What Remains: Wasteland

by Kris Norris

  “Which is why you’re staying here.”

  She furrowed her brow, slapping him on the chest when he took a step closer. “Are you high? Seriously? Has Kace been making something in that lab I don’t know about? Because that’s the only explanation for why you’ve suddenly lost your mind. I’m going just like I always do.”

  Rhys growled and grabbed her hands, holding them at her sides as he backed her up until she slammed into something hard, though she knew instantly it wasn’t a wall. Planes and ridges pressed against her back as another set of hands landed on her waist. She didn’t need to look behind her to know it was Hunter. She could tell his touch and smell anywhere.

  A punch of heat scorched her core as Hunter’s breath grazed her neck, making the hairs on her nape stand up. God help her, but she still wanted him. Them. It’d only taken a day for her feelings for Rhys to break free of the barriers she’d erected around her heart, reviving the images she’d created before he’d left. The four of them, together. Entwined. Happy. Only now, it was Kace instead of Billy, his boyish grin staring at her from behind her closed eyes. She wasn’t sure how he’d blindsided her defenses, but there was no doubt she had unresolved feelings for him. And every day she spent in his presence only made them more intense.

  Hunter tightened his grip around her waist as Rhys leaned in, his breath mixing with hers. Her chest heaved against his as she fought to draw in enough air, praying he wouldn’t notice how her nipples had beaded into tiny buds or smell the sweet, musky fragrance she knew to be her own arousal. Damn but these men excited her.

  Rhys exhaled, ruffling the wisps of hair around her face. “You’re not risking your life when we have no intel. If the fence hadn’t been compromised, I wouldn’t question it, but not like this.”

  “Since when is your life worth less than mine? And since when do I need your permission to do my job? As I recall, I’ve saved your ass more than once.” She glanced back at Hunter. “And yours just a few days ago. So I suggest you let go and get out of my way before I decide to kick your asses and go alone.”

  Rhys raised an eyebrow as his lips curled up seductively at the edges. “You know, darling. Sooner or later, someone’s going to tame that wild streak of yours.”

  Darling? Rhys had called her girl before, but never something as endearing as darling.

  She gave him her best provocative smile. “They can try…baby.” She huffed. “Can we go and fix the solar panels now, or is Hunter suddenly going to get all protective, too?”

  Rhys held his ground, his gaze heating her skin until she thought she’d ignite. Hunter lowered his head, brushing his lips along her neck, and she couldn’t stop from closing her eyes as shivers chased each other down her spine. A muffled moan welled inside her chest, and she cringed when the raspy noise lit the air, sounding like a plea for more.

  Hunter chuckled, the soft whisper of air creating a wave of goose bumps along her flesh. “I’ve always been protective, sweetheart. I’ve just kept it under wraps.”

  Emersyn forced her eyelids open, a new sensation fluttering butterflies in her stomach. It was a mixture of fear and anticipation, and she wasn’t sure which side would win out. She clenched her jaw, using the pressure to ground herself as she shoved Rhys back, stepping out of Hunter’s arms and pacing across the room. She turned, but the men merely stood there, staring at her as if she was the one who’d lost her mind.

  She shook her head, eyeing them both as if they might suddenly leap at her. “Okay, what the fuck is going on? Darling? Sweetheart? Is Kace going to start calling me honey?”

  “I’m not really one for pet names.”

  She inhaled sharply, glancing at the man in question over Hunter’s shoulder. With all the sexual tension in the room, she’d forgotten he’d been standing there the entire time. Watching but on the fringes as if he wasn’t certain if he belonged.

  Belonged?

  Fuck, this was getting weirder by the second. She needed to downshift into work, before she got answers she wasn’t ready for.

  She took a deep breath, tugging on her vest as she drew herself up. “Are we going or what?”

  The boys smiled at her abrupt change in subject.

  Hunter sighed, checked his guns then motioned to the porthole. “Fine. But stay close and don’t do anything risky.”

