Dreamscape Netherworld Book I

by Christie Rich

  One by one they pop off me, their hazy shapes twisting and writhing. They offer the faces of angels for a moment before the images morph into the evil they propagate. Then they explode into tiny particles of ash that cling to my skin.

  Sadness fills me.

  We slam into the barrier and water, not lava, surrounds me.

  I’m so spent I can’t even think about taking a breath. It doesn’t even matter if I breathe here anyway. I smile, letting the water fill my lungs. Here, I’m part mermaid. Seth has me in his arms and that is enough for me right now.

  An apparition floats nearer, the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. She smiles at me, her amber eyes sparkling. I smile back before she scrapes her nail down my arm, drawing a thin line of blood that floats through the water like wisps of sunset. Part of me wants to get angry, but I’m grateful that I can feel levels of pain again instead of the agony associated with Eros. When I nod at her, she frowns before she swims away. Others of her kind blink at me, offering smiles that one by one turn to frowns.

  I can’t quite decide what these creatures are, but they let us pass. Seth yanks me out of the water and pounds my back until I expel liquid from my lungs.

  His hands roam over me, his fingers brushing the newly formed cut on my arm. It vanishes under his touch, not a single trace of it remaining.

  Just when I think he’s going to hug me, I smile at him. He shakes me instead, making my vision blur and my head throb. “What were you thinking, Amelia?”

  I swat his hands away. “Knock it off!” His face blurs to black and comes into focus again. “Yell at me later. Right now I need a nap.”

  Maybell chuckles and Ian does too. Kelsby lies against the grass, inhaling giant gulps of air, his gangly legs folded underneath him like a spider. I hope he’s okay. I’m just glad he’s with us. He’s safe. I don’t care if Seth is mad at me. I did what I needed to do.

  Seth pulls me against his chest, pressing his hand into my hair. His body trembles against mine, and I don’t want to look at him. I don’t want to see his disappointment. He made me promise I’d listen to him and I didn’t.

  “Shh,” he croons over and over and it is only then I realize I’m crying. “It’s the aftereffects of being in their thrall. It will subside in a few hours.”

  I don’t want to cry for hours, especially since this is a time for celebrating, I think. Yeah, we didn’t get to destroy the world those Eros inhabited, but we can go back with more ammo and finish the job.

  I nod, trying to sit up, but Seth won’t release me. After a couple of tries, I relax against him. I freaked him out, and I’m sure I’m going to hear about it, but he should know me by now.

  Maybell’s face comes into view; her bright skin has taken on a pallid undertone that worries me, but her expression is nothing but excited. She clasps my hand. “You are the most amazing human I’ve ever met. I just knew you were the one we’ve been searching for.”

  I narrow my eyes at her. I’m probably the only human she’s ever really met, but that’s beside the point. “What do you mean?”

  Her gaze darts to Seth and back at me in a nanosecond. “We’ll talk about it later, sweetie. Good job in there. I’ve never seen the likes of you, and that’s a good thing.” She pats my shoulder once and helps Seth haul me to my feet. I’m still a little wobbly, but I manage to keep myself upright.

  Kelsby’s up too. He ambles toward me, his steps unsure, but his face beams relief mixed with excitement. Once he’s near to me, the others back away to give him some room. He squashes me to him, nearly suffocating me in the process. It isn’t that Kelsby is fat. He’s solid, but whatever he’s made of moves around like jelly.

  He gives a hearty thump to my back. “Thank you, my dear girl. I was done for. If it weren’t for you those miscreants would have me back at their base.” He shrugs. “They may have just devoured me until I was no more.” His expression softens and I almost think it’s with regret, but then he smiles. “Next time, you may have any rifle in stock. We could probably retrofit a cannon if you’ve the notion.”

  I laugh. I can’t help it. He hasn’t said sorry and I’m pretty sure he won’t. It’s okay, though. Justine told me men value pride above just about anything, and I have no intention of embarrassing him. “I’m holding you to it.” I glance around at the lot of them. “I’ve got witnesses.”

