I expected the other demon to go on the attack as well, but it didn’t. It busied itself by gathering the pieces of wood it had dropped and throwing them through the portal. It was quick, and it didn’t take long before all the broken pieces had been tossed through.
They must be following their orders, I thought, clean everything up and escape. Which means they won’t want to leave the body.
The moment the demon finished its task, it turned back to me and got down on all fours, opening its fanged mouth wide—too wide. Its bones cracked, and it grunted as it changed shape. Two more spindly legs broke through the skin of its back, reaching for the ground on either side until the demon resembled a misshapen centaur. Its torso rose to face me, and its legs twitched and jittered like an awful spider. The thing darted to my right, then left again, and I realized that it was fast enough to be dangerous.
It knew that too, and it hissed at me with triumph and laughter somehow mingled in its hideous voice.
I gritted my teeth and bolted towards the spidery beast, intent on ripping its legs out, all of them. We met in a tangle of arms, legs, claws, and fangs, flailing furiously as we each tried to gain the upper hand. Its talons dug into my flesh, but mine dug deeper, and the demon yowled in pain.
When the other didn’t join in right away, I chanced a glance in its direction, and swore. It had bolted for Diana’s body the instant I’d attacked. I leaped for it, but the spider-thing reached out and grabbed my ankle in its ferocious grip. I turned and slashed through the muscle and bone of its slender arm, and nerveless fingers released me. I launched myself at the second demon, who had already dragged the body halfway to the portal. I slammed into it, and we rolled a couple of times before I came up on top. It fought hard, as demons tend to do, but I pummeled its face with brutal punches before ripping its throat completely out. Its heels drummed on the grass for an instant before it gurgled its last, fetid breath into the air.
I surged to my feet, but it was already too late. I saw the tail end of the tarp-wrapped bundle being dragged into the portal by the spidery creature. I dove for it, but the portal vanished, and I ended up landing on the grass on the far side of where the portal had been.
“Dammit,” I said aloud. I hated losing. For some reason, I felt an odd sense of obligation to Diana Thornwall. She’d been ready to help us, and innocent of any wrongdoing as far as I could tell. Just another human, I reminded myself. She didn’t matter. But I sighed, and couldn’t shake the odd idea that maybe she did. I looked at the two stones. They didn’t have much in the way of markings. It was still possible that Ariana might figure out something if she could get a look at them. Too bad I’d stowed the phone in the tarp along with Diana. There wouldn’t be any pictures, but I was pretty sure Ariana could use her technical wizardry to find the location of that phone, wherever they had taken it.
Finally, I let myself smile. We’re coming for you, Tanya, I thought, and we’re not gonna play nice.
Chapter 18
Avery was thinking of investing heavily in ibuprofen stock by the time she was able to open her eyes again. The last thing she remembered was being thrown to the ground and thinking that it had hurt a lot. Moving slowly so that her head wouldn’t split in two, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Thankfully, the ball gag had been removed, as well as the shackles that had bound her ankles together. The leather restraints had been replaced with a simple pair of handcuffs, and she was grateful for the increased mobility.
She was in a small, sparsely furnished room. The bed she sat upon was expensive and well-made, and there was a desk and chair of similar make. Blankets and pillows displayed a subtle Southwestern motif. There were two doors in the room. Avery got to her feet, then moved quietly as she could to the door that looked most like an exit. She tried the knob, but it was locked. Worth a try, she thought as she walked over to the other door. It opened easily, revealing a small bathroom with a marble tiled shower, a toilet, a pedestal sink, and little else. Her eyes were instantly drawn to a small, frosted window in the wall opposite the shower, and she moved over to it. It was far too small for her to squeeze through and was nearly frozen in place from disuse. However, she was able to open it halfway, and she looked out to survey her new surroundings.
“Holy shit, Toto,” she breathed. “This isn’t Kansas…or Houston, for that matter.”
