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Over a dozen bodies must be encased here: mothers, fathers, children. The whole area reminds me of a small courtroom with amber pillars and a great amber throne of spikes at its far end. Chills grip my spine. Who knows how much time I have left before the demon vampire returns?
Pursing my lips, I flick my gaze back to the amber-encased girl. Head bowed, her eyes are closed in sleep. Other than her unconsciousness, she is untouched…neck bereft of any marks. The Scourge vampire has preserved these for later ravenous feeding.
I’ll be damned if I leave this lair without freeing them!
My palms turn cold and clammy with what I need to do. Without another thought, I plunge my hand into that sticky amber, careless of the black veins that rear up, threatened, closing in, prepared to needle into my skin, into my flesh, into my pure blood to protect its claim.
My claim is greater. Gritting my teeth, I declare, “They are not yourproperty!”
Projecting my holy flames, pressing my determined lips together, and reinforcing all my muscles, I battle the Scourge capillaries. I force them to shrink before my light. The amber melts until its layers peel back like a flower to reveal the teenage girl’s face. Breath heaving and cleaving, I reach deep within my heart, set my jaw, and shoot my heavenly beams into the encasement. Finally, it withers to an amber pool around my feet. Released, the girl falls right into my arms. A deep sigh releases from my throat.
She doesn’t wake, so I lay her gently down, face the other amber-encased souls, roll up my sleeves, and get the fuck to work!
* * *
By the timeI truly get winded, I’ve released all but one last soul. But unlike last time in the Father’s Tower, I refuse to allow one child to escape my clutches. Sweat oozes off my body while gold blood careens from my eyes. My skin is flushed and reddened from my task. I’m sweating from head to toe. My worn limbs howl for me to stop. It’s about an hour till nightfall, but I press on to free this final human.
A few others begin to wake, rousing the rest. I don’t blame them for taking my exit: the golden ladder I’d embedded into the upper walls of the pit, leading to that spoked wheel hub. My inside joke of Jacob’s ladder, even if it’s a far cry from a stairway to heaven.
Now, my Halo dims, but I chant a thousand ragged breath-prayers. I clench my hand into a fist and punch it right into the amber. Black capillaries descend into my very flesh, seeking my pure blood. I cry out. It’s needles splitting me open, sucking on my blood.
I scream, hissing wind through my nostrils at the burning, at the evil plague invading my nerves. Sucking courage through my teeth, I focus on the little angel inside—the boy who is no more than ten years old. The holy device in my heart short-circuits, waning. Now, I summon the host of heaven, charging starry constellations to grant me strength to finish this battle.
Combatting the monstrous pestilence that threatens to undo my Halo, I lurch through my clenched teeth, curls sweat-soaked to my skin, and scream, “Let him go!” But my power fades to nothing more than an ember spark. No!
A familiar hand lands on mine. It joins with mine, projecting deep inside that amber. Dumbfounded, I widen my eyes. Heartbeat hammering in my ears, I gaze up into the bewitching and lethal face of—
“Syn!” I gasp.
“Sometimes, one must fight venom with more venom, Princess.” She winks and launches several spike serpents into the amber, nudging her bald head against my curls. “Sorry, I’m late. Harder for us lower demons to breech the Chasm borders into the Spirit Realm.”
Backing up, I exhale, relieved to accept her aid. I marvel at her serpents attacking the black capillaries, biting down and devouring, causing more amber casing to disintegrate and free the little boy inside. I catch him while Syn retrieves her serpents, rubbing their heads while they return to her shoulders and chest.
“Lower demoness, my ass!” I exclaim, causing her to grin accordingly. She’s the highest, in my opinion.
Spent, I collapse with the little, unconscious boy in my arms, cradling him like a precious treasure. A treasure! Ugh, I’m so stupid! X marks the spot. All along, I was seeking direction. The answer to Pan’s riddle: a map!
That buzzing bastard! I’ve seen plenty of trees on maps. Okay, forests, but what does it matter? I surrendered my kiss all due to a bloodymap!
Syn reprieves me by gathering not just the little boy with her immeasurable strength but me into her arms. All the humans have already fled up my ladder. Now, it’s our turn.
Too astonished that we haven’t encountered the Scourge vampire, I lean into Syn’s considerable muscles, clenching my legs around her frame. She hauls us to the surface—out of that throne room, out of that pit, out of that darkness until all I can make out is the blood moon’s near half-circle.
As soon as we surface, and I hit the solid earth of the Spirit Realm, the dark woods might as well be heaven’s embrace compared to that desolate, amber pit. I mutter to Syn, “I seriously need a shower!”
Chapter18
“Neo set you up, I know. Why do you think I’m here?”
“Careful, my love.”
Startled, I shriek, jump, and crash against the back of the waterfall shower at Neo’s voice. Supercilious ass.
“You’ll rob everyone else in the Court O’ Nines of their hot water,” he adds while I groan and rinse the shampoo from my face. “If you love steam so much, I can help with that,” he hints, a wry smile in his voice.
I roll my eyes and comb my fingers through my hair. The shower is more than large enough for multiple people. Over the past few months of his absence, I’ve grown more comfortable with all the amenities of his private domain, including the accompanying bathroom—the size of a small suite with an arched walk-in shower lined with gold and crystal drop chandeliers and a balcony Jacuzzi that spills to midair, offering a scenic view of the Court O’ Nines castles.
“How long have you been standing there?” I snipe, not bothering to cut my shower short. Not when the stench of ghoul blood, bone powder, and that reeking, stinking pit of Scourge venom and amber still infects my skin.
