“I seem to remember you cursing my name the last time we spoke. You swore you’d never set foot near me or this place again,” Dorian added.
“That’s true, though I hardly think you can blame me,” Kat said, taking a sip of brandy. The liquor warmed the pit of her stomach and granted her a measure of courage.
“Blame you? How can I not? You were mine. This was your home,” Dorian said, downing his liquor in one gulp. “I thought you loved me.”
“I did love you, Dorian, much to my detriment,” Kat replied, a knot forming in her throat.
“Detriment? I gave you everything,” Dorian said. “Everything a woman could ask for. A fine home, beautiful clothes, servants, perfumes, jewels, and riches. What more could you possibly want?”
“You know what I wanted, Dorian,” Kat replied, her voice cold.
“No, I don’t. Your mind is as much a mystery to me now as it was then,” Dorian said. He got up from his chair and poured another brandy. Once again, the liquor went down his throat in one gulp while he stared at her with accusing eyes.
“Oh, please. Don’t play the idiot with me, Dorian. It doesn’t suit you,” Kat said, finishing her brandy.
“I lifted you out of squalor. I made you the most celebrated woman in Prime City. Men were willing to beggar themselves for one look from those beautiful eyes, for one kiss from those sultry lips,” Dorian said.
Kat jumped up, unable to contain her anger. “You made me a whore!”
“You were never a whore,” Dorian countered. “You were a goddess.”
“I was only ever worth what someone was willing to pay for me,” Kat spat, her cheeks flushed with fury.
“I loved you!” Dorian thundered. “I loved you, and you left me for a man twice your age.” He threw his glass at the opposite wall where it shattered into a million pieces. Broken beyond repair.
Just like us, Kat mused, staring at the sea of glittering shards. “If you truly loved me, you would never have sold me like a common whore.”
“I stopped, didn’t I? The moment we had enough money, I stopped it,” Dorian said. “We could’ve been happy, just you and me. Together.”
“You killed our love,” Kat said, lifting her chin. “You killed it just like you killed our child.”
Dorian whirled around, his back ram-rod straight. “That wasn’t my fault.”
Kat gasped. “Not your fault? When you found the doctor willing to do the deed? When you forced me into it with veiled threats? Admit it, you didn’t want the child.”
“Of course, I didn’t,” Dorian cried. “For how could I ever know if it was mine?”
“It was yours, Dorian. By the time I found out I was pregnant, I hadn’t been working for six weeks. Six weeks! And I was only four weeks along,” Kat said, tears pricking her eyelids. “I told you, yet you refused to believe me.”
“I couldn’t risk it,” Dorian said. “I refuse to raise another man’s bastard as my own.”
“It was my baby too. My flesh and blood and you took it from me,” Kat said, her voice bitter.
“What’s done is done,” Dorian said, filling two more glasses with brandy. “Hell, you got your revenge. You left me, after all.”
Kat stared daggers at him as he handed her the glass. “And I’d do it again every single time, though it still doesn’t make up for my loss.”
“Perhaps not, but it doesn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?” Dorian asked, once more taking his seat.
Kat took her cue from him and sat down as well. “I need a favor. The kind that only you can provide.”
Dorian’s eyebrows raised. “A favor? You must be truly desperate to come to me.”
“I am desperate,” Kat admitted, knowing it was a mistake but that she had little choice in the matter.
Dorian smiled. “My favorite kind of favor. Pray tell. What is it you want with such a fervent desire?”
“I want you to find someone for me, someone within the Rebel Faction. I need to speak to this person as soon as possible,” Kat said.
Dorian burst into laughter, clapping his hands with delight. “The Rebel Faction? I can’t believe it. You’re involved with them? You, the general’s mistress?”
“I did not say that I was involved with them,” Kat answered in crisp tones. “I merely wish to speak to one of their members.”
“Right,” Dorian said with a smirk. “And who might this person be?”
“First, you have to guarantee absolute confidentiality,” Kat said. “The general can not find out about this, or it’ll be my head on a stake.”
