The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

“Well? What did he say?”

  Bridget slid onto the bench with the other Sisters. “Yes, of course.”

  Silence fell over the table of nine.

  Leslie was the first one to break it. “You know the history now. We’ve told you how it is.”

  Bridget didn’t answer and the other women exchanged worried gazes.

  “What’s going on?” Tracy demanded, wanting this morning meeting they did over with. She needed a shower…

  “I have a date with Neil,” Bridget stated.

  “It’s only relief,” Leslie reminded her. “They love Samantha.”

  “Who loves Sam?”

  All nine women glanced up to find Jeremy standing by the table. Another tense silence fell.

  Jeremy knew what they’d been discussing–it was the same concern he had–but there were other things to be handled at this table.

  “Angela wants the Sisters to help tomorrow. You ladies up for it?”

  Excited cheers rang through the mess and Jeremy spent a few minutes outlining their duties. Nothing too hard, it would be a big help because it would free up the experienced Eagles for other work.

  “Have a seat,” Leslie invited, shoving down, and the women eagerly made room.

  Jeremy took the edge, giving them a friendly look. “Anyone free later?” he asked.

  “I think most of us are, but we won’t cross Sam,” Leslie stated lowly. “Bridget’s the only one crazy enough to do that.”

  Jeremy considered his answer, then gave it to them the way he saw it.

  “It’s not her choice to make. Neil’s a grown man. So am I.”

  8

  “That’s trouble starting,” Doug stated under his breath.

  Peggy studied the Sister table for a long minute before answering.

  “Maybe, maybe not. Competition can be healthy. It clears the mind.”

  Doug grunted. “It also causes disorder.”

  Peggy couldn’t argue so she changed the subject. “How’s she doing? Really?”

  Doug was glad he had positive news. “Better. She and Neil are talking again, and I’ve heard her laugh a few times. Better.”

  Peggy was relieved. After the abortion of Rick’s assault, Becky hadn’t wanted her mom around much–only Seth–and Peggy had agreed to keep her calm.

  “What about her training?”

  Doug was saved an answer by a cleared group of QZ people loudly entering the mess. They were chattering excitedly about something and Doug understood when he saw the wolf.

  Dog’s welcome was a bit worrisome for the Eagles. The camp rushed to greet him and no one was sure what to do if the wolf got tense and bit someone.

  Dog, prepared for it, held still and allowed himself to be touched. His mind spewed out profanities to vent the steam and keep control, but his golden orbs were lit brighter than usual. He’d found a pack among the humans. How odd.

  “That could be the trouble you’re expecting,” Peggy stated, directing Doug’s attention to the Sisters. In the rush to greet the wolf, the females were being overlooked by the camp and someone was taking advantage of it. Jennifer now stood at the end of their table.

  Tracy stared with a stoic facade, but inside, she was scrambling for a way to stop the scene she saw coming in the girl’s body language.

  “Tell him no.”

  Tracy started to play dumb, and Jennifer’s eyes lit up a brilliant red, stunning all of them with the open magic. It was menacing.

  “You get one chance, whore, and then I’ll drag us all down.”

  Tracy gave a quick nod, aware that the camp was starting to notice that Jennifer had returned. She’d also been missed.

  Jennifer pulled in the rage, but glanced around the shocked table in a furious warning. “Pass the word. Start saying no to some of them. If you don’t, whores will lose their rights in Safe Haven.”

  “How…how do we know which ones?” Leslie asked nervously. She was the closest to the angry girl and had no idea how to defend herself against one of them.

  Jennifer hissed like a cat, almost spitting, “Use your brain! If they’re cheating, say no! Start there and work your way up to real morals.”

  Jennifer plastered on a sickly sweet smile as she started to turn to face the crowd. “If you don’t believe me about the changes that are coming, ask your new boss. She doesn’t have time to waste settling these petty games. She’ll remove you instead. It’s a lot less work.”

