Vampire Apocalypse #2 Cataylst (4 page)

“We were close to the safe house when that
happened. I should have gone onto the next, but I turned and went
back. At first I thought that Mother would come and get me, but
when I realized that she wasn’t coming back, I tried to make do on
my own. I was careless in the beginning. I stayed too long. I was
too small to fight the wolves. I could barely shoot a gun. Besides,
the shots attracted the Trackers.” She shrugged, watching Will put
the pot of snow over the fire, setting it on top of the logs.
“Where’d you find wood?” He had the feeling that she was going to
ask something else, and the fact that there were logs distracted
her. Trees that weren’t covered in ice were scarce.

“It’s not wood,” he replied. “It’s a firelog.
They burn forever. Each bike is outfitted with a pack in case a
storm sets in and the guard can’t return to the palace. They were
in the frame of the bike, along with other things we need—well, the
basic stuff anyway.”

She nodded and watched the logs. They weren’t
wood. Kahli could see it when she looked closer. Although it had
the appearance of bark along the surface, it was too perfect to
have grown that way. The fire did not consume the log. Instead it
glowed an orange-red and danced with flames, but the log was still
the same size as it was when she awoke.

“So,” Will said, steering her back to the
conversation, “How long did you stay in that safe house?”

Kahli watched him, her pink lips parted. He
felt her emerald eyes on the side of his face, burning a hole with
her contemptuous gaze. “Why are you asking?”

Will sat in front of the fire and shrugged.
“Seemed like a good question. Everyone wonders how you survived so
long, alone.” His voice trailed off. He didn’t want to push her and
he wasn’t ready to admit what he knew.

Kahli stared into the flames, breathing
softly, until she admitted, “I wasn’t completely alone.” She
glanced at Will.

Will didn’t pretend to be surprised.
Misleading her was bad enough, he didn’t want to compound it by
lying, too. He cursed to himself when he realized it was the same
thing—an omission was a lie. They were two parts of the same
deception.

“But you knew that,” she added after watching
him for a moment. He didn’t look at her. Instead Will removed the
steaming liquid from the fire and set it down. “It was you, wasn’t
it? The food and water? The one who chased off the wolves that
first time I left the safe house?” Her jaw hung open like she
couldn’t believe it. “Why?” she breathed, and inched toward him.
When he didn’t answer she touched his arm. The sensations she
caused, the river of heat that flooded up his arm, made him jump.
She was right there, those endless green eyes right in front of
him. “You never lost track of me, did you?” Her eyes darted back
and forth between his, wanting an answer that he couldn’t give.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he
lied, but he was sure she felt it. He was certain she knew.

Kahli didn’t press him. Instead she sat back
and lifted off her coat, revealing the torn dress beneath. Blood
soaked through the once violet front panel of her bodice. Kahli
reached around to unlace the corset strings. They were looser than
they had been. Will must have done it when he saved her. She pulled
the strings and felt the bodice loosen.

“What about the clothes? They’re covered in
blood.”

Will nodded. He handed her something white. A
microfiber body suit. “It’s kind of ugly, but it’s warm.”

“It looks like underwear,” Kahli said,
looking at it in her hands. It felt light like one of the frivolous
dresses they put her in at the palace.

Will laughed, “It’s not. It’s a synthetic
bodysuit that the Trackers wear under their outer coats. It
protects from frostbite without hindering movement.”

“Meaning I can still fight in this thing...”
she said looking at it.

Will nodded, “Exactly.”

Kahli hesitated before looking up. This was
the second time she was undressing in front of Will. As soon as she
realized it, her heart pounded harder. She knew he felt her pulse
racing, even though he didn’t smile this time. Instead he turned,
offering her privacy.

“Thank you,” she said softly, and he
nodded.

“There’s a cloth in there,” Will said. He
pointed over his shoulder toward the pot. “Use it to wash off the
blood. It might take a few tries. Do your hair last so your head
isn’t wet very long. We can bundle you in one of the microfoil
blankets so you don’t freeze.”

“I’ve done this before, Will.” After a
moment, she shivered. Will could hear her teeth chattering, but it
was more jarring to feel the frigid air on her damp skin burst
through the blood bond.

“I know,” he replied. “I just don’t want
anything else to go wrong. We need to get out of here as fast as
possible.”

