Bound (The Onyx Wolves Book 1) (22 page)

S
itting on the edge of the woods I watch as a horde of infected roam past towards the small town nearby.

Holding my breath I wait patiently and nervously as they pass by.

All it would take is one noise, one smell, one little mistake, and I would have them rushing after me in an instant.

It had taken me awhile to learn everything I knew now about the infected walking around.

Three very long years had gone by, to be exact.

Standing to my feet a twig snaps and I inwardly curse as I stand as still as possible, hoping and praying that the infected would just keep on walking.

Luck wasn’t on my side.

Cursing again I grab my backpack from the ground along with my homemade bow.

I had to get out of here now.

Looking up I watch as one after another the infected turn to sniff the air in my direction before beginning their mad rush to get me.

I curse my luck once more and turn to run.

This wasn’t at all what I had wanted to be doing today.

The only reason I had left the underground bunker in the woods was for food and water, and I couldn’t go back without anything considering I had nothing left.

My food supplies had run out and my water wasn’t any good especially after I had found an infected, doing the equivalent of swimming around, in the pond where I normally collected my water.

I hadn’t even wanted to touch that water after that for fear of catching whatever had killed so many others.

I had been lucky enough to collect rain water, but that was all but gone now and it hadn’t rained in weeks.

My hair snags on a low branch and I curse as my head is jerked back before the branch snaps, I right myself and tug against it tearing hair from my scalp.

It was a small price to pay in order to get away.

But I should have pulled my long brown hair back into a braid like I normally did. I don’t know why I choose today to wear it hanging down loose.

That was my first mistake of the day.

Second was the infected that were quickly gaining on me.

This day couldn’t possibly get any worse.

As my hair snags yet again I turn back towards the edge of the woods, towards the open field that was between the trees and the small farm house that I had planned on raiding for supplies.

I figured I could at least barricade myself inside until I came up with a plan to ditch these infected, or at least until they found something more interesting to go after.

Running full force my legs ache as I beg them to go farther.

The house wasn’t far off now.

Reaching the road I rush across it with the infected only feet behind me.

Tires squeal just as I finish crossing the road, and I hear the crunch of bones.

But I don’t stop.

The living people were sometimes worse than the infected could be and I didn’t want anything to do with someone that could be so easily killed.

I had lost enough in my life.

At least luck was on my side and a few of the infected had been taken out, and some of the others had been redirected towards whoever had been in the vehicle.

As gunshots ring out I turn back towards the trees.

The last thing I wanted to do was lead these potentially dangerous people into a place I knew little about.

The woods were where I was more comfortable.

It was familiar and I knew how to use it to my advantage to hide.

Of course, I wouldn’t be able to hide very well with these infected on my trail.

I had to lose them, and fast.

S
tepping out of my jeep as the final infected falls dead to the ground I search for the girl that had just ran right in front of my jeep.

I barely missed her as I slammed on the brakes and slammed into a group of infected.

My brother, Evan, exits the jeep along with the two sisters, Abby and Alice, which we had just found a few days before.

“Where did she go?” He questions.

I shake my head as I search for her, or the five infected that had still been chasing after her.

I was really hoping that they hadn’t caught her.

“I don’t know.” I reply.

“Do you think she ran into the trees?” Abby questions while coming up beside me.

Looking in that direction I nod.

She had to have gone into the woods.

Reaching back into the jeep I produce another hand gun with an extra clip and my favorite shotgun.

I was determined to find the girl.

I couldn’t leave until I knew whether or not she had gotten away.

So few people had survived the first wave of infected, and most died days after being infected, they had been the lucky ones.

Some turned into the savage infected that roamed the deserted streets for a meal.

And some, like my brother and I, were immune to the virus that had taken over.

Both of us had been bitten within those first days, and both of us had been lucky enough to survive.

Those that were left were few and far between, numbering less than a few thousand for the entire continent of North America.

The odds of surviving were stacked against us since the infected far outnumbered the still living.

If I could help at least one survivor out, I would.

And right now she needed my help.

“You’re not seriously going after her are you, Gale?” Alice questions.

“I am. I would have done the same for you and your sister. I have to at least try to save her from being eaten alive.” I answer as I glance over to my brother who nods as he reaches for his weapons.

I knew he would have my back no matter what.

“Did you even see that girl? She looked just as savage as the beasts chasing her.” Abby whines grating on my nerves for the last time.

It had been nonstop since we had picked them up.

The sisters wanted to sit around and do nothing while my brother and I waited on them hand and foot.

I was tired of it and their selfishness.

“I’m going. I don’t care what you do.” I nearly growl out.

“But who’s going to protect us if the infected come back?” She whines.

