Dark Matter

by Christie Rich

  He looked different all of a sudden: surer of himself if that was even possible. I jumped to my feet. “What do you want?” I asked a little more forcefully than I had intended.

  His gaze traveled to my toes and back up in answer. The jerk took his time about it. I cleared my throat.

  He laughed a little more boisterously this time and set the bag on the couch. “This is for you.”

  “I kind of got that already, but why are you bringing me this? It isn’t like I need another dress.”

  “Trust me. You don’t have anything that compares to this.”

  I shook my head and lowered the zipper, groaning the farther down it went. The thing looked more like lingerie than an actual dress. The fabric wasn’t quite sheer, but it was thin as chiffon. There was even less of it when I lifted it out of the bag. “Only in your dreams Heath,” I said without looking at him.

  He sat next to me, pulling an ankle across his knee. “Do you really want to argue about something so insignificant? I wouldn’t be asking you to wear this if there wasn’t a good reason.”

  “Your idea of a good reason and mine aren’t even in the same galaxy. What purpose could me wearing a slutty dress possibly serve other than to boost your ego or turn you on? I’m hardly psyched about either of those options.”

  He laughed. “You’re going to have to take my word on this one, Rayla. I went through a lot of trouble to get it here. Either you want to leave or you don’t. I couldn’t care less, either way.”

  I stared at his suddenly dark expression hoping to see a crack in his armor. It wasn’t there. I shook my head and took the dress to my closet. When I returned, he was gone.

  He hadn’t even told me what the plan for tonight was. I didn’t know if I was headed to a celebration or a battle, which made me even more nervous. Would Finn and Cassie be there?

  I was swiftly running out of options where Heath was concerned. I didn’t like displaying myself like some sort of trophy he had just acquired, but that was what I would be tonight. To the winner go the spoils. We’d just have to see about that.

  I picked up the necklace I had chosen and fastened it around my neck as if it were a shield. Lysanne was going to be mad at me for getting ready on my own, but there was no way for me to slip more trinkets into my clothing to entice Gibbit with her watching me. If I had had my way, I would have been wearing the dress with the gargantuan shoulder pads. I could have hidden a lot of things in them.

  Someone was knocking at the door. To my surprise, it wasn’t Lysanne. Heath lingered in the doorway more handsome than I had ever seen him. He was wearing a grey tailored suit that looked boutique expensive. His dimple made an appearance as he smiled at me. “You look beautiful,” he said, plucking a red rose right out of thin air and handing it to me.

  “So do you,” I taunted, turning to place the flower on my pillow.

  He coughed out a laugh. “You sure know how to stick it to a guy, don’t you?”

  I grinned. “You should see my right hook.”

  He chuckled and placed his hand on the small of my back when I stood beside him. Unnerving was too light a word to describe how it felt to have his skin touching mine in such an intimate place. I glanced at him and considered telling him to move it or lose it but figured I had bigger battles to worry about tonight.

  Heath led me down the stairs. A subtle tension tightened his shoulders and the set of his jaw was stern despite his casual facade.

  I cleared my throat. “So, what exactly are we doing tonight?” I pulled at my neckline, trying to inch it up a little. I hated this dress, and I was sure that his good reason for me wearing it was merely to embarrass me.

  “We are meeting to discuss the change in leadership. Finn has relinquished claim to you without much of a fight, which is rather unusual.” He sighed. “I honestly don’t know what is going to happen.” He stopped and took my hands into his.

  His stare was intense enough that I felt as though a thousand people were all judging me. I glanced at the floor and swallowed hard. When I looked up again the determination in his eyes was still there. I gritted my teeth. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  He released my hands and blinked. “I hadn’t realized I was looking at you in any particular way. Does it bother you?”

  “No one likes being scrutinized,” I barked.

  He raised a brow. “Is that what I was doing?”

  I shook my head. He was acting very different than he had earlier. He was somber, and I didn’t like it.

