Part 28 (2/2)

And still he hadn't found any demons.

What the h.e.l.l was up with that? He was packing enough ammo to fight off hundreds of them if he had to, which slowed him down considerably, but he wasn't taking any chances. Once he found Gina, he wanted to make sure he had enough firepower to get them both out of there.

Plus he'd brought the explosives.

These b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were going down. Especially if they hurt her.

As he drew closer to the light, he realized it wasn't anything man-made. By the time he got right on top of it, he looked up and found the source. It was a break in the ground above. Sunlight, from the surface. That was a good thing. A very good thing. It meant a possible way out.

The tunnels finally widened, then ended in a huge open s.p.a.ce. With about six more openings for him to choose from.

's.h.i.+t,' he whispered, frustration eating away at him.

He closed his eyes and inhaled, letting the power he was fighting against flow through him.

Third tunnel from the left. Definitely. He felt her.

G.o.dd.a.m.n, that was some scary s.h.i.+t.

But he knew it was correct. He headed through to the tunnel and was instantly hit with the thick stench of demon. Oh, yeah, much more powerful now. He readied his laser, finger poised on the trigger, muscles tensed in antic.i.p.ation.

Gina's presence grew stronger.

She was alive. Relief washed over him.

He didn't understand how they were connected, or what this strange power was that seemed to be growing stronger down here, but he wasn't going to look the psychic gift horse in the mouth. He followed the invisible thread that led him through a hallway and into a room. As soon as he rounded the corner, he caught sight of her.

She lay on a rectangular slab, bound.

Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving. His heart slammed against his chest. Was she even still alive?

She was. He'd know if she wasn't.

At least she was alone, but he smelled ambush. There was a reason he'd gotten through the portal this time, and he didn't think it had anything to do with the explosives suddenly deciding to work. He'd been allowed down here for a reason.

Keeping his weapon at the ready, he hustled over to her, circling the dirt table where she lay and reaching into his belt for his switchblade.

Her eyes shot open, her gaze flitting nervously left to right.

He exhaled a sigh of relief. She was alive!

And scared to death. Of course. She was blind in here since it was pitch-black.

He leaned down to her ear. 'Gina, it's me.'

She sucked in a breath and turned her head in his direction. 'Derek?'

'Yeah.'

'Oh, G.o.d,' she whispered, tears falling. Her lower lip trembled. She looked miserable and scared. Really d.a.m.n scared.

'Did they hurt you?'

'No. But I'd really like to get the h.e.l.l out of here. Now. Right now.'

'Hold still, baby. Let me cut these ties.' He sliced through the bindings across her body and legs, then lifted her up. She latched onto him, burying her face in his neck. After sheathing his knife, he wrapped his free hand around her waist and hoisted her off the table, grateful to have found her alive.

G.o.d, she felt good. But she was still shaking.

'You're freezing.'

'I don't care. You're warm.'

'Let's get out of here. It's hot enough topside.'

'Oh, what a sweet, tender reunion.'

Derek froze, releasing his hold on Gina. The intruder stood in shadow at the entrance to the room. 'Get behind me and hang onto me,' he ordered her.

She did, her hands never leaving his waist. 'I recognize his voice. He spoke to me earlier.'

Derek could only make out a tall, broad, shadowy figure, partially obscured by a pole at the room's entrance. He lifted his weapon to take a shot, but the figure moved behind the pillar.

'Too dark in here, Derek, don't you think?' the figure asked.

Hey! How'd they know his name?

Instantly, Derek was blinded as the room lit up. He jerked the shades off and blinked to adjust his vision.

'Let there be light,' the man said with a smile and a shrug, entering the room.

Derek raised his weapon to fire, but something stopped him from pulling the trigger.

'Oh, you don't want to do that.'

He didn't, but he didn't know why. Oh, screw that. He needed to get Gina out of here. He raised his weapon and aimed.

'You look good, Derek.'

His finger stalled. Again, the man had said his name.

'Derek,' Gina whispered. 'Fire!'

Ignoring her, he tilted his head to the side. Who the h.e.l.l was this guy? Dressed in light camouflage pants and a tight brown T-s.h.i.+rt stretched over well-developed shoulders and chest, he was several years older than Derek. He appeared normally human in all aspects, right down to his dark, lively eyes and black hair peppered with gray at the temples. He seemed robust, fit, healthy, and more importantly, completely human.

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