Deadly Designs E-Book

Mayer Dale

• Herausgeber: Dale Mayer
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Drawing is her world...but when she’s banished to a deadly new world and needs help, it's his world too.

Her… Storey Dalton wants to go home – but something goes terrifyingly wrong and she ends up in her worst nightmare. There’s no escape…not without Eric or her stylus. Then she finds someone who needs rescuing even more than she does…

Him… Eric Jordan races to save Storey, only to realize a close family member has betrayed them both. Now the enemy is closing in on him. When he meets up with Storey, he knows her plans are a bad idea, but she won't be dissuaded…and it could be their only way of staying alive.

It… the stylus, now bonded to Storey’s artistic soul, is determined to survive this new chaos – against all odds. But damaged from a prolonged separation, he can't help Story or Eric – without making things worse.

Them… Storey is determined to make things right. Eric is determined to help her. Neither counts the personal cost, until their very lives are in danger.

Leseprobe

Deadly Designs

(Book 2 of Design Series)

Dale Mayer

Books in This Series:

Dangerous Designs – FREE

Deadly Designs

Darkest Designs

Design Series Trilogy

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Back Cover

Complimentary Download

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Author’s Note

Complimentary Download

About the Author

Also by Dale Mayer

Copyright Page

Back Cover

Drawing is her world…but when she’s banished to a deadly new world and needs help, it’s his world too.

Her… Storey Dalton wants to go home – but something goes terrifyingly wrong and she ends up in her worst nightmare. There’s no escape…not without Eric or her stylus. Then she finds someone who needs rescuing even more than she does…

Him… Eric Jordan races to save Storey, only to realize a close family member has betrayed them both. Now the enemy is closing in on him. When he meets up with Storey, he knows her plans are a bad idea, but she won’t be dissuaded…and it could be their only way of staying alive.

It… The stylus, now bonded to Storey’s artistic soul, is determined to survive this new chaos – against all odds. But damaged from a prolonged separation, he can’t help Story or Eric – without making things worse.

Them… Storey is determined to make things right. Eric is determined to help her. Neither counts the personal cost, until their very lives are in danger.

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Your Free Book Awaits!

Blood doesn’t just make her who she is … it also makes her what she is.

Like being a sixteen-year-old vampire isn’t hard enough, Tessa’s throwback human genes make her an outcast among her relatives. But try as she might, she can’t get a handle on the vampire lifestyle and all the … blood.

Turning her back on the vamp world, she embraces the human teenage lifestyle—high school, peer pressure and finding a boyfriend. Jared manages to stir something in her blood. He’s smart and fun and oh, so cute. But Tessa’s dream of a having the perfect boyfriend turns into a nightmare when vampires attack the movie theater and kidnap her date.

Once again, Tessa finds herself torn between the human world and the vampire one.

Will blood own out? Can she make peace with who she is as well as what?

DOWNLOAD a complimentary copy of VAMPIRE IN DENIAL? Just tell me where to send it!

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my daughter Kara, who asked me to write books for her. The Design Series is the third young adult series I started for her.

Enjoy!

Acknowledgments

Deadly Designs wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my friends and family. Many hands helped with proofreading, editing, and beta reading to make this book come together. Special thanks to my editor.

Prologue

In Dangerous Designs we left off with this chapter…

All the way back to Paxton’s lab and the resounding victorious welcome waiting for them, Storey had trouble dealing with the fact that it was all over. That this nightmare she’d been living for days had finally finished. So much excitement. So much panic. So many emotions had rushed through her constantly. And then everything stopped. The chaos was over. Resolved. The change so sudden…she found it hard to believe.

It didn’t feel right after days of living on a roller coaster. Days of fearing for her life and Eric’s, the ranger from a different dimension. Now he was safe. She was safe. Everyone in his dimension was safe.

The stylus, the odd pencil-computer thingy with souls bound inside that she’d found, had opened a portal between the Louers’ old and new worlds. Only time would tell if they’d make good use of it. Her stylus assured her the Louers were exploring their new world already.

Paxton, Eric’s mentor and senior council member to the Torans, had monitors that tracked any activity through the areas where the dimensional tears had been repaired until they could all be reinforced. The process would take a bit longer, but like he’d said to her, they were on it.

They were on it.

As in she wasn’t needed any longer.

They’d even managed a decent conversation over the future of her stylus. Now that she knew more, she understood his reluctance to let her keep it. Then he also understood her unwillingness to die in order to give it back. A truce had been made letting her keep it until they could figure out how to separate it from her safely. She kept the fake one tucked away. Just in case Paxton decided not to be as reasonable as he currently appeared.

