The Immortal Rules (22 page)

“Any beer left?” he asked, shaking out a cigarette.

“One can.”

“Well, let’s have it.”

“Screw you.”

I watched them, my mind racing. From personal experience, I knew these men were bad news: violent, armed and ruthless. If they caught up with the rest of the group…I shivered.

I had to stop them. Or at least get back to warn the others. But, as I crouched there, watching the men pass a silver can back and forth, I knew that—even running my fastest—I wouldn’t have enough time. I’d seen how quick those vehicles were. They would reach the group before I was even close. There had to be another way.

Another way. Of course, there was the most obvious choice. The option I couldn’t help but think of, no matter how much I tried ignoring it.

Should I…kill them?
The thought was tempting, and I felt my fangs lengthen in response. I could kill them, feed on them, hide their bodies and their vehicles, and no one would know. Who would miss them, way out here in the dark? But, as I inched closer to the unsuspecting humans, I remembered the last two I’d met on a lonely road like this one. I remembered their screams, their terror, the panic on their faces. I remembered the glassy eyes and limp bodies, and clenched my fists. I couldn’t do it. I was trying not to be that monster. Every death, every life taken by the Hunger, pushed me closer to my demon. If I started killing indiscriminately, it would completely take over, and then what would stop me from stalking Caleb or Zeke into the darkness and ripping out their throats?

Maybe I could creep close enough to damage their vehicles in some way; slash their tires or drain their fuel. But I’d have to get awfully close, and even with my vampire powers, there was the risk of being seen. Even if I did manage to pull it off, they’d probably know someone was here and would be on the lookout for people in the area. That wouldn’t be good for the group. I growled in frustration.

Dammit, there had to be something I could do. Something to slow them down, just long enough for me to get back to the others and warn them. I looked up and down the road, searching for ideas, and noticed, in the distance, a large tree on the edge of the pavement.

Breaking away from the humans, I hurried toward the tree and found a thick, gnarled old trunk that looked as if it had been struck by lightning several times. Its branches were twisted and bent, empty of leaves, and it looked more dead than alive.

The roar of engines pierced the silence again. The men had started their vehicles, and were coming, their headlights gliding down the road. I put my shoulder to the trunk and pushed, digging my feet into the slippery grass and dirt, shoving with all my might. The stubborn tree resisted a moment, then with a brittle crack, its trunk split and it toppled slowly to the ground, landing half on and half off the road.

The growl of the vehicles drew closer. If they got past this block, they would reach the group first, and I’d have no time to warn everyone. Cursing, I grabbed the branches and dragged the old tree farther onto the road, expecting the men to come racing over the rise at any second. Bright lights lit up the darkness, illuminating the tree, and I dived into the grass.

“Aw, shit!”

The vehicles skidded to a stop. The men swung off, and one walked to the tree, giving it an angry kick that made the branches rattle. The other scratched his beard and gave it a disgusted look.

“Dammit,” he muttered, peering into the darkness. “Think we can go around?”

“I ain’t pushing my bike through that,” the other snarled, stabbing a finger at the heavy weeds and brambles at the edge of the road, very close to where I was hiding. “Last time I got a flat, and it was a pain in the ass to get it fixed. Besides, the others will be coming through soon.”

“Well, then shut up and help me move the thing.”

The other let off a string of expletives but moved forward to grab the trunk. I left the men struggling with the old tree, crept silently away and, as soon as I could, took off through the grass.

I raced back to the camp, which was already packed up and on the verge of departure. I saw Darren and Zeke standing near the front with Jebbadiah and Ruth. Darren had a couple of skinny rabbits in one hand, looking uncomfortable, while Zeke seemed to be in an argument with the girl. They were still too far to notice me, but I heard snippets of their conversation, drifting over the wind, and strained my vampire senses to listen.

“I don’t care if her tent is empty,” Zeke was saying, holding out both hands in a pleading gesture. “Jeb, we can’t just leave someone behind. I swear, I saw her just before Darren and I left to go hunting. Ruth, are you sure you didn’t see her go after us, or leave the camp?”

