Worlds Apart (38 page)

The sound of a door opening made her lift her head. There was a flash of light in the blackness and Roo gulped and closed her eyes. If she looked, she might see what surrounded her and she was close to full-out panic. Her heart banged so hard against her ribs, she felt sick.

“Roo,” a woman whispered.

If she answered, would it bring the slithering things closer?

“Tell me about Taylor,” the woman asked.

Roo put two and two together and tensed. “Are you Stephanie?”

“Yes.”

Oh God.
Roo opened her eyes and peered toward the light.
Mistake.
The floor heaved with S words. Big ones and small ones all tangled together in a knotty mess.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Roo tied herself in an even tighter pretzel. She could hear a high-pitched keening leaking from her mouth but couldn’t stop herself.

“They won’t hurt you. Tell me about my brother.”

Roo wasn’t giving any information without something in return. “Why did she laugh so hard when I said I loved Taylor and Niall?”

“The queen stopped Taylor from loving anyone. Taylor is incapable of love.”

“She did what?” Roo snapped and unfolded. “What an absolute bitch.”

“Don’t,” Stephanie whispered. “She only wants the best for Niall. Tell me what’s happening with Taylor.”

“Not unless you get me out of here.”

“Is he all right? My parents?”

“Help me and I’ll talk to you.”

Stephanie sighed. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

The door closed and Roo shuddered as the hissing grew louder. Stephanie said the snakes wouldn’t hurt her. Was that the truth? It didn’t make Roo any less frightened. She said aloud, “‘I have often been afraid, but I wouldn’t give in to it. I made myself act as though I was not afraid, and gradually my fear disappeared.’”
Thanks, Teddy.

Roo doubted Roosevelt had been trapped in a room full of s-s-snakes, but why stay in there a moment longer than she needed to? Was it test of her mettle?

She lifted her head and slowly stood. There was the faintest chink of light coming from her right. A door? The only snag with that was Stephanie had talked from the left. Left was dark.

“In any moment of decision,” Roo whispered, “the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

She slid a foot forward and a snake slunk over her toes. Roo squeaked and clenched her fists. She took another small step and another. Inch by inch she worked her way toward the sliver of light. The right way? Or the wrong way?

“We ought to have some sort of plan,” Taylor said as he followed Niall across the grassy plain.

Niall gave him such a bleak look that Taylor’s confidence took a nosedive.

“What were you thinking when you threw yourself after the plane?” Niall asked.

“To find you and Roo and bring you back.”

“What about Stephanie?”

Taylor exhaled. He still couldn’t believe he was going to see his sister again. “Well, I’d want to take her back too.”

“What if she doesn’t want to leave?”

He swallowed hard. “But—”

“She’s grown up now,” Niall said gently. “She’s spent more of her life on this side than the other. This is her world.”

“And whose fault is that?” Taylor retorted. “She was kidnapped. We thought she’d been raped and murdered.”

Niall put his hand on Taylor’s arm. “I only want you to think about what
she
might want.”

Taylor shrugged him off. “My parents need to know she’s alive.”

“You didn’t want to believe. Why should they?”

“Because she’ll be there, telling them.”

Niall stopped walking. “And they’ll accept she’s been living with faeries? Or will they have her committed to some psychiatric nursing home for the rest of her life?”

“You said memories can be wiped. Mine was. That could be done to Stephanie.”

Niall shook his head. “Not sixteen years of her life. It can’t be done.”

“Roo won’t want to stay,” Taylor blustered.

“You’re right. She needs to go back with you. There’s just the not-so-simple matter of persuading my mother.”

With me?
Not all three of them going back? Taylor opened his mouth and then closed it again.

Niall changed direction.

“Where are we going?” Taylor asked.

“Plan B. To speak to my father.”

“I thought you didn’t have a plan A?”

Niall smiled. “I don’t.”

“Doesn’t your father live with your mother?”

