by Tina Folsom
Relief washed over Enya. They’d cleared another hurdle.
Zoltan held out his hand, and after a moment of hesitation, Samson shook it. “We’ll need a little time to plan things. Do you have a layout of the tunnel system and the vortex circles?”
Zoltan shook his head. “No. But I can draw it from memory.”
“We’ll have to hurry,” Enya interjected. “We have no idea how long Z…Angus can still conjure a vortex to get us down there.”
“It won’t take long,” Samson assured her. “We have everything we need in-house.”
32
Zoltan was impressed, to say the least. Seeing the vampires and the Stealth Guardians work together in preparing the destruction of the demons was a thing of beauty.
He and Enya had traveled back to the compound in Baltimore, bringing with them three vampires, Samson, Amaury, and Quinn, and a whole lot of supplies that looked sufficient to blow up a whole continent. Now, everybody was assembled in the command center of the compound, an air-conditioned, windowless room with multiple computers and monitors and an assortment of electronic gadgets. No wonder he’d never been able to destroy the Stealth Guardians: when it came to technology, they were superior to the demons in every way.
Enya was taking charge, assigning each vortex circle to a team comprised of three people: one person with explosives experience, and two others for protection, one of which had to be a Stealth Guardian to render the team invisible.
“You’ve each got a map showing the location of the three vortex circles. Don’t lose it. The three explosions have to be timed exactly.” She looked up. “With thirty-second intervals.”
“Why thirty seconds?” Grayson asked.
“So we’ll be able to hear all three explosions and can be certain that the demons didn’t find and defuse them in time. We can’t leave any of the vortex circles operational.”
Everybody nodded in agreement.
“Quinn, you’re with Aiden and Logan. You’re taking circle one. Ryder, you’ll rig the explosives at circle two. Hamish and Manus will be with you. Samson and Amaury, you two are with me. Pearce and Grayson are staying at the compound.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Grayson said. “Why don’t I get to go?”
“Because Ryder has explosives expertise, and somebody has to stay here to protect the compound should we be so unlucky as to have demons on our ass on the way back.”
Grayson grunted. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”
“Grayson,” Samson said in a sharp voice.
Grayson snapped his head to his father.
“Shut up!” Samson said. “Enya is right. Ryder has to do this. After Quinn, he has the most experience with explosives. And between Amaury and me, we’ve got enough expertise to rig a vortex circle too. But you’re needed here. There are women and children in this compound. If the demons manage to follow us back via the portal, you need to defend them.” He put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Can I count on you, son?”
Grayson straightened. “Of course, Dad.”
“Good. Now, Angus, where will the new portal be located in relation to the three vortex circles?”
Zoltan didn’t react. He’d been studying the map while Samson reprimanded his son, weighing up the pros and cons between two different locations.
“Angus?”
“Zol—” Grayson stopped himself, swallowing the second syllable before it could come over his lips.
But everybody’s eyes were already on him.
“What?” Samson asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Nothing.”
But Samson wasn’t stupid. Nor was he born yesterday. His heightened senses must have picked up Enya’s tiny gasp and the acceleration of her heart rate at hearing Grayson’s misstep. Samson’s gaze snapped to Zoltan. “Your name isn’t Angus, is it?”
Zoltan knew there was no sense in lying. “No, it’s not. It was when I was born. But now everybody knows me as Zoltan.” He let a second tick by. “Or the Great One.”
For a long moment, Samson gave no indication whether this piece of information changed his willingness to help them. Then he looked at Enya.
“You didn’t find it necessary to tell me who he really is?”
“Would you have agreed if you knew?” Enya countered.
“You trust him?”
“He’s my mate. I trust him with my life.”
Samson nodded slowly. “And that of your child, too, I presume.”
“Who told you?” Enya’s gaze wandered to Grayson.
“For a change, it’s not Grayson’s fault. He told me nothing. But my hearing is as good as his. I heard the baby’s heartbeat when we traveled here in the portal. I had to hold your arm, remember?”
