by Ciara Knight
The woman snickered. “Drank from the lake.”
“You here alone?” Ryder asked.
The lady placed the tray of food on a hard wood table in the corner.
My stomach churned. The smell of whatever she brought was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, but I knew I needed to eat.
Ryder stood. His body swayed for a minute. As with Raeth and I, exhaustion had overtaken him. Probably worse given he’d carried his sister most of the way. How he could even talk was beyond me.
Raeth reached out. “I l-love soup. Thank you s-so much, Mrs…?”
“The names ah, well, what is my name again?” She huffed a half laugh. “It’s been so long I’m not, um…it’s Maggie.”
“It’s a p-pleasure to meet you, Mrs. M-Maggie.” Raeth took her spoon and blew on the grey liquid.
“Have you lived in Old Chicago all your life?” I asked.
The woman laughed from her gut this time. “Shoot no, I’m from the south. I moved to Chicago when I got married.” Her gaze shot between us. “Old Chicago? Who are you people?”
“We’re from the Mining Territory.” Ryder slurped from his spoon.
I moved the spoon to my mouth, but I swore I saw hair floating on the top of mine, white fur to be exact.
Maggie slurped some of her own grey creation. Guess it wasn’t poisoned. I forced a few spoonfuls of the liquid down and a few pieces of what appeared to be vegetables.
“What’s a mining territory? Sounds like somethin’ out of the old west.”
I stirred the remaining bits left in the grey liquid. “It was one of the surviving territories that currently support the Slags and humans.”
“What amagiggy?”
“Slags,” I repeated. “Don’t you know about the queen and the war?”
“Shoot yeah, I know ’bout the war. We were told about those creatures that could suck our blood.”
Ryder flinched.
“Raeth, I-I’m Raeth.” She fluffed her vest and smiled. “That’s Ryder, m-my brother, and that’s Semara. She’s a—”
“Our friend,” Ryder interjected.
“Have you been here since the war?” I asked.
“Yep.”
“How’d you survive the bombs?” Ryder leaned forward.
“Myself and a few others were below ground when it hit. We were lucky to have plenty of food and water where we were. Actually, a few hundred survived. All the people who were in the cafeteria.” Her eyes glazed over as if she returned to that exact moment in time. Tears welled up. “Some decided to go out and see what happened. They never returned.
“It wasn’t a nuclear bomb?”
“Shoot no. I wouldn’t be here. The green slime eventually ran into the Great Lakes. Water supplies mostly come from the plant.”
“The plant?” Ryder raised his spoon again.
“Yeah, scientists worked on a saltwater-filter-a-bobber. It turns fresh into salt. Never knew why they’d want to make salt-water.”
“I do.” I cringed. “The queen wanted to power her ships with it but it never worked right.”
“Queen?” The woman dropped her spoon and splattered grey liquid onto her already stained shirt.
“Yes, she rules the territories now.”
She glared at me. “Who’s this queen?”
“She was a scientist and founding member of the Council of Citizens against Neumarian crimes,” I said, trying to hide the emotion in my voice.
Maggie’s cheek rose on the left side of her face in a snarl. “That woman that always hemmed and hawed on the TV ‘bout aliens taken over the planet?”
Here we went again. I sighed and forced a smile. “No, not against aliens, against Neumarians. She called them parasites, individuals that have gifts.”
“You mean like suckin’ peoples blood.”
I smiled over at Ryder. “No, like the gift of healing. So, this plant, where is it? Were you a scientist there?” My hopes rose for the first time in days. If we could find fuel we’d be able to power the ship to the coast, or at least a lot closer.
“Me? Nah…I was a janitor. My husband owned a bakery in downtown. We didn’t have much, but we was happy.”
I set my bowl back on the table. “How far is this plant?”
“Aren’t ya gonna eat, girl?” Maggie snapped.
“I’m a little too queasy at the moment. Thank you, though. Please, the plant?”
