Scarlet Rain (The Escaped #2) (18 page)

“Oh, yeah, I’m really scared. If it was up to me, you could stay. I’d even give you a free shot for the killer makeup job, but I need this gig, so you’re going to have to leave and come back.” The bartender grabbed the towel hanging from his back pocket and wiped off his hands. “I’ll have a beer waiting for you after you go get cleaned up.”

Sabrina leaned into Aubrey. “Just wait, the punch line will come any minute now.”

• • •

A shrill squeal permeated the bathroom, electrifying the hairs on the back of Anthony’s neck. He turned the faucet off and listened. Another scream, this time louder and more guttural. He wiped his hands on his jeans and charged into the bar. Shock sucked the air from his lungs, and he stumbled into the wall behind him.

A body lay in a heap at the front of the bar, its jaw unnaturally stretched away from its bleeding face. Fear and panic contorted the faces of the bar patrons as they hacked up red tinged mucus.

“Brina.” Anthony shot through the sputtering crowd to where he’d last seen her. “Sabrina, are you alright?”

Her knuckles turned white as she clung to the bar top with one hand and gripped her wine glass with the other. Coughs racked her body, and she struggled to breathe.

“I’m freaking out. We need to go to the hospital.”

Sabrina’s wine glass shattered in her palm. A large sliver protruded from her skin, and she yanked it out of the oozing wound. “Prepare. The queen is coming.”

Silence coated the bar as each person turned to face him. They spoke with hushed reverence, red dripping from their lips. “The queen is coming! The queen is coming!”

Snarling, Sabrina sprang forward and slammed a shard of glass into his pectoral muscle.

“Ah, fuck!” He screamed and shoved her backward.

She stumbled and tripped over a barstool. Her head slapped against the countertop, and her body locked as she slid down the face of the bar, a crimson streak marking her descent.

Anthony pulled the glass from his chest and dropped it on the floor. “Brina?”

Her body bounced wildly, knocking her head against the wood with deep, repeating thuds.

Gurgling hisses sounded around Anthony as the group closed in on him. He snatched Sabrina’s purse, cradled her against his body, and tore through the sea of bloodshot eyes and clawing hands. In the safety of the street, he studied Sabrina’s face. Her eyelids were open slightly, but he could see only the whites of her eyes.

“Oh God, oh God. Brina, baby, stay with me. We’re almost to the car.”

He placed her gently on the concrete before pawing through her purse for her car keys. “I found them. I found them. Everything’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” He stared at her motionless form, and it hit him. Everything wasn’t going to be okay. “I’m so sorry. For everything.” Anguish sucked the strength from his legs, and he crumpled to the ground next to her body.

Her back arched again, and Anthony shuffled to the side to give her room. Blood bubbled from her mouth and poured onto the cement. A wet, choking noise emanated from her throat as her larynx bulged. Scarlet specks tore out of her mouth and shot into the night sky. The cloud rippled and pulsed in the air above him. He scrambled to his feet and smashed the key fob to unlock the car. The pulsating swarm rained down on the car as he darted into the safety of the vehicle.

They pelted the roof and zipped past the windshield, screeching as they disappeared into the night.

The queen is coming!

The hours of training in the dark caves of the Underworld, the handful of times he’d visited the Mortal Realm to return the escaped evil to its place in Tartarus, his battle with Alastor, all of it had readied Alek to face the next level of ancient villain, but, more than that, it had been what he craved. Until now. Now there was an emptiness within him. Something the hunger for battle and glory no longer filled.

The warrior within you is fading. Refuse him, let him die, and what creature will you be?

Pythia’s words pressed against his thoughts, and Alek rolled the remaining half of his talisman between his fingers. He squeezed the sharp edge of the cracked crystal and let the pain drown out the specter’s warning.

Eva waved her hand in front of his face. “Alek, are you going to help me with this or not?”

“Yes, of course,” he responded, unsure of what he’d agreed to. “Help you with what?”

Eva put her hand on her hip and pointed to the bowl of water on the dining room table. “We have to get in touch with your mothers, and this is really not the time to stop listening to me.”

He grabbed her hand with both of his, and rubbed his thumbs in slow circles over her soft skin. “I’ll do whatever you require.”

