Blaze Read online

  Blaze

  Amelia Oliver

  Contents

  **WARNING**

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Epilogue

  Glossary of terms

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Amelia Oliver

  About the Author

  Blaze is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents are either the production of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 by Amelia Oliver

  Cover art by Amelia Oliver

  Formatted by Idonea Publishing

  All Rights Reserved. Nothing from this publication may be reproduced, stored in an automated database, or made public, in any form or by any means, be it electronic, mechanical, by photocopying, recording or any other means. Without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  **WARNING**

  This book carries an 18+ warning. It contains foul language, horror, murder, and sexual scenes.

  This book carries possible triggers

  *Rape is mentioned in this book and justice is served, but please take care of yourself while reading this book*

  To my grandad.

  Thank you for reading my books and for supporting me. Love you xoxo

  To my son, "Kid, you'll move mountains."

  Dr Seuss

  History tells of a time long ago when small town scientist Dr Gordon Isaac's discovered the cure for cancer. Great right? And it was... for a time.

  Those who chose to use the cure produced children who were a bit different. With each new generation, these abnormalities became fearsome, developing abilities beyond that of humans. The "Advanced" took over the world, claiming to be at the top of the food chain. Super intelligent "Alpha's" governed the cities, while incredibly strong "Brutes" became their bodyguards. With super hearing, speed and agility, the "Evo's" became general dogsbodies. Within their protective forcefield covered cities, they prospered.

  The Panda virus was unleashed after 100 years of war. Made in a lab inside Tri-City, it was designed to target the gene Advanced no longer have, but humans do. Something went wrong and now "Panda"; flesh-eating shells driven by hunger, roam what’s left of the wastelands above ground.

  "You're a vile excuse for a person and you deserve far worse than this." My entire body shakes with the need for revenge as I stand over the man who broke me. "Thank your lucky stars I’m bored with this game," I growl at him, venom lacing my voice. He scrambles backwards in the dirt, his blood mixing with the dust as he tries to get away from the fifteen-year-old girl pointing a gun at him.

  His clothes are torn, bloody, his eyes wild with madness. I tortured him for two weeks, and now, I’ll end this.

  "Don't! Please? I'll give you food! I'll give you my slaves?" His snivelling only serves to enrage me further. My lip rises in a snarl.

  "Shut the fuck up and die!" Raising the heavyweight of the Colt 17 in my hand, I fire my last remaining bullet into his dick. Blood and gore spray into the air, some of it hitting me in the face, but I don't even blink, needing to watch as this bastard suffers like he made me suffer. His screams draw the attention of several nearby Panda. His choices are to bleed out or be eaten alive by zombies. What a way to go.

  "Argh!" I bolt upright on my pile of rags. "Shit!" I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. It comes away dripping. For the last five years, I've had this same nightmare, a recurring memory of my past. Every night I wake up in a cold sweat, my clothes soaked through, my stomach twisting and turning like a sharknado took up residence in my belly. Fucking Tac. Fucker got exactly what he deserved. But something in me died that night and something else awoke, something dark and unforgiving. A new me was born and she gave no quarter to motherfuckers who dared to mess with her.

  My name’s Kayla, and this is a story of how war never changes. But humankind does.

  I crouch on my perch at the top of one of the few remaining buildings in this area of London. It's interior all but collapsed in on itself, but the outer shell mostly still stands. There’s no glass in any of the windows and the floor creaks and dips as I shift my weight to my other foot. Patience.

  My most prized possession in one hand resting against my hip, my bow, a pair of eye spies in the other. My hair’s hidden under an itchy, short black wig. Resisting the urge to whip it off and scratch my scalp raw, I concentrate on my breathing instead, making sure it’s even. Soundless air whispers past my dry lips as I watch and wait.

  Dirt streaks my skin, making it itch but I don't scratch. That would make it much worse. I desperately need to clean myself up, but I can’t until this mission’s complete. My clothes are riddled with more holes than I can count, but right now none of that matters. I'm here for revenge.

  My target...Mr. Reginald Masters. The bastard who killed my mother. He had his men attack her compound on the outskirts of what’s left of London. Their goal was to steal all the stored crops in the big barns, then set the fields on fire. My mother and her four husbands fought back. They managed to stop the fires before everything burned to the ground, but my mother was caught by a Brute. He murdered her.

  My fathers told me that when they found her body at the back of one of the big black barns, the Brute had broken all her bones. The thought breaks my concentration for just a second. I know they told me because they wanted me to exact revenge. I'm sure a normal girl would’ve thought it cruel to tell me, but I'm not a normal girl.

  I look back at the building I've been watching for weeks. I don't know what it was back before the wars, but it's a large single-story. The blackened walls still standing, which is rare in this part of the city. Most of the buildings are in ruins. The bombs decimated most of this area, leaving patches here and there untouched. My reconnaissance proved to me old Reggie visits here once every fourteen days. Today was the day. I just had to wait.

