When Viktor got out, Wyatt hopped over to the driver’s seat.
“Let’s roll,” Shepherd said, opening the back door and jumping out.
Niko and Blue followed behind him.
As I stood up, Christian caught my wrist. “Are you armed?”
I showed him my new bracelet. “That’s some armoire Shepherd has in his bedroom. At what point does a hobby become a fetish?”
“If he starts wearing a leather thong with a concealed dagger, you’ll have your answer.”
The team was more jittery than usual, and maybe part of that had to do with the fact that we hadn’t yet rescued the baby. What would a desperate man be willing to do to escape? My thoughts drifted back to when Darius had thrown that little boy over the ledge so he could flee, and I imagined Cristo was brazen enough to pull a stunt like that.
My boots hit freshly fallen snow as I stepped onto the curb and looked around. The buildings in the immediate area appeared uninhabited and partially demolished, in much worse condition than the other parts of the Bricks I’d seen.
I stepped closer to Viktor. “Are we near his building? I don’t think walking out in the open is such a good idea.”
“Nyet.” He brought us into a huddle. “The address Shepherd provided belongs to a residence underground. Tunnels run below the city, constructed many years ago by Breed who were not given permission to live topside. It is an elaborate maze, and the tunnels lead to underground dwellings. I’ve been here once before. Do not speak to anyone, and do not let yourselves become distracted.”
Shepherd unzipped his jacket and stared at the pothole in the center of our circle. “Are there rats down there? I don’t like rats.”
Viktor raised the collar of his long grey coat. “Let’s not be dramatic. Blend in.”
We all exchanged glances. Blend in with rats?
One at a time, we descended the iron rungs. Christian was the last one in and moved the cover back in place. I was surprised there were working lights affixed to the walls. This wasn’t at all like crawling around in the sewers. The tunnels were tall so that you didn’t have to hunch over. There was even a sign on the wall in front of us with arrows pointing both ways, a series of numbers below them.
“This way,” Viktor said, leading us to the right. “Spread apart so we don’t look suspicious.”
I fell back with Christian. “Okay, now this is getting weird.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, lass.”
Without wind, the temperature underground was tolerable. In front of us, Niko made no attempt to conceal his two katanas beneath his black coat like he usually did. He wore them affixed to his back. Blue kept pace with him, her midnight-blue cloak covering the tops of her tall boots. She’d drawn the hood over her head to conceal her long hair, probably for the best. Christian and I were in the rear, with Viktor and Shepherd up front.
“Did you live down here or topside?” I asked.
Christian glanced behind us before answering. “Both. Neither offered privacy, which is why I have a little house in the woods.”
“You mean cellblock eight?” I quipped.
He suddenly grabbed my sleeve and pulled me to a stop. “Keep your eyes low.”
“Superstitious immortals?”
“Not just that. In our line of work, you always want to avoid anything that makes you stand out in a crowd. Think about when we first met in the bar and how later it took you a minute to recognize me. People tend to ignore hair and clothing, because those are things you can change. Down here, people pay attention to eyes, tattoos, and scars. If we run into a tangle with any of these shitebags, you don’t want them putting a bounty on your head. And a girl with a blue eye and a brown one isn’t so hard to find. Make yourself forgettable.”
“What about Niko? He’s got a distinctive eye color for his race.”
“He’s also learned a lot in his long life. Notice how he always keeps his eyes low. It’s a submissive gesture.”
I snorted. “A man with two swords isn’t exactly the submissive type.”
“Most people arm themselves down here; they’ll just assume he carries them for show.”
“Maybe I should have worn contacts if it’s such a big deal.”
“Ever been punched in the eye while wearing a contact lens? There’s a reason most of us don’t wear those.” Christian tucked my necklace beneath my shirt. As if my hair wasn’t disheveled enough, he ran his fingers through it and scrunched it up. “Don’t smile at anyone.”
“Afraid they’ll see my fangs?” I punched them out just for effect.
Christian’s eyes hooded, and he stepped closer. “And don’t do that either.”
