My Soul Laid Bare: Book 4 (The Soul Keeper Series) (26 page)

Brenne
n

I recognize the dim glow of the lanterns on the wall, the musty smell, the damp air. I'm in one of hell's holding bins. It may be the same one I was nearly starved and beaten to death in fifteen years ago. They weren't gentle about getting me here this time either. Two men came into my bedroom, appearing only a second after Elijah left. One held a chloroform soaked rag over my mouth while the other man held me down. I fought like a raving lunatic even if only for a second before the drug overtook me, and I passed out.

I examine the steel shackle cuffed around my ankle. It's old, rusted over, and cutting into my skin. Why do I always end up in these types of situations? My hands glide over my round belly like a habit, like I'm trying to calm their beating hearts, to end their worries with just a stroke of my hand. Only they have no idea of the danger we're facing right now. They could have killed me, but they didn't. The old deal on the table used to be my soul. Only now, there's three for the price of one. My heart pounds out in fear. Left baby squirms as he hears the fear buzzing through my veins like the drone of current through a power line. Little girl is still, calm, and cool even under pressure.

The lock on the door slides roughly on its bolt sending my heart into my chest like a hammer. I almost expect to see Malphas and his expensive shoes come strolling through the door, but it's someone else. You cut the head off of one snake, and another rises in its place. Of course he would be replaced. There's a need to be filled. I wonder what the job interview was like for the president of hell position
.“
So tell me how can you bring more pain and destruction to our company
?
”

The man cuts me a look that says he finds having a very pregnant shackled woman under his thumb is the highlight of his day. My motherly instincts have me ready to fight to the death for my babies.

“
Pleasure to make your acquaintance Mrs. Montgomery, or do you prefer Morgan, when you're with the other side
?
” He's tall, at least six four, dirty blond hair clipped neatly like he paid a lot of money for the cut. He looks a lot like the morning weather person on the national program. Oh my God, it is him. Hank Malloy on
The Morning Grind
. What the hell?

“
What do you want with me
?
”

He flashes me that brilliant megawatt smile that's made him famous across the county and walks a circle around me
.“
Oh don't worry. This has nothing to do with you. You'll be walking out of here in about twelve hours
.
”

He stands over me as he touches my forehead lightly and retracts his hand with a small smile. A searing pain rips through my abdomen, and I scream out in agony.

“
Alone I might add
.
”

My stomach goes ridged as the wave of pain wrenches me in its unyielding grip
.“
No, no
!
” I cry out as he leaves me alone and bolts the door back behind him. I'm shackled to the cold stone floor, and he's sent me into labor. He's going to take the babies. Tears stream down my face, and I sob until the next wave even worse than the last rips through me
.“
No, please stop
,
” I try and talk to my belly
.“
You have to stop
.
” I call out for Elijah over and over again.

There is nothing in this empty room to ease my suffering, not a blanket or pillow. There is no doctor standing by ready to instruct me, or check on the babies. Things go wrong in labor all the time. Babies die. Mothers die. I am so afraid. The dimly lit lanterns on the stone columns flicker out a barely visible light. I
t’
s very dark in the room, and I ca
n’
t make out much beyond where I am chained. It smells like death and layers old blood. For all I know, this is hel
l’
s birthing ward.

Suddenly, a gush of water soaks the ground.
Oh God, no!
I'm so scared, and it hurts so much. I need a doctor. What if something goes wrong? They could die. This can't be happening. There is only a small break between contractions. I had a vision of what my delivery day would be lik
e
… of me lying comfortably in a hospital bed with a beautiful epidural numbing the pain from the waist down. Elijah would be stroking my hand telling me how well I'm doing and making me laugh in between contractions. Elephants birthing at the zoo get more accommodations than this. Not that I want anything from them. I just want out of this place. I don't want my babies to be born on a dungeon floor.

Another wave of pain feels like I'm being sawed in half from the inside
.“
Elijah
,
” I pant out
.“
Please
,
” My voice is barely a whimper. It took them weeks to find me before. I don't have weeks. I only have hours, and at the rate the contractions are coming, I'm not even sure I have that.

This is where they could get my soul should they ask for it now. I'd gladly hand it over on a platter if they'd let my children go. Now I understand the depths a parent would go to protect their babies.

Journal of EM

I've searched nearly five hours with no luck, and no one else has come up with anything either. Jesson has been invaluable at finding the hidden hide outs of the demons, and the Keepers have slaughtered thousands in their search. But he says it's been years since he's been one of the fallen, and they are constantly finding new places to lay their heads at night. The last place I looked was abandoned, so I know he's right. Each second that passes has me wrought with fear. I hate to think she's in pain crying out for me right now and finding no savior. I can't stand to even think about what they would do if they got their hands on my babies.

