Chronicles of the Uprising (Trilogy 1): Trilogy 1 (27 page)

Chapter 16

Sweet warm liquid filled her mouth. Dark and rich, with hints of cocoa. It tingled on her tongue like little sparks of electricity. She swallowed, an involuntary reaction that sent that electricity coursing through her body. Alive and vital, it roused her from the depths of the abyss. Reluctantly, she followed the nagging sensation, waking her from peaceful unconsciousness.

“That’s right. Nice and easy.” Stryker’s smooth voice greeted her as her eyes opened.

“Soldiers. More of them,” Mira gurgled.

“Relax. Slow down. It’s okay. I got them.” Despite a very nasty looking black eye and an angry purple bruise on his chest, Stryker didn’t look too badly off.

Mira sat up a little faster than she should have, and the sudden movement sent her head spinning. She had to put her hands out on the ground to stop herself from toppling over. Weak from her injuries and sore, every muscle in her body protested movement.

“You just can’t listen to anything anyone else tells you, can you?” Stryker laughed and held a hand out to steady her.

Her mind raced a mile a minute. She’d been unconscious. That much she knew, but what had happened between her passing out and now? The gun. Her dagger. Where had it all gone? The soldiers – had they retreated, or were they still a threat? Was it still daylight? Was it still the same day? Had they missed another nightfall? She needed to get out. Been cooped up for too long. “How long have I been out for? Whose blood did I drink? The soldiers—?”

Stryker was a calm contrast to her frantic questioning. “Couple hours, my blood, and dead. Are you satisfied?”

Mira looked around. All traces of the soldiers were gone – all except for some bloodstains. The humans’ blood now joined the blood staining the ground from the wolves who had died the evening prior. This cave was death. She needed to get out of it.

“When can we leave?” Mira asked.

“Sunset is close. We’ll go as soon as we can. Take this time to relax.”

Relax? Did she even know the meaning of the word? No, relaxing was not going to happen. If anything, she was more tense now than ever before. Hours lost and defeated by the humans. She was a gladiator; she was supposed to be better than that. She’d allowed herself to get sloppy, and look what it had gotten her. Embarrassed and humiliated, she would have been dead if not for Stryker.

Still a little weak, Mira pushed herself up and stood.

“Easy there.” Stryker was on his feet, pulling her arm around his shoulder before she could protest. “You need to take it slow. You were injured pretty badly. I thought you’d died for sure, as much blood as you lost.”

She saw the angry purple bruises staining his skin. He looked pretty bad himself. His legs too were a bit beaten, at least what she could see of them. Long shorts covered above his knees, but his shins carried some scars and one very nasty gash. “I’ve been through worse. You’re bleeding. Do you need more of my blood?”

“I’m fine.” He glanced down at his leg and shrugged. The wound was scabbed over already. “You don’t have to be a tough guy.”

George had said the same thing to her back in the prison. And she’d give Stryker the same answer: “Being weak gets you killed.” And being sloppy as she’d been did too. How could she have let herself make such a fatal mistake?

“Being stupid gets you killed. So quit it and sit down. Conserve your energy, and I’ll let you have more blood. You need it more than I do. You’re the one who needs to be on top of your game when we meet back up with the others. Understand?”

His tone – the command in his voice screamed “Alpha,” and despite her hatred of being told what to do, she listened. “Sorry. I’m used to having—”

“I know. You’ve had it rough. I can’t even begin to understand what survival has been like for you, but you’re going to have to let that guard down with me. You can trust me. I’ve got your back.”

“Until you’re ordered to kill me later for bringing humans to Sanctuary.”

“I will make you this promise: I will not be the one to take any action against you. No matter what the verdict is. You have my respect and trust. You’ve earned that. I am your ally from here on out.”

It wasn’t a promise that all would be well, but his companionship reassured her in ways she couldn’t quite understand herself. “Okay.”

Against her own instincts, she relaxed and sat back on the ground.

