It was a bundle made from skin and fur that smel ed as though the animal hadn't died long ago. Poking my foot into it, I pul ed the cover aside and let out a shriek.
"Got it." Silence. Did they even hear me?
"Real y?" Aidan said, eventual y.
The book was thick and bound in fading leather with letters and symbols embossed on the cover. I inched closer and held my breath as I dropped to the floor to touch it. The pages were old and yel owed, worn out at the corners where fingers had chafed the paper. I couldn't stop staring at it, the smel of dust and magic making me dizzy.
"It's right here. I'm holding it in my hands." I felt proud of myself. There I was, inconspicuous Amber, finding what a bunch of immortals hadn't been able to get. It had been so easy, but who cares? I had it, and now I'd get back home.
Eventual y, I shut the book and lifted it in my arms. It was heavier than I expected, but not impossible to carry. If I could pul Dal as's monster of a suitcase up a hil , I'd be able to transport an oversized book.
Aidan sounded pleased too. "You rock, babe. Now get back here."
Right. Now came the hard part. Where was the way out? I stumbled forward, standing right under the opening in the ceiling, and looked up.
Whoever hid the book either had a rope with them, or could climb up wal s like Spiderman.
"Guys, I've no idea how to get out." I tried to infuse cheeriness into my tone when pictures of me, trapped in this place, flashed through my mind. I wasn't going to end up a skeleton, nails scratching at the bare wal s as I tried to climb my way out to no avail.
"There's got to be some sort of tunnel," Devon said. "Keep searching."
Scowling, I scanned the floor for the umpteenth time. "What do you think I'm doing? Picking flowers?"
No trapdoor, no hidden opening, nothing. I always hated playing hide and seek. Dal as's fetish for hiding my stuff and then watching me cuss my way through searching for it while he guffawed like an idiot, always turned me into a raging lunatic. I sank down next to the mattress and pressed my back against the wal , taking one deep breath after another. I'd literal y skimmed every inch of this awful place. Where else could I look?
"Have you found it?" Devon asked. "You need to hurry. The book's very important."
Not to mention my wel being. I rol ed my eyes. "Of course. I'm standing in front of the exit. Just taking a few pictures, you know, to remind me of my time in the otherworld."
Maybe I could summon some deceased souls and send them after Devon & co. right now, because apart from seeing a few dead people and what happened to them, the prize had brought me nothing but hassles.
"If you could just hurry up with the pictures then, we'd real y appreciate it," Devon said. Not only was he annoying as hel , he was also dense.
Leaning against the bed, I felt my hand sink right in. I turned to examine the wide cut at the foot of the mattress, inconspicuous in the dim light. The material seemed stretched over a long string as wide as two fingers. I pul ed it out and stared at the metal hooks running every few inches. Were they supposed to fit in somewhere?
"Hey, anyone know anything about rock climbing? With hooks and stuff?"
Silence, then Aidan said, "Oh, God. Is there any other way you could get out of there?"
"I'l just grow myself a pair of wings." I bit my tongue hard, holding back another remark. No need to take it out on him just because he had a point. He had yet to see my acrobatic side—the one I'd put to use for the first time in my life. "I get it. You're clueless, too." I nodded to myself.
"Doesn't matter, I'l figure it out myself."
Swinging the rope over my shoulder so the hooks dangled and clattered, I brushed my hands over the wal s until I found the tiny indentations in the stone that were too smal to see with the naked eye. Under my fingers, I felt the metal rings inside the indentations, smooth to the touch. I tied the rope around my waist, securing it with a knot, then wrapped it a few times around the book to keep it secured against my back, and glanced up.
"Now what?" I examined a hook as I considered my options. Obviously they were meant to clasp around the ring, but how was I going to climb up there to attach those? "Darn it."
"Are you okay? Anything happened?" Aidan's voice boomed, jolting me out of my thoughts. I could only hope he wasn't going to interrupt my concentration while I dangled from a rope in mid-air.
"Just peaches, thanks. Now if you could just keep quiet for a minute. Thanks," I said.
