The Devil's Third (16 page)

“Maybe you two need a break from each other,” I suggested, using the same line as my other brother Thomas used on Jeremiah and me.

Paige and Tree exchanged looks. Paige stuck her tongue out. He laughed and pulled her into a headlock, rubbing his knuckles on top of her head.

“We’re fine,” Tree said, releasing Paige before she had the opportunity to take him down.

Then, to my surprise, Paige kicked his feet out from under him. He toppled to the mat, his back smacking hard. A lungful of air escaped his lips, making a low hissing sound.

“Yeah, we’re just fine.” Paige laughed, offering her hand to Tree. He took it, unfazed by her quick retaliation, aside from the fact he was covertly trying to catch his breath. I pretended not to notice. “I think I should quiz you on your Latin,” she told him.

Dark spirits were notorious for speaking in Latin, so I had given Carrie and Tree a CD player with a CD to listen to while they were asleep. The disk had several learning modules: how to understand Latin, how to think your way out of a tight situation and about combat fighting. Secret agents in the military used this same concept for learning different languages, because your subconscious mind absorbed information while you slept. This method had been proven to be effective, and by what I had seen today, Tree was benefitting from it.

“What an excellent idea,” I said, curious to see how well he’d do on his Latin.

“Fine by me,” Tree said, shrugging.

“I take it you’ve been listening to the lessons?” I asked.

“Yup,” he replied. “Well, except for when I was with Carrie and last night.”

Paige headed for the stairs. “C’mon. We’ll do this in the living room where we can be more comfortable.”

Paige was right. The fluorescent lights were bright and made it a bit warm in here. The air was also stuffy and reeked of sweat. I could see a shower in my near future.

***

“I think Tree did a really good job today,” Paige said, hopping on the computer for more research on the caves in Africa. She sat cross-legged on the couch in the living room with the laptop propped on a pillow on her knees.

I didn’t know what had gotten into her while I was taking my shower. Maybe it had to do with Tree doing so well today, but it seemed like a fire had been lit underneath her. I on the other hand, wasn’t feeling it and began having doubts about the cave being in Africa.

“Yes, he did,” I answered, not really paying attention to her screen. Instead, I settled in next to her and closed my eyes, listening to the slow drumming of her heartbeat.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, a sharp gasp startled me. For a second, I didn’t know the day or time. But when I looked at Paige sitting beside me, computer in her lap, I quickly got my bearings. She had an expression on her face of shock and excitement, causing my heart to lurch.

“What is it?” Bleary-eyed, I squinted at the screen and saw a picture of a cave resembling the one in her vision. I sat up, alert now. “My God. You found it. But where?”

She gave me a smug look. “In Ethiopia.” She handed me my MacBook. “It’s called the Sof Omar cave. It has forty-two entrances; however, only four are useful for access.”

“Interesting,” I said, scrolling down to look at each photo, my heart racing.

“Yeah. Check this out,” she said. “There were some archaeological investigations in the area, and in 1971, a geologist discovered new passages into the cave. Then in 1972, a British expedition arrived in Ethiopia where they explored and surveyed the cave. They also discovered more new entryways.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “Do you think?”

She bounced in her seat, tucking her legs beneath her. “I think they were looking for something, possibly Solomon’s ring or the incantations.” I could hear the thrill in her voice.

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The knot in my chest began to unwind because, realistically, if we hopped on a plane to Ethiopia in a couple days and found those incantations, all of this strife in our lives would be over.

But then I stopped laughing when a disturbing thought popped inside my head, throwing a sabot into the works of my plan. “Do you know if the local people who live there go inside the cave?”

“Probably,” Paige said. “I mean, I read they revered it as a shrine, and the cave has been an object of prayer and sacrifice.” She paused, staring at me, and her face fell. “Oh. I see what you’re getting at. We may have a problem gaining the access we need to the cave.”

I ran a hand through my hair and rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the same knot in my chest recoiling. There had to be a way around it; we just had to figure out how. If only Anwar and I were on good terms . . .