  “It doesn’t matter. Let’s just get this over with.” I started down the hallway toward the Great Hall.

  He caught up to me at the doorway. The entire place was alive with voices until we entered the room. Silence followed us as we walked toward the reigning king and queen.

  She was a beautiful woman with long flowing hair and tawny skin. Her eyes looked like the midnight sky with only a hint of blue in them. At certain times they seemed as black as her hair.

  Her bondmate angled himself a little in front of her as though he was protecting her. He was like most men in this place, stunningly handsome with a subtle red tint to his dark hair, but he seemed different for some reason.

  As I thought about it, I realized I couldn’t feel him at all. When I looked at other men, my body aligned with theirs. I could feel their power as I would the sun caressing my skin. It was a relief to be able to look at a man without feeling anything at all about him. I wished I could stare at him all night, but from the look the queen was giving me, I had already taken too long to move on.

  I glanced away from her and noticed Finn studying me from over in the corner. Cassie was next to him. She gave me a small smile that I returned with a grin. Even though they probably wouldn’t believe it, I didn’t have any hard feelings toward either of them.

  The worst thing I could imagine was for me to be bound to the man Cassie loved. I would give up just about anything for her, and if that meant my freedom then so be it. I wasn’t going down without a fight, though.

  Queen Elsbeth stepped forward. I tried to curtsy because I wasn’t sure what I should be doing and nearly tripped over my own feet. Heath seemed amused momentarily, but his expression hardened when she addressed him. “I understand that you fought Finn for the right to claim this girl without the permission of this court.”

  Heath didn’t seem fazed. He bowed his head and said, “Yes, highness. I felt Rayla leave the castle and had to take action. She would be lost to us if I had not.” A gasp exploded from the crowd.

  I couldn’t believe he told her that. He had made me think he would help me get out of here, and now I was worried that he had lied merely to get me to come with him willingly. I trusted people too freely, but how could I change something so fundamental about myself? I shouldn’t even have to.

  Elsbeth considered his words without much in the way of emotion. When she spoke, her penetrating voice filled the room. “Since there were no witnesses to this battle…we shall have another.” Didn’t Cassie and I count? She raised an arm high above her head and motioned toward the back doors of the great hall. “To the Colosseum!”

  People clamored to be the first through the doors. I didn’t even have time to react before hands clamped around my arms. Bodies pressed tightly against me, making the air grow thick. I was immediately hoisted above the crowd, carried away by a wave of people, not knowing where in the world they were taking me. This could not be good.

  We didn’t have to go far. They pushed through the giant doors and flowed out onto an enormous field. At least four times larger than the one at Notre Dame, the stadium was unbelievable. The walls rose to staggering heights and were crowned by a glowing dome of amber light. The place looked more like a football stadium than the magnificent roman edifice that shared its name. The only real difference was, as most things in this place, it was made completely of ice.

  My flesh was bruising under hot hands. I was pretty sure my flimsy dress had ripped up one side exposing more of my
thigh, as if it wasn’t bad enough to begin with. They carried me up some stairs and set me down on a rather ordinary looking bench. Unlike the ice in my room, it melted the instant my skin touched it. I was shivering immediately, but no one seemed to notice, or maybe they just didn’t care.

  The wave of people rushing up the steps was staggering. I had no idea that many people resided in the castle. Every face seemed eager for this battle. I was frantic to find the only one I cared about but didn’t see Cassie until most of the people were settled into seats.

  She was on the opposite side of the stadium as if representing the other team. I only recognized her because she had been wearing the most stunning aqua-blue gown that glowed like the Caribbean Sea and magnified the paleness of her eyes. I wished I was closer to her, but I didn’t dare move.