Instead of feeling euphoric, she felt odd, uncertain. Almost as if she expected, no wanted, more chaos. And that couldn’t be right. She wasn’t a masochist. Why the hell would she want more war?

Because there’d been a certain attraction to being someone respected, looked up to. Someone who’d had answers. Someone who’d learned to do something others hadn’t. Her pride and self-confidence had definitely had a good time here.

And it was coming to an end.

God, she was becoming downright depressed.

Off on one side, she watched the party going on around her. It was a standing-room-only crowd. Where had all the people come from? There were some seriously beautiful women here tonight which just added to her depression. She was still wearing her old jeans and sneakers.

Even the usually formal and uptight Paxton had let loose. He’d danced and hugged his way through the crowd. With so many well-wishers, she’d hardly had a moment to herself, hence her attempt at a time-out.

Eric found her a few minutes later. He slung an arm around her and held her close. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

She relaxed against his shoulder, thankful he’d joined her. She needed this – him. “Nothing.” With a light laugh, she added, “I was just ready for a couple of minutes of peace.”

“That makes sense.” He snagged a stool and sat on it without disturbing her position. “Are you ready to go home?”

“In a way. Then again, I finally feel connected to everyone here. We’ve been through so much, it’s hard to leave.”

“It’s not forever. I’ll be able to come over and visit, and you’ll be able to come back.”

“Will you though?” If she were honest, the fear of never seeing him again was behind the sense of letdown she’d been feeling all night. With his world safe again, it was over. There was no reason for Eric and her to meet anymore, except wanting to be together. They had a relationship – she just couldn’t decide what it was. But she wanted to see where it could go. And how could she do that if they lived in opposite worlds?

If long distance relationships were hard to keep, then cross–dimensional relationships would have to be impossible.

And given his father’s disposition, she didn’t think she’d be welcome over here anytime soon. Everyone else had been friendly though. Several people had stopped to thank her. Some had stopped to ask her questions about her world and how long she was staying.

She needed to go home. Who knew what she still might have to fix back home yet? She’d left things in a bit of mess. And undone. Like the note on the inscription of the stylus she’d hidden on her computer. Not that it mattered any more as she could just ask the stylus about the lettering. Later, when she got home and had time to delve into all the unanswered questions.

“You look like you’ve lost your best friend.” He bent closer to peer into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She gave him a reassuring smile, at least she thought it was. “I’m just sad.”

“That’s understandable. You’ve made some friends here. We appreciate all you’ve done. We might even be able to have you come over as a consultant on some projects.”

“Really?” She brightened. “I figured I’d never be welcomed back – considering I had a death sentence on my head at one time.”

“A fond memory of your visit.” He snickered. “Even if they aren’t interested in having you consult, I’ll come visit you. I promise. There’s no way I’m giving up our friendship.”

She closed her eyes briefly. Then said with a lilt in her voice, “Boy, am I glad to hear that. I guess I was feeling a little blue, thinking I’d never see you again.”

“Not going to happen.” He stood up. “But I understand you need to go home. Did Paxton speak to you yet?”

“He apologized and thanked me.” She smirked. “I think he’s still a little miffed at me over the stylus stuff.”

Eric laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s been bonded with his for over a century. It can’t be easy to be shown up by a young girl. Especially one not even from his world.”

“I can understand that.”

Eric pulled her upright and into his arms. He stared at her quietly for a long moment. His voice rumbled from his chest. “Thank you for coming back and helping us. I’m not sure we’d have survived without you.”

“You would have, just in a different way.” Storey nestled closer. “I couldn’t see your world suffering when I’d figured out a way to help.”

“And help you did. The Louers are gone forever and all because of you.”

She lifted her head to caution him. “We don’t know they’re gone for good. It’s too early to say. Paxton still has some work to do there. He has to make sure the portals are permanently sealed. We also don’t know which dimension the Louers ended up in – for sure. We think we do, but…”

“Paxton will sort it out. He’s nothing if not dedicated.” As if to calm her worries, Eric bent and kissed her gently, then with growing enthusiasm.

“Arrumph.”

They broke apart to find Paxton standing in the doorway. “I think it’s time. Everyone wants to say good-bye to Storey and watch her leave.”

“Oh.” She brushed her shirt down and walked over to where her backpack sat on the floor waiting for her. “I hadn’t realized.”

