by Angela White
Samantha groaned, moving for Shawn’s truck. “Damn you.”
“For what? I was–”
Splash!
Sam turned back, but didn’t see him. “Where’d you go, Neil?”
Her call had Eagles immediately moving her way, and Sam hurried to the creek edge. Had he fallen in?
Oh, Shit!
“Shoot it!” Neil ordered, fighting for breath as he was dragged down.
Sam fumbled for her gun as her eyes found the end of the large python coiled around Neil’s body. Its head was floating on the ripples as they struggled, and she fired without hesitating.
Neil choked, going under as the coils tightened.
“Neil!” Samantha jumped in.
It only took them a minute to get the snake’s corpse off Neil and pull him onto the bank, where he lay coughing and chortling.
Sam stayed by his side. “What the hell, Neil? You know things come out of the water now!”
He was still giving the occasional cough. “Distracted.”
Sam flushed as his team frowned at her. “Not my fault. I didn’t switch out members.”
“But you did show up when you weren’t on the list,” Shawn pointed out. Samantha shooting at Neil hadn’t been funny at first, but now, it would become a team joke.
“I always go on the hunting runs!” Sam protested.
“Yes, you do,” Shawn commented, eyeing his team leader. Had Neil left her off the list on purpose?
“I didn’t think…you wanted to be around me.”
Neil had started to say us, but hated to draw attention to the way he’d left his XO in camp to take her along.
“I don’t!” She sighed. “Didn’t. Stop pushing me, Neil!”
Sam shoved to her feet but stayed close. “You want a hand into the truck, or should we just roll your ass back into the damn creek?”
Neil chuckled, full of the adrenalin that came from surviving. “A hand would be nice, thanks.”
The rest of the hunting team watched her slide an arm around his waist and tense when his came up to her shoulders. It was the first time they’d been this close since he’d kissed her, and lust sizzled from both of them. Neil’s reaction was to be expected–he was a man, and he’d almost died. For Sam, though, the needs appeared to be just as great, and none of the team was surprised when she placed a soft kiss to his cold cheek.
“You gotta stop doing this shit to me, Neil.”
Neil was so surprised by her action that he grinned like a fool and submitted without any further resistance. “Sorry, Sammi.”
The Eagles chuckled and went to finish loading the turkeys and supplies. It was time to go home.
7
Kevin drew on his courage. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
Cynthia looked up in surprise. Other than lessons, the males here hadn’t shown her any interest. She raked him with a brutal gaze.
Kevin was neat and clean, and not so much bigger than her that she would feel intimidated. His body was lean and tight, his short, blond hair neatly kept. He looked like an all-American playboy. What does he want with me?
Kevin slid onto the bench without waiting for an invitation. He was certain there wouldn’t be one. “You’re legal now.”
That revealed a lot more than she’d expected, and the reporter leaned back, studying him. She’d seen Kevin watching her, had run into him more than once during her sneaking and spying, but she hadn’t thought it was an attraction on his part.
Kevin waited patiently, taking in her scent, the glint of her hair in the brief sunrays struggling through the grit. He found her sexy and exotic, and always had. Now that she was accepted, and he’d waited long enough to be sure she and Jeremy really were finished, he intended to make himself known. The other Eagles hadn’t decided how to handle her yet, except to treat her like a teammate, but Kevin wanted more. Especially after sticking his nose in her business.
“Yes.”
Kevin blinked. “Yes?”
Cynthia snorted, slightly attracted to the heat she read. He wanted her, and wanted her to know it. “When?”
“After I get back from Little Rock.”
“Sure.”
Kevin stood up, waving to someone over her shoulder. “I asked Adrian to put us together for some of the training lessons, to see if you might like spending time around me. Is that okay?”
The feeling of being chosen, of it being done publicly, made Cynthia blush. She was willing to give him the same chance that he was extending to her. “Thank you for telling me. I wouldn’t have liked it if I had heard that from the camp.”
