Ryder saw a flash of white behind Afana—Fluffy’s tail. She shifted to peer behind Afana. Massimo was banging on a glass door, and Fluffy was scratching at the door next to him. They’d been trapped in another room. Massimo’s clothes were ripped, there was blood on his face, and he was raging angry. His vampire fangs were out and he was ready to attack, but there was no one to sink his teeth into. It looked as though they’d had a fight and then Afana had locked them in the lab.
There were signs that Afana had been in a fight, but the blood could have been from the Mad he’d killed. At least Ryder knew her friends were alive—and pissed off. If she could get them out of the room, they would stand more of a chance of getting out.
Ryder wished they had Samantha with them. She had been able to get the door to Level Six open, and maybe she could have done the same here.
“I was wrong about you, General Murray.” Afana spoke in the deep voice that sent dread up the spines of everyone on the level.
Ryder felt almost physically ill. He wasn’t the only one wrong about General Murray.
“You brought me the traitor and her friends.” Afana stared greedily at Ryder. “Ryder, You were very good at hiding the fact that you were female. I knew there was something off after all of the years of watching you. I just wasn’t sure what.” Ryder was creeped the fuck out. She’d always known that she was being watched by a monster, but him actually saying it made it even worse.
Stop thinking about his bullshit and start thinking about how you’re going to kill him, free the others, and … Ryder stopped herself from thinking about what she’d do after that because there wasn’t any point. The only point to her life was to rescue the others, and she would attempt that until she lost her mind to the Madness.
Afana grinned. “And you brought me Terrier, the traitor who was hiding on Level Six.”
Ryder slipped the tip of the arrow into the alcohol and passed Carter the flint without Afana or the advisors noticing.
“Also, you brought me two more specimens to test.” Afana stepped to the side, still holding Tommy in front of him to reveal Massimo and Fluffy. “I’m glad you did, since the other two didn’t survive the testing.”
General Murray must have brought Knuckles and Tank to Afana for him to run his tests on. Ryder remembered seeing Tank’s body in the lab. He was mutated like Afana, and his head had been chopped off. Knuckles was apparently dead now too, and Afana had Massimo and Fluffy to run his new and awful tests on.
Ryder looked at General Murray. She didn’t need to ask him if he’d brought Knuckles and Tank to the vampire, because from the look on his face she knew he had.
“I will deal with those once I’ve fed.” Afana bent his head again and opened his mouth to sink his fangs into Tommy’s neck.
“NO!” everyone yelled.
Ryder had seen what Afana had done to men when he drank their bodies dry of blood. Afana’s drop hole was open. Ryder glanced down, but she couldn’t make out if the other levels’ doors were open. She had a feeling they were.
General Murray quickly leaned forward. “Afana, don’t.” He looked at Afana with something approaching panic.
Afana glared at him with glowing red eyes.
Murray shrugged. “He may be infected. I’ve never seen this kid. I think he’s with them. He’s an outsider.”
“He is an outsider,” Afana agreed. He looked at Tommy with disgust. “And I am already infected.”
Everyone gasped. Afana was terrifying as a vampire monster. The thought of him turning Mad was unconceivable.
Afana looked at everyone with disgust. “Soon I won’t be.” He tightened his grip on Tommy.
General Murray gulped. He realized that once Afana’s teeth sank into his neck, the boy would also have the Madness. “Has he been tested? Does he have the Madness?” General Murray asked Advisor Robert.
Advisor Robert shook his head, and General Murray looked at him like he was crazy. “Are you trying to infect our Immortal Leader?” General Murray barked.
Afana shot a killer look at Advisor Robert, and General Murray stepped closer to the vampire. “I was tested, and I’m clear of the Mad. All I ask is that you don’t kill me.” He tilted his head, revealing his neck for Afana to bite down on.
Everyone on the level was in shock. General Murray was offering himself to Afana to make him stronger and rid him of the Madness.
Afana knew that General Murray had the blood he needed, and he’d been waiting so long for him to come back. He wasn’t sure he’d able to stop feeding on him and wasn’t sure he wanted to. No one had ever made a request like this, but the general would be able to get the bunker back in order, and he wouldn’t have to.