Dorian inclined his head. “You have my word.”
“The same goes for the person I wish to contact,” Kat said.
“Of course,” Dorian said. “I am nothing if not discreet.”
“We’ll also need a safe place to meet, away from prying eyes,” Kat added.
“How about right here?” Dorian asked. “No one would dare interrupt you in my office.”
“Fine,” Kat said. “The person in question is called Patti Fry. Her last known location was the Red Cherry.”
Dorian shuddered. “The Red Cherry. What a dump.”
“Once you’ve contacted her and arranged a meeting, you can let me know. I’ll be at the Prime Hotel,” Kat continued.
“Where else would you be?” Dorian asked with a smirk.
“Piss off, Dorian.”
“Now, let’s discuss payment,” Dorian said.
“How much?” Kat asked, removing her purse from her pocket.
“Oh, I don’t want your money,” Dorian said, leaning forward in his chair. In an instant, his manner changed, and the atmosphere in the room shifted.
“Then what do you want?” Kat asked, ice water running through her veins.
Dorian smiled, and she felt like a deer cowering before a lion.
“One night. I want one night with you. No restrictions, no limitations, nothing. For one night, you will be mine, and mine alone.”
“No,” Kat replied, her voice hoarse.
Dorian shrugged. “Then the deal’s off.”
“I can’t. Ask me anything else. Anything but that,” Kat said.
“No. That’s my price. Take it, or leave it.”
“Please, Dorian,” Kat begged, hating herself for doing it.
“Don’t be so dramatic. What I want is nothing more than what you’ve given to many another man,” Dorian said.
Kat shook her head, mired in a deep chasm of misery. It had been a mistake to come here. A mistake to think that Dorian might have grown a heart in the years they’d been apart. But he was still the same, cruel, heartless man he’d always been. She cleared her throat. “One night.”
Dorian smiled. “I look forward to it. It’ll be just like old times.”
“Excuse me,” Kat said, pushing back her chair.
Dorian stood up as well. “So soon?”
“Yes. I have to go, or I’ll be missed.”
“Of course,” Dorian said, bowing to her like the gentleman he pretended to be. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”
Kat didn’t bother to reply. Instead, she fled from the office in a daze. His mocking laughter followed her all the way to the front door. It burned into her mind sending shockwaves of remembered anger and pain throughout her body.
She burst into the bright sunlight, one hand clutching her stomach. On unsteady legs, she made her way to the nearest alley. There she vomited up the contents of her stomach, wishing she could expel him from her mind in the same manner.
It was not possible, however. Dorian would always be there, haunting the recesses of her mind until the day she died. Unless…unless I kill him first.
Chapter 6
“Okay, folks. Gather around,” Seth said the moment they got back to the main living room.
Grim faces turned their way, and Rogue surmised that Steven had already filled them in on the situation.
“Is it true?” Moran demanded, standing with her arms akimb
o. “Are we stuck here while those things are out there?”
“Yes, we are,” Seth replied, unperturbed by her manner.
“There must be something we can do,” Moran said. “We can’t just sit here while General Sikes readies his troops. The Exiles won’t stand a chance if he attacks without some kind of warning. The general has thousands under his command, plus he has guns.”
“We know that,” Rogue said in a placating tone, “but there’s not much we can do about it.”
“Nothing?” Moran cried, running one hand across her braided mohawk. “There has to be something.”
“Calm down,” Bruce said, reaching out a hand to her.
“I won’t calm down. Everything I’ve worked for…everything we’ve worked for will come to nothing if the Zoo falls. We need them, Bruce. Don’t you see that?” Moran said, grabbing his arm in a vice grip.
Rogue exchanged a look with Seth. This was the not-so-pretty side of Moran. This was the obsessive, stubborn, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer Moran. When she was in this state, it was almost impossible to talk her down.
“Moran, please,” Bruce pleaded. “Let’s think about this.”
“What’s there to think about?” Moran asked, yanking away from him. “We need to leave now.”
“We can’t leave with those things out there. They’ll rip us to shreds,” Rogue protested.
