tread careful y.
“Tuck,” I said urgently. “How do I do this?”
“Slowly,” he said, a look of determination spreading over
his face. “One bit at a time—don’t rush it.”
My heart was pounding so loudly I thought everyone could
hear it. “Go on now,” Tuck said. “Easy does it.”
I struggled against the portal, slowly pushing my way to
the other side. Once my hands were through Phantom
began licking them relentlessly and I had to swal ow back a
giggle. The comforting roar of the ocean at Venus Cove
and Phantom’s familiar panting fil ed my ears. I pushed
forward, feeling the portal first resist and then relax,
al owing me to edge through. It was slow work, but I was
getting there.
Then I heard the growls.
The sound was so chil ing I thought my heart would stop.
The low, guttural snarls were coupled with the sound of
claws ripping at the earth. Just ahead of me hovered
Taylah’s face, now drained of color, and Tucker’s hands
had gone limp on my back. Even before I ful y understood
what was happening, I knew I had a choice to make. Tuck
was stil trapped in the Wasteland.
“Keep going!” he said desperately. “You’re almost there.
Don’t turn back.” He couldn’t hide the terror in his voice.
But I could as much keep going as I could stop breathing.
Tucker had been like a brother to me in Hades and I would
never abandon him. In the next instant I wrenched myself
free from the pul of the tumbleweed and scrambled to my
feet beside Tucker. He was riveted to the spot, looking
devastated by my decision. I peered into the dusty expanse
before me that was broken only by some straggly scrubs.
The sound I’d heard was coming from somewhere nearby
and it was growing more insistent by the second.
Sheer terror made me duck for cover, but it also made
me lose my footing so that I ended up skidding and fal ing
to my knees. Tucker hauled me up, covered in the red dust
of this surreal landscape.
“Don’t move,” he said. We clutched each other as the
creatures approached. Final y I could see them clearly; six
huge, hulking black dogs stood before us, poised to attack.
They were big as wolves, slag dripping from their fangs and
a demented look in their eyes. Their faces were mutilated
with scars, but their bodies were robust and strong and
their claws looked sharp as knives. Their muzzles were
stained with blood and the stench of their shaggy fur was
overwhelming.
Tucker and I stood frozen on the spot, the portal
abandoned. “Beth … ,” he said in a shaky voice.
“Remember the Trackers I was tel ing you about?”
“Yeah?” I fought to keep my voice from cracking.
“They’re here.”
“Hel hounds,” I whispered. “Perfect.”
The lupine creatures knew they had us trapped and
circled us leisurely, enjoying their power. When they
pounced, I knew they’d move so fast they’d appear only as
a blur tearing us to pieces.
The pack closed in, snarling viciously. I saw how rough
and matted their coats were, how yel ow their eyes. Gusts
of dry wind carried their foul odor across to us.
There wasn’t much we could do; if we tried to run they
would catch us in an instant. We had no weapons, no
defense, and nowhere to hide. I wanted to unfurl my wings
and carry us both to safety, but they felt like a dead weight
on my back—the Wasteland robbing them of their power.
I closed my eyes as the dogs dropped to their haunches
in a low crouch, then arched through the air toward us. At
the same time, there came a cry from behind and a
moment later Taylah appeared, standing between the
hel hounds and us. The dogs were confused and landed
with a thud.
“What are you doing?” I cried, trying to clutch at her
insubstantial form. “Go back!”
To my despair, I watched the portal close behind her, the
glimpses of Venus Cove replaced by nothing but a harsh
tangle of weeds. Taylah looked over her shoulder at me,
her blue eyes bright with tears. She was so smal
compared with the hel hounds, her limbs frail, her once-
beautiful hair matted and blowing across her face. She
gave a smal , sad smile and shook her head. “Taylah, I
mean it!” I yel ed. “Don’t do this. You have a chance to be
free. Take it.”
“I want to make things right,” she said.
“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “Not like this.”
“Please,” she said. “Let me, for once in my life, do the
right thing.”
The hel hounds gnashed their teeth, saliva pooling on the
ground. Tucker and I were forgotten as they concentrated
on their new target. After al , they were trained to search out
souls who had fled into the Wasteland, hoping for escape.
Their natural instinct drew them to Taylah.
She spoke quickly. There wasn’t much time. “If I go back
I’l only wander the earth for the rest of eternity. But you …”
She fixed me with her intense gaze. “You can make a
difference and the world needs al the help it can get. I have
to play my part. Besides,” she gave a casual laugh, “what
can they do to me?”
Before I could object further, Taylah turned to face the
creatures.
“Hey, you!” The dogs cocked their heads, grizzly fangs
glinting in the dul light. “Yeah, you, ugly mutts,” she
continued. “Catch me if you can!”
And then she sprinted. It was the signal the hel hounds
had been waiting for. Al six bolted after her, completely
forgetting our presence. I watched in horror as one caught
the pocket of her shorts in his muzzle and dragged her
through the dirt like a rag dol . Taylah wasn’t flesh and blood
but that didn’t stop the dogs’ jaws snapping as they
clamored over her lifeless form like vultures. Then the
leader of the pack secured her in his teeth before bounding
away, Taylah’s blond hair trailing in the dust. The pack
fol owed close behind.