I scrub my hand over my face feeling as if I was wasting precious time with her.

She had no concept of life and death.

Just as I open my mouth to say something that I knew would have been nothing less than vicious my brother steps up to my other side and places his hand on my shoulder. “I’ll hang back here with the princesses. If you need any help just yell and I’ll be right behind you, okay?”

“Alright, I’ll try to hurry.” I jog away. “Make sure you keep an eye on the road.”

The road was a dangerous place to be stopped, but on the road we were on I didn’t worry so much about having someone else run into us.

Out of the other people that we had run across that weren’t infected less than half had been friendly, the others were dangerous, ruthless, and deadly.

My brother and I had barely escaped some of those people.

Heading into the trees I only hoped I wasn’t going to encounter more than I bargained for.

S
tuck in a tree, in which I had believed was a good idea, I lean back against the trunk as I steady myself on a branch just out of the infected’s reach.

I had little idea of how I was going to get myself out of this mess.

I didn’t have much for weapons.

With only a handmade bow and a knife on hand I was pretty much screwed.

I could just imagine my dad shaking his head in disappointment. He had taught me better than to go anywhere unarmed.

Sliding down the trunk I sit down on the branch and close my eyes to think back to the way life had been before.

Being with my mother and father, going to school, having no other drama other than who was dating who and whether or not I was going to take the next step in my relationship with my boyfriend Matt before I graduated.

A few shots ring out around me and I watch in both shock and fear as the infected drop dead to the ground below me.

It meant two things, one, that I was saved, and two, that I was being saved.

It was both a blessing and my worst fear.

The people from the vehicle on the road were coming after me.

Inwardly, I kick myself for this mess.

I had only myself to blame, if only I wouldn’t have stood up so quickly after the infected had passed by.

If only I would have waited just a few minutes longer.

I had a lot of ‘ifs’ going through my mind but I had to be in the here and now because I was in danger.

I had to believe I was either going to be killed, or worse.

My hands shake as I watch a tall young man with shaggy brown hair walk into the clearing a few feet from the tree I had climbed into.

I watch closely as he takes down the last remaining infected with skilled precise shots.

His eyes meet mine and his lips form a wide grin as he watches me for a moment.

“I was really hoping they wouldn’t have gotten you.” He states with a southern drawl.

I don’t respond.

Honestly, I didn’t even know how to use my voice anymore. I hadn’t talked to anyone in the past three years.

Not since the military compound.

My life had been lonely, but it was safe and safe was all that I needed.

“You can come down now. My name is Gale and I promise I’m a good guy.” He holds up his hands holding his gun high in the air.

I raise my brow and he sheepishly looks to his hand with the gun before cursing himself.

“I swear I’m not going to hurt you. My brother and these two girls we picked up in the last town are staying near my jeep on the road.” He explains as he lowers his hands and places his gun into the back of his pants.

I raise my bow, aiming an arrow at him.

I wasn’t going to go with him, if that’s what he thought.

His hands rise in the air once more as he spots the arrow pointed at his chest.

“Whoa, now, I swear I won’t hurt you.” He pleads as twigs and dry leaves crunch and crack behind him.

Three others join us in the clearing all throwing their hands into the air along with the first guy.

The two girls looked identical with their long blonde hair and curvy bodies barely covered with newer, cleaner, looking clothes.

The other guy looked much like the first, but with lighter sandy brown, short cut, hair.

“What the hell is going on here?” The second guy questions while looking to me, and then to Gale.

“I hit a bit of a snag.” Gale laughs lightly.

“Well, we’ve got an even bigger snag coming our way. Remember those guys we met about three weeks back?” Gale nods to the second man. “Well, they found us. They just smashed the jeep into a million pieces. We barely got away.”

“Crap. What the hell are we going to do now?” Gale curses as he turns his back to me.

“I don’t know, but we have to get out of here.” The other pants out.

The twigs and leaves snap and crack again behind them and I quickly sling my bow around my back and jump down out of the tree.

I land with a thud at the feet of the four strangers.

Looking up to them I see their fear in their eyes.

Without a second thought I turn and run away from them hoping that they would go in another direction.

I wanted them to just leave me alone.

Nothing good would come from having them around.

I would only have to kill them in the end and I would be left alone once more.

My heart didn’t need that kind of hurt.

I
couldn’t believe my eyes.

She had just run off without a word.

“Well, what do we do now?” I ask glancing over at my brother with shock as he shakes his head.

“We run after her. She has to know of somewhere safe to hide around here.” He sighs.

I nod and head off in the same direction the girl had taken.

Thankfully, it doesn’t take us long to catch up to her.

