Ghost Phoenix

by Corrina Lawson

  Richard woke coughing from the dust on his tongue. He opened his eyes to nothing but darkness.

  “Don’t move,” Marian whispered.

  She was curled against his side, her hands wrapped around him. He blinked again and still there was nothing but darkness.

  “Where?” he whispered.

  “We’re in an air pocket that’s about seven feet across and four feet deep. I couldn’t make my way to the surface, not carrying you, so as soon as I found a clear space, I rested.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, I should’ve gotten us out. But I didn’t know what way was up or down at that point. I just knew we needed air.”

  She babbled. It meant she was nervous. Or terrified. How could she not be, after Rasputin dropped a mountain on them? If only Richard believed that had been his death throes. He didn’t, not after the madman seemed convinced he’d survive.

  “Angel, it’s a miracle we’re alive. Thank you.”

  “No, you saved me first.”

  “A good partnership.”

  He closed his eyes, thinking about his limbs, wondering how badly he was injured. Little pockets of healing energy tingled all over him, especially at the hip, but molten heat enveloped the hand that had grabbed the sword. Badly burned but healing, he thought.

  “We might not be okay for long,” she whispered. “The pocket is unstable. It could collapse. And we’re going to run out of air soon.”

  “How long have I been unconscious?”

  “Not long, I think, but I don’t have a watch or my phone.”

  “I could try and dig us out.”

  “Do you think you could do that without somehow collapsing all this on us?”

  “I don’t know.” Carefully, he reached his arm around to pull her closer. “Damn.” They could not die like this, trapped like animals in a lair. “There must be a way out. I would guess this is a collapsed shaft in one of the closed mines.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means there might be an easy way for searchers to find us by digging parallel to the old shaft.”

  And there was no need for her to stay with him. “Angel, go,” he whispered. “You can make your way through the rock, to a clear shaft. He paused. “And then bring help to me.”

  That was a lie. There was no guarantee she could bring searchers back. But she would be safe.

  “I’m not leaving you.” She hugged him harder. “I don’t know which way is up. I could get lost searching for daylight and then die trapped inside the rocks. One of my ancestors died that way, or so I’m told. That story always gave me nightmares.”

  “You will succeed and live.”

  “Stop trying to get rid of me.”

  In the darkness, he felt for her lips with his finger. He bent his head and kissed her.

  She laid her head on his chest. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t talked you into doing things differently…”

  “Then Daz would be dead and you would hate me.” He rested his hand on her curls. “I could never live with your hate, Angel.”

  “I love you,” she said.

  “That would be mutual.” He closed his eyes. Breathing seemed more difficult.

  “If I go phantom in here, it will save air for as long as I can hold it. That could buy us more time, if you think they’re searching for us.”

  “Excellent idea.” It would keep her alive longer.

  Spots appeared before his eyes, a sure sign the air was getting thin. He felt Marian vanish from his arms but he still felt her presence. He could die here but, God’s eyes, she must live.

  He clenched his fists, so angry that they would end this way, that he would never have a chance for so much with her and that she would never have the chance to live her own life, with her own choices.

  I won’t leave you, she’d said.

  “I love you, Angel.”

  “Richard?”

  He blinked. A voice inside his head? It must be a hallucination that signaled the onset of death.

  “Richard, this is Beth Nakamora. I’m here with Alec and Daz, and we’re going to get you out.”

  “Get Marian out first.”

  “I can’t read or talk to Marian. Her mind is opaque to me. It has to be both of you or neither of you.”

  “The air runs low. You don’t have much time.”

  “We came as quickly as we could after your phone call last night. You can hold on. Alec is moving as fast as he can to find a way for his TK to pull you out. You have to hold on for just a few more minutes.”

  He licked his lips. “Angel?”

  “Yes?” She floated above him, living up to the name he’d given her.

  “Help’s coming. Daz, Alec Farley and Beth Nakamora.”

  “Okay.”

  She doubted him. She thought he was hallucinating or making up something to comfort her. Maybe he was. But he would hold on to hope.

  He felt the weight of her against him again, curled in his arms. “I couldn’t hold it,” she whispered. “I’m too exhausted.”

  “Help is coming. Rest now.”

  “Beth Nakamora? Still there?”

  “Here. There’s a way but it’s tricky. About two feet below you is an underground river with headroom. Alec can drop you both into that. But the current’s fast, he says, and it will dump you out in the river underwater. He can try and hold on but there’s no guarantee of it. You might have to make it to the surface on your own.”

  He could barely hear Marian breathe anymore. Time had run out. “Do it, Nakamora.”

  He twisted Marian around, so her back was against his chest. If they ended up in the water, this was the best way to keep her head above the surface, at least until they hit the river.

  It was also the best way to hold her and make for the surface.

  And instant later, the ground crumbled under them. He fell, but in a split second, they plunged into cold water and went under. He kicked hard, his grip tight around her waist. They broke to the surface and its welcome air. His hair brushed lightly against the top of the underground channel where the stream flowed.

