Drop Dead Demons (19 page)

As if someone was drawing at super-speed using a laser light-stick, a miniature 3-D holographic rendering of the town of Gossamer Falls came to life in mid-air. Hovering just above eye level and measuring six feet at its longest length, the hologram shimmered and glowed in wavering shades of white, blue, and green.

In this fantastical image, the lake took center stage, the jagged shoreline broken up by off-shoots of large bays and small coves. Upon its shores, the surrounding community’s buildings, roads, parks, and forest emerged in full detail. And it all seemed alive.

A breeze fluttered the leaves of the trees, water flowed through the winding streams and steep gorges, and the pounding currents of the waterfall poured over the cliff’s edge, crashing into the deep pools below in a billowing, sparkling mist. Only things missing were miniature cars and people moving about their daily lives.

The shape of the lake was basically an oval, lying lengthwise from east to west, tucked in a long valley with the mountains jutting up around it. Starting on the west end was the main town with neighborhood houses and various buildings, such as the country club. This section spread clockwise to the north and east, covering about two-thirds of the northern perimeter. Then the mountains took over, and at the east end, directly opposite the town, was the waterfall with the portal behind it.

Continuing around the lake, curving down and clockwise on the south side, signs of civilization were sparse. Blake’s dude ranch had his house, the barn, and several outbuildings, including the guest cabins. Also located in this section loomed the imposing Gothic drama of Flint’s old house and the various smaller buildings on the estate. The rest of this mildly inhabited south end was covered with endless acres of the uninhabited forest and pastureland belonging to Blake’s family. 

While we all stood in awe, Matthias had arrived. He patted Tristan’s shoulder. “Very nice, mate.”

Blake scoffed, “Please, he had the easy part. I provided what you’ve all been waiting for.”

He stuck his meaty paw into the middle of the holographic image and swiped his hand down. The model of the town’s surface remained above, but Blake’s movement pulled forth another hologram directly below. The underground layer.

In the same glowing lines of holographic light, a massive network of tunnels appeared. They spidered out underneath Gossamer Falls in a complicated layout of intersecting passageways that ran up, down, or leveled off. Some were straight and some were curved, with several sharp turns and even a few spirals. Honestly, it reminded me of Selena’s ant farm.

“That’s amazing,” I murmured.

“Told ya.” Blake grinned. “Watch this.”

As he touched the hologram in various ways, things moved, allowing him to manipulate the luminous image. He could spin it completely in both directions. He could enlarge and reduce the whole illustration or just a particular area. He could separate an entire section out for closer study, highlight a section within the hologram, or turn things different colors. It was pretty cool. 

“This is straight-up creepy.” Ayden angled his head to get a closer look. “All this time and we never knew. Flint’s tunnels don’t just run from behind the waterfall to the portal like we always thought, they run—”

“Under the entire town.” Blake was near quivering with excitement.

“Some even lead out.” Tristan pointed at a few channels snaking out of the town under the mountains.

Blake shouldered Tristan aside. “Did
you
find the tunnels? Ah, no.
I
did.” 

“I don’t care who found what,” Matthias snapped. “One of you start talking.”

Blake pointed at the flickering image of our high school sitting on the south side of the lake. “The tunnels originate at Gossamer High, Flint’s old tower of doom.”

He traced a finger along the tunnels and rotated the image, highlighting the passageways where they ran around the left edge of the lake to the main town and the majority of homes and neighborhoods. Like where I lived.

“They break up into hundreds of short, narrow tunnels under the town,” Blake continued. “Connecting a lot of buildings together. Then they get longer and bigger as they go across the upper lake to the north under the country club, private school, and rich people houses.” Blake spun the hologram and drew our attention to a corridor that ran under a large structure. He touched the building and widened his fingers. The house expanded in size and was easily recognizable. He told Ayden, “Like yours, dude.”

Ayden reached out and touched the building, narrowing his fingers to revert it to the smaller size.

“Yeah, well, I’m not the one whose family practically owns the whole mountain.”

“Just a few thousand acres.” Blake laughed and thumped Ayden which knocked him into Tristan. “Because we were too smart and had awesome supernatural powers so the bloomin’ Brits couldn’t steal it from us. No offense, Matthias.”

The Aussie made a face. “But I’m not— Never mind.”

My brow furrowed. “Brits?”

“I’m part Native American, babe.” He tapped his cheek. “Didn’t you notice my swarthy complexion?”

