by Angela White
Angela understood his cheerful tone. Being the one to prove her theory with the ants had sent a fresh rush of glory into his bloodstream. It had an effect on Marc that was magical.
The couple spent the next hour walking the camp, helping where it was needed, then went to the mess, where the lines were thinning.
“What’s set up for them to do?”
“Movies and popcorn in the big tents, game trucks are open, the bonfire’s lit, though if the rain comes back, that’ll be out.”
Angela took the tray from Li Sing with a smile of thanks. He’d come out to serve her himself.
“We’ll have fresh meat for you to work with in the next couple days,” Angela offered, sure he was as tired of cooking fish as the camp was of eating it.
“All good. I made a clam chowder tonight, with no clams,” Li cracked, grinning hugely. “Will tell them it is canned pork.”
Angela snickered. “Works for me.”
They went to the empty center table, each noting who they saw and the general mood of the camp. There wasn’t much talking as everyone ate.
Sighing, Marc gestured toward the cups. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
Marc thought of their moments, and Angela flushed. But she didn’t offer an invitation and he felt the sting. He’d hurt her this time and he wasn’t sure how to fix it. He wasn’t worried about her leaving him over it. He’d seen the signs of ruthless planning enough to know them, but he was certain their relationship was suffering and would continue to.
“You’re doing a good job,” Marc stated suddenly. “They all think so.”
Angela needed to hear that. It was something Adrian hadn’t said to her yet though, and it wouldn’t feel that way until he did.
Marc went to get them drinks and Angela glanced around the mess for trouble. She wanted to be one of those people who only saw the good, but the war had ruined that for her. Now, she had to look for problems and find ways to turn them into strengths.
She studied their perimeter, where the wall was going up. Come daylight, parts of it would come down and more experiments with the ants would take place. She had no idea how something so powerless would be able to help them, but she was determined to bring in assistance from every source available. If the insects continued to protect them, they would be rewarded.
“And I know what they want,” she murmured. The ants had only one real predator that they’d made note of. The bats in some areas were able to carry off the juveniles. Safe Haven usually brought up the shield when the flocks and colonies got too close, only protecting themselves, but that was about to change.
“We’re going to adapt.”
Angela went toward the com truck. The whole camp was hers. She could do with it as she pleased.
And what would please you? the witch asked.
A fresh list started running through her mind. Angela felt the witch stretching.
Start with coffee. Wake me up.
2
“She’s what?”
Adrian tried to be patient. “She’s evolving.”
Neil scowled. “What does that mean?”
“She’ll get a new gift,” Conner explained. He sounded excited for her and both Eagles tried to relax.
“She’ll be okay?”
Conner observed Adrian’s shaking hand as he hit the button on the drip, but didn’t bring it up. “After it comes in fully. Until then, she’ll be blocked.”
“And in pain?” Jeremy asked, not sure how much of that he could take.
“Oh, yes. It changes our DNA, creates new lines of energy and use. At times, she may even scream.”
All three men paled at that. Adrian had already known, of course, but he was hearing Angela’s screams in his memory as he burnt her.
So was Neil.
Jeremy asked the next of their hundred questions. “How long will it last?”
“A few days, maybe a week,” Conner stated. “Unless she fights it. Then it could take longer.”
Neil and Jeremy viewed each other and instantly agreed, “A month. Samantha fights everything.”
“I do not,” Samantha grumbled from the next cot over. Neil and Jeremy rushed to her side. She hadn’t woken when Neil carried her in.
“Did you hear all that?” Neil asked, taking her hand.
“Yes, and I’m not fighting it. I didn’t know what it was.”
Jeremy pulled the blanket up over her arms. “We’ll stay with you.”
“Um, that’s kind of dangerous,” Conner informed them. “The mood swings are…intense.”
Both men assumed the boy had undergone an evolution recently by his knowledge of it, but neither of them could even pretend they were going to listen.
“How do we help her?”
Conner had to look to Adrian for that. He’d suffered through his alone each time.
“You distract her, the same as with anyone else in pain.”
“And give me privacy,” Samantha stated, feeling a little stronger. “Can I go to my tent?”
“How about a tent here in the QZ?” Adrian suggested.
When Neil and Jeremy both nodded, Samantha had no choice but to agree.
“Fine, whatever. Just get me out of here. I need the damn lights off and the talking over.”
Conner gave them a pointed look that was ignored.
Adrian didn’t say anything as the trio left, instead noting how the two men appeared okay at this moment.
“They’re sharing her!” Conner guessed. “That’s why I couldn’t figure out the relationship.” He lowered his voice. “Should I have told them the rest of it?”
Adrian eased down into the cot with a grunt of relief. “I wouldn’t have.”
“Why not?”
“Because it won’t matter to them that for a while she’ll be irresistible. To them, she already is.”
“They weren’t happy with your answers. They wanted more.”
“Angela can give it to them. They’ll go to her at some point.”
Conner was quiet for a moment, considering the things he was seeing and hearing. It was wonderful, frustrating, and layered in dangerous deceptions.
“How did this all come to be?”