  The stream swirled, turning them sideways. Nakamora had been right. It was a wicked current. Don’t fight it, he told himself, remembering Marshal’s advice about surrendering to the water rather than forcing control on it.

  The stream dipped, and they went under once more. When they came up for air again, Marian sputtered.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Farley dropped us into an underground stream. We have air. For a moment, as we’re about to spilled out into the River Nehe.”

  “What?” she asked. “Farley? He made it this fast?”

  “Not now. Take a deep breath, suck in as much air as you can, Angel, and trust me.”

  They filled their lungs just as they were dumped into a much larger body of water. He saw nothing but murky depths. Up, he thought, but which way? He kicked but it only spun them around. He felt Marian’s hold on his arm tighten.

  Let the water be an extension of him. All right. He relaxed and felt them spin free of the depths. He kicked again, hoping he was going up. He caught the glimmer of sunlight above, or thought he did.

  His lungs burned. Marian was limp and lifeless.

  “Richard, hang in there. Alec’s trying to get you.”

  He held Marian close. “I see the surface. I’m headed up.”

  He kicked, over and over, hoping his new psychic strength was still in effect. The spots appeared before his eyes again, but he only kicked harder.

  His head broke the surface.

  Water spit into his eyes. He took a deep breath, holding Marian above the waves.

  “Breathe, damn you, Angel! Breathe!”

  He looked around. No boat, no helicopter. Marian needed resuscitation now!

  As soon as he finished that
thought, they were lifted out of the water. Farley.

  Stellar.

  In a few seconds, they landed on the river’s banks. Farley and Nakamora were there.

  “Help her!”

  Farley lifted Marian from Richard’s arms and began mouth-to-mouth. Impossibly long seconds passed by. Someone tried to slap an oxygen mask on him. He pushed the prying hand away.

  Marian coughed and spit out water. Farley turned her on her side as she expelled the last of it. He moved over and held her head as she finished retching.

  He pulled her against him. She still breathed heavily, but she breathed. She was alive.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, Richard,” she said in a scratchy voice, “but maybe I’ll wait a while for you to teach me to surf.”

  He just held her tighter.

  He looked up after a moment. “Rasputin?

  “No sign of him,” Farley said. “He was probably killed in the cave-in.”

  “Did you find his body?”

  “Not yet. It’s dangerous footing down there. I didn’t want to risk anyone being in those tunnels.”

  Richard shook his head. “I sincerely doubt he’s dead. But at least his operation is exposed. Ms. Nakamora, did you sense him at all?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then he’s gone for now, at least until he decides to strike back.”

  “Good,” Marian said.

  Alec smiled and knelt next to them. “Either way, Rasputin’s done for today and we’ve cleaned out a monastery’s worth of evil monks. Let’s get the hell out of here and have a hospital look at your girl.”

  “Excellent idea,” Richard said. But soon, he was going to find the madman who’d nearly killed his angel. The first step in that would be to find the traitor in his court.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The local U.S. military hospital checked Marian over but determined that except for some scrapes and bruises, she was fine, and released her.

  While she was being examined, she knew Alec Farley, Beth Nakamora, Daz and Richard were all busy conferring with local authorities. Or maybe it was the CIA or some other scary alphabet agency. Whoever they were, it appeared the result was that she and Richard were in the clear as far as any criminal wrongdoing was concerned. But it was decided they all should leave as soon as possible before something upset that apple cart.

  As the boarded the plane to go home, Alec assured her they’d look for Rasputin covertly. “He’s got a real hard-on for me, so I want to find him first.”

  “I’ll join you, as soon as I settle some things on my end,” Richard said, packing pillows around Marian’s seat. First class, she thought, not like all the previous trips for the family firm, when she’d flown coach. And this time, she wasn’t flying alone. Richard was next to her and Alec, Beth and Daz were across the aisle.

  One of us. Team.

  Richard kissed her cheek as the plane took off. “Rest, love.”

  “I feel fine,” she murmured, but she fell asleep almost instantly, with Richard holding her hand.

  She woke in the middle of the night. Nearly everyone on the plane slumbered. Beth had her head on Alec’s shoulder. “The nicest person I know,” according to Daz. Marian would like to get a chance to know the person who’d helped save her life.

  Daz slept with his arms crossed over his chest. He was the odd man out, she thought, and wondered if he’d ever find anyone special.

  Like she had.

  She closed her eyes and went back to sleep. Only the wheels touching down at LaGuardia woke her up.

  “Home, sweet home,” she said.

  “For you,” he said. “I have to continue to New Orleans.”

  She frowned. “You’re getting on another plane?”

  “Not yet. I have to go with Alec, Beth and Daz to the Phoenix Institute and exchange some information. You’ll come?”

  “Absolutely. But we have to make a stop first.”

  No TSA agents waited for her outside the plane. Score one for this trip. She and Richard said good-bye temporarily to Daz and his friends just before customs. Marian tugged on Richard’s elbow.

  “Will you do me a favor?” she asked.

