42
The twentieth floor greeted Amelia with an oppressive silence. Her footsteps echoed off the walls. The mark from the Creator’s whip still burned on her thigh, though the physical evidence of it had already healed.
At least Dave was unharmed. She had found the phone number for the family with whom the boy lived and confirmed that none of it had been real – for him. Her punishment, however – the pain and the blood – had been very real.
Dark shades dominated Mikhail’s room, yet familiar warmth spread across Amelia’s skin. Her eyes wandered over the shadowy walls and the tall, pointed windows until they rested on the wardrobe. She opened it and ran her hand along the entire inner surface. As before, she found nothing.
It had to be here somewhere…
Amelia had been on the floor many times since Mikhail’s arrest, but tonight, for the first time, she moved with the certainty he wouldn’t appear from behind one of the doors and catch her in the act.
This was her final attempt to find the ring.
Tomorrow, she would tell Constantine everything and hope they could handle Ana.
She was done staying up all night wondering if hell was about to break loose in the Hospital.
But tonight, she came with a heavy heart, ready to accept that she wouldn’t see Mikhail one more time before revealing the true reason behind her return and forever earning his disdain.
Until now, she had believed she still had time with him – time to convince herself she could give his ring to Ana, no matter how much it would hurt him. Time to have her fill of him.
Her gaze fell on the solid mahogany wood of his empty bed.
Over the months she had spent exploring this new world, its creatures, and their relationships, she had learned one thing – though love was a weakness, she did not want to be alone.
She needed someone to share everything her mind and body were going through.
Someone she could trust to be by her side every single day.
Amelia yearned for that person to be Mikhail, while also understanding that because of everything in his past, he would never allow himself such closeness – such vulnerability .
She stepped back into the corridor and entered a random door, finding herself in a space with wooden floors and dingy white walls.
Kneeling on the floor, she searched for a hidden compartment, inch by inch.
Desperation weighed down on her. If such a compartment existed and it was sealed with magic, the same way the Hospital was hidden from human eyes, how would she even detect it?
What if there was no secret compartment at all?
She was halfway through the room when, outside, the floorboards creaked.
Amelia froze. Who could be here at this hour? Stella cleaned during the day, and Viktor had said he would work all night in the lab. So, Zacharia? Constantine?
Amelia crawled to the door and pressed her back against the wall beside it. Luckily, she hadn’t turned on the light, so whoever was outside wouldn’t see a glow beneath the door.
The footsteps seemed to be getting closer. A door squeaked open in the corridor. More footsteps. Slow, heavy, confident steps. Amelia wrapped her arms around her knees, pressing herself further against the wall.
When the door opened and a figure stepped into the room, the faint light from the window illuminated him. He was tall, dressed in dark clothes, with shoulder-length hair that hung around his face, hiding his profile. He shifted, revealing some of it, and –
Her heart flipped.
“Mikhail?”
He faced her. A dark beard covered his gaunt cheeks. His eyes were golden, filled with a gleam Amelia had only seen in her visions of him – a fierceness that sent chills through her.
The joy left her as quickly as it had appeared. The man before her wasn’t the Mikhail she admired for his achievements. Nor the Mikhail she’d longed to see just one more time. It was his animal half – the one capable of killing. She’d hoped never to witness this dark side of him again.
Had he lost control over his animal spirit while in prison?
Her throat went dry. If he was dominated by the beast and sensed she was here searching for something of his…
She rose on shaky legs. “Hello…”
Mikhail closed in on her, his gaze travelling over her, leaving a burning trail wherever his eyes lingered. Yet that savage glint never left his irises, not for a second. Before Amelia could decide what to do, he was in front of her. His hands gripped her shoulders and pressed her against the wall.
She inhaled his familiar masculine scent, and her heartbeat racked up some more. “Mikhail…” she whispered, unsure what to say after so much time.
Mikhail stared at her as if he wasn’t really seeing her. He leaned in towards her neck and sniffed. The slight brush of his rough jaw against her skin sent shivers down her spine.
She had often imagined what it would feel like to have him this close again. She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him, but in this state, he wasn’t truly the Mikhail she desired.
One of his hands slid down and gripped her backside while his nose continued to explore the curve of her neck, sending waves of awareness through her entire body. His hand crawled down the back of her thigh, grasping her knee.
“Mikhail, wait…”
He lifted her leg and hooked it around his hip. Amelia stumbled backwards, but Mikhail placed his other hand on her back and dragged her into him before she could fall against the wall. The movement brought her in full contact with his hardness, and her body pulsed at the sensation.
“I missed you, Amelia,” he said in her ear. The sound of his voice, as deep as she remembered, did impossible things to her stomach. She had started to believe she’d never hear it again.
Amelia couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around his neck any longer. “It really is you.”
In response, Mikhail found her lips with his own. She melted into the kiss, torn between relief and longing. She was not prepared for the sensation his tongue sliding across her lips evoked. It was both tender and erotic, sending her soaring and grounding her in the only reality possible for her.
A reality with him.
Mikhail’s fingers trailed down her thigh, erasing the pain that scorched her skin after the lash of the whip. When she kissed him, the Creator’s punishment faded. She was ready to lie again – for Mikhail.
