Page 74 of Depths of Desire
I move as quickly as I can down the sidewalk. I nod to a few as I move through the crowd. I have no idea what’s going on that there are so many creatures out and about, but it’s hampering my speed to the exit portal I want to take. This trek shouldn’ttake more than an hour, but at this rate, it will be two. I grind my teeth and continue to maneuver through the streets.
The crowd continues to thicken, and now my hackles rise. Something is going on, something in the air that makes my fangs grow and puts all of my senses on high alert. I hear it first. The sound reaches me well before most in the crowd. The crunch of bone and then the smell of blood. Not human blood. As I approach, the crowd starts to pack tight, everyone jostling for position. They all want to see. The stench of blood orc hits me, and I try not to gag.
“What is going on?” I ask a fairy next to me.
She looks up and blinks. She is light purple with silver sparkles running through her hair and wings. “Haven’t you heard?” she demands like I’m crazy for not knowing.
I shake my head. “I only got here a short time ago. I’ve been on the other side.”
“Ah,” she says and then nods sagely. She drops her voice so it’s barely a whisper. “The Blood Orcs seem to have gone mad. They keep fighting anyone and anything that will take them on. They are tearing places apart.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Isn’t that typical Blood Orc behavior?”
She nods. “But now they are fighting each other.”
I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Blood Orcs don’t tend to fight each other unless directed to do so, and even then, it goes against their instincts. It takes a lot to make a Blood Orc take on one of its kind.
“Yes, you see the issue. Something is going on. We can all feel it.” She flutters her wings as if in fear. “A low-level hum in the realm. The hum is driving the Blood Orcs crazy.”
She’s right. I’ve been so intent on getting to Esme that I didn’t notice it, but now that she’s said it, I realize I have been subconsciously aware of it the entire time I’ve been here. There is a barely audible hum, almost more of a thrum of energy. It’sgiving me a headache. The Blood Orcs don’t have a whole lot of mental power at the best of times. This would definitely drive them around the bend.
“How long has this been going on?”
The fairy shakes her head. “Too long. A day and a half, I think. We’re all starting to fall apart. If we can’t stop this hum soon, I fear many of the creatures are going to cross into the human world.”
“Shit. That won’t be good.”
“No,” she agrees. “It wouldn’t take long for the humans to discover our existence and then…” Her wings flutter again as her voice dies out.
“Thank you,” I say, “and good luck.”
I press forward and move as quickly as I can through the crowd. I can see the Blood Orcs fighting now. It’s ugly and it will go on until one of them dies. I try not to gag at the stench and finally manage to force my way through to the other side of the crowd. More creatures are walking towards me to see what’s going on, but I wade quickly through them, hoping to make up as much time as I can.
I arrive at the other portal, and a Mirenath stops me. I haven’t seen one in a while. They used to be at all the portals, but over time, other creatures have started taking over. Mirenaths are a rare ancient species, older than vampires or witches. Neither living nor dead but tethered to both realms.
“Where are you going?” he says slowly. His reflective silver eyes glow like small mirrors or moonlight on water.
“Excuse me?” I growl.
“I have orders not to let creatures into the human world. You must tell me where you’re going.” The Mirenath is tall, taller than me even, with an elven silhouette but longer limbs that blur at the edges when he moves. I like to think I can take him if I need to, but Mirenaths are unpredictable, so it’s not a sure thing.
“I live in the human world. I only came through to get somewhere more quickly,” I argue.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Name?”
“Nico Valdici.”
The creature starts. “Ah, you’re a vampire. One of the ones that Morwenna says is cursed.”
“I fail to see how that matters.”
The creature steps out of the way as he mumbles, “It matters, it matters a lot.” He points at the portal, and I press the button on the wall. Within seconds, I feel like I’m falling and flying at the same time. Then I land on the other side.
I have exited in an alley just down from the duomo. I take a moment to adjust. The smell of Blood Orcs is still in my nose. I take a step, but the world seems to tilt and I have to lean against the wall to keep from falling. I close my eyes and will my body to obey me. The quick trip through the magickal realm has weakened me, as I knew it would. But the trip was unavoidable. My body will readjust, but that process will take a few hours. The lack of gravity and all the forces that exist on the other side of the ether are powerful adversaries in my weakened state, and I should rest to recover. But I don’t have time to wait.
Gathering myself, I walk to the end of the alley. I pause and cast out my senses to see what, if anything, is out there waiting for me. Nothing. No unusual sounds or smells. No creatures lurking in the dark shadows. Only the sound of humans going about their daily lives, oblivious to all that exists around them. A few scurrying rats and some early bats flying overhead. I wait a moment longer, but nothing seems threatening to me. I wend my way to the duomo, pausing briefly before entering the piazza.
Darkness has set in now, and the square is almost empty. I cast out my senses one more time. Still nothing. The duomo itself has lights on inside, but the night seems ordinary. Nothing jumps out at me. Is Esme inside? Did she start here and gosomewhere else? I can only hope that since there are lights on there will be people inside that I can ask. I send a quick text to Kael telling him Iam about to enter the duomo. Start the clock. If I’m not out in an hour, send my brothers.
