by Laken Cane
“Rune, Fie is gone.”
“What?”
“I found George unconscious on the floor. When I got him to wake up…” His swallow was loud. “His eyes are empty. He’s awake but can’t talk. Doesn’t even acknowledge me. He’s not a zombie. Just…it’s like something terrible happened and he withdrew into himself. Like that.”
“The witch has the child,” Marta said.
Lex took the phone from Rune’s numb hand. Rune heard her talking to Raze, but had no idea what she was saying. Inside her head was just white noise.
Damascus.
“She’s here,” Rune whispered.
Marta glided closer, close enough to touch. She peered down into Rune’s eyes, then shook her head. “No, darling. She’s not here.” She gestured at the area, then put her fingers against Rune’s scalp. “She’s in there.”
“What do you mean?” Jack asked. “What the fuck do you mean?”
“She’s aware of Rune. She’s welcoming the challenge. She came for Nicolas Llodra, but you have caught her interest.”
Rune realized she was nodding. “God, yes. Oh, God.” She put her hand to her mouth. I feel her. Why do I feel her?
Marta’s voice was as caressing as her fingers had been against Rune’s head. “Now you have to try. Save us, Rune. Save Nicolas. And most of all, save the little girl.”
“How does she know me?” Rune asked, breathless.
Marta’s eyes were full of ancient knowledge. “Because you are like her, Rune. And she recognizes a kindred spirit.”
But deep inside, Rune knew it was something more. Just as with Blood and Fire, she knew the witch, somehow.
Maybe in her dreams.
Or, more likely, in her nightmares.
Part Two
CONTRITION
Chapter Sixteen
Yes, she was changed.
Her world was changed.
Every step closer to her true self, to what—and who—she really was, changed her.
Suddenly the berserker was there, behind her. He pulled her unresponsive body back against him and wrapped his arms around her.
“All of you must leave,” Marta said. Her red, full lips looked soft, ornamental, almost, but the authority in her voice was unmistakable. “Rune will have to do this on her own, and staying will only ensure your deaths. The humans are coming to turn Rock County into a wasteland.” She stared down into Rune’s face. “Order them away, darling.”
It always came down to being alone.
She wet her dry, dry lips. “Leave me, guys.”
Marta nodded at Jack. “Return her phone so she can give the order to release Nicolas. Once your people release him and he feeds, he will fly through the night to reach us.”
“What’s to keep the witch from coming back for him, if I send her away?”
“There are no guarantees. But maybe next time, he will be ready for her.”
“I’m not leaving you here,” Strad said. His breath warmed her scalp. “I will not leave you.”
She took a deep breath, straightened, and stepped out of his arms. “You will, Berserker. All of you will. And I swear to you I will not be defeated. I’ll join you as soon as I can.” Do I really believe that?
Marta nodded approvingly. “She will save the world, children.”
“Denim,” Z said. His despair and depression were almost visible. He still refused to look at Rune.
She couldn’t blame him.
“Shit,” she said.
“I will find him,” Marta said. “And I’ll send him on his way. Come with me now. The witch is waiting and time is running out for the child.”
“Rune,” Jack said. “No.”
But what choice did she have? Rune wanted to smile, to be reassuring, to be confident. “I—” Her voice broke. “Get out of the county. Take George.” She straightened her spine. “I’ll fetch Stefanie and join you soon.”
But the berserker folded his arms. He towered over her. Before Strad, Raze had been the tallest of Shiv Crew at almost six feet five inches tall. Strad had at least an inch on him. “I’m not leaving Rock County until you leave Rock County.”
“Strad, the military can hurt me in only one way—by hurting my crew. If you stay here, I won’t be able to concentrate on the wicked witch of the Midwest.” She put her fingers against his chest. “Please, Berserker. Go away.”
Raze stopped his truck in the middle of the street and joined them. “I have the boy in my truck,” he said. “He hasn’t come out of his…” He motioned helplessly. “Daze.”
“Time is running out,” Jack said.
“Tick tock,” Lex said, her voice so low Rune could barely hear her. But when Rune glanced at her, Lex’s smile shone brightly against the smooth blackness of her skin. “Don’t worry about us, Rune. The only thing on your mind should be the witch, and how quickly you can kill her.”
Lex knew about evil.
Rune nodded. “I’ll—” She cocked her head, fear squeezing her throat. “I hear a car.”
As one, the crew drew shivs, guns, and in Rune’s case, claws. The cats disappeared, but Marta stood her ground, fangs peeking from her mouth.
Rune shuddered, imagining helicopters suddenly appearing and wiping out her crew. “Run, you guys.”
But then the car careened into view, going much too fast. It swerved and jumped a curb, then drove down a sidewalk as its driver tried to regain control.
“Fuck me,” Rune breathed, and retracted her claws. “It’s Ellie.”
His pale, determined face barely rose over the steering wheel, where both hands were firmly planted. His shoulders were hunched and he drove like the hounds of hell were riding his ass.
“Uh-oh,” Lex said. “Zombies are chasing our boy.”
She was right. A crowd of zombies chased the car. They chased the fucking car.
“What the hell?” Rune said, and then she ran for Ellie, Levi right beside her.
