Edge of Instinct: Rabids Book 1

by Amy Cook

  “Ain’t no such thing as coincidence, honey. Just a person’s destiny and the path they’re meant to follow. Maybe you’re just finally followin’ the right path.” The man watched her carefully, gauging her expressions.

  “Maybe so, Biker Man.” She nodded sagely, fighting the urge to giggle again.

  “Biker Man?” He grinned crookedly at her.

  “I’m afraid I don’t know your real name. Mother always referred to you as…well, as names not worth mentioning, and I’ve not had proper opportunity for introduction.” She smiled, holding out her hand. He laughed that big laugh of his, eyes twinkling, and shook her hand with zeal.

  “Tandy Coaver, Travel Escort Extraordinaire, at your service.” He held her grip for a moment longer than handshake policy dictated, gauging her with those careful eyes of his before finally nodding. “Alright, honey. Here’s my deal. If y’all can learn how to ride and do whatcha need to do to travel the Vasts in that short amount of time, I’ll take ya. But if ya don’t make the mark and I feel the danger’ll outweigh the benefit, y’all go home to your ma and figure somethin else out. Freedom ain’t worth gettin’ yourself ate up five miles outside the gates. Deal?”

  She smiled, feeling a giddy sort of triumph rising in her stomach. “We have a deal, Mr. Coaver.”

  He interrupted her with an upraised hand. “Tandy.”

  “Tandy, then.” She released a gush of air that mimicked something dangerously tipping toward excitement. “Well! I’m ready for my bike, and a quick driving lesson. How do we start.” He shook his head, rubbing his eyes like he had a headache, though he was smiling.

  “Well, honey, ain’t ya even gonna find out how much it’s all gonna cost ya first?” She returned a wry smile.

  “The pricing won’t change my decision any, so I figured I’ll just have to hope you don’t clean me out.”

  “We’ll start with the price of the motorcycle. Y’all got $12,000 on ya?” She nodded, and his brow rose in surprise. “Really?” He obviously wasn’t expecting her to say yes.

  “Well, it’s not on me, but I have access to it.”

  “Good gravy, honey, I thought y’all were carrying all that cash around on ya!” He released a relieved sigh.

  “I may be naïve, Tandy, but I’m not stupid.” She couldn’t help the smile that quirked the edges of her lips. He didn’t need to know that she actually did have that much and more on her right now.

  “I’m grateful for small blessings,” Tandy joked back at her with a wink. Pulling her wallet out of her back pocket, she produced Jaron’s card.

  “You take debit?” Shaking his head in disbelief he stood and walked outside. He returned a few moments later, walking her bike inside the shop with them.

  “First things first. Let’s make sure this thing even fits ya. Have a seat.” She put the card and wallet back in her pocket, edging away from the dogs that were still watching her as though they’d enjoy having her for dinner. Emotions warring between fear and excitement, she threw a leg over the bike before she could think about it too much. She had a bad habit of chickening out on things if she put too much thought on it. If she actually made it to her destination she would likely go into a shock induced coma, when she had time to think on what she had done to get there. But that could wait until, if, she got there. For now she was going to remain blissfully aloof. Settling herself down onto the leather seat, Amiel was shocked at just how comfortable it was, and the way it seemed to mold to fit her perfectly. Tandy seemed impressed too, or at least that’s how she interpreted his grunt.

  “Gonna hold the bike up for ya now, honey. You just put your feet up on the pegs and tell me how it feels.” He stood the bike up straight and she placed her feet on the bars at the bottom that he indicated were the foot pegs. She leaned forward grabbing onto the handle bars, and again was struck by the fact that the bike seemed much more comfortable than she had first imagined it would.

  “I rebuilt this bike a year ago. It’s a 1985 Yamaha Maxim 650. Pulled it from a scrap yard and modified it. I got the mind to start tinkerin’ and ended up modifyin’ it so it was fit for more of a smaller woman. Don’t know what I was thinkin’. Don’t get much business from the ladies, unless they are comin’ by to get accessories as gifts for their men. The ladies that do come through ain’t this small. Don’t get many little delicate things like you crazy enough to travel outside the walls.” Amiel gave him a half hearted frown, and he rewarded her with a chuckle.

