Red Blooded
Page 33
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“I’m not putting them on,” I insisted. “You can tell whoever’s in charge they can go to Hell.” Then I laughed a tiny bit maniacally because we were in Hell. How many times in your life can you say that while you’re actually standing in Hell? Never.
Or almost never, in my case.
Instead of my donning the required garments, my leg shot out and connected with the drawer, slamming it back in the wall so hard it cracked the facing. I began to bend over to investigate the damage when a blast of something shot straight into my chest. It was so strong it tossed me back against the far wall, knocking me silly and pinning me there.
But what had hit me wasn’t magic.
It was air.
The fire hose of wind held me for a few moments, and then abruptly shut off. I dropped to my knees. Do you see where the air jets are coming from? I asked my wolf. She growled, but shook her head. “You’re going to try to take me down with air?” I shouted into the room. “I don’t think so!”
I made a move to step forward and another blast shot into my abdomen. Before I knew what had happened I was plastered up against the wall once again.
The pressure was intense.
At this rate it would bore a hole through me. We need to stop it. I gritted my teeth. My wolf shot power through us and I managed to angle my hand in front of the brunt of the jet. I was in my Lycan form and as I cupped the air into my hands. Fighting it with all my strength, I managed to direct it away from my body. It took both my hands and all my strength.
Using the power of straight-line winds, clocking in at easily a hundred miles per hour, was actually brilliant on the demons’ part. Air wasn’t magic. I couldn’t combat it with anything except pure force. I took a step forward, gnashing my teeth, my hands still shielding the blast away from me.
This might be able to stop a lesser demon in its tracks, but not a pissed-off werewolf.
Power tingled in my hand as my strength beat back the airflow. I continued to push forward, searching for where it was coming from. Let’s make it look like we’re struggling more, I told my wolf as I took another small step forward and staggered a bit. We need to find the source so we can destroy it, but we can’t move too quickly or they’ll amp up the flow. The room was obviously rigged with things, like drawers and air jets, so it wasn’t completely sealed, which was great news.
I continued forward, making each step appear like a feat of mankind. My magic helped ward off the impact and damage to my body. The stream suddenly jumped a few more miles per hour and I was forced to take a step backward.
They were testing me.
Okay, new plan. We rush the jet and crack through the wall. Everything in here is seamless, so we need to act fast while the air is still flowing. My wolf agreed by sending a huge jolt of adrenaline washing through us. It jumped in my veins as I dashed forward, one hand and my chest pushing the air back with all my might, the other fisted above me, ready to pound the wall.
I reached the source in a few seconds, ramming my fist into a place that appeared completely unmarred. The white wall exploded around me, revealing a rocky surface where three small air jets were embedded. How the air came through the wall was a complete mystery, but demon technology was crazy like that. The air jets immediately turned off and a bell pinged in the air.
“Cease and desist, prisoner. You will don the proper attire and await your trial.”
“Or what?” I shouted, moving quickly toward the drawer. It had to be set in the same rocky wall, and they had to be able to fill it from the other side. If I destroyed it completely, I might be able to crawl through. I smashed my foot into the broken face and the rest of the components flew apart, scattering through the small space like Tinkertoys across an icy expanse. I ripped the remaining pieces out and tossed them behind me as I squatted in front of it. The jumpsuit lay at the bottom and I bunched it up and threw it to the side. I crouched low, peering into the darkness of the small hole. I couldn’t tell where it led, but it was out of here and that was all that mattered. It wasn’t quite big enough for me to get through, but I could kick more of the stone out of the away to make it bigger.
“Stop!” The intercom crackled.
“Sorry, too late,” I called as I positioned myself on the floor in front of it to do some serious damage. “I’m not staying in here any longer than necessary, and I don’t see anyone here to stop me.” I brought my knees up and kicked one side of the hole. My feet encountered rock, but it broke easily, crumbling around me.
A few more kicks and I would be free.
I knew the demons would be on me as soon as they could, but I was prepared to keep fighting my way out. There weren’t any other options at this point.
“If you do not stop, we will kill him.” This voice was harsh, not like the last one.
I froze mid-kick.
The ambient lights in the room flickered once. The space was backlit. I turned slowly as all the walls around me blinked twice and seamlessly into screens.
“Tyler,” I yelled. “No!” I jumped up and raced to the nearest one and slapped the edges of my fists onto the picture in front of me, frustration I couldn’t reach him raging within me.
No leeches this time. They were preparing to cut him up or do something equally appalling. He was out cold and strapped on a harsh-looking bed. There were huge implements lined up on a counter next to him.
One of them looked like a sickle.
“Fine!” I screamed, backing away from the wall. “I’ll do whatever you want. But you have to promise not to hurt him.”
Another drawer opened up near the one I’d demolished, containing a new jumpsuit. I walked over and snatched it out. “I’ll put this on,” I seethed, turning in a full circle. “But you have to keep the live feed going so I know you’re not hurting him.”
The screens flickered off.
I raced up to the nearest panel and pounded my hands against it. The walls were hard, but they cracked in the places my fists landed. “I’m not going to cooperate unless you show me my brother is alive! I will tear these walls down, so help me.” My wolf howled along with me, both of us maddened by what we had seen.
