Thankfully, it was short and opened out into another cavern after only a few feet. Kitt crawled out at floor level, which meant this cave was higher than the one they’d come from. She could pick up her father’s scent and the others. So they had found it too, after all.
But how could the killer have gotten both Nathan and Seph through that small opening?
“With a rope I think.” Cal sat with her back against the rock face, looking pale and sweaty in the glow of the stick.
The first thought that crossed Kitt’s mind was why had Cal changed back?
Kitt only had to look at Cal to know the answer. The girl was exhausted. It took a lot of energy to change and maintain Animalian form, and hers was depleted. If only they had some fresh meat.
“So you can read my mind as well?” Kitt asked as she shook off the last tremors through her body from reverting back to human form.
“No!” The girl looked at her and half laughed. “It doesn’t take much to know what you’re thinking; it’s a pretty obvious question.”
Kitt glanced around the enormous cave. There seemed to be no ceiling and the floor dropped away only a few feet from where they sat. She walked to the drop-off and looked over the edge. Some of the side broke away under her foot, sending a shower of rocks and dirt clattering against the rock walls. She lay flat to creep closer to the edge and peer over. There was the sound of running water gushing down the wall opposite but nothing from below. The rocks continued to fall away into the netherworld. How deep is the chasm?
A light came shining from the fissure as Oberon hauled himself out of the opening and lay on his back panting. The cave lit up a little with the flashlight. All except the large black chasm and the ceiling above.
He climbed to his feet and moved to join Kitt.
“The edge is soft,” Cal warned.
He stopped a few feet back, unclipped a glow stick from his belt and tossed it in. It fell and continued to fall until the yellow glow disappeared completely without hitting the bottom.
He turned to them. “Okay, which way now?”
All meaning of time seemed lost down here—Kitt didn’t know whether it was night or day, or even how long they’d been in the cave. Was it hours or days? She couldn’t tell.
Cal struggled to her feet and Kitt moved away from the edge to help her.
“Wait.” Oberon dropped the pack to the ground and fished around. “This is not as good as fresh meat, but it will give you back some energy.”
He handed her several sticks of jerky. Cal grabbed them and tore into the dried meat. An instant hit of protein, the fresher the better, was what she needed now. But this would work for now.
“Lead the way,” he said to Cal when she looked a little brighter.
The pain seared through Antoinette’s shoulder as J.J. twisted the sword. She bit down on her lip to stop the scream building in her throat from escaping.
“How does that feel?” Marvella whispered in her ear.
“I’ve had worse bikini waxes,” Antoinette hissed through gritted teeth.
Marvella’s throaty laugh echoed throughout the warehouse as J.J. pulled the sword out.
Antoinette panted through the pain as the wound started to knit, just before he drove the blade through her other shoulder.
Laughter bubbled up her throat and she couldn’t hold it in any longer. Better that than scream. She may heal quickly, but it still hurt like a fucking bastard.
“What the hell are you laughing at?” J.J. asked, twisting the steel in her shoulder a little harder.
“This may hurt me now,” she laughed, “but it’s nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you.”
J.J. pulled out the sword, then plunged it lower through her stomach, exactly where she wanted him to. It seared, twisted, and burned and she did the only thing she could. She pushed herself harder onto the blade. It went right through her and into Marvella, who let her go with surprise.
With her arms now free, Antoinette pushed herself further until she was able to drive her palm up into J.J.’s nose. He let go of the pommel, just as she knew he would. And she bolted up the nearby stairs.
Marvella recovered almost immediately and followed. J.J. did too, only instead of taking the stairs he leapt to the next floor to cut off Antoinette.
With J.J. in front and Marvella behind, Antoinette used both hands and gritted her teeth as she slid the sword out of her gut. With all the blood loss, her hunger rose. Even the smell of the corrupt, stale human blood floating up from the ground below started to smell good.
