CHAPTER 112

"So, he always comes back?"

Bigfoot nodded. "Always. He went missing for a while, and I discovered later that he was able to take over the Pine Barrens. The land and its creatures were no longer on my side, so I fled to the west coast. We've avoided each other ever since, but I suspect that I may be the main reason he came. I have no idea how he learned that I was here."

Yuki groaned. "I do. Years back, when Emily and I first met him, she asked if he would be interested in moving somewhere safe for cryptids."

"And Emily told him about me?" Bigfoot pulled at some tangled strands of hair that hung from his face.

"She told him about the house first. When he didn't seem interested, she mentioned the cabin. Said that if it was good enough for Bigfoot, then he would be right at home."

"What did he do?" asked Mike.

"That's when he trapped us in the Everglades. Emily tried to jump us out using magic trees, but we learned later that he could read our thoughts. He stayed ahead of us and chopped down any of the trees we could use. There weren't many to begin with. Every time we got to the edge of the Everglades, the shadows would push us back in." Yuki looked at a card and then shook her head before tucking it back up her sleeve. "One day, we wandered out. It was like he had gotten bored, or something."

"How do you defeat someone who can read your thoughts?" asked Mike.

"You either act without thinking or do something he can't avoid." Bigfoot mimed stomping on the floor. "He was distracted while fighting you, so I got the drop on him. What I can't understand is how he got the Nirumbi to team up with him. He is well known, but not well-liked."

Based on his brief experience with Leeds, Mike wasn't surprised to hear this at all. Leeds had mentioned taking the cabin and its land away from him. Maybe it was as simple as offering them a private sanctuary if they helped him take it by force. But more than just the Nirumbi had gotten involved. There was the Wendigo and the snake thing that Abella had encountered. If all of these creatures were so powerful, why follow Leeds in the first place?

Thinking back on their fight, the devil had been fairly uninvolved for most of it. He was mainly content to disrupt and allow his troops to do the dirty work. Did he have low magic reserves? Was he just a big pussy? There was a missing piece to the puzzle, and Mike really wanted to discover it.

There was another loud bang, but this one was accompanied by the sound of things falling to the floor. Bigfoot jumped up and left, followed by Yuki. There was a lot of screaming shortly after, followed by the temperature of the cabin dropping dramatically.

Curious, Mike tried to slide his legs off the bed and take a peek, but he couldn't even lift his hips off the mattress using his arms. Frustrated, he had to sit and listen as everyone shouted at each other. Emery bolted into the room, a worried expression on his face.

"Is everything okay?" Mike asked.

"Dana has broken down the door of the cupboard," he explained. "They are chasing her through the cabin right now. It's my job to protect you in case she shows up."

Mike grimaced. The little imp looked like he would struggle to fight his way out of a mouse trap, but he had learned long ago that he shouldn't judge based on appearances.

Dana crashed through the doorway and landed on the floor, her features frozen in a snarl. She looked up at him and hissed.

"Eep," Mike whispered. He saw that she was missing her pants.

Emery dive-bombed Dana, and she swatted at him with frightening speed. Velvet's torso came through the door and grabbed the zombie by the ankles after tossing down a shredded pair of pants. Velvet yanked and threw Dana back into the living room. There were several more crashes before he heard Abella join the fight.

"She is quite strong," Emery muttered, fidgeting with his hands like an overgrown fly.

"Apparently." He didn't realize that Dana was capable of such a display.

"Hold her!" shouted Quetzalli, and there was a crackle of electricity, followed by Bigfoot howling in pain. The smell of burnt hair flooded the cabin. "Sorry!"

After another crash, the house went quiet. Yuki walked through the door, her hair disheveled and her shirt torn.

"We need to talk about our zombie problem," she said and sat down on the bed with a sigh. "I thought it could wait, but that was really bad. I'm worried that she is slipping away. For a bit, she was at least cognizant, but now? I really don't know."

He nodded. "I know what you want, but..." He waved his hand at his legs. How was he supposed to help feed her if he could barely move? "I'm not in any sort of condition to...produce."

"I've got some ideas, but they're unconventional." She made a face. "But I'm afraid unconventional is the story of my life."

"Whatever your idea is, let's try it. We need Dana on our side again."

Yuki stood and brushed herself off. "Let me talk to the others. We'll see you shortly."

When she left, he looked at the imp, who still hovered over the bed. "Are you as nervous about this as I am?"

Emery squeaked in response.