Chapter 84
Chapter Eighty-Four
APRIL
The storm is still holding strong when Eshe and I slink out of our home, the pouring rain plastering our hair in less time than I have to blink.
Claps of thunder follow our crazy dash across downtown, the noise akin to lazy applause for our efforts to stay hidden even though not a soul stirs outside, thanks to the damn weather and all.
But I’m not worried that people will see me moving around.
Not really. I’m fearful that Sebastian will catch me before I escape, and instead of threatening to punish me, he will decide he’s had enough of my shit and leave.
Heart heavy, and with a lump clogging my throat, I dart from dark corner to dark corner, avoiding the weak yellow glow of the streetlamps papered all over the damn place.
It’s LA for fuck’s sake, you can see it glow from outer space.
There is absolutely no need for this many lights.
I thought the same thing while hiding as a human, and I’m thinking the same thing now while I glare at the tall polls as if they’ve wronged me somehow.
When the Bank of America building appears across the street, a ping bumps against my ribs like I’m seeing an old friend.
Eshe doesn’t have any misgivings or consideration about the concrete jungle we are traversing, striding confidently over the few lanes of the abandoned street and heading straight for the dark alley on the side of the tall building.
Both dressed in all black, we look like thieves sneaking through the night.
Fighting a shiver from the icy downpour soaking the fabric and drenching my panties, along with my bra, I blink away the moisture from my eyes and follow on her heels.
My friend is leading because I lagged behind, too busy making sure we are not being followed.
When I enter the familiar alley, a different kind of pain stabs me when I remember Sara and Eddie waiting for me down in the tunnels while I scuttered like a rat all over the city to bring them food and everything else they needed, like a dumbass.
Lost in my thoughts, I fight against the anger so it doesn’t entirely consume me.
Eshe has the manhole open and pushed to the side by the time I join her above it.
She doesn’t speak, just gives me a firm nod and steps into the gaping hole without a thought.
My head pops on top of the tunnel entrance when she plummets down, but I don’t even hear a splash or a thump when she lands in a crouch.
Following her example, I do the same, leaving the lid open in case we need to run for our lives.
I want revenge.
I have no wish to die as an immortal in the tunnels I managed to survive as a human.
“Follow me,” I murmur so low that the words are barely a breath tickling my lips.
It still smells like shit and moldy stone, the odor as familiar as it is repulsive now that my senses are much stronger than before.
Disgust and nostalgia war in my head, but my feet glide soundlessly over the floor, murky water sloshing over my boots with each step I take.
A crunching sound echoes from deep in the tunnel, and I plaster my back to the wall, adding grime to my already soaking-wet shirt.
My hands clench at my sides when the chattering of rats follows the vermin still patrolling the underground like it’s their kingdom.
Peeling myself off the cold stone, I continue forward, Eshe hot on my heels.
We don’t speak.
There is no need for conversation when we are on the hunt, not when sounds can alert any mages present and they’ll run before I have the chance to get my hands on them, like Marcus and Sebastian suggested.
For some reason, a thought blooms at the forefront of my mind.
Why is Eshe so adamant to go after the mages?
From what she told me, she didn’t care much one way or another about anyone.
She spent her centuries waiting for someone to resurrect my soul.
But watching her intent gaze that doesn’t miss a single thing as we walk the long, dark tunnels, I can’t help but wonder if she’s hiding something from me.
Unfortunately, now is not the time for an interrogation, but I make a note to ask her about it later.
Mentally recalling the blueprints and the area Sebastian pointed out as a hiding spot for the mages, I guide us deeper and deeper into the underground of the city.
Apart from the few rats squeaking and their chattering echoing through the empty tunnels, nothing else can be heard or seen.
The metal pipes crisscross above our heads, the water leaking from the elbows in them and making resounding plops in the gaping maw in front of us.
Just as I was about to tell my friend this was pointless and we needed to go back, a scrape of what sounded like a boot catching a pebble slaps me in the ears.
Reaching back, I stop Eshe from moving further with a hand pressed on her chest. We both freeze, straining to hear if it was indeed someone walking, or if I imagined it.
After a long minute or two, as we stand still like statues again, the scrape reaches my ears, followed by a muttered curse.
My head snaps back to look at Eshe to see if she heard it, too.
Her sharp nod confirms I’m not hearing things, and a smile stretches my lips wide enough to hurt my cheeks.
We found the fuckers.
Like ghosts, we glide soundlessly closer to whoever made the mistake and announced his presence, but our advance is stalled when multiple whispers become clear in the silence.
The closer we get, the louder they are, although the people talking are keeping their voices low and hushed.
Eshe and I look at each other, and she juts her chin forward, telling me to keep going.
I can tell we are almost upon them, their bickering coming from just around the corner of the tunnel we are in.
If we turn the curve in the narrow path, I have no doubt we will see them.
