by Patti Larsen
Fear not, he sent as his magic retreated. The powder he used is rare, very difficult to come by. I’m surprised he had access to it. It seals off your contact with the elements and only works against witches. I heaved my lungs full, coughing into the dirt as he went on, feeling my body spasm over and over as the last of the powder’s influence dissipated.
Not my best work, but we have little time for finesse. Now hurry, demon girl. We’re right behind you.
My demon howled in fury, her own power returning, thanks to his intervention. I wasn’t sure if I should be angry or not, but she had no such compunction. Still, it was too late. It was over. He was gone and my obligation was done. I made it through. Quaid would have help.
That wasn’t enough for either of us.
I dragged myself from the ground and checked myself over. Everything seemed to be working. A small ball of air formed over my hand, did a nice dance of joy before I doused it. I dug into the earth with my magic, feeling the thrum of the planet under my feet. Fire, water, all there. And my demon, despite her continued annoyance at Sebastian, flared to full power.
Next time I saw him, I’d punch the vampire for scaring the crap out of me. Then, I’d kiss him.
No more time for thinking about the future. There was only now. And someone who needed me.
I spun and went after Quaid.
***
Chapter Thirty-Three
I could feel Quaid up ahead clearly, like he was there all along. The tingling numbness had gone and as I felt around inside me I understood why. Sebastian. Whatever he did, the connection between my demon and I was back and stronger than ever.
I had to remember to hug him for that. Right after I found out exactly where the stuff came from and how to wipe it from the face of the planet. That stuff was just wrong.
It didn’t do much for my physical strength, though, so I was shocked when I easily caught up with Quaid. There was no way I should have. Except he stopped, frozen in place, his mind elsewhere.
I came to a panting halt at his side and took his hand.
My mind instantly chased his, down the channels of his power, and found what he focused on. It looked like a cave entrance, well hidden, a mere slit in the darkness. We studied it together for a moment before he yanked us back.
“I told you to go get help.” He wasn’t angry. I was ready for angry. Not this flat and empty feeling to him.
“I did,” I said. “Now I’m here to help you.” I opened up to him, sending my energy over his for the first time, engulfing him as he had done to me. He grunted softly in surprise, throwing up a wall between us but not before I felt his heart.
He was so afraid for me he couldn’t stand it. I didn’t have time to wonder about it or remember the kiss we shared. That would be for later. If we had a later.
“We’re doing this together,” I said. “That’s final.”
He didn’t argue. Instead, his grip on my hand tightened and he led me through the brush. We found the narrow entrance with no problem now that we knew where it was. But it was pretty easy to see why no one found it before. Not only was it very well hidden, there was a feeling to it, a deadness surrounding it and masking it from detection.
Is that how you spotted it? It seemed prudent to stay physically quiet.
Yes, he answered. It didn’t feel right.
We approached together. There was a scent coming from the hole, musty and old and full of death. I didn’t want to go in there.
We could block the entrance, I sent to him.
We could. He looked down at me, face a blur in the dark. I’d forgotten to activate my night vision. Or we could find out what’s behind door number one.
He was so much braver than me.
No, he sent. I’m just sick of this thing hurting my family.
His family. I smiled at him.
No more outsider?
I’m so done with that. Was he smiling too? He was on the inside, at least.
Door number one it is. This was nuts. We needed to wait for my mother. But I walked toward the cave with Quaid beside me while he held my hand.
Right at the threshold I felt a subtle wall of energy, ancient and cold. We paused, feeling around it, but nothing threatened so we kept going. Just before I passed through I felt my mother reach for me.
I saw her face as she connected with my magic, the panic in her eyes. Felt how far she was from me, knew in our moment of connection the creature lured her away, that she was nowhere near me at all. No one was.
And then, with barely an echo of my name shouted in her voice, she was gone and Quaid and I were enveloped in darkness and silence.
It was like the elements were switched off. I never felt such quiet in my life and desperately reached for Quaid. He did the same to me and our power collided in the middle.
I didn’t have time to think that we were alone until she could gather the others to come to our rescue. I was too freaked by the horrible familiar feeling reminding me of the powder and almost dying.
What happened? I clung to his magic and his hand.
No wonder we couldn’t find the thing, he sent back. This whole place is shielded.
The mind boggled. From everything? How is that possible? We were inside Earth after all. We should at least have felt its comforting presence.
I have no idea. Quaid moved ahead slowly, pulling me with him. Let’s find out where this goes.
I wanted to leave, to show my mother what we found.
She already knows where we are, he sent. She’s right behind us.
Not exactly. I let him in, to see what I saw, what she shared with me.
He shrugged. One way or another. Either the thing is still here or it isn’t. We’re in the line of fire, no matter what we do.
He was right. And Mom did find me. With vampire help she wouldn’t be long crossing town. We only had to hold the thing off, if it was even still here. For all we knew, it left us to lead her and the others on another wild creature chase. That would mean there was lots of time for the cavalry to get to us.