“No,” Ruth said in a voice that was almost as worried. “Like I said, no one has seen her tonight, and when I realized that, I went to check her tent. It was empty, and all her stuff was gone. You don’t think she left for good, do you?”

“Regardless—” Jeb’s voice cut in, flat and cold “—we cannot wait for her. I made that clear from the beginning. If she has left us, so be it. If she chooses to flaunt the rules, as you two have done tonight—” he glared at Zeke “—then that is her choice. She can live or die with the consequences.”

“Well, it’s good to know where I stand,” I said, striding into the circle. All four humans whirled on me.

“Allison!” Zeke exhaled with relief, but Ruth looked at me like she had just swallowed a spider. “You’re back. Where did you go? We were about to leave—”

“Me behind? I noticed.” I looked at Jebbadiah, who gazed back emotionlessly. If he felt anger or guilt that I’d overheard his conversation, he didn’t show it. But I couldn’t think about that now. “Jeb, I saw men on the road, coming toward us. They’re riding strange motorized bicycles, and they have guns.”

“Motorized bicycles?” Ruth said, giving Zeke a puzzled frown. Jeb, however, caught on much more quickly.

“Raiders, on motorcycles,” he said grimly, and Ruth gasped. Briskly, Jeb turned on me and Zeke. “Get everyone off the road,” he snapped, pointing back to the group. “We need to hide. Now!”

No sooner had he spoken than the faint growl of engines echoed down the road, and the glow of headlights appeared in the distance. People gasped, and one of the kids screamed.

Quickly, Ruth, Zeke and I herded everyone away from the pavement, driving them back into the rolling plains. I snatched up forgotten cans, wrappers and bowls from the ground, flinging them into the tall grass, doing my best to cover the tracks a dozen people left behind.

The raiders drew closer, the hum of engines roaring in the night. Diving behind a log, I flung myself to the ground as the headlights pierced the spot where the group had been. A half second later, Zeke joined me, jumping over the log and dropping to his stomach as the raiders appeared over the hill.

We peeked over the rim, watching the two men on those strange machines cruise past. Again, I was struck with how familiar they looked, how they were very like the two humans I’d met earlier. The two men I’d killed. One of them drove right by, but his companion suddenly pulled to a stop along the side of the road, shutting off his engine. The other turned his machine around and came back, pulling alongside his friend before shutting his off, too.

“Whacha lookin’ at?” I heard him growl. Even at this distance, my vampire hearing could make out the words perfectly. The other man shook his head.

“Dunno. I thought I heard something. A scream or something, out there.”

“Rabbit, probably. Or coyote.” The other man spit on the pavement, then pulled a large machine gun out of a side holster. “Wanna fire a few shots to make sure?”

Beside me, I felt Zeke tense, one hand inching toward his gun, and I put my hand over his. Startled, he looked at me sharply, and I shook my head.

“Nah, don’t waste bullets. It’s probably nothing.” The raider started his engine with a roar, and I caught the last few sentences over the sudden noise. “Jackal is gonna be pissed if we don’t find them. He was sure they’re somewhere on this stretch.”

Jackal.
Where had I heard that name before? It was instantly familiar; I knew I’d heard it somewhere. It hit me then—the other raiders I’d met on the road. The dead man had whispered it, right before he died.

Jackal…would’ve laughed.

I felt a chill run up my spine. It couldn’t be coincidence. The tattoos, the bikes, the raiders I’d met before. There was something about this group I didn’t know. Someone wasn’t telling me something.

“Ain’t our fault if they’re not here,” the other raider shrugged. “Ain’t nothing out here. And I’m getting tired of looking for ghosts.”

“Derrek and Royce certainly ran into something. Unless you think they just took off without their bikes.”

The other said something back, but the reply was drowned in the roar of the bike engines as the two men sped away down the road. I watched them leave, until the rumble of machinery faded into the distance, the lights disappeared, and everything was quiet once more.

