Elemental (17 page)

“This what?” Thor’s tone was dangerous. He growled “Don’t be fooled by my small size, David. Yes, I know who you are—and her, too. I’ve heard all about the two of you, and then some. Now—less talking and more walking. This way.”

They followed Thor in silence but with grins on their faces.

As they walked, Kara began to get nervous. She knew they were only two possible outcomes to their quest. It was either a trap, or her mother’s soul was really here. The latter was probably not an option—it could never be that simple, especially if it involved Asmodeus. But she wondered what would happen if she did get her hands on her mother’s soul. Would the Legion let her back in?
No,
she didn’t think so. She decided that after dealing with the business of her mother’s soul, she would still have to find proof of the Death Blade to clear her name. She did not want to go back to Tartarus.

Thor led them north on Avenue Emile Deschanel Street, and finally to a large opening leading to a lush park. He sat behind a huge tree.

“We should be okay here.” He began to dig a hole frantically, and once he thought it was deep enough, he settled in it, as if it were a dog bed.

Kara sat with her legs crossed in front of her. “Jenny told us that you knew where my mother’s soul was? Is she somewhere close?”

Thor let his tongue hang to one side of his jaw. “Yes.”

Kara hunched forward. “What? Where? Tell me where she is!”

“Take it easy, girl.” Thor glanced around. “They’ve got her soul in the Eiffel Tower. She’s up at the top, past the restaurants, in the restricted area. She’s guarded by three higher demons—and I smelled something else—something fouler and nastier than I’ve ever smelled before.”

“We could pass as tourists and sneak up there,” said David as he kneeled down. “That shouldn’t be complicated. Do you know if the soul’s still alive?”

Kara recoiled at David’s words. “How can you ask that!”

“We need to know. This could be a trap.”

“The soul’s alive,” said Thor, nodding his square head so his ears flapped. “…and I’m sure it’s a trap. Nevertheless, it is your mortal mother’s soul and she is one of the chosen guardians. I don’t know what the whole fuss is with you and your
powers
. But I can’t agree with the Legion’s decision to leave your mother’s soul behind. We can’t let them take it. If it were my mother’s soul—I’d go get it.”

Kara sat staring at the ground. She was sure it was a trap. With three higher demons and probably a new breed waiting, it had to be a trap. But she knew she had no choice. She wouldn’t let her mother die. Her throat began to tighten. It was up to her now. She pushed herself up and brushed the dirt off her pants.

“All right then…let’s go.”

“I love a woman who takes control. It’s very sexy.” David flashed his perfect teeth. Longing sparked in his eyes.

For a moment, Kara was lost in his eyes. The world shut itself out around her, and she felt all alone with only David by her side. Her mortal suit prickled and she felt warmth spread inside her. He was so close. She knew if she’d just reach out she could touch him. She remembered the touch of his soft lips on hers. She closed her eyes and forced the emotions out of her head. This couldn’t happen right now, she realized. She clenched her fists and turned away from him, but not before she saw a look of hurt flash across his face.

Thor looked disgusted and licked his nose.

They walked through the Parc du Champs de Mars, north along Avenue Anatole France. They wandered past vast green lawns manicured to perfection. Even at night, Kara could tell it was well maintained. The leaves of the tall lush trees fluttered with whispers like notes from a melody of music.

Thor’s tiny legs worked fast, keeping him at the head of the group. He reminded Kara of a lieutenant leading his soldiers to battle. She smiled. She didn’t know why he was helping her, but she was glad he was.

Then the Eiffel Tower radiated before them in all its glory. Illuminated by thousands of lights, it shone against the black Paris skyline like a jeweled pyramid of silver and gold. It was magnificent and gigantic. Her pace quickened.

When they reached the bottom of the tower, Kara threw back her head and looked up. It was beautiful.

Then Kara grew restless—her mother’s soul was in there somewhere

Vendors shoved t-shirts, postcards and miniature replicas of the Eiffel Tower in Kara and David’s faces. David shooed them away

“There are three platforms on the Eiffel Tower—” whispered Thor. White foam formed at the corners of his mouth. Kara had to lean forward to hear him clearly. “—you want the top one. We take the stairs to the first lift. We need to switch lifts at the second level to get to the third. And from there we take the stairs to get to the top. Visiting hours are almost over, let’s hurry.”

Kara looked over to the crowds of eager tourists waiting at the foot of the stairs.

“Come on,” urged Kara.

After a few minutes of waiting, Kara finally took her first steps up the tower. She pressed her hands against a cold metal railing and pulled herself up. Kara gazed at the pyramid of iron ladders. All around, she was surrounded by giant iron beams, graceful latticework that joined the four pillars like an iron spider web.

She heard a scratching noise behind her, then a plop. She turned. Thor lay spread-eagled on the metal step. She could see his short legs couldn’t reach. She bent down and grabbed the dog. He was surprisingly heavy, and she held him comfortably against her chest like a large bag of potatoes. He smiled beneath the folds of his nose.

“He could lose some weight,” laughed David. He eyed the pretty brunette who brushed past him, and Kara narrowed her eyes.

“Why are you standing there? Let’s go.” She tried to keep her voice even. She didn’t want David to see how his wandering eye affected her. But she caught him grinning at her before she turned her head.

Once they had finished climbing the three hundred steps, Kara had counted them, they finally arrived at the first lift. They all squeezed in with some mortal tourists. The mortals didn’t seem to be bothered that their four legged friend was drooling all over Kara’s shirt.

Kara and David jumped off the first lift and headed towards the second. They avoided speaking to each other. The lift jerked, and then stopped. David let the mortals get off first, then he and Kara jumped off. She heard David throw a few curses around, and when she gazed at the view, she understood why.

