Our desire for safe surroundings and formidable allies drove us back to the ranch at a gallop. We were all—horses, humans, and dog—panting when we trotted into the stable. Jason jumped out of his saddle and helped me down, having noticed me sway when we slowed at the driveway. During the ride, I’d maintained a mental connection not just with Jack, but with the dozens of other scouting animals as well, and it was exacting its toll.
“Are you okay?” Jason asked, setting me down facing him. His eyes searched every part of me, seeking out an ailment that couldn’t be seen.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just need a snack…and maybe a nap.” I stood on tiptoes and gave him a slow, promising kiss. To reassure him, I told myself.
“Can you make it inside on your own?” he asked when we separated.
I nodded.
“Go lay down…I’ll take care of everything out here.” As I slowly walked away, he added, “And Red?”
I looked at him over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
“This isn’t over,” he promised.
“Good.”
41
DANI
Smiling, I opened my eyes to see the fire’s gentle glow on the wall. Jason must’ve built it back up while I was asleep. Quick, heavy footsteps mingled with the soft sound of the crackling wood. It’s him, I thought excitedly. He knelt near my head and gently pulled the blankets lower. While I waited for his touch, my giddiness was almost impossible to contain.
Suddenly, a rank-smelling hand was over my mouth, and hot, foul breath brushed my ear. “Pretty girl,” he said, and I realized the man touching me definitely wasn’t Jason. My already increased heart rate spiked. “Wanna have some fun?”
A gunshot cracked from another part of the house, and the man momentarily loosened his grasp on my face. Sensing my only chance, I shifted and bit down on the meaty flesh between his thumb and index finger until blood oozed into my mouth. I gagged on its warmth, on its metallic taste.
Shrieking, the man shoved me away, and I fell off the couch…but not before my fingers closed around the handgun I’d stowed between the cushion and the couch back. I’d finally learned my lesson—guns stay within arm’s reach, always.
Stumbling, I extricated myself from the blankets and stood, aiming my gun at the repulsive intruder. I spat as much of his blood from my mouth as possible, terrified by what diseases it might be carrying. Almost as alarming was the familiarity of his face—Mr. Monk—he’d been a teacher at my high school, alongside Mr. Grayson. He’d taught PE and had a well-deserved reputation as a pervert, at least among the girls. A large group of his female students had eventually gone to the principal and then to the police, and Mr. Monk had been charged with multiple counts of molestation. Last I’d heard, he was still in prison.
“Bitch!” Mr. Monk howled, clutching his bleeding hand to his chest.
“You have no idea,” I growled and fired the pistol. The bullet impacted his shoulder, twisting him to the side. Without hesitation, I pulled the trigger again. The second bullet shot straight through his temple, and he collapsed to the floor, his head hitting the hardwood with a heavy, wet thunk.
Lowering the gun, I spat again, spraying pink saliva in his direction, and hissed, “Goddamn pervert!” Anger was all that kept me from crying. Screaming. Puking.
“Dani! Are you okay?” Jason shouted, his voice preceding his arrival. As he ran into the room, I heard more gunshots elsewhere in the house. Jack followed him in, hurrying to my feet and whining pathetically.
As Jason’s eyes landed on the crumpled heap on the floor, he froze. Cautiously, he moved closer to the dead man and stared at his hemorrhaging head. “Is that Mr. Monk?”
I wiped my mouth with the back of my wrist. “Yeah. I…I killed him,” I said weakly, beginning to shake. Mr. Monk was the second man I’d killed in less than a week, and my psyche was having some not-so-minor issues avoiding the reality of my actions.
I’m a killer.
Jason shifted his intense, blue eyes to my face. “Did he…touch you? Did he hurt you?” When I didn’t respond, he closed the distance and grabbed me by the shoulders. “Dani!”
Tearing my eyes away from the oozing mound of lumpy, bloody gore that had once been the side of Mr. Monk’s head, I whispered, “Not this time.” I just wished I could stop shaking, stop remembering.
