Path of the Horseman (43 page)

But there was nothing behind me. No empty
shell, no shadow, nothing.

I was alive.

I looked at my oldest brother, the one who
killed me, and tried to think of something to say. What came out of
my mouth was a mess of words.

“What…You… I… How… But–”

Logan smiled, warmth filling his eyes. “You
didn’t really think I stayed in the hotel moping the whole time,
did you? When I saw your death was coming, I knew I had to find a
way to save you. Some of Kade’s soldiers were dying so…” Logan
shrugged, “I experimented. Some of them I wasn’t able to save. I
sent them straight to death. But there were a couple I managed to
revive, because I knew they didn’t want to die. They told me they
had something to live for, and I found a way to stop their hearts
before reversing my magic.”

I gaped at him. “That’s possible?”

Logan’s smile faltered. “Not with everyone. I
don’t think it will work on the Plagued, though I’m willing to try.
And now that Ciaran is dead, so are the Soulless. But their lives
don’t matter to me as much as yours does.”

I didn’t know what to say. After everything
I’d done and endured, I’d been ready to face my end and accept I
wouldn’t see the future I had died to save. I’d been ready, but not
exactly willing.

Logan had known this. He saved me.

“Logan…”

My brother waved my words off. “There’s no
need, Avery. You earned your right for a second chance ages
ago.”

I was still speechless when my big brother
helped me to my feet. He did a quick scan of my wounds. “I’d take
it easy if I were you. Your wounds will heal, but you have almost
no powers left. You’re very close to being completely human, Avery.
Don’t abuse that.”

I stifled a laugh. “I’m already planning my
vacation, trust me.”

Logan smiled. “Then you should get started
with it.”

I saw something in his eyes. “Are you not
coming up?”

He shook his head. “No. Simon and Kade don’t
know I’m here. I’d prefer it stay that way.”

“Where are you going to go?”

Logan shrugged. “Around. The world is a lot
bigger now that it’s been emptied. It will take some time to fill
it again. If I value my solitude, I better start exploring while I
can.”

I understood, but was saddened by it. I held
out my hand. “I guess I’ll see you around, then?”

Logan shook my hand, that grim, knowing smile
on his face. “For real, one day. But not for a long time. I give
you my word.”

My heart ached with relief. “Thanks,
Logan.”

He nodded, let go of my hand, and backed into
the shadows. “Do yourself a favor, Avery.”

“What’s that?”

Logan turned and smirked over his shoulder.
“Stay out of trouble for once.”

Before I could make him a promise I couldn’t
keep, Logan stepped into the shadows and disappeared.

***

The climb out of the hangar was harder than
it should have been. By the time I made it outside, I felt like a
wet noodle. I was barely out of the hangar before an overwhelming
force bashed into me.

“What the hell took you so long?!” Maddy
demanded.

I looked down at her, seeing her adorable,
angry pout and the fierce worry in her deep blue eyes. She must
have been coming straight back to me, because she still wasn’t
wearing pants, and still not caring. I decided not to answer her,
choosing to collect what she owed me.

My hands cupped the back of Maddy’s neck,
making it easy to lift her face to mine and begin a long, deep
kiss. She didn’t stiffen or push away, instead putting her hands on
my arms and pulling me closer. My fingers stretched back until they
were lost in her hair. I let her eyelashes tickle my cheek, and
breathed in the warm smell of her skin.

If hope could have a taste, it would taste
like Maddy.

Knowing she was human and needed to breathe,
I broke the kiss. Maddy hovered close to me, smiling and
blushing.

“Okay,” she sighed. “I forgive you.”

I laughed and pressed my lips to her
forehead. When I drew back, Maddy laced her fingers through mine. I
walked away from the air hangar with her, looking at the amazing
scene before me.

Not a single Plagued was left standing. Kade
stood by Mars, looking at the bodies layering the sand. He had
killed almost every single one of them. Across from him, keeping a
careful distance, was Simon, Eusires, and the hundred or so humans
we’d saved. They huddled together, afraid of the world and the dead
bodies around them. It would take a long time for their minds to
repair. If they ever did.

A soft, chuffing noise came from behind me. I
turned around, and faced Bacillus. The Horse sensed I was hurt,
nudging my chest with his head, asking me to take some power from
him and heal myself. I stroked the Horse’s neck.

“Later, old friend.”

Maddy looked at my Horse, her eyes widening
as she understood what she was looking at. But she didn’t seem
scared. Just interested.

“You can touch him,” I told her. “He won’t
hurt you.”

Maddy glanced at Bacillus again, then
tentatively put out her hand on the Horse’s shoulder. When nothing
happened, her strokes became more deliberate. A smile broke across
her face, and Bacillus turned in her direction for more of her
affections.

“He likes you,” I said.

She smiled. “Guess he has good taste.”

I laughed, turning to look at the desert
again. I found myself looking at Simon and Kade instead.

