Darling Wildfire (Red Rabbit #2)

68

ATLAS

We were in a different kind of hell. After we’d gained some distance from the cabin, North shifted into SEAL mode and took over leading the way. It was like watching a wall fall into place in front of all the pain—both physical and emotional. I didn’t want to think about everything I’d just witnessed. The darkness was all around us, just waiting for us to stumble and let it in. I knew if that happened, there would be no escape for us and that hell would be worse than getting caught by Vetticus.

Hours later, we staggered to a stop near a quiet stream. My back was numb and my adrenaline was going which helped dull the pain. Nyx knelt next to me near the stream and pulled off his shirt. Without a word, he dipped it in the water and tried to gently clean the cuts made from the whip.

I hummed in pain as the first drops of water hit and my shoulders shivered. To distract myself I watched North. He was standing on the other side of the creek, staring behind us as though he could see back into that clearing. There was no emotion on his face, just the dead expressionless mask of a man in survival mode.

I couldn’t take any more water on my back and I stood up. I hid a wince as I turned to Nyx.

“Let me see your hand,” I said.

Nyx shook his head. “It’s fine.”

I scoffed. “Sure. You lost a lot of blood though.”

His lips thinned but North spoke before Nyx could say anything.

“Let’s keep moving.”

His gaze didn’t linger on us more than a brief second before he climbed up the far bank and continued through the trees. Visibility was low. The only light was from the moon as it filtered through the trees. The rest of the night we pushed past every limit we had to put as much distance between us and Vetticus as we could. Nothing mattered but our continual movement. Even if it was tenuous. We were free. And that drove me way past the point where I was sure I’d collapse.

Nyx walked in front of me, clutching his hand to his chest. His breathing was ragged but he doggedly kept walking. North was several yards in front of us at all times looking like he had no end to his reserves. But I knew the comedown for us would be brutal. It was only a matter of time before we crashed.

As the forest began to lighten with dawn, my mind went back to Albatron. Even Vetticus was afraid of him. I mean, who kneels for someone like that? Then to just murder a bunch of people to make his point to Vetticus. There was a pang in my chest as I thought about Preacher. I’d grown really fond of the guy. To see him tortured and then abruptly shot dead was fucking with me. Not to even touch the things that happened with North’s daughter. I shuddered, feeling my throat close with emotions. Nope, not touching that either.

But who was Albatron?

He was obviously the person behind Atrox and probably a shit ton of other dark avenues. Regardless of who he was, I knew he was now another name added to the list of people we needed to take down. Vetticus had killed the people we loved. But Albatron had been the nail in the coffin to seal the deal. And what had he been doing out in the woods? Why would he care about what Vetticus was doing with his personal Atrox team? All my questions just led to more questions—most of them I really couldn’t care less about honestly but they were running through my mind all the same. If anything they were a welcome distraction.

“Let’s stop for a minute,”

Nyx rasped.

The sun was well on its morning ascent and we needed a break.

North waved his hand at a small rock outcropping nearby and continued on through the trees. Nyx and I exchanged a look before sitting down on the rocks. I sighed in relief.

“He’s going to drive himself into the ground,”

Nyx muttered.

A low, quick whistle sounded through the trees nearby. We were on our feet and moving towards where North had disappeared. We came upon him crouched on the edge of a clearing. There was a small cabin—well, more of a shack—sitting in obvious neglect in the center. The door was hanging off its hinges and the forest was slowly encroaching on the structure. But what was most notable was the fresh tire tracks of a motorbike in the underbrush near the front door.

I looked around behind us and through the trees as far as I could but there wasn’t any indication someone was still in the area.

“How long ago?”

I muttered.

“Last night? This morning?”

North grumbled.

“Hard to say,”

Nyx murmured.

“Stay here,”

North whispered and before we could object, he was moving off to flank the shack. Nyx and I kept watch at the surrounding woods. The only access for a motorbike was down a small dirt trail leading off to the east.

We saw North edge his way up to the side of the building under the window and peek inside. Obviously seeing nothing dangerous, he signaled the all clear and we joined him at the front door.

The inside was small and decaying but clean. Fresh firewood was stacked against one wall and the smell of woodsmoke hung in the air. Nyx went over to the fire and stuck his hands near the coals.

“Not warm,”

he said. “Yesterday then. Or the day before.”

I walked over to a shelf and grabbed at one of the canned goods sitting in the dust. I tossed one to Nyx. North was prowling around the other wall where a small cot sat. If you could call it that. The material was frayed and looked close to disintegrating at the slightest touch. The one blanket was moth eaten and raggedy. Under the cot were a few old but clean shirts.

I grabbed a hunting knife from the small assortment of kitchen tools. The blade was slightly rusted but it was still sharp. I sat down in the one wood chair and started sawing open a can of food.

“No fire,”

North grunted.

He had pulled the shirts from under the bed and was busy ripping them into strips. Nyx grabbed the tea kettle and headed for the door presumably to grab water from the nearby stream we’d passed.

North and I worked in silence until Nyx returned. I opened three cans and handed one to him and one to North before digging in with my fingers. It was beans, probably expired, but I didn’t care.

“What’s the plan?’ I asked, looking over at North.

“We head down the mountain. Try and find a town or something.”

North saw Nyx was done eating and took his bandaged hand into his lap, unraveling the crude dressing. Nyx tried to pull his hand away but North gripped his wrist firmly.

“Don’t be stupid,”

he growled. “If it gets infected, you’re fucked.”

Nyx scowled at his hand but stopped struggling. When North peeled away the final piece of bloody fabric, Nyx looked away in obvious distress. My eyes landed on the bloody stump where his pinky finger had been. It was still slowly bleeding.

Anger flooded me and I looked up to see Nyx watching me. I knew better than to say anything but I held his gaze while North cleaned the wound and wrapped it in a clean bandage. When he was done, Nyx muttered a thank you. North stood up and approached me next, jerking his finger to get me to turn around. I hesitated too but I knew that look on North’s face and knew arguing was useless.

North cleaned my back and handed me one of the shirts he hadn’t shredded.

“I wouldn’t put that on yet—might be best to let those air out. Some of them look like they need stitches but we don’t have anything for that. Just make sure they stay clean.”

“Yes, sir,”

I muttered.

North cleaned a few of his cuts and sank down onto the cot again. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

“I’ll take first watch,” I said.

I grabbed the knife and pulled the chair closer to the door so I had a good view out the front then settled in. I didn’t know if Vetticus would be hot on our heels or what kind of resources he would deploy to track us. Would he send some of his drones out? Were these tire marks part of that search party?

I didn’t know. All I did know was that we weren’t going back.

I’d do whatever it took to ensure we got out of this.