Part 9 (1/2)

”I do. You can lie to yourself all you like, but I see the truth. You need me, and I'm not going to let you go.”

He held up his hands and continued to back up. ”Stay away from me. I mean it.”

”If you leave, I'll find you.”

”I go places way too dangerous for you.”

”I'll still follow.”

”I don't believe you.”

Nika stood her ground. This was too important to let go. ”Try me.”

Chapter 6.

Madoc didn't dare risk that Nika would follow through on her threat. He was still going to leave, but not until Andra knew the score. He'd make sure Andra kept her locked up nice and tight, where nothing could hurt her.

Something dark is growing inside you.

How could she know that? How could she see it?

Maybe the better question was, how could everyone else not see it?

Madoc reached for his cell phone, only to realize it was lying in pieces at the bottom of a garbage disposal in Nebraska. Fortunately, his freakish memory allowed him to have memorized every phone number he ever saw.

He went to the phone hanging on the wall in the kitchen and dialed Paul's cell phone. No answer. He dialed Andra with the same results, refusing to leave a message.

”They're gone,” said Nika. She'd curled up on the couch, tucking her legs under her. Her pale hair fell just to her shoulders, sliding along the slim column of her throat.

She was heavier now than she had been months ago, her skin less pale. The distance he'd put between them had clearly been good for her. She'd filled out, was no longer a walking skeleton, and seemed lucid and healthy.

If he didn't get away from her soon, he'd do something to f.u.c.k that up and she'd be stark raving mad again before he could stop himself from making the mistake.

”Where did they go?” he asked.

”Check on the fridge. Andra always leaves me a note.”

Madoc hadn't noticed the note before, but he found it, read it, and wanted to pound his fist into the stainless steel. ”A little girl went missing last night in Ohio. Andra had to leave immediately to find her.”

Nika nodded. ”This happens all the time. I doubt we'll see her or Paul for a day or two.”

Too long. That was way too long to stick around. He was going to have to find her another babysitter. ”Who watches you when they're away?”

Her body stiffened in indignation. ”No one. I am an adult.”

”What about Grace?”

”She hasn't needed to take care of me for months. I'm better now, Madoc. Certainly well enough to take care of myself.”

”So I keep hearing.”

”Maybe you should listen.”

Not likely. He'd seen what happened when Andra wasn't arounda”what that Theronai had done to her. The ice pack he'd made her covered the angry red blisters that f.u.c.ker had left on her arm, but he still knew they were there.

He started forward, intending to lift the towel and check the damage, when he caught himself and stopped in his tracks. He was the last person on the face of the planet who should play nursemaid.

”I'm going to go talk to Joseph.”

”Talk to him all you like. It won't change a thing. He can't make me stay here any more than you can. I'll go where I want, when I want. I have a lot of living to catch up on after all those years in the mental hospital.”

”You're not going to catch up on anything if you get yourself killed.”

”Then I die, but I'll do it living life my way. I deserve to make my own choices.” She rose from the couch, yawning and stretching. The top of her s.h.i.+rt pulled up, exposing a narrow band of skin above her jeans.

Madoc's eyes were riveted to the sight. A faint shadow slid down the center of her stomach, deepening as it reached her navel. Her pants were loose on her hips, and he was sure that if he gave them the slightest tug, they'd go down without a fight, baring her so he could touch and taste. His mouth started to water and his hands lifted toward her before he realized what he was doing. He knew without a doubt that if he touched her, he'd lose control. He'd strip her naked, lay her out, and take her before anyone even had time to respond to her screams for help. For all he knew, people were used to her screaming delusions and wouldn't even bother to respond. He'd have all the time he needed to slake his l.u.s.t and ease some of the pressure throbbing inside him.

The idea had way too much appeal, and part of him began calculating his odds of getting away with it. To h.e.l.l with his honor. What good was it, anyway? It sure wasn't going to ease his pain, save his life, or keep his soul from dying.

A line of sweat broke out along his brow as he fought to remember what Iain had told him when he joined the Band of the Barren. Pretend to be n.o.ble. Pretend you give a s.h.i.+t. It's the only way to keep from being sent to the Slayers.

Would someone who was n.o.ble be figuring out how long it would take to get her naked? Would he be thinking about whether her screams for help would be answered before he could get off inside her?

The cold, dead spot where the last leaf of his lifemark hung on his skin seemed to buzz in irritation.

Maybe he should just rip the black ring Iain had given hima”the one that slowed his soul's deatha”from his finger, and let the end come. He was so sick of fighting it, sick of keeping up with all the lies.

Iain had told him it wouldn't be easy, but he'd been pretending to be one of the good guys for years, and no one knew except those he'd recruited into the Band. He'd fooled everyone.

Maybe Madoc just wasn't cut out for this playacting s.h.i.+t. He was a walking menace to everyone around him.

Her voice barely filtered through the l.u.s.t and anger pounding in his system. ”Talk to Joseph if you want. Hunt down Andra. Do whatever it is you think you need to do. I'm too tired to stop you and not interested in wasting my energy. I need to rest up.”

”For what?”

”For when I leave my body to find Tori. I'm going to try to talk to her again after I've slept.”

Leave her body? h.e.l.l, no. ”You're not going to do that thing againa”that thing you did in the graveyard.”

”It's cute you think you can stop me. Feel free to stay if you like and watch over my body.”

Yeah, right. He knew exactly what he'd do to her if that happened. His d.i.c.k was hard already, just thinking about it. ”Not a smart idea,” was all he could manage to choke out.

Nika gave him a sad smile. ”Then go. I need to sleep.”

Sleep. That was a good thing for her to do. Safe. So much better than leaving her bodya”however the h.e.l.l that happened.