Page 7 of Soulmarked (Hellbound and Hollow #1)

6

THE UNDERGROUND

T he door Sean led me through looked unremarkable at first glance. But the moment it locked behind us with a series of clicks that suggested multiple high-end security measures, I knew this wasn't just some hunter's safehouse.

I'd spent months tracking this particular faction of hunters across the city, ones operating outside the networks I'd grown up familiar with. Despite my childhood exposure to the hunting world, these were different, more ruthless, more extreme in their methods. Most operated from temporary locations, motels, abandoned buildings, the occasional warehouse. Nothing permanent, nothing that couldn't be abandoned in minutes. My secret case files were filled with surveillance photos and incident reports the agency would deny even existed. The supernatural world was something I kept compartmentalized from my CITD work, a division necessary with colleagues who saw the world only through the lens of what science could explain.

Even with my background and my best friend's connections to the hunting community, these particular operatives remained enigmatic. I'd mapped their hunting grounds, cataloged their weapons of choice, even identified a few of their supply chains. But this was something my research had never uncovered. Sean wasn't operating like the hunters I'd known growing up or the rogue elements I'd been tracking. He was something else entirely, with resources and methods that made him leagues beyond the others.

A stairwell plunged downward, descending far deeper than any city planning document would account for. The air grew cooler with each step, carrying the weight of age and secrets. The walls transformed gradually from industrial concrete to something else entirely, smooth, dark stone that seemed to absorb light, interrupted by veins of faintly glowing symbols carved into the surface.

I reached out, tracing one of the symbols with my fingertips. A pulse of energy thrummed beneath my touch, like touching a live wire but gentler. Ancient protection wards, if I had to guess, though not like any I'd seen in CITD's classified archives.

“This place isn't just a hideout,” I said, glancing at Sean's back as he led the way down.

Sean didn't break stride or look back. “You think I'd operate out of a place the wrong kind of people could just walk into? This isn't amateur hour, fed.”

The stairwell finally opened into something that made me stop short. The underground facility was a sharp contrast to the ancient descent, a vast, high-tech command center that would make most government agencies jealous. Large screens covered one wall, displaying everything from city surveillance feeds to what looked like real-time supernatural activity tracking. Workstations hummed with the kind of computing power that definitely wasn't available to the public.

Another weapons rack that stretched along another wall, more extensive than the one upstairs. Silver-tipped crossbow bolts shared space with modified modern firearms, blessed blades, and things I couldn't even identify. Every piece looked custom, professional-grade, and absolutely lethal.

At a sleek black desk dominated by multiple monitors, a figure in an oversized hoodie spun lazily in their chair. Combat boots propped on the desk, multiple piercings catching the blue light of the screens, they were typing one-handed while drinking from a mug labeled “Trust No One” with the other. The very picture of casual competence.

They turned at our approach, dark eyes scanning me with the kind of focused intensity that suggested they were cataloging every detail for future reference.

“Well, well. The infamous CITD agent in my humble lair.” Their voice carried an Irish lilt, softer than Sean's but no less sharp. “You're taller than I expected. Shame.”

Sean rolled his eyes with the weariness of someone who'd long since given up trying to maintain professional decorum.

“Cade, meet Skye. Skye, don't harass the agent.”

“I'd never.” Skye's smirk widened, revealing an intelligence that bordered on predatory. “Pronouns are they/them, in case you were about to embarrass yourself.”

I raised an eyebrow, meeting their gaze directly. “I was about to say you seem competent, but sure, let's go with that.”

Skye let out a low whistle, spinning their chair to face us fully. “Oh, he's got claws. Sean, you actually found someone interesting for once.”

Sean ignored them, turning to me. “Skye runs intel. If something's happening in the supernatural underworld, they'll know about it.”

“Or I'll know someone who knows someone who knows about it,” Skye added, fingers never stopping their dance across the keyboard. “Speaking of which, your Phoenix problem? Just got more complicated.” They pulled up a series of files on the main screen. “Your perp had been busy. Three more employees accessed restricted files in the last hour. All from different secure terminals, all using Dr. Chen's credentials.”

