she whipped around to face Torin.

  "Yes," he said. "You certainly are."

  He hadn't noticed the female; he only had eyes for Keeley--and he was touching her, willingly, happily.

  "The strands are like honey," he said, his awe unmistakable.

  Her heart tangoed with her ribs. The color of her hair had changed again, the tresses now a glistening golden-blond. "Summer," she replied, breathless, knowing her eyes glittered a pure baby blue.

  "Gorgeous."

  "Really?" Smudged by dirt, wearing a tattered T-shirt and sweatpants, without shoes, she had to be disgustingly haggard. Or worse--average. The human woman had certainly seemed to think so.

  "Really. I--" He stiffened, glared at his gloved hand as if it were a toddler who'd disobeyed its daddy, a
nd dropped it. "We're on my turf, princess. I'll have rules for you."

  Rules? "You're kidding, right? I obey no one but myself, and even that's iffy." Someone else bumped into her. A male this time.

  Torin scowled and pushed him. "Apologize or die."

  "S-sorry, ma'am. So sorry." The guy scampered away.

  "Ma'am?" she shouted, hoping to mask the inner melting Torin's fierce reaction had caused. "Am I wearing mom jeans? I don't think so!"

  Torin gave his palm another hard glare. Then, scowl returning, he twined his fingers with Keeley's and tugged her down the sidewalk. Shock! He's holding my hand now. We're actually holding hands. Like, our fingers are woven together and everything.

  "The rules," Torin said. "You don't look at other men. You don't talk to them. You don't lust after them."

  Done. Done. Done. Shouldn't appear too eager. "Why?"

  "I don't want to deal with another plague."

  And a plague would break out because...he would put his hands on anyone she desired...would hurt them?

  He's jealous. What a promising start. "It will be as you say."

  "Damn right it will."

  Smiling would have been an inappropriate response, yes? "So where are we going?"

  "Somewhere I can charge my cell phone and call my friend Lucien. He'll be able to flash me home."

  A flicker of panic... "What about me?"

  "You shouldn't have any trouble tracking us."

  ...doused by shattering relief. "Of course I won't. I'm the Red Queen."

  "Yeah, yeah. Super powerful. You will be on your best behavior."

  "Aren't I always?"

  "I'm serious, Keys."

  "Yes, you're seriously insulting me, and you might want to reconsider."

  "You will not harm my friends."

  "I vowed I wouldn't."

  "I know, but--"

  "Do not finish that sentence," she snapped. "I might decide your tasks aren't worth my valuable time."

  A pause. A snapped statement of his own: "I'm sorry."

  "You don't sound sorry."

  He sighed, the anger seeming to drain from him. "I am. I really am."

  Too easy. It would have been better if he'd fought her on this. At least a little. Because with those five words, he'd just made it clear her abilities were what he wanted most from her, perhaps the only reason he tolerated her.

  Win his heart? Did she really stand a chance?

  "Just...no matter how this goes down," he said, "please don't destroy my home."

  Did he have any faith in her? The ground shook. "Do you want me to leave you?"