Chapter Ten
You and Me… We used to be Friends
It was a wonder the ceiling hadn’t given away to the bolt holding the punch bag suspended, what with the way Tobe was doing everything in her power to decimate it. There were cracks in the leather where there hadn’t been before. Eden scowled as Tobe took another swing at it. She had mad boxing skills, she really did, and they had only gotten more frantic when Eden had come down to talk to her.
For two hours she’d sat there watching Tobe.
Three times she’d said hi, only to be very, very carefully ignored.
Now Eden was just tired and pissed off. It really was exhausting pretending everything was hunky dory. OK, so pretending with Noah had been exhausting in a good way and she was glad that they’d finally slept together. It was awesome. Everything about it. The sex. The intimacy. She felt closer to him than she’d ever had but the happiness they had spun between them was fragile. And they both knew it.
Eden heaved another heavy sigh and saw Tobe’s jaw clench at the sound.
OK, enough was enough. “Are you going to be a little bitch for the rest of our lives or do you think you actually might forgive me at some point?” she snapped. She had apologized a million times for what happened to Mhairi. Tobe knew how much she’d cared about the old woman. Why was she punishing her for this?!
Tobe drew to a stop, her features tight with anger. She swiped at her sweaty forehead. “Excuse me?” she asked, her accent seeming more pronounced with her anger. “ ae’ you talkin’ tae me?”
Yeah… way more pronounced.
“No, Mr. DeNiro, I’m talking to my friend Tobe,” Eden cracked.
Tobe grimaced at her lame Taxi Driver joke. “We’re not friends.”
“Yeah we are.”
“Naw, we’re not.”
“Yeah we are. Or we will be once you forgive me.” She pleaded with her eyes. “I don’t like making myself vulnerable to people, Tobe. Surely my sitting here begging you like a virgin quarterback on prom night means something to you.”
“Now that was just disturbing.”
Eden smirked, a glimmer of hope sparking in her chest. “Well?”
Tobe cocked her hip, her eyes still hard. “Fight me.”
Unease gripped Eden. “What?”
“Fight me. Then maybe I’ll think about it.”
Fight Tobe? No way. She was Ankh. Tobe was Neith. She’d kick her ass and have one more thing that she needed to be forgiven for. “Uh…”
“Now, Eden.”
The command in Tobe’s voice pressed a button of indignation and Eden found herself standing to her feet, her movements casual as she crossed the distance between them. They stood inches apart. “OK. But I think we-”
The color of blurry flesh flashed before her eyes and pain exploded across her face from her nose. The room tilted and her breath whooshed out of her as her back slammed against the mat. The back of her head smacked against the ground and bounced up. Her eyes watered as she tried to focus, warm liquid dribbling out of her nose. She blinked and looked up at Tobe. Tobe who’d laid her out with one punch. Eden groaned and wiped the blood from her nose, wincing as the broken bone began to knit itself back together. She cracked it back in place to move the process along, hissing at the blast of stinging, sickening pain that shot up her face and into her sinuses. She gasped and pushed herself up on her elbows. Tobe looked down at her triumphantly. As the nausea subsided, Eden noticed the softening around Tobe’s eyes. She eyed the Neith sardonically. “Feel better?”
Tobe nodded and reached a hand out to help her up. “Actually yes.” And then she made a face. “Plus, it’s harder to be mad at you when you’re in my face.” She flexed her hand. “Or my fist rather.”
Eden rolled her eyes, letting her haul her to her feet. She pulled up the hem of her shirt, using it to clean the blood off her face. “Did I get it all?” she wrinkled her healing nose.
Tobe nodded. “Yeah. T-shirt’s ruined though.”
Eden waved her off. “I have a million of them.”
With a yawn, Tobe headed over to one of the benches to sit down and Eden followed her.
They were silent a moment.
“I really am sorry, you know.”
“I know.” Tobe shook her head, tears pricking her eyes. “I just needed someone to be angry with.”
“I get that.”
“I guess I only have myself to be angry with for letting Mum and Dad be taken though.”
“You didn’t let them get taken. And you saved Cam’s life.”
