“With the only liquid we could possibly have down here,” he pointed out, making her blush. “Yes, urine, lady. I know it sounds crude, but desperate times require desperate actions.”
“Very well, then,” said Gabriel as he gave his wife’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s get busy.”
#
As it turned out, the most difficult task wasn’t the digging of the ore, nor was it the digging of the molds. It was finding enough burnable materials to create a fire. Having realized there was little they could do on their own, they decided to follow their noses instead. They had been smelling sulfur for a while by then, and avoiding it lest they discover some form of impassable molten rock. But now that they required a bit of heat they looked for it instead.
It took about an hour to find the stuff, but finally they were near a very hot pool of magma, barely able to tolerate the fumes. They were trying to figure out how to melt the ore and get it into a form. Obviously they couldn’t just throw the rocks into the pool or they wouldn’t be able to get it out.
Finally, Betsy dug a shallow trench right up to the edge of the lake and some of the stuff flowed into the hole. When the makeshift mold was full, she lumped some dirt back over the edge so the trench was closed off again.
“Hand me some of that ore,” she said to one of the men, and he threw it into the hole for her instead. They watched as the rocks quickly melted down.
“That’s actually working,” Rico marveled.
“Well, now that we melted it, we need to cool it down. Anybody need to pee?” Betsy smirked.
“Ma bella, why don’t you go wait where it is cooler while the men and I do this?” Gabriel suggested. “I do not think you wish to know the men quite so well as that.”
“You’re right about that,” she agreed, and did as he said.
Sometime later, the men rejoined Betsy with several weapons cooling in their hands. Gabriel wryly gave one to her and said, “I made this one myself.”
Betsy nodded sheepishly as she took it, not certain this pronouncement made it much better. Yet, having a weapon in her hand made her feel a bit more in control of the situation than she had been before. Now they were ready to look for the way out. At least they would be after a bit of rest.
Once they had found the way back up to a higher level, away from the heat and fumes, the exhausted group rested for a while. They needed to gather a bit of strength for the inevitable battle they were to face when they tried to ascend from the labyrinth and up into the caves above. Rico busied himself with figuring out their probable position, but he couldn’t be sure his calculations were correct.
“I’m sorry about this, boss, but if I only had another point of reference I would know for sure.”
They’d been down here roaming around for quite a few hours, meaning it was probably very close to midnight, maybe even closer to one in the morning. If they wanted their werewolf powers to be useful at all against the Alphas, they needed to get going.
“Boss, I think we’re wasting precious time on this map,” Rico said as he rolled it up again. Everyone was lying on the cold stones wherever they could find a comfortable—or not so comfortable—place, and one of the men was snoring lightly.
“Yes, we must not linger here,” Gabriel agreed. “Wake up, everyone. We must find a way above now.”
With a few groans of protest the four men got to their feet again. Gabriel went over to Betsy and helped her to her feet as well. She gave him an encouraging smile as they all began to walk again.
Gabriel surveyed the small group of seven with the eye of a strategist. He knew without a doubt not all of the men would survive the battle, but he couldn’t allow himself to think about that just then. The only thing that mattered was Betsy, and their unborn child. Somehow, he wasn’t sure how, she needed to make it through all of this alive.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It was one thing for them to decide they wanted to go up, and quite another to do it. It took them a whole hour before they managed to discover they’d made one big loop, and they didn’t seem to be any closer to getting out of the huge pit than they’d been when they began to look for a way out.
“This is hopeless,” Betsy complained. “We’re completely lost.”
“Not completely,” Rico corrected her. “I think I may have worked out what part of my map we’re under.”
“And how does that help, when we can’t find the way to get up there?” she inquired.
“Because of this. See, this spot on my map shows the way down. That has to mean that’s where the way up will be as well, right?” he suggested with a smirk.
“You’re kidding!” she gasped. “You mean that stupid map actually is useful after all?”
“If I’m right about our current position,” he reminded her.
“If you weren’t certain you were right, you wouldn’t have told me about it to begin with,” she scoffed. “I know you well enough to have that figured out by now.”
“Boss, does she ever do this to you?” Rico wanted to know.
Gabriel chuckled. “All the time, my friend. It’s one of the things I love about her. Smart as well as beautiful.”
Betsy blushed when Gabriel came over and kissed the top of her head. “Not in front of the children,” she admonished him in a teasing tone of voice. Everybody laughed.
“You know that if we get out of here we probably won’t have much time before they’re on us,” he told her. “If you want any kisses beforehand, now would be a good time.”
“How can you be thinking about kisses now?” she asked with a shake of her head. But she didn’t stop him when he gave her a few.
“If not now,” he said, “Who knows when—or if?”
“Don’t think like that, boss,” Rico admonished him. “We’re going to get you two out of here.”
“Little good it’ll do to get us out of the labyrinth if we don’t touch that amulet while we’re at it,” Gabriel pointed out. “How close to the probable exit was the last known position of the amulet?”
