House of Imperial

by Jaymin Eve

  “Laous thought he was safe, bringing you down here,” Daniel replied. “This entire bunker, plus the land around it, is off the grid, so to speak. The network is weaker here. He made a mistake, though, by not bringing you directly here.”

  “The cloud land,” I breathed. “The place he picked up the tracker.”

  “Why did he take you there?” Emma asked. “That land has nothing in it to help him contain or hide you. It’s just a place the council uses for the bigger meetings.”

  I shook my head. “It wasn’t Laous that took me there … it was Rao. He—”

  “What did you just say?” Daniel interrupted, sounding like I’d completely taken him by surprise.

  “Uh…” I faltered for a second. “When Laous first tried to take me, I fought him off. Knocked him out, too. I should have run, but I decided to try and find Emma’s necklace first. Which would stop Laous from finding any more of the secret keepers.” I winced thinking about what had happened next. “I missed Rao stepping out of a transporter. He hit me hard enough to disorient me, and then took Laous and me to the cloud land.”

  Daniel’s voice was glacial. “He hit you?”

  I nodded, not going to lie to him. His body started to shake, shoulders lifting as he heaved in breaths. I turned panicked eyes on Lexen, who had already stepped in front of Emma and me.

  “Daniel does not take kindly to men hitting women. Especially not his woman,” he explained, and I tried not to act stupid about being called “Daniel’s.” “And Rao is the name of Daniel and Fraizer’s older brother – the one that’s missing, presumed dead. The story was that he fell into the justices and no one knew. Trapped in the Flames of Ether, where the fire can even burn an Imperial.”

  Everything stilled in me, the badly scarred and disfigured guy was … Daniel’s brother. He must have fallen into the flames, as they’d thought, but he didn’t die. Laous saved him, but also kept him hidden away. But why?

  The heat around Daniel increased; he was not dealing well. My insides and instincts were screaming at me to get my ass over there and comfort him, but Lexen kept pushing me back, sidling left and right as I tried to step around him.

  “I need to go to him,” I finally demanded, having enough of this game we were playing.

  Lexen just shook his head, crossing huge arms over his chest. He was doing a very good impression of a warrior statue. “Nope. Not happening. Dan is not in control of himself right now, and he would kill me if I let you get hurt. Or attempt to kill me anyway. I’m pretty much unkillable.”

  On anyone else that would have sounded like the worst kind of arrogance, but for Lexen it seemed to be fact. Still, he was underestimating me and my need to get to Daniel, whom I didn’t believe for one second would hurt me. I trusted him.

  Hoping to throw Lexen off, I relaxed my stance, taking a casual step closer to Emma. She caught my eye and I saw her grin. She already knew what I was planning. In an unexpected show of solidarity, she reached forward and wrapped her arm across Lexen’s bicep, distracting him. Before he realized what was happening, I dive-rolled right by the side of his leg, popping up behind him. I pushed off toward Daniel, determined to reach his side.

  Before I could get close though, Lexen zipped forward and scooped me up, holding my struggling body against his.

  “Stop it,” he demanded. “I’m trying to save your life.”

  Flames burst to life across from us; the night air lit up, showcasing the rocky, cave-like structures around us.

  Emma sounded a little nervous now. “Lex … babe, I think you should let her go now. Remember how you reacted when someone was holding me back from you.”

  Daniel’s face was completely covered in flames, eyes glowing as they locked ominously on Lexen. I had stopped fighting, because I really didn’t want to get anyone burned, but it didn’t seem to matter to the Imperial overlord. With almost comical slowness, Lexen lowered me back to the ground and stepped away. He never took his eyes off Daniel, and I swore I saw something bubble under Lexen’s skin, but then it was gone. I didn’t even want to know what Lexen and the Draygo people did, because that bubble had not been human. Or Daelighter. It had been very animal-like.

  No time to focus on that. I had a soulmate, or whatever the hell label we were putting on it, to talk off a proverbial ledge. “Dan, look at me.” I kept my voice low. “You need to calm down and talk to me, because I can’t stand not being able to touch you.” I was going to risk the fire in about five seconds. “I need you.”

