The Frenzy Series (Book 2): Frantic (26 page)

I followed Julian and Dara’s scent toward the cemetery, creeping close enough to hear their conversation, yet staying downwind. The snow had finally stopped pouring, and now only tiny flurries fell from the sky. The dark clouds had thinned and an end to the storm was in sight.

I could hear them kissing, their hands searching one another. Grunts and moans, his and hers. Rolling my eyes, I stayed tucked behind a pine. Was
this
what all the secrecy was for? An affair? I was pretty sure Roman didn’t care who Dara slept with, especially now that he had Porschia in a cage in his basement.

“We’re going tonight,” she panted against his lips. “The snow stopped. The Elders said the colonists are desperate for meat again. Sporadic supply isn’t good enough for them, apparently.”

He groaned. “So you’ll do it, then?”

“I will, and I’ll love every second of it.”

Julian chuckled. “You’re so cold. You feel nothing for the human at all?”

“Not a thing. Turning him, claiming him? That’ll kill her. And I want her dead.”

Shit
.

“Plus, you can tell the Elders that Roman let me turn the human. The treaty will end and we can terrorize the Colony together. Tage will leave. He’ll tuck tail and run when Porschia’s gone. He won’t have a reason to stay.”

I sped away before they said anything else, before they could smell or sense me. Roman was going to walk into a trap tonight, but it wasn’t him I was worried about. Porschia would give up if her precious Saul or little brother was turned. I knew Dara was talking about Saul, but she’d turn Ford in an instant if given the opportunity.

I needed to get home, and I needed the key to the damn cell. But first, Porschia needed to be fed.

I sat on the bed with my back against the wall and my feet outstretched, refusing to look at Roman. He’d been talking, asking questions, and then answering them himself since I wouldn’t and he thought he knew best.

We heard Tage burst through the front door and run downstairs. “We have a problem,” he said breathlessly.

Roman stood up and crossed his arms, instantly on alert. “What?”

“Julian and Dara. They’re talking about turning a human during the hunt tonight and pinning it on you.”

Roman leaned his head to the side. “Which human?”

“Saul.”

I was off the mattress and jerking at the bars before they even had time to swivel their heads in my direction. “Let me out!” From afar, I could hear Julian and Dara returning to the house. “They’re coming!” I whispered. “Let me out, Roman. Please.”

He put a finger to his lips and walked upstairs, acting as if nothing happened. The scent of raw flesh filled the air and my mouth watered uncontrollably.

“Please,” I whispered. Tage pulled a rabbit from behind his back, already prepared for me. And I wanted it. “I need it.”

“Shhh.” He walked over to the cell and shoved it between two bars. I began to shred the meat with my fangs, but heard the shrill sound of Dara’s voice approaching. I stuffed the hare beneath my pillow and sat down on my bed, looking bored. Tage was already in the chair, flipping through some sort of hardcover book.

“Saul said to tell you hello and he hopes you’re well enough to rejoin society soon. Blah. Blah.”

I ignored her. “Aww, is little Porschia pouting?” she asked condescendingly.

She wouldn’t stop until she got a rise out of me, so I gave it to her. When she stepped within arm’s reach, I launched myself against the bars and grabbed her by the hair near her scalp. I could hear strands of her golden mane tearing and snapping.

“Cat fight!” Tage yelled.

Slamming her head against the cell bars was easy. The hard part was stopping myself from beating her skull against the metal repeatedly.
Rein it in
. I stopped in an instant and acted worn out after that. I could explain away a short burst of energy, but if I kept it up, she’d know I had eaten. She’d suspect something and would call the whole plan off. We would no longer have the element of surprise.

“I’ll kill you!” She clawed at me, but oops – I was just out of her reach.

Roman pulled her away from the cell. “Go upstairs!” he screamed in her face. She looked genuinely taken aback and so was I, since I’d never seen him so much as raise his voice at his little pet. “NOW!”

She rubbed her head and cheek. “Aww, is little Dara pouting?” I sing-songed.

Dara hissed, “Bitch!” over her shoulder, her chest heaving as she retreated, staring daggers at me.

“Slut,” I enunciated.

“You’ll pay for this.”

I stood up and brushed myself off. “No,
you
will pay for this.”

“Let her out, Roman, and I promise I’ll take care of your little problem for you,” she said sweetly.

What problem?

“You’ll never have to be reminded of that back-stabbing bitch again. I know you see her in Porschia. Let me end her for you.” She put her hand on his forearm and Roman snapped, backhanding her so hard, she smacked against the wall with a loud thud before falling to the floor. She picked herself up, mouth agape.

“You hit me,” she whispered, using the wall to get back up. Instantly, her rage for me turned to Roman. “Well don’t come looking to me to satisfy your cravings. Maybe Porschia can help you scratch your itch. I’m
done
!”

Her heels clicked all the way to her room. Roman was visibly furious. He turned those sharp, dark eyes to me, and then looked to Tage. Roman flicked something shiny through the air and began to walk away. Tage’s palm caught the item and he smiled, looking at his prize. Dangling from his forefinger was the key to my cell.

Tage made motions like he was tearing an animal leg apart and pointed to my pillow. I smiled and so did he. It looked like we were going hunting tonight, after all. Only this time, I was hunting jealous bitch.

I ate most of the rabbit. Okay, I ate it all except for the bones. They lay in a tiny pile in the corner. And I felt amazing. I wasn’t cold anymore, I wasn’t hot…I was just right. Goldilocks. “I need to get out of here,” I whispered to Tage. Pulling on my boots, I laced them tightly. Tage had snuck them down to me earlier and I’d shoved them under my bed until now.

He shook his head, pointing upstairs. Dara and Julian were still here. “Fine, but when they go, I want to see Maggie.”

He nodded. We waited in silence while Roman, Julian, and Dara got ready for the evening rotation. The sky darkened early, and after what felt like an eternity, they finally stepped outside onto the crunching snow. The sun must have melted it during the day, but it was re-freezing into a thick, slippery crust. How would Ford, Saul, and the others cross the tree trunk if it was frozen?

Tage waited for a few minutes and when we heard nothing, he walked over to my cell and stuck the key in the lock.
Click
.

Best.

Sound.

Ever.

I gave him a quick hug and whispered in his ear, “I’m going to Maggie’s.”

In a mocking tone, he answered, “I’m going with you.”

“Let’s go, then. They’ll be feeding now, and then will head into the forest.” I didn’t know how she would do it. Would she just pounce on him after the group split up? It was stupid to go along with that plan. They should stay together.

We ran to Maggie’s house, avoiding the pavilion and blurring past houses along the wall and then doubling back. Her door was unlocked. “Who’s there?” a voice called out. It wasn’t Maggie, but it made me stop in place. At the top of the steps stood Saul’s mother. “Porschia?” she asked incredulously.

“I just wanted to see her,” I answered warily.

“Let her in,” Maggie yelled from her upstairs bedroom.

Mrs. Daniels—Ella—motioned us forward. Tage stayed with me. Ella eyeballed him, letting out a quick breath as we passed. “Thank you,” I said softly as I passed her on the step.

I peeked into Maggie’s room. Her neck was bandaged, but no blood was seeping onto the cloth. Covering my mouth, I tried to choke back the tears. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” I blubbered, running into her outstretched arms.

“None of this was your doing, Porschia. Your mother has a touch of the devil in her.”

“She does.”

“Saul and Ella filled me in on what happened to her, to you. I’m the one who is sorry for your loss. You’ve suffered so much in such a short amount of time. You’re too young for this shit.”

I laughed a little. “You look good. Someone came to help heal the wound?”