Release (The Protector Book 3) (10 page)

Now that I saw the way they were treated, I felt sorry for Tiki. His own family treated him like that. He had been their slave, and if these demons were anything like his family, they were disgusted by him.

Tiki had smooth skin and a gentle voice. He didn’t know what toothpaste was when he came to earth, so I don’t know how he maintained it, but his smile was perfect.

In my dimension, half-demons and humans both drooled when Tiki walked by. His medium frame was firm and chiseled, his caramel skin was a sought after tan, and his respect for everything around him was craved by every woman he spoke to. In my world, Tiki was a god among men, but here, he was a pathetic excuse for a demon. Something you spat on as you walked by—which is exactly what they did. Gobs of green and yellow spit pelted us from the sides, and it took Tiki’s strength and willpower to keep both Vincent and me from retaliating.

When we reached the end of the market, a small, childlike demon with blonde hair and green skin launched some type of fruit or vegetable at us. Vincent and I both turned to chase after it, but Tiki’s thick arms held us back and shoved us down a short alleyway, away from the market.

“Unbelievable!” Vincent yelled. As he touched a gob of liquid clinging to his hair, he gagged. A thick string of demon spit stuck to his hand, stretching as he pulled it away. Finally the string snapped, but it dropped down and clung to the side of his face. Vincent dry heaved again. “This is revolting.”

Vincent glared at Tiki and a demonic noise rumbled in his throat. His pink lips turned a dark purple, and his skin cleared, showing the throbbing veins and clenching muscles in his jaw. Thick black veins pulsated around his eyes and rippled across his face, spreading over the transparent skin and down into his open shirt. His demon was coming out.

“You must be calm,” Tiki said. “This is the Underworld. You are not an all-powerful vampire here. The demons in the Underworlds rank their half-breeds below their own fecal matter. I can imagine this is difficult for you, but we are less than nothing here. You must accept this if you wish to survive.”

“I could tear those demons apart limb by limb.” Vincent’s voice was low, reverberating in his throat. “Hell, I could make them tear themselves apart.”

Vincent’s power came alive, and I turned my eyes away. My arrogance had put me at the edge of his rage once; I was smart enough to know not to make eye contact again.

“Stop that!” Tiki stepped towards him. “This is not a game of cat and mouse. These demons are strong, each of them powerful in their own way.”

“Tiki’s right,” I said, grimacing at the thick pile of goop that was stuck to my shoulder. I wanted to wipe it off, but I didn’t want the viscous fluid on my skin. “We have to get this done.”

Vincent’s breathing was heavy and his eyes were a solid black. I could see hints of his fangs just behind his lips, but they slowly retracted. His clear skin faded and the black veins vanished beneath his returning milky shell.

“Good,” I said. “Now Tiki, where do we go?”

Tiki shook his head. “We are here.” He pointed to the end of the alley, but it only consisted of a hard, clay-like wall. “If she were here, this is where she’d be.”

“Dammit!” I ran a hand through my hair and clenched a fist. “So that’s it? She’s just gone?”

Tiki shrugged. “She is either here, or she is not. There is nothing else.”

“Do you have any idea where else she might be? What dimension?”

“Krulear spends her time traveling from world to world, offering her guidance. There is no pattern to her travels, and how long she stays in one place varies. It is how she stays hidden from any who may wish her harm.”

Vincent looked back and forth between us. “I have endured blinding light and scorching heat. I’ve suffered the mouth secretions of a demon far less than I, and been hit in the head with a foreign fruit by what I can only describe as the most hideous child I’ve ever seen, and it is all for nothing?”

“Yeah, that’s what he’s telling you,” I said.

“I cannot believe this,” Vincent said through gritted teeth.

“But on the bright side, you’re alive and not on fire.” Tiki smiled.

I expected Vincent to lash out at Tiki, and I was prepared to stop him, but he didn’t. Instead, his eyes pierced through him before he shook his head. “Does that mean we may leave?”

