As I sat pondering the proper response to her question, I was interrupted by a very loud commotion beyond the door.
“Oh no, my friends. I believe you’ve been found out. There is a secret passage to the outer realm four doors down from this one, but it is guarded by one of my masters, Malho the Dullahan. He’s a particularly nasty beast and will stop at nothing to keep you from escaping. You’ll need to be quiet and quick to defeat him and escape the others. Hurry now, go.” His bound hands twitched, and I could tell that he wanted nothing more than to give Anna a hug in farewell. Instead, she went to him and knelt beside his chair, kissing his wrinkled cheek softly. “Anna, be safe, and if ever you need me I will be there.” Batty’s eyes misted over. Zane stuffed a rag in his mouth to finish the overtaken-by-mortals effect.
Anna kissed him one more time. “I promise to stay with my new friends, Batty. I do so hope you can be free one day and come to me. I’ll miss you, mo cara.” Batty nodded and stared down at his lap.
The sounds of thundering footsteps invaded every space of the tunnel. They were coming for us, but if we hurried we might get out unseen. Zane and I prepared ourselves, nonetheless, as he handed me a belt with daggers, a sword, and a small pistol from Millie’s personal belongings. He, too, had a broadsword and daggers that he had already placed strategically on his body. We put Anna between us and opened the door as quietly as we could in the hopes of not drawing any more attention. I went first but soon realized “four doors down” didn’t mean they were placed side by side. It felt like an eternity of twisting one way and another before we reached the first door, and our pursuers were hot on our heels; their stench filled our noses. I gagged at the smell of rotting meat and sulfur and tried desperately to cover my nose. I realized quickly that I couldn’t cover my nose, hold a sword, and protect Anna all at the same time, so I simply pushed on and did what I could to keep from vomiting all over the dirt corridor.
Dangerous thoughts came to my mind and the tightness of the corridor closed in. Anna’s muffled sobbing echoed behind me, and I could feel her terror. Reaching for her hand, I held it as I fought just to stay focused on finding the next door and found that as I calmed so did she. Perhaps it was another of my talents or just a bond she and I had. For now, I wouldn’t worry, but when we made it out of here alive, I would have to look into the connections I was forming with people.
As we approached the final door, I spied the most hideous creature I had ever seen sitting on the ground outside the door we needed. Movie monsters had nothing on this guy, or what I assumed was a guy. His overly large and nubby feet stretched out in front of him and his grotesque head was detached from its body and lay on its stomach. His beady eyes darted to and fro as his pointed nose flared with each inhale. His lips turned up into a smile that was both repulsive and idiotic. I had no idea how it could breathe when it was in two parts but its chest heaved at the same time its nostrils flared. The head glowed green and made me think of moldy radioactive cheese. As a matter of fact, it smelled a bit like cheese. Cheese and rotting meat and sulfur. The sight of him immediately made me think of the story of the Headless Horseman, only this creature was far more real and disgusting than his literary counterpart and this one had a name.
Malho the Dullahan.
I’d be doing research on mythical creatures when I returned home, that was for sure.
It took every ounce of effort I had not to vomit right then. Before he had time to react to our onslaught, I grabbed his head by the greasy hair and flung it as far as I could down the corridor toward the oncoming fray.
Shouts of anger and pain emanated from the space behind Zane and me as he slashed at the now headless Malho. He had clambered from his chair to stand and pulled his sword from its scabbard to begin swinging wildly in front of him. I jumped back, covering Anna with my body before feeling the warm ooze of blood trickling down my arm. He had grazed my upper arm with the tip of his sword and now it burned with an ache that was far from familiar. Cursing under my breath, I ignored the pain and focused on the fight in front of me, searching for a way to help.
Since I won’t be escaping unscathed, a couple more scrapes can’t hurt.
Zane fought furiously, jabbing and slicing at Mulho, trying to lure him away from the door so that Anna and I could open it. The monster sliced the air in front of him with deadly accuracy even without his eyes to guide him, as though an extra sense drove his actions. Zane’s sword protested with the grind of metal on metal and his muscles strained through his shirt, sweat pouring into his eyes. The pulse of the coming army moved the dirt floor beneath our feet, heightening our need for escape.
