Part 3 (1/2)

”I'm pretty sure that battle stuff doesn't count in the math.” I slumped down even farther. No wonder that demon wanted to have s.e.x with me at my mom's house. I'm probably like seriously s.e.xy bad-girl material to these guys.

”Whatever ... my point is, neither of us has done anything to deserve being here, so something's wrong. There's been a mistake.”

”I'm thinking why you? I can understand me, since I was messing with the elements and that's probably frowned on in most circles. But what's your excuse?”

Tim came up to my face, so close it made my eyes cross. ”Are you trying to make me cranky, Jayne? Because if so, it's working. I have no idea how the wires got crossed and I ended up here, but it doesn't matter. I'm not staying!” And with that, he flew off into the trees.

”Wait! Don't leave me!” I yelled after him. But it was too late. He was already gone.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

I TRIED TO FOLLOW TIM, headed in the direction he had been going when he disappeared. I crashed through the trees and underbrush, the going much harder without The Green helping me along. I was too afraid to try and connect, worried it would taint my soul even worse than it apparently already was.

I was convinced that was my problem. Sure, I'd been a wench to several people, but other than possibly killing Malena and Leck, I couldn't think of anything I'd done that was Underworld-worthy. And technically, those two Dark Fae were trying to kill Ben and me so that shouldn't even count since it was self-defense. So it had to be the smudges on my soul that Samantha hadn't fully erased. Once again, I had another reason to dislike her.

Now, Tim was another story. He had so many secrets I had no idea whether his being here was a mistake or not. He'd probably never tell me what I wanted to know, so I didn't even entertain the idea of asking him. I knew there was only one way to fix this, and that was to go into the Gray and find that tear in the veil so we could sneak through it.

After I walked for a while, I started recognizing things. This place was definitely drearier than the Here and Now, but it was essentially the same. We were in the Green Forest heading towards Maggie's house. The fae compound was somewhere nearby. Deciding that finding a hideout of about a thousand vampires and orcs and such was probably a really bad idea, I kept my mind off the doors to the compound, just in case they had spells here like we had that would make the entrances appear.

”Jayne!”

Someone was calling for me, back in the direction I'd just come from. I ran and hid behind the biggest tree I could find, trying to keep my breathing slow and even. It wasn't Tim back there, and the only other creature here who knew me was the Spike imposter.

”Jayne! Come on! I know you're out here somewhere!”

It's demon-Spike. Just stay calm. Don't let him hear you. I wasn't keep on being raped or even kiss-attacked at this point. I was too weak to fight anyone off, let alone my s.e.xy friend in disguise.

He appeared at the spot I'd just been standing in. I could see him through the brush that surrounded the huge tree I was hiding behind. Just keep walking, blood sucker. I'm not on the menu today.

”Jayne, I want to help you. I can get you back into the Gray so you can find your way home!” He stopped and looked in all directions, his gaze freezing on the tree.

I tried not to move a single muscle. I even held my breath.

”Jayne, I can sense you are here. You and I are connected. Come out. Do not play games with me.”

I waited to see what he would do.

First he was standing there and then the next second he was gone. A tap on my shoulder made me jump.

”Aaaahh!” I screamed, whipping Blackie up and spinning around, touching demon-Spike's shoulder with it. Nothing happened. I looked up at the impotent stick in my hand whose tip was still resting on Spike's collar bone and frowned. ”What the h.e.l.l?”

”The dragonfire is not active in the Underworld. Unless, of course, it is connected to its true owner ... which could be arranged.”

My chest constricted. ”The Dark? He's here?” The idea of that black dragon slinking around in the trees made me sick with fear. He was small, but I had the distinct impression that he could kick some serious b.u.t.t when he wanted to. Or even just eat some serious b.u.t.t if he was hungry enough.

”Of course he is here. And not that far away, actually. You can smell the sulfur, can you not?”

I sniffed the wind and sure enough, smelled something like a hard-boiled egg. ”Dragons smell like egg salad sandwiches?”

He shrugged. ”I suppose. In any case, while I realize you wished to burn me with your weapon, I have chosen not to hold that against you. Spike would be most distressed if he knew that I fed you to the dragons or demons who would like to partake of your flesh.”

I swallowed hard. ”Are you serious? Fae would eat me here?” Cannibal demons. Just when I thought life couldn't possibly suck more.

”Why not? Not everyone here is as focused as I am on being back in the Here and Now as upstanding fae citizens. Some prefer it here. There are less ... restrictions, shall we say.”

I tried to wrap my mind around that awful fact, but chose to change the subject instead, mainly to conserve my sanity for when I'd really need it, like if a dragon came at me, stinkin' up the place with his rotten egg breath.

”Listen, err, Spike ... I'd really like to get out of here. Could you by any chance show me the way to the door?”

”The door? What door?”

”The door into the Gray. Or the rip. Or the seam. Whatever you guys call it.”

He smiled but not kindly. ”We call it the void. You wish to step into the void?”

The way he said it made me s.h.i.+ver. It sounded so wrong, but I said it anyway. ”Yes, I'd like to step into the void ... as long as it will take me back to the Here and Now.”

”There is a toll you must pay.”

”A toll?” I asked, my weak voice p.i.s.sing me off. But all I could picture was that guy who was a huge skeleton on the River Styx holding out his boney hand. And I'd forgotten to bring any chocolate b.a.l.l.s with me.

”Of course. There is a pa.s.sage and you must pay the toll.”

I tried humor to get past the anxiety. ”Is there, like, a troll there or something?”

”Precisely.”

My smile disappeared in an instant. ”Trolls aren't real,” I whispered.

He leaned in, almost nose to nose with me now. ”I'll bet you said the same thing about vampires, once.” And then he smiled, his glistening fangs looking way too sharp and definitely way too close.

I stepped away as far as I could, my back coming up against the tree. ”Stay away from me, vampire.”

He let out a long breath. ”You have nothing to fear from me. I am shackled by Spike's love for you. It is an annoying but ever-present specter. I am bringing you to the void so that I can escape this unfortunate prison.”

”Hey. That's kind of rude, don't you think?”

He shrugged. ”Love usually is a prison. I do not find it enjoyable in the least.”

”Sounds very Underworldy to me. If you want to be in the Here and Now again, you might want to learn how to enjoy being in love. I'm pretty sure that's the main goal over there.”

He paused to consider my words. ”You are correct, of course. I had not considered it in that way before. Our time in the forest together was quite enjoyable, I must admit. I could be convinced to indulge again.” He stepped closer to me.

I held my hands out as a barrier. ”Keep your fangs and your nasty vampire-parts away from me, loverboy. I'm not interested. Not as long as you have that black soul inside you. Just show me the way to the void. Maybe your good deed will help you get out of here faster.”