“What do you…,” Jason began, but stopped short, letting his mouth fall open. His eyes widened, and he searched my face for answers, his throat convulsing rhythmically. He tried twice to speak before words actually formed. “You were one of them…one of the girls he…?”
I looked away, disgusted and ashamed. “Yeah. But I was a lot luckier than the others. Zo…she found me in his office before he could get his pants down. She knew I had a meeting with him about my grades.” I laughed bitterly. “Grades. What a joke. I thought I was going to suffocate with his hand over my mouth…I couldn’t fight him off. I was too weak…too small. I don’t know what she did…I could only see the wall…but one second he was there and I could barely breathe, and the next, Zo was hauling me out of his office while I cried in her arms. Mr. Monk said he’d kill us if we told.”
“I didn’t know.” Jason’s voice was tight, restrained.
“Nobody did…except Zo, the other girls, the principal, and the police. It was hard to keep Grams from finding out.” I shook my head. “So hard. I didn’t want to tell anyone, but Zo made me. She said his threat was empty. She said that if enough girls got together and told the truth about him, he’d go away and never hurt anyone again.” I waved my hand in the direction of Mr. Monk’s body. “I guess he got outta prison.”
I looked at the dead man and smiled. When I spoke, my voice was cold. “Now he’s dead.”
“Yeah, he is,” Jason said, pressing his fingers against my jaw and gently turning my face back to his. “Why’s your mouth bloody? Did he hit you?”
“I bit him.” I snatched a water bottle off of the coffee table, took a swig, swished the water around in my mouth, and spat the mouthful into the fire. I did it three times. “I can’t get the taste of his blood out of my mouth.”
Without hesitation, Jason clamped his hands on the sides of my head and kissed me, hard, giving me something else to focus on. His touch and his taste drove the unhappy memories from my mind. He was the perfect distraction, and I could tell he was desperate to help me forget.
“Fuck!” he growled, breaking contact and taking a step back. “He deserved a slower death. Fucking bastard!”
When I took a step toward Jason, he held out his hand. “We’re leaving tonight. As soon as possible. Change into something warmer.” His eyes scanned my body, taking in my pajamas—cotton shorts and a tank top. “Something much warmer…and get your things together.”
“What? We’re leaving? But we’re not ready! We don’t even have a saddle for Mr. Grayson,” I said without a breath’s pause.
“He can use Dalton’s shit. We have to leave…they’ll come back with more. And would you put on some clothes for fuck’s sake?”
“But Dalton—”
“He’s dead,” Jason said harshly.
“Oh.” I hadn’t been close to Dalton, but I could feel tears suddenly welling in my eyes. “Turn around,” I said unsteadily, and waited until Jason obeyed to swap my pajamas for a bra, sweater, long underwear, and jeans.
“What about everyone else?” I asked, zipping my jeans. I hope they’re okay…
“They’re alive. What d’you need to pack?” Jason was walking around the room, picking up the various possessions I’d strewn about—it was remarkable how much I’d settled in since I’d only been staying there for a little over a week.
“It’s fine. I can take care of my own stuff…go get your things together,” I told him, setting my hiking pack on the couch.
Jason shook his head and handed me a lime-green journal—I was planning to use it as a stand-in for writing to Zoe once the Internet died. “I’m not leaving you alone,” he told me.
<
br /> “Jason, I—”
“No!” he yelled. Very carefully, he repeated, “I’m not leaving you alone.”
For a few long seconds we stared at each other, chests rising and falling heavily. It felt like a magnetic force connected our eyes, preventing us from looking away. Finally, I cleared my throat and nodded.
Together, Jason and I packed all of my belongings and then his before heading out to the stable. As the first to arrive, we began saddling eight of the horses for riding and the rest as pack animals. We currently had fifteen horses, including the handful we’d gathered into our herd over the last few days from nearby farms and ranches. We fit the goats with dog collars and leashes, unwilling to leave them behind—the protein from their milk would be an invaluable nutrient once scavenging for food became less reliable. As the others arrived, we added their backpacks to ours on the riderless horses. It was a hurried, late night job that would require a lot of rearranging the following morning, especially considering all of the supplies and equipment we still needed to gather as we traveled.