Adrian got as comfortable as he could. “I couldn’t stay with you. They’ve been hunting me, testing, stealing what wasn’t theirs to take. And I knew they’d do the same to you. I hoped staying away would be enough…”
“Why did you do it?”
Adrian’s voice was genuinely remorseful. “I loved her, boy, and he took her. While I had her with me, the first months that she carried you, I loved her.”
Adrian let his body melt into the thin mattress. “I still do in ways.”
“She waited for you to come, but he forced her. He used me as leverage.”
“He was supposed to be dead!” Adrian growled vehemently. “I was told he was dead.”
That explained a lot to Conner and allowed forgiveness a chance to start growing.
Adrian tugged the blanket up. “Anyone will tell you how Safe Haven came to be, how I built it, but don’t forget that fate chose me, shaped me. It’ll do the same to you, more than it already has. It will also take the things you love the most and turn them against you.”
Conner opened his mouth to deny that he’d turned, and stopped himself. He sensed the remark wasn’t meant for him. He didn’t have to dig deep to find the source of Adrian’s anguish.
“You’re in love with Marc’s woman!” Conner accused, angry, but not the least bit surprised. “You’re waiting for them to split up to have a shot with her!”
Adrian carefully rolled over and pulled the pillow closer to his cheek. “Not anymore. Now, I’m only waiting to take someone’s place on death’s list.”
“You’ve given up?”
Adrian didn’t answer, willing the boy to leave him alone.
“Why don’t you…”
“Good night, Conner.”
Conner didn’t keep going, but he refused t
o stop thinking about it. Despite the lingering anger, Conner wanted his father back. This depressed shell wasn’t Adrian Mitchel and Conner began developing ideas to pull his dad out of it.
The most likely idea was to find a good substitution of either a woman or work, but in the end, he might just have to have what he was craving. It was good here and the top people were great, but Adrian was his dad and that was where his loyalty were.
3
“Hold it up.”
Jeremy lifted the flap higher and Neil ducked into the tent to set Samantha on the bedroll. He put her kit by her feet and left to give her a few minutes alone.
Neil swept the camp, and members of their team. Everyone appeared beat. He’d have to switch this shift of guards out early.
Jeremy lowered the flap and joined Neil. “You want first watch?”
Neil shrugged awkwardly. “I assumed we’d both stay close.”
Jeremy thought for a minute, and then agreed. “Don’t know how it would bother the camp if they knew she’s sick.”
“I’ll make sure it gets around,” Neil told him.
“What do you think’s up with Adrian?”
“No idea, but it’s making people nervous.”
“Son of a…”
They turned to find Kenn nearby, staring up at a hole in his tent. Clearly cut with a jagged edge, the outline was a middle finger perfectly lit by candles.
“That’s good,” Neil admired.
“Who the hell keeps doing this?!” Kenn shouted. “When I catch you, I’ll…”
Tonya jerked Kenn inside the tent.
More laughter floated through the rain at a fresh round of cursing from the tent as Kenn tried to find a way to patch the hole.
Samantha’s soft chuckle had Neil and Jeremy turning around. She was standing in the flap, staring at the prank.
“I love that prankster.”
Her men chuckled in agreement, but Sam could feel them searching her. For what, she wasn’t exactly sure. Did they think a tail would pop out of her ass?
“I’m still too dizzy to walk, I think,” she muttered. “Can you get me to the shower?”
Jeremy reacted first.
Neil let him take care of it. “I’ll get some food. Don’t leave her.”
“I won’t,” Jeremy vowed, gently lifting her into his arms. “You make sure we’re left alone.”
“Got it.”
Samantha rested her head on Jeremy’s shoulder, wishing she felt well enough to enjoy it. The migraine had been eased by an aching spine. She no longer felt the throbbing in her temples or the bones in her legs.
“This sucks,” she complained, making Jeremy smile. She could feel it.
“What else can we do for you? Adrian wasn’t very clear.”
Samantha shuddered as pain lanced down her nerves, vibrating into her hips. “Heat, I think, and then sleep. Maybe I can stay under while it passes.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll ask Angela about a sedative.”
“Don’t knock me out!” Sam instructed sharply. “I don’t want to be a junkie, either. You be careful with me.”
Jeremy pressed his lips to hers in comfort. She’d told him of her addiction fears. He drew back to speak in the temporary silence afterward. “I love you. So does Neil. You’re safe with us.”
Sam shuddered again, this time in relief. “I know, and I…”
Jeremy kissed her again, a little harder, and felt her take note of him, of his body.
He got them moving, suddenly glad of the drizzle. It was keeping people in their tents.
Samantha hated being afraid, hated feeling out of control. She clutched Jeremy’s shoulder and mentally bolstered herself. Once again, she was going to prove how different she was. The promise of a new gift was little to her. She hadn’t mastered the old ones yet and it was a bad time to be out of communication with nature. Weather reports would keep them alive.
“Stop worrying,” Jeremy insisted. “She has it covered.”
Samantha wanted to believe that, but it was hard.
“This is what he meant by fighting,” Jeremy started working on distracting her. “You have to accept what’s coming, embrace it if you can, and then get with your team.”
