Dead Awakenings (34 page)

“All gone. Feeders have been drinking them like crazy since you ordered everyone to stay in. We’ve burned through the whole stash in less than three days.”

Damien sighed, sat back in his chair and rubbed his face. Finally he looked at Evaine again. “You see what I have to deal with here? We need those drinks. We need this feud with the Haven Houses to end quickly. If we’re as strong as they are we can force them to acknowledge us and respect us. As long as he’s stronger than us, we’ll never be seen as equals.”

“Equals? How can you be considered equals, when you take people without their knowledge, kill them, and then turn them into monsters?”

“Don’t talk to Damien like that,” Karen spat.

Evaine laughed at her. It made Karen’s eye twitch. “You’re a joke, Karen. You think you’re such big stuff, but all you are is a whore. You sell yourself to the highest bidder. You’ll never know love because you never give it. You’ll never have friends, because you aren’t one. And you’ll never know happiness because you never give it to anyone else.”

“Nice poetry.” Karen twisted her lips into a sardonic smile. “But I’m not the one who’s about to be cut into a million pieces, fed to others and then allowed to heal, so I can be fed to more, for the rest of my existence. So I would say in the grand scheme of things, I am the winner in this situation.” She turned to Damien. “Should I start letting everyone in?”

“No. You can leave. I’ll call you when I’m ready.” Karen narrowed her eyes, and she looked at him closely. Evaine saw a strange look pass across his face and then his expression hardened. “Karen, why don’t you and I have a chat?” He clutched her arm and yanked her into the corner.

In their absence, Evaine whipped into action. She searched her mind. The edges of her missing spot were growing smaller, the numbness dissipating. She focused on the same book on the bookcase. Channeling all of her ability she pulled on it. It moved a fraction off the shelf. Quickly she reached for the ribbon connecting her to Luca. She followed it out and down the hall, around the corners and as far as it would go.
“Help me!”

Damien and Karen finished their conversation, and Karen stalked out.

The ribbon faded. She was alone.

Damien’s heavy boots clunked on the floor as he slowly walked back over and plopped into his chair. Sitting forward he hung his head in his hands.

“Do you have any idea how hard this is for me now?” he asked in a low voice.

“I don’t understand.” Mentally she screamed again for Luca.

“I don’t either. Before I saw you this was so simple. Get you here, get your powers, and then take over Nate. But now…what if I let you go free, would you stay here? We could rule together.”

“You…want me to…stay here…with you?”

“It’s your choice, obviously, but I would rather not have to butcher you for the rest of your life. I know you want to eat human. You’re like us, not like them.”

“You are offering me a choice between a life of torture and a life of slavery. That isn’t much of a choice. Besides, Luca will come for me. The Haven Houses won’t just back off and let you be. Either way, they will kill you.”

“Not if I have you. If I have you, they’ll leave us alone and give us what we want.”

“Do you even realize what a Pandora’s box you’re opening if you cut me up? An army of blood-lusting zombies with the ability to move things with their minds. Do you really think that you’ll be able to control them? I saw Adam. All he cares about is feeding. How are you going to control him when he will be stronger than you in every way?”

Damien stared at her. She could see the wheels churning in his head. “Maybe—”

“Maybe we should cut her up like you planned.” Lisette stood in the doorway next to Karen, Simone, and several other Feeders. Lisette entered with the regal air of a princess. Karen and Simone scurried after her, smiling wickedly. Damien gave an exasperated huff.

“Lisette. I don’t know what Karen told you, but I think Evaine might be right. Maybe we didn’t think this through as much as we should have.”

“But, Damien,” she said in her best little girl voice, “I thought that this was the best thing for the family. You’ve been looking forward to this for weeks. Why the change of heart?” She narrowed her eyes and no longer sounded like a little girl. “It’s because she’s pretty. It’s because you want her, that’s why.”

Evaine reached into her mind again. The numbness was lessening by the minute. But time was running out for her.
“Luca.”
She screamed his name in her head over and over. A tear trickled down her cheek. She didn’t want it to, but she couldn’t help it. This was all too much for her. When she had agreed to do this for the family she had no idea what this sadistic group had planned for her. How could she have possibly known that the connection between her and Luca stemmed from the fact that she had bitten him?

