Anarchy (Hive Trilogy Book 2)(25)

My breath hitched at his use of the L word. That was a definite declaration, or a roundabout one anyway. Before I could reply, his lips fell on mine and we were locked in a kiss.

This wasn't the first time we had kissed since our night together, but it was the first where heightened emotions and our fiery attraction merged into one cataclysmic event. I lost all sense of time, worry, fear, and regret. I lived in that moment with Ryder, and if I could have prolonged it forever I'd be signing on the dotted line. Unfortunately, as was the norm of late, all good things had to come to an end.

We mutually pulled apart, both of us a little out of breath, and a lot silver-eyed, I was sure.

I leaned in closer to him, which somehow was still not close enough. "Geeze, I'm so sweaty from that run. I really need a shower but I'm afraid of getting attacked." My words were light, like I was just making idle conversation, but I was eye-screwing the hell out of him and he knew it.

Ryder's laughter was so rare that it made it that much more enjoyable to hear; that low rumble warmed my belly. "Why, Charlie Anne, there's no way I could leave a lady to shower alone in these sort of dangerous times. In fact I'm going to have to insist on this protective shower duty becoming a daily occurrence."

I grinned, losing all sense of chill as our lips met again, but only briefly this time. It was not a good idea right now, our need out of control, to be kissing in any sort of hardcore fashion. Our bodies were too impatient to be together, so we'd hold back the lust until we got to that shower. It was moments like these that I wished ash had magic powers too. Instant transportation would be very useful right about now.



The next day I was in my living room playing cards with Ryder as Sam sat quietly on the couch, flipping through a magazine. We'd just come back from the rooftop, arguing about when was the right time for me to cure the girl. Ryder wanted to wait until we were ready to run, but I was afraid they would "transfer" her, or whatever bullshit they pretended to do to get rid of the children.

"Boom! Full house!" I slammed my cards down, showing off the three aces and two kings.

Ryder's face was carved from stone, no smile, no hint of defeat.

"Shit," I groaned, knowing he must have a better hand than me to be keeping that mask of calm.

Ryder placed his cards down and smiled. "Straight flush."

I fake pouted. "Cheater."

Before he could retort, a loud bang-bang-bang came at my door. Sam was up and across the room with his gun drawn in seconds.

"Who is it?" Ryder demanded from behind Sam, his own gun held in a strong grip.

"Oh God, Charlie, I'm so sorry." The male voice came through clearly, familiar and sounding desperate.

"Blake?" I pushed past my guards and wrenched opened the door.

The vampire's eyes were red-rimmed, blood crusted around his mouth. His hands were shaking almost uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

My voice could have cut glass then. "What did you do?" This motherfucker better not mention my best friend.

"I changed Tessa and now she's dying. It's not working. Her body is rejecting the virus." He dropped his head down, those shaking hands clutching at his Cabbage Patch Doll-like curls.

Using his distraction, I leaned forward and ran at him in a football tackle, slamming him against the far hallway wall and cracking the plaster. "I'm going to kill you!" I screamed in his face.

He didn't flinch, didn't fight. He looked desperate. "I love her."

"Where is she?" The words sounded inhuman as they left my throat.

"Medical wing, room five." Blake was crying, as I pushed him to the ground and took off.

The sound of the two enforcers' footsteps close behind gave me strength. If the vampires thought they could take my best friend's life, they were about to learn just how deadly I could be. I would burn this entire Hive to the ground before I let one undead asshole touch Tessa.

I kicked open the medical wing doors, hitting a nurse, who shrieked. Ignoring her, I bolted for room five. The frosted glass door was half open, and the second I saw the pale, emaciated form of my best friend limp in the bed, an animalistic wail ripped from my throat.

The vampire doctor tending to her turned to me, startled. "No ash allowed!" Same old story as the last time we'd been here. I felt a sick sense of satisfaction as Sam whipped out his gun, holding it to the vamp's head. Asshole backed right off then.                       
       
