Chosen (The Chosen Few Trilogy #1) (14 page)

“Any sign of
the s
hadow phenomenon?
”

“
Some of the smoke is moving against the wind.
”

“
Those people in there,
”
Myleene hesitated.
“
They
…
well…the rising evil no doubt attracted them. If they weren’t criminal-minded before, they damn well will be now. It will have consumed their minds.
”

“
Meaning?
”

“Bleeding hell, Cleaver. Use your brain. Ever see Dawn of the Dead?
Resident Evil? Gaines might be planning to send them into Miami. Don
’
t forget, you are at the epicentre. Miami
is New Babylon-
the
focal point
of the evil that is rising. Stay safe, Cleaver. And
don‘t
rush into this one.
”

“
They
’
re just people in there,
”
Cleaver wondered if Gaines might be testing him again.
“
They didn
’
t harm anyone before today.
”

“
Remember this- evil attracts evil. There
’
s a reason those people answered a calling at the damn mall, and I‘m gues
sing it‘s not for Popeye’s chicken and biscuits
. You might have every child molester and serial killer in the freaking southern States running amok in there.
”

“Radio says people have been seen leaping into the flames.”

“
I understand.
”
Myleene’s voice was a disturbed whisper.
“
But-”

“
Understand this-
”
and Cleaver snapped his cell shut mid sentence.

If you
’
re gonna save the world, you gotta pick a time to start,
Cleaver thought as he pulled one side of his duster back.

His shotgun, concealed by a shoulder holster, swung into sight.
He began to thread his way through the haphazard lines of police cruisers. Miami PD began to move. Cleaver’s thoughts were all about the innocents who might be trapped in the mall- the women with young kids and babies in strollers. The school kids out for a coke and a smile. The families, the geeks, the students. All the potential Josh Walker
’
s. If he could help them
,
he would.

The noise level grew as he approached the front line. At that moment there was a commotion ahead and shots rang out. Everyone ducked for cover. Cleaver bobbed down behind a civilian Chrysler, suddenly fin
ding his view blocked by a
large
guy
with the SWAT legend
across his back.

“
Damn it.
”
Cleaver raised his head cautiously.
He saw a
policeman caught half way between here and th
e mall entrance, frozen in fear
like a rabbit trapped in a searchlight. And people were
from the mall were chasing him down!

People covered in blood, with open wounds, wielding makeshift weapons.

“
Shit!
”
Cleaver was up in an instant, sweeping his duster aside like a cape and freeing his shotgun. Officers around him read the situation and began to shout at their colleague to get the hell out of there.

Taken by surprise, almost everyone stood and watched. Or shouted. Or scratched their heads.

Cleaver was
already
two thirds of the way there. The officer caught sight of him. Cleaver saw his eyes go wide with fear.
Shit!
The cop didn
’
t know Cleaver was one of the good guys.

More gunfire rang out. Cleaver watched in horror as the cop spun in place, spraying blood. Cleaver reached him a second later, catching him with one hand and firing his shotgun with the other. Reloading one-handed Cleaver scooped the cop up and backed away. Officers behind him laid down covering fire.

There was a hiss like gallons of boiling
water
and then a white streak shot from one of the malls windows. A SWAT truck instantly exploded in a roiling mass of metal and flame.

“
Jesus fuck!
”
Someone cried.
“
They just fired a fucking
missile!
”

A second streak shot from a different window. Screams of warning filled the air. Cleaver automatically ducked as the missile flew over his head and hit something big behind him. He heard the
whoosh
of a huge explosion and then a blast of heated air drove him to his knees. Cleaver used the distraction to drag the wounded cop the last few yards over the police line. Other cops rushed to help, eyeing Cleaver with quiet respect. A medic rushed towards them.

The blood-soaked people were returning to the mall.

Cleaver took a deep breath then turned around to a scene of bedlam. At least four cruisers had been destroyed by
the second missile
. Nothing but twisted metal and flames remained. Cleaver saw three cops lying nearby, unmoving, broken as if they
’
d been thrown down from the uncaring hands of a passing giant.

Uniforms ran in and out of the turmoil. Someone shouted on a bullhorn to pull back the perimeter. Cleaver turned back to the burning shopping mall.

Was this ‘all Hell’ starting to break loose?

