The spawn was finding shape, gathering substance. They didn't have much time left to decide what to do. On the shelves, no. But the pew I threw at the door is lying to our right. That might do the trick.
That thing is going to attack the minute you move.
It certainly was. Right now, it was simply hanging there, a twisting boiling mass of smoky evil waiting for something to happen. I don't suppose there's any water on that shelf?
There are bottles. Could be booze, though.
In a church?
Hey, they do use wine in ceremonies, don't they?
Just check.
The shelf rattled, and the spawn's mass became agitated.
Hurry.
If I go any faster that thing will attack.
Her tension and fear simmered through the link, sharper than before. Glass clinked, and the spawn zipped sideways, as if trying to see where the sound was coming from. In the warm light still leaping from Nikki's hands, its eyes gleamed like soulless diamonds.
Got something. She hesitated, then sniffed and added, It's water. I think. Okay, the minute I move, you spray that water across the room. Hopefully, it'll deter the spawn long enough for me to grab the pew. He paused. Ready?
No. Her spirit reached out to his, wrapping him in heat and love. Now I'm ready. Let's do it. Okay. He took a deep breath, then said, Go.
He dove for the pew. The spawn screamed and zipped towards him, its vaporous curtains reaching out, ready to smother and consume.
He hit the ground, sliding through the dirt as he grabbed the pew. The spawn screamed again, teeth gleaming as it tried to wrap vaporous arms around him. Water slewed through the air, glittering brightly in the fire of Nikki's flames. The droplets lashed across the spawn's mass, and it hissed, snapping its skirts away. Michael lifted the pew and threw it toward the coffin. The spawn howled in fury and lurched forward, wrapping its gowns around the pew in midair. There was a retort, a bright flash, then the pew and the spawn were gone.
He blew out a relieved breath and climbed to his feet.
Why did you throw the pew at the coffin rather than the spawn? Nikki twined her fingers through his and squeezed lightly.
Because I figured the spawn might have been programmed to protect the coffin, whereas the first spawn had been set to attack anyone who touched the handle. Anyone but Dunleavy.
He nodded. By throwing the pew at the coffin, I made the spawn attack the pew rather than us. But why would Dunleavy have a spawn here, when he's protecting the coffin with magic?
Extra insurance. He squeezed her fingers then released her. We'd better get out of here She raised an eyebrow. We're not going to try to destroy the coffin?
I doubt that we can. I don't know enough about magic, and I'm sure the magic protecting Weylin's brother is pretty powerful.
He cupped his hands, and she stepped into them. He boosted her up, ensuring she'd climbed safely onto the second step before following her up.
"Where next?” she asked, dusting her hands on her skirt. “The Standard Mine?"
"Yeah. I don't think we have any other choice.” It was either that or sit back and wait for Weylin to come to them, and he'd never been one to do that.
"Neither have I.” A smile teased her lips. “Which is why I'm always so surprised that you're so surprised when I do something rather than wait, as ordered."
"That's because you tend to rush in where angels dare not tread.” He caught her arm and pulled her into his embrace, kissing her quickly. “Or vampires, as the case may be." He slid his grip down to her hand and again twined his fingers through hers. “Let's go." They walked into the church's main room. He scanned the outside of the building as they headed for the door, using his vampire vision so that he could detect blood heat. No one waited for them. Yet, tension crawled through his limbs, and he had a peculiar feeling that the men from the bar would soon be making an unwelcome appearance.
"Which is odd, you know,” Nikki commented, as he released her hand to put the wire mesh in place.
"What's odd?” He couldn't do much about the lock, as he'd broken it when he'd snapped it free. But he hooked it onto the latch. From a distance it would look as if the mesh and the lock had been undisturbed.
"These feeling's you're getting. It's almost as if you're somehow siphoning my abilities." He glanced at her. “Could be. After all, you're siphoning mine." She raised her eyebrows. “Am not."
