Dominic's Nemesis (17 page)

Blushing from head to toe, Eden just did yank
a thick cotton towel over her pink-skinned nudity before Kathleen
came bounding through the door. Eden turned what she prayed could
pass for an innocent expression on the irate Scottish woman.
Kathleen
’
s keen, knowing
eyes scanned her face, then trailed down her hastily-covered,
still-twitching frame. Unsatisfied, the determined redhead turned
to scan the room. Her blunt mien lingered in particular on the
abandoned spectacles and the second dent in the counterpane. No,
Eden thought, she wasn
’
t
fooled.

“Where is dat shady-eyed scoundrel?”

“Dominic isn
’
t here.”

“Aye,
now
.” She corrected, her manner
as blunt as the business end of a battering ram. “
Tell me, lass, tis
’
ya virtue still intact?
”

Eden blushed from tip to toes, dropping her
head in a faint, humble nod. “Yes, Kathleen.”

“Come, we must ‘ave a chat, you and I. ‘Tis a
conversation reserved for mothers and daughters. Most lassies are
no
’
privy ta it until a
weddin’ is pendin’, but there is naught ta be done for it. Aye, ya
need a good talkin’ ta, and weddin’ or no
’
, you
’
re goin’ get it!”

* * *

Instinct had propelled Dom out of her arms
and onto the astral. A sharp pang throbbed in his chest. He
cherished her tender lulling warmth, missing it at once. Even his
essence suffered, wanting very much to exit the astral realm and be
reunited with Eden
’
s
seductive corporeal body. Dominic suppressed the enticing
compulsion and instead sought out Ethan
’s essence.

He disembarked just outside the dramatic
moon-kissed stage at the center of his music room. “Your wife is on
the rampage.”

From the shadows, Dom watched his brother
pivot to face his general direction. “Yes, I know. When Ms.
Prescott failed to turn up at the dinner table, Kathleen grew
concerned. I gather she found her charge in your company.”

“You know me better than that, Ethan. I left
before being discovered.” He prowled at the edge of the light
streaming down from the glass Cyclops aloft, and wondered at the
mixed expression flitting across the other man
’
s features, features so like his own until
he wondered if he were staring at another version of himself. Ethan
was the man he could have been, no,
would
have been, had
fate not chosen to kick him in the teeth.

He could feel his brother
’
s eyes groping for him. “Dom, have you,
eh—”

“Debauched her?”

“Not quite the sentiment I was aiming at, but
a relevant question nevertheless.” His let out a heavy sigh,
shoulders slumped. “Aren
’
t we beyond this?”

Dom stepped out at once, breaking the perfect
circle of light. “You could just as easily step into the shadows
with me.” His gaze shifted constantly, as to avoid colliding with
his brother
’
s.

“I
have
spent a lifetime escaping from
my
shadows. Walking into yours would be suicide. I
’
m surprised
you’ve
survived this
long.”

He sensed Ethan had a specific agenda even as
he relaxed against the black lacquered grand. “Now, you sound like
Cael.”

“Cael makes a lot of sense. Maybe you should
take a closer listen sometimes.”

“If I took Cael
’
s
advice…
” Dominic trailed off, casting his gaze downward to
tickle the ivories at the high end.

Exasperated, Ethan shook his head. “Enough,
Dom. I
’
ll not chase you
around the room. Please put on the bloody spectacles so we can have
a normal conversation.”

“
I
don’
t have them.”

“Well, where are they then?”

“Where do you think?” He lifted his lashes
over fraternal twins and inclined his head thereabouts. “With
her.”

“
Kathleen?
”

“Eden.”

His brother
’
s gaze stilled, seeming to almost dissect him.
“Dominic,
have
you debauched her?”

“Nearly, Kathleen interrupted.” He could
admit it. He wasn’t proud but he was honest. “I
want
her.
And I
’
ve never
wanted…
that
…before. She did not even pretend to stop me.” He
sensed in the other man a subtle…dissatisfaction, frustration
almost, at his answer.

