“Hey!” Kain said. “That was mine.”
“Ma? Judgment call?”
“Points to Caitlin,” Mary-Anne said without looking.
“That’s sexist.”
“Face it, Pooch,” Mary-Anne replied. “She’s just better than you.”
His face fell. He furrowed his brow, gripped his blade tighter, and lunged for the next Mad. Then the next and the next.
“Four!” he shouted, taking out the last in a heroic spray of blood.
“Seven!” Caitlin raised her hands triumphantly.
“Four,” Mary-Anne said coolly.
Sounds of feet on metal echoed into the sudden silence. Caitlin looked up to see Tom and Laurie sprinting down the stars. Laurie had an arrow nocked and ready to go. She let it loose as a final Mad stepped through the factory door, toppling in surprise as the arrow made its way through its chest. Joe followed a short distance behind, his gun at shoulder level.
“Ah, man.” Tom sounded disappointed. “Is the party over?”
Caitlin nodded. “Sorry. It was only a few Mad. We could handle it. Besides, you look so peaceful when you sleep.”
“Creep,” Tom said.
“Watch out!” Laurie called.
A groan sounded from behind. One of the Mad, it seemed, had found itself stuck behind a large pillar and now worked its way free. It was fresher than the others. Its clothes were barely ripped, and the skin still held some of its human shine.
“Ah, pretty boy wants in.” Caitlin chuckled.
The Mad sprinted towards her at an alarming speed, almost catching her off guard. Mary-Anne moved to help, but Caitlin stilled her with a wave of her hand. “No. I’ve got this.” She wanted to see the look on Kain’s face when her score went even higher.
The attacker dove and Caitlin ducked beneath its flying form. He landed on his stomach, skidded on the floor and then, like a puppy running on vinyl flooring, scrambled to turn back for another attempt.
This time, Caitlin was ready. As the Mad ran for her, she held her sword in both hands, spun it behind her to build momentum, and drove the blade across his chest. A wide slice of skin opened up, causing the creature to screech. She brought the blade back around and sent it across the Mad’s throat, which dropped the Mad to the floor. He crawled towards her until he was only an inch away, then he stopped.
“Yes! Eight,” Caitlin declared, her arms once again in the air. “Take that, Pooch!”
She turned, hunting for Kain.
“Huh? Where did he go?”
They all turned their heads, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Silver Creek Forest, Old Ontario
Kain could smell them somewhere in the forest, that fetid stench of rot and death.
A smile crept onto his face as he ran out into the trees. He’d find his way back shortly. But damned if he was going to endure another day where Kitty-Cat beat his score. He was a werewolf, for God’s sake. If he couldn’t beat a friggin’ human at Murder-Spree 2—only available on PS4 and XBox, he sniggered—then what the hell was he doing out there?
But you’re not really a werewolf. Not anymore, are you Kain? A voice popped into his head. Not if you can’t turn into a wolf anymore.
“I can,” Kain muttered as he noticed the red eyes up ahead. Several Mad wandered aimlessly through the forest. That’d soon change. “It’s safer this way.”
Because you don’t know if you’ll ever change back? Is that what you’re scared of? Isn’t life as a wolf so much better than the life of a man?
Kain shook his head and slapped his face. Sure, life might be nice as a wolf. But he had seen what the Madness had brought to his fellow Weres. The choice they had to make. The unpredictability of never knowing if the next transformation would be your last.
The Mad spotted him. Four of them, he counted.
More than enough to top Caitlin’s score.
Kain sped over to them, his blade-work impeccable. With each swift slice, a Mad went down. He concentrated first on immobilizing them before delivering the final blows with a triumphant stab.
“Eight,” he cried, his head tilted back to look up at the canopy of trees.
Which was when the rock appeared from nowhere, smacking him on the back of the head. White lights bloomed in Kain’s vision as two shapes appeared out of the forest. His vision was blurred so he couldn’t be certain, but he thought he could see a wolf and a large cat racing at him.
He was dragged by the scruff of his neck before the pain became too much and darkness took him.