  Jennifer let the people swallow her, smother her with their welcome. She hadn’t been in danger of dying, but her babies had, and it was almost life changing to discover that these people had been worried with her. She had a home now, minus a few here that she loathed, and it was one she had every intention of defending.

  She’d heard Kyle and John talking enough to know they were both making preparations for when she lost her twins. They had little faith, but Jennifer had Angela and Adrian to help, and she believed in them. She also knew she had to help defend this camp against what was coming. Every one of the life forces hugging hers was important to her, special. She couldn’t let them die. When the government came and the others like her ran, she would stay and help fight. When the threat was gone, then she would leave.

  9

  “See,” Leslie pointed out through gritted teeth. “You can’t play with their men. You’ll make bad shit happen.”

  Tracy didn’t say anything, just sat there and took the scolding. She’d only offered Kyle relief once that he’d taken and she’d only wanted to help after he beat Tucker and Anderson. Now, Kyle would be left to suffer until Jennifer was ready to handle him. Tracy wasn’t going to challenge Jennifer for a man that she didn’t even want.

  Bridget was staring at Jennifer in a thoughtful way that made the others wary. When she stood up and left without adding anything else, Leslie slammed her cup down. “I’ll talk to someone about it.”

  “No, you won’t,” Kyle ordered, sliding into the spot left by Jeremy, who was still with Dog. “You’ll stay out of it. She’s been warned.”

  Leslie clearly didn’t understand and Kyle took a minute to explain, hoping Jennifer didn’t notice him yet.

  “This is how we handle rebellion in the Eagles. Our superiors don’t have time to sort it out and they wouldn’t anyway. She’s been warned. If she gets hurt, that’s the punishment and a lesson to others to not ignore the rules.”

  “But it isn’t a rule,” Millie protested, finally feeling good enough about herself to speak to their top fighter. The medical work was something she’d always wanted to do, but hadn’t been able to afford in the old world. As a whore, she hadn’t thought she would be accepted as a medic and hadn’t offered.

  Kyle was careful with his words. “When the chain of command gives you a warning like that, it either is a rule or will be. They know the changes that are coming long before we do.”

  “You’re higher than she is. Is it true?”

  Kyle glanced at Tracy. “It will be if she asks for it. They need her to help, after the delivery.”

  Tracy stared back, not sorry for the moment with Kyle, but not turned on by it anymore either. “Maybe that would be best. We cause a lot of trouble.”

  The other Sisters made faces, but Kyle understood. Tracy had a lot riding on acceptance now and was having self-doubts.

  “Not just anyone can do it, but every hard-ass at this table can.” He stood up. “I should know. I recommended each of you.”

  Kyle reached Jennifer as she started to turn around and he led her from the crowd with a gentle touch. To the camp, it appeared that things were fine between them, but Kyle knew better by the stiff muscles under his hands and the cold wall that stayed between them even when they touched. She was willing to fight for him, for his protection, but her heart was locked up again and Kyle wanted desperately to know what plans she’d made while refusing his company.

  “I haven’t made up my mind,” Jennifer lied, reading him constantly now.

  “Because they need a dad,” Ky
le guessed.

  Jennifer didn’t respond, though she wanted to scream the truth.

  Kyle let her pull out of his hold when they were out of view of the crowd. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  Jennifer ignored him.

  Kyle sighed, thinking for all this guilt, that quick, incredibly tight fuck hadn’t been worth it.

  Jennifer gasped, rage flaring, and Kyle held still while she struck him repeatedly.

  As he took the gentle beating, Kyle had time to wonder how she was able to do it at all. After bleeding so much, shouldn’t she still be in the medical tent?

  Kyle didn’t ask. She obviously needed a release and that was also part of his job.

  10

  Charlie carried the trays carefully through the drizzle, eager to be finished with this last stop. Tracy would be hitting the showers soon.

  He entered the medical tent to find Adrian and Conner playing chess on a travel size board set up on the table between their beds. Neither of them was touching the pieces.

  “Too cool.” Charlie groaned as Conner’s knight put Adrian in Check.

