Frequency (The Frenzy Series Book 3) (21 page)

He nodded once. “I’ll help them find one. Thank you.”

“Will you stay here?”

“My family and life are here, so I will stay. But I’ll help them get established, too.”

“I understand.”

He looked at me, lip quivering. “I know you do. Thank you for sparing them at all, Porschia.”

“It wasn’t my choice.”

“They banished your mother. Any other person would want revenge.”

I sighed as I watched the trio slowly follow the hunting trail that led up the first hill, the one that my feet had helped tramp down. “There’s too much revenge and not enough mercy in this world.”

“That’s the truth. Thank you again.” He made the trek easily across the old log and jogged to catch up with his father, telling them there were homes north of Blackwater, and that he would help them all.

I stayed with Roman at the pavilion, simply resting on the benches, while Porschia took the banished Elders across the creek. She asked us not to be present, fearing that we might incite emotions that shouldn’t be brought to a farewell. And that was what the Elders’ walk of shame was: a farewell. In many ways, it was an end to a regime. It was also a new beginning for the colonists, one that we would gladly step forward into with them.

When Porschia returned, her mood was somber and reflective. I could almost see the wheels in her brain turning. I wasn’t sure why Roman stayed while she went, but his company was welcome. When he saw Porschia walk to where I was standing waiting for her, Roman smiled, waved, and slowly walked away from the pavilion; whistling happily as he took in the clear blue sky.

According to Porschia, the colonists took the news better than I expected. They were an emotional bunch. Overall, I think they felt the same way most did when they heard the news. They felt relief, a weight lifted off their shoulders. They could relax. Almost. We just had to go into the city. Porschia hadn’t said a word about herself. She was smart, so I knew she understood that she couldn’t be healed. She’d bitten and drank from Mercedes, but while her sister healed, Porschia didn’t change at all.

Whatever happened when she changed into both creatures prevented her from becoming anything but that. Would she eventually decay like the Infected, or would the vampirism allow her to live forever? Would her lifespan be like that of a human as the two battled and cancelled each other out? No one knew. No one had dealt with this before, but I was damn sure not going to let her face the uncertainty alone. And she was about to get really pissed at me.

I followed her toward the wall, watching her hips sway the fabric of her pilgrim dress. I liked her in dresses. Maybe in ones that were a little shorter...

At the wall, she and I stared at the rungs that would lead to the top and over the other side. “You first,” she insisted.

“Nah. Ladies first,” I said with a sly smile.

“I’m wearing a dress, so...”

“Exactly, kitten.”

She slapped me on the chest. Hard. I rubbed the spot. Kitten was strong. Dang. “What was that for? Chivalry isn’t dead.”

She cocked her hip out, fists at her waist. “You and I both know that I’ll stand here all damn day.”

“You’re totally stubborn like that.”

She harrumphed indignantly. But she was. Stubborn kitty.

“Fine,” I sighed dramatically. “I’ll go first, if only because you’re a girl.”

“Not gonna work. Get moving.” I loved that she always called my bluffs. I laughed and started climbing. At the top I waited for her, looking over at the city beyond. The building that Saul burnt still smoldered, one long, gray plume of smoke stretching into the clear sky. We’d smelled it, smelled
them
since the day it happened. Porschia didn’t mention it and neither did her family when I was around them. But they all felt it. Regardless of how crazy Miranda Grant had been, regardless of what she did, part of them loved her and always would. Love didn’t always make sense. It just was.

I reached for her and though she didn’t need any help from me, she took my hand. “You know I can’t help you with them, right?” I asked.

“Not until the last one.”

I shook my head. “Not even then.”

“If you heal the last one, you can turn back into a human, Tage.”

“I don’t want to be human again.” Not while she wasn’t. Not while this whole thing was so new. And not while she might need someone to have her back.

She forced me to look at her. “You have to turn back.”

“Nah,” I said, easing my tongue over the tip of one of my fangs. “I kind of like the sexy night-walker status. Really helps with the ladies.”

The narrowing of her eyes said she didn’t buy it. “I can’t believe you.” Her voice wobbled between anger and sadness. “I’d give anything to have my life back.”

I pulled her into a hug. “I know, and I’m so sorry, Porsch.” Stroking her hair, I let her hold tightly to me, calming herself until the storm passed. She swiped the bloody tears from beneath her eyes.

“Sorry. I just...it’s hard to cope with.”

“I know. But I want you to know that I’ll be here for and with you the whole way. I don’t want to be human if you aren’t. I’ll be here to help you…because I love you, Porschia Grant. Friends don’t leave when the going gets tough. Besides, you’re my favorite kitten in the world.”

She laughed through her bloody tears. “I love you, too, goofy.” I caught her limp hand as she tried to swat me. “And thank you. I understand if you change your mind, though.”

“I won’t. I can be just as stubborn as you.”

Porschia groaned and ticked her head toward the city. “We should get going. I’m sure they would like to hear the good news.”

“You’re scary when you cry, Porsch,” I told her. It was more than just the crimson tears; it was the fact that I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to put her pieces back together. When you loved someone, you wanted them to be happy. It might be a long time before she felt that emotion again, but I would damn sure try to bring it to her.

The Infected were quick to listen when Tage cupped his hands and began screaming through the city, “We have a cure for the Infection!” Their screeches mainly came from one building, but soon they came filing out of several. There were fewer than I’d imagined, though. Pierce even bothered to show his face.

Where’s my brother?
he asked.

“He’s human now. He can’t help you. Only I can. And if you want my help, we do this my way, Pierce.”

Tage spoke up and explained how we’d found the cure and how the colonists were aware of it and welcomed them…with the exception of Pierce and Saul. Pierce wasn’t happy about their decision, but the other Infected weren’t concerned with his wants anymore. Tage asked them to form a line.

The first was an older Asian man with graying thatches of hair on his scabbed scalp. I didn’t recognize him from the Colony. While most of those in line came from Blackwater, falling over the years to the Infection, some were from worlds away, it seemed. Where did the outsiders come from?

Some of us wandered from place to place until we found one that fit, at least for the time being, Ma’am. Thank you for telling us about a cure. I’ll be forever grateful.

I smiled. “No need to thank me. You’d have done the same.”

Not sure if I’m a good enough person for that, Ma’am.

I wasn’t sure if I still counted as a person either. I motioned him forward. “I can’t numb you. I don’t think it will release enough venom if I do.”

He nodded and braced his hands on his knees. His beard was long and surprisingly soft. I tilted his head to the side and bit down, sinking a small piece of my soul into his vein. He shrieked over my shoulder and I held him tightly as he tried to push me away. It was instinct. Fight or flight. He fought. I won.

I fed.

I poisoned.

I healed.

I cried. A lot.

Tage stood beside me.

His blood tasted strange. Not rancid, exactly, but not fresh or healthy. It was like meat that had sat out for too long, or bread that was about to mold.

When I eased my fangs out of his neck he thanked me again, tears flowing down the ridges of raised skin on his face, scarred and peeling.
Thank you. I can never repay you.

“You’ll feel worse before you feel better,” I warned.

One by one, I fed from them.

One by one they thrashed and screamed.

One by one they cried.

One by one they thanked me.

One by one they broke me.

One by one they put me back together.

Pierce was last in line, but accepted the gift of healing without protest. His tears bore testament to the ordeal that he’d both endured and caused.

Tage stood beside me.