“The reason she made it out alive, Bram, was entirely owing to you and your subsequent actions.”
“Yes, well,” I started to reply before clearing my throat because the words suddenly felt as if they were clinging to my throat. Rapidly moving away from feeling comfortable with this conversation, I was now as far away as it was possible to be. “I did what I had to do. I did the only thing that could have been done.” I spoke the truth. There was no way I could ever have left Dulcie in the appalling condition in which I found her.
“No,” Vander nearly interrupted me as he shook his head. “You know as well as I do just who and what you are.”
“I fail to comprehend your meaning,” I answered, wondering if he were purposely attempting to offend me, although the timing seemed strangely off. He interrupted me again before I could further contemplate it.
“You are a man who’s always been out for himself,” Vander supplied. “You don’t surround yourself with friends simply because you don’t believe in them. You’ve always subscribed to the notion of keeping your enemies closest to you. And you have no family. You’re even estranged from your maker, as far as I can tell.”
“My maker is dead,” I replied as I thought about Meg and my jaw went tight.
“My point is this: you exist solely for yourself and you always have,” Vander continued. “Except where Dulcie is concerned.”
I could not argue with him, so I chose not to. Instead, I just listened and remained quiet, sitting stock-still and most assuredly appearing as uncomfortable as I actually was.
“I understand now,” he continued.
“What is it you now understand, Vander?” I asked. I diverted my attention from my hands, which were neatly clasped in my lap, and lifted my eyes back to his face.
“I finally understand your feelings for her now,” he explained with a shrug. “I always assumed your interest in Dulcie was merely physical, that you wanted her as a conquest, a notch in your belt, just like every other woman you’ve come across; but I just realized that was never the case.” He took a breath. “And it’s not the case now either.”
Although there was truth in his words, that did not mean I was prepared to address the issue. I did not respond and simply averted my eyes and my attention to the landscape outside my passenger window as I wished I could have been anywhere but there.
“You love her,” Vander persisted.
At hearing his words, my stomach dropped like a rock in a well. Despite how much I wanted to deny or, at the very least, swerve the direction of the conversation, I found myself unable to. It was almost as if my own tongue had sewn my lips shut from the inside out. I just sat there in awkward silence, yearning to be a million miles or more away.
“If anything happens to me, Bram,” Vander continued, and I shuddered at the sound of his voice again. “If I don’t make it out of this alive, Bram, I’m asking you to promise me here and now that you’ll take care of Dulcie and you’ll always keep her safe.”
“I promise,” I answered immediately. I had no qualms. “There is no need for you to ask me, since I would act accordingly regardless of any promise or vow.”
“I know,” Vander said as he nodded. “And for that, I will be eternally grateful to you.” He grew quiet then as he stared out the window. When he spoke again, his voice was low and frozen with iciness. “There is one more thing, Bram.”
“Yes?” I replied, even though I doubted whether I could take any more of his remorse. I was on the verge of opening my passenger door and insisting that I walk the rest of the way to wherever we were headed, if only to avoid the current conversation.
Vander swallowed hard. “I realize that you have every reason to hate Rochefort and will probably seek revenge against him for what he did to you,” he started.
“Yes,” I agreed, because it was the honest truth.
He faced me then and I observed a renewed sense of purpose in his eyes. “Please allow me to avenge her, Bram,” he said. “Whatever happens, whether I live or die, this is something I, alone, must do.” Then he took a deep breath. “As long as there is air in my lungs, I can’t allow Rochefort to live, not after what he did to her.” He dropped his gaze to his hands as he shook his head. “I don’t know how she can ever be expected to come back from something like that.”
“Dulcie is very strong,” I replied at last. I must confess that I much preferred the apish brute I had become familiar with, rather than this emotional, broken man I now saw before me. “You know as well as I that she will find a way to survive and, eventually, thrive.”
“Yes,” Vander agreed as he began nodding emphatically. “She is very strong.” The glassy sheen returned to his eyes as he furiously blinked the tears away, thank my lucky stars. I doubted very seriously if I had the wherewithal, not to mention the strength of mind, to respond properly if he broke down. “She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met,” he insisted, his voice growing softer.
“Of course I will grant you the favor you are asking,” I replied, although I was feeling somewhat annoyed at myself for giving in so easily. I had vowed to avenge both myself and Dulcie. But witnessing the heartbreak and reality of Vander’s anguish, I most probably would have granted him anything else in the world that he asked for just so we could move on. “And should the situation arise in which you find yourself unable to extinguish and eliminate Rochefort, I shall take the task upon myself forthwith.”
“Yes,” he answered immediately as he glanced over at me. “And don’t do it quickly either. Make him suffer much more than he made Dulcie suffer.”
“I will make him endure far greater suffering than he could ever imagine in his darkest hour,” I answered with firm determination. It was the same promise I had already vowed to myself.
“Then we are in agreement,” Vander replied with a clipped nod. He started the engine, and the Porsche purred in response. Checking behind him to ensure the road was clear, Vander pulled onto the street again. “We’ve got to get to the nearest ANC office,” he started to say as he glanced over at me. “From there, we go directly to the Netherworld.” Then he sighed, deep and long. “The only problem confronting us now is one of time.”