“Well, aren’t you proper? Yeah, well, it’s across the other side. I tried to find a home closer, but the bombs blew out most everything.” She snickered. “Always thought them rich people were paranoid for buildin’ them rooms for doomsday. Guess I’m the fool.”
“Can you give us directions in the morning? We need to leave at first light if we’re to make it back to our ship.”
“You sailed a boat here on the lake?”
“No ma’am, we flew here.” Ryder tipped the bowl up to drain the last few drops.
I pointed to my bowl and he retrieved it from the table.
“Planes don’t work no more.”
“Not exactly a plane.”
“Ya mean like from that old remake of a Star Wars movie?”
“I don’t know what Star Wars is, but yes, we flew,” I answered.
“Dang it all. Now I’ve heard everything. Nope, been waiting too long for company. Y’all staying here with me.” Maggie grabbed the empty bowls and bolted from the room.
“Wh-what are we g-going to do?” Raeth asked before she yawned and rested her head back against the wall.
“We’ll find it ourselves. We made it this far.” Ryder shifted to face me. “You can detect a large amount of metal. I’m sure that plant is constructed utilizing metal. We’ll go to the other side of the city and you should be able to detect it. We can only hope there’s fuel there.”
“Come with me child,” Maggie appeared at the door. “We can get ya cleaned up and in some new clothes.” She offered Raeth her hand, but Maggie’s eyes remained on Raeth’s Slag leg.
Ryder stood.
“Don’t worry. We can’t go far. There’re only three rooms here.”
He sat back down. “Don’t like having her out of my sight.”
“Maggie can at least distract Raeth from the harsh realities for a while.”
Maggie walked back in the room. “I don’t have runnin’ water, but there are several barrels full. Some washcloths and soap on the shelf back there.” She pointed at two tall cylinders and a wooden shelf in the back corner of a small room off the main one.
“Thank you, we appreciate your help.”
“Didn’t have much choice. Couldn’t let ya get eaten or freeze. Ya just kids.”
Raeth cringed at her side.
“Oh, don’t worry sweet girl, I’ve gotcha. Nothings gettin’ in here tonight.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ryder stood near the wash barrels waiting. The candlelight danced around the walls. I steadied my shaking hands. This was his chance to lay into me for what I’d done. To ensure Raeth would stay out of it, I pulled the door shut behind me.
Raeth and Maggie’s footsteps echoed in the silent three-room metal structure. Someone once took great care to build this place. Although, it hadn’t done them any good. They obviously weren’t around.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Ryder went to the barrel and scooped out some water with a ceramic pitcher and poured it into a large bowl. “Take your shirt off.”
I sucked in a quick breath. “What?”
“Your shirt.” Ryder removed his vest and reached both arms across his body to pull the black shirt over his head. His muscles ran for miles. A long bumpy road from clavicle to dark pants resting low on his hips.
My gaze remained on the strange tattoo on his chest. I hadn’t seen it since he’d healed me.
He smiled. “It’s my family’s Neumarian mark.”
I gulped and took in slow, deep breaths. He was sure different from all the pasty-white thin males that worked on the ships. As if my eyes had a mi
nd of their own, they trailed from his broad chest down to his belly button.
Ryder cleared his throat and heat rushed to my face. “Sorry. I—”
“It’s okay. I’m flattered.”
His strong arms flexed and his chest moved up when he placed his fingers on the buttons of my vest. My breath shot from my lungs as if the buttons were the only thing holding it in.
He leaned in. His pupils wide and inviting when his hand wrapped around my neck. His fingers brushed the implant behind my ears.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to. It’s just a piece of metal.” He pulled the vest and shirt from my body and tossed them on the floor next to his, leaving only a thin white lace under-shirt. “You aren’t one of them.”
My pulse quickened, mind spun. “I don’t understand. You hate me. My mother—”
“You’re nothing like her.” He brushed his lips down my cheek then my neck, leaving tingles in his wake. “I’ve never met a woman like you.”
