Chapter 29

Catlyn either passed out or the translocation spell blocked all sensory input. The next thing she knew, Michael dropped her on a hard, concrete floor. Biting her lip, she stifled her groan to keep from alerting Michael that she was awake. She mumbled the incantation to activate the tracking spell, hoping it or Sean’s tracking device would lead them to her in time. She surreptitiously looked around where Michael had dumped her.

In the dim lighting, she could barely make out the confines of the room. It seemed to be a basement of some sorts. But that didn’t make any sense because there were few basements in Southern California—something to do with the water table and earthquakes. Had Michael taken her out of state? The thought terrified her. If so, there wouldn’t be any rescue from Sean or Jade.

“Maak,” Catlyn asked in her mind, “can they find us?”

“Yes. Both trackers are working. We are far from your home, though. It will take several hours for them to arrive. I’ll help you hang on until it is time.”

Michael moved around the room, humming as he gathered tools and implements that Catlyn didn’t want to think about what they were for. It seemed even sadistic bastards could find joy in their work.

While he was otherwise occupied, Catlyn chanted, singing under her breath, the spell that would block most of the pain to come. It wouldn’t prevent all of it; she still had to react to it.

Her pain and terror added to the energy that would open the portal for Bho-Ahp to materialize into this world. He had to cross the threshold in order for her and Maak to defeat him. His weakest point would be after he crossed and before he possessed Michael. Even with the spell, she didn’t look forward to the next few hours. When the time came, she hoped she’d be strong enough to do her part.

She soon heard the sound of chains being lowered. Her body trembled. Her self-preservation instinct overrode her logic, and she couldn’t stop struggling to move, to get out of there.

Catlyn pushed off the floor and onto her feet, swaying as a wave of dizziness assailed her. She blinked it away and staggered toward the door she’d seen, hoping it led to the stairs and out of this place.

Michael laughed. “Oh, good, you’re awake. I had expected you to sleep a bit longer. But no matter. I would have woken you soon, anyway. It is much more effective, not to mention more fun, when the victim is aware of what is happening to them.”

A robed figure materialized out of the dark and blocked her path to the door. She turned, searching for another escape route.

“Good, little mousy,” Michael cackled. “Run, mousy, run. It gets the blood moving.”

Her growl at him held more than a little of Maak’s voice in it. She hated it when he called her a mouse. A tiger shared her body. He’d soon find out who was the larger cat. Both Catlyn and Maak fought the urge to shred his belly and snap his neck between their jaws. Now wasn’t the time. She debated about whether to oblige him and run, or conserve her energy. Her eyes fell on the instruments he had laid out.

She obliged him and ran.

The chase didn’t last long. More robed figures stepped out of the dark, blocking her way, herding her back to where Michael stood waiting. When she dashed past him, he whipped out his hand and grabbed her arm in a vise-like grip. Even though she knew it was useless, she struggled against him, her survival instinct still working overtime.

“Such a good, obedient, little mouse.” Michael slapped a manacle on her wrist.

She slammed her other fist in his face and smiled at the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking.

He roared in pain. “Bitch!”

Before she could attack him again, one of the large, robed figures punched her in the kidney. Another monk clapped on the other manacle. The chain clinked, raising her arms above her head. It continued to clink until she was high enough for Michael to have clear access to all of her body. She grinned at the blood pouring from his nose.

He wiped it with the back of his hand, and without thinking, flicked the blood to the floor. It spattered across the circle, mixing his blood with that which had been used to draw the protective ring. From what she knew of magic, he’d created a weak point in the circle.

Bad move on his part. He just made his first mistake. Or is it his second?

While he was in range, she kicked out with her still free legs with all her strength. She caught him square in the chest. He doubled over gasping for breath; the wind knocked out of him.

Catlyn laughed. “I guess you’re not used to mice with teeth.” She bared her teeth at him, wishing for Maak’s more impressive set.

“Get … that … fucking … bitch … secured,” Michael gasped.

His robed followers swarmed Catlyn, grabbing her legs and attaching shackles to her ankles, forcing her legs open, spread-eagled. Glaring at her, Michael stalked toward her with a large knife.

Maybe I pissed him off enough to end this fast.