  He laughs and the others join in until Zed reminds us we need to regroup back at headquarters. I still don’t know who the other guy is, but I don’t have the strength to care at the moment.

  Seth helps me along. I’m a bit surprised that he hasn’t picked me up yet, but he’s patiently standing by my side, supporting me when my knees buckle a bit.

  I smile up at him and am surprised to see light dancing in his blue eyes. For a moment everything melts away until he and I are the only things in existence. He leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead.

  “You’re not mad at me?” I ask.

  “You just saved a member of my team, Amelia, and single-handedly destroyed an Eros army. What have I to complain about?”

  A grin takes over my face. “It’s about time you admit how awesome I am.”

  He tucks his finger under my chin and lifts my face to his. “And don’t forget humble.”

  I laugh as our lips touch, but pretty soon I forget everything and everyone while enjoying this moment with him. We have much to discuss and plan, but it will keep. Right now, I’m in no hurry to go anywhere.

  Footsteps fade into the distance. Ian calls back to us. “Don’t stay here too long. We’ll be waiting.”

  Seth grunts, waiving a hand in dismissal. I chuckle until he pulls me down to the grass and stares at me, his eyes filled with raw desire.

  My stomach tumbles into butterflies. I reach up and touch his cheek, feathering my fingers over his stubble. My heart thrums against my chest as I brush my lips against his again. A familiar bubble of happiness bounces around inside me. This moment couldn’t get any more perfect, except I suddenly have a strange desire to go for a swim.

  Seth smiles, his lips no longer yielding under mine. “That can be arranged.” He glances over at the pool only feet away from us and he frowns. “But not here.”

  I’ve nearly forgotten the nymphs, but one glance at the water brings back their strange pull and their desire for dark emotions. They don’t seem much different than the Eros, really, but what do I know. I still have so much to learn.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” says Seth, pulling me to my feet.

  “What?” I ask.

  “I know that look. Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  He grins. “Somewhere we can be alone. I’m not going to start a discussion with you right now.”

  “Is that so?” I say, pushing against his chest to back away.

  He cocks his head to the side. “Just shut up and hang on.”

  We’re through the nearest portal within seconds. I can hardly think as he bounces us from place to place until we stand in front of a familiar pool. The mist from the waterfall covers my skin with pearlescent dots.

  I smile and shake my head at him. “You have a one-track mind.”

  He folds his arms around me, pulling me close. “I am a guy.” His eyebrows pump playfully as he stares at my lips. “Fancy a swim?”

  “I don’t have a suit,” I tell him.

  He grins. “That never stopped you before.”

  That was when I knew I was dreaming. Technically I still am dreaming, so I slip out of my leather and boots and toss them onto a rock.

  He eyes my underwear, but I dive into the pool before he can catch me.

  “Tease,” he says, diving in after me.

  When his arms come around me, I clasp my hands at his neck. “Just like old times.”

  His laughter cuts through the splattering of the waterfall. “I sure hope so.”

  “You keep talking, I’m going to wake up from boredom.”

  “Boredom?” he says, feigning offenc
e.

  “Shut up and kiss me, already,” I tell him, shaking my head.

  His hand slides along my spine up into my hair. He angles my face close to his. My breath catches in my throat while my skin tingles from the chill of the water and the heat of his skin against mine. “I have every intention to—”

  Having had enough of his chitchat, I make my move, crashing our lips together. He yields to me, but soon he’s leading. Somehow, I don’t mind so much.

  Peter sits across from me, avoiding my gaze, as usual. I don’t believe he has ever seen my office since I remodeled. Is he so angry at me, he hasn’t noticed? Perhaps he doesn’t care. I have much explaining to do where Amelia is concerned.

