Fear pinched my heart.
In less than a few hours, we could be running into freedom and leaving this godforsaken place behind. I half wished I could see the look on the vampires' faces when they realised we were gone.
Callie left first, then Dad followed. Callie was going to circle through town and visit the well like she often did in the mornings and Dad was going to pick up some firewood from the Emporium.
I'd already waited twenty minutes and within the hour, we'd all head to the stone fountain in the ruins and meet on the other side of the tunnel.
Simple. Easy.
Except it wasn't. It was the most terrifying thing in the world.
I paced back and forth in the quiet hallway, my pulse somehow louder than my footfalls.
My plan was simple: head to the east corner of the Realm and take the trail beside the fences toward the ruins. I often paced the Realm like a caged tiger, it was the only thing that kept me sane. And it was going to benefit me now, because no one would bat an eyelid at me taking one of my usual morning strolls. My duties didn't normally start until midday when I took over from some of the women at the bathhouse, so I wouldn’t be missed until then.
Gripping the door handle, I threw one last glance back at the tiny kitchen and said the most certain goodbye of my life.
The second I opened the door, I almost crashed into our neighbour Lilien and the baby in her arms wailed in surprise. The crying continued and Lilien bounced him up and down, trying to shush him.
“Sorry to bother you, Montana. Could you watch the kids for me? I need to go to the Emporium and Hamish didn't come back last night. Again. The Briar boys are making vodka out of potatoes and he'd rather spend his night there drunk than help with his damn family.”
Lilien's face was turning red with stress and my heart jolted with the immediate roadblock in my plan.
“I-er...I can't Lilien, I'm busy.” I tried to move past her, causing the baby to shriek again when she didn't move.
“Please, Montana,” she begged. “I can't bring them with me, they'll cause mayhem. I won't be more than an hour if the queue's short.” Her eyes glistened and I could tell she'd barely had a wink of sleep. My gut twisted with guilt at knowing I was leaving her and her family behind. But we couldn't tell anyone what we were doing, it was too risky.
I shook my head. There was no way I could do it.
“I'm sorry Lilien. Another time, okay?”
She gazed at me as if I'd just caught fire. Heart fluttering, I made use of her momentary surprise and darted into the stairwell.
“Montana! What's gotten into you?!” she called after me.
I ground my teeth, hating myself for abandoning her in her time of need. But if I didn't meet Dad and Callie within the hour, they'd think I'd been caught.
The baby's crying followed me all the way out onto the street and I fought back the lump growing in my throat.
I'm sorry, Lilien.
I hurried along the cracked road, wanting to put some distance between Lilien and I in case she started running after me.
Turning left into a muddy alley, I took a slow breath to calm my nerves.
She doesn't know anything. She just thinks you were rude. And in an hour's time, it won't matter what she thinks of you because you'll be gone forever.
The grimy walls seemed to press in on either side of me. The gloomy day did nothing to ease my anxiety. Why couldn't it have been sunny, just for today? Just for this one single morning?
I glanced up at the sky, silently cursing our luck. Hopefully that was the only bad luck we'd receive today.
The alley forked onto a stone path that followed the line of apartments. I slowed my pace to a casual walk, stuffing my hands in my coat pockets, trying to act as I normally did.
There weren't many people around, but the few who passed nodded or said hello. No one stopped me.
The ruins came into sight in the distance and I took another few turns past the housing until I finally met the overgrown track that charted a path all the way to the first electrical fence.
Static crackled in my ears as I reached it and I eyed the grass that grew up high and tickled the metal wire.
Beyond it was another fence, then another. A ripped coat on the first row of barbs was a constant reminder of someone who'd tried to escape and failed. The corpse had been removed, but the day the boy had tried to run was etched permanently into my memory.
The vampires had taken out their fury on the whole town. No rations for a week. Random beatings and children going missing in the night. They'd wanted to strike terror into our hearts and they'd achieved it. That coat scared me more today than it had in many years. What would happen to the people of the Realm once the vampires discovered we'd escaped?
I couldn't focus on that. Attempting to leave this place was better than remaining in it. It had to be...
The wind sent a shiver through to my bones and I forced myself to slow down again.
Not too fast. Just take your time.
The first shattered house came into sight, just a hulk of stone under the dark sky. Dad said bombs had rained down on the world during the Final War. The one that humans on both sides had fought so hard to win. But no one could ever have predicted this outcome. The vampires had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for us to make a mistake. To destroy just enough of ourselves so they'd have the upper hand. I supposed immortality had given them the patience we couldn't afford.
A crunch made me yelp and I cursed myself for my idiocy as I spotted the broken glass beneath my boot.