  I took another step closer, and as his intense heat washed over me I almost closed my eyes at the comforting sensation. It reminded me of the burning I had done in the dark lands. As I reached for him, Daniel sucked his power back in, the fire disappearing before I could make contact. But it didn’t matter. My fire was burning now too, whooshing up from my center, filling the world with warmth, life, and death. I lifted my arms, letting the red lick down my skin and light up the world, just as Daniel had done.

  “Callie, are you okay?” His concern broke through my euphoria, and I couldn’t stop the brilliant grin.

  “Better than okay, I’m a goddamn weapon.”

  He had no qualms about touching me like this, and as soon as I was in his arms his body responded to my fire with some of its own.

  “Well, I thought I’d seen everything, but this is new.” Emma’s drawled statement would have been hilarious if I wasn’t totally distracted by Daniel.

  As our eyes locked, I was astonished to see that his were now a rich, molten red. Swirling. Mesmerizing. “What is happening to me?” I asked him, my voice a deeper resonance than I had ever heard before. “The fire … it fills me with life.”

  Daniel shifted one hand underneath me, using his strength to hold me up against him. “You’re tied to the land of Imperial now. Fire is our specialty. We burn the dead and renew the souls.” As his voice vibrated with power, it sent my flames even higher. Along with the emotions in my heart.

  I love him.

  I might be a clueless, sheltered, naïve human, but there was no way I could deny the truth any longer. Daniel and me, we were a team. We had a bond that could not be broken. And I truly believed this had been decided on the day I was born in House of Imperial and assigned to be a secret keeper. I didn’t say those three words out loud, because it was too fast. We hadn’t known each other long, and I seriously didn’t want to freak him out.

  But I could admit it to myself. Finally.

  “We really have to go. Do you think you two could maybe quench that fire and pick this up later?” Lexen’s question sounded slightly amused and slightly intrigued. But it was enough to snap us out of our fire bubble.

  The moment we separated, I managed to contain the energy back to my center, where it simmered away happily. What a relief to know I could access the fire outside of the dark world in my head. To test myself, I brought it forth again, directing it to burn in my right hand. Five flames sprung up on the end of my fingertips, nothing else on my body alight.

  My wide eyes lifted to Daniel’s and a grin quirked up one corner of his mouth. “You learn quickly,” he said, dropping a kiss onto my forehead.

  A breathy sigh escaped me, and I knew I was turning into one of those girls. But seriously … love was the best feeling in the world. And also the scariest.

  My feelings gave him so much power over me and it was kind of terrifying.

  Before I could dwell on it too much and freak myself out even more, we were moving again, this time with urgency.

  13

  The trip out of the secret brainwashing facility took a few hours. I asked them lots of questions, learning about how they’d tracked me down. Laous had been easy to follow, apparently, until they reached the part of Imperial where the network cut off. After this, they’d searched the old-fashioned way.

  By the time they found me I had been in that tank for three days, the liquid keeping me alive, which was why I didn’t thirst or hunger. I was extremely lucky they got to me when
they did; my mind had been so fragile. Even now I still felt a little strung out, thoughts wispier than usual.

  When we finally reached the spot Daniel could call a transporter down to, I asked, “This tracker on Laous … is it a permanent thing?”

  Lexen shook his head. “No, it was designed similarly to those computer viruses you get on Earth. It lay in wait, and when triggered silently, attached itself to Laous’ energy, leaving behind a trail. We’ll only get one shot. The moment he knows someone is tracking him, he’ll be able to find and destroy the trace.”

  I didn’t pretend to understand how their network worked, but I liked that it was making it hard for Laous to stay under the radar.

  To call the transporter, Daniel planted his boots into the ground and I felt the buzz of fire power start to spread under his skin. There was a tingling in my feet, even through the soles of my shoes. Lights slowly appeared, one by one, intertwining with each other to form the familiar ball of a transporter. Daniel took my hand, Lexen took Emma’s, and then we stepped through, reappearing on the metal platform between the three lands.

