Page 78 of Changeling (The Incubus Saga #2)

It was clear to Nathan now that simply being in the house so close to where the dark activity was happening was affecting his companions more than he had first thought.

“Okay, I’m not feeling all that better about going with you two looking like you’re ready to scale the walls,” Nathan said, thankful that he could speak fairly freely what with how Iain was in his own little world of wallowing at the moment.

“Besides, this place lures people, we’re thinking, right?

Just because Al and I don’t feel too lured at the moment doesn’t mean that won’t change once we’re right in the mouth of this thing.

Iain,” Nathan turned to the young man on the floor, whose eyes were distant and red around their edges.

Slowly, those eyes looked up at him. The tall brunette with a wide, smiling mouth and a tendency to swear too much was hollow looking and pale now.

“Iain,” Nathan said again, walking over to him and crouching down. “We never got to really ask you. What was at the site before it was a mine? If there’s anything you can tell us it might be more help than you’d think.”

At first Iain still looked distant, like he was up in his head and hadn’t really heard Nathan.

Then he blinked, nodded, and said, “There’s this…

hill above the cave system, above the entrance to the mine.

Some of the settlers…before…built a church up there.

Others tore it down when they found gold in the caves. ”

“A church?” Alex repeated, drawing closer to the two on the floor. “Like satanic rituals and virgin sacrifices kind of—”

“No,” Iain shook his head, cutting her off.

He sat up a little straighter against the wall, his head clearing now that he had a focus.

“A Christian church. Those settlers were separate from some of the others. They were insistent about building their church on top of that hill. The other settlers had stories that it was a church filled with blasphemers calling themselves monster hunters. The ones in the church were outnumbered when gold was found in the mine. The church was destroyed and they were all run off. There aren’t many records of it, that’s why most of the books don’t mention anything.

History gets written by the winners, ya know.

” A small semblance of his usual, jovial smile cracked onto his face.

Nathan smiled back at Iain and gave the guy’s knee a firm, thankful pat. A church full of seals guarding over that cave was definitely more than a coincidence. The cave-in that guy Autry caused was probably the only thing that had kept whatever was in there from getting out sooner.

Standing and walking back towards the others, Nathan took note of how Sasha and Jim were staring at him, eager to leave. Alex was right there with them.

“I know we need to get to that mine,” Nathan admitted, “but we can’t just rush in there without any kind of equipment. I know this wouldn’t exactly be spelunking but we have no idea what condition this thing is in. It was blown up once remember?”

“We have to go,” Jim said. “Something’s happening there that’s luring people to it, people who, so far ,” he said for Iain’s sake, “haven’t been heard from ever again.

If seals were guarding this place and were that terrified of what was inside, it has to be a Power Point, a weak spot into the Veil, something , and whatever is in there has to be dark. I can feel it.”

“I hate it,” Sasha broke in, shivering visibly. “Like I can pick up on all the malevolent feelings it’s giving off even from here. We have to stop it, Nathan. I know we don’t have the equipment, but…”

Suddenly, Iain stood up, his face like stone, strange without a smile but determined. “My father used to cave and climb. We still have all of his equipment in the basement, enough hardhats and lights for all of us. Grappling hooks and tools if you think we’ll need it, rope, gloves—”

“Wait,” Nathan stepped in with a held out hand. “There is no us to this equation, pal. Get that through your head. I already told you, you’re staying here.”

Iain’s face flashed with indignation and he opened his mouth to protest.

“You’ll just slow us down,” Alex said before he could. “If we’re going to do this then our best chance is for it to be just us, with your dad’s equipment if you’ll let us use it. Please understand,” she added with sincere, dark eyes.

For a moment it wasn’t clear what Iain’s choice would be, his face still hard and unreadable, his eyes vibrant with indecision.

Finally, after a breath, he nodded and looked to each of them like he was putting every ounce of faith he had in the world in them.

“Okay. But you better come back. If whatever’s happened…

if you can’t save Mom then…I won’t blame you for that. But you better come back.”

Later, after they’d gathered the caving equipment, Nathan managed to pull Iain aside to talk to him alone only for the distressed young man to push a small guidebook into his hands that looked at least fifty years old.

“It has a map of the caves and the mine. Not that it will help you much with all the cave-ins since but,” Iain shrugged, his eyes a little shy and downcast again.

“Thanks,” Nathan said, taking the guidebook. “And, look, ya know, about our…miscommunication before…”

Iain just laughed, maybe a little emptier than usual, and gave Nathan’s shoulder a nudge.

“Hey, don’t even think about it. Probably just me being a wishful thinker.

Not every day some hot guy saunters up with a smirk and a swagger and asks for a book in the basement.

” He laughed again and then flushed like he was embarrassed over what he had just said.

“Shit, I crack myself up. Anyway, just…be careful. I won’t follow you guys, I promise, but I doubt I’m gonna sleep tonight. ”

Nathan nodded solemnly. “I don’t know what we’re gonna find out there, man. You gotta be prepared…that you’re mom’s already gone.”

Even though Iain nodded, Nathan could see how his lip trembled a little trying to maintain a smile.

“I know. But giving up hope before you know the truth…that’s worse than if I was the reason she got taken.

I don’t really get what’s going on. All these ghost stories I used to love suddenly feel real and here you guys are going off to fight it like mythical warriors or something. I mean, fuck, this is messed up.”

Nathan gave the guy’s shoulder a firm squeeze, knowing it wasn’t enough, before he said, “Get to the motel on the other side of town like we planned. We’ll call as soon as we know something,” and walked away.

He spotted Jim just outside looking deeply troubled and bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Nathan was about to go out onto the porch and see what was wrong when he noticed that Alex was already out there.

They were talking, and Nathan could tell by the way Jim smiled out of the corner of his mouth that she was reassuring him as best she could.

“Nathan?” came Sasha’s voice, shaky and uncertain.

When Nathan turned, he saw the incubus standing inside the door between the living room and entryway.

He was bouncing much as Jim was. “Are we ready to go? We need to go. It’s really getting to me.

I don’t think I can stand another minute. It’s like….like—”

“Hey,” Nathan was across the small space between them and at Sasha’s side in an instant.

“Baby, come on. What is this place doing to you guys? We’re still a couple miles away.

I figured it was going to be me and Alex we’d have to worry about.

You and Jim gotta be sharp, make sure nothing starts luring us in.

We don’t have any reason to think there’s purpose behind who gets chosen. ”

“I know,” Sasha nodded, sinking into the touch of Nathan’s hand on his cheek, “it’s just…under my skin or something. Like before, with that barn full of sidhe and all that…power. Only it’s worse. Jim can’t even tell what it is.”

Which was one of the reasons Nathan still hated the idea of going in, but for now it was still light, so if they were quick about things, they still might have a chance to take care of whatever was going on and get back before sundown.

If they were quick—and very lucky.