“They seem to know the general area where Dr. Cassidy is being held. That information is also on your straps. I want a perimeter established at a ten-mile radius. Our werewolf is there, and I want him brought in, dead or alive.”
Clive jerked at that, imagining Tina caught in the crossfire, but Kasia placed a cautionary hand on his arm. She glared around at her team. “Make every effort to save Dr. Cassidy, and I mean every effort. Not only is she an innocent Flatlander, she also has a special magic that we must preserve and study. Her safety is our first concern at all times. Does everyone understand?”
Clive heard his own struggling breath as Kasia's gaze went from person to person. She nodded. “Teams Ekah and Dvau, set up and maintain the perimeter. The rest of us will contact the Flatlanders and help them search. Get your equipment and go.”
~~
A bush slashed Tina's face as she crashed through it, but she ignored the pain, tossing her head to throw raindrops from her eyes. Her chest burned, and her breath came in deep gasps, but she could not fight the compulsion to follow Damien, keeping up with his rapid tear through the forest. He'd said she could resist him, but she didn't know how she did it. It wasn't happening at the moment.
When he'd released the iron straps that held her down, it was only to haul her to her feet. He struck her again across her face, then held her still, his hand entwined in her hair to hold her head back. He bent down, his face buried in her neck like a parody of an ardent lover.
“Fear,” he said, his voice muffled against her. “Pain. Fear of pain. Fear from pain. Hopelessness.” He raised his head, and his amused smile sent shivers through her. “You don't feel hopelessness yet, do you? Think maybe you got a message out? Think they'll find you?”
He laughed, and she knew beyond doubt that they never would find her. He moved her head back and forth, his breath hot on her cheek. “That's better, Tina. You're helpless. You have no hope. Remember that.”
He'd released her then, but the compulsion to stay with him had overwhelmed her. So when he stepped off on a fast walk into the trees, she went with him, fighting to keep up. He never once looked back or tried to help her up the steep slopes.
She didn't know how long they tore through the forest. Every moment had become a torturous concentration to take one more step, to keep going, while her sides screamed and her lungs raged. She was covered in cuts and bruises from her many falls and slips.
Her shaking hands gripped a branch as she pulled herself to the crest of a hill, and for the first time in an eternity, she stopped. Where was he? The compulsion had not lessened, it beat at her, forcing her to move, but with no idea of which direction he'd taken she turned in a circle, searching through the dark rain for a glimpse of him.
The pine needles under her feet gave way as she turned. A terrifying and nauseating weightlessness surrounded her, but the fall was over before she found breath to scream. Then she was sliding, feet first. It occurred to her that it might be better to die rather than face whatever Damien had in mind. But her hand found a bush, which slowed her, then Damien grabbed her by her jacket, lifting her and dragging her with him along the slope.
They'd gone just a few feet when he turned, pushing her against the mountainside, then through an opening. She didn’t feel the rain anymore. He took her a few more feet, then let her fall to the ground. She lay there for several minutes, doing nothing but getting her breath back and waiting for her sides to stop hurting.
A surge of heat brought her upright in a rush of terror. Was he going to burn her alive?
But there was no fire. They were in a cave—a large one, high enough for Damien to stand in. She was crouching against the rock wall, to the right of the entrance about halfway to the end of the cave. A few feet to her right, a smaller opening was visible, but she couldn't see anything inside. Damien stood at the end of the cave, staring at the left wall, his hands moving in a slow, complex pattern over the rocks.
She watched him, bewildered. It took a few moments for her to realize that it should be dark in the cave, that she shouldn't be able to see anything at all. She could see because he was making the wall glow. The light rippled with the pattern of the limestone and chert conglomerate, casting uneasy shadows deeper into the cave. The surge of heat she'd felt receded into a steady warmth centered on the glowing rock under his hands. Tina huddled against her own wall, and glanced toward the entrance. Did she dare?
“You can't get out,” Damien said, his attention still on the wall and the pattern his hands were making. Tina shuddered. Could he see behind him? Did he sense her somehow, or know what she was thinking?
He nodded once as he brought his hands to rest at his sides. The wall continued to glow. Then in one movement, he turned, picked up a small rock, and tossed it to the cave entrance.
It bounced back.
Damien smiled at her. “Just a gate spell. You can come and go when I allow it. Test it if you like.”
She hesitated. Even if she managed to leave the cave, how far would she get? She had no doubt of his magical abilities. Kasia said he was powerful, and she'd already seen enough to know he could do amazing things. He was gloating, standing with crossed arms and watching her with a smile of disdain. Tina lifted her chin, returning his look with one of determination. She stood, forsaking some pride as she held the wall for balance. She hurt everywhere, as if she'd been hit by a car. She forced herself to inch along the wall until she reached the cave opening, aware of Damien watching her every step with amused anticipation.
She picked up a stick and tossed it out of the cave. It didn't quite get all the way out before bouncing back and landing a few feet away. Fear pounded through her arteries, but she refused to look at Damien, hoping he wouldn't see it. Picking up another stick, she kept hold of it, pushing it out of the opening. A few inches, then a few more. The force of the stick flying from her hand back into the cave sent a jolt of pain up her arm.
