“Please say this isn’t one sided.”
“No, it’s not.” I tell him truthfully.
His thumb rubbed the top of my hand as he looked into my eyes. Even in the dark, we seemed to find each other.
“They’re dead,” He blurted out.
“What?” I asked, taken back by what he said.
“Those people I was with when… you know.” He paused for a moment, “The next night, we had a run in with another group and this time the group got the upper hand. They killed off all but one of the people I was with.” He paused again, not seeming to know whether he should continue, but I squeeze his hand, telling him to go on, “Marcus. He was the guy that forced the choice on me; the one that watched us. A couple of guys from this new group pinned me down, ready to take me out along with the rest of them when I asked if I could finish my “companion” off.” He chortled. “They looked at me like I was crazy, but they figured what the heck, and let me up. I didn’t hesitate. I walked right up to him with one of their guns and put it to his head. I named everything that I knew he did, and why he deserved what I was about to do to him. He didn’t say a word, he just stared at me, smiling, sure that I wouldn’t have the guts to do it, but I did. I pulled the trigger. The other group let me keep the gun, telling me that I’d done the right thing. They asked me to stay with them, but I knew where that got me the last time, so I decided to stay on my own. I’d left Mason and Michael at school, and we agreed to meet up. We all had different places or people to find and separating was the best choice at the time. I had just left my house after looking for James when I found Uncle Dane and Aunt Rosie. I sent them here with Michael and Mason, while I stayed back to look for James. I checked everywhere. When time finally came for me to accept that he was either gone or had somehow already started his way here, was when I ran into Marcus’s group. I was relieved, sad, and sickened by the time I made it. Mason and Michael had found it, along with my Aunt and Uncle. Hell, there were people I didn’t even know when I got here, but no James.
“At that point, I felt like a completely different person. Life as we knew it was over, my mother was dead, my brother missing or dead, and I had to do things I never could have imagined having to do in my life. Nothing was, or ever would be the same.” He glanced back at me and smiled, sadly, “I wish we’d met under different circumstances.” His statement caused my stomach to twist.
“I know what you mean.” My words are soft, still trying to wrap my mind around this whole turn of events.
“Can I try something?”
“What?” I asked, a little hesitant.
He tucked his arm under my head gently so I could nestle myself into the crook of his bicep and chest. This close to him, I felt right, somehow. When I looked up at him, our lips were an inch apart. He was so handsome―eyes bright, skin tan and smooth. His lips shaped perfectly, a kissable pink. As if reading my mind, he closed the space between us, pressing his lips to mine.
Our lips moved together in mimicking slow motions. If he couldn’t feel my heart beat out of my chest before, he could definitely feel it now. My breathing sped to an embarrassing rate, as if I’d ran for miles. His lips stretched into a smile against mine as he pulled away, but only a whisper. Still almost touching, warming my lips with his breaths, he watched me.
“Are you okay?” A smile cocked up on the corner of his perfect mouth.
“Mm hmm…” So lame.
He closed the tiny gap between our lips and kissed me again. All the soreness I was feeling evaporated into thin air as elation surrounded my entire body. His fingers unwrapped from mine and traced the length of my arm. I felt my side pinch, but ignored the pain. This moment was way better than drawing attention to it. Just as his breathing sped to match mine, there was a commotion outside our door.
“Ian! There are Infected outside!” Becky began to say as she pulled the makeshift door open but paused mid-sentence. She stood staring, a deer-in-headlights look on her face from the lantern she held and I saw her face become twisted with hatred. She opened her mouth to say something else, but Ryan interrupted.
“Get out!” He yelled with so much venom in his voice. “You’re not even supposed to be down here. Where are Mason and Michael?”
She stayed silent for a moment. “They sent me to get you.” Her voice was harsh. “There are Infected outside. They said one of them tried to attack Luke while he was out tracking. He killed one, but needs help catching the other.”
Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Where’d they come from? They’ve never been this far out before.” He asked.
“Don’t know.” I could swear the more Becky stood watching us, her eyes became more lost and vacant, overtaken by hatred.
He looked toward the tunnels exit and then back at me. “Go and get James. Tell him to come here. When he’s here, I’ll leave to help the others.”
Becky stared him down, then turned without another word, flipping the curtain closed, and headed toward the main cavern. A couple minutes later, James appeared in the doorway of our room, stopping short after taking in my features.
“Wow Lil, she messed you up.” He said, gawking at my wounds.
I still hadn’t seen them for myself. I knew how bad they felt, but their comments made me self-conscious. “Thanks for the compliment.” I said, trying to lighten the heavy mood that filled the room. “Where is Azami? I thought she was with you.”
“She’s with Jen in her room. I dropped her off there before heading over here.”
“She’s okay then?”
“Of course.” James assured me.
“Watch her like a hawk, James. Don’t let her try to come and help. She shouldn’t be walking.” As much as I hated it, he was right. I couldn’t help myself, let alone anyone else.
“Yes Sir.” James saluted Ryan.
Ryan turned to me and said. “Please stay here. I’ll be right back, I promise.”
“Be careful.” I told him as he pulled away and ran out of the room.
