Blood Bonds (17 page)

Move,
thought Haley.
I just need you to move.

In a synchronized pulse, the crowd split.

Haley didn’t know how or why, she just knew her time was running out. She picked Farley up and carried him through the ocean of hatchlings. The darkness of a tunnel never looked so good. When Haley turned a little she saw her. Medan. The Queen was on the other side of the chamber, wrapped in shadows.

How long had she been there?

Medan’s golden eyes flickered with bits of crimson.

Haley could feel the Hunger, heavy in the air, like a fetid heat. But the hatchlings were still basking in the shared euphoria. Medan had been the source of the Hunger and insatiable
need
. The Queen raised her lip, flashing teeth, then disappeared into the darkness. A wave of white-scales followed.

Haley had no idea where she was going. She stopped twice trying to get her bearings but it was useless. The Hive was an endless maze of turns and dead ends. She leaned against the wall and tried to catch her breath. Farley moaned in her arms and pressed his face to her neck.

The bite marks on his body had closed to ugly black and blue bruises, but they weren’t healing any more than that. He was cold and starting to shiver.

How long had he been down there, healing wounds, only to have them reopened? Being eaten alive? Medan’s cruelty truly had no end.

There would be time to worry about that later. Right now she had to get out before something else crawled out of darkness.

Haley hitched Farley higher, adjusting her hold. Human shapes just weren’t meant for this kind of abuse and her muscles were starting to fatigue. At least the blood was almost dry so her grip wasn’t slipping.

With a grunt Haley moved off the wall and entered another room. A quick scan told her she was alone, so she crossed the chamber, took the first hall, and hit a dead end.

God of Man, she was never getting out of this place.

Something moved, and Haley pushed herself into a fissure that made her walk-in closet look small. She willed Farley to not make any noise.

“You need to take the other tunnel on the right.” Haley recognized the voice and the scent. She leaned forward out of the shadows. Electricity hadn’t reached this part of the Hive. It was still being lit with man-sized candles mounted in rock crevices. But she could still see the faint outline of the half-breed in the shadows.

He pointed to the tunnel. “Once you’re inside, take the second left. It will be hard to see. It’s small, narrow and rarely used. It will take you above the parlor and the staircase. You’ll come out in a storage closet, top side.”

There was weariness in his eyes as he watched her ease past him.

Haley stopped at the mouth of the tunnel and looked back at him. “Why?” He was Medan’s. He owed Haley nothing.

The half-breed smiled in a way that made her sad and said, “Because I dreamed of you.”

She shook her head, not understanding.

He gave a shrug and slid into the shadows. “When you kill her, don’t forget I helped you escape.”

Kill her? As in Medan?

Her pulse stuttered. Clearly, he had her confused with someone else.

The sound of Haley’s bare feet slapping the floor accompanied her breathing as she headed up the tunnel. In the darkness, she relied on her natural sight. The half-breed’s directions were dead on. Carrying Farley made it difficult to squeeze between the rocks, but she managed. The passage ended suddenly against a wooden door. Haley pulled and it gave. The opposite side had shelves holding cleaners and supplies. Somehow the hidden doorway did not come as a surprise. It was just the kind of thing she expected to find in a place like this. A click sounded when she pulled it shut behind her.

Thin lines of light traced the other door in front of her. Escape was just a few feet away. All Haley had to do was open it. Panic seized her when a spider slapped her in the face. Haley staggered, kicking a bucket and knocking a mop handle into her head, making too much noise. No one had followed her, but she couldn’t shake the fear that the monster was coming up the hall behind her.

And her name was Medan.

Haley felt for the doorknob, which was difficult with Farley in her arms. The sudden wash of light blinded her, but with it came liberation from the panic. The smell of sweat, cigarettes, old beer and fresh urine slapped Haley in the face. She blinked, clearing her natural sight.

As Haley stepped into the bathroom, someone whistled. It was followed by spontaneous clapping and lewd suggestions by the small crowd of Human men.

Stalls were on her left, urinals and sinks on the right.

Just my luck. The men’s bathroom.

“Hey, baby, do you take requests?” The man standing at the urinal turned and offered himself. From behind, a hand flicked her hair and another brushed her ass.