J.J. advanced from one side, Marvella from the other. There was only one way to go. Antoinette dived over the side, somersaulted in midair, and dropped to the floor below. J.J. vaulted the railing after her to land heavily a few feet away.
“GET HER—FUCK HER UP GOOD!” the insane female screamed as she leaned over the railing above.
He picked up another length of metal pipe and swiped at her. She blocked with her battered katana, the blade covered in nicks and indents. She would have to work on it long and hard to get back a smooth edge.
But it was sharp enough to kill these two. With a kick double-feint, she spun around and lopped off J.J.’s left arm at the elbow. He screamed. His right hand covered the wound and blood seeped through his fingers. Then she took his right leg at the knee.
Marvella was about to climb down when an arrow ricocheted off the metal just to the right and embedded in the wall behind her. They all turned to see Tones loading another bolt into a crossbow.
The eighties rocker chick seemed to lose her nerve. She looked at Tones and Antoinette, then finally at J.J. “Sorry, lover—it’s been fun.”
“MARVELLA . . .” J.J. screamed.
She ran along the metal walkway, her heels tapping loudly. Tones fired again, but she ducked and it sailed right past her head and into the wall again. She reached the end of the platform and made a swan dive through the large windows.
Tones took off after her while Antoinette stood over J.J. The dreniac was shaking and oozing dark blood all over the floor.
“Please, Antoinette, don’t kill me,” he croaked. “For old-time’s sake,”
Antoinette lowered the sword and looked down at the pitiful shell of a once-great Venator. He had been her colleague, her friend, even her lover.
“J.J.,” she said, pulling back the sword.
She sliced quickly. His head slid away in an almost graceful tumble.
A quick death. More than he deserved for Tripper.
She sighed. “For old-time’s sake.”
Chapter 34 - Innocence Lost
Kitt had no idea how far beneath the surface they were at this point. Cal had been following the scent trail, leading them deeper and deeper. Finally, they saw a glow up ahead. Cal ran straight for the light and headed for her sister as she entered another cave—yapping excitedly and licking her face before she changed back to human form.
Raven sat back watching the two girls almost collide in their desperation to make contact. They clutched each other tight, both seeming to regain color and strength as if healing each other with their touch. For the moment they needed each other more than they needed their parents.
Tyrone sat hunched over Nathan, who was propped against a large rock in the middle of the cavern. Kitt moved to examine her brother. Blood covered his temple; a matching splat of crimson and hair was stuck to the boulder he was leaning against. His wound was healing, though he still looked a little groggy.
Tyrone stood up, his mouth open, his expression strange as he watched his granddaughters’ reunion. Kitt closed her eyes and sucked in her breath. The moment she’d been dreading.
“She came in as a wolf,” Tyrone said. “What the hell are you trying to pull here?”
Raven came up and put his hands on her shoulders. She touched her fingertips to his. Her father looked at them. Oberon crossed to check on Nathan.
“My God,” Tyrone said, shaking his head. “Could you and he have really created
a . . . ? There must be some mistake.”
She’d never seen him so rattled before, but it still wasn’t the reaction she’d expected.
“Show him,” Raven said in a quiet tone to their daughter.
Cal changed into wolf form again and sat on her haunches.
“So the other one is the felian,” Tyrone said, his features taking on a skeptical cast.
The wolf rose up and transformed into a snow leopard. Even though she’d seen it before, the sight still gave her the chill.
“Dúbabeo,” Tyrone whispered and stumbled back to sit heavily on a large rock. “And her sister?”
“The same,” Kitt said.
Nathan groaned and Kitt dropped to his side. Their eyes met, and for the first time in years, he didn’t look at her with hate.
“Kitt, I . . .” He lowered his eyes.
She glanced over to the twins. “Let’s just get you all out of here first.” Then Kitt placed a glow stick on the ground next to her brother.
“Will he be okay?” Tyrone asked.
“Yes, the wound’s already healed.”
