The Way the World Ends (The Evolution Gene Book 3)

by Aaron Hodges

  Liz smiled. Her mother’s warmth still lay beneath her head, the soft fingers in her hair.

  “Elizabeth…” a voice whispered from above.

  A tingle of alarm touched Liz. The voice had not been her mother’s. Breathing in, she tasted a new scent, a harsh, raw sweetness that set her heart racing. Her eyes flickered open, but shadows still clung to her vision. She struggled to think, her mind rebelling against the cobwebs clogging her thoughts.

  “My daughter, wake.” The words this time were her mother’s, but they came from across the cave.

  Throwing off the last shackles of sleep, Liz blinked the shadows from her eyes. She found her mother immediately, standing in the center of the cavern, watching Liz with her murky gaze. Frowning, Liz looked up as the hand stroked her hair again.

  Hecate smiled down at her, his grey eyes glowing in the light of the candle.

  Inwardly, Liz recoiled. A voice deep in her mind cried out, yet her body did not respond. To her horror, Liz realized she was no longer in control. With agonizing slowness, a hungry smile spread across her lips. Her head lifted from Hecate’s lap. She felt him stir with the movement.

  “What is this, Mother?” she croaked, her voice stiff as iron.

  Talisa smiled back. “My time approaches, daughter,” she whispered, moving slowly towards them. “You must take my place and lead our people against humanity. But first, you must truly become Chead.”

  Liz shivered. Hecate’s fingers were trailing their way down her chest, plucking at the buttons of her jacket, igniting fire wherever they touched. Her mind swirled, struggling to think past the desire burning in her stomach. She looked from Hecate to her mother, mouth open, hardly able to breathe, suffocated by the scents filling the cave.

  “How?” she murmured.

  Hecate’s hands were inside her jacket now, slipping beneath her shirt, sliding rough fingers across her skin. A groan rumbled up from her throat.

  “Be my mate.” Hecate’s mouth was at her ear, his breath hot. “Join with me, and we will watch humanity burn.”

  Liz shuddered as his hand cupped her breast, and then she was gone. A haze swept across her vision, washing away all thought and reason. Suddenly her lips were locked with his. Her hands tore desperately at his clothes, ripping away his shirt and pants.

  A savage growl came from her mate as he responded. In seconds her jacket vanished. Her shirt followed, and Hecate’s lips were on her neck, and all she could do was dig her fingers into his muscular back. A moan tore from her throat as his kisses trailed down, drifting towards her breasts. She shuddered, her hands gripping at his hair, desperate to sate the fire burning inside her.

  Then Hecate was withdrawing, his hands retreating. Anger flaring, she tangled her fingers in Hecate’s hair, pulling him down, desperate now. Flames scorched her stomach, demanding she satisfy them..

  Hecate shuddered beneath her fingers, but still he resisted her. She could hear his breath in the darkness, its rugged gasps. A growl rattled in Liz’s throat as she realized he was taunting her. Her fingers dug into his scalp, insistent.

  A scream echoed through the cave, horribly loud in the rocky confines, and suddenly Hecate was gone. Liz gasped as the heat of his touch vanished, leaving her alone. Sitting up, she bared her teeth and searched for the cowardly male.

  He stood transfixed in the center of the cave, eyes wide, his whole body shaking. Purple lines streaked down his face and arms, and a strangled cry tore from his lips. His feet went out from under him, and he collapsed in a heap on the cavern floor.

  Liz’s lust turned to confusion. Her heart lurched as she noticed her half-naked state. With horror, she realized what she’d been about to do. Her mind swam and she staggered to her feet, then dropped immediately to her knees and threw up on the rocky ground.

  Acid burned her throat as she gasped, but her stomach was not done. Another spasm rocked her. Tears stung her eyes, but for the first time in days, her thoughts were clear. The fog fell away, and with it she saw again Chris in the abandoned building, begging her to leave, to come with him. Her stomach lurched, and sobbing she bent in two, though only bile came up now.

  When Liz had finally recovered enough to look around, she found Talisa still standing nearby. Her mother’s brow was knitted in anger as she watched Hecate writhe, the stinging venom of Liz’s nematocysts burning through him.

