This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.
Cover by Stephanie Hobbs
Edited by Victoria Rae Schmitz for Crimson Tide Editorial
Formatting by Inkstain Interior Book Designing
Text Copyright © 2017 Cameo Renae
All rights reserved.
Published by
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC.
I TEETERED, BARELY GRASPING ONTO consciousness. The gunshot wound to my left arm throbbed, and my grip around Finn’s waist weakened. We’d ridden across the desert all night long, on the motorcycle Billy had given him.
As the sun broke across the horizon, bringing warmth to the desert around us, it cast a pale orange and pinkish glow across the heavens. I wanted to enjoy it, but I was too wrapped up in the pain my body was experiencing. I closed my eyes and felt my upper body tilt to one side, head bobbing. Popping my eyes back open, I sucked in a deep breath. I couldn’t allow myself to close my eyes. It was too easy to fall asleep.
We’d stopped a few times to rest and change my bandages. Finn making sure the gunshot wound was always clean. He also kept me pumped with the pain meds Dr. Banks had given him, and with it, forced me to eat and drink—although we had a limited food supply.
Looking over Finn’s shoulder, I scanned the landscape. We needed to find a place to rest soon. Not only to get out of the sun but to hide from the soldiers searching for us in helicopters. Hopefully, the high winds would help hide our tracks.
“How are you holding up?” Finn called over his shoulder, the wind whipping through his dark hair. He’d been checking on me with increasing frequency.
“Fine,” I replied, which we both knew wasn’t true. “But I might need to rest soon.”
He nodded, concern etched on his face. “Hold on, Abi. I’ll find us a place to stop.” He wouldn’t stop until he knew we were in a secure place, and I was fine with that.
My sole job consisted of staying coherent and not falling off the bike.
I gave his waist a squeeze with my right arm, letting him know I agreed, but with every passing moment, I grew weaker. I wasn’t one to complain, but it was getting to a point where my body wasn’t recovering fast enough. I needed to rest. I had to let my body heal; not only from the gunshot wound but from whatever internal damage Venge had inflicted.
The only thing holding the pieces together was Finn. He’d found me laying in the desert after defeating an army of Arvies, and fixed me up the best he could. He’d come for me—despite the enormous risks—even though I’d left Billy’s cave without him. I was glad he was here. It was us against the world, as it had been from the start.
The monster inside, which I’d given the name Venge, had almost killed me. Whatever the scientists put into those so-called enhancement injections released something truly terrifying. Something no one anticipated. Venge was strong. Too strong. And I had to be extremely careful to keep her contained. Once I let the monster inside take control, she was impossible to stop. It had gotten to the point where I feared the next time I set her free…I wouldn’t survive.
We were on our way to Grammy’s haven in Colorado, but we still had hundreds of miles to travel—much farther than the remaining gas Finn had sitting in the bike’s sidecar. But at least we had a destination. And that destination held hope for a better future.
As we passed a dilapidated home in the middle of the desolate terrain, Finn didn’t stop. The structure was on its last leg and open to the elements.
“Too risky,” he hollered back.
I gave his waist another squeeze in agreement.
As the pain worsened, my mind played back the events of the last week. Sergeant Hawkins, the soldiers, Danielle and her baby, mind jumping with Dr. Simon and Chase. It all felt like some sort of twisted dream. But it had been real, and the pain was a constant reminder.
I knew they must have made it back to the bunker, and hoped they would treat Danielle well. She didn’t deserve any more pain than she’d already suffered. My father always said people cross our paths for a reason, and Danielle was the only person I knew since we’d arrived topside, who’d survived an Arvy bite.
Would they be able to find a cure from her blood? Or develop some kind of immunity to the infectious Arvy bites? That would be a game changer and might take their focus off finding me.
Who was I kidding?
There was no way they’d stop looking for me. I was too great an asset, especially after they saw firsthand what I could do. No, I had to find a way to disappear.
Venge was growing stronger, day by day, and what they’d seen in the bunker was nothing compared to what she was now. Even I was terrified of her power.
But one thing remained true. I would rather die than become a slave to them. Or allow them to hurt Finn or my family.
Finn twisted his head to speak. “Abi.” He motioned ahead of them. “Houses.”
A mile away, I could vaguely spot at least six structures. “Do you think it’s safe?” I asked, knowing there was no way to know.
“Let’s hope so.”
Houses usually contained mutants; at least all the ones I’d visited.
I didn’t remember seeing this particular location on the map. The owners were probably people who bought land in the middle of nowhere to escape the city life. There was hope of finding food and supplies, but with soldiers scouring the surrounding areas, stealing everything while searching for me, I highly doubted there was anything left.
In case we ran into trouble, Hellfire was secured on my hip, always at the ready. We’d been through our own hell together, and still had a lot more ass-kicking—or ass-killing—in our near future. It was inevitable. And like it or not, I would have to prepare myself for it.
