Chapter 26
Chapter
Twenty-Six
If the cook searching for his lost burger spotted us, he chose not to follow. The trapdoor thudded shut over our heads and didn’t re-open. I descended first with She Without An Ear still perched on my shoulder. Thane followed, barely a rung above me.
I already had an inkling that this entrance to the Understream was used far more than the clocktower trapdoor and I was proved right because it was far better maintained. I had both witchlight and the Wicker light powder in my backpack but I didn’t need either of them, not at the moment.
There were electric lights all the way down the long vertical tunnel and the sturdy ladder had anti-slip treads on each rung.
An elaborate pulley system next to the ladder was likely used for transporting goods from both above and below.
I caught a whiff of magic, indicating that it was powered by enchantments and used regularly.
It was an easy descent and we reached the foot of the ladder within minutes. I wished Penelope had been at the bottom castigating us for taking so long, but I quashed that particular wave of sadness before it overwhelmed me. There would be time for grieving later.
Only one door led away from the ladder, which made life easier. Thane, whose hearing was far more acute than mine, pressed his ear against it. ‘I can hear music but it sounds muffled,’ he said. ‘I think the way is clear.’
She Without An Ear chirruped. ‘No,’ I said firmly. ‘This time we’re going together. No more snack delays.’ She gave a tiny grumble in reply.
Very slowly and carefully, Thane twisted the doorknob and opened the door.
As I’d visited The Den, the vampires’ drinking spot, I thought I knew what to expect but last time I’d entered through the front door. This entrance was very different.
‘I’m not imagining things, am I?’ Thane squinted at the flashing neon-green sign that proudly proclaimed Welcome to the Underworld! Beneath it was a fancy carved door that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a cheesy Halloween film set.
‘I don’t think so.’ It was curious that the sign said Underworld rather than Understream; it suggested that the vampires wanted to portray a theme-park vibe to any non-fanged visitors rather than real life.
I stepped forward then jumped when blasts of red smoke appeared overhead and a disembodied voice boomed out, ‘You are entering the Underworld!’
She Without An Ear miaowed loudly, as discomfited by this dramatic display as I was.
The voice went on, ‘There are many rules and laws that you must observe while you are here. The most important one, which may result in your death if you do not obey it, is that you must not speak of this place to anyone.’ The sentence was followed by a clash of forbidding music. Jeez.
‘Does this actually work on visitors?’ Thane asked. ‘It’s not like any of the other Understream entrances I’ve seen – it’s much more camp. More Rocky Horror Picture Show.’
I shrugged. Most of Coldstream’s above-ground inhabitants hadn’t a clue about the Understream’s existence so maybe it worked for those who were lucky – or unlucky – enough to visit. But he was right that it felt far removed from reality; it was weird as hell.
The music faded away and the voice continued. ‘All first-time visitors must proceed directly to the Suite of Bureaucratic Affairs. An escort will be provided. They will arrive…’
‘That’s our cue to get out of here,’ I told Thane.
‘And quickly,’ he agreed. He pushed on the door in front of us. ‘It’s locked.’ He flashed me a grin. ‘Not to worry.’
‘Don’t kick it in. We can’t let anyone know we’re here.’
He winked. ‘I’ve learned a thing or two from you since we last did this.’ He selected one of the small bottles strapped to his chest and withdrew a pinch of powder, crouched down and blew it at the centre of the door. ‘This is the good stuff. It cost me a pretty penny but it’s worth it.’
For one long second nothing happened, then the booming voice – which was still listing the rules for non-vampiric visitors – stopped abruptly. A different voice took its place. ‘Intruder! Intruder alert!’
The red smoke dissipated and there was a loud hissing sound. That wasn’t good. She Without An Ear squeaked and buried her head in my hair as I eyed Thane. ‘The good stuff?’
He grimaced. ‘It was supposed to open any door.’
‘Any door that’s not protected by vampiric means?’ I asked drily.
He winced. ‘Yep.’
I clicked my tongue. Angry vampires would already be heading this way and, if I wasn’t mistaken, that hissing noise suggested something unpleasant was being pumped into the room.
It would be a miracle if we weren’t unconscious soon – or worse.
I covered my nose and mouth with my arm but that would only buy me a few extra seconds. It wasn’t a solution.
There was a muffled thud from the other side of the carved door and I tensed. ‘Get ready,’ I muttered. ‘We’ll have to fight our way out of here.’
Thane didn’t answer. When I glanced at him, I saw that his eyes were glazed: the magical gas was already affecting him. My stomach tightened. This was very bad indeed.
Then the carved door opened and Thomas reached in, grabbed me and then Thane. He hauled us through the doorway and shoved us roughly into another room.
Thane was choking and gasping. My eyes were watering and my throat felt tight. She Without An Ear was equally shaken and spluttering into my hair with heaving breaths.
Thomas grimaced. ‘It’s jimson weed. Don’t worry. The effects will pass shortly.’
I stiffened as another vampire appeared behind him. The siren stopped abruptly and managed a toothy smile. ‘I’ve shut it off,’ she whispered. ‘It’s alright.’
Thomas frowned. ‘Why are you whispering?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘It feels like I should.’ She looked at me. ‘You’ll be fine in a minute or two. Just breathe deeply.’