Tobe grunted. “What’s left of him.”
“We’ll get his soul back.”
“Another promise?” Tobe asked bitterly.
Eden winced.
“Sorry,” Tobe whispered. “That was a crappy thing to say.”
“Cyrus is working really hard to find them.”
“I know.”
They were silent again and then Tobe cleared her throat, turning to her now with a sad smile. “You and Noah seem really close now.”
Eden shrugged, trying to be all nonchalant when in fact her insides had turned to mush just thinking about him. “We are.”
“Does that mean you traded in the old v-card then?”
Groaning, she shook her head at her. “You’re as dirty as he is.”
Tobe chuckled, a low sound that warmed Eden. “I’ll take that as yes.”
“You do that.”
She snorted and then threw her a wicked half-smile. “Is he as good as he looks?”
Eden slapped her arm and Tobe laughed, brushing her off. Just when Eden was sure she wasn’t going to dignify that question with an answer, she found herself wetting her lips in memory. “Ooh yeah.”
Tobe smirked. “There’s a surprise.”
“Yeah, I know, I know, he used to be a manwhore so he should be good right.”
“You said it.”
“Whatever. He’s a reformed manwhore.”
“That he is. Every time I see you two together in the hallways he’s got his hands on you. It’s kind of sickening actually.”
“Oh yuck it up. You’re just jealous.”
“I am,” Tobe admitted, the levity in her voice giving way to sorrow. “My boyfriend only remembers that he’s supposed to care about me.”
Horror flooded Eden and she glanced at Tobe out of the corner of her eye, understanding washing over her. “You and Cameron? You’re together again?” Last time she checked Tobe and Cameron were secretly pining after one another. They had dated before Eden had even known them but had broken up when Tobe had heard through the grapevine that Cameron supposedly thought it was like dating family to be with her since they’d known one another for so long. When Eden discovered the person who’d told Tobe Cam said that, her suspicions had started to grow, especially watching the way Cameron’s eyes followed October’s every movement. That person had been one of the bitchiest, annoying irritants Eden had ever had the displeasure of meeting - Shona. And Shona had had it in for Tobe, convincing Eden even more that Cam and Tobe had been split up by a devious little shrew.
“Yup. Took your advice, asked him about what Shona said. You were right, it was all BS. We were together and happy until all hell broke loose.”
Eden nodded. “I get that.”
“Do you?” Tobe wondered, incredulity in her voice.
Needing someone to upload on, to turn to, to finally talk about what was really going on, Eden cleared her throat, her heart pounding just at the thought of saying it out loud. “Do you remember me telling you about the girl, Romany, that killed Stellan?”
“Yeah. She was Noah’s ex-girlfriend, right?”
“Exactly. Well…” she blew out a breath, her hand sliding across her tummy unconsciously as butterflies awoke with a vengeance inside of her. “Cyrus has recruited her to help find the rebel Neith. She’s with your Councilman as we speak.”
Tobe was silent for so long Eden finally looked over at her. Her blue eyes were narrowed with confusion. “W
hy would he do that to you? Surely he knows you’ll kick her ass if you ever see her again?”
“If you could see Teagan again… wouldn’t you want to do more than kick his ass for what happened to Mhairi?”
“I’d want to kill him,” she clarified. And then her eyes widened at Eden’s implication. “Eden, you can’t. She’s Neith.”
“That’s what everyone keeps saying.”
“I can’t believe Cyrus is doing this to you. Tempting you like this.”
“I think it has more to do with Darius than Cyrus.”
Tobe’s eyes widened. “Jeezo. The big guns huh? Well… I get why you’d want to kill her but you can’t.”
Eden smirked at that. Tobe – ever so very straightforward. She’d missed her. “I’m glad you’re talking to me again.”
Tobe grunted. “You kill Romany and I might be the only one talking to you.”
A throat clearing had them twisting around to look behind them. Cyrus stood in the doorway, a frown wrinkling his forehead. Obviously he’d heard that last sentence. Well… he can take that anyway he wants, Eden thought bitterly.
“I came to tell you the news,” he said quietly.