They walked back into Paxton’s lab to find a line had formed. Most of the Torans hugged her or shook her hand. By the time she’d reached the end of the line, she could barely hold back the tears.

Paxton gave her a codex. “So you don’t have to travel by drawing portals everywhere. We all saw the result of that effort!” There was mixed laughter from the crowd, but it was the warm look on Paxton’s face that made her respond with a big grin.

When the laughter died down, Paxton added, “This is a guest codex. It’s pre-coded for your home, my dear. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Tears collected in the corner of her eyes. Storey smiled mistily. She really was going to miss him. “You’re welcome.” Impulsively, she gave him a quick hug.

Eric walked her over to the portal that his people used for travel and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll pop over tomorrow to see how you’re adjusting to being home again. Your mom has to be wondering where you’ve been all this time.”

“True enough.” Thinking about her mother brought her father to mind. Oh boy. What waited at home for her? Not daring to speak in case she broke into tears, she managed a brave smile. He reached over and hit the button on her wrist unit. The familiar musical notes sounded.

Storey straightened her back, determined to go out gracefully. Forced to sniffle back tears, she gave the crowd a quick wave good-bye. It had been a hell of a weekend. She’d miss these people. Definitely Eric and maybe even Paxton. With a final look around the room, she recognized Eric’s father, the hated Councilman, standing in the far back corner, a malicious grin on his face. What was he up to? He looked way too happy for her comfort.

The black mist swirled up around her legs.

The Councilman gave her a wiggling fat sausage finger wave good-bye and opened his other hand so she could see what he held. Nestled deep in the rolls was a long thin object.

Her stylus.

The black swirling mist rose to her chest.

She gasped in shock.

It was too late to stop the portal.

His grin fattened.

The room disappeared into darkness. Panic threatened. Oh God. Was she going to die now? Could the esteemed Councilman have actually won? She closed her eyes, hating him and what he’d done. How could she contact Eric to let him know? Without her stylus she had no way to communicate with anyone here.

Just then the mists thinned and cleared.

She turned around. An oily darkness greeted her. The rank smell of death rose, overwhelming her senses. She wrinkled up her nose and coughed, then coughed again. “Oh God. I know that smell!”

Hearing something behind her, she spun around. A long meaty arm stretched through the darkness. White bony fingers reached for her.

Chapter 1

The stench woke her. It spread deep into the recesses of her comatose brain like a shockwave. Storey Dalton slammed back to consciousness – and retched violently. Again and again. Finally, she groaned and collapsed to one side.

Coughing spasms came next. By the time that slowed, her thin frame stopped shaking and her stomach calmed down, Storey could lie in relative peace. Except for the smell. The sour reek of vomit now mixed with a horrible odor, almost like sulphur or rotten eggs. For a moment she just rested. Then her eyes shot open. She stared around in shock.

What the hell had just happened? Deep, depressing darkness surrounded her. She could see no lights, windows or moon around her, only complete, unforgiving blackness. She rolled to her right side and shifted to a sitting position. In a denseness where all other senses were deprived, the stench was almost enough to send her reeling to the ground again.

And ground it was. Dirt. Damp, black, hard dirt. If there were a hell, she imagined she’d found it.

Why?

How had she ended up in such a place? Events were as murky as the atmosphere around her. Eric. She’d been with Eric after helping to save his people, his entire dimension in fact, from the Louers. There’d been a party where everyone had joyously gathered around to thank her and send her off properly.

She’d been going home.

Storey struggled to her feet. Home. To her mother. And apparently after messing with the essential fabric of her own dimension, her father maybe as well. And that was so wrong. He’d been absent from her life for over a decade until she’d screwed with things. She’d tried to fix her mistakes, but hadn’t had a chance to find out if her changes had been successful or not. Did her parents still believe that she attended a Roman Catholic school and did her homework on time? A snort escaped. As if. Given a chance, she’d spend all her time drawing.

She stilled. Drawing. The stylus. Eric’s father, the Councilman, had stolen it. It had been in his fat hand as she’d disappeared in the portal. The mist had swirled up around her too quickly for her to yell for help. Could he have also changed her destination? Or was she being unfair? The unstable gates might have screwed up the destination. Paxton was making repairs but that didn’t mean everything was working perfectly yet.

Then again, remembering the look on the Councilman’s face she had to think he’d had something to do with her current disaster.

Shudders slipped down her back at the memory of long, bony hands reaching into the mist to pull her from the portal. Thank heavens she’d passed out. That’s one memory she won’t have to relive.

