by J. E. Taylor
I nodded in her direction and opened the closet, tossing Naomi a duffel bag. “Pack up your stuff.”
I slipped on underwear and jeans under the towel before letting it drop and slamming a handful of outfits into a second duffel bag.
“What about me?” Valerie asked and I turned.
“I’ll buy you new clothing when we find a safe place to hole up.”
I stalked out of the room, leaving the women alone. In the office, I slid into the controls and flipped open my laptop, connecting the two with a cord. After a few keystrokes, the hard drive started the transfer. I had five minutes before I could do the self-destruct sequence. I dropped my duffel bag on the floor and headed to the kitchen, grabbing the cooler under the sink and sweeping the contents of the refrigerator into it. I had a feeling we might need some back up.
Anger burned in my veins and I stormed across the room, catching sight of Naomi and Valerie stopped in the hallway.
“What?” I snarled and Valerie shrunk into Naomi.
Naomi cocked an eyebrow.
“I’m pissed, and I’m trying to get my shit together so we can get moving.”
“I get it, but you don’t have to snarl like a rabid dog,” she said and I stopped moving.
I hadn’t realized I was snarling.
She smirked. “Between the snarling and swearing, I could have sworn we were at an illegal dog fight.”
“Oh, fuck you, Naomi,” I said and stormed back into the office to her laughter.
“Are you two related?” Valerie asked just before I stepped into the office.
“No, we’re not,” Naomi answered.
“How long have you been together?”
I stopped and turned, meeting Naomi’s gaze. “Not long enough,” I said, dispelling the questions before I slipped into my chair. I had a minute left and I dropped the cooler by the door, pointing in that direction.
“What’s burning?” Valerie asked.
“The house,” I answered and sighed, glancing at Valerie before moving my gaze to Naomi. “Go get some blankets for her. It’s going to be cold where we’re heading.” I received a nod and then she disappeared, coming back a few minutes later with the chenille blanket at the same time the download finished. I stood and pushed the commands and the door opened.
“Take her down, I’ll be there in a second,” I said and disconnected the laptop, slipping it into my backpack along with the cords I would need. Once I had that zipped, I pressed the destruction commands and took a deep breath, slinging the backpack and duffel bag over my shoulder. I hit enter and grabbed the cooler, I stopped long enough to close and latch the door before jumping down the stairs.
At the bottom, I didn’t wait; I grabbed Valerie around the waist, whispering, “Hang on tight.” and then bolted. Naomi kept up, running alongside me and I grabbed her when I took the sharp turn away from the property and stopped, my hand running across the wall before I found the release. The squeak of metal met us and I pushed Naomi through, dropping Valerie in her arms before I forced the door back in place.
“Run,” I said. The timer in my head ticked off the seconds as we bolted. The fact that neither one questioned my command, gave me more speed and I traded Valerie for the cooler when Naomi started trailing behind. We had to make the outer door before the charges blew otherwise we’d be buried alive.
I heard the first explosion and turned on the speed. “Hustle!” I yelled and Naomi grunted. I could see the end of the tunnel now that my eyes had become accustomed to the blackness and put on the brakes, skidding to a halt and reaching for the latch. I swung the door in and stepped aside, letting Naomi skid to a stop beyond me and I slammed the door before setting Valerie down and leaning my back against the metal.
The ground rocked underneath us and I kept my back to the door, my gaze locked with Naomi’s as she held Valerie against her. I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth together. The thought of the murals burning hit harder than I expected, especially the one of Naomi and I crossing a snow-covered glen. The rest were ancient and reminded me of my youth, but that one, that was special and outshone everything. Even my auto collection, which I had taken great pains to procure, came a close second to that painted mural. But I had made allowances for the cars. The security sequence lowered iron plates lined with platinum across all the doorways and windows, securing the building from the pending blast.
“Damian,” Naomi said and I opened my eyes. She unfolded the blanket and held it up. Tucked inside was the mural and I bit my lip against the gratitude that swept through me, lifting my eyes to the ceiling in a silent prayer of thanks.
“We need to keep going,” I said once we caught our breath.
“How long is this tunnel?” Naomi asked.
“A couple miles,” I answered. What I didn’t tell her was I had no idea what we would do when we came to the end.
“I don’t like the dark,” Valerie whined.
I dug my cell out of my pocket and took her hand, placing the phone in her palm and curling her fingers around it. “It’s not much,” I said and took the lead, walking at a slower pace so Valerie could keep up.
Naomi followed behind Valerie and I could tell by her silence that her brain was trying to wrap around the events of the last few days. The number of lives that had been destroyed since I plucked her from the sky was unprecedented and I sighed, glancing over my shoulder at her.
The cell light kept going on and off, casting an eerie glow through the metal encased tunnel.
“How many do you think the explosion took out?” Valerie asked.
“I don’t know.”
“I hope it took them all,” she said, the darkness in her tone echoing my sentiments.
“I hope so, too,” I replied, even though I highly doubted it.
“But you don’t think it did,” Naomi said and I stopped, turning toward them.
“No, I don’t. I’m not sure if we’re walking into an ambush or not either. And while you and I have something to keep us alive,” I started, holding up the cooler. “We have nothing here for Valerie, so we can’t just hole up here until this blows over.”
