Chapter 30: 30

NADINE’S P.O.V

I watched in horror as Max attacked his sister.

She was so caught off guard by the action that it took her a minute to recover. By that time, he had scratched her with his nails and blood pooled at the top of her skin.

I wasn’t sure if the cut was enough to infect her too but one thing I did know was that the commotion would soon draw unnecessary attention.

“Irene, give me the key, please,” I begged. “We can both get out.”

“No! Max will be fine. We will be fine.”

He snarled.

Downright snarled like an animal and it sounded so similar to the monsters that I knew there was no hope- not anymore.

Before I could rethink my decision, I slowly stood to my feet. I watched Max and Irene out of the corner of my eye, watched her try to fight off her brother while simultaneously calling out to him. His eyes were pitch black, there was no life left in them.

I lifted the table as best as I could and sent it smashing down to the ground- it shattered on impact. Shards flew everywhere, embedding themselves into my arms and legs but I ignored it and managed to get the handcuffs out of the table.

My hands were still cuffed and restricted, but at least I could move.

“No!” Irene screamed, turning to me. “You can’t go. You have to-”

“Watch out!”

I watched in horror as Max lifted his sister with a strength that I knew he couldn’t have possessed on his own. Irene flailed and clawed at his hold on her neck but it was useless. I couldn’t watch what would happen next, I couldn’t watch her die. I grabbed the bags and ran out the front door.

I heard a scream before everything went silent.

I forced my legs to keep moving.

I didn’t know where Caine was but I knew where the pharmacy was and if he had gone there than chances were that I would meet him on the way.

I stumbled over my feet, the bags hitting my thighs as I ran but I forced myself to keep moving.

A loud growl filled the air and I turned to find Max stumbling out the door. Blood ran down his arms and his mouth and for a moment, I froze. What was once a child was now a monster and I was his prey.

I took off running again, but I was slow. The bags weighed me down and while it would have been wiser to just abandon them, I couldn’t. There was no guarantee that we would get supplies again. We were lucky enough to find this town, I didn’t want to risk being in the woods and helpless.

I could hear him gaining on me, could see him getting closer out of the corner of my eye.

I was so focused on trying to get away from him that I didn’t notice the little ditch in front of me. I tripped over my feet and went sprawling on the ground.

I tried to rise but Max was already there, the smell of blood pungent as he snarled and made his way over to me.

“Max?” I kept my voice soft. “You don’t have to do this.”

I knew there was no point running, he would only catch up and I couldn’t kill him, not because I wasn’t armed but because I could still see him. With the other monsters, they were just creatures, but he was a boy- a child.

I closed my eyes, bracing for the inevitable death but it never came. Instead, I heard something garbled, as if someone was choking.

My eyes flew open and I found Max on his knees, his hands by his throat, clawing desperately for air.

“Max!” I rushed over to him but I felt warm arms wrap around my waist. “No! He is dying. He needs our help.”

“There is nothing we can do. His body cannot handle the virus. He will die. We have to get out of here.”

“But-”

“The others are coming, princess, we have to go.”

Before I could protest more, I was thrown over Caine’s shoulder and he took off running.

On another day, I would have been amazed by his sheer strength and how he managed to carry me and the bags without breaking a sweat but I was more focused on Max.

He was lying on the floor now, one hand at his throat and the other stretched out towards me as if pleading for my help. For a brief second, I could have sworn I saw the sunken eyes of the little boy, but it was gone and in its place was cold death.

I stopped fighting after that. I just lay limp in Caine’s arms.

I tried to assure him that I could walk but he didn’t listen to me. He kept me thrown over his shoulder as he quietly but quickly made his way through the streets.

I thought he would take us to the pharmacy but instead, he pulled me into a supermarket. We made our way towards the back of the store where an employee’s only door stood and it was not a moment too soon because just before Caine shut the door behind us, I heard a growl.

He slammed the door shut, locking it and pushing some chairs against it.

I sat cross legged on the floor watching him move and unable to join him. All I could see were Max’s lifeless eyes, I could still hear him choking and begging for relief.

“Let me get these off,” Caine’s voice was soft as he crouched in front of me.

I couldn’t make out what was in his hands but then again, I didn’t care. He picked the lock within five minutes and the cuffs fell off my hands.

“You need to take off your clothes, I need to get the glass shards out.”

“What’s the point?”

He grabbed my chin harshly. “Snap the fuck out of it. We are alive and I will not let you die on my watch. Take off your fucking clothes or I’ll do it for you.”

“Are you not in the least bit affected by the fact that two people are dead? It could have been us. He was a kid.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I have not seen people die? How do you think I knew what would happen to him? My friends died, my colleagues died and right now, you are the only person I have left and I will not let you die on me. I can coddle your broken heart later but I need to get the shards out now.”

I swallowed deeply but did as he asked.

Now that the adrenaline had worn off, the pain started to hit but I kept my mouth shut. The pain reminded me that I was alive.

“Caine-”

“Rowan,” he corrected me. “For fucks sake, call me Rowan.”

The corner of my lips tilted. “Thank you for coming back for me.”

“You didn’t really think I would leave, did you?”

“It would have been smarter.”

“True, but I happen to like your company. I’m not leaving you, princess, not for a long while.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep