Evolved
Jessica Gomez
EVOLVED
Copyright © 2018 by Jessica Gomez
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
For information contact; [email protected]
First Edition: May 2018
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Deds & Creds
As always, thank you to my family. They continue to let me feed them pizza and chicken and rice every night as I work. My Street Team, for hanging in there for the 3rd book. It’s finally here! My PA Colin, for always supporting me. Margreet, for another amazing cover. Magic at the tips of her fingers! Dana, for your excellent eyesight, for seeing all the idiotic things I say before your edit. And the readers! Thank you for taking the time to read the Flash series. You’ve made it to book 3. Enjoy!
Chapter 1
Ian
“Lillie!” I scream as the infected push the boulder back into place, sealing me away from my heart. Pausing for a moment to glance at Mason and check on Azami, I ready myself for a fight.
“Go!” Mason hollers, his eyes wild with panic, holding my crying daughter in his arms.
I waste no time in running out the entrance, James hot on my heels. The snow’s coming down in blankets, so I can only see a handful of feet in front of me. Frantically searching our surroundings for their trail, I shout her name, James echoing my call. Silence is all that greets us. They’ve practically vanished. Her emotions are only glitches on my internal radar, not enough for me to decipher which direction to search.
“Over here!” James calls out.
Rushing to his side, I see the trail they’ve left behind of footprints, along with a large drag line. We follow the fast diminishing path to the best of our ability, but the weather is making it impossible. The snow begins to run with red. I slow down a moment to inspect it, needing to confirm my suspicions.
Blood.
Rage consumes me as I charge forward. After a few more yards her marks disappear, replaced with footprints. With their speed and the condition she’s undoubtedly in, he must have picked her up. The snow is filling up my lifeline and her emotions are growing fainter. My heart plummets to my stomach as dread crawls through my veins.
I’m losing her.
Luke barrels through the snow, taking the lead. Hope surges through me, knowing he’s the best in our group. No more than fifty yards later he slows to a stop, searching the ground. Breathing hard, he searches for a hint—anything that’ll lead us to her. Watching his face, I know before he looks at me that he’s lost her. The snow’s coming down too thick and too fast, covering any sign of their escape.
When Luke finally meets my eyes, regret swims in their depths and I know. A crushing weight slams into my chest, knocking the air from my lungs. When I’m able to breathe again, I open my arms wide and scream to the heavens.
“Lillie!”
I drop to my knees in the snow, my hands planted in front of me. The cold barely registers as it sinks into my palms, numbing them like the rest of me.
A sob echoes behind me, bringing me back to my senses. Climbing to my feet, I turn to meet James’s glistening eyes.
“She’s gone,” he manages to say, before breaking down completely.
“We’re not giving up,” I growl, moving ahead.
“Ian…” Luke steps in front of me, blocking my pursuit. “We don’t have their tracks and you’re not dressed for this kind of search.” He points to my lack of clothing and coat.
None of that matters. Lillie’s out there with the same clothing. I push past Luke and continue anyway. James’s teeth start to chatter, alerting me to the fact that we’re in below freezing temperatures. Their tracks vanished over an hour ago, and I’m blindly searching our surrounding woods.
“Ian?” Luke starts, softly. “Ian, I know you don’t want to stop, neither do we, but we’re not prepared for a search like this. James is only in a T-shirt.”
His statement stops me in my tracks. I’ve been concentrating so much on my own emotions that I didn’t take into consideration James and his underdress. “Take him back,” I order.
“No!” James snaps.
“There’s no choice in this. Take him back,” I say again.
“What about you?” Luke asks.
“I’ll be fine. I’m not giving up until I find her.”
“You’re not dressed any better,” Luke points out.
Turning back to them, I pin him with a stare that holds no room for argument. “I’m not going back. I can’t leave her out here alone. Jeff has her, Luke. You remember Jeff, right? What he tried to do the last time he had his filthy hands on her!” My emotions are becoming a living thing—a monster tearing from my skin. “Now, take him back!” I turn and face the dark open forest.
James pauses in front of me, tears already freezing on his lashes. “Don’t freeze out here, we still need you. Azami needs you. This isn’t your fault, and it’s not your fault if you can’t bring her home.”
My heart slams in my chest listening to his words. He knows as much as I do that my search is pointless. Their trail is cold, buried beneath several inches of snow. If I find her, it’ll happen on blind luck. They’re twice as fast, and probably miles ahead of me already.
I swallow the lump in my throat and whisper, “I have to try.”
James nods, understanding better than anyone. If I let him, he’ll stay out here with me, but the rational part of my brain is still partially functioning.
Luke claps my shoulder with his hand, a sign of support, before they turn to leave.
I continue into the night, searching in all directions. There are smaller tunnels in the area that don’t connect with ours. I search them all, coming up empty.
Walking for what seems like miles and finding nothing but blinding snow, I slump against a tree and blink tightly, collecting my thoughts. My frozen fingers trail down my face without feeling as I shake my head. The cold is sinking into my bones, my fingers and toes numb. If I don’t head back soon this weather will claim me. I’ve been at it for hours, my clothes solid and hard to move in.