Ayden snorted. “Swarthy?”

“That’s what Uncle Reece calls it.” Blake waggled his brows. “Sounds sexy. ’Cause we are. So is the fact that some of my family was on this mountain way before the settlers showed up. Makes you want to jump me, right now, huh, babe?”

“Focus, Blake,” Matthias growled.

“You’re just jealous. Sorry, chickadee,” he said with a wink. “You’ll have to jump my sexified, swarthy self later. When we don’t have a crowd. Unless you’re into that. Because I’m totally cool with group—”

“Blake!”

“Alas, duty calls.” Blake offered me an apologetic look and turned back to the map. “There aren’t many tunnels that go past the mountains and cliffs. See, nothing in the northeast fringes near your house, Matthias. But they start branching out again at the portal. Over here, babe.” Blake spun the hologram and reeled me to his side to point at the lake’s coves on the far east end where the iconic falls crashed and misted opposite the main town.

I knew how to read a freakin’ map, especially since this 3-D one was idiot proof. But I bit my tongue. Blake was so happy nerding-out.

“This big tunnel here goes from the falls around the far end of lake and all the way back to the high school. But here’s the weird part.”

“It hasn’t been weird yet?” I smiled.

Blake grinned back. “That big tunnel along the far end has all those little off-shoots going away from the lake. That’s my ranch. It covers all the land around the falls and the high school. Those tunnels come up to nothing. Just forest and pastures. But here’s the weirder part.” He enlarged a tunnel wall and pointed at what looked like pieces of machinery. “Most of the tunnel walls have gears and stuff built into them.”

I remembered the pieces of metal flying out when Fido broke through. “For reinforcement?”

“It’s more than that.” Tristan took a closer look. “It’s some sort of working machinery. Could run stuff like the lights and the fireballs. And whatever other contraptions Flint built into his security system.”

“He also built a secret access to the church, and a lot of the original buildings.” Ayden pointed at the main town then dragged a finger through the pale lighted tunnels at the west end. The ones that curved up into buildings turned red.

I made a face. “Bet it made it easy to kidnap and transport his murder victims without anyone ever seeing him.”

“Chick-a-dee, that’s not even the creepiest part. Look.” Blake gave a dramatic shiver as he poked at two tunnel intersections, his touch turning them bright yellow. “Almost all the tunnels eventually meet at two locations. The high school and the portal.”

“Why would he build so many secret tunnels to the portal?” Tristan said.

Logan shrugged and leaned closer to squint at the map. “They never found the bodies of Flint’s victims.”

Silence saturated the room because…

I cringed, “Ew, he threw the bodies into the portal?”

“Sick and efficient,” Ayden said.

Logan walked slowly around the hologram. “You didn’t find the rooms?”

Blake frowned. “What rooms?”

“The treasure he stole.” Logan loosened his tie. “The Mandatum says it could fill three cargo trains. But other than the portal cave there aren’t any open spaces. Where could he store it?”

“I think some stuff is still hidden from my ability.” Blake enlarged an area underneath the school. “Here seems to be part of an open space. Has a bunch of mechanical stuff.”

Logan shook his head. “It’s not big enough.”

Blake expanded the hologram around the mountains. “There are some gaps and dead-ends here. I could try mapping the ones that head out of town.”

“How does Rose expect us to search through all this?” Tristan flung a hand at the map, then paced frantically, arms flapping. “There’s a hoard of demons coming. And Cacciatori. And tactical teams. We don’t have that kind of time!”

“You can’t search it anyway.” I met their quizzical looks with a steadiness I did not feel. “It has to be me.”

Ayden shook his head. “Absolutely not.” 

I wasn’t crazy about it either, but…

“When Logan and I were in the tunnels, the security system tried to kill him, but not me.” I lifted one shoulder. “I don’t know why, but I’ll be safe.” I hoped.

“Forget it. Flint was a serial killer.” Ayden’s look was dark. “With his super nerd ability he could invent crap way ahead of his time. Like Da Vinci. But a big difference is that Flint actually had the means to build the stuff. Those little flaming spiked things are probably the least of our problems.”

Matthias nodded. “Agreed. Until we know more and have a plan, nobody,” he raised his brows at me, “goes anywhere near the tunnels. We need to go over the Flint files right now to see what we can find that can help us with the search.”