God only knew where the creatures were now.

And how was she going to get out of here without her stylus?

Hope surged inside as she remembered the fake stylus she’d created while still in her dimension. She’d made the decoy to fool those who might try to take the real stylus from her.

So had the nasty Councilman stolen her stylus – or the fake one?

For a furious minute she searched all her pockets. Empty. Crap. She whispered, “Are you here, Stylus?” She waited, hoping for that telltale tingling sensation. That sense of connectedness to the souls inside the stylus. Even though that connection hadn’t been there that long, it had deepened, becoming a part of her.

According to Paxton, when a stylus became separated from its owner for a long time period, normally the owner died. Something to do with the soulbound relationship between the two.

Where was her backpack? It held her completed portals, jacket and sketchbook. Taking a few tentative steps, she tried to search around her. What’s the chance her bag had been left with her?

Just then her foot banged into something hard, sending her downward where she cracked a knee against a rock. At least she assumed it was a rock. “Damn it.” She jumped up and danced around in one place, afraid she’d hit something else.

“Would someone please turn on the damn lights in this Godforsaken place?”

Instantly lights blazed, blinding her. Instinctively she slammed her hands over her eyes as they burned with the severe change. “Shit,” she whispered as she squinted between her fingers. The room glowed from a strange incredibly bright light source at the far side. Her eyes didn’t know what to do with it. Keeping her eyes shaded, she turned slowly to look around. There was no sign of her backpack or her stylus.

The room appeared to be a huge underground bunker. Or a cave, maybe? Yet she couldn’t see an entrance or an exit. And it was empty – except for her.

The reality of her situation set in.

She was a prisoner. But she had no idea where, or who held her here.

Or why.

*

Eric watched the dark mist thicken, dread overtaking his senses. What could have caused that look of absolute horror on Storey’s face? He stared hard at his father’s rotund and positively gleeful face. Until he caught Eric staring at him. Then his fat grin slid off, his nose strutted up into the air and a look of superior disdain came over his cold features. Yeah, that’s the normal expression Eric remembered.

The false face. It had taken Storey to show him the real man inside. It hadn’t been easy to see. And even harder to accept. Now he just felt stupid. He’d spent his life respecting a man who deserved none of it. And adding to Eric’s confusion was the realization he really didn’t know this man.

His father was a stranger. Eric hadn’t seen much parental love in his life. In reality, he’d had little contact with him. Since he learned to walk, he’d had respect and obedience drummed into him for a man he was only just realizing didn’t deserve it.

How had the Council allowed this man to rule? What could his father have done to deserve their respect? And couldn’t they see the man his father had become? Or had the changes happened so slowly that they hadn’t been evident – until some major disaster when he’d shown his true self. Then again, he’d been the ruler for so long because there wasn’t much to rule here. His decisions were mostly over little issues.

Still, Eric wondered about the man inside. Was he driven by power? Needing blind obedience from all like a dictator? Something Eric hadn’t considered his society could have.

Storey’s arrival had certainly thrown his father off balance. And had showed Eric a side of his father he’d never seen before.

Paxton on the other hand…. He glanced over at his mentor. Tufts of his white hair stood straight up, only this time from running his hands through it in excitement. Paxton was still on a high from the success of the day. His cheeks were flushed, and he appeared to be…dancing?

Eric continued to scan the partygoers. His people certainly were enjoying themselves. This mini war had restored pride they hadn’t known was missing from their lives. They’d slipped into a passive type of existence. This had woken them up, stirred them to action. They wouldn’t be quite so complacent about their lifestyle any longer. At least not for a while. And like them, Eric wanted to enjoy himself tonight. Celebrate today’s success.

But…

Eric shook his head and spun around again to look at the spot where Storey had disappeared. He couldn’t get the look on her face out of his mind. What could have caused it?

Paxton walked toward him, a lilt to his step, a bright look on his face. Eric had to grin. Paxton looked like he’d dropped twenty years off his shoulders.

“Eric! Still worrying about Storey? She’ll be fine.”

Eric shook his head. “It doesn’t feel like she’s fine.”

Paxton narrowed his gaze. “Do you want to go after her? Make sure she arrived safely?”

Eric contemplated his sense of something being wrong. Did he want to go after her? Heck yes. “I wouldn’t have to be gone long.” He studied his feet. Was there really something wrong? Or was he just missing her? Either way, he needed to know for sure. “I don’t want to make a big thing out of this if everything is fine.”

“We could just ask her if she’s home safe and sound.” Paxton held up his stylus, a wide smirk on his ancient face.