Tyrone also squatted in front of Nathan. “Did you see the killer?”
Her brother shook his head. “He had me blindfolded in the car. I never got a real good look at him. The tunnels are dark and most of the way he made me walk ahead, carrying Seph.”
This cavern also had different tunnels leading away.
“Do you know which way he went?” Tyrone asked as Kitt cleaned the blood off Nathan’s temple.
He lowered his eyes again. “No. I was unconscious.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Do you know what he wanted?”
Nathan frowned. “He said something about a sacred pool and sacrificing Seph to the Holy Dark Brethren or something.”
Kitt stiffened and turned to Oberon. He gave her a tight shake of his head to keep quiet.
Tyrone stood and looked down at them. “I’m going after my men—I sent them ahead to track the killer. Nathan and Persephone may be okay but no one attacks my family.”
“I’ll go with you,” Raven said, coming to stand beside him.
Oberon stood up near the twins. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye out.”
“There’s no need,” Nathan said. “I’ll watch them; my head’s just about healed. I’m sure you’d be of more use with them.”
“You sure?” Oberon asked Kitt.
“Yeah,” she answered. “We’ll be fine.”
Oberon clapped Raven on the shoulder. “Let’s go, then?”
“Here, you might need this more than I will.” Oberon handed her the heavy flashlight.
Oberon undressed and the three males transformed, then set off down the far tunnel.
“Go—see to your daughters,” Nathan said, waving her off when they’d gone.
She could do little else at this point. “Okay, but call if you need me.”
Kitt squatted beside Seph, smoothing her hand over her hair and down the side of her face. The dam Seph had been holding back broke and she choked as the tears came. “Are you all right?”
The girl looked at her sister and smiled. “I am now.”
A leather-covered inhibitor chain lay on the ground, along with what looked like a cord made from the same material. Marks on Seph’s wrists and ankles were made by being tied up with a silver cord.
No wonder she couldn’t move.
Cal took her sister’s face in her hands, leaned forward, and planted a quick kiss on Seph’s forehead. “Don’t you ever do that to me again.”
Seph made a noise that could’ve been a laugh or a sob as she buried her face against Cal’s shoulder. Then she lifted her eyes to Kitt and glanced past her.
A frown creased her brow and she sat back. “Is Nathan okay?”
The glow stick sat next to his slumped form. He lay on his side away from her and her heartbeat skidded to a stop. The flashlight was on the ground next to her and she picked it up and went to her brother’s aid.
“Nathan?” She crouched beside her brother’s prone body.
“No, not Nathan.” He sat up, grabbed her wrist with one hand, and held something sharp against her throat. Malevolent dark eyes stared back from under a mop of dark hair, his mouth twisting into an insane caricature of a smile. “I’m Gideon, my sweet angel.”
Chapter 35 - Deal with the Devil
My angel.
The real one.
He could see it now. The others were just pale imitations, copies of the original . . .
“BRING HER TO THE SACRED POOL.” Ealund’s ghostly form crossed to stand behind the woman.
Gideon frowned. “Not this one. Take the offering I brought to you, but leave me this one.”
“Listen to him, brother,” Nathan said. “She is not worthy of your admiration.”
“THIS ONE IS STRONG,” Ealund admitted. “MAYBE EVEN STRONG ENOUGH TO FREE ME FROM THIS HELL.”
Gideon shook his head. The constant babble was confusing him. His thoughts flitted around his head like fireflies. Impossible to catch—impossible to pin down.
There was only her. There was only his sweet, sweet angel.
His thoughts solidified. “You’re trying trick me, brother. Take her for yourself. But she is mine.”
“No, brother. She will deceive you,” Nathan said.
For years, Gideon had been trapped in the body he shared with Nathan. Since a shaman had separated their thoughts as children, Nathan hadn’t spoken to Gideon—but that changed tonight.
At first, Gideon had the power; then Nathan discovered Ealund was there and conspired with him against Gideon.
