The acrid stench of horses' urine filled her nose. She'd been right about the window's location. It took a few seconds to steady her swimming head before she turned to greet her grandmother. She pulled her lips into a smile and prayed it looked genuine. "Monique." She stepped forward and kissed her grandmother on each cheek. "I assume you got the present I sent you?"
Monique frowned. "What do you mean, darling?"
"Luka. I sent him through to you."
Monique's eyes narrowed. Clare had gambled that as Luka had smashed the mirror, there was no way her grandmother could tell if her spell had pulled him through to Taldom or if Clare had sent him.
"Yes," the older woman said, still not sounding convinced.
Clare braced herself for her grandmother's questions.
"Edward is still sulking because you stole the Spaniard out from under his nose. You're proving to be quite a dark horse, taking control and having things your own way. You're far more like me than I thought."
A shiver raced down Clare's spine. God, she hoped not.
"Have you been to New York to start our marketing drive for Bodyglo?"
Clare shook her head and told the story she'd invented. "It took me a few days to persuade Luka that he still wanted to come to Taldom."
Monique chuckled. "Oh, darling, you really are like me."
Clare ached to ask where Luka was, but she had to be careful not to sound too interested in him.
Wanting to keep track of Edward, she looked around and saw him leaning against a wall in the darkest corner of the stable. Her intuition screamed a warning. Something was seriously off with him. He might be more dangerous now.
Monique picked her way across the dirty straw towards the open stable door. "Luka deserves to die for smashing my mirror and putting me to the inconvenience of using this rat hole."
Clare hung back, allowing Edward to follow Monique out. She didn't want him behind her. As soon as her grandmother walked into the sunlit courtyard, she shook out her skirts and turned to Clare. "As you're here, you must come and see my prize. It was hard won, but it'll make us very rich."
She must mean the serpent. Clare feigned ignorance. "The red flowers?"
"No." Monique flapped her hand. "They're the easy ingredient. My new acquisition provides the true essence of Red Death and gives the potion its name."
"That'll be interesting. What is it?"
Monique arched her eyebrows. "I want it to be a surprise. You'll have to be patient until we get there."
"Get where?"
"A short carriage ride south to Stary Fall." Monique pointed at the horse-drawn carriage standing ready in the yard.
Clare glanced back at the stable that held the portal. Somehow, she had to delay and get Pablo through, but first she needed to ask Monique the thing that mattered most to her.
"Where's Luka now?"
Her grandmother had turned to converse with a tall man wearing a long coat and holding a whip. She returned her attention to Clare, a private smile on her lips. "Luka wanted to see Red Death. I granted his wish."
Clare pressed a hand to the stable wall as her legs wobbled. Luka had gone to see the serpent? "You said we're going there."
"I did. If you're lucky, you might get to see Luka again."
What did that mean? Cold sweat broke out on Clare's skin. He might already be dead. She had to hurry, but not seem to be in a rush.
"Can I use the bathroom before we leave?" A weak excuse but it should get her a few moments alone to summon Pablo.
Monique's gaze swept over Clare. She beckoned a young woman wearing an apron and cap. "She'll show you to my room. I'll have a dress sent up. You can change while you're up there."
"I prefer my jeans."
"I don't. You'll change."
Damn. The last thing Clare wanted to do was waste time changing clothes. While her grandmother gave the servant instructions, Clare bounced on her toes, eager to get going. She scanned the yard, counting the people and assessing their function. Her gaze fell on Edward. His unblinking, glassy eyes were fixed on Monique, following her every move. There was something in the intense scrutiny that shot warning along Clare's nerves.
The servant bobbed a curtsy to Clare and led the way inside. Clare hurried along behind her, eager to get changed and return to the stables.
Ten minutes later, Clare hiked the hem of her dress and sneaked down the back stairs. The dress was a darn nuisance, the long skirt catching around her legs. She'd kept her jeans on underneath, ready to tear away her skirt if necessary.
