The Darkest Touch

  The group reached the top of the staircase, turned a corner, and strode down a hallway. There were six closed doorways, and they chose the third one on the left. It was empty save for the shackles dangling from the ceiling. They managed to prop Cameo on her feet and clasp her wrists in the restraints. Three of them exited the room. The fourth stayed behind.

  One of the others stopped in the doorway, saying, "Touch her, and he'll kill you."

  "If he finds out. He won't find out."

  "I wouldn't be so sure about that. He wanted this one for his own. It's why she's not with the others."

  "I say again. He won't find out."

  The door was shut, sealing the lingerer inside with Cameo. He reached out to squeeze her breast.

  Going to pay dearly for that.

  Keeley dropped the Cloak, flashed behind him and fit her hands around his neck. Definitely human, though great evil writhed inside him. Demon-possessed, then. How had he come to live in a realm usually reserved for evil spirits?

  Doesn't matter. She punched into the base of his skull, grabbed hold of his spine, and ripped. Like filleting a fish. He was too surprised to fight her...and then too dead to react.

  As he thumped to the floor, she brushed her hands together in another job well done. What should she do as an encore? Flash throughout the home, until she found and captured the one responsible? She could present the male--female?--to Torin as a gift.

  But...no. Cameo needed medical attention, like, yesterday. She might be immortal, but she wasn't impermeable.

  Oh, well. A straight-up rescue would have to suffice.

  Keeley used the guard's keys to unshackle Cameo, wrapped the girl in streams of her power so that she would float behind while being covered by the Cloak. She retraced her steps to the portal Danika had left open by keeping her hands on the Rod. A second later, she had Cameo inside the room with the artifacts. A room fuller than when she'd left it. All of the Lords were there, most pacing, Anya muttering disparaging things about Keeley and her intentions.

  Going be a reckoning one day, goddess.

  Keeley settled Cameo on the floor and removed the Cloak, then folded and stuffed the material in her pocket. "We're here," she announced, materializing, gaining everyone's undivided attention.

  "Cameo!" Torin burst out.

  "She's alive. And you," she said to Danika, "you may take your hands off the Rod. You," she said to Reyes, "may open the Cage."

  Torin barely spared Keeley a glance as he crouched beside the injured female; in fact, he actually nudged Keeley out of the way. The others gathered around the girl, as well, pushing Keeley farther back...soon forgetting her and the good deed she'd just done.

  She got that the girl was hurt and needed tending. She just wished the group cared a little about her well-being. It'll take time. That's all. One day she would be an accepted part of the group.

  Determined, she moved to the Cage and opened the door, allowing Danika to lumber out. Even she rushed to Cameo's side.

  Time.

  Aeron, the tattooed one, gently lifted Cameo into his arms and beat feet out of the room. The others followed him en masse.

  I want to be loved like that. To belong.

  Anya returned only to say, "Did you find the boy or what?"

  The one Torin had mentioned? "Didn't get a chance to look."

  The goddess raised her fist. "If you're lying just to get back at me..."

  Maybe if Keeley learned to respect those around her rather than lashing out, they would learn to respect her in turn. Sow...reap. "Lie?" she said. "I never lie. When it's possible, I will find him."

  "Fine. And...thanks. I guess." Anya drew in a deep breath before taking off.

  Keeley moved into the hall where she remained, almost half an hour ticking by, not really knowing what to do or where to go. Finding the other girl, Viola, would have to wait until Danika had recharged.

  Hands settled on her shoulders, spinning her around. She came face-to-face with Torin, and, as always, the sight of him sent her into a state of euphoria.

  "Are you all right?" she asked.

  His eyes were glassed over, lines of tension branching from the corners. "Can you help Cameo? She's worsening."

  Near tears. For Cameo. Tendrils of jealousy wound through her. "I guess we'll find out. Lead the way."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  TORIN PACED, crazy worried. Cameo barely had the strength to breathe. Her heartbeat was dangerously sluggish, her reflexes unresponsive. Nothing his friends had done had helped her.

  Keeley had shouldered everyone aside to look Cameo over. Strong, capable Keeley. She would save his best girl.

