“Where is Sergei?”
“Down this way. I was just speaking to him. Please follow me.” Mama Lou forced herself to remain calm. Afana had never been down to this level in all the years Mama Lou had lived here, which was a long time. When he wanted a woman an advisor came down to collect her, and Mama Lou never saw her again.
Afana’s shadow was as menacing as he was, and it hovered over her like a demon as they walked. Mama Lou quickened her pace so she wouldn’t be in his company for long. He seemed like he was in a hurry anyway.
Sergei was down the hall in front of them, about to enter one of the rooms. He was clearly still searching for Terrier.
“Sergei, Afana is here to see you.”
Sergei’s head whipped around, and the blood ran from his face at the sight of Afana. Their leader was standing behind Mama Lou, making it look like she’d called in the big guns to punish Sergei for trying to attack her earlier.
Mama Lou smiled at Sergei and stepped aside. “May I assist you with anything else?”
“Are his men here?” Afana asked.
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Round them up for me,” Afana told her.
“As you wish,” Mama Lou murmured respectfully. She dipped her head before hurrying away.
Afana marched over to Sergei. He hated that the sight of him made people freeze. They were his possessions, and they should come to him when he wished it. Then again, cattle were supposed to fear their killer.
He jabbed a finger into Sergei’s chest. “Did you cut off Ivan’s head?”
The hunter flinched. “Yes.”
“Why?” Afana had watched Sergei over the years, and he was very good at reading a person’s body language. He would know if Sergei was lying.
“He went crazy on us and wouldn’t die,” Sergei said.
With that, Afana knew this wasn’t like the last virus. It was something different.
Something worse.
Mama Lou and Peter returned with Pavel and Yegor, who both looked pale and frightened.
Afana turned to address them. “Where is the rest of your group?”
Pavel and Yegor were too stunned to speak. Sergei stepped forward to answer for them.
“Ryder turned traitor this morning and ran,” Sergei stammered. “Terrier did nothing to stop him. We planned to give chase, but Terrier said he knew where Ryder was going and that he would tell only you. We brought him back to the bunker, but the guards attacked us for Ivan’s head.”
Afana nodded at Sergei. He liked obedient animals. This one was stupid but useful. Terrier didn’t know where Ryder was going. Terrier had used it as a distraction tactic.
“Where is Terrier now?” Afana asked.
Sergei gestured around them. “He’s here in the bunker. Decso said he was down here, so we came to find him. Then bring him to you, of course.”
“And the other man?” Afana asked. “Where is the sixth hunter?”
“Nestor is down here looking for Terrier, too,” Sergei said, even though he wasn’t a hundred percent sure about that.
General Murray and Advisor Robert joined the group, both out of breath from running down the staircase. Robert looked as if he were never going to get his breath back.
Murray shook his head at the man’s condition. If he dies on me, I’ll kill him. I’m not running this shit show on my own.
Murray looked at his son Martin, who was standing near Afana. The vampire saw the concern in the general’s eyes. To him, it looked like weakness.
Afana looked at the men. There was no sign of the virus on them yet, but this was different than the last outbreak. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for.
“Give Sergei your guns,” Afana commanded. Murray, Martin, and Peter did as instructed and handed Sergei and the others their guns.
“Find Ryder,” he said to Sergei. “No more fuckups, or I will brand you as traitors and hunt you down for sport.”
Sergei and his men took this as a pass to get the hell out of the bunker, and they hightailed it up the stairs before Afana could change his mind.
“General Murray, collect,” I fucking hate their names, “the two guards from the rooms and bring them to Level One. Robert, they will be your test specimens.”
Afana turned to face Mama Lou. Afana knew Terrier came down to Level Six with Ryder every free moment they had. Mama Lou was friends with Terrier. She had to be hiding him.
“Where is he?”
Chapter Twenty-One
The church door clattered open, and Massimo dragged himself to his feet, ready for another fight. Kelvin stood framed in the doorway, and his eyes weren’t glowing. Massimo retracted his fangs and let out a sigh of relief.
Kelvin knew Massimo was a vampire, and so did the others in Pinewood. Massimo found that his life was easier when they knew. That stopped all the questioning about how he’d been alive for so long. Leandro hadn’t shared with the town that he was a Were, however.
Kelvin ran up to Massimo. “Andrew’s supposed to be in here,” he panted, looking around. Then he glanced at the floor and saw Andrew lying on it. “Oh.”
Massimo nodded sadly. “Indeed. There are two more in the side room as well.”
“Is one Annie?” Kelvin asked, looking at Massimo in shock.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Tightwad saw her follow Andrew into the church.” Kelvin looked down at Andrew’s lifeless body, grimacing at the sores on Andrew’s face and the blood around his mouth. “What happened to him?”
“I don’t know. It’s like some type of disease, I think. Jason also had the sores.”
“A disease?” Kelvin gulped.
“I think so,” Massimo said. “We’re going to have to check everyone in Pinewood to make sure it isn’t spreading.”
Jessica pulled at passing leaves as Carter carried her on his shoulders. Ryder thought they looked cute together as she heard the girl giggling.
As soon as Carter had caught up with the other kids, he started to sing a song, and the kids
