This should be a time for celebrating, yet all I can think about is that man and the desolate world that must be contained.
Zed lets go of Olivia and steps closer. Ian joins him. Once my brothers are close, I say, “I am afraid our work is not done for the day.”
The look on Seth’s face sets my heart racing. There’s something terribly wrong for him to be here like this, acting like his mother just died.
I thought we’d get to celebrate for a while. After all, we not only rescued Olivia, we stopped the Erobos’ attempt to control Nabeel, at least I hope we did. No one will really tell me if he is okay, and I’m a little miffed about it.
Since we arrived at headquarters, Zed hasn’t taken his eyes off Olivia. They’ve stolen a few kisses when they thought no one else was looking, but I couldn’t stop myself from staring. For a man who is so obviously in love, Zed’s actions don’t make much sense. Why hasn’t he converted her, or whatever it is these Oneiroi do? I understand it’s a big decision, but at some point, he better make it. I wasn’t the only one Daegan had his sights on.
Everybody keeps changing the subject when I bring it up, as if I can’t handle hearing the truth. I’m tougher than they think I am. Besides, we can still help Nabeel if we need to. It isn’t as though he’s a lost cause, not like that other guy Seth visited tonight.
Maybell told me that Seth had to close a world tonight. She said the man was Seth’s friend and that he used to be a member of the team that turned. Such a sad day this has become. For not the first time, I wonder how many bright days these people get.
They are outnumbered on an epic scale, but still they press on. They act as though failure is just part of the job, but how much failure can a person take before they give up? It still floors me to think all these people are here to protect Earth. Considering they’ve lost their own worlds to the Erobos makes the thought even more astounding. They work nonstop to save a race that would probably lock them up in some science lab for study, or even dissection, if ever given the opportunity.
I’d like to think I’d be here with them if I’d lost my world, but I don’t know if I’m that selfless. Maybell steps closer to me and clasps my hand. Giving a gentle squeeze, she keeps her eyes trained on Seth.
She’s the first real friend I’ve ever had, and I’ve only just met her…not to mention she’s an alien. I don’t really know what that says about me. It would be comical if the situation wasn’t this bleak.
Seth finally decides to tell us what our new job will be. “When I was showing Amelia around earlier, she brought my attention to something unusual about Turner’s Corner.”
Ian’s shoulder’s slump. “You had me going there for a minute. I thought you were going to tell us the Erobos had found a way through the Dreamscape.”
Seth’s face stays calm. He doesn’t even berate his brother for interrupting him. Instead he says, “You’re not far off, Ian.”
Zed shifts out of Olivia’s hold completely, glancing back at her with softened eyes, before he shifts his focus completely. “What have you found?”
“We’ve all overlooked the man sitting at the top of that volcano, day after day, thinking him addled. He looked at me today.”
The silence of the moment presses in on me as we wait for Seth to continue.
“He is Sibylline.”
All eyes turn to me, as if I did something to cause this…Sibylline guy to ruin their world. I glance at Seth, whose expression is like me reading Arabic. “What?” I ask. “What does that even mean? He can read minds?”
“He is like you, Amelia,” whispers Maybell, as if she’s saving her voice for something important.
“And?” I ask when she doesn’t continue.
Surprisingly, Ian is the first to speak. “Sibyllines can only be inside the Dreamscape if called here. None of us has done so with this man.”
It doesn’t take me long to make the connection, but I need to know I’m right. “So he’s Erobos?”
“He is human,” says Seth. “But Erobos are controlling him. He has lost all humanity. Only darkness shows through his soul lights.”
“Soul lights?”
Seth stares at me. “Eyes.”
“Is he, like, possessed or something?”
“Yes…by the Eros, the beings that created the Erobos.”
I tilt my head back, my mind whirring and my heart stuttering. Maybell slides an arm around my shoulders. “It will be okay, Amelia. Don’t worry.”