Chapter Seven
The Sweet Spot, Silver Creek Forest, Old Ontario
Dylan couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so much in his life.
The tribesmen were hilarious. Though there were only around two dozen living in the small settlement in the forest, each had their own personality which seemed to complement each other. Even the fat man—whom Dylan discovered was known as Big Chief—would smile and add to the conversation here and there. The laughter often centered on the group who had sneaked after them through the forest.
The pig thrower soon shared his name, patting his chest and performing his impression of Dylan as he did so. “My naaame, Laaaarrryyyy,” he announced to a chorus of laughter. “Me ladies’ man. Me kill Mad, then paint body in mud and find lady to make boom-boom.”
Larry and his kin sat around the fire with Dylan and the Revolutionaries, sharing roasted pig. When Ben piped up and asked, “So how the hell does a group of tribesmen-looking-folk find themselves out in the ass-end of nowhere forest in nothing more than ground-level tree houses?” Larry was more than happy to share.
“I guess our story is not too different from what you probably already know,” he said. “We once lived in a town—most unlike this one, of course. Walls, fences, barbed wire, all that shit you find in any place you see nowadays. Then, as the Mad grew and our contact with other civilizations shrank, things began to change.”
“Let me guess,” Alice said. “A dictator too big for his boots? Unfair treatment of the women and children? Raping and bullying? That sort of thing?”
“Oh, so you know of Colonel Splatterbrain?” the girl who sat at Larry’s left said.
A shudder ran through the tribe.
“We know the type,” Ash added.
“Then you’ll be able to guess why we left.” He turned and waved his arm to the others. “It was a make or break situation. Fire, gunshots, and pitchforks. We barely escaped in time, and a fair number of those trying to escape with us didn’t.”
Larry’s eyes sheened with unshed tears. Big Chief leaned forward and continued the tale. “We thought that there must be something better out there. Somewhere safe, a place run by those with a noble heart and unrivaled compassion. But, after searching for what seemed like weeks and finding nothing but corrupt towns run by their own oppressors, we decided to chance it out in the woods.”
“Bold move.” Huckle tore off a chunk of meat with his teeth and tried his hardest not to stare at the girls’ exposed chests.
Larry caught his eyes and chuckled. “Don’t worry, pal. When all your friends are stripped down to their dangly bits, you find they’re not so special in the end.”
“Oi,” the girl said, pressing her breasts together. “What do you mean? I’m proud of these.”
Huckle’s eyes nearly popped out. Ash looked at the floor, feeling Alice’s stare delving into him. When he looked up at her, Alice was smiling. “Dopey git.”
Larry continued talking into the night, explaining to the Revolutionaries that they had more than pits to defend the tribe from the Mad. Around the settlement was a series of rope traps, trip wires, and alarms composed of dried hollow fruit that knocked together when any Mad tried to sneak past. Between them all, they maintained the traps and lived in harmony in what Larry fondly called The Sweet Spot.
“That’s a rad name,” Ben said.
Larry nodded and smiled. “It’s our little piece of Heaven. Our safe place out in the w
ilds. We searched for somewhere perfect for what we were after, and here we are. In The Sweet Spot of the forest.”
“You call living in leaves and luring Mad into pits, heaven?” Flo asked. “Sounds like a nightmare to me.”
“How can you say that?” Ash said. “We picked you guys up from a town whose only defense was coils of barbed wire around its edge, where the men beat the women, claimed them, and abused them, and you think this is a nightmare?”
“Well…when you put it that way,” Flo conceded. “I guess we’ve all got our own Colonel Splatterbrains, right?”
“That was just a nickname, right?” Huckle asked.
The tribe looked uneasily at each other. Dylan noticed one tribesman sat at the furthest reaches of the fire, his face low and shadowed. Only the narrow glint of his eyes could be discerned, watching them all. He clutched the bone of a pig leg in one hand, dripping fat onto the floor.
“Let’s just say that the colonel had a love for firearms,” Big Chief responded at last.