Afana edged forward, already tasting the liquid life flowing into his veins to make him stronger.
Afana released his grip on Tommy, and the lad ran over to Carter. Afana tried to stop him, but the boy was too quick. “I’ll snack on him later,” he growled. “And then the rest of you.” Afana moved over to bite down on General Murray’s neck.
Ryder slowly raised her arrow, since Afana only had eyes for General Murray. Afana’s mouth was open wide, then he froze, and the sharp end of a blade was in his mouth.
Murray had stabbed Afana under the chin and pinned the vampire’s tongue to the roof of his mouth. He pushed Afana away from him, revealing the handle on the blade under his chin. It was Willard’s knife.
Murray had stolen one of the knives Willard had given Ryder. He must have taken it when he held Ryder back.
Ryder quickly raised the arrow, and she didn’t need to ask Carter. He lit the flint. Ryder placed the end of the arrow over the flint, and her arrow was on fire.
Afana pulled the knife out of his mouth. It was covered in blood, and he was ready to kill Murray. He hadn’t double-crossed them at all. Rather, he’d saved Tommy’s life and given Ryder a clear shot.
Ryder let out her breath and let the arrow fly. Flames raged from the arrow as it headed straight for Afana. The arrow flew quicker than Afana could move, and it lodged over his heart.
Afana’s eyes bulged as he worked out what had happened. He staggered backward, but he wasn’t dead. The arrow had broken through his hard skin but had not pierced his heart.
Afana growled at them, and his arms windmilled as he lost his balance. Afana grabbed Murray as he staggered, and the general tried to get out of Afana’s grip.
Ryder ran over to him, along with the others.
“I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” Murray stopped fighting Afana. Instead, he grabbed the vampire in a bearhug and toppled them both into the drop hole.
Ryder watched as Afana’s body thrashed as he tried to grip the edges of the hole to halt his fall. Murray kept his hold on Afana and ensured that he couldn’t catch the edge of a hole on the way down.
“I forgive you,” Ryder yelled down to Murray.
Everyone else looked down silently as the two men plummeted down and crash-landed on Level Five with a thud. Screams of horror came from Level Five, since they hadn’t been expecting them.
Murray’s lifeless body lay on top of Afana’s. The force of the impact with Afana’s body had killed him instantly.
Ryder waited to see if there was any movement, but there was nothing. They were free.
Massimo… Leandro! Ryder stared at the keypad, but she didn’t know the code.
“What’s the code?” Ryder asked Advisor Robert.
“684532.” Advisor Robert told her without any additional persuasion. He knew who was in charge now.
Ryder typed the code in, and the door unlocked.
Massimo and Fluffy walked through the door, “I nearly had him,” Massimo complained, shaking his head in disappointment.
Ryder smiled. “We’ve got him now.” She stroked Fluffy when he came to stand beside her.
They all looked down through the hole. The women from Level Six stood around the bodies.
Then Murray moved. He’d survived the fall? How? Murray’s body was rolled to the side. He
wasn’t alive, Afana was. Oh, shit! They were all the way up on Level One, and he was on Level Five.
Ryder started for the stairs, but Carter stopped her. “They’ve got it. Look.” Ryder looked back down the drop hole, and Carter was right. They did have it. The pole-welding women were beating the last bit of life out of Afana. It was their turn to get the revenge for the stolen years of their lives.
Ryder let out a sigh of relief when there was no more movement from Afana. He was dead.
She’d done it. No, Ryder thought as she looked around, they’d done it. Ryder and her friends had freed the women and children from the bunker.
They are free, and we are free. Am I free? Ryder thought for a moment. She might be free, but she wasn’t okay. She’d been bitten by a Mad, and would soon turn. “Just need some fresh air. This place stinks of the Mad. Can you make sure they get out safely?” Ryder asked.
Everyone looked at Ryder, confused. Why wasn’t she celebrating? her friends wondered.
Massimo looked Ryder up and down, and his eyes rested on her ankle and the blood stain. “Ryder, have you been bitten?”
Ryder nodded.