Damien laughed.
She leaned against the wall, breathing hard. When she forced herself to meet his gaze, his glittering eyes made her want to throw up, but she tried to sound calm. “So what is your plan? What are we doing here?”
He turned without answering, disappearing into the smaller opening. She glanced at the cave entrance, biting her lip. Poking it with another stick brought the same result as before. She was rubbing her arm when Damien reappeared with a backpack in his hands. He sat on the ground near the warm wall and pulled out two bottles of water and wrapped sandwiches, placing one of each a few feet away from him.
He gestured at them before opening his own bottle. “Have some food,” he said. “I didn't bring you here to starve you to death.”
The sight of the water made her realize how thirsty she was, and although she wouldn’t have thought it was possible, she was hungry, too. She’d had the cup of yogurt several hours ago.
He left the choice up to her, draining his water, and unwrapping his sandwich without another word.
She stayed against the wall, trying to think it through. I don't know what he wants, or what he intends to do. But if I'm going to get away, I have to take care of myself. Just stay alert.
She approached close enough to grab her food and water, but retreated to the entrance to eat.
He laughed again. “It's warmer over here.”
She shrugged, deciding he didn't need a response. The sandwich was from Eddie's, and Tina's eyes filled with tears as she took the first bite. Would she ever see her friends again? Did Will get her message?
She stopped chewing, alarmed at the sudden thought of what might happen if Will did get her message. What would he do? Could any of them fight against Damien? Had her call for help condemned them all?
Her shaking hands dropped the sandwich, and she sniffed, wiping away a tear with her arm. Across the cave, Damien lifted his head as if smelling the air, reminding her of his earlier actions. He seemed to feed off her fear. Would it work to hide her fear, to stay defiant or angry?
I am afr
aid. And I don't think I can hide it.
She did manage to drink more water, then huddled against the wall, keeping one eye on Damien at his end of the cave, and the other on the opening a few feet to her left. She wasn't quite aware when she fell asleep.
Chapter 31
Clive pulled the car off to the side several yards short of the roadblock near a three-way crossroads. An ambulance and two county sheriff cars were parked on the other side, along with a ramshackle group of trucks and cars. Several people milled around the area, but Clive kept his eyes on the sheriff deputy approaching them with her hand on the butt of her gun. He stayed behind the wheel, holding up both hands to show he was unarmed.
Kasia was not as cautious; she opened the passenger side door and jumped out in one movement. The deputy swung to face her, bringing her gun up in the same movement.
“Stay right there,” the deputy said, her no-nonsense tone putting Clive in mind of Sheriff Nancy. “Hands where I can see 'em.” Behind her, two more officers approached at a trot, drawing their own weapons.
Kasia huffed and rolled her eyes, but she put her hands up. Nailing the cops with a raised brow, she threw out the magic words. “FBI.”
The first deputy blinked. “What?”
“FBI,” Kasia repeated with exaggerated patience. “Captain Windblood, Moab division.” Keeping her hands up, she pointed to the letters emblazoned on the left side of her jacket. “We were in the area and heard about your kidnapping. It's possible your perp is someone we're looking for. We're here to help. I've got teams setting up a perimeter. The rest of us are here to help search. Who's in charge?”
The big man behind the deputy stepped forward. “I am,” he said, sliding his gun back into his holster. His deputies made no move at all, guns still steady on Kasia. “Sheriff Ringstrom. You got some ID?”
With exaggerated care, Kasia reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the plastic wallet holding her fabricated ID card. Ringstrom held out a hand and she tossed it to him. He studied it, then indicated the car. “Have your personnel step out. How come I didn't hear about you being in the area?”
“We weren't that close.” Kasia came around the car as Clive, Riff, and Shandari piled out. “I called your office when I heard your report, but the dispatcher said you were already out here.”
“That so? He never called me.”
“I didn't leave a message.”
“Well, I'll tell you what we got, Captain,” Ringstrom said. “This fella's kidnapped one of our women. We've got proof he's a bad sort and we're awful worried about her. She's pregnant, too. About three months.”
“The fella we're looking for is definitely a bad sort, Sheriff. May have a tendency to torture and murder animals, and he's proven capable of extending that to humans.”
Ringstrom nodded without looking away from Kasia, but Clive noticed the other cops exchanging glances when they heard about the animals. They'd seen something.
“The thing is,” Kasia continued, “we haven't been able to get a decent description of the guy, or a name. You got anything?”
This brought guffaws from the cops, and Ringstrom gestured a stand down. As they holstered their guns, he removed his hat and swiped an arm across his forehead. “Hell yes, we got a lot, Captain. The guy’s been living in town for almost two months.”
Clive jerked as if he'd been zapped with a wand. He grabbed Kasia's arm. “Shit! All this time, I've been tracking him, and he's had Tina in his sights all along.”
Kasia turned. “Clive….”
“Fuck it, Kasia,” he said, shaking with fury. “You stay here and deal with these people. I'm getting out there now, and I'm finding her.” He turned a glare on Ringstrom, who stood open-mouthed, staring at Clive. “What's he look like?”
