Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 (19 page)

Brenna sank beside her on the dirt. “You’re not sacrificing yourself. Hilda can do this. It’s a workable solution.”

“We’ll see,” Agnes said. “Ga’loh is smart, too smart. You’ll have to get the cure from him before he sees me or Hilda, or this will be for nothing.”

“Brenna is smarter than any demon.” Hilda reached down to light the fire. “You have to stop looking at her as Marissa’s friend. It keeps you from seeing how powerful she is.”

Agnes nodded. “Forgive me.”

Brenna shook her head. “No worries. Do you need anything else to complete the spell?”

“No.” Agnes drew out a fresh athame and held it in the fire to cleanse it. “Quiet and time is all I need.” She glanced at Keegan.

He snorted. “I haven’t said a word.”

“Keep it that way.”

Brenna left as Agnes began to cast her circle. A part of her wanted to stay and watch, but she needed to get back to Gray. In a few hours they would separate and he would go after Adare without her. To say it made her uneasy was a gross understatement. Leaving them to their craft, she left the tunnels.

Gray was waiting for her in their room. She smiled when she realized he had used their time apart to clean some of the mess. A path had been cleared through the debris so she could walk unencumbered through the room. What was left of the mattress had been laid against the wall, a fresh one in its place. She didn’t ask where it had come from. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

He lay on the bed in a pair of black boxer briefs. Hands behind his head, chest stretched to showcase his muscular abs, he stared back at her. “Was Agnes okay with using the tunnels?” he asked.

“Yeah. Keegan’s with them. He wouldn’t leave his blood unattended.” She settled beside him on the bed and pulled off her boots. “I don’t get Agnes. I feel like she’s not telling us everything.”

“Agreed.” Gray shifted. “But I can’t put my finger on what it is.”

Brenna stood and pulled off her jeans and sweater. She tossed them into the pile of clothes near the closet before turning back to the bed. Clad only in her tank top and panties, she slid into the bed beside him and snuggled against his chest.

“I’m not comfortable with us fighting apart,” he said as he pulled her close. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable. We’re stronger together.”

“I know.” She glanced up at him. “But we don’t have a choice.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it. The timing sucks.”

Brenna pressed a kiss against his chest. “It’ll all work out. It always does.”

Gray sighed. “I’m not worried about the end result. It’s what we have go through to get there.”

Chapter Nineteen

Gray clenched the steering wheel, his nerves on edge. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to leave Brenna and, even now, he wanted to turn the car around and drive back down the mountain. It was an impossible situation.

“Slow down or pull over.” Keegan glared at him from the passenger seat.

The dragon didn’t know how to drive and he hated confined spaces. Gray rolled his eyes, but then he noticed the witches in the back were hanging onto the seat, their faces white with terror. A glance at the speedometer told him he was going almost a hundred miles per hour. Considering the road was curvy and there were sheer drop offs on either side, it probably wouldn’t hurt to slow down.

“I should have flown,” Keegan muttered. “You’re going to kill us.”

Gray hit the brakes, slamming the dragon against the dash. “That better?” he growled.

One of the witches screamed. Fat lot of good she would be in battle.

Gray’s irritation grew as they traveled what had once been Interstate seventy. Now it was nothing but a curvy dirt and gravel road. All night they drove through the old casino towns until they passed the carcass of the resort town that had once been Breckenridge. Several miles later, Gray went off road until he came to an abandoned hillside. He screeched to a halt amidst the scattered IRT tents. Jumping from the SUV onto the makeshift dirt road, he motioned for them to follow him inside the largest tent. The side of the tent was stacked from floor to ceiling with cases of weapons. Knives, guns, and anything else a hunter might need were at their fingertips.

As the other SUVs roared to a stop, he pulled back the makeshift entrance and motioned the other hunters and witches inside. The tent easily held them all. These were the only ones still standing. The rest were nursing their wounds inside the boarding house and praying the demons didn’t attack.

Gray studied each of their faces, memorizing them. He was leading them into battle, and he would make damn sure they made it back. “Go through the crates and load up. You’ll need all the help you can get.”

The witches stood to the side, acutely out of place. They were not creatures of brute force. Their strength lay in the sophistication of their magic, a skill just as important, yet not as visible. Gray moved toward them. “Thank you for helping us. I know this isn’t your fight.”

The eldest of the group stepped forward. Her long white hair fell almost to the ground, her bright green eyes glazed with age. “I’m Gwen.” She held out her hand. Gray shook it without hesitation. “Agnes asked us to help, but we would have come anyway. We want to be here.”

“Good.” Gray motioned them forward. “I want you to check the perimeter for spells, but wait before you try to unweave them. I don’t want Adare to know we’re here.”

The witch nodded then led the others outside.

Uneasy, Gray watched them go. They weren’t as powerful as Agnes. He wasn’t sure they could handle the level of spell casting Adare was capable of. But he wouldn’t know until they tried, and he had no choice but to let them.