Enya nodded. “The baby is Zoltan’s.” She reached for Zoltan’s hand and squeezed it.
Samson ran a hand through his raven-black hair. “Well, I guess if the Council of Nine approved this undertaking, who am I to contradict them?”
There was a silence that lasted just a second too long.
“Yeah, sure, of course,” Manus said. “We should get this show on the road.”
But Samson had already caught on. “Are you guys shitting me? You didn’t run this by the council?”
Enya gave a one-shouldered shrug. “They would never go for it. It was hard enough to convince my compound mates. So if you want to blame somebody, blame me. But I would do it again. What are you gonna do now?”
Samson sighed and looked at Amaury and Quinn. Both nodded. “We do what we came here to do: destroy the vortex circles. We’ll deal with the fallout later.” Then he looked straight at Zoltan. “And don’t think I’ll hesitate to kill you should you betray us.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Zoltan said. And for some reason, that threat made him respect Samson.
~ ~ ~
Shortly later, everything was ready. Zoltan and Enya stood outside in the alley in front of the invisible compound—a revelation that Zoltan didn’t really have time to appreciate—while several of the others stood farther afield.
Enya looked up at him. “The moment of truth.”
Zoltan nodded and made a circular movement with his free hand. When he felt the draw of the vortex he was casting, a sigh of relief left his chest. “I’ve still got it,” he murmured to Enya.
She looked over her shoulder. “I’ll come and get you as soon as I can. Be ready.”
He took her hand. “Time to go.” Their eyes met. Trust shone in Enya’s blue eyes, even though he could feel her trepidation about returning to the Underworld.
He pulled her close to him and stepped into the swirling mass of the vortex. Enya gripped him tightly, and he understood. The pregnancy caused her to feel dizzy. “Almost there.”
She didn’t answer, only held on to him.
We’re here, he thought, knowing Enya could read his thoughts while inside the vortex. Showtime.
Zoltan stepped out of the vortex, Enya still holding on to his arm, but now she was invisible. Which was a good thing, because two demons were standing guard at the vortex circle. Both cast him a stunned look, their mouths dropping open.
“Oh Great One,” the shorter of the two managed to say. “We were told you, uh…”
“You were told what?” Zoltan growled, immediately assuming his usual role, so his subjects wouldn’t think that anything was amiss.
Shorty didn’t answer. His companion, a demon with a full head of blond hair, cleared his throat. “Uhm, what Jeff is saying… uhm, is that after the prisoner escaped, we should assume you were killed.”
Zoltan went toe to toe with the man. “Is that right?”
The demon began to tremble. “He said—”
“Who? Who spread lies about my supposed demise, huh?” Zoltan pulled his dagger. “Whoever answers first gets to live.”
“Oh Great One.” This came from the entrance to one of the tunnels.
Zoltan snapped his head to the approaching demon. It was just hi
s bad luck that Yannick was showing up now. Somehow Zoltan had to distract Yannick so he and Enya could get away. Zoltan couldn’t afford Yannick asking any questions. “Yannick? What is going on here?”
Yannick approached and motioned to the two demon guards. “Get back to work. You know what to do.” Then he addressed Zoltan. “Oh Great One, we thought you were lost. We found the dog Silvana said was with you when the prisoner escaped. We assumed…” He shook his head. “Vintoq said…”
“Vintoq? Where is he?”
Yannick motioned to one of the corridors. “In your study.”
So the traitor had told everybody to assume Zoltan was dead and made himself the Great One? Zoltan made a few steps toward the tunnel heading to his study, but he had no intention of going there. There was no time, as much as he wanted to drive his dagger into the traitor.
“Thank you, Yannick. You may go.”
“I’ll show you to him,” Yannick said, to Zoltan’s annoyance. Before Zoltan could protest, Yannick added, “For your protection.”
“Lead the way, then,” Zoltan said. Damn it, there was no time for this now, but Yannick was in the tunnel already, and Zoltan could feel the eyes of the two demon guards on his back, watching him for as long as they could from their position at the vortex circle.