“After her death?” I moved closer to the screen, studying the timestamps. “That's not possible.”

“Welcome to the wonderful world of corporate espionage meets supernatural fuckery,” Skye said cheerfully. “Want to see something really interesting?”

They pulled up another window, thermal imaging of the Phoenix building. Red and orange heat signatures moved through the corridors like normal, but there were other signatures, shown in blue, moving in patterns that didn't match the building's layout.

“They're in the walls,” Sean muttered, his expression darkening. “Using maintenance tunnels or...”

“Or something else entirely,” Skye finished. “These readings don't match any known species in our database. Not vampire, not werewolf, not anything we've cataloged.”

I watched the blue signatures move, something nagging at the back of my mind. “Can you overlay the building's original blueprints?”

Skye's fingers flew across the keyboard. “Someone's done their homework. Look at this, the tunnels they're using? They're not on any official plans. Not even in the original construction documents.”

“Because they were there first,” I said slowly, pieces clicking into place. “The building wasn't built over them, it was built to access them.”

Sean cursed under his breath. “Phoenix didn't just pick that location randomly. They knew what was down there.”

Skye leaned back in their chair, “What exactly are they accessing? And why kill their own people to keep it quiet?”

The screens flickered with new data as Skye pulled up more files. Their setup was impressive. This wasn't just a hunter's base of operations; this was a full-scale intelligence center.

“You've got quite an operation here,” I said, unable to keep the admiration completely out of my voice.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Skye winked. “But save it for after we figure out why a pharmaceutical company is running midnight operations in prehistoric tunnels and using vampires as clean-up crews.”

Looking at the evidence spreading across the screens, at the mysterious tunnels and the dead scientists, I had a feeling we were about to step into something much bigger than a simple corporate conspiracy.

And judging by the tension in Sean's shoulders as he studied the thermal imaging, he knew it too.

“Those tunnels aren't the only thing Phoenix has been interested in,” Skye said, their fingers dancing across the keyboard. The holographic display shifted, zooming out to show a map of Manhattan. “Let me show you something that'll really ruin your day.”

Sean groaned. “Last time you said that, I ended up needing stitches.”

“You were being dramatic.”

“It was acid-laced demon blood, Skye.”

“Which I warned you about. Eventually.”

I exhaled slowly, watching them bicker. “Are they always like this?”

“Unfortunately,” Sean deadpanned.

Skye's grin was sharp enough to cut. “Welcome to the team, fed. Now pay attention, this is where it gets interesting.”

The map flickered as new data points appeared, spreading across the city like a viral infection. Red markers clustered around seemingly random locations, old churches, abandoned subway stations, forgotten buildings that time and gentrification had passed by.

“These are all properties Phoenix Pharmaceuticals has acquired in the last two years,” Skye explained, zooming in on specific clusters. “But here's the kicker.” They overlaid another data set, and my blood ran cold.

The new markers perfectly aligned with the tunnel system we'd discovered, creating a web of interconnected points throughout the city. But it wasn't random. Each location sat at the intersection of what looked like energy currents flowing beneath Manhattan's streets.

“Ley lines,” I muttered, recognizing the pattern from my own case files. “They're not just buying property. They're controlling sites of power.”

“Bingo.” Skye's expression turned serious. “And those tunnels we found? They're part of an ancient network. Someone built them specifically to access these power points. Phoenix didn't discover them by accident.”

Sean moved closer to the display, his earlier skepticism replaced by focused intensity. “The vampire kills. They weren't just about silencing whistleblowers, were they?”

“Nope.” Skye pulled up another file. “Each victim accessed files related to different ley line intersections. And look at the timing.” They highlighted specific dates. “Each death corresponded with a surge of supernatural disturbances at these locations.”

“They're not just gathering data,” I said slowly, pieces clicking into place. “They're activating something. Using the deaths to power... what?”

“That's the million-dollar question.” Skye tapped a few more keys, bringing up security footage from various Phoenix properties. “Whatever they're doing, they're being careful. Multiple shell companies, compartmentalized information, and enough legal paperwork to make any investigation look like a wild goose chase.”

“But they slipped up with Dr. Chen,” Sean mused. “She saw something she wasn't supposed to.”

