"We must go." Darius laid his hand on my shoulder. "The creatures that tricked your father are coming. I feel them."
I looked up and nodded. "He's right, Daddy. We need to go." I felt them, too. I'd felt them for a while, but I knew they were a distance away and they didn't know about us yet. That they still didn't know we were here was a gift. Soon the creatures would realize we were attempting to foil their plans then all hell would break loose.
Daddy shook his head. "Not before I pay them back for their deception. They assured me it would only be three years. They never once implied three years here would be a lifetime on our world." He fisted his hands at his sides. "They'll pay for all of the time I've lost with my baby if it kills me." He turned and strode toward a distant hillside. "Come with me. If we walk quickly, we can be there in two hours."
Darius reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "We don't have two hours. If we fly, we can be there in minutes. I will not argue with you. We don't have the time. Just show us what you intend to do."
Dad's eyes grew as round as mine felt and the color drained from his face. "Fly?"
Darius grinned before he and his friends turned into various flying creatures. Darius seemed to like a lot of flash. After first morphing into a frightening blue and gold dragon the size of an apartment building, he changed to a startling-white winged horse. Climb onto my back, Courimeo. We shall be there in no time. Kneeling down, he waited for me to climb onto his back, just in front of his wings, while Daddy was hoisted onto the back of a huge gold and red dragon. Ask him what is so important that we should stay and risk discovery. We must leave this place. Petty revenge has no place in our plans when you are in danger.
"What is it you want to do, Dad?" I looked up at him as he struggled to keep his seat between the dragon's shoulder blades.
"The more talkative of the incubi have been bragging about a secret weapon. They have somehow developed a weapon that will open portals whenever they want them. I have no idea what it is. I only know where they say it is kept."
"I don't see how. They can't possibly have the technology for that, can they?" Matt asked, his face a mask of disbelief. "There is a certain amount of one's self that is put into opening a portal. There is belief in yourself and belief in your powers to open the thing. How could a machine ever have that? I was told that was why the Grand Cosmos made it so such a thing was needed. To keep the incubi from designing a machine to do it at will."
I felt the illusory sensation of Darius's arms wrapping around me. It is not possible, love. Do not worry yourself over it. He paused. Still, it could not hurt to see what they have.
I looked up at my father. "Show them where it is."
Nodding, he pointed to a distant hilltop. "They have been sending food and other supplies up there. At first, I didn't think much about it. I began to wonder what was up when I realized the incubi don't eat. Not like we do, anyway. They sustain themselves with our emotions and power or they grow weak."
Interesting.
I silently agreed with Darius. "What do people who don't eat need with food?"
Darius's muscles clenched and released beneath me as he jumped into the air. His wings waved gracefully as we followed the dragon and my dad to the faraway hill. Only a few minutes passed before we reached our destination. The others landed before us as Darius insisted on scouting the area before we landed. The others shifted as soon as their feet touched the ground. Max, the man holding Daddy, landed and caused Dad to slide down his front leg, onto the ground then shifted back into his human form. I wondered what their true form was for a moment then shook it off. A distraction now could cost a life. I didn't want any losses to be my fault.
Daddy took off in a quick jog. Apparently, he expected everyone to follow his lead. Like everyone else, I looked to Max, asking--without words--whether we should follow.
He nodded and we took off after him.
Darius took my hand, our fingers tangling together as he pulled me along the side of the hill with him.
"In for a penny…" The words came out a bit breathless as I struggled to keep up with his long-legged stride as we searched the hillside for a hidden opening.
"Over here," one of the men shouted, his expression one of sheer horror. "There is a cave here and I think I hear…children."
Chapter Eleven
My mouth wasn't the only one that dropped open in shock.
"Children?" Max rushed to the entrance, his expression grim. "My god! They've managed to get children. That's their secret weapon. They intend to raise the children to be faithful to them. They will open the gates for them at their every whim."
"Where did they get children?"
Max paced away from the opening. "There have been several kidnappings over the last few years. We thought the children involved were victims of a serial killer or a pedophile. Because a guide is useless before maturity, we never thought they'd been spirited here or to any of the other dimensions to carry out the whims of the incubi." He stopped and looked at the men. "We have to get them out of here. Their fate will not be a good one if they are left behind."
I looked at Daddy. His face had gone pale. "I did this. I opened the gates for them. I never knew what was brought back in the crates they carried. It must have been the children." He turned his pleading gaze on me. "I didn't know, Lily. I swear."
Believe him, Courimeo. See the tears? Incubi cannot cry. While he is no longer fully human, I now believe he is the man who sired you.
Crossing the small path that separated us, I hugged Daddy because he seemed to need my acceptance. "It's okay, Daddy. I believe you. If you'd willingly helped them, you wouldn't have shown us this place." Plus, the look of surprised shock on his face when children were mentioned had been genuine. It would have been hard to fake something like that.
The entrance to the cave was a thin opening behind a vine-covered rock. I never would have thought it an entrance to a cave if I hadn't heard the distinct sound of a baby's cry. That was probably how Diego found the cave in the first place. I knew it was Diego. It was easy to remember his name because he was the only Latino present in our little group.