“The next time we show you your brother, you won’t like what you see.” The voice was low and menacing. This demon spoke perfect English. They weren’t messing around. “If you want to save his precious soul, don the garment and sit down.” It was a command.
Or almost never, in my case.
Instead of my donning the required garments, my leg shot out and connected with the drawer, slamming it back in the wall so hard it cracked the facing. I began to bend over to investigate the damage when a blast of something shot straight into my chest. It was so strong it tossed me back against the far wall, knocking me silly and pinning me there.
But what had hit me wasn’t magic.
It was air.
The fire hose of wind held me for a few moments, and then abruptly shut off. I dropped to my knees. Do you see where the air jets are coming from? I asked my wolf. She growled, but shook her head. “You’re going to try to take me down with air?” I shouted into the room. “I don’t think so!”
I made a move to step forward and another blast shot into my abdomen. Before I knew what had happened I was plastered up against the wall once again.
The pressure was intense.
At this rate it would bore a hole through me. We need to stop it. I gritted my teeth. My wolf shot power through us and I managed to angle my hand in front of the brunt of the jet. I was in my Lycan form and as I cupped the air into my hands. Fighting it with all my strength, I managed to direct it away from my body. It took both my hands and all my strength.
Using the power of straight-line winds, clocking in at easily a hundred miles per hour, was actually brilliant on the demons’ part. Air wasn’t magic. I couldn’t combat it with anything except pure force. I took a step forward, gnashing my teeth, my hands still shielding the blast away from me.
This might be able to stop a lesser demon in its tracks, but not a pissed-off werewolf.
Power tingled in my hand as my strength beat back the airflow. I continued to push forward, searching for where it was coming from. Let’s make it look like we’re struggling more, I told my wolf as I took another small step forward and staggered a bit. We need to find the source so we can destroy it, but we can’t move too quickly or they’ll amp up the flow. The room was obviously rigged with things, like drawers and air jets, so it wasn’t completely sealed, which was great news.
I continued forward, making each step appear like a feat of mankind. My magic helped ward off the impact and damage to my body. The stream suddenly jumped a few more miles per hour and I was forced to take a step backward.
They were testing me.
Okay, new plan. We rush the jet and crack through the wall. Everything in here is seamless, so we need to act fast while the air is still flowing. My wolf agreed by sending a huge jolt of adrenaline washing through us. It jumped in my veins as I dashed forward, one hand and my chest pushing the air back with all my might, the other fisted above me, ready to pound the wall.
I reached the source in a few seconds, ramming my fist into a place that appeared completely unmarred. The white wall exploded around me, revealing a rocky surface where three small air jets were embedded. How the air came through the wall was a complete mystery, but demon technology was crazy like that. The air jets immediately turned off and a bell pinged in the air.
“Cease and desist, prisoner. You will don the proper attire and await your trial.”
“Or what?” I shouted, moving quickly toward the drawer. It had to be set in the same rocky wall, and they had to be able to fill it from the other side. If I destroyed it completely, I might be able to crawl through. I smashed my foot into the broken face and the rest of the components flew apart, scattering through the small space like Tinkertoys across an icy expanse. I ripped the remaining pieces out and tossed them behind me as I squatted in front of it. The jumpsuit lay at the bottom and I bunched it up and threw it to the side. I crouched low, peering into the darkness of the small hole. I couldn’t tell where it led, but it was out of here and that was all that mattered. It wasn’t quite big enough for me to get through, but I could kick more of the stone out of the away to make it bigger.
“Stop!” The intercom crackled.
“Sorry, too late,” I called as I positioned myself on the floor in front of it to do some serious damage. “I’m not staying in here any longer than necessary, and I don’t see anyone here to stop me.” I brought my knees up and kicked one side of the hole. My feet encountered rock, but it broke easily, crumbling around me.
A few more kicks and I would be free.
I knew the demons would be on me as soon as they could, but I was prepared to keep fighting my way out. There weren’t any other options at this point.
“If you do not stop, we will kill him.” This voice was harsh, not like the last one.
I froze mid-kick.
The ambient lights in the room flickered once. The space was backlit. I turned slowly as all the walls around me blinked twice and seamlessly into screens.
“Tyler,” I yelled. “No!” I jumped up and raced to the nearest one and slapped the edges of my fists onto the picture in front of me, frustration I couldn’t reach him raging within me.
No leeches this time. They were preparing to cut him up or do something equally appalling. He was out cold and strapped on a harsh-looking bed. There were huge implements lined up on a counter next to him.
One of them looked like a sickle.
“Fine!” I screamed, backing away from the wall. “I’ll do whatever you want. But you have to promise not to hurt him.”
Another drawer opened up near the one I’d demolished, containing a new jumpsuit. I walked over and snatched it out. “I’ll put this on,” I seethed, turning in a full circle. “But you have to keep the live feed going so I know you’re not hurting him.”
The screens flickered off.
I raced up to the nearest panel and pounded my hands against it. The walls were hard, but they cracked in the places my fists landed. “I’m not going to cooperate unless you show me my brother is alive! I will tear these walls down, so help me.” My wolf howled along with me, both of us maddened by what we had seen.
“The next time we show you your brother, you won’t like what you see.” The voice was low and menacing. This demon spoke perfect English. They weren’t messing around. “If you want to save his precious soul, don the garment and sit down.” It was a command.