I glanced left and right, checking to make sure no one had heard me.
A shadow stirred in my periphery.
I whipped around, but no one was there.
Keep it together, Montana. No one will be out this way.
I felt exposed as I coiled through the labyrinth of broken stone and fallen mortar. Why Callie liked coming to this place was a mystery to me. It was a constant reminder of the war that had landed us in this hellhole.
I spotted the fountain up ahead and hope swirled through me like hot steam. Maybe Callie and Dad were already underground waiting for me.
I halted before the shattered remains of the water feature, slowly moving around it and searching the overgrown grass for signs of a hatch. My eyes landed on a metal plate on the ground. Moss clung to it but the edges were clear, proving it had recently been moved.
Bending low, I clawed my fingers into the grooves and dragged it aside. A dark hole gazed back at me and the scent of mildew reached my nose.
Bending down, I hung my legs over the edge before finding the metal rung of a ladder. Carefully, I eased myself lower, counting my breaths as I went down, down, down until I could no longer see the Realm.
The taste of freedom met my tongue in the form of damp air and I devoured it. Reaching up, I tugged the cover back into place and a metallic gong rang through my entire body.
My palms were slick as I descended into the darkness, cursing myself for not having lit a match first.
As I reached the bottom, I fumbled in my bag for one, but a scratching noise followed a hiss and a match illuminated before my eyes.
Dad's smiling face swam into view. “Hey, Monty.”
“Dad,” I complained. I hated that damn name.
“C'mere.” He dragged me into a hug then tugged me along, lifting the match higher to light our way forward. The old tunnel was nothing but rubble and dirt, but ahead a glimpse of daylight shone like a guiding star.
As the match went out, Dad dropped it and started traversing the rubble, using his hands to steady him.
“Where's Callie?” I asked.
“Just up ahead. I told her to hide in one of the buildings.”
In case we got caught, I added in my head. But Dad had done the right thing. No point risking all of our necks when we didn't have to.
I followed Dad across the rocks, dropping down onto all fours when it grew too uneven. Finally, the tunnel opened up again and a
ladder came into view, illuminated by a circular shaft of light.
We hurried up to it and Dad turned to me, cupping my cheek. “I’ll go first, wait until I tell you to follow. If I don’t, then run back to the Realm. Don’t waste a second.”
“Dad-” I complained, but he shook his head to silence me.
“Do as I say,” he urged and I gave in, squeezing his arm. But there was no way in hell I’d really leave him.
“Love you,” he breathed and I whispered it back as he climbed up the ladder and heaved himself out of the drain.
I waited, craning my neck to try and catch sight of him, but all I could see was the sombre sky. I placed my foot on the first rung, my heart thumping hard against my ribcage.
“All clear,” his voice carried to me and I sighed my relief, hurrying up the ladder.
As I reached the top, Dad thrust his hand down to pull me out. My head breached the hole and air rushed into my lungs. Despite being a hundred yards from the Realm, it was the freshest breath I’d ever taken.
The shadow of a bird sailed over us and Dad straightened. He angled his head toward the electrical fences and I immediately sensed something was wrong.
A cry carried to us from the Realm and I tried to spot where it was coming from.
“See!”
My heart slammed into my throat.
Lilien stood beyond the fences surrounded by eight vampires. One of them was dressed in green robes and fear struck me as I recognised him. General Wolfe.
I shoved Dad to get him moving and we stumbled into a run as terror pounded through me.
The path was lined with rubble from the ruins and I nearly tripped more than once, but we never stopped, never looked back. I wouldn’t give up. We were too close to freedom to have it ripped from us now.
“Just keep going!” Dad cried, skidding to a halt.
“Dad- what are you doing?!” I spun on my heel, spotting him sprinting back in the direction of the vampires. They sped out of the drain like ants, surging toward him at a ferocious pace.
“No!” I charged after him.
“I love you girls!” Dad roared as he collided with the first one, something glinting in his palm. The female vampire took him to the ground in an instant, baring her fangs.
Anger guided my actions and I stooped down to grab a rock before throwing it as hard as I could. It smashed into the face of the vampire holding him. It was only enough to distract the beast but her eyes whipped to me instead of my father. In a flash, she sprinted toward me and a wave of fear crashed against my chest.
“Montana, watch out!” Callie shouted from somewhere close by.
I couldn’t leave Dad. I wouldn’t.
The vampire collided with me. I crashed into the ground and the breath was forced from my lungs. Adrenaline surged through me like molten lava. My arm flailed beside me as I hunted for a weapon. My fingers closed around a broken hunk of concrete and I screamed my rage as I slammed it into her temple.
