Part 22 (2/2)

”There are two ways out,” he reminded her, but even as he spoke, he was afraid that wasn't going to do them any good because he could hear footsteps coming from both directions, ”I'm sorry. I trapped you,” he bit out, wondering how long they had before the bad guys came down here.

”Maybe not. Maybe he closed that other portal because he knew there was another one here. If he's stockpiled supplies for an invasions, this is the logical place for him to go through.”

She looked wildly around, then moved quickly to the wall, running her hand along the rough stones.

”Can I help you?” he asked.

”How?”

”When I was in the cave, I felt the entrance, like a tingling against my skin.”

”Okay. Yes. Search for that,” she said hurriedly as she moved from one section of the wall to another.

He stepped into the next room, braced for the soldiers to pounce on them at any moment.

Moving to a dark corner, he pressed his palms against the rock and felt nothing besides cold stone.

Unbearable tension coursed through him. He had to find the opening. But at the same time, he had to be prepared to whip around and fight off an attack from trained soldiers. He would have to kill again. But he had come to realize that this was war.

He thought about changing to wolf form. That was a better fight mode for him. But he had learned when they fought Boralas that, a wolf didn't have all the same abilities and vulnerabilities as a man. In that fight, the monster had been able to reach into human minds, but the wolves had been immune.

That made him think he might need to be human to sense the hidden doorway. So he kept working-all the time listening for the sounds of the soldiers bursting through the doorway.

Methodically, he moved around trie room, until he felt that strange tingling sensation that he had experienced when he'd leaned against the hidden opening in the cave.

Because he couldn't risk a shout to Rinna, he darted back to her and closed a hand over her shoulder.

She whirled, ready to attack, then saw it was him.

”I think I found it,” he told her in a harsh whisper, then heard men coming down the stairs.

Quickly they both turned and rushed back to the place where he'd been searching.

He stared at the rough walls and fought panic when it all looked the same.

d.a.m.n! He should have marked the spot.

But Rinna began sliding her palm against the stone, then stopped and gave him a quick, grateful look.

”Here,” she whispered.

When she'd brought him from his world to hers, he'd been too sick to watch what she was doing. Now he tried to follow the steps, but it looked like she was working mumbo jumbo.

He listened to the footsteps coming closer, wanting to yell at her to hurry.

But he knew he'd only distract her-and alert the bad guys.

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