I looked at him with arched eyebrows but did not ask him to elaborate. He received my gist, all the same.
“It took me a day to reach you from the Hollow station,” he announced. “A day that we can’t afford to waste now.”
“Have you learned nothing from me in the lengthy time of our association?” I asked with a satisfied smile.
“What do you mean?” he inquired.
I depressed the button that released the glove box and reached into it, producing a thin, metal gadget that I held up beside my face. “I always keep something useful up my sleeve,” I answered as I waved the portal ripping device to and fro.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Dulcie
Despite how impossible it seemed at the time, the hot bath actually did heal me. Hooray for the power of magic! It took less than twenty minutes, and I had to lie submerged right up to my chin. My entire body was thrumming with electricity as the little bolts of magic collaborated in repairing my wounds and soothing my fatigue. I wasn’t sure if the magic also managed to increase the amount of blood in my body, but I didn’t question it. Little by little, the dense fog that formerly occupied the front and center inside my head dissipated, and I could suddenly think much more quickly and clearly. To my added relief, my errant wings behaved themselves too, by lying inactively against my back.
When I could no longer feel the tiny buzz of magic moving along the skin of my body, I decided to test myself just to see how healed and restored I truly was. I lifted one leg with no problem and then the other one before doing the same only using my arms. The utter joy I experienced at just being able to accomplish such a small movement was nearly overwhelming. Only a few minutes ago, I wasn’t even able to move any of my limbs, and now it seemed like all of my strength had been finally returned to me. When I broug
ht my hands up to my face, I wiggled my fingers and noticed everything worked perfectly and with very little effort. Yes, I knew Bram’s blood did most of the healing in my broken fingers, but this magical bathtub certainly handled the rest. I savored the huge rush of relief that soon consumed me entirely.
Don’t kid yourself, Dulcie, I instantly reprimanded myself. You’re still in the Netherworld and surrounded by your enemies. Yes, although you’ve gotten your strength back, in the light of recent events, you’re still neck deep in a very bad situation.
And I couldn’t forget that fact. For as much as I was starting to feel somewhat indebted to my captor for being so kind as to heal me, I couldn’t allow my feelings to be revealed. My enemies were the ones to blame, and the ones who did this to me in the first place. Sending any gratitude their way was definitely the wrong place to invest it. Nope! No way would I allow myself to fall victim to Stockholm Syndrome! My captors could never win my trust or allegiance.
I wasn’t sure if it was the sudden negative thoughts that swarmed my mind, but the dull thrumming in the back of my head returned anew. I figured I could erase it easily enough by submerging my head in the healing waters. Not to mention the multiple blows Jax swiftly delivered to my face and the resultant swelling and bruising from them. Holding my breath, I plunged my head underneath the water and felt the tiny pricks of healing cells surrounding my face and head. The headache that kept plaguing me for the last hour immediately disappeared, and I couldn’t help smiling at its departure. After a few more seconds, I had to come up for air, but I again immersed myself under the precious water. Closing my eyes, the tiny jolts of healing magic raced over my cheeks, my mouth, my chin and the back of my head. Feeling somewhat light-headed, I interrupted the process in order to inhale a few huge swallows of air before I slid back down underneath the water. I continued repeating the process until I could no longer feel the delightful thrumming of magic all over my body.
When I sat up, I observed the water level inside the tub beginning to drop. I didn’t remember noticing a drain at the bottom of the tub, so I inspected it but found nothing. Even so, the water level continued to decrease so rapidly, it seemed to be locked on fast-forward. Within seconds, all the water had evaporated completely, and the final drop disappeared into the air with a little popping sound. I stood up and glanced down at myself, noticing I appeared to be completely dry. Having no answer for how or why this could have occurred, I shrugged and simply admired whatever magic was responsible for making all of this possible. Then I stepped out of the copper tub, feeling completely healed, rejuvenated and restored to my former healthier and much happier self.
My attention instantly fell onto the bed and the long, black dress which I saw lying there. I sighed, figuring I had no other alternative where my clothing was concerned. Glancing over my shoulder, I was pleased to find my wings were still dormant. I approached the bed while I examined the dress with abject disinterest. Although it definitely wasn’t my first choice in terms of attire, it was light years better than wearing Bram’s T-shirt, if only because it could cover a hell of a lot more. I picked the dress up and noticed the black lace bra and matching thong panties that hung beneath it. At least someone was on the ball and covering all the bases.
I pulled the panties up over my thighs and then began putting the bra on. I was more than pleased to discover that both fit me perfectly. It was almost as if whoever hung them up in the closet was expecting me and no one else. I pulled the dress up over my legs because it was easier than trying to slip it over my head since my wings would invariably get caught in the fabric. The back of the dress was completely open, which suited my wings perfectly. I shook my head as I pondered over my good fortune in finding such a well-tailored garment. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed as if this dress had been specifically procured just for me. In general, I didn’t believe in coincidence. Regardless, I smoothed the stretchy black fabric down and maneuvered it into place. Skin tight, the top of the dress plunged all the way down to the area just beneath my breasts. It blatantly outlined the swells of both of my breasts without leaving much to the imagination.
