Dead Hearts (Book 2): Forsaken Hearts

by Susanne L. Lambdin

  The moment the commander went outside, Thor heard her shouting.

  “What the hell are guys doing out here? This camp is on Code 3. Everyone is on guard duty. Get back to your RVs. Get your weapons and stand at your posts. Loki, I see you over there. Go get the rest of your team and come back here. The Vikings are to stand guard at the waterfall. I’ll send Raven when I can. Move it, people!”

  Thor gazed at Star. Her eyes were an amazing shade of hazel. Her perfume smelled like flowers and citrus. He’d known for some time that Star liked him. Everyone said she did. Star never talked to him, but he’d caught her watching him, many times. He couldn’t help himself and kissed her. Her passion was explosive, which he returned in kind, holding her tighter as he pulled her petite body onto his lap, never breaking the kiss.

  It would take a few minutes for Loki to get back with the remaining Vikings. They had time.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Four

  Blaze stood outside of the RV, too frightened and upset to go inside to tell Dodger and Smack about Freeborn. She felt like a coward, hovering next to Whisper as he quietly smoked a cigarette. She took it from his mouth. Taking a few puffs, she coughed but didn’t put it out, finding it steadied her nerves despite the nasty taste.

  “Calm down,” said Whisper.

  “I can’t go in there and tell them. They are going to take this hard. Freeborn is like their big sister. Smack will think she’s at fault for going after that camera, while Dodger will take the blame to make her feel better. I can’t handle the drama. I’d rather stay out here with you and just pretend it didn’t happen. Is that so wrong?”

  “Why don’t we go in, put in a DVD, and watch Lost? They’re probably not even in the RV. Dodger likes to hang out with the Razorbacks and play cards. I bet Smack is over at the creek, fishing with the Amazons. They’ve probably already heard, Blaze. We might as well take advantage of a few free hours of alone time and relax. I’m tired as hell.”

  “You don’t want to face them either.” Blaze felt a little better when he came over and hugged her. “This is the worst thing possible that could have happened.”

  “Not really,” said Whisper. “The Dark Angels have brought all sorts of goodies with them. I know Dragon’s skeptical, but Rose may have a cure. She snatched the prototype right out from under the Kaiser’s nose.” He removed the cigarette from her fingers, flicked it aside, and kissed her.

  “If you’re going to do that, then I want to stay right here,” said Blaze.

  “We can kiss on the couch. Come on. Don’t be a chicken. If they’re in there, we’ll pretend everything is okay until you’re ready to tell them. Okay?”

  “Okay,” said Blaze.

  Entering the RV, they found it empty. Whisper went through the kitchenette to reach the shower. She heard the water turn on as she went to the opposite end of the RV, entered the bedroom where the girls’ slept, closed the door, and stripped. Putting on clean clothes, she came out a few minutes later to find Dodger and Smack seated on the couch. Whisper was in the kitchen fixing them all a soft drink.

  “I told them. I couldn’t help it,” said Whisper.

  “Yeah,” Dodger said, wiping away a tear. “Of all the times to have that big talk with us, it had to be about Freeborn. If we hadn’t run off to go into the store, the zombies wouldn’t have had time to surround the Jeep.”

  “Freeborn should have climbed into the Jeep when Thor honked,” said Blaze. “Don’t blame yourselves because she wanted to play General Patton.”

  Dodger looked confused. “Who?”

  Smack had already cried enough for one day. She hid her face behind a pillow. Her shouts came out muffled. “Why did anyone have to be bitten? Unless it was Rafe! I hate him!”

  Blaze went over and sat between the two young Tigers. She sniffed the air at the sound of popping kernels in the microwave. It was nice to have a generator that worked and electricity to use modern conveniences. “Is that popcorn I smell?”

  “Yep,” said Whisper. He set a bowl filled with hot popcorn on the coffee table and went over to flip on the TV. A banner scrolled on the lower edge of the screen. He read it out loud. “Stay tuned for Halloween Night’s ‘Death Games.’ Aries of Athens will be competing for the world title against a new opponent to be released later. Find out more on Vampire TV, brought to you by the Kaiser.” The banner scrolled past continually. “Is this for real? This guy has to be a joker. Who is Aries of Athens? And what are the Death Games?”

  “It’s got to be bad.” Smack was upset. “Anything named ‘death’ is bad.”

