Dreamscape (5 page)

I step away, tempted to check for myself. Then I realize
she is not being literal. “As I said before, you are welcome to try,” I say,
walking back into my room.

My blood is pumping so fast I have to calm myself down or I
will do something I will definitely regret. Her frantic emotions have caused a
storm in me. I need to focus on the light or I will be overcome.

No matter what I can’t let her see me like this, so I close
the door behind me. She will find me when she is finished throwing her tantrum.
So much for avoiding complications. I had hoped to have her ready within a few
days, but I see now it will take far longer. Until she comes to accept her fate,
training her will be futile, and taking her into the Dreamscape will be too
dangerous.

A keening wail reaches my ears. Her frustration slices my
gut in two.

I’ve done this to her.
I’ve
taken away her life. I
can expect nothing less from her, yet anger charters a trip through my veins.

What did I expect? That she’d be grateful for a place to
live and food to eat? That she’d learn to enjoy my company again? I remind
myself that she only needs time to adjust. She hasn’t even been here a full
day, and I am expecting her to accept this life.

As much as I’d like to, I cannot allow myself to pity her.
She had no life before I took her. She
should
be grateful. A sigh
escapes my lungs.

Baltek nuzzles my hand with his wet nose. I pat his head,
wishing I could ignore Amelia’s cries. No doubt she has found her flight
attempts futile, once again. Her screaming might cut a hole in my resolve if
I’m not careful.

A clattering in the hall startles me. What has she done
now? I cannot allow her to hurt herself. I fling the door out of the way and am
in the hallway before she can yank another sconce off the wall.

She whirls around, her eyes widening when they meet mine.
Unbelievably, she throws herself onto the discarded candelabra before she
brandishes it in front of her like a sword. “Stay away from me!” she demands in
a hoarse voice.

No small miracle she still has a voice with all the
screaming she’s done. Hot wax clings to her flesh. It has to hurt; however, her
eyes are feral and her body shaking so much she probably hasn’t noticed.

“Amelia,” I whisper. “Calm down.”

“Don’t you tell me to calm down, you sadistic freak! What
did you give me? I’m hallucinating, right? This can’t be real. This can’t be
real!”

My instincts tell me to show her just how real
this
is, but I slow the rushing blood in my veins. “I know how frightening this must
be for you,” I say. “Please, come back inside.”

She shakes her head. “What’s the point in having a hallway
if it doesn’t go anywhere?”

I’ve asked myself the same question more times than she
could count. Unfortunately, I still do not have an answer. With cautious
movements, I raise my hand toward her. “Please, Amelia. Come back inside. We’ll
talk.”

“And what else?” she hisses at me.

Her insinuation rankles my mind. I have done nothing to
make her think I would take advantage of her, yet here she stands, accusing me
of being a lecher. I shake my head. “I will not harm you. I make a solemn vow
to never harm you.”

Her tongue flits out and slides along her bottom lip. I
close my eyes against the image. She should not do such things. She has no idea
how much she affects me. Hoping she will follow me, I swallow and turn away
from her, away from my desires to take what I have craved for so long.

The candlestick twangs against the cobbles before her sobs
fill the space. I’ve never hated myself more than I do in this moment.

She doesn’t even protest when I pick her up and carry her
into her room. Baltek moans at me as I walk by. I give him a silent command,
and he takes his place on the rug. I’ve neglected him today. I’ll have to make
it up to him later.

Amelia sobs into my shoulder, and I want nothing more than
to hold her for the rest of eternity, yet I have to let her go.

I lay her down gently, and she curls into a ball. I’ve been
expecting this reaction from her; I just never thought it would cut so deep.
“Rest well, sweet one. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Before I make it out
the door, I turn back to her. She doesn’t respond, but I’m quite sure she’s
listening to my every breath. “And Amelia, you may ask me any question you
like, but know this: I will always tell you the truth.”

I cry for hours or days; maybe it’s been years. I don’t
know.

What I do know is that I have to stop. I have to think.
Being irrational won’t get me out of this place.

Seth was so gentle with me, too gentle. A tremble shoots
through me at the thought. I don’t know a thing about him, and it’s beginning
to scare me more than I want it to.

I’m not quite awake, but no matter what I do I can’t fall
asleep, not with him so close.

Unsettled, I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling. My
stomach aches from crying and my eyes throb to the beat of my pulse, and yet
all I can think about is him. It’s as if every part of me is aware of him, even
though he’s sitting in the next room.

My fingers ball up and I pound the mattress. I blew it. I
totally had things under control until I had to go and let my inner wimp
convince me that I was long overdue for a tantrum.

Maybe I was.

But as I lay here in the candlelit room, I’m convinced the
only way I will ever get out is to go with the flow. He needs me to find a key.
It’s not much of a surprise. I’m good at finding things. Justine used to lose
her keys a lot. All she had to do was call me and it was like I could see where
they were in my mind. They were always were I said they’d be. If Seth needs me
to find a key, it shouldn’t be a problem.

