What Remains_Mutation (4 page)

She forced herself to breathe, doing her best to ignore the burning sensation in her lungs with every rasp of air. The pain had spread, no longer centered in her shoulder, but spiraling outward in an ever-increasing wave. She cupped her right elbow, holding her head high when the men stared at her. She’d worked through worse. Now wasn’t the time to get soft.

Their gazes lingered then the blond pointed down the tracks. “There are fresh footprints following the rails. While I guess it could be another infected, that figure up ahead isn’t moving like one…even these anomalies. I’d bet money it’s your guy.”

She turned, squinting at the horizon. Something bobbed along the edge of the open track bordering the trees, its gait too fluid to be a zombie. A smug smile curled her lips. Damn, blondie was right. Even encased in shadows she knew it was Lelin. The bastard wasn’t going to get away from her that easily. And when they caught his ass, he was going to tell the men everything he knew. Explain how he’d single-handedly destroyed the human race. Allow her to finally share the burden.

She glanced at them. “Well?”

Blondie glanced at their unnamed leader. “Cogan? It’s in the opposite direction.”

The guy—Cogan—clenched his jaw, studying her face as if she were some complicated puzzle he needed to figure out. Or maybe he was gaging how far gone she was and whether she had the strength to argue with them. Either way, it didn’t look as if he wanted to chase Lelin down.

She bit back a curse when the scenery spun, somehow remaining on her feet. Heat billowed up from her legs, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she passed out. She looked at Lelin again, judging the distance when a hand closed around her arm. She fought the urge to react, aware that tossing one of them on the ground wouldn’t gain her any favors. Instead, she shifted her focus, instantly pinned by a set of deep-brown eyes.

Her breath caught. How long had it been since she’d seen eyes that rich? Since a man had looked at her without contempt or fear in his gaze? And why hadn’t she noticed the depth of color before?

His brow crinkled as his mouth pursed slightly. “We’ll try to run him down, but if he darts into the forest…”

She nodded, not trusting her voice as another wave of dizziness dimmed her vision. Cogan paused a moment, seemingly measuring her up then motioned to the others. The blond moved to her side as Cogan and Sully sprinted off, their boots kicking up dirt.

She took a step to follow when the guy beside her snagged her arm, his grip firm.

“I realize you’re a badass, but even I can tell you’re barely staying upright.” He allowed his gaze to run the length of her body. “Let Cogan and Sully bring that jerk back…though I still don’t understand what the hell you’re talking about. But either way, you need to save your strength. God forbid you pass out on us before we get to the Hummer. I know you’d hate having one of us carry you.”

She snorted, not sure when she’d started leaning on him for balance. “Smartass.”

“Jake.”

She smiled then frowned as grunts and growls echoed up the railway. Jake’s body stiffened against hers, and she shifted her gaze down the tracks again. Cogan and Sully were only fifty yards away from Lelin as a group of infected breeched the open space, racing at the men with deadly speed.

She gave Jake a shove. “Go! I’ve got your back.”

He hesitated then took off, moving faster than she’d thought a guy his size could run, not that the others were slow. She just hadn’t expected the impressive burst of speed. She checked behind them, making her way toward the men, keeping her arm tight to her side to minimize the impact. But she hadn’t gotten halfway before the pain reached a threshold, slowing her pace.

She bit the inside of her cheek. This wasn’t like her. She’d dragged her ass through more than a few missions injured. Bleeding. Why the hell was one stab wound making her so damn weak? Especially with the blade still in place?

She glanced at her shirt, hissing out a short breath. Bright red stained the front, the fabric soaked through.

So much for not bleeding out with the knife still lodged inside. And judging by the amount, she wasn’t far off from going into hemorrhagic shock.

Harper clenched her jaw, mentally telling herself to suck it up when Jake appeared beside her, blood splattered across his shirt. He didn’t pause long enough to talk as he scooped her into his arms, juggling her close as he picked up his pace again. The sudden shift jammed the knife sideways, and she couldn’t crush the whimper that bubbled free.

Jake grimaced, giving her a squeeze. “Sorry, love. But we don’t have a large margin of time here. And Sully and Cogan are too busy with your partner.”

