Dragon Down (15 page)

The water got deeper and it ran faster. I had to hold on tight to my log, which was nearly yanked from my grasp on several occasions. The lig
ht was also starting to fade. If I had to guess, I’d say that it was almost sunset. Unfortunately, the high walls that were carved into the riverbank, by the rushing water, made it hard to tell. I thought I was home free when I heard the roar. I struggled to free the straps on my pack. Corbin literally would have to fly or swim. I just managed to release him before I was washed over the falls. I spun, plummeted, freefalling until the water spit me out. My head finally broke the water’s surface and I splashed toward shore. My foot hit bottom just before I did. I staggered forward and landed face first on the sandy shore.

When I came to I was bound, gagged, and hanging from a pole by my hands and feet. It reminded me of an old Tarzan mo
vie. I couldn’t see my captors. However, I knew we were moving because my head threatened to explode with every jarring step. My senses told me my captors weren’t vampires. Yet, my bracelet tingled, which meant there was magic nearby. My guess is the winter fae had taken me when I washed ashore. I wondered what their interest was in me. Admittedly, I had annoyed Queen Mab on more than one occasion. It was occasionally necessary for me to cut across her realm from time to time. Mab didn’t like uninvited quests crossing through her territory. Obviously there was no statute of limitations for the denizens of the fairy realm. Nevertheless, I doubted she’d been tracking me all this time to reprimand me for trespassing. It is possible she made a pact with one of the vampire courts. At least I didn’t hear the Hellhounds.

We bounced and jostled around for so long I lost all track of time. Finally, I was unceremoniously dumped on the ground. I hit my head hard enough to see stars. I struggled to sit up and was immediately pushed back down. I felt rough hands untie me and immediately retie my hands to a ring above my head. I think these guys attended the Marquee de Sad yogi school.

It took a minute to clear my head. I’d been dangling upside down for so long my head threatened to explode. Taking slow steadying breathes, I managed to silence the jack hammers in my head. Then I slumped, falling, and staying as still as possible. I listened trying to get any hint of what my captors wanted with me and I didn’t want them to know I was conscious. I could hear them whispering. Yet, I couldn’t tell what they were saying. If these guys kept this up I’d be taller and more flexible. Vengeance was going to be a bitch for these three, I would get even. I was working up some righteous anger when a voice in my ear made me jump. What in the hell. Then I heard it again.

“Corbin? Is that you?”

“Miss me? Keep your voice down and face forward. I’ll gnaw through these ropes as quickly as I can. You really know how to make friends.”

I heard him chuckle and I ground my teeth. Of all the swishy vampires in the world I had to be rescued by a comedian. All that
aside, I was delighted to be rescued. I felt the tension ease on my arms. I kept my eyes forward and watched my captors. When I felt the ropes fall away from my arms I activated my bracelet. It was time for a chat with my captors. Corbin changed back into his human self. He motioned he was going to come in from behind the fae. There were three of them. I waited a few minutes before I sauntered over to the fire.

“What
’s for dinner?”

The fae jumped and started to reach for their weapons.

“I wouldn’t do that, not unless you want to tie your shoes with your teeth for the rest of your lives. My friends, I don’t need any more motivation to kill you. Now sit down and put your hands on top of your heads.”

They hesitated a second too long
and I felt compelled to send a flash of energy into the foot of the nearest fairy. He did a pretty neat jig before he got the flames out. When I turned my eyes back to his colleagues they had their hands on their heads.

“I
’m only going to ask you once. Answer me and I’ll let you live. Lie or stall and I’ll kill you…slowly. Am I making myself clear?”

All three heads bobbed like bobble headed dolls. Corbin came around from behind them and tied them up. I moved over to inspect their dinner. I didn
’t know what it was, but I didn’t care. I gulped it down, always a lady I wiped my mouth primly on my sleeve. When my stomach was full and my thirst quenched I focused on my three captors. Corbin had either already eaten or he wasn’t hungry.

“Which one of you is in charge?”

I thought I might need to loosen some tongues when one of the fae spoke.

“I am.”

“Why have you been following us? Why did you take me captive?”

“Queen Mab has put a price on your head. She sent us to find you.”

“Do you know why she has a price on my head?”

