The Beholder (21 page)

The buzzer of the security door shrilled inside the cell. The steel-plated outer door slammed shut. An iron
key rattled in the lock, and the inner door hissed open. Arwan approached him and said, “I hate seeing you in here, chained like a common criminal.”

“What have you done with Nina?”

“Sorry about putting you in solitary, but the council ordered it. And don’t worry about your human concubine—she’s in a regular cell up front. It’s a shame she’ll die. I’m starting to like her.”

“Don’t let them hurt her.” Kane pulled on the shackles until his knuckles showed white and the tendons popped on his hands.

“Tell them where Ethan is, and they won’t use the doom demons on her.” Arwan crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes roving slowly over his body in an appraising way.

Kane noticed she had removed her Glock for security purposes. Overkill, because he couldn’t reach her anyway, chained to the wall as he was. “I don’t know where he is,” he said. “I think someone’s setting me up. Telling the council about Ethan, abducting him and then forcing you to find me just when we reached Ethan’s campsite.”

“I’m really sorry, Kane. I couldn’t cover for you and lie to the council about a gleaner being in the area.”

“I know. I didn’t want you involved. You did the right thing.”

“The only person who has a grudge is Quinton.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Let me arrange for your escape.” Arwan gripped his shoulders. “Together we can find Ethan and free him,

too. You don’t have to stand before the council. We can leave here and never come back.”

“Can you get Nina out?”

“No.” Arwan frowned, shaking her head. “Too much security on her, and too much risk. It’s you or no one.”

“Then I can’t go.”

“You don’t have to die because she will. Why do you care about that human anyway?”

“I feel responsible for her being here. I’m not leaving her. That’s final. You can still help Ethan, though. I know he’s a gleaner, but he was your friend, too.”

“We were close a long time ago.” She ruminated for a moment, then seemed to come to a conclusion. “I’ll do it for you, not for him. I’ll snoop around Quinton and see what I can find out. Please, Kane, consider my offer. There’s no need for you to die like this.” Arwan’s features screwed up in a worried frown, her face not so pretty at that moment. “I can’t bear to lose you.”

Before Kane knew it, Arwan stepped over to him and kissed him. Her lips were urgent and demanding, the purring in her throat loud and welcoming.

Kane turned his head away, giving her his cheek. “Arwan, don’t.”

She grabbed his face and forced him to look into her wounded hazel eyes. “I love you, Kane. Please, let me arrange for your freedom. We can leave together. Never come back. Charles can run the vineyard for you and send the money—”

“You’ve got this all figured out, don’t you?”

“Just trying to save your life,” she said. “I never dreamed you’d be so ungrateful.”
Kane had thought he knew Arwan as well as he knew himself, but this female standing before him was a stranger. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m appreciative. I just need you to realize I can never think of you in that way. I only care for Nina.” He froze. The declaration that had slipped out surprised him.

“You’d love a human before me,” she spat out, bearing all her emotional claws. “First it was Daphne, that alpha bitch. Now this mousy little human.” Her expression filled with scorn. “I’ve stood by you for years waiting for you to love me, Kane. Well, I’m done waiting. You’ve just lost the best thing that ever came into your life.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she turned in a huff and left.

When she buzzed open the outer door, two doom demons blocked her way. They were huge fiends with gray hairless wrinkled skin, purple glowing eyes and horns on the front of their snouted faces. They walked upright and resembled giant anteaters with six human-looking tactile fingers. Long black robes covered the nasty spikes of bone that protruded from their spines. They were demon inquisitors for hire.

One of the demons held a tray of clamps, knives, beakers of acid and various shapes of curved blades used for torture.

“Well, well. Kane Van Cleave. We meet again. It’s been some time. Nice to see you again.”

Kane recognized the demon right away. He had worked on Kane the first time he’d faced a tribunal on charges of letting Ethan go. In fact, every scar on his
back had come from this monster. “Great to see you, too, Grimel,” Kane said with hatred in every word.