A smell of damp earth wafted from his hair. A reminder of where we’d met, where he’d saved me. His hands moved down to the hem of my shirt and he lifted it over my head.
He turned to the water bowl and dipped a rag in. The sound of water trickling into the pool below echoed in the room. The over-powering scent of two days of sweaty travel was softened by the smell of fresh flowers and aloe from the rag.
Long soft strokes swiped from my shoulder to fingertips. He gathered my hair and pressed the rag to the base of my hairline, around the implant and down my spine, leaving a trail of heat in its wake.
His skin didn’t touch mine, only the warm, damp rag. Soapy water trailed down to my waist and he caught it along the band of my pants. So gentle. No man had ever touched me in such an intimate, soft way.
He pressed his lips to my shoulder and my legs shook beneath me.
A knock sounded at the door and Ryder sauntered over, bare-chested and shoulders back. I ducked behind a partition and crossed my arms over my lace-covered breasts.
“Your sister’s asleep on the couch. You two can sleep in here. There are two beds. Blow out the candles, they ain’t that easy to make, you know. Pass me her shirt and thing-a-ma-giggy she had on.”
“Vest?”
“Yeah, what else ya think I’m talkin’ about?”
Ryder stood at the other side of the partition. “Pass the rest to me.”
I tugged the pants down my legs, and removed my undergarments. Standing there naked, I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I’ll wash these. For now there’s a gown back there on the hook you can sleep in.”
The door clicked shut and Ryder returned with a smirk on his face.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just that you’re strong and scared of nothing that attacks or tries to kill you, yet you cower behind a large divider.”
I retrieved the gown and slid it on, dropping my hands and pulling my shoulders back in defiance. “I wasn’t cowering back here. It’s—”
“You’re shy?” He brushed my hair behind my ears. “I like that. You’re complicated, not obvious like the girls I usually know.”
Usually know? How many girls had he known?
“You’re smart yet compassionate.” His eyes traveled down my chest. “And you’re beautiful, yet you cover it as if you don’t realize how inviting you are.”
I concentrated on calming my heart, to keep things in check. I didn’t want to melt the entire home.
With a deep breath, I focused on how my body hummed in his arms instead of my fear. I opened my eyes and saw such intensity in his.
He wrapped his arms around me. My heart pounded so hard, he had to feel it against his bare chest.
We had to talk, but I didn’t want to break my few moments of bliss. I wanted him to be mine. A man worth losing my soul for, but I couldn’t hide from what I’d done.
I tried to form the words. My arms began to shake. The thought of ruining this fractured my heart. But if I opened to the possibility of us and he refused, I’d shatter into a million shards that could never be mended.
His strong hand stroked the back of my head. “Shh, we’re safe.”
I leaned back. His eyes glistened in the candle light and a reassuring smile calmed me. His sexy dimples tugged at my determination. Of course, this was the first smile I’d ever really seen since meeting him. I traced a finger along his jawline.
He lowered his lips to mine. Pressing his bare stomach to my thin nightgown, his cool energy surged into me.
At first, only small circles and soft kisses, then more urgent powerful strokes of his tongue left me breathless and trembling in his arms. His hand ran down my back and up my side.
The room spun and I clutched him tighter so I wouldn’t fall.
The harsh realities of the world disappeared and my body longed for more. He suckled on my bottom lip and his thumb brushed against my chin. Lost, swirling in a pool of escalating excitement, waves of desire threatened to drown me. I captured his lips again, and electric currents ran through my arms and legs.
The smell of a blow torch tickled my nose.
He tore his lips away. “What’s that?”
Breathless, I stepped back. Steam rose from the barrel of water. If we didn’t stop, I’d melt the room to a pile of silvery goo.
He winked. “I’m glad you liked it.”
I didn’t know much about intimate things. Only the groping I’d suffered at the hands of the general. This was nothing like that. Something in me longed to connect with him in a deeper way, but how far could I take this before the truth separated us once more?