“Oh, shut up,” Sam muttered.
Jeremy did.
4
After a quick shower, Marc’s feet carried him around the sleeping camp and eventually brought him to the QZ, where the medical tent was dimly lit. He wasn’t surprised to find a shadow in the flap.
“Thought you couldn’t be on that for another week?”
Adrian brandished the cane and then planted it where he could use it for support. “I’m not.”
Marc took in the beads of sweat, the rapid breaths.
“Is there anything I can get you?”
“Someone else’s hip.”
Marc forced a chuckle. “Can’t help you there.”
Marc moved on, checking out the entire area before going to Angie’s tent. It was now in the center of camp, where Adrian’s had been.
Adrian went inside and picked up his book, trying to control the urge to leave. He wouldn’t make it far, not yet.
“We think you should go out tomorrow, let the camp know she has your support.”
Adrian glared up from his book as Jax and Lee came in. “She doesn’t need me out there messing up her plans.” He turned the page. “Besides, I’m about to discover if Bella kills Jacob. Do you mind?”
Lee and Jax left the medical tent with large scowls, missing Angela standing in the shadows, listening.
She ducked into the tent. “Why are you sending them away?”
Adrian lay back on the cot. “Safe Haven can’t have two leaders right now. They have to come to you.”
“And it’s easier that way, for you to give up, right?” Angela stung him sharply. “I know what you’re planning. I won’t allow it.’
Adrian didn’t answer.
Angela grew angrier. “If I have to have John sedate you, I will. Stay in the medical tent. Don’t leave it without an escort.”
“What the hell are you doing talking to him like that?!” Kenn roared, disturbing half the Quarantine Zone as he came inside. “This is his camp!”
Angela tugged Adrian’s blanket up to his shoulders. “Tell him that. He’s planning to give himself up to save the rest of us.”
Kenn gaped, mouth dropping open and Angela left him there to work on Adrian. She had rounds to finish and plans to go over. It felt like she was missing something and she hated that. It would cause problems that she couldn’t afford.
“And where are the problems I’m counting on?” she questioned lowly, staring at the main camp in concentration.
Angela was satisfied with the answers the witch gave and continued her rounds. All the pots were boiling nicely now.
5
“They found the bodies. Tucker and Anderson are dead.”
“Bring them home. Tell the team to do it openly,” Angela answered Kevin’s quiet words. “We’ll need a distraction about then. The camp will think Kyle did it. We may have to prove that to them.”
Kevin wrote it down, worried. “Will they riot over something like this?”
“Only if someone isn’t held responsible. They’ll give me a little time to handle it.”
“How would you…if he did?”
Angela’s heart clenched. “The same as we would any other killer who doesn’t serve our greater good.”
Kevin loved and hated the answer. “Should we tell the camp yet?”
“No,” Angela ordered. “They’ll find out at exactly the right time.”
Kevin took that to mean she’d foreseen this and hadn’t chosen to interfere. He wanted to ask why, but remembered his place at the last minute. He would ask Marc instead.
Angela turned to inspect him. “At some point, Kevin, you’ll have to decide if you want this job. Your loyalty to me has to come first. If you feel the need to go behind me, instead of sucking up the courage to
ask, perhaps someone else would be more appropriate.”
She left him with that ringing in his ears.
Do I want it? Kevin asked himself.
Maybe, came the reluctant answer, and that wasn’t good enough, was it? Suddenly depressed, Kevin went to relay her instructions.
Angela stopped as the tall weeds rustled and Dog padded toward her. In his golden gaze was every secret she had and every lie Marc had told.
Angela waved her shadows off. “Give us a few minutes.”
Dog stopped by her, waiting for her to react. He’d come to get it over with before someone noticed her avoiding him. Marc had commented on it earlier.
What will it take?
Angela hated the cold greed in her answer, but it had to happen. Your life, for my son’s.
I would make that sacrifice willingly.
Angela tried to hold onto the anger she felt. She couldn’t let the wolf know, either. He’d go straight to Marc.
“You’ll work with the ants, the cats, and anything else I come up with.”
Dog appeared to frown at her, but didn’t protest. Instead, he offered another concession.
I’d help with your plan. Dog’s voice in her mind deepened. The real plan.
Angela was gathering fighters for the battle and she agreed coolly, “I’ll find a job for you that helps.”
Dog waited for more, hoping to regain the friendship they’d once had, and Angela snapped out in frustration. “I could use a few minutes alone if you don’t mind!”
Dog sadly padded into the main camp and Angela stifled her guilt. There would be time to ask forgiveness after they’d survived.
“I wanna talk to you!”
Angela turned at the drunken slur, expecting Mitch.
Slap!
The blow brought tears to her eyes and knocked her backward into the mud.
“Come here!” Roger demanded, clutching at her jacket. His breath ran over her in thick waves. Whiskey and vomit.
Angela gagged, hands flailing for her holster as he jerked her from the ground and held her in the air.
“Can’t make rules if you ain’t alive,” he said softly, eyes dazed with drunken hatred. “Come here, Boss Lady.”
Angela struggled to get her arms free, to reach her gun, and the witch bled through in furious hunger.