Dark Descent - [Nyx Fortuna 02] (7 page)

I wanted to catch Morta alone, so I got to Parsi Enterprises early the next morning. Nona was still in a fog and I loathed Deci, so Morta was my only chance at getting some answers.

Trevor was playing guard dog in front of her closed office door. Or maybe he was eavesdropping.

Even from where I stood, I heard raised voices.

“Heard anything juicy?” I asked.

Trevor stepped away from the door and crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s in a meeting.”

“Too bad,” I replied.

I didn’t wait for his response, but pushed my way through.

“You’re not going to believe what I found out,” I said.

“I’m in a meeting,” Morta snapped. My aunt had the same high cheekbones as my mother, but where my mother’s hair had been a soft brown, there was nothing soft about Morta, not even her hair. It was the color of burnished steel and was cut at sharp angles.

“So I heard.” I smirked at her until I realized who was sitting in her comfortable guest chair. Sean Danvers. The golf-loving necromancer who Jenny had briefly dated to try to get over Gaston.

He wasn’t bad-looking, tan and fit, but his skin carried an oily film of evil. Or maybe it was his pungent cologne that left the residue.

“What are you doing here?” My surprise made me ruder than usual.

He stood and smiled pleasantly. “I was just leaving.” He picked up a grocery bag the right size to contain a six-pack. I should know. I’d bet money the bag contained what looked like innocuous orange soda but was, in reality, ambrosia.

Then to Morta, he said, “You’ll consider my proposal?”

She gave a curt nod. “Now if you’ll excuse us?” Her smile was pleasant, but her tone implied
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out
.

“Good day, Ms. Foley. Mr. Fortuna.” His smile was robotic, like he’d programmed it into his hard drive but had no idea what it was supposed to do for him.

It sounded weird to hear him address my aunt as anything other than Fate, but she didn’t seem to mind. Why were the Fates giving Danvers a free sample of their ambrosia? The formula was gone, missing since Sawyer’s death. What did Danvers have on them that they’d be willing to break into their limited stock?

“I’ll walk you to the elevator,” my aunt said. “As long as my nephew can manage to stay out of trouble for five minutes.”

I gave her a sunny smile. “I’ll try.” After they left, I took a seat in Morta’s chair, knowing it was going to irritate her.

Trevor bustled in with a pot of black coffee and some Tums. The breakfast of champions.

He slammed the tray down with more force than necessary. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I have more right to be here than you.”

“Quit bullying the help, son of Fortuna,” My aunt said.

“I’ve been called a lot of things before, most of them by you,” I said. “But I’ve never been called a bully before.”

“Then don’t act like one,” she said.

I felt a twinge of shame. I didn’t like Trevor, even though I had absolutely no reason. “Sorry,” I said to him.

“Apology accepted,” he said. “Now I better get back to the phones.”

“What did Danvers want?” I asked, once Trevor was out of earshot.

“He wants to invest in Parsi Enterprises,” she said carefully. “He’s particularly interested in our bottling division.”

“I’ll bet he is,” I replied. The Fates had been trying to manufacture ambrosia, also known as nectar of the gods. Mortals would and had killed to get their hands on a way to stay young forever.

“What did you want, son of Fortuna?” she asked, but I ignored the question for one of my own.

“So what happened to Mr. Foley?”

“He died,” she said. “Why do you ask?”

“Seems to be one of the hazards of the job,” I said.

She gave me a level stare to let me know she wouldn’t be prodded into revealing anything else. “Is there something you wanted?”

“I found Claire,” I said. “At least I’m pretty sure I know where she is. But I need your help.”

“Where is she?”

“I think Hecate has her.” I expected her to freak out or something, but she didn’t even blink.

“Then fetch her.” Her lips pressed together tightly. She wasn’t as calm as she tried to appear.

“That wasn’t part of the deal,” I objected. “How do you expect me to bring her back from the land of the dead?”

Morta gave me a look that would have chilled the bones of a mortal man. “That is not my problem. I have no power there.”

Her lips curled like it hurt to say the words. Maybe it did.

“You’re asking a lot of me.”

“Your beloved, is she not worth it?” she asked.

