Chained (The Siren Series #2) (6 page)

We all formed a circle, Rhea on my right and
Marcus on my left. He was about to take his hand when I quickly
flinched away.

“
Sorry.” He quickly said.

“
Uh, no it’s my fault.” I
blushed.

“
Ready?” Rhea’s voice carried
throughout the small halls. The group of runaways stepped back
allowing us to safely teleport.

Before I could prepare myself, I was torn
away from the underground hall and sent spiraling off into
different directions. My stomach filled with knots and I wanted to
throw up. We all landed onto a soft ground and I had to sit down
for my head to stop spinning.

“
You ok?” Marcus asked.

I waited for my dizzy head to fade before I
was ready to join them. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“
Remember, stay close and no one do
anything stupid that can get us killed.” Marcus’s eyes were on the
new guy.

“
What’re you looking at me for?” he
said.

Robin and Marcus were talking (well arguing)
while I looked around. We had teleported outside a city entrance
that was bellow a busy motorway. It was very early in the morning
and the sun was about to rise. I wanted to take a seat and watch
but I knew I didn’t have time. I stood close to Sophia and she
greeted me with a soft smile.

“
Are you nervous, Ellie?” Sophia
asked.

“
Just a bit.” I replied.

“
Just stay close to Rhea and you’ll be
fine.” Sophia gave me one of her brightest smiles and inside it did
make me feel a bit better, but I still had doubts.

Marcus and Robin were still arguing and Rhea
had to step in.

“
Gentlemen, please. Can we finish
this.” asked Rhea.

Marcus nodded. “Stay close.” he
whispered.

Rhea made her way to a large sewer pipe
leading deep into a complex of twisting tunnels that was the
underground sewer system. We all followed behind her one by one
into the dark tunnels. The smell was awful, the memories of the
leaches flooded in and I tried to ignore them swimming around in my
mind. I could feel myself tensing up, I just wanted to run away,
but how could I face Rhea again if I did that? I didn’t want to
keep running from my problems all the time. I took a deep breath of
the tainted air and continued through the dark winding tunnel.

Marcus tailed behind, his sword at his side
ready to strike at anything that would harm us. I had nothing to
fear while he was at my back, It was his job to protect me.

“
Are you ok?” he whispered into my
ear.

I tried to muffle my surprise with both hands
clasped to my mouth.

“
Don’t do that! I don’t like being
snuck up on.” I whispered back.

Again he came in close to give me his
answer. “Sorry.” He whispered deeply into my ear and my body
exploded with excitement. (Focus, Ellie!)

We continued through the sewers and stopped.
In front of us the stone floor was no more, murky water had taken
its place instead.

“
I’m not walking through that.” I
said

“
It’s only water Ellie.” Marcus
whispered.

“
Ellie’s right, and plus it stinks.”
added Sophia.

“
Oh for heaven’s sake.” Rhea took the
first steps into the water while waiting for the others.

“
Fine, but you owe me new shoes.”
Sophia said.

“
If that’s what gets you to move.” Rhea
said.

The bog filled water filtered through my
shoes and socks, it didn’t feel good and it made me feel a bit
sick. As we waded through the dirty water Rhea stopped, I peered
around her and out in front stood many entrances, we didn’t know
which way to go.

“
Can you sense anything, Robin?”
whispered Rhea.

He placed his palms and his ear to the slime
covered stone and closed his eyes. His face scrunched up and his
eyes flickered rapidly from side to side.

“
What’s he doing?” I asked.

“
He’s trying to sense supernaturals.”
Sophia replied.

“
Hush, I’m trying to concentrate.”
Robin ordered.

His eyes shot open and he backed away from
the wall slowly. “They’re here, many of them.”

“
Good, now go find them.” Rhea
said.

“
Are you serious, I’m not going into
the heart of that!” he said.

“
Keep your voice down!” Marcus
ordered.

“
I’m getting the hell out of here.”
Robin added.

He tied to push passed but
Marcus stood in his
way.

“
Hey, if I’m here so are you. We stick
together.” I whispered harshly.

“
But you’re
the
Siren, the all and powerful.” He said.

“
Yes, but I’m petrified at the same
time, I feel like running away but I don’t because I know I’ll
never forgive myself. So shut up and deal with it.” I told
him.

Robin breathed a deep sigh and took his
place.

As I said my piece, I could feel all eyes on
me. I looked around, realizing that everyone just stood there,
watching me.

“
What?” I asked them.

“
It’s nothing, just sometimes I forget
how strong you really are.” replied Rhea

I was shocked at her comment, was everyone
else in agreement? Well I didn’t really feel strong.

Robin pushed forward through the bog water
and we followed after him.

“
It’s this way.” He pointed to the far
right of the many tunnels and we continued on through the
darkness.

The tunnel scuttled with rats and worms
and other strange looking creatures that ran away from our
approach. I followed behind Sophia, careful of where I stepped. The
smells were getting worse, and I had to put my hand over my mouth
to stop myself from gagging on the foul fumes. Marcus held his
sword high, ready to strike. I felt a bit relived with him at my
back and at the same time nervous. Robin took us down more narrow
walkways with slime covered walls. What the hell was this stuff, I
didn’t really want to give it a full examination. Weird noises
echoed through the sewer tunnels. Scratching, scuttling and muffled
moans. Where the hell were we going? Wherever it was it didn’t
sound good.

We were ordered to stop, Robin stood his
ground to make sure the way was clear.

“
There is something around the corner.”
whispered Robin.

