***
I hear my heart die. I feel my breath leave me. My wounds fasten up and a shiver of change engulfs me. Fangs slip from my mouth and my body is not my own. It belongs to death.
My eyes shoot open and the darkness no longer renders me. I see everything, feel it in my bones. The night is part of me. My arms stretch upward, and I break the metal cuff from my wrists. I incline my body to stand and walk through the ravaged vampires, my eyes lined with the sword. A vampire smashes into me, but my feet stay planted, secured to the ground by my inhuman strength. I meet its blood soaked eyes, spring my knee up, and hook kick it. My boot crushes into its back and sends it to the ground. Placing my heel on its chest and restricting it down, I scoop up the sword, lift it above my head, and drive it into the vampire’s chest. It squeals at the night and combust into ash. I tug out the sword, the handle aligning perfectly in the palm of my hand. I march to where the vampires crowd Sylas. With a spin on my heel, I stick out the sword and they pile powerlessly to the ground. I move like I’m invisible, slaying each one straight in the heart. By the time I’m done, a thick ring of ash encircles me.
Sylas lies in the sand, the blood from his stomach ceasing. His eyes are black coals as he watches me with a mixture of astonishment and exhilaration.
“What did you do?” he asks, pressing down on his wound.
I lean above him, my hair curtaining my face. “I did what I had to do.” I bust the silver cuffs from his wrist, disregarding the silver burning my skin.
His eyes don’t leave me as I help him to his feet. I focus on the hill where Aiden, Maci, and Greyson are trapped by a long row of vampires. Cedrix is gone; I smell his death in the air. It hurts my unbeating heart, but I don’t have time to grieve. I have three others to save.
Sylas blinks and fixates on the slain vampires that are nothing more than ash. Then his eyes focus to the flat land, where more vampires are heading for us, looking for something to eat in a desert scarce with food.
“Did you get bit?” My eyes do a quick sweep of his body.
He moves his hand away and the wound in his chest is shrinking, sealing back up. “No, I was just stabbed. That’s all.”
“Then help me,” I say, pointing to the others, imprisoned on the ledge. “Help me save them.”
He motions at the hill. “Lead the way.”
We dash into the darkness, side-by-side, and it’s the most natural thing I’ve ever experienced. I’m aware of every bush, leaf, and creature, the way my body flows together, the way my legs carry me up the hill. It’s better than when I was a Bellator. I’m strong, faster, more graceful.
The slipping rocks don’t stand a chance against my feet as I surge upward, past the smoky cave and to the ledge. I stop just short of the cliff and face Sylas.
“I’ll distract them,” I say. “And you get them out of here. Go up on the side and take them out of here—find the nearest cave and hide.”
He glances down at the land, and for a moment, he deliberates bolting, running back to his city—saving himself.
“Sylas.” I draw him back to me. “They need your help. Save them.”
He nods and we part. I hike to the left, the sword hanging loosely in my hand. My eyes never waver from the vampires, who stalk closer to Aiden, Maci, and Greyson. Maci is terrified, clutching onto Aiden’s hand for dear life. Greyson trembles as he debates if he’d rather fall off the cliff or be bit.
Sylas creeps around the side and ducks under the lip of the cliff. I speed up, my arms surging to the side of me, my feet hardly touching the ground. I tip my head down and barrel for the vampires. They don’t see me coming. There is no hesitation as I give a springing leap and submerge into the midst of them. As I’m airborne, I side kick the nearest vampire in the head. Its bones crack against the force and it shrieks, creating frenzy amongst the rest. They turn from Aiden and the others, looking for me. But when they smell my scent, they reverse their attention back. I raise the sword back and sling it forward, through the back of a vampire, straight through the heart, and out the other side.
It poofs into dust and I move to the next one. It takes a swipe at my face, no longer desiring to eat me, only protect itself. I swing my arm up and block it, our flesh connecting. Its teeth drip blood and spit. We circle each other and it yelps at me. I hiss back, barring my fangs. Behind it, Sylas sneaks to the ledge and lowers Maci to the ground. Aiden watches me through the madness, longing to run to me. Sylas peeks over and tugs on his pant leg. They argue momentarily and then shaking his head, Aiden disappears over the edge. Once Greyson is gone, I jump into action because the vampires have figured out their food is getting away.
