Maris crossed his arms and tilted his head back.
“Well, that’s something I didn’t know before. I also didn’t know that demons gamble.”
Tadin rolled his eyes. Leave it to Maris.
He turned back to Shelley and took her hand in his.
“I was trying not to tell you because I didn’t want it to ruin our relationship. If you found out about my ties to Haures, I was worried that you’d stop trusting me.”
Shelley shook her head. The surprise was gone from her face.
“That doesn’t change anything,” she said. “You have your past mistakes, and I have mine. If I didn’t want this relationship, I would have said so. You know that. And if you don’t want to talk about something, I’m not going to force you until you’re ready.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked, a smile creeping into the corners of his mouth.
She broke into a smile herself and pulled him into a kiss.
When they parted, Maris looked very uncomfortable.
“I’m always the third wheel,” he said.
“Maybe a new pair of glasses,” Tadin teased. “And a haircut. Then you’ll be fighting them off with a stick.”
“I highly doubt that.”
They walked down the stairs — Shelley close to Tadin — and he wrapped an arm around her.
“Can we just go home now?” she asked.
“In a minute,” Tadin replied. “There’s still one thing we have to do.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight:
Monday - 7:00pm
Pyro thought he was home free.
He hurried on foot across the Veteran’s Bridge. The entire monument was lit up like Christmas. His shoulder ached from landing at the bottom of the stairs and his legs were sore from jogging. But he couldn’t stop now. He had to get as far away as possible.
At least I still have a body to complain about, he thought with gritted teeth. He was luckier than Aleister. Haures was no better. He hoped the old demon dissolved quickly.
He ran faster.
Maybe he could make it to the countryside. Maybe the Superiors would let him take up a new position in a small town if he could get far enough away. That would be nice. Anything was better than a detention cell. That’s where he would be if they brought him in for questioning at the headquarters.
“Damn, this running is a lot of work!”
He stopped on the walkway and fought to catch his breath. He was halfway across the bridge. The highway was on the other side.
Maybe he could get a lift. That would make things much easier.
He leaned against the railing with his hands in his pockets. He felt the key he’d escaped with and took it out to examine.
“Stupid thing,” he said, turning the silver key over. “It’s useless now.”
He brought his hand back and threw the key into the water.
Nobody will find it now.
He was just continuing onwards when a silver car pulled in front of him. The passenger window rolled down and the driver, a middle-aged man, leaned over to speak to him.
“Hello, Pyro,” the man said.
“Shit,” Pyro muttered. He was caught.
“Going somewhere?”
“Apparently,” he replied, “since you’re stopping me. I didn’t know that going for a jog was against the rules.”
“Get in the car.”
Pyro got into the passenger seat with a scowl on his face and slammed the door behind him.
They drove back down Commercial Street, up across the Casco Bay Bridge, and into the seaside college district. The driver didn’t speak the entire time, and Pyro was glad. He had nothing to say.
They stopped at the pier by the community college and Pyro saw a large oil tanker across the way.
Without being told he got out and followed his escort down the pier to a small motorboat. He climbed down the ladder and into the boat and the escort descended right behind him.
The ride lasted ten minutes. They headed for an island not far from shore. Pyro knew this place well. It served as a portal to the underworld. Perched on the hilltop was a retired octagonal fort that disguised the portal.
They beached the boat and Pyro was led up to the fort. The man took some keys from his pocket and unlocked a large chain holding the rusty iron doors shut. Once they were open, Pyro went to walk through, but a loud, ravenous barking spilled forth from within the doors and a grizzled she-wolf barred their entrance.
“It’s okay, girl,” the escort told the creature, her eyes blazing like gold pennies. “This one has business below.”
The she-wolf inspected Pyro before snorting at his feet and stepping aside.
Stupid mongrel, Pyro thought as he walked down a dark, dripping corridor. Does she think I’m a mortal?
They stopped at a set of sliding doors with a keypad beside them. The escort entered a long code and the doors opened, revealing a gleaming white elevator. It was so bright that Pyro shielded his eyes until they adjusted to the light.
“Step inside,” the escort said.
“Did they have to put the lights on full blast?” Pyro asked.
The escort shrugged. “I’m not in charge of the lighting design.”
They descended for what felt like forever and Pyro’s ears popped more than once.
At last they stopped and the doors opened on a pure white hallway. The floor was made of glass and Pyro looked down to see dark, frothing water rolling beneath them.
“Nessus will take you from here,” the escort said, and the elevator doors closed. All around him were sounds of industrial humming.
He looked up and saw a ridiculous figure — a half-man, half-horse standing before him.
“Hello, Nessus,” Pyro said.
Nessus nodded. The centaur hadn’t spoken since his death and reassignment as the ferryman of this floor.
“Let’s get this over with,” Pyro said, and the centaur led him down the hallway, his hooves clicking on the shiny floor.
At last they stopped in front of a plain doorway with gold lettering that read, “7b.”