Once everyone was packed and had mounted their horses, we assembled in a misshapen circle on the driveway. Nudging his mount forward—a chestnut brown Thoroughbred he’d yet to name—Jason addressed the group. “We’ve lost Dalton. He fought until the end, giving us the warning we needed to survive the attack. We all owe him our lives.”
Everyone but Holly nodded gravely. She just stared ahead with empty eyes. They’d been close friends, she and Dalton, closer than I’d previously realized.
“When we have a night to rest, we’ll celebrate his memory.” Jason paused, meeting the eyes of each individual. “We’re heading east. It’ll be hard, but you all know that. Some of us have new, unique skills—Abilities.” He looked at Chris, Ky, Ben, and finally, me. “And others may be able to do things we’ve yet to discover. We have to use every advantage. Ky will lead us, paying attention to the feel of the path ahead. If he says stop, you stop. If he says get down, you get the fuck down. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” the military personnel responded, though Mr. Grayson and I only gave sharp nods.
“Dani will take care of scouting by communicating with animals.” Jason looked at me, his expression fierce. “That way nobody will need to risk their safety by going ahead to scout alone. Alright, we’re pairing up for the duration of the journey. Anytime you leave the immediate vicinity of the group, you will let your partner know, or better yet, bring them with you.” He studied each of us, then said, “Let’s go with Hunter and Holly, Ben and Ky, Daniel and Chris, and Dani and me.”
It took me a moment to remember that Daniel was Mr. Grayson’s first name.
“Any last questions before we head out?” When everyone shook their heads, Jason said, “Today’ll be long, so save your strength whenever possible. Ky, lead on.”
Date: January 6, 8:20 PM
From: Danielle O’Connor
To: Zoe Cartwright
Subject: And so it goes
Zo,
We left BB. We had no choice. Some Crazies attacked us last night. Five of them. We killed four, but one got away. So, we couldn’t stay. We knew more would come.
Dalton is dead, and without him we’d be dead. One of the Crazies snuck up on him and slit his throat. He must’ve been dozing off or something, because that’s the only way anyone would get the drop on him. The remarkable thing is…he was still able to shoot the guy in the face, even as he lay dying. Dalton was quiet and kind, and I wish I’d known him better. I just can’t believe he’s dead.
We’ve been riding all day, so I apologize if this is a little incoherent. We’re staying in a big fancy winery in Napa. Too bad we’re all too tired to indulge. The electricity actually works here, though the internet connection is on and off. I don’t know when I’ll be able to email you again. I can’t believe how fast this is all happening.
Please be careful. I love you, Zo...I’ll see you soon. In February hopefully. Assuming you’re okay. Please be okay.
Ciao,
Dani
“You feel different,” Ky said, sitting in the chair opposite me. I’d settled in what had been a private dining room, soothed by its rich brown wood, creamy walls, and burgundy carpet. Jason had left me alone in the isolated room to write to Zoe while he washed up.
Apparently modeled after a French chateau, the winery was filled with ivory marble floors, rich mahogany furniture, and crystal light fixtures. The main tasting room—a vast chamber with a two-story-high ceiling and ornately carved tables of various sizes—had become our “camp” for the night. Nobody seemed overly interested in privacy after what had happened the previous night, instead opting to share one big room.
I eyed Ky. “Um…thanks?”
He grinned. “Anytime. But really…you feel like a bomb that’s been diffused. Before, you just felt like a bomb.”
“Okay…why are you ‘feeling’ me exactly?”
Leaning forward, Ky rested his elbows on the table. “Jason’s orders. Everyone gets checked out by Chris and me. Making sure nobody’s losing it.”
“I’m not losing it.”