“She’s not my beloved anymore.” I shifted uneasily at the knowing look in her eye, but Morta didn’t comment on the pathetic state of my love life. Elizabeth had been the means to an end for her.

“It is settled, then,” she said.

“How did the Fates manage to trap Hecate in the underworld?” I asked.

“None of your business,” she snapped. “I wouldn’t put it past you to free her just for spite.”

“She can’t be much worse than you three,” I muttered, but Morta heard me. She looked at me with more contempt than usual, if that was even possible.

“You have no idea,” she said. “Whatever you do, do not set Hecate free and fulfill the prophecy.”

“I don’t believe in the prophecy,” I said. I folded my arms across my chest.

“Then you have nothing to fear, son of Fortuna,” she replied, but she didn’t seem to believe her own words.

She refused to call me Nyx. It had been her mother’s name, my grandmother’s, and I’d appropriated it a long time ago. I don’t know why I kept using it, except it fit me now. And it pissed Morta off, which was always an added bonus.

On Saturday, the pawnshop was full of window-shoppers who spent hours looking at the knickknacks. Talbot watched them with an eagle eye, but I was bored.

“I’m going back tonight,” I said.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Talbot said.

“I don’t have a choice,” I said. “Deci doesn’t let the Book of Fates out of her sight and Morta refuses to help me.”

“But Claire’s her daughter,” Talbot said.

“Doesn’t seem to matter right now,” I said. “And if I can’t get her out of Hecate’s clutches on my own, my aunts will hunt Elizabeth down and hurt her. They probably already know where she is.”

“Then I’m going with you,” he replied.

“Talbot, haven’t you noticed? People get hurt around me.”

“That’s life, Nyx,” he said. Then he slapped his hand on his head. “I forgot. I’m supposed to go out with Naomi tonight.”

“Then go,” I said. I was relieved. I didn’t want to have to worry about both of us getting out of there alive.

“No way,” he said. “I’ll make up an excuse.”

The store finally emptied out about an hour before closing and Talbot flipped the sign over and locked the door.

He laughed at my surprised look. “Nepotism pays sometimes.”

I parked the Caddy a block from Hell’s Belles and we walked the rest of the way. We could have hoofed it, but I liked knowing I had a quick getaway if I needed it. The restaurant’s sign was in sight when I realized there was a flaw in our plan.

“How are we going to get in without being noticed?” I asked. “We’re walking in right in the middle of the dinner rush.”

“We can’t use an obscura spell this time,” he said. “Too many demons around.”

Unlike mortals, demons could see right through an obscura spell, which is why Talbot and I had been hiding last time we were in the basement. They weren’t completely immune to magic, but it took dark magic to get a demon to do your bidding. I wasn’t interested in trying.

“You’re right,” I said.

“Which is why I brought this,” he said. He took out a map and handed it to me with a flourish. “We’ll go this way instead.”

There was the sound of running footsteps and then Naomi called out, “Wait up!”

“Did you tell her?” I asked him.

“Of course not,” he replied.

I surveyed her. “What are you wearing?”

My cousin wore clothes similar to mine and Talbot’s: jeans, sturdy hiking boots, and a heavy jacket. “It’s going to be cold down there,” she said.

“Down where?” Talbot couldn’t pull off the innocent look.

“I know you’re up to something,” my cousin said. “I saw the map.”

“And if we are?” My tone didn’t discourage her, although that was the intent.

“I’m coming with you,” she said.

Talbot and I exchanged a look, but she caught us. “I’m going and that’s all there is to it. Do you think Claire will just leave with you two? She doesn’t know either of you.”

Naomi had a point. I had the impression that she and Claire were close. Maybe she could coax Claire out of there.

“What makes you think Claire is there willingly?” I asked.

“You don’t know her,” she said. “No one could stop her if she wanted to leave.”

“Why do you say that?” Talbot asked.

“She’s a Fate,” Naomi said simply.

She had a point. “Fates aren’t invincible, Naomi,” I said. I regretted it as soon as her face clouded.

“What Nyx means is that we should consider all the possibilities,” Talbot said. “Even the remote ones.”

We huddled together to study the map.

