Underworld Queen (32 page)

We could all be dead by then.

Suddenly, he received an urgent message from Molly.
They’ve come for me. Stay away.

There was no way Carl was going to do this.

When he arrived at the glass and metal structure built into the tall pine trees, he realized he’d been too late. Carl sprang from his car and dashed towards the doors to the library, which had been blown off. Crystals of shattered glass littered the lawn in front, as well as the cars and blacktop in the nearby parking lot. He could hear sirens wailing in the distance.

Carl’s stomach contents almost erupted as he found blood spatter over the front desk, over the floor where people had run, slipped and fallen in pools of it. Several young bodies lay at unnatural angles on the cool granite tile. On his way to the reference desk he was already murmuring, “No! No!”

The place seemed vacant. Then Carl heard a message playing to his ears and his ears only.
Get Granny
, Molly’s faint voice told him.
I’ll be okay for now, but get Granny.

Where are you, sweetheart?

Get out. Something’s coming. Get out and get Granny.

Carl looked into the small wired window to the vacuum sealed and temperature controlled stacks room and saw a smudge of blood
on the inside.

The door was shut, which meant it was locked. Several large gouges like those made with an axe were embedded in the wall and the door itself, but the lock had held. He could see they had gone for something stronger, and they’d be back to finish the job.

Through the wired window he saw her. She ran to him, tears streaming down her face. “Tell me how I can open this,” he shouted.

“You can’t. You must go get Granny.”

He looked at her hand, which appeared to be bleeding. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Yes. Go, Carl. I don’t want you here when they come back.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone!”

Prefer you leave me alone. Safer. Go!!!
Her telepathic message screamed in his ears.

Carl ran toward the stairwell to the staff exit. On the wall by the exit sign he saw a fire safety box with its glass shattered and contents splayed over the floor, including a fire extinguisher. He burst through the metal doors and flew downstairs, past the small coffee shop that was now abandoned, chairs overturned in what proved to be an obstacle course. Carl pushed on the metal bar to the door outside. The whoosh of warm fresh air filled the room as he tasted the possibility of freedom.

Making a long arc around a mound of grass and trees in a park-like sitting area, he doubled back to the parking lot and jumped into his car. Checking his rearview mirror, he didn’t think he was followed, but couldn’t say for sure.

Carl wondered if he should have checked the sky. Since this was a powerful black witch they were dealing with, did that mean she traveled by broom?

He knew exactly what direction he was headed, but wasn’t completely sure how to get there.

Or if he’d be in time.

A
udray was awakened
by sounds in the bedroom Catarina had banished her to. Fearing at first that someone had broken through the security to do her or the baby harm, she was surprised to see Rupert bent over and obviously trying to carefully tip toe toward her outstretched body on the bed.

“Shh. Audray. We don’t have much time,” he whispered.

“What’s going on, Rupert?”

“I’m getting you out of here. We’re going up top, where we think you’ll be safer.”

“What about Catarina?”

“She’s newly created, Audray. Not sure if you remember your first days—”

“Who could forget them?” she whispered back. Her need for sexual conquest was off the charts and made it difficult to concentrate as a newly created dark angel in the Underworld. She rose and began to bunch pillows under the coverlets to make it look like she was still asleep. “So what’s happened?”

“I plied her with some Sexual Apricot. A lot of it, by the way.” He grimaced. “She’s still learning about moderation. It got her so wound up, she passed out at Helena’s. One of my men just brought me the news.”

Audray wondered if it mattered to Rupert that his newly created dark angel wife probably had an appetite for anyone willing to have sex with her and wasn’t going to be very discreet about it. “Are you okay with this?” She wanted to be reassured he was a true ally.

“Does it look like I have a choice?”

Rupert’s breathing was labored. He was distracted and Audray could tell he was paralyzed with fear. This didn’t make him an ally. She knew he’d run as soon as he had a ghost of a chance at survival. Audray knew they were running out of time, and knew he’d never stay for the fight. “How long will she be out?”

“Not long.” With a moan, he added, “I imagine she’ll wake and look for someone to burn over it.” He pointed to his chest. “And I plan to be up top hoping to disappear or get a second chance.”

“You get me out of here, and we’ll do all we can. I can promise you that.” She hoped the reassurance would ease his nerves enough to help him concentrate on the plan he’d devised.

He had brought a bright red cloak, which wasn’t inconspicuous but was one of Catarina’s, and if Audray was covered from head to toe the population would probably think it was the evil woman herself. Audray knew Catarina’s cruelty had already begun to create rumors.

The stone streets were wet with the smell of Red-X and other exotic spices, as well as a healthy dose of human fluids of all kinds. Audray’s nose began to twitch and she felt a sneeze come on, which wouldn’t have been wise. She held her nose and huddled into the cloak as they scurried up the steps to the transport. Sounds of equipped men behind her at first worried her, but then she saw Rupert give them hand signals as they scattered out and created cover to the sides and behind them while a couple of Jonas’ men scouted out front.

She could see the gray transport warehouse looming large from the top of the landing steps and for an instant felt relief, until she heard the screech of dark angels as they flapped their shredded black wings like bellows in an executioner’s dungeon. One of them reared his head back as if he were going to shoot a fireball, treading air with the wings arched behind him. He was caught in the chest with a blast from one of Jonas’ men and dropped in a heap, creating a huge ball of flames. The companion dark creature swung low and nearly clipped the cloak right off of Audray. She looked into his bloodied red eyes and saw recognition. Instead of charging at her further, he righted himself and began to take off toward Undertown. Fearful he’d report her escape, Audray pressed her right palm to the sky and a sputtering laser flash hit the bird in the eye, exploding his head as he too dropped to the ground.

