Saris nodded. “Unsavory beings.”
Not good. “What kind of unsavory beings?” Did Wycke really want to know?
“Mages, some of the less-reputable elves, and…” Saris took a hard swallow before adding, “Hellhounds.”
The pit of Wycke's stomach sank. “What does he want with hellhounds? They're an unstable lot.” Had Radre been the one to turn them on Piers? Where was Piers now? Had he retrieved the grimoire? Found his friend? Mainly, was he safe? Wycke reached out with his senses toward his mate but only felt a faint spark. Still, Piers lived and wasn’t crying out for help like he had before.
If one died, so might the other. Leaving Saris alone.
Wycke dared not open the door. The murmurings stayed just below his comprehension. He recalled a device he'd seen on TV while in the human realm. Something called a bug.
A beetle appeared on the wall. Saris jumped. Wycke prevented her scream with a hand over her mouth. The bug said, in Radre's voice, “My hellhounds have a human female. He'll come for her. Then we'll get what we need.”
Another voice asked, “What about the boy?”
Through the bug, Radre's voice chuckled. “Once I get what I want from him, there won't be anything left. Conjure the portal to the human realm.”
There won’t be anything left.
Piers!
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Human Realm
Piers stopped. If he was some all-powerful wizard or whatever, why couldn’t he blast these bastards with laser vision or something?
Jess hollered, “Piers, run! Whatever they’re asking for, don’t give it to them.”
Good question. “Umm… What are you guys asking for?”
The three muscle-bound kidnappers ping-ponged their gazes from one pug face to the other. The two smaller hellhounds shrugged. Finally, the tallest one spoke. “Make us a better offer than the guy who hired us, and we’ll let the girl go.” While Piers understood the language, the accent came across garbled, hampered by vicious-looking tusks.
“And what did the guy offer you?” Better yet,whowas the guy?
The second hellhound spoke. “Said he’d kill us if we didn’t bring you to him. And that bag.” He nodded to Piers’ backpack, lying underneath Jess’s sneeze-and-you’ll-break-it straight-backed chair. Duct tape? They’d actually tied her with duct tape?
They’d better not be here when she got loose. She’d be howling mad about sticky tape threatening her skin, and therefore, her art.
Don’t mess with her art.
Piers cocked his head to the side. “So, if I don’t kill you, I’m making a better offer, right?”
The three put their heads together. Piers thought he heard, “He’s got us there,” but wasn’t sure.
“Psst…” Chynne jerked his head sharply toward Jess.
“What?” Yes, Piers saw Jess. Hard to miss a woman with puffy turquoise hair. Her T-shirt displayed her colorful sleeve tattoos, one of which happened to be a large black dog with glowing red eyes.
These three in no way resembled dogs. Dogs were much smarter.
Chynne repeated the gesture.
The three hellhounds stood in a huddle, speaking a language Piers didn’t understand, leaving Jess…
Alone.
Piers took a step forward. And another. And another.