Evaine located the book on the shelf again she tried to pull. It came off and hovered in midair. It was far heavier than it should have been. One of the Feeders noticed it. He had a stupid grin on his face as if it were some fascinating toy. Raising his finger he looked like he was about to say something when Evaine gave him a small shove. The shove tripped him backward a little and he bumped the guy behind him, who pushed him back. Before they knew it the four male Feeders were all growling and snarling and pushing each other.

“Knock it off!” Lisette screeched. She commanded a surprising level of authority.

“You’re the one who wanted me brought here. You’re the one who wants my power, not Damien. You’re the one in charge. Damien’s just your mouthpiece.” Evaine couldn’t believe it. Such a small, beautiful little girl…

The smile that spread across Lisette’s face made Evaine’s bones chill. Gone was the smiling, childish exterior, all that was left was a tiny deranged woman who had been warped and twisted into someone completely devoid of feeling. “I’m in charge of everything that goes on here.”

“But what do you want?”

“Want? Why, I want your power. It’s what I’ve always wanted. That’s why Mother works so hard. I was born mentally handicapped. It was strange because in my brain I felt normal, but I was trapped in there with no way to get out. A prisoner in my own crippled body. I could see, hear, and understand everything, but my body wouldn’t work right. And then one day, my body gave out, but I was still in there. In a waking coma, aware of everything around me. Mother and Daddy tried to help me. They took me into hiding while they tried to find a cure. But then there was a terrible accident and Daddy was hurt. Mother tried the first dose out on him. He came back but he doesn’t have use of his body the way he used to, but his mind works better. He can communicate with mother telepathically and though he can’t move, he tells her what to do.

The next batch was given to me and when I came back, I was normal. Normal, can you imagine? A child with my intellect coming back just
normal
, when Daddy had such a great ability. That’s when I begged mother to keep working so she could fix Daddy and I could be made more as well. It’s been eleven years, and we still don’t have the serum right, but we will soon. But now with you here, I can have your ability until she’s done.”

Evaine was starting to see madness in the childlike eyes. The realization that she needed to wake her brain up was more important than ever. The numbness was almost gone. She reached again for her ribbon; she could definitely feel someone there now.
“Luca! Please!”

The little girl watched Evaine for a moment, then walked up to her and touched the wet tear on her cheek. Lisette looked at it like it was a something she had never seen before. Then she nodded to Karen. “Get Mother. It’s time.”

Simone chewed her nails and giggled at Evaine. “I told you I would get you. I told you I would rip your throat out. Now I am going to get to do even better. I am going to watch you be the caged one while I get to run free.”

Karen returned, followed closely by the same doctor Evaine had seen at the makeshift hospital. Her once tight, golden hair bun was now a mess. Bags puffed her under eyes like blisters; her lab coat was dirty. The bones of her hands jutted out thin and angular as though she hadn’t eaten in weeks. Her eyes were red, but when she saw Lisette her face lifted. Lisette ran to her mother, her smile bright and warm. The mother and daughter held each other close for a minute before the doctor kissed her on the head.

“Hello, Evaine. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Her voice was tired. “I wish it could have been under better circumstances. This is very bad business, but I have to do what’s best for my family. I am going to give you something for the pain.” The doctor pulled out a syringe. “We cannot allow you to be totally knocked out because that wouldn’t do any good until you woke up. You have to be alert for us to see if your ability will transfer.”

The doctor walked shakily toward Evaine, an alcohol swab in her hand. Evaine looked around frantically for something to throw. Her eyes roamed every surface of the room. There. Lying on the table was a knife—the knife Damien had been using to clean his fingernails. She tested it and was able to move it more easily than the book. Evaine did not want to do this; she did not want to hurt anyone, but this was her chance. Karen walked gleefully next to Lisette, who seemed annoyed by her presence.

The three women got closer. Simone laughed even louder from her spot in the corner. Giving the knife a mental pull, it flew off the table and hung in the air. Evaine weighted it and spun it. The women were almost on her. She aimed the knife.

The Feeder who had seen the book move, called out. “Hey, look at that.”

