by Jen Pretty
He chuckled, but I don't think he remembered the tunnel under New York. Okay, there were no rats there. It was a clean tunnel but I doubted my luck would hold out on the rodent situation.
Al flicked on the radio and some top twenty station was playing pop music. He mouthed along to the words of Lady Gaga, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. It was weird to see half-demons do normal human things. Like they should be stoic or something; but sometimes they were just humans. Well, Julian was. Sometimes. Okay, so Julian, my mom, and Collin were my only frame of reference for half-demons. That was probably too small a pool to judge the whole of a race of people.
I was so lost in my thoughts that the car stopping startled me and I realized we were in a parking garage. Al shut off the engine and stepped out of the car. I undid my seatbelt, but before I found the door handle Al had come around and opened my door for me. He offered me his hand and I accepted his help out of the low car. He smiled for a moment and then dropped my hand.
“Thanks,” I said.
He nodded, turned and led Nick and me through the echoing parking garage. Bare bulbs lit every corner but between the echoing sounds and the night outside it was still creepy. My boots clunked, reminding me of the last time I had to go in the sewers. I prayed we didn't have to go in through some access panel in a pee-soaked stairwell, and to my utter joy Al led us onto the street and down another set of stairs into the subway station.
It was abandoned at this time of night, but a breeze blew across the platform, rustling newspapers on the ground and fliers tacked to the walls. A lit-up sign declared the next train arriving in six minutes, but we didn't wait for a train.
Al walked to the edge of the platform and hopped right down on the tracks. Nick scuttled down after him, but I paused. Six minutes before a train arrived, and we were going to go walking along the tracks? I wasn't born yesterday and didn't have a death wish.
Al held out his hand absentmindedly like I was a child who was just unsure of the size of the jump.
“I'm not sure that's such a great idea.” I looked to my left and right down the line trying to see the oncoming train.
“It’s fine, Har,” Nick said, looking impatient.
I didn't have time to argue though. Al flung his coat off and his giant wings spread out a split second before his arms engulfed me. He pressed me against his broad chest and flew down the tunnel, Nick racing along below. I said a little prayer to the man above, hoping that my previous demon possessions didn't counteract whatever guardian angel had been watching over me all these years as I heard the sharp whistle of the subway train.
CHAPTER TEN
The lights of the train were getting closer. I peeked through half-closed eyes. The tunnel was getting brighter as it approached, but Al just kept flapping his giant bat wings like it was a lazy day in the park. Screaming was getting louder too, but I realized that was me when Al took a sharp turn and stopped dead, pressing me against a brick wall, his other hand snatching Nick up off the ground to pull him in beside us in a tiny alcove not over two feet deep. It was just enough space for us to huddle while the subway train passed. The wind whipped my hair into a frenzy and I felt a pull trying to drag me under the train, but Al's arm was solid as stone. As soon as the car was past Al stepped back, and I took a deep gulp of a breath.
My lungs were pumping so hard I thought I might throw up, but I swallowed it down and collapsed to my knees. Being flown by a half-demon was not the human way to travel. I took a few more deep breaths before I looked up. Nick was smiling like an idiot, and Al had a blank expression on his face like it was just another Tuesday for him. Neither response seemed to be appropriate in the circumstances.
“Let's not do that again, OK?” I said, using the brick wall to help me to my feet.
Al nodded. “Then I suggest we move because another will be along in four minutes.”
“Four minutes?” I shrieked and the sound echoed through the tunnel. I marched down the rail line at a good clip, then broke into a jog. Nick trotted along beside me.
“How far do we have to go?” I pushed for more speed.
“Just ahead,” Al's voice came down from above. His dark wings were spanning the tunnel in slow easy flaps.
I dragged my eyes off the half demon's wings and glimpsed a door that someone had wedged open a crack with a rock between the door and the frame.
The next train was coming. The rumble was getting closer, but I knew we could beat it in time. I still kicked into high gear, arriving just ahead of Nick. I pulled the door open and stepped through into complete blackness. Fabulous.