  “I thought he was strong,” Talisa muttered, turning back to Liz. “I will find a better mate for you, my daughter.”

  Mind rebelling, Liz leapt to her feet. Her stomach ached, and waves of revulsion set her body trembling. “I’m leaving,” she gasped defiantly.

  Laughter whispered through the cave as Talisa moved towards her. “Oh, my daughter, I am sorry I chose one so unworthy. But do not despair, the Chead are strong.”

  The cloying sweetness in the air grew stronger as she neared, blanketing Liz. Her thoughts swirled, beginning to calm, blunting the crisp horror of her memories. She shook her head violently, fighting the fog, and retreated a step.

  “Stay away from me!” she shouted, more for her own benefit than anything. The words did nothing to halt her mother’s approach. Slowly Liz retreated to the corner of the cave. She could feel the scent pulling at her, drawing her consciousness back down, feeding the Chead raging within. “Please,” she croaked, desperate.

  “Do not fight it, my daughter,” Talisa whispered. “You are one of us now.”

  Talisa opened her arms to embrace Liz, and then froze. Her eyes widened, the eerie glow abruptly fading away. She swayed on her feet, a low moan coming from her lips. Without a word, she toppled to the ground, dead.

  Behind her, fist red with the elder Chead’s blood, stood Susan. Liz’s heart lurched as she looked from her dead mother to the woman. A sneer spread across Susan’s lips, her eyes now a murky white.

  “You tried to steal my mate,” Susan growled.

  Bloody fist raised, she stepped towards Liz.

  56

  Susan smiled as she stepped towards the winged girl. Her heart was aching for her mate, sorrow for his pain mingling with rage at his betrayal—but those emotions quickly fell away, vanishing back into the abyss. A sense of calm gripped her as she stepped over Talisa’s broken body and continued towards the treacherous girl.

  Earlier, Susan had watched Liz collapse on the side of the mountain. Her heart had lifted at the sight, at the knowledge the imposter had finally revealed her weakness. She was no Chead, was not worthy of her place beside Talisa. Teeth bared, Susan had started towards her, eager to end the pathetic creature’s life.

  But Talisa had appeared first. Crouching beside her so-called daughter, the elder Chead had called Liz back, the power in her voice lifting the abomination to her feet. Together they had wandered across the slope, the winged girl staggering along in a listless stupor, following Talisa’s lead.

  It was then that Susan had recalled her first night with Hecate, her joining with the Chead. Talisa had led her away from the others, given Susan to Hecate. Filled by a sense of premonition, Susan had followed them, hiding in the boulders outside the cave when the two disappeared inside. There she had waited, knowing the male would come later, if that was what Talisa intended.

  Only when Hecate appeared had Susan realized the depth of Talisa’s betrayal. Wrapped in the grips of a terrible rage, Susan had silently followed Hecate into the cave. There, she’d watched in a helpless horror as her mate seduced the abomination.

  Then Hecate had lurched away from the winged girl. His screams had torn Susan from her shock, bringing her back to herself. Yet still she’d hesitated, uncertain. The rage had built within her, threatening to tear her in two, but a desperate fear held her back. She could not go against Talisa. The elder Chead’s power was unquestionable; if she wished, she could stop Susan with a glare.

  Just as it seemed that Talisa’s daughter would be trapped again, Susan’s gaze had fallen on Hecate. His grey eyes had pierced her through the darkness, unblinking. His writhi
ng had slowed by then, though his breath still came in ragged gasps. As their eyes met, a silent message had passed between them. Susan had seen the depth of his regret, his sorrow.

  A strange calm had come over Susan then, her rage falling away. She had stepped up behind the old woman. Talisa had been so focused on her own daughter, she hadn't even sensed the blow coming. Susan had hardly blinked as she drove her fist through the elder Chead’s spine, had hardly felt the soft flesh giving way, the bones snapping beneath her strength.

  Now, watching the cowering girl, Susan still felt that strange calm. Deep within, her anger raged, demanding retribution for the girl’s treachery, but outwardly she felt nothing. The freak would pay for seducing her mate, for trying to take Susan’s place. She would die in agony for harming Hecate, for daring to believe she was worthy of the Chead.

  “You tried to steal my mate,” she said.

