Vigil_An Urban Fantasy Thriller by Russell Newquist

Author:Russell Newquist [Newquist, Russell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silver Empire
Published: 2017-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Faith snapped to attention when Nicolette trembled in her arms. Then she heard it, too. The scuffling noise up above them grew louder as she listened. She tried to calm the girl, but also to move deeper into the shadows.

It wasn't her captor. The giant wyrm couldn't scratch its nose without making an infernal racket, much less enter or leave the cave. But she'd learned over the last few months that plenty of other nasty things inhabited the caves. She scooped up a heavy chalice, ready to use it as a club if some crawly thing skittered down to prey on them. She prepared for the worst as a head popped out from the ledge above.

Her stomach leaped into her throat and she pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

“Peter?” she called out, not daring to believe it.

“Faith?” came his answer. When he frowned, her heart nearly stopped.

“Where's the dragon?” he asked. Her heart lifted again. Then fear set in.

Stay focused, you silly girl!

“You have to go, Peter!” she shouted up at him. “You have to get back to the church! It's gone upstairs. Don't you understand? It’s going after everyone!”

“I'm not leaving without you.”

“There's no time!”

“It doesn't matter anyway. I can't go back the way I came. I have no idea how to get back. No matter what, we're not getting out in a hurry. Might as well get you out of there and bring you with me.”

“How?” she asked. “I've tried climbing a dozen times. The walls are smooth as glass.”

When he flashed that boyish grin back at her she melted inside. For a moment, all thought of dragons and caves fled her mind. She felt like a thirteen year old girl again. But what he said next made her want to marry him on the spot.

“I brought a rope!”

Faith stepped aside as Peter dropped the rope down to her. She secured it to Nicolette and gave a tug. Peter drew the little girl up effortlessly and immediately returned the rope. This time Faith fastened it under her own arms. She watched him as he lifted her out of her prison. His powerful arms tightened with each heave, but his face showed no more exertion than it had for the child. When she finally neared the top, he reached down and clasped her arm. He lifted her straight out with one arm and set her on the solid ground beside him.

The look he gave her pierced through her soul. He touched her hair.

“Blonde,” he mused. “Except the blue still shows on the tips. Faded, though.”

Oh God, why did he have to find me like this?

She turned away, embarrassed, and fussed at her hair. She managed to straighten it some, but the dye job still looked terrible. She smoothed out her dress but couldn't get it entirely unwrinkled. And, of course, she didn't have any makeup.

Time for that later, girl.

She turned back to face him, ready to let all the anger out.

“Now listen here!” She wagged a finger in his face.

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