“The risk is too prodigious.” Jayden arrived carrying a plate of fresh-baked cookies. “We must give the documentations at least another night in the alloy to further mute the tracker’s efficacy.”

Tristan groaned. “More delays?”

“Fan-bloody-tastic.” Matthias blew out a frustrated breath. “Fine. We could use a good night’s sleep.” He pointed at the map. “Tristan, print out copies of that so we can all get familiar.” 

“I’ll put the image on everyone’s cell phone.” Tristan sniffed the air. “Are those chocolate oatmeal bars?”

“Your favorite.” After slapping Blake’s hand away, Jayden presented the treats to Tristan. “A laudatory jubilation to venerate your father’s reclamation. And further proof that I am propagating more emotional frivolity in my endeavors.”

Because that sounded so frivolous.

A doorbell blared over and over, like some kid was poking away with relentless intent.

“Who the bloody hell is that?”

Tristan brought up a security feed of the Ishida’s front door. The uninvited guest had a baseball cap pulled low to hide their face, but nothing could disguise the huge belly.

“Aurora!” Aunt M screeched in stereo, echoing from the computer speakers and through the front door and up the stairway. She jabbed the bell a few dozen more times. 

I checked the time and pushed through the crowd of boys. “Crap. I’m late for dinner.”

Logan gave Jayden a troubled look. “Didn’t you tell her family we were at Blake’s?”

“Confirmatory.” Jayden said.

I paused my rush out of the room. “How the heck did she know I was here?”

“I told you there’s something weird about M,” Tristan said. “
Now
do you believe me?”

Matthias wiped a hand down his face. “Weird that a woman who specializes in security was able to track her nitwit niece? No, mate. I think that’s the most normal thing going on around here.”

Darkness blurs, lightens to green shadows, then solidifies into trees. Oak and pine. Moonlight filtered by lacy wisps of clouds dips through breaks in the branches.

Blood-tipped fangs snap at the mists slithering through the night. Enormous pupil-less silver eyes stare though me. They belong to one of the almost-hellhound demons as it stands feral and wolfish on long thin legs. A thick layer of fur mottled with dirty shades of rotting wood and dried mushrooms spew out in a wiry mass, matted against the curved, spiral horns that spike out along its spine and tail.

It lowers into a crouch, tongue lapping across bared teeth.

“Oh, excellent,” Rose steps out from behind a tree. “Now you’re on high alert. Where was this ferocity last night?”

More silver-eyed hounds slink out from the forest to encircle Rose, growls slobbering the air. With a graceful leap, Rose grabs a low tree branch and swings himself up, out of reach of shredding teeth.

“Where is my stone?” A woman’s voice, flat and emotionless, carries down from above.

Her human form sits poised on a tree branch, too high in the cloaking shadows of night for me to see her as much more than a blur.

“Safe.” Rose snaps. “Unlike the Nex. Where were you? A demon got past your hounds and almost killed her!”

“The rogue was getting too close,” she says, unconcerned with Rose’s angst. “I was compelled to lay a false trail in order to distract him. But time is short.”

Rose climbs to stand on a thick branch and leans against the trunk. “The Nex found the tunnels.”

“But the hunters prohibit her from entering.” Her voice grinds artic cold. “Once again men prevent a woman from reaching her true potential.”

Rose scoffs, “They act to keep her alive.”

“Fools. Flint’s tunnels are designed to protect her. The girl requires fewer champions and more incentive.” Her voice takes a dangerous edge. “A circumstance I am happy to facilitate.” 

“No!” Rose seethes. “Your bloodlust ruins everything. I will handle it.”  

“You had better, or bloodlust will prevail.” She shrugs, “Regardless, I can search for the treasure on my own.”

“Now who plays the fool? Neither of us can enter.”

The woman laughs and stands, the silhouette of a bow pulled taut in her hands. “Are you concerned that I no longer have use for the Nex?”

Rose gives a bored look to the arrow aimed at his head. “Harm her without my consent, and I will assure delivery of your stone to the Mandatum. Or worse. Let’s not forget who has the power in this relationship.”

The hounds snarl.

“Yes,” the woman lowers the weapon. “There are many vipers in this pit.”

Rose scowls with dark intensity. “I swear I will end them all once I get my beloved back. I just need to open—”

I woke to darkness. And a weight pressing my chest. My hands lashed out. Fur slid between my fingers. Silver eyes glinted and a low growl rumbled the room. A creature of death.