Glancing back she lets out a low growl before speeding up. It was almost as if she was trying to leave us behind, to lose us. And I couldn’t even begin to wonder why.

I run up next to her as I fight to keep her pace. “Where are we running to?”

She says nothing.

Suddenly, she stops in the middle of the woods and reaches down to lift a hatch that we had just run over.

Looking towards me she groans and then motions for all of us to go down into the dark hole.

Glancing towards Evan he shrugs before heading down the ladder with Abby and Alice following close behind.

Quickly following, the girl steps onto the ladder and stays at the top securing some sort of lock as we all descend down into the dark bottom.

Abby clutches my arm tightly in the dark as we all huddle together while staring up at the one lone girl who had just saved us.

Once a loud click echoes through the hole she slides down the ladder much like a fireman on a pole.

Her eyes lock with mine with hatred once she reaches the bottom.

“Thank you.” I whisper trying to calm her.

S
tepping back in shock I stare at the man who had just said something so familiar, but yet so foreign.

Maybe I had been wrong about him being a bad person.

He had been nothing but friendly to me after all.

I nod cutting my way between him and the girl clutching his arm, breaking him free from her grasp.

My hands slide up and down the wall trying to find the latch that would give us access to the tunnel that would then take us directly to my bunker.

With a click I open the doorway bathing us in a soft light.

Grinning back at the others I quickly sit in the tunnel, which was more of a slide and one of my favorite tunnels to travel.

With one last look at the others I plunge myself down into the tunnel.

I close my eyes holding my bow and bag against my chest as I slide down the tunnel and towards my home.

“
D
oes she really expect us to follow her down there?” Abby whines again, her nails digging back into my skin as she resumes her hold on my arm again.

“I don’t think she really wants us to follow but she did kind of invite us.” Evan chuckles as he places himself into the tunnel.

“What if it’s some sort of trap?” I question with worry.

“I don’t think it is. Have you seen the poor girl, she looks like she has been separated from humanity for awhile? Heck, she hasn’t even said a word to any of us which just proves that fact.” He answers.

“But what if…” I begin to argue but he quickly cuts me off.

“No, no buts, Brother. We really have no choice in this, either we go down the slide or we go back up and face something even more dangerous.” Evan replies.

I nod giving in.

It was better to face whatever was at the end of the slide, because whatever it was couldn’t be any worse than facing the people just outside.

“Fine, but if we go down, we go down together.” I relent.

Grinning from ear to ear Evan motions for Alice to climb onto his lap.

Moving them forward, I slide in next and motion to Abby to climb onto my lap.

She does so, enjoying it more than I ever could.

She just wasn’t my type.

With her hands around Evan and his arms around Alice I push us down and into the unknown.

It was a scary not knowing what was waiting for us at the end.

S
tanding at the end of the tunnel I wait for what feels like forever as I pace waiting for the others to join me.

Part of me hoped that they had left, but a small part of me longed for their company.

It was something that I hadn’t even realized I had missed, until now.

Hearing the whoosh of wind as they come down the tunnel, I quickly move behind the doorway suddenly afraid to face them again.

I watch silently as they all stand to their feet and move for the next to exit.

“Holy cow, that was awesome.” The one hoots as he pumps his fist into the air.

I grin from my place behind the door.

“That was the scariest thing I have ever done.” One of the girls whine as Gale rolls his eyes behind her.

Looking around the small room, his eyes land on me and a grin forms on his lips.

“You don’t have to be afraid of us.” He whispers softly as he moves past everyone closer towards me.

I back up absently.

“Please, don’t be scared.” He begs before motioning towards the others in his group. “This is my brother, Evan, the one I told you about, and this is Abby and her sister Alice. What’s your name?”

Still moving forward he reaches out his hand towards me.

I open my mouth to speak but no words come out.

I inwardly curse myself for looking like a fool and shake my head before trying once more.

Yet again, nothing comes out.

I groan and place my head into my hands feeling embarrassed.

“How long has it been since you’ve seen anyone?” Evan asks moving next to his brother.

Looking up, I hold up my hand with three fingers up.

“Whoa, you’ve been alone since the beginning?” He questions curiously.

I nod as tears form in my eyes.

Fighting hard, I push those emotions away and shove the painful memories to the back of my mind where they wouldn’t bother me.

I really didn’t want to think about my past, at least not now.

I could cry later in my room, alone.

“No wonder you can’t talk and you’re so scared. I would be scared too.” Alice whispers softly.

“My name is River.” I finally answer with a scratchy voice that was nothing like I remembered it to be.

Evan and Gale smile widely.

“Can we see the rest of this hellhole already?” Abby whines from behind the guys.

