Bloodbreeders: Seeking Others (32 page)

Talk eased around the fire that night. Our plans had been made as far as the gates that would lead us into the underground passage ways that were filled with the long death of London past, and also the area that all breeders used to transport slaves without being seen. My bones were tired and my mind weary of the next night’s encounters in the one place that the entire group talked about as being miles and miles of twisting turns, that could find one lost in its manic array of disarray. Tunnels where Martin himself searched for runaway slaves, witnessing the light of day turning as man to ash, and all running
through my mind like a rapid storm on a trail of mass destruction .

I woke in the damp, moldy basement of Cornelle’s family home, with all of my people around me. Tanda lay on her side next to Johnny, who had his head resting on Shyanna’s lower leg. Cates and Tammy held each other in the far corner, and Derek, Sydney, and Garvin, were on the opposite side of them. Jessica lay near her brother who was looking back at me. He reached down and moved the strand of hair on Jessica’s face, then eased himself from around her, coming and sitting by me.

“She’s seen the horrors of the tunnels. Even I would stay with the younger ones if I could.”

“Martin never told me anything other than searching for the few lucky ones that escaped.”

“He never had the chance,” Jacob said, looking back at his sister.

“How bad is it, and don’t tell me that I will see it for myself soon enough. I’m getti
ng really tired of surprises.”

“One has never seen so many layers of death, unless they’ve walked the tunnels themselves. Bones on top of bones; heads removed from the remains and made into the walls themselves, because even the tunnels became too small for the dead that so eagerly waited to enter. It is how it became so usable by our kind. The breeders once hid in the tunnels from the walkers of the day, but now lay in wait for any who are unlucky enough to fall prey to the cover of night. We can come in from any side of the city and escape just the same. The only worry that we have is getting separated.”

“And if that happens?”

“Then we become weak to those who seek the fallen of the tunnels. Together we stand strong. Scavengers will only attack the weak and few.”

“Scavengers? Are they breeders like us, or animals like Fala?”

“It has been many years since Chin has made his way through the tunnels, then it was only those who sought others for the high mistress of the city—Angelica,” he said, whispering her name.

“Then we stay close until we get to the opening that leads to the main estate.”

“London will be a hard challenge for us to concur. There is more than just the one, you know?”

“My pa always said if you take down the biggest one, the rest will take notice,” I remembered smiling up at him.

“Your father was a wise man, even for a normal.”
             

Three hours later we all stood at a rusted iron gate that had wrought iron spears for ribs to hold the living out. But we were not the living were we? Johnny, Shyanna, and Jessica, seemed to be happy enough staying with the lepers and they were more than pleased to have them, with orders to send them back to Chin’s very private home in Maine, if we didn’t return within two weeks’ time. I gripped the iron gate, feeling the years of death flow through my body, with Sydney standing right beside me. “I see nothing but death in this place, Renee,” he whispered.  I nodded, looking at Derek who reached up and grabbed Cates by the shoulder and lifted himself over the eerie gate, and waited for us to follow.

“Everyone have a torch or candle? It is pitch black in there, and not even our eyes will be able to see the walls in front of us,” Jacob explained. “Once lost, you may never be found again. Other than by those you wish not to find you, or worse, if starvation finds you first.”

“And how would that be worse?” I shrugged and he ignored me.

Tammy looked worried staring at the six foot gate that was surrounded by an eight foot stone fence on both sides. Cates reached down and lifted her up with his right arm, right up to shoulder level. It gave her so much pride that she grabbed the top of the stone pillar holding the side of the gate, and swung her curvaceous body over, and slid down the other side. Garvin put Tanda on his shoulders, and while balancing on one foot, placed her over on the top of the gate, and pushed off landing lightly on her feet, and right in the arms of Derek.

“Thanks, but it’s not that big of a leap and I’m taking care of myself, remember?” Then she pushed past him and walked over to Tammy.

Cates looked at me, which made me just shake my head and smile back. He held his hand out and I took a short running ‘go for it’. My foot hit his palm as he lifted and I never even touched the fence. My feet didn’t land as gently as Tanda’s, nor was there anyone to catch me from crashing into the shrubbery by the steps that led down into the tunnels on the other side.

