Strange Trouble (9 page)

“The witch has the child,” Marta said.

Lex took the phone from Rune’s numb hand. Rune heard her
talking to Raze, but had no idea what she was saying. Inside her head was just
white noise.

Damascus.

“She’s here,” Rune whispered.

Marta glided closer, close enough to touch. She peered down
into Rune’s eyes,
then
shook her head.
“No, darling.
She’s not here.” She gestured at the area,
then
put her fingers against Rune’s scalp. “She’s in there.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked. “What the fuck do you mean?”

“She’s aware of Rune. She’s welcoming the challenge. She
came for Nicolas Llodra, but you have caught her interest.”

Rune realized she was nodding.
“God, yes.
Oh, God.”
She put her hand to her mouth.
I feel
her.
Why do I feel her?

Marta’s voice was as caressing as her fingers had been
against Rune’s head. “
Now
you have to try. Save us, Rune. Save Nicolas.
And most of
all,
save the little girl.”

“How does she know me?” Rune asked, breathless.

Marta’s eyes were full of ancient knowledge.
“Because you are like her, Rune.
And she recognizes a
kindred spirit.”

But deep inside, Rune knew it was something more. Just as
with Blood and Fire, she knew the witch, somehow.

Maybe in her dreams.

Or, more likely, in her nightmares.

Contrition

Yes, she was changed.

Her world was changed.

Every step closer to her
true
self,
to what—and who—she really was, changed her.

Suddenly the berserker was there, behind her. He pulled her
unresponsive body back against him and wrapped his arms around her.

“All of you must leave,” Marta said. Her red, full lips
looked soft, ornamental, almost, but the authority in her voice was
unmistakable. “Rune will have to do this on her own, and staying will only
ensure your deaths. The humans are coming to turn Rock County into a
wasteland.” She stared down into Rune’s face. “Order them away, darling.”

It always came down to being alone.

She wet her dry, dry lips. “Leave me, guys.”

Marta nodded at Jack. “Return her phone so she can give the
order to release Nicolas. Once your people release him and he feeds, he will
fly through the night to reach us.”

“What’s to keep the witch from coming back for him, if I
send her away?”

“There are no guarantees. But maybe next time, he will be
ready for her.”

“I’m not leaving you here,” Strad said. His breath warmed
her scalp. “I will not leave you.”

She took a deep breath, straightened, and stepped out of his
arms. “You will, Berserker. All of you will. And I swear to you I will not be
defeated. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”
Do I really believe that?

Marta nodded approvingly. “She will save the world,
children.”

“Denim,” Z said. His despair and depression were almost
visible. He still refused to look at Rune.

She couldn’t blame him.

“Shit,” she said.

“I will find him,” Marta said. “And I’ll send him on his
way. Come with me now. The witch is waiting and time is running out for the
child.”

“Rune,” Jack said. “No.”

But what choice did she have? Rune wanted to smile, to be
reassuring, to be confident. “I—” Her voice broke. “Get out of the county.
Take George.”
She straightened her spine. “I’ll fetch
Stefanie and join you soon.”

But the berserker folded his arms. He towered over her.
Before Strad, Raze had been the tallest of Shiv Crew at almost six feet five
inches tall. Strad had at least an inch on him. “I’m not leaving Rock County
until
you
leave Rock County.”

“Strad, the military can hurt me in only one way—by hurting
my crew. If you stay here, I won’t be able to concentrate on the wicked witch
of the Midwest.” She put her fingers against his chest. “Please, Berserker. Go
away.”

Raze stopped his truck in the middle of the street and
joined them. “I have the boy in my truck,” he said. “He hasn’t come out of
his…” He motioned helplessly.
“Daze.”

“Time is running out,” Jack said.

“Tick tock,” Lex
said,
her voice so
low Rune could barely hear her. But when Rune glanced at her, Lex’s smile shone
brightly against the smooth blackness of her skin. “Don’t worry about us, Rune.
The only thing on your mind should be the witch, and how quickly you can kill
her.”

Lex knew about evil.

Rune nodded. “I’ll—” She cocked her head, fear squeezing her
throat. “I hear a car.”

As one, the crew drew shivs, guns, and in Rune’s case,
claws. The cats disappeared, but Marta stood her ground, fangs peeking from her
mouth.

Rune shuddered, imagining helicopters suddenly appearing and
wiping out her crew. “Run, you guys.”

But then the car careened into view, going much too fast. It
swerved and jumped a curb,
then
drove down a sidewalk
as its driver tried to regain control.

“Fuck me,” Rune breathed, and retracted her claws. “It’s
Ellie.
”

His pale, determined face barely rose over the steering
wheel, where both hands were firmly planted. His shoulders were hunched and he
drove like the hounds of hell were riding his ass.

“Uh-oh,” Lex said. “Zombies are chasing our boy.”

She was right. A crowd of zombies chased the car. They
chased the fucking
car.

“What the hell?” Rune said, and then she ran for Ellie, Levi
right beside her.

She could hear Ellis screaming, his voice high and warbling.

Lex ran at her other side. “He’d make a hell of a yodeler.”