“I think this is an alternate path to the gate,” Talbot said. “This tunnel is right under Hell’s Belles.”

“An underground tunnel?” Naomi didn’t sound thrilled.

“Claustrophobic?”

“A little,” she admitted. “But I can handle it. For Claire.”

“Did you remember the key?” Talbot asked me.

I snorted. “Of course.” I held it up.

“Then let’s go,” he said.

After some searching, we finally found the entrance to the underground tunnel about a block from Hell’s Belles. Talbot strapped on a helmet with a light attached and Naomi giggled.

The entrance of the tunnel was full of beer cans, used condoms, and a horrifying smell, damp and foul, like an ogre’s armpit.

“Humans are disgusting,” Naomi sniffed.

“It’s going to get worse,” I warned her. “At least you’re dressed warmly.” The tunnels would be cold and damp. And that’s if we were lucky. Who knew what had made a home down below or what was guarding the gate.

“There’s a warren of utility tunnels all over the city,” Talbot said. He led the way as we stumbled over the uneven dirt. We were heading down and it grew darker and darker, except where a dim bulb flickered, meant to show workers the way.

We walked until Talbot’s light shone upon what to the average person would look like graffiti, but to those who read the ancient language it was written in, it was meant as a guide. Or as a warning.

“Not far now,” Talbot said.

The air smelled stale, full of pungent odors I didn’t want to try to identify. I tried to breathe through my mouth, but the air was so foul it coated my tongue. I shut my jaw, deciding that smelling the stench was better than tasting it.

Hecate was a pissed-off virgin or a wrinkled old crone, depending upon who you talked to. Which meant she was probably neither of those things.

I suspected she was a border lord, guarding the gates between this world and the underworld and destroying anyone who got in her way. Why did she have Claire? Besides the fact that she hated my aunts.

Brittle bone crunched under our feet and Naomi whimpered.

I turned on her. “This is why I told you not to come,” I whispered. “Go back home where it’s safe.”

She was trembling, but she shook her head. “I’m coming with you.”

Talbot put up a hand, signaling for silence. We listened for a moment. “Did you hear that?”

“I didn’t hear anything,” I said.

“Baying dogs,” he said.

“I expected something to be guarding the gate,” I said.

Talbot’s light shone into the darkness, revealing the shadow of three canine heads.

“Cerberus,” Naomi whispered.

Instead of Cerberus, Hades’s three-headed dog, there were three dogs with one enormous head apiece.

“I wish,” I said. “Much worse. Hecate’s hounds.” Her dogs were about five hundred yards away, but approaching fast. Talbot’s headgear wouldn’t be enough to see to fight the black dogs.

“
Fiat lux
,” I said. Translation: “Let there be light.” When in doubt, use the Latin.

The tunnel was lit by a bright white light. They weren’t ordinary dogs. They stood almost as tall as a grown man and had muscles on their muscles. Their eyes were pale yellow and their long white fangs looked like they’d been sharpening them on the bones scattered at our feet.

The dogs, used to the dimness of the tunnels, slowed down, confused.

“Don’t hurt them,” Naomi cried.

“Great,” I said. “I’ll just pet them while they tear me to bits.”

Talbot ignored us and worked on a little spell of his own. “Obey me! Heel! Sit!”

To my stunned amazement, the dogs did as he ordered and sat on their haunches. “How did you do that?”

The biggest hound snarled at the sound of my voice and Talbot held up a hand. “Stay!” he said.

He turned to me and grinned. “Command spell combined with a few things I learned from hours of watching
The Dog Whisperer
.”

We walked around the dogs, who quivered when I walked by, but didn’t move from their position.

The gate looked like an ordinary barricade. There was a heavy chain around a padlock that looked like something you’d pick up at the local hardware store.

I took out my athame and held it to my arm.

“Nyx, don’t,” Naomi said.

“You know the spirits demand blood,” I said. I made a swift cut across my arm. My blood dripped to the ground as I completed the ritual.

I put the key into the lock and we stepped into another world.

A rough dirt path cut through a forest of ancient trees, their trunks blackened and twisted. A heavy growth of mandrake, belladonna, and dittany told me we were in Hecate’s domain.

