Unfortunate Souls (Book 1): Unfortunate Souls Series (The Unfortunate Souls Series)

by Jade M. Phillips

  “Noooo!” I crawled back toward the fire, desperation blazing through my blood.

  But Guy held me in place, his arms around my waist as I flailed. I would normally be strong enough to rip from his grasp, but in my current emotional state, I couldn’t move. I slumped in his arms, shock overtaking my body.

  “Faith.” Guy whispered in my ear. “Listen to me. You must calm down. You must focus. Look at me.”

  I released a soft sob and turned to look into my savior’s grey eyes. My teary eyes blurred his features, but the steel in his gaze drew me in. He always had a way about him that calmed me, even in the most desperate of situations.

  “You have to let go.” Guy’s voice was raspy, a sad sound. “We have to let go.”

  “But Wilson.” Tears broke free and my lips trembled. “He… he’s in there.”

  Guy shook his head and if I wasn’t mistaken, I thought I’d seen a misty gleam in his eyes. “We have two choices, Faith. We can stay here and be killed, or you can help us both escape to safety. What will it be?”

  My chest heaved and a lump formed in my throat. I clasped the picture that had been the object of my desperate move and nodded.

  “C’mon.” Guy hefted me to my feet, keeping his arms wrapped around my middle. “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

  THIRTY-FIVE: GUY

  Wilson’s sacrifice tore through my middle like a blunt sword and a collective sadness seemed to wash over the entire world in his absence. Nothing would be the same without him.

  After the explosion, Ruby had convinced me to go back and look for Wilson, but the old vampire was nowhere to be seen, the only thing left was a pile of rubble and smoking ash. Luckily, the truck had been spared and we regretfully climbed in and left the non-existent ranch house for the last time.

  The truck tires hummed across the freeway and the dim moonlight shone across the dashboard. I glanced to my side at Ruby. Neither one of us had said more than a few words since escaping from Wilson’s ranch house, now destroyed. It was as though, if we didn’t say it, it wasn’t true. Wilson had died to save us, sacrificing himself so we could escape unharmed, and it had worked. Not only had he killed himself in a fiery explosion, along with all of his technology and worldly possessions, but he had blown up the remaining FUSE soldiers along with him as well.

  And though Wilson and I always had a complicated relationship, a hollow pit opened in my stomach at his loss. He’d always been like that annoying older brother I’d never gotten along with, but knowing he was no longer of this world cast a deep shadow across my heart.

  Ruby’s violet eyes flickered across the rushing scenery, her hands lying flat in her lap. Through my bond, her sorrow flooded me, adding to my own. I’d watched how close the two had grown in our short time there and not only could I see the pain on her face but I could feel it in my heart.

  Though it was hard for me to admit, I felt bad for her. Ever since the night I’d found her, her life had been full of traumas someone her age should never have known. Heck, I’d seen more in my lifetime than any twenty-year-old should. In that, we had something in common— a tortured life, a life of countless losses. And maybe that’s why we were so deeply connected, a connection I could never claim to have had with anyone else. And from the way she looked at me at times, I knew she felt it too. It wasn’t just the blood-bond I had to her, but something deeper. Something that came from the depths of our souls. The idea of parting from her that night made my insides ache.

  Ruby sighed, her shoulders shaking with unspoken emotion. The closer we got to Tombstone, the more nervous she became. And with what had just happened to Wilson, I wasn’t sure now would be the best time to integrate her with the others. But regardless of my opinion on the matter, it had to be done. And it had to be done tonight.

  “Can we stop, please?” She looked at me, her skin paler than usual. “I just… I need some fresh air.”

  I considered her for a moment, my focus shifting between her and the road. We were in a time crunch and should not risk stopping, but I heard the desperation in her voice and felt it in my bones. She was terrified.

  At the next rest stop, I pulled from the freeway, stopping the truck in the empty parking lot next to a Ramada with stone benches. The moon cast a grey haze over everything, ethereal and dream-like. Ruby climbed out and walked into an open area of dirt. She stood there quietly, facing away from me. And then I felt it, like a gush of energy from her, a deep regret flooding her being. She blamed herself for what happened to Wilson, blamed herself for what I’d been put through, and blamed herself for her own death, the guilt crushing her like a mound of bricks.