Blood oozed from the wound, but she didn’t react.
She started laughing, her red locks falling forward to surround her beautiful face.
“Get off!” I screamed, bringing my arm up to hit her again. She caught my wrist, slamming it into the ground and ripping the rock from my hand. I groaned as her nails dug into my skin.
“Bitch,” I hissed.
With inhuman strength, she rolled me beneath her and dragged my arms behind my back, locking them with metal cuffs.
I gazed at the group of vampires surrounding my dad, forcing him down on the concrete.
Dad, oh god, Dad.
A tear of regret slid down my cheek. I couldn't help him. I wasn't strong enough to help him.
“Which way did she go?” a cold voice dripped over me. My head was wrenched back, forcing me to look up at General Wolfe as he approached.
Hatred coursed through me like nothing I’d ever felt before.
My veins thrummed with fury, terror. I'd never give up my sister. Never.
I curled my upper lip back. “Screw you,” I snarled.
His boot collided with the side of my head and darkness swallowed me whole.
My mouth fell open in horror as I stared at my Dad racing towards eight vampires while wielding an old kitchen knife.
Montana hesitated for a moment, fear gripping her as she realised what he was doing. She grabbed a rock from the rubble at her feet and hurled it into the face of the vampire pinning Dad down. My heart leapt with pride but the moment dissolved in a heartbeat as the red-haired vampire switched her attention to my sister.
I clambered out of the ruined building I’d been hiding in and started running towards her along the narrow alleyway.
“Montana, watch out!” I yelled, urging her into action as the vampire raced towards her. My warning was pointless, she had no chance to do anything before the vampire collided with her, sending her crashing to the ground.
The remaining vampires swarmed around my dad like a tide crashing against a rock. Montana tried to fight off her attacker but it was no use. The vampires were like statues given flesh. Their strength was unmatchable and the monster holding her laughed as she took a blow to the head.
My heart pounded desperately as panic tore through me and I sprinted faster to try and help. I didn’t know what I could possibly do to save them but I had to do something.
I made it to the end of the alley but before I could step out, someone grabbed my arm, yanking me back into the shadows.
I went to scream but before I could, a huge hand slapped down across my mouth silencing me.
I tried to struggle, kicking and punching with my free arm but it was like the blows I landed didn’t even register. My attacker spun me around, slamming me against the cold stone wall of an apartment block.
His fingers dug into my cheek as his hand clamped my mouth closed, stopping me from making a sound.
I could only watch in horror as the vampire bound my sister and my heart felt like it might tear in two. I battled to fight my way free but he tightened his hold, his bulk immobilising me completely.
“It’s too late for them,” he breathed in my ear.
I tried everything possible to get away from him but I was totally overpowered and barely able to move an inch. With a lurch of surprise, I realised he wasn’t a vampire. The heat radiating from his body where it was pressed against my back told me otherwise.
I couldn’t understand why he was doing this to me. What difference did it make to him to hold me back while my family needed me?
Tears ran freely down my cheeks while I watched in horror as the vampires took my family from me. A soft whimper escaped my throat as my whole world fell apart and I felt my captor’s tension increase at the sound.
The vampire who had been restraining Montana stepped away from her and started looking around at the surrounding buildings. I held my breath, fear coursing through me as her gaze passed over the alley I was hidden in. We were deep within the shadows but for a moment I thought she’d seen me. Her gaze swept on though and my lungs remembered how to work again.
Another vampire lifted Montana’s unconscious body into his arms like it weighed nothing. General Wolfe directed him back towards the Realm and he carried her away, dropping down into the drain and out of sight.
I tried to cry out, a muffled sound barely making it past the hand which crushed my mouth. His grip tightened painfully, his fingers digging into my cheek so hard that I could feel it bruising.
My pitiful attempt at a sound was drowned out by my father’s pleas as he begged the vampires not to take his child from him.
“She was only following me!” he cried. “I asked her to help me search for food out here - take me instead!”
“Don’t worry,” the General replied, a cruel smile twisting his beautiful features. “We haven’t forgotten about you. Your daughters have a price on their heads. Where is the other one?”
“Back in the Realm,” my dad lied for me and my heart shattered into a thousand pie
ces as the vampire struck him. The blow looked almost casual but it sent my dad flying to the ground. A gash opened up across his cheek, spilling blood to the pavement.
“Don’t lie to me human,” General Wolfe warned. “You will tell us everything we want to know eventually anyway.”
“I’d sooner die than betray my children,” Dad hissed as he struggled to regain his feet.
Age of Vampires- The Complete Series Page 5