No longer able to simply stand and watch Zane combat Malho alone, I grabbed the two daggers from the belt around my waist and dove into the fight after pushing Anna into the only shadowed corner. Searching for a weak spot on Malho, I plunged both daggers into his back below his shoulders but it didn’t affect his ability to wield his sword efficiently. I continued to plunge my daggers into his flesh as he battled Zane, when I felt a hand on my shirt and turned to see Anna standing there by the door, her eyes wild as the footsteps in the corridor got louder.
The last motion I made before going to her was to put my daggers into the back of Malho’s legs, right at the knee, causing him to collapse. Zane would have a better chance of holding him and maybe a few others off that way, and I would have time to open the door and get us out.
Reaching back, I put my hand on the knob to shake and pull to no avail.
Instinctively, Anna placed her hand atop mine, and I felt both our forces merge into one stream of electrifying energy, blowing the door from its hinges and sending in a gust of deliciously cool, sweet air from the forest. Looking back, I saw Zane standing over the still-fighting body of Malho and noticed lights growing in intensity on the walls of the tunnel behind him. I was too close to just run and leave Zane to die. I sat up and ran back through the door just as Zane spied the monsters head and put his sword through it. As if he were a puppet whose strings were cut, Malho collapsed into a heap at Zane’s feet and where once a head sat was a stream of oozing putrid slime leaking onto the dirt floor. Disturbed and elated, I grabbed Zane and yanked him through the doorway in one swift motion, and we fell into the dewy grass, the warm sunshine beating down upon us.
Without looking back or enjoying our hard fought freedom, we all stood and sprinted through the trees. We ran hard and over numerous hills before Zane felt it was safe enough to rest for a moment. Remembering Millie’s advice, I touched my necklace, knowing if anyone could guide us in the right direction it would be her.
“I really hope this works. Millie, we need you,” I shouted in my mind. While I was waiting for her reply, feeling a little foolish, Zane realized I had been injured in the fight and began fussing over me like a mother hen. His warm touch on my skin as he gently prodded the area to see how badly I was injured felt like a thousand tiny pins sticking me. The effect was deliriously wonderful rather than painful.
“I’m okay! It can wait till we are safely back in Dublin,” I said, trying to sound unconcerned about the bleeding gash in my arm. My words had no effect on him and he continued his ministrations. “Guh! Leave me alone... go tend to Anna, she looks terrified. I’m trying to connect with Millie to see if there is a certain path through here that will hide our flight,” I huffed, trying to shake him off.
Instead of giving in to my childish rant, he looked at me and raised his brow. “I’ll help Anna in a moment, but if you continue to bleed like this, then you’ll leave a trail for those things back there to follow. Now, sit still for half a minute while I just wipe it off and use my shirt to stop the blood from dripping.” I rolled my eyes until he started ripping the end of his shirt until he had a long piece to work with. He was gentle as he cleaned up what he could and secured the makeshift bandage around my arm. “Now I can help Anna and, Cat, for future reference, I respond much bette
r to sugar than I do to vinegar.”
I looked at my arm before lifting my eyes to his. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. Thanks for fixing me up.”
He nodded and turned to help Anna.
“There ya are, me dear. So, are ya all put back together now?” I jumped as the sound of Millie’s melodious voice rang in my head.
“I am, but we need to know if there is a safe way to get through the park without leaving a trail.”
“Well now, there is. First things first, they won’t be comin’ after ya till the sun sets... they don’t like the light, not one bit. That gives ya a little bit o’ time to get closer to the road. Ah, but I should mention once the sun is gone they are wicked fast and will catch ya quicker than ya can blink.”
“Millie, no offence intended, but could you just cut to the chase and tell us how to get out of here?”