As we rode into the town, it looked deserted, and I couldn’t hear any signs of the mutants. But looks were deceiving, especially in this crazy, post-apocalyptic world. Aside from that, I’d recently discovered another threat, other than the Arvies. Rabid survivors the soldiers referred to as Manics. They were those who’d come topside before the government had deemed it safe. They’d gone mad and were violent. But as far as I knew, they couldn’t infect anyone from a bite, making them slightly better than Arvies.
Finn gave me a sideways glance as we rode toward the homes.
I shook my head, knowing exactly what he was thinking. “It’s silent. I don’t hear anything.”
He pulled up to the third house on the right, which seemed like it was in the best shape. It looked like it was once green with dark trim, but with severe weathering, the paint had been mostly chipped away. It was one story, which would be easier to clear and secure.
Finn pulled up to the side and killed the engine. As I slid off the seat, a soft moan escaped my lips. My legs were stiff and weak, my entire body—mostly my ass—ached like hell. He chuckled and pulled me into his arms. Gently kissing my forehead, he reached behind me, snatching his pack in his hand and flipping it over his shoulder. Then, he pulled me to his side, wrapping his free arm around my waist. “We need to get you inside. You sure you don’t hear anything?”
I stood still and turned around, my eyes sweepin
g the entire area.
It was eerily quiet. Maybe we’d finally found a place we didn’t have to kill anything.
Throwing my backpack over my shoulder, I followed Finn as he pushed the bike toward the back of the house. There was another door in the back which overlooked a bunch of dead trees and cracked, dry earth. Right now, we were on the outskirts of any big cities. Our next destination was around one hundred miles away; a capital city, just across the state border.
Hopefully, the soldiers would head to the larger areas first.
Trying to wipe the dirt from the house window was nearly impossible. It was so thick, it practically stained the glass.
Finn came up behind me. “I think we should clear the house, then situate the bike at the back door, just in case we need to make a quick getaway.”
I smiled, and my heart warmed as I turned to look into his deep, brown eyes. “I think that's an excellent idea.”
A crooked grin revealed the dimple on his left cheek. He pulled his shotgun from the back of the bike and racked a round like he meant business.
“Ready, hot stuff?” He winked, making my heart flutter.
“Always,” I replied pulling Hellfire from her holster and racking the slide which fed a bullet into the chamber.
We stood on either side of the door, and Finn moved his hand to the knob. With a quick nod, he turned, but it was locked. “Shit. I don’t want to bust down the door. It’s part of the protection.”
“Let’s try the front door.”
He nodded and slid around the side of the house. Following a few steps behind him, I had my finger on Hellfire’s trigger. Watching his back, I also kept an eye on the other homes, keeping my senses on high alert.
As he placed his hand on the front doorknob, I clicked into go-mode. With another nod, he pushed the door open and went inside, I was right on his back. He went left, and I went right. I walked into a living room.
A dirty couch sat against a wall, with a television on the opposite side. The floor was tattered from years of neglect, but aside from a few dusty paintings hanging, the room was empty. I headed into the kitchen next. It was clear, but there was a door to a pantry. The thought of a rabid Arvy trapped inside made my heart pound so hard, I could feel it. I placed my hand on the knob and lifted Hellfire. As soon as I opened the door, I gasped at the sound of a growl.
“Clear,” Finn hollered from the other side of the house.
I paused, my eyes scanning the area. Another roar put me on alert, but it sounded distant. I knew something was coming.
“Finn!” I called.
“Abi.” I could hear his footsteps pounding toward me. “Are you all right?” He came around the corner with his weapon ready.
“I heard something. A growl, but it sounded distant.”
“Arvies?”
“It could be. Maybe in one of the other houses?”
Finn walked past me toward the door. “I’ll go first, you cover me.” He turned back, his eyes capturing mine. “I know you could kill these things with a look, but let me have this moment. I need to feel cool for a bit.”
I laughed. “Go get ‘em, soldier boy. I’ve got your back, just in case.”
“And for the record,” he paused again. “I’ll always have yours.”
“I know. Now go kill something.”
He grinned, and we headed into the open once again; I followed close behind. With Hellfire raised, I was ready to defend Finn.
Making our way to the open road, it appeared to be clear as far as the eye could see. We moved to the home next door. Finn paused as we came up on it. With a few hand signals, he told me we were going to try the door, and he was going in first. I nodded and stood a step behind him. He tried the door, and it was locked.
Taking a step back, he kicked it open with ease. It flew open, shattering the hinges from the frame. Finn rushed inside the dark house, its windows filtering most of the daylight from thick layers of dirt and dust. The living room and kitchen were clear, and he paused at the hallway.
With a few more signals, I knew he would be going right, and I would be taking the left. He gave a quick nod, and we rushed forward.
He kicked open the right door, and I twisted the knob to the left and stepped in. A putrid stench hit my nostrils, making my eyes water and my nose burn. My gag reflexes made it hard to stay alert. I held my breath and tried to focus my eyes.
