Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, PARKER IS NEVER ALONE.

"D ammit," Grayson muttered, rubbing his temples after pulling my shoulder bag back up onto his shoulder. I hadn't seen him grab it, but I was thankful for it. "Any ideas, boss, or are we hoofing it?"

"Good luck with that." Mephistral chuckled before disappearing. His body flattened into a 2d object before he plastered himself against my skin.

"What did he mean by that?" I pointed to where the demon had been. The universe had a knack of delivering lessons at the worst times and places.

"If the demon couldn't transport us to the facility, then you can't walk there either." Rhiot spoke up. "The same barriers that block him will block you as well."

When I opened my mouth to protest, I remembered what happened at the team's compound when Grayson had tried to drive me back. The barrier had stopped me the moment I'd tried to cross over, which had stopped the vehicle in its tracks. My hand drifted to my chest where I rubbed away the memory of the pain. As long as I wore this ring with the soul bound to me, I wouldn't be able to cross demon barriers. I didn't know how I could have forgotten about that.

"And I still have that soul… so what the hell do we do now?" I tried to keep my voice steady as I caught Trux's eye. His expression was unreadable, but I could see the gears turning in his mind.

"Sonofabitch," Trux snarled, fishing his phone from his pocket and dialing a number.

"Who are you calling?" Rhiot asked.

"Someone at the facility who should be able to get Parker through the barrier." Trux kept his gaze locked on mine, his jaw clenched tight. The tension between us crackled in the air, charged with an undeniable undercurrent of desire. There was also an undercurrent of frustration. Though the more I focused on it, the more I knew it wasn't aimed at me. This mate bond thing was strange… but it was nice to know he wasn't mad at me. I had a tendency to assume anytime someone around me was upset, then I had to be at fault.

"Hello?" Trux's voice took on a commanding tone as he addressed the person on the other end of the line. "We need a ride. Demon capabilities. Now."

"Where are you?" the voice replied, their words barely audible through the phone.

"About a mile out, northwest on thirty-five." Trux barked, annoyance clear in his voice.

"Got it," the voice snapped back. "But you owe me one, Trux."

"Deal."

Trux hung up, then growled at the phone. "Asshole."

I quirked up an eyebrow, but it was Rhiot who answered my silent question. "You've been there before, so they would have known you needed help getting through. They chose to make it inaccessible."

"Ah." I put the pieces together. "In other words, they're being intentionally difficult."

"Power play." Grayson spoke up.

I expected a long wait, but only a few minutes passed before a black SUV appeared in the distance, its headlights cutting through the darkness like beacons. My heart pounded against my ribcage, both relieved and suddenly questioning my insistence on coming here.

"Get in," Trux ordered as the cargo van rolled to a stop before us. "And stay close."

As we piled into the vehicle, Trux's hand landed on my left thigh. Then Rhiot rested his hand on my right thigh. Grayson and Kearan crowded close despite there being plenty of room in the van. Their touch was electrifying, sending shivers down my spine and reminding me that despite our precarious situation, I was still drawn to them like a moth to a flame.

"Let's go," Trux barked at the driver, his eyes never leaving mine. "We've got places to be."

"Understood," the driver replied, shifting into gear and pulling away from our impromptu pickup spot.

As we sped towards our destination, I couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that had settled in my gut. We were getting closer to helping Ryker, but with every passing mile, I knew that we were also heading straight into the line of fire.

"Trux," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the hum of the engine. "What do you think will happen when we get there?"

"I don't know," he admitted, his hand finding mine in the darkness. "But whatever it is, we'll all face it together."

"Parker, take a deep breath." Kearan spoke up. His voice always stole my attention from anything else because he was so quiet compared to the rest of them. "The driver will need to turn on a device that will make you uncomfortable, but it's the only way to get you past the demon barrier."

Rhiot and Trux leaned in, their shoulders pressing against mine. Then I heard a soft click before my vision blurred and nausea washed over me. My body shivered uncontrollably as everything went haywire. Worse than any flu or stomach bug I'd ever had.

The next thing I remembered was waking up in Rhiot's arms as Kearan hovered over me. Trux's voice made loud shouting noises, but I couldn't understand any of the words.

"Welcome back." Rhiot's words rumbled through his chest, which was pressed against my side.

Kearan waved a small flashlight at me, then shone it into my eyes. An involuntary hiss slid out of me as the light stabbed daggers into my eyes. I wanted to tell Kearan to stop, but I couldn't find my voice.

"Easy, Parker." Rhiot's voice was low and soothing, his cheek nuzzling mine. "It's over now."

"What happened?" I finally managed to croak out, my throat raw and scratchy.

"We got you through the barrier, but the device used to do it made you pass out." Grayson explained, his head peering around Kearan.

"Well, that's an understatement." I grumbled, trying to shift in Rhiot's arms. He loosened his grip, but didn't let me go entirely.

The driver spoke up, pulling up to a hidden entrance that blended seamlessly into the surrounding trees. "We're here. The rest of the way is on foot."

"Except for you." Rhiot murmured into my ear. "I'm not letting you go while you're disoriented."

Trux was the first out of the vehicle, his eyes scanning what appeared to be an underground parking garage. Kearan went next. We followed suit, with Grayson taking up the rear. As we made our way through the winding pathways, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. If Rhiot hadn't been carrying me, I would have had to fight the urge to turn and run back to the safety of the van.

"Keep moving." Trux's voice was low, but the urgency in his tone was clear. "We're almost there."

Time dragged by as we moved through long, snaking tunnels. Why were they all so on edge? The facility was expecting us. Clearly, the place was secured, so no one could drop in and attack us… Unless Trux was worried it was the people at the facility who might rush us? I glanced from Trux to Kearan and Rhiot. Would they really try to escape if the people in the facility turned on us?

After what felt like an eternity, I spoke up. "You can put me down now."

"What if I don't want to?" Rhiot raised an eyebrow at me.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of my lips. "Then I'll just have to stay in your arms forever."

Rhiot chuckled, his grip tightening just a fraction. "I wouldn't mind that."

A laugh bubbled through me. "I'm fine, Rhiot. I can walk on my own."

"Okay." He reluctantly set me down, but kept a hand on my back as we continued walking. A few minutes later, we stood in front of a door labeled as the entrance to the training center. I felt the power radiating from the imposing structure before us. It was a palpable force that seemed to reach out, beckoning and taunting in equal measure. I glanced at my Tsigos, taking comfort in their familiar faces, even as fear gnawed at the edges of my composure.

"Ready?" Rhiot's warm breath caressed my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I nodded, more to convince myself than anything else.

"Let's do this," I whispered, the words barely audible, even to my own ears.

"Stick together. No one goes off alone." Trux ordered, his eyes scanning our surroundings for potential threats. "No matter what happens, Parker is never alone."

"Never." Kearan said, his quiet voice somehow managing to cut through the oppressive air that surrounded us. He held Grayson's gaze for a moment longer than necessary, a silent exchange passing between them that spoke volumes of the trust they shared.

I missed Seph's presence... and Ryker's. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to be with all of my mates back at their compound.

"They agreed to our terms," Trux warned, his grip tightening on the doorknob. "We don't know if they'll change their mind or what they'll try to do."

"Keep your eyes peeled for Ryker and Seph," Grayson added, his tone full of concern.

As we stepped through the entrance, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The door creaked open ominously, revealing a darkness so impenetrable it felt almost alive. It was as if the very shadows were sentient, waiting to consume us whole.