“Well now, I can, and no offence taken, love. Stay in the trees as much as ya can. When ya can’t, tell yer fella to use the sword I gave him to draw a line behind ya as he’s running. The sword’s enchanted and will hide ya trail from the demons follow’n. When ya get outta there head straight to my shop, and I’ll keep ya safe till ya can get on a plane and go home.”
“Thank you, Millie. We owe you our lives,” I finished.
I relayed all the information to Zane and Anna. We did just as Millie had instructed. By the time the sun had set we were a mile from the car but out of tree cover. Zane had used the sword periodically to dig through the earth as we walked. Once we were out in the open he doubled his efforts and began digging a solid line without interruption. The process slowed us down but would insure we weren’t followed too closely.
Adrenaline coursed through my body as we topped the final hill and had the car in sight. We set out in a sprint for the safety of its confines and once inside didn’t falter before starting the engine and speeding toward Dublin.
Several times on the long drive, I swore I saw men on horses to the side or behind us on the road, but nothing overtook us. I could only imagine it was the pack of Dullahan, though I had no idea if they could ride horses or if that was merely my fear making sounds where there were none. By the time we reached Millie’s shop, my imagination was in full swing and the men became the same beings that we had fought off to get out of the tunnels. Suddenly, I had an intense interest in all things Irish, more specifically, all things regarding any and all mythical creatures. I hoped Millie would have answers for me.
Bang, bang, bang...
The loudness of our knocking reverberated off every wall along the street, sure to wake the entire neighborhood, but the feeling that we didn’t lose our friends in the woods was becoming more and more tangible. Something told me that our capture was only seconds away unless we could get inside Millie’s shop, and even then I wasn’t confident that we would be truly safe.
“Zane, is there another way in?” I asked anxiously.
“Oh, they’re coming. I can feel them... the hate they carry,” Anna cried.
As we were beginning to think our only way of escape was to destroy the large glass window of the shop, Millie opened the door and ushered us inside. “And just in time for a spot of tea, me dears.” She looked over at Zane and shook her finger. “No more o’ that thinking ya gonna go and ruin me beauty of a window either, young man.” Her smile undermined the threat, and somehow I believed that if he had ruined it, he’d be paying through labor.
Scooting in behind her, I heard a strange mumbling coming from Millie as she chanted in a language that I was vaguely familiar with.
“Seo a chosaint sa bhaile. Cosain na lucht siúil. Folaigh chugainn ó na olc.” She snapped her fingers on both hands, which produced a pop in the air around us, like someone opening a champagne bottle. When she pointed outside, I noticed a purple soapy haze fogging the windows. No one could see us, but we could see them... magical one way glass. Our pursuers ran past, more hideous than my quite vivid memory, and we all sighed in unison.
Banshees, scary monsters, trolls, fairies. Oh my!
“Here by the skin o’ ya teeth, are ya? Well now, ya should all be safe here, especially when the sun comes up in the morning,” Millie said.
“Millie, you are a life saver!” Zane leaned forward to wrap his arm around her.
“Oh, now there. Don’t go making a fuss. Just doin’ me job. Oh my, my, my... Cat look at your arm, love.” She made a tsking noise while she investigated the cut on my arm, causing me to flinch as she removed the scrap of fabric sticking to the oozing wound. “This’ll take just a bit o’ cleansing and some soothing salve and you’ll be right as rain.” Patting my arm she cocked her head to the side. “So, who do ya have with ya this time? Ya look exhausted, young one,” she said, letting go of my arm and turning her attention to Anna.
“My name is Anna.” Timidly she put her hand out to shake Millie’s only to be wrapped in the older woman’s arms in a fierce hug.
“Aye, you’re just as special as our Catherine there, aren’t ya?” With a smile stretched across her face, she patted Anna’s back; she escorted her to the back of the shop and through a narrow doorway, motioning to Zane and me to follow.
“After you,” Zane said and bowed, waving his hand in a broad sweeping motion in front of me, acting the gallant protector.