  No, not his best girl. Not anymore. Keeley had claimed first place, knocking Cameo off the pedestal, and that wasn't ever going to change. But he'd clearly done something to upset her. And why not? He was a borderline moron most of the time.

  Most of the time? Please. Try all of it. But this moron didn't like the wounds in his woman's eyes, darkening the precious baby blue to a soulful navy.

  He had to make things right. And he would, just as soon as he unearthed the problem.

  "Someone put a septa inside her soul," Keeley announced. "And because her soul is linked to her body, it's physically poisoning her, rendering her unable to respond to stimuli."

  Questions and demands rang out.

  "What's a septa?"

  "How was something put into her soul?"

  But one boomed above all the others. "Remove it. Now." Sabin's hands were clenched at his sides, his knuckles already white.

  "You really don't want to take that tone with me, warrior," Keeley replied evenly.

  If anyone other than Torin heard her response, he couldn't tell, because everyone just kept talking.

  "Out," he finally shouted at them all. "Now." They'd get nothing done this way.

  Quiet descended.

  "Out," he repeated. "Let her work. You're only distracting her."

  There were protests. Of course there were protests. These alpha boys and girls were used to taking orders from no one. But in the end they filed out of the room, wanting Cameo better more than they wanted control of the situation.

  He stayed put. He wasn't going to leave his woman, and the others would just have to deal.

  All business, Keeley said, "Prop her up."

  "You know I can't touch her."

  "I see." The wounds in Keeley's eyes seemed to bleed.

  What the hell? "Princess," he said.

  She stopped him with a snapped, "You won't sicken her. Your shirt and gloves will protect her."

  True, but he wouldn't risk it, especially while Cameo's condition was so unstable.

  Wanting this over with so that he and Keys could talk, he opened the door, and found everyone congregated in the hall, just as he'd expected. "Sabin," he called. "You're needed."

  Conversations tapered to a quiet as the warrior pushed his way through the crowd. Torin allowed the brute into the room, but when he tried to shut the door, William pounded his way inside.

  Fine. Whatever. "Prop Cameo up," he told Sabin.

  Sabin asked no questions, just moved forward and gently situated himself behind the girl, his back pressing against the headboard.

  Keeley crouched between Cameo's legs, flattened her hand against Cameo's heart. The girl jerked, but that was it, her only reaction.

  "What are you doing?" Sabin asked.

  "Are you always this chatty?" William leaned a shoulder against the wall. "And yes, by that I mean are you always this irritating."

  Keeley ignored them both. She moved her hand up and down the girl's chest, side to side, slowly, so slowly--until Cameo's back arched, her scream of agony echoing from the walls.

  Sabin snarled, "Whatever you're doing, stop."

  "Trust me," William said. "Or don't. Probably don't. But you really don't want her to stop. If it'll make you feel better, pretend they're getting it on. I am."

  The color leached from Keeley's cheeks, and
her breath began to emerge shallowly. Whatever she was doing clearly hurt her as much as it did Cameo, and Torin did not like that. Did not like that at all. He was reaching for her, determined to pull her away, when she fell back, panting.

  "Are you okay?" he demanded.

  "Will...be...soon." Keeley opened her hand, revealing a--

  What the hell was that?

  It was the same length and width of an ink pen and as black as the darkest night. Tendrils of inky mist curled from it.

  "We don't want you having to deal with that ugly ole thing." Relish layered William's tone as he snatched up the septa, wrapped it in a handkerchief and stored it in his pocket. "Let me do you a huge favor, totally put myself out, and take care of it for you."

  "Hades makes them," Keeley said, and Torin got real still real fast.

  He'd seen the male only once, but that had been enough. Hades traveled within a black cloud, the screams of his victims echoing from within. When he looked at you, you felt as though you were already trapped in the deepest, hottest pits of hell. He did nothing without ensuring he would receive something in return, and it was quite clear he would betray his own mother for whatever he wanted in return.

  Planned to take him out anyway. This just cinches it.

  Cameo's eyelids flipped open, and she muttered, "They came...dark cloud..."

  Torin crouched beside her and met her frenzied gaze. "Shhh. You're safe."