I took a deep breath and felt Nick's hand come up to rest on my arm. I waited as Al stepped past me into the black and I followed behind him. There was a distant sound like someone hammering steel, but otherwise it was silent and still. As the door slipped shut behind us, the last of the light disappeared. I could vaguely make out the general shape of Al's back and wings. I followed directly behind him.
“Where are we?” I whispered so softly that it was almost inaudible.
Nobody replied. Probably because they had no idea either, but Al didn't pause; he continued into the dark. The ringing steel was getting louder as we walked until a tiny light illuminated someone swinging a hammer down on an anvil.
Al walked past some piles of steel pipe and bars, right up to the person and cleared his throat. The person screamed and spun, dropping the hammer, and I realized it was a woman. She clamped a hand to her chest and bent over at the waist. She wore overalls and a bandanna on her head covering her short dark hair. I would have thought she was a sculptor, except she was working steel instead of stone. Plus she had tightly curled horns on the top of her head like a sheep.
“Fuck, Al. I told you to call before you came here. You son of a bitch.” She straightened and noticed Nick and I standing behind Al. “Howdy,” she said.
“These are the hunters. They will take care of Collin.” Al sounded certain about that, but I wasn't convinced that Collin would be so easy to take care of.
“Harlow,” I said, extending my hand to her. She took off her heavy leather gloves and shook my hand. Her grip was strong, I bet from banging steel all day long. “What is it you are doing here?”
“I make art,” she smiled and shook Nick’s hand too as he introduced himself. “My name is Celia. I used to be the leader’s blacksmith. Until cars took over and I lost my job, that is.”
“Good to meet ya.” I looked up to Al with a question on my face.
“Celia knows the tunnels better than anyone. She can help us.”
“Oh, hell no she can’t,” Celia replied, picking up her hammer. “I got a life worth living and I don't need to be scrapping with that bastard.” She turned back to her anvil where I could see she had bent some steel into the shape of something. I couldn't tell what it was. A butterfly or a bat? Something with wings anyway.
“Celia, they took down a full demon, they can take out Collin,” Al replied.
Nick was still standing silent behind me. He hadn’t said much all day, and I was wondering if there was something wrong with him. Was he sick? I looked back and he looked fine. Just silent. His hand slid down into mine and squeezed. Well, all right.
“These two humans took down a demon?” she looked skeptical but set her hammer down like she might consider helping us.
“We are demon touched,” I offered.
“Harlow is twice demon touched,” Nick said. I glanced at him. I didn't realize we were making that public knowledge, but I guess if we wanted Celia to help us, laying our cards on the table would help.
Still, the fact I willingly let the second demon possess me wasn't my brightest moment, and honestly it didn't make me sound as bad-ass as I hoped. It made me sound careless, or maybe even inept. I have amulets for a reason.
Celia took a step closer and squinted at me. “She’s more than that.”
I wasn’t into sharing the news I might be a quarter demon, so I spoke before Nick could spill the beans. “I
have new magic. It freezes gargoyles and demons. I have to be touching them, but it works, and I think It might affect half demons, too. I could stop Collin before he can hurt anyone else and someone can take him to jail or whatever you people do.
“Did you talk to the Demon Division?” Celia asked Al.
“They are ready to move as soon as we locate and subdue him.”
That was a nice way to put it. I wasn’t sure how my power would work on him, but if it was like the demon and the gargoyles, he would be a living statue. If he couldn't move, could he breathe? Would he die if I left him frozen? I wasn't a murderer or some freaking assassin. I needed to help Julian and stop Collin from bringing demons here, but that was as far as my enthusiasm went for this little death mission.
Celia threw her hands in the air. “Fine, I’ll help you, but if we get caught and die, I will come back and haunt all of you.”
“Okay, Celia,” Al said with a chuckle.