We followed Millie and Anna and noticed the small store was only the beginning of the space she occupied. Through the narrow doorway, we watched Millie and Anna climb a set of steep stairs that lead to what looked like a kitchen. Trudging up, one foot in front of the other, felt like taking the stairs at my parents’ house. There was something very comforting about this simple action, and I paused to savor the normalcy of it. For the first time in days, I felt the wet warmth of my tears fall over my cheeks. It felt wonderful to be whole and human again. I would never take for granted the small things in life... ever.
Feeling a gentle hand at the small of my back, I turned to admire the eyes of the man who had helped me regain my life.
“Cat, are you okay?” he asked, his face full of concern and confusion.
“I’m fine thanks to you,” I responded. My hand brushed his cheek softly as I stepped down to share the narrow step with him. My mind was reeling with the events of the last few days. Running for your life had a way of making you rethink how you were living it. Add to that learning the creatures from my father’s night time stories were real, saving a girl I’d been dreaming of since I was five, and my changing feelings for my Caomhnóir, I was one confused and exhausted woman. Without thinking, I leaned in, placed my forehead against Zane’s chest, and hugged myself to his body, reveling in his warm comfort. He had stayed with me, fought to save my life even, and that was a heady feeling. Rationally, I knew he was bound to do those things, but my heart was telling me that he would have done them even if it wasn’t his job. Closing my eyes to hide the tears threatening to fall, I focused on the steady beat of his heart, nearly letting it lull me to sleep in the safe warmth of his embrace.
“Cat, let’s get you upstairs to rest. I didn’t save you from those smelly monsters just to have you take us both out by falling asleep on the stairs.” Looking up, I noticed his smile made the corners of his eyes crinkle beautifully, and I smiled back. My next move shocked me to the core. With a swiftness I didn’t know I possessed, I reached up, putting my hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down to kiss him lightly on the mouth. For one brief moment, I felt his lips move with mine in a soft caress that stopped too soon. His hands held my arms firmly at my sides, while his thumb smoothed over my uninjured bicep. Pulling back, I felt heat rushing to my face, feeling the same surge as earlier radiate through my body. His eyes were focused on mine with an intense look that threatened to make me crumple in embarrassment and sadness. I’d misread him. He didn’t want the kiss I’d forced on him.
“Sorry, I... I... oh hell! That was so completely inappro
priate.” I cringed and backed away. Idiot! God, I’m such an idiot!
“Zane... I—” I began, but the touch of his mouth against mine stopped my words. I gasped, feeling his tongue tickle the inside of my top lip which was held firmly by his, before giving in and melting into the feelings of warmth, safety, and home. My body leaped to life, and I felt parts of myself that I’d never realized existed. I fought the urge to move my hands into his hair and hold him close until I had to pull back and breathe. My internal struggle was for naught. Where I struggled to do the right thing, he merely did as his body commanded. His large hands had moved from my arms to my back, where one stayed and the other burned a path up to my neck, holding me to him. I swear I felt his pain, anger, fear, and some other indefinable emotion pour into me. It was a connection I both craved and feared.
We could have been standing there for decades or seconds before his lips left mine, leaving our mingled, panting breaths the only sound in the stairwell. Eyes closed, he touched his forehead to mine and sighed. The magic of the moment was gone. The only feeling left was a sadness I couldn’t name.
Knowing that to linger would only make my heart hurt more, I turned out of his hold, breathing deeply to stave off the sob threatening. The moment I put my foot on the next stair I felt the pressure of a warm hand on my arm. Without turning, I knew the look I would see in Zane’s eyes but swallowed my shame and fear and faced him anyway.
“I want to, Cat,” Zane breathed. “But can’t.” Taking his hand from my back, he gently touched my injured arm before glancing down. “We just can’t.” His face contorted with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. Frustration, repulsion, anger maybe... I couldn’t read the terrible creases on his beautifully unflawed features. Stepping away from Zane, I ran up the remaining stairs. I was embarrassed and ashamed that I had let him see the side of me I sought to suppress. I couldn’t help it; I had no control. Zane didn’t follow.
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