Myopia (Young Adult Zombie Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria Series) (29 page)

“She told me many times that the family uses this kind of practice to infiltrate communities. I’ve actually heard of this before. Something like this happened to some soldiers in the Czech Republic.”

“How did we get this?”

“According to your mother, someone from the Family must’ve brought it here, as it spreads like a disease.”

“A disease… How were they able to target certain people?”

“You’d have to ask Sabine. Apparently, she is the expert in Famila germ warfare.”

“But this can’t be that great a weapon if it’s cured with adrenaline.”

“Really? The Family was able to make almost everyone sick and at the same time, get the rest of the residents, including Sir Charles, to trust them, so I wouldn’t say that.”

She couldn’t deny Coles was right. “So, why didn’t I get sick?”

“I don’t know.” He stabbed the needle into her mother’s chest, seemingly aiming for her heart.

“No!” Terrified Coles was hurting her mother, she rushed to the bed.

“Hell!” Lara sprang up and screamed.

“Mummy?” She advanced toward the woman.

Her stepfather held out his hand. “Wait, let’s see how she reacts to the medicine.”

The older woman’s eyes were wide open and she scanned the room with an expression that was a mixture of shock and anger.

“Lara,” Coles whispered.

Closing her eyes, her mother sank back on to bed and went back to sleep just as she’d been moments before.

“Mum,” She raced toward her and shook her gently. “Can you hear me?”

They waited for the woman to respond, but all they heard were gunshots from outside.

The Dungeon Dwellers had entered the town.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Coles!” men called out, banging violently on the outer gate.

“Quincy told us you’re in there,” another man bellowed.

“Turn out all the lights and no matter what, do not leave the house.” Coles pointed to the candles around the room and left.

“Was that Coles?” Garfield limped to the door. “Didn’t he run?”

“He’s back.” Wisteria went to help her friend back to her room. “Apparently, he’s getting us out of Smythe.”

“To where? I’m going with you, right?” He hobbled back to her room. “You can’t leave me here with the others.”

“We’ll talk to Coles.”

The front door opened and Coles stormed in, followed by Charles, Tom Hindle, and Bruno.

“I told you, we’re done talking,” Coles yelled.

“Elliot, don’t pretend there’s no one out there,” Charles shouted. “Your family’s in danger, just like everyone else.”

“Charles, you wanted Lara and her kids gone. In a few hours, we will be,” Coles seethed. “I don’t expect they’ll have any problem with someone who just wants to leave.”

“So you’re going to run away again?” Tom added.

“Run away? You clowns demanded I leave or you’d evict Lara and the children. Remember? I’m only helping you to keep your promise,” Cole remarked.

“I’m not an idiot. I know you’ve got somewhere else to go. You’re probably back to get your wife,” Tom said.

“Or you’re planning this with these attackers,” Bruno commented. “Interesting, how they show up hours after you returned.”

The Major grimaced at Bruno. “Good luck fighting these people off without any soldiers and a captain who’s never actually fought anywhere. Hopefully the twenty years of his letter writing will pay off now.”

“You’re going to leave your soldiers—unconscious and defenseless—to die? You’re their commanding officer. Don’t you feel you have any responsibility for them?” Tom inquired.

Coles clenched his fists at Tom’s words. “You put them in danger by not listening when I warned you about what Bach really was.” Coles turned to Wisteria. “And the risk his people could cause us.”

“This isn’t about trans-dimensional beings, aliens, or werewolves,” Bruno sneered. “He’s out of his mind. We shouldn’t have come.”

“For once, Bruno, I agree with you.” The Major pointed to the door. “Go now.”

“We’re dealing with a real life threat,” Charles maintained. “And after what Wisteria did to Bruno’s daughter, you owe us personally.”

Her stepfather shrugged. “Because Wisteria attacked Yvette?”

“Help us sort this and we’ll consider everything even,” Tom proposed.

“We can never be even,” Bruno interjected. “But I will forgive her.”

“Forgive me?” Wisteria burst into the room. “He’s so full of crap. He’s done nothing to protect this town aside from sucking up to Didan and his psychopaths! You—”

“Wisteria,” Coles said to her in a steady tone. “I’m on your side.”

Steaming, she stormed out of the room.

“Get back here and sit down,” her stepfather yelled.

Boiling, she sat on the stool behind Coles.

“I’m glad someone’s able to get that girl under control,” Bruno mocked.

“Why didn’t you go to the executives from RZC? Why did you come to my house?” Wisteria asked.

“Didan didn’t think it was a real threat. He just wanted us to wait it out,” Charles admitted.

“Huh.” Coles sat down and put his feet on his coffee table. “I’ll help you.”

“Thank you.” The Mayor let out a sigh.

“But I’ve got some conditions.”

More gunshots went off in the distance.

“This isn’t the time,” Bruno fumed. “I will tell you what you need to do.”

“I need you gents to tell me your names, all your names.”

“You’re serious?” Charles glared over at Wisteria. “What’s going on? She asked this too.”

“Or you can get out of my house,” Coles warned.

“Charles Sylvester Davenport,” Charles was the first to answer. “He’s Bruno Morel and Tom—”

“Charles, this isn’t hard. I don’t need you to introduce them, I know who they are.” Coles pointed to Wisteria, and then to Garfield’s crossbow a few feet away.

“They need to say it themselves,” she instructed.

“I’m done with this.” Bruno turned to leave, but Wisteria took up Garfield’s crossbow.

“We don’t have time for this!” Charles cringed. “Bruno, just tell them.”

“Bruno Morel, are you happy?” the Captain said.

