Circle of Desire

by Keri Arthur

  The thought died as a distant sensation of foul energy vibrated through the air. The hackles along his back stood on end, and he turned, sensing the main source of that power came from behind him.

  The buzz increased until the air was thick and electric. The rock under his feet quivered, and hot air blasted down the tunnel. Then energy died and silence fell once more.

  He remembered the fissures he’d seen in the tunnel. Remembered the zombies stopping. Knew that Kat was due back any minute. Felt fear engulf him—a fear that was both his and hers.

  His four legs had never moved so fast as he raced back to the tunnel.

  KAT PUSHED HERSELF UPRIGHT AND SWIPED AT THE WETNESS running down her face. The sound of the explosion still rang in her ears, but it didn’t prevent her hearing the rush of water—water that was up to her knees and rapidly rising.

  And the tunnel was no longer dark. Dust danced in the golden slithers of light that thrust into the gloom, and even from where she was standing she could see the gray of threatening clouds.

  But those same sunbeams allowed her to see the water. It looked as if half the damn river was being diverted into her prison.

  She rose and staggered forward. The water poured in through two fissures. They were large enough to thrust a couple of fingers through, large enough for the water to pour in with sufficient force to tug at her feet and threaten to topple her. But not large enough to allow a raven to escape, let alone a human.

  Being caught in a tunnel was bad enough. Being caught in a tunnel rapidly filling with water was the stuff of nightmares …

  She took a deep breath, trying to calm the rapid pounding of her heart and the fear threatening to lock her limbs.

  The water was only at her knees. She had plenty of time to find a way out. She looked up, studying the roof, noting at least half a dozen fissures that dripped water. But move one rock, and she might just bring not only the wall down but the rest of the river as well. Getting to the trapdoor that lay beyond the wall was definitely out of the question.

  She turned and went back through the water. The darkness weighed in on her as she moved away from the fissures and the sunlight. She tried to keep her breathing even, tried not to think about the weight of the river above her or the water that was creeping up to her thighs. Tried to think warm, calm thoughts as a chill crept across her skin and made her teeth chatter so hard her jaw ached.

  She raised her hands, running one along the wet walls, holding the other out in front as she waded slowly through the swirling water. It wasn’t long before she hit something solid—but it was a solid she didn’t want to feel. Another wall of rock.

  She bit back a curse, ignored the rising sense of panic, and edged sideways. It couldn’t be totally solid. There had to be stones she could move. Even if she only made a hole big enough for the water to escape through, it would be enough. Ethan was beyond this wall somewhere. She was sure of that, if nothing else. He’d find her. He’d get help and get her out—if the soul-sucker and her zombies didn’t find him and the rescue party first.

  Rock tipped under her touch. Kinetic energy surged to her fingertips. She carefully withdrew the stone from the pile and tossed it behind her. Water splashed, creating a wave that lapped past her hips. She bit her lip and grabbed another rock, working methodically to create a gap as dust and pebbles rained down on her and the water continued to rise.

  Sweat trickled down her face and a pounding ache settled into her head. She was beginning to push her kinetic limits, but she had no other choice. The water was rising faster now, and creating a hole was her only hope of escape. Her only hope of immediate survival.

  She pulled out another rock. There was an odd sound, like an old man groaning as he struggled to rise, then rocks and debris began to rain down on her.

  She yelped and jumped back. Her feet slipped and she went under the water, the coldness snatching her breath. Stones rained around her, churning the dark waters, confusing her senses so she couldn’t tell up from down. She tried to relax, tried to let herself float, but a rock hit her shoulder, and she cried out in pain, sucking in water, filling her lungs with ice. Then something hit her head and darkness closed in.

  ETHAN DROPPED THE BACKPACK AND SHIFTED SHAPE AS HE ran into the cavern. Where the entrance of the tunnel had been was now a wall of stone and rubble. He could hear the rushing of water and knew the fissures must have opened in the explosion, providing the river with a brand-new course.