Two bodies blocked the door. They looked like a matching set of book ends. Both were dressed in black with sagging pants weighed down by O-rings and chains. Their faces were competing with their wardrobe for the
Most Amount of Metal
award.

The one on the left motioned Haley forward. “Hey, if you’re putting out, maybe some of us would be willing?” Blondie pulled up his shirt, flashing pink scars at the edge of his boxers. “Little blood can be a turn on. You like razors or just use your teeth?”

Haley looked down at Farley. Crimson dominated the green of his own blood. They thought he was a bleeder, someone who likes to
feed
Humans, pretending to be Kin.

His friend didn’t look quite so sure. He stared at Farley, who hung limp in her arms. Haley could see the hamster wheel turning between his ears. She was carrying a man, which was something Human women didn’t normally have the strength to do.

“You need some help with your friend there? We could always find something creative for him to do, too.” Another man reached for Farley. Haley stepped away. Two more moved up from behind, blocking any retreat.

All of them stank from a mix of drugs and arousal.

Haley growled and the sound rattled the walls. “Get out of my way.” She’d been taught to never hurt Humans, but if it came to them or Farley, she’d break that rule.

“Fuck me, look at her eyes.” Unsure Friend backed away, clearly having second thoughts.

“Contacts, dude, they sell ‘em round the corner.” Tweedle Dumb put his hand on the waist band of his baggy pants and pushed them down. “C’mon, bitch, I can teach you a thing or two about playing the bleeding game.” He produced a razor in his right hand.

Haley opened her mouth, popping her jaw and punching out her teeth. She hissed, and scales raced over her arms, neck, and face.

“Holy shit! You don’t buy those at no fucking Pseudo shop!” Unsure took off out the door. Tweedle Dumb dropped his razor and scurried over the wall of the first stall. Haley swung her head around, letting them all get a real good look, and just like any Human with an ounce of survival instinct they scurried back.

Juicy cursing replaced bravado.
Cowards.

Haley stalked to the door, kicked it open, and slammed into the pounding music of the club.

Out here the bodies were thick and mostly naked. Male Kin and Lesser-Breds mixed with Humans of both sexes. The scent of synthetic pheromone traded places with the bitterness of tobacco.

Bodies propelled by the music slammed into Haley. She had to use her shoulders like battering rams to move them out of the way so she could get to the exit. Farley ade little jerks and jumps as his body temperature continued to drop. At least the night air was mild for this time of year, and it wasn’t raining.

The urgency to get Farley somewhere safe made the city block feel like a ten mile trek. Up ahead Haley saw Garrett’s car, a dark shiny beacon under a dying street light.

The keys were where she’d left them. She opened the door and put Farley in the front. She took off her blazer and covered him, cranked the car, and turned on the heat full blast.

She didn’t want to leave him, but she didn’t have a choice. She needed her alibi. Three minutes later she was back in dry oven heat of the sedan.

The tires squealed against the asphalt as Haley pulled out into the desolate street. She glanced at the LED clock in the dash. It was eight thirty-eight. She’d made good time, considering.

A half-hour later Haley pulled into the parking lot of her apartment from the back side. Living in a building with mostly elderly people had its advantages. Most were in bed by eight. With any luck, no one would see her.

Haley got out and went around for Farley. When she had him in her arms she hit the automatic locks and carried him across the parking lot to the rear lobby. A keypad on the door kept nonresidents out. She keyed in her number. The light turned green and the locks released.

There was no elevator in the back, which was exactly why she took this route. It wasn’t handicap friendly. And since more than half the residents used canes and walkers, they didn’t put in much time on the stairs.

Haley climbed the steps. Her insides felt like they had ice floating in them. Pretty soon she’d be shivering. They needed heat and food. They’d burned up a lot trying to stay alive.

With a quick peek through the window in the door at the top of the stairs, she verified the hallway was clear. Sounds of way-too-loud TVs wafted out into the hallway as she headed to her apartment.

Standing at her door, Haley felt for her keys and realized she’d left everything in the car. She put Farley down long enough to tip the flower pot up and retrieve the spare from under it. He muttered something under his chattering teeth. His legs and arms danced as the tremors jumped up another notch.