Adrenaline pumps in my veins, and I move faster, but a hand grabs my arm and yanks me back, stopping my progress and preventing me from reaching my prey.
I glare at Eshe.
With a shake of her head, she jabs a finger first at the bend of the tunnel, then she points at the metal pipes above our heads.
Not understanding what she’s on about, I frown at her.
In the most human way possible, the ancient woman rolls her eyes at me, her whites standing out stark in the darkness of the tunnel before her knees bend and she jumps, catching herself on the metal pipe.
With a swing of her long legs, she curls around it, tucking herself out of sight.
I stand like an idiot and stare up when a hand comes in view, and she flicks her wrist pointing a finger to tell me to get my ass up there.
The voices are much closer than they used to be, so feeling all kinds of stupid, I do as she did, tucking myself between the rusty pipes next to her.
Right on time, too, since as soon as my boobs are squashed on top of the pipe, three people turn the corner heading our way.
Holding my breath, I wait, hoping to see their faces or hear something useful from their passionate conversation.
Lucky I blocked the bond with Sebastian, or he would’ve come storming in these tunnels like an avenging angel if he felt the rush coursing through me right now.
Fighting the bloodlust so I don’t jump on the mages almost passing under us, I turn my head to the side so I can hear them better.
“… I’m not a fucking novice who needs to be put on babysitting duty,” one of them rages in a whisper-yell at the other two, his words finally becoming clear. I missed whatever he said before that.
“Why are you bitching at me about it. I’m not the one telling you what to do,” the shorter one walking next to him hisses angrily.
“Besides, aren’t we all doing what’s best so we can get rid of those bloodsuckers?
As soon as Eddie tells us they are ready to stake that new bitch, we can kill this one. ”
“Slowly,” the third person says conversationally, the tone so soothing it makes his one word more ominous than anything the other two said.
My eyes dart to lock on Eshe, and the venom I see in her gaze tells me she feels the same.
“Who do they have?” I don’t speak the question loud, silently mouthing the words to her.
She just shakes her head, her eyes looking down and away from me.
I tighten the hold on the metal pipe with my thighs so I don’t jump down and demand they tell me.
“It shouldn’t be too long now.” The first mage perks up. “After what that Italian monster did to get the bitch out of our restaurant, I don’t think we will hold back much longer.” His snickering sounds deranged. “I can’t wait to start killing those vile creatures.”
“Yeah. They thought we were pets and they could use us to do their dirty work.” The second mage joins the conversation, rolling his shoulders as all three of them pass right under us. “It paid off to bide our time and let them grow so used to us they forgot we were there.”
“Fuck, I’m hungry, let’s hurry so we can get back without anyone noticing we are gone.” The third creep nudges them to move faster.
I want to kill them.
I’m dying to just drop like some demon from above their heads and tear out their throats, but Eshe sinks her nails in my forearm, holding me on top of the damn pipes with her.
Sharp as claws, they rip tears in my shirt and sink deep into my skin, shredding it like paper.
The pain snaps me out of the red haze that is blanketing my vision, and when I know I’m back to myself, I nod in gratitude at my friend.
We stay hidden, her focused on the three mages and how far away they are from us, and me on the pipe I’m clutching between my thighs so I don’t crush it and give us away.
We drop soundlessly back down when their muttering and footsteps can’t be heard anymore, bolting in the direction they came from.
For some weird reason, my heart is kicking so hard against my chest I’m scared it’ll punch a hole clean through and drop at my feet.
Urgency is written all over Eshe’s coiled body while she moves next to me, as well.
It doesn’t take us long to enter a wider area that’s been cleaned on one side and set up with a narrow metal bed, a small table, and three chairs.
Cans of soft drinks, beer, and whatnot are scattered around it, along with crumpled bags of chips, chocolates, and snacks.
Shock renders me mute, the breath hitching in my throat.
Not at the mages getting comfy in these tunnels, no.
What smacks me like a train in the gut is the man pinned to the wall with metal chains, his body bloody and freshly carved like someone was trying to open his chest and check out his insides.
Swallowing thickly, my brain refuses to recognize the black tactical pants I’ve seen every day since I met Sebastian.
The man’s hair is dirty and matted with blood, so I can’t tell the hair color, but something very deep in my soul screams like a banshee in recognition.
My brain doesn’t want to admit the truth, but my soul will have none of that.
Arms covered in goosebumps and tremors raking my spine, I utter one word before dropping on my knees because my legs can’t hold my weight any longer.
“Andrei?” My friend’s name is a breath passing my numb lips as my knees hit the dirty ground, but his head jerks up. Eshe darts to catch me, and I drag her down with me, unable to look away from the one person I never thought I’d see again.
“April …” His answer is barely recognizable and drowns me in guilt for waiting this long to come here, but there is no mistaking those penetrating eyes when they lock on my face with a feverish look. “Run!”