  Elation washed through Susan as she saw the girl’s fear. Black wings trembled in the darkness as Liz shook her head. “Please, no. I didn’t want him.”

  Whatever fire, whatever courage the girl had once possessed had abandoned her now. Susan smiled. In the end, Talisa had been a fool. Blinded by her own blood, she could not see the girl’s weakness, or Susan’s strength. Not that it mattered now. The girl would not survive the night.

  “I saw you,” she hissed, moving closer. “You tried to take him.”

  “No, I was…lost. I never meant to. Just let me go, I don’t want anything to do with you!” She finished the sentence with a shout.

  Straightening, the girl spread her wings. It seemed her fire was not entirely extinguished.

  Susan laughed. “Can’t have you warning the humans.”

  “I won’t warn them,” Liz shot back, clinging to Susan’s words. “I want the President dead.”

  “The President means nothing to me,” Susan smirked. “His death was Talisa’s design. I only wanted his help, so that I might burn humanity from this earth.”

  It was strange, with the peace that had settled over her, the words came easily to Susan now. For the first time since the change, her mind and mouth worked as one.

  The girl held up her hands as she retreated. “Just let me go, Susan. We don’t have to fight—” She broke off as her back touched the wall of the cave.

  Her hands pressed at the cold stone, and the jacket Hecate had torn fell open. Liz quickly pulled it back into place, but the sight of the girl’s breasts brought back images of her in Hecate’s arms. Growling, Susan stalked forward until only an inch separated them.

  “I’m sick of the sight of you.”

  Her foe blinked, then apparently decided the time for talk was over. Lurching sideways, she threw a punch at Susan’s face. Susan grinned as she stepped back, allowing the blow to strike empty air. Off-balance, Liz staggered, and Susan caught her by the joints of her wings. Spinning, she hurled the girl at the wall.

  Screaming, Liz held up her hands to break the impact. A harsh crack echoed through the cave as she slammed into the rock, and then slid listlessly to the ground. A low moan came from Liz as she regained her feet, clutching at her arm.

  Susan stepped mercilessly after her.

  Now the girl spread her wings. The cave’s ceiling was only a few feet above their heads, and Susan quickly moved to block the exit. Black feathers struck the air, sending the girl streaking towards Susan.

  A boot flashed towards Susan’s face, but twisting, she calmly caught the abomination by the ankle. Liz shrieked as Susan slammed her into the rocky floor, before the breath whooshed from her chest, leaving her voiceless. Smiling, Susan released Liz and watched as she folded in two, gasping desperately.

  Her gaze was drawn to the wings flapping uselessly against the ground. Susan sneered. Before the girl recovered, she stomped down on the nearest limb, and laughed as her enemy screamed. Bloodied and bruised, the girl tried to crawl away. Her sobs echoed through the cave as Susan followed her.

  The slightest whisper was the only warning Susan had before the boy appeared. Whirling towards the sound, she tried to grasp the flickering shadow, but a fist caught her in the chin and sent her tumbling backwards. Wind swirled through the cavern as great wings beat down.

  Susan gritted her teeth as she struck the wall. Catching herself, she landed lightly on her feet and looked around for her assailant.

  The boy was already kneeling beside the girl, lifting her into his arms. Before she could leap at him, he hurled himself towards the exit. His wings beat hard, their tips brushing the narrow walls as he shot up the tunnel and disappeared around the bend.

  Then he was gone, leaving Susan standing alone in the cave with Hecate.

  57

  Chris was panting hard by the time he settled on top of the narrow cliff. He had flown hard and fast from the cave, fleeing into the sky and out across the plains as far as his wings would carry them. Unfortunately, with Liz dangling from his arms, that wasn’t half as far as he would have liked.

  But he could go no further without rest. He had chosen the narrow escarpment in the hope the steep cliffs would slow the Chead if they gave chase. He had no doubt they would have tracked his flight across the cloudless sky, but there was nothing he could do about that. At least it would take the creatures a few hours to traverse the few dozen miles he’d placed between them.

  Crouching, Chris lowered Liz gently to the ground, watching as her head rolled loosely to the side. Not long after their escape, he’d felt her go limp in his arms, overwhelmed by the pain of her injuries. Now, he shuddered at the sight of her wing, remembering the agony when his had been broken. It would take at least a week to heal.