“Sucks being in charge.” Keegan stepped beside him. “But it looks like you’re taking it in stride.”

“Old habits die hard.” Gray smiled despite himself. He missed the adrenaline of battle and the thrill of command. “How are the hunters?”

“Weak.” Keegan snorted. “Not my first choice, but they’ll do. They’re cannon fodder so we can get inside.”

Gray shook his head. “I’m going to wrap them in a defensive spell. They’ll survive.”

“Against Adare?” Keegan sighed. “Maybe.”

A high-pitched scream rent the silence. It was one of the witches.

“Damn it, I told them not to do anything.” Gray cursed as he threw open the tent flap and stepped into the snow.

The sight that greeted him was unexpected.

Three of the witches lay sprawled across the ground in a prone position. Their blood pooled beside them on the snow. The others had gathered around them, visibly trembling as they stared across the hillside at the ruined structure of the old hospital.

“What happened?” Gray moved toward them. His eyes remained on the survivors. They glowed with ethereal power, but it wasn’t theirs.

Keegan knelt beside two of the fallen witches. After checking them for signs of life, he glanced at Gray. “They’re dead,” he said as he rose to his feet.

“We didn’t see the barriers until it was too late.” One of the witches stepped forward. Her long blond hair was wrapped around her head, her flowing white dress singed at the bottom. “The wards used our detection spell to pull us in.” She motioned to the women on the ground. “They weren’t strong enough to get free.”

“What type of spell was it?” Keegan asked.

Gwen stepped forward. “He’s using a corrupted form of blood magic.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure how to get past it.”

“We have to find a way.” Gray stepped toward the barrier, ignoring their warnings. “We can’t attack until it’s down.”

“We need Agnes,” Gwen replied. There was a panicked look in her eyes, and panic was one thing they could not afford.

Gray grasped her arms. “No, we don’t. We have everything we need. You can figure it out. If you don’t, we’re all dead. Adare knows we’re here, so either we get in, or he comes out.”

She trembled against his hold, but met his gaze unflinching. “Bury our dead. I can’t work with them lying here.”

He glanced at Keegan, who nodded. The dragon would take care of it.

Gray turned back to the witch. “You can do this, Gwen. Agnes wouldn’t have sent you otherwise.”

Head held high, body trembling, she pulled herself from his grasp and walked to the others. She motioned to one of the younger witches. The other woman pulled a jewel-encrusted athame from inside her cloak. She held the silver blade to the sky and murmured an incantation. After a few moments, the silver dripped with fire. With a nod, she began to cast a circle around them with the blade.

As she moved the other witches joined hands, chanting. Their power streamed through the air, activating the spelled barrier that trapped them on the hillside. The magical construct glowed red in the dim light, reacting to their presence. Magic swelled around them, fueled by grief and rage, until it manifested in a tumultuous cloud above their heads. Adare’s barrier shook from their assault, glowing in the moonlight.

Satisfied the witches had it under control, Gray returned to the tent.

“What did you do with the bodies?” Gray asked Keegan as he stepped inside.

“Some of the hunters are burying them in the field. I told them to mark the graves, so the witches could pay their respects once they were done.” He sank into a metal folding chair. “So much for going in quietly.”

Gray shrugged. “Adare was tipped off. Otherwise he wouldn’t have put up wards. He knew we were coming.”

Keegan considered for a moment, then nodded. “Then we go in guns blazing. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

“Except our lives,” one of the hunters spat out from the other side of the tent.

Turning, Keegan hissed. “Unwanted commentary from the peanut gallery.” He paused. “I could kill you now and save Adare the trouble. You knew what you signed up for before you came.”

Gray shook his head, stopping him with a hand to the chest as Keegan started toward the other man. “You’re not helping. Maybe you should go outside with the witches.”

Keegan glared at him, but nodded. In a blur of movement he disappeared.

“Anyone else got something to say?” Gray stared them down. Although they were few in number, with the right attitude they could do the job. Keegan was right, a piss poor attitude would get them all killed.

None of them would meet his gaze. Gray motioned them forward. “Circle around me,” he instructed. “I’m going to cast a protection spell over you. It will shield you from harm as long as you don’t go inside the tunnels.” There wasn’t a spell strong enough to protect them from Adare, but Adare would stay inside.

The detractor spoke up. He was a young werewolf with an ego large enough to fill the tent. Stepping forward, his lean body filled with rage, he stood toe to toe with Gray. “The element of surprise was all we had going for us. We should leave. We can’t win.”

Gray bit back a sharp retort. He didn’t have time for a pissing match with a kid. Gathering his magic, he sent the wolf back to the boarding house.

