Marty was turning out to be one of the least stupid and evil of the vamps.
Kyle took the key and nodded at him. “Shit’s going to get rough around here. Do you have anyone you can stay with?” The enforcer didn’t want repercussions of our actions befalling the poor vampire that the Hive thought was too old to do anything but sit in the pit guarding criminals.
Marty nodded. “My granddaughter has a cabin on Mount Hood.”
Kyle clapped him on the shoulder. “Take care.”
We wasted no more time, both of us dashing through the halls. I tried my best to ignore the screams and pleas which could be heard through so many of the doors. I wondered for a brief moment how many prisoners were actually in here, and what the ratio of ash to vampires was. Bet the ash were on the higher end; they were always a target. Though maybe they just killed ash when they screwed up too badly. Grr. I really had to stop thinking about that. Ryder was the priority.
I let Kyle lead us to cell one-thirty-eight. It took about eight minutes of winding through the underground prison system. Holy shit balls, I’d had no idea there were so many cells down here—they could seriously hold thousands. When we finally reached the right section and door, I lifted a shaking hand to the lock. It took me more than a few attempts but I managed to click it across. Kyle slammed a flat palm against the metal frame and my breath caught as we looked into the small, dingy, damp-scented room.
“Ryder,” I said in a rush, my feet moving before I could think twice. I closed the distance, dropping to his side, the key falling from my hand as I reached for him lying stomach down on the cold, dirty floor. He was naked from the waist up and his back was a mass of red welts, as if he’d just been whipped or something. WTAF?
I swung my head around to find Kyle’s furious face above mine. “He needs blood. They’ve starved him and that’s why he’s not healing,” he said, letting out an enraged snarl. With a whoosh of air he was gone. Whoa, he was totally going to kill someone right now. Hopefully he remembered to grab some blood too.
Turning back to Ryder, I was startled to see his head had shifted to the side and his eyes were now open.
“Charlie?” His words were hoarse, and I could see him swallowing hard as if trying to find some moisture. “You can’t be here … too dangerous.”
He started to push himself up, fatigue and pain racking his features. I flapped around for a bit, trying to find a place to put my hands that wouldn’t hurt him, before finally managing to slip in under his arms to help him into a sitting position.
I leaned in closer, my heart hurting to see him like this. Of course, he was still a big toughie, trying to stand up in case anyone came for us. I held him down, leaning in to whisper. “Kyle’s gone to find you some blood, then we have to get out of here. The Quorum is coming for me, for all of us, and it’s not safe here any longer. Once you can walk, we have to cure the little girl, and then get the hell out of Dodge.”
His eyes were a big swirl of silver as they examined my face, and I couldn’t stop myself from leaning forward and resting my forehead against his. “Shit, I’m so glad to see you alive, even though the vampires need to all die for throwing you into this asshole pit.”
Ryder breathed deeply against my cheek. “Been worried about you. Knew the boys would have your back, but the Quorum … tortured me … wanted to know everything about you.”
Dammit. They were totally coming after me and targeting all of my loved ones in the process. I tried to keep my anger from bubbling over. There was no time for the major meltdown, hissy-fit I wanted to throw. Ryder and I both reacted at the scraping sound from behind us. I was up and crouched in front of him, another knife from my boot in my hand, when Kyle dashed around the corner.
“Got the blood,” he said, lifting two bottles up. “Marty was gone, but there is a little fridge beneath his desk. Lucky he drinks the same as Ryder.”
Kyle must have noticed then that his best friend was partially up off the floor. He dived down to kneel beside him. “Fuck, man!”
Somehow everything this dude needed to say was in those two words, his fear, worry, pain, anger, relief—two goddamn words.
Ryder’s arm was steady as he took the first bottle and downed it in seconds. He’d be extra thirsty with his body trying to heal those injuries. Blood really was a miracle cure for us.
The change started instantly. Already his tawny color was returning, strength clear in his body. The second bottle disappeared just as fast, and Ryder was able to stand without any assistance from us. Kyle reached over his head and pulled his shirt off. He was wearing a white muscle tee underneath. He handed the button dress shirt to Ryder.