She motioned for Calan to follow her as she headed for the table. Jerrica told him which chair he could sit in then took the one directly across from him. Her father sat in his at the end as her mom carried over two plates. Once everyone had one in front of them, her mother finally sat.
“How did it go today at the fields?” her mom asked, after everyone started eating.
Jerrica swallowed her mouthful of food before she answered. “Good. Calan and I didn’t see any zombies on our patrols.”
“I’m glad.”
Her dad turned the conversation to Calan, asking him what the settlement that he’d stayed at before theirs was like and how they fared. Jerrica ate her food as she listened to Calan talk. It was interesting to hear how others lived their lives. It also made her hunger to travel grow. There was so much more out there beyond the walls. Calan was lucky to have the freedom he had. If the zombies all of a sudden ceased to exist, she’d leave her settlement in a heartbeat.
After everyone had finished eating, Jerrica said, “I’m going to take Calan out back so we can shoot some arrows.”
“All right,” her mom said. “It was nice having you over for dinner, Calan.”
Calan stood, as did Jerrica. “Thanks for inviting me, Mrs. Barnes.”
“You’re welcome. And you’re welcome to eat with us anytime you want.”
“I might take you up on that offer,” Calan said with a smile.
After grabbing her bow and quiver from the corner, Jerrica led Calan outside then around to the back of the cabin. Two targets made from straw bales that were raised off the ground stood a short distance away. Each one had a circular piece of leather with bull’s-eyes painted on it. She stopped them when they reached shooting distance.
She held out her bow to Calan. “How about you shoot first? That way I’ll be able to see what you’re doing wrong.”
He took it from her, along with the arrow she passed him. “Okay. Don’t be surprised if I don’t come even close to hitting a target.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll work on it.”
Calan took up position, nocked the arrow, pulled back on the string then let go. The arrow landed a few feet away, skipping across the ground. He shook his head. Jerrica chuckled as she retrieved the arrow.
“I told you I was terrible,” Calan said, as Jerrica came to stand at his side once more.
“You just need practice”—she looked at him and smiled—“and a better teacher.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know.”
“The biggest mistake you’re making is you’re not letting go of the string all the way when you release it.” She held out the arrow.
“Okay, I’ll give it another try,” he said as he took hold of it.
Calan nocked the arrow and once again pulled back on the string. Just as the first time, he didn’t send it flying toward the target. It hit the ground close in front of him. A wolf-sounding growl rumbled out of him.
“You did the same thing,” Jerrica said.
“I know. It’s as if I have some kind of mental block and can’t get my fingers to let go completely.”
“I think your problem is you’re holding the string too tightly. You need to relax your hand as you release it.”
Calan’s third attempt failed just as miserably as his first two. “I give up. I’m only frustrating myself. That’s why I packed in learning it a long time ago.”
Jerrica shook her head. “We all have to start off somewhere. It took me years to get to the level I’m at now. And I worked hard at it. I wanted to make sure I could protect myself if I ever got a chance to…” She didn’t finish her sentence. She’d been about to tell him her secret dream of leaving the settlement.
Calan lowered the bow to his side and looked at Jerrica. “A chance to what?”
“Nothing. Forget about it.”
“No. Tell me.”
Jerrica met Calan’s gaze and saw he truly wanted to know what she’d stopped herself from saying. She’d never told anyone about her dream, not even her family. He’d told her things about himself that he didn’t share with just anyone, though.
“A dream of mine is to leave the settlement and explore the world beyond the walls. Even though I know that’ll never happen, I still trained to be the best shot I can be with a bow and arrow.”
“Why do you think it’ll never happen?” Calan asked softly.
She snorted. “Because of the zombies. I might be a good shot, but, as you saw yesterday, if I’m outnumbered, it’d be game over. I’m not stupid enough to risk my life by setting out on my own. And I would be, since no one I know would want to join me in my crazy adventure.”
Calan shook his head. “It goes to show how isolated your settlement really is. There are ones closer to what used to be the cities that are much bigger than yours. The people there venture outside the walls for long distances all the time. They even go to the ruins to scavenge for anything they can find that’s still useful.”
“Really? What about the zombies? Wouldn’t there be more of them in the ruined cities?”
“There can be, but most of them have spread out, looking for prey. With no humans in the big cities, there really wasn’t anything making them stay. If they find the living, they’ll follow them.”
“I never knew.”
“As I said, you’re pretty isolated here. That’s also probably why it took me so long to find your settlement. I had no idea there was one so far north. I only heard about it from the last place I stayed, because one of the settlers’ grandparents had originally come from here.”
“We always thought the few who’d left never survived, since they hadn’t returned.”
“They did.” Calan met her gaze. “There’s a whole new world out there, Jerrica.”
She doubted she’d ever get to see it, anyway. Setting out alone wasn’t something she could bring herself to do. It’d have to remain a dream for her.
Jerrica changed the subject. “Well, I can’t ever see me leaving the settlement. Do you want to try one more time with the bow?”