“Oh, well.” She took her hand off her hip and twirled the ends of her tousled hair. “For starters, I just need you to put your fingers in this water so we can call your home.”

“I can think of something else she needs you to put your fingers in.” Bridget winked.

“Thanks for that, Bridge. Now, we put our fingers in here and think of Tartarus, right?”

“Yes, you must focus your intention and think of nothing else.”

“Okay.” Eva closed her eyes and dipped her fingertips in the still water. “Tartarus, Tartarus, Tartarus.”

Alek followed her lead and cleared his mind of all thoughts except those of his home in the Underworld. With his eyes closed, Tartarus morphed from its true dark and craggy form to the bright and restored realm he hoped the future would one day bring.

“Whoa, guys, doesn’t that feel weird?” Bridget whispered.

A cyclone of water spun up from the bowl, lifting Alek’s and Eva’s hands inches from where they started. “I was unaware it was happening.” He removed his fingers and felt warmth roll off Eva’s arm as she shuffled closer to him.

“It’s not going to suck us up, is it?” Bridget asked, hooking her arm through James’s.

“No,” Alek breathed. “It will only reveal my home to you.”

A sharp trill rang out, and Alek waited, ears perked.

“Alek!” The water spun and contorted to form a perfect recreation of Maiden’s face. A broad smile lifted the corner of her eyes and created a small dimple beneath the apple of her right cheek. “How are you? And you, Eva, you are looking much better than when you departed. It is excellent to hear from you and see you both together. I hope you are well.”

“Temper your excitement, sister. This is a mission. Not a call to discuss pleasantries,” Mother said flatly, her form rippling to life.

Alek stiffened his broad shoulders. “Mother, we have guests.”

“Hi.” Bridget smiled and waved enthusiastically.

“You must be Bridget.” Maiden tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I have heard much about you.”

“It’s all true, I’m sure,” Bridget said.

Maiden turned her attention to James. “And you, I have seen you before.”

“Hi, I’m Detective Graham.” He stepped forward and waved awkwardly.

“Ah, yes. The detective. Since both of you are here, I am sure you know the true purpose of Alek’s presence in your realm.”

“Yeah, we pretty much know it all, and we’re here to help in any way we can,” Bridget chimed in.

“
Almost
any way,” James interjected. “I won’t put people in any more danger than they’re already in.”

“If you have finished,” Mother said sternly. “Alek, would you like to inform us why you have made contact?”

“Actually, calling you was my decision.” Eva hesitated. “I, um—I don’t really know how to say this, so I’ll just say it. I think that maybe the Nosoi are here.”

“The Nosoi?” A ball of liquid shot out of the bowl and spun to reveal Crone.

“That cannot be true.” Water sloshed back and forth as Maiden shook her head.

“Well, I could be wrong, but I saw a pretty convincing video of them leaving the host body. It also matches what I read in my grandmother’s old book.”

“And you think a mortal’s old book contains true information about the Nosoi? No mortal would live after coming into contact with such a creature, much less pen their experience,” Mother chuckled.

Alek’s stomach clenched with growing embarrassment for his mother’s abrasive personality.

“I get that it sounds crazy,” Eva said, “but that’s even what it says in the book. That no mortal will survive the Nosoi.”

Alek stepped closer to the liquid figures before speaking. “Maiden, in the stories of the past you used to tell me when I was a child, did you not mention ancient books that were written as a catalogue of all the evil in the realms?”

“The Tomes,” Maiden whispered. “The Tomes, sisters. She has the Tomes. She must. As you said, Mother, no mortal would live to tell of their experience with the Nosoi.”

“But wait, that’s not the only thing that sounds crazy,” Bridget added. “There’s not even anything written on the page. It’s just a bunch of scratchy little designs.”

“Your friend, she is unable to read the text?” Crone asked.

“She keeps telling me nothing’s written on there, but I swear there is something.”

“And you, Alek, are you able to read the passage?”

He reached in front of Eva and slid the book across the table and read the sentences aloud. “‘Breathe in this creature, and perish. Bearer of disease and plague. No mortal will survive the Nosoi.’”

“That’s exactly what I see too,” Eva blurted.