I shut out the thought. No way in hell could I ever trust Anwar again, and the phone call he made to me last night was probably another ploy to get me away from Paige. I had made up my mind then not to play into his theatrics concerning Paige. “Let me see what I can do to get us in there,” I finally said, running a mental list of all the people I knew who might be able to pull some strings without me telling them why.

Paige stood and stretched. “Okay. I think we should go back to my house and figure it out there.” A sheepish look entered her face that I found absolutely adorable. “I really miss my bed,” she admitted.

“What? My bed isn’t good enough for you?” I joked.

“It’s too soft. I like it firm and hard.” Her cheeks turned beet red.

I was trying to keep a straight face, but my eyebrows raised in question, and I could feel my lips twitching. “You do, huh?”

“That’s not what I meant,” she said, laughing.

“Uh-huh. Sure you did,” I teased. “I know how you like it.” I rose from the couch and chased her into the bedroom, and all was forgotten for a while.

Chapter Sixteen

Paige

Nathan didn’t have a clue about what was really going down, although I was almost sure he felt–
something
.

How could he not? I wasn’t good at hiding my emotions, and since I’ve become immortal, they’d been heightened exponentially. I was able to harden them, like I had done earlier, but obviously I needed more practice because a few had slipped to the surface after I spoke to Tree. So I was almost positive Nathan picked up on those feelings, because he’d asked me what was wrong. I knew then he sensed something, so I thought of a quick answer before he realized it had to do with us. It was a good thing I could use Tree as my scapegoat, and I told myself I wasn’t completely lying to Nathan because it did break my heart about Tree being so upset.

“Are you ready to go?” Nathan asked, snapping me from my guilt-ridden thoughts.

I stood in the middle of the living room looking around, taking mental pictures of the stone fireplace, the wooden railings bordering the loft with its perfect scroll design and the books adorning the back wall behind it. My heart squeezed as a sadness washed over me that this would probably be the last time I’d ever be in this house again.

“Paige?”

Out the corner of my eye I could see Nathan watching me with his head tilted to the side his concern evident. I didn’t move. Instead, I looked up at the high-peaked ceiling with the wooden beams. I knew I should have responded right away, but I wanted to savor this moment and lock it inside me so I could revisit it in my mind in the future. My eyes drifted toward the kitchen. I had the sudden urge to go in there and stare at its U-shaped construction of wood, like everything else in this wonderful rustic A-frame house.

“What are you looking at?”

I could hear his feet shifting against the rug next to the front door. I noted his heart pounding a little faster, too. He was getting anxious, and that sudden realization prompted me to throw a quick and believable answer at him before I blew my cover.

“I was just wondering if we should clean your house before we head over to mine.” I scrunched up my face. “I can see grit on the mantle and those railings can use some Old English. There’s also a film of dust on your TV.” I pointed to the flat screen.

He let out a short laugh. “We’re on the verge of finding the incantations, and there are dark spirits who want to get their hands on you, and you’re worried about my house being too dirty?”

“Well,” I said, mentally patting myself on the back because once again I had distracted him from the truth, “grimy houses bother me.”

“The dirt is not going anywhere. We can clean when we get back from Africa.”

He turned off the lights, a nonverbal signal telling me it was time to go. My eyes swept the house one last time, and I followed him out the door into the night.

 The yellow crescent moon shone bright against the black sky, and the crisp air brushed against my face. The crickets chorused around us, chirping as if their life depended upon on it.

Abruptly they stopped and so did Nathan.

We were between the cab and bed of his truck, and he placed his hand on my chest. An eerie earsplitting shrieking sound ripped through the night, growing in volume as it rushed toward us. My eyes were trained on the black forest ahead of us, and two glowing orbs peered between the black trunks. I gasped, and Nathan pressed my back against his truck, shielding my body with his.

Something large and fast bounded across the clearing, snapping logs in its path, grunting each time its feet hit the earth. I sneaked a peek beneath Nathan’s arm and saw a beast that could only be described as half man, half gorilla.