Naomi’s mouth dropped open and her eyes softened. “And daylight isn’t that far off,” she said.
“Yep.” I nodded and she closed her eyes.
“So where does this dump us off?” Naomi asked when she got her composure back.
“A hunting cabin on the edge of the state forest.”
“Uncle Nick’s cabin?” Valerie asked, her eyebrows arching.
“No, sweetheart, the opposite direction of your uncle’s place. I didn’t want an escape route they would track down.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you telling me…”
I inhaled and shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Well, what the fuck do you know?” Valerie snarled with her first display of anger.
“Not a whole hell of a lot at the moment,” I answered, knowing it wasn’t the least bit reassuring, but I needed them to know the score. To understand that we were alone in this and nobody any of us knew was safe. It was a morbid fact that I could see settling in her eyes. “We are all we have at this moment,” I said pointing between the three of us. “And that could change the instant we step out of this cavern.”
Chapter Twenty-nine – Naomi
Damian’s haunting gaze sent a chill up my spine and I could see it had the same reaction in Valerie. Her laugh hit a nerve. It was the high-pitched laugh of someone on the edge and I reached out to touch her arm but she withdrew.
“What are we going to do?” I asked. This was no life for a teenage girl and we both knew it, but we couldn’t just cut her loose in the woods. Not with all the monsters looking for her.
Damian met my gaze. “I’m hoping Michael can help us.”
“Jesus, Damian, that isn’t an alternative. He’ll turn you into dust,” I said and Damian’s nonchalant shrug sparked a rage inside me.
“Who’s Michael?”
I pressed my lips together
and met her gaze. “The Archangel Michael,” I said. “He is your ancestor.”
Valerie’s eyes widened.
“That’s why Lucifer considers us such a delicacy.” Bitterness laced my voice and when I glanced at Damian, he lowered his gaze.
“Us?” she asked.
“You and I. We are both descendents of Michael’s.”
Valerie blinked a few times and turned toward Damian. “Where do you fit into all this?” She crossed her arms and I pressed my lips together at the smile that threatened. This girl was a pistol and one that had the rare quality of being able to reason during a shit storm.
“I’m supposed to protect the bloodline,” he answered. “Key words are supposed to. That doesn’t always go as planned.” Damian turned and resumed his gait into the dark tunnel.
Valerie watched him go and then turned in my direction. “So, we’re related?”
“In some distant and obscure way, yes,” I said and took her arm, following Damian’s shadow.
“So how long have you been…” she started and paused, glancing at me. “I don’t even know what you are,” she added.
“I’m a vampire, like Damian.” The admission caused Damian to pause and glance back in my direction. His gaze told me that I wasn’t like him at all but he kept his mouth shut and turned away before Valerie caught the look in his eyes.
“Oh,” Valerie whispered and continued walking; the silence broken only by our shuffling footsteps. “How long have you been like this?”
“Two days,” I answered and she stopped. “Well, almost three at this point.” I sent a smile in her direction. “If I smelled anywhere near as sweet as you do, I have no idea how Damian missed it.”
“You were nearly frozen to death,” he mumbled and his head dipped lower in the posture I was beginning to understand was his “beating himself up” stance.
“You mean to tell me, you’re new at this?”
I couldn’t help the laugh that rang out. “Yes, I’m brand spanking new at this.”
“Am I in danger?”
Her voice held a tremor and I glanced at Damian before looking her way. “I don’t think so, but just to put your mind at ease, Damian will protect you from me if it comes to that.”
He scoffed and kept moving. His derisiveness irked me and I traded a glance with Valerie.
“He will or I’ll kick his ass.”
That brought forth a ghost of a laugh and he glanced over his shoulder. “I’d like to see you try and I’m talking you, not the tiger.”
“When all this is settled, I’ll take you on,” I shot back.
The grin he sent over his shoulder sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine.
He slowed and stopped, putting the cooler and computer bag down at his feet. Apprehension replaced the grin and he looked at the ceiling for a moment before facing us.
“I don’t think anyone is up there,” he whispered.
“Then why are you whispering?”
Valerie looked down to hide the smirk. I wasn’t so kind and Damian sent a glare in my direction, his displeasure in my mocking as pronounced as the silence above.
“This isn’t a joke,” he said, pointing his finger in my face. “You’re going to stay put while I check things out.
“Like hell I am,” I shot back, dropping everything in my grasp. The sound of my duffel bag hitting the dirt, echoed in the small space.
“I don’t want to be down here alone,” Valerie said, her voice quiet and timid amidst our posturing.
Both our gazes snapped to hers and I could feel Damian’s discord. He was not happy with the situation at all.
“We all go together,” I said and Damian opened his mouth to argue. “Or we don’t go at all,” I added.
Damian put his hands on his waist and stared at the ground, his jaw tight with frustration. When his gaze returned to mine, he nodded. He didn’t need to tell me just how dangerous it was to bring Valerie out of here. Any vampire within a hundred yards would pick up her scent. But I also didn’t want to be stuck down here if something happened to him.
