After Dark (Between the Veils Series, Book One) (15 page)

Temperance continued up the driveway, parking the car at the front of the lot. Avery was out of his seat and grabbing their bag before she’d released her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. She took a fortifying breath, praying they’d find the other investigators quickly, at least giving Avery some peace of mind. They’d have better luck facing off against the demon if they weren’t worried about Blake and the others.

She tossed Avery the keys as she followed him across the lawns, dodging between the magnificent old trees and shrubs. The grounds were immaculate, with green rolling hills surrounding the homes. Avery headed for the rear of the residence, picking up his pace as he neared the door. It wasn’t until they reached it, they noticed how it hung at an odd angle, the top hinge shattered. A cold shiver of dread coiled in her stomach and she reached for Avery’s hand.

He threaded his fingers through hers, glancing at her over his shoulder. “Not the best welcoming sign. But at least there isn’t any evidence of a fire, yet.” He tightened his grip. “Stay close and keep those weapons at the ready.”

She nodded, patting her pockets, reassuring herself she still had the tools they’d grabbed from the hotel, though they’d seemed much more impressive back there.

Avery tugged her forward, making his way through the dark rooms. He tried a light switch, but nothing happened. “Someone cut the power.”

“Or Gall drained so much, it overloaded the circuits.”

He glanced at her. “I like my theory much better. It doesn’t involve evil demons growing stronger. We’ll try the next room.”

He wove through the scattering of furniture, staying in front of her, his hold strong. They’d made their way to another large sitting area when he stopped, barring her way.

She looked around, wondering what he’d seen that she hadn’t. “What is it?”

He tilted his head, as if sensing the air. “I feel…”

“Scared shitless?”

“Blake. This way.”

She didn’t question him as he switched directions, heading toward a darkened stairway. But instead of taking them to the upper level, he went past, opening a small doorway underneath them. The hinges creaked as the door swung open, the scent of musty wood and dirt wafting out of the small space.

She covered her nose with the back of her hand, turning her face away. “Why do the stairs going down always look so creepy compared to the ones that go up?”

“Because no one likes basements, not even the architects.” He held her stare. “Are you sure you want to go down with me.”

She smiled at the double meaning, nodding her head.

He snorted and led the way, using the wall to guide him. All semblance of light vanished as they descended the rickety stairs, finally reaching the bottom. She felt him shuffle beside her before a ring of light illuminated the ground, casting a welcomed glow around them.

“This must be an old wine cellar.” He inched forward. “They probably don’t even use it anymore.”

“Are you sure Blake is down here? I can’t see him thinking he’d find help in the abandoned cellar.”

“Yes, I’m sure, and no, he wouldn’t, though I doubt he chose to come down here.” He smiled at her. “He hates basements even more than he hates hunting ghosts.”

A low moan rumbled through the air and Avery darted ahead, pulling her along as he headed for the sound. A large shadow rested on the floor ahead of them, the form washing into the silhouette of a man as the light wavered close. Avery got to him first, dropping to his knees as he reached for the man’s shoulders. Temperance held her breath, as Avery turned the man over, revealing Blake’s familiar face.

Her blood pounded in her ears as she watched her lover check for a pulse, his fingers pressing on Blake’s neck. It seemed to take forever before Avery released a relieved sigh, sitting back on his heels.

“He’s alive. Unconscious, but alive.”

She knelt down beside him. “What the hell happened here?”

“Looks like he was hit on the back of the head. Whether he was dragged down here after or tricked, I can’t tell, though I didn’t see any tracks in the dirt.”

“Grab his shoulders and I’ll help you carry him back up.”

Avery nodded, picking up the brunt of Blake’s weight as he lifted the man’s upper body, leading them back to the staircase. The old steps creaked and groaned as they slowly ascended, finally breaching the threshold as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon, shrouding the mansion in complete darkness. Avery headed back to one of the main rooms, lowering Blake to the ground once they’d reached a clear area.

“That seemed like a wasted effort by whoever hit him.” She wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. “They didn’t accomplish much by luring us down there.”

“On the contrary, we’ve used up what little daylight we had left. Now there’s nothing to stop the demon from following us wherever we try to run.”

She drew herself up, knowing he was right. “Who said we’d be running.”

“I like your boldness, but that’s exactly what I expect you to do if that thing gets past me.”

“Us. If it gets past us. I’m not leaving here without you or Blake.”

Avery sighed, though she could tell by the firm set of his jaw he wasn’t going to argue. “Fine. Let’s just find the others.”

Temperance nodded, but held up her hand as she pulled out another bag of salt, drawing a misshapen oval around Blake’s body. “Can’t be too careful.”

“Good thinking.”

She smiled as she followed him out, heading for more rooms at the front of the house, when a distant scream echoed outside. She stopped, looking at Avery. “It sounded like it came from the backyard somewhere.”

Avery cursed, pounding his fist on the wall. “Damn, I hate this not-knowing shit. If it wants us, why doesn’t it just come and get us. We’ve been here long enough for it to get a bead on us.”

“Maybe it isn’t strong enough after our last encounter.”

“God, I hope so.”

He darted back the way he’d come, checking Blake one last time before heading out the rear door. Eerie shadows darkened the night, forming oddly shaped pockets along the wall. They headed down the main path, picking their way through the elegant flowerbeds as they headed for the more distant outbuildings. A collection of dark forms loomed ahead of them, their outlines wavering in the dim light.

Avery steered over toward them, stopping when the light brought them into view. “Fuck.”

Nothing remained but dried up carcasses, the skin shriveled against the pale expanse of bone. Their mouths were stretched open in an assemblage of soundless screams and their limbs were contorted into weird positions, as if their bodies had contracted inward.

