Page 40 of Crossing Between
His grip tightened on the steering wheel. "I don't know, kærasta. But whatever it is, we face it together." He reached across the console to squeeze my hand. "I won't let anything happen to you."
The drive took only minutes, but it felt like hours. As we neared the police station, the scene that greeted us made my blood run cold. Smoke billowed from broken windows. People were screaming, running in all directions. And others, God, the others were attacking anything that moved.
They looked human, but barely. Their skin was mottled with black lesions, eyes vacant and clouded. They moved with jerky, unnatural motions, like puppets on strings. Some had bite marks where they'd been attacked by the other infected. Others bore wounds from defending officers.
It was like a zombie apocalypse game come to life.
Elias parked a block away. "Stay close to me," he commanded, his voice shifting to a deeper, more authoritative tone and his kraken was forefront. "Don't stop for anything."
I nodded, my heart hammering in my chest as we exited the car. Elias took my hand, his large palm enveloping mine completely, and we moved toward the chaos.
The closer we got, the worse it was. Bodies, both infected and police officers, littered the ground. Blood painted the sidewalk in macabre patterns. The air was thick with smoke and the metallic scent of blood, making me gag.
An infected person lunged at us from a side alley. Before I could even scream, Elias had moved me behind him andextended his arm. His tentacles appeared and wrapped around the attacker, subduing them without injury.
We made it to the station entrance where Kenji was helping an injured officer. His usual playful demeanor was gone, replaced by grim determination. When he saw us, relief flashed across his features.
"Thank fuck," he breathed, jogging over. "It's a goddamn nightmare. They just started showing up about an hour ago, first one or two, then dozens. They're not talking, not responding to anything. Just attacking."
"Where's Varon?" Elias asked, his eyes scanning the chaos.
"Inside, organizing the defense," Kenji replied. "We've got the building secured for now, but they keep coming."
As if to emphasize his point, an agonized scream cut through the air. I turned to see an officer being dragged down by three infected people, their hands clawing at his flesh.
"Shit," Kenji spat, rushing toward the scene. His body changed as he moved, his skin taking on a deeper maroon hue, horns sprouting from his forehead as he transformed into his oni form.
"Inside, now," Elias urged, pulling me toward the station doors.
We pushed into the building, and I immediately wished we hadn't. The lobby was in shambles, furniture overturned, glass shattered. More bodies. More blood. Officers moved purposefully through the space, some helping the injured, others fortifying entry points.
Varon stood in the center of it all, barking orders with the authority of someone who had commanded armies. When he saw us, he strode over, his face a mask of controlled fury.
"Good, you're here," his eyes examining me quickly for injuries. "Are you alright?"
I nodded, unable tofind my voice.
"What's happening? Is it the Essencefeaster?" Elias asked.
"Yes," Varon confirmed grimly. "It's the only explanation. The infected aren't just sick, something's controlling them, using them like an extension of itself."
As they spoke, a wave of dread washed over me so powerful that my knees buckled. Elias caught me before I hit the floor, concern etched on his features.
"Zoey? What's wrong?"
I couldn't answer. The feeling was overwhelming, a cold, oily sensation that slithered through my veins and coated my insides with terror. It wasn't just fear. It was recognition. Something ancient and primal inside me knew exactly what was out there. My magic curled ready to strike out in defense.
"It's here," I whispered, my voice shaking. "The Essencefeaster. I can feel it."
Both men stared at me. "You can sense it?" Varon asked sharply. "Like before? Is it reaching out to you?"
I nodded, swallowing hard against the bile rising in my throat. A terrible realization dawned. "It's searching for me. Like before."
As if in confirmation, a deafening shriek echoed from outside the building, not human, not animal. Something else entirely. The windows vibrated with the force of it, and several of the fluorescent lights overhead shattered, showering us with glass.
"Why now?" Elias demanded, his arm tightening around my waist.
I shook my head, struggling against the crushing weight of dread. "I don't know. But it knows I'm here." The certainty in my voice surprised even me. "And it's coming."