She tried to glance over his shoulder, but the passing scenery made her stomach heave in protest. She concentrated on not throwing up until her stomach settled a bit. “I can walk.”

He chuckled. “No doubt you can. But I’m not so sure about running.”

“Watch me.”

“Next time.” He huffed when she glared at him. “Humor me, would ya? I didn’t spend over ten years as a firefighter without learning how to shoulder some extra weight. And you’re pretty damn light. Makes me think you haven’t eaten much for a while. We’ll get that straightened out along with your shoulder. So just relax.”

A fireman. Great. Of all the vocations he could have cited, it had to be that one. It meant he was honorable. A damn everyday hero. Just like the one… She clenched her jaw, thinking of something to say to ease the sudden pounding of her heart, but it took all her strength just to keep her eyes open. Footsteps sounded behind them, the rasp of heaving breathing thickening the air. Sully and Cogan moved into view. Sully had Lelin slung over his shoulders, fireman style, while Cogan scanned the area, apparently keeping watch. The man gave a nod then sprinted ahead, dodging left when they reached a gravel road. Jake followed, his pace never slowing. A large dark shape wavered near a bend in the path, shadows from the towering evergreens masking its presence.

Cogan reached it first, opening the rear hatch. Sully disappeared behind the vehicle next, the sound of Lelin’s body hitting the rear storage area strangely loud. Harper squinted when Jake finally slowed to a stop, his chest grazing hers with every deep breath. She grabbed the edge of the Hummer as he placed her on her feet, waiting for her to nod that she’d gained her balance. Then he rounded the SUV, opening the driver’s side before jumping in. She blinked back the spots that clouded her vision, her thoughts starting to grow fuzzy.

Sully muttered something to Cogan, the uncertainty in his voice drawing her attention. She forced her legs to move, bracing her arm on the rear quarter panel as she closed the distance. They’d spread Lelin across the back, blood dripping down his neck. Harper tilted her head, staring at the wound until the truth finally scratched its way to the surface. She drew a harsh breath, stepping away as the two men turned to look at her.

She shook her head, her throat suddenly dry. “Oh my god. He was bitten?” Her gaze searched each man, daring them to deny what was staring her in the face.

Cogan moved forward, hands once again raised palms up. “Easy. I know what you’re thinking, but we have a serum. A way of preventing the parasites from taking control. We’ve already given it to him. Kace says that as long as you get to someone within several minutes, they’ll be fine. We’ll patch his wound and bind him for safety, but I think we got to him in time. Even if we didn’t, the injection should buy us a day or two. Time for you to explain why he’s so important. Maybe get what you need from him.”

“Serum? What…”

Her voice trailed off as Lelin rose from within the vehicle, teeth bared, skin bleeding into a deathly shade of gray. He lunged at Cogan, grabbing the man by the collar and dragging him backwards. Time slowed, her instincts kicking in before she could utter a word as she grabbed the hilt of the knife in her shoulder and yanked it free. She flipped it over in her fingers, holding the blade before tossing it across the small distance. It struck Lelin between the eyes, a loud cracking noise filling the air. The bastard’s head recoiled, dropping him into the hatchback with a dull thud. Blood pooled beneath his skull, the dark color mocking Cogan’s words.

Sully reached for his friend, pulling the man free. They took a frenzied step backwards, surprise arching their brows as they turned toward her again, mouths slightly open. She blinked twice, a wash of blood warming her skin. Her gaze fell to her shoulder, the absence of the hilt strangely foreign, before her legs buckled.

Strong hands encircled her body, preventing her from hitting the ground. They lifted her up, and she realized they’d entered the vehicle. Her head fell against a wall of male flesh, the heat from his body seeping through their clothes and into her. Images flip-flopped across her vision as voices sounded around her.

“Just drive. I can stem the bleeding with some QuickClot, but she’s already lost a lot of blood.” Cogan’s face blurred into sight. “Hold on. We’re taking you back to the compound. You’ll be fine as long as you just stay with me.”

She smiled at the thought, inhaling his spicy scent. It was a mixture of musk and pine trees, the combination surprisingly arousing. Heat pooled low in her belly, spreading through her veins until it flushed her cheeks. Cogan frowned above her, one hand brushing across her forehead.

