Free Shadows of Fate (Shadow Born) by Angela Dennis Page A

pocket and lit it. The smoke drifted in Gray’s face, burning his eyes. “You know what I want. If you aren’t willing to part with it, we have nothing to talk about.” He took another drag, exhaling closer to Gray’s face. “Tit tat,” he said with a wave, moving back to the grate.
    “One pint.”
    “So untrusting,” Ga’loh said as he slowly turned back. “A pint for what?”
    “A pint no matter what. Take it or no deal.” The glint in the other man’s eyes said it all. Shadow Bearer blood was stronger than anything Ga’loh had access to. He would be an idiot to refuse.
    Drifting across the cement, Ga’loh stopped a mere foot from where Gray stood, his gloved hand outstretched. “We have a deal.”
    “Good. What do you know?” Gray pulled a bag of blood from the pocket of his duster and held it in the moonlight. “Is she here? Has she been taken?” Ga’loh licked his lips. Waiting for the other man to rip his eyes from the blood and focus, he waved Sam over.
    “Patience, my friend. We can’t speak here.” Ga’loh cast one last yearning glance at the blood and motioned them to follow.
    They followed him past the grate. It took several moments for Gray’s eyes to adjust to the fog inside the pitch black tunnels. He breathed through the smell of refuse and rotting flesh. As they moved, he ignored the sounds of scurrying creatures against the metal. Something splashed behind them in the water at their feet. Ga’loh turned and flicked a burning cigarette toward it then stomped his foot down. There was a splash, a shriek, then silence.
    Creatures, bodies dirty and broken, huddled together against the rusted sides of the tunnels to keep warm. Curious eyes followed them as they traveled. Having had enough, Gray called to his blood and cast a protection spell, keeping away prying eyes and ears. But instead of being repelled, the creatures were drawn to his magic. These were the denizens too far gone to even fit in among the Underground anymore. They pried themselves from the metal grates, splashing through the foul water toward them. Gray pulled out a wad of cash and tossed it, causing them to throw themselves in the air in desperation, pushing each other down in the water.
    A few yards later the water cleared and they found themselves in a massive underground chamber the size of a football field. Tents had been setup haphazardly across the concrete floor. Vendors of all types had booths across the area, selling everything imaginable and some things best left to the imagination.
    People of all shapes and sizes filled the great hall. Many were residents that lived in the spider web network around this hub, but some were from the surface, looking for things you couldn’t find anywhere else. Sometimes not even from Earth.
    Ga’loh led them to a ragged tent made from purple velour and tree branches about the size of Gray’s bedroom. The Astroturf laid out across the concrete outside held an ancient charcoal grill and several withered plants.
    “Home sweet home.” Ga’loh peeled back the opening and motioned for them to step inside.
    A green military tarp covered the floor. Two twin mattresses had been pressed together at the far end and a pile of fleece blankets had been tossed on top of them. The nightstand was made up of around a hundred empty boxes of clove cigarettes. Ga’loh parked himself in one of the cream colored plastic patio chair across from his bed. He motioned for them to do the same as he lit another cigarette.
    He waved his arms over his head, ash flying across the room. “Your girl has been poking around here for a while now.” He leaned back, his booted feet resting on top of a rotted banker box. “She’s not so smart. Made no attempt to fit in. People notice power.”
    Gray leaned forward. “Who was she with?” He accidentally bumped the fake plant next to him. It hit the ground with a thud.
    Ga’loh stilled, his features strained. “Careful. These are my things.”
    It was a