In the far-right corner of the room, a human form laid on its side, its body turned away from me. From the putrid stench, the man must be dead.
As I headed toward him, I wondered why he was left alone to die. Was he with others, and if they were here, where did they go?
Inching closer, I noticed the flesh on the man’s arm didn’t have the thick, scabrous skin like a mutant, or signs of decay. He’d must have died recently. His leg was also bent at an abnormal angle, broken. Which was probably why he was left behind.
I placed my foot on the man’s hip, about to roll the body over. In a split second, a strong hand grasped my heel and yanked me to the floor. I dropped on my back, causing my head to smack the ground, almost blacking out. Hellfire fell from my grasp, sliding across the room.
When I came to, the man was sitting up. His eyes were evil, and his rotted teeth and foaming mouth made him look rabid. He growled like an animal, and clawed at my belly, trying to yank me toward him.
Kicking, I tried to get him off. “Finn!” I screamed.
The man grabbed my arm, yanking it hard. His mouth opened wide, pulling my forearm toward him, and I screamed as his teeth broke my skin.
“Hey, asshole!” Finn hollered from the doorway.
My attacker’s head snapped up, and his teeth released my arm.
Finn fired, and I screamed as the warm splatter of blood and brain matter covered my face. I grasped my ears, which were ringing.
The man’s body dropped forward into my lap, with half of his head blown off. Blood and brain ooze was seeping onto my legs. I gagged and pushed him off, crawling toward Hellfire.
The brain-spatter thing was too much, making me vomit whatever food I had left in my stomach.
Finn reached down and picked me up, attempting to wipe the blood and matter off my face with the front of his shirt.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I had to take the shot. I didn’t want him to hurt you.”
“He bit me,” I exhaled, raising my arm.
Finn grabbed hold of my wrist, his eyes filled with fear. “Shit. No!” His breathing quickened as panic took over.
“It wasn’t an Arvy,” I said quickly. “He was Manic. I’m okay.”
“What?” His eyes were wide, trying to process what I was saying. “How do you know?”
“Because he has hair, and look at his eyes.” I pointed to where the man used to have eyes. “Okay, eww. Well, you’re going to have to trust me, because his eyes were clear and brown.”
“Are you sure?” He exhaled, hands grabbing my shoulders, eyes piercing mine.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
He squeezed me into a bear hug, and for the first time, I felt him shaking. He ripped a piece of his shirt from his back and tied it around my wound. “We need to get you back to the house so I can take care of this.”
“Should I start referring to you as Dr. Armstrong?” I jested.
“Hell no,” he blurted. “I mean, unless it turns you on. Then please, continue.”
I rolled my eyes, as he flicked a piece of brain and a fragment of skull from my hair.
“Gross!” I gagged. “Please, get me out of here.”
Finn put his arm around me, and led me outside. “We still haven’t cleared the other homes. I’m going to take you back and secure you, then go and clear them.”
“Oh no, you aren’t. We finish this together. I’m not going to die from a Manic bite. I might get an infection, but you have something for that in your bag, don’t you?”
“Yes, but you know I’ve got this. I can’t let you do it injured. Besides, you need
to rest.”
“Finn, get real. I won’t be able to rest while you’re out here alone. And it’s a bite. Lily bit me more than once, and I’m still alive and kicking.” I held my hands out to my side. “We do this together, or not at all. You’re not clearing any home without me. Remember what we were taught? Never do anything alone, unless you’re forced to.”
“You’re so damn stubborn, woman.”
“Always. It’s one of my greatest traits.”
Finn stared at me, his eyes glazed over, and it was odd to see him so shaken. He rarely showed weakness, especially not in front of me.
“Hey, are you okay?” I asked.
His left hand raked through his thick hair “No. I thought I was going to lose you a moment ago, and the thought of it…shit,” he cursed, trying to hold his composure. “It almost destroyed me, Abi. If you were bitten because of me, because I wasn’t able to save you—”
“Hey,” I hugged him, “I’m fine, and you did save me.”
“What if that was an Arvy? I would’ve been too late. And there is no way in hell I’d be able to shoot you.” He shook his head back and forth. “I’d let you bite me, so we could roam the Earth as mutants, together.”
“Finn,” I gasped. “Don’t you dare! I will never live as a mutant, and if you allow it, I will never forgive you. I will make the rest of your mutant life a living hell. I swear. If you aren’t going to shoot me before I turn, then I’ll do it myself. And you better not try and stop me.”
He sighed, his brow furrowed.
“And for the record,” I added in a softer tone, “if you ever get bitten, you’re going to have to shoot yourself too, because I won’t be able to do it.”
“What if I turn before I’m able to shoot myself and I come running after you with my chompers flapping?
“Then I’d shoot you.”
A broad smile lifted the corners of his lips, and he laughed. “We better not get bitten then.
I laughed with him. “We better not.”
His face turned serious. “Hey, promise me that from now on, you won’t walk up to a corpse-like body unless you’re certain it’s dead. Shoot first, check later.”