“You remembered my name. I’m so pleased.” Grimel smiled, his big yellow fangs showing. He turned, and Kane saw that Grimel held the same whip he’d used to torture Kane the first time they had met. It was a nasty flaying device straight out of the Tower of London’s medieval dungeon. Eight flexible metal lashes were attached to a single clublike handle. The metal strips could be heated to sear the skin during a beating.

“You made certain I couldn’t forget.” Kane glared at Grimel.

“Yes, I like my clients to remember who marks them—if they live.”

Kane saw the tears in Arwan’s eyes as she slipped past them. Then the key rattled in the lock as Grimel opened the inner cell door. Grimel’s companion smiled at the prospect of the long hours of torture ahead of them.

Kane thought only of how to save Nina and Ethan as he watched the doom demons approach him.

Two hours later, Nina held her throbbing temples and paced the length of a cell the size of a small bathroom. She was sequestered in the middle cell. The two on either side were empty. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the white concrete walls and floor and braided with the country music playing inside the office. From her vantage point, she could see the main part of the sheriff’s office. Clive had his feet propped on a
desk, looking at internet porn and drooling over two large-breasted naked women.

A German shepherd lay at the foot of his desk, eyes on her, watching her pace.

She reached the wall, turned and rubbed her arms, caught in another wave of the shivers. The buzz in her mind split in two directions, pain and agony coming from two sources. Both were close, originating from somewhere inside the jail. Was one of them Kane? Nina had seen Arwan give the order to Jake to go get the doom demons, but they hadn’t come through the main office. Nina had no idea what they looked like, but she had sensed the pall of evil their arrival had brought in the form of the shivers that now plagued her. It bothered her that she had no idea if the emotions were coming from alive or dead victims. Thoughts of Kane’s death caused tears to blur her vision. She had to find him and know for sure if he was alive. Dear God! Please let him be alive.

Nina blinked back the tears, turned and paced in the opposite direction. She stopped, rested her forehead on the bars and gazed out at the German shepherd. Then an idea struck her. “Here, doggy,” she whispered.

The shepherd stood up and obeyed her command.

Clive had a one-track mind and didn’t notice she’d called the dog.

When the shepherd came to her, Nina was glad they’d removed her handcuffs when they had secured her in the cell. It made it possible to stick her fingers through the bars and touch the dog’s neck.

What is your name?

Gabriel.

Do you know who is being hurt, Gabriel?

Two lion men. Where?

One in solitary confinement with torturers.
A mental tremble went through Gabriel.

Is this man’s name Kane?

I’ve heard the lion men call him that.

Nina prayed Kane still lived and breathed.
Where is the other person being tortured?

In the old tunnels under the jail.

Who’s hurting him?

Don’t know. I’m not allowed to go down there. I smelled his blood down there, though.

Please, help me get out of here.

I’ll try.

Who was the second seniph? Nina felt one of the shivers stop completely. A tight belt of fear clenched her chest and heart. Please, please let Kane be okay.

T
hree hours later, Nina had all but given up hope on her escape. She could detect one creature still in trouble, but that signal was slowly fading as the other one had.

She heard someone whistling an unintelligible tune. Then Clive walked toward the cell with a tray of food in his arms. Gabriel padded behind him.

The scent of fried chicken wafted through the air, and Gabriel had his nose tipped up, scenting it with a doggy smile on his face.

“Here’s your dinner, missy. Don’t know why we’re spending money to feed you. Gonna kill you anyway, but Carrie makes the best fried chicken this side of the Mississippi. It’s a fitting last meal.” He leered at Nina’s body.

“Thanks.” She centered her gaze on the dog and kept the deputy talking. “How is Kane?”

“Can’t tell you that. Orders are not to speak to you.”

“Can’t you even tell me if he’s alive?”

“Nope. Most can’t survive a second session with doom demons.”

“Kane’s faced them before?”

“Sure enough, the first time he let his brother go. He lived to tell about it, too, though he ain’t a bragger. Keeps to himself since Daphne’s death. It’s a shame. Poor guy’s had a bad run of luck most of his life. Seems to follow him.” Clive shook his bean-shaped head. “Good man, though. All the Van Cleaves were good people, save for Ethan. Tragic that one, yes, sir. Real shame for Kane that Ethan has lived as long as he has. Brought a lot of trouble on Kane, I can tell you. Kane’s rich as Croesus, but it ain’t helped him none. He takes good care of the pride, though. No one can fault him there. I’m thinking that’s why the council spared his life the first time. Don’t know what will happen this time. Suspect he’ll have to die.”

