Wrapping my burning arms tightly around Sheila, I spun and kicked off with everything I had left, sending us both flying just as the world crumbled around us.
THE BELLY OF THE BEAST
One moment there was the roaring of the cave as it collapsed, the next there came a terrible shriek of pain and betrayal.
I reached up and cupped a hand over Sheila’s mouth to stifle the sound. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered into her ear.
Already the fire was dying down as her body convulsed, each tremor causing her aura to shrink more and more until it finally winked out entirely, leaving us in darkness.
The air was still filled with dust, some of it having no doubt drifted through the passage, but gone was the rumbling that had signaled the tunnel’s destruction. We wouldn’t be leaving the way we’d come in, but we’d made it.
We lay there for several minutes – her in the throes of whatever that shit was doing to her insides, me healing from the damage I’d taken saving her.
At last, her body went slack, save for the heavy breathing against my hand. I was about to check to see if she was conscious, but then she bit my finger.
“Ow!”
I pulled my hand back and let her go. We both got back to our feet, albeit she did so a bit shakier than me. While she caught her breath, I turned and looked down the tunnel Decker and his crew had retreated down. At the moment, nothing was coming our way.
“Bill? Are you there?”
Oh crap, I’d forgotten she was effectively blind down here right now. “I’m here.”
“Are you okay?”
“I should probably be asking you that question.”
“You first.”
“A little crisp around the edges, but I’ll live. You’re probably a bit pissed right now, but believe me I...”
“I understand,” she replied, holding up a hand in almost my direction. “That stuff, it feels like liquid fire in my veins, and my butt hurts a bit, but it definitely cleared my head. Sorry I bit you, by the way.”
“That’s all right. I enjoy the irony of someone biting a vamp for a change.”
“Better watch out; maybe you’ll turn into one of me.”
“Oh no, not that! Whatever will I do with an extreme amount of confidence?”
“I could think of a few things.”
“Like going to Atlantic City and hitting all the tables?”
“Not quite what I had in mind.”
“Oh.” Pity I didn’t have her powers, because I might’ve had an answer to that. But I didn’t, and we really needed to get moving. “Can you walk?”
“I might not be doing any front flips for a while, but I can manage. Seeing might be another issue entirely.”
“Not much of a view. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Got any juice left?”
She closed her eyes and appeared to concentrate, but the darkness remained. “Nothing,” she said. “I’m tapped. Wait a second.” Her hands reached down to her empty scabbard and a moment later panic appeared in her eyes. “My sword! Where’s my sword?”
“There.” I pointed, then realized the idiocy of what I was doing. “Hold on. You dropped it after I injected you, but thankfully it was on this side of things.” I took hold of her hand and guided her down to where it lay ... just barely on this side of the passage. The thick layer of dust covering it seemed to confirm this. Luck or fate; one of them was on her side.
Though I was reluctant to do so, her grasping hold of the weapon’s grip was the perfect impetus for me to let go of her, as a dull white glow began to suffuse the blade.
“Better?” It wasn’t much, about the same one might get from those shitty outdoor solar lights my dad liked to line his driveway with. But it was enough to allow someone to walk slowly down a dark tunnel.
“You have no idea.”
“Stay behind me,” I said. “You’re in no shape to fight.”
“And you are?” she replied with a chuckle.
It was meant as a joke, but I could feel that dull anger rising again nevertheless. A voice whispered in my subconscious that I could end this, finish the prophecy right now.
And then marry Gan and end up being her bitch for all of eternity? I thought back at it. No thanks, asshole. Aloud, I said, “I’ll make do in a pinch.”
“How many of those things do you think are down here?” Though she tried to hide it, the tone of her voice was unmistakable – fear. With her powers suppressed, there was nothing to keep those feelings at bay.
No, that wasn’t entirely true. “Don’t worry about it. You’ve got this.”
“I’m not sure I believe that.”
“I do. Look at you. Most people would be shitting themselves right now, but you’re holding it together.”
“Barely.”
“Join the club. I’m serious. You’re a lot stronger than you think you are, and it has nothing to do with being the Icon.”
She smiled back at me, the glow from the sword lighting up her face. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“I have my moments.” I grinned back, then turned to lead the way.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she said after a few moments of walking.
“Heh, I thought the answer would be obvious,” I replied. “All of them.”
* * *
I’d been hedging my bets that we wouldn’t run into another Jahabich patrol for a while, but it had nothing to do with luck or sound strategy.
No, it was because Harry Decker had been in charge of the last group. Though I knew the Jahabich had a hive mind when in their rock forms, there was still some influence from their original personalities. Unless Mommy Dearest took complete control of the reins, they appeared to have the ability to make their own decisions. Based on what I’d seen of Starlight, this new batch, the upgraded models, seemed to be even more inclined toward independent thought.
That was good for us. Decker was both an ass-kisser and a flaming egomaniac. I was willing to bet he’d been paranoid enough to send that patrol out looking for us, but his ego would demand no others be allowed to double check his work.
