Dr. Rinaldi scuttled up to the middle of one of the tunnel walls, seemingly at random. “What are you doing –” I started to ask, when he pushed against the wall and a hidden door opened. Warm air immediately gushed out to greet us as orange light pooled on the floor.
“Quickly now,” Dr. Rinaldi said, ushering us both inside the room.
The heat was too intoxicating to ignore. I eagerly stepped in after Leo, and Dr. Rinaldi shut the door behind us.
The room was surprisingly large, running parallel to the tunnel. It was basically a long empty room, with a tight hallway at one end that presumably led to another compartment. I shivered with pleasure and relief as warmth wrapped around me like a blanket. My skin tingled as it began to thaw, feeling uncomfortable at first but then soothing as I warmed up.
“What is this place?” I asked. It wasn’t exactly a palace. The room was sparsely furnished, and nothing hung from the dingy walls. A scattering of guns, knives, and other weapons lay across the floor. Clumps of old sheets were stuffed together, making makeshift beds, and enough dust coated the floor to make grime angels. A metal garbage can sat in the middle of the floor, its burning contents warming the room. The smell of human waste was too strong to ignore, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
“It used to be an emergency bunker, like in the event of nuclear war. Still is, I suppose,” he said, glancing around thoughtfully.
I remember when nuclear war was the biggest threat we faced. A small part of me still wondered if we were still in danger, if one day the government would decide that the only way to save the world was to wipe it out.
“How long have you been here?” Leo asked. The hurt in his voice pulled at my heartstrings and made his father flinch.
“Son –” Dr. Rinaldi started.
“Just answer the damn question,” Leo snapped, fisting his hands.
Dr. Rinaldi begged for understanding with his eyes. “Please, Son. I had no other choice.”
“You could have told me you were alive,” Leo said, walking toward him. “You could have told me so I wouldn’t have spent the past two weeks thinking I was orphaned.”
Leo didn’t have much of a relationship with his mother. He hadn’t heard from her since she ran out on them when he was little.
“Leonardo, there is so much more to it than you realize,” Dr. Rinaldi said, gripping his son’s arms. “Please, hear me out.”
Leo pressed his lips together, silent.
Dr. Rinaldi took that as a cue, and his hands fell to his sides as he sighed hard. “We were doing some genetic research on the similarities between human and vampire blood cells, to see if we could isolate the vampiric strain, and thus, produce an antidote.”
A soft gasp escaped my lips. I knew vampirism was just a disease, a genetic mutation. But for whatever reason, the thought of being cured of my “affliction” never crossed my mind. I was so caught up in fantasizing about the possibilities that I almost didn’t catch what Dr. Rinaldi said next.
His eyes hardened. “At least, that’s what I was told when they came to me to design the testing machinery.”
Leo’s father had his doctorate in chemical engineering. He was largely responsible for designing the machinery used in Scarlet Steel factories, since so many of the metals used weren’t strong enough to withstand the corrosive properties of the steel.
“What do you mean?” Leo said.
My eyes sharpened as Dr. Rinaldi continued. “I found out through a source what Project V’s true intentions were – to extract the enhanced strength and speed of vampires from their DNA, and find a way to fuse it with human cells to create a super-human.”
My jaw dropped open. “What?” I screeched, about the time Leo shouted, “That’s insane! What the hell were you guys thinking? You can’t play God!”
A haunted look came over Dr. Rinaldi’s eyes as all the blood drained from his face. “I know. I tried to stop them, to tell them what a mistake this was, but they were mad with desperation. They thought it would even the playing field if we had super-soldiers, that the extra security would stave off any nuclear threats to wipe out masses of the vampires.” He took a shuddering breath. “And then the alarm went off.
“We tried to escape, but it was like the fire had been given a mind of its own. Someone had infiltrated the base and doused the floors and walls with gasoline, blocking the exits. Several of us ran for the hidden exit, but a group of Black Cross Guild hunters intercepted us, opening fire and driving us back toward the conflagration. They had painted a message on the wall in what appeared to be blood: ‘Wicked ways punished by wicked means.’”