After a last look at the rope tied around my waist, I squeezed the hook into the first indentation and wriggled it about until it connected with the ring. Standing on my toes, I attached the next one half a foot higher, grabbed hold of it and tried to pul myself up. Groaning from the effort, I realised it wasn't going to work unless I grew myself a pair of bodybuilder biceps.
"What happened to the good ole' stairs?" I whispered.
With a sigh I heaved myself up for another try, pushing the tip of my boot into the first indentation for more leverage as I climbed up. I reached the second hook and stretched my arm as far as I could to grasp the third dent above my head, blindly fidgeting with the catch until it connected with the ring. From where I hung, I figured there were at least ten or fifteen of those. After only two, my body was already shaking from too much effort.
Setting my jaw, I took a deep breath and forced my tired thighs into motion, pushing against the wal to take the strain off my shoulders. I wasn't going to quit—not least because I had no clue how to get down again, and dangling in mid-air wasn't an option. By the time I fitted the last hook and lifted myself through the opening in the ceiling, my back was slick with sweat and my heart hammered in my chest, probably publicising an imminent heart attack. I crawled a few feet so I wouldn't fal back in and stretched out on the grass to wait for my trembling limbs to stop shaking.
The moon stood high on the horizon. It was just a round circle, but it gave enough dim light to see as far as the woods in the distance. Pushing up on my elbows, I scanned the semi-darkness around me. So I had found and retrieved the book, but where were the black, winged guys to take me back? They either figured I'd take longer and were stil on coffee break, or I was supposed to find my way home.
"Hey, can anyone hear me?" I cringed at myself for talking into thin air.
"Did you get out?" Aidan sounded nervous, doubtful.
"Yep, but there's a problem," I said. "My taxi's not here."
"Huh?"
Did I have to spel out everything? "I've no idea how to get home. I know I should've left a trail of bread crumbs or something, but you didn't pack me breakfast."
"Cass's demon guardians aren't there?" Devon asked. "That's bad."
He didn't say. I rol ed to the side and went about stretching my arm muscles. "So, since you're the fabulous event organiser, how am I supposed to get home now? Do I get a replacement car, or do you expect this tourist to walk al the way back home?"
"Don't worry, we'l get you out," Devon said.
"You'd better hurry if you want the book, otherwise I can't guarantee I won't forget to bring it with me." I knew it was petty to sulk, but you'd think after I did al the hard work for them, the Shadows could at least ensure my departure went according to plan.
Maybe the creatures lingered close by, passing the time until they were cal ed. Lifting my aching body off the ground, I started in the direction of the nearby bushes, figuring I wouldn't venture too far in case they turned up. The scent of pines hung heavy in the air. Were there pine trees in Scotland? I had no idea, but we had flown over water, hil s and woods, and the air was too dry here, and the sun had only been setting when I arrived. I figured, this place had to be somewhere in the United States, a place with a few hours time difference and where conifers grow.
The moonlight reflected in something shiny behind the bushes. I bent to have a closer look when my sleeve caught in the thicket, a sharp twig grazing the skin on the back of my hand. I yelped at the sudden pain and pul ed away, tearing a hole in my f
avourite coat. Then I realised this was my spiritual coat. My real coat was on my real body guarded by Aidan, Cass and Kieran. I let out a sigh of relief, stifling the uneasy feeling inside the pit of my stomach.
"Are you al right?" Aidan asked.
"I'm fine," I said through gritted teeth. Nature real y wasn't my friend.
The scratch stung as though hundreds of needles pierced my skin. Something hot and sticky trickled down my fingers. I gazed in awe at the thin, almost black rivulet dripping to the ground. Blood. Great. Now I'd have to get stiches when I got home. While others brought photos and key rings from their trips, my souvenir would be a freaking scar.
I wiped my right sleeve over the wound and kneeled down, pushing the other hand through the thicket to reach for the shiny object, ignoring the voice inside my head that kept asking whether I real y wanted to squeeze my hand, leg or any other part of my body in there. Hel , yeah. I had to know what the shiny thing was. The scar wouldn't be for nothing. My fingers connected with something smooth and cold, the size of my palm.
