Catch Me (The Demon Underground Series)

by Parker Blue

  Planning kept me busy for a couple of hours, but then my butt grew numb, and I had to stand and give it some relief.

  Andrew cracked open an eye. “Did the portal open?”

  “Not yet.” I tried to sound upbeat but was beginning to worry. I knew the time dilation aspects made it possible that not much time had elapsed on the other side, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy, abandoned.

  “What if it doesn’t open?” Andrew asked in a small voice.

  “It will,” I said, sounding more confident than I felt.

  “But it could be a long time. I’m getting thirsty. If time is passing here way too slowly compared to our world, and it takes days or weeks to rescue us, what are we going to drink . . . or eat in the meantime?”

  Good question, and one I didn’t have an answer for. “It won’t come to that,” I assured him. But the last thing I needed was for the fire demon to panic. “Don’t worry.” I enforced that as a command with Lola, so subtly that I hoped he wouldn’t notice. He relaxed, closing his eyes again.

  Too bad I couldn’t reassure myself as easily. Up until now, I’d had utter confidence in Fang and Austin insisting on my rescue. But as more time went on, I wondered. What if something had happened to Shade so he couldn’t open a portal anymore? What if something had happened to Micah, and he couldn’t tell Shade it was okay to open the portal?

  We’d be stuck here forever, with no way home. We could probably find water, but would it be safe to drink? And I hadn’t seen anything edible in the small area I’d explored. How long would it take us to die without food or water? And with only Andrew to talk to, how long before I strangled him just to shut him up? I sighed. Killing ourselves might be better than starving to death.

  My gut clenched, and I tried to calm myself, but the longer the time went on in this silent, eerie place, the more panic threatened to overwhelm me. I was able to keep Andrew calm with Lola but had no way of doing that for myself. Worse, I was starting to get thirsty and hungry myself.

  Finally, when I was beginning to worry about my sanity, I heard a voice.

  VAL?

  “Fang?” I said aloud, my heart vaulting into my throat. Was I imagining things?

  I’M NO FIGMENT, BABE. DID YOU DOUBT WE’D COME FOR YOU?

  I almost wept in relief. “Not at all.” It had just taken way longer than I’d expected.

  Andrew scrambled to his feet. “Where’s the portal?” he demanded.

  “Wait,” I said. “I left a path back.”

  With nothing to mar my tracks, I was able to follow them back to the flashlight easily, Andrew leaning on me for support. And there, thank heavens, was the blue cloud. Forget testing to see how far Fang’s voice would reach—I was so out of here.

  I surged through the portal, keeping Andrew upright, and came to an abrupt halt.

  It looked as though a tornado had gone off inside, with shattered construction materials, new holes in the walls, and stuff strewn everywhere.

  “What happened here?” Then, registering the fact that only Shade and Fang were there to greet us on the other side, I asked, “And where are Austin and Ivy?”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Val

  CHILL, FANG TOLD me. THE ROGUES ATTACKED RIGHT AFTER YOU WENT THROUGH THE PORTAL. AUSTIN AND HIS FRIENDS FOUGHT THEM OFF, AND NOW HE’S OFF DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH. WE SENT IVY HOME, AND IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO FIND MICAH.

  Andrew staggered toward Shade, and I dropped to my knees to hug Fang. I’d missed the furry little beast. “Austin and Ivy are okay, then?”

  THEY’RE FINE, he assured me. AND I MISSED YOU, TOO. BUT DON’T EVER DO THAT AGAIN.

  “I’ll try not to.” Shade handed us both bottles of water, and I downed mine gratefully. Wiping my mouth, I asked, “How long were we gone?”

  MAYBE TWO HOURS.

  I nodded. “Felt more like a hundred over on the other side.”

  THAT LONG?

  “Okay, maybe six in reality. Shade’s right—time does pass differently in some dimensions.”

  Shade interrupted. “We need to get out of here, complete the tests.”

  “We can’t—Andrew’s hurt.”

  The fire demon scowled at me. “I want to finish what I started. And Shade can heal me, if you’ll help.”