"Then how do you explain the fact you've developed brilliant night sight?"
"But—” She hesitated. “I don't see blood rushing through bodies or anything like that."
"No. But from what you said, you're vision is somewhat similar.” He led the way down the steps and into the main street. It was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Even the blustery wind made little sound as it blew around the old buildings.
"So how is something like that possible?"
"I'm told it's because of the bond we share.” He hesitated and decided to finish the sentence through the link, simply because he couldn't shake the sensation that they were being watched. Seline thinks that because I shared my life force out of love rather than need, the bonding between us became far deeper than normal. It made us one.
Her frown deepened. But you have talents I'm not developing. And vice-versa True. But we haven't been together all that long. It could take years for the assimilation to be fully complete.
And years before we know which talents we can share, and which we can't?
He nodded. Right now, he was wishing that they could share all their talents. He had a feeling it would come in handy when they were finally battling Dunleavy.
They turned the corner and headed up the hill towards the old mine. The wind was colder here, fiercer. Yet through it he could hear a heartbeat. Many heartbeats, in fact. The men were waiting up ahead.
He scanned the horizon, but he couldn't see anything, which meant they were probably underground. Maybe they were waiting near the pentagram. Maybe Dunleavy expected them to do precisely what they were doing.
He stopped. “I think we should try getting to the Standard Mine pentagram through the shaft near the ranger's house."
Her gaze searched his. “You sense something?"
"Those men are waiting up ahead."
Her gaze jumped to the top of the hill then back to his. “Where?"
"I don't know. I can hear the beat of their hearts, but I can't see them with vampire sight. If we're in that smaller shaft, we're at least coming from a direction they might not be expecting. Plus, there's less room for them to come at us."
She nodded, and he changed direction, heading back down the street and across to the house. The wind had blown off a lot of the dirt covering the mine shaft's hatch, making it hard to tell whether the shaft had been used recently or not.
He flung back the door and peered inside. No sound. Nothing to indicate anyone or anything waited inside the dank blackness. He met Nikki's gaze.
"When I give you the all clear, come down."
She nodded and crossed her arms, her determined stance at odds with the fear lurking in her eyes. That determination was part of the reason he'd fallen in love with her. Part of the reason he would always love her.
She'd become part of the Circle simply because she was determined to share his life—determined to share everything—good and bad.
And for the briefest of moments, he wished he could simply give it all up, just walk away and enjoy an eternity of being with her, loving her. But he couldn't. He'd vowed on Patrick's grave that from there on in, he would hunt and kill the evil that preyed on good. That vow was the reason he'd made into a reality Seline's half-formed desire of a paranormal army to battle evil. The reason why he was still financing the Circle today. He knew that evil would always be around. But if he had any say in the matter, the Circle would always be there to battle it.
And though he now had more to lose than ever, he finally had something more than a vow to fight for. Live for.
He leaned forward, briefly, fiercely, kissed the love of his life, and then dropped into the hole. Nikki shifted her position so she could see him a little more clearly. Power surged through the link, and after a moment or two, Michael looked up. His eyes were as forbidding as the black shadows crowding the edges of the puddle of afternoon sunlight in which he stood.
"Come down."
She bit her lip, but she eased over the edge and into the tunnel. He helped her down, then twined his fingers through hers and led the way forward. The darkness leapt into focus as her eyes adjusted, but she felt no easier now than she had before. It still felt like there was a ton of earth above her, just waiting for the chance to bury her again.
She shivered and pushed the memories away. That wasn't going to happen here, simply because this time, the madman they were chasing needed her alive.
They reached the cross tunnel again. Water flowed past their feet, trickling down the right-hand tunnel for several feet before sweeping sideways.
"Obviously there's another tunnel down there,” she commented. He nodded, his expression remote as he listened to the silence.
"You hear anything?"
"Yes.” He glanced at her. “The heartbeats are stronger. They're moving towards us."
