by H. M. Ward
When he released his hand from her mouth, Natalia smiled at him with blood-stained lips. Woozy, she leaned back in his arms. She sounded drunk, slurring her words softly. “I didn’t paint the whole thing, you know. There’s part missing...” her words drifted off as her eyelids drooped.
Eric pushed her hair out of her face, asking, “What part is missing?”
“The goddess dies. Her blood runs deep, and spills far. That’s why you’re covered in blood. That’s why I covered that half. It’s not happened yet, and I don’t want it to.” Her eyelids lowered, though she fought to hold them open. She’d tried not to swallow, but she did. His blood was odd and slid down her throat with an intense heat that erupted inside her body, making her feel instantly intoxicated.
Eric didn’t expect this reaction. It gave no clues to her origins, but it did confirm that she was human. He thought she was babbling. “What goddess, Natalia?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know her name, but she knows yours. She called to you, calls to you now, but you ignore her—the blue ghost locked in darkness.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Natalia bent over, pulling on a boot. She was pissed. “You drugged me, Eric. You fucking drugged me!” She jumped up, ready to storm out.
She wasn’t what he thought. He didn’t know what she was. His blood healed her foot, but couldn’t compel her. Normally, demon blood could compel, but it didn’t work with her. If the blood formed a connection between them, she was able to override it.
Eric moved in front of her, blocking her exit. “I healed you! It wasn’t like that.” She gazed at him, and he said again, “It wasn’t like that.” Natalia was still angry, her eyes seething.
“Then give me your hand.” She held out her palm, waiting for him to comply. When he hesitated, she started to turn away.
“Fine,” Eric thrust his hand out to her, stopping her from leaving. He knew he should have let her leave, but something wasn’t normal about her. He didn’t want her to leave his sight until he figured her out.
Natalia took his hand, rubbing his palm with her thumbs. She placed one thumb over his, feeling his pulse. It quickened when he looked at her. This would tell her if she acted on her desires. God, if she slept with him she couldn’t look at herself again. All these years would be wasted. Every attempt she made to be better than the man who killed her mother would be wasted. She couldn’t stand the thought of him touching her, not because she didn’t want it, but because she couldn’t.
Gazing into his eyes, she asked, “Did you drug me?”
“No.” Eric was exasperated. He could have done anything. She babbled until she passed out. It was the strangest reaction to his blood that he’d ever seen. “I didn’t drug you. It was blood. You reacted differently, and passed out. I didn’t touch you.”
Natalia’s gaze was cold. “Rephrase, Eric No-Name. This is your last chance. Did you touch me?” Her body was tense, shaking. She had no recollection of last night, no memories of Eric beyond swallowing the blood as he forced his hand over her mouth. The world became hazy and there was nothing after that.
Not knowing what she said made her uneasy. Having no idea if Eric touched her made it worse. What if he…? What if she… ? Natalia shook, pressing her fingers tightly into his hand, looking for the truth, not caring if he realized what she was. Watching the little vein in his hand, carefully, she hoped to God that he didn’t kiss her—not while she was sleeping—the effects would ruin everything she planned.
Eric assumed she thought he really drugged her, and molested her in her sleep. Part of him was offended, but he understood. At least he thought he did. If the girl had no memories, it was no wonder why she was angry. His lips parted, searching for the right words. Natalia’s head tipped to the side, more rage pooling within her eyes every second.
He sighed, speaking softly, “I touched your foot. I felt the skin on your leg when it healed. I felt your body lean into mine as you slept.”
“And...” she knew there was more. She could sense it. His pulse quickened, she could feel it. She learned that she could tell if people were lying by touching their hand, feeling their pulse respond to her touch, her voice. And Eric was lying, she was certain.
Eric looked away, breathing deep. “And I held you longer than I should have. I wrapped my arms around you, as you slept in the nightmare room.” He ripped his hand away from her, ignoring the confusion on her face. Or surprise. Whatever it was he didn’t care. He didn’t have to explain himself to her.