Digging my nails into the ground, I scraped at the sharp borders until the object came loose, then I pul ed.
The ground shook beneath my feet. I jumped back, my left sleeve catching in the same branch as before. The earth trembled again, this time harder. An earthquake below the bushes in the same moment I retrieved some sort of palm-sized mirror. What were the odds? Careful y, I squeezed my injured hand under the thicket to free my sleeve when I realised the twig that had grazed me wasn't a twig at al but an oversized, protruding nail.
A loud hiss erupted a moment before a hand appeared from beneath the ground, digging its way out of the soil, and grabbed hold of my injured arm, pul ing it down into the earth. Something dug into my skin; the pain ran up my arm, almost blinding me. I opened my mouth and let out a startled scream as I yanked my hand away from the iron grip, but the thing kept sucking and slurping, gurgling sounds echoing in the eerie silence of the night.
My heart hammered in my chest as I yel ed, "Please, someone help me!" I felt my strength wane. My vision blurred. I was paralysed with fear.
Voices carried over from the distance, but I couldn't discern their words. At some point, one of the black winged creatures appeared beside me and fire brushed my clothes, burning my skin. I tried to breath, but the pain made me choke on my gasps.
And then I fainted.
Chapter 28
Aidan
Something had happened, or why else wouldn't Amber answer our cal s? I paced the room up and down, my wrath competing with the need to roar and punch the wal s. It wasn't like me at al to lose control, but never before had I been in a situation where I felt so helpless. For the umpteenth time I wished I'd stopped her in the woods, forcing her to give me the gemstones even though using force was against the rules. Better a few broken rules and dealing with Layla's fury than hearing my mortal mate's cry for help and not being able to help. Kieran squeezed my shoulder and murmured something that sounded like "She'l be okay." They were just empty words.
Barely two hours had passed since I drank Amber's blood, but her taste stil lingered on my tongue, beckoning to me. Being separated from her pained me. Literal y. My body craved her scent, her touch. I knew I was going bonkers, but I didn't care because the rage inside me made me feel more alive than hope ever would.
"Amber, can you hear me?" Devon kept repeating the words over and over again. How much more of an idiot could he be? Obviously, if Amber heard him she'd respond.
"Get her out of there. Now!" I bel owed. "Or I swear you won't live to see another day." It was a threat I intended to carry out. Kil the damn Shadows one by one. If it weren't for their book, Amber would stil be with me, safe in my arms. I realised I could live like before, trapped by my need for blood and darkness, but I couldn't live without my mate.
"Send out the demons, your dad's army or whatever." I heard Kieran whisper. "I can't guarantee he won't turn against everybody if Amber doesn't wake up soon."
"What do you think I've been doing for the last half hour, moron?" Cass yel ed.
They al sounded worried, though probably more about the book than about Amber. I had to do something—anything—before I snapped. "I'm going after her." Peeling the col ar of my shirt from where it stuck to my neck, I turned my head to the side and motioned Kieran to step closer. "Your turn, bro."
Cass rol ed her eyes. "Don't be daft. You know you need the prize to astral travel. Even if you left your body without kil ing it, you'd be hovering over this room, either dying or stuck forever as a poltergeist."
"She's right," Kieran said. "Besides, I doubt I could drink enough of your blood before your vampire instincts kicked in, turning you into a raging psycho. Not that you're far away from being one right now."
My vampire nature would respond if I lost too much blood, forcing me to survive by attacking anyone nearby, but did I have any other choice?
"Just do it. I can control it." I gazed up at Kieran's hard face, his expression betraying I wasn't going to sway him any time soon. I turned and shot Clare an imploring look. Until now she'd been silent, waiting and watching near a wal . "What about you, Clare? Wil you do it?" She was my last chance. "Please," I added.
Clare hesitated, eyes darting between Kieran and me, then shook her head. "I'm sorry. There's no way you can travel without the prize.
Whatever happened to Amber, she would want me to keep you here."
They had turned against me. Letting out a roar, I jumped to my feet and kicked at the burning candles, hot wax spil ing onto the dirty ground. Fate had played a prank on me, sending a mortal mate and then taking her away once I fel for her. It wasn't fair.
