Sacrifice (Revelations Book 1) (13 page)

Chloe let out a squeal from the next room and Lucas scolded her for not checking for an alarm first. Something that might require an alarm peeked Abby's attention. She came running into the room. "What'd you find?"

Chloe waved her hand towards a section of the wall that was popped out. "Just the coolest thing ever. A hidden passageway."

Lucas shook his head. "Chloe, we can't go down there."

Both girls turned on him. "Why?"

He nodded towards the door. "Evil is down there."

Chloe laughed. "Oh come on."

Lucas grabbed both of their wrists. His voice changed, from soft and caring to deep and foreboding, "Evil dwells here, we can't enter. If I set foot down there whatever demonic presence is protecting this place will attack. I can feel it stirring, I’ve felt it since we’ve been here, but now it’s growing stronger."

Abby shivered. "Then I have to go down there. I have to know what evil thing is living underneath my parents’ house. What if it has something to do with me? Maybe some demon hurt my family after it cast this spell on me."

Lucas laid his hand on her shoulder. "Abby, whatever is down there isn't your fault."

She pulled away and headed for the secret entrance. "Thanks for the concern, but I have nothing to lose. I have to see it with my own eyes."

Before she could make a move Lucas was in front of them blocking their path. “You’re not going down there alone.”

Abby paused and craned her neck to peer down the dark, curving staircase. “I thought you said that the evil will awaken if you go down there?”

“Looks like we’re going to have to deal with it when it happens. I can’t let you go down there without some sort of backup and Chloe doesn’t count. She’s just as inexperienced as you are. And besides, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I let anything happen to her?” He took a deep breath. “Besides, it’s not like either of you are going to give up this insane idea just because I don’t like it.”

They nodded in unison. “I’m going first.” Abby chimed in.

Lucas pushed past both of them and took the stairs. “Not on your life, Nico would kill me.”

She could feel Chloe following close behind her, once again sandwiched between a Virtue and a Striga. She felt like the weak link in the group, always having to be protected. All of them remained silent as they descended further into the hidden space. Every few feet the stairwell illuminated from motion detecting lights. Abby had imagined the passageway would look dirty, full of cobwebs, like one of the hidden passageways from the old horror movies she and Chloe had watched but instead it was just as nice as the main floors of the house.

At the bottom of the stairs the lights flickered on revealing what Abby’s parents had kept hidden from the world above. Both girls blinked and glanced around. Abby’s breathing quickened as she stamped down the urge to run away or hide. Chloe’s shaking hand slipped into Abby’s grip and she squeezed. Lucas on the other hand seemed to already be prepared for the what they found.

Abby couldn’t speak. Long tables filled the room. Two of them were cluttered with beakers, measuring cups, and strange utensils that looked like they should be in a science lab, another one was covered in drying herbs, and then there were the ones that made Abby's stomach churn. The long wooden tables were fashioned with leather straps obviously meant to restrain a person’s arms, legs, and head.

Some of the tables were covered in dark liquid which at some point dripped off the edges and pooled on the floor. Time and a lack of cleaning had allowed it to dry, but the substance still called to her. Abby hesitated to touch it but she was drawn by the smell and from the hunger growing inside her.

Kneeling down she licked her lips and touched the tip of her finger to the puddle of dried blood on the floor. "What in the hell went on down here?"

Chloe was on the other side of the room and let out a low whistle. "I don't know, but whatever it was, it wasn't done in the name of God."

Abby's head shot up. "Why do you say that?"

"For one, God stopped asking for sacrifices way back in the Old Testament,” Chloe paused and motioned for Abby to come over to where she was standing.

Abby’s stomach heaved and the room spun as soon as she laid eyes on the small, cluttered table and ornate mirror hanging above it. Sweat beaded her forehead, she tried to force herself to move closer but her body refused to respond. “And? What is that thing?”

Chloe motioned towards the altar on the south wall they’d both been staring at. "And for two, this is a shrine to Luci, himself."

"What?" Abby shivered. "My parents worship the devil?"

"It seems that way." Chloe wrapped her arm around Abby. "This all stinks of dark magick, human sacrifice or experiments or just plain old torture, none of it is the work of a pastor. And, really, if you think about it, what would be a more perfect cover for a servant of Satan than to pretend to be a pastor of the Lord? It's kind of genius in a twisted, evil sort of way."

"Was I one of them?" Abby glanced around the room for anything that might trigger her memory. "Am I actually evil, like at my core?" she swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Was I born evil?"

"No." Strands of blonde hair danced around Chloe’s face as she shook her head. "You're not evil, no matter what, you aren't evil."

Lucas examined the shrine and blessed himself before doing the same to the girls. “Abby, I think—” His words were cut off by a low growl coming from a mirror hanging over the altar.

Abby took a step back. “Did that mirror just growl at us?”

Chloe was nodding as she backed up, but Lucas stood his ground. The mirror’s solid surface shimmered and one scaly paw tipped with red claws broke through the barrier followed by a black short haired foreleg.

“Stand back.” Lucas commanded.

Chloe grabbed Abby by the arm and pulled her behind one of the long tables. “What is that thing?” Abby asked.

She received no answer. Instead, the creature burst through the mirror and skidded to a halt in front of Lucas. Abby’s mouth hung open in awe, more in awe of the Virtue than from the creature they faced. Lucas stood even taller, covered in platinum and gold armor. His handsome features and soft eyes hardened with cold determination.

He thrust his hands in the air and whispered something she couldn’t quite make out. A sword hilt instantly hovered in the air in front of his right hand. Lucas wrapped his hand around the ornate hilt and pulled a gleaming sword into existence.