The pain in her hand was nearly unbearable. She began to be sick to her stomach as she inhaled fumes of her scorched flesh.

“Does your other hand work?” Rupert asked in a near panic.

“I think so.” Audray wouldn’t look him in the eyes. She shared a glance with Jonas’ man.

“Fuck, Audray, are you losing your powers? Rupert’s voice broke like a teenage boy’s.

“Forget about that now. We need to go,” the soldier said. “It gets worse the longer we stay here. Come!” He ordered.

Rupert and the foot soldier helped her under the arm and together they rushed to the waiting transport. Audray was relieved to see several of the men went with them in the limo. As soon as the last door closed, the vehicle took off at what felt like the speed of light.

One of the men grabbed her wrist and wrapped it with a towel soaked in something that did take some of the pain away.

“Hold this tight around your palm and don’t let any of the dirty air get to your wound. You will heal faster if you leave this on for at least an hour. But you will heal.”

“Thank you,” she said.

The guard cinched
it tighter, causing new pain. “It will work to accelerate the healing. Only painful for a few more minutes. You’ll see.”

“Where did you get this poultice?” she asked him as the transport purred through space.

“We carry them in our packs. An old remedy with herbs we grew and brought from the human world centuries ago. Fighting man’s best friend.”

A couple of the dark guards chuckled. She had expected something high tech and was relieved the old ways worked best, regardless of the realm.

The vehicle nearly reached the transport warehouse when they swerved abruptly to the right, nearly rolling over. Accompanying the deafening screeching of tires, shattering glass and metal crumpling was the frontal impact of the car as it slammed into a solid object. Two well strapped-in guards were holding onto Audray, so she didn’t fly out one of the doors which had been ripped off its hinges in the crash. What was left of the vehicle finally came to a complete stop just outside the station. The driver had been pinned and her bloody body was smashed up against the metal grate protecting the passenger box. Rupert jumped out with the escorts, one of whom leaned in to grab her good hand. “Come on. We have to get out of here.”

“I can trace.”

“You can’t take all of us, and I think you’re going to need a small army,” the guard announced. “Can you run?”

Before she could answer, another of Jonas’ men whisked her off her feet and started running around the building into the warehouse village. Audray saw the pile of large boulders blocking the path the transport usually took. This had been an ambush. They headed to a cluster of abandoned structures for cover.

At the center of the arena-like courtyard lay the remains of the Director’s home, reduced to charred rubble. It appeared to have been thoroughly picked over.

As they turned behind a large brick warehouse they saw the transport and the station explode into flames. Audray’s heartbeat began to elevate. She saw spots in her eyes and leaned against the chest of the runner who held her. She was just about to pass out when they shifted her carefully to another runner, who picked up speed and nearly led the pack of men. She watched Rupert try to keep up, but realized how well trained and fit Jonas’ guards were.

“Wait!” Rupert finally called out. “I need to get hold of Jonas.” He was breathing heavily as he stopped. The rest of the men clustered around them, searching for enemies from all sides, including the air.

“We’re here. Yes. She’s safe for now. There are five of us, and Audray is nursing a wound from using her laser.” Rupert listened and then handed the phone to Audray. She grabbed the lifeline to Jonas and everything right about her life.

“Are you okay?” she said to him just as he had said the same thing to her.

“My hand is healing. But I’m feeling faint, Jonas. Are you out of danger for now? She could hear the familiar sounds of Jonas’ truck in the background.

“Coming to get you.”

Within five minutes she saw the shiny black truck roar down the abandoned roadway leading back into town, Jonas and his long hair flying in the breeze. Though she tried to keep her eyes open, she collapsed into the arms of one of the guards. The man didn’t flinch as she lost consciousness against his granite shoulder.

She awoke on
a large bed and instantly recognized Josh’s room. Jonas was speaking on the phone, trying to be soft about it. She uncovered herself from the comforter that had been placed over her and then remembered her burned hand. The bandage was still wrapped around it, but just as the guard had told her, the pain was greatly reduced and she could feel how quickly it had healed. She walked over to the door, which was slightly ajar.

Jonas’ warm smile made her heart jump. Suddenly, all the uncertainty and pain of being separated from him, not knowing if he was safe, if there was anything that could be done to save the baby she was carrying, evaporated. As he took her in his arms, her world, the world she wanted to live in for the rest of her natural or unnatural life, was on its proper axis. She felt safe, even though there was still so much around them she did not understand.

After melting into his strong body until she stopped trembling, he whispered to the side of her face, “How are you holding up, baby?”

“I’m good now,” she said as she squeezed him. “I don’t want to ever be separated from you again.” Staring into his eyes, she added, “Ever. No more separations, okay?”

“Not if I can help it,” he said as he kissed her fully. When they lingered in tiny kisses, he pulled back. “Tell me the truth. Are you feeling better or worse than this morning?”

She thought about it before answering. She did feel more energy, less tired, more alive and her nerves were settled. The constant ache in her stomach from being nauseated was gone as well. Amazed, she answered him with a smile she hoped would reassure him, “I’m good. Really much better.”

His shoulders rounded as he sighed, nodding his head. “That’s good. That’s good, baby. Maybe that’s a sign this is where you belong.”

“Was hoping for that.”

“Me too.”

“Rupert is the reason we escaped.” She wanted to be sure Jonas knew how grateful she was.

“You feeling up to talking with us a bit?”