  I’d rather be with Amelia than here with my brothers, but she is resting. She needs time to recover, and I need answers as well. I glance at Peter again. He ignores me. How many centuries he will take to forgive me is up for debate. I’ve told him I was sorry every time we’ve seen each other since I gave in to temptation and stole his recruit right out from under him. He may have found her, but she became my mark after one look. It was the beginning of the Oneiroi fall into darkness.

  I wasn’t the only one of my brothers who went after Rhea, but I was the one that caught her first. She was mysticism wrapped in a beauty the likes of which I had never encountered. That should have been reason enough to avoid her, but she latched on to most of us at one point or another. No one had an inkling what she was doing.

  Her purity only came into question when she trapped me in my realm. It had been a place of safety and sanctuary for my people and our recruits from before Earth was targeted by Eros—before they used Rhea to turn Oneiroi one by one into the Erobos that have nearly succeeded in eradicating our race. She was our first Orphic. Somehow, she was able to conceal the darkness within her, and only presented the light we craved.

  We had no idea Volos had recruited her first. She wove a web of destruction from the moment she entered the Dreamscape until the moment she slunk into the Metaspace with the monsters she created. Daegan was her champion, but I somehow doubt he was the prize she sought. Although Volos is a monster, he can take any form. His thrall is legendary. No one has escaped him, yet that does not lessen Rhea’s betrayal.

  Oneiroi are careful when choosing a mate. Knowing one has eternity to find a partner does not make for hasty decisions, but now, the risk is greater. Despite the earlier mission, Peter has not had occasion to meet Amelia. Perhaps he should never meet her. Further dissention would prove fatal to my race, and I am not in a sharing mood, especially after Rhea.

  Zed is the first to break the silence. “The Sibylline—”

  I cut him off. “Orphic.”

  Zed frowns. “They were eliminated.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” says Ian. “This will sound odd, but once again, I am in agreement with Seth.”

  If he means to boost my confidence, he does not succeed.

  Zed turns to Peter. “What do you think?”

  Peter keeps his face lowered. Even his voice holds no emotion. “What I think has no bearing here. Facts remain despite opinion. The man was possessed with thousands of Eros. No Sibylline could withstand that level of darkness.”

  My eyes roam to the monitor that keeps track of Amelia. All I desire to do is return to my realm. To capture her warmth in my arms and never let her go.

  Peter continues, pulling my attention once again, “Speaking of Sibyllines, what happened back there with yours?”

  I shrug. “She is full of light. It is the only explanation.”

  He stands, pacing behind Ian and Zed. “There is rarely only one explanation.”

  My jaw clenches. “She’s not Orphic.”

  “How would you know?” asks Zed, making me want to punch him for giving Peter more fuel.

  Ian growls. “Bickering over Amelia will get us nowhere. She accomplished an amazing feat, no one else has managed, I might add. Speculating about her origins will only aid the Erobos. We need to shelter her, bring her into our fold, not point speculative fingers.”

  I grin at him. “Thank you, Ian.”

  He narrows his eyes at me. “You should have told us about her.”

  I lift my hands in acknowledgement. “I am sorry. I was worried how some of you would react. When I found her world, I discovered an oasis. Every time I visited her, I was energized. She has kept me balanced for a few years now. It wasn’t until recently that I made the decision to recruit her.”

  Peter stops his pacing and leans across his vacated chair. “I thought we had agreed recruits were out of the question until the Erobos are handled, now two of you have them.”

  “I believe our decision premature. Olivia is a godsend,” says Zed.

  I stare at Peter, wondering how his mood shifted so quickly. “I don’t need your permission to acquire a recruit.”

  His head shakes while his fists bunch. I’ve never seen him so volatile. “I should have never come here. It is a waste of my efforts.”

  Zed shifts in his seat. “Speaking of your efforts, you have not reported on your region in a while.”

  He hasn’t? Why hasn’t Zed told me this?

  Peter pales. “This is not about me.”

  Three heads snap his way.

  “What has happened, brother?” asks Zed.

