by Angela White
“I’d like to make an adjustment to that plan,” Marc said from nearby. He looked at her guards. “Give us a minute?”
Angela let Marc lead her to the woods on their right, aware of her team trailing them. They expected her to be distracted.
Angela suddenly realized what Marc was about to do.
“It’s what you need, right?” Marc asked. He’d made his choice, but he had to be sure it was required.
“It’s not required. You’ll cover me.” She stepped into his arms. “No contact unless it’s needed, Marc. Not mental or any other. I’ll honor that.”
“I know you’ll try,” Marc began, holding her back so he could see her face. “I also know you’ll do anything to help these people. I won’t have you lying and hiding things from me anymore, not even for them.”
“So what do you want me to do?” she asked, letting a bit of her own pain bleed through. “I’ve banished him, stripped him of not only his camp, but of every single person who idolized him. Even now, Kenn’s not sure if he’ll help him anymore. I took everything except his life and I’m the one who will still feel that with him!”
She spun around as the tears wanted to fall, finishing his thoughts. “And it’s because you can’t share, yes. I know I can’t have both, yes. I chose you, yes. Don’t make this any harder for me than it already has been.”
Marc was stung, but he could also see it from her point of view. She’d stayed loyal despite amazing odds and she would continue to honor his wishes by not sharing her love with another man. He didn’t think it was too much to ask for, but he was only in love with her. If he had felt this way about Kendle too, he would have found it hard to pick between them.
“Thank you for being able to understand that without hating me,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean for any of it to happen.”
“But his love is the reason all of this happened,” Marc pulled from her mind. “That’s why you care so deeply for him. He gave up everything he needed and wanted, to provide these people with a future.”
“Yes. And now he’s hated. It breaks me to see him so disrespected.”
“He’s bad, Angie. When are you going to see that?”
“He matches that side of me, Marc. When are you going to understand that? He fills things in me that you never will because you’re decent and still a boy scout. He’s an oozing stack of slime and I need him, or I’m so alone that you can’t imagine.”
Angela walked away and Marc studied those words, trying hard to understand. It wasn’t easy for him because he still saw her as one of the good guys, even after she’d taken so many lives and begun to change the order of the world. She was still his Angie.
She’ll always need you for that, the witch spoke up when Angela didn’t. She needs him for the other side. There are places you can’t go without being corrupted and she will not let that happen. Instead, she intends to bottle it up and hope no one shakes her enough to blow the top off.
Marc had already made his choice and he sent it with the command of an alpha, even though he knew she was strong enough to laugh it off.
Don’t ask, don’t tell.
Angela stopped and turned around. She looked at him for a long time.
Marc was almost sure she would refuse his concession. He was hoping for it.
“I stand by my word. Keep him away from me.”
Marc let out the breath he’d been holding. “Thank you.”
Angela turned away without answering. Sacrificing her needs for others was in the job description. She’d been doing it her entire life and she saw no reason to change it now, especially not when she had already seen the future. The next few years would be hard even without Uncle Sam breathing down their necks and she needed Marc’s love to see her through it. If fate was kind and the last of her vision could be changed, she would never have to call on this moment and use the free pass he was currently assuring her she had whether she wanted it or not.
Marc wasn’t taking any chances either on driving her into Adrian’s arms, but he didn’t understand how determined she was to stick to the deal she’d made. The scientists hadn’t been able to reverse a corrupt descendant and neither had Adrian, that she knew of, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be done. In time, she might even be able to forgive herself for all the awful choices she’d made. When she’d told the jury she hadn’t known until the calls went out, she’d been lying. Her first earth-shattering moment of contact with Adrian had taken them through a flash of the future that neither of them had fully understood or appreciated then, but it had been clear enough that Adrian wasn’t the good man he’d been pretending to be. And right then, she’d been tempted and bribed with information, power, and eventually, adoration. Adrian had manipulated all of them from moment one and she’d known and approved most of it. He was an evil genius. She’d wanted to learn everything he had to teach.
That hadn’t changed.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Coming Home to Roost
1
“Has anyone seen Dog?”
Marc’s query caused Shawn to sigh. “I have.”
Marc made his way through the crowded mess to the center table. “I haven’t seen him since we left the lodge. He said he’d find his own way back.”
Shawn didn’t like his job right now. “Dog wanted me to tell you he’ll be back before we leave for the island, but he’s got scents to chase.”
“He left?” Marc asked, dumbfounded. “Without saying goodbye?”
Shawn sighed again. “He asked me to give you something.”
Marc leaned down, expecting a whispered message.
Shan grabbed him for a tight bear hug and then quickly shoved him back.
“He said he’d always wanted to do that.”
Shawn quickly left the mess of curiously staring people, knowing the word would spread fast.
Did you know this too? Marc asked silently.