Or not.

“Helsing!” I held my cat high. “Sleep on your own bed!”

He
meowed
and squirmed out of my hands, bounding into the shadows.

“Spaz.”

On the ride home with Aunt M, I’d had to endure a Dump The Hex Boys lecture. Other than firmly declining an invitation to have Father Bancroft give me an “earful” about staying away from them, I didn’t engage in the conversation. I was too worried about the plan the boys were trying to come up with to infiltrate the tunnels without getting themselves killed.

After dinner, I’d excused myself and gone to my room, using Jayden’s meditation techniques to induce a Divinicus vision. I’d tried for hours, but after zero luck, I’d fallen into a fitful sleep, frustrated at my failure. Or maybe not. Because I’d like to think that after I’d tumbled into slumber, my efforts had kicked-in this dream-vision thing. Either way, I’d had one of these before, and ignoring it had almost cost Jocelyn her life.

Not this time. I’d convinced myself that these visions were clues that my kooky Divinicus ability managed to fetter out of my subconscious, or whatever, and I needed to act. We were running out of time.

The numbers on my digital clock glared in the darkness, confirming the hour at a little before one in the way-too-early morning. But despite my groggy state, I rolled out of bed and changed into dark street clothes and Luna’s hoodie. Then, after a brief sneak into her room for a final essential, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed downstairs. By the time I hit the kitchen, I had a plan in my mind, but when I went to open the door to the garage, it was locked.

“No.” I thumped my forehead against the doorframe.

Aunt M had put on a deadbolt so no one could enter until she was finished with her stupid project. It was probably booby trapped with alarms too if I were to try and break in.

“Told you not to go in there.”

I yelped at the voice. “Aunt M!”

“Too many live wires. It’s dangerous.” M shuffled over in her robe and dumped Helsing in my arms. “Your stupid cat was scratching at my door. If you think you’re sneaking out under my watch, think again.”

“I’m not sneaking.” I was so sneaking. “Everyone knows I leave early for workouts.”

“Not this early.”

“Couldn’t sleep.” At least that part was true. “I’m taking your advice and going on my own.”

“No Hex Boys?” M’s mouth twisted with suspicion.

“I’m Hexless. But I do need my bike.” I set Helsing down. “Or I’ll have to call one of them for a ride.”

She wagged a warning finger. “Don’t you dare. Wait here.” She pulled a key from her pocket.

“What about the wires? Getting zapped would hurt you and the baby.”

“I’m immune.” She unlocked the door, slipping into the darkened garage. Moments later she squeezed out with my bike. As I wheeled it to the front door, M waddled beside me.

“Glad you’re doing more without those boys. You need to join a club like you did before. Make new friends.”

“I’ll look into it,” I lied. A normal student routine hadn’t entered my mind for…I don’t know, forever?

“How about that trip you were planning? Where was it? Austria? Spain?”

“No, it was…never mind.” That all seemed a lifetime ago. I missed those carefree days of utter ignorance.

“Tell me where then,” Aunt M said. “I’ve got offices worldwide, and if I don’t have one where you want to go, I’ll get one.” When I smiled and shook my head, she rushed on. “London, Rome, Athens. Or Paris! Even I like that one. ”

Sure. Great plan, dumped into the waiting arms of Madame Cacciatori.

“Thanks, but no.” I opened the front door and poked my head out. The lights were off at Tristan’s. Good. I sidestepped out. “I’m not interested in traveling anymore.”

Aunt M followed me onto the porch, wrapping her robe tighter against the bitter chill. “But wasn’t that the point of becoming fluent? I’d set you up to intern for a semester. And the summer. Or all year!”

“You never wanted me to go anyway,” I whispered, gesturing for her to keep her voice down as I pulled on a knit cap and gloves. It was way colder than I expected. “See? I’m taking your advice left and right. Besides, I’ve found a new hobby. Staying healthy.”

More like staying alive, but close enough. And it was more of a full-time job.

“Wish you’d make homework your hobby,” Aunt M said. “I could tutor you. Or Bancroft. He’s actually quite knowledgeable. And more patient. I can take you to see him when you get back.”

“No thanks.”  I gave her a kiss on the cheek. “See you after school. Oh, and, if that mailman comes back, shoot him with your tranq gun. A lot.”

She grinned. “That’s my girl.”