  “But I’ll be jiggered if this bike don’t fit like I made it just for you, honey.” She smiled brightly, happy to hear his words echoed her thoughts. “No such thing as coincidences,” he muttered to himself, running his fingers over his mustache in what was clearly his unconscious signal of deep thought.

  Amiel found herself wondering if a man’s mustache could go bald from all that rubbing. Grunting, he took her over to his desk and slid the shiny new debit card through the machine for its very first purchase in her new adventure. Handing it back to her with the receipt, she felt all warm and gooey inside. She was now the proud owner of a ‘hog’. She frowned. Were they all called hogs, or was that just a Harley thing? Either way, it didn’t sound quite as cool coming from her as it would a real biker. She did a mental shrug, figuring that was something she’d just have to work on. She watched in confusion as Tandy wheeled her new bike up onto a flatbed truck.

  “What are you doing?” Strapping it down tight, he hopped down from the truck and silently motioned her to follow him, not bothering to answer her question. Staring longingly at her new toy, she reluctantly followed him further into the shop. All along the wall were multiple helmets of different sizes, shapes, and colors. Several large racks held leather clothes of all assortments, along with any other equipment a person could imagine for riding a bike.

  “Gotta get ya dressed lookin’ the part now. Safety, first. Of course, some people will argue that helmets will kill ya just as often as they will save ya.” She flinched. “But I say, pretty face like yours, y’all need one. Besides, motorcycle wind shields ain’t like a car’s, so unless ya wanna be getting bugs in your teeth, y’all should wear one anyways.” He winked at her and she laughed nervously.

  “Which brings us to the first lesson of ridin’ a motorcycle. This ain’t no car. Cars hold ya in like a cocoon. Motorcycles ain’t got nothin’ for protectin’ ya and they don’t suffer no fools ridin’ ‘em. Ya wear your protection best ya can, and ride with your brain and instincts full flare or you’re courtin’ death, plain an’ simple.” She swallowed hard at the stern no nonsense look in his eyes and nodded. She unraveled the bun in her hair and he showed her a few helmets, looking for the best fit. After trying a few on and making some small adjustments, she picked a sexy black angular one. Tandy nodded in approval.

  “That there is a great one. It’s chock full of gadgets if ya’ll got the money to pay the fees to use ‘em. Real easy to use and comfy, too.” He pointed out how to use the gadgets in her helmet, and she felt her excitement flare up again. She’d never had to worry about paying fees for the rights to use electricity or the other requirements now needed in their world. They of course always had the money to afford them thanks to Malinda, which at times made it difficult for Amiel to remember that this was not the case for a large portion of the population.

  “How do I set that up? The payment for the use of them, I mean.”

  “I can help ya set that up in a few minutes, if ya want ‘em. One thing about usin’ my business for travel, ya need these gadgets to travel safe. I typically figure the short term usage of your gadgets into the fees I charge ya for travel. It’s a danger to not have these things on your side when traveling the Vasts. But I can help ya set it up so that you continue to use them after we part ways.” Amiel nodded silently following Tandy over to a selection of leather chaps.

  She smiled when she pulled out a black pair that was edged in purple and silver flame details down the length. They were too long, but Tandy assured her he could cut t
hem to fit her easily enough. She sat watching him for the next hour, mesmerized by how graceful his large bear paws worked the leather, seamlessly turning them into the perfect fit just for her. Strapping them on she was pleased to find that they fit like a second skin, her grin of pride nearly matching Tandy’s. Next it was on to the gloves where she picked out a black leather pair with small silver studded designs on the backs of the hands, knuckles, and fingers. They looked delicate, yet fierce in her eyes, which was something she hoped to one day reflect in herself.

  “Last on the list is a jacket. Hold right there, I think I might have one that’s just right for ya.” Tandy disappeared behind his leather working bench, digging around in some boxes until he found what he was looking for. With a slightly shy smile he lifted the black leather into the air and laid it out for her inspection. She ran a finger along the finely stitched details of the jacket. The back was covered in the silver shimmery outline of a majestic bird, flames licking about its claws. Pulling it to her nose and drinking in the scent of musky leather, she smiled brightly.