Her tone changed, softening, “Why?” she asked. Her heart lurched. He held her?
Eric could feel her eyes on the side of his face. The muscle in his jaw tightened. He turned to her, “Why do I do anything, Nat? It doesn’t matter, okay. Just let it go.” But she didn’t let it go. She never let anything go.
The corners of her mouth lifted. The rest of her fear melted away. He held her. Eric acted like a schoolboy with a crush and held her all night. His golden eyes wouldn’t look at her, like he was ashamed of his pure actions. It was so sweet, and so unlike him that she couldn’t help but grin.
She stepped in front of him, trying to catch his eye. “You’re a little conflicted, Eric. One day you hate me, the next day you smell my hair while I sleep…” She watched him, with a mischievous smile on her face.
There was no way she knew what she did to him. Eric tried not to smile, and pressed his lips into a thin line. Natalia knew that expression—that face Eric made when he was happy and tried to hide it. It was rare and for a moment she forgot why she was there and reveled in it.
She continued, light and playful, asking, “Which boy do I have today? The nasty one? Or the creepy one?”
He laughed. He couldn’t help it. The smile stretched across his face making him look more beautiful than he already was. His rich amber eyes glanced up at her, “Probably both.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
After leaving Natalia to grab something to eat, Eric retrieved his book. The ancient tome was hidden in the shattered house because he knew it was safe there. That was the same reason why he left the girl here. There was information that was in his book, something he had to know before he went after his next target. There was a connection, something he didn’t really remember and he wanted to read his notes to be sure.
The book was hidden in a steel box deep within the rubble. Normally he wouldn’t have pulled it out when the girl was awake, but he didn’t see what harm it could do. No one was able to read it, save him. Getting to the book was difficult, even for Eric, but he managed. When he emerged, he was covered in dust and debris. Eric pulled his shirt over his head, and shook it out. Rumpling his golden-brown hair, he pushed it away from his face. His hair had grown quite a bit, and kept falling into his eyes. He’d have to cut it soon.
Sitting on the floor at the foot of Natalia’s bed, Eric stared at the painting on the wall. Half his face stared back. It bothered him that she saw him so clearly. And the cryptic words she said last night about the blue ghost concerned him.
There was only one blue ghost that could be described as a goddess, and he’d never kill her. Ivy meant too much to him, even though his actions indicated something else. Eric tried to force Natalia’s words from his mind, but they wouldn’t fall silent. Ivy had sent for him, and he defied her.
It was only a matter of time, now. He had to finish what he started, but watching Natalia laying still, breathing steadily in his arms all night—it made him realize how much he wanted her. It wasn’t just her sharp wit, and her beauty. It was her. His affection for Ivy hid his feelings for Natalia, and they had gone unnoticed. Or maybe something changed. He didn’t know what it was, but he wished things were different. He wanted to care for her, be soft and kind to her. That girl had such a hard life, and he knew he was the only person in the world that cared for her. Natalia was like him in that way, she pushed everyone away. She was a loner.
“What’s that?” Natalia stood in the door way chewing on something that resembled food
. The curves of her form filled Eric’s mind with impure thoughts. Her eyes slid over Eric’s bare chest, then glancing at his shirt on the floor. Natalia took another bite, pretending not to be fazed seeing him there shirtless.
Eric answered, “Nothing. Just notes.” He lowered his head, ignoring the way Natalia looked at him.
“Yeah. Sure. That’s why you got all scratched up going to get it.” She huffed, pushing herself off the door frame and entered the room. Her long legs stopped, standing next to Eric.
She looked down, inky hair spilling over her shoulders. Her heart leaped in her chest. Holy fuck! Is that the book? It can’t be!
But it was, and he took it out in front of her. It felt like someone was choking her, but she couldn’t step away. If Eric had that book—if that was thee book—then he was the one she’d been looking for. She felt sick, happy, and afraid all at the same time. Natalia shoved the feelings away before Eric noticed.