“So you killed Ciaran, huh?” Kade stated. He
crossed his enormous arms over his chest. “Gotta say, I wasn’t sure
you had it in you.”

I shrugged. “It’s not my fault if you
underestimated me.”

Simon flinched and Kade’s eyes hardened, but
I didn’t care. Right now, I felt like I was on top of the world.
Nothing could tear me down.

Kade erased the tension by bursting into
deep, thunderous laughter. “I should be pissed at you, Pest, but
honestly, I’m in too good of a mood.” He nodded at the Plagued
baking in the fading sun. “I think I broke a world record. I’m
gonna have to start a book or something.”

That made
me
want to erupt into
laughter, but I decided not to push my luck. “So are you going back
to Vegas?”

Kade snorted. “Obviously. It’s my city. I
need to fix it again, since one of my noble-hearted, dickhead
brothers came for a fucked up visit.” He narrowed his dark eyes on
me. “I’d say you’re welcome back for another round of mayhem, but I
think I’ll arrange the reunion next time.”

Over my permanently dead body
.

“Don’t drag the humans with you,” Simon
commanded.

Kade glanced at him, raising his copper
eyebrows. Simon looked fierce and defiant. Almost challenging. For
the first time ever, Kade actually looked impressed. Even
proud.

“Fine by me, Slime. Malnourished meat-sacks
are your thing, anyway. Have fun babysitting them.” Kade’s eyes
turned back my way, but fixed on Maddy. “If you ever get tired with
the anorexia-inducer and the walking disease, look me up,
Goldilocks.”

Maddy scowled, getting an unwelcome wink from
Kade. My brother laughed and turned, spinning his war hammer and
walking toward his Horse. We didn’t move until he straddled Mars
and rode into the desert, far, far away from us.

Simon slumped, looking at the humans. “He’s
got a point, though,” my brother complained. “What are we supposed
to do with them? How do we help?”

As if I knew the answer to that. I was almost
human now, and I was still grasping the realities that came with
that. A shorter lifespan. Less power in fights. The inability to
heal diseases if I ever needed to. Some dangers had been stripped
from the world, but there were still challenges ahead. Things I
wasn’t ready to face.

But my brother was standing beside me. The
girl I loved was holding my hand like she would never let go. There
were a hundred humans in front of us, all of them eager to live
again.

“No clue, Sime,” I admitted. He looked at me
ungraciously, and made me smile.

“But we can make our own cure.”

THE END

Path of the Horseman
was a story that
took more work than I ever imagined it would. I can’t even count
all the hours I spent creating, writing, and editing this piece,
all the while biting my fingernails and hoping that it would simply
be good. But at the end of it all, reading back and knowing the
challenge I took on, I can say with confidence that I’m proud of
what I created. It’s not easy writing a story with the Four
Horsemen as the main characters in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas
with zombies and demon-controlled vampires as the central villains.
But it is definitely fun.

Of course, none of this would be possible if
not for the support I received from my friends and family. Having
them believe in me helped create what I think is a memorable,
exciting story, and not what one would typically come across in the
post-apocalyptic horror genre.

The fantastic cover was created for me by
Curtis Lory and Dan Friel. Your hard work is evident and incredibly
appreciated. I definitely recommend checking out their work on
DeviantArt (lorycurt.deviantart.com and
danf83stock.deviantart.com).

I have to give a huge amount of praise and
thanks to my hard working editor Eden Royce, who gave welcome
advice and helped turn this story from a crazy idea into something
ironclad and real.

I also give tons of love to the wonderful and
talented ladies of the GIAM community, who supported and encouraged
me to take on this novel, pushing me to continue even when I passed
my expected word count.

And of course, I thank you, reader. Picking
up an independent novel and giving it a chance is the greatest
compliment indie authors can receive. It makes us want to write
more, to challenge ourselves, to reach for the stars and take on
projects others would shy away from. Your support means more than I
can ever say, and I hope that you give other independent authors a
chance.

STANDALONE STORIES AND NOVELLAS

NEEDFIRE

ANTHOLOGIES AND COLLECTIONS

LOST SKY in AVAST, YE AIRSHIPS! by Mocha
Memoir Press.

SECRET SUICIDE in THAT HOODOO, VOODOO, THAT
YOU DO from Lincoln Crisler and Ragnarok Publications.

BRING BACK THE HOUND in STOMPING GROUNDS from
April Moon Books.

HOTEL HELL in DEATH'S CAFE by Mocha Memoir
Press.

CALL FROM THE GRAVE in TOIL, TROUBLE, AND
TEMPTATION by Mocha Memoir Press.

CHARLATAN CHARADE in LOST IN THE WITCHING
HOUR by Breaking Fate Publishing.

DARK INTENTIONS AND BLOOD in AMOK! by April
Moon Books.

Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror
author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and
mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped.
She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and
intense action. She is the recipient of April Moon Books Editor
Award for "author voice, world-building and general
bad-assery."

Website: literarybraun.blogspot.ca

Twitter: @amybraunauthor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amybraunauthor