I felt my chest heave with violent sobs. Taylah was gone
and the portal was already drifting away, no use to us
anymore. Then Tucker grabbed my arm so hard it hurt.
“Run!” he said, tearing his gaze away from the bloodied
rags on the ground. “We have to run.”
And so we did.
WHEN we got back to Club Hex we were so disheveled
and out of breath that the bouncer took one look at us and
refused us entry. We had to cal Asia to vouch for us. When
she came to the door she couldn’t hide her shock at our
return.
“What the hel are you doing here?” she growled between
clenched teeth. The bouncer shot her a strange look and
she ushered us quickly inside. When the darkness and the
pulse of the music enveloped us, she spun around again.
“The hounds should have ripped you to shreds.”
I looked at Asia closely, the savage look in her black
eyes, the hostile, clenched shoulders and realized what
she’d wanted al along. She had sent us out into the
Wasteland knowing the hel hounds would drag Tuck into the
pit and probably dismember me. What she hadn’t counted
on was Taylah showing up and saving both our skins.
“You real y should have mentioned them,” I said as
breezily as I could. Al I wanted to do was cry, but I refused
to give Asia the satisfaction. “Running into the hounds kind
of tripped us up.”
“Why aren’t you dead?” Asia stepped forward like she
wanted to rip my throat out.
“I guess I’m just lucky,” I said defiantly.
“Stop it,” Tucker interrupted, too shaken by what’d
happened to remember his place. “Let me just take Beth
home.”
“No.” Asia grabbed my arm, digging her talon-like nails
into me. “I want you gone.”
“Don’t touch her.” Tucker shook me free and flashed Asia
a dark look. She narrowed her eyes viciously.
“Who do you think you’re talking to, boy?” she snarled.
“Maybe I should mention to Jake the little expedition you
just went on.”
“Go ahead.” Tucker shrugged his broad shoulders. “He’l
probably be kinda pissed when he finds out you helped us.
I’m just a farm boy, but he real y thought he could trust you.”
Asia drew back, fury spreading across her feline
features.
“C’mon, Beth,” Tucker said. “We’re leaving.”
“Don’t think I won’t find another way to dispose of you,”
Asia cal ed after my retreating back. “This isn’t over!”
I couldn’t worry about Asia’s jealousy or her animosity
toward me. I couldn’t shake the image of Taylah’s soul
clenched between the jaws of the hel hounds. She was
somewhere in the pit right now enduring untold horrors on
my account.
Whatever happened from here I would have to make her
sacrifice count for something.
WHEN we got back to Hotel Ambrosia I had one objective;
get back to the room and talk through my next move with
Tucker. If Asia had been prepared to help us once, she
might be persuaded into doing it again. I knew how badly
she wanted me out of the picture and she’d be wil ing to do
just about anything to make that happen. Asia was wel
connected and motivated entirely by self-interest.
In the lobby I looked down one of the plush carpeted
hal ways and caught a glimpse of the boardroom. The door
was open just a crack and I couldn’t help wondering what
was so important that Jake hadn’t been able to tear himself
away to see me. Normal y he leapt at the chance to spend
time together. I crept a little closer, despite Tucker’s
apprehension.
Through the crack I could see the shadows of about half
a dozen demons il uminated by the fire burning in the grate.
They were sitting around a long table with a decanter of
whiskey and empty glasses scattered in front of them. They
al had notepads except for one who was standing and
presiding over the meeting. A PowerPoint presentation
was in progress; its images drawn from the most
catastrophic events in human history. I only caught a few as
they flashed by; Hiroshima, Adolf Hitler standing at a
podium, war tanks, wailing civilians, homes reduced to
rubble after natural disasters.
I could make out only a fraction of the presenter, but it
was enough to see how different he was from the others.
For a start he was much older and wore a white linen suit
while the others were in black. On his feet were cowboy
boots, the kind with decorative stitching. I couldn’t see his
face clearly, but I could hear snatches of what he was
saying to the group. His voice was gravely and seemed to
fil every inch of the room.
“This world is ripe for the taking,” he said. “People have
never been more in doubt of their faith, more uncertain of
God’s existence.” He seized a fistful of air to emphasize his
point. “This is our time. I want to see multitudes fal ing into
the Pit. Remember that human weakness is your greatest
asset; ambition, love of money, physical pleasures … those
are your best weapons. I want you to think big. Don’t focus
on easy prey. Exceed your own expectations—I want to see
a body count like we’ve never seen before. I want you to
take down bishops, cardinals, generals, presidents! Rest
assured you shal be richly rewarded.”
Then Tucker was tugging at my sleeve, pul ing me back
into the lobby.
“Enough,” he said softly. “We’ve seen enough.”
20
Hell’s Sweetheart
I was hoping to talk things over with Tuck, but once we got
back to the hotel there didn’t seem al that much to say. We