Tiki shook his head. “Perhaps these demons, although unfriendly, may be of some assistance. Perhaps one of them knows where she has gone.”

Vincent’s snarling lips drooped and his mouth opened in shock. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“But I have not made a joke.” Tiki stared blankly at Vincent.

“How can you even think of talking to these…
things
?” Vincent asked. “They’ve shown something far more than disrespect. How can you even fathom asking for their help?”

Tiki smiled. “These are kind gestures compared to what I’m used to. You forget I was once a slave for my people. What you’ve seen here is a gentle caress over what happens in my world.”

“Who is this guy and where did you find him?” Vincent turned to me, looking disgusted.

“I am Tikimicharnikato, of the Suriattas Clan,” Tiki said.

“I know who you…” Vincent closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t understand how you can let people treat you like this.”

“Just as you are used to living in darkness, I am used to this behavior. This treatment is still better than what I received most of my life. It does not bother me.”

“How can it not? You are strong and your demon ferocious. You could crush them!”

“Yes, I am strong, but it is about more than physical strength. With water, this mucus will wash away, but if I let their torment in and react with anger, it will pull their darkness into my soul. They cannot torture me if I do not allow it.”

Both my eyebrows rose and I was left speechless. Tiki was impartial to everything; he would shrug his shoulders and be undecided. Whenever there was a choice to be made, even one as simple as what movie to watch, he would say “whatever
you
want.” Tiki was selfless and strong, but I never thought him to be wise.

Vincent pursed his lips and examined Tiki as though he were seeing him for the first time. He ignored the goop that had slid down his hair and was dangling off his ear. He had nothing to say; he simply nodded his head as though lost in a trance.

“If you will excuse me, I will see what I can find and return in a few moments,” Tiki said, seemingly unaffected by the awe he had inflicted.

“That was…” Vincent started, but his voice trailed.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“He couldn’t really have been treated worse than this for years, could he?”

“I never really thought about it. I’ve always been more concerned with…” I stopped, instantly feeling horrible. “My problems.”

I knew Tiki had fought for his freedom, but anytime I’d even approached that topic, he managed to deflect it. I’d never challenged him or pushed the subject because I’d been too focused on everything else. That realization made me feel worse.

“Well, this is ridiculous. I am a Taryk and pure blood demons or not, I will not be treated like this. The fact he lets them treat him with such insolence is preposterous,” Vincent said. “I will show them what a half-breed is capable of.”

The blue veins that pumped blood beneath Vincent’s skin ran black, and as his demon was about to be unleashed, Tiki came back around the corner.

A yellow peel from something had been smashed on top of his head. Red juices dripped off each strand of his hair and over his skin. He wiped the fluid from his eyes and blinked a few times to clear them.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yes, I am fine.” He shook his head and let the remaining debris fall to the ground. He wiped his face again and smiled. “The bad news is Krulear is gone. She has been for a while.”

“This is unacceptable,” Vincent growled.

“It is fine, Vincent. I may have established another way to discover the answers you seek.”

“Not the answers, you idiot. This!” Vincent pulled at the long strip of yellow peel that had gotten stuck in Tiki’s hair.

I wasn’t sure what made Vincent angrier. The fact that he’d been spit on or that Tiki was okay with letting the pure bloods treat him this way.

“We are here to seek clarity and guidance, not to debate the treatment of slaves and half-breeds in the Underworld,” Tiki said. “I do return with good news. Look who I found!”

A small, ugly creature came around the corner. He only stood as high as Tiki’s waist and his crooked chin pointed out to the side. Large, round warts covered his face and his gray skin was marred by thin black scars. His beady eyes looked up at me beneath a hairy unibrow, and I realized he was a troll, but not just any troll.

“Gar..smith?” I said, trying to recall his name.

“Well, son of a Caruban Garbenstein! If it isn’t Chase Williams!” The unruly mustache above his lip curled as he laughed and stomped towards me. The small axe that sat in a satchel on his back rattled as he walked. “I never thought I’d see the likes of you in these here parts again!” He forced his calloused hand into mine, giving it a rough shake.