  “His wound is minor,” Shade assured me. “But I want to make sure there’s no concussion. You know we can’t take him to the ER. You’ll need to be the template.”

  Yeah—if they ran any blood tests, they’d learn real quick how unusual his blood was. If his wound really was minor, we wouldn’t share memories during Shade’s healing . . . much. Sighing, I said, “Okay, you can use me.”

  “Good.” Shade dragged over a couple of unbroken chairs and had Andrew and me sit in them.

  Quickly, Shade touched the back of Andrew’s head, then mine. I was ready for the sensation of Shade’s healing energies cycling through me, but this time it went much faster, and Andrew was healed so rapidly, we didn’t even share more than each other’s surface thoughts, which were pretty much what we’d already talked about. Had it gone so quickly because the injury was minor, or because the crystal had sped up Shade’s ability?

  PROBABLY BOTH.

  “I feel much better,” Andrew said, rubbing his head in wonder.

  “Good,” Shade said. “Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Austin said to tell you to come to the clearing near the mansion where you and he trained. It’s being watched at all times now, so it will be safer to finish our test that way. Especially tonight. He’ll meet us there.”

  Austin had kindly left one of the vampmobiles for us to use, so Shade drove us to the mansion. I nodded at one of the guards outside the front door, saying, “Austin told us to meet him in the clearing.”

  He nodded, and I showed Shade and Andrew the way through the trees on the side of the house to the clearing. Austin was there ahead of us, pacing off the distance.

  When he saw me, the tension in his face and shoulders seemed to disappear. He was beside me in an instant and grabbed me into a hug. “I knew you’d be okay,” he whispered.

  Well, I was glad he was, because I hadn’t been all that sure of it myself. But I really needed that hug and the reassurance that he still cared for me. “The rogues attacked again?” I asked when he finally released me.

  “Yeah, it’s getting so we’re tripping over them everywhere.”

  “You think you have a traitor inside the Movement, giving away your location?”

  Shade entered the conversation. “They may just have a lot of watchers out, like Micah uses me and others.”

  Austin nodded. “That’s the conclusion I came to. They seem determined to take out our leaders.”

  “Best way to kill an organization is to chop off its head.” I glanced at Austin. “You guys might take a lesson from them. Find this Zachary who’s telling them to attack you.”

  “That’s my plan,” Austin assured me. “Right after we find Alejandro.”

  “Good. Speaking of plans . . . what have you come up with to convince Micah to let Shade open a portal?”

  Austin scowled. “Beyond finding out how many demons are on the other side, and massing enough people on this side to catch any that come through, I don’t really have one. There are too many unknowns.”

  Had to agree with him there.

  “I’ll help,” Andrew said. “But we need to finish the testing first.”

  He was obviously eager to continue being of service, and we did need to know how far Fang’s range would extend. As before, we all stood on one side of the clearing while Shade did his thing, and Andrew went through the portal into that same dimension. This time, there were no glitches, and we soon learned that Fang could s
ense Andrew on the other side within about fifty feet in any direction.

  Andrew returned, and Austin clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you. This will help a great deal.”

  Andrew puffed up like a proud rooster, and I hid a smile. I was glad the fire demon had gotten the approval he craved. It was as if Austin had sensed he’d needed it.

  NAW, JUST THE MARK OF A GOOD LEADER, Fang said. HE WOULD’VE SAID IT WHETHER ANDREW NEEDED IT OR NOT.

  Wasn’t going to argue there. Then a thought suddenly occurred to me. “But this is a different dimension than the demon one. Will the distances be the same?”

  Consternation showed on Austin’s and Andrew’s faces, but Shade said, “Yes, they would. My father taught us that time may change, but distances and locations are fixed. Otherwise, portals wouldn’t open in the same spot each time.”

  Well, that was a relief.

  Austin glanced at the two guys. “Can you find your way out? Val and I will see if we can come up with a better plan.”

  “I can help with that,” Shade said stubbornly.