She reached the door in the bottom of the tower and peeped out to check the yard. There was no sign of Monique. The carriage was still parked in the same place, a man bent over, checking one of the horse's hooves. Other men and women were busy in the yard, but there was no reason any of them should stop her.
She strode out of the door, intending to give the impression she knew where she was going and had every right to be there.
When she stepped into the semi-dark stable, her breath rushed out on a sigh of relief. She'd given Pablo a butterfly symbol as his mark. It seemed to suit him. She stood in front of the portal and inscribed the design in the air with the tip of her finger.
After she finished outlining the shape, she visualized it as a shining image floating before her. The stable wall shimmered and cleared to reveal the Amsterdam office. For a second she couldn't see Pablo, then he stepped into view holding a take-out coffee cup in one hand and a bar of chocolate in the other. Trust Pablo to indulge himself while he waited.
He grinned wickedly, all white teeth and dimples. The smell of coffee filled the stable as he appeared in front of her.
"For you," he said and angled the bar of chocolate towards her.
Clare snapped off some of the sweet treat and stuffed it in her mouth. She didn't feel much like eating, but she could always manage chocolate.
Pablo finished his coffee, crumpled the cup, and threw it in a corner. "Have you seen Luka?"
"Not yet."
Pablo glanced towards the stable door, his face tense. "What about Monique?"
"I've talked to her, but she's not around at the moment. We need to get away before she comes back."
"I want to find Luka."
Clare drew a steadying breath. She had to tell Pablo where Luka was, but he would freak out if he knew the danger. "I have an idea where to go. Let's start walking and we can talk on the way."
Pablo went to the door and checked out the yard. "We can travel faster if we ride."
"A horse?"
He frowned at her. "Of course, a horse."
"I don't like horses."
"Don't worry. I'll look after you." He put his arm around her shoulders and she laughed. That would be a miracle.
"Okay. I guess it will be faster on four legs." The yard outside the stables gave way to an area of woodland. "When you're ready, ride out there. I'll follow."
"I'll saddle up." He glanced out the door. "You're sure Monique's not around?"
"If she appears, I'll try to distract her. Just stay hidden until she's gone. If I have to climb in the coach with her, you'd better follow us."
He nodded, then slipped along the front of the stalls and ducked into an occupied stable. His leather leggings and tunic blended in, and no one took any notice of him.
Clare had worn sneakers in case she needed to run. She hopped from foot to foot, feeling ridiculous in the long dress. How could she climb on a horse wearing these clothes?
After what seemed like forever, Pablo rode past on a brown horse. There was no sign of Monique so Clare followed him through the yard. As soon as they were screened by trees, he halted and stretched a hand down to her.
"What do you expect me to do with that?"
"Grasp my wrist, put your left foot on mine, and I'll pull you up." Eyeing the mucky stain on the horse's shoulder, she wrapped her fingers around Pablo's wrist and wedged her sneaker on his boot. "One, two, three, jump."
She bounced up as far as s
he could and he tugged. Scrambling and grasping horse hair, saddle, and Pablo's clothes, she managed to get her right leg across the animal. She was in front of Pablo and he wrapped an arm around her as the horse sidestepped in alarm at her inelegant mounting procedure. Then she made the mistake of looking down. "It's a long way to fall."
"Then stay on the horse."
"Okay, Mr. Smarty-Pants, let's get moving." Before Monique noticed she was missing and put two and two together.
Pablo tightened the reins in one hand, keeping the other arm secure around her waist, and urged the animal forward. They set off down the rutted dirt track that cut between the trees. The saddle creaked and tilted from side to side—it was not a comfortable ride.
"Where are we headed and how far?" he asked.
"Monique said Luka was at Stary Fall, a short coach trip away, whatever short means."
"What is this place? Why's Luka there?"
Clare bit her lip, glad Pablo couldn't see her face.
