by Christi Snow
“So tell me about the ES,” Bethany said. “We don’t know anything about what happened after the Veil fell on your side of the country.”
“Honestly, not much has changed.” Lori considered for a moment and then as they watched the men train, she explained how the world had evolved in the ES, ending with Teddy’s betrayal.
“He turned you in?” Bethany sounded outraged.
“Yes, he worked within the government and saw me as a good stepping stone to prove his loyalty to the new regime.” Lori was proud of how calm and steady her voice sounded despite the fact that pain tore through her heart every time she thought about how gullible she’d been.
“I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through, Lori. You said they experimented on you, what are the odds they uncovered enough about your ability to do what you do? Will they be able to come through the Veil, too?”
“No. I never let them know the full extent of my ability and as far as I know, there isn’t anyone else who has it.”
Bethany nodded. “How many Others are there?”
“I have no idea. Not everyone in the ES developed abilities. Only a few did and most of those have been gathered up for medical experiments where I assume most eventually died.”
Lori shuddered. “In the labs, they create units. The scientists use the bonds of friendship to get the prisoners to cooperate. If you don’t cooperate, then you get to watch while your friends are tortured.” She swallowed hard against the bile in her throat. “The ES is not a good place to live.”
Lori looked back over the small group of villagers. Even with the seriousness of the training, a sense of happiness permeated the group. “Believe me, I have no desire to subject your people to that. You’ve created a wonderful society here. I’d hate to see it get infected with the ideals from the ES government, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up helping my friends. It’s only because of them that I’ve survived the last six years. I can’t just abandon them there to die.”
“I understand that and am discussing options with Aaron. Don’t strike out on your own just yet, Lori. Give us time to see what we can figure out.”
Lori knew her shock showed on her face, but she couldn’t help it. “How did you know I planned to do that?”
Bethany smiled at her gently. “A simple look at the mix of happiness and devastation on your face as you watched Marcus this morning showed enough to know. You’re falling in love with him. It’s no secret that leaving him would be heart-breaking enough to cause that expression on your face. But he needs you, too. Don’t give up on the two of you yet. In fact, I think you’re going to be a vital part of our village. We want to help, but we need to be very careful about how we proceed.”
In love with Marcus? No, she couldn’t love him. Loving him was dangerous and would make her vulnerable. She never planned to be in that position again. She had to take care of the Others. They were her priority, the only one she could have right now.
“In the meantime, I have something that might help.” Bethany reached into one of the pockets of her cargo pants and pulled out a crystal on a chain. “I know Marcus explained to you about the ley lines.”
Lori nodded. Bethany touched the stone and the crystal suddenly began to glow with a dim light.
“This is a crystal from one of those ley lines. By wearing it, you should be able to draw on Mother Earth’s power. I think you’ll find it much easier and with a little exercise, your mental and physical energy won’t take such a hit when you use your power. I want you to wear it and practice your ability.”
When Bethany placed the crystal onto Lori’s palm, it immediately flared with a bright light and a slight vibration began to pulse through it. Her eyes widened as she glanced at Bethany. “Is it supposed to do that?”
“Yes, but I’ve never seen one flare so dramatically. Your power is very strong.” Bethany tapped her chin speculatively. “With a little practice, you’re going to be able to harness it better which will make it more effective when you need it.”
Lori had thought she would cross the Veil within the next twenty-four hours to help her friends escape, but as she considered the crystal, she could see the wisdom in becoming stronger.
“Do you think my arrival caused the change in the Predators?” she asked Bethany, dreading the answer.
“I’m not sure if it’s something you did or if Mother Earth has decided she’s healed for long enough. She may have decided to let us have our freedom again and figure it out for ourselves. I think the Veil occurred as a natural reaction from the Earth’s defense system to protect itself from man’s destructive nature. The Predators change in behavior may just be the first sign of our world changing once again.”