"Perhaps it is a trap." Darius grabbed my arm before I could get too close and pulled me away from the hole.
Daddy shook his head. "It's not a trap. At least I don't think so."
"What if he's telling the truth?" I looked to the others then to Darius. "You've already said you believe he's my dad. Why would he lie? He has no reason to help them. Not after the way they've tricked him." I looked at Miles. "Have you heard anything else about the kidnappings? How long has this been going on?"
Max stepped forward with a frown. "Let me answer this, Myles. It is my duty as leader of the Cartuotey to address such things head on." He turned his attention to me. "Myles only knows of a few of the children missing. But there are at least a hundred." The men behind him gasped and Darius stiffened at my side. "We had no reason to believe the missing children were taken by the incubi." He rubbed the back of his neck, casting his gaze about the others. "The children in this cave are probably all children of guides." He took a moment and tried to peer through the crack. "I hope we aren't too late for any of them. Some of those taken are nearing their majority."
"Oh, my God." I think that just about says it all.
Everyone turned at the sound of Diego's gasp. "My God. The incubi merely need to wait until they reach maturity and steal their powers."
"Or convince them to use their powers for the incubi's needs," Myles interjected.
I moved closer to Darius, took his hand in mine and looked into his eyes. "I hope it goes without saying that we'll remove any and all children we find here?"
He and Max nodded. My body sagged and I almost sighed with relief.
"We must enter this cave, remove any threat and take what children we find here and return them to their parents." Max said, his expression grim.
Again, the sound of a baby crying filtered up through the hole in the wall. I shudde
red, thinking that something so perverse--so evil--as the incubi were purported to be, could even touch an innocent child. "Let's go then."
Darius grabbed me when I attempted to brush by him on my way to the cave's entrance. "Not before a few scouts reveal any risks. I will not have you put yourself in harm's way by going in first."
I fought the urge to roll my eyes at that and conceded to his wishes. No one could say I'm stupid. I'd let the guys with the cool powers determine it was safe for me to go before I insisted on helping. Besides, I had to choose my battles with Darius because he was bigger and stronger than me. Not to mention that he's probably smarter, to boot. I smiled up at him. "Whatever you say, sweetheart." My smile was wide. "Just tell me what to do, oh Master, and I will strive to meet your expectations. Just as long as your plans don't include staying out here."
I hadn't told him about all of my gifts. He knew I was a guide, he knew I was telepathic, obviously, since I can talk mind to mind with him. What he didn't know was that I knew things. And I knew all of us had to go into that cave. Just like I knew there were children from my world kept there. I don't know how I knew that, I just…did.
He looked down at me and shook his head. "You will stay here and wait for us, Lily. We won't be long."
"Oh, no you don't. You are so not leaving me here, you big goon." I grabbed his wrist and pushed into his mind showing him what I saw and felt. His eyes took on that strange iridescent sheen again and he thinned his lips. Goose bumps rose on my skin when I felt his displeasure at the danger I felt approaching.
"Then we shall leave. Now. I will not risk you."
I shook my head. "Don't you see? We can't leave without the children. They know we're here. By now, they know we know of the children. This is our only chance to get them out. They'll move them before we return if we leave now. Besides," I paused, biting my bottom lip. "I can get us out of there once we have them all. I know I can. Trust me."
Darius took me by the shoulders and pressed his brow against mine. "I do trust you, courimeo. Please, do not think I don't trust you. I merely wish to keep you safe."
Pulling back a bit, I cupped his jaw. "Then you have to take me with you. I can feel them coming and they are bringing one of those strange weapons they used on us at the beach."
His gaze searched mine for a moment. "I will not ask you how you know these things now." He pulled me toward the cave and pushed me in after Myles and Diego. But I will demand to know as soon as you are safe once again.
The dark close confines of the cave closed around us as we moved deeper and deeper into the underground passage. I grimaced at the acrid smell of smoke and burning green wood. The sound of drizzling water was occasionally drowned out by a baby's wail or a child's tormented howling. Sound must have carried well in the network of caves we discovered about one hundred feet in. Light filtered in from some unseen opening overhead. Three passages split off from the main tunnel and I stopped, closed my eyes and opened my senses to the powers of the Grand Cosmos. "They're that way." I indicated the middle tunnel.
The one I remembered as Nathaniel finally spoke up. "They are to the right. The sound of crying comes from there."
Closing my eyes, I reached out with my senses again. I saw nothing there but darkness. Nausea crept upon me as I concentrated on that tunnel, searching the darkness. Evil invaded my thoughts. A dark, oily presence called to me, tempting me with power and riches. I fought the urge to retch. Sweat beaded on my brow and I swayed on my feet.
Opening my eyes, I looked up at Darius and took a deep calming breath. He stood close, his arms around me, holding me steady. I glanced back at Nathaniel. "Go that way if you must, but nothing awaits you there but death." Again, I shared my thoughts with Darius and he nodded.
Max stepped forward. "We will take the center tunnel. Darius's mate seems to know things neither of them can explain."