Slowly, the group came out of hiding, as if they were scared to make any noise.

“All right!” Jeb’s voice cut through the uncertainty. “Listen up! It’s no longer safe to use the roads. From now on, we avoid the main stretches. And I want double the guards on every shift! Zeke, you’re in charge of that.”

“Yes, sir.”

“We still have plenty of ground to cover tonight, so let’s move, people!” And Jeb started away through the waving grass, the rest of the group falling in line after him.

I wove my way to the front and fell into step beside Jebbadiah, who marched ahead without looking at me. “What was that?” I asked him. He continued to ignore me, but I wasn’t about to let him off the hook. “You knew those men,” I continued in a low voice. “Who are they? Why are they after you?”

“You meddle in things you know nothing about.”

“Well, yeah. That’s why I’m asking here. If I’m going to help you people, I want to know what I’m up against.”

“We don’t need your help,” Jeb said icily. “We didn’t ask for your help. This group has been through hell and back, and they have survived this long because they do not question those responsible for their safety.”

“Maybe they should,” I said, and Jeb fixed me with an unyielding gaze.

“Do not rock this boat, Allison,” he warned, raising one long, bony finger to my face. I wondered what would happen if I snapped it off like a twig. “You are here because I permit it, because I turn away none in need, but you are not part of this family. I have come too far, and we have been through too much, for someone like you to endanger that. You have already demonstrated your complete disregard for our way of life. You will not come here and question my authority. And you will not ask questions about things you do not understand.” He faced forward again, quickening his pace so that he started to leave me behind. “If you are unhappy with the way we do things, you are free to go,” he said without looking back. “But if you wish to remain with this group, you must accept and obey the rules, like everyone else.”

I glared after him, falling back with the rest of the sheep. The rules. I’d heard that before. Don’t ask questions. Don’t draw attention. Keep your head down and your mouth shut. Except I wasn’t much of a mindless follower, particularly with rules that made no sense. If Stick-up-the-ass Jebbadiah wasn’t going to give me answers, I would have to get them from someone else.

Casually, I lagged behind, letting the others pass me, until I fell back with Zeke, bringing up the rear. He gave me a wary look, as if he knew I was about to ask him something uncomfortable.

“Hey,” I said, and he nodded but didn’t say anything, as if waiting for the inevitable questions. He’d probably seen me talking with Jeb and knew I hadn’t gotten the answers I wanted. Friendly and unassuming as he was, Zeke wasn’t stupid.

“Listen,” I went on, looking away. “I…uh…wanted to talk to you. I didn’t get a chance to before the whole raider thing, so…thanks.”

I felt his puzzled frown. “For what?”

“Not leaving me behind.” I continued to stare at the horizon, watching a herd of those massive shaggy animals lumber away over a hill. “I heard what you said to Jeb and Ruth, earlier. Thanks for…standing up for me. No one’s ever done that before.” I fell silent, embarrassed.

Zeke sighed. “Jeb isn’t the…easiest…person to understand,” he admitted, and I resisted the urge to snort. “He wants to protect everyone, but he knows he’s taking us through dangerous territory, and not everyone will make it. He’s seen several of us…die, trying to get to Eden. We were a much larger group, once.” He hesitated, taking a quick breath. I wondered how much he had seen, how many friends he’d watched die.

“Jeb’s only concern now is getting to Eden with as many of us as he can.” Zeke gazed at me, unapologetic. “If that means leaving one behind to save the rest, it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make. His convictions are much stronger than mine, and sometimes I forget that.”

“You’re defending him because he’s willing to let people die, to leave them behind?”

“Sometimes, to save the many, you must sacrifice the few.” He looked away then, a bitter smile crossing his face. “Jeb tells me I’m too soft and that my stubbornness is what keeps me from being a true leader. No, I don’t want anyone to die, to be left behind, but that weakness might get the whole group killed.”