As Darkness Falls by Riley Storm

Chapter Thirty

“Right now?” I asked, surprised by the announcement.

“Yes,” Aaron said, the terseness of his voice reflected in the slight gauntness of his cheeks. He was nervous. “Right now.”

“Oh,” I said, unsure of what else to say. I’d been expecting to wait another day, perhaps two, for our departure.

“It’s the best chance we’re going to get for some time,” Aaron said, already growing impatient. “I really don’t want to waste it, so if you could get moving, I would appreciate it.”

I wanted to snap at him, to tell him to cool it, but I didn’t. According to Vir, Aaron was crucial to getting us into position to enter the Underworld, and I didn’t want to risk pissing him off. Aaron already wanted to go it alone, and if I gave him too much shit, he might just set off without us.

Besides, I’d never seen him this uncomfortable before. It was probably good for him to be reminded that he wasn’t all-powerful.

“Okay, guess I gotta go,” I said to Jo. “Sorry for the delayed reunion. When I get back, we’ll talk some more.”

There was no “if I get back” in my statement. I couldn’t afford to show anything less than full confidence that all of us would be returning from our little trip down south. Ha.

I rushed to my room to put on the outfit Aaron had somehow procured for me. It didn’t fit quite as nicely as the clothes from Vir’s magic trunks in his temple back in Shuldar, but it was a close second. The soft leather bodysuit clung to my skin, leaving enough room for me to move around while also acting as a bit of padding in case of falls or something similar.

It wouldn’t do much against fire or claws, but if I got knocked to the ground, it should stop my skin from ripping open. Not to mention, it was one singular piece of leather from my ankles to my wrists to my neck, all done up with a zipper. Extremely easy to slip out of if I needed to shift.

I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling kind of badass.

Until I remembered what we were doing. Accepting that I was going to try to steal from the god who dealt out punishments to the souls of those who had died was a good way to sober up fast.

Silently, I left my room behind. Everyone else was already out, milling around the elevator, bags of gear hanging from their shoulders or strapped onto vests. I was the only one without any weapons. I felt silly, but what good would I be with a gun? I’d be just as likely to shoot one of my own teammates as someone else. Better that I stuck with the weapons my wolf had at her disposal. We had enough guns.

The team piled into the elevator, leaving Aaron, Vir, and me behind.

“You guys be careful, okay?” Jo said, giving us each a hug. “You just rescued me. I need to have a chance to at least buy you a pizza or something, okay? So, you get her parents, and you get your asses back here.”

Both Aaron and Vir shot looks at me. I could tell they were wondering what I had told Jo. After all, we weren’t going to get my parents. Not yet.

“We’ll be back,” I said. “Pinky promise.”

Jo’s smile was subdued, which fit the bill. All of us were a bit apprehensive. Aaron, more so. The elevator dinged as it returned, and with one last wave at Jo, we got on. My stomach lurched as we descended abruptly. Both men reached out to put a hand on my arm to steady me, moving like they were mirror opposites of each other.

I didn’t fight either of them off. Not this time. Their touch reassured me. I had two badass non-humans with me. Not to mention a team of others armed to the teeth. We could do this.

The doors opened, and I strode out with renewed confidence, heading for the vehicles, ready to get this show on the road and kick some ass. My lips pulled back in a silent snarl, and I rolled my neck, loosening the muscles.

We’re coming for you, Hades!

“Dani.”

I paused, turning to see that nobody else was following me. “What is it?”

“We’re not driving,” Dave supplied cheerfully. “You’re going the wrong way.”

Slowly, I looked back to the cars. Then back at the others. “We’re not driving.”

“Nope,” Fred said monotone.

“Right. I guess that whole highway to hell thing is a bit outdated, isn’t it?” I muttered, rejoining the group.

Fred snorted but didn’t acknowledge or deny my comment.

Aaron led us to the back of the underground parking lot, where Alexi pulled open a mesh gate surrounding some large equipment that looked like generators, and we all filed inside after him. He then locked the gate after us.

“Expecting company?” I asked.

“Hope not,” Aaron said, reaching down to pull a sewer grate free.

I didn’t have time to ask him what that meant before he casually stepped over the open area and dropped into the sewers below. The others followed one by one, except for Fred.

“Ladies first,” he said as Vir dropped into the darkness below, leaving just the two of us.

“Gee, thanks,” I said and followed the others, jumping into the opening.

I flexed my legs as I landed, shifter-enhanced muscles easily absorbing the ten-foot drop into a gentle stream of what I desperately hoped was water running through the sewer.