  Em huffed as she walked over to him. “So basically, do the job I’ve been doing for years. Thanks. Wouldn’t have figured that one out alone. Good thing I’ve got you here to point out the obvious.”

  A slap landed on her ass, and she spun, glaring at Rhys. “What the hell?”

  Rhys didn’t back down. “That’s for sassing him. This isn’t funny. We don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “And that’s a new thing? Did you want me to get hurt before this?”

  The man tilted his head back, looking at the ceiling as if searching for divine intervention. “You are some piece of work, Emersyn. You know what I mean. Just be careful. Hunter’s mentioned that you’re more reckless since Billy passed. That makes you unpredictable, which in turn makes you dangerous.”

  She glanced at Hunter, torn between anger and relief that he’d been the one to tell Rhys. “Or maybe I’m finally seeing the world for what it truly is. Those fuckers get everyone eventually. In the end, we’re just buying time that’s hardly worth living.”

  Rhys grabbed her, pulling her close. His heart thrashed against her chest, the shaky rhythm nearly as fast as hers. “I sincerely hope you don’t mean that.”

  “You’re only upset because you know I’m right. You left, and the war kept going. Billy died, but it wasn’t enough. Where does it end? When will our sacrifice be enough?”

  Kace stepped forward. “That sounds like you’re giving up.”

  She gave him a smile, easing out of Rhys’ hold. “Not giving up. But I refuse to continue pretending that this is just a passing phase. That things are going to return to how they once were. The world ended. We’re just the last few who refused to die with it.”

  “And we’re going to continue to refuse if I have anything to say about it.” Rhys motioned to the ladder Hunter had leaned against the hatch. “Follow Hunter up. He’ll go left, you go right. The panels are just beyond the next hatch. Hopefully, it’s an easy fix. Stay within yelling distance and for god’s sake, get the hell back in here if any Gray, as you call them, are mulling about. The panels aren’t worth dying over.” He turned to Kace. “You stay inside. Get some candles and flashlights ready, just in case this is a bust.”

  Kace crossed his arms on his chest. “I can hold my own. And my accuracy with the rifle has improved. I can help.”

  “Yes, you can…by staying here and being our backup plan.” He held up his hand. “Discussion’s over. I don’t tell you how to run your experiments, so don’t tell me how to run maneuvers. When it’s time to leave, you’ll have more weapons than you’ll likely be able to handle, but until then, you man the lab.”

  Kace’s expression hardened, making Em smile. Good. She didn’t want to be the only one feeling pissy. And since when did Rhys get so bossy? The man had never questioned her involvement before. Had never treated her like anything other than the soldier she was. Did he think she was losing her edge? That she no longer measured up?

  The thought burned hot in her gut as she climbed the ladder, trying not to let her lingering anger distract her. No sense giving the man further reason to question her status within the group. Just thinking about having to join another recon team made her stomach retch.

  Hunter paused at the top, looking through a small window before releasing the hatch and climbing onto the surface. Sunlight streamed through the opening, making her squint. She followed Hunter out, standing beside the hatch as Rhys cleared the space. The sun felt warm against her cheek, and she gave herself one glorious moment to enjoy the simple beauty of it. How the air had a hint of winter in its fragrance or the way the shadows stretched across the ground, looking like long fingers in the evening light. Birds c
hirped in the background, a welcomed break from the constant growls of the undead.

  Rhys gave her a quizzical look as he nodded to her right. She returned the signal, heading off toward the outer perimeter. The fence line seemed farther away in this area, and she noticed the barbed wire was missing from some of the sections. She glanced back at Rhys. He’d reached the panels and had his head buried in one of them. She circled to her left a bit, keeping herself between the fence and him. Nothing moved across the open space, but that didn’t mean they were safe. A break in the fence could allow a horde to rush through when least expected. While the bastards were containable on their own, large groups were deadly, and were the reason most experienced fighters got bitten.