Dylan looked solemnly at the floor, watching the shadows of the grass flicker in the dying embers of the fire.
“Come.” Larry found a way to change the tone. “Now that we’ve thoroughly depressed the shit out of you, let's make you a nice comfy bed of leaves.”
Dylan grinned, stood up, and followed him. As he left the light of the fire, he couldn’t help but flick his gaze to the shadowed man in the corner who still watched with unblinking eyes.
Abandoned Factory, Silver Creek Forest, Old Ontario
Jaxon sped ahead, darting through the forest. He moved effortlessly between the trees, pausing every now and then as he waited for them to catch up.
Caitlin was near breathless, her heart racing. Where had Kain gone?
She had come out of the factory the moment she had realized that the door was open. Cautiously, with Moxie leading the way, she headed into the forest, Mary-Anne and the others following closely behind, until she heard the cries of the dying Mad.
“This way,” Caitlin had whispered.
But by the time they arrived at the place where Kain had been, there was nothing more than several Mad dead on the floor.
“Damn,” Caitlin said.
“I know.” Laurie placed her hands on her hips.
“No.” Caitlin sighed. “Look. Four of them. He was gunning for my number.”
Mary-Anne sniffed the air. “Strange.”
“What?”
“I can smell… Weres.”
“Weres?” Tom replied, gripping his blade tighter.
“Well…yeah,” Caitlin reminded her. “It’s Kain we’re after.”
“No… Weres. Plural,” Mary-Anne said, working her nose. “Though…I might be wrong. Something smells…off. Not as strong a scent as I remember.”
“Which way do they lead?” Caitlin asked.
Mary-Anne furrowed her brow. “I’m uncertain. Already, the scent is losing its potency.”
Which is when they all looked at Jaxon.
They had set the dog to work then, his nose exploring the area to scent the Weres. After a moment of snuffling around on the ground, Jaxon’s ears pricked up, and he sped off into the foliage.
Caitlin wasn’t sure how she knew, but this was bad news. Kain would never voluntarily leave the group. Something must have happened to make him flee.
“Keep up,” Caitlin barked at Joe and the others. If they weren’t giving chase, Caitlin might have laughed at the small man and how ridiculous he looked trying to leap over roots and shrubs. After a short distance, Tom bent low and presented his back, and before they knew it, Joe was riding shotgun like a furry little backpack.
“Y’alls best not tells no-one abouts this,” he said, his voice shaking with each jolt and step of Tom’s stride. “You knows I have my prides, yes, I do.”
“Pride, schmide.” Tom grunted. “Get over yourself and let’s go.”
They ran for what felt like hours through the forest, hardly paying attention to where they were anymore. Oblivious to the ruins and reminders of the old world they passed, they focused on nothing more than the chase and on Jaxon in the lead. He set a brisk pace, forcing them to run until their calves began to burn and even Tom and Laurie could keep up no longer. Jaxon barked and yipped loudly, desperate to continue the pursuit.
“Forget it, Jax,” Caitlin said breathlessly. “It’s breather time.”
Laurie fell to her knees, her hands clutching her hips as she gasped deep breaths in and out. Tom approached, trailing through the trees and his steps laborious. He plonked Joe down and fell on his own ass, his head peppered with sweat which he smeared with the back of his hand. Only Mary-Anne seemed fit enough to continue.
“Humans,” she tutted, rolling her eyes.
“You know what?” Caitlin jibed. “If you want to drink from us all and turn us into nightwalkers, then, by all means, go ahead. That would make this whole thing a damned sight easier.”
Mary-Anne licked her lips. “Don’t tempt me.”
Jaxon continued barking, hopping on his hind legs and pointing his nose ahead into the trees.
“Jax, keep it down,” Caitlin reassured him. “Just give us a minute.”
“Doesn’t matter now,” Tom said. “Any chance of a sneak attack is pretty much gone anyway with him belting like that. I’m sure every Mad in a two-mile radius is already trying to zero in on our location.” Tom held up his arms and emulated a Mad. “I can’t have human, so dog will do…”
“Jax. Shut it.” Caitlin made her tone stern and commanding.