The color drained from her friends’ faces.
Terrier shook his head. “You…you can’t be. You just freed us.” Terrier was in shock. He felt like he’d failed Ryder; like he’d failed his sister.
“I have been,” Ryder told Terrier soberly.
She turned to her new friends. “Thank you for everything. In the last few days, I’ve lived more than ever before. Please, will you all look after my friends?” Ryder asked frankly.
“Of course. I’m sorry.” Massimo shook his head sadly. If he’d taken care of Afana sooner, she wouldn’t have had to come up here and might not have been bitten.
Ryder looked at Massimo warmly. “Sorry? You’ve got to be kidding me. If it wasn’t for your help, they wouldn’t be free. You guys are my heroes!”
Massimo smiled. “You’re the true hero.” Massimo embraced Ryder, and Carter joined them. Fluffy rubbed his body against Ryder’s legs, and she stroked his back.
“This isn’t right.” Massimo shook his head again. “I’m not letting it happen. Carter, your knife.” Massimo held out his hand for Carter’s knife.
Carter held out the knife for Massimo. “What are you going to do with it?’ Carter asked as Massimo took the knife from him.
Terrier got between Massimo and Ryder, blocking the knife from being anywhere near Ryder.
“Terrier, he’s a friend. Let him explain why he wants the knife.” Ryder stepped around Terrier so she was in front of Massimo.
Massimo wiped the blade on his pants to remove all the blood, “I’m going to save Ryder’s life. Well, my blood is going to…I hope.” He slit his palm, and blood instantly oozed out of it. “Ryder, please show me your bite.”
Ryder wasn’t sure how Massimo’s blood was going to help, but she’d try anything. She rolled up her pants to reveal her angry bite.
“Would you sit on the floor?”
Ryder did as he requested.
Massimo knelt beside Ryder and dripped his blood into the bite.
Everyone watched in wonder. “How is this going to work?” Ryder asked.
Massimo looked into Ryder’s eyes, “I’m hoping that the nanocytes in my blood that make me a vampire will stop you from getting the Madness.”
It made sense to Ryder. When they’d been walking to the bunker, Massimo had told Ryder that nanocytes were like little computers. Maybe the little computers would work? Ryder hoped so. “Do you think it will work?” she asked.
Massimo looked at her soberly. “I’m not sure,” he admitted.
Ryder smiled at Massimo. “Thank you for trying.” Ryder rolled down her pant leg, and Terrier helped her get to her feet. “I’m not going to risk being around you guys if it doesn’t work,” Ryder informed the group. “I’ll come back if it does.” She did her best to keep an optimistic tone.
Terrier’s big arms wrapped around Ryder, embracing her. When Ryder rested her head on his chest his heart was beating frantically, yet Ryder felt quite calm. She was leaving the bunker a free woman. She let Terrier hold her longer than she wanted him to, since it was for him more than her. Finally, she stepped away from Terrier.
None of them knew what to say. Carter’s eyes were starting to glaze over with tears, but Ryder couldn’t have Carter crying since it would set her off. “Carter, don’t forget to show Tightwad the toy box and see if he shits a rainbow.” Ryder headed to the exit.
“See you later, smelly,” Carter yelled to Ryder.
“Later, douchebag,” Ryder yelled back.
25
The sun shone down brightly on Ryder’s face. She inhaled the fresh air, and it did indeed smell a hundred percent better than the bunker. Ryder took in a deep breath and savored the sweet smell of freedom.
She’d done it. Everyone was free.
There was a patter of paws behind her. It was Fluffy. Ryder smiled as he bounded over to her. “What are you doing? I asked you to look after my friends,” Ryder chided him.
Fluffy just looked up at her with his large orange eyes and rolled them.
Ryder grinned. “Stop rolling your eyes at me, Leandro!”
She was happy for the company, and Ryder knew that when she turned he’d stop her from hurting anyone.
A few women and kids were standing outside the bunker, and they all stared at Ryder like lost puppies. Ryder smiled at them warmly. Massimo would help them.
“What do we do now?” a woman asked Ryder.
“Live free,” Ryder told her with a grin.