“Don’t know I’ve ever wanted someone so bad in my life.”
His words thrilled and frightened me all at once. “I don’t…um—”
“Shh.” He pressed his finger to my lips. “Not like that. Someday, but I just want you in my arms for now.
I wanted to meld with him, become one, never to be separated again.
He guided me down to the old bed. The springs squeaked under us.
Fear vanished. I trembled at his touch. For the first time, a man wasn’t groping me. Instead, he shared the gentle touch of a lover. I wanted the harmful world to vanish and allow me to live eternity in his arms, below the trees and golden sunlight of the Resort Territory. Never to be parted from him again.
Bang. Ryder nearly fell out of the bed at the knock. The door creaked. “Think I’ll leave this here door open ‘til morning.” The old lady’s voice broke the spell.
I sighed, his breath caressed my ear. I pulled away, and while I wanted to wrap my arms around him and never let him go, I had to.
Ryder slid to the side of me on the bed. He tapped his finger playfully against my nose. “I’ll respect Maggie’s house rules, for now.”
“Good night, y’all.” Footsteps softened in the distance.
I felt for the woman. She’d lost everyone she loved. My muscles tightened at the thought of losing Ryder or Raeth.
“Are you okay?” Ryder pressed his palm to my chest.
My heart beat faster than a spiderat’s wings flapped as I nodded.
He leaned up and blew out the last candle.
In the darkness, I found my courage. “I hope you can forgive me someday for what happened to Raeth.”
“Already told you. Not your fault. You were a child at the time. No way you could’ve done anything to stop it from happening. Just, my temper got the best of me. Made a promise to my parents, and I failed to protect her. Blame myself.”
“You did save her. If you hadn’t found her…” The words caught in my throat.
Ryder snuggled my head against his chest. “Don’t go there. Not now. Let’s have our moment together tonight.”
He stroked my hair and kissed my head. For the first time since childhood, I was hopeful for the future. The calm energy pulsing from him awakened places in me. Had he used his gifts before, with other women?
“I guess you’ve done this a lot with other
girls.”
He froze. “Semara, I lived like any man in the mining territory, and I shouldn’t be judged for it.”
“I get it.” My body tensed, but I didn’t pull away. “Look, we both know I haven’t been with a man. I’d been promised to the general on my seventeenth birthday. Part of that promise was that I remained pure until our wedding. But if I’d had the chance…” My voice cracked. “Just forget it. Not important.”
I flipped over. He turned and pulled me to him. We fit together like a well-oiled cog. Perfect. Not a space between our bodies. His fingers traced a line from my shoulder to my elbow. “I want to know.”
“Part of me wants to be with someone. Because if I was, the general wouldn’t want me.”
“That’s why you want to have sex with me? To not have to marry him?” Ryder asked.
The pain in his voice etched a permanent tattoo on my heart. “No. My mother would still force me, if only as a slave.” I huffed. “My body chose you. I have no control. I know it sounds ridiculous. You wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re wrong. I feel a need so intense I think I’ll die if I don’t fulfill it.”
My head spun, then my body. “Yes. I’ve never felt that way, and now that I have…I can’t bear the thought of giving myself to another man.”
“Like the general or Malvak.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to worry about that no more. Won’t let them take you back.”
My lips brushed his, as my salty tears moistened his face.
“Semara, can I ask you something?”
My finger trailed down his forearm. “Sure.”
He tensed. “Did you suffer a lot on that ship?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m free now.”
“Are you okay with that? Queen’s still your only family.”
“No, she was never my family—only a woman who gave birth to me. I haven’t had a family since the day my father died.”
“You do now.”
“I appreciate it, but we both know that the Neumarians will never accept me. Just like they won’t accept your sister.”
“I’m not talking about Neumarians. I’m talking about Raeth and me. Family’s people that care about you.”
“You care about me?” The words flew from my lips before I could stop them.