“You say Mother Earth like it’s a living breathing entity.” Lori had never been particularly religious before or after the Veil. But this idea seemed to go beyond that of a shadowy, never-seen God punishing the world at his whims which signified the general teachings she’d heard before in the ES.
“Yes, of course it is. How can you even doubt that after seeing the power pulsing through the ley lines? Our family practiced the Wiccan religion before the Veil so Brooklyn and I have always had a healthy respect for the power within the Earth. That’s only grown since the Veil moved in. I believe Mother Earth became fed up with humanity hurting her and decided to take action against mankind. She didn’t do it to hurt us, though. I think she reacted in simple self-defense and then once she realized what she’d done to the children of the Earth, she gave us our abilities to help make up for the loss of the older ones.” Bethany was so sure in her convictions.
Lori nodded. “What you’re saying makes sense.”
“Lori, what did you do in the ES before you were imprisoned?”
“I ran a textile and clothing mill in Philadelphia.” She had so much responsibility running the mill and design line. It had been a stressful and rewarding job, but it was lost to her now. What would she do for a job now?
“Ooh, a fashion girl then. So tell me what do you think of our wraps?” She gestured down at the swaths of fabric wrapped around her body.
“I love them. They’re really chic and I love all the variations I’ve seen of the same basic design.” She would love to design some wrap dresses around the same idea using fine silks.
Bethany grimaced. “It became a painfully slow process to figure out how to dress ourselves with wings. You have to remember we were all teenagers or younger when it happened. For a while, we all adopted the men’s dress of no shirts, but with a bunch of teenage boys around, that was just not a good idea. We were trying to build a whole new society. But having half-naked women and constantly horny teenage boys as a combination…” She grimaced as she shook her head. “Well, let’s just say, it wasn’t pretty.”
Lori laughed. “I can imagine.” She looked out over the women eyeing the men as they worked out. “Although, I have to say, I’m not seeing a whole lot of difference here.”
Bethany burst out laughing. “Oh wow. You’re right. I didn’t even realize. Well, they say that women don’t hit their sexual peak until their mid-thirties. We may just be seeing the proof of that right here. But you know what? Let’s not tell the guys. They may not appreciate the double-standard and I don’t want to give this up.”
“You won’t hear a word from me.” Both women sighed as they looked out over the sweaty bodies on the field. Nope, she wouldn’t do anything to have this taken away from any of them.
* * *
Later that afternoon, Lori enjoyed her own personal view of Marcus’s sweaty body as he finished building the steps leading up the side to the treehouse. The stairs were a brilliant piece of engineering and Lori loved that he’d spent this time to build and design them. As they stepped up to the platform, Marcus tested the system by raising and lowering them. Of course, it worked perfectly.
Marcus gave her a smile which sent her stomach fluttering. She launched herself into his arms, giggling. “Thank you so much for doing this for
me. It’s brilliant.”
“Hmm, just how grateful are you?”
“Very grateful.” She stroked up and down his already hard length through his jeans and he groaned as he bent down to take a nibble at her nipple through her T-shirt.
“Ahem.”
Lori scrambled away from Marcus to find Bethany and Aaron standing behind them. Bethany had kindly averted her eyes, but Aaron just smirked at them as he said drily, “Sorry to interrupt, but I did try to let you know we were coming.”
“Sorry, I must have been distracted. I didn’t hear you.” Marcus pulled Lori to stand in front of him to hide his erection.
Aaron smirked once again. “Yeah, distractions will do that for you.”
Bethany punched him in the arm. “Stop giving them a hard time. You’re embarrassing Lori and I need her to do me a favor.”
Lori smiled and waved Aaron aside. “Don’t worry about it. What can I do for you?”
“I hoped you and Marcus could head up to one of our villages in the north—Cottonwood. It’s where our clothes are made and we’re having some production delays. I thought with your expertise, that you may be able to spot where the issues are and maybe make some suggestions for streamlining the process.”
