Grimm: A Novel In The Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller Series (The Temple Chronicles Book 3) (3 page)

Gunnar and I began to sputter angry responses, but Indie beat us to it. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks,” she grinned.

Then I noticed the change in our surroundings. A faint rustling. And no more whimpering. Damn it. The sprite grinned in anticipation, looking eagerly delighted at the likely violence to come. “You seem to have stumbled upon a nest.” She smiled.

Before I could respond with a sarcastic retort, a blinding flurry of tattered robes struck me like a Mizzou lineman. I purposely let him. A surprise counterattack.

No, really. It was on purpose.

So was the next part, when I let him slam my head into the brick wall behind us, eliciting an explosion of stars to swim across my vision. I dropped the pistol clutched in my hand and heard it splash deep into the muck at our feet. “Attack!” I managed to groan. Now I had him right where I wanted him. I heard Gunnar grunt in surprise and then the sound of two bodies splashing into the sewage. I briefly managed to wonder why I hadn’t heard the explosion of fabric that resulted from him shifting into wolf form from human clothes. His giant snow-white mountain wolf form was much better suited to fighting vampires. In fact, it was designed to do
just that
. I don’t know how I managed to notice any of this, seeing as how I had a frothing mad vampire chomping down towards my necksicle, but I did. I also saw Indie’s flashlight go sailing off into the darkness before landing in a puddle of ick.

Barbie’s ambient glow was the only thing protecting us from the natural darkness of the tunnels. For which I was grateful, but she apparently didn’t have the patience to wait for a little thing like the result of a life or death fight to conclude our conversation.

“All because you took their book. I told you to destroy it. Admit it.”

She folded her arms. I managed to get a forearm against the vampire’s neck, barely keeping him from gobbling up my tender throat. Despite still coming to grips with using my new power, I somehow managed to cast out a weak spell of air and bowled over the pair of vampires that had attacked Indie. She looked unharmed, but to be honest I couldn’t see very clearly, what with the animated Disney birds and stars dancing across my vision and the strain against keeping the vampire from tasting my esophagus. Since it was now pointless to continue masking our scent, I dropped the small spell I had held to get us here undetected. Twin shots shattered the air as Indie let loose with her pistol.

Hollow-point, Oak tipped bullets worked like cupcakes on a vampire. They dropped in a puff of dust. I heard fists striking flesh, and wondered again why I heard no howling or growling from Gunnar. Had they gotten him? My vision began to turn red in anger, and then for the first time ever, the well of power that I presumed was available only to Makers called out to
me
rather than the other way around.

A river of molten lava flowing just beneath the surface of my mind invited me to play, and my vision pulsed from red to blue.

Before, as a wizard, I had essentially used the available elements around me to manipulate into magic. When the elements I needed were absent, I could draw from my own body for a limited time. But it was taxing.

The Maker power didn’t quite work like that.

A constant pool of power resided just below the surface of the world around me, available to be manipulated into whatever the Maker saw fit to, well…
make
. To me, the well seemed bottomless in comparison to my old magic, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t. It also wasn’t as reliable, or I wasn’t as gifted at using it as I had been with my magic. But then again, I had been a veritable force to be reckoned with as a wizard. Still, when the Maker power was harnessed, it could pack a punch that made a wizard look like a schoolyard bully. I began weaving the power together messily, still struggling against the vampire.

“Admit it, Temple.” Barbie continued.

The vampire above me froze completely still. “Temple?” He hissed in alarm. I grunted an affirmative and he violently threw himself away before I could do anything. I fell into the muck at the sudden motion.

“The Maker!” One hissed from near Gunnar, who was holding a vampire’s head under the filth, drowning him as he stared down the speaking vampire.

The one that had attacked me hissed again. “Retreat. None must harm the Maker.”

I paused.
That
was never a good thing to hear. It usually implied worse, deadlier things were in store for you down the road. And they knew I was a Maker. Even though
I
didn’t fully understand what that actually meant. Yet.

They disappeared back down the tunnel as fast as cockroaches when the lights turned on. Vampires were
fast
. I took a deep breath, shook the stars from my eyes, and began to race after them, not wanting to give them a second longer than absolutely necessary with the victim I had heard whimpering earlier. I heard the clomping steps of my posse following me, and I felt Barbie latch onto my shoulder, getting a free ride.

Gunnar caught up to me easily so I shot him an angry glare. “You know, it would be really awesome if we had a werewolf to run them down right about now.” Indie gamely let off a few pot shots as we ran.

He grunted in response. “Can’t shift. Don’t know why.”

That dialed back my anger real quick. What could prevent Gunnar from shifting? I hadn’t even thought that was possible.

“Admit it, Temple. Admit you should have listened to me and I will take care of this… nuisance.” Barbie spoke in my ear, interrupting our conversation.

I ignored her pointedly. We entered a cavernous space, and skidded to a stop. The vampires were scrabbling at a locked door, their fingers gouging at the wood to no effect.

“Rule number one, fangheads. Always have a back door ready.”

They stopped, and then slowly turned to face me.

“We will leave you in peace.” They offered, looking nervous.

“Not playing out that way.” I muttered. The smell of blood and offal filled the space like a physical presence. My gaze swept the room quickly, searching for survivors.

But we were too late.

The girls were dead. I counted three bodies in direct sight. Two had been recently killed judging by the still wet pools of blood around their crumpled bodies.

Gunnar growled, taking a step forward. Indie lifted her guns, pointing them at the vampires with a humorless grin on her beautiful face. “Why can’t I shift… fanghead?” He tipped an imaginary hat in my direction without averting his eyes from the vampires.

“Let us go and I will tell you. I’ll even give it to you.”