Kevin slowly reached forward and took her hand, officially declaring her as his choice. He placed a soft kiss to the back of it and met her eye. “I’ll never lie to you or cheat. I don’t beat women, and I’ll help make you strong enough to kick my ass anytime you feel like it. I’m not much on kids, but we can compromise in the future. Oh, and I like Matt. I could help you with him.”
Cynthia gaped. And people said females delivered too much information at one time!
Realizing he’d revealed more of his feelings than he’d meant to, Kevin let go and stepped back, cheeks dark red. “Sorry.”
He left with a stiff stride that told her she would have to make the next move now, or he wouldn’t come near her again.
The reporter tried not to smile at the feeling as the camp stared at her, but she couldn’t stop the curve of her lips. Being wanted felt nice.
8
A loud whistle got Seth’s attention, but it was already too late.
“Becky?”
The couple scrambled for clothes. Despite the beating he and Kyle had taken, they hadn’t been banned from their females and both men were still spending every minute alone with them that they could steal.
“It’s your mom…” Peggy froze at the sight.
Seth helped Becky finish pulling the shirt over her bare skin, and then wrapped his Eagles jacket around her shoulders, lovingly adjusting it.
“Mom.” Becky stiffly greeted her parent.
Peggy’s daze broke, and she left Seth’s tent without a word.
Now on duty nearby, Samantha saw the older woman and understood where she was going, what she meant to do. The storm tracker reached her before she got to the mess. “Don’t do it.”
Peggy didn’t answer, too furious.
Sam grabbed at her arm. “Listen–”
Slap!
Samantha reeled back from the unexpected hit, letting go.
Peggy turned toward the crowded mess, toward the people that would help her lynch Seth. It wouldn’t take much to convince them fifteen was too young.
Sam grabbed her again, ducking the swing this time. She gave Peggy a light head butt that sent her to the ground.
“Sit there a minute!”
Peggy didn’t answer, only raised a hand to her throbbing chin and glowered hatefully.
Sam knelt down and kept her voice lowered. It didn’t hide her loathing. “This mess is your fault. You were too busy caring for Adrian’s kids to tend your own. You owe her!”
Peggy’s face turned bright red, but she didn’t interrupt.
“Rick raped her, would have killed her. If not for Seth, she would be dead, maybe even by her own hand. He’s helping her in the only way she asked for, and she’s surviving. Don’t you dare make her feel ashamed for that!”
“He’s a monster,” Peggy spat, clearly meaning Seth.
Disgusted, Sam stood up, glaring in dislike. “By all rights, she should hate you. Accepting Seth might be your only chance at saving your relationship with your daughter. I’d think about that before you go gathering a mob.”
Samantha left the woman on her ass in the dirt, where she belonged.
Around them, the Eagles nodded in agreement and respect. Samantha was earning her place among the Eagles. They had orders to prevent a riot from happening, and Sam had beaten them to it.
Peggy stared as the blonde woman vanished into dawn’s
shadows, the words stinging. It was all true, every bit. Realizing she’d gotten her child hurt was a terrible burden, and Peggy began to sob in guilt and shame. “I’m so sorry!”
Surprising everyone, Doug appeared behind her, unable to ignore Peggy’s anguish, even though she deserved it.
He knelt down. “Come here, lass.”
The emotion in his voice allowed Peggy to accept his comfort. She let the big man hold her close while she cried.
9
Samantha’s day had been a full one. Her night, however, was slow and frustrating as she struggled with the last line of morality holding her back. It wasn’t that she wanted to act like a whore. She wanted to act like a man. It was a hard adjustment mentally, to be evolving in these things while she went about regular camp life, and some nights, she wasn’t sure how she was doing in her fight.
Something’s coming.
Samantha felt the chill and closed her eyes as the mental door swung open.
On duty nearby, Neil and Jeremy both noticed, but it was Marc who came to her side and gathered the information.
