Dark Horizon (Pandorum Series Book 2)

by N. M. Black

  Adira must see my panic because she leans over and grabs my hand, giving it a tight squeeze as she looks me dead in the eyes and whispers, “You got this. You’re stronger than they are. Faster. You’re the predator now.”

  Her words slam into me, and determination takes over and I know it’s time to test the limits of the strength I possess. Training with Adira has been great, but we’ve been practicing with each other, not going full tilt and excitement begins to bubble over at the thought of letting go of my reservations and seeing what I can really do. We’ve all seen what Adira can do, but like I’ve said before, we’re not the same.

  I leave the music blaring to keep the infected’s attention away from the gate while they try and push Chris’s vehicle across the threshold, but that means we have all that unwanted attention on us.

  Grabbing my bat, I use the truck door to launch myself from the cab, swinging at the closest target. With my new strength it only takes one hit to eliminate the threat, as the metal chain wrapped around the top half of my bat makes contact, spraying blood and pieces of fractured skull in every direction.

  I feel the force of the hit radiate up my arms, but instead of feeling pain or fatigue like I expected, I get the exact opposite. Endorphins flood my bloodstream and I become almost feral with the amount of power coursing through my veins.

  I bring the bat up, slicing it through the air with a strength I didn’t know I possessed, and the Z’s skull collapses on itself from the force of the blow and the fear of being bitten, all but forgotten. I can feel the vibrations in the ground as another one comes up beside me, but before he even gets within biting distance, I’ve sent what’s left of its head rolling in the now blood covered field.

  Lochlan won’t have to worry about newcomers anymore, based on the horror movie display we’ve just created. I’m betting this will turn away anyone looking for refuge now.

  I can hear the angry shouts at the gate, and the sounds of Adira still fighting on her side of the truck, so I take advantage and try to see if I can get the truck unstuck. My side doesn’t seem that bad, but when I make my way around the back, I notice the entire rear passenger tire is sunk right up to the metal frame of the truck. There is no chance in hell I’m getting this thing out quickly or without a little effort and some tools.

  Adira walks over ready to aid me, when I hear something run up behind us. Twisting out of the way I reach up to grasp its head in an attempt to remove it, but my fingers imbed into its skull right next to another set. I look up, locking eyes with Adira’s glowing pupils, almost positive they mirror my own, and without a word, we pull in opposite directions, feeling the skin and bones begin to separate then break, as the last Z’s body comes apart in two pieces.

  Warm blood and debris litter our skin and clothing, and I have to fight the urge not to gag at the smell of the dead undead. The stench so thick I can almost chew it. Adira takes a step forward prepared to soothe me, but it's not necessary. I wave off her concern and she smiles in return, respect written on her face at how well I’m taking it. This should bother me, and I should be grossed out, but the only thing that really bothers me about all this… is that it really doesn’t bother me at all.

  Adira and I make our way back to the gates and am shocked at the fact that I’m not unconscious after using so much energy on the field, given my history as of late. But maybe Chris is onto something with this whole feeding thing. Each time I’ve ingested blood directly the longer my strength seems to last.

  Maybe that’s the key. Not swap the blood out, but drink it instead?

  Fuck that sounds crazy. I’m not a vampire for fuck sakes.

  Or am I?

  To be honest, I don’t know what’s possible anymore. I mean look around, we’re in the fucking zombie apocalypse, I won’t rule out anything at this point. No matter how crazy that makes me sound.

  I contemplate the possibilities of what this means but the moment we breach the gate threshold, we’re bombarded by both Lochlan and Chris and a shit ton of questions.

  “What the fuck was that?” Chris demands, but I know he’s not looking for an actual answer and he isn’t going to get one either. I don’t know if it’s the adrenalin from what went down, or the virus itself altering my personality, but I feel different, and this time he won’t be talking to me like some insolent child.

