Wolf Spell 1 (18 page)

Remembering what Moriah said, I tried not to reach out with my energy, trying to conserve what I had left. I pushed up on my hands and knees, ignoring the sharp stinging in the palms of my hands.

“I hope you’re comfortable.” My heart skipped a beat. I knew that voice—it was the same one I’d heard before Goliath threw me down here.

I strained to see who it was, but it was complete darkness.

“Do you know who I am?” The voice asked.

“No.” My voice surprised even me with its rough hoarseness.

The whole underground brightened as if we were outside. I squinted and brought my hands to my face, shielding my eyes from the light.

Once my eyesight adjusted to the brightness, I lowered my hands. I tried not to notice all the dirt encrusted to my skin and under my nails. The wetness from my tears made the dirt stick to me like mud.

I looked around but couldn’t see an escape. The only entry I saw was that of the open hole above me that seemed to go up forever.

A dark figure walked toward me. Where he came from I wasn’t sure, I strained to see behind him, but it was nothing but a dirt wall. “I’m Nicholas. We need to talk.”

So this was the famous Nicolas.
“Then talk.” I replied tersely.

“I will give you a choice. Work for me willingly, or be forced.” He stared into my eyes with his muddied brown ones. I shivered, feeling extremely vulnerable.

“Wow, that’s some choice. I choose neither. I’d never work for you.”

He backhanded me across my face, making me fall. It stung and made a ringing in my ears.

“I have ways of making you,” he seethed.

I sat back up. It was slow going, but I did it. “I’d rather die.”

“That will be arranged in due time, my dear, due time.”

A deep sinking feeling overcame me. Would Jarak find me before he killed me?

I decided to push the boundaries, “You won’t kill me. You need me. I can fill in the gaps you create.”

That perked his interest. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve already done it.”

“Do tell my sweet one.” He squatted down and offered his hand to help me up.

I spit at his palm. “Why would I tell you anything?”

He clenched his jaw. “Fine, I guess we’ll talk later.” He stood, and an evil grin spread out on his face. “I’d hate to leave you all alone. What kind of host would I be? Oh, and I wouldn’t be so sure that I need you.”

I cringed inwardly, wondering what plans he had. He snapped his fingers, and black shadows crept along the walls and ceiling of my earthen cell. They moved in unnatural movements, jittery and shaky.

I scrambled to get back up. Nicholas laughed. “I’ll see you later, my sweet.” He disappeared, leaving me with the dark spirits. I spun around. They were all around me, moving in closer.

I kept turning in a circle, watching them. When the light faded and the darkness returned I screamed. Something cold touched my arm. I hysterically swatted at it, shaking it off. I knew the shadows where everywhere but I could no longer see them.

There was something on my foot. I couldn’t see it, but I looked down and kicked out vigorously. Low moans filled the underground cavern. “Leave me alone!”

All at once, it seemed as if they found me. A cold heaviness fell upon me, and I couldn’t stand up, falling to my knees from the pressure. I pictured Jarak’s face. “Help,” I whispered to his image.

Maybe death would consume me, and I wouldn’t have to live like this anymore. Tears streamed down my cheeks as the evil spirits covered me, their mass forcing me to lie down. I squirmed and tried to get them off me, but it was no use. Without my magic, I couldn’t defeat them.

A bright light illuminated the darkness. I was drowsy, waking from another unconscious state. How long were those creepy things over me? They filled my head with visions. Things I never want to see again. Blood, searing pain, and sorrow.

I tried to sit. My muscles ached and burned with each movement. The light got brighter. It came from where Moriah entered earlier, and I grew hopeful. Maybe she found a way to come back after all.

All thoughts of a rescue faded when I heard the heavy breathing and a grunt from a man. “So we meet again Sweetheart.”

I was only briefly aware of gasping as I recognized him. His face became clear through the light. It was the same man from the airport.

From my sitting position, I scuffled backwards, trying to make space between us. My hand ran over a jagged rock, slicing it open. I winced as sharp pain shot up through my palm, into my arm.

He laughed. “There’s nowhere to go.” Then he walked even closer. “Are you ready to talk to our master yet?”

I could taste the nasty bile rising in my throat. I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. “He is not my master,” I seethed.

He threw a bottle of half-drunken water at my feet. I pretended not to notice it, never taking my eyes off him.

“I’ll let him know how you feel.” He walked away, taking the light with him.

I sat in the dark all alone once again. I waited for the shadows to consume me, or the bites of the unknown to return, but there was nothing. I licked my lips. They were dry and cracked. I had no way of knowing how long I had been underground, or how long it had been since I had a drink.

On my hands and knees, I felt around in the dirt, searching for the plastic bottle. I needed something to help keep my energy that faded fast. I hit the bottle with the tips of my fingers and cursed under my breath when I heard it roll across the ground. I pushed myself forward and carefully pat the dirt this time so I wouldn’t send the water rolling again.

Finally, my hand rested on the familiar shape of plastic, and it crackled under the weight I used. Grasping it securely, I sat down and unscrewed the lid. I hesitated before bringing it to my lips, knowing it was only half-full. My kidnappers could have put anything inside the water, poisoning it. At this point, it wouldn’t take much to kill me. I could feel my magic slipping, and I was weak.