  A course that might kill Kat if he didn’t find some way to free her quickly.

  He slid to a stop. Near the very top of the wall there was a small gap. No water escaped through it, which surely meant it hadn’t reached that high yet.

  He scrambled up, dislodging rocks and slipping in his haste. Stones tore at his hands and arms, but he didn’t care. Time was ticking away, and so were Kat’s chances of surviving. He had to act fast.

  He grabbed the rocks and began throwing them down, rapidly widening the hole. The air that rushed out of the tunnel was thick and cold and filled with fear. Or maybe it was his own fear he could smell. His gut churned, and the thought that he might already be too late made his hands shake.

  He kept working, shifting a rock, throwing it down, then grabbing another and repeating the process. Over and over, until his arms and back ached and sweat stung his eyes. Water lapped at the widened hole. He climbed a little higher and leaned into the damp darkness.

  “Kat?”

  His urgent whisper seemed to echo through the darkness. She didn’t answer. The steady rush of water was the only sound to be heard.

  He swore and grabbed another rock, thrusting it past his feet. A tremor ran through the rocks, then the whole pile shifted and slipped forward, as if the pressure of the water behind it had became too much. He froze for a second, every muscle tensed as he listened to the groaning. The wall shifted again, this time more noticeably. It was going to collapse … He jumped down and ran like hell.

  There was a rumble of sound, like that of an express train bearing down on him, then a surge of water and rock swept him off his feet. He hit the ground with a grunt and was sent tumbling forward, tossed and turned as easily as the boulders that rained around him.

  He slithered into a cavern wall, pain blooming up his side. He cursed, but braced himself against the wall and rose. The wall of rock was all but gone, the water rushing down the other tunnel. He couldn’t see Kat anywhere.

  Pushing away the rising sense of panic, he ran back to the wall and climbed over the few stones that remained. That was when he saw her. She was facedown in the remaining puddle of water, wedged up against the wall.

  He grabbed her, pulled her onto dryer ground, and turned her over. She wasn’t breathing, and her lips were blue. Panic surged, and he took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He knew CPR. He’d done it successfully more than once.

  Only this was the first time it had really mattered. This was the first time he was trying to save someone he cared about. He pushed her onto her side, then opened her mouth and checked for obstructions. None.

  He began resuscitation. Fear was a knife digging deep into his heart. He didn’t want to lose her—not now, not like this. Not ever.

  And that one thought filled him with as much fear as the thought of not being able to revive her. But he thrust the fear aside and concentrated on breathing for them both, on willing her back.

  For what seemed like ages, nothing happened. He continued CPR and hung on to hope. Then she shuddered and coughed. Water spewed from her mouth. Relief surged, so strong it left him trembling. He thrust her onto her side, holding her while she vomited the rest of the water from her stomach.

  “God,” she murmured. “I feel like I’ve been sitting in a freezer for a week.”

  Her teeth were chattering so hard he could barely make out what she was saying. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  She shook her head and coughed weakly. “What in hell happened to the magic barrier?”

  “The
mara came down the tunnel not long after you’d left and took it down. She and the zombies moved the kids to higher ground.”

  Her gaze met his. The fear still lingering in the green depths of her eyes stabbed through his heart. He ran his hand down her cheek and brushed a thumb across her cold lips. Lips he ached to kiss. “You up to walking?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good. We have to get you back to the cabin where it’s warm.”

  “We can’t. Not until we get those two kids.”

  He rose, then took her hand and pulled her upright. She hissed, and pain flitted through her pretty eyes. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. She was wet and cold, and he wanted her so fiercely his whole body ached.

  “You look like something the cat coughed up,” he said softly. “I don’t think rescuing anyone is really an option right now.”

  A cheeky smile touched her lips. “So that’s a stake in your pocket and not an indication that you might be exaggerating just a little about how bad I look?”