  “What the fuck was what? Me saving your ass?” I shoot back not even bothering to give him my eyes as my annoyance laces each word. His eyes go wide in shock at my tone, having never heard it towards him before, but too fucking bad.

  Quickly schooling his features, his face retreats to the same angry look as before when he stomps towards me. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You know better than to go out there, you could have gotten yourself killed! And where the fuck did you learn to fight like that?” His voice so loud it’s practically a squeak by the time he finishes his sentence.

  “I’m not doing this with you. I’m sick and tired of doing this with you.” I point back and forth between us. “If you have an issue with the fact that I went out there, take it up with Lochlan. He was the one who opened the gate. Otherwise, suck. It. The. Fuck. Up.” And with that, I turn my back to him while he absorbs my words and strip off my now blood soaked jacket.

  I can hear a similar conversation being exchanged between Lochlan and Adira not more than ten feet away and I can’t help the chuckle that escapes me as Adira looks over rolling her eyes at their reactions.

  After listening to both Chris and Lochlan shout about how reckless we were, I make my way back to the hospital to check on Bea and let her know I’m ok.

  However, the moment I step inside her room, she kicks me out stating the stench of the undead is too much for her weak stomach to handle. I think she’s going through detox and is just being miserable, but I can’t be sure.

  I leave Bea to go clean up, passing Chris on my way out of the clinic, completely ignoring him as he calls my name. He needs to realize I’m not a fucking child and that he can’t tell me what to do and that his outburst is not acceptable or appreciated.

  “Lucie, wait!” I hear him shout once more. Without turning around, I throw my middle finger in the air letting him know I’m not dealing with his shit anymore and can hear when everyone else laughs at my response. I hear him curse, but I no longer care. He treats me like a child, yet he’s the one who acts like it.

  I’m done being told what to do and sitting on the sidelines while everyone suffers.

  Dante’s laughter rings through my ears as Lucie walks away from me, taking all the air from my lungs with her. I don't think of the consequences as I cock my hand back and let it fly connecting hard with his jaw and knocking him off his feet.

  “What the fuck?!” D screams.

  “Chris!” Grey and Lochlan shout at the same time but I'm already walking away and heading toward my house.

  Fuck them. D’s always talking shit, and today he pushed too far.

  I storm through the front door, sending it crashing into the drywall behind it. But I don’t stop there. I tear my jacket off, launching it down the hallway and taking out a lamp on the entryway table as I make my way into the kitchen, searching for something to drink.

  Lucie walked away. Lucie fucking walked away. From me!

  My chest tightens at the thought of Lucie not wanting to be near me and I reach up to massage the ache that’s left behind in her absence. I know I yelled at her, but watching her out there, unprotected, fighting like that made me feel physically sick to my stomach.

  “Fuck!”

  I swipe my hand across the counter and knock everything onto the floor with a loud crash as pieces of broken glass and cutlery scatter across its surface.

  I reach under the sink and grab the bottle of rye I had hidden for a day such as this, removing the cap and taking a long swig, savoring the feeling as it burns the entire way down, followed by a few more.

  After a few more drinks, my thoughts become chaotic and the desperate need t
o be near Lucie overwhelms me. I know she won’t want to see me, she made that very clear, but I can’t stay away. I need the calm only she can gift me. I need to be near her, any part of her.

  A thought slams into my head and I’m out the door in the next instant, making my way back towards the clinic, bottle still in hand.

  I pass the “nurses station” and head right for her room, tapping on the door. Bea’s pale grey eyes meet mine in surprise before they lock on my hand currently holding the bottle of rye.

  "What are you doing here boy? " she asks, her voice sounding more hoarse than normal. I hold up the bottle and pray she won’t turn me away. I’m not sure my psyche can handle the rejection twice.

  "Pull up a chair,” she says while pulling herself into a sitting position and letting loose a cough so vile sounding I feel it in my own bones. A sharp pang of guilt wracks my entire body as I listen to the reason we needed those machines. I would offer her help, but I know better than to offend Bea like that.

