Where We Stand

by Angela White

  Adrian snorted. “Not unless you turn into Tonya and even she came around in this light. It wouldn’t work.”

  “I could tell Marc and the Eagles.”

  Adrian snorted. “They know. They’ve always known.”

  Outside the tent, Kenn paused at their voices. Realizing who was inside, the Marine thought of his plans to help Adrian and took up a nearby post to direct people away.

  “What do you want from me?”

  Angela’s question was met with silence as the conversation became mental to account for their audience. Angela hadn’t noticed yet, but Adrian had.

  “I can’t give that.”

  “Send me away.”

  “I won’t do that...”

  “I can make you,” Adrian warned.

  “Yes, but not without tearing this camp apart. You have to take it.”

  Adrian grabbed Angela’s arm and pulled her up from the chair. He stopped himself from kissing her by mere inches.

  Angela stared into his blazing eyes, hating him for forcing her to accept these feelings, for the Witch whispering that his kiss would be like nothing she’d ever felt.

  “You need me. They all know that, too.”

  Angela wanted to deny the claim and jerked out of his hold. She stomped toward the flap, determined to hold out, to remain loyal to Marc.

  “Get to the com truck and make the call. Kevin’s waiting.”

  “No.”

  Angela stopped, turning angrily. “What?”

  Adrian flipped a thumb at the portable radio on the table. “I’ll do it from here.”

  Angela understood how Adrian felt. She’d spent a decade pining for the one she loved. It was awful and ugly, but life did go on. So would Adrian.

  “You think so?” he asked, picking up the mic, turning the system on.

  He’d never felt this way before and for their kind, to be denied what they were craving so strongly was dangerous. It sent them into a number of emotional states, and all of them were hard to handle. Normally a substitute was found. Humans almost always reacted that way, but Adrian hadn’t found one that would satisfy him.

  “She’s coming,” the Witch whispered suddenly. “The island woman is near.”

  Angela couldn’t control the waves of jealousy, but she did keep the information to herself when she realized Adrian hadn’t caught it.

  “Make the call.”

  Adrian keyed the mic in misery. He hated the order, even though it had been pulled straight from his notebooks.

  “This is Safe Haven refugee camp. We are closing to new arrivals, due to the upcoming battle for our freedom. The government has crawled from it’s hole and demanded we surrender ourselves. We’ve refused. Go to ground for a while, my friends, and listen for our calls to resume.”

  Adrian paused to gather the magic, to send out those powerful waves. “If you can fight, if you want to learn to fight, if you just want help take care of those who do the fighting, please, we need you… I need you.”

  Angela found herself leaning closer, unable to fight the pull of so much power.

  “Come stand with me,” Adrian seduced. “I’ll fight to the death for our country, and for our freedom–for you.”

  Angela saw her hand raise toward his face.

  Adrian’s eyes locked onto hers, drawing the desire, but also the duty.

  “We have survived for this moment in time. The future of everyone rests with this battle. If we fall, they’ll hunt down every one else.”

  Adrian leaned back when Angela’s hand would have touched his jaw, fighting his own battles.

  “In five days, Safe Haven’s walls will go up. If you want to be with us, get here before then. This is Where We Stand, America, or where we fall.”

  Adrian hung up the radio and strange voices lit up the night.

  “We’re coming in! Don’t shoot.”

  “We’re still on the way.”

  “I’ll be there in time!”

  “You can send people to us until it’s over.”

  The waves became garbled from all the offers of help and support, and tears ran down Angela’s face. Some were from the magic, from the power of experiencing it in person, but most of it was remorse.

  He’d broken her with just one call. If he took her into his arms right now, she would betray Marc and herself.

  Adrian stood up, wanting, needing, feeling her surrender.

  “Get out of here!”

  Angela fled.

  10

  Angela climbed up into the camper with a sad heart. Fate had decreed one to live and one to die. The tiny infant in the incubator wouldn’t have long. The glowing and growing baby in its mother’s lap would thrive. Which one was evil?

