Dead Hearts (Book 2): Forsaken Hearts

by Susanne L. Lambdin

  “Do you really care how Thor feels?” asked Cadence.

  “Look, I just want to know what’s going on,” said Highbrow. “I asked Rose to let me know what your blood does to an uninfected person. Did she use Thor as a test subject? She did, didn’t she? On your orders?”

  “I’m the commander,” said Cadence icily. “If I want to order a full assault on the Citadel, then that’s what I’ll do. If I want to test my blood on willing soldiers and make superhuman fighters, I will. What gives you the right to question me? You’re my second in command. I call the shots. That’s how it’s always been.”

  Highbrow took it hard. “Why are you being so mean? Take it back.”

  “I most certainly will not.” Cadence remained relaxed, but her voice was rising. “You asked Rose to report to you about the test results. I’d call that going behind my back, Captain. Your behavior is nothing less than insubordination. Yes, I gave Rose a direct order. My blood works. Freeborn and Thor are both living proof that I'm some kind of Maker, only I’m not making vampires, but super humans.”

  “A Maker?” A muscle twitched in Highbrow’s cheek. “I knew it. I knew you were going to pull something like this the moment my back was turned.”

  Cadence quietly pulled her arms in and stood up. “When I’m dead and gone, you can run this camp anyway you want, but right now, I’m in charge. Maybe you don’t like hearing that, Highbrow, but it’s a fact. My camp. My rules. My blood! I intend to win this war, not lose it.”

  Highbrow slid off of the stool. He was so upset, Thor wondered if he might strike Cadence. Thor got to his feet, prepared to step between them.

  “But why, Cadence?” asked Highbrow. He clenched his hands, but kept them at his sides. “You know how hard I’ve tried to keep our camp virus free. Please tell me that it stops here. Swear to me that you’re not planning to give your blood to anyone else. You can’t infect humans with another form of the virus...a virus we know nothing about.”

  “Freeborn is cured. So is Thor. I realize you don’t like the idea of my blood actually being able to cure people, but it works, Highbrow.” Cadence held her hand out toward Thor. “Look at him. Thor is as strong as Freeborn. If you want to know how she is doing, she’d doing great. Freeborn is no longer a zombie. Look, I’m not saying we can cure every zombie, Highbrow, but someone recently bitten, yes. My blood can cure the zombie virus. It can also be used to kill vampires. Rose killed a Shadowguard with less than a drop of my blood.”

  “You’re a carrier, Cadence,” said Highbrow, disgust in his voice. “You aren't healthy or normal anymore. One drop of your blood kills vampires and cures zombies. Give it to a human and you create a superhuman. You could infect the entire camp if I don’t contain it now, and then everything will be turned upside down. Say a ten-year-old kid gets a drop and suddenly has the power to crush a car, but ends up killing his friend instead. Accidents happen. So does sabotage. Logan has already betrayed us and is probably telling the Kaiser all about what Rose has been doing. Your blood and these changes put us in danger. You’re being here puts us all in danger, Cadence.”

  Thor noticed Loki peering out the window. Something held his attention.

  “Look around, Highbrow,” Cadence said. “We’re in a world where nothing makes sense anymore. It’s time for the human race to evolve. Maybe this is what God intended all along.”

  “Rules and regulations are the only thing that separates us from the monsters. Why can’t you see that?”

  “Because...you’re wrong Highbrow,” said Cadence. “I’m ordering Rose to give my blood to the Fighting Tigers. They’re the best team in camp. Dragon too, if he wants it. We’ll keep this contained and under control. The next time the Shadowguard come here, we’ll be ready.”

  Loki let out a shout and jumped off the couch. “We gotta go. The Blue Devils and Bulldogs are outside with Lieutenant Sterling and Private Destry. They’ve got Dodger and Smack on the ground.”

  “Highbrow set us up,” said Thor. “You bastard! While you’ve been making nice with Cadence, your team has been carrying out your secret orders. You’re not taking Loki and me into custody. Come on, Cadence. We’ll get you out of this.”

  “Stay put,” shouted Highbrow. “All of you.”

  Cadence threw her arms around Highbrow, holding him back. “Go, Thor,” she shouted. “Take Loki and get out of camp!”

