In Between Seasons (The Fall)

by Giovanni, Cassandra

  I put my chin on my knees, hugging them to me, “You’ve known me a total of three days and you get me more than anyone else ever has…and you kidnapped me.”

  “Maybe it’s the intimacy of the situation wearing on you,” Hunter hinted with an eyebrow raised like he didn’t believe it himself.

  “Just so you know, I don’t really feel like you kidnapped me—it’s more assisted running away by coincidence.”

  “That makes me feel much better about the situation,” he said, poking the fish with a stick, his eyes still locked on mine, “If it makes you feel better I think you know me better than anyone else too.”

  “It’s fate,” I observed with a smile.

  “The more you learn the more you might hate me,” he shrugged.

  I leaned my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me.

  “I don’t think so,” I replied as I closed my eyes. All of the questions about the world I had been thrown into were now forgotten.

  “I hope you’re right,” he whispered.

  “What did you say?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” he replied as he rubbed my bare arm when he felt the hair raise for reasons other than the chill in the air.

  Chapter 7

  Breakfast had been quiet and we began running soon after sunrise. Now dusk was trailing us, chasing us deeper and deeper into the never ending woods. There was a storm setting in, and the air seemed electrified as I ran next to Hunter telling myself to breathe. I was a bit recovered from the day before, but my legs still felt like jelly every time we stopped. I decided it was better to just continue and concentrate on the environment around me and the rhythmic sound of Hunter’s paced breathing. As we ran the sun streamed through the trees behind us causing the dust in the air to shimmer like a thousand weightless diamonds. Hunter slipped his hand into mine and smiled over his shoulder down at me.

  “I love this time of day,” he said, watching the wind whipping my hair around my face.

  I didn’t understand how he could talk and run, but I figured I should try, “The air is electrified.”

  “That’s because your hand is in mine,” Hunter joked.

  I had to stop because there was no way I could breathe, concentrate on not falling and laugh at the same time. My hands were on my knees, “Was that a pick up line? Or are you really that arrogant?”

  “I thought it was a reasonable response,” he said, and when I looked up he was grinning like a school boy who had just lodged gum in his crush’s hair. He handed me a bottle of water from the bag, “Actually, I just like to hear you laugh.”

  “That also sounds like a cheesy pick-up line,” I commented, finally able to stand somewhat straight.

  “But what if it’s the truth?” he said, and his face was serious again.

  “Then I really appreciate it.”

  “Alright, well the night has finally caught our heels. I should make a fire and get us some more water.”

  “Let me help you tonight?” I said, cocking my head with a flutter of my eye lashes.

  “You’re good, you know that?” Hunter remarked with a laugh.

  “I’ve melted you haven’t I?” I asked, biting my lip.

  He was walking away and stopped to look over his shoulder at me, “Ice queen, I think I did the same to you.”

  “I’ll gather tinder, you get food, and water,” I said, and he nodded his head.

  When Hunter returned he threw the fish on the ground next to the wood I had gathered, “Good job with the wood. Sorry for the lack of variety in our food.”

  “It’s fine,” I said, sitting down as he lit the fire. “So tell me more about your family?”

  “You haven’t told me much about yours,” he reminded me.

  “I was taught to accept things as they were and to not wish for anything more. We had the basics, but my parents always had more. They had TVs and books that weren’t school books.”

  “Well, you can soak up a ton of TV if you want when we get to my place, and there’s a library where you can read whatever you want—no one will fight you for that. It seems useless to the people there. Most of the books have probably never even been cracked open,” Hunter explained, putting the fish on the fire and sitting beside me, “So both your parents were there?”

  “Yeah, you?”

  Hunter took a deep breath and shook his head, “My mother was killed in a car accident when I was five. Basically once she was gone there was no one to protect me from my father sculpting me into what he wanted me to be. What to him is the perfect general. He has no clue who I am, or what I really think and believe.”

  “That’s something we have in common—our families have no clue who we are,” I agreed, throwing a stick into the fire, “and they don’t really care to know.”

  “Who was the girl you were with?”

  “My sister, Sara, she was always telling me I was over thinking things. I’ve always wondered if I should have trusted her or any of them, but they were my family, so I guess I did.”

  “Why are you questioning it now?”

  “My father must know about the other tribes…right?” I questioned.

  Hunter’s eyes searched the fire as if he was looking for an answer.

  “Yes, he’s done more than one act of war against my tribe. Your father is the chief; there are generals, hunters and trackers among the ranks as well.”

  “There were only a few people living with us though?”

  “The ones living with you were probably only his head men. There’s one other base that’s within three miles of where you were living. The complex is huge, and that’s where all of the others are. There’s at least a hundred or more. You’re so secluded that your father apparently never thought of defining your borders. At my place there are big walls and people with guns to keep others out. I guess your father thought no one would ever be able to track him back after what he did.”

  “What he did?” I asked.

  “He tried to infiltrate my father’s base. He killed at least three of his main men. That’s why I was sent to get you. Besides the fact that your father spoke of having a secret weapon that he would destroy us with,” he clarified as he looked over at me, “Are you okay?”

