The Forever Song (26 page)

His words were almost lost as Kanin slammed his palm into the center of the steering wheel, sending a piercing wail into the air. The rest of the swarm jerked up, spinning around at the noise, and hundreds of blank, dead eyes fastened on us.

“Well, here we go.” Jackal sighed as the entire mob gave earsplitting cries and sprinted toward us over the pavement. Kanin put the car in Reverse and sped backward down the road, inciting the horde into a frenzy. When he was a few hundred yards from the gate, and about fifty yards from the rabids swiftly closing in, he slammed on the brakes and wrenched the car into drive again.

“Allison, Ezekiel?”

“Yeah?”

“Hang on to something.”

The car leaped forward with a squeal, gaining speed, as we hurtled straight for the approaching swarm. Kanin didn’t slow down but flipped on the headlights just as we crashed full speed into the first wave, knocking them aside with wet thumps. Rabids flung themselves at the vehicle, smashed into the windshield, and were hurled away. They leaped onto the hood, clinging desperately as they screamed and clawed at the glass, soulless white eyes peering madly through the barrier. One rabid’s skull hit the windshield as it leaped at us, and a spiderweb of cracks instantly spread across the glass.

The wall loomed in front of us, the space in front of it clear, though the massive iron gates were still closed. With a few rabids still clinging to the van, we sped unerringly toward the metal barrier, Kanin not slowing down. Zeke muttered something inaudible and grabbed the back of Jackal’s seat in a death grip. I followed his example with Kanin’s.

“Hang on,” Kanin muttered, and spun the wheel sharply to the left. The car gave an earsplitting squeal as it spun sideways, left the road, and smashed into the wall, crushing a few rabids between layers of metal. The impact threw me sideways, too, nearly wrenching my arms from their sockets as I clung desperately to the seat. There was a moment of chaos, of grinding metal, screaming rabids, and breaking glass, and the vehicle rocked to an abrupt halt.

“Let’s go.” Kanin jumped out and pulled open the side door, letting Zeke and I scramble free. The car lay in a crumpled, smoking ruin, the broken bodies of rabids lying beneath it or smashed into the wall. In front of us, farther down the road, the horde was coming back, screaming and bounding over the pavement.

“Get to the gates!” Kanin barked, and we ran for the entrance, which was still firmly closed. We crowded in front of the steel doors, drawing our weapons, as the frantic shrieks and wails drew closer. Zeke called up to the watchtower, banging his machete hilt against the metal, but there was no answer.

“This asshole had better open the door,” Jackal growled, spinning his fire ax in a graceful arc as the horde came on. “I didn’t come all the way to Eden to be eaten at the damn gates. Some might call it ironic, but that just pisses me off.”

The first rabid lunged at me, howling, fangs and claws going for my face. I brought my katana up and sliced through the spindly middle, cutting it in half in a spray of dark blood. Another bounded in, and Zeke’s machete sliced down, hammering into it and tearing the head from its neck.

With a deafening groan, the gate shuddered and finally cracked open, just wide enough for a single person to pass through. I turned just as a soldier poked his head out and beckoned frantically to us all.

“Get inside! Hurry!”

“Go!” Kanin snapped, and we didn’t need encouragement. Zeke ducked through first, with Jackal right behind him. As the horde descended upon us, screaming and wailing, I cut down one last monster and backed swiftly away with Kanin until we reached the door. We slipped through the opening, and Kanin joined Zeke and the soldier in pushing the heavy gate shut. A rabid hit the gate and started to squeeze through, hissing, but my katana flashed, and it fell as its head bounced to the road. For a moment, peering through the crack, I was staring at a sea of rabids rushing toward me. Then the gate shut with a hollow, clanging boom, a heavy bar dropping into place as wailing, scratches and frantic thumps sounded on the other side.

I slumped in relief, then turned…to face a squadron of suspicious, hard-eyed soldiers, their assault rifles already trained on us all.

Okay, this wasn’t starting off well.

The monster in me growled, urging me to attack, to take out the threat before it was too late and they shot us full of holes. I pushed down the bloodlust and lowered my sword, trying to appear nonthreatening. I hoped these weren’t the same soldiers I’d encountered the first time I’d come through the checkpoint—the ones who would recognize me as a vampire. They had to believe we were just a group of normal humans looking for Eden. But something was definitely wrong. The checkpoint was on high alert, and the soldiers seemed twitchy; it hadn’t been this way the first time we came through.

