Chapter Two

 

 

Iago couldn’t seem to get his mouth to work. He knew he gaped like a slack-jawed yokel, but the hinge just didn’t seem to want to shut. Nothing this... creature... was saying was making any sense.

Lindemere. Odd name.

Could demons really exist?

How the hell could a being believe in the nonsense of a pre-destined person who was his other half?

It’s all ludicrous!

While Iago had heard the whispered rumors of paranormals believing in mates, he’d discounted it. Surely the idea of some mythical being creating a soul mate especially for a shifter or a vampire or something else was utter nonsense. It could only be fairy tales told to make a long-lived creature stay away from humans... a means to keep them from sharing their healing and other strengths with humanity.

Pure selfishness.

Staring at the beast on the other side of the room, Iago took in his features. The creature’s skin was coal black, had long, steel-gray hair, and black eyes that seemed to swirl almost hypnotically. Even the paranormal’s wings were black—huge, leathery, and bat-like in design. As far as Iago could tell, the only color on the thing was its horns, which appeared from between the strands of hair near the front of its head, then spiraled and twisted backward, sort of like a ram’s.

Lindemere sighed and turned his attention to the gaping hole he’d opened in the floor. His expression appeared contemplative. For an instant, Iago thought perhaps that Lindemere intended to toss him down there until he accepted his words, and a fresh spike of fear surged through him.

With his eyebrows furrowed, Lindemere returned his focus to Iago. “I would never harm you, Iago.” His look twisted into something pained. “You are my amina.”

His voice was a deep rumble that somehow seemed to reach deep inside Iago and touch something within him. He even felt... warmed, and not by the fire. The hairs on Iago’s nape stood on end when, as he returned Lindemere’s regard, he felt a flutter in his stomach, and his nipples beaded.

What on Earth?

Lindemere’s wide nostrils flared, and his dark tongue slid over his bottom lip. “I’ll gather the fixings for stew.” Then he wrapped his wings around himself and dropped into the hole.

Oh. A root cellar. Okay.

Iago swept his gaze around the room with a new perspective. The place seemed comfortable but rustic. The rugs covering the hardwood floor appeared to be made out of actual animal hide. The one before the hearth had white and gray fur.

And speaking of the fire. Purple flames? How is that possible?

Could he really be in another world?

No way.

On top of that, there was Lindemere’s insistence that he was Iago’s amina—his soul. What did that even mean? As quickly as the question popped into his head, an idea struck.

Does Lindemere expects us to be... intimate?

Iago sprung to his feet as a burst of fear-fueled adrenaline pumped through him. His gaze darted around the room as he searched for an escape. He had to get away... immediately.

Spotting a door situated near a drape of some kind, Iago decided that was his best bet. He crossed the room and placed his hand on the lever-style handle. After just a second of hesitation where he glanced over his shoulder—still no sign of Lindemere—Iago lifted the bar.

The door opened.

Iago slipped out, not bothering to clasp it behind him. That might make noise. He immediately turned left, trying to ignore the way the soft dirt felt under his bare feet. Iago realized he should have looked for shoes, but his panic, his need to flee, had overruled everything else.

At least it’s warm outside.

That was actually odd, since it had been chilly fall weather in New York City.

As Iago hurried down the street, he realized that wasn’t the only odd thing. The hut-like structures on either side of the street all appeared pretty uniform with orange-thatched roofs and walls that appeared to be made out of blueish-green wood planks. He felt as if he’d stepped back in time.

Unless I’m in some rural village in Europe or Asia.

Did they still have places that looked like this over there? Iago didn’t know. The only thing he did know was that he needed to get away.

The guys in charge had warned the staff about the dangers of falling for a paranormal’s lines. They were all meant to entrap a human, convince him or her that they wanted to please them and share their life with them. Then the paranormal would whisk the human away from their family and friends, and if any news of them could be found, it wouldn’t be good. The directors had shared evidence of plenty of obituaries of humans dying in everything from car crashes to gas explosions.

Dealing with paranormals was a dangerous business.

Iago spotted the way the land rose to the left, and he headed that way. He hoped he could get a lay of the land, allowing him to make an educated guess of where he could be... or at least, what direction to take. It was his only hope, unless he ran into other humans.

Movement in his peripheral vision caused Iago to snap his attention to the right. He saw something small and black slip around the side of one of the cottages. Hugging himself, he quickened his pace.

Iago reached the last house, revealing a field of orange grass that rose upward in a slight hill. For an instant, he froze, uncertain if he should touch the oddly colored blades. In fact, all the coloring around him was wrong, from the blue-leaved trees to the purple, sun-less sky.

“You can’t leave without the aid of a demon, Iago.”

Upon hearing the sound of Lindemere’s deep voice, Iago whirled around. The creature stood ten feet behind him, peering at him steadily. His hands rested on his hips, and his expression held a wealth of concern.

That makes no sense.

“I want to go home.” Iago’s whimpered words sounded pathetic to his ears.

Lindemere sighed deeply before he began forward, his steps slow and measured. He lifted his hands in a placating manner. His gaze was steady on Iago.

“And I told you that was one request I could not yet fulfill.”