  “It’s beautiful, Tandy!” Yanking off the oversized sweater Amiel eagerly slipped her arms into the jacket, reveling as the cool silky interior slid across her skin and settled firmly across her shoulders. It was skintight, and surprisingly heavy. It crossed over and zipped diagonally over the left breast, giving her a form fitting sexy look.

  “It’s a black leather Braided Cruiser style jacket; 100% Leather with Level 3 Advanced Armor. That’s removable, but it’s safer to keep it in there. It’s also got a removable quilted and insulated vest liner, and a hidden neck warmer.”

  “Did you stitch the bird on the back as well?” He nodded, a strange look shifting in his eyes.

  “I made this one special to go along with your bike out there. It’s a phoenix rising from the ashes. I thought it fit the motorcycle well, what with me pullin’ it from scrap metal and makin’ it into a piece of art.” The strange look in his eyes vanished with a nonchalant shrug. “Just glad to finally have someone to sell it to. Too derned good lookin’ to be sittin’ and collectin’ dust.”

  “It’s heavy.” She grunted with the weight now fully settled around her shoulders.

  “The heavier the better, honey. Remember, you wear your protection. Keeps ya safer if ya crash. Besides, it gets cold on the back of a bike, especially with fall comin’. Ya get used to it.” She nodded, grateful for whatever protection she could get while on the beast. Noticing a nearby mirror, she walked over to stand in front of it. A gasp escaped her lips as she drank in the reflection. Amiel almost didn’t recognize the girl in the mirror, could even almost picture herself as one of the bikers she’d seen driving through her town on the way to their destinations. She’d dreamed of being in their shoes for so long, yet her day dreams had never yielded a better picture than the one staring back at her now. The leather chaps accentuated her slender legs, the jacket and gloves gave her a tough biker chick appeal, and the helmet nestled under her arm added a promise of mystery and anonymity. The long mahogany hair cascading down to her waist added sex appeal. She smiled confidently back at her reflection. Not too shabby. Tandy walked over next to her and bent to examine her boots.

  “Nice boots” he said, complimenting her. Her smile faded slightly.

  “Thanks. They were a gift from my brother.” If he noticed her glum tone, he didn’t acknowledge it.

  “Good taste. They’ll do nicely on the road. Better yet, looks like they’re already broke in. Be more comfortable in ‘em for the long hours of ridin’.” She nodded, silent. “Right then, let’s get in the truck. Grab your bag and hop in.” She paused, momentarily disoriented and not at all ready to make her dream journey into a reality.

  “Truck? Aren’t we riding the bikes?”

  “Not till y’all learn the proper way of ridin’, we ain’t. Takin’ your trainin’ wheels off on Main Street ain’t exactly the best way to stay unnoticed. I’m guessin’ y’all wouldn’t want your ma comin’ home early and cuttin’ off your escape attempt.” He was definitely right about that one. The twinkle in his eyes left no doubt in her mind he knew just how desperately she wanted to avoid that.

  “Where are we going?”

  “I’ve got a place in the Outer City Limits. We’ll stay there till we’re ready.”

  “We’re going to the Outer Limits?” she interrupted, swallowing hard. “Isn’t that kind of dangerous? I mean, I’ve heard the Rabids get inside sometimes.” The city did its best to keep the infected outside of the Inner walls, and it had been years since anyone had been infected. The Inner Walls that protected the heart of the city were tall, constructed of thick concrete and were heavily guarded at all times. And then there were the Outer walls that were a larger more imposing version of the Inner walls, only they were so big that they were less well guarded than the Inner walls. As such there were the occasional Rabids that found their way through damaged sections of the walls, or through some other inventive form or another. It was why Malinda had been so furious at Amiel for having been so close to the Inner City walls that night. While the walls were heavily guarded, there was always the off chance that a Rabid could find its way through. Very few of the city’s inhabitants ventured past the Inner walls, much less to the Outer walls or beyond. Unless of course they were like her mother, with a fully armed escort to parade them to the safe guarded roadways that lead to other protected cities like their own. Tandy stared at her as though she should be committed to an asylum. He was probably right.