  Dodger looked around for the remote. “Couldn’t the Kaiser at least give us some world news? Tell us how many people are still alive? The guy is crazy. We’ve got to stop him.”

  “Let’s not talk about the Kaiser.” Blaze went over to the TV and slipped in a disc with episodes of Lost. “Anyone up for a marathon?” Three hands went up. “That’s more like it. We can have popcorn and pretend McDonald’s will reopen. I’d give anything for French fries.”

  “Move,” shouted Smack, Dodger, and Whisper, waving her aside.

  The first episode started and Blaze shooed the kids off of the couch. “I want to sit next to Whisper,” Blaze said. “We’re a thing now Grab pillows and a blanket and make a pallet on the floor. You’re both dirty.”

  “Yes, mom,” said Dodger, muttering under his breath. He lay beside Smack where she’d gathered the pillows. Both kicked their shoes off, sharing the same blanket.

  Whisper set the bowl of popcorn on the floor. Blaze came over, cuddling against him. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so happy under such miserable conditions. When Cadence came in later to check on them, she’d have to ask her about the Death Games and Aries of Athens. The Dark Angels had to know what was going on, and it was time they started talking.

  * * *

  Barging into the infirmary, Dragon saw Logan and Raven tying Freeborn to the surgery table. Freeborn saw him and quickly looked away. Dragon heard her loud sobs. He’d never seen Freeborn cry, though she certainly had a good reason.

  Logan stood several inches taller than Dragon and had fifty pounds on him. The man was nothing more than a scavenger in Dragon’s opinion, yet the guy acted like he was better than everyone else. Dragon tried not to react when he walked over to the table, and Logan gave him an angry look.

  “What are you doing here?” Logan asked. “I thought the Blue Devils were guarding the door. Why did they let you in?”

  “Boyfriend, remember.” Raven signaled Logan to zip it and went over to the fridge. Inside it were ten shelves filled with items the Dark Angels had brought. She found what she wanted, and set it out on a tray, clearly expecting Rose to appear any second.

  Logan walked over to the door. “I need a break,” he said. “Try not to administer the wrong pain medicine, Raven. You don’t want to kill your friend.”

  Laughing at his tasteless joke, Logan went out the door, letting it slam shut behind him. The tension in the room left with Logan, and Dragon breathed a little easier. Dragon approached Freeborn, his hands in his pockets.

  “Hey, babe,” said Dragon. “Trying to face this all alone? You don’t always have to act so strong and tough. That’s for me to do.”

  “You’re not doing a very good job of it,” Raven said, filling a syringe with the contents from a vial.

  Freeborn’s coat was off. Her arms and legs were tied to the table with heavy straps. A large bite mark, plainly visible on her right hand, festered. The zombie had taken a nice-sized chunk out her flesh. The skin around the bite was an angry red color. Zombie bites didn’t bleed. The blood coagulated within seconds, leaving behind a black scab-like covering. Dragon didn’t want to think about tomorrow or the next day. His entire life was lying on the surgery table.

  “I didn’t want you to see me like this,” cried Freeborn. “Cadence promised she wouldn’t tell anyone, especially you, and now the whole camp knows. Everyone will be afraid of me. You wo
n’t want to touch me.”

  Raven let out a snort. “Duh,” she said. She was wearing Latex gloves.

  “You’re not going to end up a zombie, so knock it off,” said Dragon, fighting off panic. He wasn’t fooling Freeborn. Her chances weren’t good. She gave him a sad, little smile. “I also don’t happen to be just anyone. I’m the guy who loves you, remember?” He leaned over and placed a hand on her arm. “Be strong. Fight it, babe. I’m staying right here.”

  Freeborn turned her head, gazing at him with eyes that remained a normal shade of brown. For now, he thought. She hadn’t started to turn. It wasn’t the smartest idea, but she was still human, and he needed to show her that he wasn’t afraid. Rising to his feet, he kissed her on the lips.

  “I’m sorry I was careless,” said Freeborn.

  “It’s okay but I wish you had told me earlier,” said Dragon. “I can’t imagine how hard this is on you. I’m sure Rose will figure something out. She brought everything she could lay her hands on from the Kaiser’s lab, including a prototype of the cure everyone is talking about will work. Isn’t that right, Raven?”