  Determination to kill this mother fucker for what he did is fire streaming through my veins. the only emotion I've felt for the longest time, and my cold dead heart welcomes the flames. He's here. I set my eyes back to the eye spies and watch the dead man walking. I won't stop until I destroy him.

  I was on one of my little jaunts in the wastes when it happened. Looking for what, I never knew, but I was drawn to the empty streets anyway. I'd scavenge and explore. Searching, needing... something. Never finding what it was I thought I just had to find, but it was out there, I knew it was.

  When I returned that fateful morning, it was to find my fathers’ mourning, grieving, broken, their hearts as black as the scorched dirt. The farm all but destroyed. We buried her amongst the cornfields, a sad loss to the wor
ld. Her kind are known as Hands, named so because no one wanted to bite the hands that fed them. My mother was a master Hand with skills passed down from generation to generation.

  They kept both sides of the war alive with the food they grew. But Hands are rare, so they are well compensated by both the Advanced and the Scraps in exchange for crops. Technology, fossil fuel and knowledge were the preferred choice of currency.

  They did well for themselves, as much as anyone could in such harsh living conditions. Their way of life was a survival from day to day. Keeping the Panda at bay was the number one priority. The second was feeding the remaining beings on this God-forsaken planet.

  My eyes water so I wipe them with the back of my hand. Leaving behind clean patches on my face. My mum's crops had been popular and in demand. She would never see anyone go hungry, her heart was kind and full of love. Her kindness and generosity are a great loss to this fucked up world. For what?

  Greed.

  And now here I am, kneeling on what I presume used to be a balcony based on how the floor protrudes from the wall above what was once London town.

  Peering through my eye spies, I watch as he exits a strangely shaped vehicle, black and shiny. Its angles are sharp and pointy. Within seconds of his feet touching the ground, he's surrounded by thirty or so Brutes and Evo’s. Fuck, I won't be able to take down that many. My quiver only carries twelve arrows.

  Behind the throng of Evo’s walks a tall thin man. Even from this distance, I can see his eyes are huge. "Seer. Shit." If he spots me, I'm as good as dead. I drop the eye spies to my chest. As I retreat into the shell of a building, a weight settles in my heart. I wonder why he suddenly needs so many Brutes? The last time he arrived he came with only three.

  I wasn’t ready then. My quiver had been empty because I'd run into a group of Panda on the way here. And I'm not ready now. Shit.

  If he has an entourage of Evo’s, that means he's from Tri-City. It’s the biggest colony of Advanced in the UK and lies in the very centre of old London. I've never been close, but I've spied it from afar. The whole place is surrounded by a force field dome. It shines in the sun like oil spilt in water, iridescent and impenetrable, protecting those lucky enough to live within it from the toxic air and the virus. No one gets in, at least those of us who aren’t Advanced.

  I slip back into the building, carefully placing my feet on the grid-like metal floor. "Baby!" I call my pet back to my side. Baby’s a huge slobbering mutt. His fur looks like it's on fire with reds and oranges throughout his coat. He weighs at least twice as much as me, if not more. Pure muscle and loyal. Vicious fucker, just like his mummy.

  He bounds over to me, deftly navigating the crumbling structure, the ring of fur around his face bouncing with his movements. He skids to a stop before me and sits at my feet. "Good boy. Come.” Baby follows close behind me, his body pressing against my leg. Never too far away, Baby’s been my companion for the last two years, the only living thing I trust completely. We wind our way down the building, both of us jumping across the treacherous areas we can't climb down. I take my time; if I get injured out here, I'm fucked. People like me don't have access to real medical care.

  I navigate what's left of the inside of the building, using footholds and grabbing onto anything that doesn't move. The muscles in my arms burn and sweat breaks out over my skin. I'm fit, a person doesn't have the choice not to be in this world, but this is hard work. One wrong foot and I'm dead.

  As we reach the bottom of the gaping hole that runs through the middle of the building, I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Baby growls from above, momentarily distracting me. "Baby?" Something hits me like a hammer to the head. I see a flash of brown… and then it's lights out.

  When I come to, I can barely see. The hit to my head has left my vision blurry. Blinking hard and shaking my head a few times, I try to look around my surroundings. Pitch black is all I see, and heavy chains are weighing me down. "Shit!" I try to pull my hands through the bindings, giving myself bruises. It's never a good thing when you wake up bound, that's not my kinda kink at all. Out of the darkness comes a masculine voice.

  "What's your name, kid?" I jump at the sound, not expecting anyone to be in this foul-smelling place with me.

  "What's it to you?" I’ve roamed the wastelands alone for the last fifteen years, my first outing at just five years old. I’ve never been caught off guard; therefore, I’ve avoided capture. Now look at the mess I've gotten myself into.