  Adrian’s Queen slid across the board to capture a key Rook and end the game. “Checkmate.”

  Adrian carefully began pushing himself up as Conner moved the game and got them set to eat. During the last two days, he and Adrian had developed a mental groove, but they weren’t talking much.

  Charlie helped them get set and took the chair by Adrian’s side, thinking he would have questions or want updates. Instead, the tent flap opened and distracted them all.

  “It’s Dog.”

  “Dog!”

  Charlie rushed to the wolf that Conner was cringing from.

  “It’s okay. This is Dog,” Charlie said, motioning for Conner to come closer.

  Adrian observed silently as Conner found his courage. The longer Charlie spent fawning over the wolf, the closer Conner got to them.

  Charlie stood up, including Conner. “He’s like us.”

  Us, Dog snorted. Another one. Great.

  All three males snickered and the small tension in the tent broke. A mental conversation quickly started between the four of them.

  John came in a bit later to find them that way. It was a bit unnerving to hear only silence and then sudden bursts of laughter, but John didn’t spend time on it. They were about to start packing for the move and he had patients to secure. Then, he and Anne had their personal belongings to take care of. After that, he might crawl into his bunk and die. The pain was stronger, and John mourned the few weeks of life he’d gotten back and lost again so soon.

  “He needs help,” Adrian stated. All of them had picked up John’s unblocked thoughts.

  Charlie made a motion.

  Adrian denied it. “Too soon and Jennifer can’t risk it.”

  “There are no other healers here?” Conner asked.

  “No,” Adrian answered dryly as the flap opened again. “We have two, and they’re both out of order.”

  The boys turned at the quick steps behind them.

  Dog lifted his head from Adrian’s empty boots under the bed.

  Tonya paused at the stares, uneasy, and forced herself to go to John. She held out a small package. “I was told to give this to you for research and development.”

  John peered inside the package, but knew what it was as the smell hit him. “Thank you.”

  “I was paid,” Tonya stated to stop that feeling of being a part of these people. “You’ll get another bag in a couple weeks. Let me know from there.”

  John slid it into his pocket and turned to a shelf hanging from the wall. “Take this, for your store.”

  Tonya quickly pocketed the stomach calmative, smiling. That, she needed. “Great.”

  She went to the flap, feeling Adrian searching her. She tossed a small joint onto his bed. “For after the kiddies leave.”

  Adrian smiled at her and Tonya stumbled at his happiness. Still obsessed or not, he was about everything a woman could want.

  “She’s nuts,” Tonya muttered as she ducked out into the rain to spot Marc and Angie coming toward the tent. “And fighting a losing battle. When Adrian wants something, he gets it. She, of all people, should know that.”

  11

  “Who was that?” Conner asked, still staring at the flap.

  “Kenn’s woman, Tonya,” Charlie filled in, getting up. This was the only thing worth missing time with Tracy. Time with others like himself. He had so many questions!

  Conner gave a man’s chuckle. “No wonder he’s so happy. Hot woman, baby on the way, place at your side. He’s got what all of them want.”

  Charlie and Adrian turned gaping stares at Conner.

  “What did you say?”

  Conner tried to take it back. “I could be wrong. Yeah, I’m probably wrong.”

  Adrian stared at his son in wonder at the guilty, proud flashes he was getting. “You’re a healer. That’s how John’s patients are getting out of here so quickly.”

  Conner’s face darkened. “It’s why Garret kept me alive at first. One of the snake women poisoned him.”

  Conner gazed at Charlie in resignation. He couldn’t hate someone who was so much like himself. “I thought you would be, since Adrian’s your dad, too.”

  Charlie chuckled as the flap opened again. “My dad just came in, with my mom.”

  Conner turned to glare in confusion. “Brady’s your dad? She’s with Brady?”

  Adrian grimaced.

  Charlie caught it and nodded coldly. “Yes. And he’s perfect.”

  “Makes sense, I guess. Both of your parents would have to be special to produce you,” Conner guessed. “I’ve never known a male who could do as much.”