“I don’t want anyone here that doesn’t want to be here. Say the word and I’ll send you back.” He glanced around the room. The hunters stared back, anticipation in their gazes. No one spoke. “As soon as the witches get the barrier down, we go in. You will go first and provide the distraction Keegan and I need to get into the tunnels. As soon as we’re in, I want you to pull out and join the witches. They will teleport you back to the boarding house where there will be healers waiting.”

The men began to argue, but Gray raised his hand to silence them. “I know you want to fight, but even if we get Adare today, there’s still a war coming. Things have gone too far. We can’t afford to lose you. You’ll have your turn. Now line up and get ready. I want you down that mountain the second the barrier breaks.”

As the hunters were filing out of the tent, Gray’s phone began to ring. It was Brenna. “Miss me already,” he answered.

“Of course,” she laughed softly. “Your defector is here. Should I lock him up?”

Gray shook his head, then realized she couldn’t see him. “No. He’s just a scared kid. But don’t let him leave.”

“He said things were going downhill.” The tension in her voice was pronounced. Damn werewolf, Gray may just have to skin him after this was over.

“It’s fine. Something unexpected, but nothing we can’t handle.” He closed his eyes. Although he tried to sound nonchalant, she knew him too well not to hear the stress in his voice. “Why did you call me instead of using our link?”

“I wanted to hear your voice,” she said as he stepped outside. He quickly went back inside the tent so that he was alone. “Be careful, Gray. I don’t want to do this life without you.”

Stunned, he responded, “I don’t want to do this life without you either, Brenna. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I love you, Gray. I have issues and I’m not ready to take things to the level you want, but I still love you.” She ended the call before he had a chance to respond.

“I love you too,” he murmured. “More than you know.”

For a moment he stood there, gathering his thoughts. When they had first returned to this plane after confronting her father, she had told him she loved him. But in the past few weeks, he had begun to wonder if she had changed her mind. The ups and downs in their relationship were enough to drive anyone crazy, and Brenna wasn’t known for her patience. Her words filled him with relief. Despite their issues, love gave them a strong foundation to build on. And it gave him the renewed determination he needed before he faced Adare. Now they just had to get out of this mess alive.

The next time Gray stepped outside the tent, the witches stared back at him. Their eyes were filled with exhaustion, pain, and exhilaration. Although three more of their coven lay on the snow near death, they had broken the barrier. The witches had sacrificed themselves to get Gray’s men through. He owed them, but it was a debt that was impossible to repay.

Gray moved toward the edge of the hillside. The demolished hospital stood in the valley below them, a seemingly harmless pile of rubble and dirt. Gray glanced over at where the hunters stood poised to attack and gave them a nod. The pounding of their combat boots against the rocky hillside sang in the silence as they barreled toward the compound.

As they touched down in the valley, defensive wards exploded around them. Several low class demons, secure in their human hosts, appeared in the rubble. They attacked the hunters, but Gray’s men were too strong.

The battle raging around them, Gray and Keegan made their way to the far end of the old hospital. A metal grate marked the entrance to the tunnels, and Keegan pulled it free and jumped inside. Gray checked the perimeter to make sure they hadn’t been followed, then jumped in after him.

The smell was abhorrent. Gray’s eyes watered as they struggled through the stagnant knee deep water that filled the concrete tunnels.

“What is that smell?” Keegan murmured.

“It’s a deterrent spell.” Gray wiped at his eyes. “A strong one.”

They didn’t speak as they followed the winding tunnels. Eventually they ended up in a damp dirt room. Similar to the Underground market, the large space was empty except for a cage, a sleeping bag, and a gargoyle.

At first Gray thought Lucy was dead. She lay curled in the huge iron cage, her back to them. But as they moved forward, she rolled over. Her eyes were blood caked and swollen shut. Unable to see, she sniffed the air, the tension in her body fading as she recognized their scent.

“Get out of here,” she whispered, struggling to sit. “It’s a trap.”

“We know.” Keegan ripped open the door to her cage. “We’re smart like that.” He gathered Lucy in his arms and laid her gently on the muddy floor.

Gray tossed him a healing potion.

“Drink,” Keegan instructed as he pressed it to her lips.

She sucked down the potion, her lips cracked and bleeding. Before long her wounds began to fade and she could open her eyes. A few more moments and she was standing, although she was a little wobbly.

“Adare knows you’re coming.” Her eyes wide, she glanced at the opening on the other end of the room. “We need to get out of here.”

“No,” Keegan said gently, turning her to face the tunnels they had passed through. “
You
need to get out of here. There are witches on the hillside. They’ll teleport you to safety.”

She studied them carefully, her eyes switching back and forth from them to the tunnels. “You can’t beat him. You don’t even know what he is. Come with me.”

Gray shook his head. “What is he, Lucy?”

“The hell if I know,” she replied. “But he’s stronger than anything I’ve seen. You can’t beat him.”

“Leave that to us. We need to get you out of here.” Gray pulled another potion from his jeans and handed it to her. “Drink this if you run into trouble. It will make you stronger.”