Stryker held his arm out in offering to her. An angry red slash, still moist with fresh blood, ruined the perfection of his tanned skin. “Drink what you need.”

Not one to turn away fresh blood, she snatched up his offered arm and bit down quickly. There it was, that dark, rich taste. Never before had she savored such wonderfully vital blood. There was an electricity to it. She could feel the energy of it reaching all throughout her body Even when she was able to taste human blood, it couldn’t compare. Just a few quick gulps and she was more than sated.

“You taste amazing,” she practically moaned as the high rushed straight to her head.

Stryker scrunched up his face in confusion. “Thanks… I think.”

“Sorry, I just never get fresh…” After seeing the uncomfortable twist his smile took, she decided it was best not to continue the conversation. Not everyone was comfortable talking about blood. “Thanks.”

“We’ve got about an hour, maybe two, before we can head out. Take a breather. We’ll make a quick run of it once we can leave.

“What did you do with the final soldier?”

“Nothing special. A wolf isn’t a threat to them. So I was able to get nice and close before ripping out his throat.” He spoke nonchalantly, but the slight quirk up of his lip said he was rather impressed with himself. Mira was too.

“Stupid humans.”

He snickered silently, drawing shapes below him in the dirt.

Involuntarily, she began to doodle in the dirt as well, letting the process of drawing little shapes and patterns help take her mind away from everything that had happened. They’d been through so much and still they had to face the Council. Death had already been threatened if she returned with humans. Despite her best efforts, the little Otherkin trick was not easing away all of the worry. Her shapes too began to turn ugly. Whatever the outcome, she’d meet it head on, as she always did. Deep down though, she wished, for once, things would just go her way. 

Chapter 17

Running like she had never run before, Mira followed Stryker toward the cave where the rest of the group would be waiting.

Though sure she and Stryker had taken care of the humans that had been tracking her, she had not been able to rest. No, there would be no rest or calm in her mind until she saw with her own two eyes that her companions, and the wolves too, were alive and well.

Under a blanket of glorious twinkling stars, they bounded over rocks and weaved in and out of trees and bushes, following an unmarked trail only Stryker or a member of his pack would recognize. Wind rushing though her hair and the crisp clean air still fresh from the previous day’s rain fortified her soul. Freedom was there, within her grasp. Just one more hurdle to overcome, and she and her human companions could live in peace.

Stryker zigged and zagged through the trees so fast that even Mira herself had a hard time following the trail. That gave her some peace. If the humans did ever decide to follow, they’d find it difficult to locate any real path. That, however, would not stop them from bulldozing their way through the ruined forest. Humans were tricky like that. Or perhaps, sloppy and brutish, Mira thought. Either way, they would do whatever they had to in order to find what they wanted.

A light twinkled from a cave up ahead of them. It would be a bit of a scramble up some sharp rocks, but nothing too hard to reach on foot. The light, though, concerned her. Easy enough to spot from her vantage point on the ground, if someone had been following, they’d know exactly where the pack was hiding. Mira made a mental note to have them put out the light when she got up to them. Safety first. She didn’t want anything to give away her position on the off chance more humans were around.

A dark-haired wolf acting as sentry met them just before they began their ascent to the cave. He shifted upon seeing Stryker and greeted his leader with a polite bow of his head.

Naked and unashamed, as all of the other wolves Mira had met, a tall figure stood before them without bothering to cover anything – something Mira felt she would never get used to. She hadn’t intended to look, but it was so hard not to. She forced her eyes upwards and finally recognized the wolf as Terrance. He had to have caught her accidental peek. The smirk said it all. Mira tightened her jaw, setting her face as neutral as possible, and returned her focus to Stryker.

“Report,” Stryker said, with all the command of his position as Alpha.

“We’re all here and accounted for. I’m on second watch.”

“What of our injured and the humans?”

“That human, Sarah” – There was no hint of spite, as Mira had expected; instead, Terrance actually sounded appreciative – “is quite accomplished with minor first aid. She’s been keeping watch over the injured like a mother hen.”

