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“I think that would have to be the understatement of the year,” Monty said.

I glanced at them both. “It’s a demon.”

“And one that’s fucking hungry,” Belle added, with a shiver.

“Then obviously, it’s either a trap or a means of diverting us to wherever the hell they actually want us to go,” Aiden said.

“Possibly, but surely Marie can’t have known we’d try…” I let the rest trail off. Marie had been correctly guessing our every move up to this point, so why wouldn’t she have known this would be our next one?

“Given what obviously awaits insidethistunnel,” Monty said, “it’s worthwhile to at least check out other options, even if that’s what they want us to do.”

“I think there’s an open seam around behind the ridge that dives into a smaller connecting cavern,” Aiden said. “I’ll run over and?—”

“Not alone,” I snapped.

“I can move faster in wolf form?—”

“Your wolf can’t outrun magic,” I growled. “It can’t even see it. And I’m the only one here who has any chance of keeping up with said wolf.”

I would never be able to shift into wolf form, but the DNA changes being made to my body had at least given me wolf-like speed. Whether I could keep up with him in this soup was another matter entirely.

He hesitated then nodded. “Fine.”

Both his expression and his voice were mild, but I knew him well enough by now to know he was anything but. I grinned and, as he turned and walked toward the left edge of the towering seam of red rock, glanced back at Ashworth. “Might be worth creating a barrier around that entrance to prevent any future bushwalkers from heading inside.”

“I was thinking the very same thing, lass,” he said. “The three of us will attend to that while you check out this other entrance.”

I nodded, shoved the silk bag containing the ring into my pocket, and ran after Aiden. A few yards beyond the cavern’s entrance, the shadows began to ease, and moving seemed less of an effort. Which was odd, in many respects. Why have a wide protection arc on one side of the mine’s entrance but not the other? Or was it a deliberate ploy to funnel the unwary into an easier to defend entrance?

Doubtfulcame Belle’s comment.This looks like a main entrance and would be pretty easy to defend. The demon inside is overkill.

Marie seems to have a penchant for that.Stones slid from under my foot, and Aiden caught my hand, stopping me fromslipping back down. He didn’t release me, but kept a firm hold as we continued on.

Marie has a penchant for games, just like Maelle. Maybe it comes with the territory.

The territory being a very old vampire.Or maybe it’s a trait of their bloodline—something Marie passes on to all those she turns.

Possible. It’s not like any of us know all that much about vampires.

I’m tempted to say, “and thank the fuck for that,” but our lack of knowledge isn’t helping us right now.

Which is why I’ve all things crossed that, at the very least, the things that worked on the vamp who turned Karen will work on this lot.

It should.

“Should” doesn’t mean will.

My, you’re suddenly very pessimistic.My mental tones were dry.Any reason?

She hesitated.Not really. I’m just getting bad vibes about this whole situation.

It’s usually me getting the bad vibes.

Aiden and I finally reached the top of the scree slope; he released my hand and led the way across the ridge’s gentle rise, slowly at first but with increasing speed as I managed to keep him in sight.

And maybe this is just a rare bleed over from you,Belle said,but I’ve got this weird feeling something is about to happen. Something other than the likelihood we’re walking into a trap.

Something like a fire, perhaps?The scent of smoke was certainly stronger up on this ridge.It might be worth checking the Emergency Services app for fire warnings. I wouldn’t put it past Marie to set off a fire and force us into the arms of her demon.