Beyond the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #6)(20)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

He reached out a slender hand to press it against the side of the tunnel.

“There’s a way out just behind this wall.”

Harley squashed the distraction of Salvatore’s presence and concentrated on the wall, feeling the echo just beyond the dirt.

“I feel it.” She opened her eyes. “Can we get through?”

Salvatore straightened, pulling away from her. “There’s only one way to find out.”

Before she could point out they were currently absent a pick and shovel, Salvatore whirled in a movement too fast for human sight and kicked his foot against the hard dirt. Harley winched as his foot punched a large hole through the wall, revealing there was indeed an opening on the other side.

Damn. He could knock off a man’s head with that kick.

Or the head of a mouthy female.

Dismissing the unpleasant possibility, Harley moved forward, tugging at the clumps of crumbling dirt to enlarge the hole. She had barely started when Salvatore was at her side, his breath rasping as he shoved at a particularly stubborn rock.

“You don’t have to be Superman,” she said tartly. “I can do this.”

His brief smile was strained. “The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can find someplace safe to hide.”

Harley grimaced, feeling as if she had been dipped, dredged, and battered in grime.

“This someplace better have a shower.”

Salvatore grunted, managing to shove aside the rock. Then, without hesitation, he pressed himself through the narrow opening. Harley rolled her eyes as she hurried behind him. Clearly it didn’t occur to him to allow her to take lead, despite the fact he looked close to total collapse.

Typical.

He’d rather fall flat on his face than admit he needed a woman’s help.

She had always suspected that testosterone sucked any common sense from the male brain.

Entering the cramped chamber carved in the dirt, Harley paused to take in her surroundings. Not an overwhelming task. There was nothing more than a pile of stones in one corner, and across the room, an opening that revealed some roughly carved stairs.

She had, however, heard Caine speak of his various spiderweb of tunnels, and she knew there was more here than met the eye.

“The stairs,” Salvatore muttered, heading toward the opening.

“Hold on.”

His expression tightened with a weary impatience. “Harley.”

“Caine always keeps stashes hidden, in case of a hasty exit,” she said, moving to the loosely piled stones. Her kick held considerably less impact that Salvatore’s, but it was enough to send the rocks flying to reveal a pile of objects that had been hidden beneath them. “See?”

Moving to her side, Salvatore reached to pluck the two loaded handguns off the ground, surprisingly shoving one into her hand before tucking the other into his waistband at his lower back.

The large ivory-handled dagger disappeared into a holster beneath his tattered pant leg, but he appeared far more interested in the tiny silver medallions that were half-buried beneath the dirt.

Most people would dismiss them as pieces of junk. A stupid mistake.

“I recognize these,” he said, gathering the medallions in his hand, a smile of satisfaction curving his lips.

Harley shrugged. “Amulets.”

He tilted one of the amulets to display the odd symbol etched into the thin metal.

“Caine’s cur pack used these to hide from me while they were in Hannibal.”

Abruptly, Harley realized that Salvatore’s scent had disappeared. Completely and utterly.

“Holy shit.”

“Here.” He pressed an amulet into her hand. “Keep it on you.”

She absently tucked the amulet into her sports bra, unnerved that Caine had possessed such a powerful tool that he’d never bothered to share with her.

But why should she be surprised? Caine had never been subtle in his obsession to keep her from slipping away from his control.

This amulet would have offered her the opportunity to escape without fear.

“No wonder Caine keeps so many witches on his payroll,” she gritted, annoyed that she’d been so easily fooled.

“I thought he took them to his bed.”

“Fringe benefits.” She shrugged. “Or at least they seem to think so.”

The golden gaze studied her with an unwavering intensity. “But not you?”

“I’m not interested in being the flavor of the month.” She met his gaze squarely. “For any man.”

Without warning, he leaned forward to brush a possessive kiss across her lips.

“Good.”

Harley shot upright, frowning at the jolt of pleasure that raced through her.

“I don’t need your approval.”

Chuckling at her unmistakable blush, Salvatore grasped her hand and tugged her toward the stairs.

“Let’s go, sunshine.”

With Salvatore’s luck running from bad to extremely shitty, it was nothing less than a shock when the stairs led to a narrow exit that was well hidden and cur-free.

Not that he lingered long enough to appreciate his unexpected stroke of fortune.

Keeping a steady pace, Salvatore ignored the fact that St. Louis was less than an hour away, along with a strong Were pack that he could call on to protect him. Instead, he headed directly north, toward the far more distant Chicago and the damned leeches.

Harley’s expression was puzzled as they ran past the fields and dark farmhouses, but for once she kept her opinion of his leadership abilities to herself. Or perhaps she simply concluded that Caine was more likely to start his search on the roads leading south.

In either case, Salvatore was relieved not to have to fight with the female. In his current state, he wasn’t at all certain he could win.

Devoting the majority of his attention to making sure that nothing leaped at them from the cornfields and thick patches of trees, Salvatore wearily tripped over a fallen log that was hidden by the thick weeds.

“Enough,” Harley snapped, an odd anger in her voice as he smoothly regained his balance and turned to meet her glittering gaze. “We have to find someplace to rest.”

He regarded her in a thoughtful silence. Was she concerned for him?

“There’s a town just beyond the hill.”

“A town?” Her brow furrowed. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Caine could have spies anywhere, and we don’t exactly blend in.”

“Then we’ll be careful not to be seen.” Taking her hand, he pulled her through the field and up the gentle swell that overlooked the small town. “There.”