Nathaniel sighed and shook his head. Giving one last look to the other tunnel and fell into step beside Myles, heading into the cave I'd indicated.
I prayed my gifts didn't leave me in our greatest hour of need and followed them from the murky light into the darkness. I'm scared.
I am here, courimeo. You have nothing to fear as long as I live.
A large hand pressed against the small of my back. The slight touch gave me courage and comfort as we pressed on. I can't see. I hope I don't trip and fall. I'll scream like a girlie girl and let everyone know exactly where we are.
Merge your mind with mine, little one.
I did as he asked, more for myself than because he asked me to. I gasped when I could suddenly see where I was. How--
You see through my eyes now, courimeo. I am merely looking over your shoulder so you can better see the ground where you walk. It will be much clearer if you close your eyes.
It wasn't until he said that, that I noticed I could see both the cave in front of us and the darkness my own eyes saw. I immediately closed my eyes. The mixture of the two was very disconcerting. "Keep going up ahead and around the corner to the right. After about twenty feet, there's a sharp incline. Then it opens into a large cavern. Be careful. We need the element of surprise for the guards there. Most of the others are merely caretakers. They feel like old women or men, kind of like grandparents or something. I'm not sure they belong here either."
Diego tossed a look over his shoulder. "I want to know how you do that."
I snorted. "You tell me and we'll both know. If I knew, I'd have turned it off years ago. It's been nothing but a source of heartache and pain for as long as I can remember."
Myles and Nathaniel pressed their fingers to their lips as they approached the incline. The rest of us stopped while the two moved forward and, I assume, took care of the guards I warned them about. After a few minutes, they came back down and motioned for us to follow them.
"What I don't understand," Matt whispered, "is why they haven't just come and taken us out. They know we're here."
"Yes they do." I nodded. "But they aren't sure how many of us there are and they are confident they can hold us here in the caves until their reinforcements arrive."
"They're most likely right. Unless you know something about these caves no one else does."
"Nope." I shook my head. "No such luck. If you're hoping for a secret exit of some kind it doesn't exist…unless I make one."
Matt scowled and grabbed me by the upper arm, ignoring Darius's growl. "Then how the hell do you plan to get us all out of here, Lily? I didn't come here to get my ass captured, damn it!"
I pressed my lips together and gave him a look that would have turned him into a toad if I was like Darius. Too bad I'm not. Instead, it only made me feel a little better thinking about it. "Find the damn kids, then bitch if you're still here, you prick." I would have snarled a bit more, but Darius's hand on my back centered me and I was able to concentrate on the more important stuff. Turning Matt into a barking toad could wait.
Taking a deep breath, I reached into my higher consciousness and found where the children were held. "There are about twenty children here. The babies and others to about five years old are to the right. They aren't guarded. There is only one caretaker to look over them. The six to twelve year olds are up the center with three caretakers. The fourteen to…oh, my God. There is a girl there. She's almost eighteen. We have to get her out of here if we get no one else. They have plans for her."
I looked up at Darius, barely able to withhold my tears. "The girl has a guard and there are two caretakers as well. Try not to hurt the caretakers unless you have to. They don't feel evil. I'm not sure they are here by choice."
Max, Darius and Myles worked out a plan to get everyone out. Using their magic, they fashioned two carts that we hoped were big enough to carry all of the children.
That is so cool. I wanna learn how to do that. I want to replace mom's good chair with one that will burn my Uncle Bert's ass every time he visits her.
Bond with me, Courimeo, and I will show you how it is done.
Darius stood beside me, my strong but silent guard as the others carried the children over to the carts. Strange creatures filed through the opening of the cavern and I stiffened. The enemy still waited for their reinforcements to arrive, but they wanted us to fear capture. They fed off our fear, anger and distrust. I did my best to believe in Darius's ability to keep me safe from harm. Still, the reinforcements weren't far away. It was only a matter of minutes before our plan fell apart.
"Hurry!" I urged, rushing over to the nearest teen, dragging her toward the cart. They all shuffled slowly to the transports the Cartuoteys fashioned. I wanted to scream at them, yank them all forward and onto the carts before we were all captured. They never looked at us. They merely continued to shuffle slowly. Something told me they were under the influence of a drug or something.
A spell, most likely, Darius whispered into my mind. Watch them. The more we try to hurry them, the slower they move. He moved forward, gently steering a girl toward a cart. "Take your time, love. There's no real hurry." He led another girl in her mid teens to a cart. Some of the older kids were carried, their heads thrashing about as they fought to get free. The men fashioned leashes to the more violent ones to keep them from climbing from the carts and returning to their beds.
The contingent of cloven-hoofed beasts headed our way. It appeared our time was up. It was time. I knew what I needed to do. Facing the nearest wall, I closed my eyes and pictured the beach at Lake Huron where Daddy and I spent our last Fourth of July together. After I had the scene pictured perfectly, I opened the door in my mind that had been closed since I was twelve. Power seeped into me. It popped and crackled around me as I let myself become a conduit. I drew power from the Grand Cosmos to open the gateway that would ultimately lead us home.
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