Inside, Haley carried Farley into the bathroom where she put him in the tub and cranked on the shower. Thanks to the on-demand water heater under the sink it came out steaming. Farley raised a hand, like he was reaching for something she couldn’t see, then rolled his head away, mewling. She didn’t want to leave him, but they needed food.

Haley went back to the kitchen and threw open the freezer. She crammed what she could into the microwave and turned it on high. Chicken pot pies sat balanced on Hot-Pockets which were competing for room with three bowls of macaroni and cheese.

Processed food was a poor substitute for the flesh and blood of their own. But Haley was in no shape to feed Farley and he definitely couldn’t tend to her. The food would help. If worse came to worst she’d just call Deshi.

While the frozen dinners turned in the microwave, Haley looked in the fridge and found two packages of hot dogs. Haley emptied both of them into a plastic pan and went to check on Farley.

The worst of the spasms had calmed under the hot water. He looked at her and smiled before closing his eyes. Now that the water had erased the blood, Haley could see the extent of his wounds. Unhealed bones in his legs bulged under his skin and pink scars marred his thighs and calves like a bad road map. The bites from the hatchlings were still open so that meant the scars were probably a lot older. Had they been doing that to him while Medan toyed with her?

Haley didn’t want to think about the answer.

The microwave beeped, and Haley made herself go back to the kitchen. She threw the hot dogs in for two minutes. It was the longest two minutes she ever had to wait. When it was done, she piled the load in her arms and carried it to the bathroom. She knelt by the tub and pulled Farley closer to her. With a pot pie in one hand, she used her fingers to spoon it into his mouth.

He resisted and tried to spit it out.

“There is meat in here. Chicken. You like chicken.” She pushed the food through his lips and onto his tongue.

“It’s cooked.” He grimaced and tried pulling back.

“Yeah, well, right now neither of us really needs to be eating anything cold. Think of it like coffee after an all-nighter at the bar.” She pushed another scoop into his mouth. “C’mon, Farley. Work with me here.”

His legs scissored and his arms flailed.

Haley abandoned the pot pie and went for the hot dogs. She bit off half for herself and chewed while she broke the other part into small pieces. Farley took that a little better.

“I can’t
feed
you, Farley. You know I would. But I’ve got the chills too.” As if to drive home the point, when she reached for another Ball Park, Haley’s hands decided to do some break dancing. “Damn it.” She shoved a hot dog in her mouth. Her body rebelled with a gag reflex, but she managed to keep it down.

“Haley?”

“I’m right here.” She concentrated on keeping her hands steady so she could break off the hot dog into small pieces.

“What if I can’t stop again?” Haley brought her gaze up. Farley’s eyes were dark brown. She preferred the gold. They weren’t so sad looking when they were gold.

“Don’t be silly, you’ll be fine.” She tossed the pieces of hotdog into the pot pie, stirred it with her fingers and spooned it up. “Here, open wide.”

“But what if I can’t?”

Haley stared at him. The mush she’d made slid down her fingers. Not stopping just wasn’t an option.

“Shut up and eat this.” She pushed the glob between his lips. He grimaced. It took her rubbing his throat and holding his mouth shut for it to go down.

“Man, that’s terrible!” Farley shook his head as she came at him with another bite. “No more, please.” She forced him to take it. “Jesus Christ, how can you eat that shit?”

“It’s not that bad.” Haley held back another gag when she took a bite. “I’ve seen you put away half a dozen Big Macs. This can’t possibly be as nasty as those things.”

“It’s the--” She shoveled in another scoop while Farley’s mouth was open. “The sauce makes it edible.” He coughed and sputtered but held it down. The improvement was a welcome sight.

Haley made Farley eat the last two Hot Pockets on his own, then stripped off her clothes and climbed under the water spray. Her temp wasn’t dropping, but it also wasn’t getting better. She curled up next to him, relishing the heat blasting against her skin.

They laid there, bodies pressed together, metaphysical currents exchanging back and forth. Haley couldn’t help but stare at the web of flesh on Farley’s shoulder
marking
him as hers. An ugly imperfection mucking up his otherwise flawless Human shell. It was obscene.