Find Me If You Dare (Dreamcatcher Book 2) (37 page)

Damn. We’re going to need to fight to even get near the gate,
I said.

I know a better way in,
Kayla replied.

I narrowed my eyes.
What do you mean?

She nodded toward the opposite side of the street.
There’s a manhole over there that’ll lower us into a sewer that runs directly into the factory. It’s how Richard’s Magus bypass the Nightmares. He’ll never expect us to use it. I saw it when I was in his head.

Brilliant.
Get Vinny and the witches in safely when the Nightmares are distracted. That hole is within their feeler range. We’ll hold them off and join you when you’re safe.

I looked to the others to ensure they’d heard our conversation. Every stare was focused, and each of my comrades stood strong. They were ready. I increased my grip on my daggers and sauntered forward, waiting for the Nightmares to spot me. Samantha, Seth, Ivan, and Lian stayed close to me as we strolled down the center of the street. Shooting my gaze over my shoulder, I stopped when we were directly in front of the street cover. Within seconds, the Nightmares smelled me.

Growls and snarls filled the city as twenty hairy beasts charged us, their red eyes glowing and their fangs exposed. My Catchers staggered formation without needing an order, our eyes always on one another’s backs. I squared my shoulders and poised on the balls of my feet, increasing my grip on my daggers.
Here we go.

The first Nightmare to reach me was missing half its face, and its stench was nauseating. It slashed at me with both arms. I bent my knees, and its claws whizzed above my head. Bringing both blades up into its stomach, I tossed it over my shoulder. With an earsplitting scream, the monster flung behind me, and I couldn’t help but smirk a little. It’d been way too long. I tore my daggers through its chest as it fell to the ground.

Beside me, Samantha fought two simultaneously. I kicked the feet out from under one as Samantha sliced open the throat of the other. The fiend gurgled as it fell, and Samantha dropped to a knee, stabbing its partner in the chest. Grinning, she ripped her blade from the Nightmare and raised her hand for a fist bump.

To my left, a one-armed Nightmare rushed me, swiping its jagged black jaws at my throat. I dodged its attack just in time. I kicked the beast when it made a second pass for my neck, but the monster was bigger and faster than I expected. It barely faltered, catching my shirt with its claws.

Swearing when the fabric tore, I spun out of the way.

The monster’s shark-like teeth sought my throat, and I stabbed one of my daggers into the side of its neck. The Nightmare’s claws caught my forearm as it batted me away. I let go of my blade to keep from losing my hand. Tugging a third knife from my weapon belt, I stepped behind the beast and shoved both blades into its spine. The Nightmare squealed, its cry ear-splitting, and I winced as I tore my daggers out of its back, severing its spinal column.

Now, guys!
Kayla shouted in my head.

Sprinting as hard as we could, the five of us hurried to the manhole cover, stopping only to block or dodge any Nightmares that stayed on our heels. Samantha and Lian were the first to jump into the sewer, then Seth and Ivan followed, not more than a second between each other.

Claws caught my shoulder. I shouted as I dropped ten feet into the drain below. Tingles ran up my legs upon impact, and I tipped sideways. Seth caught me by the back of the shirt before I fell into what smelled like dog vomit mixed with rotten eggplant. To my right, Ashleigh puked, and Samantha covered her mouth and nose, her brown eyes squeezed closed.

Everyone all right?
I asked. We needed to keep moving if we wanted to remain undiscovered as long as possible. And I was going to vomit if I didn’t get out of here soon. When everyone nodded or mumbled some type of affirmative, I said,
Let’s keep moving,
and ushered Kayla to lead the way.

No more than two minutes later, Kayla halted, the rest of us barreling into her like blind sheep. I groaned when Seth smacked into my back, a wave of throbbing pain running down my legs from the claw marks.

What’s wrong?
I asked Kayla.

There are Magus around the curve ahead. I can feel them.

Let us go first, Daniel
, Vinny said, shuffling to the front of the line as quietly as possible.

If we can feel them, how do we know they aren’t sensing us?
Bernice asked.

We paused.

Four of Richard’s Magus rounded the corner, hands raised. Kayla got a shield up just in time to protect herself; the rest of us dropped into the liquid waste as magic flew over our heads.

Like when she’d practiced with Nolan, Kayla dodged and blocked the few attacks that came at her, throwing out her own without falter. One hit a witch square in the chest. She tumbled to the ground, screaming as flames engulfed her.

Help me!
Kayla yelled.

Vinny and Bernice jumped to their feet, blocking us from the view of Richard’s coven. Bernice tossed a sphere of water into the air in front of Vinny, like a volleyball serve, and with a gust of freezing air, Vinny turned the water to ice, vaulting it into one of the warlock’s chests. Like cannon fire, the ice pierced the man, and he sunk to the floor of the sewer, his blood mixing with the waste.

Now outnumbered, the other two Magus turned and ran, but Kayla caught them before they got too far. Fire left her palms, and they turned to ash. The rest of us rose to our feet, and I caught Kayla’s glance. Her eyes glittered.

