need an ear.”
“I have a dad. A good one.” The condoms he supplied me with in front of Laken run through my mind. That was more to embarrass the hell out of me than it was to protect me from any fictitious STDs Laken might be carrying. Nope. The fatherly role is fulfilled quite nicely. “So let me get this straight. I get a spiritual guru, some vacays to days yet numbered, but aren’t you forgetting the pot of gold?”
His smile widens. He knows damn well what I’m alluding to.
“Tell me, Cooper. What is the pot of gold?”
“The Tenebrous Woods. Take me there right now, and you’ve got a deal.”
Edinger leans back in his seat and examines me through his heavily slotted lids.
“It’s not a part of the traditional package. I’ll have to monitor your every move.”
“Chain yourself to my hip. I really don’t give a shit. He’s there with her now. He knows how to get there and back, and I want that, too—or he can have Laken, I don’t really care.” My gut cinches, calling me out on the lie.
“Very good. You seem well apprised. Did you also know he’s well aware you’ve been giving her blood?” His face redefines itself in anger. “He knows so many things about you and his little girlfriend, and yet you have the arrogance to believe you’ve had the upper hand all along. You’ve got your work cut out for yourself, Mr. Flanders. Don’t think for a minute he’s not capable of outwitting you and stealing away with the prize.” His uniform scowl spreads slow across his face. “Where is the true pot of gold, Cooper?”
“It’s where I buried my heart.” I swallow hard. “The true pot of gold is Laken.”
Edinger clasps his hand over my head, and the floor drops out beneath me like a trap door. I fall forever down an immeasurably long distance while pillars of fire expand around me, their wicked tongues lick at my flesh as I continue to plummet.
A dark expanse spreads at my feet like a bruise as I fall through and land flat on my ass in the dusty, forgotten woods of Tenebrous. An entire forest of black charred trees twist into the night—the smell of something metallic lingers heavy in the air.
Edinger is nowhere to be found which is a good thing—I think.
I dust my jeans off and make my way over to a dirt trail that holds a pale illumination. A scream pierces through the silence followed by a whimper.
“Is anybody there?” I call out as I pick up my pace. The forest floor thumps. The tree roots elevate out of the ground as if to slow my efforts.
“Got it,” I whisper. No communicating with the captives.
The whimpering increases, and I head in that direction.
A cell made of tree limbs comes up on my right with the shadow of a body slumped inside.
“Help me!” The voice of a girl cries out as her hand extends from the wooden bars, and I take a hold of it—long slender fingers, bony and pale. “Oh God!”
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”
“Cooper?”
I squint through the branches as she presses her paper white face to the edge of the bars. I recognize those delicate features, those pale whiskers of short hair.
“Casper.” I reach through and warm my hand over her shoulder.
She starts in on a heaving sob, strangling my arm as she pulls me in deeper.
“You’re rescuing me,” she cries out. “I swear I’ll be your ‘it’ girl for whatever you need. You want your socks ironed at midnight? I’m there.”
My heart sinks, heavy as granite. I’m pretty sure Edinger isn’t letting me take home a prize.
“Listen,” I whisper. “I’m going to get you out.” I try to temper my breathing. “Laken is here somewhere, trying to do the same thing. We don’t know how to pull this off, but we’ll figure it out.”
Her eyes dim. She releases her hold on my arm and slinks back against the bars.
“How do you plan on leaving?” She asks curiously as if she’s already abandoned all hope of escaping herself.
“I’ve got a supervising spirit.” I hope. “I’ll ask if I can take you with me.”
“It’s no use.” She fans her bony fingers through the air. “Ask them to send me a damn cheeseburger, would you? If they’re going to suck me dry, they may as well take a minute to adequately replenish the supply.”
I swallow hard. “I can’t believe I found you. This is insane.” I reach over to a