"Jasper is a killer,” Michael continued grimly. “Always was. Even before the change, he feasted on the suffering of his victims."
And now he feasted on Jake. Her stomach turned. She swallowed and forced a little lightness into her voice. “And his sort gives the vampire world a bad rep, huh?" He squeezed her hand. “Something like that."
They continued on in silence. She swept the light across the layers of darkness. Nothing moved, yet something was out there, stirring the darkness ahead.
Michael stopped abruptly. “Movement ahead."
"Where?"
"The tunnel rounds a corner just ahead. Something moved in the shadows." She shivered. It had to be the zombies. It wouldn't be Jasper, not this soon. He'd play with them a little longer.
"We could go back.” But that would mean leaving Jake to die.
"No. I doubt if Jasper would allow a retreat, anyway.” His answer was absent, as if his attention was elsewhere.
Power washed through the link. He was using his abilities to study the threat ahead. Why didn't Jasper's net affect him?
"It's not aimed at me. And there are two of them up ahead. A tease, nothing more." Some tease. “What do we do?"
" We do nothing. I'll take care of them.” He brushed a kiss across the top of her head then faded into the darkness.
"Michael?” she hissed as his hand left hers. “Michael!" No answer. Wonderful. What if the zombies were just a persion to separate them?
Movement whisked around her legs. Biting back a yelp of fright, she shone the light down at her feet. The water stirred, and something slick, brown and long rose briefly to the oily surface before slithering back underneath.
Her mouth went dry. Snakes. There were snakes in the water with her... Sweat broke out across her brow. The dark waters began to churn, the snakes bumping and entwining their sleek bodies around her legs. Were they real, or some form of illusion?
They sure felt real. One entwined around her legs, and she kicked out. A sleek brown head rose from the water, hissing. She screamed and swiped at it with the torch. It sank back down and joined the circling pack. She leaped over them and ran forward, heading for the zombies and Michael. The beam of the flashlight jumped erratically, creating crazy shadows on the slick dark walls. The darkness beyond the light seemed oppressive, a monster waiting to pounce. She splashed on, cursing Michael for leaving her.