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  They continued along the path, and soon, the fork appeared before them. Malik used his divining rod, but both ways indicated they were the right direction.

  “Either way could take us to the entrance, and either way could be a dead end in the general direction of the entrance.”

  “Take the right path,” Felix said.

  “Why?” Kayla asked, scrutinizing him.

  “It is the most likely path, according to the natural topography,” he lied.

  She looked him up and down. It was a feeble explanation, but the rest of the party was too dimwitted to see through the deception. They continued along the right passage, going deeper and deeper into the earth. Soon, they came out of the passage onto a large bank, where a river of lava flowed swiftly past.

  “What now?” Jagger grumbled, staring at Felix.

  How do we get across? he asked the voice.

  Go south.

  “The south is the most likely place for a crossing.”

  No one asked him how he could possibly know that. Maybe they believed his idiotic explanation. Try as he might, he couldn’t come up with a better excuse for being privy to such knowledge, so he decided to just stick with his original lie. The party had seemed willing to accept it, no matter how ridiculous it was.

  They came to a stone bridge after about five hundred yards, and the group began to cross. Felix lingered at the back of the pack, watching them as they walked.

  When will you come? he asked the voice.

  Soon. Very soon.

  Chapter 30

  Deep in the night, the neon signs of the city came into view. Sid nudged Gloria awake, and they watched as their bus pulled into the outskirts of town. It didn’t take long to realize that this place was a metropolis.

  Even in the middle of the night, the streets were packed with cars. Signs buzzed in a multitude of colors, promising every kind of entertainment and pleasure imaginable. Scantily clad women in high-heeled shoes sauntered down the sidewalk.

  “What is this place?” Sid said to himself.

  “It’s Oceana,” said the father of the family who’d traveled with them. He spoke to Sid as if he were an idiot for asking the question. “Biggest city in the country.”

  “Who doesn’t know that?” his wife asked as she stirred at his side, yawning and stretching. The children woke and began to fuss. The woman snapped at them, and their complaints quieted to stifled whining. Sid didn’t understand these people, and he wanted to ask Gloria what she thought of them, but he decided to leave it alone.

  When the bus stopped, the driver told everyone it was the end of the line and time to get off. Sid and Gloria walked with the others off the bus and joined them on the platform. They walked into the brightly lit station, where travelers were sleeping on benches and on the floor.

  “Where can we go from here?” Gloria said, looking at the map of bus routes.

  “Says it goes north and south along the coast. We can also go back to Mirage City.”

  “I think we should find a place to lay low. If this is the biggest city in the country, there’s a good chance the others will find us here.”

  "As good a chance as any,” Gloria said. “I know Malik is looking for me.”

  “And Kayla for me,” he said, his heart aching.

  They made their way out of the bus station and onto the street. Some of the women in skimpy dress walked by, giving Gloria the side-eye. One of them rubbed Sid’s shoulder. “Why don’t you ditch the stiff and come have a good time with us, honey?”

  Sid was so surprised that he stepped back several feet and wiped his mouth with his hand. He stared at her. “No, thanks,” he stammered.

  “Suit yourself.”

  Gloria laughed as the women walked away.

  “Why did she do that?” Sid asked.

  “She was looking for business. Never encountered a working girl before?”

  “Working at what?”

  “You know, a lady of the night,” Gloria said.

  “Huh.”

  Gloria pulled him to her and whispered in his ear, explaining what she meant. Sid looked at her, incredulous. He couldn’t imagine a female doing such a thing. Shifters had no concept of that kind of exchange. Pleasure was always something that two people shared—something that was agreed upon as mutually desired.

  “And witches do this?” he asked as they walked down the street.

  “Sure. It’s pretty common. Some cities don’t allow it, but in others, it is practiced out in the open. I assume that in this city, it is underground. Otherwise, these women wouldn’t be walking the street.”

  “So, it’s illegal here?”

  “That’s my guess. I’m not an expert on pre-cataclysm law, but I assume that this place functions with similar systems.”

  “The world before the cataclysm seems terrible.”

  “Got to make a living somehow.” She shrugged.

  Sid still couldn’t understand it. Why would anyone want a woman who didn’t naturally want him? But he decided to let it go as they walked down the street. The times he’d spent with his mate flitted through his mind. They were some of the most magical moments of his life. He would never want anything less. He treasured every moment he’d spent with Kayla.

  It made him melancholy to think of her and all they’d left behind to complete their journey. Getting lost and separated had never been part of the plan. But he could only hope that somehow they would be reunited again.

  “We should find a hotel and some food,” Gloria said, waving for a yellow taxi as it approached in the street.

  The car stopped, and the two of them climbed inside.

  “Where to?” the driver asked.

  “The closest five-star hotel,” Gloria said.

  “That would be the Himont.”

  The driver started down the street, and they moved into a different part of town. This one didn’t have any women walking the street or ragged men yelling at them. Gloria paid the driver, and they walked to the building, where a man greeted Sid and Gloria at the door and offered to carry their bags. Once inside, they walked to the front desk.