Sarren’s doing?
I wondered
. Or something else?

Jackal snorted.

“Nice reception,” he drawled, gazing at the squad of armed humans with a mix of amusement and disgust. “I feel so welcome here. Do all visitors get the red carpet treatment, or are we just special?” He shot a glance at Zeke, his smile dangerous. “Hey, puppy, I think your welcoming committee needs a few things explained.”

Zeke quickly stepped forward, facing the squad. “It’s all right,” he said, as the soldiers turned, their eyes wary and hard. I watched him, hoping he was calm, that he had his monster under control, as well. Thankfully, he seemed composed as he continued, speaking to the soldier out front, the one who looked like he was in charge. “My name is Zeke Crosse. I’m a resident of Eden.” Some of the men straightened, definitely recognizing the name, as Zeke continued. “Dr. Richardson knows who I am. If you tell him I’ve come back, he’ll sort everything out.”

The soldiers murmured and relaxed a bit, and the lead soldier lowered his gun. “Zeke Crosse,” he repeated, his brow furrowed in thought. “You’re that kid who was working with the scientists. The one they let off the island a few months back.” Zeke nodded, and his gaze flicked to the rest of us. “What about them?”

“They’re friends,” Zeke replied without hesitation. And Jackal, much to his credit, managed not to roll his eyes or snort. “They’re here to help.”

The man relaxed, and the rest of the soldiers lowered their weapons. “All right,” he said, and I breathed a small sigh of relief. “I’ve heard your name before, Mr. Crosse, though you picked a hell of a time to come back. Sorry for the welcome, but we can’t be too careful anymore.”

“What’s going on?” Zeke asked.

“Come with us.” The soldier jerked his head back down the road. “We’ll explain as we go.”

“Wait.” Another soldier pushed to the front. The commander frowned at him, but the human’s dark eyes were narrowed on me. “The girl,” he growled, his voice hard, and my heart sank. “I know you,” he stated. “I recognize you. You were with that group when they first came here, about five months ago. You’re the one Keller let walk away.” His jaw tightened, and he raised his gun as the other soldiers tensed. “She’s a fucking vampire!”

All guns were leveled in my direction, and I bit down a snarl. Raising my hands, I forced my voice to be calm, steady. Oh, we did not need this now. Not with Sarren out there, possibly close. Something was definitely up, and I’d bet the deranged vampire was right in the middle of it. The humans might not even know the danger they were in. We had to find him, but getting shot full of lead or inciting a panic was not going to help any of us.

The soldiers glared at me, fear and anger plain on their faces, their fingers tensing around their weapons. The monster within growled, eager for bloodshed. “I didn’t hurt anyone last time I was here, and I’m not going to now,” I told the men, meeting their hostile, accusing stares. “We don’t have to do this.”

Zeke stepped forward and swept me behind him in one smooth motion, facing the soldiers and their guns. “She’s with me,” he said, keeping himself between me and the dozen assault rifles pointed at my chest. “I brought her here. At Dr. Richardson’s request. She’s not a threat to Eden or the people here, I swear it on my life.” I caught the tremble in his voice, the bridled rage, and swallowed hard. The monster had emerged with the threat of violence, and he was barely holding himself back. I shot a quick glance at Jackal and Kanin. My sire watched calmly, patient and calculating, waiting to see what would happen, if he needed to intervene. Jackal stood a few feet away, observing the humans with his arms crossed and a rather dangerous smirk on his face, making me groan inwardly. If this got out of hand, these men were as good as dead.

The soldiers stared at Zeke, stunned and outraged. “Fetch Dr. Richardson,” Zeke went on. “Tell him I’m here, and that I have what they sent me for. He’ll know what I’m talking about.”

The lead soldier finally lowered his gun, though his expression wasn’t friendly. “Well, that might be difficult,” he stated in a flat voice. “Richardson is dead.”

Zeke straightened. “He’s dead?” he whispered. “When? How?”

“Eden has been compromised,” the man said grimly, as the soldiers continued to hold their weapons on me. “The island is lost. We cannot give you any more details, but your vampire is going to have to come with us.”