I glanced at Nick. He wore a small smile on his face. I wasn't sure what was up with him, but he liked this bit of news. Maybe now we could get to the actual finding part. I was getting impatient with the idea that Julian was being tortured somewhere in these tunnels and we were doing an awful lot of standing around. Nick let go of my hand, and we followed Celia and Al out of the little make-shift work-shop.
I liked having Nick at my back; it made me feel like nothing could get me down here, but I had conflicted feelings for him. Julian was crowding my mind and pushing thoughts of Nick out. I had liked Julian before I realized he had been part of the plot to bring a demon to New York, though maybe he hadn't been part of that plot after all and I had just assumed he was.
I tripped on a steel bar and landed on my ass so fast I didn’t have time to make a sound. “Shit,” I moaned rubbing my broken ass cheek. Damn, I needed to pay attention and stop thinking about the infuriating half-demon lord of New York.
Nick scooped me up and set me on my feet, chuckling at my clumsiness.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“No problem,” he whispered right in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.
The half demons hadn’t stopped to wait for us, so I stepped away from Nick and hurried to catch up. Nick was hot on my heels. If we got lost down here, we’d never find our way out. I carefully walled off all thoughts of Julian. Once I saved his hot half-demon ass, we would have to have a serious talk and get things out in the open. Or maybe not. That sounded hard.
Finally, Al and Celia stopped in an open area that looked like it could be a subway station someday, right now it was mostly hanging sheets of plastic and heavy equipment. There were scaffolds to one side that reached to the cavernous ceiling, and puddles along the dirt and rock floor. A ragged hole in the wall led back into a smaller tunnel on the far side, but above was a giant hole that let in some streetlight and sounds of the city floated down with it. A base was thumping from a night club above and horns honked.
Celia turned back to us. “Now, listen. I'm not going any farther than this because I enjoy living, but if you continue through that tunnel you will come out to the original out-of-service subway system. This is the only entrance because they sealed it off and it should have stayed that way, but the idiot contractor digging this new station made a little error and cut too far south causing the shit storm before you.”
Hunks of pavement and gravel that had been the street above at one time were piled on the far side of the open area. I’d say that was an oops.
“I have seen half-demons in this area and can only assume they are with Collin since I don’t recognize them.”
With that, she walked past us and back the way we came. I watched her go. She didn't even glance back — the moment of truth time. I turned back to Nick and raised my eyebrows. Were we really doing this?
He nodded to my unspoken question. All right then. I took the first steps forward towards the jagged hole the wall. Nick was behind me, and when I glanced back Al was behind him. I was leading my own little rescue mission. I shook my head as I stepped over a pile of debris and through into a narrow tunnel. That's when the second thoughts started. This seemed like the dumbest idea ever. Last time I confronted Collin, he almost killed me. I wanted to be home in my bed with pizza and beer.
I walked with my hand on the smooth cement wall. It had to have been some kind of access tunnel or for maintenance, maybe. It was made for people walking, not subway trains. I couldn't see the ceiling but I sensed it above my head, and our boots didn't echo like in the taller subway tunnels we had left behind.
The air was heavy and damp. I prayed not to see any rats. That would be one thing too many in this situation.
My hopes were dashed on the rat front when I heard a squeak and could see a small shadow scurry along. I slammed myself to the opposite wall and bit my lip hard so I didn't scream. A soft chuckle from behind me made me reach out and slap at Nick. Jerk.
He stifled his giggles, thankfully, just as we came to a new tunnel with the echo of voices moving in our direction. I scuttled around a corner, Nick and Al right behind me and I held my breath, hoping we weren't visible pressed up against the wall in the darkness.
“You know the boss won’t like that,” a male voice said.
“I don't give a shit. I'm not staying in this rat hole all the time. I need air,” a second male voice said. “And women.”
They both laughed. Their boots scuffled on the cement floor, approaching our terrible hiding spot. My heart raced in my chest, and I silently begged them to go the other way.