Sure enough, we walked for what seemed like miles without seeing or hearing anything. They were there, though; my nose confirmed it, along with lots of other things.
It wasn’t a matter of if we’d run into something. It was a matter of when. Decker’s arrogance had merely postponed it long enough for us to get close.
“Put your sword away,” I whispered.
“Why?”
“I don’t think you need it anymore ... at least to see.”
She did as asked, revealing a dim light that remained even after the weapon was sheathed. A faint glow was coming from the walls – that bioluminescence I’d seen the last time I was down here. It wasn’t much, but it would allow us to continue onward without the risk of her sword drawing attention to us.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, studying a section of wall that was home to a multi-colored collection of glowing crystals.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet. It’s a really pretty place, housing some really ugly tenants.”
“Fate has a sense of irony.”
“It would seem so.”
We continued onward. The glow from the walls grew stronger, albeit never much more than a child’s nightlight. Nevertheless, it told me we were getting closer.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“I should have worn different shoes.”
“I meant your powers.”
“Let’s just say I’ve wanted to puke ever since we got here, but I’m not sure if it’s nerves or that shit you injected me with.”
“Probably a little from column A, a little from column B. Still beats being buried alive.”
“I’ll give you that, if barely.”
“Give it a few. I’m sure the real horrors haven’t even begun yet.”
“Your confidence is reassuring.”
“And I don’t even have Icon powers. Go fig ... stop!”
“W
hat is it?”
“Hold on.” I halted my advance and peered ahead, my eyesight cutting much further into the gloom than Sheila’s. That’d teach her to roll up a character without at least low-light vision.
Once more, my mind was compensating for the mind-numbing fear by shunting into gamer mode. Hell, if I didn’t think it would’ve burned my fingers off, I’d have asked to borrow her sword to complete the illusion. It was definitely preferable to pissing myself.
Now if only the dice would prove to be in my favor...
What had caused me to stop was the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Up ahead, the passage ended and a brighter glow shone through. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what we’d find once we emerged. Problem was, that was when the tricky part began. The first chamber of the Jahabich lair was massive, so it offered some wiggle room in case we chickened out and decided to run for our lives. However, it wasn’t particularly great when it came to hiding spots.
Of course, that was just the ground level. I wasn’t quite as adept with my claws as a certain psycho princess, but I had them. Maybe that was our strategy right there. Sheila would go low, then I’d strike from above.
Batman, eat your heart out.
I turned to her. “Here’s the plan. We...”
“Come out, Bill. I know you’re there.”
The voice wasn’t particularly loud. It didn’t need to be. Nevertheless, I spun back toward it quick enough that even Sheila let out a little whoop of surprise.
I glanced down the tunnel again to where it opened up. This time, a figure stood right outside, silhouetted by the soft light behind it.
We weren’t close enough for me to pick out many details. Regardless, I knew that voice and it definitely didn’t belong to Harry Decker.
The figure started to walk toward us, alone but sure in its steps.
It didn’t take long for me to be able to make out details – feminine curves, long dark hair, a generous bust.
Running was pointless. Where would we go? There’d been no side tunnels or forks in the path. Even if we did run, she would certainly hear our footsteps retreating.
I glanced back at Sheila and let out a sigh of defeat. So much for plan A.
I’d fumbled my sneak roll. Withdrawing wasn’t an option. And going straight into initiative seemed a poor plan. Thankfully, I had one fallback. I’d always been big on pumping up my bluff score, no matter my character class.
“Hey, Star,” I said casually. “You’re looking well.”
WELL, THAT WAS EASY
“How did you know it was us?” I asked my former friend turned Jahabich slave.
I hadn’t been lying; she did look good. Last time we’d met, Christy had accidentally taken off the top of her head, but I was happy to see it had grown back. Either that, or someone down here had a concrete patching kit handy.
Starlight put her hands on her shapely hips and inclined her head. “Decker came marching out a little while back with Sally and Gansetseg in tow. He told us he’d taken precautions against you following, but I had a feeling you wouldn’t be far behind.”
“Let me guess, you realized Decker has shit for brains?”
She smiled. “He hasn’t been with us for long, but I remembered the things you told me about him.”
Smart of her, and also giving credence to my theory that these new and improved Jahabich had even more of their sense of self than the old models. Maybe it was something I could use to my advantage.
“We’ve met, haven’t we?” Sheila asked from behind me. “Bill’s sister, right?”
Starlight nodded. “Simpler times. Safe to say we’ve both changed.”
“For better or worse?” I asked.
“I’m still me, Bill,” she said.
“I wish I could believe that.”
“That’s why I’m here. I could have sent in an army to flush you out, but I was hoping I wouldn’t need to.”
I considered our options. We could take Star, I was sure of it. But then what? Also, I wasn’t certain I wanted to. Despite my assertion otherwise, I believed her. She was still in there. Problem was, if push came to shove, she could be dragged back into the collective. That had already been proven when she’d sold us down the river to Vehron.
“Sally?” I asked.
“Unharmed. They only arrived a few minutes ago. I got the impression, based on what I could hear, that she and Harry spent a good deal of the trip sniping at each other.”