  Emersyn followed the undulating ground to the far side and back, keeping Rhys at her six. As long as Hunter executed the same sweeping strategy, they’d ensure nothing got past them. Rhys whistled, indicating he needed another five minutes with a wave of his hand when she scanned over to him. She waved back, continuing her path when the ever-present bickering in the trees silenced. The eerie quiet prickled the hairs on her arms, and she stopped, listening for what had frightened the birds. A distant patter drifted along the breeze a moment before a thud sounded behind her. She spun, rifle pressed into her shoulder, scope just below her eye as she aimed at the animal trotting across the grass. It flicked its ears in her direction before taking off at a full sprint, white tail flashing in the sun.

  Em released the breath she’d been holding. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a deer, or anything else remotely wild. She gazed after it, watching it clear the far fence with seeming ease before disappearing into the woods. A smile curved her lips, only to fade when something growled behind her.

  She froze. The sound was throaty and low, nothing like the zombies she’d hunted over the previous year. This was wild and raw, with a resonance that sent a shiver down her spine. She swallowed hard, slowly spinning to face the creature. Long canines gleamed in the sunlight, its thick fur coat wavering in the light breeze. Deep brown eyes flecked with amber gazed at her, the pure intelligence in them impossible to miss.

  Emersyn held fast, eyeing the wolf as it slowly advanced, the fur on its back and shoulders standing on end. Two more appeared off to its left then three to its right. She looked in Rhys’ direction, but in the few moments she’d been watching the deer, the man had vanished.

  A jolt of fear hit her, but she pushed it aside. If Rhys had been attacked, she would have heard the fight. More likely, he was facing a similar situation and had retreated in order to give the pack a way out that didn’t involve shooting them.

  She took a deep breath, ignoring the wild scent that swirled around her, and took a step back, hoping the animals would continue after the deer. The first wolf growled, snapping its jaws in the air as a line of drool dripped from its teeth. Kace had mentioned something about these parasites not crossing the species barrier. That, other than primates, the animal kingdom would most likely be spared. But as the group began to close ranks, she wondered if it was possible. If this might be the advances Kace had warned them about.

  “Back off.” She fired a warning shot at the ground, wanting to give the beasts an exit without having to kill them or making so much noise she drew every Gray within a mile to their location.

  The wolves stopped, scenting the air before moving closer. Dread settled in her chest. She’d never killed an animal before.

  She snagged her lip, biting until she tasted blood before sealing the scope to her eye. “Please. Just go.”

  The animal snarled, looking ready to pounce when a dull whoosh strummed the air. The wolf’s body trembled as something hard impacted its side, knocking it over. It yelped, scrambling upright just as another projectile hit its shoulder. Em snapped her gaze to her right, staring with her mouth gaped open as Kace stood several feet away, some weird tube balanced on his shoulder. He turned slightly, and another animal went down as the same odd noise sounded in the silence.

  The first wolf howled, yipping twice before loping off, leaping over the far fence where the wire had been ripped off, the long, scraggly line curling into a heap on the grass. The rest of the pack followed suit, their bushy tales disappearing amidst the foliage.

  Emersyn stood still, not sure what the hell to think when Rhys raced across the grass, grabbing his brother before shouting at her. She snapped out of her stunned haze and nodded, heading back for the hatch after one last glance at the woods. Kace went first, grabbing her waist when she reached the bottom and firmly lifting her down. She thought about slapping his shoulder—she didn’t need any help—but decided against it when Rhys slid down the metal shaft, anger flashing in his eyes.

  He rounded on them, glaring at his brother as he removed his rifle and tossed it on a table. “What the fuck do you think you were doing?”

  Kace didn’t flinch, taking a step closer so he could look the man directly in the eye. “Making sure Emersyn didn’t become a tasty snack.”

  “The woman’s armed with a damn MK14. She had enough firepower to handle three packs of wolves. Yet you go out there armed with a fucking potato gun.”

  “It worked. And it didn’t kill them or make half the noise your damn guns make, which I thought was kind of the point. Not drawing attention our way, especially if that fence has been compromised!”