The sun had risen, and the air was chillier than Avery expected as a gentle breeze came from outside to caress her face. She was on the second floor, looking out onto a wide vista of rolling hills dotted with scrubby bushes, pale green grass, and darker tufts of green that stood out in various places across the landscape. The soil she could see through the sparse grass was reddish and rocky, and here and there, spindly cholla cacti showed off yellow and pink flowers. Dark shadows of clouds crawled over the land, slowly making their way across the arid valley floor. In the distance, miles away, the dark spines of mountains lurked like sleeping dragons.
Avery’s mind raced. What did she say? she asked herself. Something about New Mexico? Her eyes roved the area, and she realized that her captor had been telling the truth. The early morning was calm and quiet, save for the soft birdsong and distant lowing of cattle. She leaned to one side and saw the land rise sharply into a peak of red-tinted stone off to the east of the building. It was breathtaking…at first. As she looked at it, a cold chill worked its way up and down her spine. Something bad is over there. The thought came unbidden, but she had no reason to disbelieve it. The sense of unease that shivered inside her was strong enough that she finally had to look away from the ruddy rock formation.
The sound of the door opening in the room beyond got her attention, and she quickly shut the door to the bathroom, swearing when she saw there was no lock. She heard a few sets of footsteps enter the room, and she waited.
“Sorry to disturb you, but we need to talk.” Tanya’s voice was cool and polite. Avery stayed silent, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan. “Look, you know I have your partner. Don’t make me hurt him. Well,” she laughed mockingly, “don’t make me hurt him more, I mean. He was pretty testy when I saw him last. We had to reason with him a bit before he settled down. He should survive.” There was a pause, then, “Don’t make me send these guys in there after you.” Avery glanced at the window. “And don’t think about escaping through the window. Even if you could get through it, you’ll break an ankle from this height, and you’re in the middle of the New Mexico desert. There’s literally nothing for miles. My people will pick you up before you get a hundred yards from the wall.”
Cursing silently, Avery opened the door and reentered the room. Tanya sat on the bed, her legs primly crossed. She’d changed into faded blue jeans, a white blouse and a pair of sturdy boots. Two large men stood on either side of the door in black tactical pants and matching button-down shirts, guns visible on their hips. Avery looked them over. I could probably take the one on the left, she thought. He was the smaller of the two. She looked at the second man, a thickly-built fellow with a crew cut and meaty hands. He flexed them as she watched, and she caught a flash in her mind of some of the things he had done with them. A sliver of fear ran through her before she quelled it. I’ll need to put a bullet or two in that one, she thought. She turned her attention back to the woman. “What do you want?”
Tanya’s smile widened. “Right to the point. I like that.” She stretched, taking her time about it and enjoying herself. “Who knows I was involved with Raymond?”
Avery stared at her, calculating the wisdom of giving Tanya any information at all. In the end, she decided to default to her usual plan…be a pain in the ass. “Everyone. I told everyone at the station. The mayor, too. She knows. Oh, and the guy at the Stop and Go. He seemed really excited about it, too.”
Tanya sighed and shook her head. “Why do you have to act like that? I was trying to be nice.”
Avery raised an eyebrow. “You knock us out, kidnap us, hold us prisoner, beat up Jim, and that�
��s being nice?”
Tanya’s smile returned. “Oh, yes indeed. I guess you’ll have to learn the hard way. I suppose it doesn’t really matter who knows anyway, they’ll never believe it.” She folded her arms and smirked, her lips curling up on one side. “You know, I warned Raymond about you.”
Avery’s eyebrows rose in surprise. She remembered the little man’s comment, saying that he knew her. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, thinking he’d just identified her as a cop.
Tanya laughed at her confusion. “I knew someone was coming for him, I just wasn’t sure who or when. I knew it was a woman and a man, but little else.” Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed again. “Divination isn’t my strong suit, and dreams can be pretty fuzzy. But you?” Her smile came back in full force. “I knew it had to be you the moment I saw you.” Then she frowned. “Those other two, though…they could be trouble.” She shrugged, “No matter. They’ll never find us here. And even if they did, I’ve got men with guns everywhere, as well as a few other surprises.”
Glancing up at the two brutes, Tanya shifted her tone. “Gentlemen, I need you to do some heavy lifting for me. Let’s go.” The shorter of the two opened the door and Tanya stood. She glanced back over her shoulder at Avery, “You’ll see me again soon. Get some rest; you’ll need it.”