"I know what she's like, Clare. You don't have to protect me from the truth."
"She didn't explain much, only that he's with Red Death."
A long moment of tense silence followed. "She'll have hurt him," Pablo said flatly.
Clare had been trying not to think about what state Luka would be in, but Pablo's stark observation sent all kinds of terrible images through her mind. She should never have let Luka pass through the portal first.
They traveled most of their journey in the trees that bordered the track so Monique wouldn't see them if her carriage came along.
After half an hour they stopped and asked directions from a farmer hoeing the stony earth of a small field. They had trouble communicating, but he understood when they said Stary Fall. He pointed between the trees to an area of moorland.
As they rode on across the scrubby ground, it dropped sharply away to another area of forest in a valley. They avoided the carriage track and followed a steep path made by animals. Pablo kept an arm tightly around Clare and she hung on to the horse's mane as it slipped and stumbled on loose stones. She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the valley floor.
Pablo reined in among the trees. "Shall we leave the horse here and check out the area?"
A clearing divided the rock face from the forest. "You think this is Stary Fall?"
"Could be." Pablo slid off the horse and tied its reins to a tree. He gripped Clare at the waist. "I've got you. Throw your leg over and slide off like I did."
She did as he said. When her feet hit the ground, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a brief, tight hug. "We'll find him," she said.
"I know." He didn't sound reassured. "You stay hidden in the trees while I look around. His jaw was firm, his eyes determined. "If something happens to me, just get yourself and Luka to safety."
His expression brooked no disagreement, but there was no way she'd leave him to Monique. This was a new side to Pablo, this taking charge, and Clare didn't believe he would cope if Monique arrived.
They crept through the forest and ducked behind some boulders to the north of the clearing. A single guard stood watch in front of a dark cave entrance. He had propped his spear against the rocks and was listlessly tossing pebbles at a tree.
"Bored stiff by the look of it," Pablo whispered.
"He's probably not expecting trouble. We need to take him by surprise and disable him."
"How?"
"Knee to the groin?"
"That'll take him down, but not for long. We need to knock him out." Pablo hefted a broken branch that lay among the grass and leaf litter.
"Are you sure you can do this?"
"I'll do anything to save Luka."
Clare gripped his arm. "Be careful."
Pablo nodded and darted away through the fringe of trees, heading closer to the cave.
Clare gripped her skirt nervously. From her position, she saw Pablo hide behind a tree close to the guard. The man was still oblivious to their presence. He'd given up tossing stones and was now trying to juggle them.
"Come on," Clare whispered as Pablo waited behind the tree. This was a great opportunity for him to take the man by surprise. He should do it now.
Then Pablo did move, dashing out low. The guard saw him and lunged for his spear but he was too late. The thick branch smashed across the back of his head and he went down with a grunt, landing in a heap on the ground.
Clare closed her eyes, more shocked by the violence than she'd imagined. She wasn't cut out for this.
Pablo beckoned urgently. She stood and paced towards him, her heart still thumping too fast.
He crouched and felt for a pulse in the man's neck. "He's fine. Help me move him out of sight."
They dragged him behind a heap of fallen rocks beside the cliff, and secured his hands with his belt.
Pablo dusted his hands together and grabbed a breath. "Okay. So far, so good."
A low grumbling sound echoed out of the darkness of the cave. "Red Death?" she asked. Her gaze met Pablo's and they shared a worried look.
"I don't know much more about it than you. Luka is very good at keeping things to himself."
They stepped into the cave entrance and peered into the darkness. "We need a light."
"Here." Pablo bent and grabbed a lantern that was one of three just inside the shelter of the cave mouth. Clare picked up a small box containing a flint and snapped the metal catch to make a spark. It took her a few minutes, but she managed to light a lantern for each of them.
"Stay behind me," Pablo whispered as they entered the cave.
After a few minutes, he halted at a distant noise. "That sounded like chains."