“Not happy, just less irritated.” Coles glanced over at Steven’s father. “And you, Doctor?”

“Go to hell.” Tom Hindle turned away, but Wisteria fired the crossbow, hitting him in the arm.

“Ahh,” Tom cried out.

Jumping up, Coles turned to her and smiled. “Good shot.” Calmly, he approached Tom, who was clutching his wounded shoulder. “Your name? I’ll give you a clue: it’s Tom Hindle.”

“T—T—” Tom stuttered. “This proves nothing—Nothing!”

Coles grabbed the man’s neck. “Who’s your master?”

“You can’t control me,” the injured man declared defiantly. “You’ll never be able to, Terran
jagas
.”

“What is he saying?” Charles remarked. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Short answer, he’s been brainwashed,” Wisteria informed them.

“Get off him, Coles.” Bruno tried heaving the Major away from Tom. “I’m done with this madness. Charles, we don’t need him to secure the town.”

“Bruno, we do. You can’t do it,” Charles said firmly. “You cannot do it.”

“My second condition.” Coles rose and straightened his clothes. “Quincy Markesan, the ass I found in my house, leaves Smythe.”

“You can’t be serious,” Charles muttered uneasily. “You’ve been the one who’s been against the evictions. Why are you suggesting it now?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Coles replied coldly.

“Fine,” Bruno gritted out. “What else?”

“We should at least discuss this. Quincy’s a farmer and he’s important to the community.” Charles turned to Bruno. “And since you’re not in charge, your say doesn’t count.”

“Quincy isn’t the only dairy farmer on the island. We’ll just split his animals among the rest,” Coles suggested. “And if we’re still short-handed, you can help out, Charles. I mean, how hard can it be?” He used the same taunt they had used on him when they forced him to leave.

Wearily, Charles nodded.

“And Bruno’s family leaves too.” Coles pointed to the Captain.

“You’ll throw out my family? Where will we go?” Bruno gasped.

“I don’t care,” Coles replied. “But we need Sabine, so just take your daughter with you. I hear Sabine will be glad to get rid of her stepchild. Those are my conditions.”

“Coles, no, they’ll die out there,” Wisteria implored, surprising even herself that she was speaking for Yvette.

“You can’t be serious,” Bruno insisted. “What kind of man are you?”

“Not a good one. I’d kill you myself, but I’m a family man now. So, this is me being a better person.”

“Coles!” Bruno exclaimed.

“Die now or die later Captain, you choose.”

“Sir Charles, you cannot let him do that. You’re still Mayor.” Bruno turned to the short balding man who was head of the town.

“I—I think Major Coles makes a very good point,” the sheepish Mayor replied.

“He’s not making a point. He wants revenge because of his psychopathic daughter.” Bruno pointed to Wisteria.

She felt a strange tinge when the Captain called her that.

“You think my stepdaughter’s a psychopath? Look at me, I’m what a psychopath looks like and you should’ve thought about that when you stepped on her neck.” Coles walked up to the Captain. “If I trade fifty cases of ammunition with the people who are attacking, they’ll let my family leave. I’ve no reason to stay. You, on the other hand, have nothing.”

“Please, Charles, you can’t agree to this,” Bruno begged.

“I don’t understand the problem with Coles’s suggestion. I think it works,” Charles affirmed.

Horrified, she watched Bruno plead with Charles to do something, but the Mayor had no choice. It was either capitulate to Coles now or face the Dungeon Dwellers on his own.

“It is agreed,” Charles said nervously.

“You’re a coward, Charles. Bartering with lives is all you know, you bloody ass. You know if it was left to him, he’d have traded Lara and Wisteria to those damn pirates,” Bruno yelled as he stormed out.

She wondered if Coles would’ve left all his soldiers behind unconscious.

Charles helped the wounded Tom Hindle out while Coles came over to Wisteria. Tapping her shoulder, he pointed to the crossbow. “I see Garfield taught you well.”

“Yeah,” she muttered, still processing what had just happened.

“I need you to stay here and watch after your mother. We’ll get her and your friend into the bunker and when your brother gets here, you tell him he better be down there or the next time I see him, I will break both his legs.” He smiled.

When it came to Coles, she didn’t know if his threats were serious or not, so she only nodded.

In fifteen minutes, they had both her mother and Garfield in the bunker.

Coles reminded Wisteria to turn the lights off and keep the doors locked. “I picked this place to live because it’s secluded, so it’ll take a while for anyone to get here,” he told her as he left.

“And the Family?”

“We’ll have to deal with them once we’re done with Mackenzie’s people, but there’s a case of bean vine extract in the bunker just in case. I hate leaving you all here.” He cursed and left.

*****

As Bach and Enric moved through the streets of Smythe to the empiric’s mansion, the humans hurried around in all directions. Some carried weapons, some boxes full of food, and others with jugs of water.

“Something is wrong.” Bach looked around. “Why do they seem so agitated?”

Enric shrugged. “They always look this unstable to me.”

Guns were being fired and Bach wondered what was actually going on in the island.
This is no longer any of your business
, he reminded himself.

When they got to the mansion, they found the atmosphere was calm and tranquil. The empirics had set up a piron net around the mansion, so there was little chance of them being disturbed. Pol and a few Thayns casually walked by as Bach entered. In the living room, two empirics, Anfos and Mateu, were listening to a Thayn sing. Flinching, he listened to the poor woman struggling to sing on key. If the Thayn hadn’t been renewed, she’d have found this experience humiliating. It sickened him to imagine Wisteria having to perform like this.

“Are you okay?” Enric whispered. “You should not be that worried about her.”