  "Took me...tried to take Lazarus...failed."

  He and Sabin shared a confused look. Lazarus? The warrior Strider had beheaded?

  "Must...save him..." She reached for Torin.

  He reared backward at the same time Sabin yanked her to the side, barely managing to prevent a connection. She sagged against the bed as if the small movement had used up what little energy she had left.

  "The they she spoke of are most likely Hades's minions," William said.

  Torin straightened. "Why would Hades want Cameo and an undead warrior?"

  "We'll have to ask him," Sabin said with a cold grin. He focused on Keeley. "He's warded, right, and you can't flash to him?"

  "Right," she replied stiffly.

  "Can Danika open a portal directly to him?"

  She frowned at him. "Yes, but opening a portal drains her. It'll be days before she's strong enough to do it. And do you really want Hades knowing what she can do? What we're trying to do?"

  "Keeley's right. Forget him." Torin scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Rescuing Viola and Baden, then finding the box are our top priorities."

  "Yes," she said. "Baden will be tricky, though. He's a spirit. I'm not. I can't touch him and pull him through the portal unless one of us is wearing serpentine wreaths."

  "I've never heard of those, but I'll do whatever's necessary to obtain a pair." Sabin eased from the bed and moved to the door.

  As he let the other warriors inside the room to check on Cameo, Torin lost sight of Keeley. "Out of my way," he said, and the crowd parted like the Red Sea...just in time for him to catch a glimpse of his woman striding into the hall.

  He chased after her, catching up as he snaked around a corner. "What's going on in that sweet head of yours, princess?"

  Silence.

  Intolerable! But he held his tongue until she reached his bedroom door and marched inside. "Don't freeze me out," he said. "Talk to me."

  "Like you wanted to talk this morning, before Cameo's rescue?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder and met his eyes long enough to convey disdain. "Or should I bark one-word responses at you?"

  He'd been an ass. Got it. "I was worried about you and didn't handle it well."

  "Well, you sure did seem worried about Cameo. Seemed to handle that just fine."

  "Listen, she and I dated for a while, but--" He paused when he heard her sharp indrawn breath.

  "I asked if she was your girlfriend." Keeley shoved each word through clenched teeth. "You lied to me. Lied after I told you I would rather save an enemy who tells me the truth than a friend who tells me lies."

  "I didn't. I said no, because she's not. Not anymore, not ever again."

  "Semantics." Keeley grabbed a bag and began stuffing his clothes inside.

  "Not semantics. What the hell are you doing?"

  "Helping you move into another room. I've decided to keep this one, and since I'm the honored guest, I get first pick."

  Disease cheered.

  Shut it. "I'm not finding another room, Keys."

  "You are, because I'm breaking up with you."

  "No way. We agreed to try to make this work." The couple that slays together stays together.

  "With one caveat. You weren't to hurt me again." She tossed the bag at his feet. "In case you didn't catch my subtle hint, you have."

  "And I'm sorry for it." He grabbed the bag and began unpacking. "But I'm also staying."

  "Oh, really?"

  A second later, the bag was full again. He gritted his teeth. She'd flashed the clothes.

  "Not funny," he said.

  "You want to know what's not funny? You and Cameo!"

  "She's just a friend."

  "Like hell. You were just fawning over her."

  "I wasn't fawning, and our thing happened about a year ago."

  "Even worse!"

  "It didn't work out. It never would have worked out--because she isn't you."

  Her countenance softened the slightest bit as she said, "Who broke it off? You or her?"

  "Mutual?"

  "You don't even know? Oh!" Fire flashed in her eyes. "Well, guess what? I like Galen. That's right," she said when he frowned. "I like him. A lot. He was a prisoner of Cronus's dungeon, and we talked. He traveled with us through the realms. I helped him. Now do you want to stay with me?"

  Shock. Yes, he experienced it.

  Anger. That, too.

  Torin's mind whirled, questions he'd once entertained but forgotten suddenly finding answers. The male he'd released from the dungeon, the one he'd thought was familiar but had been unable to place...it had been Galen. The guy's cheeks had been hollowed, his usually pale hair dark because it was caked with dirt. His skin had been papery and white, his wings removed.