I blink again, and Lillie is warm in front of a fire, laying on a plush pallet of straw and soft branches. I smile down at her, wishing she’d look at me, but not wanting to disturb her at the same time. Seconds later, she opens her beautiful green gems and smiles at me. Once she’s taken me in, her eyes narrow in confusion.
“Why are you out freezing in the snow?” She digs her fingers into her bedding, surveying her surroundings.
“I’m looking for you,” I whisper, reaching for her. She’s only an arm’s length away.
Her fingers tighten in the bedding, shock crossing her face. “Go home, Ian.”
Her voice is firm, yet fades as I lunge, attempting to catch her in my grasp, but slip through her as if she were a ghost. “No.”
The murmured word and body convulsions shiver me awake. The sky is turning pink with the sun peeking over the mountain, the snowfall increasing its brightness as it blinds me. Somehow, I sit up and move away from the tree, each piece of me breaking, frozen. My heart is numbing right along with my body, knowing there’s only one option other than death. I must head back—without Lillie.
Shuffling in what I hope is the right direction, I finally hear the voice of salvation.
“He’s back!” Jam
es alerts the others.
Mason and Michael join him, engulfing me before I can make it to the entrance. My entire being is frozen, and speaking isn’t an option as I let them shuffle me inside.
“What the fuck, Ian! You’re fucking freezing, man,” Mason points out the obvious.
“James, run ahead. Stoke the fire in his room, grab extra blankets, and start to warm some water, but don’t boil it,” Michael orders.
James glances at me again, probably making sure I’m still alive, before going ahead without us.
Mason and Michael are practically carrying my entire weight. Mason is cussing under his breath, telling me how foolish I’d been not to return for supplies. He’s right, I should have, but the thought of her alone is tearing me apart. Each time I think about it, my heart rips open again, pouring salt in my wound.
My jaw is chattering, hacking my words. “She–she’s alone.” The words slur and echo silently between us as we reach my room.
A handful of people are awake and follow them. Deagon and Luke stand at the door, asking if they can help. The room’s small, with five adult men crowding the space, but they all squeeze in.
“Get his shoes off, but be careful. Don’t know if he’s got frostbite,” Michael warns.
Luke and Deagon bend down as Mason and Michael hold me up.
“Don’t get used to this treatment, princess.” Luke smirks up at me.
I close my eyes and huff, appreciating his humor.
The laces are crisp and hard to untie, their frozen state noisy as they come undone. They pull the laces almost all the way down, loosening the boots before attempting to remove them. My feet are too frozen to feel any of the movement, that is, until they pull to remove them. A burning pain engulfs me, lancing up my legs as if my feet are on fire.
“Stop! Fuck, stop!” I holler. The pain is so overwhelming, I’m about to pass out. At this point, it would be a blessing.
“Don’t stop,” Michael tells them when they hesitate. “It’s good that he feels the pain, that means his feet are still alive.”
They continue to rip my feet off my body. When the boots are finally released, the pain remains, causing my vision to blur. In-between blinks, I see James fill the entrance, panic on his face as he stares at my feet. He glances at me, relaying a silent message, letting me know it’s bad. He carries a pot of warm water, while Sarah brings in several other smaller ones behind him. I must have passed out because the next thing I know, Michael is warning me that this next part will hurt, as if what’s happening now is a walk in the park.
“We’ve got to thaw your hands and feet. I don’t think you’ll lose anything, but they’ll probably blister.” Worry lines his brow.
“Okay,” I manage, letting him know I heard him. This is my penance for letting her go, for not protecting her. I close my eyes and brace myself.
My appendages rise into the air, all four at the same time. Slowly, they’re lowered into the fiery pits of hell. My blood boils upon contact, needles stabbing every inch of my submerged skin. The scream that erupts from me is foreign, the pain all-consuming. Tears leak from my eyes as the darkness once again consumes me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper the plea, hoping she’ll forgive me.
Chapter 2
Lillie
Ian’s eyes light up when he smiles, our tormented past forgotten. Azami’s sitting on his shoulders while James walks next to him, all three identical while they laugh. The sight warms my heart.
Home.
I was alone for several years after the Flash, before Ian and I met our fates. Azami was born from sin, but a blessing nonetheless. Then destiny set its course when I met James, who was none other than Ian’s brother. From there, my life has improved for the better, having a family of my own. Living in the cave, even with the events that’ve unfolded, I’ve never been happier. Before the Flash, I lacked friends and family, and now I possess both, with people who would die to protect me.
Reaching up to snag Azami off Ian’s shoulders, I crush her to my chest as she giggles. Squirming, she jumps down from me to run around, and I watch her with pride, my heart bursting. Ian wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me tightly to his body as we look around at our extended family. Baby Gage is walking, picking springtime flowers. Jen and Sarah are setting up a new outdoor garden with berry bushes and trees, items that will only grow with the fresh air. Deagon’s carrying the transplanted greenery where he’s directed, with a large smile plastered on his face.