Neither Eagle mentioned it, but both men felt left out. Neil’s choice to give his team a break had been a solid one, but that likely wouldn’t hold much longer. They were almost ready to come back into the action.
10
“She’s right.” Doug tried to be gentle. “It’s gone too far now.”
Peggy didn’t answer.
They were in a dim corner of the mini-mess, Allan covering Doug’s post. He’d let her calm down and then brought her here, glad to be doing something more useful than just guard duty for a change.
“Lass, he–”
“Saved her life.”
Doug let the curt interruption pass. “When you see them together, you’ll understand.”
Her hand tightened on the cup at the thought of being around the couple, and Doug understood in a sudden flash of intuition. That adult male wasn’t the one she’d chosen for her daughter. How much of Becky’s freedom had been intentional?
“You set it up for her to be with Neil!”
The hard woman didn’t blink. “I want her to be more than some Eagle’s woman. He would have taken her there.
“You want. What about hers?”
Peggy’s snort was bitter. “She doesn’t know anything about the real world.”
“Not true,” Doug denied firmly. “She’s a war survivor, a rape victim, and Seth’s lover. Those things are unchangeable. Your dreams for her are dead, like she should be.”
Slap!
Doug didn’t react, though everyone close enough to hear or see it did. He knew what he’d drawn, what he was forcing her to accept.
Peggy shoved herself to her feet. “I hate you!”
Doug was surprised to register the sting. He hadn’t felt much of anything for a long time. “No, you hate yourself.”
Fury…and awareness.
“I have, for most of my life.”
She stood there, clearly torn, and Doug nudged her cup of untouched coffee. “Sit down and tell me why.”
He didn’t think she would. The gambit of emotions crossing her lined face was dangerous for a man with only a very small amount of experience with females.
The fight went out of her in a rush. Peggy sank down, looking at the bright red handprint. “I’m sorry.”
Doug gave her a small smirk. “Oh, I expect you’ll find a different target next time.”
To his surprise, she chuckled, hard but no longer violent.
“Aye.”
There was a lilt to her word that shook him. Not so much the sound of their shared heritage, but the attraction it aroused.
Doug shifted subtly and refilled his cup to buy time. He stole a quick glance at her. She was staring toward the male tents.
Doug grunted, drawing her attention. “You have questions, I’d imagine.”
Peggy traded some of her anger for fear. “What happens now?”
“They’ll leave until she’s older if you refuse to accept it. They’re not going to be split up any more than Kyle and Jennifer are.”
“She’ll leave me?”
Doug didn’t tell Peggy that the couple was currently making plans. Seth hadn’t taken his correction as well as Kyle. “They’ll probably trail camp. You could go out for visits, but if you can’t support them here and now, so they can stay, I’d guess you won’t be welcome.”
“I won’t see her?”
Doug delivered the rest of the truth without any malice. “It all depends on what choice you make right now. She doesn’t need you to rouse these people against Seth or Adrian. That won’t help her and she’s smart enough to know it. She needs you to be her mother.”
Chapter Sixteen
Rookie Rule: Six D
June 19th
10 miles south of Muskogee, Oklahoma
1
“Convoy halt. Emergency plan A.”
There was pause of fear and then the entire camp began yanking on steering wheels and searching the apocalyptic landscape through dusty windows. The heavy winds that Sam had warned them of were gone, leaving fresh debris to be cleared or avoided. It also added huge trees that hadn’t been able to withstand another storm, which made driving tense as limbs cracked and popped above them.
Adrian waited, thinking Kyle would be staring at Jennifer right now. The hum of raw power had to be filling his truck.
One minute, moving slow.
Adrian waved the scheduled guards forward as his camp fled for the mess that was going up in record time. The canopy over it was now lined in lead, and three full teams struggled to erect it as camp members ran into them and each other, shoving.
I don’t feel a direct threat, but...
“But it’s dark when you look.”
How do you know that? Jennifer asked, shocked.
Adrian got out of the semi without answering, heading for Marc’s Blazer.
