Part 17 (2/2)
The shouts turned to sobs, and his body shuddered as he rolled onto his side, taking her with him, arching his back, his face wrenched up in pain.
”Oh G.o.d! No! Oh my-” Then he screamed.
When Sydney realized why, she followed suit at the top of her lungs.
CHAPTER TEN.
”WHAT IN THE b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l is going on here?” Sydney screeched as she leapt from the bed, clutching the sheet against her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Her voice brought Caden back from the blackness and through the fog. His thoughts swam through exhaustion and confusion. What was she screaming about?
”Do you have a kinky twin fantasy?” she demanded.
What the devil? He frowned. ”No.”
Her gaze bounced between him and some point in the room just beyond him. Her words rattled around in his head, but figuring them out wasn't nearly as appealing as a twelve-hour nap.
”Really?” she demanded. ”When did he get here?”
”Who?”
”Him!” She pointed behind him.
With a sinking feeling that cut into his mellow haze, Caden looked over his shoulder. On the far side of the bed sat another man. It was like looking in a mirror. Except when Caden moved, his mirror image merely sent him a questioning stare.
A corporeal clone. Caden's heart stopped in his chest. Welcome to magickind.
”f.u.c.k!” he muttered. Creating another self explained the feeling of being torn in half.
”Is this how you've managed to s.h.a.g me senseless these past few days? Did you two take turns popping in and out of my bedroom, snickering at me behind my back and high-fiving each other as you pa.s.sed in the hall?”
Ugly picture. But what else would she think? And how could he answer? He shook his head, straining for an explanation he could give, but his fuzzy thoughts would not cooperate.
What other explanation did he have? Gee, I transitioned into my magic and duplication is my unique power. Not only would that freak her out, but all the a.s.sociated explanations he'd owe her. . . . He winced. Still, he had to say something. She looked so scared, clutching that white sheet to her as if it would save her. Caden hated to hurt or frighten her more. Nor could he afford to give her more fodder for the paper.
”Take a deep breath. Sit beside me.”
”I don't want to sit! I want a b.l.o.o.d.y explanation now!” No doubt. But what? He looked over his shoulder again, and the other him shrugged.
”She deserves that much.”
Not only did he look like a real man, but was apparently capable of his own thoughts and speech.
Brilliant. ”What are you, my b.l.o.o.d.y conscience? I know she deserves an explanation. Can you think of one that makes sense?”
”Sydney gave you one . . . brother.”
Conscience? More like the b.l.o.o.d.y devil on his shoulder.
Caden gritted his teeth. Fun. His mirror blithely said things he'd contemplated himself, but then censored.
The other him had yet to master that skill, it seemed.
”p.i.s.s about if you like, but I'm telling the truth.”
”I want the truth,” Sydney demanded.
Perhaps, but the truth was dangerous for him, for her, and for magickind.
He scowled at his clone. ”How do I make you go away?” The other him shrugged, then regarded Sydney. ”I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know this is a shock.” He rose and wrapped the bed's little throw around his waist, approaching Sydney with the kind of caution one would when approaching a wounded lion. ”But no one meant to hurt you.”
”Ha! You probably laughed as you shared me, like it's some b.l.o.o.d.y joke.” Her posture screamed anger, but that vulnerable crack in her voice went straight to Caden's heart.
”I promise,” Caden said. ”That isn't so.”
The other him stepped closer and cupped Sydney's shoulder. The sight of any male hand on her, even a duplicate of his own, was an unwelcome sight.
”Don't touch her,” Caden warned with a growl.
”He's already had it all. Why be squeamish now?” she shot back tartly. Then she turned to the other him.
”Get your b.l.o.o.d.y hand off me.”
Sydney clasped his wrist and shoved him away. When he tried to hold on, her fingernails raked his forearm, drawing blood. The clone hissed.
”Ouch!” Caden looked down at his own wrist, and though he didn't see the scratch that appeared on his clone's skin, he felt the pain. Very odd.
She zipped her gaze over to him. ”I don't know what's going on here, you w.a.n.ker. w.a.n.kers,” she corrected. ”b.l.o.o.d.y circus. Explain or get the h.e.l.l out.” Caden pressed his lips together, still minus a plausible explanation he was at liberty to divulge. Instead, he leaned closer and cupped her shoulder. ”It's . . . complicated.”
”No, it's easy. You shared me with your twin, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” Sydney slapped him.
Face stinging, Caden reared back, wincing. He whirled, shocked to see an angry palm print on his clone's cheek that likely mirrored his own.
He felt his clone's pain, but did not sustain injury. The clone, however, suffered both. Confounding, but then, magic always was. Westin's death alone proved that.
”Say something.” Tears began to seep from her eyes.
Nothing he said would make sense. Caden sighed. ”I'm sorry.” b.l.o.o.d.y lame answer, his clone sneered inside his head.
Splendid. Now he could converse mentally with the unwanted prat.
She stomped her foot and grabbed a dressing gown littered on the floor near the bed. With angry movements, she thrust it on. ”p.i.s.s off-both of you!” As she marched from the bedroom, Caden's mind reeled. Sydney would quickly find Duke, who was likely still loitering on Sydney's sofa, and say she saw two Cadens. News of his ability to clone would go straight to Bram, who would find a use for him in this b.l.o.o.d.y war. No, thank you.
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