Ryder kept walking. Her job here was done. Leandro walked alongside Ryder as she entered the forest. She had her bow over her shoulder, and a quiver full of arrows. Ryder wasn’t planning on using it, but she felt naked without it.
She strolled through the woods, stopping when she got to Graham’s cart and the horses.
Ryder’s face lit up. “Graham wouldn’t mind if I borrowed Black Beauty one more time, would he?” Ryder asked Leandro.
“I’ll take your silence as a no.” Ryder grinned and ran her hand over Black Beauty’s silky coat. The other horse would be able to pull the cart, so she wasn’t going to leave the gang without a way to get the cart back to Pinewood.
Ryder unhitched Black Beauty and mounted the horse.
Ryder looked left and then right. She couldn’t go left since that would lead her to Pinewood. There was no way she was going straight since that would mean crossing the river. Right it is. There were empty fields full of lush green grass. That would do. There’d be no one around for a long time.
“You ready for a run?” Ryder asked Fluffy. He chuffed at Ryder and sprinted ahead. “Cheater!” she called after him.
Ryder loosened the reins and nudged Black Beauty to make him go faster, and she was soon galloping beside the wolf. The wind whizzed past Ryder’s face as she picked up speed. Her heart raced with every stride.
She was free!
The ride was her best, and her last ride ever. Ryder wanted to keep on riding, but she was concerned that if she rode too far, she might get to another area where there were people.
Ryder hopped off the horse and went to tie the reins to a tree, then stopped herself. The horse could be free as well.
She sat down on the grass and rested against a rock. Fluffy sat beside Ryder and placed his head on her lap. Ryder stroked Fluffy’s fur. “Thank you, Leandro.” She looked into his eyes. “I wish you could turn back to Leandro. I’d like to see you and hear your voice just one more time.”
Ryder knew that wasn’t going to happen. “Actually, don’t bother. You can keep me warm instead.” Ryder closed her eyes, wondering if she’d be Mad when she woke up.
Ryder pulled up her pant leg, and there were still teeth marks from the bite. She pulled her pant leg down to cover it with shaking hands. The adrenaline had left her body. Ryder was drained.
She let the tiredness of the day and the joy of s
aving her friends comfort her. Fluffy curled up beside her and they fell asleep.
Leandro watched Ryder through the night. He could see her eyes moving under her eyelids as she dreamed. He wondered what she was dreaming about, and hoped it was him. Leandro wished he’d had the confidence to tell her how he felt, or at least asked her for a date. Leandro laughed at that. He hadn’t asked anyone out for a date for a year; not since he was at school, and even then he had been shy. He was the kid who liked to hide in the shadows to pretend he was invisible, and now he was.
He knew that by morning Ryder would turn into a Mad, so he drank in every element of her while she was still Ryder. Her skin was still silky smooth, with full lips he’d never kissed. He laughed inside at the thought of kissing her now with his wet snout. Ryder’s cheekbones were perfectly defined, and her eyelashes were longer than the hair on her head, which had grown a little over the last few days.
He thought she was beautiful, but then he’d thought that from the first moment he saw her.
It wasn’t only Ryder’s beauty that had cast a spell over Leandro. It was…well, Ryder and her heart. She had been prepared to go back and save her friends at any cost. She would die for them. There lay the irony in it all. She had given her life for them to be free.
Live free or die, Ryder had once told Leandro,
How true those words were for Ryder.
Leandro laid back down next to Ryder, and her arm wrapped around his furry body once again. The fear of what morning would bring was hidden behind the peaceful comfort of each other’s sleeping breath.
A gentle breeze danced over Ryder’s skin, and she woke with a start. Her body ached from the battles of yesterday—and the day before and the day before that—but she still felt like Ryder.
What the fuck? Murray had told her his son had turned a few hours later. It had been more than that—a lot more. The sun was at its highest point, which told her it was the middle of the next day. Ryder looked at her bite. It had gone to the bone, and still had dried blood around it. She had been bitten by a Mad, but wasn’t Mad. How?
Escaping Madness: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (Live Free Or Die Book 3) Page 17