“More than something.” Skye pulled up Chen's personnel file. “Two days before her death, she accessed files from every single one of these locations. Then she started the transfer request.”

I studied the map, mind racing. “The vampire that killed her, it's not just cleaning up loose ends. It's part of whatever ritual they're performing.”

“Ritual sacrifices at places of power?” Sean's voice carried an edge of old anger. “Sounds familiar.”

Skye shot him a warning look. “Sean...”

“Dublin,” he said flatly. “Same pattern. Different players.”

The tension in the room thickened. Clearly, there was history there, the kind that left scars.

“So what's our play?” I asked, deliberately shifting focus back to the present.

Skye responded by pulling up security footage that made my skin crawl. The video showed a crumbling cathedral, its Gothic architecture stark against the night sky. Shattered stained-glass windows gaped like empty eye sockets, but it wasn't the decay that caught my attention.

Under the full moon's light, shadows moved with impossible purpose. Dark energy coiled around the building's spires like living smoke, pulsing in a slow, rhythmic pattern that reminded me sickeningly of a heartbeat.

“This was captured last night,” Skye said. “Watch.”

Without warning, the energy surged. The screen flickered violently as the motion sensors overloaded. But in the last frame before everything went dark, I caught something that made my blood run cold. A humanoid figure literally melting into the darkness, red eyes gleaming with ancient hunger.

“That's not a normal vampire,” Sean said, his jaw tight enough to crack teeth.

“Nope.” Skye pulled up energy readings that spiked off their charts. “Whatever Phoenix is doing with these ley lines, they're not just storing power. They're fueling something. Or someone.”

I exhaled sharply, trying to organize the growing horror into something manageable. “So let's sum this up. Phoenix is targeting supernatural hotspots throughout the city. They're eliminating anyone who gets too close to whatever they're doing. And now we've got evidence they're manipulating ley line energy for some unknown purpose.”

“Unknown but definitely not good,” Skye added helpfully.

Sean nodded, his expression grim. “Are they trying to control something, or summon it?”

Neither option filled me with confidence. In my experience, corporations messing with supernatural forces never ended well. Usually with a body count.

Before I could voice that thought, a sharp alarm cut through the room's tension. The sound was high and urgent, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Skye's fingers flew across their keyboard with renewed intensity. Multiple screens flickered to life, showing real-time data streams and thermal imaging. “New activity detected. Old church on 34th Street. Multiple supernatural energy signatures.” They frowned at the readings. “I've never seen patterns like this.”

My pulse quickened as I recognized the location. “That's six blocks from Phoenix's main research lab.”

Sean was already moving, strapping on weapons with practiced efficiency. “Then we don't wait. Skye...”

“Already on it.” They pulled up building schematics and street camera feeds. “Church has been abandoned for decades. Three entry points, lots of blind spots. The energy signature is strongest in the basement level.”

I checked my gun, standard issue, useless against most supernatural threats. Sean must have noticed because he tossed me something from his arsenal.

“Silver rounds,” he said shortly. “Try not to shoot yourself. Or me.”

“Your concern is touching.”

“My concern is practical. Dead feds generate paperwork.”

Skye snorted, not looking away from their screens. “You two are adorable. Now if you're done flirting, maybe focus on the fact that whatever's in that church is giving off enough energy to fry my sensors?”

They had a point. The thermal imaging was starting to distort, supernatural energy interfering with the equipment. Whatever was happening at that church, it was building toward something.

“How long to get there?” I asked, checking the magazine Sean had given me.

“Ten minutes if we take the tunnels,” he replied. At my raised eyebrow, he added, “You think these maintenance passages are just for show?”

“Of course not. They're for your dramatic exits.”

“Children,” Skye interrupted, their voice sharp. “Whatever's happening down there, it's not waiting for you to finish your witty banter.”

Sean grabbed extra ammunition and what looked like modified flash-bangs. “Skye, keep us updated on any movement.”

“I'll track it. Just try not to die. These systems are calibrated to your biometrics and I hate reprogramming things.”

As we headed for the tunnel access, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into something far worse than a simple vampire hunt. The image of that creature melting into shadows played on repeat in my mind.