“So you say.” Ky cocked his head to the side like he was trying to hear the words of a barely audible song. “Huh…that’s interesting.”
“What?” Knowing he was listening to what could best be described as my emotional volatility was starting to creep me out.
“Nothing really…it’s just that…Jason felt similar,” he said, letting his eyes refocus on me. They held a mischievous glint.
“Ky…,” I warned.
His mouth tensed as he tried not to smile. “It’s about time!”
“We are so not talking about this!” I scooted my chair backward, planning to flee. My sex life was not about to become a topic of public conversation.
“Do us all a favor and get it over with.”
Before I could stand, hands were on my shoulders, holding me firmly in place. “Get what over with?” Chris asked from directly behind me, and I groaned.
Ky said nothing—instead, his grin widened.
“Oh, got it…seriously!” Chris agreed. Out of nowhere, she asked, “Have your nightmares stopped?”
Her question threw me off balance, and I’d already been teetering between furious blushes and outrage. “Uh, yeah. A few nights ago.”
“Good. There’s a bit of a difference here…and here,” she said softly. I sensed a ghostly nudge inside my head with each “here”. It was the first time I’d actually felt her Ability at work, though I knew she’d had a huge part in helping me deal with losing Cam.
“Do you mind!” I yelped. I grasped my head and shook it wildly in a futile attempt to block her meddling.
“Oh, sorry, hon. Didn’t know you could feel that.” At least she had the decency to sound slightly embarrassed. “However, I wonder what this part does…it’s sort of pulsing…hmmm…”
Along with another nudge in my mind, my body instantly heated and blood collected in several specific areas. “Chris!” I squealed, horrified.
Laughing raucously, she let go of my shoulders. “I thought it might be that. You should probably go find someone to help take care of your new problem.”
“That wasn’t even a little bit okay!” I huffed, stalking from the room.
I seriously considered ambushing Jason and getting it over with, but even in my unnaturally aroused state, I was just too exhausted. I’d spent the entire fourteen-hour journey mind-hopping from animal to animal, scouting out potential dangers. We’d avoided three small bands of Crazies using the critters’ information. At the moment, I just wanted to wash up and fall asleep.
Only Holly and Mr. Grayson, hunched over a map together, were in the enormous tasting room when I walked in. I gathered some clean underwear, socks, sweatpants, and a t-shirt from my pack, along with my toothbrush and toothpaste, and wandered across marble entryway to the ladies’ restroom. I could hear water running in the men’s room next door and figured Jason was still in there.
In the bathroom, I took the closest possible thing to a shower using only the sink, hand soap, and about a thousand paper towels. When I was satisfactorily clean and wearing sweats and t-shirt, I emerged from the bathroom. Jason, lounging against the wall beside the door, reached out to snag my arm.
Pulling me to him, he lowered his lips to mine for a deep, slow kiss. As his fingers journeyed beneath my t-shirt to tease the freshly cleaned skin at my hips, I sighed and broke our kiss, resting my head against his chest. He smelled like soap, and underneath that, like Jason.
He smoothed down my shirt’s hem and wrapped his arms around me, making me feel like nothing could hurt me. “You’re tired.”
I nodded. “Understatement of the century.”
Jason chuckled and said, “Come on, I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” I asked, eagerly peering up at him. My sudden anticipation fizzled as I looked into his glittering eyes, and just for a moment, saw Zoe staring back at me. They were so different in so many ways, but their irises—a mixture of blue, teal, and green, like shallow water in the tropics—were nearly identical.
“What’s wrong?” Jason asked, seeing my grin wither.
“I’m starting to freak out about Zo…I haven’t heard from her for, like…four days.”
Pinching one of my damp curls, Jason held out the vibrant auburn spiral. “I love your hair. Always have. It’s bright, like you.” Though his words were flattering, I had no idea where he was going with them. “You and my sister…you balance each other out. She’s serious and pessimistic. But you…you see the glass half full. Use that. She’s strong. She’s fine…she has to be. Okay?”
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