  “I know you can,” Austin said, more patient than I would’ve been. “But we should have a lot of vampires arriving starting about eleven thirty, and you don’t want him around when they do.” He nodded at Andrew.

  Yeah—some of the vampires might still hold a grudge against the fire demon who’d tried to burn down their home, even though he’d helped save it later.

  Andrew looked a little sick. “Yeah, better go.”

  “Why don’t you come with us?” Shade asked Austin.

  “Because I have to meet Luis at midnight.”

  Oh, crap, I’d forgotten this was the night of their duel.

  “Can’t it wait?” Shade asked.

  “No, I have to do this,” Austin said sternly.

  “He really does,” I told Shade. “We’ll contact you later.”

  He nodded, then grabbed Andrew’s arm, and the two of them left, Fang following to make sure they made it okay.

  Austin pulled me into the darkness of the trees, and I glanced up at him and asked, “So what’s the plan?”

  “We still have twenty minutes before Rosa arrives, so . . . this,” he said and leaned down to kiss me.

  I definitely approved. Austin pulled back and regarded me in the dim light. “I’m sorry I acted like such a turd. But when you went through that portal, and I thought I’d lost you . . .” He shook his head. “Well, let’s just say I don’t ever want to go through that again.”

  Well, didn’t that make me feel all tingly and warm inside? “It’s okay,” I told him softly and tilted my head for another kiss.

  We made out for a few minutes in silence, until a buzzing against my hip brought me back to the here and now. Austin pulled out his phone, read it, then showed me the message: Someone’s coming.

  He tapped the time—forty-five minutes until showtime—then put a finger to his lips. I nodded silently. It was a little too early for the others. Who was this? Someone overeager to arrive early for the duel? What would be the point?

  I heard the murmur of voices as they approached the clearing—a man and a woman.

  IT’S LUIS AND LISETTE, Fang told me. WITH A COUPLE OF HER TWEEDLES FOLLOWING A FEW PACES BEHIND. DON’T WORRY—I’VE GONE TO GROUND. THEY DON’T KNOW I’M HERE.

  When they got closer, I could make out their words.

  “—got to win,” Lisette said.

  “Don’t worry, I will,” Luis said with utter confidence as he stepped into the clearing. “I have to, for our plan to succeed.”

  Luis and Lisette were in on something together? What? And why the hell was she wearing a filmy, floaty pink dress to a duel, for heaven’s sake? Someone might choke her with that wispy scarf around her neck.

  YOU VOLUNTEERING?

  Maybe.

  I figured we’d stay quiet and hope they’d spill their whole nefarious scheme, but Austin stepped out of hiding and asked, “What plan?”

  Okay, that worked, too.

  Luis scowled. “What are you doing here so early?”

  Austin lifted an eyebrow. “I could ask the same of you. But I, for one, am working with Val to find a way to save Alejandro. What’s your plan?”

  Lisette tossed her head as her two “bodyguards” came up behind her. “We do not need to tell you anything,” she said in her snooty French accent.

  Fine. If she wanted to play hardball, I’d score before she did. Thrusting Lola into the tweedle on her right, I commanded him, “Tell us her plan.”

  Obediently, he blurted out, “Her plan is to help Luis win so he can take over the Movement.”

  Luis lunged for the tweedle, but Lisette shoved him aside before he could damage her pretty boy toy. “Stop. The succubus is forcing him.”

  Luis glared at me, and I shrugged. “I could force you instead, if you prefer.”

  Lisette gestured airily. “There is no need. You will find out soon enough once Luis wins.”

  OVERCONFIDENT MUCH? Fang sneered and came trotting in to stand next to me.

  “Are you behind the attacks?” Austin asked Lisette.

  “Mais non,” she exclaimed, looking genuinely surprised. “You are allies. I would not do such a thing.”

  Twenty questions could take forever to get to the truth. Impatient, I told the tweedle, “Tell us why she wants Luis in charge.”

  He obediently responded, “Because she no longer supports Alejandro’s desire to bring us to the public’s attention.”