  “That’s right. It’ll be fine,” Raven said, pretending to be optimistic for once.

  Freeborn blinked rapidly. Tears spilled down her cheeks. He brushed them away with his fingers. “Did we get good pictures?” she asked.

  “Yes. Cadence and Highbrow have reviewed them. Now that we have an idea of what we’re up against, they’re taking things very seriously. You’ll be back in action in no time.”

  “I’m going to turn.” Freeborn looked away. “You know it’s true.”

  Raven held up the syringe. For a second, Dragon thought Raven was going to administer the prototype cure. She always liked to take the credit for everyone else’s accomplishments. This time he didn’t care.

  “It’s not what you think it is,” said Raven. “I’m going to give Freeborn a shot of morphine. Maybe I’m not the one to make that decision, but I’m doing it anyway. Whenever someone gets a bite like this, it takes a while to turn but it’s painful. I don’t want her to suffer needlessly.”

  She pushed up the sleeve of Freeborn’s sweater, and cleaned a small spot in the bed of her elbow. Dragon held his breath as Raven poked the needle into a vein in Freeborn’s injured arm, pushing down on the applicator. Freeborn groaned. Raven tossed the syringe into a waste can, returning to cover the tiny hole with a Band-Aid over a cotton ball, while Dragon placed a quick kiss on Freeborn’s forehead.

  “Don’t look so worried, Dragon,” said Raven. “I know what I’m doing. I was a Candy Striper when I was in high school. My dad was a doctor, and he was considered one of the finest doctors at the hospital where he worked. He asked my sister and me to work there; we’d go in after school and help with his patients.”

  “Thanks,” said Freeborn. “My hand doesn’t hurt anymore.”

  “I’ll clean it for you and put on a bandage.” Raven reached into the pocket of her lab coat and handed Dragon a small bottle of pills. “Go over to the sink, get a cup, fill it with water, and take one of those. It’s Valium. This is my personal supply. When Odin gets overly emotional and Loki is too hyper, I slip one into their pop cans. Works like a charm.”

  “What about the others on your team?” Dragon asked.

  “Thor blows off steam tossing a football, and I don’t have any problems with Heimdall or Baldor,” Raven said. “Heimdall is like a big brother, and Baldor is like my little sister. We’re family.”

  “Baldor is gay?” asked Freeborn, with a sleepy, drug-induced smile. “But he’s the biggest flirt in camp. I thought he liked Luna.”

  “No, he’s gay,” said Raven, as she cleaned Freeborn’s wound. “The flirting was just a cover.”

  Thinking back to his school days, Dragon remembered Baldor being one of the most popular boys in school. “We went to the same high school,” he said, nostalgic. “He was on the football team. I fenced. We didn’t start hanging out until I became friends with Hank. I went from being nobody to hanging out with the jocks.”

  “Baldor played football and flirted with girls so no one would know,” said Raven. “He got good at hiding his feelings and always made friends with the biggest guy on the team, which is why he said yes to Thor when he asked Baldor to join the Vikings.”

  The morphine was working fast. Freeborn’s eyes were closed, and she started to dose off. When Raven bandaged her hand, the gauze turned black as the zombie goo seeped out. Raven stepped back, but Dragon placed his hand on Freeborn’s arm, giving her a little pat.

  “When I realized I liked Luna,” said Raven, “I told Baldor. He already knew, but he made me feel like it was okay to tell everyone else. Thor didn’t mind since we weren’t serious. Baldor was seeing someone on the Green Hornets. When the puma attacked Luna, she was lucky to survive. So was Barbarella. But you know what happened. The Green Hornets, the Professor, and a few other girls were killed. Baldor acts like he’s not in mourning, but I know he is. I was glad when Logan and Nomad killed the puma.”

  Dragon noticed Freeborn’s facial skin had started to turn blotchy, and he felt a lump in his throat. He didn’t want to alarm her, though, so he kept quiet about it. “I’m sorry about Baldor’s boyfriend,” he said. “You look after your team, Raven. Maybe I’ll talk to him. I’ve never talked to Baldor about Hanks’ death. It might do us both some good.”

  “I’m sure he’d like to talk to you. He’s mentioned Hank a few times.”

  Raven came over to take Freeborn’s pulse. With two fingers to Freeborn’s wrist, she kept her eyes on the clock. Freeborn was snoring softly.