Marc was on guard outside it, Charlie and Dog nearby with Jennifer as Kyle patrolled the stopped refugee camp with his team and a group of female rookies.
Adrian waited impatiently, ready to reveal all sorts of secrets to save lives this time. He was tired of letting people die because the herd couldn’t handle the things they could do. He wasn’t sure how much more of that he could take.
Thirty seconds.
“Which direction?”
Ahead.
Adrian waved two teams to their flank and sent three to the front.
Angela got out of the Blazer with the witch’s red eyes in plain view for anyone to see. “Be careful of these...”
Marc started to step in front of her, but Adrian was already there. He grabbed her arm, meaning to turn her back to the vehicle.
Lightning flashed overhead, thick and hungry.
Angela moaned at the feel of Adrian’s hands on her skin. Yes!
His instant wave of need in response washed over her as if they were alone and allowed.
Adrian jerked backward, but too late. The witch lunged forward, drawing what he’d been denying even in their dreams.
Marc blocked the view from the overloaded mess, simmering. He knew she occasionally took energy from other men, but to see it! He instinctively knew that Angie didn’t crave him that way.
May I? the inner Marine begged.
Marc growled. “No.”
The sound of it snapped Angela and Adrian out of the intense power-lock and they stared in horror. There was no one to blame, no scene to cover up and no crime committed, but the line had been crossed.
They’re here!
Adrian turned from Marc’s fury, now more determined than ever to stay back. When she and Marc failed, it had to be because of them.
Marc didn’t care about the approaching threat or the asshole that had just walked away. What he cared about were the dangerous realizations he saw in Angela’s eyes. She had all of the truth now–Adrian wanted her in his bed–and her reaction, that moan! said she felt the same on some level.
An
gela scowled cruelly, full of shame and anger at the unfairness of paying for not having done anything wrong. “I’ve always known, but you just couldn’t leave it alone.”
She grimaced, confirming Marc’s suspicions. “And neither could he.”
Angela left him there, moving toward the front of the convoy to join Kyle.
Now, may I?
Marc moved to Angela’s flank, not bothering to stand between her and Adrian as they waited for the slowly approaching vehicles. He’d already thought of trying to keep them apart. That was a waste of time, and Marc still hadn’t found a better solution than the one he was already employing.
“Because there isn’t a solution to be found,” Adrian forced the words out. “Feed her more and shit like that won’t happen.”
Marc wanted to snarl, but the man inside asked when she’d drawn from him last.
“It’s no excuse,” Angela protested. “I’m sorry for the disrespect I’ve shown you.”
Marc’s inner man almost came forward anyway when Adrian didn’t tell her the truth, that his need was pulling, not hers.
“Not true.” Adrian moved forward as the five vehicles got closer. “She’ll always have to draw from someone else. Her needs are more than you can satisfy.”
Any hope Angela had for peace between them vanished with that one statement. Now that Marc knew, he would always suspect, always search her with those concerned blue eyes. His jealousy wouldn’t give him any peace and Adrian knew it. He’d made certain Marc would hurt, too.
Not like what Adrian is suffering, the witch reminded her. How does he continue to function while being eaten up that way?
Angela shoved the demon back in fury. You caused this with your dream-walking, promising him what he can’t have!
The witch cackled ruthlessly. And who says he can’t, my pet? Keep the shields of the past up if you must, but there is no denying what we saw–what you felt.
Angela’s frustration boiled. There had to be some way to change that future. She didn’t want to be Adrian’s. She wanted Brady!
Marc turned suddenly, waving Neil over to take his place. Angela and Adrian weren’t acting as if the approaching cars were a threat and at the moment, Marc didn’t think he could stand to see even a single look pass between them. It wasn’t just Angela’s fragile emotions that Marc worried over. This time, his competition wasn’t a sullen, powerless wife-beater or a group of rookies who didn’t know what they were doing. It was Adrian, and that extremely manipulative man was none of those things. He was dangerous.