He set the broken door aside and leaned itagainst the building. Clasping the doorknob, he turned it andpushed the door open. He waved his hand inside the doorway. Thesecond it entered the house, he confirmed the house wasabandoned.
Still, he had to check it out before bringingMelanie and Lucy inside. He used his hand to brush aside thespiderwebs trying to create a whole new door. The sticky filamentsclung to him, and he suppressed a sound of disgust as he peeledthem away.
Once he’d rid himself of the spiders’ homes,he glanced back to make sure Melanie was okay before making his waythrough the kitchen. The floor sagged beneath his weight but heldfirm.
Cobwebs cleaved to the corners, but they wereempty of any arachnid occupants. The cupboard doors either hungopen or had fallen off to reveal the empty shelves beyond. Therewas no refrigerator, but an ugly brown stain marred thedirt-streaked tiles where it once stood.
He stepped out of the kitchen and into anempty room he assumed was once a dining room. Dust swirled up fromthe hardwood floor as he bypassed the stairs and continued to theroom beyond the main entrance.
He stepped into the living room, where hediscovered a sheet tossed over a couch and a coffee table setbefore it. No pictures hung on the walls, but the rectangular,darker shades of paint in some spots revealed where they oncedid.
He discovered a bathroom off the living roomwith a toilet the color of a two-pack-a-day smoker’s teeth. Still,it was better than a bucket, though he doubted it flushed.
Gripping the banister, he took the stairs twoat a time to the second floor. Once there, he opened the doors toreveal three bedrooms and another bathroom. Two of the bedroomswere empty, but the third held a twin-sized bed and a dresser.
Returning to the first floor, he walkedoutside to find Melanie standing next to the Toyota. A breezerustled her hair, and as she turned toward him, his step falteredas he took in her beauty and distress.
“She’s not doing good,” Melaniewhispered.
She could barely get the words out past thelump in her throat. She didn’t know how she could survive in thisworld without Lucy. They’d been best friends for sixteen years.
Lucy was the Bonnie to her Clyde, the one whokept her sane and laughing when both seemed impossible. The one whogot them out of the facility, and she was dying in the back of astolen SUV.
She deserved better than this, and Melaniecouldn’t give it to her. Melanie had never felt more helpless orlost in her life.
Kyle looked as exhausted as she felt as heapproached. Dried blood caked his skin around his wounds. Thatstrange color had seeped back out of his skin, his blue eyesshimmered with red, and his stalking movements were those of apredator.
“I’m going to do everything I can to saveher,” he promised.
Melanie sniffled; she wanted to believe hecould do that, but Lucy’s rattling breath reminded her of a deathscene in a movie. Of course, she couldn’t compare real life to themovies, but no one’s breath should sound like that.
“Now that we’ve stopped, I’ll give her moreblood and then go hunting,” he said.
“Hunting?”
“She needs more blood, and I’ve lost a lot. Ihave to feed if I’m going to regain my strength and if we’re goingto get another vehicle, gas, and food for you two tomorrow.”
Her stomach rumbled in response.
“When was the last time you ate?” heasked.
“This morning,” she said. “But I’m fine.”
“I’ll feed, and then we’ll figure out a wayto clean up and get you food.”
“I’m fine. I’ve gone a lot longer withouteating, and Lucy is far more important.”
Kyle started to argue with her, but sherested her fingers over his lips.
“Let’s get her inside,” Melanie said.
When Kyle opened the back door, light spilledonto Lucy’s still figure. Kyle studied her for some sign of life.It took far longer than he would have liked before her chest roseand her breath rattled out.
CHAPTER 36
Carefully, he removedLucy from the vehicle and carried her into the house. He took herupstairs and settled her on the bed. Sitting beside her, he bitinto his wrist again. Melanie opened the closet and searched insidebefore going through the dresser.
She opened and closed doors and mutteredsomething to herself before leaving the room. He hated having herout of his sight and almost jumped up to follow, but he couldn’tleave Lucy behind.