  A group was already waiting there for us, gathered near the section with all the trees. I recognized a few of the Daelighters: Chase and Xander, along with Star, who was with two tall, dark-haired men who looked a lot like Lexen. Those five broke away from the main group and hurried toward us.

  Star threw her arms around me, letting out a happy cry. “They found you! Oh, my Heralda, I was so worried.” I returned her hug, allowing myself a moment to rejoice in the fact that there were people in my life to care about now.

  When we pulled away, a beautiful guy with crystalline blue eyes, dark hair streaked with gold, and a scar on his face – which only made him more devilishly handsome – stepped in front of me. He wore a perfectly-fitted dark blue suit, open-collar shirt, and shiny dress shoes. He looked like a billionaire playboy, which was only cemented when he opened his mouth.

  “Well, hello there, cupcake. Who do we have here?”

  Emma snorted. “Her name is Callie, not that I expect you will use it.”

  He winked at her before turning his attention back to me. He took my hand, holding it almost intimately. “Jero Darken at your service. I heard Daniel had tied himself to a delectable human, but I have to say, you should leave him immediately and join your soul to mine.”

  With a chuckle and shake of my head, I removed my hand from his. “Perfectly happy being an Imperial. Thanks for the offer though, Darken.” Then I mimicked the wink he’d given Emma.

  Jero threw his head back and laughed, before he straightened. “I really need to find a human of my own. You’re delightful.”

  If Emma rolled her eyes any harder, they’d literally be in the back of her head. “How about step one: remember their names. Step two: stop flirting with everything that breathes. Time to stop hiding the worthy Daelighter you are.”

  He just laughed again, crossing his arms. “I’m never changing for any woman, you know that.” He then spread his arms wide open. “Besides, the ladies love me just as I am.”

  Emma and I exchanged a look, but before we could laugh in his face, the other guy stepped forward. He was a little shorter than Jero but still taller than me. His face was very masculine, not pretty like his brothers, but there was no denying their similarities. Lexen was a brooding prince, Jero was refined and suave, and this new guy was ruggedly handsome.

  “I’m Marsil. It’s really nice to meet you, Callie.”

  We shook hands and I marveled at how calm he was. His tone, stance, and manner of speaking was miles from the uber-confident Jero.

  “They’re Lexen and Star’s brothers,” Emma explained, even though I’d already figured that out.

  “You’re all going in this hunting party?” I asked, looking between them.

  Everyone nodded, except Chase.

  “You as well?” I said to Star.

  She squared her shoulders. “Of course, I’m not letting my brothers go out there without me.”

  “Actually…” Marsil interrupted her, “I was thinking that maybe you and I could stay here and help guard the secret keepers. It’s just as important a job, maybe more important. We know Laous has multiple Daelighters working for him, so it’s critical we don’t let him get his hands on the girls again.”

  That reminded me of the skin-wearing weirdness, which I’d filled Lexen, Daniel, and Emma in on during our walk here. Who knew how many “suits” Laous had been growing. We’d all have to be careful of strangers.

  Star let out a sigh. “I know you’re guilting me into staying.”

  Marsil’s full lips twitched, but he shook his head. “I’m Lexen’s admiral major and should be protecting his back, but Father is going … along with all the other overlords. They’ll have plenty of power. It makes more sense for me to stay.”

  “I second this notion,” Lexen boomed from his spot, worried gaze locked on his sister.

  Star closed her eyes and scrunched her mouth up as she breathed in deeply. “Fine!” she snapped. “I know you’re overprotecting me again, but I do agree it’s important to keep the girls safe, so I’ll stay.”

  She stormed away then, stopping to speak with another tall, dark-haired man, who was clearly the daddy of the Darken clan. He looked just like his sons. They all had that same handsome, scary vibe. I wondered what Daniel’s parents had looked like, if he took after his mom or dad.