Evan turns towards her as his jaw clenches. “Shut it, Abby. We’re her guests and if she wants us to see the rest it’s up to her, but I swear to god if you disrespect her one more time I will leave you behind at the next camp I find.”

“Look at her, Evan, what does it matter whether or not if we’re nice. I say we just take this place from her.” Abby states with a smug grin.

I move quickly throwing her down to the floor with my hand around her throat. “If you even try to hurt me I will kill you. I will kill you just like I had to kill my own mother and father.”

Her eyes go wide with fear.

She gasps for a breath and I release my grip, quickly standing to my feet as tears threaten to pour from my eyes again.

My memories squeeze at my heart painfully.

I had never said those words out loud before.

No one had ever known my secret.

Only I was supposed to carry that pain.

Turning abruptly I crash into Gale’s arms where I finally break down as his arms hold me close and his fingers thread through my hair.

It was the same way Matt had held me the last time that we had been together.

My tears quickly turn into sobs and I feel as if I’m spiraling down into a deep dark pit where only I couldn’t save myself.

I needed help to climb back out.

I was tired of being alone.

“
S
hhhh, Sweetheart, go ahead and let it all out.” I whisper as I rest my chin on top of River’s hair.

Her body shakes against mine as she sobs.

I felt her pain deep down, just like it was my own.

“God, does no one else see how crazy she is?” Abby questions while motioning towards us.

“Do you not have any feeling at all in that dark selfish heart of yours, Abby? Can’t you see how messed up you are, the poor girl has been alone for three years. Three years, Abby, and on top of that she had to kill her mother and father.” Evan growls.

“That only means she’s even more dangerous.” Abby argues.

“No, it means that she had more heart than you will ever have. It means that she has been stronger than any of us, and for so long. I don’t blame her at all for breaking down right now.” I reply with a snarl.

“You can’t be serious, Gale.” Abby asks looking between me and River in my arms. “You’re seriously going to just dump me for her?”

“I was never with you to begin with, Abby, so just shut your mouth.” I growl.

I knew exactly what she was trying to do and sadly it was working as River begins to fight against my hold on her.

Reluctantly, I let her go and step back scrubbing my hand trough my hair roughly.

P
ulling back from Gale I wipe the tears from my eyes.

I felt even more foolish than before for letting them see me so weak.

I was going to have to get them to leave soon.

That was the only way I could go back to my normal life, the one where I took care of myself and no one bothered me or witnessed my pain.

The last thing I wanted to do was deal with these sudden feelings I had for the boy before me.

There was no time for emotions like that.

And I didn’t want to deal with the glares I was getting from the girl he had come with.

A love triangle was not something I wanted to be a part of.

I was better off alone.

“You can stay here for the night and in the morning I’ll take you to a safe place so you can move on.” I state abruptly as I move into the next room where there was a living room type of area.

The walls were lined with rows and rows of books.

My father had planned ahead and filled them with every survival guide you could imagine, from growing crops to survival surgery.

I had read most of them at least twice.

Everyone stops to look around but I continue on.

The quicker I could get them into the extra rooms the faster I could be alone to do the normal things I did every day.

Gale catches up to me quickly, and I inwardly groan.

“Who built this place?” He inquires curiously.

“My father did, he was in the military before everything happened.” I answer shortly.

Moving past rooms quickly I shut doors not wanting anyone to see what was inside, the less they knew about my home the better off I would be.

I knew it was killing Gale not to question me on what was in those rooms but I didn’t care, it was none of his business.

In all honesty there wasn’t much to see in most of them.

Most just had rows of plants in them with grow lights suspended from the ceiling powered by generators.

Others had stacks of wood, and others had empty cages for small animals that I had kept for food purposes.

My father had made certain that we would never go without.

I doubt he had planned for trying to survive for as long as I had though, that’s why the animals were now gone and I had plants growing but nothing I could harvest yet.

I stop before a door and open it for Gale to peer into this time.

It held two bunk beds and a dresser with a mirror.

“You guys can stay in here.” I motion for them to go in.

I
nod. “Thank you for taking care of us like this.”

She nods before moving to walk away.

My hand comes out stopping her.

Looking down at my hand and then back to my face I see a flash of fear shine in her eyes before it quickly disappears.

I quickly release my grip. “I’m sorry.”

With her head bowed she shakes her head. “Don’t be, I just don’t trust easily.”

“I can understand that.” I agree.

Suddenly, her stomach lets out a loud growl piercing the silence around us.

“You need to eat something.” I chuckle.

She nods but doesn’t make a move. “If I had something to eat I would. I was about to go into the old farm house that you found me near but I was interrupted by the dead, and then you guys out there.”