Joy flooded her at the request. She’d love to be able to show how she could become a valuable part of this society. Also if she did this favor for Bethany, then she might be more open to allowing Lori to take some of the Warriors with her when she went back to the ES. In addition, this would give her time to build and learn more about her powers since it would take more energy to get a group through the Veil. She had to be ready for that. Besides, she wanted to do something to repay the kindness she’d been shown here and it would give her more opportunity to understand life in the WS. No matter how she looked at it this was a valuable opportunity for her.
“Yes, of course, I’d be happy to.”
Marcus turned to Lori to ask, “Do you know how to ride a horse?”
“A horse? Why?”
“That’s normally how we travel from village to village. It’s too tiresome to fly such a long distance and we conserve fuel for the few cars we have left that way.”
She grinned. A horse would be fun. It had been so long since she’d been able to ride. “Obviously I haven’t ridden in a few years, but I used to ride regularly. But where are the horses? I haven’t noticed any around.”
“We keep them in a pasture a little bit away from the village. It’s actually an entire farm built within high, fort-like walls to keep it safe from Predators. You’ll like it.”
Bethany nodded. “Good. It sounds like the trip is a go. If you all leave in the morning, I’ll let the village know you’re coming. Just be extra vigilant and take care as you travel. I recommend that you move fast to keep out of the Predator’s paths. Which reminds me.” She gestured for Aaron to hand her something. He brought forth a sword and scabbard. “This is for you, Lori. Marcus can show you how to strap it around your back or thigh, whichever way you’re most comfortable with it. I recommend a little bit of practice with it tonight so you don’t accidentally injure yourself or Marcus. I hope you won’t have to use it, but it’s better to be prepared than not.”
“Thank you, Bethany. It’s beautiful.” The handle and top of the scabbard featured amazingly gorgeous metalwork. It was a truly glorious example of weaponry, but she desperately hoped she wouldn’t have a chance to use it. A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine.
* * *
The next day, they rose with the sun. Marcus flew her about a half-mile out of the village to the farm. A huge wall surrounded the facility on all sides without visible windows or entrances. Marcus flew her over the wall and she found herself in the middle of a working farm.
The entire complex covered a huge area of land. A massive barn stood to the side. There were several huge corrals and pens holding various forms of livestock—horses, cows, goats, chickens, and pigs. At the other side of the complex, massive gardens grew, with the plants overflowing with luscious fruits and vegetables. Large fields full of cotton, wheat, and other grains that Lori didn’t recognize grew in neat rows. A gathering of little cottages took up the final side.
Marcus grinned as she took it all in. “It’s impressive, isn’t it?”
“It is. Who works all this land?”
“You’d be surprised. There are less than a dozen people who manage it all. It’s a very stream-lined operation. Come on. Let’s head into the barn. I already let Drake know we were coming, so he should have our horses ready.”
As they entered the barn, pleasant memories of childhood and visiting her uncle’s horse farm in Virginia assaulted Lori. She spotted the man who must be Drake down at the other end of the barn. A tall, lean man, his wings were olive green and he wore a cowboy hat. An angelic-looking cowboy…she enjoyed the visual.
As Drake turned toward them, his eyes were kind and she immediately liked him. A feeling of calm emanated from his entire demeanor. She could see why he’d been chosen to work with the animals here. Behind him stood two horses, saddled up and ready to go. One was a gorgeous, leggy palomino and the other was a shorter, stockier paint. Both horses looked like they’d been well-cared for.
He removed his hat as he reached forward to grasp her hand. He had shaggy red hair, freckles, and a happy smile of greeting.
“Drake, this is Lori.”
His hand felt callused but warm as she shook it. “It’s nice to meet you, Lori.” He shot Marcus a look of surprise after he glanced at Marcus’s hand holding proprietarily in the middle of her back. His raised eyebrows stated all kinds of unspoken questions.
