The man lunged for Bea. She lifted her leg, kicking him in the shin. He cried out, grasping his leg. Bea, smart girl, darted into the shadows.
“Go, Bea!” Colin demanded, focusing once more on the three men surrounding him. “Now then, my friends, shall we?”
One man dared to shuffle forward, lifting his pistol high. Colin flung the knife. The blade flashed, spinning over and over until it landed with a thunk, half-imbedded in the man’s chest. The native dropped his torch, his scream echoing through the room. His light went out, throwing the room into darkness. A soft thud told Colin the man had collapsed to the floor.
Colin wasted no time and dove toward Bea. She reached out at the same moment and their bodies hit. He pulled her to him, keeping his balance. Bea wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close, her breath harsh against his neck.
“Find them!” Demyan snapped over the shuffle of feet.
“There has to be an exit somewhere,” Colin whispered. “When I step out, go the opposite way. Blend into the darkness, find an escape.”
“But …”
He cupped the sides of her face. “No, just go. Demyan won’t harm you. He wants you.”
“Because of the ridiculous ring?”
“Because of your bloodline. Now stay quiet.”
He felt her nod, but she didn’t release her hold. A smile curved his mouth, and he couldn’t stop himself from pressing a quick kiss to her soft lips.
“Ready?” He didn’t wait for her response but gently pushed her away. Stealing his resolve, he stepped out of the shadows and stared directly into the green eyes of the demon who’d killed his mother.
Chapter 17
Bea stumbled forward, her feet tripping over each other in her haste to run. But she had to keep moving, must keep moving. Her heart slammed against her chest, threatening to explode all over the cavern walls. Surely Demyan could hear the thundering beat. Finally, the darkness swallowed her whole. Here she was safe. Here she could think.
A sudden swoosh of light bounced against the cave walls. Bea hunkered low, keeping still in the shadows. But Colin, oh God, he stood in the torchlight, his arms raised in the air as if he was surrendering. Her insides twisted.
He’d be murdered, shot dead where he stood. She shook her head, reaching backward until she felt the rough stone of the wall. The native man she’d kicked had regained his feet and held the torch high, his gaze scanning the cavern, no doubt looking for her. Demyan merely stood there as if he had all the time in the world. A rich lord, hunting down prey. She shivered at the comparison.
Briefly, she closed her eyes. She must be rational, gather the facts. The facts were, they wanted her. They wouldn’t kill her. But Colin hadn’t said they wouldn’t kill him. She moved as softly as her trembling legs would carry her, quietly following the wall with her fingertips, looking for what, she wasn’t sure, but knowing she couldn’t keep still.
“Where is she?” the monster asked in a calm, serene voice.
“Who?”
Demyan strolled forward, three of the natives following. “She can’t escape. You know that. It’s fruitless and ridiculous. I grow tired of these games.”
Bea stepped closer to the wall, practically hugging the cool stone. With bated breath, she waited. Would Colin give in and tell them where she was? What other choice did he have?
Colin shrugged. “Sorry, but I can’t help you.”
Tears stung Bea’s eyes. Standing there so strong and sure, Colin took her breath away with his bravery. If only she could be that brave!
“Oh, I think you can.” Demyan lifted his arm, pointing the pistol at Colin’s head. Bea froze, her heart stopping for a moment. She felt as if she were watching a play, as if she were the audience, there in the darkness. “Miss Edmund, please do not make me search. Either come forward now, or he dies.”
“Don’t, Bea.” Colin’s voice was hard, demanding. “He’ll kill me anyway. Don’t listen to him.”
Indecision held her captive. Demyan would kill him anyway. Just the thought made her knees buckle. No. No, they couldn’t kill Colin. That was unacceptable.
“You have no choice but to trust me, Beatrice,” Demyan said, his voice almost lyrical.
She shivered at the use of her given name on the monster’s lips. He knew her name; what else did he know about her? Part of her didn’t want to uncover the truth. Part of her wanted to close her eyes and pretend none of this was happening. But it was happening and she had to make a decision and fast.