  “How’s she doing?” asked Dragon.

  “Just fine” said Raven. “Go take the pill like I told you to, Dragon. You don’t have to pretend with me. I can tell you’re ready to climb the walls.” She went to the door and looked out. “I wonder what’s keeping Rose. She should be here by now. I bet they ran into trouble getting here.”

  “Zombies or Shadowguard?”

  “Both,” said Raven. “Logan has been talking about the Shadowguard all afternoon. Rose tells him everything, but he won’t tell her anything about his past.” She lowered her voice. “But Logan did tell me that Rose used to conduct experiments on the Kaiser’s prisoners. You look about as surprised as I was. Don’t tell anyone. I think Rose is ashamed of what she did before coming here. I know I would be.”

  Dragon didn’t care what Rose had done before coming to Seven Falls. She was a doctor. She’d been brave enough to steal the prototype cure from the Kaiser and bring it straight to Cadence. Now, he was counting on Rose to save Freeborn’s life.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Five

  Rose spotted the three cars in following them at a distance. Gunfire hit the back window but didn't shatter it, showing the bulletproof glass really worked. Two more cars pulled out of a side street, and the pursuit was on. The Shadowguard never tried to overtake them. Instead, they pulled up close, fired a few rounds, and then fell back again. The ‘game’ continued until Tandor pulled onto the interstate, where the Shadowguard had orchestrated a full-scale zombie attack that was headed toward Seven Falls.

  Rose hadn’t seen such a vast number of zombies in a long time. The limo pushed through the tightly packed bodies, slowly making headway, until forced to come to a stop. Shambling corpses with rotten visages moved past the vehicle, shoulder to shoulder, slamming into the side as they tried to keep moving forward.

  “We’re not going anywhere,” said Tandor. “Let’s get a better look at this horde.”

  Tandor rolled back the moon roof. Picasso stood, a gun in hand as he peered out the top. Even though vampires didn’t emit the same odor as humans, the ghouls still enjoyed eating their flesh, and the zombies closest to the vehicle noticed Picasso’s scent. Broken wrecks of former humans climbed onto the hood, and Picasso sunk down and closed the moon roof as a male zombie with half a face approached, snarling.

  “There’s no way I can drive through this mob,�
�� Picasso said. “We’ll have to go out the roof and get there on foot.” He glanced back at Rose. “How are you doing back there?”

  “Slightly disgusted and more than a little frightened,” said Rose. “I’d like to know how the Kaiser managed to get these wretches to go to Seven Falls. They act like fresh meat is hung out on the gate when we know it’s not. It’s electric. They’ll fry when they touch it.”

  “Make a decision,” said Tandor. “Do it now.”

  Zombies swarmed the limo, slamming their skulls against the windows. One zombie’s head smashed inward on impact. It slunk to the ground, leaving behind black goo smeared across the bulletproof glass. More pressed against the vehicle, but despite their combined efforts, the German vehicle remained stationary.

  “I can get Rose to the camp without you,” said Picasso, turning toward the driver. “You should go back to the hotel. Leave the limo here if you have to. If the Kaiser has Rafe, and I think he does, we need to plan a way to free him. You’re the best one to get the job done.”

  “Why didn’t you say so before?” asked Tandor, sourly. He put his hand on the car horn. “Once you’re both on the roof, I’ll give it a few taps and draw their attention. You’ll have to play leap frog from one vehicle to the next. One slip and those things will be all over you.”

  Picasso bristled. “I’m not going to slip. I was a Ranger before I was a vampire.”

  “Fine, Captain Picasso. Don’t slip. Just get Rose there safely.”

  “Please stop it,” said Rose. “I’m nervous enough the way it is.”

  The moon roof opened.

  Picasso climbed out first. Rose scrambled over the back seat, following him to the roof. She stood beside him staring at the ghoulish creatures as they started to react to the vampires. In a frenzy, zombies climbed on each other to reach the hood, collecting like bugs, trying to grab their legs. Taking a step back, Picasso sailed over the heads of the zombies, landing on top of a nearby truck. Rose jumped, landing beside him, trembling when Tandor revved the engine and honked the horn as he backed into the crowd. Bodies fell beneath the wheels. Only a small group followed the limo; the others seemed more interested in Picasso and Rose as they hopped from hood to hood across the string of stranded vehicles.