“She owes Mavre a favor. She wants you taken alive. Mab didn
’t tell us why.”

I knew he was probably telling me the truth. Mab would not explain herself to anyone. But,
what I didn’t understand was why would the Red Court have a price on my head? I mean I’m not welcome anywhere in the vampire world. Yet, I wasn’t aware I’d offended anyone in the Red Court.

I turned to Corbin and we moved away so our captives couldn
’t overhear us.

“Which court is after you?”

“The Red Court.”

“I have no direct association with the Red Court. The Red Court is the least tolerant of all the courts. My friends are in the White Court. What I do know is the Red Court is not somebody you want mad at you.”

“You think? I know they are the worst of the worst. I had a run in with a Red Court Daywalker. We fought to the death and as you can see I won. The fight was witnessed by Erol from the Lazarian Court and Jason from the World Council of Wizards.”

He let out a low whistle before he answered. “That is reason enough. Vicor was Erol
’s ward. I’m only surprised he hasn’t tried to have you killed before now.”

“It just so happens there
’s a long line of people vying for the right to kill me. Seriously, he may have tried before now. I don’t know who was behind the attack on the White Court Island.”

“You have a point. I suggest we get to Dreuss and question Drom.
Still, my guess is the answers will be found at the Red Court. Shall we?”

“I agree.
Let’s leave those three tied up and by the time they get loose we’ll be gone.”

Chapter Sixteen

“Do you know anything about the layout?”

“Lauren, the prisoners are usually held in the dungeons below the main house. Since I blend in better than you, I’ll check it out. As soon as I’m sure I’ll come get you and we can find Drom.”

I nodded once without speaking. Hiding out and letting others have all the fun wasn
’t easy for me. However, vampires have an acute sense of smell. There is no way I could go undetected into the city, let alone into the dungeons. I’d have to wait for the cover of darkness and Corbin’s return. Then I could use his cloak and scent to get me into the dungeons.

In the meantime I was hiding out in the top
of a massive old tree. It was breezy enough I hoped my scent would be blown up and away. Not very original, but I was relatively sure it would work. Besides it made sneaking up on me trickier. Nestled in between the trunk and a large horizontal branch I waited. This gave me some time to try and get a fix on Traygen. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. I needed to attain a deep meditative state so my spirit could exit my body and travel through the universe. I wanted to tap into the knowledge of the Akashic Records. These records contained the accumulated knowledge of all the planes of the universe.

I
’d traveled to almost ever plane in the universe at one time or another. Most people participate in astral travel. They just aren’t aware of it and would likely deny it. However, I bet if you asked them if their dreams were so real they could sense them or if it felt almost like they were there. Then they were definitely traveling on the astral plane. You can be sure their spirit has left their body. If a spiritual being has been incarnated long enough they forget their original home. Unfortunately, this is necessary or we would all want to go home before we accomplished whatever we came to this plane to learn. We would never evolve this way. This would negate the reason we come to the different planes. Our need to acquire life experiences to help us advance. This is why I’m so good at astral travel. I’m a slow learner and I’ve spent several life times’ trying to get it right. However, I’ve loved Traygen for so long I can follow his etheric body across any plane. It goes without saying I’d rather catch up with his physical body, talk about perfection, but I digress.

I searched, stretching my aura as far as I could. Crushed
again by the reality Traygen was no nearer than he had been since he went missing. I slammed back into my body. Tears rolled down my cheeks. It took me a while to rein in my emotions. It felt like I was hearing Traygen through dense insulation or under water. Pushing back the despair, I pulled myself to a standing position. I stretched, and rubbed my arms and legs. I’d been sitting so still I couldn’t feel my limbs. Satisfied I could move when Corbin returned, I scanned the immediate area. It was dark and the voices from the city filtered up through the tree leaves.

I was about to re
take my seat against the tree when I sensed I wasn’t alone. I froze, hugging my body to the tree and waited. It didn’t take long for Corbin’s head to push into view. I relaxed and moved over to offer him a hand. Showing off, no doubt, he sprang up beside me. He shook the leaves from his hair and clothes. Then he turned to speak. I clamped my hand hard over his mouth, nearly knocking us both off the limb. He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. I’d seen the look before, but then he heard it too. A whirring sound or was it a flutter? I had no clue and then a squawk shattered the quiet. Just before a small guided missile shot past my face to land neatly on my shoulder.

