Darkest Before Dawn (A Guardian's Diary Book 1)(9)

When they had slipped into the shadows, I followed them. I was between a building and a house when the Jeep slowed and then stopped by the pile of bodies. Had I been paying attention, we’d all be close together instead of scattered. The occupant of the Jeep got out and pulled on a thin length of leather. I had to swallow the bile that tried to come up as a small, thin girl who could be no more than thirteen climbed out and went to her knees in front of him.



The guy looked methed-out, and his words were slurred as he smiled cruelly at the girl. They seemed to be alone, which worked out well, considering I was out of range for hand signals.

“This looks like a good enough place to pass the night, whore,” he sneered and held out his boot which she then lowered her face to—and licked. Oh my God, he was so going to die for that. He kicked her and told her to clean it better, and I couldn’t stop myself from lunging and walking out to meet him.

“What the fuck is this?” he asked. “You want some of my cock too, boy? I really couldn’t give a fuck less as long as it’s tight. Right, whore?” He didn’t even look shocked that I was wearing a mask, or that I was dressed in all black. Most people who saw us had the instinct to run, or try to kill us. Him? Not so much; his reaction was to abuse me. Yup, he was either on drugs, drunk, or both. I was going with both.

I narrowed my eyes and pointed at myself. This guy had to be on something, because he couldn’t keep his attention on me or the poor girl for more than a few seconds. Drugs are bad, m’kay?

Yep, it was official. Only the scum had been spared from the flu, and lived. He kicked her in the face and she cried out as she fell back. “I’ll do better, master, I promise. Please don’t do what you did to Diana to me, I’m a better whore!”

“Nasty little bitch, you’d do anything for me, wouldn’t you?”

I gagged. She nodded, and from the crazed look in her eyes, I believed she would do anything he asked her. She probably had done unspeakable things just to stay alive.

“Go suck that boy off, while I fuck his ass,” he smiled coldly revealing blackened teeth.

I pointed at myself again and tilted my head; he was serious!

Yup, time to die. I pulled my crossbow from the cord and nocked an arrow before he could blink.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, you weak little piece of shit!” he screamed as spittle ran down his face. I knew the moment the others stepped out from their hiding places, because he turned white. “You won’t get away with this! My friends are coming! They will kill you all, but not before they make you feel pain.” I pulled the trigger, releasing the arrow, and watched as he fell to the cold ground with the other dead people.

I wasn’t ready for the girl when she attacked me, and Greta had to pull her off of me. “You killed him! You killed him you fucking punk!” she screamed and clawed at Greta as she tried to get at me. Ok, up close and personal with crazy, I now saw that she was closer to seventeen or eighteen.

“I did you a favor. He can’t hurt you anymore!”

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you! I’ll sell you to Ted and I’ll become his main whore! I’ll never want for anything again!”

I shook my head, and then looked at Greta.

“Can you change? Will you change?” I asked with desperation in my voice.

“I’ll kill you!” she screamed and the moment she lunged, I pulled the knife and slipped it between us. Tears left my eyes to stream down my cheeks as she cried against my chest. “Kill…you.” My stomach clenched and rebelled against me.

She gurgled, and when I could no longer feel her breathing, I picked her up and carried her to the pile. Mercy killing, but it left a mark on my soul, one I’m sure I’d remember forever.

“You couldn’t bring her home with us, and you couldn’t chance letting her go to bring men back here to us,” Greta said softly and the others agreed. This was why she was worried, and I understood it. This poor girl wasn’t my first mercy kill, and unfortunately, she wouldn’t be my last.



“It’s done,” I said, and stopped them from saying more. I couldn’t handle the look in their eyes, or their pity. I cocked my head to the side and listened as the sound of vehicles moving swiftly traveled through the air. “Get to the top of the building, go!” I shouted as I moved to the saddle bag on my bike. I grabbed it and ran for the Humvee, lifted the hood and pulled out a handful of cords so it wouldn’t start. If they took the gas, so be it, but they were not getting the damn thing.