‘This is Elizabeth,’ Thomas said. ‘She’s a friend. She’s on our side.’
Our side? That was unexpected even given what had happened to Penelope. I gestured to Thane, who was looking a darn sight healthier than he had moments before. ‘This is Thane. He’s also a friend.’
‘More than a friend,’ Thane managed to growl, as if Thomas might possibly have a romantic interest in me. Or vice-versa.
Thomas nodded. ‘Penelope was more than a friend of mine.’
I smiled like this was news then pointed to my shoulder. ‘This is She Without An Ear.’
My cat removed her head from the dubious safety of my hair and hissed vehemently at him. ‘Not a friend?’ Thomas asked.
‘I think she’s upset about what just happened,’ I said carefully.
‘We take security seriously,’ Beth told us. ‘I suppose you tried to force your way in?’ Neither Thane nor I replied.
Thomas smiled tiredly. ‘I am glad you’re here.
I thought you would come back but I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t know if you’d enter this way.
Penelope told me that you’d gone to The Den for a drink.
She didn’t mention showing you the door, but I thought you might use it if you knew about it.
The clocktower entrance is closed off now and you’d have got short shrift if you’d tried to enter that way. ’
William had told me as much. ‘What’s with the neon light, the Vincent Price voice and the Underworld stuff?’ I asked.
‘We find it helps to play into stereotypes,’ Thomas replied. ‘It relaxes blood donors and impresses investors.’
‘Investors?’
‘Vampires are wealthy for many reasons,’ he said ambiguously.
Fair enough. What they did to make their money was their prerogative. I let it pass and focused on what was important. ‘Has the maze monster returned to its home?’
It was Elizabeth who answered. ‘Yes.’
‘With Penelope?’
Thomas looked away as Beth bit her lip and nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘So why are you here instead of there?’ Thane asked.
Good question. For all his bluster and bravado when we’d first met, Thomas was not as brave or as foolhardy as I’d expected.
‘I’m a vampire. I have many talents.’ His shoulders sagged.
‘But Penelope is dead and if I went into the maze after her, I’d soon be dead too.
Penelope believed you were capable, Ms McCafferty.
She believed you have skills, and she was an excellent judge of character.
If anyone can stop the monster then it’s you. ’
As Elizabeth looked me up and down sceptically, Thane smiled. ‘You’re right. If Kit can’t do it, no-one can.’
That wasn’t remotely true but it was nice that they believed it, and the sudden glint of optimism in Thomas’s eyes stopped me suggesting otherwise. He swallowed, twitched and then said, ‘I’d like to come with you. If I may.’
He might prove to be a terrible liability but I couldn’t stop him and he’d already proven that he had his uses. Besides, Penelope had been his; Thomas had every right to join us. ‘Alright,’ I said. ‘But you’ll have to do everything I say.’
He nodded vigorously. ‘Of course. And I apologise sincerely for the way I behaved when we first met.’
‘I’m sorry I kneed you in the balls.’ I wasn’t because he’d deserved it, but it felt like the right thing to say.
Thane blinked at both of us then grinned. I squeezed his arm affectionately while Beth stared at me open mouthed. She Without An Ear purred.
‘Come on,’ I said to my expanded crew. ‘Let’s get to that maze.’
We left Beth at the door to clear up and deal with anyone who was curious enough to investigate why the alarms had been tripped.
A side entrance allowed us to bypass The Den’s bar; it might have been very late for vampires but there were still plenty of people in there.
We needed to keep a low profile; we’d already made enough of a mess of our sneaky entrance as it was.
The cavern outside was pretty much clear, which wasn’t surprising after what had happened to Penelope. We marched quickly through it, giving wide berth to the odd passing vampire and keeping our heads down. Nobody wanted to linger in this area, and that worked for us.
‘Should we take a worm?’ I asked.
Thane paled. ‘Take a worm?’
Thomas advised against it. ‘With three of us, we’d have to use one of the larger ones and that might take a while. It will also leave a trace and we will be more likely to bump into others. It’s wiser to go on foot.’
I wasn’t sure who was more relieved by that: She Without An Ear or Thane.
I let Thomas lead the way. I no longer had my map and, although I vaguely recollected which tunnels to take, a wrong turn could spell disaster.
I tried not to think about the maze ahead.
One problem at a time, Kit, I reminded myself as I took out my witchlight to illuminate our way. One problem at a time.
We jogged for about twenty minutes. She Without An Ear grew tired of being jolted around on my shoulder and jumped off.
I kept a close eye on her but thankfully she seemed to realise that it was important we worked as a team.
At least for the next few minutes. Or until someone appeared with a burger.
We crossed a large junction and moved into a narrower tunnel, then into one that was narrower still. I soon recognised where we were – and what was up ahead.
‘There,’ Thane said softly. ‘I see it.’
The painted yellow strip that stretched across the tunnel was bright even with only the witchlight to illuminate it. I sucked in a breath and felt a tingle of adrenaline. She Without An Ear darted forward and jumped across it without hesitating.
‘She’s braver than I am,’ Thomas said shakily. She was a cat; she was braver than all of us.
The hard part was over. The all-but impossible part was yet to come.