Chapter 38
Jordan
The collar digs into my neck, showing me that this group thrives off pain and humiliation.
I scan the cave for Kate. I can’t even see her, but I can sense her. Both the beast and I aren’t fond of being apart from her.
Surprisingly, the beast doesn’t seem keen on infecting her, either. I figured something was different about her—about why I wanted to be around her but not bite her—but I thought the virus would take over me eventually.
Now, given the situation we’re in, the beast seems agitated at having to do so.
I can’t bite her. I don’t want to damn her the way I have been damned. I want to keep her, but not like this.
I watch the cult members mill about the cave, some sitting by the fire, others on their knees, crying and praying up to the ceiling.
The one who caught us, Jeremiah, has been standing guard—members have been wanting to look at me, to ogle, to ask how it feels to be a demon and to tempt them to sin.
I hissed and raced at them when they got too close, but the give on the leash stopped and I was yanked backward.
Jeremiah stays just outside my grasp, his back to me the entire time.
If only he was closer—I could reach forward and rip his head off.
Unfortunately, he seems to realize that, as he stands a bit too far away from me.
I have to figure out a way to get Kate and I out of here safely. From what I’ve seen, each man has a gun proudly between his hands. Even if I manage to rip Jeremiah apart, the rest could quickly turn and fire at me.
Or worse, fire at Kate.
Watching them mill about the cave, the population makeup is curious. While each man is armed, there’s less men than women. No sign of children–maybe they don’t want them. Or maybe they’re already dead.
I’m too busy puzzling over it to notice a crowd forming around the fire. Jeremiah turns to me and says, “It’s time.” He points the gun at me. “Don’t try anything.” He walks toward the crowd gathered.
My gaze jumps from face to face in search of Kate as the entire cult starts to approach me. The armed men come forward, giving me looks of outright disgust. One even spits on the ground in front of me.
Shuffling sounds come from behind the throng, and I crane my neck to see what’s happening. Suddenly, Kate is forced through the line, her arms gripped by two people.
The beast growls at her being touched. I lock my muscles, forcing myself not to react. Getting killed here isn’t going to save Kate.
She’s dragged forward, terrified and defiant as they force her to her knees before me. A snarl passes my lips. She’s dressed in some hideous white sleeping gown, her hair wet and braided haphazardly.
One of the people manhandling her pulls her arm free and holds it straight out as the crowd surrounds us, pressing closer to watch this sick ritual.
“No,” she pleads, trying to pull her arm back, but he holds firm.
He pulls a knife from his back pocket as Jeremiah shouts, “Now is the time to see if Our Heavenly Father has saved you.”
Rage fills my vision. My lip pulls back, exposing my canines to the crowd, wishing I could rip into their flesh.
“Jordan,” Kate whispers, eyes wild as she stares me down. “Listen to me. There was an infected here, like you. She got out—”
“Silence,” Jeremiah shouts.
She ignores him. “Just pull the leash—”
The knife presses into Kate’s arm, blood welling at the slice. The scent of her blood assaults my senses, creating a red haze around my vision. Saliva pools in my mouth as her lavender and honey scent reaches my nostrils.
But I don’t lunge toward it.
They harmed her, the beast snarls. We’re too angry about what they’ve done to be tempted by her scent.
Just pull the leash.
Before anyone can react, I’m on my feet, hands closing around one of the members that decided to get a bit too close to me, pulling him in and sinking my fangs into his throat. The only noise he can make is a gurgle as I rip out his larynx.
Kill them, the beast demands.
Screams rise up from around me and I hear the gun fire.
A sharp ting reaches my ears as the bullet ricochets off the cave wall behind me.
Quick as a viper, I grab the metal leash and yank it, muscles straining as I fight to free myself.
A gun fires again and I feel something pass through my leg, but I don’t have time to notice the pain—I pull hard until the leash gives way.
I fly forward from the force, landing on all fours as I hear someone gasp.
My head lifts in time to watch the cracks climb further up the wall, shards of rock breaking away as the entire wall shakes.
There’s a moment of pure shocked silence before the panic overrides us, people screaming and running for the only exit as the wall collapses.
I force myself up, dragging both my wounded leg and the heavy collar behind me as I dart forward—not for safety, but for Kate.
Scooping her into my arms, I push past the pain wishing to slow me down, my eyes not straying from our only chance at freedom.
The ground shakes as larger boulders break from the wall and come crashing down, crushing anyone in their path.
My leg screams at me, the leash tries to tug me back, but we burst through the opening as my body gives out. My grip on Kate loosens as I fall onto the snow-covered ground.
Everything goes quiet as the avalanche ceases. No screams, no cries for help. No sign of anyone having made it out besides us.
I struggle to push myself up, the weight of the collar now too much as I feel hands on me. Snarling, I go to attack, but my gaze fixates on Kate. Her fingers inspect me gently, checking my injuries, the contraption stuck around my neck. “Are you okay?” she pants.
“I’ve been shot,” I tell her, nodding to my wounded leg.
She crouches down to inspect my leg with eagle-sharp eyes. “There’s an exit wound. It’s off to the side, so they missed your artery,” The worry on her face morphs into relief. “We’ll need to disinfect and bandage you up.”
“With what supplies?” I jerk my chin to the nearly blocked cave behind us.
Kate worries her bottom lip before she answers, “We’ll have to go back in.
” My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “We can’t keep moving with your wounded leg and without supplies,” she says calmly.
“And we need that horrible collar off you.” She squares her shoulders before standing and facing the cave entrance. “Stay here.”
“Like hell—” She doesn’t let me finish before she’s striding into the wreckage.