James sat on the end of the mattress and looked over at me, then raised an eyebrow and nudged me. “What was that all about?”
My cheeks grew hot and my gaze darted to my lap. “Nothing. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I smiled part way through my sentence, drawing out a gigantic smile on James’s face.
“Come on. Tell me! I’m old enough to know.”
He was right. Even if he wasn’t old enough by years, he was old enough in life experience. He hasn’t been a child in a long time. “There isn’t much to tell. I think I like your brother, and I think he likes me too.”
“You think?” James said, sarcastically. “Anyone who’s been around you two in the last few weeks can see that.” He laughed to himself.
“Do you think they’ll be alright?” I asked him, turning the conversation serious.
“Yeah, everyone is going to be fine.” He paused for a minute. “Well, everyone but Ian.” He said, looking at me with a puzzled expression.
“What do you mean?” I attempted to climb from the mattress when James grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me back down. Every muscle in my body screamed with the sudden movement of falling onto the mattress. My head began pounding with the pulsing of my heart.
“I didn’t mean it that way.” He said, waiting for me to absorb his words.
A few deep breaths later, I collected my thoughts. “What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“I’ve noticed a pattern when I lose my sight. It’s always when Ian’s around. I can see everyone else but Ian. That’s why I didn’t know he was here when we first arrived.
“Well then, where were you when this happened?” I asked, pointing to my face.
“It wasn’t planned.” He paused. “She didn’t know you were in there until she went in. I only saw it as it happened. That’s when I told everyone you were in trouble. Well, I said something more along the lines of ‘I haven’t seen Lil in a while. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Becky either. Didn’t
they both go to the bathroom? I have a bad feeling’.” He smiled at me triumphantly.
“Thanks. That’s more comforting. So we just have to wait to see if he’s okay?” Concern was thick in my voice.
“No. I know he’s alright. He’s with Mason, and Mason is fine.” He looked so sure of himself.
“I think I’m missing something.” I looked at him expectantly. “Dish. What do you know that I don’t?”
“Alright. I figured out my sight, well most of it. Over the last few weeks my sight has been changing. Before, I could only get brief glimpses. Enough to gage a situation. Now, I can see things―things that are already planned. Like I want bread, so I go to the kitchen to get it. I planned it, so I can see it, but when Becky attacked you, she didn’t plan to, not until she saw you in the wash room by yourself. So after she thought about it and planned it in her head, then I saw it. Do you see?”
I nodded, guessing I got it.
“Ian on the other hand, I don’t know why my gift disappears around him. Maybe it’s because we’re related, or maybe he’s got some mind powers too.” James said excitedly.
“That is weird. Has anyone ever told you that you’re an odd individual?” I smiled, acting as if his sight was the most normal thing in the world.
“You know, I’m not going to take it easy on you just because you have a few scratches.” James said, right before he lunged forward, tackling me backwards onto the mattress.
Sharp pain raged through my body. I breathed in sharply as my back hit the mattress, pinching my ribs even more with the weight of him on top of me. My head felt like it was going to explode, pounding so hard I could feel my eyeballs beat in rhythm with my pulse. I couldn’t let him get the best of me. I would never live it down.
“Ahh.” I cried out.
James laughed. Ass. “Buck up, Lil. I can’t have you going soft on me.” Apparently, it didn’t matter that I’d just received the biggest beat down of my life. He tried to put me in a hold, but I moved out of the way and twisted him around instead, every inch of me rejecting my movements.
“I don’t need you to take it easy on me. I can take you any time, any place, anywhere, even if I’ve just gotten my ass handed to me on a silver platter.” I laughed, letting him up a few seconds after I had him pinned and smacked him lightly on the back of the head. I couldn’t have held him down for much longer. I shouldn’t even be moving, let alone wrestling.
“Good one.” He said as he rubbed his head and winked at me.
“What?” The look on his face, one of complete satisfaction, confused me.
“Hey, Ian.” James called out.
I turned around. Ryan stood a couple of feet behind me with a gorgeous smile on his lips. He was beautiful, looking like any girls wet dream.
“Hi.” I said, more crimson flooding my cheeks.
“Hi.” He said as he sat down next to me on the mattress. “I believe you’re supposed to take it easy.” He pinned me with a playful, yet stern expression, “And you were supposed to take care of her, not wrestle her to the ground. I guess she showed you though, huh.” He said as he slugged James in the arm.
“It won’t be much longer before I can take her down.” James looked at me, trying to glare, but not able to wipe the smile off his face long enough to make it believable.
“Is everything alright outside?” I asked, wanting to know what happened.
“Everything’s fine. Luke ran into a couple Infected outside. He killed one, but cornered another until we were able to come and help him catch it. We put it down in the pit for now.”
James and I looked at each other and then back at Ryan.
“Pit? What pit?” I asked.
“The pit they put Becky in.” James answered.
“How do you know about the pit?” Ryan asked James sharply.
James fumbled with his words, looking at me for help.
“He must have heard someone talking about it.” I tried to cover for him.
“No. I only mentioned it when we were in the bathroom when I told them to take Becky there, and James wasn’t in the room. What’s going on?” He demanded.