Avery said nothing, but glared daggers at the three retreating figures. When the door closed, she sat on the bed, no closer to figuring out what Tanya wanted with her, but encouraged that she hadn’t been killed out of hand.
She’s gonna regret that, Avery vowed. And for the first time since she’d found herself in the cell, she allowed herself a smile.
*****
Garrett strolled down the hallway towards the lady cop’s room. He’d been told to be careful around her, but although he had replied, “Yes, ma’am,” as expected, he had bristled at the warning. Piece of cake, he thought, no short, middle-aged woman is going to give me trouble! He’d been an MMA fighter before signing on to work private security, and he’d been in his share of scraps. Brimming with confidence, he unlocked the door.
Forcing politeness into his tone, he warned her as he opened the door, “Ok, lady, step away from the door. I’m coming in to get you.” He pushed the door open and saw the cop on her knees in the middle of the room, her head bowed and eyes downcast. What the…? He put his hand on his gun. “On your feet, lady, Tanya wants you.” She stayed where she was, wrists still cuffed, hands in her lap. “Hey. Hey, I’m talking to you!” No response.
Annoyed, Garrett pulled his gun and aimed it at her. “I told you to get up. I’m not playing.” When she didn’t raise her eyes to him, he moved closer, holding his gun in a two-handed grip. “Lady, I’m serious. Get. Up.” He slowly walked forward until he was close enough to touch the barrel to her forehead. He held the cold metal there and applied a bit of pressure. “Look, I don’t know what you’re…”
Avery’s hands flashed up and grabbed the gun, twisting it so that it pointed off to her right. Garret responded by instinctively pulling the gun away, which did nothing but help Avery to her feet as she launched herself at him. Before Garrett realized his mistake, she slammed the top of her head into his face, shattering his nose and rocking his head back.
She yanked the gun away from him and drove her shinbone into his groin, doubling him over, then she delivered a crushing knee to his already damaged face. Garrett slumped to the floor, bleeding and unconscious.
“Ow,” Avery said aloud, grimacing at the pain emanating from her bruised head. My kingdom for an ice pack, she thought, but she brushed the pain aside and set about searching the thug’s pockets. She came up with a set of keys, a folding knife, some change…and a handcuff key. “Yes!” she hissed in triumph. In seconds, she had the cuffs off her wrists. She rubbed the abraded skin briefly, relishing her freedom, then got to work. She dragged the unconscious guard to the bed and heaved his body onto it. Threading the short chain through the rail at the end of the bed, she secured his hands together behind him, clicking the cuffs closed as tightly as they would go. Just for fun, she whipped off the man’s belt and bound his ankles as well. She stood to check her handiwork, then rolled up his tie and shoved it in his mouth for good measure.
She stripped him of his gun and spare ammo, then crept to the door and listened. Hearing nothing, she opened the door a crack and peered outside. Her room was at the end of an empty hallway. The corridor moved away to her right for several yards, then it turned leftwards. She heard voices from around the corner, both male. The unseen speakers chatted for a few moments, then began to walk away. She waited until she heard both voices and footsteps receding into silence, then eased the door open as quietly as she could. I’ve got to find Jim, she thought. Keeping her new gun at the ready, she slipped out of the room and locked the door behind her.
Chapter 19
“Von Gerhardt here. Hello?” The greeting was followed by a somewhat stifled yawn, a sign of the early hour. This close, I could hear the voice on Ariana’s phone as though she’d put it in speaker mode.
A thrill shot through her, strong enough that I could feel it, but she seemed to put it aside. “Max! It’s Ariana. Remember me?”
There was a beat of silence, then I could actually hear the smile appear in his deep, resonant voice. “Oh, it may be frightfully early in the day, but I’d never forget you, my dear. It’s a pleasure to hear your voice again, truly.” There was a slight pause, then, “Are you well? Is Kane still with you?”
