Not entirely reassured, Salvatore grabbed Harley’s arm and pulled her farther down the tunnel.
“You might want to give him some room,” he muttered. Then, as a pulsing shaft of light speared through the darkness, he abruptly turned his head. “And hide your eyes.”
“Not again,” she muttered, the words barely leaving her lips when the explosion sent them both tumbling backwards.
Rolling on top of Harley, Salvatore protected her from the flying debris, relieved that they were the usual rocks and clumps of dirt to be found in a tunnel. He wasn’t in the mood for any surprises.
“Ta-da,” Levet chirped, his wings flapping with pride as Salvatore rose to his feet and pulled Harley upright. They all silently studied the seemingly solid wall of dirt that now blocked the tunnel behind them. Then, just when Salvatore hoped that something had actually gone right, Levet glanced toward the low ceiling. “Oops.”
“Oops?” Salvatore growled.
“Maybe we should hurry.”
Salvatore heaved a resigned sigh. “Damn.”
As one, they turned to sprint forward, no longer concerned about what might lie ahead, just as dirt began showering down on their heads.
The dash to stay ahead of the cave-in lasted nearly two miles, but at last the ceiling once again became stable, and better still, the tunnel widened and branched into two separate passageways.
Salvatore came to a halt, waiting for Levet to skid to a stop at his side. Despite his perfect vision in the dark, this cramped and dank place was more suited to a gargoyle than a Were.
“What do you sense?” he demanded.
Levet sniffed the air and pointed his hand to the right. “This tunnel has an opening thirty or forty feet past the curve.” There was more sniffing. He pointed to the left. “That one…”
“What?” Salvatore prompted.
“It continues on, but I cannot tell more than that. It has not been used for several years.”
Salvatore hesitated only a moment before coming to his decision.
“Can you get past any curs who will be waiting?”
“If you are attempting to insult me…”
“Can you do it?”
Before Levet could answer, Harley grabbed his arm and jerked him around to meet her scowl.
“Just hold on. What are you planning?”
“We have to split up.”
“Split up? Are you kidding?”
“If Levet can get past the guards, he can contact Styx and let him know we’re in trouble.”
She blinked in surprise and Salvatore smiled wryly. Hell, she couldn’t be any more shocked than he was. Before this moment, he would have laughed at the suggestion he would deliberately seek out the leeches for help. So far as he was concerned, the only good vamp was one who stayed in his grave, where he belonged.
Unfortunately, the suspicion that Briggs was still alive changed everything. Lunatic curs he could handle. A Were siphoning black magic meant that he had to swallow his considerable pride.
The vampires were the only ones he could trust to keep Harley safe.
“The vampire?” she muttered.
Salvatore grimaced. “As much as it pains me to admit it, we’re going to need his help.”
“You’re going to use the vampires to kill Briggs?”