by M. J. Haag
“The two that attacked you aren’t with these guys,” I called out. “Those two are outlaws, the men these guys have been looking for.”
“Yeah right.”
“What part don’t you believe? That these guys have outlaws, just like we do, or that they are looking for the outlaws, much like our own FBI looks for high-profile criminals?”
Silence answered me.
“Throughout the history of our world, fear and intolerance of differences have led to countless wars, segregations, and violence. That world is dead. We don’t need to repeat the old world’s mistakes in this new one.”
“What do you want?” the voice said, finally.
“For you to listen and try to understand. These men have been here longer than any of us. In fact, we are descended from their people. They have been locked away beneath the surface for thousands of years. The quakes from our drilling released this shit storm on us. Not them. They had nothing to do with the hellhounds coming here or the attacks by the two men they have been hunting.
“Since I’ve met Drav, the man holding me, he’s kept me safe from all of it. The infected, the hounds, even my own people. You have no valid reason to ask us to leave, other than fearing what’s different.”
The bay door to the largest white building rolled open, and a uniformed man strode out. He walked part way to the gate.
“Old world or new world, I can’t just give you another safe zone location and risk countless lives because you say your intentions are good. You want us to trust you? You need to prove you aren’t like the other two.”
“How?” I asked.
“Jerry and Tucker told us about the supplies they left behind with Bud. We have seven vehicles ready right now. Some of these demons can help us retrieve the supplies. The rest can tell us more about their race. How many there are. Where they come from. And just how fast and strong they are.”
“First, they aren’t demons. They’re fey, like from our legends. Second, do you really think they should tell you all their strengths and weaknesses and get your supplies for you just to prove they’re trustworthy?” I gave a harsh laugh. “You’ve got this so backwards it’s just sad. You should be the ones proving you’re trustworthy.” I lowered my voice and glanced at Drav, who still held me.
“Let’s go.”
He turned, more than ready to take me away from what he perceived as a threat. The man stopped us.
“Fair enough. You help us with the supplies, and I will help you find your parents.”
Drav stopped walking and looked down at me.
“I don’t trust him,” I said, honestly. “He’s dressed like some branch of military. Last guy like that tried to shoot me in the head to save me from you.”
“Yes. But without his help, how will we find your family? Your surface is much larger than our caverns.”
I sighed. “Can you put me down? It’s hard to negotiate when you’re carrying me like a child.”
“This is how you carry children?”
“Sometimes. Are you going to put me down?”
He considered me a moment then did as I’d asked. I immediately faced the man by the building.
“Drav and I can’t make this decision alone. We’ll need some time to discuss it with the rest of our group.”
“We leave in ten minutes.”
“Fine.” I looked at Drav. “We better hurry then.”
Drav picked me up, ran back to the trees, and started speaking to Molev before I even knew what was happening.
“The man said he knows where Mya’s humans are and will tell us if we protect them while they get supplies from Bud’s house.”
“That’s not what he said.” Both men glanced at me.
“That’s what he meant,” Drav said.
“Are you against us protecting them, Mya?” Molev asked.
“No. I’m against them using you, and you guys getting hurt in the process.”
Molev grunted. “Let’s go talk to this human.”
The whole lot of them, including Timmy, came with us when we returned to our previous position not far from the fence. The man inside hadn’t moved.
Molev stepped forward.
“My name is Molev,” he called.
“I am Commander Willis.”
“In exchange for helping us find Mya’s family, I will send half my men to protect your people while you gather your supplies. The other half will remain here to protect Mya and Timmy until our men return.”
“You have yourself a deal, Molev.”
Molev turned toward his men. “The supplies stay with Mya and Timmy. Kerr, will you go?”
Kerr nodded and stepped to one side. More men joined him until the group seemed roughly split in half. From within the fence, the sound of engines roared to life. Huge military trucks, like the ones that had evacuated us from the dorms, pulled out from the white building behind the Commander.
“Be careful, guys,” I said as the gate rolled open.
“Be safe, Mya,” Kerr said.
The rest of the fey stood back while the trucks rolled through. Kerr’s group of fey fell-in around the vehicles, keeping pace with an easy jog. I turned toward the gate as it started to close and only made it a step before a gun was lifted and aimed at my head.
Drav growled low behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder.
“What the hell? We had a deal.”
“The deal is that they prove we can trust them, and we help you find your parents. We never said we’d let you in.”
Had it only been me, I wouldn’t have cared. But we had Timmy.
“It’s too cold for a four-year-old to sleep out in the open.”
“We’ll find you a tent.” With that, the commander turned and walked away.
Byllo watched me. The look in his eyes said he’d rip down the fence and get whatever I thought Timmy needed. The little boy in Byllo’s arms watched me with solemn eyes, too. I gave them both a reassuring smile.
“We’ll be fine. Let’s find something to eat and drink. Then, I have a surprise for you both. Do you know how to color, Timmy? I bet Byllo doesn’t.”
* * * *
Timmy and I squeezed into the tent while Drav and Byllo stood outside. Having them so close was a comfort, but I would have rather had them be able to stay in the tent with us.