The only problem is I can’t seem to make myself get up,
because once I do, I’ll have to talk to him. I’ll have to look into his
entrancing eyes and hope I can clean up the mess I’ve made. With any luck, I’ll
figure out what’s going on.

I meander toward the door but stop when I notice my
reflection in the mirror. Someone unrecognizable stares back at me. I’ve dealt
with pain. I’ve dealt with heartache, but I’ve never been this lonely…this
isolated.

I’m sure that’s what he wants me to feel. Too bad for him,
I’m no wilting rose. Justine taught me to be strong, and I’m not about to cower
in this room for days or weeks when I can still function. I’m gonna see what
his deal is one way or another, but he’d better watch out. This rattler is
ready to strike.

I shake my head at my reflection. Big talker, I tell
myself, wondering what I did to get into this predicament. For years I’ve
prided myself on being hyperaware of everything around me, yet I never noticed
him. Not once.

There’s no way I’ve ever seen him before. I would have
recognized someone as hot as he is, so my only conclusion can be that he is
pretty good at stalking. Another shiver slices through me.

Why’d he have to be so nutso anyway? The thing is—how am I
going to get his guard down without chumming up to him? More importantly, how
in the world am I gonna convince him that he needs to let me go when I find
that key for him?

I glance in the mirror again. Man, I need a shower, but I’m
afraid to ask where the facilities are. Unfortunately, my bladder isn’t about
to let me get away with that excuse for long. I peruse the room again looking
for a door that doesn’t exist.

There’s an enormous closet thing against the far wall I
didn’t notice before. Maybe it’s a wardrobe. Either way, it takes up nearly the
entire wall, which, in this room, is saying something. The dark wood is carved
in intricate scrollwork that matches the bed.

The place is elegant. I’ve never seen something so ritzy in
my life. I’m kind of afraid to touch anything, yet all my fingers want to do is
trace the oval inlay in front of me. The scene is of some kind of lake with
wildlife all around it. What’s weird is there’s a creature hidden behind a
grouping of trees. Only its outline is visible. It could be a bear on its hind
legs, but for some reason, I don’t think it is.

I let my fingertips glide along the wood, wondering who
made this piece, wondering if it somehow could transport me into the magical
land depicted in its glassy depths, away from this stifling space, away from
Seth.

When I pull open the doors, I’m surprised to see a gigantic
rack full of freshly pressed dresses, skirts, shirts and pants. Along one side
is a row of shelves with sweaters. Shoes in every assortment I can imagine rest
on the bottom shelf. My fingers reach for a set of familiar jeans. Did he get
my suitcase?

A husky voice cuts through my musing. “Ah, I see you’ve
found your wardrobe.”

Feeling rather than seeing his approach, my body stiffens.
I thought he was going to stay in his room.

I grit my teeth, pretending his presence doesn’t light
every nerve I have on fire, pretending he’s invisible. It doesn’t help. “Leave
me alone,” I say. I’m not ready to see his face, or am I just not ready to face
him?

He doesn’t answer right away, but he doesn’t leave, either.
I’m sure he’s waiting for me to acknowledge him, and he’s gonna be waiting
until hell is blessed with its first frost.

His arm brushes my shoulder as he sidles in next to me. The
energy between us sizzles. I make myself step away and walk calmly toward the
bed, knowing there’s no use in me sprinting past him again. A burning rage
ignites inside me. It’s all I can do to keep myself from landing a solid punch
to his pristine face.

I can’t risk it. I’d like to think I could take a beating
from him, but I’m still not even sure what he wants from me, so I’m saving my
strength in case I need it.

When he clears his throat, I whirl around, expecting to see
frustration in his blue eyes, but all I see is patience, which only manages to
make my blood bubble a little more. I grit my teeth then say, “What do you want
from me, Seth? Don’t give me that crap about dreams, either. I’m not in the
mood.”

I ignore Amelia’s biting tone. I’m too focused on those
full lips that are currently frowning at me. I deserve no less. Even though I
have vowed to never harm her, I am not sure I can keep that promise. I’ve put
her in danger deliberately, but it is necessary.

I clear my throat again, hoping it will clear my mind. “I
thought you might like to freshen up?”

Her creamy skin flashes pale, but she recovers quickly.
“Not until you tell me what I’m up against here.”

I had hoped to have civil conversations with her now, but
apparently from her deepening frown, she is not in the mood for that, either.
Best to be honest. “I’ve delayed as long as I can. I have business to attend,
but I promise we will discuss this as soon as I return.”

“In the Dreamscape?”

“Yes. In the Dreamscape.”

Her jaw clenches as anger ignites her features. I motion
toward the opposite wall where her bed rests. Her hypnotizing eyes follow the
movement and widen when a door emerges at my command.

I’ve found it is best to reveal my lair, as she called it,
piece by piece. I am pleased by the smile that tugs her mouth. No doubt, she
thinks it is a way out. Hopefully, the room that awaits her will offer some
solace.