No.
Will he come back?
Angela closed her eyes as her table went quiet, realizing they were missing something. Around them, the mess of people continued to mutter and chat about all that had happened.
Yes.
When?
There is snow on the ground, but the camp women do not look different than now. Not very long.
Marc was relieved and Angela rubbed his arm as he came to sit next to her.
Marc knew she wanted updates and flipped open his book. He’d never expected Dog to stay with him forever. He would just have to be glad that the big animal would return.
“Room for us?”
“Of course,” Angela answered cheerfully.
Everyone at the table knew it was forced and respected her more for it, even the teenager who took a place across from her.
Tracy stayed standing. She was on watch over the mess and her bruised face was a constant reminder of what they’d just gone through.
“I’m sorry.”
Angela shook her head. “Your feelings weren’t wrong, boy, just how you lost control. I don’t hold it against you.” Angela looked at him. “Do you hold it against me?”
“Yes, I do.” Charlie felt the table go cold, but didn’t take it back. “I’ll work through it like everyone else who feels you went too far.”
“All 17% of them,” Angela muttered. She shoved up from the table. “It’s an amazing approval rating for any leader.”
Angela motioned for Tracy to follow and left a frowning, glowering table.
“What?”
“Boy, you need to be turned over my knee!” Marc swore quietly. “I almost had her in a good mood so she’d sleep.”
“I can’t lie to her!” Charlie protested. “I don’t like what she did. And why does 17% make her so mad?”
“She’s not mad, Charlie. She’s hurting. A chunk of her population doesn’t want her as their leader anymore. But she loves every one of them.”
“He’s too young to understand,” Kyle pointed out. He often had the same issue with Jennifer over
the deeper layers of adult emotions. “Just keep him away from her for a while.”
“Agreed,” Marc said. “Until he can show some respect for her position and her pain, it’s contact by my permission only.”
Charlie started to react badly and then caught himself as he realized that was part of what they meant.
“When you can control yourself, that will change,” Marc said, rising. “Until then, how about you spend the evening doing Tracy’s shift? Send her to a hot shower–alone.”
2
Marc caught up to Angela, seeing she’d already sent Tracy toward the campers.
“It’ll help with soreness,” Angela said. “Thank you. She wouldn’t have taken the night off if I’d tried to give it to her.”
“She doesn’t want special treatment,” he observed.
“No. She’s tough.”
Marc saw she wasn’t heading for an obvious part of camp and slid an arm around her shoulders.
Angela burrowed into his welcoming warmth, wishing she could feel the peace that was settling over the rest of them. Even Marc was calming. He’d already shoved the soldier back into his cage.
“I need permission to leave camp.”
Kendle had trailed them from the mess, under the disapproving eyes of the guards.
“You don’t need it,” Angela said. “Come and go as you please.”
“You know where I’m going.”
“Yes. Nothing will change for you here, as long as you walk the line.”
“He told me.”
“Then go. I’ve already informed the gate guards to let you through.”
Kendle left without a single glance at Marc. She wasn’t stupid enough to make eye contact in front of Angela after witnessing the destruction she could hand out when provoked.
Marc suddenly felt like a rookie and turned to her in astonishment. “You knew all along! You planned it this way so he wouldn’t be alone!”
Angela stared for a long moment, considering, and then turned away without a response.
Marc followed her in a daze. Angie had known Kendle was coming. Charlie had warned them. He’d said Adrian would like the island woman.
Angie had planned all of it! To save him.
3
“Do you guys want to talk about it?’
Samantha asked the question reluctantly. It had been perfect for her and she didn’t want to hear that it hadn’t been that way for them. That would mean she couldn’t do it again.
Samantha noticed the silence, and looked back and forth between them. She saw red faces and averted eyes, but no desire to end their new closeness.
“If it gets to where you don’t want to, I need you to tell me,” she said, leading them through the camp that was starting to settle in for the night.
“We, uh…discussed it after you crashed,” Neil began.
Jeremy gave him an encouraging look, but Neil wasn’t sure where to go from there.
Jeremy was forced to pick up the slack. “We kinda figured that this, uh, well it solves the jealousy issues.”
Both men braced for her anger.
“We should celebrate,” Samantha exclaimed. “Let’s go dance.”
“What?” they answered in perfect harmony.
Samantha grinned, curling her arms around theirs as she walked between them. “We won, you know? We deserve to dance. I hear the music starting.”
Neil and Jeremy allowed themselves to be dragged to the small dancing area that had been made with gravel and then roped off with the last of the yellow caution tape they’d had since the beginning of Safe Haven.
Jeremy gently pushed her into Neil’s arms, detouring to the lost-looking woman standing near the musicians.
“Are you okay?”
“Sure. Why?” Cynthia’s voice was too bright.
