21. Erik

Biters surged around me with obvious intent. Not one of them had attempted to kill me. They were trying to fucking restrain me. And that meant Valentina had another plan for me, but there was no way in hell I was going to be caught by that bitch.

I’d lost sight of Montana and my attacks had grown more feral since. I tried to cut a path to the last place I’d seen her, but the biters kept coming, filling every space I opened up.

As I managed to kill one more of them, an Elite leapt through the swirling ash of his remains, joining me and offering a swift bow of allegiance. He was a slim guy, but he was one of my own. I’d found him mortally wounded forty years ago; the smell of his blood had drawn me to him when his car had crashed. He had been in his early twenties and it hadn’t seemed right for his mortal life to be cut short, so I’d turned him instead of allowing him to succumb to his injuries. I wondered if he was still hankering for the promotion I’d denied him in the past.

“Henry,” I growled in acknowledgment, trusting in his loyalty as I slammed my fist into a biter’s chest, crushing her heart and sending her to her death.

“Master, I will defend you with my life!” Henry cried, swinging his huge sword and ending two biters in one blow.

Dust mixed with the rain, sliding down my skin as I prepared for the next attack.

Two males leapt onto my back and a chain clinked in my ear as they tried to get it around my neck. I launched one of them over my shoulder, knocking three more to the ground as he collided with the crowd. Henry ran to finish them as I tore the vicious female from my back and jammed my foot against her neck.

“No- no!” she begged as I bent down and tore her head from her shoulders.

Henry’s blade rammed into her heart, a ringing sound filling my ears as she burst to ash and the sword met the sidewalk.

My heart clenched as the biters closed in again. I started swiping them aside with forceful blows of my arms, desperate to break their ranks and search for Montana. The need sparked a fierce power in me that was unstoppable.

I ripped out hearts as I carved my way forward, determined to find her. I’d sworn to protect her when we’d married and I planned on keeping that promise.

Henry cried out behind me and I was torn as I glanced back at him. Several biters had him on the ground. But my wife wasn’t used to fighting like this and I had to make sure she was safe.

He screamed to the heavens and I cursed myself as I sped back to him, kicking a biter off of him and slashing their throat with my fingernails. I snatched up Henry’s sword from the ground, wielding it with the memories of my old Viking life. It was at home in my hands and every biter within a foot of me met their death at its sharp tip.

I took Henry’s arm, yanking him upright as he clutched a gaping wound on his shoulder.

“Th-thank you, sire,” he stuttered.

I nodded and sprinted away from him, leaving him to heal and taking his sword, but I wasn’t concerned for him. The biters were after me, desperate not to let me escape.

I roared my anger as two of them gripped my right arm, trying to prise the sword from my hand. I slammed my fist into both of their faces in quick succession.

The storm raged around me, coating my skin in rain and washing the blood from my body. I swung the weapon again, taking down a female with bloodstained fangs. As they closed around me once more, panic reared inside me.

They were trying to take me.

A chain was thrown in front of me and several hands yanked on it so I was forced back several steps. As they tried to tie it around me, I jumped away. But there were so many of them, all hounding toward me like a pack of wolves.

Clarice appeared in a fan of blonde hair, screaming her fury as she attacked the biters holding the chains. The second she killed them, I ran to meet her, gripping her arm as the remaining biters backed up in fear. Two Belvederes were more than a match for them.

“Are you alright?” I asked and she nodded with a wicked grin.

“Feels good to fight a real battle after so many years,” she snarled, baring her fangs as the endless horde shifted closer, assessing us.

I swung the sword before me, my eyes wheeling across the battle as I hunted for my wife. Henry was fighting valiantly several paces away, using his fists since I’d taken his sword.

“I lost sight of Montana,” I told Clarice and her eyes shimmered with concern.

“Then let’s hurry up and kill these assholes so we can find her.” She lifted her chin, readying her knife as the biters ran at us like an advancing army.

With my sister by my side, I knew we’d finish these fuckers. They were going to rue the day they turned against my family.