She buried her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer. His body was so solid, so real against her. His kisses gradually softened until he released her mouth and helped her find her balance on the floor.
Mikhail’s eyes still sparkled with golden hues, but the animal savagery was gone. “Amelia,” he said with the faintest smile.
Only now did she realise how much she liked the sound of her name when spoken in his deep voice.
“You… You’re here?” she mumbled, still breathless from the kiss, from nerves, and relief. “For a moment, I thought you… weren’t yourself.”
He brushed a strand from her forehead. “Did I scare you?”
“I got scared that you’d lost yourself in Prokaliya.”
“And fallen into Vaka Hara?” Mikhail shook his head. “I’d never let that happen. Not when I know what I’ve left behind at home.”
The intensity of his gaze made it clear she was what he was referring to. When Mikhail looked at her like that, it was hard to remember all the reasons she should be cautious around him.
Worry flickered across his eyes. “How are you?”
“I’m fine…”
“Amelia, what were you doing on the floor?”
Her heart skipped a beat. What had she been doing on the floor?
“I was on the floor… I, uh…” She stammered, struggling for a plausible excuse.
“Sometimes I come to read in your library… But I heard footsteps. And you know, since the mummy disappeared, I’ve been a bit on edge…
” She tried to smile, but her facial muscles felt frozen.
“Never mind. And you? How was your time in prison?”
She frowned. How was your time in prison? What a question! Was it possible she’d lost her wits from just one kiss with him?
Mikhail raised an eyebrow. “The mummy, Amelia?”
Damn it.
She took a deep breath. “Right. About that… I think I need to tell you something…”
He clenched his jaw. “I’m all ears.”
***
Amelia sat on the edge of Mikhail’s bed, listening to the sound of the shower running. She couldn’t keep the corners of her lips from curling up. A single door separated her from Mikhail right now. And behind that door, he was naked.
She glanced at the ceiling, frustrated with herself. All this time, she’d hoped for Mikhail’s return for the sake of the Hospital. Not because she longed to continue what they had started.
Not because he was the single being in this world capable of soothing her fears and pains, without her even understanding why.
And certainly not because she needed him to find the ring.
Her smile vanished. What would she do about the ring? Less than an hour ago, she’d been ready to confess to Constantine and take her punishment. She’d been ready to face Mikhail’s contempt if he ever got out. But now that he was back… Could she carry through with her plan?
Mikhail emerged from the bathroom, interrupting her thoughts.
Droplets of water covered his marked bare chest. A white towel hung low across his hips, teasing at what was hidden beneath, and highlighting the enticing V-shaped muscles of his abdomen.
Despite the weight he’d lost, his body still was a work of art.
His wet hair was slicked back, and his fresh-shaven face appeared even more striking than before.
Amelia’s mouth went dry. That period of transformation! She couldn’t remember ever experiencing such a strong desire towards a man. Then again, she couldn’t remember ever being around a man who possessed even a fraction of Mikhail’s allure.
“Looks like you missed me too, little beast,” he said.
Her cheeks flamed, but she held his green-brown irises with just a hint of gold.
He crossed the distance between them, scanning her from head to toe.
She was wearing a fitted white blouse and black leggings, which showed off her figure well enough, but could hardly be considered sexy.
Yet Mikhail’s eyes darkened in a way that left no doubt about his thoughts.
“I wanted to hear how much damage you caused to the immortal world by rummaging around the temple, but I suppose that can wait.”
He pulled her towards him and Amelia tilted her head to meet his kiss. His fingers tugged the hem of her blouse.
Suddenly, his lips froze against hers.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
“We’ll find out soon enough…”
There was a knock at the door. A persistent one. “Mikhail! Are you in there?”
Amelia recognised Nyavolski’s voice.
Helena’s followed. “Mikhail, we need to talk!”
“Shut up, woman! I get to go first—”
“We’re coming in!”
The two burst through the door. Helena’s gaze darted from the towel around Mikhail’s waist to Amelia’s flushed cheeks. “Are we interrupting something?”
“Yes,” Mikhail said.
“The guards said you’re back!” Nyavolski barged further into the room. He locked Mikhail in a hearty embrace, undeterred by his half-naked state. “I’m so happy you’re here, brother! You wouldn’t believe the mess my lovely wife made while you were gone.”
Helena’s painted eyebrows arched in indignation. “Ha! As if you weren’t involved! Let me tell you what really happened, Mikhail. Otherwise, you won’t understand a thing.”
“For heaven’s sake, let him get dressed first, woman…”
“I had something else in mind first.” Mikhail cast a meaningful glance at Amelia – it only served to further heat her skin.
Before either of them could say anything, Viktor came in next. “Mikhail, it’s true you returned!”
A thin smile formed on Mikhail’s lips. “Glad to see rumours spread so quickly…”
“It wasn’t my fault!” Alex barged into the room after her stepfather.
“Right…” Mikhail frowned, but the smile kept tugging at his lips. “Looks like the only thing I’ll be doing before talking to you, is getting dressed.”
Amelia left with the others and waited for him in the hallway.