Immortally Yours, An Urban Fantasy Romance (Monster MASH, Book 1) (36 page)

"No kidding?" I'd never been good at intrigue or the games that went on between men and women. But, hey, I was all for having a plan. I hoped this one worked out for her. At least she'd gotten the night off.
 

"So you really think it's going to happen to night?" I asked out loud.
 

"When it comes to you, I'm easy," Galen murmured in my ear.
 

I rested a hand on Galen's thigh, pleased when he leaned even closer. "That's not what I meant." Although I'd be more than willing to go another few rounds with him. I was going to enjoy this man for as long as I could. "Are we sure anything is even happening?"
 

The PNN screen was now shared by three guest soothsayers. "Tell me," Stone's voice sounded as each guest was shown in his or her own little on-screen box. "What are the oracles doing inside the mountain right now?"
 

"They're drinking the energy," said a man in an orange turban. "It's spiritual."
 

"No," snapped a blond woman. "Inside the mountain is a riot of color and light."
 

"You're both wrong," a man in a plaid bow tie interrupted. "They will sleep until it is time to—"
 

The woman frowned. "How can you say they're sleeping when we hear them wailing?"
 

Plaid-bow-tie man snarled. "Back in 1232—"
 

But the woman was already talking over him. "We know from reports that they see colors and—"
 

"Can I talk? Can I talk?" demanded the man.
 

She raised her voice. "Colors and light and—"
 

"It's a peaceful, spiritual awakening," the turbaned man yelled.
 

"We know from history—" Plaid-bow tie joined the fray.
 

Oy. This is why I'd avoided the Sunday-morning news shows back home. Glad to see some things never changed.
 

People at the front started throwing popcorn at the screen.
 

I braced a hand behind me as the din grew louder. "You know I started off as a journalism major."
 

"You never would have made it," Shirley said, eating popcorn.
 

"Thanks for that," I said, as she went back to talking to the woman next to her.
 

At least I'd still be topside.
 

Doing what, though? Blissfully going about my life, most likely. There was a certain freedom in ignorance.
 

Damn it all. I hated to think it, but given the choice I'd rather be down here. At least I was living with my eyes open. And maybe I could change things.
 

The screen broke over to Stone McKay, who wore a grave expression for the camera. "We're going to have to interrupt our discussion for some breaking news from the front."
 

Oh no.
 

Galen took my hand and I held on tight.
 

We were in this together.
 

A square-jawed reporter with perfect hair and three-hundred-dollar sunglasses grimaced as explosions sounded behind him. He stood in a state-of-the-art flak jacket, fresh out of the box, as soldiers wearing old army tan marched behind him. "Chip Dobson here in the ninth quadrant where the old army is advancing on the new army stronghold of Hades Gate, also known as the Mountain of Flames."
 

This was it. I felt my heart speed up.
 

Galen gave my hand a squeeze.
 

"The new army has held this territory for the last fifteen hundred and twenty-three years. They are firmly entrenched, but from what I'm seeing here, Stone, the new army is outnumbered by about two to one. This is the first time we've seen this large an imbalance in the armies."
 

He paused as screeching winged dragons flew overhead. "I tried to speak with representatives from the old army, but they've all refused the opportunity to speak on camera. I have been told by multiple sources on condition of anonymity that the old army plans to take the stronghold within the next twenty-four hours."
 

I about choked. "Twenty-four hours?"
 

Grim, Galen didn't take his eyes off the reporter. "Wait."
 

"Did they say how they plan to take the stronghold, Chip?" Stone asked, as if the old army had pulled out their strategy documents and offered to share.
 

Fuck. This was ridiculous. We had a day to fix this, Galen was cut off from any classified information he could have gotten from his unit, and we were counting on PNN for the intelligence we needed to save countless souls.
 

The reporter held on to his earpiece. "We don't know details, but I can tell you that I've never seen a troop amassment like this. It's obvious that they have been planning this for some time and that the Mountain of Flames must be a key objective for them."
 

I barked out a laugh. Key in that it would get us all damned. Gods. I wanted to jump up, run, do something.
 

Galen planted a hand on my shoulder, steadying me. "Patience." I puzzled at the utter confidence in his voice. "We have to see how this unfolds."
 

"But—"
 

"We can't go running off until we have a firm objective."
 

We didn't have time for that. We didn't have time for anything. "You heard what they said. Twenty-four hours."
 

His jaw ticked. "I've pulled off the impossible in less time than that. I'm betting you have, too."
 

Nothing of this magnitude. I saved lives, not entire populations of people.
 

Stone McKay stared into the camera, as serious as the grave. "More on the front as soon as we have it."
 

A PNN news graphic spun up onto the screen. "Stay tuned to learn Five Things in Your Lair That Can Kill You. Why the prophecy could mean impending death. And a funny little story about a kitty caught in a tin can. That's up next—on PNN."
 

Wait. "What?" Now the prophecy could mean death? We were counting on this thing to save us.
 

It was probably just the newscasters overdramatizing everything.
 

I took a deep breath, then another, watching my mortal colleagues as they murmured to themselves. The fear in the room was palpable. No doubt they worried about their families back home, how the imbalance of the armies would impact the people they'd left behind. Little did they know, worse was coming.
 

"Popcorn?" Shirley asked, as a bowl made it over our way.
 

"I can't eat," I said, waving it off.
 

"See? Stress makes me eat," she said, taking an extra-big handful.
 

Me, too. Usually. Although nothing was ordinary about today.
 

