"Nikki?” Jake asked.
She shook her head and turned away, staring out the window again. Michael pulled a chair across to Jake's desk and tried to close himself off from the pain he could feel in her thoughts. But he had a notion it was not his night to win—in any way.
* * * *
Nikki crossed her arms and leaned wearily against a metal signpost. Jake and Michael were standing several yards in front of her, barely visible through the mist of rain. She wondered why Monica had chosen a train tunnel to hide in. There had to be more secure places about. And surely a child raised in opulent surroundings could never be comfortable with the dirt and constant noise inside the tunnel.
Not to mention the high probability of being seen, or even caught. The area was a well-known haunt for street kids. Her gang had often dared each other to race through the tunnels just as a train was due. She had no doubt kids still did today. Some brainless stunts never went out of fashion. And unless it had changed in the last ten years, there weren't many hiding holes inside. So why come here?
Maybe Michael was right. Maybe another trap waited for them. Yet she had no sense of the evil that came with Jasper's presence, only Monica. She wrapped her fingers around the locket. The metal pulsed lightly—a single beat every few minutes. Monica's heartbeat, she knew. Jake snapped the timetable closed. She walked across to the two of them. “What's the verdict?" He shrugged. “Near as we can figure, there's no train due for at least half an hour."
"I hope you're right. There's damn little room to move in there with a train going through." Jake grimaced and studied the sky. “It's not going to get much brighter. Not with all this rain."
"It won't matter. Monica will have no choice but to rest soon,” Michael said, studying the tunnel. “Are you certain Monica's inside, Nikki? No one else?"
She wondered if he could sense something that she could not. The locket pulsed in her hand, and heat washed over her skin. Heat and hunger. Monica's, not Jasper's.
"Oh yes,” she replied softly. “I'm certain."
Jake switched on the flashlight and walked towards the tunnel, becoming one with the gloom. An odd prickle ran across the back of her neck.
"It's not too late to turn back, Nikki."
Yes, it is. She gripped the barrel of the flashlight tighter and walked forward. Michael kept close, and she felt safer for it. Yet instinct warned it wasn't going to be enough to save her. She ignored the quick thrust of foreboding and watched the beam from Jake's flashlight dance across the darkness. Her own paled by comparison, barely piecing the gloom on either side. Maybe she should have stopped and bought some new batteries.
Their footsteps echoed though the silence. Would Monica hear them and flee? Would she even care?
The tunnel swung to the right, and the darkness fully encased them. Past escapades returned to haunt her, and she swung the light to the left. There had been a break in the wall near here, somewhere. She'd fled into it once in the face of an oncoming train.
Jake stopped so abruptly she almost ran into him.
"Hole in the wall,” he said, shifting his grip on the stake he held. “Wait here. I'll check it out." Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she watched him disappear. Though she couldn't sense anyone in the hole, it was better to be sure.
Michael stood behind her, as silent and still as the darkness around them. Yet he reminded her of a coiled spring. He sensed danger ahead, like her.
Jake returned. “Nothing,” he said, sounding oddly relieved. “Only rubbish."
"Monica's still ahead.” She swept the light across the darkness surrounding them. She'd heard no sound, yet she had a sudden sense of movement. The forces of evil gathered out there in the darkness.
"How far ahead?” Jake's question jostled harshly against the silence.
"I'm not sure. Not far."
Jake frowned and turned, leading the way once more. The yellow beam of light danced away from the darkness, barely penetrating the thick gloom. It would be so easy to fall into a trap. Or walk, as she sensed they were doing.
The locket in her hand pulsed again. She clenched her fingers and let her senses flare to full life. Monica was on the move, running lightly through the tunnel. Fleeing, but not in fright. Nikki bit her lip. Something was happening, something she couldn't sense or understand.
Michael's tension washed heat across her back. Maybe he could sense the presence she merely guessed at.
"Jasper's not here,” he said softly. “But the zombies are. I think you and Jake should go back. I'll continue the hunt for Monica alone."