  Opening the door, Thor grabbed hold of Loki before he could run out. With his arm around the kid’s narrow waist, he ran through the soldiers like he was carrying a football over the goal line, knocking them down as he passed. He heard Lieutenant Sterling shouting, and someone fired a gun.

  Thor didn’t look back.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Sixteen

  Nomad drove his favorite new battle tank down the middle of Memorial Highway. Rose sat beside him in the semi, which had been outfitted with a flatbed trailer, spiked rims, and a snow plough. A rock song blared from the speakers. Sturgis sat in back seat with three soldiers holding guns on their laps. Nomad was having fun knocking cars and zombies off the road with the massive rig.

  “Must you?” asked Rose, wincing when black goo splattered the windshield. “You could try to miss a few. They’re not bugs, Nomad.”

  Using wipers only smeared the gore around. Sturgis laughed. The sixty-year-old biker was nothing but skin and bones. His scraggly beard was offset by kind eyes. Sturgis patted Rose on the shoulder.

  “Nomad rides his bike the same way,” said Sturgis. “Better move when he’s on the road. See, Nomad was one of the toughest sons-of-bitches in our bike gang. Now don’t you fret, Doc. Nothing he does is going to wreck this truck. I built the engine myself. We can go faster if you’d like.”

  “Thank you, Sturgis, but I’d like to get there in one piece.” Rose turned the music down. “I can’t hear myself think.”

  “Relax and enjoy the ride,” Nomad said, grinning.

  Sitting back, Rose closed her eyes, finding it somewhat comforting that she actually felt sick. She hadn’t felt sick to her stomach since before she’d become a vampire. All that was required, apparently, was riding with Nomad.

  “See, it’s not that bad,” said Sturgis. “Once you get into the groove, Doc, there’s nothing like a smile to bring out the sunshine. Smashing up zombies is my favorite thing to do. Makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something.”

  The big truck pulled off an exit ramp, knocking aside a school bus and a VW that went spinning over the side railing. There were fewer zombies closer to Manitou Springs, but more vehicles to push aside. Nomad cut a path through the cars and headed up the gravel road to the Cliff Dwelling. He came to a jarring halt outside the closed gate and laid on the horn. Several werewolves came running down the road.

  Rose watched as the wolves morphed into men. Naked, they opened the gate and stepped out of the way as the diesel engine growled, and the big truck moved forward. As the truck pulled into the parking lot, a dozen wolves dashed up the steps from the lower level. People were watching out the window of the tourist shop, but didn’t come out to meet them. Rafe came up the stairs, dressed in a buckskin coat, followed by the girls of China Six.

  “Something went wrong,” said Rose, reaching for the door handle. “Tandor isn’t here. Nor is Dragon or Whisper.”

  “I’m sure they’re around, Doc,” Nomad said as he threw open the driver’s door and jumped down. He went over to the girls, his arms spread wide. “Ladies, I’ve come to take you home!”

  One after another, the girls came running into Nomad’s arms. He hugged each one before helping them inside. The soldiers had climbed out and taken positions on the flatbed, leaving plenty of room inside for the newcomers. The girls climbed into the back with Sturgis. A black wolf with a white-tipped tail and a lean red wolf jumped through Rose’s open door, taking her seat. As Rafe walked through the wolves, they growled and snapped. Hurrying over to Rafe, she gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

  “I’m so glad you’re alive,
Rafe. I was worried about you.” Rose stepped back and handed Rafe her backpack. “Looks like the Kaiser didn’t go easy on you. You’re weak. You need to eat, Rafe. Here, I brought some supplies.”

  “What’s in here? A rabbit?” Rafe opened the backpack. He took out a bottle. “Synthetic blood? How does it taste?” He placed the strap of the pack over his shoulder and removed the cap. Taking a sip, he grimaced. “Like dog crap.”

  “Just drink it,” Rose said, aware the giant red wolf watched. “It works. Drink all of it, Rafe; it will help you heal faster.” She watched as Rafe drained the contents. “Where are Tandor and the two boys? What’s happened?”

  “Ask the chief,” said Rafe. “My rescue was poorly prepared and poorly executed. I’m lucky to be out of there, no thanks to these mongrels.”

  “Hush. Go get in the truck.” Rose didn’t want an incident. The wolves were growling louder. “I need to speak with Chayton. His tribe seems upset. We don’t want to leave on bad terms if we ever want their help in the future. Maybe I can smooth things over.”