I finished tucking Timmy into one of the sleeping bags the others had brought with us then lay down beside the boy. His eyes remained locked on me as he sucked his thumb. I stared at him, too, so he would know I was awake and watching and, hopefully, feel safer because of it. Gradually, his blinks became long and heavy until his eyes finally stayed closed and his mouth grew slack.
After pressing a kiss to the boy’s brow, I crawled out of the small popup tent. Drav offered his hand and helped me to my feet while I looked around. The sky had darkened considerably since I’d gone into the tent. Most of the men lay in groups on the ground, apparently at ease with sleeping in their clothes under the stars.
“Is everyone settled?” I asked.
“Yes, Mya. Is Timmy asleep?” Byllo asked, his bright yellow gaze on the tent.
“Yeah. Just.”
Byllo continued to watch the tent.
“If you think you can squeeze inside, you can check on him.”
Byllo nodded and crouched low to unzip the tent and crawl inside. He barely fit.
“Are you ready to sleep?” Drav asked me, his voice carrying through the night.
I shook my head.
“I need to visit the bushes first,” I said softly.
“I will take you.” He threaded his fingers through mine and led me toward the copse of trees a fair distance from where all the fey men had bedded down for the night. The same exact spot I’d visited a few hours ago in daylight. Now, the light from the fenced-in area barely reached this far.
I released Drav’s hand, ready to step into the trees on my own, but he stopped me with a hand around my wrist.
“No, Mya. I will check it firs
t.”
I stood on my tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his lips.
“Okay. But please hurry because I really need to go.”
He walked into the trees, disappearing for several long minutes during which I bounced on my toes. When he finally emerged and gave me the go ahead, I rushed into the darkness without another thought.
The struggle with my button gave me a moment of worry before I dropped my pants and squatted. I tried to pee quietly so I could still listen. It proved impossible, though. Commander Asshole was going to get an earful when I saw him tomorrow. Had he even given one thought to what it would be like for a healthy human female outside the fence? Probably not when he simply needed to unzip and wave it around to relieve himself.
A breeze stirred some dead leaves behind me. I frowned and turned my head. No breeze touched my skin. A dark shape moved in the trees with me. I opened my mouth, ready to scream when another shape came from behind me. I struggled to finish my business as the two collided with barely a sound. The disgustingly familiar wet sound of a head being removed heralded the end of a threat. How many times would this man need to save me?
Shaking, I quickly zipped and buttoned then flew at Drav as the body fell to the ground. He tossed the head aside and turned just in time to catch me in his arms. I didn’t hesitate to pull him down for a kiss. He bent willingly toward me.
My fingers touched matted hair. A tiny alarm went off in my head. That alarm grew louder as the man stiffened at the first press of my lips to his.
I jerked back, almost falling into the puddle I’d made. He caught me with an arm around my waist and pulled me upright before releasing me. We stared at each other in the dark. Well, he probably stared, I could barely see the outline of him.
“You’re not Drav,” I said softly.
His teeth flashed white then he just disappeared.
“Mya?” Drav said from further away. “Did you call me?”
I stumbled toward the sound of Drav’s voice. He caught me in his arms, and I clutched him tightly.
“What is it? Are you hurt?”
“No. An infected was in there.”
He growled and picked me up, quickly removing me from the trees.
“It’s dead. A fey killed it. I thought the fey was you.” I looked up at him feeling slightly sick. “I kissed him.”
He stopped walking and looked down at me.
“I thought it was you,” I said again, my voice catching.
“Shhh.” Drav leaned his head against mine. “Do not cry. We will find who tricked you, and I will remove his head.”
I sniffled and half-laughed.
“You can’t. He would die.”
“I will not share you.”
“No. I don’t want you to either. I think I startled whoever that was as much as I startled myself when I realized it wasn’t you. He took off as soon as I released him. As long as you’re not mad at me, let’s not make a big deal about this. It was a mistake. That’s all.”
Drav opened his mouth to say something more, but never uttered a sound.
A lone howl echoed in the air. Gooseflesh exploded on my arms, and I stared up at Drav, panic coursing through me.
He picked me up in his arms and ran toward the fey.
Twelve
An alarm immediately blared from the military base.
“Condition Alpha! Hellhounds!”
A set of lights inside the fence went dark with a loud pop followed by the sound of broken glass hitting the ground.
The fey, who had been lounging moments ago, jumped to their feet.
“Don’t shoot the fucking lights!” someone yelled from inside.
The three remaining lights went out rapidly, plunging everything into darkness.
Drav growled and didn’t stop running until he reached Timmy’s tent. I set my hand on Drav’s chest, seeking comfort while trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Around us, a soft blueish glow emerged from the dark as the fey’s crystals began to come to life. The fey stood ready, studying the darkness. My gaze shifted toward where they watched. My eyes adjusted quickly, picking up the dark shape of the trees and the distant building across the road. I realized I saw far more than I thought I should have been able to see.
Over the ringing of the siren, I heard the men yelling from inside the fence.