She could hear Ellis screaming, his voice high and warbling.
Lex ran at her other side. “He’d make a hell of a yodeler.”
And despite everything, Rune began laughing and couldn’t stop. Levi chortled, Lex giggled, and Rune was pretty sure the entire crew wore grins that would light up the whole world. With the exception, maybe, of Z.
Finally Ellis rolled to a stop and put his hands to his face, still screaming. When Rune nearly yanked the door off its hinges in her hurry to get it open, he screamed even louder.
“Ellie,” she yelled. “Shut the hell up.”
She had no time to coddle him, not right then. The zombies were upon them. He lowered his hands, his mouth falling open. “Rune? Levi!”
“Watch your hands.” She slammed the door. “Stay put, baby. We have to kill some monsters.”
Levi put his palm against the window. Ellis, teary, lifted his hand to do the same. Touching through the glass, they smiled at each other.
Rune shot her claws back out, dropped her fangs, and threw herself into the crowd of zombies.
She needed some mindless fighting. Dread smothered her. She did not want to fight the witch. She did not want to be alone. She did not want to meet the one who might be responsible for bringing about the end of the world.
Did not.
But she would.
Most of the zombies were Others. Others in animal form, and Others in human form. Rune ignored the fact that she still felt something for the zombies and concentrated only on destroying them.
Blood flew, drenching her, coating her, seeping into her pores. It was magical.
After all, the witch had helped make those zombies. It was only logical that some of the power would be inside them—and Rune was going to get as much of it as she could.
And in the end, when the battle was nearly won, she grabbed a zombie, ripped off his lower jaw, then punctured his neck with her fangs.
She fed.
Part of her was disgusted and ashamed.
Not only because she was so savage, so barbaric�
��she was an Other. She did what she had to do and had almost come to terms with it.
No. She was ashamed because she enjoyed it so. She drank down the taste of the witch’s magic, her power, and wanted to writhe on the ground and bathe in it.
The taste of evil.
Worse than anything was the fear that she would not beat the witch.
That instead, she would join her.
Chapter Seventeen
“Elizabeth,” she greeted, holding her cell to her ear with bloody fingers.
The zombies lay strewn across the pavement like so many torn and battered dolls, and she watched as Ellis picked his way toward her, Levi at his side.
“Rune,” Elizabeth said. “Are you out?”
“No. I’m sending the crew home, but I have to stay. I don’t have time to explain, but I need you to go right now and release Llodra. He’ll come to me.”
“Surely you know I can’t do that. Even if I could, he’s not…well enough to be released.”
“I’m telling you there is some bad shit here and if you keep Llodra, you will all die.” She squeezed the phone. “Please. Release him. Someone is coming for him and you can’t stop her.” She lowered her voice, as though that would keep Marta from hearing her. “After this is over, I’ll go pick him up.”
Elizabeth’s tone was heavy with sarcasm. “Because it was so easy the first time. Don’t forget what he did, Rune.”
“I will never forget what he did. But if you don’t let him go now, you’re all in danger. I may not be able to defeat the monster who wants him. His punishment is not as important as your lives.”
“I’ll talk to Bill Rice—”
“There’s no time. Talk to Rice after, if you must. I need Llodra out right fucking now.”
Elizabeth was a smart woman. She would help if she could. And she could. “I’ll do it. But Rune, be prepared to—”
Rune stuffed her cell into her pocket just as Ellis reached her. She pulled him into her arms, her lips at his cheek. He wasn’t much taller than she was. She inhaled his scent, the scent of life and vitality and all that was right in the world.
Ellis was pure and kind and though Llodra had either set out to turn him or just to mess with Rune’s head, Ellis remained Ellis.
And she would be thankful for the rest of her life. Her world, without Ellie, would be too damn dark.
“Hi baby,” she said.
He peered into her eyes. “You can’t stay, Rune.” His voice was thick with tears. He knew she’d have to stay.
She raised her gaze to Levi. “Take care of him.” It was a direct order—not just from his Shiv Crew captain, but from his mistress. From the woman who had brought him back from death.
He nodded. “Always.”
Ellis wiped his eyes and stepped away, his body stiff with determination. “Can we…” He tapped his chest, right over his heart, and lifted his hand, first and middle fingers crossed.
She smiled. “Yes.” Maybe for the last time. She mimicked Ellis’s gesture, and the crew did the same. Silent and solemn, cloaked in a circle of closeness and strength, they gave Ellie’s sign.
It was their promise of protection.
They were Shiv Crew, and that was what they did.
Marta watched them, mild curiosity in her gaze. Her cats had once again shown themselves. “Rune,” she said, gently. “We must go.”
Rune lowered her hand and glanced at Z. His beauty was gone, ravaged by the disease that no longer lived inside him. He stood at the edge of the group, staring into the darkness. He looked lost.
She also recognized the look of self-loathing on his face. She knew it well—it was an old, old friend to Rune Alexander.
But Z…no. She couldn’t leave him that way. Couldn’t.
“Z,” she begged, and held her hand out to him.
He looked at her then.
Looked at her with rage and distrust. And hatred.
