by Maya Riley
“I tried to do things the easy way. Things would have been better if I’d had your cooperation, 662. Together we could have changed the world. Instead, you chose to defy me. To save your friends instead of the world.” His grin widened until he was showing every tooth he had. For someone who talked about being displeased that I wasn’t on his side, he seemed eerily cheerful. Like the killer in one of those psycho slasher movies.
“You’re torturing and killing people, with no remorse. You don’t want to change the world for good, you want to change it for your own agenda. The only reason the world is fucked the way it is now is because of you. When will you learn to stop? This lab is doing more harm than good,” I shouted at him. There was no reason to walk on eggshells around him anymore, he had no humanity left in him. For all I knew, he never had any to begin with.
The creepy grin on his face turned into a displeased sneer. “More harm than good? I’ll show you harm.”
“You’ll never touch her again,” Lincoln threatened, as Jonah flipped off a screen to my left, almost making me chuckle in surprise at the vulgarness I never knew he was capable of.
“Oh yeah? Or you’ll do what?” Dr. Crazy taunted. He was baiting us like cat and mouse, and we were falling for it. Right now he had the upper hand and we were frozen to the spot.
“I’ll burn this building to the ground.”
I turned to Lincoln, to silently warn him not to give away his secret. If this guy found out what he could do, he would be hunted by this place just as badly as I was.
“I’d like to see you try.” The face on the screen stretched into a gruesome sight, the widening mouth along with his laugh, seemed so out of place. His shoulder shifted as though he were reaching for something.
I clutched my head and keeled over in pain. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it was earlier when the doctor was right next to me, or even in the same room, but it was still enough to cripple me for a short time.
Hands grabbed me and we rushed forward toward the door at the end of the large room. As soon as we reached it, several other doors opened and rotters in tattered white lab coats began to pile out. Some were slow, dragging their feet and tripping over one another, but others were fast and broke into a sprint in our direction.
The night air felt cool against my face and helped ease the pain in my head as we burst through the doors and into the cool night. The hands around my arms pulled me harder, urging me to run faster.
Blasts of heat and light lit up the night as streams of fire flew toward the approaching enemies.
My feet tripped over the ground and I practically flew through the air, but the hands around me prevented me from face-planting in the mud. The farther we ran, the more the pain eased. We ran as fast as we could, severely outnumbered by the hundred or so rotters that were hot on our trail. A blur of orange appeared from the side and ran straight toward us. I screamed as it bounded right into Lincoln.
To be continued...
My absolutely amazing betas who pushed me to be better: Katie Ziegler, Alyssa, Nicole Hall, Amanda Northam, Leanne Athey, Rebecca Jackson, Leann Ryans, Krystle McHarg, Hope Holz, M.W., and Wifey Bo.
Special mention to Pink Tiger, Sugar Tits, and Memesturbator. They know why.
My fb sister for being the great and inspirational person that she is. She’s an amazing human being who writes phenomenal words and I hope to someday be even half as good as her: Aspen Marks
My author wife for embracing my crazy, encouraging my crazy, and possibly adding to my crazy: Bo Reid
A few of the other amazing people who helped me along the way. Whether it was reading a part of my story, reading the full story, or giving advice on how to do this authoring thing, I don’t know where I’d be without them: Loxley Savage, Scarlett Snow, Candice Wright, Blake Blessing, Lana Kole, Serena Nova, Erica Woods, Jenica Saren, BDeSM, The Sexy Slave Cave, and the Author Harem.
Maya Riley enjoys coffee, long walks on the beach, a little hair pulling and—oh… let’s start over.
Currently living in the South with her husband and personality-filled turtle, Maya has been experiencing the journey of good ole Southern cuisine, humid summers, and sassy idioms. While she can’t handle sweet tea, she more than makes up for it with her obsessive coffee consumption. When Maya is not writing or occupied by any of the millions of hobbies she has, she’s working on her fixer-upper home, laying by the pool—or in the pool, most likely with a margarita or a floating wine glass—or plotting world domination.
To keep up-to-date on releases, teasers for upcoming projects, and all-around craziness, join her reading group—Maya’s Maniacs – A Maya Riley Reading Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2415447991820445/?ref=bookmarks
Testimonials for the craziness that is Maya Riley:
“Maya lives in the South with her lazy turtle (not Shelly, but Mo), her crazy but loving husband, and a myriad of insects that she does her best to exterminate. Did she mention she has a garden? She does. It’s badass. She planted it herself.”
Big E
“Maya Riley currently resides in the South with her husband and pet turtle, Shelly or Mo. Her hobbies include gardening and margaritas. And she’s addicted to coffee.”
Big B