Page 74 of Absolved In Death

None of them replied. I tugged on my soulbond with Zaz, and although it was still intact, he didn’t respond. Same with Bash. Our bond didn’t work the same way, but I alwaysfelthim. His presence was a constant for me, even if it was in the background during my day to day.

Dad? Michael? Oisín?Nothing.

I dropped a mental alert for Quelier…but he didn’t answer.

I faded back to the town center, and saw Morrigan. She ran to me, her eyes a pitch black with small white irises. She was mid-shift, ready to completely shift at a moment’s notice.

“Red’s army just sieged in the transition space. It’s upwards of a thousand,” she reported. I remembered that from the very first time I was here—it was the disguised gateway to Pit 13. They were close… “Is Ares with you?” she asked me in a panicked voice.

“No, I can’t contact him, or any of my men, or my fathers and brother. Something isn’t right,” I said. My own heart felt like it was racing, pounding on my insides and screaming to let it out.

My whole world was crashing down around me. Something was beyond wrong. This was fucking unnatural. All five of my men, my fathers, my brother, and my PA would never disappear without telling me. They’d never leave me behind.

August faded into the town center, a look of relief on his face when he found me. “Hey, I’m glad I found you. What the fuck is going on?!”

“I’m not sure. The guys are missing.”

“So is Judas. Have you checked the meeting room?” he asked, his voice harried.

“No. Morrigan. Until we find out what is going on, you and Apollo are in charge of the troops,” I ordered.

“I’ll do you proud,” she replied, shifting into her full raven form and flying back to her unkindness.

“Come on, let’s check,” I told August, taking his hand. I faded us to Lucifer’s conference room, but something pulled at me mid-fade, throwing us off my course.

We landed in a hot, damp space. The whole space was red, clay colored rock cracked and worn with time. It was round, lined with cells. From here I could see floors and floors of cells below us, each level bigger than the one before it, like an upside down spiral. The gigantic fire in the very bottom was a massive mess of writhing flames, adding to the sweltering atmosphere.

“Where the fuck are we?” I asked as I turned to August.

He stood there, a shit-eating grin on his face. “This is the real Pit 13. Where the worst offenders are sent to rot away for eternity. Where your men, fathers, and brothers are currently decomposing without their magic.”

He pointed and laughed at the horrified expression on my face. “Oh don’t worry Diana. You’re a strong independent woman. I’m sure you’ll be fine without them.”

“How fucking dare you?!” I roared, losing a stream of fire at his face. “You’re the rat.”

He blocked it, sending it into one of the fires. It flared up, doubling in size. “Surprised it took you all so long to find out.”

“Why the fuck would you fuck everyone over like this? Your own fucking people!” My mind couldn’t comprehend the gravity of his treacherous actions.

He rolled his eyes, as if it was the dumbest question in the world. “Power. Red told me he’d get rid of Judas and give me the Costa Coven. I’d be his liaison, overseeing all the vampire covens in America on his behalf. Couldn’t pass it up.”

“Let them go, and I’ll make your death swift,” I offered him. He was a dead vampire walking. He sold out his own people. His coven. This entire movement. I’d personally drive the silver stake into his heart myself, and rip his head off his body for good measure.

“It took a lot of work to trick them all. I had to impersonate your dreadful voice, Brooklyn accent included. How do you survive the sound of your own voice, by the way?” I glared at him as he cackled like an unhinged B movie villain. My powers swirled around my hands, begging me to let them loose. “If you attack me one more time, Red will end them. If you cooperate, he’ll let you die in their stead. Good deal if you ask me.”

“Where are they?” I demanded.

He pointed to the next floor down, that shit eating grin still going strong. “Cell 666 and 667. You can waste your time, but you won’t be able to free them. The only way they’re getting out is if you slaughter his army and kill him, or hand yourself over.”

“He won’t let them go if I hand myself over.” That was a trap, too.

“No, he probably won’t. You should go into battle, and send all Judas’ vampires to the front line. Let them get slaughtered and cull the herd. That way, I won’t inherit such a clusterfuck of mindless morons. Thanks in advance, Di,” he cackled before fading out.

I ran down the redstone staircase, floor after floor, until I reached their cells. The fire was closer here, sweat drenching my catsuit. The guys were in cell 666, and my father, brother, and PA were in cell 667. Even with cooling and ice spells, those of them without fire magic were a breath away from passing out. Every moment I breathed in this air, I felt like I was suffocating.

“Diana! Get out of here before August finds you. He’s the—” Desmond shouted.

“I know. He led me here,” I told them. “I either fight or hand myself over to get you all out of here.”

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