“You shouldn’t have brought me back,” he said. “Fuck you for the evil that made you bring me back.”
Z, whose weakness was women. Who would never have hurt any female. For Rune, he would happily have died. But now, he looked at her with hatred.
She pulled back in shock. “Z.”
The crew’s sadness was so thick she could have taken a bite from it.
“What has happened?” Ellis asked softly, confused, disbelieving.
Rune swallowed and turned away. “Go home.” There were no guarantees Rune could defeat the witch. No guarantees Damascus might not decide to invade River County even if Nicolas was no longer there. “Go home and protect the city.”
Marta took her hand. “It is time.”
“Rune,” Strad roared, and strode toward her. He yanked her away from Marta, pulled her into his arms, and held her like he’d never let her go.
Not ever.
She kissed him, gently. “I won’t be long, Berserker.” I swear it. I swear it.
I will not leave my crew.
“Take care of Z,” she whispered, her lips touching the soft warmth of his ear.
And she pushed out of his arms.
She’d rather have stayed there forever than face whatever hell was waiting for her.
Once again, Marta took her hand. Eagerly. “Come, darling. Do not worry,” she told the crew. “It is not yet her time to die.”
But no one believed her. Not even Rune.
She would change, she knew it. Change in unimaginable ways.
And wasn’t change a form of death?
Wasn’t it?
She felt them behind her, watching her as she walked away. She had to put them from her mind and trust that they’d drive the fuck out of Rock County, rejoin the humans, and leave the Others to their battles.
She put her free hand to her stomach, trying to caress away the anxiety. But that wasn’t ever going to happen.
Too bad the zombies couldn’t eat her fucking memory.
“Where is the witch?” she asked Marta.
Marta held Rune’s hand as if she might run away should she let her go. “She waits in the Camp.”
“This is not going to be fun, is it?”
Marta half smiled. “I don’t believe so.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s run.”
She didn’t want to use her speed to get to hell quicker, to leave her crew behind. But she nodded, and with the strange vampire woman guiding her, sprinted toward the Camp.
The ground flew by in dizzying flashes of darkness. Marta led her out of the town, out to where the woods were deep and dotted with trees skinny and starving for color.
The limbs reached for her, as did the arms of zombies they flashed by, but nothing could stop the run of a vampire in full speed.
Or whatever she was.
And finally, they reached the Camp.
She stared up at the high fence, curled on top with razor wire and laced with silver. Through the wire she spotted small, squat buildings, arranged haphazardly around a tall, dark structure.
The tall building was where the witch waited.
Rune could feel her there, could smell her.
The Camp smelled like rotten boiled eggs.
The area inside the fence was barren and bleak, with no trees or plants to soften the sterile landscape. Tall pole lights bathed the ground with a cold illumination. Nothing moved, breathed, or cried.
“Is it abandoned except for the witch?”
Marta’s voice was grim. “No. No, it is not.”
“Why hasn’t she taken you?”
Marta pressed her lips together and was silent for so long Rune thought she might not answer her. But finally, she spoke. “Damascus is not interested in me. I am nothing to her.”
“What will she do if she gets Llodra?”
“She loved him, as much as one like her can love. She was—is—obsessed with him. He was her entire world, and he ran away. If she manages to find him, she’ll take him back and for eternity, he will be her animal.” She glanced at Rune. �
��You hate Nicolas, but if you knew what he had lived through, and what his life would be like if the witch took him again, you would feel only horror and pity.”
Rune’s body began to shake with cold reaction. Fear, insidious and strong, streaked through her.
She remembered when fear for herself rarely touched her—back when she wanted so badly to die.
Where was that girl now?
Maybe she was hidden beneath the crew’s devotion, Jeremy’s absence, and the berserker’s regard.
Maybe. But if she tried, she was pretty sure she could bring her back.
She needed her anger and her hatred. She needed her monster.
Ignoring the vampire, she wrapped her fingers around the electric fence.
“No,” Marta cried.
The shock sat Rune on fire. It started in her hands and shot through her arms to her body and into her mind that, for one second, ceased to exist.
For a second, there was just…nothing.
Then there was pain.
She accepted the pain, embraced it, and gathered it into a ball of power. And then, she shot it back out.
Sparks flew.
Marta screamed, shielded her face, and backed away.
The silver fence melted beneath Rune’s hands and ran in hot rivulets over her skin, up her arms, burning, burning.
Silver and electricity.
The Spiritgrove COS leader had attacked her with silver and electricity once, and it had incapacitated her.
No more.
The silver coated her fingers, melting into the delicate skin as it slid up over her hands, her wrists, her forearms.
It sank with a sizzle into her skin and she could feel it there, a thin, greasy layer of molten silver.
“You continue to amaze.”
The voice was male, slightly mocking, but also tinged with admiration.
Llodra had arrived.
Chapter Eighteen
She pulled the fence apart as though it were melted taffy, and without looking back, stepped inside the Camp.
When she turned around, Llodra, ravaged and ill, watched her.
He quivered—not small shivers but strong tremors that jerked his entire body. Despite his cool voice, terror lit his face. He had one hand glued to the dead fence and one hand wrapped around Marta’s arm.