"Touch it with your fingertips," she said. "Keep that contact so you know where it is but don't go any closer."
He nodded. The lightning that crawled away from his touch was sharper, more fiery. He hissed slightly. "Feels like I'm being eaten by ants."
"I think it would be a whole lot worse if you came into full contact with the thing." She edged around to the right.
"Can you see anything from your side?" he said.
"A wall and another tunnel." One that looked carved by nature rather than man. Or magic.
"I can see living dead men." He hesitated, and a wave of emotion hit her, so strong it knocked her backwards. "And Janie." Anger, hope, and frustration combined in his voice and speared right through her heart. He really did love that little girl.
"You sure?"
His glance was sharp. "Yes. I can see her face. You've got to break this thing so we can get her out."
"I can't — " "Damn it, she's here. She's alive, and I'm sure as hell not leaving without her."
"We have no choice, not right — " "I will not leave her!"
"And if I try to break this barrier without the right tools, I'll risk killing us all. Can't you feel the power in this thing?"
"It's only magic, for God's sake. How dangerous can it be?"
She stared at him. "Have you learned nothing in the last few days?"
"That's my niece in there." A stiffened finger stabbed the air, and the unseen barrier buzzed almost angrily as lightning flared away from his touch. "And if you won't get her back, I will."
"Ethan, no!"
He thrust at the wall, fists clenched as he tried to force his way through. Electricity swarmed around his wrists, locking him tight, then began crawling up his arms. He swore vehemently, tugging to get free as the slithers of lightning reached further up his arms and began wrapping him in a web of energy.
"See what happens when you don't listen to me?" She swung off her pack and pulled out the slender chain of pure silver — the only metal immune to the effects of magic.
"Now is not the time for an I-told-you-so." His teeth were clenched and sweat beaded his forehead. "Get me free of this damn thing. It feels like it's sucking me dry."
What she should do was leave him there a few minutes, so he'd learn to pay magic a little more respect. "Since it was made by a creature who steals souls to survive, I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly what it's doing."
She looped the chain around his arms, and the lightning shrivelled away from it. Cut off from the main source, the web of energy wrapping around his body fizzled and died, leaving only his clenched fists in contact.
"Now pull free."
With a grunt of effort he did. "Thanks," he muttered.
She nodded and unwrapped the chain from his wrists. If she'd had enough with her, she could have created a doorway to crawl through, but neither she or Gwen had expected the soul sucker capable of something like this.
Though why, she had no idea. An ancient spirit would have had more than enough time to learn a magic trick or two.
"It won't take much more than an hour to go back to the cabin, get supplies and come back."
His look suggested an hour was fifty-nine minutes too long. "Then go. I'll wait here."
"For what? You can't get past the barrier."
"But I can watch. I can see if she's moved or anything."
And what if the soul sucker came to taste rather than move? What could he do, other than go insane watching?
"The zombies or the Mara could come down this tunnel at any time."
His gaze went back to the cavern. "The tunnel will force the zombies to come down one at a time. That I can handle."
"And the soul sucker?"
"Leave the pack."
She sighed in frustration. "Wear this, then." She grabbed his hand and dropped the silver chain into his palm.
He frowned. "Why?"
"You saw how the energy reacted, didn't you?" When he nodded, she continued. "That's because pure silver is immune to magic, and as such, repels it. So wear it and make yourself a little less of a target."
"Does that mean I can't shift shape?"
"Magic is magic, whether it's a wall or the ability to shift into another form."
He wrapped his fingers around the chains. "Go. And be careful going through those zombies."
"I will." She hesitated, wanting to kiss him but not daring to take the step that separated them. Not sure how he'd react to the everyday act of lovers the world over.
He made no move, his attention on the cavern more than on her. She sighed, dropped the pack at his feet and walked away.
The darkness closed in around her again. She dragged her fingers along the walls to keep her bearings and tried not to think about the tons of rock and dirt hanging over head.
She was trembling by the time the end of the tunnel came into sight, and she shifted shape with relief, flying through the trap door and out the window. Out into the wide-open skies. Lord, the freedom of it felt so good.
It took far less than an hour to fly back to the cabin, grab the necessary supplies and get back to the tunnel.
But the zombies were gone when she arrived.
And so was Ethan.
Chapter Thirteen
Ethan crossed his arms and leaned against the damp, cold wall. Janie was a bare ten feet away, sleeping like the angel she was, curled up in a ball around her favourite teddy bear.
He was surprised the monster who'd taken her had allowed her to keep it, especially if Kat was right in suggesting this thing's offspring fed on terror. That in itself suggested she'd been taken for a reason beyond being a meal. He hoped so, if only because it meant she might stay alive a little longer.
God, how he wished he could beat down the wall that separated them, sweep her into his arms, and let her know everything was going to be all right. That he was here and he would protect her against the demons.
But the truth was, he couldn't protect her against those demons. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Kat and her grandmother probably had more chance than he ever would.
He wished the cabin was only a few minutes away.
Wished Kat was coming back right now with whatever she needed to free the girls. He had a bad feeling time was running out.
His gaze drifted to the left. In the other cell lay a second little girl — undoubtedly Karen, the kid they'd failed to save last night.
Like Janie, she was asleep, curled up into a ball. Unlike Janie, she was naked and shivering and crying softly in her sleep. He had no doubt they'd both been drugged. The cave was icy, and neither child had blankets. And it certainly wasn't an environment that induced a restful sleep.
Damn it, they had to get them both out. They couldn't leave either of them here in that monster's grip any longer than necessary. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had passed. It felt like an eternity.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and studied the two zombies. They stood on either side of the small cells, one of them close enough to turn his stomach with its smell. They'd obviously been around for a while, if the withered, gaunt look to their skin was any indication. Did zombies actually grow old? Did they decay? They were dead, so surely they must, eventually.
He snorted softly at the thought. Two days ago he would have considered himself insane for even thinking something like that. God, what a nightmare this was all turning out to be.
Except for Kat.
He certainly didn't regret meeting her. Or making love to her. She was warm and vibrant and so damn sexy he ached just thinking about her. Her scent lingered around him, a taste of sunshine in the cold darkness. He briefly closed his eyes, remembering the way she looked at him just before she'd left — green eyes filled with a combination of passion and hesitation. Doubt. Her mouth had been so damn lush he'd just wanted to reach out, drag her close, and kiss her senseless.