The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  “Come on, Kendle!” Angela whispered furiously. “Be what I was promised. Rejoin the living.”

  3

  “I was the one who snapped and started hurting people. It was my messes they had to clean up.”

  Kevin spun around, startled to hear a female voice from the tiny cave they were crammed into.

  Kendle stood in the dusty entrance, shoulders slumped “Luke was teaching me to control it when the others began to flip out. We…killed them. And for a little while, it was us again,” she said wistfully.

  “And then?” Kevin prompted, motioning his team to clear her a place to sit that was near the dripping water. He was hoping she would use it to scrub off some of the blood and gore that coated her.

  “He got sicker, even when I healed him every day. I couldn’t keep up and he was dying, and I was drained…” Kendle’s voice broke. “I took him. He was begging me not to by the end, but I couldn’t stop.”

  Kevin was horrified, but still able to find sympathy for her. Others probably wouldn’t, but he now understood why Angela had put Kendle with him. He’d lost Cynthia, a possible girlfriend that he hadn’t even claimed fully, and he’d almost chosen to act like a child over it. Kendle had lost her life mate through her own inability to control herself, and she’d still summoned the courage to pick being alive and doing her given duty. It was humbling.

  Kevin was able to put his arm around her to offer comfort when she started sobbing.

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” he whispered and she dissolved in his arms, crying like a baby.

  Kevin’s team wasn’t as forgiving. Kendle was clearly a dangerous woman with issues that needed to be sorted out or handled by a bullet, was the consensus.

  Kevin also felt that way, but he vowed right there that he would spend time helping Kendle adjust to living with herself after committing such heinous crimes. Safe Haven was supposed to be a place for second chances and none of it was Kendle’s fault. She hadn’t chosen to be infected, abducted, or any of the other terrible things he’d heard through the vine. He would remind people of that.

  Kendle didn’t miss it, but she was too upset to respond. She didn’t try to stifle the flow. She’d already held it back too long. Luke’s death had broken her, killed something deep inside that she didn’t think could be replaced. She would fight for each day from here. She’d made her choice and would now begin the climb, but inside, she’d died with Luke. Nothing would ever change that.

  Boot steps echoed and Kevin blanched. “Get down!”

  Kendle darted out of the cave and above it, sliding into a narrow space between boulders as the team of soldiers came up the hill.

  “In there! We’ll wait it out!”

  The soldiers rushed toward the hole where Kevin’s team was huddled.

  Kendle found herself standing up to draw their attention. Kevin’s team was out of ammo.

  “Hey! Get her!”

  Kendle took off up the mountain, hoping she could avoid the chain when it returned to this side of the cliffs.

  The soldiers took off after her, forgetting for a moment that they’d been searching for a place to wait out the destruction, and the castaway found herself running for her life. These men were angry and she’d given them a target.

  “Did she just do that?” Kevin asked, shocked. He’d expected her to flee while the soldiers killed them. They’d been out of ammunition since shortly after leaving her behind. They’d run into a large squad of soldiers and barely escaped. A lucky explosion was all that had saved them.

  “How did she know?” one of his team asked.

  The cave shook again as another explosive went off nearby. The men hoped Kendle had found another place to take cover as the mountain continued to explode.

  Kendle had found a place to hide, though she was already holding her breath to keep her stomach under control as she crawled under the stack of bodies that had been caught by the stream. They’d begun to stack up near a ledge and Kendle huddled under the corpses, trying not to stare at the dead eyes and gory bodies.

  “Where did she go?”

  “This way! I found a print!”

  “That could be from anyone!”

  “It’s the one we’ve been tracking all morning. I’m following it.”

  The soldiers left together, slowing as the explosions got further away. They continued up the hill toward their goal, sharing stories of near death.

  Kendle waited a few minutes to be sure they were gone and then circled back to where she’d left Kevin. She ducked into the cave to find it empty and spun back around to find the Eagles behind her with knives, nets, and serious intent.