  Another shiver went through Chris as he watched the slow rise and fall of her chest. He moved to the edge of the escarpment and looked out over the plains. To his left he could see the bleak buildings of Albuquerque rising from the desert, bleached grey by the unending sun. His eyes were drawn westward, to the scarlet mountains rising from the plains. He watched them for a long time, seeking movement, searching out signs of pursuit.

  But there was nothing, and giving up, he returned to Liz’s side. Lying down beside her, he lifted his wings to shield them both from the sun. The stifling heat radiated up from the ground, but exposed as they were, it was the best he could do. Chris swallowed as he watched Liz sleep, his mind drifting to what she would say when she woke.

  After their last encounter, he wasn’t sure she’d be pleased to see him.

  He was glad he’d stayed close though, shadowing the Chead from a distance. He still didn’t know what had happened to Liz, how Talisa had corrupted her. When Liz had chased him from the abandoned settlement, she’d been hardly recognizable, more Chead than the girl he loved.

  But Talisa was dead now. They had Susan to thank for that, though from what he’d seen, the girl may yet prove more dangerous than the elder Chead. Chris had caught a glimpse of her eyes as he raced into the cavern. They had shifted to a murky white, a color he’d only ever seen in Talisa’s eyes.

  What that meant though, Chris wasn’t sure. But Susan had reacted far faster than he’d expected. Despite being taken by surprise, she’d still almost caught Chris when she’d spun on him. He didn’t want to think about what might have happened then.

  A moan called his attention. Chris watched as Liz’s blue eyes blinked open.

  “Hey there,” he said, sitting up. “Don’t move. Your wing is broken.”

  Liz lay still for a long moment, her eyes unblinking, fixed on Chris’s face. Chris sat waiting, breath held, heart hammering in his chest.

  “Chris…” Liz croaked finally, her voice filled with warmth. A tear streaked her cheek. “You came back.”

  Chris swallowed as he opened his mouth, then closed it again, the words dying in his throat. He wanted to tell her he had never left, that he couldn’t bring himself to abandon her, couldn’t stomach the thought of living the rest of his life alone without her. He wanted to say he’d been a coward, that he didn’t deserve to sit the
re with her after everything he’d done.

  But he was finished with the self-loathing, with clinging to his mistakes, with condemning himself to misery.

  Instead, a smile touched his lips. He reached out and brushed the tear from her cheek. “I’ll always come back for you, Liz.”

  Liz scrunched her eyes closed as a sob tore from her. “What have I done, Chris?”

  Chris shifted closer, opening his arms to embrace her. She flinched at his touch, but when she nuzzled her face into his shoulder, he realized it was only from the pain of her injuries. He took her in his arms and rocked her gently against his chest. Hot tears seeped through his shirt, but he said nothing, only held her, only waited. Liz would speak when she was ready.

  Finally, she pulled back and wiped the tears from her face. “I’m sorry, Chris,” she said. “I’m sorry for chasing you away.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry for, Liz,” Chris replied. “It wasn’t you. I don’t know what your mother did…”

  “That thing wasn’t my mother,” Liz said, her voice cracking. She turned her head away. “I don’t know what that was, but she wasn’t my mother, not anymore.”

  Chris nodded. He reached down and squeezed her hand. Only then did he realize that Liz’s left arm hung limp at her side. Dark bruises radiated up from her wrist.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, nodding at her arm.

  “I’m fine,” Liz replied.

  Her face tightened as she placed her good arm beneath her and pushed herself into a sitting position. The color fled her face as her wings shifted, and a moan grew in her throat. She managed to complete the maneuver without complaint, though she kept her injured arm clutched protectively against her stomach.

  “I think it’s broken,” she said quietly, looking at her darkening wrist.

  Chris nodded. “What happened down there, Liz?”

  In the darkness, he had only caught glimpses of the cave’s occupants. Earlier, he’d watched from a distance as Talisa led Liz into the cave. When Hecate entered sometime later, followed separately by Susan, he’d known something important was happening. Slipping closer, he’d heard Liz scream. The sound had sent him barreling into the cave without a second thought—though even then, he’d almost been too late.