Nathan flew to the side, and the beast slammed his hand above my shoulder almost tipping the truck over. His black eyes were inches from mine. I stood frozen in shock and fear. His gorilla-like face was a leathery black, and his upper lip curled, revealing long, sharp, pointy teeth. His breath smelled like burnt flesh, causing me to recoil and turn away.

“I have a message to pass along,” his deep, gravelly voice said. “Accept the offer or suffer the consequen--” The half-breed stopped short when a feral, growling noise broke from behind him. White, powerful hands, gripped the nape of his neck and lower back, lifting him off the ground.

“You keep away from her!” Nathan hurtled him across the clearing, and the creature smashed into the ground, rolling a couple times before jumping to his feet. Nathan charged forward, a blurry streak peaking at an incredible height, cannon balling down where the creature stood. Before Nathan landed, the gorilla humanoid disappeared into the trees. “Get in the truck and lock the doors.” Nathan hollered before he vanished.

“Nathan!” I screamed. Instinctively, I wanted to run after them, but I wasn’t sure if this thing was more powerful than I, and something in Nathan’s voice told me I’d be better off in the truck.

 I stood listening and jumped when a suffering wail broke through the silence. Shaking, I hopped in the vehicle and locked the doors. I pressed my hands against the cold window. A trumpeting high shrill of undeniable agony twisted at my heart, and I hoped beyond hope it wasn’t Nathan making that sound. The window fogged over from my erratic breaths, and I swiped a shaky hand across it.

I stared at the trees across the clearing where they both disappeared and heard a whining sound surround me. I held my breath, and a whimper escaped my lips. I pinched them together, forcing myself to be quiet.

I turned back to the window, debating on what to do, and at the same time wondered what the hell that thing was. Then I remembered what Carrie told us from one of Aosoth’s memories about a being such as this. Bigfoot is what Tree called it. A creature which could enter our world through a portal . . .

Omigod. Had I opened a dimensional doorway when I did the ritual to reach Carrie?

Nathan stepped out of the forest. I flung the door open and ran to him. A trail of dried blood stained his cheeks, and he no longer had his shirt on. Deep, red claw marks ran across his bare, muscular chest and arms, streaked with caked blood.

“Are you okay?” I stopped him and touched his face. Part of the blood crumbled beneath my fingertips. He pulled my hand away and held it. A disturbing look hovered in his eyes that made my stomach churn.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“Is he dead?”

He nodded. “C’mon. I’d feel better if we were at your house.”

He seemed anxious to get out of here and a little high-strung. He wasn’t saying anything, though, but I think I knew why. He needed some time to ponder. I decided to give him some space and kept quiet until we were almost to my house, and I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “What do you think?”

A black Tahoe drove past us. The headlights flashed across the windshield, briefly illuminating inside the cab of Nathan’s truck. Nathan gripped the steering wheel, his eyebrows pulling together in a deep frown. He didn’t answer right away, so I stared out the window at the trees along the shoulder of the road, wondering if there were any more of those beings lurking beyond them.

“I think Aosoth summoned him,” Nathan finally said.

I stared at him open-mouthed. “Why would you think that?”

“Dark spirits are attuned to the energies in this world when they’re not in the flesh, so they would know when a portal is on the verge of activating. I think Aosoth has always been intrigued by those creatures. The reason I think so is what Carrie told us about Aosoth dwelling in the Nazi and watching a Yeti crossing from their world to ours. Not to mention what he said to you.”

“But she shot him,” I said, recalling the story of Aosoth being part of the Nazi Occult Bureau and had set out to murder one of those beasts so they could do medical experiments on it. “Besides, remember what Bael told Carrie about most of the portals being closed because the earth is too congested with people and infrastructure. Unless I opened it when I did the ritual to contact Carrie.”

Nathan pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. Clouds obscured the moon, shadowing us in pitch darkness. It was a good thing we could see in the dark. Otherwise, I’d be uncomfortable sitting in Nathan’s truck like this.

“I don’t think you opened any doors,” he said. “And Bael is right about the other portals. I also think it’s very rare these creatures can cross from their world to ours. But . . . ”