  Instead, I grab her cup and empty the water in the sink, replacing it with my contraband and handing it to her. She looks from the cup to me and then taps it against my bottle to cheers and tosses it back, motioning for another.

  I refill her cup and take a seat next to her bed as we watch old episodes of Friends on TV in silence until she passes out, leaving me to wade through my tempestuous thoughts.

  I get dressed and head out early, having had no sleep and make my way to the garage, knowing Chris’s truck will be there needing to be cleaned. Since I’ve been forced to stay behind these past three months, I’ve been helping out the mechanics to keep myself busy when I’m not with Adira. Nothing too crazy, but of course I get the dirty jobs, and today will be no exception.

  I stepped into the shop ready to tackle my task at hand and get straight to work. I slowly walk the perimeter of the vehicle, trying to determine where to even begin. Mud, grass and gore coat the entire vehicle top to bottom and I dread the thought of what mine is going to look like if I can get it unstuck without being attacked.

  This is gonna take me fucking hours.

  I quickly spray everything down, removing the worst of the mess before doing a more thorough clean so that the boys can get a better look at the damage, when I see Chris standing in the doorway, his hair disheveled and hands in his pockets. Heavy dark circles shadow his eyes, clearly having not slept either.

  We stare at each other for a moment, neither of us saying a word, before he breaks away and takes a seat in the corner. So much has changed between us, and a lot has happened in a very short period of time and I feel there’s no coming back from it at this point.

  Our relationship is no longer platonic, but it’s not sexual, either. We straddle that line on the best of days, but now with this new added element, we’re sitting in uncharted territory having no idea where to go from here. I have no idea how to even approach him at this point and fear this might be the end of our beginning.

  I continue working, his eyes never leaving me for a second, but his silence is deafening and eating away at me slowly. The tension in the air builds, becoming almost palpable and I break the silence, unable to stand it anymore.

  “What happened to the trailer?” I ask, genuinely curious.

  “On the way back we ran into that group of sprinters. I thought I could just bust through them, but I didn’t consider the trailer.” His words begin to stumble out as he relives the nightmare of failing on a run. Something I know all too much about.

  “The tire blew and it began to pull us like a slingshot as it weaved behind the truck out of control. The added weight from the machines caused it to flip and detach from our truck. The last I saw, it was rolling through the trees as pieces of metal flew everywhere.” His eyes have glazed over at his retelling and the look of sorrow and guilt flash across his features. He runs his hands through his hair in frustration at the whole situation, knowing that someone now has to try and do what his team couldn’t. He sighs and hangs his head into his hands, defeat heavy on his shoulders.

  He goes quiet again after that and I let him. I feel like he needs this moment to just process everything that went down for him out there and for us in here. It’s not easy doing these runs and putting yourself at risk, and of all people, I understand that more than most. I’ve had more close calls and holy shit moments than I care to admit.

  I leave Chris to his silence and begin to wander around the vehicle, pulling away limbs and clumps of things I choose not to examine too closely. The smell begins to overwhelm me and I have to pull my bandana across my face to help block out some of the vile stench as I continue my assessment.

  I bend over to get a better look underneath the vehicle, and hear Chris’s intake of breath. Seconds later, I see Chris’s boots come into view and I pause what I’m doing, waiting for him to speak. When he says nothing I lift my head to look at him, and he takes another step forward, forcing me to stand upright. I stumble back a bit unprepared at his invasion and his strong hands clamp down on my upper arms, keeping me steady and upright before falling on my ass.

  I lift my head to glare at him, but my eyes widen when he steps into me, erasing the last few inches separating us. My heart thunders behind my ribs so loud I’m almost positive he can hear it, but I don’t move a muscle. I try to swallow but it turns into an audible gulp.