“YOU, GIDEON, MUST BRING HER TO ME AS A SACRIFICE.” Ealund moved around Kitt, running his long pale fingertips down her left cheek. She raised her hand to touch the spot, as if she felt it. She looked around.
“SHE IS YOUR PENANCE FOR FAILING ME.”
“Listen to him,” Nathan whispered. “Give him Kathryn, keep the others.”
“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!” Gideon shook his head and clutched his angel tighter as the knife shook in his grip. “Leave me alone.”
“YOU CANNOT END YOUR INDENTURE TO ME.” Ealund’s dark voice echoed in his head. “YOU WILL DO AS I ASK.”
Chapter 36 - Double the Terror
Kitt stilled as the prick of the silver blade burned the sensitive skin of her throat. Her brother’s face twisted back and forth, changing, struggling for dominance. One minute Nathan was there as he’d always been, the next a darker version with black hair and blue eyes not unlike Dylan and Tyrone’s.
The dark-haired one called himself Gideon and, besides Nathan, he seemed to be talking to someone else over her shoulder. He was clearly delusional and psychotic.
Gideon.
Nathan’s lost twin? They’re sharing the same body? And yet they were as different as night and day—at least in physical appearance.
One who is two—two who are one.
Kitt turned her head just enough to see the girls watching in helpless horror. Obviously, they had no more idea about this Gideon than she did.
“So, Gideon is it?” She signaled the girls with her hand to stay where they were and be quiet.
He stopped changing and solidified into the dark-haired visage. His eyes kept moving around the room as if watching someone; however, there was no one there. When he looked at the twins, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Gideon!” She called his attention back to her and away from them.
He frowned, confused and unsure. Not the soulless windows into the mind of a psychopath she was expecting.
“Where’s Nathan?” she asked.
“In here.” He pointed to his head, his face lighting up in triumph. “Trapped in the same prison he’s kept me in for years. Now it’s my body.”
“Do you think I can talk to him?”
“She wants him,” Gideon said over her shoulder, pressing the blade harder against her throat and tilting his head to the side as though he was listening
to something beyond her hearing.
She tried to turn her head, but the blade bit deeper and a warm trickle ran down to her shoulder.
“No,” Gideon said. “Don’t say that.”
“Say what?” she asked.
His eyes centered on her again. “He says you are a soiled harlot, a temptress of men. You need to be sacrificed.”
Fear skittered across her chest. “Who? Nathan?”
Gideon frowned. “No, Ealund.”
Ealund? “Does he share your body like Nathan?”
He tilted his head and sneered, like she was an idiot. “He’s right behind you.” His grin widened as she looked past him.
This time he let her look, but the space was empty.
“There’s no one there.”
“It doesn’t matter if you can’t see him, because he sees you.” Gideon’s dark smile deepened.
There must be a third personality. What else could it be? Maybe with such a warped psychotic living in his head he’s developed delusions. Then she felt the brush of a cold breeze on her arm. But there was no wind in the cave. A chill crept over her.
“Can you ask Ealund a question for me?” She thought she would try humoring him.
“Ask yourself, he can hear you.”
An icy wisp kissed her cheek. She shrank away from the invisible touch and turned to search the air around her. Nothing. There was nothing there and yet . . .
“Who are you?” This time her voice did betray her nerves.
“I told you, Ealund,” Gideon answered.
Okay, different tact. “What are you?”
The air shimmered and the impression of laughter filled the still cave, though she could hear nothing.
“He says you know what he is,” Gideon said and pressed the knife against her throat again. The silver burned.
Kitt got a little closer to the male who was her brother and yet not.
“STOP!” he yelled, twisting her around, forcing her wrist high up behind her back, and the prick of the silver blade continued to burn her neck.
The girls, who’d been inching their way toward the tunnel Raven and Tyrone had disappeared down, stopped as Gideon commanded.
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