He dropped down on the ledge and rubbed a hand across his eyes. God grant me the strength to kill
Elizabeth, because this cannot go on. She had to be stopped before she ruined more young lives.
Warmth ran down his side, and the metallic taste of blood stung the air. He tugged his shirt free and twisted around to look at the wound. Blood flowed freely, staining his jeans. The wound looked nasty, but it wasn't that deep. The fledgling must have stabbed at him while he was climbing up on the ledge, because the knife appeared to have nicked his jeans and gone off on an angle through his side rather than straight in. Luck had been smiling on him.
He leaned forward and grabbed one of the fledglings, dragging the body toward him. Removing the youngster's shirt, he tore it into strips and wrapped them tightly around his waist.
The rest he wrapped around the worst of his bite wounds—an open slash on his left calf. The remaining wounds were little more than nicks. He hadn't given his attackers enough time to do more damage.
Thank the gods Nikki hadn't been with him. Her kinetic power had its limits and protecting her might have been the downfall of them both.
He rubbed his eyes wearily, then pushed up from the ledge. Time to get moving. He splashed through the shadows, ignoring the ache in his side and the red-hot needles that thrust through his leg muscles every time he put weight on his left leg.
Up the hill and past the bloated pile of humanity. Past the corner where the fledglings had sprung from their hideaways. The air became cleaner, fresher, and his footsteps began to echo. He glanced up. The tunnel was widening, the roof pitching upwards. He had to be approaching a cavern.
He slowed, casting his senses forward. There was no sound, no shimmer of life, and yet… something was there. He edged forward, back to the wall. The darkness of the tunnels opened into a cave of immense proportions. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, gleaming cold silver in the light of a single candle that sat on an outcropping of rock.
Beside that candle waited Elizabeth.
For several seconds, Nikki didn't move. Couldn't move. Her heart was lodged somewhere in her throat, and she couldn't even breathe. All she could do was watch in horror as the smoke creature found form.
The flame imp whisked past her, flashing heat across her face. She blinked. It had paused near the door again, pulsing a deep, distressed red, then flew out.
She swallowed, took one final look at the billowing smoke and the sharp teeth just forming, and ran after the flame imp.
The spawn screamed—a high-pitched sound not unlike a woman in distress. Fear spurted fresh energy into her legs. She flew down the tunnel, following the flame imp and hoping it was leading her to safety and not into some trap.
Suddenly it stopped then dropped to the floor. Horror rolled through her, and the sharp taste of evil filled every corner of her mind. She fell to the ground. Claws scraped her back, burning like fire, then the spawn was past her, billowing like a sail as it struggled to stop. She scrambled to her feet and hit it with everything she had.
It screamed and was flung backwards, splattering against a wall. Moisture dribbled from it, searing into the rock as if it were acid.
She shivered. The flame imp pulsed its warning. She ran after it, her footsteps as frantic as the beat of her heart. Warmth dribbled down her back. She knew she was bleeding, but she felt no pain. Terror had numbed her.
Ahead, the sound of running water was becoming stronger. Was that where the flame imp was leading her? She hoped so. Michael had said water repelled it, but what good would it really do? She couldn't stay in the water forever, and the spawn would have her the minute she stepped out of it.
The bitter taste of evil rushed through her again. Her stomach rose swiftly. Swallowing bile, she fell to the left. Her shoulder hit rock, bruising her. The spawn billowed past again, screaming in frustration. She hit it again, pushing it back against the wall. Glancing at the ceiling, she saw a fissure in the roof line and pulled.
There was a sharp crack, and a huge chunk of ceiling fell, covering the smoky form with rocks and stones. Dust flew in the air, catching in her throat, making her cough.
The spawn screamed its fury. It was contained, but not for long. Tendrils of smoke were beginning to hiss from the gaps and solidify.
She ran on. The flame imp pulsated ahead, splashing red streams of color across the walls. Like blood, she thought. Her blood, if the spawn got hold of her.
Dread clutched her heart, squeezing tight. Energy tingled across her fingers in response, but the familiar ache was also beginning in her head. If she pushed too much further she'd lock her mind in pain, and the spawn would surely grab her.
She wished Michael were here, wished she could reach for the comfort of the link. But she couldn't.
There wasn't anything he could do to help her, and opening the link so he could taste her terror would only panic him. If she wanted to be a full partner in his life, then she was going to have to cope with situations like this without his help.
Behind her, the spawn roared its fury. A chill chased across her skin. It was free. Ahead, the flame imp had stopped again. Color splashed across the walls—across the surface of a stream that cut through the tunnel.
If it's deep I'll drown, she thought, and dove toward the water anyway. Better death by water than being consumed by the smoke demon behind her.
Talons of smoke wrapped around her calf and fire burned up her leg. She yelped, swallowing water as she dove under. Stones grazed the side of her face then her head smashed into something solid. Stars danced briefly and panic surged. She thrust upwards, breaking the surface, coughing the water from her throat. Warmth trickled down the side of her face. She ignored it, twisting around frantically, searching for the spawn.
It was diving for her head. She screamed and battered it away kinetically. It splattered against the wall; rock hissed and bubbled as clear liquid spurted from it. It peeled itself away, then dove toward her again.
She ducked under the water. The spawn hovered above her, yellow smoke body pulsating, as if in frustration. Again, she lashed at it kinetically. Pain burned through her head. She rose, coughing and spluttering, gasping for breath and looking around frantically.
The flame imp whisked heat past her face again, then dove under the water. It rose, spinning frantically, then shot upwards, out of sight again. She frowned, wondering what… the burning sensation of evil filled her senses again. She twisted, saw the spawn coming in from behind. Grabbed it kinetically and thrust it under the water.
Steam rose, hissing through the darkness. The spawn became frenzied, twisting and surging against her hold. Pain shot through her brain, sharper than before. She wouldn't be able to hold it much longer.
The flame imp shot past her and hovered above a pile of rubble, its color washing between red and green. She reached kinetically, picking up the pile of rubble and dumping it on the twisting, screaming spawn. It didn't cover the creature completely. She bit her lip and reached again. Hot lances of fire burned through her brain. She blinked back tears and thrust a second load of rubble over the creature.
This time it was covered. But just to be sure, she grabbed the remaining stones and dumped those over the creature as well.
She released her hold and scrambled backwards down the stream. The spawn's scream was a sound of combined fury and pain. But unlike the last time she'd buried the thing, there was no telltale leakage of smoke, nothing to indicate the creature was escaping. If water repelled it, maybe it could also contain it.