  “It was all a lie…my whole life,” I said, shaking my head as if I could dislodge the thought from my mind.

  “The truth is hard to define…but I promise you I’ll only tell you the truth,” Hunter assured me as his eyes darkened.

  “I appreciate that.”

  “Okay,” he said, his eyes pacing back and forth as he stared at me looking for something more than what I had said.

  “You know I’d never lie to you, right?” I replied.

  He nodded his head and pulled the fish off the fire, “You have no clue what a secret weapon could be to your father?”

  “He never talked about anything that I could decipher as being a secret weapon,” I replied as I looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.

  Hunter was quiet for a moment before speaking, “They all think I’m the perfect general—devoid of feelings, but I just learned to hide my feelings from all of them. Even anger is uncalled for. I wonder if my father ever loved my mother, or if he just used her too.”

  “They all failed didn’t they? We’re exactly what they didn’t want…well, at least I am. You may feel things, but you don’t show it very much.”

  “You seem to know what I’m feeling without me saying it,” he said, handing me a piece of fish, “My act doesn’t seem to work on you.”

  “It’s in your eyes,” I answered, cocking my head and taking in that very deep sea foam green feature of his face.

  He fluttered his eye lashes at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  Chapter 8

  “Hey, sleepy head,” I greeted Hunter as he sat up beside me.

  “You like those things don’t you?” Hunter observed, nodding to the pop tart I was warming over the fire.

  I bit off a piece and smiled, “Mhmm…toast
y.”

  “How’s your tongue feeling right now?” Hunter teased as he shook his head at me.

  “Burnt,” I said through the mouthful I was trying to swallow.

  “Is that one for me?”

  “Of course, you cook dinner, I cook breakfast,” I replied, handing it to him.

  “Unwrapping it from the foil must have been a real challenge for you,” he said as his handsome lips curled in a clever smile.

  “I’ll have you know that I actually can cook and quite well.”

  “Like what? Mac n’ cheese from a box?” he said, an eyebrow raised.

  “You’re a jerk…” I said, sighing and looking in the opposite direction. I really wasn’t sure what mac n’ cheese was, but I knew it wasn’t something good.

  “I’m sure you’re a very talented cook. I can’t wait to see what you can do with all the food we have at the base,” he said, touching my shoulder and sending shivers down my spine. I didn’t want to turn and look into his eyes because I felt that if I did I might get lost in them, “You know I was joking right?” he asked, his tone serious.

  Ah, what the hell.

  “Yeah, of course,” I said as I looked over my shoulder at him, “I know you know I can outwit you any day.”

  He stood brushing off his jeans and held out his hand to me, “Now, I’m not so sure about that one.”

  “Thanks,” I said with a huff.

  “But we do make a good team,” he commented, and his eyes showed me that he was sincere, “I just need to teach you a few life and death skills that don’t involve hiding in trees. I have a feeling that trick won’t work for too much longer.”

  “You think someone else is tracking us?” I asked, looking around me and hugging my arms to my body.

  “I just think someone might be looking for you, whether or not you think they would,” he replied, watching my reaction carefully.

  “I’m not going back either way.”

  He threw dirt over the fire and held his hand out to me, “Good. There’s a safe house about five miles from here. We won’t have to travel too much today and tonight we can sleep in real beds.”

  I had gotten use to his body next to mine while I slept, and I favored sleeping with him on the hard ground over a soft bed alone. I was strangely comfortable about the fact that he was beginning to alter my perception of the world and although most of it was bad there was one good thing that made it worth it—that it was the truth and that he was there no matter what.

  Chapter 9

  “This is it,” Hunter’s running slowed to a jog, and we entered a clearing.

  I slowed as I saw the log constructed building, “Blends in doesn’t it?” I noted.

  “If you’re in a rush you would never know it was here. That’s the point of course,” Hunter responded, slowing to a walk.

  “Is this a safe house for just your tribe?” I wondered, looking over my shoulder. I had started to do this ever since we had run into the hunters.

  “It’s supposed to be,” Hunter said releasing my hand from his own, “but I’m not sure if it really is.”

  “Do people live here?” I replied as I watched smoke curl up out of the chimney and blend into the clouds in the sky.

  “Yes, they run the safe house all year long, so anytime we need to stop we are able. We can stock up on supplies, sleep on a soft bed, and shower.”

  “Wouldn’t it be dangerous for them to run this place for just your tribe? I mean other tribes must travel through here when they’re tracking or hunting.”

  He looked down at me his eyes not blinking, “Exactly. My father says they’re on our side, but I wonder if they’re on a side we don’t know about.”

  “That doesn’t make you nervous?” I wondered, a shiver running through me as I thought of the bulky hunter that had tried to kill us.

  He slipped his hand in mine quickly and squeezed it before letting it go as the door to the house swung open, “I trust Collin and Victoria to a certain degree, but I’m always cautious. I’ll protect you if anything happens—don’t worry.”

  “Hunter, your father said you would be traveling through soon. He didn’t say you would be bringing a friend though?” A man I assumed was Collin said as we reached the porch of the house. Collin was a slight man with thick glasses and a modest smile. He didn’t seem the type to betray anyone as scary as Hunter.