  Angela held her arms out.

  The young mother immediately flinched back.

  Kyle took in Angela’s calm face and gently pried the baby from Jennifer’s terrified arms. “We can trust her. I promise.”

  Angela immediately braced for what she might find.

  Kyle put the baby into Angela’s embrace, but couldn’t make himself step away. The urge to protect was already driving his reactions.

  Angela turned her back to the nervous parents and gawked at Safe Haven’s first successful birth. For all she knew, it may even be the first birth of the new world.

  She saw the problem right away.

  The baby was perfect.

  Angela took in the shining skin, the glow of being freshly fed and cared for, and that wonderful scent that clean babies give off, but it was those red orbs she lingered on. This baby was one of them, no doubt there, and it already had their draw.

  “Name?”

  Kyle answered, sounding angry. “She said we’re not allowed to give one yet.”

  Angela gave her approval. “Wise to start off that way. You’ll talk to Adrian about it?”

  “Yes, tonight.”

  Angela smiled at the baby and was rewarded by a feeling of peace and calm. She let the mother inside come forward and hugged the infant close. “Welcome to Safe Haven, baby. May it become your home.”

  Angela handed the newborn to Kyle and took Jennifer’s hand. She didn’t say anything, but the girl stiffened. Kyle understood they were talking and reluctantly took the baby to the rocker. He had a good idea of what Angela was telling Jennifer. It was the same thing he’d been unable to force out right after the second baby came.

  “I already know. I saw it during the delivery.”

  Angela patted her hand. “You’ll have one. It is better than nothing.”

  Jennifer didn’t care for Angela’s past and pain, only her future. “Can’t you do anything?”

  “They were both supposed to die. I’ve saved one and been banned from interfering with the other. I’d hoped it would be… quicker.”

  Jennifer began crying and Angela let Kyle through. He didn’t scold, but she felt his anguish. Their pain was heavy and Angela asked again.

  “What would it take?”

  The Witch tried to answer with compassion. “Death surrounds one, while life flourishes in the other. This is the nature of our existence.”

  “And if I do it anyway? Arrange for someone to help?”

  “You’ll be damned for interfering with fate too many times. You’d have to give up this camp.”

  “I won’t ever do that.”

  Angela left the camper without looking at the doomed infant in the incubator.

  “What? What did she see?”

  Angela didn’t pause to listen to Kyle telling more lies to the teenager. It likely wouldn’t be the last that he uttered.

  “Kyle?”

  Kyle viewed Jennifer with a blank expression. “This is the good one. Relax, breathe.”

  Jennifer couldn’t trust him. She knew that in her heart without any voices whispering, but it didn’t matter. She needed to believe the baby was good, because if it wasn’t, the Eagles would kill it. She’d already heard the rumors and threats. She was sure Kyle had, too, which gave him another re
ason to lie.

  Jennifer glared, picking out the flaring nostril and the pulse pounding in his jaw. He’s lying again. He doesn’t know what she saw.

  Jennifer sighed and the sound of her misery nearly broke Kyle. She’d refused to talk after John stopped her labor the last time, saying they would handle it after the babies came. Now, the peacefully sleeping infant in Jennifer’s arms was the only thing holding her here and he knew it. Once the baby was a bit older, when she knew how to care for it, Jennifer would leave Safe Haven as fast as she could go.

  “Will you tell me before you run? Let me say goodbye?”

  Jennifer gasped in surprise. “How do you know that?!”

  Kyle sank down in the chair by the bed, crushed at having his suspicions confirmed. She was leaving.

  Jennifer took in his immediate depression, but didn’t pick up any anger. He’d expected it, then.

  “Please, Jenny.”

  “No.”

  Kyle didn’t react. The moment he’d dreaded would come in the next few weeks. Would he be able to let her go, not track her down?

  Kyle stood up, unsure of his own control at the moment. He wanted to beg her forgiveness, try to explain, plead with her to stay. He did none of those things, only stared at his happy family as if they were locked behind a glass that he didn’t have the key to open.

