Cold Blooded

beat my power back. We’re in a no-man’s-land. We need to blast through to the other side and we have to do it before the ward chokes our power out.

I closed my eyes, even though it was dark, and concentrated on the energy around me. The only thing we can do is gather our power and try to force it back out in a blast and hope it’s enough. I exhaled, and in one motion, sucked all the power that I’d encased in the ward back into my body. It plunged back in like a shot, making me stumble. The ward compressed as I took my magic back, stealing the air out of my lungs.

I braced my hands in front of me.

As quickly as I could, before the ward crushed the life out of me, I shot a concentrated blast of power out in front of me. A big boom of thunder hit my ears and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled on a dirt ground panting.

I blinked and looked around.

I think we’re out.

I sat up slowly, dusting off my hands. I twisted my legs around and examined them for Trow damage. I’d been so amped up on adrenaline and power, I hadn’t felt the continued assault. My spandex was full of holes, but it was still intact. Everything is healed already. Thank goodness those little shits didn’t have any venom. I was in my Lycan form, and apparently my muscles were harder to ravage.

Brushing off my legs, I stood and tried to figure out where I was.

It was dark, and I took a step forward, right as something rammed into the back of my legs. I crashed to the ground, rolling once before I shot to my feet, crouching low, arms out to the sides in my fighting stance.

“It’s wonderful you could join us,” a voice whispered in my ear. “We’ve been waiting.”

17

There was no one in front of me. The tunnel was empty. It was not as dark as where I’d just been. My eyesight adjusted and I saw there was a slight incline leading uphill, which I assumed would eventually lead me out of this underground hell to freedom.

The breathy voice hit my ear again as soft prods, like invisible fingers, landed all over my body. “We need you, Jessica. Come help us.”

Another voice, this one childlike, cried, “You took too long. I want to see my mommy.”

My fur sprang on end as my skin erupted in millions of goose bumps.

Ghosts.

Yuri had said the tunnels ran under a cemetery. No, no, no. Please don’t tell me we’re trapped underground with a healthy number of ghosts. My wolf’s ears were pinned back. Don’t panic, I told her—but really, I needed those words myself. I cringed at the thought of ghosts. How do you fight against something you can’t see? My wolf was equally freaked out. Her canines were exposed, her lips curled. It would be hard to defeat beings who had such little power and no magic.

I had no idea how to make them go away.

“What do you want?” I asked, taking a few steps forward. Currents of air continued to brush against my face and arms. There was no way to know how many were here with me.

“We want to be free,” a voice whispered right next to my ear.

“Outside. I want to go outside.”

“My mommy is calling. Can’t you hear?” Something shook my pant leg.

Baby ghosts?

Did I really need to be assaulted by infant specters? I tried to rack my brain for a reason why I deserved to have tiny invisible children haunting me, but I came up with nothing.

Vicious Trows were worse than being trapped in a tunnel with a few ghosts, right?

I needed some perspective. These ghosts obviously wanted something from me and I needed to find Naomi. Maybe they would make a trade and leave me alone. “I don’t know if I can help you,” I called around me, cautiously moving forward. “But if you help me, I will try and help you. That’s all I have to offer.”

“Power.” Something glided by my face, shifting the air currents around me. “So much … power.”

“Come with us.” The voices sounded far away yet close, like an invisible hand was toggling a huge volume control knob.

“We will show you the way.”

“You will take care of us.”

Invisible fingers prodded me forward and I let them guide me. I addressed the crowd at once. “I’m looking for a vampire named Naomi. Do you know where she is? Medium height, chestnut hair, pretty features, smart as a tack?”

“Yes.”

“We know her.”

“They brought her here.”

Hope pricked along my senses. “Is she being held somewhere close? Do you know if she’s safe?” I asked.

“Awful.”

“Sad.” A ghost started to cry.

Jesus, when ghosts cried, you knew the news was going to be as shitty as possible. “How badly is she hurt?” My voice rose several octaves, and even though I had no idea where I was going, I started to trot down the tunnel. It leveled off after the first small hill and started to twist and turn. “What is this place? Where are we?”

“The House of Death.” Voices clamored around me, echoing the word “death.”

Well, that was nice.

I tried to project my inner voice out to Rourke and my brother. If we were all out of the mansion, it may work. Can you hear me, Rourke? I switched channels. Tyler, are you out there? What’s going on?

“They cannot hear you.”

“The Queen prevents it.”

“Hey,” I yelled. “Stay out of my brain!” I couldn’t feel them floating around in there, which is what I guessed they were doing, but I wanted my thoughts to stay my own. “Why can’t my Pack hear me?”

“The same reason we cannot get out.”

“And?” I asked. “What reason would that be?”

“The barrier.”

“Is stifles us.”

“It holds us tightly.”

This wasn’t getting me anywhere. I had no idea what barrier they were talking about, but Naomi was my first priority. “Is Naomi in the … House of Death with us?” I asked. “Can you lead me to her?”

“Crypts … crypts … crypts.”

“Are all the crypts connected?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Just underground.”

“Beneath the soil.”

They continued to usher me forward, their ghost fingers tickling my skin. Grainy outlines made maneuvering possible, but having the invisible guides made it much easier. “Are we moving toward Naomi?”

“Yes.”

“We will take you.”

“For a price.”

That wasn’t surprising. Everything had a price.