Yannick’s footfalls as well as Zoltan’s own disguised Enya’s much lighter ones. She pulled on his shoulder, and he felt her warm breath ghost over his neck.
“Yannick, he’s the one Tessa identified,” she whispered.
Yannick turned. “Did you say something, oh Great One?”
Fuck, Yannick was the traitor. It all made sense now. As the demon in charge of the vortex circles, he kept track of everybody’s comings and goings—and had falsified records to make Vintoq look like the traitor. Why hadn’t Zoltan seen this before? It was so clear now. Vintoq had been set up to take the fall.
“No. Now go. I want to speak to Vintoq.”
But Yannick didn’t want to comply. He glanced past Zoltan, inclining his head a fraction, as if giving a sign to somebody, before he said, “I’m afraid your loyal servant can’t help you anymore.” Yannick pulled his dagger, his grin triumphant. “He had a little accident.”
Behind him, Zoltan heard heavy footsteps. The demons guarding the vortex circle were approaching, no doubt following Yannick’s unspoken command.
“Lower your weapon,” Zoltan said calmly, and pulled his dagger from his pocket.
Yannick didn’t comply with his command. He snorted. “You can’t give me any orders anymore. I’m the leader now. You were weak. Soft.” He spat on the ground. “You showed mercy far too many times. Like a fucking human. No more. You don’t deserve to be the Great One. Hell, you don’t deserve to be a demon. But you’ll be dead soon enough. I’ll make sure of that.”
“I doubt that very much.” After all, Zoltan had an ace or two up his sleeve.
Yannick glanced around. “She’s with you, isn’t she?”
Zoltan didn’t blink.
But Yannick looked undeterred. “Fine, have it your way.” He glanced past Zoltan. “Do it!”
Enya let out an audible gasp for everybody to hear.
Zoltan whipped around and saw the two approaching demons. Each held a spray bottle with green liquid in one hand, a dagger in the other.
Knowing he didn’t have much time, Zoltan made himself invisible and pivoted. He charged toward the unsuspecting Yannick, who’d probably expected him to attack the two approaching demons first, so Enya wouldn’t be sprayed with green demon blood, revealing her position. But Zoltan knew Enya could take care of herself. He slammed into Yannick, who lost his balance and tumbled backward, but held on to his dagger. A split second later, he’d regained his balance and flicked his wrist, releasing the dagger, but without a clear visual, Yannick’s aim was off. Zoltan had already jumped to the side and was now crashing down on Yannick, slamming his dagger into the traitor’s throat. Gurgling sounds rolled over his lips, together with green blood.
Zoltan made himself visible, wanting the dying Yannick to see him. “You know what the problem is with traitors like you? You talk too much. And act too late. Should have killed me when you had the chance.”
But Yannick didn’t hear the last words. He was already dead.
Zoltan jumped up and whirled around. One of the demons attacking Enya was dead on the ground, but the other had pinned her to the tunnel wall. Her clothes were stained with demon blood, robbing her of her advantage. Zoltan raced to her, grabbed her attacker from behind, pulled his head back by the hair, and sliced his neck open. More blood spurted onto Enya, but that couldn’t be helped now.
“Thanks. That was tight,” she said, and took a deep breath. “Sorry I didn’t tell you about Yannick earlier. I totally forgot.”
“Doesn’t matter now. He’s dead.” He pointed to Yannick’s body. “We’ve gotta stash the bodies quickly, before somebody comes.”
“Where?”
“There’s a little alcove around the corner that should be big enough for three bodies.”
They went to work, carrying each body about ten yards, where they dumped them behind a large rock outcrop. Then they covered any of the blood spatter with dirt.
“You’ve gotta get rid of your clothes,” Zoltan said, but Enya was already ridding herself of her shirt and pants and tossing them on the heap of dead bodies. Within seconds, she stood in front of him only wearing panties and a camisole, the source dagger strapped to her torso by a holster.
“Can you see any green blood on me now?” she asked, and made a full turn.