“
There's an old abandoned car dealership on Broadway. Rumor has it, there's a door hidden somewhere inside that may lead to one of the holding bins
.
” Jesson sends me to my next location. I have twenty Keepers meet me there in minutes, and we storm the place. We upturn every chair and desk in the place until I find a small trap door under a large Chevrolet rug. I rip the door off its hinges and sending it flying. There are many fallen ones scattering upon our arrival. My ears listen for closely for the familiar cadence of Brennen's heartbeat. I feel desperate when I can't find it, defeated again. My wings spring from my shoulders, and I take a low flight through the cavernous room and snatch up one of the men. The fallen are strong, just as strong as we are. He puts up a fight, but I have something he doesn't, I'm fighting for the love of my family. I over power him and rest my blade across his neck. With my free hand, I hold out a lead spirit trap.

“
Where is she
?
”

“
Who? I don't know anything
!
”

“
Liar
!
”

The blade digs into his neck, and a stream of crimson wets the steel. I open the lid to the box
.“
You ready to spend eternity in here, over this
?
”

“
They have her in Cleveland, at the Westchester Mill
.
”
 
I push his back down to the ground.

“
You'd better be right, or you'll wish for a death that will never come
.
”

I send the word out immediately. Elena pops up beside me and transports us to the location within seconds. The Mill is huge, and we begin to search for the door fanatically. More arrive to help, and all hell begins to break loose. Stacks of large cuts of timber get released from their binds and start rolling towards us. This must mean we're in the right place at least. Fallen ones emerge. The battle has already started, and we have
n’
t even found the entrance yet.

Elena and I watch each othe
r’
s backs as we search for the door. One of them comes at me from behind a large piece of machinery. He's wielding a searing hot machete like a skilled ninja. I'm good and angry and in no mood to have to deal with this nonsense. Brennen's here and in danger. I can feel her pain ringing through me like a dull ache in my joints. I sweep in and crush his windpipe before his blade can come close. Elena steals his weapon and cuts his head off in the next instant, and then we're on the move again.

“
The machine, I think that's it
.
” A large solid looking piece of machinery looks like it has a large enough well between its two supports to fit an average sized man if he were to crawl through. The dark well goes through at least twelve feet, and I do
n’
t see any light escaping from the other side. This must be it. There has to be a door under there.
 

“
Let's hope so
.
” We make our way back to the equipment to take a closer look. A black winged man leaps off the top of the machine, bulleting towards us, and knocking Elena to the ground. He probably thought it was a good bet to go for the weaker one, but Elena is powerful and fast. He emerges from the tumble with his head ripped clean off, a look of surprise still written on his face. I sigh and let out a deep breath as I see the entrance.

A small but heavy looking steel door sits in a dark well under the equipment. The small hallway is just big enough to crawl though, and I make my way in while Elena stands watch. The door is locked, but the fear I have for the love of my existence is no match for it. Through Him, I can do all things. The metal begins to groan in protest, finally opening under the duress.

A staircase of stone leads down into a holding bin. I immediately hear her cries of pain and follow her voice. It leads me to a long hallway with four doors on each side. Two guards stand at a door. That must be the one.  I produce my sword, and I see the glimmer of fear in their eyes for a moment. I run full speed to where they stand. Their stance moves to battle mode as instincts kick in. They used to be like us. They're trained to fight. Most have lost any sense of humanity that they ever had. Brennen cries out in agony, and one of them catches me off guard, cutting my chest deeply with his blade. Wounds won't heal down here.

I fight through the pain, and my next blow slices one man in half and pins the other one to the ground, staked to the stone floor through his heart. I quickly throw the lock open and rush inside. I see her crouched on all fours on the dirty stone floo
r
– chained to it like an animal. My heart breaks all over again. Seeing me, she wants to smile, but the pain she's in over takes her. She bears down trying to endure it. She's in full labor.

The steel cuff breaks open at my grip, and I scoop her up off the ground. Her body goes ridged as another contraction overtakes her, making it difficult to carry her
.“
It's going to be okay, love
.
”

I run her up the stair well and check to make sure Elena still has the exit secured
.“
Darling, you're going to have to crawl out of here on your own. There's not enough room for me to carry you
.
”

She laughs out, and it's music to my ears
.“
Oh because I'm so fat, right
?
”

I smile and kiss her on the cheek
.“
Yo
u’
re perfect love. I'll be right behind you
.
”

“
You're bleeding
.
”

“
I'll heal as soon as we're out if this place
.
”

She gets half way out before a contraction stops her in her tracks. I rub her back and relieve the worst of her pain taking the edge off as best I can in my weakened state
.“
Yo
u’
re doing so well darling. You are so brave
.
” She sighs a breath of relief when she can finally move again. I
t’
s a tight space and smells heavily of grease and diesel. When we're finally clear of the machine, I take her in my arms again, and we transport to Amorous.

A gurney is already waiting by the platform, and Inara greets us. My wound is slow to heal, but I keep up as they wheel her down to the infirmary. Elena places her palm on my chest, and it lights up. The wound is gone, only the scars of my past remain.

“
She's just about there
,
” Inara announces after checking Brennen's progress. I take Brennen's hand up and ease any pain she may be experiencing. Her face is marked with dirt and grease, but otherwise, sh
e’
s unharmed. Elena takes up her other hand and gives her a knowing smile. Emmagen comes in and hugs Brenne
n’
s' head, kissing her a few times through her own tear streaked face.