Lost Highway(29)

The next trap killed the Death Dealer with a head wound. I add the skull to my bag and continue walking. Odessa is humming when the sound returns. She stops immediately and glances around to see if anyone might have heard.

I’m ready to return to the cabin and put her mouth to better use when I notice movement up ahead. Another man is stuck in a trap. Dressed all in black, he stops struggling when he catches sight of us. Our gazes meet, and I realize he’s more coherent than the average trapped Death Dealer.

“Careful,” I whisper to Odessa.

I am nearly on top of the man when he springs to his feet and slices my stomach with a blade. Behind me, Odessa gasps and moves toward him. I shove her backward, and she topples to the ground.

“Stay back,” I warn as the man lunges again.

I sidestep this strike and kick his feet out from under him. The Death Dealer still manages to stab me in the thigh.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he taunts, rolling away and back to his feet. “No, don’t tell me. I’ll get a good look at them when I crack open your head and dig around.”

This Death Dealer is new to the Lost Highway and possesses smooth, lethal movements. Before arriving in our prison, he killed often and easily. Now his killer instinct is focused on us.

When I throw a punch, his blade nicks my wrist. The man swings for me, and I struggle to dodge him. We fall to the ground where he attempts to pin me. I remove a blade from my side holster and shove it into the man near the armpit. I hope to hit his heart and slow him down.

Coughing blood in my face, he headbutts me twice before reaching for the blade in his side. I spot movement to my right, and the man grunts from Odessa’s machete strike at the back of his skull. Spinning around, he releases me and charges her. She begins to run before abruptly stopping. I’m on his back before he reaches the now very still Odessa.

I wrap my arm around his throat and squeeze until the bone snaps. Even injured, he shoves me back into a tree with enough power to temporarily stun me. The Death Dealer knows he’s in danger. Different from the zombie-like ones, he remains savvy enough to fight another day.

Running away, he hurries toward the highway. I look at Odessa, who stands near a tree. She glances around warily, knowing my traps are everywhere.

“Stay here!” I yell, pointing at her. “I need to finish him.”

“Quill, stay with me.”

“He’ll come back and attack when we’re not ready. I have to finish him now. Stay here and wait for me.”

Forced to leave Odessa, I chase after the Death Dealer. My mind already pictures him claiming everything I possess including my woman. After all, I’d do the same if our roles were reversed.





Chapter Twenty-Nine


Odessa




Quill left me.

For the longest time, I watch the spot in the woods where he chased after the Death Dealer. The wind blows roughly against me, throwing leaves in my face. I finally peel away my gaze from Quill’s direction and scan the area.

Though we didn’t leave the cabin so long ago, I sense the day is nearly over. How long have I been waiting for Quill to return? Darkness lingers near the ground, spreading slowly upward as if taunting me.

I study the ground for signs of a trap. Quill hides them too well, and I don’t know how to reach the cabin even if I avoid every danger. I’m stuck in this spot with the growing darkness nipping at my feet. Soon, I’ll need to climb the tree to avoid turning into the wolves’ evening snack.

I hesitate climbing, still hoping Quill will appear and we can run back to the cabin before night finds us. Waiting for him, I catch sight of movement to my right. I can’t be sure who I see, but my machete is in front of me. I know the figure doesn’t belong to Quill. I doubt the Death Dealer he chased has returned. The figure is too small, and her movements jerk too much.

The night-dweller’s bright eyes stare at me from the shadows in the woods. She won’t come out until protected by the darkness. I can’t fathom how she avoids the wolves or the traps except somehow this Death Dealer adapted to her world. She didn’t eat Skittles or play music to retain her humanity. Embracing the darkness, she became a part of it.

Unable to wait any longer to climb, I remove the band holding the machete to my wrist and then slide it into the jacket holster Quill created for me. I reach up and try to find footing in the grooves of the massive tree. The climb isn’t easy, and the darkness doesn’t wait for me to get comfortable.

The woman inches closer. Glancing at her over my shoulder, I don’t want to look away. I feel as if she’ll spring at me if I don’t stay focused on her. Even so, I force myself to look at where I climb further up into the tree.

I don’t want to imagine Quill hurt, and I refuse to believe he’s dead. No doubt he’s climbing a tree just like me. He’ll wait out the night and come for me in the morning. I just have to survive that long.

I’ll need to embrace the darkness if I want to see the dawn and reunite with Quill.





Chapter Thirty


Quill




Hesitation is a killer’s enemy. The Death Dealer’s crystal blue eyes hold no uncertainty. Even with a broken neck, he moves with ease. When I corner him, I never spot a single moment of fear on his face. He exists to kill, and the Lost Highway gives him the freedom he desires. His entire life narrows to this moment with me.