Several people are gathered around, watching Mason, Michael, Luke, and James build a playhouse, arguing over how high in the tree they should build it. Since the kids are little, we vote to keep it on the ground for now. Their easy banter has me laughing, enjoying our family dynamic.
Kissing the crease of my neck, Ian draws a shiver down my spine, his fingers tracing a fiery path up my side. At first, it’s sensual, but begins to burn. Before long, the pleasure turns to pain and I whimper. Why does his touch hurt?
I screech in pain as I pull back from him. His eyes are no longer the clear blue I remember; they’ve turned a sickening yellow that’re glaring down at me with a mixture of anger and possession.
My panic propels me from one dream to the next, replacing Jeff again with Ian. He’s against a tree in the snow—no coat, no gear—shivering. My first thought is, why is he so cold?
“Why are you freezing in the snow?” I ask, digging my fingers into my bedding. Why am I warm and on a soft bed while he’s out in the frigid snow?
“I’m looking for you,” he whispers, reaching for me.
Realization strikes. I’m dream walking, and the infected abducted me. Now, Ian’s out in the snow searching, suffering. His entire body is obscured in white, at the mercy of winter’s thumb. Again, my dreams are warning me. He has to save himself. “Go home, Ian,” I command, hoping he’ll listen.
Ian struggles to stand, leaning against the tree for support. I pray it’s not too late for him to make it home. “No.” The word is a whisper on the wind as I wake up, leaving him in the cold to fend for himself.
Panic weighs heavily on my chest, threatening to suffocate me in the darkness. My body is sore, beaten and bruised. Air is sawing in and out of my lungs as I open my eyes, trying to process my surroundings. The ceiling is made of rock, much like our own cave, giving me hope for a fleeting moment. A jab in the side notifies me that I’m not, in fact, in our comfortable mattress. Splaying my fingers, I search for the offending object, coming up with a stick. Moving it to the side, I continue my inspection. The bed is made of mostly straw and the soft arms of pine trees, just like in my dream. An aching cold fills my limbs, making movement slow. My body snuggles into the material to absorb the warmth caressing my back.
A scuffling noise freezes me in place, and it’s then that my hearing comes roaring back. Fire crackles in the background, beckoning me to climb to her warm flames, but I don’t dare move. Silence falls for a moment before a growl sounds close by, triggering my fight or flight instincts.
Sitting straight up on the makeshift bed, a sharp breath pinches my lungs, highlighting my injuries. It’s then that I’m introduced to my new future.
Hell.
I’ve gone straight to hell.
Every muscle and bone in my body is sore or in a constant state of burning. The room is lit by fire, staining the scene in my memories forever. Humans and infected surround the blaze, all staring in my direction. The humans look poorly taken care of and broken, sitting on beds much like my own. The infected in the back of the cave are disheveled and decaying, growling at my sudden movement. They’re the farthest away from the fire, the darkness providing a blessing by obscuring some of their features.
My attention’s drawn away from the rotting infected in the back of the room when the ones closest to me stand and begin assessing me with an intelligence I’ve never seen. It’s then that I notice, the humans are sitting at their feet.
My heart kicks up a notch, pounding in my chest as I sear
ch the room for an escape. There’s only one entrance and it’s straight through the group in front of me. The infected to my left smirks, understanding why I’m desperately surveying the room. He moves in my direction, slowly stalking, until he stops just short of me. Even with a foot between us, his presence has me scooting away until my back hits the wall. Sore from being torn across the snow, the rock stings.
The imposing infected leans in, sniffing the air around me, purring as he does. He’s scenting, probably smelling fear, but I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.
“Leave her alone!” A deep voice yells in my defense.
Growling, the infected steps to the left and backhands the voice into the wall, effectively shutting him up. A sickly crack echoes across the room, followed by a loud metal clank. Several gasps sound, including my own. I huddle further into myself, the motion producing the same metal clanking I heard moments ago. Breathing ceases as understanding hits me; I have a fucking chain attached to my ankle.
Yanking as hard as possible, I push and pull, slicing the metal across my skin. Tears prick my eyes as panic rises to the surface. This is far worse than I imagined. We were naive to think we knew anything about the infected.
Now that the objector is silenced, the imposing infected returns to me, practically crawling up my body. His hands have free rein as he works his way higher, his foul odor penetrating my sinuses and stinging my eyes. Fear holds me captive, but the realization that I must fight to stay alive springs me into action. I begin kicking up and pounding my fists against him.
My attack does nothing to slow his pursuit; he only smiles.
He’s nearly on top of me when I wrench my arm back and let my fist fly, landing squarely against his jaw. A crack sounds and my fist blossoms with pain. Daring to look back at the monstrous infected, a sight of horror greets me. Landing the blow perfectly, I dislocated his jaw, causing it to hang haphazardly on his face. His eyes are circular pits of fire, full of fury.
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