  "Just asking, kid," the deep rumbling voice answers.

  "Not a fucking kid." Who does this guy think he is? Kid? Nah.

  "Sure, looked like a kid being dragged in here by those arseholes."

  "The Hulk would look like a child next to the Brutes. I'm not a shitting ankle biter," I snap, really irritated now. A grunt is his only response. Oh, Mr Fucking chatty box. Fantastic. "Where the hell are we, anyway? It smells like fossil fuel in here.” The place stinks like it’s soaked in gasoline. It burns my eyes and sears the lining of my throat. I try to swallow past the taste of copper, but I end up coughing instead. So thirsty.

  "Fucked if I know, kid. What's a hulk?"

  I lay my head back down on the hard ground, not bothering to answer him. Can't believe I got myself into this shit, never lose concentration, Kay! Dammit, what fresh hell is this? A shrill scream rents the air. I bolt upright, my pity party over, for now. "Gotta get out of here. I've got shit to do."

  I wiggle around some, trying to find a source of light. I need something to put between the chains and my wrists, then I can pry them off. That's it, Kay, focus. My foot catches something, sending it rolling across the floor. My hand shoots out to grab it just as someone else's does. "Fuck, it's mine, get off!" I whisper-yell.

  "Not likely, kid. I got to it first, you let go."

  I tug it towards me, using what little strength I have. Whatever they hit me with, my body still hasn't recovered. He tugs it back and it slips from my grasp. I scream inside, the sound vibrating off my skull. "I need that to get these damn chai…" Before I can finish, I hear metal clanking on the floor. His chains no doubt. "Pass it ‘ere."

  "What’ll you give me for it?"

  "How's a punch to the dick sound?" A tut comes from the darkness.

  "If you want to break the bones in your hand, go for it." Cocky mother fucker.

  "Yea, that's a negative. Don't know what I'd catch. Give. It. To. Me." Frustration wells. I hate relying on others. Right now? This bitch holds my way out of here. My head could explode any second.

  The man chuckles softly. This isn’t a game, mother fucker. "Please," I grind out between clenched teeth. The pipe hits my outstretched leg and I snatch it up. I jam it down into the space between my skin and the chains. Its sharp edge scratches the soft skin on the inside of my wrist. I twist it, but the gap’s too big. Dammit! I can't get leverage.

  "Need my help, kid?" He's much closer now. I can feel his breath skim over my heated face. Why's it so bloody hot in here? I still can't see him. My mind conjures up a stick-thin guy with buck teeth and maggots in his beard. Yuck. His voice sends shivers down my spine though. What the fuck, Kayla? Hello! You're trapped with a stranger, he's now free and you're stuck. If I could hit myself over the head right now, I would. "Fuck no." I sound flustered. Damnit. Show no weakness. Jesus, Kay, concentrate. I try for a few more minutes, leaving behind bruises and scratches, but I just can't get the right angle. "I can't quite get… ugh!" I stare dejectedly at where I feel the irons on my wrists, my arse is going numb. Moments pass in silence until I feel rough hands around my ankle.

  As I'm pulled across the floor, I let out a little whimper. Thank goodness my ass is numb because after this it’s probably going to hurt for a bit. Calloused hands appear in the faint light from what I assume is the door. They use the pipe to pry off my restraints.

  His rough skin gliding across my own sends a bolt of something down to the apex of my thighs. Ignoring it, I wonder where Baby is. It'd be a stupid move calling o
ut to him, his massive body and deafening roar would attract too much attention. No, I can get out of this myself. Plus, he's probably hunting, and mamma needs to eat. Or he could be hurt? Whoever attacked me is probably in pieces by now. Nah, we've been through worse. He'll be fine, I feel it. My thoughts are scrambled.

  I've got to find a way to get out of here. My nose itches from the fumes and my head’s pounding. I need to get out. Like right now before I'm sick. I stand as soon as the chains hit the floor, wobbling a little. So hungry. My thirst burns inside my throat.

  "My pleasure," whispers past my ear.

  Oh shit. He's right behind me. I can feel the heat coming from his body. It makes sweat drip down my spine and I suppress a shudder. Here I am stuck in a dark room with a stranger who has an attitude and I'm getting turned on? Yea, I've officially lost all my marbles. I stumble around with my hands outstretched, trying to find a door.

  "Yes!" I say as my hands find and wrap around a handle. Pressing my ear against the wood, I try to hear if there are guards on the other side. I hear nothing, no breathing, no footsteps. Caution. Pushing the handle down as slowly and quietly as possible, I open the door just a touch, then further when I don't hear footfalls running. The light’s blinding as I step out. Oh, dear lord, where am I? I've never seen anything like it before, the whole building in front of me is shiny and white.