The dog looked back at Caitlin and whined, his ears dropping low against his head. She felt bad for the pooch. He was only doing what he’d been trained to do—to alert his master to any nearby danger. But at that moment, she didn’t care what came. They could tackle the Mad if they came, but she needed a quick breather.
She walked over to him, bent low, and stroked his back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. You’re a good boy, aren’t you? You’ve got us this far, at least.”
Laurie stood up, disheveled from the run. There were dark stains under her armpits. “Which is all well and good. But do we know where ‘this far’ is? Where the hell are we, Caitlin?”
Shit, Caitlin thought. Where are we?
She extracted her map and looked at the parchment. It was too dark to see the drawings properly, and there were few landmarks to go by to provide an indication of their whereabouts. She trailed her finger over the page, doing her best to imagine their journey and where they might have stopped.
“Well?” Laurie asked accusingly.
Caitlin stammered and was about to open her mouth when a blood-curdling howl sliced the silence. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
“What was that?” Caitlin asked.
“I think we’ve found our Weres,” Mary-Anne said in a voice so soft they could hardly hear her. “Get your shit ready.”
They stood waiting, weapons drawn as twigs snapped and leaves rustled. Jaxon’s hackles were raised, although he moved backward until he pressed against Caitlin’s legs. Caitlin wondered what type of Weres these people were to make such a noise. Lions? Bears, perhaps?
And then she saw it. At first, it appeared to be a part of the trees until the thing staggered toward her, its eyes burning a fierce amber.
“What the—” Mary-Anne gasped.
What’s wrong? Caitlin was about to voice the question when the creature stepped into a shaft of moonlight and she saw the problem. “Oh…”
The thing was hideous. With a height way taller than any of them, razor-sharp teeth coated in saliva, and a body covered in fur, it reminded Caitlin of a larger version of how Kain looked when he was in mid-transformation. Its arms stretched from its shoulders almost to the ground, and its back was hunched.
The creature lumbered towards them, sizing up its prey. Strings of saliva fell from its mouth.
“Ma?” Caitlin said. “Care to explain this one?”
“What? You’ve ne
ver seen Kain with a hangover before?” Mary-Anne joked until the thing howled once again, its head to the moon, then continued its snarling. The vampire’s face fell, serious once more. “That’ll be a lycanthrope. A Were affected by the Madness.”
“Affected how?” Tom said.
Mary-Anne started to open her mouth, but the lycanthrope began to sprint towards them. It lumbered along, using its front paws like an ape, its long claws digging up dirt as it propelled itself towards them.
“Maybe now’s not the time,” Mary-Anne said, diving sideways out of its warpath. It turned, struggling to change its own forward momentum as it swung one of its long arms, catching Tom who flew backward and thumped against the trunk of a tree.
“Son-of-a-bitch!” He cried, clutching his stomach.
“No woman would claim this as her son,” Caitlin shouted, running at the lycanthrope. It reached for her and she ducked out of its way, catching one of its long hairy arms with Moxie. A stream of blood poured onto the forest floor and the creature began to screech in unmistakable pain.
“A little help, perhaps?” Caitlin called to the others.
Laurie, who had stood frozen in shock, now prepared her bow. She moved to Tom’s side, using the trunk as cover as she nocked an arrow, trained the sight, and let one fly.
The missile streamed through the air and found its target in the lycanthrope’s thigh. The beast looked down in disbelief. Then, with an angry roar, it snapped the arrow off and tossed most of it to the ground, the head of the arrow still buried in its leg.
“I think we can safely say this isn’t Kain,” Caitlin yelled. “One arrow and that whiny bitch would be out cold on the floor.”
“Harsh words,” Mary-Anne replied, running at the lycanthrope’s back. “True, but harsh.”
With a leap, she landed on its haunch and climbed up until she could plant her feet firmly on its shoulders. She dropped down into a seated position, put her hands beneath its chin, and began to pull.
The Caitlin Chronicles Boxed Set Page 53