Clare stilled and listened. Silence droned in her ears, the weight of the earth and rocks a living presence bearing down above. She shivered in the damp chill. Pablo held up his lantern, but the arc of light penetrated only a few yards.
They walked on. After about fifty yards, a glow appeared ahead. They picked their way even more carefully on the slippery ground, trying to walk silently. Pablo reached the end of the tunnel first and his gasp made fear clench her belly.
"What?" she hissed, stepping up to see.
The tunnel opened into a large cavern. Two fire brands had been left burning, one on either side of the chamber. Their light danced across the mud-brown walls, illuminating seeping trails of water and gooey patches of slime.
In the shadows at the back, a massive creature crouched. It was little more than a dark shape, but she knew it must be the serpent. Luka sat slumped against the wall about four yards from the creature, the flickering yellow light dancing across his nearly naked body.
It took all her concentration not to cry out. "Oh my God, he's so close to it."
She and Pablo stared at each other in shared horror.
"This is typical of Monique," Pablo said. "She likes to play games."
Clare sucked in a steadying breath and pulled herself together. She glanced around, assessing the situation. From this distance, she couldn't see if Luka were injured or how he was secured. Maybe the creature was asleep and hadn't seen him. Maybe Monique had put him just out of the animal's reach.
A hollow metal clang rang through the cave, sending a flash of pure terror along her nerves. The light from her lantern danced across the floor as her hand shook. Her eyes flew to the dark bulk as it lumbered to its feet. Huge wings extended from its back and flapped with a leathery smack as the creature rumbled deep in its chest and started to turn.
She had to move Luka before the creature saw him. She took a step but Pablo grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"I'll go," he whispered.
She raised her lantern so she could see his face. His expression was set firm. He was serious. She hoped his nerve would hold. "We stand a better chance if we work together."
The creature had stopped moving and was snuffling the ground. They crept forward a step at a time, holding their lanterns low.
The creature's eyes flashed red in the lantern light.
Its scaly head glistened as though covered in copper coins. It snorted, and sprayed mucus on the ground. A fetid stink followed. Clare pressed a hand over her mouth and nose and tasted bile.
As if in slow motion, the beast swung its head towards Luka.
"We need to distract it." Clare stooped and felt the ground until she found a pebble. She tossed it at the wall on the far side of the creature. The small ping of impact echoed around the cavern. The animal's attention snapped away from Luka. They had a few moments' reprieve.
"We need to move him immediately," she whispered, her voice little more than a quiver. Although how they would accomplish that she had no idea.
Chapter Sixteen
The great serpent flapped its wings with a crack that echoed off the walls like a gunshot. Instinctively, Clare dropped into a crouch and pulled Pablo down with her. The creature lumbered around, rattling the metal chains on its legs.
The beast extended its neck, snorted, then tilted its head back and opened its jaws impossibly wide, revealing a double row of wicked, pointed teeth.
"It can't reach him," Pablo whispered. Clare wasn't sure. There could be some slack left in the chains. She raised her lantern to illuminate the area, but quickly lowered it again when the serpent squealed like an angry pig.
Terrifying though the creature was, something else frightened her more. Luka hadn't moved. He was either unconscious, or something she hadn't dared consider until now, already dead. Luka's armor was dumped against the wall about ten yards from him. Clare pulled on Pablo's hand and pointed towards it. "Luka's sword might be over there."
Pablo nodded and, keeping low, scurried towards the armor. He sorted through the pile and held up the sword. She released a shaky sigh and wiped cold sweat from her face. At least they had a weapon.
She expected Pablo to return to her, but he moved a few steps closer to Luka and called his name. Her gaze shot back to the serpent, waiting for its reaction. It ignored the sound.
Hesitantly, she called Luka as well. When the beast didn't react, both she and Pablo shouted Luka's name, trying to pull him back to consciousness.
He didn't move.
Cursed Kiss (Paranormal Romance) Page 14