by M. J. Haag
I nodded. “We saw Doug.”
Dad sighed, and Mom made a small sound of grief.
“When the military came and told us we needed to leave, that infected were coming, Doug never answered his door. They didn’t give us time to check on him ourselves.”
I was glad they hadn’t. If they’d tried, they might not be alive now.
“The military escorted us to Tinker during the day. The infected were everywhere in the city. They came out in droves at the slightest sound.
“Once we got to Tinker, we searched the crowds for you, hoping you were already there. We ran into some other survivors from Oklahoma City. They told us the same story about the university evacuation that you did. We never thought we lost you, though. You are too smart. But, every day more survivors came, and there was no word from you.” Dad swallowed hard. “We tried to stay at the base as long as possible. They were flying out survivors during the day and digging in at night. The whole time, those hounds seemed to know right where we were, attacking anyone they could reach. The military forced us out here two days before the bombings started.
“So much has changed since the bombings. This wasn’t the only base the military set up for civilians. The people in charge then had the survivors spread out, living and working in different safe zones. We kept in contact with several of them. Getting reports. Coordinating military efforts. But, more bad things started happening.
“The infected started setting traps. Less military personnel were returning from supply runs. Then, some of the safe zones stopped answering. Flyovers showed them overrun by infected. More convoys of survivors started showing up here. However, that stopped when the hounds returned a few days ago.
“McAlester was one of the last nearby safe zones. Our long-range communication is spotty. Nothing better was turned back on. From what I know, we have only spoken to Europe once since the world went to hell.
“We don’t know what’s still left of the world or its leaders.”
“What happened to the military leaders at this base? At McAlester, Commander Willis was still in charge. His men seemed like true military personnel. It doesn’t seem like that here,” I said.
“That’s because so many of the people left are civilians. Evacuees. Families who escaped. People who don’t know how to be military but still need to do their part in protecting this place. We’re all adjusting. We work hard. We’re surviving.”
We were silent for a moment after that statement. The new world was not kind. The humans here were surviving; but given what Dad had just said, they wouldn’t have survived for much longer. This safe zone would have fallen like all the other safe zones. My hands trembled at the thought, and I clasped them in my lap.
Drav and I were here now, and the fey would keep them safe. But, the hounds and the infected weren’t the only issues we faced.
Winter was on its way. The weather had gotten colder since we’d returned to the surface. Cold weather meant finding ways to keep warm. The little stove in the tent was a start, but I’d already noticed there was no wood. We would need supplies to survive. We would need to leave the safety of the fence.
“You are thinking very hard, Mya,” Drav said, leaning toward me to press his lips to my temple.
“There’s a lot to think about.”
“There is,” Dad agreed.
“How about we go get some dinner? We’ll look for an extra cot so you can stay with us, Mya,” Mom said.
Drav’s hand twitched on my thigh. I set my hand over his, likely thinking the same thing. Seeing my family again had been amazing. I couldn’t believe they’d made it here safely. That they were still alive. But, the fey had become more than friends to me. They felt like family, too. And, Drav felt like so much more.
“I’ll be staying with Drav and the other fey.”
“All right,” Mom said with a small, disappointed smile. “Let’s go eat. I’m sure Ryan is starved after his shift, and I bet you two haven’t eaten in a while.”
“No, we haven’t.”
As the four of us made our way through the encampment, I paid more attention. Everywhere I looked, I saw the same thing. People pushed to the point of exhaustion. They shuffled toward their tent, then the flap closed behind them.
“Where did you go this time?” Mom stopped to ask a man passing us. His lifeless blue eyes stood out against his weary, dirty face.
“We tried for the superstore in Sedalia. Almost made it. Another trap. The infected took out half of our supply party this time.” The guy’s voice didn’t change in pitch while sharing the news.
“Emery?” Mom asked quietly.
“Gone. I kept my promise to him when he was bitten.”
The man walked away and closed himself in a tent.
“Who was that?” I asked.
“Emery’s father. He’s lost everyone now,” Mom said.
My parents’ words came back to me. We are surviving.
Were they? Making through one day to the next, dying a little inside each day? I wasn’t sure that counted as surviving.
We didn’t stop to speak to anyone else as my parents led us to the mess hall. We joined the line of silent people slowly shuffling into the building.
Further inside the door, a hardened woman stood at the counter, scooping out food to each person who passed by her. Another woman, with a kind smile, handed out rolls.
When my parents reached the stack of trays, they each grabbed one then stepped toward the counter. The woman scooped some kind of steaming stew mixture on their trays. It looked amazing, and I eagerly stepped up with my tray.
With a scowl of dislike, the woman fixed her gaze on Drav.
“Some of your kind was here earlier. Said they’d only eat meat. I got Spam.”
“Spam will be fine,” Drav said.
The lady grunted, grabbed two small cans of spam from under the counter and plunked them on Drav’s tray. She plopped a scoop of stew onto mine.
“Don’t mind Bertha,” Mom said as we walked away. “There are a lot of people who are having a hard time adjusting, and accommodating everyone isn’t possible. She’s a little touchy.”