We stared at each other for a long moment, the air between us a degree warmer.
“Hurry up,” Blue shouted.
Christian turned on his heel, and we picked up the pace. When the tunnel branched, we turned right.
“Are there women down here?” I asked.
“Aye. Powerful women. So careful not to start any catfights.”
I nudged him. “Don’t act like you wouldn’t watch.”
“Make no mistake, Raven. The Vampires down here kill for sport. You look at someone the wrong way and they’ll cut your throat. Not everyone down here is a maniac, but laws don’t exist. No one will come to your rescue. Remember that.”
We reached the end of the tunnel and entered a wide elevator with a caged wall. Viktor switched a lever, and the mechanical parts slowly began to turn. The wall just outside the rusty bars moved upward, and when it disappeared, I gawked at the view below. It wasn’t just a maze of underground tunnels; it was a world. We were in an enormous cavern, stories high, that served as a gateway to numerous tunnels built into the walls. Some were above us and others below. Bridges made from wooden planks and ropes connected a few openings on opposite sides of the massive room. I pressed my forehead against the bars and gaped down at a river.
A Chitah scaled the wall with astonishing grace as he climbed to a higher tunnel. My hair stood on end when a wolf howled, the sound reverberating off the walls around us.
“Careful what you say,” Christian murmured. “Vampires down here use information to their advantage.” He lifted my chin with the crook of his finger. “Are you listening? Don’t get swept away by all this.”
The elevator came to a hard stop. I turned around to the opening to see a man lighting a pipe just outside. He ignored us as we circled around to the other side and approached one of those rickety bridges.
A man guarding the bridge held up his hand.
“Privet. We are here to see an old friend,” Viktor said.
The black-bearded man smiled. “Russian?”
“Tak tochno.”
“I thought as much. A fellow countryman.”
They immediately conversed in Russian, and I wished Gem were around to fill me in on what they were saying. Viktor showed the man his watch, and they spoke further. It looked like there was some bartering going on, though Viktor had cash in his wallet. Did money not matter in this place?
After Viktor gave him the watch, they shared a laugh, and the man let us pass. I picked my way across one plank at a time—some of them broken—holding on to the ropes for dear life as I stared past the large gaps in the wood. When my foot slipped through a loose board, Christian snaked his arm around my waist.
“I got it,” I said, my heart racing. Heights I had no problem with; water was another story.
Niko gripped the ropes, guided by Blue, who was talking him through each and every step.
Once we reached the other side, Viktor and Shepherd led the way through a tunnel carved from natural rock, and we all put distance between us again. Lanterns were affixed to the walls, light flickering on the uneven rock and water dripping from several crevices.
“Do people have jobs down here?” I asked.
Christian tucked his shirt in where it had come out in the front. “Some. The bridge watchers know almost everyone, and they’re not too keen on letting strangers pass.”
“Well, it looks like all men can be bribed.”
“Just be lucky he didn’t take a fancy to one of you girls.”
I nudged him in the ribs. “Or one of you boys.”
“Over my rotting corpse.”
After ten minutes, we climbed a short ladder to an upper level. There weren’t as many people passing by, and it was eerily dark. This one looked more man-made, judging from the large slabs of stone and rock. When we reached a fork, Viktor gathered us in a tight huddle.
“We separate from here. We must approach him from all sides.”
“What’s his address?” Christian asked.
Viktor locked eyes with him. “12 U-B.”
Christian grimaced and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s an abandoned section. It’s a large amount of space, Viktor. He’ll have the advantage if he’s set traps. Time to escape. I don’t know all the connecting tunnels; hardly anyone goes in there except for the crazies.”
I swung my eyes up. “Crazies?”
His black eyes met mine. “Just an affectionate term for Vampires who gave in to their bloodlust. Juicers also like to hide in those spaces, and I don’t mean your casual energy sippers, but the ones who’ll drain you until your heart stops. It’s where the savages go. They hide in the shadows, and no one can catch them.”