It made no sense. The wind sighed past him, velocity increasing with every second. A train approached. They were running out of time. He turned and headed back.
He'd barely taken a dozen steps when dizziness hit him. He staggered for several seconds then stopped, pressing his palm against the tunnel wall. It was real and solid, and most importantly, not moving. Frowning, he squinted into the darkness. Ahead, Nikki and Jake were blurred shapes; a muted wash of red he could barely see.
He blinked and swallowed. There was a bitter taste in his mouth, and it had nothing to do with fear. The dart had been drugged!
The zombies came out of hiding. Nikki screamed and energy seared the air. Something hit the side of his head. Michael dropped to his knees, battling to stay conscious as the night danced around him. Moisture ran down the side of his face. He licked it, tasting his own blood. The darkness within him rose, a demon that battled the lethargy overtaking his mind. He struggled upright, knowing time was running out. The train was almost upon them. He had to find Nikki and get out of this tunnel.
Her life force burned fiercely through the darkness. Her fear filled his soul and became his own. Michael lunged towards her, but his legs felt encased in glue. He couldn't move with any sort of speed. Jasper's distant laughter mocked him. Then darkness claimed the fire of Nikki's life force, taking her from his sight.
Taking the warmth of her thoughts from his mind.
He swore and swung around to meet the rush of a zombie.
Punching the creature in the face, he knocked it back several feet. It landed on its rear, shaking its head and growling in confusion. He turned and ran forward.
Jake was gamely battling against a second creature. Michael leaped, kicking it away, sending it staggering across the track. Grabbing Jake, he thrust him into the safety of the hole, and ped in after him. Two seconds later, the train screeched past, whirling dust and rubbish through the darkness. Coughing, he pushed upright and leaned against the grimy wall. The sighing wind was cool, but it failed to provide any sort of comfort. He closed his eyes and sent his senses winging back across the darkness. There had to be some trace of Nikki...
Nothing. The drug slowing his responses played no part in his inability to find her. The zombies were easy enough to sense, huddled in tight balls just down the track. Hope the bloody train severs their heads ... He took a deep breath.
So. As he'd foreseen, Nikki had been captured. He had no doubt Jasper would kill her. Then he would be forced to re-kill her, just to give her the peace of absolute death. He'd known it was a possibility, but it wasn't one he was ready to face. Not now, not ever. He clenched his fists in the dirt, then slowly released them. What was the life of one more human if he gained Jasper's death?
The thought chilled him, and for the first time in years, he wondered at the cost of his quest—both to himself and to others close to him. People like Nikki, who was by no means close, and yet could have been, had either of them wished it.
He rubbed a hand across his eyes. She wasn't dead yet, at least he had the comfort—or maybe that should be discomfort—of that knowledge. The connection she'd formed between them wasn't severed, just empty.
He wondered what Jasper was waiting for. He wanted Nikki's power, of that Michael had no doubt. The only way he could claim it was in her death.
"Where's Nikki?” Jake's question rasped across the silence. Michael opened his eyes and studied him. The red haze of his blood heat was a muted glow in the night. Purple patches marred his face and torso, bruises in the making, but otherwise, he appeared unhurt.