Moran shot her a stern look. “Don’t tell me you’re scared?”
“I…I’m not…” Rogue stuttered, uncertain what to say.
“That’s enough,” Seth said, his voice like a whiplash. “We are not leaving this boat, and that is final. I will not allow you to bully your daughter or anyone else into facing those things head-on. They wouldn’t last five seconds, and you know it.”
Moran stared at him for several seconds, her mouth open wide. “Who are you to tell us what to do?”
“I am your host, the owner of this boat, and you need my supplies and knowledge to get to the Zoo. Without me, you’re not going anywhere,” Seth pointed out.
Moran frowned. “What do you suggest we do then? Sit around and twiddle our thumbs?”
“No, I don’t. I suggest you help me fortify this boat and prepare for the next attack,” Seth said.
“Next attack?” Bruce interrupted. “You think they’ll try again?”
“I’m certain of it,” Seth said. “The fact that they haven’t left means they’re not ready to give up. To them, we’re easy prey. Weak, wounded, and ripe for the plucking.”
Moran folded her arms across her chest. “You truly believe that?”
Seth nodded. “I do.”
“Well, then. I guess we’d better get ready for them,” Moran said. Her voice had steadied, and she was the picture of calm once more. “What do we do?”
Rogue heaved an inner sigh of relief. Seth had won that round, and Moran was in control of herself again. She shot Seth a grateful look. It wasn’t often that someone stood up to her stepmom and won. Hopefully, it would earn him a modicum of respect. Enough for Moran to back-off from their relationship, at least.
“What about that stinky stuff you used last time?” Bear asked. “Won’t that deter them?”
“I’m all out,” Seth said. “I used up my supply and there’s no way I can get more now. Besides, the smell fades quite fast. It’s good as a quick repellent but not for an all-out assault.”
“That’s too bad. I’d rather stink than get eaten,” Steven quipped.
Moran rolled her eyes. “Haha, very funny. Now can we get back to business?”
Seth handed out equipment and instructions. The plan was simple. Use the remaining daylight hours to fortify the boat and prepare for battle. Once he was finished, Seth asked, “Does everyone know what to do?”
The group nodded, hefting their tools. All except Rogue. “What about me?”
“I need you to pump water from the river, run it through the filtration system, and bottle it. Enough to last us a couple of days,” he replied.
“You want me to pump water?” Rogue asked. “That’s it?”
“No, but it’s a start,” Seth said. “After that, you can prepare a medical station and sort through the supplies.”
“Why can’t I help you with the defenses?” Rogue said. “Isn’t that more important?”
Seth shook his head. “You’re not suited to heavy labor, and once the raptors attack, there won’t be time to bother with stuff like water, food, and medicine.”
Rogue frowned, not convinced by his argument. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Seth sighed. “I don’t want to put you in harm’s way, okay? Most of the extra fortifications will require going outside.”
“Outside? That’s nuts!” Rogue exclaimed.
“Not as long as the sun is up. I believe we’ll be safe until then,” Seth said.
Rogue shook her head. “That’s a big if.”
“I know, but it’s all I’ve got. Besides, we’ll need supplies once the fight commences. One or more of us will likely be injured,” Seth said. “Please, humor me and do as I ask.”
“Fine,” Rogue said. “But you’d better be careful out there.”
“I will be, I promise,” Seth said, leaning down to kiss her.
She watched with fear and regret as he made his way topside and turned toward the kitchen with reluctance. For the next few hours, she passed the time pumping and filtering water into empty bottles and stacking them in crates.
After that, she rummaged through the pantry. It was divided in half. One side contained food salvaged from the ruins of Portland. Items such as jars of honey, salt, maple syrup, and spices along with sealed containers of beans, rice, lentils, sugar, coffee, powdered milk, oats, and dehydrated vegetables. There were a few cans, too, though those were an iffy business after so many years.
The other half consisted of food Seth had gathered and prepared himself: Dried berries, dried meat, salted fish, edible tubers, bulbs, mosses, lichens, and nuts. It was a decent supply, and it didn’t take long to decide on a dish for lunch.