“No.” Niall stopped abruptly. “This will take too long. I need to see if I can carry you. Keep still.”

“You can’t— Oh fuck.”

Taylor gasped when iridescent blue wings erupted from Niall’s back. Niall stepped in front of Taylor, hooked his arms under his and lifted him. A moment later, they were rising into the air and Taylor grasped Niall around the waist. The strain on Niall’s face was clear and Taylor felt relieved they stayed close to the ground, though they were traveling at some speed, so if Niall dropped him, it was going to hurt.

Wings?
At first Taylor didn’t think they were flapping until he realized they were moving so fast they appeared stationary. Over Niall’s shoulder, and receding into the distance, Taylor saw a city with the sea or a large lake beyond. Everything around it was very green. He didn’t want to distract Niall by turning his head, but looking down, he could see the grassy plains had gone. They were traveling over rough, stony ground and moving uphill.

“This is incredible,” Taylor whispered. “You’re amazing.”

“I hope you’ll say that after we’ve landed,” Niall grunted. “Oh shit, hold tight.”

Taylor heard something whizz past his ear just as Niall dropped to the right, and then they were tumbling together through the air. Even as Taylor tried to protect Niall, Niall was doing the same to him and it was Niall who collided with the ground, Taylor landing on top. Niall arched in agony and Taylor lurched to the side. As he rolled to his feet, Taylor could see one of Niall’s wings lying crumpled beneath him, the other flapping feebly.

“No,” Taylor gasped. “Niall, talk to me. Are you okay?”

As Taylor leaned over, he saw bare feet approaching and looked up into the face of a man too much like Niall not to be related. But no way was this guy old enough to be Niall’s father. He held a bow and Taylor realized the prick had shot at them.

“Damn it, I missed,” the guy said, turned and walked away.

“Hey.” Taylor pushed himself up on shaky legs. “Why the hell did you do that?”

Niall struggled to his feet, one wing dangling. “Father.”

The man stopped, muttered, “Fool,” and stalked off.

Taylor wasn’t sure who the “fool” comment referred to. Niall stumbled after his father and Taylor grabbed his arm.

“You sure this is a good idea? He just fired an arrow at us.”

“And missed. He doesn’t miss. Come on.”

They headed toward a house set into the rock, all glass and gleaming steel, but Taylor’s attention was on Niall’s broken wing. The other had presumably retracted to leave this one hanging. His back was gashed and streaked with blood.

“Father,” Niall called.

“Go away,” his father snapped. “I’m busy.”

Niall dropped to his knees, gasping. Taylor ripped off his shirt and pressed it to the wound.

“Please help him,” Taylor pleaded.

The guy stood by the door of the house.

“He’s your son,” Taylor barked. “Don’t you care about him at all?”

“About as much as he cared for me sixteen years ago.”

“When he was still a child and you were a grown-up?” Taylor spat through gritted teeth.

Two women appeared in the doorway of the house and stared at Taylor and Niall.

“Who are they, Endor?” one of them asked.

“Nothing.”

Taylor’s temper spilled over. “We are not nothing.” He stomped across to the house and stood in front of Niall’s father. “You’re the one who’s nothing. What sort of father are you to walk away from your son when he needs you? He’s hurt.”

Endor tilted his head to one side and frowned as he pinned Taylor with his gaze. “I’m a father who did everything for his sons. A father whose sons turned on him when he needed them.” He straightened. “You shouldn’t be here. She’ll have you killed and who knows what she’ll do to him.” He turned his gaze on Niall.

“You could stop her,” Niall muttered.

“Could I?”

“You
should
stop her.”

“Why?” his father asked.

“You bastard,” Taylor whispered. “I can understand you not caring about me, but he’s your son.”

Endor sighed and then nodded to the two women. “Bring the idiot inside.”