“You should just tell him, James. He’s not going to think you’re weird―no more than normal, anyway.”
James explained as best as he could about his sight, that how since the Flash he’s been able to see things. How he saw me coming, how he saw the Infected at the tree, and the ones that came tonight. Ryan sat on the mattress and listened to James intently. When James finished, he waited for some sort of negative reaction. His gift hadn’t appeared until the light blinded the sky. There must have been something in the chemical weapon that altered his brain, maybe even others. That was the best we could come up with.
Ryan finally broke his cool, expressionless face. “Wow, that’s cool, and I think I know why you can’t see me.” We both looked at him, confused.
“Why?”
“Because I am like you, just in a different way.” He looked over at me and grinned. “I can read people’s emotions. I can feel it when you’re seeing things and my body naturally blocks you from sensing me. I’m not sure how my gift works, really. You’re way ahead of me on figuring that out. I can however, tell how you feel towards me. You’re happy to be here with me, just as much as I am to be with you. You’re also very happy you met Lillie and Azami. You truly love them as much as you love me.”
James beamed at me. “Of course I do.” He patted the top of my head like I was his obedient and faithful dog.
It occurred to me then that Ryan had sensed all the tension, the fluttering, the overpowering yearning that my body’s been experiencing toward him. Even that one fateful day, when I first laid eyes on him, my body’s reaction was one of attraction.
I turned my head, trying to block out the rush of warmth that flooded my cheeks. It was like he could read my mind. I knew he’d sensed the sudden rush of emotions that spread throughout my body with the acknowledgement. Even after everything he’d done, everything we’ve been through, I didn’t want him as a witness to the emotional turmoil rolling through my body when it came to him.
“James. You need to go back to bed. We’ll talk some more in the morning.” Ryan instructed.
“But, I want to know more about the pit, and your power thing…” He looked at me for help.
“No, he’s right. It’s late, and you need to get some sleep so we can figure out what to do.” I agreed with Ryan.
“Awe, man. I miss everything.” He mumbled the rest of the way out the door and down the hall.
Ryan turned back to me, the same cocky smile playing on his lips.
I scooted to the inside of the mattress, silently inviting him in.
Ryan removed his shoes and climbed in next to me. He pulled his blanket over the two of us and turned to face me. My heart was already pounding in my chest, my breathing erratic. Fueled by a recipe of emotions; trepidation, desire, nervousness, anticipation, embarrassment, my stomach made the trip to butterfly heaven, and my insides were the first stop.
“You know,” He broke the silence, keeping his eyes locked on mine. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. I know how you feel about me and trust me, the feeling is mutual. The day we first met, regardless of the circumstances, I took one look at you and I could feel it then too. There was something about you. You were beautiful, but so lost. I wanted to save you so much from every horrible thing that had happened, and that would happen. Not only did I think about what I had done to you and how sick it was, I couldn’t get you out of my mind after we left. I’m not a bad person, I swear to you, but I have wished that every day since, something different would have happened and brought us together. Now you’re here, and you feeling the same is something I don’t deserve, but it’s something I intend to run with and build on.” He squeezed my hand against his heart. “I thought about finding you, but I always stopped myself. Why would you want to see me after what had happened? I should’ve looked anyway. It never crossed my mind with everything goi
ng on that you could have been pregnant, and I’m so sorry that I left you to do that on your own. You were obviously too far away for me to feel anything from you beyond that day, but I felt you after I left and knew what I had done to you emotionally, not just physically. I would have stayed by your side, even if you hated me. I’ve done so much wrong, and I want so much to do everything right by her, and by you. I want this more than I have ever wanted anything in my life.”
I look away, still stunned by his confession when he says, “Don’t. Please look at me.” I do as he asks and look into his eyes as he pulls my face to his and begins kissing me with urgency, but then after only a few moments, he breaks away, “Even with a bruised up face, you’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and that’s the truth.” He kissed my forehead, the tip of my nose, and then finding my lips one last time, he says, “You need to get some more rest. Azami is having a blast with all the attention she’s getting, but she’s already started asking for you, so you need to rest enough to deal with that little whirlwind of a child.” He chuckled as he tucks me into him gently.
“Goodnight, Lillie.”
“Goodnight, Ian.” I love the sound of his real name leaving my lips for the first time. It also like saying his real name is a new beginning.
Chapter 8
I woke the next morning feeling refreshed, as if I’d slept for days. I still rested in Ian’s arms, not having moved an inch. I stayed motionless, afraid I’d wake him.
“Good morning.” A familiar voice said from the doorway. I stiffened and lifted my head.
“You alright?” Ian asked, coming awake. He took in his surroundings quickly and realized James had made his entrance.
Ian lifted his head in James’s direction. “Hey, baby bro. Whatcha doin?” He mumbled, sleep still thick in his voice.
“The meeting’s going to start in an hour. Uncle Dane wants you to get ready and eat something before you come, and Lillie has to come to the meeting too. Everyone knows you’re gonna argue that she needs to rest, but I think she’s had plenty, and so does everyone else. Becky’s going on trial so she has to be there.”
Flash Series (Book 1): Infected Page 10