“Maiden, you are correct. I thought they had been lost. Yet, she does possess the Tomes. There is no other explanation,” Crone said.

“The Oracle and immortals are the only souls able to read from the Tomes,” Maiden explained. “They will be of great use to you both. They contain more than just a catalogue of evils. You must keep them safe.”

“If we’re the only people who can read this, then why did my grandmother have them? She knew, didn’t she?”

Alek gripped Eva’s shaking shoulder, steadying her. “We each have our own destiny. Now you can be sure this is yours,” he whispered.

“Right now, what your grandmother may have known is of no concern. We must concentrate on the task at hand. What are we to do about the Nosoi?” Mother asked.

“We know no mortal can survive after encountering this creature. We witnessed that first hand,” Alek said, nodding toward James. “And written in the Tome is a warning that it’s the bearer of disease and plague.”

“Are we talking a hazmat suit type of epidemic here, or what?” James asked.

“The Nosoi were much more than carriers of pestilence,” Crone explained. “They were an ancient creation used by the Gods to keep the realms in balance.”

“Well, besides the pestilence part, they don’t sound too horrible,” Eva said.

“Yeah, they’re just like weird little policemen,” Bridget added.

“You have not seen what we have. They are brutal, relentless,” Alek said.

“You are correct, my son. The swarm does not care about your existence. Over the millennia, they have evolved, become smarter and more ruthless. They have had time to study the mortal race and master the weapons needed to bring about its extermination,” Mother said.

“Think of the deadly illnesses that have plagued humanity throughout time. All were created through infection by the Nosoi,” Maiden added. “With each appearance made by the Nosoi, a new plague was born. This was all done in an attempt to cull your species.”

“But power changes creatures, makes them hungry for more,” Mother said.

“And now they desire this realm for their own,” Alek rumbled.

“Why us? If they can go anywhere, why this realm?” Eva asked.

“Most creatures that escape Tartarus can sense you, Eva, and are drawn to you. After all, a member of your bloodline helped to put them there. They do not forget easily.” Maiden turned her attention toward Bridget and James. “Each of your lives is forever changed because you are allied with the Oracle.”

“Also, what enjoyment would they receive in doing away with a species lacking the intelligence to combat it?” Mother asked. “Mortals create vaccines and procedures to delay what eventually comes to you all. You are the only creatures who do so.”

“James showed me the video,” Bridget interjected, “and he didn’t say anything about the victim having a plague. I’m sure the medical examiner would’ve recognized that right off the bat.”

“Your science takes time, and, with enough of it, they will discover the infection,” Maiden said.

“This is bad. This is really bad. What am I supposed to do when I get a call from the ME about this new disease?” James asked.

Alek’s chest swelled with determination. “We won’t let it get that far.”

“Keep calm. There is more about the Nosoi you must know. In the beginning, as they are awakening from centuries of sleep and learning, the toxins they excrete will rapidly destroy the human body. In time, they will refine this deadly poison to create the perfect walking plague,” Crone said.

Confusion twisted Eva’s features. “I don’t understand. So they escaped Tartarus to come here and turn us into their plague minions?”

“They have not escaped. Not completely. They are one of the few creatures requiring that their powers build before switching realms. They need to absorb energy from their victims to travel,” Maiden said.

“And because they are interconnected, if a piece of the Nosoi remains in the Mortal Realm, it will only be a matter of time before they gather enough energy to supply the mass that is under our control. You must stop them before they are able to free themselves. For our realm and yours,” Mother said.

“But you must be careful,” Crone warned. “They are elusive beings, continually learning, adapting, and changing. The more energy they absorb, the less time they will reside outside of a host. They will not want to expend their stored energy searching for a vessel.”

Visions of how to defeat this foe eluded him, and Alek asked, “The piece that is jailed, how was it captured?”

“Yeah, is there a special weapon or vacuum thing that’ll suck them up?” Bridget asked.

“They are greedy, and, given the opportunity, will search for strength within their victims. We were able to take advantage of that and lure them into the body of an immortal,” Mother said.

Crone spoke. “You must get to them soon. They have been dormant for many decades. They will need time to relearn their skills and awaken their memories.”