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I climbed off the limp body and nudged it with my foot. No reaction. Magnarella got his death match after all. Too bad he missed the show.
I couldn’t leave the baku to rot in my mind or I risked irreparable damage.
It was time to wake up.
I pictured Pops standing beside me, encouraging me to persevere. He hadn’t always chosen the kindest words, but I knew that had been his own history coming to the forefront.
“You cry, you die.”
“Move it or lose it, Lorelei.”
Never had the words rang truer.
I pictured the lab. The table I’d been strapped to. The layout of the room. I conjured a door in my mind and painted it red. I jiggled the handle. Locked.
This was the price I paid for suppressing my powers on a regular basis. I was out of practice. I had to exert more energy.
There weren’t many supernaturals that could move between realms without an access point. There were even fewer that could move between realities.
Thank the gods I was one of them.
Pain seared my skull as I dragged the baku’s limp carcass into reality. I clenched my teeth and fought a second wave of pain that nearly immobilized me.
I opened my eyes and recognized my surroundings. Still in the lab. Good. The baku’s body rested on the white tile floor next to my table. Blood and guts seeped from the carcass. That would leave a stain on the pristine floor.
Kaleigh was still unconscious on the other table. No one was monitoring us. Bless Dr. Edmonds’ giant ego.
I clenched my teeth and pulled until I broke free of the straps. Good thing I was also stronger than Kevlar.
I rushed to Kaleigh and unfastened her straps. I patted her cheeks in an effort to rouse her. No response. I’d used her fears against her in the ring. I could also use them to jolt her awake.
There are certain types of nightmares that occur during the transitional period between sleep and wakefulness. Unfortunately, these tend to be of the more intense and disturbing variety. If I could access one of Kaleigh’s, though, I might be able to trigger her to wake up.
I accessed her mind, chose the most realistic and intense option, and set the nightmare loose. This was no time to be gentle. Like my actions in the ring, I took no pleasure in it.
I waited beside her, holding her hand. Her eyes flew open, and she bolted upright in a panic, breathing rapidly.
“Kaleigh, you’re okay,” I said in a soothing tone.
It took her a minute to come down to earth. She blinked and looked around the lab. “Where am I?” Her gaze snagged on the dead baku. “What in the hell is that thing?”
I explained the situation as quickly as I could, stressing the need for urgency.
“I’m sorry I nearly killed you,” she said.
“And I’m sorry I tortured you.”
She glanced at the baku’s corpse. “You made up for it.”
“You need to go now. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Kaleigh glanced at the monitor. “I might feel better if I break a few things on the way out.”
“Have at it. Just don’t take too long. I want you gone when the shit hits the fan.” Things were about to get messy.
Kaleigh didn’t hesitate. If there was a machine, she smashed it. If there was a bag of fluid, she emptied it. We’d set their little avatar project back years. I wasn’t naive enough to believe it would be permanent though. Magnarella clearly had the funds, but recreating this would take time.
I lifted the baku by its tail and dragged it across the floor, leaving a trail of bodily fluids in its wake. I mentally apologized to the cleaner.
