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Chapter Eighteen
Ven
Costa Rican countryside flies by in flashes of verdant green. I keep my cheek pressed to Ryder’s muscular back, and my arms wrapped around his torso. For the first time I contemplate, really and truly, whether we’re going to make it out of this alive.
I don’t want to be brave. I’d come here to escape the memories that haunted me, not create new, worse ones. But Luciana doesn’t have anyone else. No family except for a sister in New York she doesn’t get along with. I’d been in such a bad way when I’d left Raven’s Roost, after the demon and the creepy fuck who summoned it nearly burned me to death. After Luciana supported me in that darkest of times, helped me in a way that no one else had, I owe it to her. Plus, she’s not the only one abducted by the Night Guild. There are the other missing supernaturals, and the people we saw by the dock, and possibly more.
My mind wanders back to our goodbyes with Fitzgerald. What had he whispered in Ryder’s ear? Ryder had just turned and walked off after he said it, not making eye contact. Our brief time with the gentleman demon had certainly changed my perspective on things. I’d realized that not all demons are bad, though I still think my decision about Ryder is for the best. He’s clearly a commitment-phobe bad boy type, and after everything I’ve been through, I don’t need that in my life. He’d proven that last night.
If I can just get my body to agree with my brain, I’ll be good.
After an hour or so traveling on dirt roads, we begin to ascend into the mountains. I know we must be getting close to the location on the map. It’s all thick jungle here, and we haven’t passed a dwelling or any other sign of human life in the past thirty minutes. When the road abruptly dead-ends, Ryder brings the bike to a stop and cuts the engine. We climb off and stare up at the mountain peak in the distance.
“That’s it, over there,” he says.
How he navigated us without GPS from Fitzgerald’s house to this place, I have no idea. But I know better than to question him at this point. His tracking skills haven’t led us astray yet.
He turns to me, an unusually serious expression on his face.
“What?” I ask.
“This is your last chance to turn back, Ven.” His teal eyes are locked on mine. “It’s going to be really dangerous where we’re going. Is this friend you just met in the last few months really worth risking your life for?”
I shiver and swallow down a wave of apprehension. “It’s scary. I’m not going to lie. But if we don’t help Luciana, then who will?” I hesitate as a thought occurs to me. “I mean, but if you don’t want to risk your life for this, I understand. Your favor to Xander isn’t worth this much, I’m sure.”
My heart drops to my stomach. I’m a talented witch, but I know I can’t do this alone. Finding this place somewhere in the mountains beyond is a daunting enough task, and that’s without calculating in the supernatural security system, hell hounds, really terrifying demons, and crime bosses.
“No, it’s not,” he says. “But if you still want to go through with it, I’m with you.”
We stand there looking at each other for a moment, and I feel a flutter like wings in my stomach.
“If it weren’t for our magical orb issue, I’d offer to go alone,” Ryder adds. He turns and stares up at the mountain.
“I appreciate that,” I say. “Really. But we’re in this together.”
He nods. “Okay. Let’s go.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the glasses, then slides them on his face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone look so sexy in spectacles before, but I remind myself that it’s strictly business between me and Ryder from now on. After a quick gaze at the path before us, he puts them away again.
“All clear for now.”
We begin our ascent up into the mountains. I start sweating in no time. Ryder is also covered in a fine sheen of sweat. He’s leading the way, and it’s really hard not to watch his ass as we hike up into the hills. Focus, Ven! This is no time for eye-candy.
An hour passes, and my calves begin to burn. When we catch sight of a small waterfall off the side of the path, really just a trickle coming down some rocks, we stop to grab a quick drink. Ryder ducks his head under the stream to get his hair wet and then shakes the excess off. Then he unbuttons his shirt and splashes some over his chest and face.
“That’s not fair,” I say. “I can’t do that.”
He looks over at me and grins. “I mean, if you want to take off that dress, no one’s stopping you.”
“I can’t fight demons in the nude, now can I?”
I glare and step up next to him, reaching out to splash water on my face and chest as best I can. It trickles down over the tops of my breasts and down into my dress, and I catch Ryder’s eyes as they dart down to follow the movement.
“Who knows. Maybe you’ll distract the demons so much they’ll all surrender, and we can be on our merry way.” He shrugs and grins again.
“I very much doubt those demons want to do anything other than rip me limb from limb.” I roll my eyes.
“Oh, yes,” Ryder says. His smile falls. “Just a bloodthirsty bunch, those demons.”