"Monica is our client's daughter,” Jake reminded him. “You go nowhere without us."
"The two of you will never match Monica's inhuman speed. You'll only get in my way." Jake turned. His flashlight pierced the darkness, almost sun-bright. “And by that are you suggesting you can match her inhuman speed?"
"Yes, I am.” Michael hesitated. “I don't like the feel of this. Take Nikki and head back to the entrance. You'll be safe there."
He was certainly determined to keep her away from Monica. What did he fear—that she'd try to stop him? “I'm not going anywhere. I've already told you that."
"Damn it Nikki, you've encountered the zombies once already. Do you really think you and Jake can survive a sudden attack from three of them?"
Though annoyance barely touched his voice, it seared through his thoughts, almost burning her. She stared at him several seconds. Perhaps he was right. She'd barely escaped an attack from two. Add the teenager and an extra zombie, and the odds weren't looking favorable—even with Michael on their side. Perhaps it was time to leave Monica to her fate.
Besides, she didn't like the feel of what was happening up ahead, either. She held up her hands. “Okay, okay. I'll retreat. Jake?"
He shook his head. “I think we owe it to Trevgard to see this thing through." Michael raised an eyebrow. “And did you not promise your wife to take no foolish chances?" Nikki glanced at him sharply. He'd obviously been reading Jake's thoughts, to know something as intimate as that. Maybe it was only her presence that stopped him from entering Jake's mind and forcing him to obey.
Jake glared at him. “Just how in hell did you know that?"
"As I said, Nikki is not the only one with psychic abilities. She should be your main concern here, not Monica."
Jake glanced at her, his expression troubled. “All right, I'll go. But I want Monica brought out to us. I think we need to witness what happens, as much for your sake as Trevgard's." Michael nodded, then stepped into the shadows and disappeared.
"Damn,” Jake muttered. “How did he do that?"
"He moves fast,” she muttered, although he hadn't. He'd only taken a dozen or so steps and had hesitated, out there in the darkness. She wondered what he sensed. “And the tunnel turns to the right a few yards away. That's why you can't see him."
Jake touched her arm lightly. “Let's head back. The darkness doesn't feel quite as safe without your sinister friend around."
He was right. It didn't. The sense of danger had increased twofold in the few minutes Michael had been gone. The quicker they got out of this tunnel, the better. Nikki rubbed her arms, then turned and followed Jake down the track.
"What's that noise?” Jake said, after a few minutes.
Energy surged in response. She clenched her fists and listened. The wind sighed past them, gathering speed. The ground began to tremble.
"Christ,” Jake continued. “A train!"
She pushed him forward. “The hole's only twenty feet or so away. Head for that." Adrenaline surged, giving her feet wings. The lights swung erratically across the darkness, and for an instant, reflected brightly in a dead blue eye. She slid to a stop.
"Jake, watch out!"
Around her, the night found form. Something grabbed her waist and swung her away into darkness. She screamed, but icy fingers covered her mouth, cutting the sound off. She tasted dirt and death, and bile rose in her throat. Struggling violently, she kicked and punched the creature that held her so tightly. Kinetic energy surged, but before she could release her weapon, something hit her head, and pain exploded.
Evil danced around her. When my creatures bring you to me, I will make you mine . Jasper's thoughts were soft, as if spoken from a great distance.
No! She lashed out blindly with kinetic energy, fighting the strength of the creature holding her. Though wrenched away, another quickly replaced it. Dimly, she felt the warm touch of blood on her cheek, heard a distant scream of anger not her own.
Then nothing but mocking laughter.
Chapter Nine
A slight hiss was all the warning he got. Michael dodged, but not fast enough. The dart hit his forearm, and spread fire through his veins. Silver ... the dart tip was made of silver . Swearing softly, he wrenched it from his arm. The zombies were close, moving down a tunnel that ran parallel to his. Monica was still ahead, still running away.
It made no sense. The wind sighed past him, velocity increasing with every second. A train approached. They were running out of time. He turned and headed back.