  Kendle chuckled, nodding. “Yeah, you guys will do. Come on. We might make it to Her Highness before the chain comes around again.”

  Map in hand, Kevin took the lead from her.

  Kendle brought up the rear, aware of the feeling that was settling over her. She hated it. She didn’t want to bond with these people. She wanted Luke!

  4

  Cameron Storm held up a hand, making sure his braves waited until the right moment. Their arrows would only travel so far through this wind.

  Below them, the explosions were getting close enough to feel the rumbles of the angry mountain, to see the dirt and debris flying into the sky. And to hear men screaming, of course. Despite the fact that the noise was from their enemy, Cameron didn’t enjoy it. His own turn would come.

  “Hold!” Linny shouted, on the front lines with her young son at her side.

  A few of the Indian children were also here, along with the warriors and a couple of the women, all set to die to keep the soldiers from reaching Safe Haven. It was an honor that not everyone had been chosen for. Cameron hadn’t liked leaving half of his tribe in the white man’s camp, but the Ghost had insisted it was the safest place for them. Cameron assumed it was meant to make his braves fight harder, but it wasn’t needed. If the new government were willing to wipe out a huge camp of white survivors, a few small groups of Indians would mean nothing to them. If they didn’t stand together now, it would all fall later.

  “Now!”

  Linny’s shout triggered the fight as the fleeing soldiers rushed over the rise, most of them looking at the threat coming from behind.

  Arrows sailed through the air between giant fireballs that slammed into the panicking soldiers to blow them off the cliff. Angela didn’t want a single soldier to reach the plateau she was on and this third and fourth ring of her plan was pure death.

  “Fire!” Linny screamed, blasting three soldiers on the ground. They’d cowered, begging for their lives. It gave her a sadistic pleasure to deny them, as her son’s pleas had gone without mercy.

  Arrows sailed a third time at Cameron’s motion, the leader’s lips were drawn back in a savage frown of anger. He felt the power of his ancestors, the strength of being a man, and yet, he felt powerless standing next to Linny and her magic.

  Linny, sensing the other men with them were starting to feel the same, slid to her knees as if empty. It gave the braves a renewed sense of purpose. They began firing sharply, hitting their targets the first time.

  Linny stayed on the ground, seeing that her young son’s magic didn’t have the same effect on the braves. They weren’t threatened by Ty. Is it because I’m female or because I’m older and stronger? She wondered.

  She wasn’t prepared to hear an answer.

  Both, Cameron sent, still acknowledging his new gifts and his weaknesses. It is our breeding, our heritage.

  A soldier lunged at Cameron and Linny quickly lunged, slitting the man’s spinal cord through the back of his neck.

  As the body fell to the ground, Linny raised a hand. Well?

  Pride, Cameron answered, seeing the remaining soldiers had chosen to flee down into the chain of destruction that was slowly winding upward. It would reach this area shortly, but only with nets, not mines. The Ghost had known some of his own would be on these plains and ridges to keep any surviving soldiers from re
aching his base. If you’re stronger than we are, you don’t need us.

  We don’t, Linny stated harshly. She rose in a fluid motion, set to throw another fireball to chase away the remaining soldiers. Her boots sank in the mud…she fell forward, smothering the flames and drenching herself from head to toe in goop.

  Cameron and his braves burst out laughing, male egos definitely in the good.

  Linny spit out nasty mud as she pushed herself up, ignoring the snickers to concentrate on the lesson she’d just learned. She might not need a man, but she wanted one. Cameron’s hearty chuckle was sending chills through her soaked body.

  Next to her, Ty glowered at Cameron, little face squished into concentration.

  Cameron let the boy into his thoughts, but was unprepared for what the child wanted to know.

  Tyson pulled the images as if he were flipping through a magazine, stopping on one of Cameron’s most ruthless moments against his enemy. You’ll teach me?