“Yes, we’re still working together,” Ariana replied, quickly, I might add. The emphasis on the working part wasn’t lost on me, and I found it amusing. I’d told her long ago she should just tell the werewolf king that she was attracted to him, but to my knowledge, she had not. I doubted she was intimidated by his vast wealth and power, so her reluctance to mate with him befuddled me. Humans, I thought, slowly shaking my head. “Hey, I’ve got something going on here, and I need to ask for help.” Her voice was steady once more.
I heard Max’s voice perk up with eagerness. “Absolutely. Just tell me what you need, and it’s yours.” Another slight pause, then, “You know I’m always at your service, Ariana.” His voice dropped lower when he said it. Her heart started thumping with extra gusto and I worried she might have an attack.
Flustered, she tried to sound cool. And failed. “Um, right. Yes, ah…we need a helicopter to take us to New Mexico. Like, right away.”
“Done,” Max instantly agreed, “I’ll have my man Edge fly out to you, and he’ll take you wherever you need to go. He’s in Fort Worth, so he should be able to get to you by…” there was a moment of silence as he apparently did some calculation, “noon or so. He can probably have you where you need to go before nightfall. What’s going on?” Ariana took a few minutes to fill him in on what we knew so far. When she had finished, Max stayed silent for a moment before responding. “Interesting. I’ll have Edge prepare accordingly. He’s a good man in a fight, so make use of him however you see fit. I’d come myself, but I’m embroiled in a rather tricky affair in Alaska right now. One of mine has gone rogue, and I need to handle it myself. Family business.” Max’s voice hardened at the last, and I felt his true nature assert itself. Maximus was a cultured and charming individual, impressively intelligent and highly educated. He was also a werewolf. Not only that, he was considered the king of them all. Beneath his polished exterior was a ferocious and deadly creature, a nearly unkillable beast that I would hate to meet in combat. And I don’t scare easily. Fortunately, we had sprung him from captivity some time back, so we were all on very friendly terms. He’d especially taken a shine to Ariana.
“Sure, gotcha. Good luck with that.” Ariana’s disappointment was noticeable, but not pitiful. “Hey, thanks for everything. You’ve been awfully generous. I really…” she cast a quick glance at me, “I mean we really appreciate it.”
The laugh that jumped out of the phone’s tiny speaker was warm and genuine. “Ariana, you and Kane save
d my life. I wouldn’t even be here if you two hadn’t gotten me out of that tower. Anything I have, any resources I command, they are yours, you only need to ask.”
She blushed. I rolled my eyes, and she reached over and swatted me for it. I shook my head slowly and folded my arms as I got comfortable in the kitchen chair, but I kept silent. She turned her back on me and returned her attention to the phone. “Well, thanks. You’re all right, Max. Really.”
“Dinner when I return?”
“Um…wait, what?”
“You know, dinner. That’s when two people get together and enjoy an evening meal and conversation.” He paused, and I could imagine the huge, wolfish smile he had to be wearing as he said, “You can bring Kane if you like, but I doubt he’d mind if I escorted you myself.”
She unconsciously reached up and found a lock of hair to twirl around her fingers. “Dinner? Um…sure. Sounds fun.” Her heart was thumping like it was in a rock band, though her voice was anything but excited. “Right. Yeah, just, um, let me know when you’re back in town.”
“I will. I look forward to it.” His voice became all business once again. “Edge will text you when he’s getting close. Oh, and Ariana?”
“Yes?”
“You and Kane be careful. New Mexico is beautiful, but it can be harsh and unforgiving. There’s old magick out there, as well as a few things you may not have dealt with before. Stay safe.”
“Will do. Bye.” She tapped the phone and disconnected the call before slowly turning to give me the side-eye. “What are you looking at?”
“You,” I said, stating the obvious. “Why not just tell him you want him? You’re a witch. A warrior. And he obviously wants you as well, why not just say it? Are you afraid?”
Ariana straightened to her full height, which was a hair taller than I, and glared at me. Just when I thought she’d lay into me, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Look, I’m not afraid of him. It’s just…it’s been a long time, and my last relationship didn’t exactly end well. It got complicated.” She pulled a beer out of the refrigerator, popped the cap off, and headed for the stairs. “No, I don’t want to talk about it. See you in a few hours, I’m catching a nap before Edge gets here.”
A Grim Situation Page 13