“Perhaps it would not be so bad if—”

“If what? If I court her as Cael suggested?
Or if I married her, an idea you so obviously esteem.” He dismissed
both notions with a wave of his hand, unbreakable steel back in his
voice. “She is unstable, and I am done pretending otherwise. Would
you have me tied to a woman destined to descend into madness?
I
’
ll not damn myself or
innocent children to suffer my tragedy.”

“Eden is
not
Lillian, Dom. You do her
a disservice to even make such an unflattering comparison. She is
fragile at the moment, yes, but she’s not dangerous or
off-balanced. I have glimpsed a strength in her, I am certain.”

“Oh really?” Brows ascended to mock his
brother
’
s conviction.
“When I astraled home, I found her writhing naked and hysterical on
the bedchamber floor, dripping wet next to a capsized tub. She was
screaming her lungs out. After I calmed her down enough to explain,
she swore there was a presence of some sort there. She claimed that
it attacked, bent on strangling her to death.”

“What is Cael
’
s opinion?”

He exhaled deep and long. “
I don’
t know. He
’
s to come assess her in two days time. But
after tonight, there is little doubt that
something
is amiss
with her. There was no one else, evil or otherwise; she was alone.
I would know. How long do you think, before she starts to…hurt
herself?”

“Do me a favor, and don’t leap to any
conclusions…leastwise not until after Cael makes his analysis.”

“Wishful thinking will never do.”

“As a favor to me then.”

A familiar tune trilled from his fingers as
Dominic considered the request. If there were a hidden truth, no
one better to uncover it than Cael. His younger brother
’
s keen sense of people and
discerning eye for details served him well.

“We
’
ll wait.” He decided.

“Ahem… in the meantime, I suggest no more,
eh, boundary-crossing social behaviors, unless of course you
don
’
t mind a stinging
slap on the wrist.” A haphazard smile spread across the
doctor
’
s features.
“
Kathleen
’
s become a bit overzealous with
the pregnancy.”

“I will consider myself warned.”

* * *

Two days. Therein lay the full measure of his
self-control…before he cast common sense aside and pursued his
baser instincts. The memory of her passion-daze eyes, soft feminine
sighs, and inviting arms open for him and inviting his touch dogged
him. The promise of pleasures unspeakable plagued him, a virus in
his mind, a carnal itch, eroding his resolve. What did it say about
his character, his future sanity to which he clung so desperately,
that he remained stimulated, against even his own judgment, to seek
solace in the arms of a would-be madwoman? That he knew without a
doubt, despite the wrongness of it, that reassurance and calm could
be found in such an unlikely place.

* * *

Eden sat in front of the vanity,
Kathleen
’
s
none-too-gentle set down still ringing in her ears from days
before. She wondered if Dominic had endured a cutting lecture from
Dr. Raine? Or mayhap from Kathleen herself? Eden wouldn
’
t put it pass the brass Scottish
woman to rake him across the coals just as she had done to her.

She ran a soft-bristled brush over her hair,
more concern with concealing the deep blue and purple contusions
blinking back at her from the mirror. The milky pearl of her skin
at her shoulders and throat were marred with evidence of the
entity
’
s attack. She
tried to obscure them with a bit of excess lace strategically
looped behind her neck and tucked into the cleavage of her dress.
But the bruising outshone the flimsy fabric, calling for a
conspicuous shawl. Eyeing herself, Eden knew the odd ensemble would
not go unnoticed at the breakfast table. Even now that
they
’
d ascended to a
poignant, if erratic closeness, Dominic only sporadically appeared
at meals so she was less concerned in that corner. Of course with
his unique talents, he
might
have
already seen the bruises.

Exasperated, Eden shrugged her shoulders and
shifted her attention to her hair. The dark strands she’d noticed
several days before were still there. They seemed more numerous,
although no more noticeable than before…to anyone but her, that is.
She shifted a handful of blonde and finger-combing it. Yes, there
were definitely new strands of brunette. It troubled her. People
grayed with age, not the other way around.

Just then, an infinitesimal disturbance in
the room captured her attention. She grew still. A moment of silent
apprehension later, something like the flutter of a moth wing
touched her hand. She jumped. The brush clattered to the floor.