  Cameron was shocked. Why? That man raped my daughter and caused my family disgrace. Who do you hate that much?

  Tyson put an image into his head that reached Cameron’s stoic heart.

  The image was of Linny being hurt. It was ugly, making the Indian chief hate the soldiers even more.

  I will kill anyone who hurts my mom, Tyson growled, the warning ringing in Cameron’s head.

  You’ll obey my teachings, my ways? Cameron asked firmly. He wasn’t afraid of magic. He respected it.

  You’ll never hurt her, even when she’s mean to you?”

  Cameron frowned. Mean to me?

  Ty shrugged. I’ve heard the soldiers say women are mean to men and they have to be controlled.

  Cameron’s anger rose. He knelt down in front of the soaked boy, aware of the others staring in surprise.

  “Women are to be protected, loved, and allowed to grow in any way they chose to. It is what gives a society peace. I will teach you. You will be my second son, but just as loved as the first and any who come after.”

  Tyson held out a hand to shake on it and Cameron followed his instincts of treating the boy the way he wanted. He grabbed the child for a hug. In time, he would blend their traditions. The child would be happy among them.

  Ty responded right away, even lingering and Cameron looked up, expecting to have to convince the boy’s mother.

  He found Linny waiting submissively at the edge of the flat area.

  “We should go soon,” she said softly.

  Cameron, now grinning from ear to ear, put an arm around the happy boy and led his new family up the cliff.

  5

  “How many?”

  Donner didn’t sound worried and Trey made sure to match the casualness. “Three hundred, at best. We can’t get into the air until the storm stops.”

  “Would you like the rain to quit?” Samantha offered from her seat in the corner. Right after the last explosion–the one that had rattled the ground and sent fear into Donner’s heart–he’d had her brought here where he could keep an eye on his prize.

  Donner shook his head. “Save your strength, Ms. Moore.”

  Samantha didn’t respond to the slight threat in his tone. According to her guards, he was set to trade her for Adrian, but if Donner were pushed too hard, he would snap early.

  Donner gazed at her with thoughtful orbs glowing brightly. “Are you still hiding something from me, Samantha?”

  Heart picking up a beat, she answered, “I can’t block like my boss can. You’ve seen what’s there.”

  Donner still stared, searching through her doors again to be sure. It was almost over now. He couldn’t afford to be careless.

  Samantha didn’t try to hide or think of something to block him. Donner was an alpha and while she didn’t know much about that mysterious word, she knew she couldn’t stop him.

  Donner finally let go of her, turning to the impatiently waiting man in front of him. “Go on.”

  “We estimate that half made it to the top, but they’ll have no vehicles and very little gear.”

  “Where does your information come from?”

  “We’ve had a few survivors come in. They’ve described it as hell and refused to go back up.”

  Donner rolled his eyes. “All of her traps are gone now. When the dust settles, we’ll have more men.”

  Trey didn’t argue or tell Donner about the mini-riot he’d quelled this morning among the lower ranks to save Donner’s den from his own guards.

  “I’m aware of the discontent,” Donner stated icily. “What else?”

  “We have weak lines, but some calls are still getting through. When our scouts get to the top, they’ll call.”

  “How long?”

  “A few hours,” the man answered nervously.

  “We’ll be contacted before that,” Donner predicted, almost sure now that Samantha was indeed hiding something from him. But what? And how?

  “Will she surrender?”

  Donner shrugged. “I’m prepared, if not. Get the chopper set to take us in. We’ll be collecting three.”

  Trey left to carry out the orders and Donner turned to Samantha. “Let’s have that chat now, Ms. Moore.”

  Samantha’s stomach tightened nauseatingly and she didn’t fight it, needing the distraction.

  Donner flinched back from the pool of vomit, scowling in disgust. “Keep your fluids to yourself!”

  Samantha retched again, thinking the MREs they’d been serving her weren’t mixing well after Safe Haven’s fresh food.

