“Other room,” Niko grunted. “I have this.” He shoved the man off-balance before hopping back and putting distance between them.
Disregarding the two men, Shepherd plowed right past me and through an open door on the opposite side of the room. When Niko advanced on his attacker, they engaged in one hell of a swordfight. I wanted to sit and watch, but instead I flashed to the other side to avoid getting sliced in two.
I ended up in a hall and followed the sound of Shepherd’s heavy footfalls going left. The hallways were reminiscent of an ancient prison, complete with decrepit walls, pipes running along them, and dirty floors. The only modern thing was the overhead lights. The temperature was noticeably warmer.
I slowed my pace when a loud commotion sounded from a room Shepherd had entered.
On the floor, Christian was straddling Cristo, his hand firmly wrapped around the Mage’s throat. “Where is the baby?” His eyes never left Cristo’s for a moment.
“Safe,” Cristo replied tersely.
Viktor encroached on them, a streak of blood across his face and his clothes ragged and torn. There weren’t overhead lights in this room, just a pool table and lanterns on the walls.
Shepherd loomed over the man, his knives in hand with the pointy tips tapping impatiently against his thighs.
Blue appeared in the doorway, out of breath. The hood of her cloak had fallen away from her head. “He’s not here. I checked all the rooms.”
I pointed at Cristo.
“No. I meant the baby.”
“Are there any more goons?” I asked.
She shook her head, eyes on Christian. “Niko’s taking care of the only guard we found inside.”
“There might be more outside. We ran into a Vamp.”
She nodded. “Us too. Vampire guards are popular since they’re mostly undetectable. That’s why I brought these.” She opened her cloak. In addition to her tomahawk were two impalement stakes, but all I noticed was the blood dripping down the handle of her axe.
“Where’s the baby?” Christian pressed.
“Safe,” Cristo replied.
“Safe where?”
“Safe.”
Shepherd removed his leather jacket and it dropped to the floor. “Let me ask him. I promise I’ll be nice.”
Niko came up beside Blue, his hair askew and swords back in their scabbards.
“Where the hell is the baby?” Christian growled.
“Safe,” Cristo repeated.
“Why is it not working?” Viktor asked. “Is he a Blocker?”
Blue drifted into the room and stood beside Viktor. “I think he means a safe. Ask him.”
Christian leaned in so tight their noses touched. “Is the baby inside of a safe?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, for feck’s sake, why didn’t you just say so, you poor excuse for a spark plug?”
I turned to Niko. “Can you see the baby’s energy?”
He entered the room and scanned it. “Not behind walls.”