Grabbing what she needed, Rogue prepared a hearty meal of cooked oats with honey, powdered milk, dried berries, and nuts. Afterward, she yelled, “Come and get it!”
The group trooped in one after the other, each looking hot, sweaty, and tired. They slumped down at the table while she passed out bowls of oatmeal and cups of coffee. “How’s it going out there?”
“It’s coming along,” Seth said.
Moran grunted but didn’t reply. Nor did the rest.
“Yeah, that says a lot,” Rogue said, raising one eyebrow.
Seth sighed. “It’s slow going, and it’s dangerous. The raptors are becoming more daring by the second. Soon, we won’t be able to go outside at all.”
“We’ll just have to work faster,” Moran said, though Rogue didn’t miss the way she studied Bruce. The woman looked worried, and on closer inspection, Rogue became concerned too. Bruce’s skin was unnaturally pale, but his cheeks were flushed. He moved with a jerky stiffness that was unlike him, and his breathing was harsh.
“Bruce, are you feeling okay?” Bruce didn’t respond, picking at his oatmeal with listless energy. “Bruce!”
“Huh?” Bruce said, jerking his head upright. His eyes took a few seconds to focus on Rogue before he said, “Yeah?”
“Are you feeling okay?” Rogue repeated.
“I’m fine,” he said, dropping his head once more.
“You don’t look okay,” Rogue said.
“I said I’m fine,” he growled.
“I’d like to take a look at your wound,” Rogue said, not willing to give up so easily.
“No,” he said.
“Bruce, let her look at—” Moran tried.
“I said, no!” Bruce yelled, banging one fist on the table. With a loud scrape of his chair, he got up and stormed outside.
Steven jumped to his feet. “I’d better go with him. Someone needs to watch his back before he gets himself killed.�
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Bear swallowed the last of his food with haste. “Wait for me.”
“I guess that’s it then,” Seth said, pushing back his bowl. “Thanks for the meal, Rogue. It really hit the spot.”
“It was my pleasure,” Rogue replied, watching him leave with a mixture of fear and worry churning in her gut.
Once it was just her and Moran, she said, “It’s looking bad for us, isn’t it?”
Moran took a sip of her coffee. “The boat’s in good shape, and Seth has done a lot to make it safe over the years.”
“But?”
“But, if those things are really determined, they’ll get in,” Moran said. “At the last count, we spotted a dozen raptors, if not more.”
“A dozen?” Rogue said with a gasp.
“That’s right, and you’ve seen those monsters. They’re huge, and their claws look like sickles,” Moran said. “I can’t believe I was dumb enough to try to leave this morning.”
“You weren’t thinking straight,” Rogue said.
“And now Bruce is sick, we’re down one fighter,” Moran added.
“His wound…it’s infected, isn’t it?” Rogue said, her heart sinking into her boots.
“I suspect so, though he won’t let me see.”
“That’s a problem,” Rogue said, chewing her lower lip.
“It is, but right now, we need to finish those defenses,” Moran said, standing up. “It’s the only thing standing between them and us.”
“Good luck,” Rogue murmured as she gathered up the empty plates.
“Thanks. We’re going to need it.”
Chapter 7
Rogue levered the top box from a pile and plonked it down on the floor. A plume of dust exploded outward, and she sneezed violently as the fine particles invaded her nostrils. One sneeze led to another until she was left wheezing for breath while tears streamed down her face. “I can’t do this.”
On her hands and knees, she crawled toward another box filled with clothes and found an old shirt. She tore off a strip and tied it over her mouth, enabling her to breathe in the dusty atmosphere. “Right. Let’s see what Seth has stashed away in here.”
Several hours later, Rogue emerged from the room, grimy but triumphant. She’d found everything they needed to make the journey to the Zoo and equip everyone with the basics: Backpacks, clothes, bedrolls, raincoats, and a few odds and ends like soap, candles, nail clippers, and toothbrushes.
The Extinction Series | Book 3 | Primordial Earth 3 Page 4