“I…no, me neither,” I said.

“What brings you back to our humble world?”

“Krulear…we’re looking for the seer,” Tiki interrupted.

“What do you want with that old bat? She’s as crazy as a starved goblin after a near-dozen pints!” Garsmith leaned back and chuckled, slapping his small hand against his gut. “And what’s this ugly thing?” Garsmith looked up at Vincent. “Looks like he’s got something in his hair.” He reached up to touch him but Vincent backed away.

“How dare—” Vincent started.

“We’re hoping Krulear can help us find something,” I said. “But she isn’t here.”

“Nope, hasn’t been for a while now. Old thing turned even crazier—if you can believe that—after the last half-breeds paid her a visit. Spouting off about gods and the Protector.” Garsmith laughed again. “There hasn’t been such fallacy spoke in these parts in ages.”

“Other half-breeds?” I asked.

“Yup, nasty trio they were. Reminded me of you, actually!” He grinned. “All fleshy and hairless with shadow arms drifting about. After meeting you, I learned not to question the mutts no more. No sir, I steered clear of those three. If you want to talk to Ithreal, I don’t want to be within an Imp’s arm of ya!”

“They spoke to Krulear about Ithreal?” I asked.

Garsmith shuddered. “That’s what I hear. Rumor has it they weren’t just half-breeds either. I be hearing the Old Ones have returned and Ithreal ain’t far behind. Let me tell you, I sure as hell hope not. I wasn’t around in the time of the gods, but my papa was, and I sure as hell ain’t bowing down to no one but my king. I’ll die before I let the gods take my freedom!”

“Let’s hope the rest of the Underworlders feel the same way,” I said.

“Oh they do. Well, not all of them of course, but there’s enough of us. Speaking of us, you must come back to camp! There are many who will be happy to see you again. Ishmar is at his momma’s, damn giant woman would have all three of my balls if I let her, but he should be here in a few day cycles! He still talks about you nonstop.” Garsmith chuckled. “Tells everyone of the half-breed who bested him. Like a badge of honor or something.”

“You have three…” I shook my head. “I appreciate that, Garsmith, but we can’t stay. We need to head back and figure out a new way to—”

“Nonsense! Of course you can. Gather your group and follow me. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one though…he don’t smell right.” Garsmith glared at Vincent and started down the path.

“No really, we should be going.”

Garsmith turned his beady eyes to meet mine and they stared with defiance. He wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Chase Williams,” Tiki whispered. “Perhaps it is best we go. His people have seers too. Not like Krulear, of course. They are a different breed, but they may be able to help.”

Garsmith’s glare hadn’t wavered, and I remembered the trolls. They had helped us when we needed them. They had taken us to the goblins, and without them, we never would’ve gotten Rai, which meant we wouldn’t have been able to save Rayna.

I nodded. “Just for a night.”

“Excellent!” Garsmith grinned ear to ear, his wide smile revealing stained yellow and brown teeth, some of which had holes through them. “Ishmar will be unhappy he missed you, but any time is better than no time, right? Follow me!”

Chapter 10

The suns had begun to set when we arrived at the camp. On one side of the world, the horizon was lit up in hues of red, orange, and pink as both yellow suns faded side by side. On the other, a single blue sun slowly vanished from sight, leaving rays of purple and shades of green to fill the skyline.

The wooden bridge I remembered stood strong, wrapped in thick brown rope and swinging above the river. Violet water splashed against the bank and small rapids slapped against each other, white caps at their peaks.

As the landscapes dimmed, Vincent brought his hand down from protecting his eyes. Garsmith had refused to climb on top of Rai, forcing us to endure his endless rambling about the potential for new war among the trolls and goblins. I heard him say their treaty was on the verge of breaking, but after that, I tuned him out. The only good news was that walking with Garsmith meant all the other Underworlders left us alone. The bad news was it left me to focus on everything else. I was worried we were on a wild goose chase, and even more so about everyone back home.