“They’re practically right on top of each other,” he said. “We need to get up there and walk a few feet to another hallway that intersects the first. One right turn, and we should be right on it.”
“Well there’s a trap waiting to happen,” said Desmond as he joined the three of them. “I want you two to know, the men are all pulling for you. We all know about what’s at stake here, and any one of us would give our lives to protect Betsy and her child. You can bank on that, boss.”
“Thank you,” Gabriel told the man, giving his shoulder a grateful squeeze. “Thank you all.”
“Betsy’s kind of grown on us all, boss,” said Vito with a smile. “I’ll bet your baby will be a really good looking kid, with two such good looking parents.”
“Vito, stop,” Betsy said with a blush. He kissed her cheek and hugged her before he moved away.
“If we do get out of here, we’re going to have to get out of New York as soon as possible,” Gabriel told them then. “I don’t think Lupo is going to be overly pleased, to say the least.”
“Well, what are we standing around here for?” Rico asked. “Let’s see if I’m right.”
With that, everyone fell in behind Rico as he led them to a passage they hadn’t seen before and they all filed inside. It was somewhat cramped inside, and the ceiling was a bit too low for the taller men, but they all managed to pass through and come out the other side.
Stone steps were carved into the wall. There were so many of them they stretched high above their heads, somewhere out of sight. Near what seemed to be the top was a lit torch, which could only mean that someone was up there to light it.
“It’s a sure bet somebody is up there,” said Gabriel. “I wonder how far up we can get before they attack. I’d sure hate to have to fight on those steps.”
“It’d definitely be a long drop, that’s for sure,” Betsy agreed.
“Up we go, then,” said Gabriel. They spent about twenty minut
es climbing before they made it to the top. They could hear voices somewhere in the caves ahead of them, and cast each other worried glances. Gabriel put a finger to his lips, then motioned the men forward, opting to stay with Betsy until last.
Brandishing the crude weapons they’d made earlier, the men stepped forward through the opening and entered the cave. No sounds met their ears other than the far-off voices. Clearly the speakers were not in the same cavern they were.
Upon further gestures from Gabriel, the men fanned out and began to search the room. Rico examined his map again, plotting their next course of action. He motioned to the others to follow him, and they headed for another opening in the far wall.
The voices in the background became louder. It almost sounded like there was some sort of sporting event going on, like soccer or football. Of course, that was impossible in the limited confines of a cave, but perhaps what they were hearing was a video tape or maybe even television, that was somehow being transmitted down. It seemed unlikely this far beneath the surface, but given enough cable cord, anything was possible.
“Sounds like football,” Vito said. “There was supposed to be a big game tonight. Wonder who is winning.”
“The Alphas if you keep talking,” Gabriel said pointedly, and everyone was silent again. Silently, they walked down the corridor, two by two, sneaking past anything that looked like it led to other caves within the main structure. The sound of the football game grew steadily louder until finally the light from the television could be seen reflecting off some of the stones up ahead.
When they peeked inside the cave where the television was, they spotted about ten Alpha males sitting around watching the game and cheering on their team. They seemed completely oblivious to anything else going on around them.
Gabriel brandished his makeshift weapon, and indicated the others should do the same. He set one of the weapons into Betsy’s hands. “You know I don’t want you to fight,” he whispered. “Protect yourself.”
Betsy nodded, and Gabriel kissed the top of her head, making her smile. The expression seemed totally out of place given the current situation, but this thought just made her smile again, amused now.
Several of the men smiled too, only their smiles were menacing rather than amused.
“Try to get past them unnoticed,” Rico suggested. “This isn’t the room we’re looking for.”
But he must have said it too loud, because one of the Alphas stood up and put his head out the doorway with a confused look on his face. Gabriel wasted no time in skewering him through the eye and pulling him out into the hall, dropping his writhing body somewhere in the darkness.
“They’re going to miss him soon,” he said as he yanked his weapon free. He watched for a minute to see if the unfortunate man got up again. The body stopped moving, indicating that at least for now they would not have to contend with this Alpha again. “One at a time, go.”
All of the men made it safely across, leaving just Gabriel and Betsy. He sent her across, and he was surprised by how easily she made it. He, too, crossed the gap unnoticed as the Alphas’ team apparently scored, sending them into another frenzy of howls.
“Franco’s sure taking his time,” said one of them, just as Gabriel had stepped forward in relief. He gave the others a frown just before he heard a shout from behind him. “Hey, those guys got out of the pit! Get ʼem!”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“The amulet should be just ahead,” Rico told everyone as they began to run. “Get there and touch it if you want any chance to make it out of here alive.”
None of them argued, knowing full well that he was right. Up ahead, they veered to the right and stopped short as ten more Alphas blocked their path. When they turned to look down the other corridor more Alphas stood in it as well.
“You know what to do, boys,” said Gabriel as he brandished his weapon. They all turned back to the group of Alphas who blocked the corridor they wanted and yelled as one, surging forward to attack. The first one to hit an Alpha with one of the weapons was Vito, and his makeshift dagger stabbed right through his shoulder. The look on the Alpha’s face as he realized this egged the rest of the men on as they fought their way past.