  Donner waved a man to take her to her rooms until they were ready to go, forgetting about that nagging voice saying that the blonde woman and her twins were the key to a mystery that he needed to solve.

  Samantha was still gagging as she was dragged from the room.

  Donner stepped outside while his lackeys cleaned up the mess. He would have to take steps to cover this area. He hadn’t yet, hadn’t considered the waste products. Donner’s mind went back to planning how he would hold Angela captive until her child was born. After that, he would head for a different location that was already being stocked with the proper staff. He would add a waste management professional to that crew. He didn’t mind blood, snot or sweat, but puke screwed his guts every time.

  6

  “You have brought down part of the mountain!” Red Stone exclaimed as the clouds of thick smoke covered their view of the cliffs.

  Marc didn’t have time to give credit where it was due. Soldiers had come pouring through the tunnels behind them as they fled into the final den. They were now locked in hand-to-hand combat while their people huddled, terrified, inside Oglethorpe Base. But they weren’t helpless by any means. Inside the den, were three more layers of hell waiting for any soldiers who made it through. When Angela had decreed that every portion of their population participate, she hadn’t been exaggerating. Only the infants and toddlers had been spared a role in this war.

  Red Stone fired his last arrow, hitting a soldier climbing over the fence before turning to Marc in exasperation. “Why did you do that?”

  Marc grunted, throwing his weight into a nasty hit that knocked his opponent out and allowed him to drag his knife across the man’s filthy throat.

  “Ask the boss when we see her.”

  Red Stone stared stupidly. “A woman did that?”

  Marc’s grin slipped out, showing his pride at her ruthless intelligence.

  Red Stone shook his head and went back to watching his section of the high fence around the base. Marc had the men in a thick line all the way around the main building, using arrows, guns, carefully aimed grenades and rifle shots. The noise was constant, echoing into the awful headache Marc had found himself with upon waking.

  The next wave of soldiers came over the front fence together, two dozen at the same time.

  Marc rushed forward to use the barrels he’d found as steps up to knock these desperate men down. The strategy that was only going to work for a while longer and then he would have to fall into the ac
tual compound until Angela’s reinforcements arrive. She’d promised him more help than he would know what to do with.

  As he knocked another surprised man back over the fence and felt his finger break, he hoped she would send it soon. He was getting tired.

  Marc moved around the wall of his fighters, helping to dislodge stubborn soldier fingers clamped to the fence in a desperate attempt at survival. Angela’s plan had covered the areas around this base as well, leaving only one safe path to travel. Outside these fences, traps were springing, shrapnel was flying, and souls were leaving their bodies. It was exactly what he’d helped Angela with, these small details, and it was sickening to watch even as he celebrated the victory. He hadn’t forgotten that it was his former fellows-in-arms who were screaming.

  “Incoming!”

  “Get down! Down!” Marc sent out mentally as he shouted it, dropping to the mud as the shell exploded against the fence behind him, raining debris. Wood pierced his leg and his arm, but Marc barely noticed, ears ringing too hard to hear anything else.

  He stayed down, scanning the wall where the soldiers were now coming up faster than he was able to handle.

  “Retreat!” Marc was able to send it both ways again, but that command cost him. He crumbled to his knees as the pressure in his head increased.

  Empty! the demon confirmed, both in terror and ecstasy. Let me out!

  Eagles and shadow warriors fled for the single door Marc had left unblocked, grabbing friends and companions as they’d been instructed.

  During this chaos, Quinn had also been roaming the walls, helping to defend.

  He found Marc lying on his side, panting.

  “Help!”

  Marc waved him back. “Not safe. Leave me here.”

  Quinn had heard the tales from Little Rock, and he’d seen some of the things that Marc could do, but leaving the wolfman wasn’t allowed even if he’d wanted to.

  “I’ll cover you until you’re ready to go inside.”

  Marc had to hope that would be enough because the door to the base clanged shut just as the front fence blew apart and dozens of furious soldiers charged into the courtyard.