At long last, we reached the bottom, which opened to a narrow tunnel. Lanterns along the wall cast an eerie, orange glow against the large boulders surrounding us, and a path of gravel crunched under our shoes. Lumpy, awkward rock formations left frightening shadows on the walls like people or creatures creeping ahead of us. Several feet above us, stalactites hung from the ceiling like sharp daggers waiting to slice into our flesh. Disturbing sounds echoed as we strode down the tunnel—screams, groans, the same slurping and sucking sounds we’d heard when we’d encountered the first vampire.
I shuddered with revulsion. Just how many demons lived here? How outnumbered were we? I didn’t want to think about it, but it circulated my brain over and over as if reminding me what a terrible idea this was. I wanted to stretch my muscles, but instead I focused on the warmth of Oliver’s fingers in mine.
You can do this, Desi, I told myself. This is all part of the plan. Find the prisoners. Free them. Find a way back home.
The tunnel weaved and curved, opening to forks and appendages that only confused me. We traveled so deeply down the tunnel that I knew we would never find our way out alone.
“At least there aren’t mosquitoes down here,” I muttered.
Oliver snorted next to me, and though my stomach still twisted with fear, my heart lifted slightly.
At long last, the vampires led us down one narrow avenue that reached a dead end to a small prison-like space lit by a single torch. The lead vampire pressed his hand to the cave wall and said, “Howard, I need you.”
I blinked, my eyes wide with fear. The wall swirled from the vampire’s touch, and a person stepped through as if he lived inside the wall.
My jaw dropped. The man wore a uniform, but unlike Oliver’s blue attire, his outfit was all khaki, like some kind of jungle explorer. He was older, maybe mid-forties, with red hair that was peppered with gray and a thick, furry mustache.
The man’s eyes darted to Oliver and widened with recognition. Oliver’s head jerked to the side ever so slightly, and the man’s face relaxed into a neutral expression.
“Howard, these two claim to be Second Tier demons working undercover,” the lead vampire hissed. “Can you see them to El Diablo?”
My chest throbbed with terror. Is this really happening? Are we seriously about to meet this guy?
“Certainly.” Howard extended his hand toward the wall he’d come through. “After you,” he said, staring intently at Oliver.
Oliver looked over his shoulder at me, and I nodded, though I wasn’t sure why. He stepped through the wall, which rippled in response. I took a deep breath and followed behind him. The wall felt like a sheer curtain that tickled my face as I stepped through. The smell of rock and moisture assaulted my nose.
Something grabbed my elbow, and I resisted the urge to scream. Before I could react, Oliver muttered, “It’s all right.”
I blinked. I saw nothing but gray rock everywhere. It pressed in on me as if I were encased in a coffin. I couldn’t breathe.
“Relax, Desi. Focus. Use your magic.”
I flexed my fingers. They hummed with energy so familiar that it soothed my panic.
Oliver and Howard materialized next to me. We were still surrounded by rocks and jagged edges, but I wasn’t alone.
“Where are we?” I whispered.
“In between portals,” Howard said shortly before fixing a stern gaze on Oliver. “Gerrick, what the hell are you doing here?”
“Colonel, this is Desi Campbell,” Oliver said, gesturing to me. “Desi, this is Colonel Wright.”
“Down here, you call me ‘Howard’,” Howard snapped. “Now answer my question. What are you doing here?”
“We were caught,” Oliver said, “and outnumbered. We had no choice but to convince them we were one of them.”
“How is being down here any better for you?” Howard said, his fuzzy dark eyebrows lowering.
“My coven is looking for El Diablo,” Oliver said quietly.
My eyes widened, and my heart lurched with panic. I raised a hand before Oliver fed this demon any more information. “Hold on. How do you two know each other?”
Howard opened his mouth, but Oliver interrupted.
“He’s my superior from our brigade,” Oliver said.
“But he’s a demon,” I objected.
“He’s on the Council in America,” Oliver said. “He’s neutral.”
I scoffed. “Do the demons here know that?”
“No,” Howard said sharply. “And it better stay that way.” He squinted at me in suspicion, his eyes traveling from my torn and stained jeans to my tank top and jacket. “Who are you?”
“It’s a long story,” Oliver said. “Can you help us?”
“Get to El Diablo? Absolutely not.”
“Well, can you at least help us blend in?” Oliver asked impatiently.
Howard shook his head. “You’re crossing a line here, Oliver. The Council won’t like this.”
“I could always just tell the demons how I know you.” A wide, mischievous grin spread across Oliver’s face.
Howard’s nostrils flared. “Don’t threaten me, boy,” he growled.
“Will you help us?”
Howard brought a hand to his forehead and sighed heavily. “Fine. I can get you in.”
“Yippee,” I said in a bored voice.
Oliver looked at me in bewilderment, but amusement danced in his eyes, and his lips twitched.
“But on one condition,” Howard said, holding up a finger. “You put in a good word with me to the Council.”
I balked, my eyes drilling into Oliver accusingly. “You’re on the Council too?”
Oliver winced and didn’t meet my gaze. “Agreed,” he said to Howard.
“And if you get caught,” Howard said, raising another finger, “you’re on your own.”
“We understand.”
I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows. “Um, what?”
Oliver sighed and finally looked at me. “Desi, this is our only option.”
“What about Manuel and Elena?” I whispered. “We can’t just charge in here without backup!”
Oliver frowned. “Backup?”
“Reinforcements!” I nearly shouted.
Oliver sighed.