  He forced himself to speak, not sure if he was lying. “I’ll pack your kits, make sure you have a reliable vehicle, some gear.”

  He saw her surprise and also her mistrust, and turned from the tent. “You won’t have to sneak out. The guards will let you go. Angela will tell them to.”

  Kyle was out of the camper before Jennifer could respond. As he went, gently closing the door, he heard her burst into thick, painful sobs. Why was she crying like that when he was the one dying inside?

  11

  “You okay?”

  Jennifer wiped at her face. “Fine.”

  Conner dropped into the chair by her bed. “Liar.”

  Jennifer scowled. “Not now, Conner.”

  The teenager stared at her with his father’s insight. “You love him. That’s why you’re leaving.”

  Jennifer’s mouth dropped open in anger. “Stay out of my mind, Conner Mitchel, or I’ll tell on you!”

  Conner wasn’t worried, though he wasn’t ready for anyone to know yet. “If you leave, I go back to only having one friend here. That would suck.”

  Jennifer tried not to relent. “Bull. The entire camp is your friend.”

  Conner pushed out a bit of magic. “Not like you are.”

  Jennifer snorted. “Save it for that camp whore you drool after.”

  Conner flushed, but didn’t deny it. “Okay.”

  Jennifer giggled. Conner was nice to be around. He didn’t carry enough of Safe Haven’s stress to be brought down all the time.

  “That’s a little better,” Conner stated. “How’s the kid?”

  Jennifer’s smile could have lit up a dead city. “Perfect.”

  Conner rolled his eyes. “Good.”

  Jennifer opened her mouth to ask a question, then closed it. She wasn’t sure she could take the answer.

  Conner, who’d come at Adrian’s request, put his hand on her wrist. “I need to show you something. It’s not good or bad, it’s just the way it was. You ready?”

  Jennifer had stiffened upon the contact, and she braced herself, instinctively putting her hand on her much flatter stomach. “Go on.”

  Conner sent her an image he’d pulled from Kyle. “This is how he felt.”

  Jennifer hissed in rage at the bodies moving apart and Conner forced her to observe the ending, the instant remorse of the mobster. As his relief source vanished into the shadow, Kyle hit his knees, crying.

  Conner let go of that image and brought up a new one. This was Kyle refusing to be comforted again. The women had flocked to him after he’d broken with Tracy and Kyle had refused them all.

  “He won’t tell you. He thinks that even one stumble was too much.”

  “It is!” Jennifer snapped angrily, jealously, miserably. “I… I thought I could trust him!”

  “Don’t you understand, Jenny? You can. What he did proves it.”

  Jennifer glared until his meaning sank in. “You think he was going to hurt me.”

  “So do you,” Conner confirmed. “So did he. That’s why it happened.”

  Conner’s voice lowered into a self-hatred that Jennifer recognized.

  “We pull people in hard ways. When it’s physical, things can get dangerous. You learned that the hard way, but Kyle refused to give in. He went to a whore because he wouldn’t hurt you.”

  Jennifer didn’t want to hear anymore. “He could have waited for me!”

  Conner denied her again. “Not a man like that. He was a killer before, and then my dad taught him to be ruthless, to take what he needs or wants.” Conner got to the point. “He loves you, too.”

  “I don’t love him!” she snapped, forced into feeling Kyle’s side. She’d refused to do so before now.

  “Yes, you do, and if you’ll give him time to prove it, you couldn’t pick a better man.”

  “How can that be?” Jennifer demanded. “You just said he’s a killer.”

  “Your killer, Jenny. Is there anything he wouldn’t do for you?”

  “No,” Jennifer reluctantly agreed.

  “Then put a claim on him, tell him your terms, and see where it goes from there. He’s not like Cesar. You know that.”

  Conner left her alone to think, hoping he’d helped. If Kyle left Safe Haven, they might fall. The mobster was an invaluable asset that would only improve over time if he wasn’t destroyed by losing the only thing he wanted. That was up to Jennifer now.