           



       

"What's happening to her?" I shouted at him as a few other medical staff crowded in behind us. Ryder was doing his best to use his bulk to hold them off. I couldn't focus on anything but my best friend though-or, well, what was left of her. At that moment Tessa wasn't Tessa. She was a shell of a human, a sack of pale skin with dead, white hair. Oh my God.

The doctor seemed annoyed with my question. "She was changed with permission. I have all of the proper signed forms. Her body is fighting the virus too aggressively and it's killing her." He shrugged. "It happens."

Tears spilled onto my cheeks. "No! No! We have to save her. That's my best friend."

A flash of something crossed the doctor's features. Surprisingly enough, it seemed like sympathy. "I have never understood why anyone would willingly want the virus. It's dangerous. Many more humans die than become vampire."

Sam moved to the side as I stumbled towards the doctor. "Does she need more blood? Antibiotics? What can we do?"

Because if he didn't give me an answer in five seconds I was saving her with my blood and outing myself to this entire Hive. I could see now that over a dozen medical officials had crowded the doorway, watching, one of whom I recognized as a Quorum member-too many here to hide what I was, but for Tessa I would do it in a heartbeat.

The doctor shrugged again, and if the POS did it one more time, I was going to punch him in the throat. "There is an experimental vampire plasma that works in twenty percent of cases like these."

Twenty percent wasn't good enough. Tessa's life was worth more than mine. I extended my arm. "Use my blood, it's the-" Before I could say "cure," Sam's gun came out of nowhere and cracked me on the back of my head and blackness took me.



The moment consciousness returned, a sense of panic surged in strong waves through my body. I could feel the rapid beat of my heart, the pulsing of blood in my veins, but I didn't remember why that was-for the first few moments anyway. Then all of reality came flooding back, and despite a raging headache and an incessant thirst, I forced my heavy eyelids open and wrenched my body up.

"Tessa!" My words were supposed to be strong, angry. The panicked rage inside of me needed a place to go. But my dry throat produced nothing more than a rasp of my best friend's name.

I looked around, finding two enforcers up against the wall of my room in the hospital wing. No Ryder though. Kyle and Oliver were the stooges today.

I swung my legs off the side of the bed, relieved to see I was still fully dressed and didn't appear to be hooked up to any machines.

"Where the fuck is my best friend?" My voice gained strength as I stalked forward, ignoring my blood hunger. Although, if someone didn't start talking soon, I was going to let the red haze consume my mind.

Kyle straightened, taking a step toward me. As he stopped inches away, I flashed back to the hours we had sat and prayed here together when Ryder was injured. It reminded me there was a bond between us, and I did not want to hurt him.

"She's okay, Charlie. They gave her the vampire plasma and it counteracted some of the virus long enough for her cells to start the transformation. Ryder and Jared stayed behind to make sure no one screwed anything up."

My relief allowed some of the hot rage to die down. Of course that made way for the true sorrow. I turned to the boys. "How was this permitted? The Quorum rarely allows for new vampires, and with the young girl being turned … "

I rubbed at my temples, trying to relieve the pounding ache. I understood why Sam had hit me. I'd almost outed myself to every vamp in that room, but that didn't mean it wasn't still painful.

Kyle's golden features hardened. "Sam and Markus are investigating now, but we think that maybe this was allowed because of you. Somehow the vamps know how important Tessa is to you, and now they have her exactly where they want."

Shit! I had never even thought about that, always just assuming and hoping that the normal rejections would happen with Blake's request.

Blake! "I'm ripping that bastard's throat out. What the hell was Blake thinking? He almost killed her."

The rage was back. I didn't even care that he said he loved her, you don't do things like that to people you love. Blake was a vampire. He should know that it's not all perfect nighttime strolls and blood milkshakes. His emotions had blinded him and he put his own needs before Tessa's. Not good enough for me, and not good enough for my BFF.

No one tried to stop me as I stormed from the room. In the hallway I glanced around, trying to orient myself. I'd been spending enough time here lately that this place was becoming way too familiar. I was pretty sure I was at the far end from where Tessa had been. Ryder probably stashed me there in the chaos and told the boys to keep an eye on me. By the time I made it to room five again, Kyle and Oliver were right on my heels. Both of them had their hands resting close to their guns.