They picked Niall up as if he weighed nothing and carried him into the building. Taylor followed. What looked stark from the outside was the exact opposite inside. They moved through rooms cluttered with plants and artifacts, past walls lined with heaving bookcases and into a glass conservatory, the roof open to the sky. The women laid Niall facedown on a couch.

“The water,” Endor said and the women slipped away.

Niall groaned. Taylor gulped when he saw blood flowing from the gash.
My fault.
Endor gaped at Niall’s back and Taylor wondered if the wound was even more serious than it looked.

“That bitch,” Endor gasped. “How far does this go?”

Ah, the tattoo.

“Down to his foot,” Taylor said.

Endor reached under Niall and a moment later, taking care not to jar Niall’s wing, he tugged down his pants and boxers and stripped them off Niall’s feet. Endor sagged as he stared at the complex marking that ran across Niall’s back from shoulder to toes.

Taylor stared at Niall’s butt.
Do not get an erection.
This was
not
the time. Taylor hoped his cock was listening.

The women came back with bowls and towels and bent over Niall’s back. Endor put his hand around the break in the wing and straightened it. Niall cried out and grabbed hold of Taylor’s hand.

“You can retract it now,” Endor said. “But you can’t use it until it’s healed.”

Taylor watched in fascination as the wing seemed to melt into Niall’s body. The women bathed the wound between his shoulder blades, and with each wipe, the injury healed more and more. Niall’s grip on Taylor’s hand gradually loosened, but Taylor didn’t let him go. Endor signaled the women to leave.

“You’re very weak,” Endor said. “The tarsis holds you tight.”

“Tarsis?” Taylor asked.

“The mark on his body. His mother’s way of maintaining control.” He turned to look at Taylor. “Why are you here?”

“We seek another mortal,” Niall spoke before Taylor could. “The stabilo said she was taken to the city. She came over by accident. I want her back safe on the other side.”

“There’ll be a price,” Endor said.

“Of course.” Niall sighed, his eyes closing.

“You need to sleep. You can do nothing until you recover. She won’t hurt this mortal she holds while she waits for you to come to her.” Endor tugged a cover from the back of the couch, laid it over Niall, and signaled Taylor to follow him.

The moment Taylor was out of the room and the door was shut, Endor grabbed him by the throat. Taylor tried to wrench his hand away and couldn’t.
God, this guy is strong.

“What are you to my son?” Endor demanded.

“I love him.”

Endor dropped him so fast, Taylor’s knees buckled. He waved off the women and led Taylor to a room overlooking the grassy plain with the sea and city in the distance.

“Sit down.” He spoke gently. “Tell me everything.”

Taylor hesitated.

“If you want help, I have to understand. This is the first time I’ve spoken to Niall for sixteen of your years.”

Taylor’s jaw dropped. “What—?”

“Talk. Niall brought you here for a reason. I know you’re his boyhood friend. I know about your sister.”

Endor leaned forward, listening intently.

“I returned to Yorkshire from London, back to my parents’ old house at their request to put the house on the market. My father told me a guy was living in the attic rent-free in return for work on the garden. Niall. I moved in a few weeks ago. I didn’t remember Niall. He says his mother wiped my memory. That was part of the price for Stephanie’s safety.”

A muscle in Taylor’s cheek twitched. “I can see
now
how much Niall wanted me to remember but I didn’t. Then along came Roo.” He smiled. “We interviewed her, gave her a job as my personal assistant, we both…

“Niall and I…” Taylor had no idea how to say this to a parent. “The pair of us were growing closer. Roo was helping. She didn’t know about Stephanie and I freaked out when Roo slept in her room. Roo said she’d found a book Stephanie had written just before she disappeared, where she said she’d gone over the wall to look for a boy she’d seen in the garden. Everything unraveled then. The room Niall had been sleeping in seemed to have furniture one minute and not the next. Niall told me he was a faery, and that the rest of the price paid for Stephanie to stay safe and for Niall to come back to me was that I could never fall in love and Niall couldn’t make the first move on someone he loved.”