  "You freed him," Keeley said.

  "Yes, and I'll need to forgive myself for that," he snapped. Should have left him there to rot!

  Galen had once been Torin's best friend but had become his betrayer. Then Baden's murderer. The warrior's sins were vast, and deplorable. There was no one Torin wanted to slay more. Not even Hades.

  But even as shocked and angry as he was, he managed to say, "You asked if I still wanted to stay with you. The answer is yes. You could do anything and I'd still want you."

  Her jaw dropped, snapped closed. "How can you say that?" she gasped out. "How can I believe you? You wouldn't touch your precious Cameo, but you're always more than happy to touch me."

  Now hold on a sec. "You insist that I do."

  "And like I said, you're more than happy to take me up on it," she shouted.

  "Of course I'm more than happy," he shouted back. He expected the walls to shake, but they didn't. "I'm compelled to touch you. The urge is constant and more often than not irresistible. If I can get my hands on you, I'm going to do it. You're a temptation I can't resist. She isn't."

  Keeley blinked at him, her shoulders seeming to turn in. She gulped and said, "Oh." Then she shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "If that's true, why did you forget about me the moment she arrived?"

  Now my Sugar Plum Fairy is just being ridiculous. "Princess, I've never forgotten you. I'm always aware of you. Just because I'm looking at and talking to someone else doesn't change that. I knew you'd stayed behind when we took Cameo to her room, and I thought it was because you didn't want to deal with Anya. I planned to get Cameo settled and come back for you."

  "Oh," she said again. She fell on the bed, bouncing.

  So badly did he want to take her into his arms. He couldn't do it, but he could take care of her in other ways. "It's been too lo
ng since you've eaten," he said. "Stay here." He paused, adding, "Please. Please, don't leave me, and please don't put me in the Time Out box. Get comfortable. I'll be right back and I'll wear my favorite hoodie and we'll cuddle."

  She gave him a dazed nod.

  He hurried to the kitchen where he swiftly prepared a feast of fruits, raisins--gross!--nuts and breads. The only thing missing were bugs. He refused to hunt creepy crawlers...unless she asked. He had a feeling he would do anything she asked.

  What is that girl doing to me?

  He added candy and flowers to the tray and returned to the room, as promised. She hadn't left, hadn't moved an inch.

  "Thank you," she said softly, sniffing one of the flowers.

  He sat beside her. "So...Galen, huh?" he asked, smoothing a lock of hair from her brow.

  She chewed a raisin, nodded. What a change in their relationship. She no longer eschewed the food he provided but trusted him enough to eat. Sweet moments like this made all the dark ones worth it.

  "He's a liar, a betrayer. You know that, right?"

  "Wrong. He was. People change."

  Rarely. "If he's using you to get to us--"

  She tossed a raisin at him, and he made her laugh when he acted like she'd lobbed a bomb.

  "I'm likable, you know," she said. "My association with Galen has nothing to do with you."

  "You are likable, that's for sure." And lickable. And, clearly, his mouth needed a distraction; he tossed in a grape. The juice was sweet--but not nearly as sweet as his Keeley. "Just...be careful with him, all right? I trusted him, too, and he--"

  Torin blinked. Keeley and the bedroom had vanished, a wealth of blackness suddenly surrounding him.

  Confusion hit him. He blinked a second time and new surroundings appeared. One with metal bars. Lots and lots of bars. They were above him and beside him. Behind him and beneath him.

  He was trapped inside a cell. It was different from the one he'd shared with Mari, smaller, and wasn't inside a dungeon. It was out in the open, in the center of mile after mile of dirt. Underground?

  What. The. Hell?

  *

  KEELEY JUMPED TO her feet. "Torin?" He couldn't flash and yet he'd been with her one second, gone the next. "Torin!"

  "I did not poison the girl Cameo."

  At the sound of Hades's voice, black rage overwhelmed her, and the walls of the fortress shook. He had taken Torin from her--he would pay!

  "It was Lucifer," he continued. "We are at war. Knowing him, he planned to come to you, tell you he'd rescue Cameo from my clutches if only you'd join him in the fight against me."