“No. And on me?” He also made a turn.
“No.”
“Good.” He unbuttoned his shirt. “You’re taking my shirt.”
She didn’t protest and put on his shirt, which reached almost to mid-thigh. “Ready.”
Invisibly, Zoltan took her hand and led her in the direction they’d chosen for the new portal. “We won’t have much time. Once somebody notices that the vortex circle isn’t guarded, they’ll get suspicious and raise an alarm.”
“How far from here?” Enya asked.
“Just a few minutes.”
They ran the entire way, encountering nobody, until they reached a small, unused cave the size of a gas station bathroom.
“This is it,” Zoltan said.
Enya didn’t waste time. She pulled the source dagger from the holster beneath the shirt and set the blade against the rock wall. Zoltan watched in fascination how the dagger, seemingly under its own steam, etched the symbol of a dagger into the rock.
“It’s like magic,” he said.
She smiled. “Yes, ancient magic.”
Moments later, the symbol was complete. Enya took a step back and looked at it.
“That’s it?” he asked.
She shook her head, and before he knew what she was about to do, she sliced her palm with the source dagger, then pressed her bleeding hand over the symbol in the wall. Instantly, the spot beneath her palm began to glow, and a few seconds later, a portion of the rock wall was gone. Behind it was a dark cave smaller than the elevator in Zoltan’s condo building.
He gasped in awe.
Enya turned to him. “I’ll bring the others back. Most likely in two trips. There isn’t enough space for all of them and the equipment.”
He nodded. “I’ll stay here to make sure nobody ambushes you when you and the others come back. But hurry. We don’t have much time.”
Zoltan pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Then she turned around and stepped into the portal. The opening closed a moment later, and she was gone.
33
Enya concentrated on her destination and arrived in the portal in the Baltimore compound without incident. Nevertheless, her waiting comrades, fully armed and combat-ready, gave her odd looks.
Manus pointed to her clothes. “What happened? Too hot down there and you decided to strip?”
Enya rolled her eyes. “A word of advice: avoid any demons carryi
ng spray bottles with green blood.” She handed the source dagger to Pearce. “Keep it safe, will you?”
Pearce nodded. “You bet.”
“So, slight change of plans. The portal on the other end isn’t big enough for all of us to go in one group with all that.” She pointed to the bags with explosives and other electrical equipment. “We’ll need to do it in two trips. So, I’ll take one group now, then turn around immediately and get the second group. Good?”
All nodded. They knew that Enya had to be the one to guide them to the portal in the Underworld, since she was the only one whose mind was now anchored to it, because she’d been there. Once the other Stealth Guardians had been at the portal in the Underworld, they would have no problem returning to Baltimore on their own.
“Okay, Quinn, Logan, Aiden, Ryder, you’re up.”
The guys grabbed their bags and squeezed into the portal with her. She willed the door to close. It went pitch-black.
“Everybody holding on to me and each other?”
After everybody confirmed that they were connected, Enya concentrated on her destination and felt the subtle motion of the portal as they were transported. This was less jarring than how she’d felt while in the vortex, and her stomach didn’t get a chance to rebel this time.
Arrived at their destination, Enya watched the four men leave the portal, but remained inside. The moment she was alone in the portal, she willed it to close again and was back in Baltimore within seconds.
Hamish, Manus, Samson, and Amaury piled into the portal, carrying more equipment. Grayson and Pearce waved them goodbye. Then darkness surrounded her once more. She felt like a chauffeur, having to shuttle everybody back and forth. Luckily, it was a short trip.
When Enya finally closed the portal at their destination behind her, she looked around.
Ryder said, “Quinn already left with Aiden and Logan. Their vortex circle is the farthest away.”
Enya nodded. “Did you synchronize your watch with theirs?”
“Yep. No problem.” Ryder lifted his stopwatch. “Set your timers.” He gave them exact directions. “Okay, first circle to blow forty-four minutes from…now.” Everybody confirmed their timer settings. “Second circle thirty seconds later, and third circle another thirty seconds later.”