It was so dark I had to use my night vision. My demon hummed her unhappiness, not liking this one bit. We had that in common. Still, with a little effort I could see at least.
None of which brought me any comfort.
I think that’s blood. I stared at the line of black tracking through the pale sand on the floor, some of it churned in by the passage of feet.
I think you’re right, Syd. Come on.
My free hand followed along the stone wall beside me. It was smooth, as though carved, the passage just wide enough for Quaid and I to walk side by side.
A short trek led us to a light source up ahead. We emerged suddenly into a wide cavern, the ceiling higher than we could see. I didn’t need my night vision anymore, the power making it too bright. Far above, unnatural illumination lit the place with a low glow, like the light of dusk. And just like the passage leading to it, the walls of the cave were polished, and I knew it was made with magic.
My eyes adjusted quickly, but not as fast as Quaid’s. He was on the move just as I realized the lumpy parts of the floor weren’t rocks, but people. I hovered over him as he checked the first. Quaid rolled the person over by the sleeve of his plaid shirt. The old man stared up at us, face frozen and white, eyes vacant.
He was dead, drained of life and blood. I clutched at Quaid’s shoulder and breathed through my mouth.
We split up without talking about it, rushing to the next two people. I heard Quaid whisper, “He’s gone, too,” just as I sent my energy out to touch the mind of the fallen witch.
Sandra was alive, if barely. I tried to feed her some energy and heard her groan. My demon struggled to respond, but every time we tried it was like someone smothered our efforts with a heavy blanket. What was going on? She roared at last and forced her way outward. I managed to pass a little more power on before calling for Quaid, a sick fear rising inside me. What if I wasn’t okay after all? And threw us head first into something
we couldn’t handle? No time to worry about it.
“Got one,” I said. Quaid appeared over my shoulder and offered some of his energy, though only a touch. We both knew why.
We didn’t dare give up too much. We were probably going to need it. Me most of all.
I stumbled and fell next to Erica, fresh tears falling as I felt her heartbeat and the low pulse of her power inside her. She was unconscious but alive and well and that was enough for me.
“The vamp will live,” Quaid said. I only then noticed the missing vampire crumpled at Erica’s side. “We need to get them out of here.”
He was right. But to do it, I needed Erica’s help.
I reached inside her and let my demon wake her up. The effort seemed even more puny, like an echo of my usual power. I suppressed a flood of panic. Not now. Sebastian fixed it! But this felt different. The smothering feeling was new. Still, what I had to offer was enough. Erica’s eyelids fluttered as my energy flowed into her. It didn’t take much for her to regain consciousness, but I felt a taint in her that fought my help. I sent my demon chasing it through Erica’s system. She struggled to eliminate it, snarling vengeance. Some kind of venom, I could only guess, a tool of the creature to control its victims? I hoped I wouldn’t find out for myself. I’d had enough of foreign substances controlling me.
And there was still the tinny echo, like I could only access a fraction of what I had in me. What was going on?
“Quaid,” I panted over Erica, worried I’d finally come to the end of my strength after all. “Something’s wrong with me.”
He reached for me, taking my hand again. And frowned.
“The powder?”
“I don’t think so.” I shuddered as my demon wailed her frustration behind a curtain of dead air. “This feels different. Like I’m being smothered.”
There wasn’t much we could do about it so he shrugged. “Do your best,” he said.
I returned my attention to Erica. Her eyes fluttered some more and I could feel her mind rising.
“Over here!” I turned when Quaid called to me.
I hated to leave her but knew she would be all right. I went to where he crouched over Brad and felt my heart constrict.
He looked so pale and ghostly in the faint permalight. The creature had fed from him and I feared the worst. But his tiny spark of power was yet untouched and I breathed a sigh of relief. Unlike full witches, latents couldn’t live without what little magic they had.
“Syd!” Erica staggered to my side and I turned to hug her. It was more a crushing embrace of terror, but she was awake and aware and I didn’t blame her for her fear. “What are you doing here?” Her eyes were massive, shining with desperation, rolling around as she tried to look everywhere at once. Her usually spotless yoga suit was crusted with mud and her own blood where a dried river plastered the collar to her neck.
“We found the cave.” Wow, like that wasn’t obvious.
“We have to get out of here.” She clutched at me like I was the only thing keeping her sane. Maybe I was. “Before it comes back.”
“We can’t leave the others,” Quaid said.
“No, of course not.” She bit her lower lip, struggling to get control of her terror. I took Quaid’s hand and felt my demon strengthen enough that we were able to reach for her and give her support. She exhaled deeply and some of the panic left her, but she was still very shaken.
“We leave them,” she said. “Get help and come back. Syd, no arguments.” She spun on Quaid. “Neither of you should be here. None of us should. If that thing returns…” she shuddered. “We won’t stand a chance.”
“I’m not leaving,” Quaid said in the tone he used when he refused to budge. “I’ll stay with them while you two get help.”
Like I was going to leave him there alone.
“No,” I said. “Erica, you go. Quaid and I will wait.”
She shook her head so violently I worried she might hurt herself.