Her attempt to comfort me is appreciated, but the raw edge of fear has already sliced its way into my veins. Even though I have no reference point for most of what I’m being told, I know enough to get that this is bad…that we’re sort of screwed.
“What now?” I ask her.
“Now, I must take you back,” says Seth, inching closer.
I spin away from him. “I can help.”
“You will be no good to us if the Erobos get you.”
I take a deep breath, attempting to settle the nerves in my gut. “You are the one that shouldn’t go. What if they get you?” I ask. “In the scheme of things, you are way more important than me. What if this is a trap set for you? What are Eros and why are they worse than the regular guys?”
Ian’s gaze pulls mine to him. He’s studying me as if I’m Fort Knox and he’s Billy the Kid come to perpetrate his greatest heist ever. When he speaks, his voice comes out dark, haunted even. “She’s right. No Oneiroi should return to that world.”
“It must be closed,” hisses Seth. “You were not there. You did not see his soulless eyes.”
“Let me do it,” I suggest, making myself as tall as I can manage.
“No,” says Seth. Finality in one syllable.
I glance around for anyone willing to take my side. Ian’s there. Maybell is still a question, but she seems to be considering it. Zed strokes his beard as if it’s a lazy cat clinging to his chin. Olivia’s eyes are huge. Considering that she had to hide in a dream world for weeks to escape the Erobos, I don’t exactly blame her for not wanting to jump on board.
“I’ll go with her,” says Kelsby, his three chins jiggling in time with his words.
“I’m in,” says Maybell.
“It can’t be done,” says Seth. “It takes two Oneiroi to completely shut down a world. Even if I was willing to let you risk it, it would be a futile endeavor.”
I give him a hard stare. “Just tell me what to do.”
His jaw clenches before he speaks. “We don’t have time, and you do not have the power—”
Zed speaks up. “She is capable, brother.”
Seth huffs. “I have not claimed her. She is not yet my mate.”
Ian smirks and Seth’s face snaps toward him. A low growl emanates from Seth. He curls around me, grasping my arm, pulling my back taut against him.
Seeing Seth this possessive of me is sort of unbelievable. On a really strange level it’s wicked sexy that he wants me so badly, yet it takes all my concentration to not stiffen in his arms. He’s totally freaked out right now, and I need him to listen to me. I need him to trust me.
I’m two seconds away from throttling my brother to the ground. He’s pushing me on purpose, testing my resolve with Amelia. Is he so desperate for a companion that he wants to steal mine?
Deep-seeded hurts attempt to rise to the surface, but I push them back to the abyss they’ve dwelt in since Rhea betrayed me. Ian was not involved in that betrayal in any way and he doesn’t deserve the venom of old pain to be released upon him. He was the purest of us at the time, he and Peter.
Surprisingly enough, Amelia has not chastised me for my overbearing display. She has not said a word, in fact, which worries me. Have I pushed her too far?
Ian clasps my shoulder. “Forgive me. I assumed we were having a bit of fun, like in the old days.” He gives a gentle squeeze. “Zed is right.”
Amelia’s heart accelerates. She wants this, most likely to prove her value. She is already priceless to me. “I cannot lose her,?
?? I say.
She turns in my arms. “She is right here, so you can stop talking about me as if I’m not. You said yourself to be turned a person has to embrace the darkness. I have no intention of sticking around long enough to hold onto anything, let alone darkness. You said I was made for this life. Let me live it.”
She is amazing. “I have not shown you how to use your powers. You are unprepared for this kind of task.”
“It’s not like I have to do it alone. Maybell and Kelsby can help me along. You know I’m right.”
I slide my fingers through her hair and cup her cheek. “Knowing and accepting are not the same thing.”
“If we fail, you can step in, but we have to try. Think about it, Seth. How is it that you were never curious about this Sibylline? How long have you been using his portal? How long has he had to study you?”
I flinch, my fear ratcheting up with my decision now made. “Very well, but if you run into any trouble, you must leave immediately. No heroics. Agreed?”
She sticks out her hand, smiling. “Agreed. They won’t touch me. You have my word.”