“Hey,” Sean's voice pulled me back to the present. “Whatever's down there? Don't try to be a hero. You see something wrong, you shoot first and ask questions never.”

I met his gaze steadily. “That your solution to everything?”

“No.” His smile was grim. “Sometimes I use explosives.”

As we geared up, Sean paused in his methodical weapons check. “You never did answer my question from earlier. How does a fed know so much about the supernatural world?”

I kept my focus on checking my ammunition, avoiding his piercing stare. “Maybe I'm just observant.”

“Bullshit.” He loaded silver rounds into a modified pistol. “You recognized those wards in the stairwell. You know about ley lines. That's not the kind of knowledge you pick up reading case files.”

“And maybe that's all you need to know right now.”

Sean studied me for a long moment, then shrugged. “Fine. Keep your secrets. Just don't let them get us killed.”

I watched him continue his preparations, noting the stark contrast between our styles. My CITD gear was precise, regulated, everything in its proper place. Sean looked like he'd raided a supernatural armory, strapping silver-edged knives to his boots, loading multiple weapons with blessed ammunition, and pocketing what looked like vials of holy water.

“Overcompensating?” I couldn't help but smirk.

Sean clipped a wicked-looking combat knife to his belt without looking up. “Says the guy with a grappling hook in his coat.”

“Tactical advantage.”

“So's not getting eaten by whatever the hell is waiting in that church.” He checked another blade's edge with his thumb. “But sure, rely on your government-issue toys.”

“They've worked so far.”

“Yeah? Is that why I had to save your ass from that vampire?”

I felt my jaw tighten. “I had it handled.”

“You had shit handled.” He turned to face me fully now. “You were about to become monster chow because you went in half-cocked with no backup and no real weapons.”

“At least I investigate before I start killing everything that moves.”

Sean's eyes narrowed. “No, you write reports while people die. Real effective strategy there, fed.”

“Boys,” Skye called from their command station, not bothering to hide their amusement. “As entertaining as this sexual tension is, maybe focus on the energy readings that are still climbing?”

“Shut up, Skye,” Sean growled, but there was no real heat in it.

I finished checking my weapons, adding Sean's silver rounds to my standard ammunition. Whatever was waiting for us, I wasn't going in unprepared again. Even if it meant using a hunter's tools.

As we moved toward the exit, Skye leaned back in their chair, a knowing grin spreading across their face. “Ten bucks says you two either kill each other or kiss by the end of the week.”

Sean didn't break stride. “Not happening.”

I glanced back at Skye with a quick smirk. “Which part?”

“Get in the damn car,” Sean growled, but I caught something else in his voice, frustration, yes, but also something that might have been reluctant amusement.

Skye's laughter followed us out as the door shut behind us. The sound echoed in the tunnel, a last moment of levity before we headed into whatever nightmare waited at that church.

“Just so we're clear,” Sean said as we reached his vehicle. A black muscle car that probably violated several federal regulations. “You follow my lead in there. No heroics, no federal agent bullshit.”

“And if I don't agree?”

He turned to face me, all traces of humor gone. “Then you can walk. I'm not letting your stubborn pride get us both killed.”

I matched his stare. “Funny, I was about to say the same thing about your shoot-first approach.”

For a moment, we stood there in tense silence, each waiting for the other to back down. Then Sean's radio crackled.

“So unless you two want to make out right there in the garage, maybe move your asses?” Skye said over the radio.

Sean muttered something that sounded like Irish profanity and yanked open the driver's door. “Get in. And touch nothing.”

“Wouldn't dream of it,” I said, sliding into the passenger seat. The interior smelled of leather and gun oil, with a hint of something herbal that was probably protective magic.

As we pulled out into the night, I couldn't help but think about Skye's comment. The tension between Sean and me was... complicated. Professional rivalry, sure, but also something else. Something that made our arguments feel more like foreplay than actual hostility.

But that was a problem for another time. Right now, we had a church full of supernatural energy to investigate, a corporate conspiracy to unravel, and probably several things trying to kill us.

Just another night in New York City.

At least this time I had silver bullets.