I stab the one in front of me and shove my way through the rest, pushing out of the mass. I jump on the flat section of the cliff, putting myself between the vampires. If they want to chase them, they are going to have to get through me first. Unsure what I am, they test me, smelling the air, stepping forward and backwards. Their fangs quiver with hunger, their eyes bleeding to hunt. One finally dares to inch forward with its hands skinned to bone and half of its face demolished by the disease. Its head spasms, then deciding it’s going to take me out, it charges. The rest follow. I swing, gaining momentum and slice at the vampire. It dodges back, the tip of the knife barely missing it. I don’t miss a beat. I curl my fist around and uppercut its withered jaw. Its fangs clank together and stunned, it stumbles. I stab the knife in its heart and it wilts to ash. Seeing I’m a threat to their species, the rest attack. I move like the wind, kicking, swinging, spinning, spearing them in the heart. They flutter to the ground, pieces of ash mixing with the sand.
I pause, realizing that my slaying is only bringing more, like they want to sacrifice themselves, like they are begging me to put them out of their misery.
I glance at the sky, which is shifting to morning grey. Why aren’t they bailing? They cover the cliff and some sneak in from behind. I veer the sword to the left and the right, taking two more out. Then it happens. The sky attains the point where greyness possesses the earth. It spans the sand like a giant wave, drifting across the vampires, who burst into flames that sizzle at the sky. Their shrieks fill the air, painful and tormented. As the line of morning grows closer I run, descending off the ledge, and slide underneath a small square of shade.
The entire land roars in fire, smoke, and cries. It goes on forever, irrevocably silencing. I relax against the jagged cliff and set the knife on the ground. I twist my hair up in a knot, my skin drenched in sweat and blood. That’s when it hits me. I’m the walking dead. I no longer have a pulse or breath, and I drink blood.
I tuck my fangs into my mouth. I can no longer walk outside during the day without harming myself or hiding beneath a jacket.
“You are different, Kayla,” Monarch whispers. “I broke all the rules with you, so never assume anything. You are my Day Walker.”
My gaze flickers to the left and the right. With attentiveness, I edge my hand out until my fingertips brush the light. My skin warms to a natural temperature and I let my hand stay there. Grabbing the sword, I push out and stand with the greyness of morning covering my body.
I glance over my shoulder at the sand stained with ash. Then I start down the hill, the one and only Day Walker. I walk alone.
Chapter 20
They aren’t difficult to track. They leave a scent so potent it travels for miles. I hook the sword through my belt loop and trek across the sand and sage brush. I go straight to their hideout, a small cave tucked between two sandy mounds and a row of fiery red rocks. I journey from rock to rock and stand in front of the entrance. A massive red boulder is shoved against the arc of the cave. Fear leaks through the cracks and enters my body. It’s then I realize how numb I’ve been. During battle, I was like a machine. And even now, my emotions are at a steady vacancy.
I sit on a flat rock, needing a minute to gather the numbness that is overcoming me. Maybe this is why Aiden didn’t want me to change. However, if I hadn’t, they wouldn’t be hiding in the cave. I deicide I won’t regret the choice I made.
I push up and heave the rock out of the way. Aiden, Greyson, and Maci are curled in the back of the cave. When the light hits them, they blink frantically. Maci starts to get up, eager to run to me, but Aiden puts an arm in front of her.
“Kayla, are you okay?” She blinks.
“She’s fine,” Aiden says with aggravation. He looks at Greyson. “You ready to go? If we’re going to find a place before dark, we should get started now.”
I remain beneath the archway, half in the light, half out. “Where’s Sylas?”
On cue, Sylas strides around the corner, leaning in my face, one hand gripping onto the arch above our heads, the other resting on his side. His hair hangs in his dark eyes.
His gaze notes the golden land just behind me. “So you can walk in the light,” he says with a bit of envy.
I nod and tip to the side, aiming my attention at Aiden. “You can let Maci go. I’m not going to hurt her.”
He glowers at me. “I’m not taking any chances with you.”
Shaking my head, I stomp over to him. My sudden closeness surprises him and he shuffles back.
I hold out my hand. “Come with me for a minute.”
“No thanks.” He’s afraid of me.
I wrap my hand around his, entwining our fingers, and pull him to his feet. He tries hard to stay mad as I escort him to archway, but his skin touching mine chips away at his fury. Sylas shoots us a dirty look before skulking back into the shadows. When we step into the greyness, his fear diminishes. Seeing me in the light brings him a sense of peace.
I drop his hand and we travel over the rocks. I hop from one to the other. With effort, he keeps up with me. I bound from the last one and sit in the sand. He takes a seat next to me and we stare at the sky.
“So you’re one of them now,” he says softly. “You’re a Day Taker.”
“A Day Walker,” I clarify. “I’m not completely the same as them.”
He hesitates. “Why did you do it, Juniper? Why did you have to change?”