Calan stared silently at her for a few seconds, then nodded. “All right, but I think I want to try something different. I want you to shoot while I stand behind you and put my hands on yours.” He smiled. “I’d suggest you stand behind me, but you’re about eight inches shorter than I am.”
She grinned. “Very true. I’d never be able to see. I don’t know if doing this will help, but I’m willing to try.”
“At the very least, I’ll be able to see how I should be holding the darn things.”
Jerrica took the bow and arrow from Calan, then went to stand in front of him. His arms came around her as he bent and put his one hand on hers on the bow and the other on top of the one she held the arrow with. His body heat seeped into her back, making her very aware of him. Even though she told herself not to react to his nearness, her heart beat faster. She turned her head to look at him and found him intently staring at her, his face only a few inches from her own.
She swallowed and focused on the target. In one fluid motion, Jerrica nocked the arrow and lifted the bow, drawing back on the string. Calan kept pace with her movements, not hindering her. Once she lined up with the bull’s-eye and had the string pulled all the way to her ear, she loosed the arrow. It hit the center with a thud.
“Again,” Calan said. “This time I want to hold the arrow and you put your hand over mine.” He let go of her hand, then took an arrow out of her quiver.
“Okay,” she said. As she’d done the first time, Jerrica lifted the bow. Calan nocked the arrow and pulled on the string as she fixed the aim. “Whenever you’re ready, you can take the shot.”
Calan adjusted his stance, then released the arrow. It flew straight and hit just under the center of the bull’s-eye. “I did it. I actually hit a target.”
“You did. You kept your grip relaxed and completely let go of the string.”
Jerrica smiled and turned her head toward him. Her b
reath caught in her throat. Calan had shifted in her direction as well. With him bent around her, their lips ended up being a mere hairsbreadth apart. It was then she realized their fingers on the hands that had held the arrow were now linked. She stared into his ice-blue eyes and felt as if the rest of the world had disappeared.
Calan jerked away and released her hands before he stepped back. Jerrica licked her suddenly dry lips and took a deep breath to slow her rapidly beating heart. She told herself to snap out of it. It’d been an accident, nothing more. He hadn’t meant to almost kiss her. If he had, he wouldn’t have let her go so quickly.
“I think that’s enough practice for today,” Calan said.
Jerrica nodded. “I’ll retrieve the arrows.”
She didn’t look at Calan as she walked toward the targets. Once she reached the one they’d used, she yanked out the arrows, then shoved them into her quiver. Jerrica headed back to him. After she reached him, they walked silently to the front of the cabin.
“I should go,” Calan said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jerrica stayed in the yard and followed Calan with her gaze as he left. At the road, a bright light surrounded him, and he took on his wolf form. As if he sensed her watching him, he turned his large lupine head in her direction and looked at her. They held gazes for a few seconds before he took off at a run.
Chapter Five
Once again on guard duty the next day with Calan, Jerrica had gotten used to riding on his back. And the other workers had seemed to as well. They no longer stopped what they were doing and stared as Calan and Jerrica ran by. All of them, except for Becca, that is. And Jerrica was pretty sure it wasn’t curiosity that had the other girl staring.
The sun was high, and Jerrica had been patrolling the fields and orchard with Calan for hours when she left him at their lookout spot to get some water from the pump. After she’d had a drink, she turned to head back, only to find Becca blocking her way.
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up if I were you,” Becca said, then sneered as she looked Jerrica up and down. “Not that you’d have stood a chance, anyway.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Werewolf Defender. He’s not looking for a girlfriend. Apparently, he never has one because he doesn’t stay at any place for very long. So you can be all friendly with him if you want, but you won’t get very far. Even if he were looking for someone, it wouldn’t be you. He’s already told me how pretty he thinks I am, and how if he wasn’t what he was, he’d think about settling down with me.”
“When did he tell you that?” Jerrica didn’t know if she should believe Becca or not.
“Last night when I met him at his cabin after he’d been to yours for dinner. He told me all about your stupid archery practice. He doesn’t think of you as a girl, you know. He feels as if you’re more one of the boys.”
Jerrica stiffened. Becca’s words were like a slap to the face. She’d told no one about her trying to teach Calan how to use the bow. And Becca hadn’t been anywhere near the cabin at the time. The only way the other girl would have known was if Calan had indeed told her. If Becca had been truthful about that, then the rest she’d said had to be true as well.
She took the long way around when she returned to where Calan waited for her. As she passed the spot in the fields where Austin worked, he called her name. Jerrica changed direction and went to him.
“Hey, Austin.”
“Hi. Since we didn’t get a chance to talk earlier, I wanted to make sure you were still okay with me coming by your cabin later today.”
Jerrica glanced at Calan. He stood in his wolf form, keeping watch over the fields. According to Becca, Jerrica couldn’t expect anything more from him than what they’d already shared. She’d previously told herself that over and over again, but a tiny part of her had thought there might be a chance. That died with what Becca had told her.
She turned back to Austin. “I am. You can come around sometime after dinner.”
He smiled. “Great. I’m looking forward to it.”
