Kissed by Ice(28)

I was inches from the exit when a sudden gush of water swept through the tunnel, filling it to the top. I barely had time to hold my breath before I was completely underwater. Gathering every ounce of will I had left, I forced down the rising panic and rushed forward, bursting up and out through the trapdoor opening. I drew in deep lungsful of air, gasping and sputtering. I hauled myself out of the tunnel as quickly as I could, knowing Haakon was behind me, still underwater.

I heaved myself onto dry ground and lay gasping for breath next to the little pool which had formed inside the shed. Outside the sun was climbing in the sky, the light taking on a faint greenish tinge as it filtered through the lush leaves. Where had the vampires gone? Had they stepped outside and immolated? They must have. I didn't see them anywhere.

The water surged, and Haakon popped to the surface. He, too, hauled himself out of the water and sat, legs still dangling in the pool, gasping for breath.

"What happened?" I asked again.

He shook his head, drops of water spraying around him. "One minute we were fighting the damn vamps, next there was steam everywhere. It was burning them, so they ran. And then… water."

"Maybe we triggered a booby trap?" I suggested lamely. I knew better. I'd caused the steam. And the water. I just didn't want Haakon knowing about it quite yet.

He frowned. "Maybe. Where'd they go?"

"Outside, I'm guessing. They should have burned, but I don't see any dust."

He staggered to his feet and out the door. "No. No remains. They didn't dust. They were pretty old vamps. My guess is there was enough cover they made it into the denser forest before they burned."

"Damn." I hauled myself slowly to my feet and joined him outside. "That is not what I wanted to hear."

"Not to worry. I can track them." My face must have reflected my misgiving. He shot me a scowl. "You doubt me?"

"Um, well, not doubt exactly…"

He grunted, turning his back on me to scan the trees around the shed. He carefully walked the perimeter of the small clearing, searching for tracks or something.

"Where's Kabita?" She hadn't been with him when we joined up, and she must be worrying by now.

"I didn't see her in town. She's probably still back at the rendezvous point."

And freaking the hell out, no doubt. "I think I'd better get her. We're going to need her if we're going to tromp through the jungle after those things."

He shrugged, clearly still focused on his self-appointed task. I shook my head. Men.





Finding my way back to town was marginally easier than finding the shed had been. I found Kabita lounging at a tiny round table outside the cafe/bar, sipping a drink and catching some rays. One silky black brow rose at my approach, but she said nothing. Just took another sip from her white mug and let out a long sigh.

"They really have excellent coffee here." She looked completely at home, but I noticed her eyes never stopped scanning the street. Watching. Waiting. She may have seemed relaxed. She was anything but.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I said, wishing I had the time to sit down and enjoy a cup. I was running on fumes. "We found the vamp. Sort of."

She glanced at me over the rim of her mug. "Sort of?"

"Well, turns out there was a nest." I gave her a quick rundown of what had happened, up to and including the flooded tunnel and the nest escaping into the jungle.

She let out another long sigh when I'd finished. "Why me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind." She took a long last swallow of coffee, threw a few bills down on the table—I had no idea how she'd kept them dry—and strode down the street in the direction I'd come from like an avenging goddess. "Let's go dust these assholes."

I raised both eyebrows at that. Kabita never swore. Well, almost never. It had to be pretty serious if she was pulling out the potty mouth.

"Haakon is trying to pick up their trail." I was pretty sure she could hear the doubt in my voice. Wasn't like I was hiding it. Haakon may be a Sunwalker and a Viking—well, former Viking—but he wasn't a Hunter.

"Good." She picked up the pace with me trotting along behind her. What was with people and this fast walking crap lately?

I took the lead, showing her the way through the jungle to the clearing where Haakon waited. Except when we got there, there was no one else in sight. Just the empty shed with water still burbling out the open door.

"Where's Haakon?"

I gave an irritated growl. "I told him to wait here for us. Jackass probably decided to go all manly and follow the vamps on his own. Idiot." I ignored the fact I'd virtually done the same thing myself. I strode around the edge of the clearing, looking for the spot where Haakon had entered the jungle. Sure enough, he'd practically left a giant, flashing neon sign for us to follow. Apparently Vikings had never learned the fine art of blending in. I shushed the inner voice that told me he'd deliberately made the way obvious so we could follow. "This way."