Hungry Independents (Book 2) by Ted Hill Page A

Glancing up, he remembered
     Tommy, but the perv had not moved from his spot. Barbie retrieved
     Hunter’s lost stick.
    Tommy smiled.
    “Quit screwing around and zap this
     asshole!”
    Barbie tossed the stick at Hunter. He caught
     it, wincing because he half expected his hands to hurt. They
     didn’t.
    “He’s different. It only works on the
     innocent.”
    “So what are you saying?”
    “This is your fight, Michael. It’s why you’re
     here.”
    Hunter looked from her to Tommy. Tommy’s
     smile widened. Hunter looked back at Barbie. “You’re not making any
     sense. I’m nobody. Just some dumb kid who got his brother killed.
     This is some kind of freaky, supernatural shit. I mean, look at
     this dude! He grew two feet in four months and didn’t have sense
     enough to find clothes that fit.”
    “Michael, you didn’t get your brother
     killed.”
    His anger swept him away for an instant.
     “Stop calling me that! My name is Hunter!”
    Barbie placed her hands on her hips. “You
     didn’t get your brother killed. He died so you could be reborn as
     God intended.”
    “Bullshit!”
    Barbie marched over the unconscious kids in
     her path and got right up in Hunter’s face. “You are too good to
     use language like that!” She rocked onto her tiptoes, wrapped her
     hands around the back of his neck, and kissed him hard on the lips.
     “Now go kick his ass!”
    Barbie stepped around him without another
     glance, leaving nothing but the cracked pavement between Hunter and
     Tommy, the very hungry looking perv. Hunter hefted the stick in his
     hands, trying to find the passion to fight, but all his anger had
     fled after rolling around on the ground with the possessed girl
     biting his hands. A steady dose of horror and revulsion filled him,
     but not a willingness to throw down. That was not good. Without
     anger fueling him, Hunter could pretty much kiss his chances
     goodbye.
    He took a deep breath, wishing Tommy would
     say something to piss him off. Tommy stood there flexing his
     fingers and licking his lips. Hunter looked elsewhere for strength.
     The six little kids frightened him. His sight swept over the
     unconscious group and settled on the girl who bit him.
    Her breaths came in rapid pants, like she
     suffered from an overactive jolt of energy that even in sleep
     wasn’t enough to slow her down. She wore a thin summer dress
     covered with a yellow flower print. Her small feet were dirty and
     bare. Traces of Hunter’s blood smattered her lips. Her hands were
     perfectly small, curled up next to her face as if any moment she
     would fold them together and pray.
    Tommy chuckled, deep and hollow. Hunter felt
     a spike of what he needed.
    “You like her, don’t you?” Tommy said. “If
     you join me in the feast, I will let you have her, if you know what
     I mean.”
    Madness swelled in Hunter. He gripped the
     stick and ran, jagged point leading the charge. He screamed as he
     sprinted down the street, with Tommy waiting to receive him. Hunter
     pushed ahead and met empty air where he hoped a skewering impact
     would take place, but Tommy spun out of the way and chopped Hunter
     in the back of the neck. Hunter hit the ground and skidded over the
     pavement on his chest.
    Tommy leaped on top of Hunter and clawed his
     back, cackling like a loon. Each rip of flesh through Hunter’s
     shirt sent searing pain as Tommy flayed him open.
    Tommy gripped Hunter’s hair. “This used to be
     shorter,” the perv said, reflecting on the last time they met.
     “Your sister had the big boobs, didn’t she?”
    Hunter bucked. “She’s not my sister!”
    Tommy held on strong and rode him out. His
     other hand stretched in front of Hunter’s face. Long, dark
     fingernails, with who knew what underneath, dropped towards
     Hunter’s throat. Tommy’s hot, rancid breath fanned the back of
     Hunter’s neck.
    “I’m going to drain your blood right here for
     your little saint to see. Then I’m going