“Did you miss me?”

“Tokem, you scared the…out of me err, well never mind. How did you find us?”

“I
’m not telling you a thing until you tell me how much you missed me and how grateful you are that I’m here. Speechless aren’t you. I left Hans to guard the boat. Corbin how are you?”

Corbin reached up and grabbed Tokem and shoved him into
my pocket. A low whistle broke the silence, snarls and growls filled the air, and I knew we’d been spotted or heard. Corbin motioned for me to stay put and he changed. He soared out from the tree and dropped out of sight. It was silent for a split second and then it was bedlam. It seemed like ever vampire in Dreuss was under my tree. Sadly if that wasn’t bad enough the hell hounds were wailing and circling the tree. I was just about to start firing when a shrill whistle led the hounds and vampires in the opposite direction. No one needed to tell me to scramble down the tree and run for it. I shot down the trunk and ran back the way we’d come. When I thought I’d put enough distance between myself and Dreuss, I climbed up another large tree. At least I didn’t hear anyone following us, which wasn’t a huge comfort. Since, I never heard Corbin before he scared the pee out of me.

“Is it safe to come out now?”

“Tokem, I am sorry. Yes, I think it is anyway.”

I let Tokem out of my pocket and he flew up and landed on my shoulder.

“Are you going to fill me in or what?”

“Corbin and I have come to find a man who traded Traygen
’s dragon’s eye pendant in a poker game.”

“Now you
’re talking, what are we waiting for? And where is Zane?”

“Tokem, Zane is dead. Vampires got him when we were ambushed in The Red Court
’s capitol city. They took Corbin and me prisoners. I thought Corbin was Zane. They beat him trying to get him to tell them what we were after. He would not tell them and they would have killed him if I hadn’t gotten free.”

“Lauren, do you trust him? I mean this could be a set up.”

“Yes, I trust him. He’s saved my life several times.”

“Where is he then?”

“Right here.”

I screeched and would have fallen if Corbin hadn
’t grabbed me.

“Damn it Corbin, how many times have I told you not to scare me.”

Corbin smiled as he set me back down on the branch.

“May be you should put a bell on him.” Tokem quipped as he flew out of Corbin
’s reach.

“If you two are finished we had better get under ground until it is safer out here. Follow
me. I think I have found a way into the sewers that run under the city.”

I for one wasn
’t surprised. I think Corbin must have spent his formative years crawling under every city he inhabited. As for me, I was going to my happy place…Milan during fashion week. I just didn’t want to think about what I was walking through. We walked in silence through the woods. I wasn’t sure but, I thought we were moving in the opposite direction from the way we approached the city. After an hour or so the woods started to thin out. I could see the lights of the city no more than half a mile ahead. Whatever Corbin had in mind I hoped he would get us underground before we were spotted. There was very little cover.

Corbin motioned for me to get down and he began searching the ground in front of him. We were in a small stand of trees, which were not thick enough to offer much cover. I couldn
’t tell what Corbin was looking for but I hoped he found it fast. My eyes adjusted enough for me to see we were within a hundred yards of the main road into town. This was not a place I wanted to be for very long. Before I could freak myself out any more, Corbin motioned me forward.

He moved a large rock that covered a narrow opening into who knew what. Hell no, I was not crawling into that tiny opening. Corbin sensing my reluctance moved in front of me and crawled into the opening. He disappeared from my sight
and I just stared at the spot where he’d been. Before I could think, a disembodied hand shot out and pulled me in. I fell forward into the hole. Corbin caught me and lowered me to the floor of the small room. Then he reached out and pulled the rock back down over the hole. Son of a bitch, just like that we were immersed in inky blackness. Corbin crawled over to me and whispered for me to light a small flame. He didn’t need to tell me twice. My staff gave off a faint glow. It was enough for me to see about five feet. Corbin, of course, could see just fine without the light.

“Where are we,” I whispered.

“These are escape tunnels that The Red Court built in case of attack.”

“You can
’t be serious. You don’t honestly think this is a good idea do you?”