“Dark lands, under strange moons,” Talbot said.

It took me a minute to place his reference. “Will you quit fuckin’ quoting Tolkien and haul your ass?” I snapped.

Through the trees, I could make out the outlines of a building in the distance.

“Isn’t there a saying about the road to hell and good intentions?” Talbot joked.

“I have plenty of intentions,” I replied, “and none of them are good.”

“You’re bursting with good intentions, Nyx,” he replied. “You’re a good person, no matter what anyone else says.”

I shrugged off his comment, uncomfortable with praise, even the backhanded sort.

“Let’s head that way,” I said.

But no matter how long we walked toward it, we never got any closer. The undergrowth grew thicker and the air smelled of acid.

Naomi would stop intermittently and trace a symbol in the air with her finger.

“What are you doing?” Talbot finally asked her.

“Leaving breadcrumbs,” Naomi replied. “You two want to get out of here, right?”

“Smart,” I told her. “Otherwise, we might have ended up wandering around the underworld for an eternity.”

“It could still happen,” she replied, which didn’t reassure me.

“I need a five-minute break,” Talbot finally said. He was careful to check the ground before sitting on a rock, which was shaded by plants taller than our heads.

“I have a feeling someone doesn’t want visitors,” he said.

Something splashed on the ground near him. I looked up. The plants over our head were bucket-shaped and filled with a noxious liquid. I knew now why I’d detected the smell of acid.

“You should get up very slowly,” I told Talbot.

He grinned. “You’re a slave driver,” he said. His smile faded when he saw my face. “What is it?”

I pointed up. “Pitcher plants full of acid.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

“Run!”

Talbot moved right before the pitcher plant dumped acid, but it set off a trigger in the other plants. A splash of acid hit the leg of my jeans and ate its way into my skin.

“Are you okay?” I asked them.

“I’m fine, but there’s got to be a key to get there,” Naomi said. “Nyx, what about some sort of location spell?”

“It’s worth a try,” I said. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“I think it worked,” Talbot said. “We’re actually getting closer.”

Naomi tried not to look smug as we walked along.

Hecate’s forest made it clear she didn’t welcome visitors. The path narrowed again and then forked. The one we chose was laced with enormous, sticky spiderwebs and a treacherous bog before we eventually came to an imposing structure built from shiny stone and the same black and twisted trees we’d seen earlier. It was at least seven stories high and looked like it could withstand Armageddon.

“Black as Hecate’s heart,” I said.

Heavy wooden doors opened into a room with gleaming white marble floors and dainty white furniture. The hall was illuminated by torchlight.

It looked as if we had interrupted a party. Four demons sat at a table playing chess, using the skulls of small birds as the pieces. A female demon with long flowing black hair played the harp while others stood conversing.

A woman sat at a throne carved of yew, flanked by two large male demons who took turns feeding her grapes from a golden bowl. Three more hounds, these the color of alabaster, sat at her feet.

“Pretty nice digs for a banished goddess,” I said.

“You flatter me,” the woman said. She stood, but didn’t approach us. I didn’t waste time with formalities. I was certain she knew who I was. Her next words confirmed it. “Why is a son of Fate in the underworld?”

“I’m Fortuna’s son,” I corrected. My mother had been the fourth Fate, but she wasn’t anything like her sisters.

She nodded. “Which is why I allowed you to come this far,” she said. “But my curiosity does not ensure your safe passage.”

Hecate was beautiful. She was tall and curvy, with a bit of a younger-Sophia-Loren thing going on. She had a Roman nose and a death stare. A fine Roman nose was a thing of beauty, but mortals with their knives and their doctors had almost obliterated the trait in the modern world.

“Where is she?” I asked.

“Why have you wandered into my domain, son of Fortuna?” Hecate asked. Her inhuman eyes glinted.

“You know why.”

She made a dismissive motion and then her laser gaze focused on Naomi. “You’ve brought me a present.”

Talbot and I both stepped in front of Naomi and our shoulders collided painfully.

Hecate snickered like a schoolgirl.

“Keep her out of it,” I said. “We’re here for Claire.”

“Claire is here of her own volition,” Hecate replied.

I snorted. “I don’t believe you.”