  I felt eyes on me and I twisted my head to the side. My heart jumped at the intensity on Daniel’s face, the sort of look he’d been shooting my way ever since he pulled me out of the tank. His eyes, which had always been sad, broken, and lost, seemed a little different now.

  “You won’t lose me,” I murmured, leaning closer to him.

  Daniel’s hands tangled in my messy hair, his thumbs caressing up and down my cheeks as we stared at each other. “Don’t get hurt or kidnapped again,” he finally said. “I won’t be able to control myself if you do. And I have a lot of power now that I am the overlord.”

  “I’ll keep her safe,” Marsil told him.

  Daniel briefly took his eyes off me to give Marsil a nod. “Thank you. If I’m not back soon, you’ll need to return Callie to House of Imperial. Her energy has to be recharged. Right now she’s fine, because we just came from there, and she has been with me, but I’m taking no chances with her.”

  “It will be done. Don’t worry about it,” Marsil said.

  I made a low, devastated sound. It slipped out before I could stop it. Daniel’s attention immediately returned to me. “You better come back to me,” I murmured fiercely.

  “I love you” died on the tip of my tongue again, but I hoped he could see it in my eyes. I’d never said those three words to anyone before, so it felt huge to say them now. And also … it wasn’t the right time. He’d think I was saying it because we were all about to be torn apart again and put in a dangerous situation. Which was definitely not the truth. For now, I’d just have to hope my eyes were telling him how strong my feelings were.

  “Come back to me,” I whispered again, and then there was a brief pause before he freed his fingers from my hair to cup my face. This time his kiss was gentle, and a burning started low in my body, but it was soon blazing like a thousand suns inside of me. We both kept it contained, not letting it creep onto our skin. When we pulled apart, my breathing was embarrassingly heavy.

  “I have to go,” he said, sounding more than a little annoyed. Next to us, Lexen and Emma were saying their goodbyes, while Jero hugged his sister.

  I didn’t like this. It reminded me of the old movies where the women and children sent their men off to war, movies where many of those men never returned. Sobs were building in my chest, but I would not fall apart. I knew Daniel was not doing this just for me – if that was the case, I would be handcuffing myself to him and probably hanging off his leg to make it extra difficult. But this was the same as when I had to walk out of the school … bigger than just one life. It was about saving the trea
ty that kept two worlds from being destroyed.

  I grabbed onto his shirt, tightening my fingers in the soft material so I could pull him closer to me. “Be careful,” I said, wishing that the million other things in my head could be said as easily.

  “I will.” He nodded to back up that statement. “If I get a chance, I’ll send a message to Marsil or Chase, but it’s quite hard to connect to Overworld from Earth. So don’t panic if you don’t hear from me.”

  Yeah, right. The chances of me not panicking while he was gone were pretty much zero.

  With a final brush against my cheek, Daniel turned to join Lexen and Jero. The three crossed to the main group going after Laous. Then they were gone in the transporter.

  I almost lost control of my fire power as my worry immediately went into overdrive, but the thought of possibly hurting one of the people around me was enough to halt my flames and give me a sliver of control. I could be strong while Daniel was gone. I would be strong.

  Chase stepped closer to us; I had to crane my neck to see his face clearly. He was at least as tall as Daniel, his face billboard advertisement material: perfect bone structure, dark exotic slant to his eyes – which were the color of shimmery green glass, flawless skin in a mix of dark and light … brown, with a slight shimmer.

  I thought he was the most “otherworldly” of the four overlord best friends … too beautifully exotic to be real.

  “Are you ready to explore the land of Leights?” he asked, a smooth, accented lilt to his words. Holy gods, if I didn’t have Daniel to compare him to, I’d think Chase was the sexiest guy I’d ever seen. Okay, Lexen as well. There was no denying the four overlord best friends were total heartbreakers, but I preferred the one my soul was tied to. The darkness he carried didn’t bother me – it matched my own. The rugged beauty he wore so effortlessly had my body craving him. And more importantly, his care and consideration toward me … from pretty much the first moment we met … was why I considered myself truly blessed.

  Come back to me, Daniel.