Nina’s brow wrinkled at the lack of emotion in Clive’s voice as he spoke of Kane’s death. He could have been discussing the newest brand of toothpaste. “What are these doom demons?” she asked.

“Nasty devils. Gotta knack for torturing the truth out of anybody and anything. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Worry snarled inside Nina. “I just want to know if Kane’s okay.”

“If he ain’t dead, he’ll die soon enough after the
tribunal.” He seemed to realize he’d spoken too much and shoved the tray at her. “Here you go.”

Nina and Gabriel shared a knowing look; then they both moved in unison.

Nina tossed the tray up into Clive’s face.

The dog attacked from behind.

While Clive fought off the dog and flying food, he cursed the animal for being disloyal, then cursed Nina.

She dodged the food and tray clattering to the floor as she wrestled his gun out of the holster. One quick blow, and she clonked him on the head with the butt end.

He fell hard to the ground. Nina grabbed him now and gave him an order to sleep for a week. Then she pulled Clive back against her bunk.

Gabriel gulped down the chicken leg and breast in three bites, then backed off.

She shoved the deputy and the remnants of the tray and the plastic fork and spoon and paper plate under her bunk and covered it with the blanket.

She touched Gabriel’s head.
Nice job. Now let’s go find the two lion men.

At the thought of Kane’s fate, her stomach clenched in fear.

Nina skulked through the sheriff’s office, following Gabriel. The area was small, barely room for two desks and Arwan’s office, which was enclosed in glass walls. The shades were open. Arwan wasn’t at her desk. Clive’s screen saver flashed a rainbow of dots across his monitor. A police scanner squawked somewhere
in the room. Her gaze shifted to the front door. Any second, someone might walk in.

Nina touched Gabriel’s back.
Where is everyone?

Don’t know.

Which way to solitary confinement?

I’ll show you.

Gabriel padded over to a door near Arwan’s office. Nina opened it and heard Arwan’s loud bawl. “You left them alone with Kane?”

“Grimel told me to stay out,” Jake said.

“Now we’ll have to pay a fine. The procurator will be angry he’s lost two of his best doom demons. And who will torture the human now? The procurator won’t be as accommodating since we killed the best inquisitors he has. I’m surrounded by incompetence! Get the bodies out of here. And don’t take them through the front door. That’s all I need, for the council to see this. Take them out the back and incinerate the bodies. I’ve already called Elmer and Chris for backup. They’ll be here any minute. Don’t leave this cell until they get here. Nobody gets in or out. No more screwups, do you hear me?” Arwan’s voice warmed to match her anger. “And make sure you put the crystals in the right place. We pay wizard engineers a hundred thousand dollars for an impenetrable magic cell that can hold Hercules, and what the hell happens? We let two demons get killed in it.” She was screaming now. “Can’t anyone do their job around here? I’m living in freakin’ Mayberry. Where the hell is Clive?”

“Feeding the prisoner. What do you wanna do about Kane?”

“I’ll get the healer.”

Nina heaved a sigh of relief. At least Kane was still alive. He must have passed out, and that’s why she couldn’t make a mental connection. Footsteps thumped toward her. She told Gabriel to stay, then ran back through the office and quickly slipped back into her cell.

Arwan poked her head into the cell-block area and eyed Nina. “You been fed?”

“No.”

Arwan’s perfect face, still livid with ire, scrunched up in a frown; then she rolled her eyes and threw up her hands.

“Trouble?” Nina asked, innocently.

“Yeah, and its name is Clive.” Arwan turned and stomped away, ordering Gabriel to find Clive.

“He was looking at porn on the internet before he left,” Nina called out, hoping Gabriel took her on a wild-goose chase.

“If he’s over at the drug store looking at dirty magazines on duty again, I’ll fire his butt, then I’ll kill him,” Arwan said more to herself, though she was furious enough that her voice carried back to Nina’s cell.