Chapter 14

I could sense the snarl rising in Zeke’s throat as several of the men stepped forward, their guns trained on me. I heard the beginnings of a growl rumble through him, and quickly grabbed his arm. If he attacked, if he gave himself away as a vampire, the soldiers would turn on him, on all of us. They might start firing, and then everything would end in disaster. We couldn’t afford that. Not now. Not with Sarren out there, probably within Eden itself.

“Zeke, wait!” He turned, his gaze angry and intense, the hint of fangs peeking through his lips. Dammit, I had to calm him down as well, before he lost it and savaged the humans. “I’ll go with them,” I whispered, then glanced at the soldiers. “I’ll go with you!” I called, louder this time, and they relaxed, though not by much.

Turning back to Zeke, who still looked defiant, I leaned close and lowered my voice. “This is the best way,” I told him. “Stay with Kanin and Jackal. Try to figure out what’s going on.”

“I’m not letting them take you.”

“I’ll be fine.” I squeezed his arm, desperate to convince him. “What are they going to do, burn me at the stake?”
God, I hope not.
“But you have to look for Sarren, Zeke. If they think I’m the only vampire here, they won’t be watching the three of you. We have to find out what’s happened to Eden, and where Sarren could be. That’s more important now.”

Zeke closed his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, giving me an anguished look. “I didn’t want it to be this way. I thought Dr. Richardson would be here to explain everything.”

“You couldn’t have foreseen what would happen.” The soldiers were giving me impatient looks; I didn’t have a lot of time. “This is the best option, Zeke. We don’t want to start a fight. Better that it’s just me then all four of us.” I leaned in even closer, dropping my voice to a whisper. “You can’t let them discover you’re a vampire, not until you figure out what’s happened to Eden.”

Zeke sighed, looking angry and frustrated, but nodded. “I’ll find you,” he promised, briefly pressing a hand to my cheek. “I promise. I know the people here, they’re not unreasonable. We’ll talk to them and sort this out. Just hang on until then.”

“I will,” I said, though I didn’t tell him my true thoughts. That humans in general were not very reasonable when it came to vampires. That the fear of monsters and predators usually took over any rational thoughts when it came to their own survival. That I didn’t expect much sympathy or understanding, and I was really just buying him and the others time to find Sarren.

And lurking in the darkest part of my mind was the fear that I kept even from myself. The whole reason Zeke had been allowed to leave Eden in the first place was to bring back a vampire. And now, here I was. A vampire, in a city full of frightened, desperate mortals.

Part of me said I was being incredibly stupid, putting faith in these humans, trusting they wouldn’t strap me to a table and dissect me like a rat. Part of me was insisting that I fight my way clear. I was a
vampire;
who were these mortals to treat me like a prisoner and an animal? We could rip them apart, scatter their limbs in the road, and find Sarren without their help.

I pushed that voice aside. I was not that kind of monster, I told myself. We had come all this way; I wasn’t about to slaughter the people I’d come to help. And Zeke still had family here; if I gave in to the monster, he could fall as well, and it would be even more devastating for him once he came out of it. No, if it meant keeping Zeke grounded and in control, if it meant the others would remain free to look for our real enemy, I would put myself in the humans’ custody and not tear them in half. Even though I had zero faith that they would treat me as anything but a monster.

“Leave that weapon behind,” the lead soldier told me, jabbing his gun at my katana as I walked up. “Bad enough we let a bloodsucker walk through the streets—it’s sure as hell not going to be armed. Take it off.”

I bristled, but calmed my anger, stripped off my weapon, and handed it to Kanin. Our eyes met as his fingers closed around the sheath.
Look after him, Kanin,
I thought, holding his gaze, hoping he could read my expression.
Don’t let him succumb to the monster
.

He gave a tiny, almost inscrutable nod, and I relaxed. Kanin knew what was happening, what had to be done. He would take care of both Jackal and Zeke, and they could figure out what was happening in Eden, as well.

Turning back to the soldiers, I raised my hands to show they were empty and stepped forward. They surrounded me, keeping their guns trained at my center. The lead soldier eyed my companions over my shoulder, his mouth pulled into a grim line.

“You three wait right here,” he told Zeke and the others. “Don’t move until we return.” Turning to me, he motioned us forward with his gun. “Let’s go.”

They escorted me down the road, where it became clear that something was terribly wrong in Eden.