I held my breath. The creature made its
all too familiar groaning noises. Visions of being back in the dark
pits came rushing back and I tried to fight them off. Finally the
leach slowly appeared around the corner while we all remained still
as it sniffed the air. The faceless creature snapped its head in my
direction and the all knowing terror rippled through me. Before it
could make any noise, Rhea threw out her hand and black ash
scattered into the air.

“
That was a close one, he could have
warned others.” Marcus said.

“
Let’s keep going.” Rhea
added.

We stepped over the creature’s pile of ashes
and carried on down the maze of dark tunnels. I wanted to hold onto
Marcus’s hand and never let go, but that was never going to
happen.

“
It’s just up ahead, you better be
ready.” Robin told us.

My hands started to shake and my forehead
ran with sweat. I tried to throw off the horrible feeling and
walked on. The tunnels opened up into a large clearing with what
looked like frog spawn covering the walls and the floor. The slime
covered sacks littered around the area, inside something was moving
around, trying to claw its way out.

“
Ugh, it stinks.” I said while covering
my mouth.

“
Yep, it does, but don’t think about it
too much.” Marcus replied.

While looking around for any of the
leaches my body froze. Lying on the floor was a body, it was of
young girl. Darkness had hid her face from me and I moved closer to
get a better look at the laid out body. Once I saw the face I
stumbled back in shock, it was the cheep blonde from the cinema.
Her body displayed bite marks and scratches to the face and
stomach. I had to tear my eyes away from the lifeless body. That
could have easily been Becky or Lilly on the floor, the thought of
my friends taking her place made me sick but I had to move
on.

“
Are you ok, Ellie?” Marcus
asked.

I didn’t say anything I just pointed to where
the young girl laid. Marcus moved closer to the body, inspecting
what was left of her.

“
Did you know her?” he
asked.

“
No, not really, I met her at a cinema
and I used my powers on her, she wasn’t a nice person but to have
this done to her, it’s wrong.”

“
What did you find?” Rhea
asked.

“
Just the leaches prey.” answered
Marcus.

“
Alive?” she asked bluntly.

I replied to Rhea with a shake of my
head.

“
Where are the leaches, Robin?” Marcus
asked.

“
I don’t know, I sensed it, they should
be here.” Robin replied.

“
Can you sense anything, Rhea?” Sophia
asked.

“
There is something, but it’s
faint.”

Tapping noises surrounded us, each coming
from a different direction. They were trying to distract us.

“
What that?” asked Sophia.

“
It’s them, they are playing with us.”
I answered. The tapping noise brought back the memory of the
leaches invading my home. It’s because of them that I had to
leave.

“
Agreed, they are toying with us.” Rhea
brought her hands out and a bright light radiated from her palms.
The white glow illuminated the entire area, showing us all the
horrors that the tunnels had to offer. The shadows could not
conceal the hidden leaches anymore. Once they saw the light they
fled into their holes, hoping to avoid the blinding
aura.

“
Is that it?” I asked out
loud.

“
That was far too easy.” replied
Marcus.

The tapping noise returned and it was pissing
me off.

“
I can hear you, show yourself!” cried
Rhea.

Something moved above us with such speed
that I could only make out as a blur. I took a step back while the
others moved forward. Marcus held his sword high, ready to strike.
Something crashed to the ground shaking the floor around us. I lost
my balance and fell backwards into the slime. I looked up from the
ground to see something that almost looked human. The torso was of
a beautiful woman with long silver hair covering her naked breasts.
But the lower half of her was of something I’d never thought I
would witness in my entire life. The creature had a snake’s lower
body with a large scaly tale that coiled around her womanly shape.
I slowly got to my feet and backed away from the
creature.

“
What brings you here, Rhea?” The beast
spoke.

Rhea slowly walked up to the creature. She
remained calm and steady as she eyes the monstrous
woman.

“
We have come for you, Idina.” said
Rhea.

The naked woman laughed. Her shrill cackle
made my skin crawl.

Marcus moved closer brandishing his
sword.

“
So you’ve brought back-up? You’re getting
sloppy she-witch.” The creature slithered across the room, no one
dared to move. The woman who called herself Idina slithered with
ease along the dilapidated slugged infested floor. I was too scared
to move, nothing I had seen so far had prepared me for this. The
woman moved passed and I held my breath, hoping she would not
notice me.

“
Are these
things
for me?” It asked. “I’m so glad you brought me presents, I
haven’t had a plaything in a long while, well since that thing.”
The creature pointed its sharp black claws in the direction of the
young blonde girl. I felt sick inside, no one deserved that, not
even her.

“
Do you think I’d give you anything,
creature?” Rhea asked it.

Idina’s eyes flashed a dark glow and I
thought the two of them would come to blows, but her attention was
focused onto something else. It was Marcus who had caught her eye.
She moved towards him like he was an unopened present at Christmas.
It caressed at his strong body, seeing if he was up to scratch. His
face, covered with disgust. I watched as Marcus slowly readied his
weapon.

“
I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” around
us, leaches started to crowd around. We were trapped. Idina placed
her hands tightly around Marcus’s body and slowly licked his cheek
with her slick black tongue. He tried to move but her grip was
strong as were her nails. She tore at his skin and he tried to
fight the pain.

“
Maybe you could be my new plaything? I’ll
take good care of you.” she whispered.

“
Enough!” shouted Rhea.

The creature’s soulless black eyes focused
onto Rhea. “If you do not behave yourselves, I will have you torn
apart!” she spat.

The leaches crept closer, just waiting for
the word to strike.

“
Do you like my children?” she finally
ignored Marcus and slithered over to one of her leaches. The
snake-woman gently stroked its grime covered face, the leach
smiling with glee. The others sensed the attention and move in. The
sickening smiling leach snarled at the others, warning them to back
off.