“You have until I count to five.” He barely paused after he said this. “One.”
Bea’s heart slammed against her chest, panic edging out fear.
“Two.”
She took a hesitant step forward, her knees knocking together. There must be some way she could save both herself and Colin!
“Three.”
He stepped closer to Colin.
Colin tilted his chin high, daring the man to shoot him. Dear God, he’d shoot Colin!
“Four.”
“All right!” Bea burst forward, not stopping until she reached them. She threw her arms around Colin’s waist, taking comfort in his warmth, his scent, his solidness. Colin closed his eyes, but not before she saw the disappointment in those blue depths.
“Damn you, Bea,” he whispered.
But she didn’t care if she’d disappointed him. She didn’t bloody well care. She’d had no choice!
The monster smiled, a slow grin that spread across his pale face. “Very good.” He tossed the pistol to a native and started toward them. Colin stiffened, an animal preparing to attack.
“Don’t,” she whispered, tightening her hold. She was unwilling to come so close to losing him again. Colin’s jaw clenched, but for once, he listened to her. He didn’t move, but he didn’t relax either.
Demyan latched on to her arm, his long, thin fingers biting into her flesh. She sucked in her gasp as he jerked her forward. His touch was cold, his fingers like steel manacles over her warm flesh. She shuddered. He was surprisingly strong for someone so thin. Glancing over her shoulder, Bea begged Colin with her eyes to stay still. His furious gaze followed them, his hands clenched at his sides. She prayed the man wouldn’t try anything heroic.
Bea jerked her head forward as Demyan quickened his steps, pulling her past a native. “Kill him.”
“What? No! No!” Bea struggled against his hold but the man’s fingers were tenacious. He stopped only when they stood in the shadows. With a cry, Bea glanced back at Colin. He was watching her, merely standing there watching her as if he’d accepted his fate.
“Colin,” she whispered, but knew he heard her by the way he flinched.
The Indian man moved forward, his gun pointed directly at Colin’s chest. His hand was shaking, the hesitancy obvious in this shuffled footsteps. He didn’t want to shoot Colin. Perhaps he wouldn’t. It couldn’t end this way. She couldn’t let it end this way. She would think of something, some way to—
The blast rang through the cavern, sending tiny pieces of debris pattering to the floor. Colin stumbled back and fell to the ground.
Panic pulsed through Bea, a pain so acute that it felt as if she’d been the one shot. She screamed, the high-pitched wail echoing eerily through the cavern. “Let me go! Now!”
Demyan released her, only to latch on to her neck. Those long fingers dug into her throat, and with a growl, he shoved her hard against the stone wall. Her skull hit rock and stars danced in front of her eyes, momentarily stunning her.
“I grow very, very weary of your dramatics.” His breath was ice cold, whispering across her skin like a snake. Bea didn’t care, didn’t look into his eerie glowing eyes, but continued to watch Colin.
Colin unmoving.
Colin on the ground.
Colin dead.
Demyan’s fingers dug into Bea’s throat, his eyes producing a green glow that highlighted the harsh planes of his face. Fear and desperation held her immobile. Bea’s lungs burned, her throat cons
tricting. But she didn’t care. Didn’t care that she couldn’t breathe or that Colin had been wrongand Demyan would kill her. She didn’t care. Colin was dead. Gone. And she knew she was about to die, too. Tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision, and she was glad she could no longer make out the Demon’s features.
“What’s this?” She was barely aware of Demyan’s voice. Barely aware when he pulled on the chain that hung around her neck. When his hold loosened and her lungs automatically expanded, sucking in a great gulp of air, she was forced back into the present.
“It’s here. It’s been here all along,” Demyan whispered.
Bea gasped for air, her hands going to her aching throat. Reluctantly, she looked at the man, but he wasn’t focused on her. He’d lifted the necklace, and was staring at Leo’s ring. The emerald glistened and sparkled under his scrutiny, a brilliant green, a calming green that belied the intensity in Demyan’s mad eyes.
The ring? That’s all he cared about? She should have known.
