We were only thirty miles from the city now and it had been a long hard road to get there. We learned to work as a team and it became second nature to have each others backs. I never knew it would take the world coming to a bloody end for me to find one honest friend.
Though our friendship felt like more than a friendship but a partnership. I would take a stake to the heart for him as I know he would do the same for me. The closer we got to the city the more I got a super Chernobyl vibe. I hadn't left Tennessee in nearly 80 years and I honestly couldn't remember the last time I stepped foot in any city.
"Shouldn't be long now." Loki called back to me as we hiked on through the woods.
We had started a steady trend of stealing a new car every state, but now that we were nearing the border to New York we had to be extra careful. The entire state had been sealed off by the federal government. The president ordered they build huge steel walls around the state, and nobody was to come in or out until after the pandemic had come to an end. Every entrance into the city was heavily guarded by CIA Special Task Force.
"What do you mean shouldn't be long, we have to be at least 27 miles from the city." I answered.
"We aren't going to the city just yet." he answered clearly having already thought this through.
"Then where are we going?" I asked as I trotted along behind him.
"We are going to visit an old friend, he should be able to help us get into the state safely." he answered as we neared a clearing, I could just barely see some light shining through the trees.
"Who is your friend?" I asked.
"His name is Ambrosia, and I assure you he is not by any means a good man. Do not go anywhere with him where you two will be alone, I cannot stress this enough." he lectured me.
"Loki chill," I smiled finally catching up to him and grabbing his arm so he turned to face me, "I will be just fine in there and if I'm not that's why you are my escort." I answered patting his cheek.
"This is not a game Jezebel, you could potentially be in real danger entering this house. Are you sure you can handle this, because it's never too late to turn back." He asked as we reached a clearing where there sat a huge mansion in the middle of nowhere.
"Oh well fuck you very much." I said offended that he could even think I would turn away after coming so far.
I pushed past him and started walking to the giant mansion in the distance. he chased me down grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around to face him.
"Jezebel, I'm serious this guy is legit dangerous." he warned squeezing my hands lightly.
"Why can't you trust me when I say I can handle myself?" I argued pulling my hands back.
"And why can't you listen when I tell you your acting like a fool!" he yelled back and I shut right up and just stared at him. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell." he said with a softer expression as he reached for my hands and I jerked them back.
"Don't touch me!" I barked as I pulled back.
"Just please trust me." he pleaded.
"I do trust you, but this how you are acting right now I don't even recognize this guy." I answered feeling hurt.
"I'm sorry Jezebel, but once we go in there we have to be alert, no distractions. Neither of us can let our emotions get in the way of the mission. So, truce?" he asked stretching his hand out to shake.
"Truce." I agreed shaking his hand.
"Alright now let's go do this." he smiled taking my hand.
I took his hand in return and we walked on through the field to the mansion. The barren field surrounding us was a mix of yellow and brown and shown no sign of life. It looked so unusual such a big elegant home plopped in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but wilderness. It wasn't long before we were standing at the door when Loki looked down to me and said,
"Are you sure your ready for what comes next?" he asked.
"I'm sure." I agreed and he nodded in agreement before hitting the buzzer by the door.
"Buisness or pleasure?" a voice answered from the intercom very lifeless in tone.
"Little bit of both." Loki answered.
"Your names?" the income buzzed out the same lame toned voice.
"I am Loki Armatta an old friend to Ambrosia. This here is my lady friend Jezebel Arquette of the Sang Tribe." he answered.
"Enter." the voice called from the intercom as the lock clicked open with a loud pop.
Loki slowly pushed open the door and we stepped inside. It was so beautiful, it had a rustic beauty and boasted authentic Victorian archetectur.
"Mister Armatta, to what do I owe the pleasure." a man said sarcastically from the top of the stairs.
"Ambrosia, it has been too long." Loki answered and I was stunned.
I couldn't believe this man was Ambrosia, he was definitely not what I had pictured. He was a tall muscular man with tanned skin and slightly long golden brown hair. His eyes were a bright glowing gold that could pierce the soul but I just couldn't look away he emanated such a powerful presence.
"It certainly has." Ambrosia answered as he made his way down the long curved stairway. "What brings you around these parts?" he asked pulling Loki in for a quick hug.
"I came to ask a favor of you if I'm to be completely honest with you." Loki answered.
"Honest you always are, I respect that about you. Let's slow it down a little and start with how you got here." he said motioning for us to follow him to the dining room.
"A little grand theft auto mixed with some good old fashioned walking." Loki answered taking a seat on Ambrosia's red velvet sofa.
"Sounds about your style, old friend." Ambrosia answered taking a seat at the head of the room. "So now what exactly is it that has drawn you to me?"
"We seek safe passage to the city." Loki answered and Ambrosia burst out in laughter.
"Why on earth would you want to go there?" he asked as the chuckles died down, "There is nothing behind those walls but a bunch of mutant vamps. I would doubt a single human has survived this long."
"I have heard rumors of an underground government facility where they are working on a cure." Loki answered.
"That's all they are my so very naive friend, rumors. You really think if there were any truth to it I wouldn't know about it?"
"It's within the city, I know it's dangerous but I think we are prepared..." Loki did his best to influence Ambrosia as he yammered off reasons to let us into the city.
"Alright!" Ambrosia shouted slamming a fist down and silencing Loki, "You really want to know why I cannot grant you safe passage?"
"Yes please enlighten me." Loki answered.
"Because there's no guarantee the passage I grant you would be safe. This virus attacks more than just human and effects more than just vamps." He explained.
"What do you mean it effects more than just vamps?" Loki asked.
"Follow me, I'll show you what I mean." Ambrosia said through clenched teeth as he rose to his feet.
Ambrosia headed straight for the foyer throwing on an old brown leather coat. He grabbed a big ring of keys off the wall and swung the front door wide open waving us to follow. I had a bad feeling deep inside my gut, I just knew something wasn't right.
We rounded the back of the house as we approached an old red barn. There was a heavy duty chain around the door secured by three locks. Ambrosia grabbed the locks one at a time finding the proper key on the ring before popping open the lock.
"You sure you can handle this?" Ambrosia asked as he slid the final key into the lock.
"As ready as we will ever be." Loki shrugged and Ambrosia swung open the door.
I was speechless by what we found behind those doors. Dead in the center of the barn was a huge steel cage and inside was what appeared to be a giant wolf. We slowly approached and the closer we got the more clearly we could see and it looked like some kind of zombie werewolf.
It was huge and covered in hair with huge claws and teeth that could break a bone. Some of it's bone was exposed on its ribs and the flesh hung like old rags. It's face had begun to decay and looked like the leather from an old worn out hand bag.
The creature snarled at us jumping at the cage sending us both stammering backward. Ambrosia laughed and hit the cage,
"Down!" he commanded and the beast obeyed.
"What is that thing?" I blurted out feeling sick to my stomach.
"That is what the virus does to my kind." Ambrosia answered.
"If that's an infected werewolf and your a were, don't you run the risk of infection keeping him?" I asked.
"It just so happens I am immune to the virus. Perks of being a descendent of the first of our kind." He explained, "As for how the virus acts on the werewolf it isn't always like this." he motioned to the cage.
"What do you mean?" I asked growing more interested.
"Sometimes you get a, Raz." He sighed.
"Raz is my half brother." he answered.
"What's wrong with Raz?" I asked.
"Trust me you will find out soon enough." he answered.