  Licking my now dehydrated lips, his eyes track the movement like a predator tracking its prey. His one hand leaves my shoulder, slowly sliding up my neck to my jaw, tilting my head back so he can look directly in my eyes. I can see the anguish clearly written on his face, but also hunger and lust as it wars for control. His eyes blaze with the potency of his desire and I watch the moment it wins out over the rest.

  A deep blush creeps up my cheeks at the heat in his eyes, his lips so close to mine I can practically taste his breath on my tongue, and I’m almost positive I’ve stopped breathing. I start to squirm under his stare, unable to control my body’s need to rub up against him like a cat in heat.

  A smirk plays at his lips when he realizes my internal struggle and leans in to whisper in my ear. “When is your birthday Lucie?” His voice so low and gravelly as it skates across my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. I fight the moan currently threatening to escape from my throat but lose the battle when his head dips further into me, running his nose along the shell of my ear.

  I’m pretty sure I just swallowed my fucking tongue.

  “Tell me, little one.” He tries again, but my head swims from his proximity and all coherent thoughts are gone.

  I think a squeak comes out, but I really can’t be sure.

  “Tell me, because I am not sure how much longer I can wait,” he says with a dangerous edge to his voice. Thrusting his hips forward, my body instantly heats at the contact, and sparks ignite everywhere we’re connected.

  His breath fans across my face and neck and I shiver from head to toe, forcing a whimper from my throat. My thighs rub together, chasing a friction to help ease the ache that’s building just from being this close to him. He’s barely even touched me for Christ’s sake and already I know I’m soaked.

  “Luce….” He lets my name linger in the air, a threat weaving into each letter, bringing me back to reality as it registers he asked me a question.

  “I-I don’t know,” I answer honestly. Not quite sure why that even matters right now. My birthday is the last thing on my mind, believe me.

  “Luce...” Chris growls and his eyes come down to gaze into my own as he rests his forehead against mine. “Don’t play. I can’t handle this right now. I need a fucking answer.” He grinds his teeth as his hold on me tightens, clearly fighting for control.

  “I don’t know my exact birthday. I never celebrated it and no one ever brought it up in the foster homes, so neither did I. I’ve always just gone by the first of the year.” I say pulling away ever so slightly, agitated that he’s bringing this up right now.

  He pulls away, and stares at me, his face like stone an
d completely unreadable. In the next instant, I watch as his pupils dilate and devour the white and ocean blue irises when the war he’s raging breaks from its confines and consumes him whole.

  Without so much as a warning, he has me thrown over his shoulder and is stomping out the back door of the shop. A squeal escapes my lips as the cold breeze caresses my skin from the early spring chill, but he doesn’t stop or slow down.

  I moan when I feel his hand reach up and cup my ass through my thin tights, giving it a squeeze. I try to wriggle free from his grasp when I see people staring at us, but it’s no use.

  He storms through his front door and up the stairs to, what I’m assuming is his room and tosses me over his head as I land on a plush surface.

  “I’ve waited for what feels like forever, for this moment, little one.”

  The moment my brain processes what she just said, I’m propelled into action, not even aware of my conscious decision to toss her over my shoulder caveman style and take off in the direction of my living quarters.

  Her squeal covers me in goosebumps and I have to fight the moan that threatens to escape as I wonder if she sounds like that when she comes. I try to shake those thoughts until we make it back to my place, but it’s no use. My hand snakes up and cups her plush ass to help steady her on my shoulder, but I can’t help myself and give it a squeeze.

  I pick up my pace because I am finding it hard not to throw her down on the closest surface and claim what’s mine. But I’ve waited too long to be impatient now and I won’t disappoint her. She deserves more than that.

  I stalk through my front door, kicking it closed behind me as I take the stairs two at a time. I walk into my bedroom, and toss her onto the bed as she bounces on my mattress causing her tits to swell over the top of her shirt giving me a peek at what’s to come. She squeaks in surprise and instantly blushes the moment she realizes we’re in my room.