Eden tensed and felt Tobe’s eyes on her, as if she knew too that Eden wasn’t going to like this news… whatever it was.
“McLeish and Romany are on their way to the mansion. Noah just picked them up from the airport.”
It was like a cannon ball had fired right through her knocking a massive hole in her gut. Her breath caught in her throat.
“Crap,” Tobe whispered hoarsely.
Chapter Eleven
I’ll Always Have You
Everyone was already in the room with her. Eden could hear the rumble of Cyrus’ rich, deep voice, McLeish’s distinctive Scottish brogue answering him. Adrenaline coursed through Eden and she glanced down at the dagger in her hand. When Cyrus had told her McLeish and Romany were on their way to the mansion, that Noah had been the one to pick them up, she’d felt something break inside. These people were supposed to care about her and yet they played nice with the person who had taken something so precious from her. The steel of the blade shone in the bright lights of the foyer, her thumb pressed against the now warm wooden handle. The knife was a punyal someone had left in the training room. Probably Emma. She had a thing for small daggers. Tobe had followed Cyrus out of the training room to join him waiting on her Councilman’s arrival and Eden had told them quietly that she’d be up in a minute. A minute had turned into forty minutes. Finally, pulling herself together, she’d moved to walk out of the training room. The punyal had caught her eye and without knowing what she had planned for it, Eden picked it up.
The sound of a familiar, hated voice caught hold of Eden and her chest constricted at the memories.
“Stellan!” She reached out for him, her eyes widening as the sword came towards the back of his head. “Stellan, noooo!” she screamed.
With only the memories controlling her, Eden yanked open the double doors to the main lounge, ignored the eyes that turned her way and searched the room for the owner of the voice. Like it was fated, Romany stood apart from everyone, her back pressed to the mini-bar. Eden flicked her wrist back, eyes blazing, and let loose the dagger. It spun with ferocious speed, whistling through the air, missing Romany by two inches before slicing through a bottle of scotch sitting on the shelves built into the walls behind her. The sound of breaking glass turned into yells and curses. Romany stood pale. But she hadn’t flinched.
Eden felt a tug on her upper arm and finally jerked her hate-filled eyes away from Romany to glare up into Cyrus’ face.
His features with tight with controlled anger. “An inch closer and I might have thought you meant that,” he hissed.
She wished she’d had the balls to kill her in front of everyone but the fear of what Cyrus and Noah would think had stopped her. Instead Eden had opted for trying to scare the utter crap out of the evil skank.
“Two inches more and I would have,” Eden snapped back, tugging her arm from his hold.
“That was awesome.” Tobe laughed, a tight, hard laugh that had everyone but Eden spinning around to glare at her. She lifted her hands in mock defense. “What? It was!”
Eden smirked unhappily at her, thankful for at least one ally in the room. She didn’t even dare to look at Noah. She was frightened she’d retrieve the dagger from the scotch just to throw it at him.
“Romany, are you alright?” Neil McLeish asked the young Neith, concern marring his features.
Eden snorted. Of course that snarky bastard would like Romany. It figured.
“I’m fine,” Romany replied evenly, straightening up to return Eden’s stare. However, she didn’t look mad. She just looked resigned. “She missed deliberately.”
“Aye, maybe.” Neil flicked a wary look at Eden. “But that doesn’t do anything for my confidence. I won’t have a Neith in danger around your daughter, Cyrus. I told you that before.”
“Eden is pivotal to this operation. Now that she has that out of her system you will find her reliable. Will they not, Eden?” Cyrus looked at her sternly. Absolute and cruel disappointment gripped her, the feeling bleeding into her eyes. She saw her guardian flinch from the look, a fleeting concern taking over his eyes before he brought himself back under control. “Eden?”
“Eden?” Noah stepped forward now. His brows were drawn together in worry and anxiety, his eyes pleading with her. “Romany and Councilman McLeish think they’ve tracked down the source of the rebel Neith. It could be Adam Lincoln, the Texas Councilman. That’s a big fish, Eden. We need you on this.”
