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

Dustin was getting up close and personal with the Mad, slashing and stabbing his way through them with the blades attached to his gloves.

Tightwad danced through the Mad, cleaving them in two with broad swings of his swords.

Vicky swung her shovel into a Mad’s face, and there was a loud crunch as her teeth were shattered. That didn’t stop the Madwoman; she came at Vicky with her toothless mouth open, her gums dripping with blood. The Mad didn’t care. She just wanted to drink the untainted blood coursing through Vicky’s veins and eat her fresh flesh.

The Mad had chosen the wrong woman to go after. Vicky swung the shovel again, and this time she made sure it landed properly. The Mad didn’t stand a chance.

“Graham was right. I get a stronger whack when I twist my hips.” Vicky thrust her hips from side to side and grinned, then slammed the shovel down on the Mad’s neck.

Vicky went for another Mad who was on the ground. This one wasn’t able to walk. It was pulling itself along the ground with its hands as it tried to get at Vicky. She slammed her shovel down, and this time blood sprayed up.

“Watch it! Oh, no, my sweater!” Tightwad exclaimed. He was standing close to the Mad and fighting off another one.

He looked upset as he stared down at his sweater, Ryder couldn’t work out what was blood splatter and what was the random pattern.

Ryder had to hold in her amusement until she’d fought off the hungry Mad who was coming for her. The Mad looked like a crazy she-demon with her glowing red eyes and her arms stretched out. She was screeching as though she were trying to tell all of the other Mad that there was some tasty fresh blood for them.

Ryder went for a quick kill—just sliced the woman’s throat and jumped out of the way. This was the quickest way, but it was also the messiest.

“Oh, Ryder,” Tightwad wailed. This time it wasn’t only his sweater that had been sprayed with blood. Now his face was dripping with it as well.

Carter winked at Tightwad. “See, that’s why I didn’t want to wear it. You can have mine when we get back.”

Tightwad swung his swords at a Mad. “Oh no…no…no.” He was a little breathless from fighting. “I could never take back a gift. That’s yours forever.” Tightwad grinned at Carter and kept slaying Mad.

Carter now wished he’d worn the sweater.

Chapter Eleven

Ryder and the Merry Men, working with the local people, had killed all the Mad. They made sure they weren’t going to get back up again, and secured the mountain settlement.

They were all worn out from the fighting, except Massimo. My blood really is super-amazing, Ryder thought once again. It couldn’t be that super, though, since she was worn out.

Once everyone got their breath back, Ryder spoke to Maxwell. “Where are the kids?”

“They are in a cave by the watering hole where you washed your clothes,” Maxwell told Ryder.

Ryder knew that she couldn’t let being tired take control of her today. “You guys wait here. Retrieve any weapons, because we’ll be out of here in fifteen minutes.” Ryder knew they had to get back on schedule.

Ryder, Carter, and a handful of people from the mountain settlement made their way to the watering hole.

“Sorry about bopping you over the head,” Carter told Andrew. “And for tying you up,” he added to Maxwell. “Natalie is still alive. I had to help.”

Maxwell nodded. “We understand.”

Andrew, on the other hand, didn’t look like he understood. It actually seemed like he wanted Carter to go Mad so he could kill him without interference from Ryder and the others.

“What happened?” Carter asked Maxwell.

“It was crazy. All of a sudden people changed. We’d been out hunting, and everyone who was left in the settlement had gone Mad. We didn’t have a chance. There were too many of them. I’m glad you turned up. I don’t know what would have happened,” Maxwell admitted.

Carter was annoyed that he hadn’t been here when it all started, but he was glad he was here to finish it. “Holy shit, it must have been bad if you are glad I turned up. That has to be a fucking first,” Carter said.

“It was that bad,” Maxwell admitted. “The kids will be happy to see you.” The men smiled at one another.

“Were any of them injured?” asked Carter, concerned.

Maxwell shook his head, “No, you trained them well. Better than most of the adults.”

“Stop with all these compliments.” Carter blushed under his beard and waved Maxwell away, then winked. “No, actually, go right ahead.”

Maxwell shook his head. “You’ve been back for less than an hour, and you’ve already managed to wind me up.” Maxwell smiled.

Carter laughed. “I said, no more compliments.”

Maxwell nodded toward the cave. They were there.

Carter headed straight for the cave, and the other people hung back. “Aren’t you coming?” he asked the group.

“No. I think just one of us would be better. We don’t want to scare them,” Maxwell told him, and the others nodded in agreement.

Carter took a quick glance at his clothing. He had blood splatters all over him, and his hands were even worse. He wiped his hands down his pants to clean them, since he didn’t want to terrify the kids.

“Hey, guys. It’s just me. Don’t attack me,” Carter called loudly enough for the kids to hear him. He slowly headed around the corner, to be confronted by a group of kids pointing knives at him.

He instantly put his hands up and surrendered. They froze for a moment, clearly not expecting Carter, then they ran at him hugging him. Carter was overwhelmed by their reactions.

If he hadn’t been a big tough guy, he’d have a tear in his eye.

“Easy, guys. Are you trying to break me with these hugs? Maxwell told me you kicked some ass!” Carter told them proudly.

“We did! You should have seen us,” Tommy burst out. “What are you doing here? Did