Perfect. Eric grinned widely, relief spreading throughout his body. “Perfect. Thanks.”

Paxton grabbed up a nearby pad of paper, his movements easy and carefree, as if knowing this was for naught but happy to play along. He quickly wrote out a note to Storey. Eric read the simple message. “Hello Storey, please confirm that you made it home safely.”

Lifting his head, Paxton beamed. “Amazing communication ability. I just love this. There’s so much we can learn from these styluses.”

He sounded positively chatty. Eric struggled to reconcile this Paxton with the grim, stern version from before the war. Talk about polar opposites.

“You know, my stylus knows all about the archives. Storey says they can access all the information from centuries ago. Do you understand how much we can learn from them?”

Eric raised an eyebrow as he finally noted the rosy cheeks and the overly bright shine to Paxton’s eyes. Had his old mentor and friend indulged in a little too much to drink? Surely not? Eric couldn’t remember seeing the man ever take a drink of wine.

But there was no doubt that he was under the influence of something. Maybe it was the power of success?

The stylus sat quietly as both men waited for an answer from Storey.

Eric’s gaze narrowed as the moment stretched out longer and longer. “Could something be wrong?”

“Well, anything is possible, but it’s unlikely. She’s done this trip dozens of times.”

“Ask your stylus if Storey’s stylus is in her dimension.”

“Why? We know it is.” Some of the brightness dimmed in the older man’s eyes. “You really think something is wrong?”

“If it isn’t, then why hasn’t she answered by now?”

“Maybe she’s sleeping.”

Eric blinked. Good answer. Why hadn’t he thought of that? It was late. Storey had been on an incredible adrenaline rush, helping him and his men to save his world. Going home would have brought on a major crash and burn cycle. She might simply be asleep.

No! His mind screamed at him. Storey would have contacted him to let him know she’d arrived safely. She knew he’d be worried about her. There’s no way she wouldn’t do that.

“Please, just ask.”

Shaking his head, tufts of white hair flipping out in all directions, Paxton picked up the stylus and wrote the question.

The answer was immediate. “No.”

Both men shouted, “No?”

“Why not?” Paxton glared at the single word he’d written down. “She has to be.”

Eric knew his father had been up to something. But what? “Where is her stylus? Maybe it’s still here.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be. Not unless she’s here, too.” The answer came back immediately. Paxton read out the answer. “No. Storey and her stylus are not in this dimension.”

The two men stared at each other in shock.

“We’ve been having problems with the gate so maybe something malfunctioned,” Paxton mumbled.

“Ask where she is, please.” Eric tried to contain his impatience. Though Storey had been willing and eager to find out information through her new pen as she thought of it, Paxton clung to the old ways and asking a simple instrument for help wasn’t instinctive – or natural. The styluses could communicate with each other, but Eric thought Storey’s was stronger and more capable. Or maybe Storey was stronger and more capable than Paxton.

He’d verbalized the questions before but now seemed to be only able to write down the questions. Either way, Paxton was working too slowly for Eric right now.

Paxton slowly wrote the question on the paper as if not wanting to hear the answer. The stylus never moved.

“See, there’s no answer.” Paxton sighed. “It must be a broken gate. Maybe it can’t get a reading.”

“What are you doing over there?”

Eric stiffened, a subconscious effect of his father’s approach. He didn’t dare look his sire in the eye, afraid that his suspicions would get the better of him. Surely his father wouldn’t have willfully done anything to hurt Storey.

Yes, he would have.

This was the man who had once ordered her imprisonment and death. Eric’s instincts screamed at him. Stay silent. Things were bad but they could get so much worse.

Paxton opened his mouth to answer and caught Eric’s glare. Slowly, as if not understanding, Paxton dropped his gaze to study the paper in front of him.

“We were talking strategy,” Eric answered calmly enough.

His father tilted his head upward. “Why bother? The problem’s been solved. It’s not going to happen again, so sure, hash over your success, then let it go. I won’t have anyone wasting their time on such things now that the war is over.”

“And if the war isn’t over?”

“Don’t say that,” the Councilman snapped at his only son. “It’s over. That subject doesn’t come up again, do you hear me?”

Eric struggled to keep back the words ready to blast out of his mouth. Setting his father off wouldn’t do anyone any good at this point. With a clipped nod, and a last warning look at Paxton, he walked away from the men, determined to catch Paxton alone later. He needed to focus on Storey, now.