  A plastic bag was stuck in the tree next to her and it fluttered in the breeze. I steeled myself, stood up straight, and went to her, knowing I needed to be strong for her. I could not show my weakness, my sadness, at a time like this. I placed a hand on her arm, and was glad she didn’t flinch.

  “Don’t blame yourself.” I leaned into her ear. “It’s not your fault.”

  She turned to me, her eyes wavering.

  “How? If I’d never left, if I’d never…” Her words trailed off on the breeze. Her body trembled.

  I wanted to pull her into my arms and offer her the comfort she deserved, yet I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I opted for words of wisdom instead. “I know Wilson well enough to realize he’d not want you to mourn for him. He led a long and full life, more than once telling me he would accept death with open arms.” Her downcast eyes lifted to mine, her thick lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. My chest quavered at the sight and I continued. “He was ready. And in the last moments of his life, you gave him a gift. The gift of happiness, happiness he hasn’t known for many years.”

  She sniffled, the whisper of a smile crossing her lips. “He did tell me he wanted to go down fighting. That they’d have to drag his dead body out of his house.”

  I laughed. It sounded just like Wilson. “And that’s exactly what you gave him, Faith, the fight of his life. He’s okay and happy now. He’s moved on. And now, so shall we.”

  She gazed down at her feet and kicked them into the dirt. She wore a pair of white tennis shoes I’d bought her the night I went to Lily’s gravesite.

  “You never told me.” Her voice was dry and raw, laced with sorrow. “How did you meet Wilson? What happened between you two?”

  I clenched my jaw, my past with Wilson not something I wanted to revisit. It was something I kept buried in the depths of my mind. But I owed it to her. I owed it to Ruby to tell her everything. This would be the last time I’d ever see her and I felt the least I could do was tell her the truth. I crossed to the bench beneath the Ramada and sat, my elbows resting on my knees, hands clasped together. Ruby placed herself next to me and turned inward, her knees touching mine. She waited in silence for an explanation.

  “I… ” My words went dry and I felt like I had rocks in my mouth. I’d never told anyone about that time in my life, but I reeled myself back in, shoving away my angst. I cleared my throat and started over.

  “After Lily was taken by a vampire a couple years ago, I lost it. I didn’t sleep or eat. I searched for countless days and nights. My Sergeant committed me to a mental institution and I was drugged and restrained and didn’t know which way was up. I’d started to believe them, that I was crazy.” The wind ruffled my hair and touched the back of my neck, sending shivers over my body. I made myself continue.

  “That’s when General Brandt came to visit me— the general of FUSE. He told me I wasn’t crazy after all, and confirmed everything I’d seen. He told me that vampires did exist and offered me a position within his army; he offered me revenge and safety. I agreed, hoping to one day find out what happened to her, find her kidnapper. I trained hard and was promoted quickly but the promises of revenge had been a lie. I was offered no help in my own cause, but was being used for the betterment of FUSE.”

  Ruby grazed her fingers along my arm, comforting me in my grim reverie. Except for the chirp of
a distant cricket, the silence hung thick. Too thick. I inhaled deeply and continued.

  “Not long after, I was visited one night by a vampire. A vampire who said he could help me.”

  “Wilson.” Ruby whispered.

  I nodded. “He said he could take me to Lily and help me save her. He said she was still alive.” I glanced up. Ruby’s brows furrowed with curiosity. I looked away, my chest constricting. “He wanted to help me because he’d been in a similar situation before. I had no other choice but to trust him. But when he took me there, to the coven where she had been held prisoner, it was too late.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Ruby breathed. The sympathy in her voice pulled at me. I didn’t want her to feel bad for me but I wanted to tell her the truth. I waved a dismissive hand. That had been a long time ago and I had finally let go, giving rest to my past.

  “Was Wilson caught?” Her sweet voice broke through my hazy memory and I met her eyes. “Is that why he had been in hiding? Was he caught helping you?”