Sounding nonchalant, she edged closer, gazing at the book and read over his shoulder. Dread pooled in her stomach. She wasn’t sure if it was the book, and there was no way to know without taking it from him.
Without thinking she asked, “What’s the Tribunal?” Before she could take another bite of her protein bar, Eric slammed the book shut and rounded on her.
Eye to eye they stood, Eric with the book tucked under his arm. “Where’d you hear that word?”
Natalia looked at him like he was crazy, “In the book. It said something about the Tribunal of Martis. Sorry, I didn’t realize you didn’t want me to see.” She held up her hands, and started to back away. Her eyes locked on his. Did he believe she was harmless? Why did he think she wouldn’t be able to read it? Natalia didn’t know what she had done, but she wanted that book. It would tell her everything. And it would destroy her relationship with Eric, but she had to know the truth.
Eric was already intrigued. The idea that someone could read his book was wonderful and horrible at the same time. Did she really read his notes? Natalia’s eyes drifted from Eric’s face, lingering on his smooth chest. When Eric caught her staring, she met his gaze defiantly—as if challenging him. So he did. Eric cracked the book open to a random page, and tossed it on her bed. “Read it.”
Natalia stepped forward, her shoulder brushing against Eric’s chest as she passed. He fought the urges that exploded inside of him at her touch. Her voice was confident as she read from the page. “The realms are ruled by three beings. The Underworld is governed by a powerful demon,” she glanced at him, “there’s a notation of species—that’s the closest word in English—is unknown. The drawing next to it is of a half-naked girl and says it’s a prophecy of thirteen. The Middleground is filled with humans, Martis and Valefar,” Her eyebrows rose as she spoke these words, as if she didn’t believe what she was reading, “the Heavens are the angel’s realm. Notation of governess is a name I can’t pronounce. And the leader of the Middleground says,” she paused, leaning closer to the book, “unknown.” She turned back to him. It felt like her mouth was filled with sand. This was the book, but the way Eric was looking at her, she knew she did something wrong.
Eric’s eyes were wide, watching her like he’d never seen her before. “Who are you?”
Natalia laughed, not taking his question seriously despite the shock on his face. “The same messed up girl I was yesterday—except this psycho fed me some demon blood last night. That might have had...” but she didn’t finish.
Eric moved toward her swiftly, stopping in front of her without touching her. “No one can read that. No one has ever been able to pick that up and read it,” Eric said. Natalia just shrugged, acting like it was no big deal, but to him it was. He took a step toward her. She slid her foot back. For every question, he took another step forward. “Who are you? How can you see through me? How can you decipher codes in languages that are dead? What the hell are you?”
Natalia’s back hit the wall, the wall with Eric painted on it. Meanwhile, the real Eric was standing in front of her shirtless, pressing her back with no way to escape. Her heart hammered in her ears. He figured her out. That had to be it. Natalia tried to act calm, her icy blue eyes met Eric’s, “Don’t look at me like you don’t know me. I’ve been like this the entire time. It’s not my fault you just noticed.” As she spoke her lips were nearly touching his.
Eric leaned closer, watching her answer, searching for lies but not finding any. “You’re human?”
Her voice was barely a breath, “Yes,” she lied. Her cool blue gaze locked with his. He believed her, she could feel it. But there was more, he knew there was more to her than that, then being mortal.
“Tell me what you see.” His eyes were locked on hers. The icy blue shallows melted as he watched her. He wasn’t sure what happened, but he had known what she saw in him. The paintings on the walls said that she could see past the surface and into his soul. No one saw the Omen and lived, but Natalia was alive. Maybe she was an anomaly. Maybe she could survive Eric, too. Then there wouldn’t be a reason to complete his plan. He felt safe around her, like the part of him that he feared most was muted. Natalia must have seen it in him. Desperation coursed through his veins. He had to know what she saw. All of it. She had to tell him.