All hell broke loose.

Damien got to his feet, tipping his chair over. Lisette and Karen turned as a strange noise came from outside the doorway where the Feeders had gathered to watch. There was a growling, snarling sound. The doctor didn’t notice any of it. She reached Evaine’s side, and Evaine threw the knife. She miscalculated and the knife struck Karen on the right side of her neck. Evaine dragged the knife, ripping it sideways, and severed Karen’s spinal cord. Karen’s eyes widened and turned to fire before they lost their light. She grabbed Lisette’s white nightgown as she crumpled to the ground. Lisette turned, annoyed, and watched Karen gasp and fall. Lisette stared uncomprehendingly at the lifeless body for a minute, but then understanding dawned on her face.

“Mother, Mother! Look! I was right! She’s waking up her ability.” Lisette spoke loudly enough for her mother to stop and turn. The doctor looked down at Karen and then to Evaine.

“It’s not possible.”

The doctor moved quickly. Evaine gave an immense shove and the syringe flew out of her hand and landed across the room with a clatter. The doctor stumbled, grabbed Lisette, and pulled her close. The commotion in the hall grew louder. The screams and growls were no longer deniable.

Simone lunged at Evaine, her face a twisted mask of bloodlust and rage.

“You’re mine!” she screamed.

The rage inside Evaine took over. Every instinct told her it was her or them at this point. She let her power consume her. She reached for Simone, stopping her on the spot. Locating the organs inside, Evaine squeezed them in turn. Simone cried out in pain and then gagged. Bubbles formed at the corners of her mouth. She coughed and sputtered on an unseen fluid. Evaine ripped with her mind and Simone’s rib cage burst open. She fell silently to the floor, parts of her lying around her. Simone’s mouth opened and closed, chewing on air that she could no longer suck into her lungs. Lisette screamed as Damien moved forward, shielding her and the doctor from Evaine’s wrath. With a quick jerk of her mind, she twisted Simone’s neck and broke it. The doctor screamed, and Evaine turned her attention to their little group in the corner.

She felt around in Damien’s chest, locating his heart. He dropped his arms from Lisette and the doctor and clutched his chest. He turned his pleading eye on Evaine. She squeezed, knowing it wouldn’t kill him. But he deserved any and all pain she could give him before death, for what he’d done. Damien’s mouth opened and closed several times. Evaine concentrated on the rhythm of the beat of his heart.

A soothing presence filled her, and she let go of Damien. Her eyes went straight to the door and she cried out for Luca. Several Feeders ran into the room. Julius was first, followed by Adam, three more men, and a couple of women. They tried to close the door behind them, but Evaine refused to let it close. The Feeders shrieked wildly as Kale bounded into the room.

He snarled and growled, snapping at the leg of the nearest Feeder. The woman in the front shrieked and tried to bite him back. Evaine picked up the knife and threw it at the woman, hitting her in the temple. She dropped without a sound. The Feeders were in pandemonium, looking around the room deliriously to see who had thrown the knife.

Victor ripped through the door with Cami at his side and blasted the group huddled by a bookshelf. They hit the floor while Cami picked one, projecting images into his head. The Feeder’s face went whiter and he began to scream. Turning he ran flat out into a brick wall opposite them, hit it with a crunch, and fell to the ground.

The doctor shielded Lisette from the mayhem. Damien entered the fray. Pulling a second knife, he grappled with Victor. They were evenly matched. Thoughts of crushing Damien’s heart entered her head again, but a more urgent emotion pushed past her rage. She could feel him coming down the hall, fast. As he broke through the doorway she thought she would faint with happiness. All anger flowed out of her at the sight of him. Scanning the scene quickly Luca spotted her.

He was on her in an instant. He picked her up, still bound to the chair, and kissed her. She had never felt anything so wonderful and welcomed in her whole life.

“I thought I had lost you,” he whispered in her ear. “I couldn’t find you anywhere. I could feel you, but I couldn’t find you. I was so afraid that I’d lost you. I heard you screaming my name, but I still couldn’t tell where you were. If it hadn’t been for Kale following your scent, we might never have found you. Are you all right?”