I laughed out loud. “Not too good at negotiating, are you? You just admitted that you have something that prevents my friend from letting his fur fly. That was your only bargaining chip. And you tossed it into the game without looking at your hand.”

The vampires clammed up.

“We really do have more pressing matters, Temple.” The sprite complained lazily. “Let’s speed things up. They have a moonstone.” She had drifted from my shoulders to float beside me. Most likely to avoid becoming collateral damage if they rushed me. I blinked at her. “Moonstone. A chunk of rock from the moon. It prevents a wolf from shifting.” She elaborated. I exchanged a look with Gunnar. He shrugged with an arched brow. He hadn’t heard of it either. I hated not knowing things.

“Why would you have something like that?” I asked them.

“Because he isn’t the only wolf down here.” The vampire snarled.

A piercing howl echoed throughout the tunnels. Followed by several answering calls.

The vampires tensed, arching up on the balls of their feet as if preparing to make a run for it. They weren’t interested in tussling with us, let alone a pack of werewolves. The leader quickly reached into a pocket and pulled out a small stone. Before I could react, he slammed it into the wall, shattering it. Gunnar instantly sighed, his fists flexing into white furred claws.

“Admit it, Temple, and I will resolve this disagreement. You know you can’t fight the vampires and the wolves at the same time. Time is wasting. They have your scent, and they will now be able to maintain their form when they get closer.” The sprite whispered hungrily. I sighed.

“Okay, fine. I was right, you were wrong.” I muttered. The howls grew closer, but silence still reigned supreme in our little alcove.

She shook her head, but didn’t move. I saw the vampires tense up, ready to make their move.

“God damn it.
Fine
.
You
were right, and
I
was wrong.” I shouted at her as the vamps took a step.

She beamed down at me for a few seconds, gloating, and the vampires were suddenly halfway out the room, escaping. But Barbie snapped her dainty little toothpick fingers.

And a wave of pure silver light crashed down over the top of our heads like a heavy feather pillow. Not strong enough to knock me over, but enough to let me know it was definitely there. I heard an exclamation of surprise from my posse.

I stumbled a bit on wobbly legs, feeling oddly sensuous, as if all my senses were on high alert. I realized distantly that I was very definitely… in the
mood
. Like, instantly. I shook off the mental cloud and glared at the sprite. “If you hurt my friends, I’ll roast you on a kabob.” I took a threatening step towards her. “Or a toothpick, I guess.”

“Tut, tut.” She smiled, and I was knocked back on my ass, feeling dazed, and my pants just three sizes too small in the groin area. Indie let out a pleased whimper followed by a sharp exclamation of ecstasy. Then she folded to her feet with a dazed smile on her face. I blinked and turned my head to the sprite.

“That one was for free.” She grinned.

“Did you just-”

“Granted, women are easier to please than men, if you know how we work. It just so happens that pleasure is my forte. Even
lethal
pleasure when the situation arises. But that’s more for
my
enjoyment. This was just foreplay, a gift for your apology.” She glanced at Indie, who was only now getting to her feet on shaky legs, looking excited and confused. She hadn’t even commented on the filth covering her. “I think you may have an interesting night ahead of you, Temple.” She smiled down at me. I shook the euphoria from my head, struggling to my feet. “You’re welcome.” She answered smugly.

Well, I didn’t have anything to say to
that
. Thank you? A cigarette?

The vampires lay motionless on the cool stone floor. Their bodies slowly transformed into ash that was lighter than the air before further disintegrating to nothing. Gunnar climbed to his feet, very obviously aroused, and even more obviously pleased at the situation. Great, everyone else seemed to get a happy ending, where I only got a case of metaphysical blue balls.

My life.

More howls punctuated my situation in a piercing lament.

Chapter 3

A
lright. Time to scat.”

“Where? If they don’t have our scent yet they soon will.” Gunnar answered, eyes darting back and forth anxiously.

“Follow me.” I retraced our steps in a light jog back to the first intersection of tunnels, and veered down the other fork this time. The howls were coming from a different part of the sewer, which was a blessing, buying us a few minutes. The sprite whispered in my ear, having apparently hitched a ride on my shoulder again. Lazy freaking fairies.

“We have more pressing matters to discuss.” She urged.

“I think survival is the most pressing issue.” I argued. She grunted in disagreement. “Besides, I’m already working on the Grimms.” She went silent, apparently satisfied at my answer and content to enjoy her free ride.

After several more turns we began to hear sounds above our heads.

“Is that a jackhammer?” Indie asked from my left shoulder, breathing heavily.

Gunnar tilted his head as we ran, remaining at my other shoulder. “It sounds like a construction site. Are we beneath roadwork?” He whispered softly, knowing how well werewolves could hear. “Is it safe for us to be down here?”

I grunted, spotting our next turn. They flowed with me. “Of course not. It’s never safe down here. Remember all the signs I told you guys to ignore at the entrance?” Gunnar’s eyes tightened, but he made no comment, focusing instead on our immediate survival.

We finally came to a gnarled iron door and I stopped. Water stains trailed down the brick surrounding the door, feeding a rather large patch of moss and algae of some kind. The construction sounds were louder now. I could imagine the familiar smells coming from the building above us. “It’s louder now. It’s definitely construction. Why did we stop?” A distant howl punctuated Gunnar’s question.

“You’re right. It does sound like construction. In fact, if I had to guess I would say we are directly underneath Plato’s Cave.” I reached into a pocket and nonchalantly withdrew an old school iron key.

Gunnar muttered a curse. “This was your intention. You had this planned. No way we accidentally ended up underneath your bookstore.” I smiled and shrugged innocently as I took a step forward and used the key to open the door to my hidey-hole.