I hold her hand tight to my chest. “Before you go, I’d like to speak to you in my office.” Kelsby’s eyes shift to Maybell, no doubt for help in convincing me it is time for them to go. Once he gets something in his head he is difficult to dissuade. Maybell nods at me and smiles, leaving Kelsby to pout. “Amelia will be along shortly.”
With that said, I pull Amelia through the crowd toward my office. They step aside and smile at my companion. Her fingers slide around mine, but they tremble slightly. I must not overreact to her fear, as hope hides just beneath. She can handle herself well in difficult situations. My team is right, yet this is agony for me to allow.
Ian moves toward the hallway and I race him to it, pulling Amelia to my side. Her eyes flare wide as she gulps.
She looks between me and my brother, her expression darkening. “What’s going on with you two?”
I say, “Ian was just leaving” as he says, “I wanted to thank you, Amelia.”
Her brows furrow at him. “For what?”
He lowers his head in a nod. “An enjoyable evening.” He gives me a nod as well before he struts through the crowd toward Zed.
Ian will have to be dealt with, but Amelia is my only concern at the moment. Placing my arm around her shoulders, I usher her to my office and plant her in the nearest seat.
She doesn’t take her eyes off me as I make my way around the desk. Where should I start with her? “You’ve shown yourself to be more talented than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for helping Zed.” I shift in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position.
“I’m not sure I did anything to really help him. It seems like all I really did was piss off Daegan.”
“It’s not you, he is possessed by the anger he once sought to consume.”
She frowns. “Huh? That sounds like something out of a fortune cookie.”
I smile despite the gravity of the topic. “Yes, well, wisdom comes from the same source, no matter the speaker.”
“Haha,” she says, smiling. “Do it again.”
“Amelia, this is serious.”
“Yeah? Well, I’ve got news for you. My whole life has been one serious mess, so forgive me for trying to lighten the mood.”
She’s right. I should not impede her need for humor. “Sorry. Tell me when you are ready to discuss a few things.”
She leans back in her seat, swinging her crossed leg like we’re here for a pleasant chat. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, soaking in her radiance. My need for her is all consuming at times.
Her voice disturbs my reverie. “I have a few things I’d like to talk to you about, too.”
I give her a nod. “Very well. I shall defer to you then.”
She smiles, shaking her head, her dark hair swishing about her shoulders. “First of all, I need to know more about the Erobos. Daegan, in particular, seems to want me. He showed up like he knew I would be there.”
Might as well get this out of the way. “After the tragic loss of Volos and the medical crew that tried to save him, Daegan was the first to convert to Erobos. None of us knew of his growing desire for dark emotions.”
Her head cocks to the side as she picks at the leather at her wrist. “What do you mean?”
This is a conversation I have been avoiding. She will think less of me when I am finished telling her of our needs. “Oneiroi have a symbiotic relationship with humans.”
She stiffens. “How so?”
A light rap sounds at the door. My gaze shifts to Amelia. “Excuse me.”
She shrugs.
Her stare settles on my back like soft afternoon rays of sunlight. Her presence comforts me, as well as excites me.
Maybell stands there, wringing her hands. “Zed said I should come get you. He said we should really get going.”
I sigh. I have not explained what I need to, but Zed is right. We should not delay. I will have to share my secrets with Amelia later. Zed most likely thought I wanted to say goodbye to her in private. Normally, that is exactly what I would do, but not today. Today I need to stake my claim. Let my brothers and all be witness to who holds the wielder’s heart.
I take Amelia’s hand and lift her from her chair. “We will finish our conversation later.”
She nods and glides along with me to the outer office. Once we are near the elevators, I pull Amelia to a stop. Resolve slides onto her features. I squeeze her hand and press a kiss to her fingertips. “Be safe.”
She speed hugs me and is yanking Maybell toward the elevator before I can comment further. For a moment I am swept away by the wrongness of this situation. I’ve only just found her. We’ve only just started our lives together. How can I stand here and not intervene?