At the last second, they turned down the tunnel from which we came and moved away from us.
We didn't move for several more minutes, and my legs were stiff from holding in place for so long, but when we crept back through the tunnel there was no sound and no one in sight. Nick tapped me on the shoulder and I turned to look at him. He pointed to himself and me and then the tunnel the men had come from and then pointed to Al and the other tunnel. I'm no expert in hand signals, but I guessed we were splitting up. I gave him a thumbs up. Then watched Al disappear into the darkness.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
This tunnel had a few dim tap lamps stuck on the wall illuminating the way. I didn't like the feeling of being a sitting duck in this tunnel. It was long and straight. If anyone came upon us, we wouldn't have anywhere to hide. I kept focusing on Julian. The sound of him screaming on the phone rang through my head, forcing my boots forward. I kept repeating to myself that I had to save him. It seemed weird to be saving an immortal half-demon. I was hardly a hero-type.
Nick tapped me on the shoulder and I stopped, turning to look at him. He pointed to a small tunnel that branched off the one we were walking down. I had been distracted and didn't notice. Some ninja turtle I turned out to be. I didn't want to split up, but we would probably have more luck if we did. I used fancy hand signals and he nodded. He leaned in and brushed his lips across mine, then he was gone and I was alone in the stupid tunnel.
Time for a pep talk. I told myself it was fine and just kept walking on quiet feet. It was a few more minutes before I heard the faint sounds of people moving around — chairs sliding around and what could have been cutlery on a table — but once I heard it; the sounds grew louder with each step I took.
I rounded a curve and before me was a large, open space set up like a cafeteria. Dozens of half-demons occupied rows of folding tables and chairs. Everyone seemed to have demon characteristics, so I figured this was the right place. I pressed myself against the wall and waited. I couldn't exactly walk out and announce myself. I was kicking myself for being an idiot and coming here. I was so over my head.
“Hey, let's go. Boss is waiting,” a man called in the make-shift cafeteria. The clanging of dishes and cutlery echoed the scraping of chairs on the floor and muttering of voices.
Finally silence fell, and I peeked around the corner. I wished, not for the first time, that I had my net. It wouldn't help me much with half-demons, but damn if it didn't make me at least fee
l armed and dangerous. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows into the lit cafeteria, telling myself to be cool and it would all work out. I walked purposely, my eyes trained on the far wall where all the half-demons had gone, weaving through the rows of tables. The scent of bacon lingered on the air, making my stomach gurgle. This was not the time for a snack, damn it!
“Hey, you better hurry,” a voice said behind me. I startled and spun around.
“What?” I asked. A woman with black eyes and long pointed fingernails was picking up plates from a table and stacking them on a tray.
“Mr. Gamagin won't be happy if you’re late,” she said. Then she squinted at me for a hard moment and her face registered shock. “You’re her.” Her voice came out as a whisper. “Come this way.” She set down the stack of dishes and waved her hands at me.
I was still frozen like a frog in an early frost. My heart was racing and I couldn't decide what to do. She knew who I was, but I didn't get the sense she wanted to hurt me.
“Hurry,” she said just loud enough to shock me out of my indecision. I followed her as she hustled in the opposite direction of the half-demons who had already left. “You have to trust me.”
For some reason I did, and that trust paid off when she slid open a door and before me was a bloody and broken Julian, chained to a wall. He was only wearing pants and his bare chest had been slashed into ribbons.
I turned and puked on the floor. The half-demon woman had already plucked the keys off the hook and was unchaining him from the wall when I wiped my mouth and joined her.
Julian was limp and cold to the touch but he was breathing. Once his arm was free, I slid it over my shoulder and tried to support his weight as the woman unlocked his other arm.
He collapsed and dragged me down with him. I wasn't strong enough to carry him, but the small woman hitched him up and started moving him towards the door. I scrambled up and grabbed his other arm again; between the two of us, we got him back through to the cafeteria and out to the dark hallway before anyone saw us.