Rise of the Phoenix (The Phoenix Trilogy Book 1) (19 page)

“Here.” Cloud’s voice echoed in her head as if she were across a football field. “Hey, are you okay?”

Phoenix blinked. “Sorry. It’s just that the last time I was here I was with Adam.” She picked up a stick and tossed it in the fire.

“You’re doing the right thing,” Cloud said taking hold of her hand.

“I’m scared. I’m scared of going to Marcus and I’m scared of never having Adam back. I could also be leading you and Hell Raiser into a death trap. How the hell could I live with myself if that happened?” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“We’re doing this because we chose to. You can’t hold yourself responsible for what happens.”

“Easier said than done because I know I will.”

Handing Phoenix a place, Cloud said “Here, eat something. We have a long trip ahead of us.”

As she dipped her spoon into the hot can of beans she chuckled.

“What?”

“I was just thinking about my pet alligator.”

“I knew you were a bad ass,” Hell Raiser said.

“I found an abandoned cabin in the swamp and he was always there, sort of like a guard dog.”

“I had me a wife and baby; they didn’t make it.” The sadness in Hell Raisers voice sent chills running down Phoenix’s spine.

“Brenda had Lilly six months before the bombs dropped. I was on the road with the team. We lived in a direct hit area. I raced home, but all I found was a pile of ash.” He looked down into his can of food absently stirring it. “No house. No wife. No baby girl. Just ash.”

“When did Lachance find you?” Cloud asked.

“The same day I went home to find them. There were soldiers everywhere. They said if I wanted to live I should come with them. Before I knew it they had me cuffed and in a blacked out SUV driving across the country.”

“I wish my parents would have accepted me for who I am. Now it’s too late,” Cloud said wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

“All that matters is that you love yourself,” Phoenix offered with a smile.

“But it still hurts,” Cloud lamented.

“It always will, but all you can do is move on.”

“Yeah,” Cloud said nodding with half tears and half a smile.

“Let’s get this shit done—take back our country,” Hell Raiser said pumping one fist in the air.

“To the country,” they said as they raised their cans of beans in a toast.

The fire had died out during the night and smoke filled Phoenix’s lungs. She woke coughing against it. Sitting, she twisted her neck until it cracked.

As she kicked dirt onto the smoldering fire Cloud and Hell Raiser woke.

“Holy shit, I didn’t think my back could hurt this bad,” he said.

“Well, get to it,” Phoenix said clapping.

She took some bottled water and washed her face and body off before brushing her teeth. Taking a few deep breaths she repacked everything into her backpack and hoped they wouldn’t all be shot on site, when they entered New Orleans.

Sweat poured over Phoenix’s face as they walked through the swamp. The closer they got to New Orleans the more panic she felt. As the marshlands gave way to dirt and pavement she stopped and bent over, bracing herself with her hands on her knees.

“You should drink some water,” Cloud said handing her a bottle.

“Thanks.” She let out a big breath that puffed out her cheeks. “Maybe this was a mistake.”

“This is what your gut told you to do. Don’t doubt yourself,” Hell Raiser said.

In the distance she could see the buildings of the city that held the gang. She wiped her face with the palm of her hand. “Let’s just get this over with.”

They stood at the edge of the city listening to popping and yelling. “Marcus always likes to celebrate a raid with gun fire and alcohol.”

“Great,” Cloud said taking a step forward.

As they drew closer to the French Quarter, and the gun fire, Phoenix turned to her friends. “I’m going in alone.”

“The hell you are.” Hell Raiser grabbed her arm.

“If I don’t make it out you need to get back and help Adam and the others.”

“If you don’t make it, there isn’t anything the two of us can do. We all go.” His eyes bore into hers.

Phoenix didn’t respond she just began to walk. Her friends footsteps echoed her own.

She pushed her way through the crowd, but took Cloud’s hand insuring she wouldn’t lose her.

Marcus, standing on the sidewalk in front of a historic French Quarter building, was grinning from ear to ear. He slapped one of his men on the back, congratulating him. His tall frame, dark skin, shaved head, and perfect white smile made Phoenix cringe.

“Looks like you scored,” she said walking up to him.

He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. His emerald eyes held no enthusiasm at seeing her again. “Now I thought I told you to get lost.” His voice held a deep growl to it.

“I need to speak to you. It’s important.”

“You bring your own gang to a private meeting?” His tongue ran over his teeth making a squeaking sound.

“Just hear us out. This is a business proposition.”

A laugh from deep in this throat erupted. “And what kind of business could you possibly propose to me? From the looks of you and your gang you have nothing to offer.”

Phoenix held her hands up in surrender for a second then pulled her backpack off. She pulled out a bottle of whiskey. “Can we talk over drinks?”

He ripped the bottle from her hands and gave a crooked grin. Twisting off the cap he took a swig. “So talk.”

“In private.”

Marcus stepped back and opened the door to the historic hotel. He motioned with his head to two other meaning they were to follow. The lobby was immaculate. All the wood was polished. The brass shined, and all the floors were spotless.

Cloud looked around with her mouth agape. Hell Raiser kept his eyes on Marcus.

“Leave your weapons,” Marcus said.

Hell Raiser started to protest, but Phoenix shook her head at him and sat her pack by the door.

The two vamps with Marcus remained armed with handguns holstered at their sides and knives strapped to their belts.

“Have a seat. This oughta be good,” Marcus said from an armchair. His muscles protruded through his tight t-shirt. “Now what could be so important to make you drag your ass back up into my town?”

“I’ll just get to the point. The government is capturing vamps and humans and putting them in camps. They’re being tortured.”

Marcus waved his hands. “That’s it?” he chuckled.

“They’ll be coming here and all of what you’ve built will be gone.”