And despite everything, Rune began laughing and couldn’t
stop. Levi chortled, Lex giggled, and Rune was pretty sure the entire crew wore
grins that would light up the whole world.
With the
exception, maybe, of Z.

Finally Ellis rolled to a stop and put his hands to his
face, still screaming. When Rune nearly yanked the door off its hinges in her
hurry to get it open, he screamed even louder.

“Ellie,” she yelled. “Shut the hell up.”

She had no time to coddle him, not right then. The zombies
were upon them. He lowered his hands, his mouth falling open.
“Rune?
Levi!”

“Watch your hands.” She slammed the door. “Stay put, baby.
We have to kill some monsters.”

Levi put his palm against the window. Ellis, teary, lifted
his hand to do the same. Touching through the glass, they smiled at each other.

Rune shot her claws back out, dropped her fangs, and threw
herself into the crowd of zombies.

She needed some mindless fighting. Dread smothered her. She
did not want to fight the witch. She did not want to be alone. She did
not
want to meet the one who might be responsible for bringing about the end of the
world.

Did not.

But she would.

Most of the zombies were
Others
.
Others in animal form, and
Others
in human form. Rune
ignored the fact that she still felt something for the zombies and concentrated
only on destroying them.

Blood flew, drenching her, coating her, seeping into her
pores. It was magical.

After all, the witch had helped make those zombies. It was
only logical that some of the power would be inside them—and Rune was going to
get as much of it as she could.

And in the end, when the battle was nearly won, she grabbed
a zombie, ripped off his lower jaw,
then
punctured his
neck with her fangs.

She fed.

Part of her was disgusted and ashamed.

Not only because she was so savage, so barbaric…she was an
Other
. She did what she had to do and had almost come to
terms with it.

No. She was ashamed because she enjoyed it so. She drank
down the taste of the witch’s magic, her
power
, and wanted to writhe on
the ground and bathe in it.

The taste of evil.

Worse than anything was the fear that she would not beat the
witch.

That instead, she would join her.

“Elizabeth,” she greeted, holding her cell to her ear with
bloody fingers.

The zombies lay strewn across the pavement like so many torn
and battered dolls, and she watched as Ellis picked his way toward her, Levi at
his side.

“Rune,” Elizabeth said. “Are you out?”

“No. I’m sending the crew home, but I have to stay. I don’t
have time to explain, but I need you to go right now and release Llodra. He’ll
come to me.”

“Surely you know I can’t do that. Even if I could, he’s
not…well enough to be released.”

“I’m telling you there is some bad shit here and if you keep
Llodra, you will all die.” She squeezed the phone. “Please. Release him.
Someone is coming for him and you can’t stop her.” She lowered her voice, as
though that would keep Marta from hearing her. “After this is over, I’ll go
pick him up.”

Elizabeth’s tone was heavy with sarcasm.
“Because
it was so easy the first time.
Don’t forget what he did, Rune.”

“I will never forget what he did. But if you don’t let him
go now, you’re all in danger. I may not be able to defeat the monster who wants
him. His punishment is not as important as your lives.”

“I’ll talk to Bill Rice—”

“There’s no time. Talk to Rice after, if you must. I need
Llodra out right fucking now.”

Elizabeth was a smart woman. She would help if she could.
And she could. “I’ll do it. But Rune, be prepared to—”

Rune stuffed her cell into her pocket just as Ellis reached
her. She pulled him into her arms, her lips at his cheek. He wasn’t much taller
than she was. She inhaled his scent, the scent of life and vitality and all
that was right in the world.

Ellis was pure and kind and though Llodra had either set out
to turn him or just to mess with Rune’s head, Ellis remained Ellis.

And she would be thankful for the rest of her life. Her
world, without Ellie, would be too damn dark.

“Hi baby,” she said.

He peered into her eyes. “You
can’t
stay, Rune.” His
voice was thick with tears. He knew she’d have to stay.

She raised her gaze to Levi. “Take care of him.” It was a
direct order—not just from his Shiv Crew captain, but from his mistress. From
the woman who had brought him back from death.

He nodded.
“Always.”

Ellis wiped his eyes and stepped away, his body stiff with
determination. “Can
we
…” He tapped his chest, right
over his heart, and lifted his hand, first and middle fingers crossed.

She smiled. “Yes.”
Maybe for the last
time.
She mimicked Ellis’s gesture, and the crew did the same. Silent
and solemn, cloaked in a circle of closeness and strength, they gave Ellie’s
sign.

It was their promise of protection.

They were Shiv Crew, and that was what they did.

Marta watched them, mild curiosity in her gaze. Her cats had
once again shown themselves. “Rune,” she said, gently. “We must go.”

Rune lowered her hand and glanced at Z. His beauty was gone,
ravaged by the disease that no longer lived inside him. He stood at the edge of
the group, staring into the darkness. He looked lost.

She also recognized the look of self-loathing on his face.
She knew it well—it was an old, old friend to Rune Alexander.

But Z…no.
She couldn’t leave him
that way.
Couldn’t.