Temperance gripped his hand tighter, feeling the sudden urge to run. “Damn. Is that everyone?”

“I can’t tell from here, and quite honestly, I’m not sure I want get any closer at this particular moment.”

“But…” She glanced at her wrist, drawing a sharp breath when only skin glared back at her. She released Avery’s hand, yanking at her pant leg, exposing her ankle. “Bloody hell. You were right. It can’t mark two people at once. The stars…they’re gone. All of them.”

Avery tugged her to her feet, glancing around the grounds. “In this particular instance, being right didn’t work out so great for the others, now did it. But at least you’re free, and while it might make me sound like a bastard, I’m relieved.”

“What does it make me if I’m relieved, too?”

He looked over at her. “Human.”

“So why didn’t it take Blake…not that I wanted it to, it’s just…”

“Maybe it needed him to get to us?”

“Maybe, but…” Her voice trailed off as a strum of energy prickled the skin on her forearms. They weren’t alone.

Avery reached for her, pulling her closer, obviously feeling the same presence. “I think things are about to get very hot.”

Temperance held on to Avery’s hand, watching as a circle of fire bled through the ground in front of them, the flames reaching skyward. Yellow and orange light danced along the grass, reaching toward them like writhing vines. They stepped back, stopping when the flames flickered out, leaving the demon hovering above the ground, its red eyes gleaming in the rising moonlight. Another surge of energy rippled the air, and a man walked out from behind the demon, stopping in front of it.

“Hello, Avery. How nice of you to drop by.”

Avery’s hand fisted in hers, his body going rigid beside her. He stepped in front of her, putting himself between the man and her. “Darrin. I didn’t see that coming.”

“Why would you? You’re the infamous Avery Smith. King of the paranormal and ruler over all of us who grovel at your feet, waiting for you to toss us just a scrap of recognition.”

Avery regained some of his usual composure, loosening his grip on her hand slightly as he cocked his head to one side. “I never said I was a nice guy. But then, nice guys don’t claw their way to the top.”

“Claw their way? Since when did you ever work for anything?”

“Money helps, Darrin, but it doesn’t buy you skill…or dedication. Sure, I didn’t have to find ways to raise enough money to afford the tools of the trade, but I didn’t hire someone else to do those investigations for me. I earned my reputation…the good and the bad.”

“I’m sure you’re a regular legend in your own mind. But none of that will save you now.” He motioned to the creature still hovering behind him, watching the interaction with seeming disinterest. “I assume you’ve met my friend. He’s very keen on getting to know you better.”

“Then why the hell did it mark Temperance? I didn’t even know her before this retreat.”

Darrin sighed. “That was an unfortunate misunderstanding. You were supposed to go to the cemetery ahead of us that night, but then you backed out and Temperance…well, she didn’t.”

“Is that why your
friend
finally released her? It wants me, instead?”

“It was always you, Smith.”

“Then you won’t mind if she leaves.”

Temperance shook her head, refusing to move. Avery gave her a heated look, mouthing for her to run, when the demon bellowed, the sound like knives on a blackboard. She cringed, releasing his hand to cover her ears as the shriek echoed around the open space. Avery copied her motion, still keeping himself in front of her.

The demon grew larger, towering over Darrin as it spread its arms, encircling all of them in a ring of fire. “Enough, mortals. I have what I need.”

Darrin turned to it, holding up an identical medallion. “You will do my bidding. I summoned you. I control you.”

The demon laughed, extending its arms toward the man and lifting him off the ground. Darrin struggled in his grasp, screaming for help as the entity pulled him close, its crimson eyes reflecting off the hunter’s pale face.

Its hood fell back, exposing gnarled skin over misshapen features. “That is not the medallion you used to summon me. You took the wrong one in your haste to leave that first night.” It exhaled, covering Darrin’s face in an eerie glow. “And no one controls me, mortal.”

Temperance averted her eyes as the demon opened its mouth, roaring into Darrin’s face. He screamed again, kicking his feet as his skin ignited, the flames traveling from him back to the demon. The creature blazed brighter, crushing Darrin between his hands before dropping him to the ground, nothing left but a dry husk.

Avery put his arm out, using it as a barrier to back them up, halting at the edge of the ring. Something rattled in his pocket but he ignored it as he glanced behind them, and she knew he was weighing the consequences of simply jumping through.

The demon laughed, his voice ringing through the night air. “Even if you run, I will chase you down. There is no escape.”

Avery released her hand, nodding at her. She stuck her hands in her pockets as he did the same.

“Who said we were going to run…Gall.” He smiled as the creature wavered slightly, its form shifting from smoke back to the black robe. “Yeah, we know all about you. How you used your powers to kill. How that priest imprisoned you for centuries. Looks like it’s time for another vacation.”

Gall tipped his head back, an ungodly growl shaking the earth. He raced forward, only to recoil in a cry of agony as they attacked, throwing spikes of iron into its chest. The shafts embedded in his robe, turning patches of the cloth a sickly yellow.

The demon shook its head, glaring at them. “The iron won’t send me back, heathen. But then your pretty witch already knows that.”

It moved again, slower, more cautious. Temperance grabbed the bag of salt, relieved to see Avery already spreading his around them. She completed the circle, her heart thrashing in her chest. This was insane.

Gall stopped, staring at the salt. “That barrier won’t last long. Even its power will diminish as the night draws nigh. What will you do then? You cannot stay in its embrace forever.”

“We don’t need forever.” Avery turned to her. “Now would be a great time to send our friend packing.”

“And I should do that how?”

He motioned toward her neck. “Use the medallion. Darrin seemed certain he could control it with that.”

“Darrin’s a smoking pile of shriveled bones.”