The warm liquid didn’t taste bitter as it ran down my parched throat, so I drank greedily. Only a small trickle of water dribbled down my chin, which I wiped away with the back of my hand. I tipped the bottle so I received every drop it contained, not wanting to waste any more. I didn’t think it would come in abundance any time soon, and I’d hate to have them take it away and not get any more either.

I threw the empty bottle, but I never heard it hit the wall. Instead, I heard it tumble and roll when it hit the ground with an echo. Where did it go? It should have hit a wall. I stood up, with my arms outstretched, feeling my way in the darkness.

I scuffed my boots in the dirt, afraid to lift them and trip over unseen rocks. My hands brushed the dirt of the wall. I ran my hands up and down feeling all the rocks and things that I believed were roots—I prayed they were roots.

I walked around with the wall, feeling every inch I could with my hands. I sidestepped and about fell when I pushed with my hands, but there was no wall. My heart leapt with excitement. This had to be how the man brought me water and how Nicholas came to see me. This had to be a way out. I reached out until I could feel the cold earth and followed it out.

A small glare of light brightened my dark world. It was still very distant, but it gave me hope, and I moved faster. I was able to make out certain shapes of rocks and of the tunnel. An incline went all the way to the surface. It wasn’t much taller than I was and about as wide as both my arms spread out.

The ground got steeper with each step I took. I was so tired, but the excitement about escaping helped me gain a second wind. I looked up and had to squint from the brightness. I was almost there. My heart raced. It was open, not closed off.

I stopped and took a deep breath. My whole body shook, and it took all I had not to fall to the ground in exhaustion. Very slowly, I poked my head above the ground. It was like a basement of some sort. Cement walls with no windows. I twisted around and looked, but didn’t see anyone.

I pushed down with my arms on the dirt floor, crawling out of my earthen prison. On my hands and knees, I moved about two feet away from the hole I climbed out of and fell down. Lying there, I waited for my breathing to slow down. Every muscle in my body ached.

I could hear shuffling of feet outside the large wooden door. I stiffened, scared that my captors caught me escaping. As quietly as I could, I stood up and made it to the wall, pressing my back up against it. I spotted another hole in the ground and shivered. I never wanted to go back down there. I wasn’t sure I’d ever sleep with all the lights off again after that experience.

I listened, but I couldn’t hear any more footsteps, so I grasped the doorknob and twisted it, holding my breath the whole time. Pulling back on the heavy door, I opened it about two inches before I realized I wasn’t alone.

I screamed and slammed the door shut. There was nowhere to go. The door flung open, pushing and throwing me to the ground.

“I wondered how long it would take you to figure out how to get out. It took your mother longer. Very impressive, really.”

I sucked in a breath. There was no escape.

– Jarak –

The sun rose over the mountain for the second day since they took Es. I hadn’t even slept. Every minute of the day and night, I searched, following every trail I found.

The light filtered onto his broken hand as he lay on the cold dirt. A low groan stirred in his throat as he tried to roll over. His ribs were unquestionably broken. Each movement caused him agony. He groaned again, giving me pleasure. The hunter had been vicious, especially when he told me how he hurt Es before taking her to Nicholas. I tortured him in return, making sure no part of him was unharmed.

His bruised right eye was nearly swollen shut. I kicked his broken hand with my boots, making him flinch. “I asked you a question. Where is she?”

With his good eye, he gazed up at me but said nothing.

“Kick em’ again,” Ailaina hollered from the cave’s entrance.

I took a quick glance over at her. “I told you to stay outside.”

She planted her hand on her hip and cocked her head. “I’m sorry, it’s not your best friend who’s been kidnapped and could be dying. I have a right to go wherever and torture whoever I want.”

I shook my head. It was pointless to argue with her, and if it weren’t so serious, I would have laughed at her. She was a feisty, stubborn woman. Movement brought my attention back to the guy on the ground. He laid his cheek down on the cold ground. His breathing labored from his injuries. He would die, but I needed my answers first.

“In—the ground.” It was all he said before he took his last breath. Ugh! I needed to know where Nicholas’s house was.

Movement from around the entrance made me look up from the dirt ball. Maztic strolled over.
“The others are dead.”

I heard him inside my head, but I spoke out loud, not caring if Ailaina heard me. “So is this one.” I kicked him in the ribs for good measure.

Ailaina squealed, holding her stomach. “Is he dead?”

I nodded at her and tried to ignore how she looked sick, focusing on Maztic. “All I got was that she’s in the ground. Tell me you got something better.”

“Actually I got a great deal better.”

I grabbed Ailaina’s arm and pulled her with me. The light blinded my tired eyes. I put on my shades as we walked together in the bright sunlight. Three more bodies lay on the ground. Blood pooled around them, soaking into the earth.

I looked around, nodding in approval. “Good job.” As far as I was concerned, they all deserved it for taking her.

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Ailaina bent over, and dry heaved.

I smiled, as a Guardian, I saw a lot of death, and it amused me to see how she reacted. “I thought you just said you wanted to torture people?”

“Oh shut up.” She wiped her mouth and stomped off to the car.

Maztic stopped, looking up at me.
“She’s in Zona Alta, in Barcelona.”

That was close. How did I not know he was this close? Well at least I knew where to go, and we weren’t too far… About a couple of hours away. We’d already tracked these scum hunters to Andorra, just north of Barcelona.