  “Anything.”

  “Go through customs first. As soon as you do, call me, and then wait at the men’s restroom sign.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “You’ll see.”

  He nodded and went to the line for his turn through inspection.

  She turned and walked into the bathroom that was the scene of her defeat only two weeks ago.

  I’m going to find you, Tantor, and get you to your rightful home.

  She put her back to the camera, stood in front of the sink, and plunged a phantom arm into the wall behind the sink. She closed her eyes, feeling for the difference between solid brick, an air pocket and Tantor’s ivory.

  Ten seconds, twenty, thirty…and she was almost ready to give up when she found it. She closed her hand around Tantor, made him immaterial, and pulled her arm out of the wall, little elephant and all.

  She kissed the top of Tantor’s head and went into a stall. She closed the door and vanished through the floor.

  It took her only a minute to float through the walls of the baggage claim area and spot Richard.

  She tapped his shoulder. He turned and kissed her. She placed Tantor into his palm. “Hold him for a minute, would you? I’ll be back as soon as I go through customs.”

  “As you wish.”

  The return trip to the ladies’ room took seconds, then it was the mind-numbing inspection at customs, and then she was in Richard’s arms again.

  He, of course, had commandeered a limo to take them to Doyle Antiquities.

  He produced Tantor for her once they were safely on their way.

  “Care to explain?”

  “I’m fixing a failure and finishing an obligation.”

  “Ah.” He turned Tantor around in his fingers. “He’s wicked cute.”

  “Yeah, isn’t he?”

  Once they reached the family firm, she told Richard to double-park outside and wait for her.

  “You don’t want me to come in?”

  “I have to do this myself.”

  She pulled Richard’s hoodie tight around her as she went up the steps. He’d lent her one when she’d become cold at the hospital.

  She strode past the reception lobby, down the hall and marched into her grandfather’s office without knocking.

  Dad was with him.

  “Good, you’re both here.” She set Tantor down in the middle of Grandfather’s desk. “Item delivered.”

  Dad stood. “Marian, are you all right? You look tired, and we haven’t heard from you in two days.”

  She kissed him on the cheek. “I’m fine. Never been better. And I’m sure Grandfather will be happy with Richard’s report on my services.”

  Grandfather lifted up Tantor. “About time you retrieved this,” he grumped.

  “About time I quit.” She grabbed the little elephant out of his hands. “So I do. I quit. And I’m taking this as my severance package. See you later.”

  She tucked Tantor back into her pocket and walked out of the office, paying no attention to her grandfather’s bellow that echoed down the hallway.

  On the way out of the city, they stopped at a shipping store. She packed up Tantor carefully and sent it to the Greek embassy with an anonymous note that it was being returned to its rightful owners.

  No one met Richard at the airport in New Orleans at the end of this trip. It would have been bad if they did, as the more secrecy on this last desperate effort to save the Queen, the better. Richard put his arm around Marian while Daz retrieved the rental car. His new friend wanted to see this through. Richard was glad he’d come.

  Daz drove and he
and Marian sat in the back.

  “You’re certain who the traitor is?” Marian asked.

  “No doubt,” Daz said. “Drake’s research is the best and Alec and I double-checked him. He’s not holding back or lying.”

  “I believed Drake,” Richard said. “No need for double-checking.”

  Drake, it seemed, had the ability to look past hatred, a quality that Edward had lacked.

  “Wouldn’t it be easier to have Beth use her telepathy to make certain we have the right person?” Marian asked.

  “Beth would be the first to tell you that she’s still testing the limits of her telepathy. And as Richard could tell you, there are ways to get around it,” Daz said.

  “Hard evidence is better,” Richard agreed. “And we have plenty of that. I wouldn’t have been able to find phone and travel records for the members of the Court as Drake did.”

  “Your people should hire more experts with knowledge of the computer age,” Daz said.

  “No doubt improvements are needed.”

  “But the records would’ve been more difficult if you hadn’t narrowed down the suspects to four. It made tracking the pharmacy purchases much simpler,” Daz said.

  “Thank you.”

  “It seemed the least I could do since I owe you for not taking off my head.”

  “Marian saved you,” Richard said.

  “You both did.”

  “It was Marian who was your champion,” Richard said. “But thank you.”

  “There’s one thing I don’t understand. Drake’s told me he can’t stay drunk. So how could prescription meds affect an immortal?”

  “The same way a strong tranquilizer can. We’re incapacitated by a drug until it begins to wear off and our healing can take care of the rest. But the Queen was being dosed repeatedly, so it never had a chance to wear off. But I believe she’s been fighting the effects at a low level or she might have succumbed already.”

  Daz nodded. “That makes sense. Tranqs used to take out Alec temporarily too.”

  Richard kissed Marian’s cheek. “Angel, you’re back-up in case this gets out of control. Protect the Queen at all costs. She’s recovering but still weak.”

  “Okay, though I’d rather protect you, even though your Queen is Eleanor of Aquitaine. Which, wow, I’m still getting used to that concept.”