“It’s fine, Mom. This looks great. Far better than what I’ve had to eat in a long time.”
“Don’t get too used to it,” Ryan said. “This is it until there’s a successful supply run.”
We sat at an empty table and quietly ate our food. I savored each bite of my hot meal while trying not to pay attention to Drav enjoying his gel-covered Spam. When we finished, we took our trays to another counter where a different pair of women worked, washing their way through a tall stack of dirty trays.
“We all have jobs here,” Mom said as we left the building.
“I bet I know what your job will be,” Ryan said, reaching out to give my hair a playful tug.
Drav growled.
“It’s okay, Drav. Ryan’s just teasing me. It didn’t hurt.”
Drav grunted and gave my brother a warning look. I grinned at Ryan and arched a brow.
“You’re not playing fair,” Ryan said.
I shrugged and turned to Mom and Dad, who watched me closely.
“Drav and I really need to check on the rest of our group.”
I wasn’t overly worried about the fey. But, in a lot of ways, they were like children. They didn’t know much about the human world, and I didn’t want them to get into any trouble.
We found the fey at the far end of the encampment where they had been assigned the tents closest to the fence. With the help of the humans we’d rescued, the men were settling into their new homes.
Savvy and Timmy chased each other. Byllo and Jessie stood together watching the children.
“These men are just amazing with children,” Mom said.
“They really are.”
“Come on,” Dad said. “I’m sure whoever is in charge has a tent for you somewhere around here.”
As we walked, I noticed tent numbers and names already written on tape near th
e openings. Three fey had been assigned to each tent. We kept walking, looking for a tent with Drav’s name on it. Before we found it, we found Molev talking to a man with a clipboard.
“Mya. Drav,” Molev said in greeting.
“Hey, Molev. What’s going on?” I asked.
“We’re setting the fey up in these tents by the fence,” the man said.
“Why’s that?” I asked. I already had figured out the reason, but I wanted the man to say it aloud.
“To protect all of us from the hounds,” the man answered.
“And to keep them as far away from the rest of you as possible?”
The man looked down at his board briefly before meeting my eyes.
“I think most of us would take a lion as a house cat if it would keep us safe.”
I sighed. It would have been foolish to expect open acceptance. The fey were too different for that. But, I knew after the people got to know the fey, their attitudes would change like mine had.
“Your tent is not by the fence,” Molev said to me.
The man nodded. “Tent H11 has been assigned to you and Drav. The H-row is the fourth from the fence.”
Drav threaded his fingers through mine as we followed my parents toward our assigned tent. Two sleeping bags and my backpack waited inside by the cold stove.
“This one looks nice,” Mom said. “No cots, yet. Your Dad and I will see if we can find you some.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I hugged them both before they left. A chorus of “Bye, Mom,” echoed through the tents.
Ryan grinned at me.
“I better go, too. I have another shift for body removal before I can sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Find me in the morning, okay?”
I nodded and gave him a hug, too.
Drav put an arm around me as we watched him walk away. Byllo, Timmy, Jessie, and Savvy moved to a tent just three down from ours. I smiled when I realized they would be sharing. It made sense. Timmy and Savvy had slept together almost every night since they met.
Mary and James walked around from the tent just in front of ours.
“This is some place,” James said. “Big from the sound of things. Most of it’s not used because it’s too hard to defend. Heard there are some real houses on the other side.”
“With real beds,” Mary said.
“Would you rather stay in the houses?” I asked, wondering what they were getting at.
“No, no,” James said quickly. “We feel safer here.”
“But it seems a shame that all those mattresses are going to waste.”
I smiled, understanding.
“I’m sure any fey you ask would be willing to take you to a house and get a mattress for you. Maybe even a whole bed. There’s no reason for you two to have to sleep on a cot.”
“Cot?” Mary laughed. “They gave us sleeping bags.”
She was right. Why let good mattresses go to waste? I looked up at Drav, and he started to call out names. The fey immediately jogged over and nodded when he asked if they would help Mary and James.
A group of ten fey left, two carrying the couple.
Since I’d explained marriage, all the fey respected Mary’s relationship with James. But they still flirted with her like crazy. I heard several tell her that if she ever got mad at James and desired another, she could come to him. She’d laughed each time and gave the speaker a wink before sending him away so she could eye his backside.
I turned back toward our tent and stared at the clean sleeping bags.
“What are you thinking, my Mya?” Drav asked.
“That I really want a shower before bed.”
“A good idea,” Drav said, stepping around me to pick up my bag.
We walked to the communal showers where Matt had taken us earlier. Drav held my hand the entire way, neither of us talking. The day’s events still ran through my head. The infected at the gate. Seeing my parents. Matt’s request that the fey help them in the morning. It still felt surreal that we were really here. That my family was still alive and so close.
As I’d guessed, my family accepted Drav because I did.
At the showers, I took my bag from Drav.