“Are you serious?” Pyro turned to the centaur, but Nessus nodded at the door.
Pyro groaned.
Of course, he thought, and opened the door.
He didn’t want to go in, but he had no choice. The feeling in his gut said that nothing good lived in that room.
Nessus nudged him forward and he grudgingly stepped inside.
Once he was through the doorway, Nessus closed the door and the industrial sounds were replaced with the rustling of leaves and chittering of harpies.
I hate this place.
Pyro dragged his feet along a solitary path. Tall, gray reeds sprouted everywhere and up above a canopy of dark leaves blocked out the sky. It was a wonder that he could see anything with those leaves. But, he reminded himself that it was all an illusion. He wasn’t really outside. He was deep beneath the surface of the world. All the shafts of moonlight were farce. The only thing real here was the sense of despair settled over everything like a fine layer of dust.
Somewhere in the woods he heard a snap, followed immediately by a cry of agony. Pyro heard laughter and looked up to see a pair of harpies on a low hanging branch. Their clawed feet dug into the bark and produced small, bubbling streams of blood.
“Help me!” gurgled a voice from the puncture marks. “Please, someone! Show me mercy!”
The harpies, their faces like human children, giggled and scraped at the bark even more, enticing more agonized cries.
Pyro quickened his step and continued through the woods until he reached a break in the trees. Ahead was an orchard.
He heard rustling and a female figure stepped into view, pausing to brush a gloved hand along a tree trunk.
“What a nice place for a meeting, Verin,” Pyro said, folding his arms. “Really, you had to stop me when I was making good progress?”
Verin turned, a hint of surprise on her face. She was angelic with flawless porcelain skin
framed by dark brown ringlets. Her dress was purple velvet and swept the ground as she walked.
“I would hardly call making it to the Veteran’s Bridge a great amount of progress,” she wiped her hands together and removed the gloves with a tug on each finger. Her hands were very dainty. “I wasn’t letting you get away without an explanation, you know that.”
“An explanation?” Pyro said. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play stupid with me, Pyro. I’m not naïve to your temperament. You forget that when you’re up in the mortal realm, you’re not on your own. Surveillance brought back word that Aleister was torn from his body.”
Pyro tried not to let on how much he knew.
“Is it true?” Verin asked.
“If Surveillance saw it, then you shouldn’t be asking me that question.”
Pyro was used to Verin fishing for information. She never cut to the chase. There was an art to her process, and he didn’t appreciate it.
“Come on, little brother. You know I want to hear it from you to be sure.”
“You always do,” he rubbed his nails against his shirt and looked her directly in the eye. “What else did you force me here for? Please tell me it wasn’t just for Aleister’s sake?”
A harpy giggled behind him and he jumped away from the fence. He didn’t trust those little shits. Never had.
“No,” Verin walked over to a nearby tree and caressed one of its branches. “I want news about Haures.” She smiled innocently.
Pyro blinked.
Oh no, he thought. She doesn’t know.
“I haven’t heard from him in a few days,” she continued. “The last time that happened he was on the hunt for a renegade. Is that why he’s been so distant towards me?”
“Haures was separated from his body,” Pyro said, his face solemn. He didn’t drag it out. Verin deserved that much.
Her hand jerked away and the slender branch she gripped snapped free with a gurgled scream.
“No,” she said, her shoulders trembling. “That can’t be true. Surveillance said nothing.”
“It’s true.”
“You’re a liar. If Haures was separated, I would have heard.”
“Not necessarily,” Pyro rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Verin, I’m not lying — I really wish I was, for your sake — but it’s true. Haures is banished. He’s probably being processed this very moment.”
Verin collapsed onto her knees and wringed the branch in her hands. Her sobs echoed among the trees. The harpies tittered as they watched the scene. Her hair fell like a curtain over her face and a few tears soaked into the curls.
“Who did this?” She asked. She threw the branch to the ground. “Who’s responsible?”
“A renegade named Tadin Hough. There were two humans with him, a girl and some paranormal investigator. Tadin was one of his lingering projects. The higher-ups told him that if he didn’t catch this renegade by the end of the year, he’d be demoted.”
“But, what about all the new souls he’s collected? Weren't those worth anything?”
“Not as far as corporate was concerned,” shrugged Pyro. “You know how they are. They sit behind their desks and make decisions. They don’t have the experience we do. They just look at paper and decide what we do. We follow orders.”
Verin wiped her eyes, but her cheeks were stained with the tears.
“That’s why I was running,” he added. “I’m tired of following orders.”
“No, you were running because they wouldn’t give you Haures’s job.”
He rolled his eyes.
“I didn't want to take his place. I want a position of my own.”
“Running away would give you that?”
“I thought so. I would have had money, if that stupid man wasn’t in my way. But, I can get money in other ways. You know that. They didn’t crown me the demon of falsities for nothing.”
“No,” Verin got slowly to her feet. Her dress was marred at the knees with dirt. “I don’t doubt your talents, Pyro. But, it’s best that you’re here with me.”
