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the girl’s hand in hers. “You have no reason to worry. We will take care of this. But you’re right—something is going on. We have been placed in quarantine. There is some type of disease in the bunker, and we have been very lucky that Afana has saved our lives by sealing us down here. You need to keep the kids in their room and keep the door locked from the inside. This point is very important. I need to keep the whole of Level Six safe and secure.”

Mama Lou paused for a moment. It was a hell of a lot to take in, and she was trying not to stress Natalie out. She really didn’t want her going into labor. But Natalie was a smart girl. She’d take it in her stride.

“This disease that you speak of, how does it spread?” Natalie asked.

“We don’t know,” Mama Lou said as she shook her head. “The advisor sent everybody to the sleeping units. I think it is the best way to stop the spread.”

Natalie looked worried. “Are there any symptoms I should look for in the children?”

Mama Lou paused, and Terrier said soberly, “If their eyes turn red and they try to bite you, then, unfortunately, it’s too late for them and you need to put them down.”

Natalie placed a hand over her mouth and gasped. “I can’t kill them!” She shook her head.

Terrier placed his hand on her tiny shoulder. “We hope you won’t have to. I will do everything I can to keep you and the kids safe.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Leandro could hear Carter talking, but he wasn’t listening. His eyes were locked on the smoke flowing into the sky. Dread filled his stomach—he knew what that smoke meant. There had been a death at Pinewood, and he needed to get home fast to make sure his dad was okay.

Ryder called to him as he ran, but he didn’t turn back to look at her. If he never saw her again, he would be sad, but the time he had spent with her was worth it. He knew Carter would look after her and keep her safe now. She didn’t need him anymore. His dad needed him, and he had already been gone too long.

Guilt raced through him with every pounding step on the uneven ground. He should never have left his dad alone for so long.

His dad was a vampire, but he wasn’t the same as other vampires. As the years had gone by, he had grown older since the lack of human blood was slowly killing him. The little blood Leandro had been able to feed his dad from wild animals simply hadn’t been enough. He needed more. He needed to drink human blood to bring the strength and life back to him. He was a vampire, after all.

Leandro wondered what had happened in Pinewood and hoped it was just that Massimo had decided to throw a bonfire party. But in the pit of his gut, Leandro had a feeling it wasn’t.

“Fluffy? Fluffy!” Ryder felt like an idiot calling after the wolf, but she didn’t want him to leave. There went her little fantasy that one day she would be able to let a kid stroke his fur. He was a wild animal, after all. Ryder and Carter watched as the wolf ran away.

Carter could see the disappointment in Ryder’s face. He didn't like anyone looking like that because it made him feel unhappy, too. “Come on, then. Are you up for a run?” Ryder looked at Carter for a second. “We’re heading that direction anyway.”

Carter took off running after Fluffy, and Ryder followed quickly.

Carter was fast, even faster than Ryder, and he took the opportunity to show off very seriously. A few times he jogged back, asking if she was too tired and needed a piggyback ride, but he always ducked out of the way before Ryder could knock him into tomorrow. He was doing his best impression of an asshole, jogging backward as he teased her, and having the time of his life doing it.

While he was trotting backward, he stumbled on the uneven surface. Ryder laughed out loud and even snorted as he crashed to the ground. “That’s what you get, you clumsy jerk.”

Carter rolled over, placed his hand under his head, and looked up at Ryder, fluttering his eyelids. “Just resting. Why don’t you jog ahead, and I’ll catch up?”

Ryder looked down at him, grinning. “Why don’t I give you a good kick in the head to knock some of the bullshit out of you? Now, quit your playing. I don’t want to lose Fluffy’s trail.”

Ryder knew they couldn’t run as fast as the wolf. She just hoped he was heading toward the smoke, too. It might mean trouble, and if so, she wanted to be there at his side to make sure he was all right.

The music was playing loudly in the Old Dog, and people were singing and dancing. Massimo had done his job well. The choice of music was doing absolutely nothing for him, but it wasn’t playing for him—it was for his friends. Massimo hoped it would bring a little bit of joy to a sad day.

He hopped off his stool and waved Kelvin over. “It’s time for me to head on home and leave the young ones to it. They won’t miss having some old fart around. Make sure everyone’s glasses stay filled.”

Kelvin nodded. “I always do. Are you okay?”

“Yes. It’s just been a long day, and I’m looking forward to getting into my bed. And also seeing Leandro—he must be home by now. I hope he’s got a good story to tell about where he’s been.”

“I’ll pop down tomorrow to hear all about it,” Kelvin said. He loved listening to Massimo’s stories. He had some of the best. He knew they were mostly true, but he had a feeling some of them had a sprinkle of bullshit. “Will you be okay getting home?”

Massimo smiled