“Yes, they don
’t know what vampire is traveling with you. Only the royal guard would know of the existence of the tunnels. There is no way they will think you would know the tunnels existed. Also, the tunnels will take us right up to the dungeons. We can find Drom and get the answers we need before they know we are there.”

“Lauren, think about it. He has a good point. I will scout out the tunnels and let you know if we have company.”

I considered what Corbin and Tokem said. They both made good points and I nodded my silent agreement. Satisfied, Corbin headed off down the tunnels that lead away from the opening. My staff glowed dimly and I moved silently behind him. Tokem buzzed in and out of sight. We traveled deeper underground in silence, we couldn’t risk detection. After what I assumed was several hours I felt the ground gradually begin to rise. Corbin motioned for us to stop and rest. I drank some water and settled down to wait. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I remember was Corbin shaking my shoulder. He motioned for me to sit up and listen. He bent near my ear and whispered it was mid-morning and time to find Drom.

I didn
’t need any encouragement. I scrambled to my feet and followed Corbin deeper into the tunnels. We walked on in relative silence. The only sounds were the scrapping of our feet and the occasional sound of dripping water. Just when I was sure we were lost, I noticed the ground under my feet begin to rise ever so slightly. As far as I was concerned, we could not get out of here fast enough to suit me. I nearly ran into Corbin’s back. I hadn’t seen him stop. He motioned for me to be still and he felt around on the wall until he found what he had been looking for. Then the wall in front of slid silently to one side.

We stood staring into a long dimly lit hall. Corbin grabbed my arm and pulled me down the corridor to our right. Just as I turned the corner I saw the door we had come through slide silently close
d. Great. Now we trapped in the corridors under The Red Court’s prison. A place we would be likely to see if we were caught. I didn’t need to be prodded twice. I sprinted to keep Corbin in sight. Just when I thought we might get away undetected I heard voices. Corbin stopped and pulled us both tight against the nearest wall. He motioned for me to take the one on the right. Fortunately, no intervention was necessary. The voices faded as quickly as they came. The vampires had obviously gone down another corridor. I didn’t like playing vampire roulette. It would only be a matter of time before someone decided to come our way. Before I could get Corbin’s attention, Tokem streaked into view and landed on my shoulder. He leaned in to whisper in my ear. I knew Corbin could hear no matter what I just hoped none of the other vampires could.

“I found the cells and Drom is in the last one on the right. There are two guards and several more in the corridor outside.”

Corbin nodded and indicated that he would lead the guards in the corridor off in another direction. That would leave Tokem and me to dispatch the two guards outside the cells. I nodded my consent and then turned to speak to Tokem.

“Tokem, can you distract the guard nearest the cell while I dispose of the other one?”

“It will be my pleasure, after you.”

I crept down clos
er to the cells. We hadn’t encountered any other vampires and I stopped to listen right before the corridor branched. I could see the two guards off to our right. Before I could motion Tokem forward he flashed by and hit the first vampire in the eye. I sent a blast from my staff into the other vampire’s chest and he burst into flames. I wheeled, finishing off the first vampire before he could cry out. We froze waiting for any indication we had been seen or heard. Nothing. I stepped over the smoldering ruins of the two vampires and went to the cell where Drom was held. He was standing at the cell door. He must have heard the commotion and come to check it out. The keys were on a peg outside his cell. I opened the door and he moved to the back of the cell. We obviously put the fear of fire in him.

“Who are you?” He asked.

“I will ask the questions here and you will answer. Or I will set all the straw in this cell on fire.” To show him I wasn’t kidding I set a small fire in the straw next to his feet. He hopped around trying to put it out.

“I can start them faster than you can put them out,” I hissed.

He turned and faced me. “What do you want?”

“Is your name Drom?”

“Yes.”

“Did you lose a Dragon
’s Eye pendent in a poker game?”

“Why do you care?”

“Wrong answer, asshole.” I sent a blast of flames at his head, igniting his hair. He did the best impersonation of ‘drop and roll’ I’ve seen in years.

“Okay, okay. His name was Traygen. He was my prisoner.”

“Where is he now and don’t lie to me.” I sent a few tongues of flame in his direction.

“The Black Court came and got him a couple months ago.”

“Where were they taking him?”

“To their fortress in Lanzer.”