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

Ryder dug her knife blade into the wooden armrest.

“Please don’t do that.”

“What, this?” Ryder pushed the knife deeper into the wood, carving a deep groove all the way along it.

Leandro looked as if it were actually hurting him. His shoulders slumped when Ryder was finished. It had taken Leandro a good few weeks to get the chair just how he wanted it, and the first time a girl sat in it, she messed it all up.

Ryder moved her knife to the other armrest. “Please don’t,” Leandro pleaded and placed his hand under the knife.

Boy, he really cared about the chair.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” Leandro told her. “I just couldn’t.”

Ryder left the knife over Leandro’s hand. “Why couldn’t you?”

“Because I was a wolf! I didn’t want to freak you out,” Leandro confessed as if it were obvious.

Ryder lowered her knife to touch the back of Leandro’s hand. “Show me. I want to see you turn into a wolf. Prove to me this isn’t bullshit.”

Leandro made a face and shook his head. “I can’t.”

“I knew you were lying.” Ryder pressed the knife into Leandro’s hand but didn’t break his skin.

“If I change, I may not be able to turn back again.”

This wasn’t like the Were stories Ryder had heard when she was a kid in the bunker. Weres could turn back and forth at will.

“You really are full of shit, aren’t you?” she mocked.

Leandro looked down at the knife, wondering if this was the point when Ryder broke his skin.

He spoke quickly. “No, it’s all true. Before, I could turn quickly, but as I’ve gotten older, it’s becoming harder. Today, when I got back to town, it took forever. I didn’t think I’d be able to turn back again. That’s why I was rushing past you when you entered Pinewood. I had to see my Pops. I thought I wouldn’t be able to speak to him again. Sorry again for bumping into you. Totally accidental.”

“No worries.” Shit, why did I say that? I need to keep my mouth zipped shut with this jerk. “So, one day, you could turn, and Leandro would be gone, and Fluffy would be here forever?”

Leandro winced when Ryder said Fluffy. Was it really him?

“I wouldn’t mind you being Fluffy full-time,” she teased. “I like him much more than you.” Ouch, that sounded way better in my head. Now, I just feel like a jerk.

“Can we call me something else? I hate Fluffy, especially since Carter named me. Snowy was fine. It fits me better, don’t you think?”

That was the moment Ryder knew he was Fluffy. She stared at Leandro, seeing the same care and concern in his eyes that she had in Fluffy’s.

“I think Fluffy suits you perfectly, and I’m going to call you that from this point on to punish you for bringing me to a vampire’s house. Really, of all places! Fluffy knows how much I hate vampires.”

Leandro smiled a little at that. “Massimo isn’t like any other vampire. He’s a vegetarian.”

“Massimo is a vegetarian vampire?” Ryder tried her hardest not to laugh, but it didn’t work. All the tension inside of her exploded into a fit of giggles. “A fucking vegetarian vampire?”

Leandro’s face softened as he felt the relief in Ryder’s laughter. “Yes, a vegetarian vampire who likes Abba. I try to get him to eat at least a rabbit each day, but he will not touch meat.”

“Why?” Ryder asked between chuckles.

“Because he doesn’t want to turn into a monster, and because he’s an annoying old fool.”

“What’s Abba?” she asked.

“It’s a band. That’s them playing in the house. I guess Massimo is sharing his music with Carter.” Leandro smiled. Carter’s ears could bleed now instead of his.

“I like them.”

Leandro pulled a weird face at Ryder. He had been hoping she’d hate them like he did.

“Now I see where you get the ‘fool’ part from,” she said.

Leandro smiled. “Unfortunately.” Then he tilted his head. “Can we drop the name Fluffy?”

“Nope, and as even more punishment, I’m going to tell Carter to call you that as well.”

Leandro sighed in resignation and changed the subject. “Massimo and I will help you get your friends to safety if you still want us to.”

She tried not to say anything smart-ass. She didn’t have anyone else to help. Maybe a werewolf and a vampire would come in handy. “Is Massimo really up for a fight? He looks…well, old.”

Leandro nodded in agreement. “He does appear old, but he’s stronger than he looks.”

“One wrong move from either of you, and you’ll get an arrow through the heart.”

“Deal.” Leandro smiled nervously.

She nodded. “Come on then, Fluffy. Let’s go join the party.”

She headed for the house with Leandro on her heels. Ryder had done the impossible. She’d assembled a team willing to go toe to toe with Afana. It was a strange team—a hick from the woods, a Were who had trouble changing, and a vegetarian vampire—but it was better than nothing, and it was her team.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

FINIS

Author’s Notes - Hayley Lawson

Written May 25, 2018

Hey, Hayley here,

Where do I start with my Authors Notes? Well, at the beginning! I hope you’re in a comfortable seat, because this note may be as long as the story. I want to thank everyone involved in making Madness Unleashed become real.

My husband once said to me that I should take a year to create the best book ever, and this is that book. Funny thing was that every week he’d ask me if the book had launched yet!

My journey started with a call with Yoda (otherwise known as Michael Anderle). He told me about the spin-off series for Age of Madness, and that I'd be a good fit for it. The reason he thought I'd be good was because most of my past books were thrillers and I kill a lot of people. His nickname for me was “Killer!”

Michael put