A sea of lights glittered below and all around as far as Kara could see. Lights flickered and danced on the Seine, like watery fireworks of red, gold, and silver. A warm breeze swept Kara’s bangs from her face. She looked around. Romance filled the air as couples kissed and took pictures.

Thor glared at her and growled. He cocked his head. Kara followed his gaze to a door at the end of the platform. She glanced at David who nodded that he understood.

They stood around the door for a moment, and waited for the last tourists to leave. Finally, no one was left but them. They started to climb the circular stairway that led to the last platform. It was much darker. Only a few of the tower’s lights were mounted on the iron ladders. Soft light spilled from the moon, and Kara was grateful it gave them enough to see where they were headed.

She ran up the iron staircase two steps at a time. Thor bounced in her arms. At the top, a door stood slightly ajar. She could hear voices. A woman’s voices. She took a step—

“Wait,” said David as he held her arm. “We need a plan. We can’t just barge in,” he whispered.

“He’s quite right.” Thor stretched out his neck and sniffed the platform above him. “It is a trap after all. You need to think of something clever.”

He sniffed the air again.

“There are three higher demons…and I get a whiff of something else…something more rotten.” He squished his nose and looked up and Kara.

Kara put Thor down on the small metal landing, thankful to have her arms back. “What weapons do we have?” she asked in a low voice.

David slipped off his backpack and rummaged through it. “Two Soul Blades. A Moonstone, and three Firestones.”

“It won’t be enough.” Thor shook his head.

“It’ll have to do. We don’t have a choice.”

“What about you, dog? Are you coming with us?” David looked at Thor as he handed Kara a blade and a Firestone. “What can you do? Bark your way up there?”

“I’m afraid I cannot assist you in combat. I’m a scout—not a guardian. I will wait here for the outcome. I hope you win.” Thor sat back on his hind legs, his tongue hung down from the side of his jaw.

“Geese, thanks.” Kara clenched her fists. Maybe she should have left the dog at the bottom of the tower. She felt the handle of the cool blade press into her palm. She gripped it tight. Whether it was a trap or not, she knew she didn’t have a choice. Whatever was out there, she would fight it. Till death if she had to.

“Let’s do this,” said Kara.

“Right behind you, babe.”

Kara pushed open the door and stepped onto a round metal platform. Paris was illuminated all around them, like a field of brilliant gems. A gust of wind pushed Kara to the side, and she steadied herself. The platform was small, with an office in the middle. The lights in the office were off, but Kara could see a shadow inside.

She turned to David, “The guy at the desk, who’s sitting still, is wax—it’s Gustave Eiffel—this is a replica of his office.”

“That’s pretty disturbing.” David peered through the office.

She looked carefully behind the office, her dagger at the ready. The long shadows of the metal beams of the tower created black webs along the floor. Kara couldn’t see past the office. Thor had smelled demons, but she couldn’t see them.

Moaning—Kara scrunched her face and followed the sound.

She made her way around to the other side of the office cautiously. A bundle lay on the ground. At first, Kara thought a tourist had forgotten their coat. But then it moved.

Kara saw a face—a young woman, with a gash on her forehead, and blood trickling down her cheek. Her eyes were swollen and bruised. Someone had given her a serious beating.
What was she doing here
?

Something shone in the corner of her eye, and Kara turned around. A white sphere hovered in a glass jar on the platform a few feet away.

“MOM!” screamed Kara. She ran forward.

“Kara—No!” David reached to grab her.

A shimmer of black smoke appeared before Kara, like a wall of rippling black water.

She jumped to the side, brandishing her blade.

The wall glistened and cracked, erupting in swirls of black mist, like a maelstrom of shadows. A man stepped out of the moving wall. Kara had seen his white platinum hair and grey suit before.

Chapter 13

Making a Deal

THE HIGHER DEMON GRINNED AS HE
caught sight of Kara. His pasty white skin stood out in the moonlight, like a week old corpse. He lunged forward and took the beaten girl by the throat. He let her body sway like a plaything. In his other hand, he held the glass jar.

The demon snarled, exposing sharp fangs. It laughed. “Looking for this?”

He shook the jar, the soul bounced against the walls of its glass prison.

“You are so predictable, Kara Nightingale. And very foolish. We knew you would come for your mother’s pathetic little soul.”

Kara glared at the demon.

“I thought we could have some fun with this one.” He squeezed his hand tighter around the beaten girl’s throat. Kara heard a faint whimper.

Anger boiled through Kara. “Let her go,” she growled.

In her peripheral vision she saw David step beside her.

“Let her go—it’s me you want. Let’s make a trade. Me for the girl’s life—and my mother’s soul.”

David’s eyes darted to Kara’s. “Kara, no!” he whispered.

The Rift shimmered and cracked again, and two more higher demons stepped out of the shadows. They both grinned when they saw her. They separated and made their way around the platform. Their Death Blades left long trails of black-grey smoke behind them.

Kara took a step back as one of the demons positioned himself to her right. The other, on David’s left, held his position.

The higher demon threw back its head and howled. “You would trade your angel life for this pathetic soul—and this miserable little mortal? How touching.”

Kara watched in horror as the girl’s face grew a darker shade of red as he strangled her.

“Do you wanna trade or not! Last chance.” Kara took another step towards him.

“Last chance?” the demon laughed.

He dangled the girl like a rag. “You wish to make a deal? But what if I don’t accept? What will you do then? Please enlighten us.”

The higher demon mocked her. Kara knew they were playing with her. The girl’s mouth twitched and trembled. Kara felt a terrible sadness for her.