Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond(25)
Author: Kim Harrison

"I’m going in there," I said, nodding at the house.

"Miss Rachel," he started, and I took a step forward, getting into his face.

"This is what I want to do with my life," I said. "I have a circle amulet. I’m not helpless. And you can’t stop me."

Shifting on his feet, he started to look annoyed. "Rachel, I’m schooled for this."

"And you still ended up dead," I shot back.

"That’s my very argument. A body can see it’s too dangerous." I made a face, and he took both my hands in his, adding sincerely, "I know you’re of a mind to help. You’re a brave, courageous woman, but you mustn’t kick. This vampire is several hundred years dead, and you are eighteen. Consider it logically."

I rather liked his fingers in mine, but I pulled away, not wanting him to make me into putty. Again. "Logically?" I said, starting to get cold. "Yes, let’s look at this logically. Training or not, you don’t have anything but a few trinkets to help you if you can’t tap a line. You don’t have a chance to rescue that girl without me, and you know it."

He hesitated, and I surged ahead at the worried slant to his eyes. "Tell me you don’t need me," I said, pointing. "That being able to tap a line isn’t going to make the difference between saving her or not. Tell me that."

Pierce’s gaze went to our feet, then rose. "I can’t," he said firmly.

"Then I’m coming with you."

Again I started for the door. Pierce walked a step behind, slow and ponderous. "Now I have to watch for you, too," I heard him mutter, but I didn’t care. I was going.

I slowed to slip my hand into his. He started, and I tapped a line. Energy flowed coolly into me to make my hair start to float around the edges of my hat, and I gave his fingers a squeeze. "It’s going to be all right," I said firmly, and I shivered when he pulled a thin trace of power into himself.

We were almost up to the wide porch with its stylized Christmas tree when I realized his intent was to storm the front. "Uh, shouldn’t we go in the back door or something?" I asked, and he smiled.

"You’ve listened to too many adventure tales. They never expect the front door."

"Still," I said as he knocked briskly.

"The front door," he said, glancing askance at me and tugging his coat straight. "They undoubtedly have made note of our presence, and it looks foolish to be caught skulking behind the trash bins."

I jumped at the rattle of the doorknob. A surge of adrenaline, and my pulse quickened. I stood wide-eyed beside Pierce as the door opened to show Sarah, standing alone and beautiful in an elegant dress of old lace. Her face was pale, but her look of fear set one of my worries to rest. She hadn’t been bitten and bound yet.

Pierce saw her, and he smiled. "And sometimes, it’s that easy."

Sarah’s mouth opened. "It’s a trap!" she shrilled, still standing there. "Help me!"

With a thump, my heart tripped into overdrive. I stumbled back when two men in black came from around the doorframe. One yanked Sarah inside. The other reached past the threshold, and before I could find the breath to scream, jerked us over the threshold.

Now I shrieked, finding myself skating across the hardwood floor to slide into the wall in a crumpled heap.

A loud "Ow!" pulled my head up, and I found Pierce askew on the stairway leading to the upper floors. I got to my feet, tense and hunched. Sarah was gone, but I could hear her crying. Her sobs grew fainter, but never disappeared. A door slammed.

Pierce rose and tossed his black hair out of his eyes. His lips were pressed together, and he seemed mad at himself more than anything else. The remaining man, a vampire by the glint of fang and telltale grace, was fronting him. I stumbled to stand against the wall, and he focused on me.

"Don’t touch me," I said, feeling a faint pull from his charisma and a lot of fear.

Pierce touched his lip, surprise widening his eyes when his hand came away red with blood. "Inform your master I wish to parlay," he said, his words almost laughably formal. "We have a small gentleman-matter standing between us."

"Where’s the girl?" I blurted, thinking I could hear her under my feet somewhere.

The vampire between us and the door smiled, chilling me. "I’d be more worried about your own neck, little witch," he said to me, but looking at Pierce, clearly the greater threat.

"Christopher!" Pierce shouted, and I felt a wash of dizziness. "Come out of your hole, you disgusting spawn. We have a matter of early interment to discuss!"

The vampire moved. I pressed against the wall as he took a too-fast step to Pierce and smacked him.

"Pierce!" I shouted as the small man fell backwards into the stairs again. "Leave him alone!" I shouted at the vampire.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, the vampire smiled. "Do you have a mommy, little girl? Will she cry for you?"

Fear slid down my spine, pushing out the fatigue and the dizziness. I stood, alive for what seemed like the first time. Too bad it was about to end. Right when it was getting good.

"Pay me mind, not her," said Pierce, picking himself up again.

The vampire took one step to me, and Pierce pulled a charm from his pocket. I had an instant to prepare, and then he pulled the pin.

The front hallway shook in a boom of sound. I cowered as the chandelier swayed, and the windows in the door blew out. Falling into a ball, I crouched in the corner where the wall met the stairway, feeling my ears throb.

Someone touched my shoulder. Panic gave me strength. Wide-eyed, I turned to strike, stopping at the soft pull of ley line running through me.

Pierce.

Exhaling in a wash of relief, I found him close and worried. He crouched beside me and fingered another amulet. "Grit your teeth, and close your eyes," he said. "Forgive me if it’s too much."

I nodded. Hunching down, I tried to become one with the floor. My breath caught as a silver-lined ribbon of ever-after iced through me to leave the taste of tinfoil in my veins. The soft presence of Pierce’s body covered mine, sheltering me.

A second boom of sound pulsed over us, and in a visible cloud, the scent of dust and broken wood rose. Coughing, I looked up as Pierce slipped his hand in mind and helped me stand. The vampire was out cold against the wall beside the door. But even more startling was the four-foot-wide hole in the floor between us.

Pierce peered into my eyes, striking me silent with how concerned he was. "Are you well? Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head. "There’s a hole in the floor."