“I better go to my own side this time,” I said. I stood on my toes and gave him a light kiss on his lips before entering the women’s showers.
By the time I finished, it was dark outside. I shivered at the chill of the air on my wet head.
Drav, who’d been waiting for me outside, noticed the movement and scooped me into his arms.
“You grow cold too easily,” he said, already jogging back to our tent.
I snuggled against him while denying his claim.
“My tolerance of the temperature changes is pretty standard for humans. But I’m sure glad you don’t get as cold as I do.”
Drav ducked into our tent, set me down, and closed the flaps. I looked around in mild surprise. A mattress now took up a large portion of the canvas floor, along with a little table that held a lit glass jar candle. The bed had been made up with real sheets and piled with three quilts.
“I really like Mary,” I said, knowing this had to be her doing.
Drav’s arms circled my waist, and he held me close from behind. Snuggly in our tent and out of the chill, the heat of his chest pressed against my back warmed me. As did the light trail of kisses he placed from the base of my neck to my jaw, where he stopped.
“Are you happy, my Mya?”
I turned in his arms and looked up at him.
“I am. Are you?”
“Yes.” He brushed his fingers over my cheek and down my throat. “With you, I am always happy.”
The sincerity in his gaze only made my feelings for him stronger.
“I’m so glad you found me. I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“My Mya,” he said, cupping my cheek gently.
His mouth settled over mine in a slow kiss that stole my breath. Each tender touch of his lips melted my heart further.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I melted into his kiss. He growled softly, and the mood of the kiss changed as he gently cupped my breast with his warm palm. A jolt of desire shot straight through me, and I couldn’t stop the small sound of enjoyment that escaped.
Drav pulled back, his thumb brushing over my nipple before he released me and tugged his shirt over his head. Tossing it aside, he waited, his intense gaze asking what his mouth wouldn’t.
I smiled slightly and kicked off my shoes. He didn’t move. I tugged off my shirt then eased the straps of my bra over each shoulder. His sharp gaze followed the movements as I freed my breasts. My bra hit the floor beside his shirt. Reaching for the clean jeans I’d just put on, I released the button and listened to the rasp of the zipper.
With his focus entirely centered on my hands, I slowly worked the jeans over my hips and saw the moment he realized I wasn’t wearing any underwear. The sound of his breathing increased, and I smiled. Naked, I walked to the bed and glanced over my shoulder at Drav.
The hunger in his gaze stole my breath. He tossed his pants aside and strode toward me.
Seventeen
Drav kissed my temple and eased away from me. I rubbed my eyes and rolled to my side to watch him move in the dim light of the burned down candle.
“What are you doing?” I mumbled, still too tired to fully form words.
“I must meet the others by the gate,” he said softly. “Rest.”
There was no chance of that knowing he planned to leave.
“No. I’m up. I’m coming to see you off.”
He sat on the mattress and watched me dress. His appreciative gaze traced over every curve I possessed. I loved the way he watched me. Smiling to myself, I tugged my shirt over my head then stepped into my boots.
“Let’s go,” I said, holding out my hand.
His fingers curled around mine. Instead of standing, he tugged me down on top of him. I landed with a squeal and a giggle.
“I love the sounds you make,” he whi
spered just before kissing me lightly. “You will make them for me again when I return.”
“Bossy,” I said, teasingly.
“Yes,” he agreed. “You are.”
“Hey!”
He smiled and stood with me in his arms.
“I will carry you until I have to leave.”
“Fine. But just this once.”
He winked at me, and I leaned my head against his chest as he stepped out of the tent. The longer we spent together, the more human he behaved. Just the good stuff, though. The teasing and the laughing. I supposed that made sense. His life before me had been all fighting and surviving.
At the gate, most of the men already waited. Molev and Matt spoke together near the vehicles. No infected waited outside, just the stained, dried grass showing where they’d once stood. A plume of dark smoke rose in the distance.
“Good morning, Mya,” Matt said. “That’s the clean-up crew’s fire.”
“Good morning. Any word from Commander Willis?”
“Complete silence, which likely means he is infected now, too.”
The man didn’t pull any punches with his news. While hearing the information sucked, I also appreciated the complete honesty.
“How long do you expect these guys to be gone?” I asked.
“Everyone should return before dark. Group one will clear a smaller overrun safe zone to the north. Groups two and three will check nearby sightings.”
I looked up at Drav.
“You be careful out there,” I said.
He kissed my forehead then turned to Matt.
“I want your promise that you will keep Mya safe while I am gone.”
“You have my word,” he said.
I rolled my eyes.
“Drav, he has to keep several hundred other people safe, too.”
He ignored me and pinned Matt with his unblinking gaze.
“I will hold you to your word.”
“If you’re done being adorably overprotective, it’s my turn,” I said. “Molev, make sure he comes back whole and healthy.”
“Yes, Mya.”
I tilted my head up to Drav. “Time to put me down.”
He kissed me hard and set me on my feet while I was still dazed and grinning stupidly. The gate rolled open, and Drav stepped in with the first group of fey.