Monsters Like Us (Book 1 in The Huntress Series)

Chapter Eighteen

Luz ran to her sister, but Marisol held her back. "Stop. She's one of them!" she warned, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"I don't care," Luz snapped. "She's my sister. Don't you dare unsheathe that."

"I only spare her life because she is defenseless. And because Juan Felipe has the right to know what has become of his daughter."

A twig snapped in the woods. Marisol drew her blade and then sucked in a sharp breath. They noticed the wound at the same time, the black of her cotton shirt soaked through with blood. Another twig snapped, and their heads jerked up. Okay, someone was definitely out there. Luz surged toward the tree line. "Who are you?"

Whoever it was, they were getting closer. Luz drew her weapon, holding it at the ready, when a well-dressed young man with black curls and green eyes appeared, trudging out of the woods and onto the shore.

"Henry?" Esperanza propped herself onto her elbow. She coughed again, tears coming to her eyes.

"Esperanza!" Henry ran to her and fell beside her. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He stroked her cheek, wiped the clear blood from under her nose and her ears. Then he stared down at his hands as realization set in.

Esperanza pulled away from him and searched his face. "Did our plan work?"

"Yes, they're safe. I've taken them to the police station. We took the horses and went out a secret passageway. Who did this to you? Was it Bridger?" Henry shook his head. "Why do I even have to ask?"

Esperanza squeezed his hand. "It doesn't matter now. He's at the bottom of the lake and I doubt he's getting out again anytime soon." Henry clenched his jaw, angry.

Marisol sheathed her sword and grimaced in pain. Luz panicked. "We've got to get you to a hospital."

"I can't go to a hospital."

"Why not?"

"First of all, I'm not an American citizen. Second of all, I don't have any insurance. And third of all, they're going to want to know how I got a giant sword wound in my gut!" Marisol practically shouted.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. We'll figure it out."

"The wound is superficial." Marisol raised her hand to inspect it, red blood coating her palm. She frowned. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

"Superficial?" Luz cried.

Marisol brushed past her. Esperanza had shut her eyes again and her teeth were chattering from the chills. She clutched onto Henry's shirt, sweating bullets. "What's wrong with her?" she asked.

Henry swallowed. "Her body is trying to fight off the serum. It works like a vaccine. She'll be sick for three days. A week at most."

"And then what? She turns?" Marisol prodded.

"She's already started. Her immune system is going haywire. She's fighting back."

Luz dropped down beside her sister and felt her head. "She's burning up. Isn't there anything we can do to stop this before she becomes...?" A monster. She shut her eyes. "Before she changes."

Henry blinked. "Actually, there might be. I know this man. He used to be a doctor."

"A doctor," Marisol said, revealing her wound, "is exactly what I need right now. Do you think he could patch me up?"

"Sure. If he'll agree to see us. He used to be a member of the Society before he went rogue."

"Rogue?" Luz asked.