  I nodded in agreement. “And in turn for his assistance, I helped him escape FUSE. I made it look like an accident. But because of his connection to me, he could not go back to Tombstone, his home. He was a traitor and would be killed. Therefore, I set him up there in Tucson to help him hide. I’ve been keeping his secret all these years.”

  We both fell silent, letting the tragedy sink in. I thought of all of the moments leading me to this point, like flipping through a storybook. I didn’t regret any of them and, especially now, I didn’t regret saving Ruby.

  “C’mon.” I stood, drawing the last bit of will power I had within me to stay strong. I offered her my hand. “Sunrise isn’t far off. We need to get you to your new home.”

  THIRTY-SIX: RUBY

  My body was stiff, paralyzed by deep regret. Guy had been right, I blamed myself for everything that had happened thus far. I blamed myself for the position Guy had been put in by saving me, for the numerous times I’d put our lives in danger, and for dying in the first place, becoming the freak of nature that I was.

  But most of all, I blamed myself for Wilson’s death. He’d sacrificed himself for us and the thought made my heart drop to my stomach and then sink to my toes. But Guy’s comforting words had helped, slightly. He was also right that Wilson would not want us to mourn over his loss. He would want us to go on. My mentor’s words permeated my mind.

  Don’t dwell on the past, only look to the future. You will be the greatest vampire the world has ever seen. There’s no mistaking it.

  I swiped a tear from my cheek before Guy could notice. I’d done enough crying, I’d been sad for long enough. Now, it was time to look ahead and use my second chance at life for the better. I was alive after all, even if it was in the body of a hybrid vampire. Only, I wished that Guy could be there with me. Be there to see me through it.

  The thought of leaving him spread through me like itchy spider webs, uncomfortable and wrong. But we had to separate and both of us knew it.

  The ride had been silent since leaving the rest stop, since Guy finally revealed his true relationship with Wilson to me. Now I knew why there had been so much tension between them and for some reason, unwanted jealousy struck me over their closeness, as dysfunctional as it had been. I wanted that with Guy, some semblance of stability, a relationship, someone I could trust. I resorted to the fact that maybe I’d find acceptance in Tombstone, finally finding the family I so yearned for.

  Guy lowered the volume of the radio and scanned the road. We didn’t have long until we reached Tombstone, Arizona— the city of Unfortunate Souls. My stomach fluttered nervously, but I tried to keep calm. We rolled down highway 80 and I focused on the soft hum of the tires.

  “I almost forgot.” Guy broke the silence and reached into his pocket. “I got you something.”

  I regarded him suspiciously, wondering what on Earth could he have gotten me.

  He held something in his fist while keeping his line of sight on the road. I met his hand with mine and he let the gift fall into my palm. I opened my fingers to find a rosary with beads of polished pearls and a wooden cross. I let it dangle from my fingers and gasped at its allure. Guy’s warm kindness spread from my chest throughout my body.

  “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  Guy nodded but didn’t reply.

  I gazed at the gift, thoughts of something I’d heard long ago coming to mind. I creased my brows, curious. “Wait. Isn’t there something about vampires and crucifixes? Will this hurt me?”

  Guy chuckled for the first time in what felt like forever, as though everything was going to be okay. He cast his stormy gaze my way and smiled. “An old wives’ tale. Put it on, if you want.”

  I draped the long, beaded necklace over my head and laid it against my chest, holding the cross between my fingers. It brought back a myriad of memories from my childhood, my past. Though my family had never been devout Catholics, we came from a long line of religious families and frequented Mass on holidays and special occasions. I smiled at the gift, being reminded of a rosary my Grandmother had given me on my thirteenth birthday.

  “Where did you get this?” I asked in awe, rubbing the wood between my fingertips. The tip of the cross was pointy like a spike.

  Guy turned on the blinker and it clicked quietly as he changed lanes. He peered into the rearview mirror. “I found it in the old abandoned mission the night you turned. I… I couldn’t find the right time to give it to you.”