We pressed forward, Kayla again in the lead. I stayed close on her heels, tightening my grip on my blades.

Ugh, I’m never going to get this smell washed off me,
Samantha complained as we trekked around the bend.

Well, good news is you smell better now,
Seth joked.

Samantha slapped him, the soft
thud
echoing in the sewer.

Both of you, stay alert
, I reminded them when Seth snickered. Glad to know they were still in good spirits, but I was fearful one wrong move would give us away.

Two minutes later, a ladder to ascend came into view. I tugged Kayla behind me. If anyone was going to get hit, it would be me.
Protectors out first. Stay invisible. Magus, stay hidden until you see your opening.

I climbed, corporeal until I reached the floor above. Sometimes, moving
through
inanimate objects while invisible was a real pain in the ass. I pushed through the hole above, disappearing the moment I let go of the ladder. No Magus paraded around the room, just ten Nightmares. And they could see me, regardless of whether I was corporeal or not.

Blast.

Magus, stay in the shadows until it’s clear!

The Nightmares snapped into action the moment they spotted me. I rolled out of the way of my first attacker’s claws, slicing through its ankles. The beast screamed, thrashing its arms as it fell to the ground. Still on my back, I waited until the next monster reached down to rip through my gut, then stabbed my daggers into the crooks of its elbows, severing the Nightmare’s muscles.

Placing my feet on its thighs, I threw the fiend over my head, somersaulting backward. Straddling the Nightmare, I tore my knives from the beast’s arms and sliced an
X
through its neck before slamming my blades into its chest, perforating its heart. Its squirming ceased in seconds.

Bloody hell, that was close.

I leaped off the dead Nightmare, knives in my hands. Behind me, battles raged on. I spun around just as Lian fell to one knee, her right calf torn clean through. The beast that had struck her reached back to chop off her head. With a grunt, I threw a dagger as hard as I could. My blade stuck straight between the Nightmare’s eyes, and it tumbled, sprawling onto its back.

Across the room, Seth and Samantha fought side by side, taking down the remaining two Nightmares. Ivan and I rushed to Lian.

Kayla, we need you!
I shouted.

In Ivan’s arms, Lian swore in Mandarin, clutching her leg to keep from bleeding out. Dropping my dagger, I wrapped my hands over hers and squeezed, my longer fingers offering better support.

Hang on,
I said to her as she bit her tongue to keep from screaming.

Move out of my way,
Kayla said, dropping to her knees. The moment Lian and I removed our hands from her wound, Kayla pressed her palms against the gashes. Yellow light glowed between her fingers. Lian leaned into Ivan and screamed through clenched teeth. He covered her mouth, muffling her as best he could. Who knew how long we had until more Nightmares or Magus showed. We couldn’t risk showcasing that one of us was injured.

Kayla pulled her hands away seconds later, and Ivan kissed the top of Lian’s head.

We need to keep moving,
I said, springing to my feet and pulling Kayla to hers.

This way,
Kayla responded, hurrying toward the stairs that would lead us from the basement. I stayed on her heels, ready to take on whatever waited.

Magus, grab hold of a Protector. We stay invisible until we reach the top
, I instructed.

When our team assembled behind us, Kayla and I locked eyes.
Ready?
I asked.

Her eyes tightened, but she sucked in a deep breath and nodded. Richard might be evil, but he was still her father.

I frowned.
You know I’d give anything for you to not have to do this.

She glanced at the floor.
The dad I knew died a long time ago.

My chest tightened. I stuck my daggers into my belt and gently lifted her chin. Her teary eyes found mine.
I won’t leave your side for one second. You feel frightened for even a moment, you cling to me, okay?

Again, she nodded, then she slipped her hand in mine, and we jogged up the stairs, invisible.

My heart lodged in my throat. What would await us when we reached the top? A hundred more Nightmares? Fifty Magus?

We crested the stairwell, skidding to a stop. I gripped Kayla’s hand tighter, fighting the urge to shove her back down the steps to safety.

The room where we’d battled Giovanni and his followers was empty except for a bonfire in the center of the room—

And Richard, waiting for us with Alex and Adelynn by his side, like he’d known this day would come all along.

cy fingers played down my spine.

“Ooh, did it just get chilly in here? You Protectors always give off such a strong vibe,” Richard said.

Do not go visible until I give you the okay
, I commanded my team.
He can feel us, but he can’t see us. We still have the advantage.
Slowly, I walked toward Richard, Kayla’s hand in mine and her other one death-gripping my arm.

Richard shook his head. “I was really hoping you’d call this off, Daniel, especially after getting Nolan killed. You won’t believe how angry”—his eyes flashed yellow—“it makes me that you tricked me into killing my own son.”

Kayla’s fingertips dug into my flesh.

“Hate to break it to you, Richard,” I said out loud, “but your son stopped loving you the moment he learned what you did to his mother.”