“Figures,” I grumbled, shaking my head as I thought to myself that if I hadn’t known the Darkness was a man before now, I would have guessed he was based entirely on the choice of clothing he so generously provided.
The hemline of the dress reached the floor and swished around my feet in flowing, luxurious fabric. I turned around and spotted a full-length mirror hanging on the inside of the closet door, which was still open. I started toward it, mostly because I was curious to see if my bruises had disappeared. The first thing that caught my eye, however, was the prominent way in which my breasts were displayed. I tried to squeeze the pieces of fabric closer together, but as soon as I let them go, they just pulled apart again. There was no way I could adjust the dress to make it appear a little more modest. Giving up on that task, I couldn’t help admiring how nicely my hair flowed around me in loose waves. I looked like I’d just come from the salon.
So magical baths not only possessed the powers to heal you, but they also washed and styled your hair! Interesting, I thought to myself as I sighed happily at my reflection. Clad in the ridiculously tight, long, black dress, I looked just like Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark, only with blond hair and fairy wings.
How the hell are you going to get yourself out of this mess, Dulcie? The thought raced across my mind and I watched my shoulders slump in defeat. I didn’t have an answer to my question. I felt beyond sure that there was magic in use all over the house and wards in place that would prohibit me from even opening a window or making the slightest attempt to sneak out. As soon as I considered that, I figured I might as well at least give the windows a good tug, just to see if my initial assumptions were spot on.
I teetered along, because the dress was so tight I couldn’t walk, and made my way to the bank of slide-up windows. I tested the first one, but it was shut and locked so tightly, whether from the outside or by way of magic, the eventual outcome was still the same. When I tugged on the next window in the line, it was the same story; and the third window? It proved not to be the charm.
With a sigh of resignation, I turned around, and at the same moment, I heard a strident knock on the door. I grumbled something unintelligible that even I could not make out, but the door opened all the same. Standing in the entry stood a strikingly handsome man who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent with dark olive skin and inky, flashing eyes. He was dressed just as I imagined must have been the custom of his homeland: in flowing silk robes, a large sash and moccasin-like shoes on his feet.
“Pardon me, madam,” he said in an accent that sounded as exotic as he looked. “I trust that you are feeling much better?” he asked, and I instantly doubted my first premonition that he was Middle Eastern. His accent actually sounded French.
“Yes,” I answered as I studied him. “And who, may I ask, are you?”
“Many apologies, madam,” the man answered with a quick bow. “My name is Antoine, and I have been commissioned to ensure your comfort and well-being. I have also come to invite you to dine with my master, as it has been brought to my attention that you have not consumed enough sustenance during these last few days.”
How true that was, but I didn’t say anything to Antoine. Instead, I simply studied him for a few seconds longer and tried to identify what type of creature he was. He was definitely French; and his name certainly gave his nationality away, even if his bizarre attire led me to believe otherwise. But as to his class and species? It was exactly the same as it was with the maids; meaning, I had no clue. It was almost as if the species, themselves, defied classification. Either that or my identification abilities were being blocked inside the walls of this bizarre establishment. “What are you?” I asked, the increasing frustration in my voice clearly evident.
“Madam?” Antoine repeated, indicating he did not understand my question.
“What type of creature are
you?” I clarified. “Usually, I can detect a stranger’s genus immediately, but I noticed before that my powers aren’t working correctly here.”
“Yes, of course,” Antoine answered as he nodded briefly. “I am loath to admit it, but your powers are deliberately being blocked inside these walls, madam.”
I nodded since I wasn’t surprised in the least. “That’s exactly what I figured.”
“Would you care to follow me now to the dining hall?” Antoine asked as he held the door wider and smiled at me, encouraging me into the hallway.
“So, I’ll ask you again: what are you?” I repeated. I crossed my arms over my chest when his eyes landed on my breasts and stayed there. He immediately colored red and looked embarrassed at being caught so obviously gawking at me. Of course, it wasn’t hard to notice my breasts considering how much they were on display in the ridiculously low-cut dress …
“I’m sorry, madam, but I cannot answer your question,” he said quickly. “However, I can take you to someone who can.”
“The Darkness?” I asked just for shits and giggles.
“Yes, madam,” Antoine responded with a quick nod. “My master requests your company.”
“And what of the others?” I inquired, without making any motion to budge from my spot in the middle of the room. “Are Jax, the werewolf and the troll dining with us too?” If they were, my fragile appetite was suddenly extinguished.
“No, madam,” Antoine answered immediately. “My master wishes only to meet with you. Uninterrupted.”
I was relieved in knowing that Jax wouldn’t be there. If I never laid eyes on him again, it would be too soon. I stalled as I glanced around the room and wondered what harm there was in eating with the Darkness. If anything, maybe he’d finally be persuaded to answer some of the questions that were still burning inside me. And it wasn’t like I was doing much, being stuck up here without my powers anyway. I considered it a vacation, however, just to escape being in the same room with Jax and his crew of morons.