  “This is Kate. I was returning from my mission and found her wandering the woods. She’s a POW now, and I hope you won’t let my father know about this. It’s something I’d like to explain to him myself especially after I failed my mission,” Hunter clarified as we stepped into the warm house.

  “Of course not. A POW? What tribe?” Collin asked with a look of skepticism.

  “She’s not sure; she had no clue about the world she was living in,” Hunter responded with a shrug. I was surprised by how well Hunter could lie. The fact made my stomach jump a bit, but then as his eyes met mine it settled.

  “And why were you wandering the woods?” Collin questioned, his brow knit together as he looked at me.

  “I got sick of my parents and ran away. I guess there’s no going back now,” I retorted, not sure if I appeared upset in any way.

  Collin narrowed his eyes at me before shrugging, “Victoria, Hunter is here plus one very pretty young woman,” He shouted out as he peered over his shoulder into the hallway behind him.

  “Plus one?” A young woman only a few years older than me repeated, coming into the room. She cocked her head at me as her straight strawberry blonde hair fell over her shoulders. She blinked her brown eyes twice with a smile coming to her face, “Nice to meet you?”

  “Kate,” I shook her hand.

  “My name is Victoria, Collin is my capturer,” she teased, putting her hand on his shoulder. A large diamond flashed on her finger.

  “I told your father it wasn’t smart to send you on a mission so late in fall. It could snow any day now and of course you don’t have a coat—and you ran away without one?”

  “It was a spur of the moment thing,” I interjected, awkwardly crossing my arms.

  “My father’s orders were also spur of the moment,” Hunter added.

  “When are they not, eh?” Collin replied, “We should get you into the safety of the basement. There have been several people out tracking lately. Did you run into any?”

  “Yes, it looked like some from the McCrery tribe. Typical steroid pumped men with little skill or brains,” Hunter explained as Collin led the way to what looked like a bookshelf and moved a statue of a woman dressed in blue robes. The bookshelf swung open to reveal a set of stairs.

  “McCrery is a pain in the ass,” Collin retorted, rolling his eyes.

  “You’ve had run-ins with them?” Hunter asked, his eyes darkening, “Do we need to send out some hunters to defend the area?”

  Collin shook his head as he realized his slip, “No need man. They ignore us for the most part. They think we’re some freaks who have no idea what civilization is.”

  “You let my father know if any of the tribes become an issue. I’m sure it’s something he would be interested in,” Hunter commanded, his eyes searching Collin’s face for a break in countenance.

  Collin gave him nothing, “Of course.”

  Victoria’s face was easier to read. She was going to give him hell for what he had said, although it wasn’t clear to me what was going on, “I’ll get you some of my clothing, doll. You look about my size—four?”

  “Yeah, thanks,” I answered over my shoulder as Hunter turned down the stairs and I followed.

  Once he reached the bottom of the stairs Hunter turned the knob of the door and reached his hand inside turning a light on.

  “You still trust them?” I asked as he closed the door behind us.

  “Yes, I don’t think they want to choose sides to be honest with you, which is fine with me,” Hunter replied, running his hands through his hair.

  I looked around the large open space. There wer
e two full size beds with crisp sheets on them, and a couch I just wanted to dive onto because it looked so comfortable. To the right was a washing machine and dryer along with a mini-fridge and a door that I assumed led to a bathroom. To the right of me was a fire place that was crackling the warmth into the room.

  “I guess you don’t have to sleep with stinky old me tonight,” I observed as I tried to keep my tone controlled.

  “Nope, you can take a shower and not smell anymore,” Hunter retorted, and I tried not to notice that he hadn’t said we weren’t sleeping in the same bed. I wasn’t sure if it was an invitation, but I knew I was blushing at the thought.

  “Yeah, as if you’re just a bushel of roses,” I teased as I tried to stop my brain.

  “My sweat smells sexy,” Hunter commented with a smirk as I flopped on one of the beds. I couldn’t help but stare as he lifted his shirt off and tossed it in the pile to be washed. I had known he had defined muscles just from the way he looked in a t-shirt, but without his shirt on was a whole different story. His chest was defined in a way that almost left me breathless and his stomach was flat with a slight definition of the individual muscles that lead to his striking hip bones.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a guy without a shirt on?” He teased with a slight, yet painful smirk.

  I stood and stepped forward in the silence.

  “What are these from?” I asked, placing my hand on a large scar on his chest and looking at the many more that marred his perfect body.

  He placed his hand over mine as he bowed his head, his eyes darkening. His Adam’s apple rose and fell before he managed to speak, “I told you war wasn’t glorious.”

  “I thought generals only gave the orders.”

  He shook his head again, his skin hot against mine, “I’ve fought on the front lines. I’ve killed too many people without a thought. My hands are permanently covered in blood.”

  “War leaves its mark on everyone,” I said, looking into his eyes as the whole world blurred around me.

  “I’ve killed a lot of people Kate, and these marks are all I have to show for it,” his hand tightened around mine, “The more you know about me the less scared you seem to be when you should hate me and run away as fast as you can.”