Mira stifled a laugh. The same woman who’d been squeamish when her husband was injured? She was taking care of wolves? Had she misread the quiet human?

“Are they well enough to travel?” Stryker asked.

“They’re doing much better.”

“Then let’s get on the road. We don’t need to waste more time. We can all head towards Caldera now.”

Terrance’s lips pursed tight. He didn’t say it, but Mira got the impression that he was not sure of how to respond. Instead, he turned his uncertain gaze to Stryker.

Mira didn’t need this pussyfooting. “We’ll lose another day if we wait any longer. I get it, you all don’t trust me. But the longer we leave ourselves out here in the open, the more opportunity we have of being found by the wrong sort. We’ll get going now before any more humans can follow and sort out our issues from the safety of Sanctuary.”

Terrance sucked in a worried breath but did not speak out. Instead he pleaded silently with his eyes at Stryker for a response.

Mira growled with frustration. “Stryker, tell them what we agreed, and let’s get a move on.”

Stryker crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful, as if trying to find the best way to explain things.

“Our orders were clear.” Terrance’s voice was weak. The younger wolf was in no position to challenge his elder, and the fear of reprisal was there in his eyes; though she couldn’t tell if it was Stryker he feared, or the Council.

“I give the orders in this pack,” Stryker finally spoke up. His tone, however, brooked no arguments. He held his head high, meeting the other wolf’s eyes dead on. “Our situation has changed. We will have to present new evidence to the Council before a decision can be made. If you have a problem with this, speak now.” He clenched his fists, a subtle motion meant to intimidate rather than spur on a fight. And it seemed Terrance got the message loud and clear. The lesser wolf bowed his head.

“Good.” Stryker relaxed his fists. “I will tell the others of my decision. Terrance, I want you to go on ahead and alert the sentry that we’ll all be arriving before morning.” He turned to Mira. “I don’t want to give them any surprises. They’ll be more likely to listen if we’re up front and open about things.”

“Do what you feel is best.” Mira wasn’t sure she liked the idea of alerting the Council, but she’d come to trust Stryker.

“Terrance, be sure to let them know we were pursued by three tanks. I killed the last of them this afternoon.”

Terrance nodded curtly at his Alpha, but the angry glare he sent her way was not lost on Mira. He’d been friendly enough the night before – what had changed? “Will that be all?” Terrance’s voice had not lost the undertone of fear.

“Just go.” Stryker commanded with a wave of his hand.

The scrappy looking wolf turned instantly into his other form and took off into the darkness.

“What’s his problem with us now?” Mira asked.

“He doesn’t want to die.”

“Why would he?”

“The same threat that was delivered to you was given to us as well. We bring you all back as immortals or we die at the gate.”

“They really need to work on their sales pitch.” Mira, undeterred by the death threats, started her climb up to the cave.

“That’s why I sent him ahead. He will not be held accountable, as the messenger. But I am sure he’ll feel you are responsible if the rest of us are killed.”

“Do you think that will actually happen?”

“Perhaps. It’s entirely possible.” He kept his tone neutral, though Mira was sure he had to be worrying about the outcome too. She was used to death threats, but doubted the Alpha got many in his time. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Stryker looked calm as ever.

“And you’re willing to accept that?” Mira asked.

“The leaders have grown very cold these last few centuries. I would not assume anything where they are concerned. But, they should listen to reason – and reason will tell them that killing you is the wrong decision.”

“You don’t sound too convincing.”

 “That’s because I am not convinced… that they will do the right thing here.”

“Are they not good leaders?”

“Sure, but even good leaders are prone to making rash decisions when they feel the fate of their people is compromised.”

“You think they will try to kill us all?”

Stryker shrugged as he passed her by, scrambling up the mountain in a rushed pace.

“Right,” Mira sighed. “We’re just going to hope for the best?”

“Mira, please… just have a little faith in me. Let’s get the others ready and head out.”

Trust and faith and positive thinking. These were dirty words to Mira, but if he could trust her, she had to give him the credit, too.