Live Free or Die Complete Series Boxed Set: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series by Hayley Lawson (pdf e book reader .TXT) 📗

Ryder leaned past Carter to see what was happening.

It was a fucking mess.

The house was eerily quiet, but Fluffy wasn’t growling, so Ryder didn’t think there were any Mad inside. From the state of the inside of the house, it had been trashed. Massimo’s stuff was everywhere. They had left the place spotless. Leandro and Carter had cleaned off the blood splatters from the Mad Ryder had killed. Massimo’s precious books and records were scattered on the table, there was a pile of plates with leftover food on them, and chicken bones and beer bottles were lying around everywhere. It looked like someone had been partying while they were away.

First Massimo’s bar was trashed, and now this, Ryder thought angrily. She heard the fridge door close and peered into the kitchen to find Massimo with a beer to his lips.

Massimo took a gulp and looked at all of them “How rude of me. Come in. Would you like a beer?”

Ryder was a little shocked at how calm he was. I nearly killed someone in the bunker for stealing my blanket. She caught herself mid-thought. Oh, wait, I did kill him. Yegor was the one who had stolen it.

Massimo shrugged. “It’s just stuff. We’ve checked the house, and the testicle professors are gone,” he told them straight-faced. “It was the scrotum biscuits Ryder took care of.”

Ryder cracked up, laughing so hard she began to cry because of all the bruises on her ribs. “Massimo, you’re killing me!”

The vampire cracked up as well. “I’ve been trying to work that into a sentence all day!” Massimo admitted through his tears.

Massimo waved everyone into the kitchen. “Come on, everyone. Let’s have a drink to the fallen and our victory.” He spread his hands wide and made a small bow. “Kelvin, drinks are on the house.”

Kelvin grinned and got to work as if they were in the Old Dog. “What would you all like to drink? You can have anything you want, as long as it’s beer…”

Kelvin passed Ryder and Tightwad a glass of water each. After today, that was exactly what Ryder needed. Since she was with friends, she could loosen up a bit. It might also help with the pain.

Massimo took a beer from the fridge and poured it into a dish for Fluffy. Ryder recalled that Massimo had said that Leandro didn’t drink much as a person, but maybe he was a little more relaxed as a wolf.

He headed toward the dish.

Massimo raised his beer, and everyone followed. Well, except for Fluffy, because he had no hands to raise his glass. “To good health and new friends! Today we won the battle, and tomorrow we will win the war!”

Afana glared down through the glass floor of Level Five at the traitor, Terrier.

He slammed his fists on the glass floor of Level Five, so fixated on his desire to break through and get to Terrier that he didn’t register that the only things being damaged by his repeated blows were his hands.

Afana hissed and snarled with rage. He wanted Terrier’s heart in his hands, and he would have it. His skin split, and blood splashed on the glass floor with every punch. He knew it wouldn’t break since he’d had it made from of unbreakable glass. This whole goddamn place was unbreakable!

A Mad ran toward Afana, and he swiped his hand sideways and knocked the Mad away like he was no heavier than a leaf.

It didn’t matter how strong Afana was. He couldn’t get through the glass floor.

“No!” Afana screamed in frustration. More Mad came at him, and he smashed them out of the way too.

The Madness had overtaken the bunker, and Afana’s search for Terrier was going too fucking slowly because of it.

That bastard had stirred up this revolt inside the bunker, and now he had the gall to stand there and look Afana in the eye. Afana looked up through the glass to Level One, where the advisors were at their computers.

He fixed Terrier with a chilling glare. Let the cattle believe it had hope. Soon he would override the door to Level Six, and kill Terrier slowly and painfully. Afana needed to get back up there and override the system. This was his bunker, he controlled it, and no one was going to lock him out of his home. No one.

He bared his fangs at Terrier and screamed through the glass, “I’m coming for you, motherfucker. Enjoy what time you have left before I tear you to pieces.”

Terrier couldn’t hear what Afana was screaming because the levels were soundproof, but Terrier didn’t need to hear the words to get Afana’s message. He wanted to kill Terrier, and everyone on Level Six was in danger now because of him.

Ryder, hurry up!

Afana pounded on the floor, then swatted the Mad like they were flies. He’s going to rip me in two. Terrier wasn’t easy to scare, but he was shitting himself—and with good reason. Afana was a badass and completely crazy vampire who was out for Terrier’s blood.

Afana got to his feet, his shadow falling over the terrified people on Level Six below. He screamed at them again and jumped up through the hole in the ceiling, then gripped the glass around his drop hole and pulled himself up.

“It’s okay,” Terrier told the people around him. “George has locked the door to this level. Afana can’t get in here.”

Everyone on Level Six watched as the vampire crawled all the way up the glass to Level One. Terrier was glad he’d left, but he knew the vampire had gone to work out how to open the door to Level Six.

Terrier turned to Advisor George. “George, can anyone on Level One override the doors?” George didn’t answer; his eyes were locked on the drop shaft. Terrier looked at Murray for assistance.

General Murray gave Advisor George a gentle nudge. “George? Answer Terrier.”

George noticed that Murray was talking