  Two burley men flanked the only way out of here. I was pretty sure they were Royal Guards. They weren’t necessarily any bigger than the other men around me, but they were a lot scarier. Each one had eyes deep as ebony that turned on me simultaneously. A dark force emanated from both men as though they got their power directly from Satan. One of them looked away from me as if bored beyond belief, but the other one wouldn’t take his eyes off me. I could feel his gaze like a thousand pound hand on my shoulder anchoring me to my seat. I tried to ignore him, but it was really hard.

  When I finally looked at the field, Heath and Finn were the only people left. Heath threw his jacket to the ground and stalked around Finn like a gladiator of old. I couldn’t make out Cassie’s expression, but I could only guess how freaked out she was.

  What had just happened? I knew this was an option, but I hadn’t thought it would feel like this. I could have thrown up if I had actually eaten anything in the last few hours. As it was my nerves felt like electrical wires about to blow a circuit.

  Elsbeth raised her hand and the crowd grew silent. She smiled gloriously. “Let the battle begin!”

  Chapter Eight

  Before I could even blink, Finn was surrounded by a ring of fire that soared fifty feet above his head. His silhouette was merely a writhing wraith in the gigantic blaze. I covered a gasp with my hand, but on closer inspection, I didn’t actually think he was on fire. He moved in an odd sort of dance. The flames began to spin in a whirlwind, rising toward the glowing roof. Finn circled an arm above his head as if he held an invisible lasso. Around and round the swirling inferno spun in a dizzying array.

  Then suddenly with a loud groan the mass of fire began morphing into something else entirely. It writhed and screamed like the uncontrollable beast it was becoming. I gaped at the newborn creature, not sure what it was. It looked like an odd mix between a dragon and a bull. The head was elongated with sharp horns that flickered like sunlight through a dirty window. The body was pure bulging muscles. The thing dropped to the ground as a thick crust formed over the flame. Most of it was solid, but its eyes, nose, and mouth spewed fire and smoke like a volcano. Finn tucked his hands under his armpits and watched almost dispassionately at his creature being spawned into existence. The funny thing was that it all happened within a matter of seconds.

  The newly formed monstrosity twisted its head and looked at Finn. His chin fell in a slight nod. The creature turned and charged Heath faster than I could blink.

  Heath stood with his mouth agape as though caught off guard. Just in time, he somersaulted out of the way to avoid being devoured, but the beast’s fangs sank into the edge of his shirt. The cloth sizzled up his abdomen like a lit fuse.

  He pulled the shirt off and flung it to the ground, touching an inflamed spot on his stomach. He glared at Finn who only laughed at him. Others in the crowd joined in. I almost felt bad for Heath. Finn wasn’t making this as easy for him as I thought he would.

  The air was ripe with smoke and ash. I coughed, wishing I had something better to cover my nose than my hand. Heath’s scent clung to my fingers, and I was getting dizzy from inhaling it. No matter how tipsy I got, my paltry dress was staying where it was, thank you very much.

  Heath’s power over me seemed to be getting stronger the longer I was around him. The only other person that had affected me this much had been Zach. I swallowed hard as I thought about him. Here I was wasting time, and he was lying somewhere in agony hoping someone would come help him. I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but I did. I felt it as surely as the heat pulsing off the beast below. I had to find a way to rescue him, whatever the cost.

  I was startled by a low growl, whipping my head around sharply. The terrifying guard came and sat right next to me. He turned his head slowly toward me, but I refused to look at him. I made myself stare at the field instead.

  Heath hadn’t wasted any time in creating his own monster, but I had been too distracted to actually see it happen. This one had the body of a snake with the head of a lion. It was comprised completely of what looked like molten lava. Its shape flickered and roiled like it was being projected on an old movie reel. The thing coiled in on itself just before it sprang at the other beast. The body wrapped around the bull and squeezed. The bull stumbled to its knees breathing out great puffs of smoke and fire. Its armor split into glowing cracks then shattered revealing its inner flame, but it wasn’t dead yet. The dragon’s head whirled around and snapped the snake in half. The creature fell to the earth with an enormous thud. Puffs of dust swirled around my face, making it hard to see. When the air cleared, it lay there as if dead.