  “What did you say?” Charlie echoed his own question. “Marc isn’t…”

  Dog padded by, hand-worn bandage falling off to reveal no injury.

  Charlie glanced at Marc and everyone felt time slow.

  Dog was healed. No one else had been here that could do it... Charlie saw the truth at that moment.

  “Wait,” Adrian grabbed his attention as best he could. “He hasn’t told her. Don’t do it.”

  Charlie jerked out of Adrian’s weak grip, set to start shouting, to release the pain.

  “She doesn’t need to be hurt again, son,” Adrian tried again. “Take it out on him, not her.”

  Charlie wanted to scream, but was stopped by coming adulthood. He’d been so sure his mom was injured again when the mission team had returned. He’d been ready to insist that she quit the Eagles or he would leave, but looking at her happy smile as Marc pressed a kiss to her temple, Charlie was frozen in indecision.

  “He has the late shift over the big mess,” Conner threw in. He’d heard Kenn and Adrian going over the schedules. “You can get him alone.”

  Charlie gave a curt nod and turned his back to the couple slowly approaching. “You’ll have to help me.”

  Adrian grunted. “Go talk to John. Slip out while she’s checking me over.”

  Charlie immediately went to John.

  Marc knew even without Adrian’s silent warning, and kept Angela distracted so that the furious boy could slip out.

  How will you handle it? the demon asked.

  As best I can.

  Some advice? the demon offered carefully. He knew the line they were on this time.

  Might as well, Marc answered. I’m damned either way now.

  Make a deal. Give him something that he can’t refuse. Work on earning his trust after.

  The demon sent a single image.

  Marc suspected it would work, but wasn’t sure he could buy his son’s silence. If he kept sinking into the wrong choices, it would eventually drown him.

  “We’re going to the camp mess for dinner. We’d like you to come along,” Angela stated, looking at Conner. “It’s time to meet them.”

  Adrian didn’t protest and Conner stood up slowly. “What should I say?”

  “Your name, rank, and serial number,” Marc jo
ked, noting how nervous the teenager was.

  Conner grinned. “The truth?”

  “Yes, except for the magic. Our camp hasn’t accepted that yet.”

  Conner took Marc’s words to heart and settled in for an hour of pretending to be something that he wasn’t.

  Adrian and Marc exchanged a glare that Angela read easily enough.

  I’ve protected your son.

  I’ll do the same for yours.

  Angela interrupted the growing testosterone. “Charlie will come with us.”

  All three males went still and quiet.

  Angela turned to look for her son and found only John. “Okay, well, Matt can. Get him, will you, Brady?”

  None of them questioned her choice, too glad to have dodged the first bullet in this newest emotional gunfight.

  “All set for tomorrow?”

  Angela shrugged, not struggling to act like she hadn’t gotten any of it. What was hard was knowing that Adrian was in on it with her, not Marc. “As far as I can tell. I sent out the clearing crew. They’ll work through the night and return when the next shift goes out.”

  “Theo does a fine job as crew leader.”

  “I noticed that,” Angela agreed, picking up the hint in his voice. “He and a couple of the others are doing some FND.”

  Adrian didn’t ask for details, though he wanted to. It was her ship now. He’d only thrown the hint as proof to himself that she had it covered. Theo and his small group had been on Adrian’s list for a while, but only mentally. It was gratifying to know she’d gotten them on her own.

  “We’ll check on you later.”

  They exited the tent together, leaving Adrian and John to stare after them with a variety of concerns.

  Matt and Marc joined them as they reached the mess and got into line for a tray. They were stared at, but not questioned as they got their food and set their trays on the center table. Angela had already taught them to wait, to respect her boundaries.

  Angela looked around. “This is Conner Mitchel. He’s the only survivor we were able to bring out of Little Rock. The Major killed everyone else.”

  The camp erupted into a loud blur of comments and questions that Angela withstood by Marc’s side. As they quieted, she began to give them half-truths and outright lies.