Live Free or Die Complete Series Boxed Set: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series Hayley Lawson (ebook reader play store .TXT) 📖

you bloodsucking animal,” Terrier yelled as he ran after Justin. Justin was fast—really fast. “Hide. Hide! HIDE!” Terrier screamed at Samantha.

When Terrier got to the bathroom, Justin was within arm’s reach. He quickly turned around, and his eyes were glowing red.

Terrier punched him, which knocked him backward but didn’t stop him. He ran toward Terrier, who looked for something to hit the man with, but there was nothing removable. Everything was attached to the floor or the walls.

Terrier’s hands became fists and he pounded them into the man’s face, but he kept coming back for more. This was one dumb fucker. Terrier didn’t stop. Blood seeped down the man’s nose and spilled below and above his eyes, making them look even redder.

Terrier went for the kill and connected with the sweet spot on the man’s jaw, knocking him to the ground. Terrier’s strength was enough to kill a man in one punch. Justin’s body twitched as the last of his life of him drained out of him.

Terrier looked down at him for a moment to make sure he wasn’t going to get up. There were now three bodies on the bathroom floor, the two Shane had taken out and one which had been bitten by them. Terrier made a mental note to himself not to let anyone bite him.

Terrier left the bloody mess and headed toward the bathroom stalls, hoping the poor kid might be hiding in one of them. That would be smart since they were the only places with a door, but they smelled horrific.

“Samantha, come out. It’s Terrier,” he called gently as he walked past the stalls. Only one door was closed. She had to be in there.

Terrier gently knocked on the door, and a little whimper came from behind it. Terrier let out a sigh of relief. It was Samantha.

“I’ve taken care of the scary man. Come out. Natalie and the others are worried about you. I’ll look after you.” Terrier waited silently for the girl. Then the click of the lock sounded, and the door crept open an inch at a time. Terrier could make out Samantha’s tearstained face.

“Hey, you want to get out of here?” Terrier asked, waving his hand in front of his nose.

Samantha nodded as she opened the door some more. She winced. “It’s really smelly in here.”

Terrier opened his arms and Samantha ran into them, relieved that he was there for her.

“Did Kari come up with you?”

Samantha shook her head. “Kari stayed on Level Six. She went to get some food.”

Terrier grinned. “Let’s get you back to Level Six, then. Everyone is crazy up here.”

The group checked all the Mad bodies to make sure Fluffy wasn’t trapped under any of them. They two-tapped as they went, and Ryder got her arrows back. The others also made sure they had all their weapons back.

“Who’s Fluffy?” Willard asked, confused.

Ryder waited for Carter to spill Leandro’s secret, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked to Massimo to answer.

“He’s my son,” Massimo said, as he called for Leandro.

“I thought Leandro was your son,” Willard said.

“They both are. Well, not both. They’re the same person.” Massimo sounded a little crazy, and just confused the others even more.

“What?”

“Leandro is a werewolf, and Carter calls him Fluffy when he’s a wolf. They are both my son,” he told him matter-of-factly.

“Cool, so you’re a vampire, and your son’s a werewolf. What are you two?” asked Willard with a raised eyebrow.

“She used to pretend to be a guy,” Carter cut in, pointing at Ryder, “And, well, I’m one of a kind.” Carter winked.

“You really are,” Willard agreed, and the others nodded.

The gang kept calling for Leandro. They were all getting worried since he’d been gone for a long time.

Ryder and Massimo both knew of Leandro’s concerns about not being able to change back and wondered if that was why he’d not returned.

Chapter Twenty-One

Ryder didn’t know what to do. They couldn’t leave Leandro, but they couldn’t wait here all day either. She looked at Massimo. He was thinking the same thing. No one had found Leandro’s bag, which was a good sign since it meant that he was okay and still trying to turn back.

Massimo sniffed the air, trying to pick up his son’s scent, but Leandro had run deep into the woods, far enough away that his dad wouldn’t find him.

Carter had found a car which had a seat in it and fallen asleep. The others sat down on the road and took the time to rest. Willard was asleep on the road. He really could sleep anywhere, and like a rock.

Only Massimo and Ryder were still looking up and down the road and scanning the trees, which lined both sides of the road and were too thick to see through. Leandro could be anywhere.

“Do you think he’s all right?” Ryder asked Massimo. She didn’t like the idea of Leandro being in the woods on his own, although she wasn’t worried about the Mad coming after him. More that he was battling with himself alone.

“My Leandro? Of course he’ll be all right. I just wish he’d hurry up.” Massimo dismissed Ryder’s comment.

No more Mad had come down the road, but Ryder kept scanning just in case.

Ryder looked in the direction of Darkwell. They were only about fifteen minutes’ walk from the town. “Do you think there is anyone left in Darkwell? Let me rephrase that: do you think there are any more Mad there?”

“Problem we have is that a lot of people in Darkwell were already mad.” Massimo grinned. “We’ll see soon enough.” Massimo looked into the trees, shaking his head. “Leandro knows it’s rude to keep people waiting.”

“Sorry, Pops,” said Leandro, and Ryder and Massimo turned toward his voice. He’d come out of the trees on the other side of the road, wearing clean clothes.

Ryder edged forward and raised her arms to hug him, but she stopped herself. This was a new feeling for her, so she stepped back and didn’t follow through with her emotions. She