“Who won?”
Starlight laughed, the sound way too cheerful for such a dark place. “I think we both know the answer to that one.”
She turned and led the way forward. Not seeing many other options, we followed.
“Not going to demand our weapons?” Sheila asked as we neared the cavern entrance.
“Harry told us everything, what was needed for you to step through the passage. You’re no threat to us.”
“How do you know we didn’t find another way?”
“Even if you had,” Star replied, “my statement still stands.”
She stepped aside for us, revealing the outer chamber of the Jahabich lair, still as fucking huge as I remembered it. However, it was a bit less empty.
Last time, the welcoming party had consisted of Sally’s ex and a few of his close buddies. Now, the extended family was here. We’re talking hundreds of Jahabich, maybe thousands, and they weren’t alone, albeit it was difficult to tell which of the other creatures present were those rocky fuckers in their alternate modes. I saw humans, vamps, Sasquatches, four-armed imps, winged monstrosities, piles of living goo – you name it. At first glance, I thought they were all wandering freely, but then I saw the pens. Scores of the Jahabich, standing side by side, forming living walls around the creatures held captive. Nobody I recognized yet, but this place was enormous and I could see only a small portion of it from my vantage point.
Starlight held out an arm as if welcoming us in. “You’re free to wander. Explore as you please, just so long as you do not try to leave or disturb any of the ... enclosures. Ib will summon you when she so desires.”
I turned to Sheila. “Welcome to the party. Feel free to mingle.”
“Oh, and Bill,” Starlight said, sounding so much like her old self that it was almost painful to listen to. “A word of advice.”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful. You’re not among friends here. There are ears everywhere and Ib’s temper is not to be trifled with.”
I recalled the fight at the Boston Prefect’s office, when Calibra almost popped me like a zit for mouthing off. “Noted.”
Movement caught my eye and I saw a group of the rock-faced fuckers headed our way. Our tour guides, maybe?
“What are they...” The Jahabich in the lead changed form mid-sentence. “...doing here?!”
“Hey, Harry,” I replied. “Bang up job you did of catching us. You really haven’t lost your touch, you know.”
“How did you ... It matters not.” He turned to the group he’d led over. “Kill the Icon and ensure the Freewill’s tongue is in no position to continue its ceaseless flapping.”
The other Jahabich, however, didn’t move.
“Did you not hear me?”
“They did, as you well know,” Starlight replied. “Mother has dictated differently.”
“MOTHER!”
The word rumbled through the cave as if it were thunder, the product of hundreds of vocal chords, Harry’s included, crying out in unison.
Once it passed, I saw embarrassment clearly etched on his face.
“So that’s the magic word, eh?” I remarked. “Pity it’s not ‘dickhead.’ That one better suits you.”
“Laugh while you can, fool, for I can assure you that you shall soon join the cry with the rest of us.” He grinned broadly. “That stupid moniker of yours, Freewill, shall become the ultimate irony once that transpires. I do not pretend to know the will of the White Mo...” He hesitated, perhaps knowing he’d set off every fucking Jahabi
ch in the place again. “Of the mighty Kala, but I am certain of one thing: you will never set foot from this place again as anything other than a slave.”
He stepped past me, glowering at Sheila. “As for you, vile beast, foul temptress of the Apocalypse, know that I am beyond the touch of destiny now. Nevertheless, I will sacrifice all that I have to ensure yours never comes to pass. The Magi shall live and they shall remember my name as the one who sent you to a well-deserved grave.”
Sheila locked eyes with him. For a moment, I was certain she’d draw her sword, which I had a feeling would end very badly for us. Instead, she simply said, “Just so you know, even if none of this had happened, there was no chance of you ever getting a second date.”
With that, she stepped past him and grabbed my arm.
“Let’s go find our friends.”
* * *
I didn’t know what was creepier: being captured or that our hosts were so secure in their power they didn’t feel the need to take us captive.
I tried to ask Starlight where our friends were. Hell, we couldn’t have been far behind Sally and the others. But she’d apparently reached the limit of her me time. She transformed into the shape of a Jahabich, scarring still visible on the top of her head in this form, and then melted into the crowd. I had a feeling we weren’t going to find her again until she wanted to be found.
“This is almost too much to take,” Sheila said quietly from my side, her eyes darting every way. Her standoff with Harry had been an act, her Icon powers still suppressed. Now that we’d made it a point to get the fuck away from him, she was beginning to become unnerved.
Couldn’t say I really blamed her.
Imagine being in Hell’s petting zoo, except the attractions really weren’t anything you’d ever want to pet. I was tempted to call out to Sally via compulsion, but I was kind of afraid that might violate the terms Starlight had given us. She hadn’t specifically said I couldn’t, but it was probably wise to walk on the proverbial eggshells just this once. “How the hell are we going to win this?”
It was mostly rhetorical, but Sheila replied, “I’m not sure we can.”
* * *
“Well, this is new.”
The Tome of Bill (Book 8): The Last Coven Page 39