“Take it!” she cried out, ripping the chain from her throat. “Take it!”
She didn’t care, nothing mattered anymore. She shoved the ring into his hand and pushed at his bony chest. The piece of jewelry bounced across the floor and rolled into the shadows.
“No!” he roared, dropping to his knees.
Bea ignored the man and burst forward. “Colin!”
He didn’t move. Merely lay there, his eyes closed, his body still.
“Colin!”
She fell, her knees hitting the hard stone. Cupping his broad shoulders, she shook him. He didn’t even flinch. Unheeded tears slipped down her cheeks, dropping to his chest.
“Colin, please. Oh God, please.” Frantic to find the wound, she ripped open his shirt, the buttons pattering across the floor. Under the light of the torch the native still held, his golden skin was pure, intact. Not a mark marred his muscled torso. Unease whispered across her skin. She didn’t understand.
Suddenly, Colin latched on to her wrist. His eyes opened and a soft grin lifted his lips. “Trust me.” He winked.
Bea’s mouth dropped open. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to hit him or throw her arms around his neck and never let go.
“How?” she whispered. “You were dead!” She moved back, horrified and amazed. “You can heal yourself, too?”
He sat upright. The native man holding the torch mumbled something in his language, his narrow face going pale. He shook his head and dropped the torch. Their only light source went out, throwing the room into darkness.
Colin reached out into the inkiness, his fingers taking Bea’s hand. His palm was warm and comforting. “Wasn’t dead, just pretending. He missed. But glad to know you finally believe in my abilities.”
“I … I …” Bea sputtered, her ire growing. “You cur!” Blindly, she reached out, feeling some sense of satisfaction when she hit his shoulder with her fist.
“Hey.” Colin wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, so close his warm breath brushed across the side of her face, momentarily stunning her. “It worked, didn’t it? Now be quiet before Demyan finds us.”
“Too late,” the man’s voice whispered through the darkness, a snake hissing in hunger.
Bea froze, shrinking back against Colin. There was a soft swoosh and then a flare of light as Demyan relit the torch. Bea’s eyes protested the sudden brightness. All too quickly her gaze adjusted. Demyan stood before them, a torch in his left hand and a pistol in his right. Three natives stood behind him, ready to do his bidding.
“You’re going to stand up slowly now.”
Colin paused, but did as he was told and stood, pulling Bea with him. She thanked God for Colin’s strength, for her legs were shaking so badly she had to lean against him for support. Frantic, she scanned the area. Surely there was something they could do, something they could use to fight the men.
“Take it.” With his free hand, Demyan held out the ring, his gaze pinned to her.
“What?” She was confused, her mind muddled. She didn’t understand what he was asking or why he was focused on her. He wanted the ring, so why was he now giving it back? For one naïve moment she thought perhaps he’d had a change of heart.
“The ring. Take it.”
She glanced up at Colin. He gave a brief jerk of his head. Bea swallowed hard and pulled away from him. Her legs had gone to melted butter and she wasn’t sure she could stay upright. But she had to. She stumbled across the room, shortening the distance between her and the very man who would kill her just as soon as look at her. Feet from Demyan, she paused, her heart slamming wildly against her chest.
He stretched out his bony hand, the ring nestled in his pale palm.
Slowly, she reached out, making sure not to touch him as she scooped up the jewelry. The ring was warm, surprisingly hot against her skin. Part of her hated it, hated that the simple piece of jewelry had been the reason for so much evil. And another part of her wanted to hide it, to keep it safe like a mother with her child.
“Hurry.” Demyan jerked his head toward the right. “Go to the statue.”
Bea paused, shocked. Of course he wasn’t giving it back. Hadn’t Colin said only Bea’s blood could use the ring? They were still after the treasure. It would never end. “In the water?”
“Of course. Now go.” He shoved the heel of his hand into her back.
Two things happened at once. Bea stumbled forward, which made Colin bolt toward her. Demyan swung his arm wide, the pistol only inches from Colin’s chest. There was a soft click, click, click as the three natives cocked their pistols and focused on Colin.