The water splashed onto the cave floor as she
rinsed off the dried blood. Kahli’s teeth chattered as she asked,
“Where are we going?”

“To the nearest safe house.” His back was to
her, but he could feel her still and stare at him.

“Why?”

“They need to be desperate before we bring
you back. If they think they can find you on their own, my plan
won’t work.”

Kahli’s voice hitched, “Bring me back? I
thought you were kidding before. We can’t go back. The King will
finish ripping my throat out—”

“After he does the same to me. Yes, I’m aware
of that.” The sound of water splashing in the bowl nearly made him
turn. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She sounded agitated.

“Don’t bother lying to me. I can tell. What’s
wrong?” He stared at the wall as he said it. A moment later he felt
Kahli’s hand on his shoulder. He turned slowly, not knowing what to
anticipate. He still expected a fist in his stomach when she
touched him.

Kahli stood in front of him naked, clutching
the microfoil blanket to her chest. It was wrapped around her
waist, but didn’t cover much of her legs. Kahli shivered and
pointed to her neck, her fingers trailing the pale white line until
it turned red and ran down her back. “This was a lot worse than I
thought.” He nodded slowly, his eyes locked on hers. Will wanted to
wrap his arms around her, but he didn’t move. “It feels like my
back didn’t heal right and I can’t see it. What’s wrong with
it?”

Her fingers traced the King’s wound. It
circled her neck and trailed over her shoulder and down her back,
stopping right above her shoulder blade. Will looked at it closer
when she turned. He examined the wound when she was injured and was
surprised by how deep it was. She was lucky to be alive.

Will pushed her hair away and looked closer.
“Nothing. It’s just more grime and dried blood. Hand me the cloth
and I’ll wipe it off.” Kahli gave it to him. Will dabbed the hot
water on the wound. Kahli flinched when he did it. “Does that
hurt?” he asked, surprised.

“No,” she gritted her teeth, her voice
suddenly sarcastic, “it tickles.”

“Really?” Will asked glancing at her.

She laughed and looked over her shoulder at
him, smiling. “No, not really. It felt like you were ripping my
skin off. Do you believe everything I say, Will Tatum? Or does my
bare skin make your brain not work as well?” The look she gave him
made his cheeks burn.

“Both, actually, bare skin and a general lack
of brains pretty much sums me up. Now, stop fooling around.
Something’s not right. This shouldn’t hurt at all anymore.” He
smiled at her softly as a shiver raked across her body again. He
moved her closer to the fire so she’d stop shivering. “Try to hold
still.”

“Easy for you to say,” she laughed. Before
she knew what happened, Will opened his shirt and wrapped his arms
around her. The bare skin on her back was pressed flush against his
naked chest. The runes flamed to life, warming her chilled skin.
The laughter died on her lips and Kahli stiffened in his arms.

Will’s breath caught in his throat, as his
heart pounded harder. Khali’s scent filled his head. “My runes are
forged from fire and blood. They burn under your touch. I can warm
you whenever you need it.” Kahli seemed paralyzed for a moment but
she managed to nod her head. “I’m going to let go and look at your
back now.” Will did as he said, running the pads of his fingers
over the wound. It didn’t heal properly, but he didn’t know why. As
his fingers pressed it, Kahli winced. “I’m sorry,” he breathed,
lifting his hand from her tender wound.

“What’s wrong?” she asked after a moment.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “It doesn’t look
like a vampire wound. There’s something strange about it.”

“Can you try to fix it?” she asked, looking
back at him. Will nodded once and lowered his gaze to her back.

He pressed the hot water on the spot and
washed away the remains of the blood. Kahli’s pale flesh was marred
by an angry red gash. It was almost as if... Will went still when
he realized what it was. He stared in disbelief. How did he miss it
before? Cursing, he reached into his pocket and grabbed a knife.
Moving swiftly, Will thrust the blade over the flames. The metal
heated in his hand, burning him, but Will didn’t let go.

This screwed them. Completely.

“What is it?” Kahli asked. She sensed his
desperation. She watched the knife being heated by the flames and
knew it was for her, to remove whatever was under her skin.