“That’s one hell of a leap girl! You all right?” he asked chuckling, pulling himself up on the gate.

“Yeah, you just missed the steps by half a foot…but, I’m fine,” I grimaced in reply.

“Everyone stay behind me, and no one light their torch until I give the word…do I make myself clear?” Jacob asked, turning to look at each of us. “It will take our eyes time to become accustom to the dark, so never look directly into the blaze. Light only one at a time to save them, and keep it as dark as we can, just in case we get separated. That is something that cannot happen.”

“And if it does?” Tammy asked.

“If you are alone light your torch, and listen for the others, we cannot hear you if we’re calling out your name. When we pause, you yell and we will find you.”

“Don’t keep moving, because you’ll just keep moving further away,” Cates added, nodding at Jacob.

“If you find yourself alone and frightened, scream once, then listen. Do not panic, because we will not be the only ones listening to your cries. We will make our way to the safe area, in the third corner on the other side of the city, and then figure out what we will do tomorrow night,” Jacob explained as if giving a speech to a group of soldiers.

“Can we go in now?” Derek asked, lifting his black cloak over his head.

Jacob shook his head, going in after him, with the rest of us following. Tammy and Cates brought up the rear. We went down several steps, and the further down we went, the darker it became. I felt the back of Garvin, who was more than likely feeling the back of whoever was in front of him, with Derek boldly and blindly leading the way. Cool, stale air blew against our faces as we took into the tunnels that we still couldn’t see. My hands touched the walls of small round stones, but I hadn’t smelled the horrid scent of gore filled death that I had expected from the demented cravings of wealthy breeders, to the blood thirsty insane lower levels, and this was said to hold this largest count of death yet. My thinking was that we were just not deep enough, that is until Jacob brought his torch to life.

It wasn’t stones that my fingers brushed by; it was skulls in the hundreds of thousands, and more tunnels breaking off in every direction than your eyes could see. Chills ran up my spine when I heard the heart piercing scream echoing through the tunnels. Everyone began spinning around looking for the one that could possibly be missing…it wasn’t until Garvin dropped to his knees that we knew it was Tanda. How did she lose her way with us all in a row? I took off into the darkness going against all that Jacob had said, letting her fear draw me to her. I called out her name as I lifted my hands just in time to keep from crashing face first with a wall where the tunnels made a ‘T’ shape, almost knocking myself to the ground.

“Tanda!” I yelled as loud as I could, then froze to listen.

“Here, I’m here,” she screamed out, sounding closer.

All I could hope while running with my hand out and my eyes partially closed so that I wouldn’t lose all of my night vision was, that these things that were known as scavengers, didn’t hear her cries. It was then that I thought I caught a glimpse of a dim light, opening my eyes fully only out of fear every time my body bounced into the curved shape of the wall, then it was gone. “Tanda,” I called out, right as I heard her scream in fear. I ran full out with my hand on the wall, taking the curve, running right into the chest of something much firmer than myself, and back down on the floor I went.

A small light flickered, and Tanda stood holding the hand of a man that had me scooting backwards and very much speechless.

“Martin?”

Bloodbreeders: Living in Darkness Book 1

Bloodbreeders: The Revenge Book 2

Arrival of the Prophecy

Uncertain Meanings

Coming soon:

Bloodbreeders: Lies Beneath London

Piper Vale: Please Don’t Hurt Me: Book One

Soon to be re-released:

Bren Woodard: Hatred With a Passion

When She Wakes

After Hours

The Tale of Two Toodlegnomes

About the Author:

Robin Renee Ray is known as a Multi-genre Author. She's only been writing for seven years, but has come to love everything about the world of being a novelist. She began in the paranormal romance/dark fantasy genre, jumping into horror, then right into suspense thrillers. 20 novels and numerous short stories later, she is well on her way! She resides in Southern New Mexico with her husband, David, and lives very close to her two granddaughters.

Other than her grand’s, her Bloodbreeders are her babies...Babies with fangs. : )

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