“Colin, no!” Bea cried out. “It’s merely water.”
Water, with a body floating on the surface. Oh, dear God. Bea swallowed down the bile threatening to come up. She wouldn’t get a case of the vapors, not now of all times.
Colin stood still, his wide chest rising and falling with each harsh intake of breath. His hands were fisted, his eyes nearly red with fury.
“It’s all right,” she whispered, praying he’d stay put.
Before he could respond, she slipped the ring onto her thumb and jumped. The cool water enveloped her body, covering her head and dragging her under. Bea opened her eyes and looked up. Above the surface, the golden god loomed, wavering in and out of focus, a small smile upon his face as if he realized the insanity of the situation.
Bea started to move when she caught something from the corner of her eye. Heart hammering against her chest, she spun around. Stephan’s body floated near, his glassy eyes open as he stared down at her. Bea held her scream and kicked her feet, pushing herself up to the surface.
“There,” Demyan said the moment she broke through. “There, in the lotus atop his head.”
Bea glanced back, sucking in a great gulp of air. “What?” Water was filling her boots, dragging her down. She kicked harder, determined not to drown.
Demyan growled, obviously annoyed. “Climb up. Now.” Bea barely had the energy to keep afloat and he wanted her to climb a bloody statue?
Colin merely stood there, his hands fisted, his hard gaze flitting from Demyan to Bea. He was thinking, planning, but what?
“Climb,” Demyan demanded again.
Tearing her gaze from Colin, Bea wrapped her arms around the golden base and pulled herself up. Her wet clothing hung on her body, adding extra weight she didn’t need. Even though the cavern and water were cool, sweat broke out on her forehead.
She hugged the precious metal, pausing for a moment to calm her racing heart. She was so tired. So tired of running, hiding, and worrying. Her harsh breathing made a foggy circle on the golden statue, her reflection momentarily blocked from view. That last night in Scotland, as her grandmother had warned her not to leave with Leo and Ella, she’d been standing at her bedroom window, the air so cold and her face so close to the pane that a foggy circle had formed on the glass.
“Proper young ladies do not travel the world!”
She spun around to fac
e the old woman. “And what would you have me do? Stay here for the rest of my life, rotting in a moldy castle like you? “
Grandmother stumbled back as if she’d been slapped.
Realizing immediately the harshness of her words, Bea reached out. “Grandmother, I didn’t mean … I’m so sorry.”
She tilted her chin high. “Go then. But know that you’re dead to me.”
“The lotus, there. Place the ring in the symbol,” Demyan demanded, his gaze dancing with anticipation.
Would Grandmother mourn her death now? Or was the old woman still too bitter to care? Bea tilted her head back, looking directly into the statue’s eyes. Atop his head, a golden crown perched. In the middle of the crown was carved a flower-shaped symbol, about the size of a halfpenny. A keyhole, of some sort. Between his eyebrows, that same flower shape was mirrored in a panel that flared with light. Light?
Bea narrowed her eyes, confused. Where was the light coming from? She turned. Over the people standing below, across the room, she followed the ray as it came through that small window that Colin had gone to when they’d first entered the cavern. Bea sucked in a breath, pulling back slightly. The setting sun was shining directly through the window. Directly onto the statue. Perfect timing.
“Do it now,” Demyan snapped.
Her heart hammered against her chest. What would happen if she did as Demyan demanded? Bea pushed the wet strands of hair from her eyes, her hands shaking so badly the task proved almost impossible. Taking in a deep, trembling breath, she pulled the ring from her thumb. For a moment she paused, staring at the piece of jewelry. If she dropped it … the water would swallow the ring whole. Gone. It’d take days for Demyan to find it, if he ever did.
“Drop it and he dies,” Demyan snapped.
Bea jerked her gaze toward him. The pistol was pointed at Colin’s head. Demyan had known her thoughts. Did he read minds as well? She shivered and turned back around to face the statue.
Swallowing hard, she pressed the emerald into the carved lotus. It fit perfectly. As she’d assumed, it was a keyhole.