“If you insist on coming up with me, I want the tiger,” he said, leveling a glare.
I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”
“Because if anything is out there and gets away, Lucifer won’t know it’s you.”
“Why the hell does that matter now?”
He leaned in close. “Because, no matter what happens to me, I’d like to have some sliver of hope that you’re going to survive. If Lucifer knows you’re alive, all bets are off.”
I inhaled at his intensity. But it wasn’t the intensity that made me comply, it was the underlying plea in his gaze. Within a blink, I was fur and fury in the small alcove. Valerie took a step back, giving me some space. I chuffed and rubbed against her to ease the fear radiating from her.
Valerie hesitated and then ran her hand over my massive head, finding the spot behind the ear that seemed to make everything all right. She even let out a small laugh when I nuzzled into her further. I wanted her to know I was there to protect her and when she leaned down, wrapping her arms around my neck, I knew I had conveyed the message.
Damian took a deep breath and unlatched the door. The creak of the hinges made me cringe and a low growl came from deep in my throat at the disruption announcing our presence. Another stairway greeted us and Damian led the way.
He paused at the top door and sent a glance back at us. I saw him clearly and dread filled his features for a moment before he closed his eyes and pushed the door open. Darkness greeted us along with a draft of frigid air.
I padded ahead with Valerie’s hand on my back. Her scent drifted on the air, thick enough that I couldn’t get a clear bead on even Damian. Her teeth started chattering and I glanced around the dark interior of the cabin. Damian crossed the small space, slipping into a side room before returning, his tension melting and he offered a nod.
“I’ll go grab our stuff,” he whispered and disappeared. I padded through the rooms of the cottage, sniffing every corner out before feeling secure enough to transition back to human form. The windows in the bedroom were covered with plywood and no natural light penetrated this room. I wondered if the door was as secure as the windows. In the living space, the windows were covered with only wood-slatted blinds. I crossed and opened the one on the door, scanning the dense forest surrounding the cabin. Nothing stirred and I closed the slats.
The kitchen offered very few amenities. The stove was one of those mini-two burner blind stoves that really shouldn’t be used indoors, but it was my only option for heating something up for Valerie. The cabinets carried a few canned goods and some half-empty water bottles that were frozen solid. A mismatched pair of dishes sat opposite the canned goods and I reached for one of the dust-covered cans.
“It looks like Damian has a few cans of chicken noodle soup,” I said, turning toward her. “And we’ve got some bottled water, too.”
Damian dumped the stuff on the floor and wrapped the blanket around Valerie, trading a glance with me. She still had the phone as her night light and he reached over her shoulder, plucking it out of her hand.
“We don’t want the battery to die,” he said and pocketed the phone, ignoring her gasp at the sudden darkness. “Before we make the attempt to get that stove going, let me see if I can get you some help.”
Nerves punched my lungs and I intercepted him before he reached the door.
“Damian,” I whispered.
“I have to,” he said, meeting my gaze. “She’ll freeze to death if I don’t get her out of here.”
“What about starting a fire?”
He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Not with the demon’s henchmen only a few miles away.”
“Don’t I have a say?” Valerie asked through her chattering teeth, blindly crossing the room until her hands landed on Damian.
“Val,” Damian started.
“Come on, those bastards killed my parents. I want them dead!”
&nbs
p; “I promise, they’ll pay, but I need to make sure you are somewhere safe that they can’t get to you and the only person I know that can make that happen is Michael.”
“You’re not going out there alone,” I said.
“Baby,” he sighed.
“Don’t baby me, Damian. If Michael has another shit fit…” I stopped and glanced at Valerie, offering a smile. “Michael is a bit of a jerk,” I explained and turned back to Damian. “You aren’t going alone.”
“At least let me do a quick scan of the area,” he said, holding his hand up to any argument I might start. “Please.”
I gave a nod and put my arm around Valerie’s shoulders not just to settle her nerves. “Two minutes,” I said as he opened the door.
He gave a nod and the door closed behind him.
Chapter Thirty – Damian
The quiet forest met my glance and I lifted my head, inhaling. Nothing alarming hung on the air, but I didn’t trust that. I hadn’t smelled the danger closing in on us at the house either and I wondered if I should take a quick fly-over.
I stepped toward the woods and the rustle of wings behind me froze me in my tracks. My heart thundered in my chest and I prayed the lesser of two evils stood behind me and not Lucifer.
“You fucked up, again,” his voice growled and relief spread over me. I turned toward Michael.
“Yes.” I didn’t see any reason to try to talk my way out of it, especially since I had underestimated Lucifer. I should have gotten everyone out after the whipping in the woods. Three demons in such close proximity to the house should have set off my internal alarms, but I was too busy trying to survive the beating. I led them straight to the house.
“I need your help,” I said before he could say anything more.
His jaw tightened and his gaze narrowed. “You expect me to help you?”
“No, I expect you to help Valerie and Naomi. I need you to take them somewhere far away where they’ll be safe.”
The door to the cottage opened and Naomi stood blocking the entry.
“I’m not leaving, Damian,” she snapped and I sent a glare in her direction. I wasn’t getting out of here in one piece and there was no way in hell I was taking her down with me.