“Where are we going?” I asked as Fred climbed down the ladder, pulling the grate back into place after him.

“The entrance to my realm,” Aaron said, leading the way.

“A little light?” I whispered to Vir. “I need some to see by.”

Aaron growled unhappily as a soft blue glow gave me enough light to use my wolf sight to guide my steps.

“So, what is your realm?” I asked. “Do I get to find out now? I didn’t know vampires had their own realm.”

“The Realm of the Undead,” Dave supplied. “’Cause you know, we’re not dead.”

Aaron growled but didn’t correct Dave on his explanation.

“That makes sense, I guess,” I said, somewhat disappointed. I wasn’t sure what I’d hoped for, but it certainly was something more wild than that. A simple Realm of the Undead was boring in name. I wondered if it was meant to be that way to entice the unwary.

We walked for a long time. Aaron leading with a purpose, driving us into the depths of the sewers, following a path only he could see. Only my long legs let me keep up with the fast-moving vampires without having to run.

“Why do we have to go through his realm?” I asked, directing my question at Vir since it seemed Aaron didn’t particularly want to talk about it. “Why can’t we go directly from Earth?”

“Because,” Vir explained, “the only way into the Underworld from Earth is death. Your soul travels there. The entrances are therefore monitored and patrolled. Guardians watch for the incoming souls and guide them in. If anyone else enters, it draws attention. A lot of attention, in our case, since you’re one of the living.”

“Okay,” I said, drawing the word out as I processed what he said. “Guard dogs. Bad. Got it. So, why his realm? Why do we need to go through it to get to the Underworld?”

“Because they are connected,” Aaron snapped, whirling on us, his eyes ablaze in the light of Vir’s magic. “Now, will you stop speaking of it? We don’t want to draw any undue attention to ourselves. This journey is already dangerous enough.”

I held my hands up in surrender. “Sorry. Got it.” I mimed zipping my lips shut.

Aaron rolled his eyes in the dim light and then continued onward.

Catching Vir’s eye, I mouthed a question at him.

What’s his problem?

Vir shook his head. Not now.

Frowning in irritation at the constant secrets, I pushed on ahead. They were here to help me get my parents back. I had to remember that instead of letting myself get frustrated at them.

I caught up to Aaron a few minutes later as he slowed his pace. He was muttering to himself.

“This is a terrible idea.”

“What is?” I asked, wondering where his confidence had gone. This was not the man who I’d met. Not the man who had willingly defied Lars and taunted the shifter Alpha. Something was seriously wrong with Aaron.

“All of it,” Aaron said hotly. “Going through my realm. Entering the very Pits of Tartarus themselves. It’s ludicrous.”

“We have no choice,” Vir said as he came up alongside me. “She’s coming with.”

I looked back and forth between the two of them. “I know I’m not some super-vampire or god, but I can keep up. I’m no weakling.”

“It’s not that,” Vir said. “It’s bringing a living being in with us. A human living being.”

Aaron snorted. “I think we both know she’s not entirely human. Or shifter, for that matter.”

I stiffened.

Did Aaron know? How could he make a comment like that and not know?But he wasn’t there, in the temple, with the energy. He couldn’t possibly know. Unless…

“You know,” I said, staring at Aaron. It wasn’t a question. “But you weren’t there.”

Vir didn’t flinch as I turned my gaze on him, struggling to keep my cool.

“Why?” I asked, my voice hoarse. My privacy had been violated, and I wasn’t happy about it.

“Because,” Vir said quietly, “he’s known you longer.”

“Not by much,” I spat. “What does that have to do with anything anyway?”

Vir shook his head. “Still longer than me. I had to know if you’d exhibited any signs of abilities before then. Anything that might give a clue as to what you are.”

“Signs,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Something like randomly appearing in a different realm, despite being passed out or knocked unconscious? Signs like that?”

I’d dreamt of Vir long before I’d actually traveled to the Direen. That was no secret; Vir had known that. After all, he’d been there when dream me had arrived.

“Something like that,” Vir acknowledged unapologetically. “We need to figure out what you are.”

“I know what I am,” I snarled, furious at him.

“You do?” Vir asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” I said, pushing past him. “I’m a fool for thinking that you would respect me and keep something like that to yourself.”

I stormed up the sewer tunnel, my movements partially fueled by anger but equally spurred on by fear.

Despite his violation of my privacy, I’d been hoping that Vir would have an answer. Something that could tell me what I am. Why I could do the things I’d done in the temple, but he couldn’t, and neither could Aaron.

And that scared me. What am I? Who am I?

Did anyone know?