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No, I refused to believe that. The parasite had left the previous Rager. That meant it could leave Addie too before it corrupted her brain. Electrocution. Loud noise. I would try just about anything.

I couldn’t lose her.

Wecouldn’t lose her.

“Go!” Addie screamed, shoving Asher’s shoulder. She took a trembling step back as if she was prepared to jump into the throng of mindless monsters. As if she’d sacrifice herself, if that meant we could escape unscathed. But frankly, I wasn’t in the mood for her hero shit.

In one long stride, I was in front of her, and in the next moment, I had her over my shoulder in a fireman carry.

“Fallon!” she screamed, pounding at my back. “I can’t go with you. It’s not safe!”

Ignoring her, I tossed one of my throwing knives at one of the encroaching Ragers. It landed right between his eyes, hitting his brain, and he fell to the ground, dead. I wondered if the parasite died with the host.

Or if it would just find a new victim to exploit and inevitably kill.

All the way to the van, we mindlessly stabbed and killed, only stopping once for Tommy to grab the damn cat. Black blood coated me - my hair, my clothes, and my skin. Claws gorged the skin off my arms, but the pain was a welcome relief. It somehow filled the emptiness consuming me.

I didn’t know how we made it to the two vans. Tonya and Davis were already in one, and they looked relieved to see us. I registered that distantly, as well as Tommy throwing himself into her arms as he cried, sobbing Addie’s name inarticulately. I found myself driving, and I mechanically pulled the van out of the parking lot.

I was on autopilot, moving but not living. Breathing but not thinking. Existing but not feeling.

A Jeep pulled out in front of me, and I slammed on my brakes. I heard a curse - Addie - and my entire body froze at the sound. My hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles were white.

The Jeep was accompanied by a dozen more similar vehicles, and men in armor all piled out. I recognized them immediately.

United States Army.

“Fallon,” Addie whimpered.

I didn’t speak as they surrounded our van, roughly pulling us out one after another. I didn’t speak when they shone flashlights in our eyes, surveyed our bodies, sneered in our faces. I didn’t speak when they reached Addie and alarm coated their faces. When Ryder and Ronan screamed, lunging for them, and Asher buried a knife in a man’s throat. I didn’t speak when two soldiers gripped each of Addie’s arms and dragged her kicking and screaming away.

When Tamson ran after the retreating vehicles.

When Asher released a strangled scream.

When Declan began to cry.

When Ronan and Ryder got into my face, screaming obscenities at me.

It was too much, too fast.

Failure.

I had failed the person I loved the most. Failed.

Failed.

My head was foggy, my legs unable to support my leaden body, and I collapsed.