He'd barely taken a dozen steps when dizziness hit him. He staggered for several seconds then stopped, pressing his palm against the tunnel wall. It was real and solid, and most importantly, not moving. Frowning, he squinted into the darkness. Ahead, Nikki and Jake were blurred shapes; a muted wash of red he could barely see.
He blinked and swallowed. There was a bitter taste in his mouth, and it had nothing to do with fear. The dart had been drugged!
The zombies came out of hiding. Nikki screamed and energy seared the air. Something hit the side of his head. Michael dropped to his knees, battling to stay conscious as the night danced around him. Moisture ran down the side of his face. He licked it, tasting his own blood. The darkness within him rose, a demon that battled the lethargy overtaking his mind. He struggled upright, knowing time was running out. The train was almost upon them. He had to find Nikki and get out of this tunnel.
Her life force burned fiercely through the darkness. Her fear filled his soul and became his own. Michael lunged towards her, but his legs felt encased in glue. He couldn't move with any sort of speed. Jasper's distant laughter mocked him. Then darkness claimed the fire of Nikki's life force, taking her from his sight.
Taking the warmth of her thoughts from his mind.
He swore and swung around to meet the rush of a zombie.
Punching the creature in the face, he knocked it back several feet. It landed on its rear, shaking its head and growling in confusion. He turned and ran forward.
Jake was gamely battling against a second creature. Michael leaped, kicking it away, sending it staggering across the track. Grabbing Jake, he thrust him into the safety of the hole, and dived in after him. Two seconds later, the train screeched past, whirling dust and rubbish through the darkness. Coughing, he pushed upright and leaned against the grimy wall. The sighing wind was cool, but it failed to provide any sort of comfort. He closed his eyes and sent his senses winging back across the darkness. There had to be some trace of Nikki...
Nothing. The drug slowing his responses played no part in his inability to find her. The zombies were easy enough to sense, huddled in tight balls just down the track. Hope the bloody train severs their heads ... He took a deep breath.
So. As he'd foreseen, Nikki had been captured. He had no doubt Jasper would kill her. Then he would be forced to re-kill her, just to give her the peace of absolute death. He'd known it was a possibility, but it wasn't one he was ready to face. Not now, not ever. He clenched his fists in the dirt, then slowly released them. What was the life of one more human if he gained Jasper's death?
The thought chilled him, and for the first time in years, he wondered at the cost of his quest—both to himself and to others close to him. People like Nikki, who was by no means close, and yet could have been, had either of them wished it.
He rubbed a hand across his eyes. She wasn't dead yet, at least he had the comfort—or maybe that should be discomfort—of that knowledge. The connection she'd formed between them wasn't severed, just empty.
He wondered what Jasper was waiting for. He wanted Nikki's power, of that Michael had no doubt. The only way he could claim it was in her death.
"Where's Nikki?” Jake's question rasped across the silence. Michael opened his eyes and studied him. The red haze of his blood heat was a muted glow in the night. Purple patches marred his face and torso, bruises in the making, but otherwise, he appeared unhurt.
"Gone. Jasper has her,” Michael replied flatly. He blinked and switched his vision back to normal. The return of darkness was, in some ways, a blessing.
"Why the hell didn't you make her stay behind?” Jake demanded angrily. “You knew what this man was like, yet you let her come with us. It's your damn fault she's gone."
"You're her boss. Why didn't you forbid it?” Although Michael understood Jake's anger was merely his way of coping with the situation, he couldn't keep the edge of annoyance from his voice. Jake lowered his gaze. “I'm her boss, yes. But damn it, you care for her!" Michael stared at him in surprise. Where in hell had Jake gotten that idea? He barely knew Nikki, and while it was true there was definitely an attraction between them, he had no intention of acting on it. And by all indications, neither would she.
"What I may or may not feel gives me no right to force her to do anything against her will.” And despite his noble words, he knew that had he been able to enter her mind and force her to remain behind, he would have. Even if it meant breaking his vow.