Iago took a step backward, preparing to flee. But really, where would he run to? Even though he hadn’t wanted to believe it, he had to acknowledge that at least some of the things Lindemere had told him were true.

That didn’t mean everything was accurate though.

I just need to figure out what’s the truth and what’s manipulation.

Lindemere stopped a couple of paces away from him and held out his hand, palm up. “Please come back with me, Iago,” he rumbled, his voice low and husky. “I’ll explain why I cannot allow you to leave, yet.”

“Am I a prisoner?” Iago asked quietly, just managing to keep his voice from breaking.

“Not in the sense you mean,” Lindemere told him, confirming and denying the notion all at the same time, which just confused Iago further.

“Explain,” Iago demanded, frustration filling him. He was a scientist. He dealt with facts, and nothing around him was making sense or adding up.

Lindemere wiggled his black, claw-tipped fingers. “I will if you come.”

Realizing he didn’t have much of a choice, Iago lifted his left hand and slid it into Lindemere’s much larger palm. Lindemere squeezed lightly and rubbed his thumb over the back of Iago’s hand, causing the hairs on his forearm to stand on end. When Lindemere stepped close and wrapped his free arm around his shoulders, a shiver traveled down Iago’s spine.

As much as Iago didn’t want to admit it, it wasn’t from fear, either. His body reacted to Lindemere’s touch, even the heat and intensity of his gaze, in a way he’d never before experienced. Iago didn’t know how to process it.

Iago attempted to pull his hand away from Lindemere’s, but the demon simply massaged his hand lightly and caressed his thumb over Iago’s hand some more, distracting him. Realizing after a few steps that he’d stopped attempting to extricate his hand, he instead attempted to step sideways, out of Lindemere’s hold across his shoulders. That didn’t work either, since the demon just moved with him.

In fact, Lindemere even followed that up by wrapping his left wing around him, too.

“Relax, Iago,” Lindemere crooned, tilting his head down to nuzzle his cheek against the top of his head. “You’re fine. I promise. Everything will work out.”

“Work out how?” Iago blurted out, not only confused by his body’s reactions, but by how certain and calm Lindemere sounded. “Just what in the world is going on?” Iago barely managed to snap his mouth shut so he didn’t tack on the end with me?

“It’s as I told you,” Lindemere replied calmly, a smile curving his thick lips. “You are my amina. A gift from the gods.” The depths of his black eyes seemed to dance with pleasure as he spoke, holding Iago’s gaze. “Made just for me to please, to bond with, and to enjoy a long life with.” Lindemere finally released Iago’s hand, but that was only to open the door to his cottage. Using his arm and wing to guide Iago back into the home, Lindemere added, “And to do all that, I must find out why you feel experimenting on sentient beings is acceptable.”

Iago winced at the accusation, hunching his shoulders just a little.

After closing the door behind them, Lindemere turned Iago, resting a hand on each shoulder. He slid one up and used it to cradle Iago’s jaw, moving the thumb-claw to urge him to tip his chin so their gazes met. Lindemere’s gaze held a wealth of concern.

“Or did you not know that paranormals are sentient, just different than humans?”

While Iago had hated that they were caging cognizant beings, he’d rationalized it. He’d had to, or he wouldn’t have been able to do the work that needed to be done. And the work was definitely necessary.

“I know paranormals are sentient,” Iago admitted. Seeing Lindemere’s frown, his face filling with disappointment, he scowled back. “Well, what did you all expect us to do?” Iago stepped backward, and finally, Lindemere let him go. Waving his hand between them, he stated, “I mean, come on? Your kind hoard these amazing gifts. Strength. Speed. Agility. Not to mention your swift healing and recovery abilities.” Scoffing, Iago continued, “Do you have any idea how many lives would be saved if you shared those abilities with mankind?”

Tipping his head, Lindemere stared at him with furrowed brows and a sad expression on his face. “Those abilities are part of a paranormals’ nature, and the only way for a paranormal to share it is by finding their mate or beloved or amina and by completing a mating bond. It’s not something that can just be spread around.” Lindemere dipped his chin as he scratched the back of his head. “And I fail to see how humans can decide it’s okay to murder innocent paranormals all in the name of a scientific crusade to genetically alter the human species beyond what the gods provided.”

Iago felt his cheeks heat and knew he blushed. He hated that Lindemere seemed to pluck some of his own doubts right from his head. It also pissed him off that he felt that way.

Humans deserve those things too, right?

“That is so typical,” Iago snapped angrily. “Blaming your decision to not help humans on some antiquated religious belief that went out of style over a thousand years ago.” Scoffing, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Lindemere. “What I find fantastic is the notion that beings who are so evolved that they are able to live for hundreds even thousands of years still cling to such an archaic ideology and expect humans to just roll over and take it.”

Lindemere opened his mouth, then snapped it closed again. He inhaled so deeply his massive torso moved. As he let the breath out, his shoulders visibly relaxed and his expression cleared.

“What would it take to prove our belief?”

Iago opened his mouth to declare that such a belief could never be proven, but he swallowed the words as an idea formed.

Maybe I can use this to my advantage, so we can further the project.

What would I need to ask for to get that kind of cooperation? And what would I need to give in return?