"The demon guardians are nearby," Cass said. "I can hear them searching for her. They'l reach her in a heartbeat." She gasped as she pointed at Amber's body.
"What? What do you hear?" I turned and kneeled beside my unmoving mate, fingers digging into her fragile shoulders. She was turning a pale shade of blue right before my eyes; her skin felt cold as ice under my touch. "Cass, what's the matter? What's happening to her?"
Time seemed to stand stil . Eventual y Cass replied, eyes wide with something I couldn't quite place. "It's got its teeth sunk into her. Charge the creature, then. Do something, you idiots." She was talking to her demons, regarding me as she said, "I have one hundred of Dad's best men flying over this thing and twenty more jumping on it, clawing at its skin and poking its eyes. Looks like your ex isn't going down without a fight."
What was she saying? "My ex?"
"Rebecca," Cass hissed, closing her eyes. "Get the fire demons, Octavius. Turn that thing into burnt toast." She paused. "I know they're dangerous, but we don't have a choice. Release them. Do it. Now."
"Cass, is Amber safe?" Kieran asked.
She jerked her head back. "Whoa, slow down on the flames, man. You're going to singe your eyebrows. We need just enough to roast marshmal ows, not set a raging forest fire."
"The forest is on fire? Are you insane? You're going to kil Amber," I roared.
"Don't you know Smokey the Bear's trademark slogan? No? Wel , let me tel you. Smokey says, only you can prevent forest fires." Cass smiled bitterly. "They got Amber out."
"Is she burned?" I asked.
"Yes, and bitten. Sucked dry."
"But she's alive?" As long as Amber was breathing I could stil turn things around. I glared at Cass, ready to shake the answer out of her, when I noticed her parted lips and flushed cheeks. Drama. Chaos. Havoc. Demons feed on them, and judging from the ecstasy on Cass's face there was plenty of it around.
"They're bringing Amber back," she said.
The Shadows started their incantations again. Deidre stirred for the first time since Amber's departure, smoothing a hand over her long hair, the sudden movement startling me.
I felt the pul , the bond warning me like a ringing bel that something was happening. Amber sat up with a gasp, her heartbeat speeding up, then slowing down again. Her eyes turned in their sockets befo
re she fel back into my open arms. My gaze moved over the book tied to her middle and her torn sleeve, lingering over the caked blood on her savaged arm. Whatever bit her drew a lot of blood. As long as her heart stil beat she'd live, but she needed an infusion now.
"She's back." Devon inched closer and stared hungrily at the book.
I snarled in his direction in case he made the mistake to reach for it, but I knew the Shadow wouldn't dare with Cass around. It didn't surprise me to find the Shadows cared nothing for Amber. They probably would've let her die once she retrieved the book because to them, she'd been just a means to get what they wanted. But did they have to be so blunt about it?
Scooping Amber up in my arms, I pressed her against my body and headed for the door.
"The book's ours," Devon said, reaching for the dagger tied around his waist.
Kieran stepped between us, a cocky smile playing on his lips as he untied it from Amber's waist. "You'l get it when you fulfil your part of the bargain and perform the ritual."
Devon pul ed out the dagger. Cass pressed a hand against his chest, nostrils flaring as usual. "Whoa, mate, get a grip, wil you? We had a deal and I'l make sure you abide by the rules."
"The ritual shal be performed now, otherwise the deal's off," Deidre said.
"No." I shook my head. "I'm taking Amber home. It's my responsibility to make sure she recovers without harm."
"She won't recover," Deidre whispered.
She was just trying to get what they wanted and for that she'd spin one lie after another. I lowered my gaze, ignoring the need to fling Deidre across the room.
"Shut up," Kieran said. "We'l get her to a hospital and she'l be okay."
Deidre shrugged. "You can hope al you want, but the girl wil die. The ritual shal be performed now or never. Your cal ."
Kieran pul ed me aside and whispered, "I think she means it. If you don't do it now, you may never get another chance. After al Amber went through, she wouldn't want you to bail out."