“Why?” Pyro kicked at the dirt. “You would have found out about Haures eventually. He only has two years before they cycle him out with a new body...”
“Two years is a damn long time.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes. “What if they never told me?”
“They would have told you.”
“I’m not so sure,” she said. “You remember when this happened to Chrysanda. They never told Graeme what happened until a year later. If they don’t like you, they keep information from you on purpose to watch you suffer. It’s our job to make others suffer, but you’d think that we’d have compassion for each other.”
“I expect nothing from anybody,” Pyro forced a smile. “Obviously, you expect something from me right now. What is it? You can’t keep me in these godforsaken woods forever, I’ll tell you that right now.”
“We have to leave,” she said. “But, you’re not going back to the surface.”
“Excuse me?” he blinked. “You think you can order me around now that my boss is detained?”
“I’m not ordering,” she looked him in the eye. Her stare was pleading. “As a favor to me, I’m asking you to take on a new position below.”
“For what? You know corporate doesn’t allow changes so easily.”
“I have a little leverage.”
Pyro scratched his earlobe, removing flakes of skin from his ear gauges. “What will I be doing?”
“You’ll work for Surveillance.”
“Really?” He didn’t know what to think about that. He was used to being able to roam around. Surveillance was an office job. “What good will that do?”
“If I’m going to collect Tadin myself, I need someone on the inside,” she said. “Someone I can rely on.” They moved back down the wooded path. Pyro was eager to be back in the corridor. “I need you to give me information on Tadin’s movements.”
“Isn’t that something Haures’s replacement will worry about?”
Verin stopped at the doorway and faced him directly.
“I’m the demon of impatience, little brother. Do you really think I can wait for justice to be served?”
He smirked.
“No. I’ve never seen you wait for anything. Except for Haures.”
Fitting that she will risk everything for Haures, he thought. He expected no less.
“I won’t stop with Tadin, though,” she said. She clasped her trembling hands together. “I’m going to torture his human companions. And when I’m finished, I will personally escort their souls to the lake of fire.”
A breeze swept through the woods, and a dead silence followed.
Pyro swallowed.
“I have no doubt that you will,” he said.
Once they were agreed, Verin stepped out into the corridor and Pyro followed. He was thrilled to be out of those woods. He followed her to the elevator that took them deeper into the center of the earth. Soon everything would be in place to make the job ahead a reality.
Chapter Twenty-Nine:
Monday - 7:10pm
Shelley stood outside the library, her fists trembling with every breath she took. She knew what she had to do, but that tiny room was like a closet of death.
That’s exactly what this place is.
The room was filled with sorrow, fear, and hopelessness. It made her eyes water.
“I suppose we’d better start,” Maris said behind her.
“Yeah,” she said. “I guess so.”
Her feet felt like they were cemented to the floor. Could she do it? Could she go back in that room where her soul was almost ripped from her body?
Then a hand brushed against hers and she saw Tadin standing beside her. He smiled and laced his fingers with hers.
“We’ll do this together,” he said.
She turned and wrapped her free arm around his waist. Her heart pulled her into an embrace and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. They stood li
ke that for a moment.
“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s over now. We escaped. But, now we have to help the others escape.”
She pulled back and looked into his eyes.
“Just so you know,” she said, “I’m not usually that brave. Let’s never do anything like this again.”
Tadin laughed and kissed her forehead.
“That sounds like a good idea to me.”
When they parted, Maris rolled his eyes.
“What?” Shelley asked.
“I’m just confused,” he replied.
“Confused about what?” asked Tadin.
“If Shelley isn’t normally that brave, then where did all that bad-assery come from?”
Shelley blinked. She honestly didn’t know. Before she could come up with an excuse, Tadin answered for her.
“It was always in her,” he grinned. “She’s just being modest.”
“I’ll say!” Maris said. “Any woman who can survive what I just witnessed is a godess.”
“Don’t worry,” said Tadin. “She’s not going anywhere without me.”
He squeezed her hand and all her fear and anxiety disappeared.
“Alright,” she said at last. “Are we going to free some souls or what?”
It took them an hour to get through the collection. At first they tried unstopping the figurines, but, Maris said it took too long and they resorted to smashing them on the floor.
Tadin started at the left, Maris took the right, and Shelley worked on the middle. Fine balls of mist darted off as soon as she smashed each statuette. Sometimes a fully manifested figure emerged from the pile of broken glass and looked around as if it had just awakened from a deep slumber. Whatever the form, the spirits all fled the building within minutes.
“How are you doing?” Maris looked up from his remaining statuettes.
“Almost done,” Tadin smashed another figurine and the spirit zipped for the doorway. “What about you, Shelley?”
“I’m on my last two,” she reached for the figurine of a woman who looked about her age.
Quimby, Candice, read the label.
Within the glass was the shadow of the girl’s soul, flickering like a firefly.
Macyntire & Hough (A Paranormal Romance) (The Macyntire & Hough Saga) Page 16