"Dunleavy doesn't want us to destroy that pentagram."
"Maybe.” He lightly squeezed her fingers. “I'll try to find a way around them." While she hoped that was possible, she suspected they'd have no choice but to confront the oncoming mini-army. Dunleavy had planned his revenge to the nth degree, and it was doubtful they'd be able to slip past his net this late in the game.
Which meant there was no getting around the fact that the final confrontation would occur during the ceremony tonight.
Goose bumps trembled across her skin. She could only hope that Seline had been right in her assumption that the ceremony couldn't be completed simply because she wasn't Seline. Because if she and Michael failed, that was the only thing stopping Emmett's evil from being unleashed on the world yet again.
We won't fail, Michael commented, his mind voice calm, almost soothing. I have every intention of getting you to that alter and officially making you mine.
And here I was thinking you'd forgotten the little detail of our wedding. Amusement bubbled through the link, wrapping warmth around her heart. Thinking or wishing? Maybe you've had second thoughts about marrying such an old man.
As long as that old man keeps loving me as well as he did today, I'll have no complaints. Then I shall endeavor to—
His words cut off suddenly, and he stopped. She followed suit, listening to silence, hearing nothing but the steady gurgle of water. The air was thick and cold and moved easily past her cheek, indicating there was an outside entrance somewhere up ahead.
What? she asked eventually.
The heartbeats have ceased.
Her stomach began to churn. Oh God ... He's killed them?
I don't know. I certainly can't smell blood, and if he's killed them, I would. Could they have moved back up top? The air is moving, and it wasn't before. Maybe. He tugged her forward again. I've a feeling we'd better get to that pentagram while we can. Dunleavy is weaving his net around us.
It's been around us the whole time.
Yes, but now it grows tighter.
They hurried through the darkness. Though Michael made little noise, her steps echoed, the sound slapping off the wet walls loudly enough to make her wince. One thing the Circle hadn't taught her was how to run without noise. Maybe she'd suggest it when—if—they got out of here. They reached another junction. He barely hesitated before pulling her right. She had no idea where they were in relation to the mine or the town, having lost all sense of direction about twenty steps in. They'd barely gone three steps when noise scuffed across the silence. She glanced over her shoulder. Michael.
I know.
But—
I know. His mind voice was terse. They've been there for a few minutes now. So why didn't you mention it?
Didn't want to worry you.
I thought you were going to stop doing that?
I said I'd try. I didn't say I'd stop completely.
Now, that was definitely the vampire she knew and loved. So when were you going to tell me we were being tailed? A heartbeat before they attacked?
Give me a little more credit than that.
Okay. Two heartbeats, then
Amusement shimmered down the link. That's more like it.
She shook her head. So, is there anything else I should know?
Have I mentioned there's something ahead?
No. Her thoughts were more acerbic than annoyed. What?
There's one heartbeat. I think it's the last shifter.
Can we go around him?
I'm trying, but he's shadowing us. Remember, they know these tunnels. I'm only following instinct. He tugged her right again. The walls began to close in, and the rough-hewn support planking gave way to natural rock. The air became danker, thick with the scent of age and disuse. Ghostly tendrils of slime appeared, sprouting from the ceiling like a living thing and slapping wetly across her face. It felt like the fingers of the dead grasping for her.
A chill ran across her skin, and she edged a little closer to Michael's back. This tunnel was way too similar to the one that had almost claimed her life.
Stone rattled behind them, the noise echoing harshly. The men were closer than before, and fear scooted through her. While she really did believe ten men weren't much of a match for her and Michael, the situation they were in now was far from normal, and she was without the benefit of her basic abilities. Sure, she had her fire, but she didn't particularly want to hurt any of those who followed them, and that would hamper her actions and perhaps make it more difficult to protect herself. The tunnel twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the darkness. The walls closed in, brushing her shoulders, tearing at her shirt. She bit her lip and hoped like hell they weren't being herded into a dead-end.