  I held it to my chest, cupping the present in my hands. “Now’s perfect.”

  “I guess you could call it a late birthday gift.” Guy spoke softly, keeping his eyes on the road. My heart swelled in my chest in realization as I gazed upon his profile. My next words came out breathless.

  “You remembered…”

  Surprisingly, Guy returned a radiant smile, pleased with my response to his present. After all we’d been through, here I’d thought my birthday had gone unnoticed in the hours of my transformation, but he’d remembered all the same. My heart threatened to explode with joy as I studied the lines of his face, trying to memorize the sharpness of his cheekbones and the scruff on his chin. I noted the way highway lights flickered over him, casting him into light and shadow, over and over again. It was like a dream I never wanted to wake up from, a dream where, for once in my life, I felt completely safe and happy. But the contentment would be ending in a matter of minutes, our time together coming to a close.

  Guy glanced back into the rearview mirror, concern crossing his face. It sent a sudden shiver of dread through me.

  “What’s wrong?”

  His gaze flickered from the mirror to the road and back again. He stretched his neck to the side before speaking.

  “There’s been someone behind us since we left the rest stop.”

  Jeez, I hadn’t noticed. I frowned warily. “Could it just be another driver on the road?”

  His fingers grasped tightly to the wheel, his knuckles white. But his countenance belied his fear. He seemed calm and in control, but beneath it all I knew he was nervous.

  “That’s what I thought at first, but I’m not so sure now. We’re going to take a detour.” Guy turned at the next exit and I looked behind us to see a large black SUV follow us down the ramp. “Damn it,” he cursed.

  Again, he took the next right and then another left, the SUV following our every move.

  “Who do you think it is?” I asked, kneading my fingers together nervously. Great. That was the last thing we needed, to be caught when we were so close.

  “FUSE.” His eyes darted back to the mirror. “I’d recognize those Black SUVs anywhere.”

  “FUSE?” I gulped past the lump in my throat. Just the sound of the word caused fear to crawl through me and in my mind, I was suddenly back at Wilson’s house, the FUSE soldier pointing a gun to my head. I shuddered.

  “How did they find us?”

  His expression drew in, tight and alert. “They have eyes everywhere, and being in a stolen vehicle
probably doesn’t help.”

  I glanced behind us again and saw the vehicle right on our tail, but could not make out the person or people inside. My body swayed with the movement of our truck and my pulse raced. “I don’t want you to get in trouble,” I said, thinking that ever since I’d turned into this creature, it seemed everyone I got close to was in danger. Everything around me was like a minefield, ready to explode at any moment. I couldn’t bear it if Guy got caught because of me.

  “I won’t get in trouble,” Guy said as if reading my mind. He shifted his eyes to the mirror. “No one has seen me yet. I just need to lose this guy, get you to Tombstone safely, and get myself back to headquarters fast as possible.”

  Before I had time to respond, Guy made a hairpin turn in the road, the tires grinding and spinning onto a dirt drive. My body jolted to the side, hitting the door.

  “Hold on tight, Faith.” Guy slid a gaze my way, smirking childishly. “This is going to be a bumpy ride.”

  The truck lurched forward and I gripped my thighs in angst as sparsely populated ranches and farms flew by, the black SUV still hot on our trail.

  “It’s a good thing I picked a four wheel drive.” Guy chuckled as we swerved and jumbled over the bumpy terrain. I looked over at him and could tell he was enjoying himself now, his boyish smile making me giggle despite our dire circumstances.

  I looked behind us again to see the vehicle closing in and my heart hammered in my chest in response. “We’re not losing them.”

  “He’s an amateur.” Guy tightened his hands on the wheel. “He hasn’t seen nothin’ yet.”

  He slammed the pedal to the floorboard and dust poured out from the back of our truck, fogging the way for our pursuer. We made a quick right and sped around a bend until coming to an overpass. Instead of ascending the bridge, Guy bucked us off the road and down a steep hill, the truck almost vertical.

  My voice cracked in my throat and I held tight to the side bar. I pushed my back against the seat to stay upright. “Are you sure about this?”