That made my blood run cold. When I was still abhorred on the vampire base for being a hunter, a group of religious vampire radicals called the Blood Brotherhood left me a similar message on a note in my locker.
Maybe vampires and humans aren’t so different after all.
“Some of us tried to fight back,” Dr. Rinaldi continued, sounding shaken. “But what could a group of unarmed scientists do against a hoard of trained killers?”
My eyes fell onto his bruises. “How did you escape? From the way Leo was talking, the lab blew up.” I hadn’t meant for it to sound so harsh, but neither Leo nor his father seemed offended.
Dr. Rinaldi rubbed his temples, as if the memory hurt to even think about. “The lab did explode. I was one of the lucky ones who managed to get to the underground stairwell in time, but not before a hunter caught me.” His eyes grew distant as he subconsciously reached down and touched his purple cheek. “He gave me one hell of a time,” he said in a strangled voice. As he spoke, his hand trailed from his face to his arm.
Leo and I watched him rub his arm in silence for a few tense seconds, waiting for him to say more. Dr. Rinaldi’s mouth was slack; he stared straight ahead, locked away in his own personal nightmare.
Gently, I cleared my throat, and he blinked several times. “Oh,” he said softly, looking at us. “Sorry. My mind was somewhere else.”
I glanced at Leo. His jaw was clenched, and his brown eyes shone with worry as he gazed at his dad. Then his face scrunched up right before he sneezed.
“Oh, good Lord, that’s right,” Dr. Rinaldi said, standing. “You’re both soaking wet. Come with me, before you catch pneumonia.”
Though my clothes were still wet, I didn’t notice it so much anymore because I was actually nice and toasty now. Still, I followed Leo and his father through the tight hallway and into a slightly smaller room with a dingy lump I took to be some sort of beanbag mattress.
Dr. Rinaldi lit a few candles, which somehow succeeded in making the windowless tomb look that much creepier. He shuffled over to a garbage bag and pulled out a few T-shirts and jeans. “Here,” he said, tossing a black shirt and a pair of baggy jeans to Leo. “They won’t be a perfect fit, but they’ll feel better than what you’re wearing.”
I caught the khakis and blue button-down shirt he tossed me. “I don’t know, Dr. Rinaldi. I kind of like my blood-crusted, torn-to-bits sweater. I think I could start a new fashion trend – the ‘I’ve-been-running-for-my-life’ look.”
Leo and Dr. Rinaldi stared at me, and my lame attempt at humor died away. Awkwardly, I cleared my throat and stared down at the bundle in my hands, feeling my cheeks flame.
“Leo and I will leave you to get changed,” Dr. Rinaldi said, walking back down the hall. I half expected some flirtatious comment from Leo about helping each other out of our wet clothes, but he didn’t so much as look at me as he passed. He followed his dad out without a word.
A frown tugged at my lips. Leo had to be feeling like hell, with the vampire endorphin addiction and finding out his father was still alive and living underground like a rat. That bothered me too. Leo’s father had money; I mean, the government wasn’t stingy in paying their top engineers. I could see why he wouldn’t want to go back to his house right away, considering the Black Cross Guild might have caught wind he escaped and come after him. But he could easily have afforded an apartm
ent.
So why live in the tunnels? Why exile yourself completely from humanity?
Unless there’s something else he’s not telling us.
I sighed. After everything I’d been through, I was almost too tired to think about conspiracy theories and pseudo-terrorists.
Sitting on the beanbag lump, I peeled off my ruined sweater and tossed it on the floor. The shirt was huge – probably because it belonged to Leo’s dad – but soft. It had to of had a gazillion thread count to feel this smooth.