“Stop them!” shouted one of the Alphas as they all ran toward the glass case that was clearly visible only a few yards away. Rico actually threw his weapon like a javelin straight through the center of the glass, and the shards scattered everywhere.
Gabriel reached his hand into the case and grabbed the amulet, then immediately set it into Betsy’s hands. She turned and handed it to the closest henchman, who happened to be Desmond. Vito and Rico grabbed it at the same time, and the other four men managed to touch it as well before the pack of Alphas were upon them.
“Betsy, run to the light,” Gabriel shouted. “It has to be a way out of here.”
“How do you figure?” she wanted to know as she bolted toward it anyway. Gabriel followed right behind her.
“Because I don’t think they’d light the way further in if they were hoping to go back out again?”
“Maybe the light is just coming from somebody’s living room,” she pointed out. “You did say the Alphas live down here.”
“Let’s hope I’m the one who is right, then,” said Gabriel as he grabbed her elbow and took her with him.
Behind them, the men began to shriek as they transformed into the largest werewolves they’d ever been. Betsy could tell they were loving the new-found power surging through them, and then she realized it was surging through her as well.
“Gabriel!” she gasped as her own body began to change.
Gabriel keened in surprise beside her, and she looked over at him. He was huge, and impressive, and she was amazed at her sudden desire for him, which she held in check. That sort of thing might interest some people, but she had decided long ago that she would never make love to her husband in any form but human. It just seemed right, in her eyes.
The light ahead was embedded into the ceiling of the cavern they entered. It was much bigger than any of the ones they’d been in up till then. On one of the walls a little waterfall flowed down into a small pool. Both of them surged forward to take a drink before the continued on their way.
As they reached the far end of this cavern, two werewolves charged inside—Rico and Desmond. The sounds of the continuing battle raged in the background as they caught up to them.
“Vito and the others—they are keeping them busy so we can get you two out of here,” Desmond explained.
“Well, let’s just hope there aren’t any Alphas up ahead,” said Betsy wryly.
“Oh no, do not say so, Senora Russo,” Desmond said. “The last thing we need is another hitch in an otherwise fine plan.”
“What plan is that?” Betsy wanted to know.
“The plan to get you to safety, of course,” he said with a quick grin. “Everyone here is pulling for you and the baby to make it. The sacrifices the others make now, they make for you.”
“I am honored,” she answered with a smile.
“I swear to you now, Betsy Russo, your baby will be born and he will survive at all costs,” Desmond insisted.
“Andare, andare,” Gabriel grumbled. “We’re not going to survive the night if we don’t get moving.”
The corridor was almost too brightly lit for their sensitive eyes. Now in full wolf form, the four were easily able to run up the slope and follow along the caves until they reached another cavern with an elevator.
“That thing is sure to be guarded up at the top,” Rico pointed out. “If these Alphas are in communication with the surface, there could already be an ambush waiting.”
“These Alphas are still fighting off the men, and are about to come after us,” Desmond said.
“No, the fact that we’ve reached this elevator unharmed would tell otherwise,” Gabriel said. “But we must take the elevator to the surface.” When they stepped inside, Gabriel hunched down to examine the floor of the elevator car. He lifted
a panel he discovered there and motioned to the others. “Quickly, get inside the floor, and we will wait until the elevator is sent for instead of trying to operate the thing. They may not even know we’re aboard.”
“How do we know they even really use this one?” Betsy asked, but then they heard a clicking noise, and the car began to rise. Without any further discussion, they got under the floor and Gabriel slid the board back in place above them.
“Good thing I’m not claustrophobic,” Betsy commented.
“Hush, ma bella,” he said. “Someone is about to get in.”
Several Alphas tromped aboard and soon the elevator began to rise again. Once it reached the top and the Alphas tromped out again, they did not attempt to exit for at least a few minutes, just in case. Their bodies shrank back down again even as they climbed out and Gabriel set the board down yet again.
Outside of the elevator they found themselves in the garage where Rico had parked their car.
“Of all the luck!” Betsy gasped excitedly.
“Not that car,” said Gabriel decisively as he set a hand on her shoulder. “Steal one of the others.”
“But—”
“It could be booby trapped,” he explained. “This could be some sort of a set up.”
Betsy nodded her understanding. When Rico easily hot-wired one of the other cars they all piled inside. He reached under the steering wheel column and yanked out the little recording device he had been certain he would find there.
“This should be good, boss,” he said then. “Still, I wouldn’t say anything we don’t want to be overheard. Let’s get out of here.”
Gabriel nodded his agreement. The light of a new dawn met their eyes as they eased out of the garage and quickly left the area behind. They all kept out a sharp eye for any form of pursuit, but they seemed to have gotten out of the place unscathed.
“Boss, there’s something you need to know,” said Desmond then. “It may have a huge impact on the likelihood of our pursuit.”
“And what is that, Desmond?” Gabriel wanted to know.
The Real Italian Alphas Page 12