She gave me a stare that would have frightened a smarter man. “I don’t care what you believe. Claire is free to leave whenever she chooses.”

“I want to see her,” I said.

Hecate’s head whipped around and her dogs snarled, but I didn’t back down. “You come here and make demands of me?”

“Please?” Naomi asked. “We just want to see her and make sure she’s okay.”

That wasn’t what we wanted, but it would do for a start.

“One of you,” Hecate finally agreed.

“I’m going,” I stated.

“Not you,” she replied. “The girl.”

“No.”

Naomi clutched my arm. “Nyx, Claire doesn’t know you anyway. Let me go.”

She had no idea what could happen to her. I stood my ground. “I said no, Naomi. We all go or none of us do.”

“I can take care of myself,” she hissed back.

“What guarantee do I have that you won’t try to keep us here?” I asked Hecate. She was stuck in the underworld, but I didn’t fool myself that meant she was powerless.

She grinned at me, which was more chilling than her worst glare. “I do like my pets.”

“I see you have a matched set,” I said. I gestured to her two blond boy toys, who looked like brothers and, judging by their enormous size, came from a long line of mutants. They also generally matched the description of the guy Claire had been seen with—tall, blond, and good-looking, but Starling had neglected to mention the demon part. She was a mortal, though. Maybe she hadn’t known.

“Hroth, where are your manners?” Hecate said. “You haven’t offered our guests any wine.”

He brought us the wine in crystal goblets. He handed the first glass to Naomi. Before I could warn her, she brought it to her lips and drank.

Talbot took it from her before she could take more than a sip. I gave her a worried glance, but she didn’t seem to be suffering from any ill effects. Talbot and I both declined the beverage anyway.

I said, “I prefer beer.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Talbot muttered.

One of the tall blond demons had no sense of personal space, at least not when it came to Naomi. I didn’t like the way pretty boy was looking at my cousin. Then he bumped up against her and grinned lasciviously.

I shoved him hard. “If you even glance at her again, I’ll carve out those blue eyes of yours.”

His smile promised me pain. His fist bunched, but Hecate’s stopped him midstrike. “Hroth, please remember these are our guests.”

She wanted something from me or she wouldn’t be telling Hroth to play nice, but what? I’d never met her before, but she was acting more like a Southern belle than an avenging goddess. I wasn’t fooled.

“Speaking of pets,” she said, “how are my little harpies?”

I had a feeling she already knew the answer, but I said it anyway, just to piss her off. “Not so great, last time I saw them.”

I wanted to go down swinging if I was going to go down. Hecate didn’t bite, though. Apparently, she wasn’t ready to pick a fight.

“You ask a favor of me, son of Fortuna, and I expect one in return,” she said. “I miss my harpies.”

The harpies were half-woman, half-bird, and all kinds of trouble. My aunts had used them to torture me and kill those I loved, back before I realized it wasn’t safe to get close to anyone. I’d killed Swift Wing, but I hadn’t seen Shadow or Fleet Foot lately.

“You want me to steal from my aunts?”

“Aren’t you already? Stealing a life that should have ended long ago?”

“Can we see her or not?”

“Hroth, show our guests to Lady Claire,” she said.

“Not him,” I insisted. “Bernie can do it.”

Bernie had been trying to hide in the background, behind a demon who looked and smelled like a trash truck, but I’d spotted her right away.

Hecate raised an eyebrow. “Bernie? Oh, you must be speaking of Bernadette. I’m afraid she has other duties.” There was undisguised contempt in her tone.

Bernie flinched at the name.

Hecate snapped her finger at Hroth’s twin. “Gar, show the little Fate the way.”

“Show us
all
the way,” I corrected.

“One or none,” Hecate pronounced.

“It seems like we have no other choice,” I reluctantly agreed. Naomi was pretending that she wasn’t scared, but when she thought no one was looking, terror washed over her face.

Talbot leaned over and whispered something in her ear and she giggled and kissed him lingeringly. I shot him a grateful look. A scared Fate was a dangerous one, and Naomi was inexperienced. I didn’t want her to do something stupid and get us all killed. Besides, stupidity was
my
specialty.