21

YORK, ENGLAND

I woke in the dead of night.
The rain
bea
t against the window and a
wind blasted around the eaves. I climbed out of bed
and padded
to the window. The garden below was under assault from the elements. Security night-lights flicked themselves on and off as trees and shrubbery waved. I stared harder, wondering if there were any vamps or lycans down there.

I
f I woke at this time
normally
, it would be because of an old,
unresolved guilt called Raychel
.
Mentally, I shook my head.  Memories of Raychel inevitably led to raw reflection on Lucy. The thought of an early coffee in the warm security of the kitchen beckoned me
, along with the
chance
I might bump into Belinda.

The kitchen was occupied, but only by
Felicia. I hesitated
.

“
Come on in, Logan,
”
she said with a
smile.
“
I won
’
t eat you.
”

I sniffed the air.
“
Coffee?
”

“
Mmmm. Belinda
’
s finest,
”
Felicia smirked.
“
We all drink it when she
’
s asleep.
”

I
took a seat, smiling
when the small Lycan placed a hot mug before me. I watched as she took the seat opposite. She was perfectly formed, this
Uberhuman,
and she looked like a bundle of fun. The sparkling ring at her navel drew my attention again.

“
It
’
s not silver, it
’
s steel,
”
sh
e followed my eyes
.

“
Is it
. . .
symbolic?
”

“
It
’
s an Uber thing.
”
She shrugged, then gave me a sly smile. “I have them. . .in other places too.”

I
did my best to ignore that one,
leaned back in my chair and took a sip of coffee. The winds howled outside and rain rattled against the windows.

I said,
“
I know nothing about Ubers. God, I never even knew you existed before
…”
I paused. Christ, what day was it anyway?

“
Lycans are the
best
Ubers,
”
she grinned.
“
We turn when the mood takes us. We change back at will. We can live among humans easily, so long as we stay clear of silver. We are completely free.
”

She
unwrapped a chunk of expensive chocolate marked with the Ghirardelli seal.

“
And vamps?
”

“
Chained forever by their reliance on blood. By their duty to their Shades. By their aversion to sunlight. And by their incessant need for material gain.
” She bit off a chunk of chocolate and pulled an ecstatic face.

“
Vamps like power?
”
I guessed. “And all its trappings?”

“
Ceriden owns two
Maserati
'
s
and uses a Bentley for the grocery run. His home is worth millions. Tristran, his direct superior, lives in Las Vegas, in a new apartment built on the Strip. The complex has its own beach. The saying among Ubers goes:
behind every great man, there
’
s a great fang.
They
’
re everywhere.
”

I tried to keep the shock off my face as my view of the world shifted.
“
Wow.
”

“
Vamps bask in power.”

“
But lycans are free?
Why do you say that?
”

Felicia moved her head so her masses of blonde hair framed her perfect face.
“
Okay, Logan, I
’
ll try to explain.
”
She didn
’
t sound condescending, just earnest.
“
It
’
s the freedom of being here in this house today, but knowing I could be just as happy in the depths of a forest or on the wilds of the moors tomorrow. It
’
s the freedom of being able to mingle, with anyone, anytime. We don
’
t need anything material to be happy.
We just need the Run, passion, sex, excitement. All the best things that gets your blood up.
Could
you
say that? Could any other species?
”

Felicia took a breath and fixed me with her deep saucer-like eyes.
“
But, most of all, it
’
s the wild, uninhibited sense of the Run. When we change we are raw nature, untamed and unbound
,
beyond regulation
and rule.
T
he Run
is true freedom
, Logan
, the passing of tree and root, the caress of the harsh sun or the silvery moon upon your flawless body. When you get that kind of release, well, that
’
s why you howl.
”

I didn
’
t know what to say. She made it sound so good.

“
Don
’
t believe a word
,
”
a new voice boomed from behind me. I started, almost spilling my coffee as I whipped around.

Ceriden said,
“
Sorry, Logan, dearest. Us
‘
material-beings
’
tend to move without making much sound.
”

I lifted my mug.
“
Grab a coffee.
”

“
Is it double blended?
”
Ceriden asked.
“
With blood and a pinch of Bram?
”

I certainly hoped not, but before I could speak Ceriden went on,
“
Felicia, I simply
love
the way your belly-button ring sparkles when you twist it, but
please
give it a break.
”
He made a nauseous sound.

Felicia screwed her face up.
“
This,
coming
from a
vampire
?
”

Ceriden waggled his long fingers at her.
“
Felicia misrepresents us, I feel. Have you been on the
‘
Shrooms again, poodle?
”