  That was it. Finn had won.

  I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn’t imagining this. What did that mean for me?

  I leapt to my feet, but strong hands pulled me back down to the bench. I glared at the guard. His fingers dug into my skin and for one split second I could feel his emotions as though he were a lord. He was angry at and protective of me all at the same time. I hadn’t ever even seen this man, but I felt connected to him in a way I couldn’t explain. He looked at my ripped dress and cringed as though it was painful for him to see me that way.

  I yanked my arm away from him, practically screaming, “Don’t touch me!”

  He recoiled from me as though I had slapped his face but straightened and gave me a passive look. “You will sit and watch, Princess.”

  I laughed. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I am not royalty.”

  His gaze slid over me. I could feel his judgment, and I was pretty sure I had come up lacking. He didn’t say anything else. Instead, he just turned his attention to the battle. I continued to glare at him until the crowd erupted in applause.

  Everyone was on their feet cheering so loudly I had to cover my ears. I strained to see but bodies blocked my path. I finally climbed up onto the bench. I swayed when I realized what was happening. The guard moved to steady me, but I waved him off.

  I thought Heath had lost, but the lion was devouring the dragon’s head. The enormous body was already gone and it was making short work of the rest.

  Fire and ash rained through the air like the grand finale on the fourth of July. A smoldering ember landed on my leg, and I yelped as it melted into my flesh. I jumped off the bench and reached for my injured limb.

  The guard was suddenly kneeling in front of me. His hand covered my wound before his fingers dug agonizingly into my skin. I gasped, preparing to protest, but the pain just went away. When he stood up, my leg looked normal. I stared into his dark eyes. There was something familiar about them, but he glanced away too quickly for me to really be able to figure out what.

  He reached for my hand, gazing down on me just like everyone else around here. I had never been exactly short, but somehow I felt like a child around these people. I was constantly looking up at them, and it suddenly annoyed me.

  “What is your name?” I asked abruptly.

  One eyebrow shot up as though he was surprised by my question. “I am known as Neeko, my lady,” he said over the roar of the crowd.

  It came out Nee-Ko with a sharp sound on the K. The weird thing was that the name seemed strangely familiar, although
, I was sure I had never heard it before.

  “I’m Rayla.”

  His expression didn’t change at all. “I know.”

  I took a really good look at him and realized he couldn’t be from Ignis. His hair was lighter than any of the men I had seen, and it had absolutely no red in it. He was handsome, but almost ordinarily so. “Where are you from?” I blurted out.

  He tightened his jaw. “You should not be talking to me like this. Others will notice.”

  I made a face. “What’s wrong with us speaking?”

  He wouldn’t say another word. Instead he pulled me through the crowd. Most of the people we passed held mildly curious expressions, but a few looked like they hated me or maybe it was him. I couldn’t tell for sure.

  I had a hard time keeping up with him and stumbled a few times. His grasp on me relentless, he didn’t slow down at all. I tripped over a high spot on the stone floor. He turned and grabbed my elbows before I could fall, but as soon as I was upright he started off again. “Hey,” I complained. “I’d like to see you go so fast in a pair of four-inch heels.”

  Heath had insisted that I wear human shoes and these were blood-red stilettos that matched my dress perfectly. My feet were aching, and I was pretty sure I had twisted an ankle when we rounded the corner back there.

  My attempts at pulling away from him didn’t work at all. He had me in a death-grip, and there was nothing I could do except ride out the storm. He completely ignored every complaint or whimper I made.

  I was so relieved to see my door that I nearly hugged it. I didn’t know what was going to happen now, but I had a suspicion that Neeko was going to be tagging along. I was nervous even thinking about that. He wasn’t all that easy to read, but I was sure he didn’t like me very much.

  He pushed me toward my closet and said simply, “Change.”

  I shoved my hands at my hips. “Into what?”