The beast launched itself at Lucas who easily sidestepped its clumsy attack. The creature spun around just as the Virtue’s sword sliced through its neck. The severed head hit the floor with a thud. Chloe hopped up and yelled out another foreign word and the shimmering mirror solidified.

“It’s a baby, right?” she asked Lucas, who gave a curt nod. “Then that should buy us some time to get out of here before the mom comes looking for it.”

“I think you both have had enough fun tonight.” Lucas pointed to the stairs and barked. “Time to head back.”

There were no arguments from Abby, just one question. “A baby what?”

“Hellhound.” Lucas answered as he herded them upstairs. She peaked over her shoulder and blinked. He was back to his normal self again, no sign of armor or sword.

As soon as they were back in the main part of the house Lucas inspected them from head to toe. When he seemed convinced they were okay he pulled them both into a tight hug before letting go of Abby and insisting they leave immediately. As the car pulled away Abby was certain she’d heard a sad whine from another creature inside the house.

She stayed quiet the entire ride back to Hex. Lucas and Chloe talked in low whispers and it was obvious they both were worried they had made a mistake taking Abby to her old house. She didn't feel like it was a mistake. It was better to know the truth, but even so, it was difficult for her to reconcile the family pictures on the walls with the hidden room below the house. She couldn't muster up the words to reassure her friends they'd done the right thing.

Before they’d reached the door of the club the thumping beats of the song she’d heard on the radio filled the air. Under her breath Abby muttered. “Must be popular.”

Chloe perked up. “Oh you have no idea. This chick just came out of nowhere, now she’s blowing up the charts. Her names Cressida, everyone says she’s the next big thing.”

“Well, her song is catchy, I’ll give her that much.” Given everything they’d uncovered it was nice to have a normal conversation about normal stuff, instead of talking about the fact that her parents were Satan worshippers.

They hadn't made it ten feet before Alexander and Neffie were waving them over to the bar. Lucas greeted Bastian and Caleb with a nod and placed his closed fist over his heart, both men did the same in return. Abby and Chloe climbed up on the barstools and Lucas took a seat between them. Alexander slid over three glasses. "Y'all look like you need a drink."

Chloe and Lucas gladly lifted their glasses to their mouths while Abby pushed hers aside. "Sorry, can't drink."

He pushed it back towards her. "You must be new to this life, you can drink this. You can even eat food if you really have a desire to."

She froze. "You know what I am?"

"Of course. I can smell it on you. You're a vampire, but not undead. It's quite a neat trick, but if the physics are all the same you can still drink, you just have to make sure your liquor is in a carrier of blood and lucky for you I keep a fully stocked bar."

She lifted the glass to her lips and moaned. Blood and something stronger. Nothing sounded better. She downed the contents in one gulp as it burned going down her throat. She touched her lips and smiled. One drink and her stomach was filled more than it had been in a month. "That hit the spot."

He laughed. "You look hungry. How much are you eating, little lady?"

"A few tablespoons a week."

The older vampire swayed on his feet for a moment. "You've got to be kidding me. That damn priest is starving you."

Chloe interjected. "Do you think you could maybe keep her in a steady supply? I'm sure she's going to need her strength when the shit hits the fan."

He flicked his tongue over one of his fangs. "I'll send a delivery out for you once a week, we can't have you fainting on the battlefield. I'll pack a cooler to tide you over for a few days."

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Alex laced his fingers behind his head and grinned. "No need to thank me. As Chloe said, the shit is hitting the fan. Like it or not you and the priest are all that seems to stand between the world as we know it and literally Hell on Earth. That's worth a couple coolers full of blood pouches to keep your energy up."

"Do you think we can win?"

He refilled her glass and nodded. "As long as that crazy drunk doesn't kill you, I think we stand a chance."

She took a slower sip this time and cracked a smile. "Here's to hoping."

By sunrise they were back in Dusk. The bar was just starting to empty out as Chloe pulled Meri's car down the narrow dirt street. Lobo seemed to be purposely ignoring them, probably in an attempt to keep himself out of trouble. If Nico found out he'd seen them and not given him a heads up Abby was sure Nico would have the Wolfman's head. She smiled, it was nice of Lobo to try to keep their secret, even if it was more to save his own skin than theirs.

Something stood out in the darkness. A man leaned against the statue in front of the church as they drove by. Chloe caught a glimpse of him at the same time Abby did. "Did you see that?"

"That guy? Yeah. Is he a local?"

"No..." Chloe's hand shook as she gripped the wheel. "He's not a local. I don't know—" Her words trailed off. "Never mind. It's nothing."

Abby whipped her head around to get one more look at the mystery man. He seemed normal enough. If normal was drop dead gorgeous and standing around in the darkness. Sadly, that was sort of what her normal had become in these last few weeks.
Gorgeous men with secrets and deadly women with magick.

Chloe stopped the car in front of Nico's house and smiled. It was a fake smile, but Abby didn't let on that she could tell something was bothering her friend. Whatever it was, clearly Chloe didn't feel ready to talk about it. They made their way inside and within minutes Abby was curled up on Nico's bed with Chloe right next to her. Abby rested her head on her friend’s shoulder and sighed. "Where do you think they are?"

"The nun-bitch and Nico? She's probably trying to—" Chloe stopped and scrubbed a hand over her face. "I'm sure they're on their way back. But hey," grabbing her bag she pulled out some photo albums. "I brought these from your house, I thought we could go through them and try to jog your memory."

"How did you fit those in there?" The bag was large but not large enough to house three full photo albums, let alone all the other stuff Chloe carried around with her.

Chloe grinned. "Think of it as my own version of a bag of holding."

"What in the hell is a bag of holding?"

"D&D, you know, a bag of holding? A bag enchanted to hold a pocket dimension inside of it for easily transporting everything from makeup to a boat?"