Jeremy followed the instincts that he’d learned from his time in this camp. “Come on. You need a dance.”
Cynthia went willingly. Daryl was on duty and she was feeling lost.
Jeremy kept a reasonable distance between them, mindful of the surprised glances they were getting.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, pretty lady.”
Cynthia rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop the smile. “I’m okay. It was a long run.”
“Don’t we know it!” Neil agreed. Samantha had immediately inched them closer when Jeremy led the reporter onto the gravel dancefloor.
“We care about you,” Samantha added. It wasn’t all jealousy that had brought her over. “Lean on us when you need friends.”
Cynthia rested her head against Jeremy’s shoulder where he could feel her struggling not to cry.
Unsure of what she needed, Jeremy was relieved when Sam took Cynthia’s arm and led her to a quiet area. The two females perched in the branches of the tree.
The men stayed alert below, scanning the shadows. They hoped Sam could help the reporter, but from what Neil had discovered about her coming child, it didn’t look good. There was only one descendant here who could change the natural order of things and it would take a lot to get Angela to agree. Not to mention the timing. The women were all due in the same two weeks, but there was no way Marc would let Angela try to help until after their own child was born and safe. If Cynthia delivered first, without the magic of Angela’s touch, the future couldn’t be changed. Samantha had given them all the details they’d asked for and then a few they hadn’t wanted to hear.
It will curse Angela again. She’s trying to fall back into being good now, but if she has to do this, it will prove she can’t come back. When she knows she’s damned, with no hope of atonement, she’ll cross every line she’s ever dreamed about, including Adrian’s.
It seemed like Cynthia’s child was doomed and none of them wanted to imagine what Angela would do if the child were born without being altered. She wouldn’t allow evil to flourish here, no matter what the age.
4
“He won’t be content with her for long.”
Kenn frowned. He was sitting on their sleeping bag, rubbing her feet.
“You mean Adrian?”
“Yes. Kendle isn’t enough for him.”
Kenn didn’t need to ask what would happen once Adrian sent Kendle down the redline.
“Just my opinion,” Tonya remarked.
“Go ahead,” he invited. It still surprised him that her opinions mattered. There was a sharp mind behind those hungry green eyes. Kenn found himself listening to her–often.
“That one wants to be the boss. She isn’t going to stop there, but Adrian will only be satisfied with it so long as it doesn’t interfere with Angela’s plans. As soon as she crossed that line, or pushes him too hard, he’ll be done.”
“Maybe,” Kenn agreed. He couldn’t really see a way that Adrian would be allowed back into camp. Letting Kendle serve with Angela was as close to it as he would get. Kenn thought Adrian would hang onto that tiny bit of comfort for as long as he could.
Tonya ran a hand up his bare back. “Do you have duty?”
“No. The Ghost does.”
Tonya raked her claws this time, drawing a slight flinch. “Want to pick up where we left off last time?”
Kenn’s face lit up as Tonya pulled the dark wig on over her red tresses. With curls and a satin sheen, it was eerily similar to Angela’s hair.
“I’ve been a bad girl,” she pouted.
Kenn lunged, taking part of the tent stakes up as he landed next to her. “Yes, you have!”
5
Angela opened her lids to find the tent gone and her bedroll on top of the cliff she’d gone to sleep thinking of. She was facing west, able to see across the entire country.
A giant cloud of flames spread across the landscape. Angela glanced down to find a volcano spewing a steady geyser of lava and black clouds. Her magnified view could discern bright orange streaks below the surface.
Another blast of lava shot into the air, making her flinch.
Volcanic ash. It was coming again.
After a minute, Angela felt the witch pull back to wherever she went when Angela didn’t need her. A minute after that, Angela herself was back asleep.
Marc held her closer. How long would she remain with him and the camp before she broke? How long would she feel like she had to be with him to repay the debt she felt she owed? A few more months? Half a year? Not a full one, he was sure. He wouldn’t be able to pretend for another 365 days. Angela had outgrown him. He had nothing left to teach and that spelled doom. She was running rings around him and everyone else except for Adrian. It was only natural that she would want to be with her own kind.
6
Before dawn had broken the ugly sky, Angela was up and dressing. She began to fill Marc in on her dream as she slid into her jeans and boots, and then her shirt. She knew men liked the look of a woman wearing jeans and a bra, and she wanted Marc in a good mood for this. “I have to take a walk. I need you to go with me.”
Marc was busy staring at the skin he could see and nodded absently. “Sure.”
“I don’t want the camp to know.”
Marc’s head snapped up. “To Adrian?”
“He has something I need now. I wanted to just send you, but I have to be sure he isn’t lying.”
“Why can’t you scan him from here?” Marc asked tonelessly.
“The bubble is interfering because of so much hatred for what he’s done. It won’t let his thoughts through to me.”