Noah’s mom and dad stood behind him. Alain disapproving. Emma concerned. Near her by the door stood Tobe, her expression inscrutable. Cameron stood by his girlfriend’s side, his own face blank, unconcerned, bored. And then there was Val, sitting on the couch. Val, her friend, her mentor. The only one just like her. And even her dark eyes begged Eden to play nice.
Pain Eden hadn’t felt in a long time slithered into her, its laughing bitterness shaking its head at her as it stole inside. It laughed at her for believing she would never be alone again now that she was Ankh. It laughed at her because she had never felt this alone before. Not even when she was a soul eater. It was funny how having no one and being lonely was nowhere near as bad as having people who were supposed to care about her in her life but feeling isolated, adrift from them. She shook her head in horrified amazement as she glanced between Noah and Cyrus. “You really do expect me to work with her, don’t you?”
“Eden…” Noah warned softly and Cyrus’ expression matched her boyfriend’s tone.
She scoffed, making a noise of disgust. “You know what… screw you. The both of you.”
Cyrus tensed with surprise and then anger. Eden shifted her eyes to Noah and his own features were slack, his eyes disbelieving. With one last glare she turned on her heel and pulled the door open to leave.
“Eden, wait!” Romany called and she heard her footsteps moving closer.
Another voice cut through the room and Eden chanced a glance behind her before she turned away, shutting the door closed behind her. Tobe had intercepted Romany.
Eden sucked in a shaky breath, furious tears pooling in her eyes as she tried to catch her breath in the silent and empty foyer. Behind the door she heard Tobe say, “Take another step towards her, cow, and the next dagger will be mine.”
With angry satisfaction, Eden pushed off the doors and headed up the staircase towards her room. As she followed the runners up and up again, and along the quiet hallway to her bedroom, the anger began to dissipate and in its place grew grief. She shut the door behind her, praying no one would follow her, that Noah wouldn’t follow. She needed to be alone where she could remember without feeling guilty…
18 months ago…
A shriek of terror muffled by the floors above it jerked Eden back from her computer screen. She glanced down at her carpet, gulping hard, shame and guilt eating at her.
With her fantastic hearing she heard her father yell, “Teagan, shut the door!”
The two of them were at it again. The plastic computer mouse cracked in her hand she squeezed it so hard.
She should go down there. Or tell someone. Surely… one of dad’s security goons heard that this time?! How much was her father paying his men off? There’s no way they didn’t know about the torture chamber in the basement.
It sounded like a girl this time. Last week it had been a guy. Teagan had left the door open again. He was getting good at that. Celine was furious. Stellan disgusted. Eden… well she’d lost weight she’d been so sickened by it.
A soft knock on her door.
“Come in.”
Stellan’s head popped around the doorframe, his face cast in the shadows of her darkened room. His eyes were worried as they wandered over her face. “You feel like getting out of here for a while? Going for a walk?”
God, what would she do without him? She hoped she’d never have to know.
“Sure.” She smiled gratefully. “Let me just switch this off.” She turned back to the computer and began shutting down her programs.
Stellan waited quietly, his anxiety for her filling the air. Eden glanced up at him wryly as she stuck her feet into her DC’s. “Stel, I’m OK.”
“I hate that you have to hear that stuff, Paradise.”
“I know.” She strode over to him and grabbed his arm, hurrying him out of the room, down the stairs and through the house. A goon stopped them at the French doors onto the stone balcony that led down into the gardens.
“Where are you heading, kids?”
“We’re going for a walk,” Stel told him authoritatively and tried to brush past him. He was after all bigger than the guy.
But the guy stopped him with a gentle push. “Stick to the gardens.”
“Sure thing,” Stellan almost kind of growled.
Eden smirked at the security guy as they were passing. “Nice sunglasses, Bono,” she quipped, tipping a finger at them. “What, the glaring light from the moon too much for your fragile retinas?” He curled a lip at her and she grinned, hoping he’d retaliate. When he didn’t she shook her head in disappointment, turning to follow Stellan out onto the balcony. “That boy is Ryan Winslow whipped. I miss Jeff. He used to snark back.”