Jerrica did her best to return his smile with one of her own. “So am I.”
“I’d better let you get back to the Werewolf Defender and your patrolling. He’s looking right at you.”
She nodded then left Austin. Sure enough, he’d been right. Calan did watch her from the lookout spot. Jerrica yanked her gaze away and walked the rest of the distance between them. Once she reached him, she stood beside him, scanning the fields. She didn’t look or talk to him.
After a few minutes, Calan asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No. Why would you think that?”
“Well, for one thing, you won’t look at me. And for another, I’m getting the feeling you’re upset about something. I saw you talking to Becca. Did she cause it?”
Jerrica shook her head. “No.”
She wasn’t going to tell Calan that Becca was responsible for her sudden bad mood. Actually, she was afraid to say too much to him now. There was nothing stopping him from repeating everything she said to the other girl, who would, of course, use it against Jerrica.
“Okay. I’ve been meaning to ask. Would you mind giving me another archery lesson this evening?”
Jerrica turned her head and looked at Calan. He couldn’t be serious, not after what Becca had said about last night’s lesson. She didn’t need him to think of her any more as one of the boys than he already did.
“Sorry,” she said. “I’m busy.”
“Oh, all right. Another day then? I really want to learn.”
“Why? It isn’t as if you need to. Your teeth and claws protect you better than a bow and arrow can.”
“I only asked because I thought you didn’t mind showing me. I know I don’t need to use it for defense. It’s something I’ve always wanted to master.”
“I’m just busy, is all. Plus, I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong impression if we spend lots of time alone together.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing.” Jerrica looked away.
She and Calan stood in silence for the rest of their time watching over the workers. After Mathias shouted it was time to quit working for the day, Jerrica walked down the small hill ahead of Calan. She didn’t look behind her to see if he followed. She hurried away and met up with the others.
Austin was quick to fall into step with her. They were almost at the gates when Jerrica took a quick glance over her shoulder. Calan had remained on top their lookout hill, watching her.
* * * *
Calan didn’t attempt to catch up with the others as they headed into the settlement. He still was more than confused by Jerrica’s abrupt attitude change toward him. It had seemed to come out of nowhere. She’d been fine, talking and laughing with him, then she’d gone to get a drink at the pump and had come back acting completely different.
He’d seen Jerrica talking to Becca at the pump, then she’d stopped to talk to Austin before she’d returned to their lookout spot. One of those two had to have said something to set her off. And if Calan was correct in his thinking, it had to have been Becca. He really didn’t know Austin that well, but he came across as a good person. Becca, on the other hand, didn’t. If he had to bet money on it, it had to have been her who’d upset Jerrica. That was the only explanation he could think of.
Calan watched until all the workers were safely behind the closed gates before he loped down the small hill to the fields. He decided he might as well do some hunting, even though it was earlier than he’d planned.
He’d hoped to spend the evening with Jerrica again, and he’d looked forward to it. Their first archery lesson had shown he wasn’t going to be able to keep his distance from her. He liked her as a boy liked a girl. As he’d stood behind her when she’d taught him how to hold the bow and arrow properly, with her back pressed to his chest, it’d been a real temptation to hold her in his arms. Then she’d turned her head and her lips had almost touched his. He’d had to hold back a
wolf’s growl. He’d wanted to kiss her that much.
Once Calan reached the tree line, he broke into a run, having no problem moving through the forest. It was old, having stood long before the zombie outbreak. Jerrica’s ancestors had only cleared enough land to build their settlement and for the fields and orchard. Not all settlements had fared so well when it had come to having seeds to grow crops. There were more than a few that barely kept themselves from starving. They were the ones who lived closer to the remains of the big cities. It was times of desperation that had made the settlers forage in the rubble that was left of those one-time urban centers.
And the cities were nowhere close to what he remembered them being. When it looked as if the zombie’s numbers would only increase, the government had decided to destroy them. They cleared out as many of the living who’d bugged in, barricading themselves in their homes instead of bugging out. Then they’d used what fighter jets they could get into the air to bomb each major metropolis to the ground. It had taken them a year and cost them all the ammunition they had, but they’d thought it would save lives in the long run. All it’d done was give the living fewer places to hide and the undead a greater area in which to hunt.
Calan had seen it all as he’d slept after being turned. He pushed those thoughts away. He didn’t like to remember that time. For twenty years he’d slept, unable to move or wake up, held prisoner as the world fell apart around him.
He pushed deeper into the woods, needing to run and the feeling of freedom it gave him. Calan was about three miles away from the settlement when he picked up the putrid scent only zombies gave off. He stopped and lifted his nose into the air, sniffing, to find out exactly where it came from. After he pinpointed it, he took off at a run once more.
The closer he got, the stronger the scent became. Calan snarled his upper lip and growled. He stopped a short distance away, alarmed at the number of undead congregated in one place so close to a settlement. There were around eighty zombies lumbering through the trees, their dead eyes staring straight in front of them. It’d been many, many years since he’d seen groups this large close to the living, especially in such an isolated place.
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