Hades (31 page)

tread careful y.

“Tuck,” I said urgently. “How do I do this?”

“Slowly,” he said, a look of determination spreading over

his face. “One bit at a time—don’t rush it.”

My heart was pounding so loudly I thought everyone could

hear it. “Go on now,” Tuck said. “Easy does it.”

I struggled against the portal, slowly pushing my way to

the other side. Once my hands were through Phantom

began licking them relentlessly and I had to swal ow back a

giggle. The comforting roar of the ocean at Venus Cove

and Phantom’s familiar panting fil ed my ears. I pushed

forward, feeling the portal first resist and then relax,

al owing me to edge through. It was slow work, but I was

getting there.

Then I heard the growls.

The sound was so chil ing I thought my heart would stop.

The low, guttural snarls were coupled with the sound of

claws ripping at the earth. Just ahead of me hovered

Taylah’s face, now drained of color, and Tucker’s hands

had gone limp on my back. Even before I ful y understood

what was happening, I knew I had a choice to make. Tuck

was stil trapped in the Wasteland.

“Keep going!” he said desperately. “You’re almost there.

Don’t turn back.” He couldn’t hide the terror in his voice.

But I could as much keep going as I could stop breathing.

Tucker had been like a brother to me in Hades and I would

never abandon him. In the next instant I wrenched myself

free from the pul of the tumbleweed and scrambled to my

feet beside Tucker. He was riveted to the spot, looking

devastated by my decision. I peered into the dusty expanse

before me that was broken only by some straggly scrubs.

The sound I’d heard was coming from somewhere nearby

and it was growing more insistent by the second.

Sheer terror made me duck for cover, but it also made

me lose my footing so that I ended up skidding and fal ing

to my knees. Tucker hauled me up, covered in the red dust

of this surreal landscape.

“Don’t move,” he said. We clutched each other as the

creatures approached. Final y I could see them clearly; six

huge, hulking black dogs stood before us, poised to attack.

They were big as wolves, slag dripping from their fangs and

a demented look in their eyes. Their faces were mutilated

with scars, but their bodies were robust and strong and

their claws looked sharp as knives. Their muzzles were

stained with blood and the stench of their shaggy fur was

overwhelming.

Tucker and I stood frozen on the spot, the portal

abandoned. “Beth … ,” he said in a shaky voice.

“Remember the Trackers I was tel ing you about?”

“Yeah?” I fought to keep my voice from cracking.

“They’re here.”

“Hel hounds,” I whispered. “Perfect.”

The lupine creatures knew they had us trapped and

circled us leisurely, enjoying their power. When they

pounced, I knew they’d move so fast they’d appear only as

a blur tearing us to pieces.

The pack closed in, snarling viciously. I saw how rough

and matted their coats were, how yel ow their eyes. Gusts

of dry wind carried their foul odor across to us.

There wasn’t much we could do; if we tried to run they

would catch us in an instant. We had no weapons, no

defense, and nowhere to hide. I wanted to unfurl my wings

and carry us both to safety, but they felt like a dead weight

on my back—the Wasteland robbing them of their power.

I closed my eyes as the dogs dropped to their haunches

in a low crouch, then arched through the air toward us. At

the same time, there came a cry from behind and a

moment later Taylah appeared, standing between the

hel hounds and us. The dogs were confused and landed

with a thud.

“What are you doing?” I cried, trying to clutch at her

insubstantial form. “Go back!”

To my despair, I watched the portal close behind her, the

glimpses of Venus Cove replaced by nothing but a harsh

tangle of weeds. Taylah looked over her shoulder at me,

her blue eyes bright with tears. She was so smal

compared with the hel hounds, her limbs frail, her once-

beautiful hair matted and blowing across her face. She

gave a smal , sad smile and shook her head. “Taylah, I

mean it!” I yel ed. “Don’t do this. You have a chance to be

free. Take it.”

“I want to make things right,” she said.

“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “Not like this.”

“Please,” she said. “Let me, for once in my life, do the

right thing.”

The hel hounds gnashed their teeth, saliva pooling on the

ground. Tucker and I were forgotten as they concentrated

on their new target. After al , they were trained to search out

souls who had fled into the Wasteland, hoping for escape.

Their natural instinct drew them to Taylah.

She spoke quickly. There wasn’t much time. “If I go back

I’l only wander the earth for the rest of eternity. But you …”

She fixed me with her intense gaze. “You can make a

difference and the world needs al the help it can get. I have

to play my part. Besides,” she gave a casual laugh, “what

can they do to me?”

Before I could object further, Taylah turned to face the

creatures.

“Hey, you!” The dogs cocked their heads, grizzly fangs

glinting in the dul light. “Yeah, you, ugly mutts,” she

continued. “Catch me if you can!”

And then she sprinted. It was the signal the hel hounds

had been waiting for. Al six bolted after her, completely

forgetting our presence. I watched in horror as one caught

the pocket of her shorts in his muzzle and dragged her

through the dirt like a rag dol . Taylah wasn’t flesh and blood

but that didn’t stop the dogs’ jaws snapping as they

clamored over her lifeless form like vultures. Then the

leader of the pack secured her in his teeth before bounding

away, Taylah’s blond hair trailing in the dust. The pack

fol owed close behind.