My jeans took a little more maneuvering and shimmying to get out of, but I finally managed to tug them free, and they joined my sweater on the floor. If I thought the shirt was big, the khakis looked like clown pants. I pulled the waistline out, observing the several inches of space between it and my body.
Beggars can’t be choosers.
I never thought I would say this, but I was actually starting to miss the pleated skirts and starched shirts my mom used to force me to wear.
After spending a few minutes trying to untangle my hair, I stood up and walked back down the hallway.
A hushed conversation floated toward me. Leo and his dad were sitting together on the floor.
I started to listen in but then stopped myself. I had no business whatsoever listening to what they were saying.
Casting one last worried look at Leo, I turned and trudged back down the hall and into the other room. There didn’t appear to be a door to close, so I stumbled toward the oversized beanbag and plopped on top of it. A waft of something smelling like mold drifted up as I lay back, making my nose and throat itch. A little disgusted, I rolled over onto my side, with my back toward the door, and rested my head on my arm.
Before I knew what hit me, my eyelids had fluttered shut, and I was tugged beneath the undercurrent of sweet, beautiful sleep.
***
Sunshine kissed my face as I awoke in the poppy field. I lay there, staring up into the everblue sky and enjoying the feeling of total relaxation.
My fingers idly toyed with the long emerald blades of grass when someone else’s hand found mine.
I didn’t jump as long fingers twined with my own, squeezing gently. “Somehow I knew you’d be here,” I said, turning my head to see Aden lying beside me.
My breath stuttered as I stared into his crystalline blue eyes. Once again, I was reminded of how beautiful he was. This Adonis belonged in the sun, not doomed to live a life in shadows and secrecy.
The corner of his mouth quirked up in a teasing smile. “Oh, really? It’s my dream field, and you somehow thought I’d be here?”
My brows rose. “Excuse me, your dream field?” I said playfully. “If it’s all yours, then how do you explain the poppies?”
His eyes twinkled with hidden secrets. “I may or may not have had a peek at one of your memories.” I’d learned from Aden that apparently when a vampire turns someone, he or she gets a glimpse into that person’s memories.
My mouth dropped open in indignation. “Hey! I told you before – no invading my privacy! Those memories are mine, and mine alone.”
He barked out a laugh, releasing my hand and rolling over onto his back. “You kind of relinquished that privilege the day I turned you.”
My eyes narrowed as an unexpected dark surge of resentment slithered through me. “Against my will,” I said darkly.
He looked at me sharply, regret in his eyes. “Sloane, you know I had no other choice. I had to make you near invincible to protect you from Orion.”
I sighed hard, tearing my eyes from him. “Yeah, I know,” I said tightly.
But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you.
I couldn’t tell him that, not out loud. Mostly, it was because I wasn’t sure where that resentment was coming from. It shocked me, in a way. I never thought of myself as the type to hold a grudge. It was much easier to forgive and forget and move on with life. Aden’s “betrayal”… I thought I was over it. That I had forgiven him. And yet as I stood there analyzing my heart, I knew some tiny part of me hadn’t completely forgotten how he had ruined my life, no matter how imperfect it had been. Without a doubt, his turning me had rooted itself deep into my core, maybe as a warning to be warier of people in the future.
I frowned, frustrated with trying to figure out the jumbled mess of emotions.
Aden sat up, propping his chin on his hand. “What’s wrong?” he asked, trying to get a better glimpse of my face. “Something’s bothering you.”
I laughed. “Well, let’s see: The world is going to hell, the Black Cross Guild has tortured me, our group’s been separated, I’ve been shot at by the Scarlet Guard, and my maker is infected by some crazy disease. My life is literally about to implode.”
“The Black Cross Guild caught you?” he asked.
I winced at the worry in his voice. He had enough to deal with. Why did I have to tell him all that?
“Sloane, are you all right?” he asked, cupping my chin and tilting my head toward his scrutinizing gaze.
I waved his hand away, sitting up. “I’m fine. They caught us, but we got away before they could cause any serious damage.”
He pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. “You need to forget about me and come back to the base. It’s too dangerous up there.”
“Oh, and a super-virus isn’t?” I countered. “Aden, I’m not going to abandon you.”
“I’m not worth it, Sloane,” he said, his eyes turning grim.
I blinked, not sure if I was seeing it or not. Leaning closer, I squinted against the sunlight. There was definitely something off about his eyes; they were red-rimmed and bloodshot.
Aden stared at me for a few seconds before abruptly turning away.
I sat there, suddenly very cold despite the heat in the air. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” I whispered. “The virus.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said. I could hear the strained smile in his voice. “I just haven’t been sleeping very well.”
The very real possibility I could lose him loomed before me like a big black ravine. “Aden,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He tensed under my touch. “I’m going to find Orion, and we will find a cure. I promise.”
His head turned slightly back toward me, and he gave me a ghost of a smile.
He’s giving up.
Desperation set fire to my core, and I gripped him by the shoulders, whirling him around. He startled, gazing back at me with a question in his eyes. “You are not giving up, you hear me?” I said. “I’m going to find my asshole brother, and you’re going to get well. Aden. Knight. Does. Not. Quit. You fight for everything you’re worth. Got it, soldier?”
Something in his eyes shifted, turning to awe. “You’ve been fighting your whole life, haven’t you? That’s why this passion comes so naturally to you.”
I blinked, taken aback. Clearing my throat, I dropped my hands and looked away. “Something like that,” I said in a small voice. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to gather my thoughts before looking back at him. “Life pretty much taught me that when you get knocked down, you get right back up swinging.”
Aden sat there for a moment, staring at me as if I had lost my mind, and then he slowly smiled. “All right,” he said at last.
I nodded, my shoulders relaxing. “Good.”
Aden searched my eyes, his expression going serious. “Sloane, there’s something I need to tell you.”
My breath hitched as he leaned forward, his gaze never leaving mine. “What are you –” I started to say, when he placed a finger to my lips.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he whispered. “But I need to be straight with you.”
I waited, going stock-still, not even daring to breathe as he spoke.
“Sloane, I –”
I never got to hear him finish because right then, the field and sky fell away as the earth opened up and I was sucked into the chasm below.
***
The scream ripped through the night, a tortur
ed wail like hell itself had opened up in the main room.
I bolted upright, breathing heavily. The room spun for a second or two before righting itself. Heart pounding, I listened harder.
Something wasn’t right; I felt it in my bones. It was the same feeling I had when I was a little girl eyeing the dark space beneath the bed, convinced there was a boogeyman down there.
Uneasy, I stood and warily made my way down the hall. Through the dust and the muck I could smell something else, something metallic and wonderful and –
I gasped. Blood.
Snarls came from the living room, which only increased my bloodlust. My fists tightened, the animal inside me itching for a good fight as I stalked down the hall.
A shadowy figure was hulked near a pile of sheets on the floor. And lying there beneath its taloned grip was Leo, covered in blood.
CHAPTER 16
My mouth dropped open in shock. Any bloodlust I felt had dried up the moment I laid eyes on my moaning friend, the agony on his face making my skin prickle with rage.
“Get away from him,” I snarled.
The shadow whirled; blood dripped from its mouth onto the floor. The creature’s glowing crimson eyes studied me as it sniffed the air through two slits in the front of its skeletal face. It had the overall shape of a human but with elongated features, like someone had tied a rope around its arms and legs and stretched them out of proportion.
I immediately tensed. What is a Rogue doing in here?
My eyes narrowed as it hissed at me, taking a step forward. Its clawed feet scraped the cement floor as it walked.
Slowly and never removing my eyes from it, I sidestepped into the main room, toward Leo. The wild vampire growled low in its throat, its massive canines slick with my best friend’s blood.
Dark Horizons (The Red Sector Chronicles) Page 16