  Austin glared at Luis. “Is that why you’ve been so incompetent in getting anywhere on the political front? You agree with her?”

  Pointedly ignoring Austin’s insult, Luis said, “I have begun to believe as Lisette does, that coming out to the public is a bad idea. Public hysteria over the so-called chupacabra attacks in her city proved that. No one wants another Inquisition.”

  So that was a yes.

  I WONDER WHAT SHE PROMISED HIM, Fang drawled.

  Yeah, I wouldn’t put it past Lisette to use her body to get her way. “So, if you no longer support Alejandro’s objectives, why are you looking so hard for him?” I asked.

  “He isn’t,” Austin drawled. “He talks a good game, but if you notice, he hasn’t done a damned thing to help find him.”

  “You don’t believe in the Movement’s aims anymore?” I asked incredulously.

  “Some of them,” Luis snapped. “Alejandro is correct in providing blood banks to sate the hungry, in refusing to drink from unwilling victims, because it helps to keep us hidden from public view. But revealing our existence will do nothing but frighten the sheep. And when sheep become frightened, they turn into wolves. There would be a bloodbath unprecedented since the burning times.”

  No wonder he was so harsh in training the new recruits—he was anticipating widespread carnage.

  “Are you saying you don’t want Alejandro back?” Austin asked.

  Luis didn’t answer, which was an answer in itself.

  “Did you try talking to Alejandro about this?” I asked Luis.

  “Of course I did,” he all but spat. “He is adamant. He will be the death of us all.”

  Micah had made similar arguments in keeping their existence a secret. I had to admit that Luis had a good point. But though I kind of agreed with him, I hated his methods. “That’s no reason to leave him stranded in another dimension,” I protested.

  “What do you mean, in another dimension?” Luis asked.

  Oops. I’d forgotten he didn’t know. He was unlikely at this point to wring secrets from Shade, but I didn’t need to point to the shadow demon as the crux of solving the problem, either. I shrugged, keeping it vague. “We have figured out that he was accidentally transported to the demon dimension. We know where he is a
nd how to retrieve him.”

  “Perhaps we should leave him there,” Lisette said.

  “Out of the question,” Austin snapped.

  Luis’s eyes narrowed. “You are not the leader of this organization.”

  “Neither are you,” Austin countered.

  Rosa stepped from out of the trees. “That is enough,” she said, eyes sparking with anger. “If you know how to rescue Alejandro, you must do so immediately.”

  Luis whirled on her. “You are not the leader, either. That is what this duel tonight is going to establish. And when I win, you will all do as I say.”

  And that meant not rescuing Alejandro. Crap.

  Rosa took two more steps toward him, her fists clenched. “The duel is no longer necessary. Once Alejandro comes back, he is in charge.”

  Luis scowled at me. “Is there a guarantee he is alive and well in a dimension full of demons?” he asked in an imperious tone.

  “No, but—”

  Austin interrupted me. “It’s okay, Val, Rosa. I’ve had enough. Let’s do this.” Turning to Luis, he said, “If I win this duel, you swear to help rescue Alejandro?”

  Luis fought with himself for a moment, then said, “Yes. But if I win, we will not.”

  Rosa almost growled. “If Luis wins, I will fight him myself.”

  “That is your right,” Luis sneered, but everyone could tell he didn’t consider her a threat. In fact, he didn’t seem to consider Austin a threat, either. What was up with that?

  HE PROBABLY DISCOVERED HE’S STRONGER THAN HE WAS BEFORE, Fang suggested. BUT DOESN’T REALIZE AUSTIN IS, TOO. AND AUSTIN WAS MUCH CLOSER TO THE AMULET.

  Ah, yes, he didn’t have the benefit of Ivy’s insight on what had happened after the shattering of the crystal. Maybe Austin could use that to his advantage.

  “Don’t worry,” Austin told Rosa. “I’ll win.”

  “How?” Luis asked. “By using your pet demon to force me to submit to you?”

  “No, I’ll win fair and square,” Austin said. “Val, will you agree to not interfere?”