  “Y’all sure ya wanna to do this, honey? Ya do realize that while there may be some Rabes in the Outer Limits, there’s a whole heck of a lot more outside the city protections. And we’re gonna have to travel a long way through the Vasts to get where ya wanna go. And then we’re gonna have to fight through a whole bunch more of ‘em just to get into the city.” Her cheeks flushed, embarrassed, but she knew he was right.

  “Gosh, you’re right. I sounded like a complete idiot just now. If I can’t handle the Outter Limits I certainly can’t handle the Vasts, or Dallas.” She stood straighter, putting on her bravest face. “My apologies for the interruption, please continue.” He shook his head again with a smile, mumbling something about her bone deep manners.

  “I’ve got an indoor dirt track at my place. Y’all can safely practice on your bike that way, away from pryin’ eyes, and we’ll see how ya do. Why don’t ya get your stuff and hop in while I load my bike up in back.” While he set about his tasks, she watched surreptitiously, doubts stirring and options weighing. Was it really wise to go off with a man she’d just met and who was crazy enough to live in the Outer Limits? A man that also knew she had money and no one would be looking for her for five days? Did she have a choice? In the process of loading his bike, Tandy stopped short feeling her scrutiny. His confusion melted into a relieved smile.

  “I was beginnin’ to wonder if ya had any sense of self-preservation, girl!” Parking his bike in the truck and strapping it down, he climbed out. “So what’s it to be, honey? I promise I ain’t the murderin’ and rapin’ type, but I’m glad y’all are startin’ to show some common sense. I wasn’t exactly relishin’ the idea of bein’ out in the middle of nowhere with a nut case, myself. So thanks for that.” She smiled cautiously, still hesitant.

  “Listen. If ya wanna just take the bike and head on out, y’all are welcome to it. But I do hope you’ll let me help ya. I may not be the murderin’ and rapin’ type, but there are plenty of Cuts and Rabids out there who’d be more than glad to do it if ya don’t got someone watchin’ your back.”

  She could take her chances with him or without him. If he were a good man, as her instincts seemed to suggest, her chances of survival out there would be a lot higher with his help. If he were a man of evil intentions and her instincts were wrong? Well, if she was being honest with herself, the thought of becoming a Rabid made her shudder with more fear than being cornered by a regular guy. That probably made her incredibly stupid for putting herself in eithe
r situation, but that fact had already been established when she set her mind to go on this little adventure. Making her decision, she climbed into the cab. Tandy soon joined her in the cab, shaking his head with a small laugh.

  “Honey, ya’ll are either the bravest, or the dumbest girl I ever met.” She snorted and sunk deeper into her chair, hugging herself.

  “That’s very reassuring, Biker Man. Thanks.” He laughed again and started the truck. Amiel held up the oversized sweater, reluctant to put it back on, but knowing she’d need to disguise herself again. A large black baseball cap landed in her lap.

  “Put that on instead of the hood. Makes ya look less suspicious. Put them big ol’ honkin’ glasses back on, too.” Amiel did as he asked, too nervous to argue with his good natured jab against her sense of fashion. She gripped the seat as they pulled up to the Inner Gates, keeping her eyes straight forward.

  “Hey, Tandy. Got another client, or did you finally find a girlfriend?” the guard joked as they traded papers.

  “Naw, she’s my niece actually.”

  “I didn’t know you had a niece living here,” the guard replied, bending down to peer through the window further.

  “She’s just down for a visit. Been havin’ some trouble with the boys and her Mama sent her to stay with me for a few days. Say hi, honey.” Amiel turned toward the guard to give him a slight nod, but she couldn’t bring herself to lift her head for fear that he would recognize her. Tandy snorted and shook his head. “Teenagers.” The guard grunted in agreement and handed the papers back to Tandy.

  “Well, good luck with that one.” His tone made it clear he doubted Tandy would have any luck at all. Tandy waved and the truck slowly pulled through the gates. Amiel’s grip loosened slightly when the gates slammed closed behind them.