Ringstrom snapped a finger and the blonde deputy flipped a paper from her belt, holding it out. Clive grabbed it and glanced at the photo. Not anyone he recognized, but he didn’t care. He dashed across the street, pulling out a flashlight, tuning his senses as high as he could get them.
He hadn't gone far when quick steps approached and Riff appeared at his side. “Buddy system,” he said. “I'm yours.”
“Just don't slow me down.”
“Right behind you. Let's find her.”
~~
Tina realized she'd fallen asleep in the same moment she was hauled awake, as Damien pulled her up by one arm. Her shocked yell was cut off as he jerked her across the cave, tossing her down near the warmed rock wall in back. She had a glimpse of the wall to the left of the entrance, now littered with graffiti—angular characters drawn in several rows. She turned her terrified stare onto Damien, alert for his next movement. He knelt in front of her, grinning. She shuddered at the glitter in his eyes, bigger and brighter than it had been earlier. She noticed for the first time that his face was scratched in several places.
“Time for work, Tina,” he said. “I've got some questions. Start answering them.”
Her breath came in gasps. “What do you want?”
“For starters, I want the name of man who fathered your baby.”
She thought of prevaricating, but his expression changed her mind. “Clive Winslow.”
He reached a hand toward her face. She flinched, but he just stroked a finger down her cheek. “Good, Tina. That's good.” The finger stalled, resting on her chin. “How long have you known him?”
She closed her eyes and his hand tightened on her chin, the pain forcing her to look at him again. “I don't know him,” she mumbled through his hand. “It was just one night.”
He let go of her and laughed. “Is that right? I bet he didn't tell you what he was, did he?”
“No.”
“Were you in Kaarmanesh?”
“Of course not. I didn't know it existed.”
He nodded, the grin fading into a thoughtful expression. “But you know about it now.”
“Yes.”
“You know what I am. You said you had a cure. Who are you working with in Kaarmanesh?”
Tina hesitated, reluctant to endanger Shandari. Damien's grin returned as he drew his knife from a sheath at his belt. His grin widened at the same time that her terror leapt up. His eyes glittered even brighter. He really did feed off her fear. As the light glinted off the knife, she saw his hand was covered in scratches.
“Easy way or hard way, Tina,” he said.
Her right arm slammed of its own accord against the wall, held in place by another of those iron bars. She scratched at it, her fingers slipping off the cold metal without purchase.
He leaned toward her. “I prefer the hard way, Tina. Give me an excuse.”
“P-p-portal Enforcement,” she said. Her heart pounded in her throat. She could see the corresponding brightness in his eyes. “One of their healers is working with me.”
“There's no reason to keep it from me,” he said. “I know PE is here. They've had agents looking for me for weeks. I've been right under their noses, but they never see me for what I am.” The knife tip rubbed along her jacket. “Do you know why, Tina?”
She tried to melt into the wall. “No. I don't.”
“Because I'm stronger than they are. I can keep my human mind during the Change. I’ve learned how to use the Change to increase my strength. I’ve learned how to hide in plain sight.”
She was still wearing her jacket, but now it disappeared from her body, leaving her in just her jeans and sweater. She screamed, unable to comprehend it. The knife prodded her side with delicate pokes, not breaking through the sweater.
“I need to return to Kaarmanesh,” he said. “But they've got this portal closed and guarded. The nearest available portal is in Moab, and my protection doesn't extend that far.”
Still holding the knife, he picked up her free arm, pushing her sleeve up past her elbow. He continued talking, as if they were having a friendly conversation. “I can extend it, but I need more power. Your cat provided quite a bit. Spirited little thing.”
The scratch
es covering him. Tina bit her lip against the despair. “My cat?” She could only whisper.
Damien nodded. The flat of the blade floated through the air above her arm as he watched its path, a small smile curving his lips as if he were deciding where to cut. Tina tried to pull away, but that damnable paralysis held her still. Terror spiked, its grip on her as strong as his. She watched the knife, saw the scratches on Damien's hand and the brown, crusted blood on the sleeves of his shirt. Beowulf's blood? Her terror reached another peak.
He breathed deeply of it, eyes closed. Then he turned the knife in one sudden movement, slashing her arm to the bone. She screamed, pain, denial, and terror warring within her. Damien dropped the knife, one hand cupping the blood that poured from her arm, while the other reached for a bowl, placing it to catch the blood. She couldn’t move, except to drag in breath for screaming. An eternity passed before he clamped down on the cut, then wrapped it firmly with a pressure bandage.
The pressure brought the pain down to a sharp ache. Darkness narrowed Tina's vision to a flashing vortex centered on her arm. Damien moved away, toward the graffiti. Breathing in deep gasps of choked tears, and with her right arm still cuffed to the wall, she raised her knees to cradle the injured arm against her.
She preferred to not know what he was doing, but dread at what might happen next made her turn her head. He had removed his shirt, and was standing in front of the wall. Candles burned on rocks on either side of him. He was holding the bowl of her blood with one hand, while he stirred it with two fingers of the other hand. He chanted something in a low voice, sharp, staccato sounds that seemed to vibrate the air of the cave. Tina shook with it.
Worlds Apart Page 18