His question threw her off balance. He still didn’t suspect her. Instead he went down another path, one that she didn’t want to walk. “You don’t want me to answer that, Eric. I...” but he cut her off, slamming his hands on either side of her head. She didn’t flinch, or cower. Natalia wasn’t afraid of him. She never was. He didn’t understand why.
“Tell me,” he growled, trying to evoke the demon blood, but finding he couldn’t. He pressed his forehead to hers. She had sight—visions of the future. That had to be it. She was a mortal that was touched and could see fragments of what was to come. Could she see him? Did she know his fate? “Tell me,” he repeated, gently, near pleading with her.
“Eric,” she whispered his name, pushing back a little, taking his face in her hands. Feelings warred within her. She wanted to taste his lips, but she was certain she found her mark, and it was Eric. He’d die at her hand, and yet, she couldn’t stop holding his face, feeling his smooth skin between her palms.
Eric began to pull away when she didn’t speak, but she held him in place, finally saying, “I see you…” Her hands were splayed on the sides of his face, his lips a breath from hers. “I see the remnants of a good man. I see the darkness that’s consuming him so quickly that he’s drowning in it. I see him fighting, trying to keep his head above the waterline, trying to save himself, but he can’t. He revels in pain and lusts for women who fear him. He’s cruel and bitter. He’s twisting into something evil, something I can’t see yet. He shies away from compassion. He alienates those who care about him. He leans toward the depths of darkness that he’s about to fall into, never to rise again. We are all made of light and dark, Eric, but your light is nearly gone—and soon it will vanish.”
His scent filled her head as she spoke, saying words that broke her heart. Eric’s golden eyes didn’t leave hers. His lips remained parted like he wanted to contest what she said, but he remained silent. Natalia continued, looking at him from beneath dark lashes, not wanting to say it—but something compelled her to finish, “It’s like there’s darkness where your soul should be. I see through you, like you’re a sheet of glass, but there are places that have blackened and become opaque. Soon all of you will be like that—dark. Evil.” She blinked, glancing down. “That’s what I see… ”
Golden eyes stared back at her as she spoke. Each word felt like a knife in his heart. Eric wanted to tear away from her. He wanted to make her stop speaking, but he didn’t. Instead he listened to this woman describe the monster that stood in front of her. She knew he could sense fear, that it made him lust. And yet, she stood there, talking to him like he was anyone else. She said that parts of him were blackened, that she couldn’t see into him fully. Did she know what he was? What he was capable of?
“Ho
w much do you know?” he asked. “Can you see what I really am? What I’ve done?”
“What does it matter?” she replied, gazing into his eyes, feeling the curve of his chest against her body as she leaned closer. Her mind was caving in, allowing her body to speak for her. The connection she felt to him overrode every other thought in her head. His lips were so close. One taste. One kiss. What harm could it do? She leaned closer, her lips so close to his mouth that she could feel his breath. “We’re more alike than you realize, Eric Masterson, you just don’t see it yet.”
Eric was enthralled with Natalia. He wanted her, and she wasn’t resisting him anymore. The way she spoke, the way she moved her body, pressing it into his made him know her intentions. But, when she said his name it shattered the moment, yanking him back like a slap in the face. He snatched her hands away from his face, slamming them above her, into the wall. “How do you know my name?” He pushed so hard that she screamed. It felt like the bone was cracking beneath his palm. The weight of his body was crushing her.
Natalia had no idea why it mattered. Who cared what his name was? She was spewing out the answer before he snapped her wrists. “The book! It was in the book! Your name was in the book!”
Eric could feel her fear course through her body in full force. Finally. It bubbled out of her stomach, twisting into every inch of her body. It was intoxicating, filling his mind, pulling him farther and farther away from who he wanted to be. His hands could slip over her throat, and silence her. Terror pulsated through her body, steadily increasing with every heartbeat. Eric couldn’t move. His instincts were at war with his mind. His hands were moving to crush her throat, his head telling him to release her. It was her fear, it was so thick. He couldn’t stop. He could barely speak, “Fight me off.”