The first slash of his knife dashed her hope. The cold blade brushed against her skin, nicking it as it sliced her bodice from neck to waist. She closed her eyes against the sound of shredding fabric as Michael cut off her clothes. He didn’t notice the small tracker hidden in her skirt pocket.

Hanging naked, completely exposed and vulnerable, she fought back the burning tears of shame. She refused to give him the satisfaction of breaking so early in the game. By the time Michael had divested her of clothing, she had small cuts all over her body.

I hope I’ll still be in one piece when this is finished.

“You will be,” Maak assured her, fiercely. “This ritual will be much shorter than what either Michael or Bho-Ahp expects.”

“Let the ritual begin,” Michael intoned.

A dark priest lit foul smelling incense in a brazier at the end of a chain. He walked around the circle, swinging the brazier and scattering the sulfur and rotting flesh scented smoke throughout the room. The other priests followed him, chanting in a language Catlyn didn’t recognize. They were careful to stay on the outside of the circle and not mar the blood marking the boundaries. She counted twelve men. Michael would make the proverbial thirteen needed for magical work.

After thirteen revolutions, the blood drawn circle glowed a sickly green. The chanting priests’ spell formed a dome within the circle. It would contain all the energy Michael created during her torture and focus it on opening the portal.

It would also keep any unwanted energy, spells, or people from entering.

The darkness of night eventually gave way to the soft glow of dawn. Sean paced outside the van, unable to stay cooped up in it any longer. His pacing took him to the outside of Catlyn’s door. The gruesome images of Michael’s other victims flooded Sean’s mind. All of them wore Catlyn’s face.

He glanced down at his watch. “Fuck! She’s been gone for fourteen hours. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.” He slammed his hands on the door frame. “Fuck!” She must believe I abandoned her.

“Think, think!” Sean leaned his head against the door, hitting his temples with his palms. “Come on, you’ve been chasing this guy for a long time. You know where he goes.” He slumped down on the top stair, pulled out his phone, and thumbed through his files, paying attention to locations. A pattern he hadn’t noticed before emerged.

He ran back to the van and threw open the sliding door, startling those inside. “I think I have an idea about the general direction where Michael has taken her. He likes the San Bernardino desert, toward Joshua Tree. If he’s out there, it would explain why we can’t find her. It’s well out of range for my tracking device.”

“It would be out of my magical range, too,” Jade confirmed. She climbed to the front of the van, Eileen on her heels. Eileen took the wheel while Jade rode shotgun. She turned back. “Are you coming?”

Sean shook his head. “No, I’ll take my car. Charlie, ride with me?”

Charlie tossed his gear into the trunk and climbed into the passenger seat. Sean gunned the engine and sped out, his tires squealing and leaving a trail of rubber. The van, along with another one, fell in behind him. Sean hit his flashing lights, and they made decent time getting to the 55 northbound freeway and to the 91 east.

When they reached the 60 east, he flipped them off, swearing in frustration as they came to a crawl in the heavy traffic through Riverside and Moreno Valley. His lights didn’t do any good; the cars had no place to move over. When they turned onto the 117 toward Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree, the faint beep of his tracking device popped up on his laptop. At the same time, Charlie’s phone rang.

“Yeah, ours just came online, too.” Charlie disconnected. “Jade’s tracking spell kicked in. It’s weak, but enough to tell we’re headed in the right direction.”

Sean stepped on the accelerator. The area surrounding Joshua Tree held many small roads heading into the wilderness. He stopped for gas when they reached the town of Joshua Tree. As the tank filled, he took in the vast desert of rocks and the Joshua tree cacti marching for miles in every direction. The tracker indicated Catlyn wasn’t anywhere near any towns. How would they ever find her in the unmarked territory where one cactus looked the same as the next one? He much preferred a city street with street signs as landmarks.

Charlie sauntered back to the car loaded down with a couple of sodas and a plastic bag. He handed Sean a hot dog and a soda. “You haven’t eaten since last night and it’s several hours past lunch. You need to eat.”

Sean glared at the food and considered tossing it in the garbage, but his rumbling stomach protested. He dug in, bolting it down without tasting it, then started his car again. He studied the display on his laptop, and getting his bearings, drove east, away from town.

Away from the tether of civilization.