He gave a confident smile. “I can take care of my own.” He took another drink of the whiskey.

“I know you think you can, but this is the same person who dropped the bombs. He’s running everything.”

“And, you are telling me this because?”

“Like I said—I have a business proposition for you.” When he didn’t say anything she continued. “You help me invade the facility I escaped from and free everyone there, then you take control of it.”

“Now I don’t see the profit in that for me. Boys.” With that the two men pulled their guns and aimed.

“There’s state of the art weapons, planes, trucks, and food,” Phoenix blurted out.

“What kind of weapons?”

This time Hell Raiser spoke. “Guns with lasers so powerful they can slice a man in half. Radiation chambers where they’re turning humans into vamps. The helicopters are all armed with heat seeking missiles and infrared cameras.”

“And you’re just gonna open the doors for all those vamps and walk away?”

“It’s all yours.”

“You just got yourself a partner and get to keep your life.” Marcus handed her the whiskey and she took a deep drink to calm her nerves.

He stood and stepped toward Phoenix. “You got some guts girl; I’ll give you that. I assume you want us to kill the guy in charge?”

“Decklin Lachance is mine,” she said gritting her teeth.

Marcus chuckled and bit his lower lip, smiling. “You are one crazy, girl.”

“He’ll be coming. I’m sure he knows we are gone by now.”

“And just how did you manage this miraculous escape?”

“He’s lacing the blood.” Cloud said in a little voice bobbing her head up and down. “Keeps everyone compliant.”

“There’s a cave that stretches for miles. We followed it out. That’s how we’ll get back in,” Hell Raiser offered.

“Well then it’s time to eat up.” Marcus stood and walked down a hall. He opened the door to a room and took the hand of a beautiful human girl and walked her out. “Each room has a human in this establishment. Pick one. Get some rest.”

Phoenix could hear Cloud swallow beside her. She wasn’t sure if it was because the woman was totally nude and she was attracted to her, or that she was scared of the environment Marcus had created for his gang of vamps.

“I think we just need to rest for a couple hours. We already ate,” Phoenix offered with a smile.

“You want my help you play by my rules. Black doors have men; white doors have women. You’re gonna need all the strength you can get.” Marcus began kissing the woman, one hand clutching the back of her head and the other cupping her ample breast.

Phoenix stood and took Cloud’s hand. “Okay, we’ll just make ourselves at home.” She drug the teenager out of the room with Hell Raiser right on her heels.

She walked up a flight of stairs to get away from the prying eyes. “He’s right,” she said as she stopped at the top.

Hell Raiser was shaking his head. “I’m not into this scene.”

“You don’t need to have sex with them or kill them. I’m pretty sure Marcus wouldn’t appreciate that.”

“Are they like prisoners?” Cloud asked.

“Knowing Marcus, they get protection for their services.” Phoenix drew closer to them. “Don’t forget we are going to need more blood and will need to drink from each other.” They all walked a little further down the hall. “And, Cloud…don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.”

“I’ll be fine.”

They each knocked on a door, Cloud and Hell Raiser a white door, Phoenix on a black one.

The man who answered the black door was in his mid-forties. He had salt and pepper hair and a kind smile. He moved away from the door and motioned for Phoenix to come in. She immediately set the rules. “I don’t want anything from you but some blood from your wrist and your floor to sleep on.”

He didn’t say anything; he simply pulled out a chair from the small kitchen table for her to sit on. It didn’t take a psychic to sense the man’s stress level.

“I bet every time there’s a knock at the door you get tense, huh?”

“Marcus has been kind to take me in.”

Phoenix let out a breathy chuckle and sat her things on the floor. “Yeah and you have to say that.” She looked kindly into his eyes. “What’s your name?”

“Donald Morgan.”

“I’m Phoenix,” she said offering her hand.

When he didn’t take it she looked awkwardly around his room. There were some books strewn about, but other than that everything had a place. On the wall beside her was a small photo of Donald, what she assumed to be his wife, and two small children.

“Gorgeous family,” she said hoping to break the ice.

“Look, can we just get this over with Donald spoke rigidly.

“Okay, then.” Donald sat down across from her, but nudged his chair in her direction. She took his arm gently. “This isn’t going to feel good, but I will give you some of my blood to heal the wound quickly.”

His forehead crinkled, and she noticed why. On his neck and arms were unhealed bite marks. Donald stared at her. “Why would you do that?” he asked meekly.

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

“You’re really not like them are you?”

“The gang; hell no.”

His mouth moved into a grateful smile. “That’s my wife. She is with the kids in a room down the hall.”

“Oh,” Phoenix said sighing.

“At least I still get to see them. Most folks here lost their family.”

“And Marcus makes her work also?”

“Yes.” Donald looked down and quickly wiped a tear from his eye.

Phoenix took the blood she needed and returned the favor. She quietly made a bed on the floor, using her bags as pillows. Donald turned out the light on the bedside table and whispered, “You’re very kind. I didn’t expect that.”

MARCUS HAD HIS cooks made a large breakfast for those that were going to invade the facility. With their bellies full they loaded up weapons and jumped into the large five-ton army trucks Marcus had stolen. The ride was bumpy and loud as the large tread tires barreled down the pavement.

They stopped at Ben’s village and offloaded the equipment. “They’ve been here,” Phoenix said looking around at the destruction. Shanties were burned or knocked down. Clothes and personal belongings were scattered across the dirt road. “Not only did Decklin Lachance take these people’s lives away the first time, he’s destroyed what they tried to replace.” She picked up a doll that lay at her feet. Not knowing why she stuffed into her backpack. “Let’s get moving.”

“Stay alert people,” Marcus commanded.

The drove across the fields jarring the passengers with every rut the large tires hit. “That’s it,” Phoenix said pointing directly ahead.