“Meyrs, get the replacement bulbs. Davison, get the ladder.”
“I knew we couldn’t trust those grey skinned bastards!”
“We aren’t shooting out the lights,” I yelled back before turning my face toward Drav. “Are we?”
“No.”
“Bullshit,” an angry voice called behind us. “This is a fucking arrow shaft. We use guns.”
“Find them,” Molev shouted.
Several groups of fey ran off into the darkness surrounding the camp just as another howl ripped through the air, barely audible under the siren’s wail.
The idiots were already dealing with hounds and possibly the two outlaws. They needed to shut the siren off before the infected came, too.
Byllo emerged from the tent, holding a very frightened Timmy. I reached out and patted the boy’s back.
The sirens stopped. In the distance, an eerie howl rent the air followed by a chorus of others.
“Sounds like they found us,” I said softly. I worried for the fey who’d left. They had spears and bows while the humans behind the fence had guns and didn’t trust us.
The growls grew louder. The group of remaining fey tightened their circle around Drav and Byllo. I stayed still in Drav’s arms, trying to hear over the pounding of my heart.
Drav and Byllo’s gazes searched the dark, watching for the telltale flicker of red against the black of night. Off to the side, toward the trees, I thought I saw movement. But nothing emerged.
Pops sounded behind us, and I flinched. The fey looked unfazed.
“What are they shooting at?” I asked.
“A hellhound approaches from the other side.”
As soon as Drav said the words, I spotted a dark shape trotting from the dark. The flashes of light that punctuated each pop of a fired bullet didn’t faze the beast. Either the shooters were missing or the bullets hitting its flesh didn’t faze this hound, just like the one back at the stadium. With its gaze focused on the shooters, the monster growled low and charged the fence.
Six fey moved to intercept. I clutched at Drav in fear for them as the guns continued to fire.
“Stop shooting!” I yelled.
The fey didn’t wait. They ran at the beast while the Commander yelled for his men to hold their fire. The gunfire quieted before the hound clashed with the first fey. Grunts and growls filled the air as the fey struggled to grip the beast. The hound sunk its teeth into a man’s arm. The other fey used the distraction to impale the hound with a spear and pin it to the ground. The bitten man punched the beast in the throat, still fighting for release.
Another howl came from the trees to our right.
“How many are there?” I asked, my eyes moving from the thrashing hound to the trees.
“I hear three. Do not fear, my Mya. No harm will come to you or Timmy.”
As he spoke another dark figure crept out of the woods. Its glowing red eyes seemed to lock onto mine. Dread formed a murky pool in my stomach. The hound lowered its head as if getting ready to charge.
Six fey broke away to face off with the second hound. Before they could reach it, another beast stepped from the barren undergrowth. This one growled loudly and sprinted toward the fight.
Three of the fey jumped forward, trying to tackle the beast. The other three stalked the first hellhound, waiting for it to charge. It didn’t, though.
The burst of gunfire flared nearby us, and I ducked my head. When I looked up, I saw that the hound near the trees was trying to creep around the fey. The beast’s eyes were locked on Timmy and me, but the fey kept blocking the hound’s attempts to go around. As the hound snapped its teeth in warn
ing, another lone howl came from the darkness.
“Shit,” I said under my breath.
“Get those lights working!” someone yelled from inside the fence.
The dozen men fighting the hounds wouldn’t be enough. I’d seen how a pack of hellhounds could slowly peck away at their numbers. Numbers we couldn’t afford to lose. While the main group of fey stood around Timmy and me, the rest struggled. They needed to help their men.
“Drav, Timmy and I have to get inside. We’ll be safer there and the rest can go help.”
The tussle of Timmy’s black hair moved in the blanket Byllo had wrapped around him. Byllo’s gaze met Drav’s, and Byllo nodded before he sprinted for the gate.
Drav pressed a kiss to my temple and followed. At the gate, the humans posted as guards lifted their guns, aiming it at Byllo and Timmy. The fey roared at them.
“Lewis. Eldridge. Hold your fire,” a loud voice barked from behind them.
The guards immediately averted their weapons. However, no one moved to open the gate when Byllo reached it.
“You have to let us in,” I yelled, only a little behind them. “The fey will be able to focus on the hounds better without Timmy and me out here.”
The commander nodded sharply, and the gate rumbled open just enough to let Byllo slip inside. Drav and I quickly followed.
While Byllo took Timmy further in, I asked Drav to stop. We watched the fight outside the fence.
Some of the fey who had guarded us had split off toward the downed hellhound. The first spear had snapped, and a second spear held the hound in place as the men continued to stab the beast repeatedly. The thing didn’t stop growling or trying to bite them.
“Why isn’t it dying?” I asked.
“Our weapons do not kill them.”
His words sent a spike of fear through me.
I thought back to the hounds I’d seen Drav fight on the surface. He’d run while both of them still moved. Likewise, I hadn’t witnessed what happened to the hounds who’d chased us when we met up with Kerr before returning to Drav’s home. Did that mean the hounds couldn’t die in the caverns or up here?