“Damn it, Jake. She’s burning up.”

A huff sounded from far away. “I’m pushing it as fast as I can without actually losing control. But we’re not exactly close.”

Cogan grimaced, his gaze meeting hers again. “Stay with me…”

She chuckled. “Harper.”

A smile kissed his lips. “Harper. That suits you. In case you hadn’t figured it out, I’m Cogan. That’s Sully and Jake.”

She nodded, feeling herself fade when Cogan gave her a firm shake.

“Hey, sweetheart. You need to stay awake. Keep talking to me. Give me a chance to thank you for what you did, though it was a fucked up plan if I do say so. You should have waited…left that damn knife in place. Sully would have gotten me free.”

“Not before…before…” Her words slurred over her tongue, morphing into a moan as pain rolled through her.

Cogan increased the pressure on her shoulder, his lips brushing across her forehead. “Easy. I’m not going to let you die. Promise.”

Patches of gray edged her vision, making the interior seem smaller. She focused all her energy on Cogan’s face, admiring the firm line of his jaw and the delightful pout of his lips. She leaned her head against his shoulder, content to simply fade in his arms. “Kiss me.”

His brow furrowed. “What?”

“In case…”

The lines on his forehead deepened, but he leaned forward, touching his mouth to hers. A heady flavor filled her senses and she drifted off, the play of his lips on hers her last coherent thought.

Chapter Three

Harper rolled her head to the side, blinking the fuzzy images into focus. Metal walls glared back at her, the silver color shining in the artificial light. She glanced at the ceiling, confused by the row of florescent bulbs lining the room. Hadn’t she left the facility months ago?

She leaned forward, her breath catching as pain flared through her shoulder, stealing what little air she’d managed to inhale. Her head dropped back on the thin pillow, and she closed her eyes as nausea roiled through her.

She concentrated on taking short, quick breaths, finally relaxing as the sick feeling dissipated, allowing her to gaze at her surroundings again. This wasn’t the facility, and the pain meant she gotten herself and Lelin into trouble. She moved her legs. At least she hadn’t been restrained, though that didn’t mean she hadn’t been locked up somewhere.

The thought made her smile. She had yet to encounter a place she couldn’t break out of, and with the world and its technology in the crapper, she doubted she’d meet with much resistance. Pain edged her vision with swirls of black as she levered up, cradling her elbow as best she could as she swung her legs off the gurney, staring at her toes as they dangled above the floor. More confusion clouded her thoughts. What the hell had she done to her shoulder? Where was she? She hadn’t seen a room this well stocked outside of the facility, and even that place had eventually fallen.

She thought back, rerunning what memories surfaced, trying to sort them into some kind of order. Killing infected. Three men surprising her. Lelin holding a knife. And hadn’t there been something about a vehicle…a kiss?

“Shit!”

Images merged together, making it impossible to decipher a clear pattern of events. But it didn’t matter. Her instincts knew what to do. She needed to get out of here. Harper eased off the bed, inhaling sharply when her legs threatened to drop her to the floor. Someone had replaced her clothes with a hospital-like gown, the hem riding just above her knees. Her bare feet skimmed the ground as she took a tentative step, testing out her balance. She glanced around, but they’d obviously taken her stuff, including every last weapon she’d had. The inklings of uncertainty clawed at her. Friends or not, she didn’t like being stripped down and left to rot. Just another reason to get the hell out, find Lelin and keep running.

She moved across the room, stumbling against a counter when her equilibrium shifted. Damn. Her body felt as if it were encased in water, a strong current tugging against her with every step. Her reflexes were bound to be slowed, and she knew her strength was edgy at best. That decreased her chances of fighting her way out, especially with nothing more than her sharp wit as a weapon.

Avoidance. That would be the key. She made a mental note to be more vigilant as she reached for the door, listening against the surface before easing it open. Bright light blinded her until her eyes adjusted to the glare. Dusty ground stretched out in front of her, intermixed with more of the buildings like the one she was in.

Movement off to her right had her stumbling to the next building, her fingers closing around the handle. She twisted it open, nearly falling inside before closing it behind her. Pain added to the confusion swimming through her head, and she found it hard to remember what it was she’d been trying to do.