  “Good luck with that. The truth is, they just don’t like me,” said Rafe, grumpily. He walked over to the truck and regarded Nomad. “Why did they send you? You’re a scavenger, not a real camp member. Is your nose that far up Highbrow’s backside?”

  “Nice to see you too, Rafe.” Nomad pointed at the flatbed. “No room for you inside. Sorry. Guess you’ll have to ride on the back with the soldiers.”

  Rose walked over to the large red wolf. His amber eyes were level with her shoulders. Lifting her hand, she waited for Chayton to greet her. He sniffed her fingers. The growling stopped, and he wagged his tail. The wolves were all so beautiful it was impossible not to want to pet them. Acting out of instinct, Rose scratched Chayton under the chin, feeling a crusty scab from a recent wound.

  “Things didn’t go well, did they?” asked Rose. “I’m sorry, Chief Chayton. I should have known Tandor would come to you for help. Please, accept my apology for Rafe’s rude behavior. Will you...speak to me?”

  The werewolf stood up on his hind legs. Instantly, Chayton turned into a man. A young man in jeans ran over with a red blanket, which he wrapped around the chief’s lower body, and then backed away.

  “Your apology is accepted, Dr. Rose. We consider you and Tandor friends of our tribe.” Chayton motioned at the line of werewolves. “We lost five men getting your people back here. Pallaton took our cousin, Huritt, prisoner. Tandor, Dragon, and Whisper never made it out of the Citadel.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Rose said, knowing the loss of key team members was going to upset a great many people at camp. “I appreciate what you did and so does Commander Cadence. It doesn’t excuse Rafe’s rudeness, but he was tortured. You know as well as I do what the Kaiser does to his prisoners. Pallaton....”

  “My brother did what he was told to do,” said Chayton. “Huritt will be greatly missed. Tell the Commander I kept my word. We helped save her friend, but we shall not help again. Pallaton will come here looking for us, so I’m taking my tribe into the mountains.” He put his hand on Rose’s arm. “My brother, Pallaton, is not your friend. Be warned. Pallaton cares only about himself. He has always been this way.”

  Rose knew Pallaton played it safe but couldn’t think the worst of him. Not after he’d saved her life. “I shall remember what you say, Chief Chayton. Can we do anything for your tribe before we leave?”

  “No, Dr. Rose. You can only leave and not return. It’s not safe here,” said Chayton. “I’m sending two of my tribe back with you. Moon Dog and Red Hawk have asked to remain with the ninja girls as their protectors. They too are brothers.”

  Gazing at the truck, the chief smiled when Cricket stuck her head out the window and gave a whistle. She blew a kiss to the chief. “Thank you, Chief Chayton!” she called out. “I’ll take good care of them both! We love you!”

  The chief let out a soft chuckle. “That one is precious. But tell me about the Dragon’s girl. Were you able to save Freeborn? Is she now a Dead One?”

  “I found another cure. Rafe can’t help her, but Cadence’s blood did,” said Rose. “I think you should know that the camp was attacked last night by the Shadowguard. They killed a number of people and abducted the best fighters. Having Rafe back will help with security. He’s actually very good in a fight, which is another reason Cadence sent a team to find him.”

  “I wish we had time to talk more, Dr. Rose,” said Chayton. “I’m interested in knowing more about Cadence. Perhaps another time. You’d best head back to camp.” He paused. “If Cadence finds a way to rescue her people, be sure to tell Tandor that he’s always welcome with our tribe, as are you and China Six.”

  “I will,” said Rose.

  Dropping the blanket, Chayton turned back into a wolf. Rose knelt down and bowed her head. The wolves came over to Rose, sniffing at her face and hair. One even licked her face before the entire tribe ran down the stairs. Nomad came over and helped Rose to her feet.

  “The wolf pack seems to like you,” said Nomad, walking her back to the truck.

  “They’re a tribe, not a pack,” Rose stated. “Many of their members were killed last night getting the girls out of the Citadel. Tandor, Dragon, and Whisper didn’t make it out. The chief doesn’t know if they’re alive or dead.”

  Nomad walked Rose over to the truck. Rose climbed in back with the girls, and Nomad climbed behind the wheel. The two large wolves were crammed into the front seat. Cricket was on the floor of the passenger seat, barely able to see around the two big wolves. The smaller red wolf sat close to Nomad, while the big black wolf sat near the window with his head hanging out.