  Chapter Twelve

  7/8

  1

  “I need to check your wound for signs of infection.”

  The tent went quiet as it began clearing out and Angela held herself in check as best she could. Some of those thoughts were ugly.

  She forced a grin. “Drop those pants, Mr. Mitchel.”

  Light laughter broke the tension, but didn’t ease her annoyance as the last of his groupies filed out.

  “Can we talk?”

  Adrian leaned back to allow her access to his side.

  “There’s no reason for you to not be in charge right now,” she began.

  Adrian grunted. “So?”

  Angela hadn’t been expecting that. “So, why aren’t you?”

  He didn’t speak for a long moment, studying her face as she check his wound. When he finally did open his mouth, the ring to the words was undeniable.

  “Safe Haven has two leaders. This is your shift.”

  Before she could argue, Kenn ducked into the tent.

  “Got updates, reports, schedules, and lots of crap you both love.”

  Adrian waved a hand at the table. “I’ll do it later when I’d rather be on rounds.”

  Angela stayed quiet as she replaced the bandage and Adrian noticed.

  “He still a problem?”

  “No.”

  “Good.”

  Adrian doubted that was all there was to that story, but said nothing. He wasn’t sure of her mood today.

  Angela waved at the people waiting outside the tent, eager to escape before Adrian read her thoughts. “He’s all your folks. Healing slow and steady.”

  Adrian gave his approval, even though she left without looking back. She could have said it was almost healed and forced his hand. She still trusted his judgment despite all he’d put her through. That was encouraging.

  “Isn’t it more likely that she feels the magic of the job, is finally being seduced by the power?” Adrian’s inner voice asked.

  “Maybe.” he agreed reluctantly. “We’d better find out. We can use that.”

  “Normal lessons for the Eagles are suspended until further notice. I want them getting ready to train groups. Set it up with Marc and Kenn. They know what these people need first
. I also want a complete list of Adrian’s travel preparations so I can be sure I’ve covered everything.”

  Angela had begun rattling things off as soon as she cleared the tent, determined not to be distracted from her duties.

  “Is it okay to let Conner roam?”

  “Yes, but don’t switch him even after he’s cleared. By his father’s side is the best place for him right now.”

  Angela viewed the slowly moving crews working on cleaning up the mess from yesterday and last night. It hadn’t been nearly the wonderful holiday that many of them had been hoping for, but it was certainly one to remember.

  Jeff started to ask another question and had to stop to cough. In that moment, other sounds rang out to Angela from across the camp. Sneezes, sniffling, coughing and spitting. Was it a normal amount or were too many people feeling the effects of so much rain after going without for months?

  Angela listened harder and was relieved to hear no deep rumbles in chests or trouble breathing. Still, it was better not to take chances. She would do a complete round of the camp and look, listen for signs. An epidemic was something that could derail all carefully sewn plans. It was something she’d keep a close scrutiny on.

  Angela spotted Samantha under the protection of the Mess canopy and half a dozen men from Neil’s team, and was glad no one was treating her badly. She was getting a lot of stares, but no comments or glares, and that was progress from yesterday’s mob.

  The vote had been uneven for the first time since she’d come here. Roughly fifty-five percent of the camp thought they should flee for the mountains now, while the rest had voted to break into smaller groups and get out of the path. The mountain voters wanted to hole up and hide Adrian, something the Eagles were busy explaining would get everyone killed when the soldiers finally came. The split group wanted to take Adrian with them, to lead him away from the danger. She and Samantha were expected to go with one of those groups also, giving someone a distinct advantage when you added in Brady and Charlie. It had caused another loud fight this morning that had been solved by her declaring that if they couldn’t stay and fight, they didn’t deserve to care for Adrian, or to be protected by his Eagles. Three more carloads of camp members had left Safe Haven’s light.

  But not forever, she thought. If we win, you’ll come crawling back as fast as your knees will carry you. And be welcomed.