“Z,” she begged, and held her hand out to him.

He looked at her then.

Looked at her with rage and distrust.
And hatred.

“You shouldn’t have brought me back,” he said. “Fuck you for
the evil that made you bring me back.”

Z, whose weakness was women. Who would never have hurt any
female.
For Rune, he would happily have died. But now, he
looked at her with hatred.

She pulled back in shock. “Z.”

The crew’s sadness was so thick she could have taken a bite
from it.

“What has happened?” Ellis asked softly, confused,
disbelieving.

Rune swallowed and turned away. “Go home.” There were no
guarantees Rune could defeat the witch. No guarantees Damascus might not decide
to invade River County even if Nicolas was no longer there. “Go home and
protect the city.”

Marta took her hand. “It is time.”

“Rune,” Strad roared, and strode toward her. He yanked her
away from Marta, pulled her into his arms, and held her like he’d never let her
go.

Not ever.

She kissed him, gently. “I won’t be long, Berserker.”
I
swear it. I
swear
it.

I will not leave my crew.

“Take care of Z,” she whispered, her lips touching the soft
warmth of his ear.

And she pushed out of his arms.

She’d rather have stayed there forever than face whatever
hell was waiting for her.

Once again, Marta took her hand.
Eagerly.
“Come, darling. Do not worry,” she told the crew. “It is not yet her time to
die.”

But no one believed her. Not even Rune.

She would change, she knew it. Change in unimaginable ways.

And wasn’t
change
a form of death?

Wasn’t
it?

She felt them behind her, watching her as she walked away.
She had to put them from her mind and trust that they’d drive the fuck out of
Rock County, rejoin the humans, and leave the
Others
to their battles.

She put her free hand to her stomach, trying to caress away
the anxiety. But that wasn’t ever going to happen.

Too bad the zombies couldn’t eat her fucking memory.

“Where is the witch?” she asked Marta.

Marta held Rune’s hand as if she might run away should she
let her go. “She waits in the Camp.”

“This is not going to be fun, is it?”

Marta half smiled. “I don’t believe so.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s run.”

She didn’t want to use her speed to get to hell quicker, to
leave her crew behind. But she nodded, and with the strange vampire woman
guiding her, sprinted toward the Camp.

The ground flew by in dizzying flashes of darkness. Marta
led her out of the town, out to where the woods were deep and dotted with trees
skinny and starving for color.

The limbs reached for her, as did the arms of zombies they
flashed by, but nothing could stop the run of a vampire in full speed.

Or whatever she was.

And finally, they reached the Camp.

She stared up at the high fence, curled on top with razor
wire and laced with silver. Through the wire she spotted small, squat
buildings, arranged haphazardly around a tall, dark structure.

The tall building was where the witch waited.

Rune could feel her there, could
smell
her.

The Camp smelled like rotten boiled eggs.

The area inside the fence was barren and bleak, with no
trees or plants to soften the sterile landscape. Tall pole lights bathed the
ground with a cold illumination. Nothing moved, breathed, or cried.

“Is it abandoned except for the witch?”

Marta’s voice was grim. “No. No, it is not.”

“Why hasn’t she taken you?”

Marta pressed her lips together and was silent for so long
Rune thought she might not answer her. But finally, she spoke. “Damascus is not
interested in me. I am nothing to her.”

“What will she do if she gets Llodra?”

“She loved him, as much as one like her can love. She was—is—obsessed
with him. He was her entire world, and he ran away.  If she manages to
find him, she’ll take him back and for eternity, he will be her animal.” She
glanced at Rune. “You hate Nicolas, but if you knew what he had lived through,
and what his life would be like if the witch took him again, you would feel
only horror and pity.”

Rune’s body began to shake with cold reaction. Fear,
insidious and strong, streaked through her.

She remembered when fear for herself rarely touched her—back
when she wanted so badly to die.

Where was that girl now?

Maybe she was hidden beneath the crew’s devotion, Jeremy’s
absence, and the berserker’s regard.

Maybe.
But if she tried, she was
pretty sure she could bring her back.

She needed her anger and her hatred. She needed her monster.

Ignoring the vampire, she wrapped her fingers around the
electric fence.

“No,”
Marta cried.

The shock sat Rune on fire. It started in her hands and shot
through her arms to her body and into her mind that, for one second, ceased to
exist.

For a second, there was just…nothing.

Then there was pain.

She accepted the pain, embraced it, and gathered it into a
ball of power. And then, she shot it back out.

Sparks flew.

Marta screamed, shielded her face, and backed away.

The silver fence melted beneath Rune’s hands and ran in hot
rivulets over her skin, up her arms, burning, burning.

Silver and electricity.

The Spiritgrove COS leader had attacked her with silver and
electricity once, and it had incapacitated her.

No more.

The silver coated her fingers, melting into the delicate
skin as it slid up over her hands, her wrists, her forearms.

It sank with a sizzle into her skin and she could feel it
there, a thin, greasy layer of molten silver.

“You continue to amaze.”

The voice was male, slightly mocking, but also tinged with
admiration.

Llodra had arrived.