Hroth snorted in annoyance, which made me smile.

I pulled Naomi aside. “Be careful,” I said. “And make it quick.” I wasn’t sure how long Hecate’s good mood would last.

Turns out, not long. It wasn’t really my fault. My nerves were shot. I felt claustrophobic underground and the smells weren’t helping my mood.

Naomi had barely left the room when Hroth decided to start a pissing contest. He sidled up next to me and, careful to make sure that Hecate was out of earshot, started whispering all the nasty things he would do to my little cousin. His brother grinned evilly.

I ignored him, but unfortunately, Talbot did not. He hit Hroth hard on the jaw, but the demon only grinned before he jumped Talbot and had him flat on the ground. Hroth was on top of Talbot’s chest. Hroth’s fangs came out, which did nothing for his looks, but also told me Talbot was in danger of losing a body part. I had to pull Hroth off him before the demon chewed off an ear.

The demon snapped and snarled, straining still to reach Talbot. The muscles in my arm pulled tight as I struggled to restrain Hroth.

The rest of the demon party didn’t even look up, but then Hecate said something in a language I didn’t understand and Hroth subsided.

I helped Talbot to his feet. “Don’t ever try that again,” I scolded him in a low voice. “That demon could tear off your head and not even break a sweat.”

“And I will,” Hroth murmured.

“Big words when your boss is out of earshot,” I said.

Hecate’s gaze returned to us, but before she could say anything, Gar and Naomi returned.

Naomi’s long red braid was askew and her eyes held the look of someone who’d seen something that would haunt her for a long time.

“Did you see her?” I asked.

“I want to stay,” she said.

“What happened?” Talbot asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” she replied. “I want to stay. Please let me stay!”

Talbot and I exchanged a glance.
Something in the wine
, I mouthed. He nodded to let me know he understood.

“Thank you for letting Claire see her,” I said to Hecate. “We’ll be back.”

She smiled. “You will be most welcome,” she said. “If you bring me one little present.”

“Which would be?”

“My harpies.”

“That’s not possible,” I said.

“Then I’m afraid it won’t be possible for you to visit with your cousin again.”

Naomi gripped my arm tightly. “Nyx,” she whispered urgently, but I ignored her.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

My answer seemed to satisfy Hecate, at least temporarily. A crossroads bargain had been struck, which never ended well for anybody but Hecate.

Talbot picked Naomi up and sprinted for the door. It took a few seconds before the demons realized what was happening and headed after him. They tackled him and pulled on his arms and legs to try to drag him to the floor. I waded into the melee and threw a couple of demons off them. Naomi screeched and squirmed in protest, but Talbot held on to her.

The harp player tugged at Naomi to pull her from Talbot’s arms. I threw my athame at the demon. The knife hit her in the neck.

“Enough!” Hecate said. “Let them go.”

Talbot didn’t wait for her to change her mind. He took off in a sprint. I could hear Naomi screaming as he headed back to the gate. I was seconds behind him.

I stopped to retrieve my athame and the harp player tried to bite me. I stepped on her hand and the bones crunched, which made her recede her fangs immediately.

None of the other demons were stupid enough to disobey Hecate. My path was clear. I looked back at her as I left. She was smiling, which made me shudder with dread.

We were about five hundred yards from the gate when we heard the sound of baying hounds.

I turned and looked. Bernie was on the path, dragging something large and bloody behind her.

She looked up and saw me, then made a shooing motion. “Go, son of Fortuna. This will keep them occupied, but not for long.”

Why was she helping us? I didn’t wait for an explanation. We ran. We returned the way we had come, stumbling over shards of bone. Naomi’s voice had grown hoarse. Finally, she went limp in his arms.

“What’s wrong with her?” Talbot asked, panicked. “It was the wine, wasn’t it?”

“When we’re topside,” I said. “Hurry.” I wasn’t entirely convinced Hecate wouldn’t change her mind and send the demons after us. We still had the hounds to contend with, but when we reached the gate, there was no sign of them.

“What now?” Talbot asked when we finally emerged and stood blinking in the sun.

“Now we find a remedy for Naomi, ask the aunties for the harpies, and go back for Claire.”