her at school, and she wanted to either
hurt the kid or cry her way into oblivion? How often did she blame herself for
what happened? She watched her parents break down innumerable times, and
wondered if they resented her. She wondered if they could ever be happy again,
because without Julie, they didn’t have a real home.
Kendra felt the need to reach out to
Julie. She wanted to touch her, hug her, kiss her head, and never let go. Her
baby sister was alive!
Julie thanked Liam before glancing at
Kendra. Their eyes briefly locked. Julie looked away first. The expression on
her face reflected confusion as she rejoined her friends to help the others.
She gave Kendra a quick, casual glance, like a stab to Kendra’s heart. Julie could
recognize Liam in a crowd, but not her own sister.
Kendra had to shake it off. After all,
Julie hadn’t seen her in a long time and the last thing she expected was to see
her now.
Tears formed and clouded her vision.
Liam watched her and gave her a faint smile of encouragement. This smile was
actually sincere instead of taunting, sexy, or baiting. Kendra shook off the
joy and anxiety from seeing Julie again.
Once they freed the remainder of the
prisoners, Lou and Mark moved past Liam, leaving Julie’s side, and ran up the
basement stairs. They scavenged the remainder of the building for hunters.
Meanwhile, Liam and Nathan led the inmates outside. Some of the weaker ones
stumbled, but the stronger ones aided those in need. No one ran off because, in
this world, any Raven with a conscience was tied to his brethren better than
blood.
Mark and Lou ran out after the rest when
they finished their business. Nathan lowered one of the weakest Ravens onto the
rocks several feet from the front porch. The others followed Lou to the boat,
anxious for their freedom. They would take this as a lesson well learned.
“Nathan, scan the house. Is there anyone
left?” Liam asked.
Nathan placed his fingers on his temples
and checked from one side of the building to the other. He then moved his eyes
from the top of the house down to the basement and to any lower catacombs.
He shook his head. “Just the fallen
humans and the dead Ravens.”
Liam smacked Nathan on the shoulder and
said, “Great, you get Julie and the others outta here. Head back to town, we’ll
meet you there. There’s not enough room for all of us in your car, some of
those Ravens need to get a seat first.” He spoke to the rescued prisoners, “The
stronger of you will probably have to catch a ride on the train to get out,” and
back to Nathan, “I’m going to destroy this place.”
Kendra stared at him in disbelief.
Destroying them wasn’t right. He can’t just kill all these humans. Could she
idly stand by as Liam burned them alive?
Liam called Julie over to hug her. He
kissed her tangled hair and muttered in a gruff tone, “Stay out of trouble,
kid.”
“Thank you, Liam,” she whispered.
He released her to Mark, who drew his
hand to her elbow. She didn’t leave without glancing over Liam’s shoulder at
Kendra. She creased her brows as if a spark of memory formed in her thoughts.
She parted her lips, but before she could say anything, Mark led her through
the woods to run after the others.
When they were out of sight, Liam
swerved to face the house. His eyes blazed white and sparks swirled down his
neck, arms, and hands. His skin crawled with heated fury.
“Liam, you can’t destroy the house.
There are people in there!” Kendra argued.
Liam gave her a look, startling her with
the anger beneath the energy in his eyes. “Kendra, there are three types of
humans in this world: ones who like us; ones who haven’t taken a stand and pose
no threat; and ones who hunt us. They kidnapped Julie and others for their
research. They started this, and I’m ending it. It’s just that many less who we
have to worry about coming after us later or recruiting more humans with their
propaganda. Kendra, it’s us or them. Kill or be
hurt the kid or cry her way into oblivion? How often did she blame herself for
what happened? She watched her parents break down innumerable times, and
wondered if they resented her. She wondered if they could ever be happy again,
because without Julie, they didn’t have a real home.
Kendra felt the need to reach out to
Julie. She wanted to touch her, hug her, kiss her head, and never let go. Her
baby sister was alive!
Julie thanked Liam before glancing at
Kendra. Their eyes briefly locked. Julie looked away first. The expression on
her face reflected confusion as she rejoined her friends to help the others.
She gave Kendra a quick, casual glance, like a stab to Kendra’s heart. Julie could
recognize Liam in a crowd, but not her own sister.
Kendra had to shake it off. After all,
Julie hadn’t seen her in a long time and the last thing she expected was to see
her now.
Tears formed and clouded her vision.
Liam watched her and gave her a faint smile of encouragement. This smile was
actually sincere instead of taunting, sexy, or baiting. Kendra shook off the
joy and anxiety from seeing Julie again.
Once they freed the remainder of the
prisoners, Lou and Mark moved past Liam, leaving Julie’s side, and ran up the
basement stairs. They scavenged the remainder of the building for hunters.
Meanwhile, Liam and Nathan led the inmates outside. Some of the weaker ones
stumbled, but the stronger ones aided those in need. No one ran off because, in
this world, any Raven with a conscience was tied to his brethren better than
blood.
Mark and Lou ran out after the rest when
they finished their business. Nathan lowered one of the weakest Ravens onto the
rocks several feet from the front porch. The others followed Lou to the boat,
anxious for their freedom. They would take this as a lesson well learned.
“Nathan, scan the house. Is there anyone
left?” Liam asked.
Nathan placed his fingers on his temples
and checked from one side of the building to the other. He then moved his eyes
from the top of the house down to the basement and to any lower catacombs.
He shook his head. “Just the fallen
humans and the dead Ravens.”
Liam smacked Nathan on the shoulder and
said, “Great, you get Julie and the others outta here. Head back to town, we’ll
meet you there. There’s not enough room for all of us in your car, some of
those Ravens need to get a seat first.” He spoke to the rescued prisoners, “The
stronger of you will probably have to catch a ride on the train to get out,” and
back to Nathan, “I’m going to destroy this place.”
Kendra stared at him in disbelief.
Destroying them wasn’t right. He can’t just kill all these humans. Could she
idly stand by as Liam burned them alive?
Liam called Julie over to hug her. He
kissed her tangled hair and muttered in a gruff tone, “Stay out of trouble,
kid.”
“Thank you, Liam,” she whispered.
He released her to Mark, who drew his
hand to her elbow. She didn’t leave without glancing over Liam’s shoulder at
Kendra. She creased her brows as if a spark of memory formed in her thoughts.
She parted her lips, but before she could say anything, Mark led her through
the woods to run after the others.
When they were out of sight, Liam
swerved to face the house. His eyes blazed white and sparks swirled down his
neck, arms, and hands. His skin crawled with heated fury.
“Liam, you can’t destroy the house.
There are people in there!” Kendra argued.
Liam gave her a look, startling her with
the anger beneath the energy in his eyes. “Kendra, there are three types of
humans in this world: ones who like us; ones who haven’t taken a stand and pose
no threat; and ones who hunt us. They kidnapped Julie and others for their
research. They started this, and I’m ending it. It’s just that many less who we
have to worry about coming after us later or recruiting more humans with their
propaganda. Kendra, it’s us or them. Kill or be
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