  “Two adjoining rooms,” Gloria said to the woman sitting behind the counter.

  “We have a suite with two rooms but no adjoining rooms.”

  “We can share,” Sid said.

  “Let’s live it up while we have the chance,” Gloria said, pulling her cash out of her bag.

  She paid for the room, and the two of them took the elevator up to the top floor. They walked down the hall and opened the last door into a room with huge windows looking out at the city. The furniture was crisp and bright. A vase of flowers adorned the gleaming table in the dining area.

  “This is too much,” Sid grumbled.

  “Don’t worry. We’ve got plenty. Now, let’s see about getting some room service.” She grabbed a menu off the table and plopped herself down in the big white couch at the center of the room. She patted the place beside her and handed Sid a menu when he sat down. “It all looks so good. I’m getting lobster with a Caesar salad and chocolate cake for dessert.”

  “I’ll have the same,” Sid said, handing her back the menu.

  “Why are you so down?” she asked, picking up the phone.

  “No reason.”

  Gloria ordered their meal, and Sid thought about what was making him feel so despondent. He missed Kayla, and he was more worried than he’d ever been. Being in this beautiful, clean place, about to sleep in a comfortable bed and eat a five-star meal, made him even more aware of her absence.

  When the food came, the two of them sat in the living room with trays and watched a movie on the TV. Gloria seemed to be used to such things, but Sid’s only experience with this type of entertainment had been in the hotel room in Border Town.

  The movie was funny. People kept falling and getting hit in the testicles, but he thought it was funny anyway. The food was superb.

  “It would almost be worth staying in hell for food like this,” he
said, wiping his mouth and joining in the levity of the moment. He felt terrible the second the words left his mouth.

  “As long as we can keep robbing banks, we’ll be living high on the hog. Or lobster.”

  They both laughed when the credits rolled. Gloria yawned and stretched and announced that it was time for bed. Sid agreed, and they went off to their own individual rooms. Gloria was a good traveling companion, and he reminded himself again he should be grateful they’d found each other, but as he drifted off to sleep, all he could think about was his worry and fear that he’d never see Kayla again.

  Chapter 31

  The party continued south along the river, the heat of the lava radiating from the flow. It pricked at Kayla’s hands and cheeks. The smell of sulfur grew thicker the farther they traveled into the cavern. It was becoming increasingly evident that something was wrong with Felix. He shouldn't have known any of the things he was telling them. Felix had always had answers to any problem, but what he was coming up with in the cave could not be gleaned from book learning. It was like he had some kind of insight about what path to take.

  Kayla glanced back at him as the path narrowed and forced them close to the river. She momentarily lost her footing, wavering over the molten flow. She wheeled her arms for an instant, her heart sinking. Felix met her terror with a look of total detachment, doing nothing to help, before Jagger grabbed her arm and pulled her back to land. She didn’t even know if she could have gotten her wings out in time before falling to her death.

  She turned away from Felix, taking Jagger’s hand as they continued along the cramped passage. Felix had always been a bit removed, but that lack of emotional involvement had softened somewhat since they’d mated. He’d been more connected than ever until they woke from the dream at the bottom of the canyon.

  The path opened out onto a rocky ledge that allowed the party to gather and rest. They stayed for a few minutes to eat and drink. Kayla sat between Quinn and Jagger, glancing at Felix as she ate her oat bread. Something was definitely off about him. There was a glint in his eye that she knew all too well. She’d seen it in the mirror more than once.

  She wanted to force him to tell the truth, but she didn’t know what to say. Felix was already shaken by the dream and traveling through this outer layer of hell. She didn’t want to make things worse by falsely accusing him of something she wasn’t sure of.

  After the party had eaten a brief meal, they packed back up and continued south along the river, but soon, it forked around them. One branch went south and the other southwest.

  “We continue along the southward fork,” Felix said.

  Kayla turned to him, squinting. There was no way he could know which way to go. The rest of the party shrugged and continued along the south flow, but Kayla stopped in front of Felix, blocking his path.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “What’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing. Why?”

  “The others might not see it, but I do. There’s no way you could know what direction to travel. That whole topography explanation… I don’t think so.”

  “It is the most logical route—” he started.

  “It’s not. I’m not an idiot. You don’t have any idea what the most logical route into hell is, Felix. No one could know that.”

  He gritted his teeth, his face flashing with anger. She moved in to touch him, and he flinched. Her jaw dropped in shock, and he skirted around her, his face a mask of disgust. She huffed and continued after the rest of the party, bringing up the rear. As she walked, she examined Felix’s back, wondering what was going on in that beautiful mind of his. At least, it had been beautiful before they began their walk. Since that time, though, Felix had been possessed by darkness. All the signs were there, and he was terrible at pretending.

  The south fork of the river crossing came to a natural land bridge that would lead them into another dark tunnel. They could follow the flow or cross. Everyone turned to Felix.

  “We cross here,” he said.

  “Why?” Kayla demanded.

  “The slope of the cavern suggests…”

  “Bullshit.”

  His eyes flashed with rage, and the effort to appear calm played out on his face. She stepped toward him, her hand outstretched. He jerked away.