Keeping an eye on the happy partygoers still around, he checked his codex. How long had she been gone? One hour, not more. Too bad he didn’t have a stylus of his own. It would be a great way to talk with her. How else were they going to communicate when they each lived in a different dimension? He had methods that worked in his dimension. Her cell phone worked in hers. But only the stylus was capable of crossing both dimensions. Checking behind him, he heard raised voices coming from his father and Paxton. Uh oh, someone isn’t happy.

Well, neither was he. He strode back across the room to the two fighting men. His father saw him coming and rounded on him first. “I do not want to hear any more about that girl from you. She is gone and she is not allowed back in our world. Do you understand?”

Fury built inside Eric to the point that he could actually see black spots as he tried to find some measure of control. Releasing his rage at the Councilman, father or not, was liable to be a final step he wasn’t sure he was prepared to take.

“No. That is not acceptable.”

Eric blinked. What? Had Paxton really stood up for Storey? At one point, he’d been firm that she should return to her world and stay there. For good.

Paxton pulled up to his full height. In an authoritative voice, he stated, “Storey has been a valuable contributor to our world this past week. We have much we can learn from her.”

“She caused the dratted problems in the first place. I do not want her back. Do you hear me?”

“I think everyone here heard you.” Eric couldn’t hold back his own anger, noting that half the partygoers were leaving and the other half were starting to collect around the arguing men.

The Councilman rounded on him, fire leaping from his eyes. “You. I’ve heard all I’m going to from you. I’m not sure why you think it’s suddenly acceptable to argue with me, but there is no way I can consider your actions in any good light. That this young woman should have had such a disagreeable affect on you is unacceptable. You need to learn your place.”

With narrowed eyes, he drew himself up to his full height. That it was many inches shorter than Eric’s only made his action more laughable. No one within hearing distance could doubt that the Councilman was ready to hand out another final edict.

He opened his mouth.

“No.” Paxton stood firm. “You will not punish him.” Glaring at the rotund Councilman, Paxton shook his head. “You cannot. Eric is a hero to our people, as is Storey. They have become icons of hope, faith and courage. They deserve your recognition, your respect and even medals of valor for their actions.”

As Paxton’s words faded away, the gathering crowd picked up the energy and started to cheer, calling out Eric’s name.

Eric. Eric. Eric.

Eric had to grin at the consternation on his father’s face. The Councilman hadn’t expected resistance. Especially from old Senator Paxton, a title the scientist never used, but still possessed; or from his own people. A red flush whispered across his father’s face, his beady eyes going hard and bright with fury before sliding into cold determination. As Eric watched and waited, wondering what his father would do next, it was as if a switch had been thrown and his father settled back down.

Eric’s suspicions rose again.

His father turned to face him, straightening to his full height. “So be it. We’ll come up with some way to reward you for your actions, Eric.”

Eric frowned. The words sounded right. The tone of voice definitely didn’t. His father was up to something.

“And for Storey?” he asked, cautiously hoping his father would let something more slip.

“Oh, yes. Storey is getting everything that’s coming to her.”

Just then several things happened.

Paxton’s stylus started moving in the air. Paxton raced to snatch up a useable piece of paper to write on.

His father grinned a sly, slow movement that sent shivers down Eric’s spine. Then he turned and strode out of the room.

Chapter 2

Storey sat with her back against the dirt wall. Stumped. How could she get out of this mess? Her backpack was missing and her pockets were empty.

Panic sat on the edge of her consciousness, waiting to take over. She’d come to rely on the stylus and sketchbook so much that she found herself at a loss. Her simple codex, not like the high-tech one that Eric wore, didn’t appear to be functioning either. That hadn’t stopped her from pushing all the buttons several times, hoping to recreate the same musical combination Eric had used, but the instrument made no sound.

Had the Councilman switched hers for a broken codex? Or were the thick prison walls preventing the codex from functioning? It had been a hellish couple of days, leaving no time to study the wrist units. She’d figured Eric could give her some one-on-one training in a week or two. When things had calmed down.

Not great planning on her part.

And if she couldn’t use her stylus to draw her way out of here, or portal her way back through the codex’s abilities, she was literally stuck here with only old fashioned methods of escape. Now if only she knew what they were.

With no weapons or anything to make a weapon from, it’s a good thing she had yet to see her captors. For all intents and purposes, she’d been dumped into a hole in the ground and forgotten.

A horrible thought and one she really didn’t want to dwell on.

If only she had her stylus. She could only hope whoever had it was taking care of it. There were souls in there. Souls tha [...]