  He grinned. “It’s no stake, and I’m not exaggerating. And I think I’d want you no matter how horrible you looked.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “The heat of the moon has a lot to answer for, huh?”

  “Maybe.” But it wasn’t the moon surging through his veins right now. It was her presence. Her closeness. He brushed a kiss across her lips and resisted the temptation to do anything more. Now was definitely not the time.

  He stepped away. “You’re shivering with cold and barely able to stand. There are at least three zombies guarding the kids, and the mara’s with them. I think it’s safer to wait until tonight.”

  “And give her time to set more traps? How sensible is that?” She looked around. “Have you seen my backpack anywhere?”

  He ignored the rush of annoyance and said as calmly as he could, “No.”

  “Then we’d better look for it. We’ll need the stakes if the soul-sucker attacks.”

  “Kat—”

  “No.” She crossed her arms, her expression a picture of stubbornness. “We’re wasting precious time standing here arguing, you know.”

  “I can pick you up and carry you out.”

  “And I can slap your ass across the cavern and go on by myself.”

  And she probably would, if he didn’t give in. “God save me from obstinate women,” he muttered and swung away to find the backpack.

  It was wedged into what remained of the fissure he’d hidden in earlier. He swept it up, then walked back down to her. “At least get out of those wet sweaters.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “And run around the tunnels topless? As much as you might enjoy that, I don’t think so.”

  “As much as I definitely would enjoy that, that wasn’t what I meant.” He took off his coat. His shirt was relatively dry, and if he got too cold, he could always shift shape. “Wear this.”

  She hesitated, then handed him the pack and quickly exchanged her sweaters for his coat. Though it was loose everywhere else, the coat squashed her glorious breasts flat, and she glanced up with a grin. “Well, I guess this proves your chest is not as large as mine.”

  “I’d be worried if it was.”

  He handed her the pack and she got out several stakes, handing them back to him. She pulled out one more, shoved a couple of chains and what looked like stones into her pocket, then tossed the bag aside. “Everything else is smashed.”

  Little wonder, given the small space the backpack had ended up in. “You ready to go?”

  She nodded. He caught her hand and led her toward the exit, only to stop when the smell hit.

  “That’s not good,” she said softly.

  It certainly wasn’t.

  The cavern beyond was filled with dead men.

  KAT SWEPT HER GAZE ACROSS THE CAVERN. THERE HAD TO be ten of them, if not more. At least she now knew where all the dead men from the cabin had disappeared to—they’d been waiting in the shadows to see if she escaped the trap.

  “No, they weren’t.” Ethan’s expression was grim as his gaze met hers. “And I certainly would have smelled them if they’d been anywhere else close by.”

  She studied him for a moment, wondering if he realized just how well he was reading her surface thoughts. “There’d be more than one exit from this place.”

  “Probably.” His gaze went back to the zombies. “What do you want to do?”

  “There’s only one thing we can do.”

  He looked at her, concern deeper in his nut-brown eyes. “You sure you’re up to it?”

  Given the fact that it felt like there were a dozen madmen pounding away in her head, she was sure she wasn’t. But it was either face the dead men or stay here shivering.

  She forced a smile. “At least fighting will warm me up.”

  “I guess there’s that.” He glanced at the zombies again. “I’ll head left, you head right. Hopefully, we’ll meet in the middle.”

  “Just remember: those stakes won’t kill zombies.”

  “That I’ll remember.” He shoved them through the belt loops of his jeans, gave her a quick, hard kiss that left her lips tingling, then jumped over the wall and ran at the zombies.

  They reacted instantly, rushing at him with a deafening roar. She shoved the stake through her belt and followed him out. Two dead men charged at her, bony hands outstretched like claws. She swung and smashed a booted foot into the face of one. The other she hit kinetically, thrusting him back into the pack attacking Ethan, knocking down three of them.