Marcus gritted his jaw and grimaced, but he didn’t explain any of the unspoken conversation going on between the two of them. What was that all about?
Lori felt the need to cover for the awkwardness between them, so she redirected their attention to the farm complex. “It’s nice to meet you, too. I had no idea the village had anything like this. It’s really impressive. Do you just work with the animals, or do you work the fields, too?”
Drake shrugged. “Nope, I’m just the animal guy.”
“He’s being modest,” Marcus said. “He’s more than just the animal guy. He’s one of us with a special ability. His applies to animals…he can communicate with them.”
“Really?”
Drake nodded.
“That’s amazing.” She considered the possibilities that ability could hold. “Can you communicate with the Predators, too?”
Drake frowned in concern. “I’ve never been able to before, but now…” He shook his head for a moment. “No, I still can’t, but something…” His brow furrowed. “Something’s different with them. I don’t know.”
Marcus interjected, “So, you sense a change in them?”
Drake nodded. “Yeah, something has definitely changed there. Before, they’ve always been like a wall. I’ve never been able to get anything from them, but in the night I feel confusion and I think it’s coming from them. It’s the strangest thing.” He shook his head. “I just don’t know what to make of it.”
Marcus and Lori shared a concerned look. “Be sure you keep Bethany apprised of any changes with them,” Marcus said. “There may be more to it than you think.”
Marcus examined the lightening sky. “We need to get going, though, if we are going to make it to Cottonwood by nightfall.”
Drake nodded and drew the paint horse over to Lori. “This is Isabelle. She’s a sweet lady and has a great disposition. She’ll take good care of you. She’s strong and sturdy and remains calm under the worst circumstances. Trust her to carry you safely if you run into any trouble.”
“Thanks, Drake.” Lori reached over to rub the horse’s muzzle. “Hello, Isabelle. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden, so try to be patient with me.” She put her foot into the stirrup and swung onto her back.
She watched Marcus attach his pack onto the saddle and swing onto the palomino’s back. “What’s his name?
”
“This is Jasper.” He patted the horse on the side of its neck. “He’s been my ride for a long time.”
“Do they ever react to your wings?”
Marcus laughed. “No. Quite honestly, Isabelle will probably have more of an issue with you since you don’t have them. They’ve always known us with wings so it’s not unusual for them.”
“I guess that’s true. I’m still not used to them. I forget you’ve had them your entire adult life.”
They urged their horses out of the barn and toward the wall. Lori twisted around in her saddle looking for their exit. “Okay I give. How do we get out of here?”
Marcus gestured to where a young man with red hair and a slightly darker shade of green wings than Drake’s worked a wheel. He’d been watching them warily, but his focus appeared to be mainly on Marcus.
“Hello, Shane,” Marcus said quietly, but the man quickly nodded and turned his back to them.
Shane had to be related to Drake somehow, but he had to have been really young when the Veil fell. He cranked a wheel and a door opened into the courtyard outside of the walls. She never would have guessed its location if she hadn’t seen it open herself.
They rode through and she turned to watch as the doors closed behind them. Once closed, again they disappeared into the wall. “That’s really amazing.”
Marcus grinned at her, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. She didn’t understand all the unspoken emotions between him and the men at the farm.
“So the man working the gate, is he related to Drake?”
“Yes, that’s Shane.” Another one of those looks of raw pain crossed his expression. “He’s actually the youngest member of our village. He was only two years old when the Veil fell. I don’t remember how many kids there were originally, but Drake, Shane, and their sister were the only ones who survived out of a large family. Their sister basically raised Shane, although, I guess it’s more accurate to say the entire village did that. He was such a cute little thing and the first one to get his wings.” His affection for the boy echoed through his voice. “Toddlers are unstable enough on their feet. You add in wings and they tumble and bumble all over the place.” A flash of longing crossed his face as he grinned a little sadly at the memory of it. He would have made a great father.