I glanced at Galen, who seemed deep in thought. Damn, he was handsome. His stark cheekbones complemented by a strong jaw that worked as he thought. I sure hoped he was hatching a way to get us out of this.
 

Stone McKay was back. "And now: Five Things in Your Lair That Can Kill You. But first, let's check in with BeeBee Connor, who is standing by live at the Oracle of the Gods."
 

Perky BeeBee wore a fire-engine-red jacket over a leopard-print top and seemed thrilled to be hovering at the bottom of a sheer cliff face. Above her was a gaping hole in the rock that held the cave of the oracles.
 

She leaned forward, like she was telling the audience a big secret. "I'm BeeBee Connor reporting live from the Oracle of the Gods, where my sources tell me the soothsaying session has indeed concluded. The oracles are now drinking from the pond of wisdom before they emerge to tell us their findings."
 

"Thanks, BeeBee," Stone said. "Now, how long between the drinking from the pond and the announcement of the oracle?"
 

"It could be days," BeeBee responded, delighted.
 

My throat grew dry. We didn't have days. We had twenty-four hours.
 

BeeBee continued to lean forward, displaying copious amounts of cleavage. "The lava has really been boiling here at Mount Lemuria, which is another good sign that this prophecy will be a biggie."
 

My head pounded. "Then let's get on with it," I ground out. I wanted to scream.
 

"Now, aren't the armies afraid that a third prophecy so soon could force a cease-fire?" Stone asked.
 

Dirt and debris rained around BeeBee as the mountain behind her shook. "It is true that we're well on our way to a forced peace. Some here think that's why the old army has moved so quickly to initiate major combat. If there's any peace to be had, they want to end up on top before it happens. It's up to the oracle now, though, Stone. We'll just have to wait and see."
 

My nerves tangled. Wait and see. While mortals suffered and died.
 

"I hate to interrupt you, BeeBee," Stone said, clearly relishing it, "but we have breaking news from the new army."
 

They panned to a live shot of a two-star general dressed in rusty red combat fatigues. He had a regal bearing and a steady gaze. The general moved to stand behind a podium, holding a sheaf of papers.
 

Galen leaned closer. "That's General Howzer."
 

"Do we like him?"
 

"He's a good soldier."
 

For the immortals. I could read between the lines. "So he might not have good news."
 

Cameras flashed as the general began his announcement. "The new army is announcing today that we have a secret weapon."
 

Confused murmurs erupted from the news corps.
 

The truth of it hit me. They were calling up the gods of the underworld, which meant the new army was about to sell our souls straight to hell.
 

Howzer glanced up. "The old army is fully aware of the capabilities of this weapon. And we will not hesitate to use this weapon if they do not draw down their assault on the Mountain of Flames."
 

Oh no. "We could have less than twenty-four hours."
 

Galen's grip tightened on my waist. "Have faith."
 

"Why?" I asked, sick and tired and, well—done with it. "Why should I trust anything these people do?"
 

He shook his head. "Not in them," he pressed, "in me. In us."
 

How could he even say that? I wasn't ready for this kind of a leap. "I'm a doctor, Galen. I need to see things." Or at least be able to prove them, to know them. This went against everything I thought I knew.
 

He tipped my chin to face him. "You will do this." He swore under his breath. "I believe it. Why can't you?"
 

Because I was a nobody. I wasn't the first in my class. I wasn't the smartest or the bravest. Sure, I believed in peace. But when was that ever enough?
 

I fisted my hands in my lap. "I want to make a difference, Galen. I do. But I just can't believe in it like you."
 

"Nobody has to have faith all the time. That's impossible." The sincerity in his words blew me away. "When the time is right, you'll understand what needs to happen."
 

I swallowed hard, overcome with the enormity of it. At the same time I knew I'd do everything I could to stop the tragedy that was about to happen. "Okay." I'd stand up for what was right. I knew that much about myself.
 

I would protect these people. I would make a difference.
 

I'd even die if I had to.
 

The armies of the gods would not sell me, my friends, my colleagues into hell.
 

The mess tent crowd grew louder and I focused back on the television to see the oracles emerging from the cave. Cheers erupted all around us as I stared at Galen.
 

This was it. I slapped a hand down on Galen's thigh. "They're coming out with a verdict."
 

He grinned like he was the one who'd done it. "We can do this."
 

We can do it
. His words stayed with me.
 

"I'm BeeBee Connor, reporting live from the Oracle of the Gods. The oracles are about to announce the third prophecy." She pursed her lips, her green eyes sparkling.
 

Oh come on.
 

"My sources say they have indeed transcribed the oracle in blood onto the living rock of the cave behind me." She pointed, as if we didn't know where the blasted cave was. "And here comes Li-Hua."
 

I leaned closer, despite myself.
 

"She's the leader of the group." The camera panned in on Li-Hua as she squatted at the edge of the cliff face wearing what appeared to be a bloodstained sack. Her straight black hair tangled around her face.
 

My fingers tightened on Galen's leg.
 

The oracle let out a guttural moan, her lips moving. I could feel my palms go clammy.
 

BeeBee Conner whizzed up to the oracle, microphone out. "Could you say that again?" she asked.
 

Galen pulled me closer.
 

Li-Hua gazed into the camera, her eyes sunken and ringed with dark shadows. "As armies rage," she rasped, "the lifesaver will join bodies in love."
 

I about choked.
In love?
 

He didn't love me. He didn't know all my faults yet. There was a lot to learn.
 

If my goal was to shag Galen, I could definitely do that. But
love
?
 

The oracle hissed out a breath. "And after, she will find new peace as he finds death."