Leon stood up and walked around the desk. “Want to explain that?”
“No.”
Before Mitch realised what was happening, Leon’s fist planted into his face and knocked Mitch out.
???
Mitch blinked. What the hell had hit him? Oh, right, Leon fucking Ericks. He’d not even seen it coming.
He sat up and winced. Where was he? His eyes adjusted to the gloom, and he saw he was in a damp, dark dungeon.
“Ericks!” he yelled. “What are you playing at?”
“Shhh, don’t call his attention,” a hiss came from a corner. Mitch spun, ready to defend himself, and he tried to see who was in with him.
“Come out,” he ordered, standing up.
“Why?”
“Why not?” Mitch cocked his head, believing it was a woman he was talking to.
A figure drifted out, and Mitch barely held his reaction back. A ghost appeared in front of him, with a thin face and black eyes. She was gaunt to the point of being skeletal. Her hair floated around her head, matted and tangled, dull in colour. Mitch tried not to gape at her bottom half, where her legs slowly faded into nothing. There was only one creature she could be: the infamous Banshee.
“I won’t hurt you. Do you know where we are?” Mitch asked. He held his hands up so Banshee could see them and kept his distance.
Banshee tilted her head. “In a dungeon.”
“Yes. Is Ericks a Sealgair Uilebheist? If he is… he’s one—I… shit. I gave him…” Mitch broke off.
If Ericks were a Sealgair Uilebheist, then he’d just handed Jess to him. They’d use Jess to control Mitch.
“What is a Sealgair Uilebheist?” Banshee asked.
“Okay, we need to escape,” Mitch muttered.
“Why?” Banshee demanded.
“Because if Ericks is a Sealgair Uilebheist, then the woman I love is in danger,” Mitch spat as he headed over to the bars. He shook each one hard.
“What is a Sealgair Uilebheist?” Banshee repeated.
“Someone who hunts those like you. They kill your kind,” Mitch replied.
“A Hunter?”
“If that’s what you call them. I gave Ericks something for Jess. If he’s a filthy Sealgair Uilebheist, Jess is in danger. I have to break out of here and save her,” Mitch answered Banshee as he kept testing the bars.
“You care for this Jess?” Banshee asked.
“I’d give my life for her. How did they capture you? Have they harmed you?” Mitch demanded turning and checking Banshee over. Banshee stared steadily back as he raked her up and down. “Should you be so thin? Have they fed you? Fuck, this is another screwed-up torture method of theirs?”
“No food,” Banshee said mournfully. “They intend to starve me to death.”
“I won’t let them. Give me time; I’ll come up with a plan. Ericks is overconfident and cocky. Too damn arrogant for my own liking. He’ll slip up, and when he does, I’ll make my move.”
“Ericks will break you,” Banshee replied with a laugh.
Mitch turned back to the bars. There had to be something he could do to escape.