“Shhhh. Do not be alarmed.” The deep,
familiar voice soothed her fears. “I
’
ll not hurt you.”

He must have bent to pick up the brush
because the next she knew, a hand slid into her hair, while another
pulled the soft bristles through the thick masses. He brushed in
long, lingering strokes, massaging her scalp lightly with his other
hand. Eden rested her eyes and relaxed into the tingling rightness
of his ministrations.

“Better?”

“Yessss.” The word came out a hiss of
feminine satisfaction. She purred like a cat being petted. For he
had slowly lowered his free hand to her breast, where he began
massaging it through the fabric of her dress. Eden
’
s lips parted, luminous hazel eyes
stared upward at nothing, but she felt his gaze on her. She
strained her neck, seeking, silently inviting his kiss. The soft
tentative touch of his mouth branded her a moment later. The warm,
moist tongue slipped between her parted lips like a thief in the
night.

“Hmmm…” Eden moaned deep in her throat, as
she heard the brush once again clash unceremoniously against the
floor. His now-free hand entwined itself in her hair, and guided
her head back so he could explore her at his leisure. His other
hand was still a caressing menace at her gowned breast. Pleasure
spiked. And soon, she longed to feel his hand against her bared
breast, though now, thanks to Kathleen, she knew it wanton to give
in to the desire.

Her
hands which had been erratically
gripping the knobs of the armrests under the onslaught of dizzying
sensations, stirred into action. She reached around the hand that
was caressed her throbbing breast to awkwardly shove the top of her
bodice loose and guide his willing fingers to close over her tender
naked flesh. So responsive was the wee nub until she could feel the
tiny corrugations of his fingertips, raking an enticing friction
back and forth, creating a wonderful answering throb, which sent
shockwaves tingling through her body.

“Ohhh.” Her other hand cupped the back of his
head, as she continued to take his tongue eagerly into her
mouth.

Restless, and fast succumbing to a more
far-reaching appetite, Eden shifted in the seat. Her legs, she did
not quite know what to do with them. More and more, the junction
between them burned with some gnawing emptiness, that yearned to be
filled. It felt as if her core were salivating, starved for a
specific fulfillment, only she did not quite know what. She twisted
and turned, the dress with its endless undergarments were as so
many cloying blankets smothering off her oxygen, the shawl suddenly
over-warm around her neck. Though she
’
d asked, Kathleen had left many details out of her
explanation of what went on between married men and women. She’d
only say that the illusive
it
was forbidden and led to
sinful indulgence…an apt description, indeed Eden thought.

* * *

Dominic felt her twitch and jerk beneath his
hand, and his lips. He was perversely aroused by the fact that he
could reduce her to a quivering heap of raw needs just as
completely as she could him. He recognized the peculiar new, yet
somehow familiar stirring in his groin. He also knew he
’
d have to do something definitive
about it eventually, but for now, he relished the heightened
sensations. Loved the throb of awareness touching her set off in
him.

He finally broke off the never-ending kiss.
Her panting breaths matched his own. Her hand was still lost in his
hair. She curled it around to cup his cheek. He knew the instant
she noticed he hadn’t donned his usual eyewear. Her hand stilled
then grappled around in search.

“You aren’t wearing your spectacles?” She
asked, voice thick and throaty, yet bewildered.

“I find immense pleasure in gazing upon your
body unhindered by obstruction.”

“You
’
ve seen all of me and yet you refused me a glimpse
of your eyes.”

“Eden…” He frowned beneath her
fingertips.

“Another time, Dom. For now,
this
is
enough.” And with that she urged his head forward to arch over her.
He took the cue, with flawless execution, retracting his hand from
her bodice only to fling aside the shawl and bits of lace, and
shove the dress low enough so that her small pert breasts popped
completely free, the one already rigid and winking at him. He
dipped to capture a pink-tipped crest between nibbling
lips…stopping short. Her lush, tempting hilltops no longer garnered
his attention, instead he was riveted by the ugly, bluish purple
ruin on her otherwise smooth alabaster skin. All else paled in
importance.