“No! That was not a request. I’m giving you both a direct order from the second of your coven and you will obey me. Now.”
That did it. We had no choice. Quaid looked furious and rebellious, but he was as caught by the order as me. We could only disobey a direct command if we left the coven and doing so meant never coming back.
I was glad Mom hadn’t slapped one of those on me before she left or I’d be done for.
We stood as one and headed for the exit.
Too late. We all felt it when the creature passed the barrier at the entrance. Erica groaned and almost collapsed.
It was coming right for us from the only way out.
***
Chapter Thirty-Four
Erica flung herself in front of us.
“Get back!” I felt what was left of her power gather. “I’ll distract it. When it’s away from the exit, you run!”
“We’re not leaving you,” Quaid and I said together.
“That’s another order,” she shot at us. “I mean it.” But I could tell she didn’t. Not really. She shook so much I wondered if she would be able to bring her magic under control enough to fight the thing and not hurt herself in the process.
I gripped her shoulder on one side and Quaid did the same on the other. We pulled her back until she stood between us.
“You can’t face it alone,” I said. “And Mom is coming. We just have to hang on.”
The agony in her face was horrible and I wished I could help more than I did.
“All right,” she said. “But if we get a chance to run—“
“We run.” Quaid shot me a look over her head contradicting what he just said and I agreed. No more running. Either this thing killed us or we killed it.
And then there was no time for talking or thinking, only reacting and fear, primal and deep. The creature oozed its way out of the tunnel and into the cavern. I had a much clearer view of it, and almost wished I didn’t.
It looked close to human now, the skin swollen and pale, not the parched and withered mess it was the night we first met. It had wrapped itself in a black robe, probably stolen from Sandra. It hissed at us, canines far longer and more dangerous looking than typical vampires. It reminded me of the ancient movie posters for the silent film Nosforatu Mom and Uncle Frank watched and giggled over, only way more real and scary than old Hollywood could ever produce. The eyes hadn’t changed, though, still burning with amber fire and fury. That confirmed it for me. It somehow had demon blood, just like me. Amber was the color of demon power.
It didn’t pounce at once, but started a slow circle.
We need to drag this out, Erica sent to us in a tight and terrified thought. Don’t attack. All defensive. Hold it off. And stay together.
I thought you said run. This wasn’t the time to be contradicting orders.
I was wrong, she sent. We can’t outrun it. It will pick us off one by one.
She’s right, Quaid said.
Wow. He really was changing. Too bad I wasn’t in a position to appreciate the new and improved Quaid Moromond. Or whatever his real last name was.
There’s something wrong with my power. I sent Erica what happened and the feeling accompanying it.
Her answering thought came back panicked.
Then what are you doing here?
Yeah. Good question.
Just do your best, she sent at last. And stay behind me if your power fails completely. I’ll protect you for as long as I can.
My demon howled her frustration. But we had no choice.
“Again with you two.” The creature’s voice was as horrible as its body. “Perhaps I shall take you now. Your power will seal my dominion.”
“Rather not, thanks,” I said. Seriously. Why did I have this problem keeping my mouth shut?
“I must feed,” the thing said, all gravel over glass. Its power pushed out against us and I sampled it with disgust. The combination of witch, vampire and demon magic made me want to puke. How come Mom didn’t feel like that?
�
��What I have tasted thus far has only whetted my appetites. I will fulfill myself and become whole again.” Its head twisted to one side, cocking at an odd angle. “Yes, you two will be enough.”
There was no warning when the magic attack came, but we were ready. I clutched Quaid’s hand behind Erica’s back and linked my magic to his, the seamless connection we shared ready and waiting. My power may have been muffled and under some kind of control, but it was enough he was able to deflect the energy thrown our way.
The creature didn’t hesitate, attacking again. And again we held. My knees trembled from the effort, but we held. My hand felt slick with sweat in Quaid’s, but we held. Erica sighed and shuddered when the attack ended but, somehow, we held.
The creature retreated from us and snarled. I took a wild impulse and tried to link with the demon inside it and felt its weakness mirror my own.
“It’s not me.” Good to know.
“What?” Erica spared me a look, her terror giving way to weariness.
“My power. It’s not me. The demon in that thing is as weak as I am.”
We didn’t get to figure out why. The next attack started like a hammer blow and continued like a mountain pressing down on us, driving us toward the ground. I was fading and fast, my demon so debilitated she could barely offer protest and I was sure the creature had won.
The pressure vanished and the thing howled at us in rage.
I wobbled next to Erica. I was done for. There was no way I would stand up against another attack. My demon grudgingly agreed.
“Sorry,” I panted. “I’m tapped out.”
Erica shouldered her way in front of me. “It’s okay, Syd,” she whispered. “You did great. We can handle him from here.”
We all knew that was a lie.
We were going to die.
The creature slid sideways suddenly, forcing us to spin in answer. Too late, I understood its reasons. It maneuvered us away from Brad long enough to get a grip on him and pull him upright. The thing held Brad to its chest, clawed hands at his throat.