  Peter takes his chair. His features have fallen, which cannot be good. He will not look a single one of us in the eye. When he speaks, I can hardly believe what he says. “I may be compromised. I don’t remember much of the last hour.”

  Ian leaps to his feet, pulling his blades. Zed too, rises. It takes me a moment to understand what is happening.

  I pull my blade, regret rising up my throat. This is absurd. We must have heard him wrong. He couldn’t have brought Eros into headquarters. That would be unthinkable.

  As if in answer to my spiraling thoughts, he lifts his head and smiles. His eyes swirl with the darkness inside.

  We have fail safes for a reason. How did he make it past the nymphs?

  Horror clouds my mind. He didn’t make it past the nymphs. He must have used the Erobos portal.

  With no time to think further, I rush my brother, only hoping we can contain him in my office. None of us desires to harm Peter, but each of us stabs him in turn.

  A laugh rings from his mouth, haunting and violent. The monitors flicker then extinguish, plunging the room and my mind into darkness.

  I’d like to thank a few amazing people for helping me with Dreamscape. This is by no means a complete list, but these are the people that have touched my life and made my journey as a writer better and easier.

  To Terri, Misty, Krystle, Karla, and Nancy for being the best beta readers in the world. Thank you for your support and believing in me. Terri, you have blessed my life with your insights. Nancy, you are a true friend and I am thankful for you. Thank you for teaching me and helping me traverse this difficult road.

  To all the readers and bloggers who have taken the time to share my books with your friends and family, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are the reason I am where I am right now. Every time you share your honest review, it helps spread the word about my books.

  To my creator for sending me such a rich life full of blessings and pain. I am thankful for all my experiences, for I would not be who I am without them.

  Christie Rich lives in a small town in Northern Utah with her husband, two kids, spastic dog that thinks she’s a horse, and two lazy cats. Christie loves to be creative. Whether writing, painting, or exploring something new, she spends the majority of her free time unlocking the creations inside of her.

  How to Contact Christie Rich (I love hearing from readers):

  Blog: https://christierich.blogspot.com/

  Email: authorchristierich@gmail.com

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorchristier

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Christie-Rich/214197338637188

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show
/5147170.Christie_Rich

  Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/christielrich/

  Other books by Christie Rich:

  Five (Elemental Enmity Book I)

  Dark Matter (Elemental Enmity Book II)

  Genesis (Elemental Enmity Book III)

  Horizon (Elemental Enmity Book IV)

  I hope you enjoyed reading Dreamscape as much as I enjoyed writing it. As an independent author, getting the word out about my book is vital to its success, so if you liked Dreamscape please consider telling your friends and writing a review at the store where you purchased it. I appreciate your support.

  If you would like to be contacted when I release a new book please send an email to authorchristierich@gmail.com with New Releases in the title and I will add you to my New Releases list. You will only be contacted when I have a new book out.

  If you are like me you read much faster than your favorite authors can write. I honestly wish I could release a book a day, but alas, the writing process is much more time consuming than the reading process, lol.

  I thought you might like to know some of the authors I’ve read lately that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Here they are in no particular order.

  Nancy Straight—her Touched Series is one of the most original I’ve encountered. Blood Debt is the first book and I had to finish that book! I even took it grocery shopping with me. I think the other customers thought I was insane when I yelled, “No way!” right in the middle of the frozen section. The Centaurs in this series are gentlemen and they are hot. What more could you want? Oh, how about a free book? Meeting Destiny from her Destiny Series is free for download. That was a great series, too, but I love the Touched Series more.

  Helen Boswell—I’m reading Mythology right now, and it has me glued to the pages. I love her concept of Angels, which she calls guardians, and Demons. This is a refreshing read that hasn’t let me down yet.

  CJ Archer—Holy crow, I love this woman’s writing. I read her Emily Chambers Spirit Medium Trilogy. The first book in the series is free. The minute I started reading I was pulled into the story. Miss Archer writes both YA and Adult regency romances that seem to always have a bit of the paranormal in them.