Unfortunately, some things are more important than relationships and needs. Some things must be done regardless of risk.
“Wait,” I find myself saying.
She turns a fraction to shake her head at me, but I’m at her side in moments. I yank her into my arms, tilt her head back, and crash my lips against hers. Her scent, her aura, surrounds me, cocooning me in her essence. I take more liberties than I should. Amelia holds on to me yet doesn’t completely respond. I ache for her in this moment. Too soon, I let her go.
Kelsby chuckles and Maybell blushes blue. All else falls away but Amelia’s face. “Come back to me,” I say, my voice a hushed command.
She nods and slips away. How I will survive this expedition I have no idea, but I must let her do this. I must trust her.
Once they are in the elevator, I turn to the rest of my team. “Monitor her. Alert me if anything untoward should happen. I shall be in my office.”
Seth’s kiss still lingers on my lips. I should be embarrassed with how many people witnessed his rather public display of affection, yet I can’t quite get myself to care what any of them think.
He took me off-guard. I couldn’t even move right. When I get back, I’ll show him how I really wanted to react. Seth is in my blood now. It’s like he’s a part of me I’ve only just discovered.
Despite my recent bravado, my heart can’t quite figure out how to beat right. I glance at Maybell, who stares at me like a proud mother with a full-fledged smile on her face.
I return her smile, if a little guarded. “So what do we do first?” I ask, a tad breathless still.
Kelsby shifts his rotund upper half so he’s not squishing me quite as badly before he says, “We must stop in the munitions chamber for supplies. After that, we need to go over a few things.”
“Like?” I prod, impatient with the slow progress of the elevator.
Maybell sniggers behind her hand.
His eyes find mine void of humor, as we descend to a lower level. “We must give you a crash course on evading Erobos.”
I shake my head. “I’m good. Seth already trained me in how to run away.”
Maybell laughs. Her tone darkens theatrically, somehow remindi
ng me of a pirate. “Nothing can train you for Erobos. They are insidious creatures full of harpy ways.”
I frown at her, scratching my arm where the hairs have unexpectedly risen. “Harpy ways?”
She hunches toward me, her eyes narrowing the closer she gets. “Just when you least expect it, they swoop in on you, ready to snatch bits of your soul.” On the word ‘snatch’ her fingers whisper over the back of my neck, eliciting a nervous jump from me.
Even though she’s joking, a slithering chill meanders through me. That doesn’t sound too great. “I happen to like my soul the way it is.”
Her face hovers just above mine as her cool breath sweeps my hair out of my face. All joking is gone. “Remember, darkness cannot exist where light resides. Light repels the darkness until it is no more.”
Chills race down me as the truth of her statement settles into my heart. I touch her forearm. “The Erobos will have to find a different target. I’m already accounted for.”
She pats my hand. “That’s what we’re all counting on, Amelia. You are our only hope.”
I lean back and she does the same. “No pressure, though?” I say around a squeezed laugh.
Kelsby grunts and we finally reach our next destination. A syrupy ding rings out before the elevator doors slide open, revealing a vast room full of makeshift cupboards and closets.
Where I expected superhero gear, what I’ve got are revolutionary war rejects. Odds and ends of discarded parts litter the floor in piles while remnants of enormous shells line the walls.
Fortunately, Maybell seems to know where she’s going, bypassing the majority of trash heaps. If this is their idea of munitions, we’re in trouble. I’ve about had my fill of rotting metal au de toilette when Maybell leads us down another corridor.
My hopes rise with every step we take away from the military graveyard. This part of the space is brightly lit with a thin strip of blue light tracing the floorboards. Every so often the lights crisscross the hallway then sweep up our bodies and back down again.
“What is that?” I ask, shaking off the unpleasant feeling of being violated.
“Security,” says Kelsby, making me wonder just what he means. He ambles behind us, surprisingly keeping up. His body is such a conundrum, but I don’t have time for puzzles right now. When I do have some time, I’m going to ask him about his world.