  Rhys huffed, running an agitated hand through his hair. “Remaining quiet is important, but damn it…you’re the only hope we have left against this infection. If we lose you…”

  Rhys swallowed noisily. Did he really think they didn’t see how losing Kace meant far more to him than the damn vaccine? Emersyn took a step forward when Rhys turned to her.

  “And what the fuck, Em? Why didn’t you kill those animals straight off? Another minute and you’d have been dog bait.”

  Em drew herself up. She’d never backed down from these boys before, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to start now. “They weren’t going to attack. It was merely posturing.”

  Rhys snorted. “Well, that ‘posturing’ was about to get all up close and personal with teeth and fur.”

  “It was a chance I was willing to take.”

  “Why? Do we mean that little to you that we don’t even warrant consideration before you go and get yourself killed?”

  “How is this suddenly about you? Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t want to kill one of the few truly beautiful things left in this godforsaken shit hole? That I couldn’t simply destroy a life that hasn’t been tainted by this curse we fight every day?” She shook her head, allowing her shoulders to hunch as her strength drained. “The human race is on the brink of extinction. If we can’t preserve what few species have been spared from this horror then why are we fighting? Once this is over…what remains as testament that we were ever here? That once upon a time, we were worthy to be saved?”

  She turned away, more lost now than before she’d agreed to take the damn mission with Hunter. If she’d thought losing Billy had been hard, it didn’t compare to the rawness coursing through her at the realization that settled like a sickness in her heart. She was in love with a group of men who’d never be able to return that love. That the very traits that excited and enthralled her were the same ones that’d keep them all at arm’s length. That the hope that had kept her going all these months had been shattered.

  She closed her eyes, wishing she’d just followed the pack and disappeared into the forest when a set of hands landed on her shoulders. She didn’t resist when they tugged her into a firm embrace, her cheek landing against a play of firm muscles. A hint of spice and coconut soap hit her senses, the combination making her smile. Only one of the men washed his hands so many times a day that the fragrance had become part of his unique scent.

  She took a deep breath, easing away from Kace as she stared up at him, those gorgeous eyes holding her captive. The color looked deeper, with a slight green tinge to it that mimicked the shade of the leaves just
starting to turn. The fine lines around his mouth disappeared as he pulled his lips tight, looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite get the words out.

  She raised one hand, brushing a lock of hair back from his face, loving the soft feel of it against her fingers. She gave him the best smile she could muster. “Despite the fact Rhys is right—that you’re the last, best chance we have left—I’m still grateful for what you did. I’m not sure I could have—”

  He kissed her, one hand lifting to cup the back of her head as his lips came down possessively on hers, swallowing the next few syllables. He didn’t wait to see if she’d open for him, twisting her mouth free and plunging his tongue inside, conquering her without so much as an ounce of resistance. Her body responded of its own accord, molding against him as she palmed his chest, his heartbeat thrumming against her fingertips. The erratic rhythm matched the thrashing of her pulse, and she wasn’t sure she could breathe when he finally pulled away, his luscious, talented mouth hovering just inches from hers. She wanted to speak, but only a series of husky rasps made it past her lips as the world slammed to a halt, everything hinging on that single kiss.

  Kace smiled, the devious curling of his lips making him look more handsome than ever. He slid his hand forward, lightly tracing the outline of her mouth as his eyes searched hers. “Are you still thankful, or am I in for that ass-kicking you’ve been promising me?”

  Chapter Seven

  Kace watched Emersyn try to regain her composure, loving the way his kiss had left her speechless. Her hands still rested against his chest, each tiny finger like a brand on his heart. If he’d ever questioned whether he could fall for a girl like her, those doubts had vanished with the press of her lips on his. She’d tasted warm and sweet, and when she simply stared at him, he dipped down for another kiss.

  She responded quicker this time, freeing one hand to wrap it around his neck, teasing his nape with a scratch of her fingernails. The added sensation spiked his cock against her stomach, and he had to choke back a growl when she shifted her hips, placing his shaft in line with her cleft. The distinct softness made him impossibly harder, unleashing the growl he’d crushed moments earlier. A hushed moan sounded between them when he finally released her, resting his forehead on hers.