Next I ran to my bike, pulled out the keys, and booked it up the front set of stairs to hide behind the door, but the cars had been moving faster than I’d predicted. Shit!

“Look….what the fuck!” A male’s deep voice tore through the air. “Spread out, and find who did this! I want their heads!”

“And if it’s a woman?” someone else asked.

“Then bring her to me, alive, she’s mine.”

I made myself flush against the wall as I pulled out a grenade from the saddlebag. I pulled the pin and stepped into the doorframe, then tossed it like I was bowling for pins. I slipped silently back into the shadows and listened as I counted.

“What the….” Boom! I dropped the bag, since I’d only counted four men outside, and I knew at least one was dead. I pulled the crossbow from my bag, set it and aimed at the man furthest from me. It struck him in the chest, and he looked down, surprised that it was there.

“Run!” one of the other men shouted, but as I lifted my crossbow, reset it and took aim, I caught a glimpse of a shadow stepping out from behind one of the abandoned cars on the street. I released my breath and watched as my mystery man swung a wicked looking axe and cleaved the unsuspecting guy’s head in half. He didn’t hesitate as he went after the other guy. I watched him as he swung his axe again, and removed the guy’s head. Ewww, he was so cleaning that one up.

I stepped from the building to survey the damage. The car they’d driven here in was toast. Pieces of the leader were scattered on the ground. I looked up to the top of the building to find the three candy skull masks still staring down at me. I turned my head as mister sexy walked back up to me, his axe still dripping blood.

“Get your girls, and get out of here. This group has more people, and I’m willing to bet they are on their way here,” he said as he stepped over the body pieces and walked up until he was nose to nose with me. He lifted the mask with no warning, exposing my lips again. His thumb trailed over where a single droplet of blood remained from being hit. “Be careful, there are bad men out on your streets, my fierce Valkyrie.”

“Why did you help me?” I asked, because this wasn’t the first time. I’d have been puppy chow earlier, and he had plenty of time to attack me between his men and Greta getting there.

“Is it wrong to help people?” he asked, surprised by my question.

“If you expect something for it, it is.”

“Have I demanded anything from you?” he countered as he stepped closer. I pretended not to be intimidated, but I was. I whistled for the girls, and watched him as he continued until he was inches from me.

“You will, and when you do, remember, I have nothing to give you.”

“And what if I only want your name?” he asked softly.

“Emma, you want us to head back?” Greta asked as they walked out from the building and joined us.

I shook my head. “Well, I guess you have it now.”



“Emma.” He tested my name on his tongue and for some reason; it rolled through my vagina and bounced off my rib cage before hitting my nipples and turning them hard. I may have been a virgin still, but my body belonged to a slut! Moisture pooled between my thighs, and the only thing he’d done, was say my name. “I guess I’ll have to think of something else you can owe me,” he smiled and walked off, leaving all the girls drooling in his wake.

“He has got some friggin’ nerve!” I snapped.

“Look at that ass!” Greta said.

“Um, if I have to choose between going back to the shelter, and him, I’m choosing him.” Jillian whipped her hair back, which was her signature move for flirting—it had been since first grade.

“Momma wants some!” Kaylah chimed in.

I tore my eyes from them, back at him just in time for him to look back and wink at me. “Get in the hummer,” I growled.

“I’d give him a hummer,” Jillian laughed.

I shook my head; yup, it was official. I had a land, it was called Hussy, and I was its queen.





Chapter 5





I spent the next day handing out care packages to the families that lived deep in the woods. I’d brought the ATV, since most lived in places cars and my bike wouldn’t reach. I was at my last stop for the day, and the sun had already begun to set for the night. I rounded the bend and turned off the ATV, but even from the distance I had parked away from my destination, I could tell that something seemed off.

If I’d been smarter, I would have run. Really, my brain was playing that annoying eighties song asking: should I stay or should I go now. Yup, I was a dork that way. I had theme music for every kind of situation. If the Jaws music started playing, I was seriously out of here.