  The zombie whose nose she had mashed roared and swung a fist. She swayed out the way, then dropped, sweeping with one leg, knocking the creature off his feet. Then she hit him kinetically, twisting his neck until there was an audible snap. The madmen in her head did a weird little dance, making her eyes water. She blinked away tears and rolled out from under the rush of two more zombies. She jumped to her feet and lashed out at one, her hand smacking into its face. The zombie grunted and bit her palm, teeth tearing at her skin like a dog gnawing a bone. She yelped and punched him hard in the gut with her free hand, but didn’t get any response.

  The back of her neck tingled a warning. She twisted, kicking out at the dead man reaching to grab her hair. Her blow cracked against his knee but seemed to do very little damage. She swore and hit him kinetically, wrapping the energy around his neck, pulling until bone snapped and the zombie dropped.

  Which still left the one gnawing on her hand. She reached again for kinetic energy, but it felt as if the madmen were shoving red-hot needles into her brain and all she wanted to do was throw up. And that certainly wouldn’t get rid of the zombie clinging to her flesh. She hit it again, then with as much force as she could muster, lifted her knee and buried it deep in the zombie’s groin. It might be dead but it had once been a man, and its reaction was still instinctive.

  The zombie yelled, clutched itself, and dropped like a stone to its knees. She wrapped an arm around its neck and twisted hard. Bone snapped. She released it and swung around.

  Ethan stood in a pile of the dead. There were scratches on his face and his shirt was torn, but otherwise, he looked unhurt. She sighed in relief.

  His expression was grim when his gaze met hers. “Didn’t you say the soul-sucker will sense their deaths?”

  “Yep.” She dragged the stake free of her belt. “And I think you were right before. I think we’re better off getting out of here.”

  It was one thing being sore and cold when they had the element of surprise, quite another now that the advantage had slipped the soul-sucker’s way.

  He stepped over the dead bodies and held out his hand. “If she’s around, we’ll have to make her believe we don’t think the kids are here.”

  She nodded. “We couldn’t fight her in this condition anyway.”

  “Especially given the fact you can’t use your kinetic abilities right now.”

  She slipped her fingers into his. They felt so warm and solid and right against her own that she felt
like hanging on and never letting go. But let go she would when the time came and he still refused to admit the emotions she could see in his eyes.

  “How do you know I can’t use kinetic energy?” she asked as he led her into another tunnel that sloped gently downward.

  “From the fact that you killed the last zombie with your bare hands.” He hesitated. “And because I can feel just how bad the pain in your head is.”

  So the emotion sensing was a two-way deal. She wondered if he realized just how rare it was for two non-telepaths to connect so intimately. Wondered if he’d been able to feel Jacinta’s emotions or read her thoughts. But she couldn’t ask because she’d promised not to, so she simply said, “I’ll be all right once I rest with my herbal pack for a few hours.”

  He nodded. The tunnel came to a junction. He hesitated, looking right. She followed his gaze, staring into the darkness and feeling the wisp of evil stirring the air. The soul-sucker was in the shadows, watching them. If they stepped her way, she’d attack. And she wasn’t alone. There was another dead man with her, not a zombie but a vampire, and something else as well.

  She squeezed Ethan’s hand, and he looked at her. The grim set of his mouth told her he was aware of those waiting in the darkness.

  “The fresh air is coming from this tunnel,” he said, and she knew it was more for the benefit of the watchers than for her.

  “Great,” she muttered. “I’ve just about had enough of wet tunnels.”

  “There was nothing here to find anyway.”

  “No.”

  He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow, and she shrugged lightly. If the soul-sucker bought their retreat, then good. If it didn’t, well, hopefully they’d return fast enough that it wouldn’t really matter. And when they came back here, they’d be coming back armed to the teeth. The only problem was the time they were giving the mara to set more traps.

  They retreated. Light began filtering into the tunnels, but it got no warmer. Thunder could be heard rumbling and an icy wind whisked around their legs.