  “I hope you don’t mind that we brought friends,” said Cricket. “Red Hawk saved my life, and I can’t be parted from him.”

  “Dragon made me promise to bring Rafe home if anything happened to him,” Lotus said from where he sat in the middle of the back seat between Rose and Sturgis. There wasn’t much room, and Kirin sat on Monkey’s lap.

  “Let’s go, Nomad,” Rose said. “If we can have vampires and werepumas in camp, we can certainly have werewolves. Red Hawk and his brother will be more than welcome.”

  After a mile, Rose noticed the low battery light come on. Nomad let out a curse as the big tow truck came to a sudden, jarring halt. The engine died, making a noise like a dying dinosaur. Rafe pounded his fist on the cab and glared in the back window. His fangs were out and his eyes were glowing bright blue. The soldiers were standing beside him, looking worried.

  “Sturgis, we have a problem,” said Nomad.

  “The alternator must be fried.” Sturgis sounded unhappy. “I’ll fix it.’

  Nomad opened the door. “Best get the tool kit out of the back and switch out the battery with the spare. Come on, Sturgis. I’ll help.”

  “Wake up, people.” Rafe pounded on the roof a few more times. “We have company.”

  At least twenty zombies were coming toward them on the highway. Nomad let out another curse as he grabbed his gun and jumped out. The soldiers started shooting the moment the zombies were sighted, while the girls in back filed out, preparing to fight.

  “Rose, stay inside,” said Nomad. “This could be a Shadowguard ambush.” He looked over at Moon Dog and Red Hawk. “I’d appreciate you and your brother staying close to Rose. If the Shadowguard are nearby, they’ll do their best to try to get to her.”

  Moon Dog and Red Hawk both nodded, growling softly. Cricket opened the door, tumbling out onto the pavement. Rafe helped her up and grinned at Rose before he slammed the door, nearly catching Moon Dog’s tail. Outside of the truck, the girls of China Six drew their swords and took position at the front of the truck. Rose admired the girls, who were poised and cool, though they had to be exhausted. A soft growl and a toss of Moon Dog’s head brought Rose turning around. More zombies were coming up from the rear, which the soldiers began shooting.

  “Rafe,” shouted Rose. The blonde vampire glanced in the window at her. “The so
ldiers need help. Can you handle that many zombies?”

  “Please,” said Rafe. “This won’t take long.”

  Rafe waited until the zombies were close before dealing with them vampire-style. Rose watched the battle from inside of the cab along with the two growling werewolves.

  “I’m sorry your tribe got involved,” said Rose. The red wolf looked toward her. “Tandor is like my brother. I know how it feels to lose someone you love.”

  Without warning, the black wolf jumped out the window. Barking, the red wolf followed behind him. Outside the cab, Rose spotted Cricket engaged in battle with a tall zombie dressed as a garage mechanic. He held a crowbar and used it against the petite girl. Another zombie was coming up behind her that Rafe had missed. The red werewolf jumped on the mechanic and his brother attacked the second. Moving as fast and furious as vampires, the wolves ripped into the zombies.

  Rose turned about, but with the hood up, she only had a partial view of the battle. She let out a gasp as Red Hawk was tackled against the cab by a bulky zombie in a jogging suit. In seconds, the red wolf killed the zombie and ran off, barking, toward the front of the truck. Rose slid over to the window in time to see Kirin slugged in the face by a one-armed zombie in overalls. The girl slammed into the truck and out of Rose’s view. The zombie peered into the window. Rose reached over and yanked off his head, tossing it over the railing. Kirin was crouched beneath her window. Her cobalt blue hair was covered with black goo.

  “Sorry,” said Rose. “I was trying to help.”

  Kirin pushed her hair out of her eyes. “Then get out and help. Zombie gunk almost got in my mouth.” The girl returned to the fight, but she was limping.

  Not waiting for a second invitation, Rose climbed out the window and landed on her feet. It was time to go into vampire-mode. She ran toward Rafe and started killing zombies with her bare hands. The black werewolf kept right beside her, pulling down as many zombies as she did. Rose tried out a karate chop on a zombie missing his jaw. Her hand swiped through his neck, removing the head. Using the same trick, she zipped from zombie to zombie, decapitating all zombies within reach. The black werewolf remained close.