“It looks like a Tracking chip, but I can’t
be sure until it’s out. If it’s a chip, we’re in trouble. We need
to get it out and get out of here. Now. I sterilized the blade.
I’ll remove it and mend you. Let me.” He wasn’t asking, Will was
telling her that he’d need to heal her. Kahli’s stomach felt like
she was in a free fall. She nodded and turned away from him.

“Do it.” She gritted her teeth, as her body
tensed, waiting for the burning knife to touch her back.

Will’s knife bit into her skin. Kahli’s body
remained rigid, her hands balled into fists, as she clenched her
teeth. Kahli swallowed the scream building in her throat, but tears
sprang from her eyes. She felt the tiny shard come free and before
Will tossed it in the fire, she said, “No. Save it.”

“Kahli, we don’t have time,” Will said, but
the look she gave him instantly silenced him. Will pocketed the
chip, knowing it was leading the palace guard, and possibly the
King, directly toward them. Without asking, he cut the palm of his
hand on his knife. Cupping his hand, he allowed the blood to pool
in the center. He held it out to Kahli, “Drink it.”

Fear flashed in her eyes, but she did as he
said. Her pink lips were stained crimson as she swallowed a
mouthful of his blood. Then Will turned her quickly and examined
her back. The skin was pink and tender, but was no longer bleeding.
Relieved, Will kissed her on the forehead before realizing what
he’d done.

Kahli blinked up at him. Looking down at her,
he wished they had more time. There were things to say and he might
not get another chance, but if they didn’t leave now, they’d
die.

“The chip?” he asked, wondering what she
wanted to do with it. That chip tracked pulse and location, linking
back to an archaic GPS system from before the flood. It was an
effective way to keep tabs on humans who were a flight risk.

Kahli’s lips pulled into a grin. “The chip
will be taking a ride on the wolf express, away from us.”

Will couldn’t help but smile. Kahli was soft
and tough, kind and brutal, cunning and crazy—but those qualities,
as conflicted as they seemed, only made him like her more.

CHAPTER 6

Reginald never caught a break. Ever since he
was a child, he was always second to his sister. Sophia was the
epitome of the perfect child, even though she was a girl. It
angered him to even consider it. He fared nothing but
disappointment after disappointment. Bitterness coated his tongue
so frequently that it never shocked him. Not anymore.

He was lucky to make it out of the palace
before Sophia turned on him. Even with that little bit of blood,
she was more powerful than he’d seen her in very long time.
Everything came down to blood, blood is power, and Reginald wanted
power. He was sick of his life, of trading exotics to maintain his
meager status.

The truck he was riding in rumbled on. The
driver speed away from the Queen faster than was reasonable in the
ice and snow, but Reginald offered him a stipend of blood if the
vamp managed to get them away from Sophia alive. That was all the
driver needed. The trucked bounced over the poorly constructed
roads, until there was no road to follow. The setting sun blinded
them, casting a dazzling array of white light in their faces, as
they drove westward.

Reginald slumped back into his seat once they
were off of Sophia’s property, sighing with relief. “Good man,” he
said to Thomas, the vampire driving the truck. Thomas didn’t take
his eyes off the road. He just grunted like a pig. Reginald
lamented the passing of high society when vampires didn’t digress
to making livestock noises while driving a truck. Civilized
conversation was something only attainable at court. Thomas was a
portly vampire with onion colored skin that was far too sheer. The
lack of blood did that, made them sickly and weak. Thomas would do
just about anything for an extra ration. If Reginald wasn’t a
Regent, he didn’t know what he’d do. That was about the only bit of
luck he had from being Sophia’s sibling.

“Drive carefully, but quickly. If we get back
to the house before the storm sets in, I’ll add another drop to
your ration.”

Thomas’ lips twitched, like he was happy, but
the man was never happy. No one was. “Thank you, sir.”

“Yes, well, you’re far too ghastly to look at
anymore.” Reginald waved his hand while he spoke, “If you don’t
increase your blood intake, you’ll wilt away into nothing.”

Thomas didn’t reply. There was nothing to
say. Human blood was scarce and each vampire only had so much. Many
vamps perished from lack of sustenance. Things were not like the
old days, although Thomas was too young to remember those days.
Perhaps, that was why the man was not bitter
, Reginald
thought to himself as he studied Thomas’ profile.