Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael 2)

Left. I don't think Matthew's far.

He tugged her on. The path became uneven. Stones scooted away from her feet, rattling across the silence. She bit her lip but resisted the urge to turn on the flashlight. Cordell might not be near, but something was. Turning on the light might only force into action whatever stood out there in the darkness watching them.

They made their way slowly through the blanket of night. The closer they got to Matthew, the stronger the pulsing in the watch became. Images flicked brightly through her mind, recalling moments of sweat and sex and loathing. Matthew and Elizabeth had been intimate, if the visions were anything to go by. At least one wish had come true for the teenager, and she hoped the price he'd had to pay wasn't too high—though she had a bad feeling this wasn't the case.

Goose bumps chased their way across her skin. She rubbed her arm with her free hand and uneasily studied the cloak of darkness past Michael's shoulders. It was still there, still watching them—whatever it was. Would it do anything more than watch? She couldn't say, and that worried her. I can sense only Matthew, Nikki. He's alone, just ahead.

No sign of Rodeman?

Not in this section of tunnels.

Damn. That meant they'd have to come back once they got Matthew out. It was a prospect she didn't look forward to. Michael stopped. Her vision flared, seeming to expand again. Suddenly a door appeared in the darkness, its metal hinges and latch glowing with icy brightness. Her stomach churned. Her night sight had never been like this—at least not until Michael had shared his life force with her. I can see a door.

Amusement shimmered around her. So can I.

No, I mean I can see it so well it's almost glowing. And yet I can barely see you, and I certainly can't see the damn walls. Even though they were so close she could reach out and touch them. You've always had good night vision—you told me that not long ago. But not like this. Never like this.

I'm not sure what's happening, then. His concern ran down the link. It may have something to do with me sharing my life force, and it may not. Seline's doing a check on thralls. I'll know more when she gets back to me.

Thralls? What the hell is a thrall?

He hesitated. Technical term for what you now are.

Why didn't she like the sound of that? Another chill ran through her. Maybe because if there was a term, there were sure to be problems and disadvantages.

He squeezed her hand then stopped. The door has a lock on it. So I can see.

Think you can break it without making much noise?

Do pigs have wings?

Try, Nikki. Impatience edged his mental tones.

She grinned and held the lock. Energy danced from her fingertips to the metal, making it glow briefly before it shattered. It was little more than a scuff of sound against the silence around them. He pushed open the door. Shapes glowed in the heavy darkness cloaking the room beyond—a chair, table and a rough-looking bed. It looked like a cell—and probably was, if what she'd seen when she'd joined Matthew's mind was anything to go by.

She couldn't see the teenager. She wrapped her fingers around the watch again, watching the flow of images, listening to their intensity. He was there, somewhere, watching them. He wasn't afraid—wasn't anything, she realized. Beyond the rush of his memories, she felt little emotion. It was if he were a slate wiped clean and waiting to be filled.

Energy flowed across her senses. Michael, searching the darkness, trying to find the dangers they both sensed were there but couldn't see.

I do not like the feel of this.

Neither do I. Why was Matthew merely sitting there? Why didn't he do something? She licked her lips. There had to be a trap of some kind. Had to be. We can't just stand here . Nor could they run, though every instinct was telling her to do just that.

No. You wait while I check out the cell and the teenager.

Separating us may be the whole idea. And she didn't want to be left alone in this darkness. We can't stand here like fools, either.

The warmth of his hand left hers. She bit her lip. He stepped into the cell then hesitated. Nothing happened. He stepped forward again. There was a soft click, as if a button had been pushed somewhere. He froze, his tension flowing like fire through the link. Her stomach churned, and her breath was caught somewhere in her throat. For several seconds nothing happened. Then with an almost silent sigh, the ground gave way and plunged her into a deep pit of darkness. Michael spun and dove forward, his stomach scraping against rock as he grabbed her hand and hung on tight. The sudden shock of her weight slid him forward several inches, and his straining arm muscles burned a protest through his body. He grunted, trying not to crush her fingers in the force of his grip. She hung in the darkness, staring up at him, eyes amber fire.

Don't drop me, don't drop me ... Her litany ran through him, her fear so sharp he could taste it in the back of his throat.

Metal creaked, a sound as sharp as a gunshot in the silence. He glanced up, saw the glimmer of metal spikes hurtling toward him. He only had two choices. One of them was dropping Nikki and rolling into the safety of the cell.

He took the other option and dove into the pit with her.

Chapter Seventeen

He plunged into water, sinking deep. Like the night itself, the water was dark and cold, and it was hard to know which way was up. He drifted for several seconds, trying to get orientated, then kicked toward the surface.