I felt my chest heave with violent sobs. Taylah was gone

and the portal was already drifting away, no use to us

anymore. Then Tucker grabbed my arm so hard it hurt.

“Run!” he said, tearing his gaze away from the bloodied

rags on the ground. “We have to run.”

And so we did.

WHEN we got back to Club Hex we were so disheveled

and out of breath that the bouncer took one look at us and

refused us entry. We had to cal Asia to vouch for us. When

she came to the door she couldn’t hide her shock at our

return.

“What the hel are you doing here?” she growled between

clenched teeth. The bouncer shot her a strange look and

she ushered us quickly inside. When the darkness and the

pulse of the music enveloped us, she spun around again.

“The hounds should have ripped you to shreds.”

I looked at Asia closely, the savage look in her black

eyes, the hostile, clenched shoulders and realized what

she’d wanted al along. She had sent us out into the

Wasteland knowing the hel hounds would drag Tuck into the

pit and probably dismember me. What she hadn’t counted

on was Taylah showing up and saving both our skins.

“You real y should have mentioned them,” I said as

breezily as I could. Al I wanted to do was cry, but I refused

to give Asia the satisfaction. “Running into the hounds kind

of tripped us up.”

“Why aren’t you dead?” Asia stepped forward like she

wanted to rip my throat out.

“I guess I’m just lucky,” I said defiantly.

“Stop it,” Tucker interrupted, too shaken by what’d

happened to remember his place. “Let me just take Beth

home.”

“No.” Asia grabbed my arm, digging her talon-like nails

into me. “I want you gone.”

“Don’t touch her.” Tucker shook me free and flashed Asia

a dark look. She narrowed her eyes viciously.

“Who do you think you’re talking to, boy?” she snarled.

“Maybe I should mention to Jake the little expedition you

just went on.”

“Go ahead.” Tucker shrugged his broad shoulders. “He’l

probably be kinda pissed when he finds out you helped us.

I’m just a farm boy, but he real y thought he could trust you.”

Asia drew back, fury spreading across her feline

features.

“C’mon, Beth,” Tucker said. “We’re leaving.”

“Don’t think I won’t find another way to dispose of you,”

Asia cal ed after my retreating back. “This isn’t over!”

I couldn’t worry about Asia’s jealousy or her animosity

toward me. I couldn’t shake the image of Taylah’s soul

clenched between the jaws of the hel hounds. She was

somewhere in the pit right now enduring untold horrors on

my account.

Whatever happened from here I would have to make her

sacrifice count for something.

WHEN we got back to Hotel Ambrosia I had one objective;

get back to the room and talk through my next move with

Tucker. If Asia had been prepared to help us once, she

might be persuaded into doing it again. I knew how badly

she wanted me out of the picture and she’d be wil ing to do

just about anything to make that happen. Asia was wel

connected and motivated entirely by self-interest.

In the lobby I looked down one of the plush carpeted

hal ways and caught a glimpse of the boardroom. The door

was open just a crack and I couldn’t help wondering what

was so important that Jake hadn’t been able to tear himself

away to see me. Normal y he leapt at the chance to spend

time together. I crept a little closer, despite Tucker’s

apprehension.

Through the crack I could see the shadows of about half

a dozen demons il uminated by the fire burning in the grate.

They were sitting around a long table with a decanter of

whiskey and empty glasses scattered in front of them. They

al had notepads except for one who was standing and

presiding over the meeting. A PowerPoint presentation

was in progress; its images drawn from the most

catastrophic events in human history. I only caught a few as

they flashed by; Hiroshima, Adolf Hitler standing at a

podium, war tanks, wailing civilians, homes reduced to

rubble after natural disasters.

I could make out only a fraction of the presenter, but it

was enough to see how different he was from the others.

For a start he was much older and wore a white linen suit

while the others were in black. On his feet were cowboy

boots, the kind with decorative stitching. I couldn’t see his

face clearly, but I could hear snatches of what he was

saying to the group. His voice was gravely and seemed to

fil every inch of the room.

“This world is ripe for the taking,” he said. “People have

never been more in doubt of their faith, more uncertain of

God’s existence.” He seized a fistful of air to emphasize his

point. “This is our time. I want to see multitudes fal ing into

the Pit. Remember that human weakness is your greatest

asset; ambition, love of money, physical pleasures … those

are your best weapons. I want you to think big. Don’t focus

on easy prey. Exceed your own expectations—I want to see

a body count like we’ve never seen before. I want you to

take down bishops, cardinals, generals, presidents! Rest

assured you shal be richly rewarded.”

Then Tucker was tugging at my sleeve, pul ing me back

into the lobby.

“Enough,” he said softly. “We’ve seen enough.”

20

Hell’s Sweetheart

I was hoping to talk things over with Tuck, but once we got

back to the hotel there didn’t seem al that much to say. We