  “Jagger, Riddick, hold him.”

  “Why are we holding Felix?” Jagger asked, moving toward his much smaller brother.

  Felix growled and lurched away. Jagger grabbed his arm before he could disappear back down the path. Riddick joined them while Malik and Quinn looked on in shock.

  “There is no way he should know which way to go,” Kayla said.

  “I’m glad someone finally said something,” Quinn muttered.

  “He’s possessed.” Kayla began to pull on her angelic magic.

  “I’m fine. Get your hands off me.” Felix yanked at his stronger brothers’ grasps, growling and snarling.

  Kayla stepped forward, feeling like she was attempting to pet a rabid dog. She raised her palm, carefully stepping closer and closer. Jagger and Riddick held Felix tightly, but he made them work to keep him still.

  “When did he get possessed?” Jagger asked.

  “I don’t know. It could have happened at any time.”

  “Is anyone else possessed?” Riddick asked.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Felix barked at Kayla, the amber glow of his wolf shining out of his eyes. His fangs descended in his mouth, and he snapped at her.

  “Hold him tighter,” Kayla whispered.

  “When did you get so strong, Felix?” Riddick asked.

  “When the voice gave me strength. He’s going to give me everything, and I won’t have to be with you moronic do-gooders anymore. It sees me for what I am!”

  “And what are you?” Riddick asked with a snort.

  “Riddick, this isn’t the time,” Kayla said, moving closer.

  “I’m a genius!”

  Kayla laid her hands on his chest, allowing her angelic presence to descend into her body. Her wings flew from her back. The power of light flowed from her hand. Her sword became the sword of truth, and the golden glow infused her entire being. She pushed the light from inside her and into Felix. He writhed against her touch, his body convulsing. He frothed at the mouth and let out a deep demonic roar.

  Light shot from his eyes and mouth, and his knees buckled. He collapsed on the stone floor between Jagger and Riddick. Felix remained on his knees, panting, as the brothers held his arms.

  Kayla knelt in front of him, placing a healing hand on his forehead. “Are you there, Felix?” she whispered.

  “Yes,” he said in a thick voice.

  “You can let him go,” she said to the others.

  Jagger and Riddick slowly released him. His arms dropped to his sides, and he fell forward onto all fours. Kayla sat beside him, rubbing his back as he caught his breath.

  “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

  “It’s not your fault. We’ve all made mistakes. I’m the last person who would judge you.”

  He reached up and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you for bringing me back.” His hot breath blew over her neck.

  “Always.”

  They embraced on the ground for several minutes.

  Jagger sighed above them, growing impatient. “This is sweet and all, but we’ve lost our demonic guide. Which way do we go now?”

  “The voice was trying to bring me into hell,” Felix said. “It promised me so much. A library full of the world's knowledge right at my fingertips. It told me everything I’d ever wanted to hear but couldn’t even admit to myself. I don’t know how I could have fallen for it.”

  “Yeah, you always were a sucker for being praised.”

  “You’re one to talk, Jagger,” Quinn said.

  “Whatever. So can we continue across this land bridge here?” Jagger said, waving his torch at the bridge.

  “Yes. It should take us one step closer. After that, I
have no idea.”

  Kayla helped Felix to his feet, and they started across the bridge. It was a wide enough passage that they could comfortably cross without fear of falling, but the river was far broader than she’d expected, leaving the opposite side obscured.

  When they made it about halfway across the bridge, Kayla squinted into the darkness on the other side of the lava river. She could have sworn she saw movement, though at first, she convinced herself it was just the light of the lava flow casting shadows in the darkness. When they came close to the end of the bridge, it was clear that something really was moving in the distance.

  “What is that up ahead?” she asked Felix.

  “I don’t know. The voice didn’t say anything about it.”

  They stepped off the bridge on the other side one at a time. Jagger’s torchlight glinted off of something in the murky shadows. He stepped closer, waving his torch to get a better look, sword drawn. Kayla drew her own sword, stepping behind him.

  The strange shape in the shadows came into view. The glint of an eye became clear just seconds before the face of a giant bat appeared before them. It hung upside down and was the size of a large man. It was huddled together with several dozen more of them. Their eyes opened all at once, and the first one screeched. They all took flight above the massive cavern on the other side of the ledge they’d found themselves on.

  The bats dove at the party. Jagger parried the attack. Malik began to cast a spell, waving his wand. Kayla took flight, shooting the bats with the force of her angelic power. Bane growled and snapped at them.

  They dove after Felix, charging after him like they had a personal vendetta. Kayla couldn’t take them all out without hitting Felix, so she hit them one by one.

  Felix ran, turning every so often to shoot at them with his gun. A bullet whizzed past Kayla, narrowly avoiding her wing. Quinn cast a shield around her, but she didn’t need it. The bats were only going after Felix.

  Felix charged toward the land bridge, shooting as he went. He was able to take down one bat and injure several more, but he quickly ran out of bullets. Malik completed his spell, and several bats, confused, fell from the air and began flapping around on the ground, though that didn’t take care of all of them.