I hold my hands up. “No arguments here. Dungeon sounds good to me.”
His eyes narrow. “You’re not going to argue with my methods?”
“Why would I? I agree with them. Everyone’s safety comes first.”
He tilts his head to the side. “Why did I ever not want to marry you?”
I shrug, feeling amused. “You didn’t know any better. But it’s okay, as long as you know now.”
He bends his head and kisses me. “Go and tell everyone about the lockdown. I’ll meet you in bed later.”
I nod and go towards the women’s rooms, planning to start there.
I only hope the men we bring into these walls were good men.
I wake when Dane’s warm body hits the sheets. “Everything okay?”
“They’re in the dungeon. Weren’t aggressive or anything, just wary.”
“How did they know about us?” I ask him. “Or did they just come across the castle?”
“People talk. Apparently people know there is a safe haven away from the disaster that is our world, they just don’t know where to find it. I think it was pure luck these men came across the castle. They saw smoke and knew people were here.”
I let that sink in, then ask, “Will you still be going away for supplies? With the men here?”
“Do you want me to stay?” he asks quietly. “They will be in the dungeon for a week. The men will feed them and take care of them. You don’t even have to see them. You’re safe Olivia.”
“I know,” I whisper. “We can manage fine while you’re on a hunt. Will Tegan be going with you to forage for berries and herbs?”
Sliding his arm under my neck, he brings me closer to him. I rest my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat.
“Why, are you jealous?” he asks, sounding amused.
“No,” I reply, a little too forcefully.
“I’ve never touched her before, and I would never do that to you. I take the vows you said to Lars very seriously.”
I pinch his nipple.
“Ouch!”
“You deserved that,” I tell him smugly.
He rolls me under him, his heavy body pressing into mine. “I’m many things but a cheater isn’t one of them, okay? Besides, I only have eyes to you. No other woman makes me hard anymore,” he says, grinding his hardness against me. “You feel that? All for you baby.”
“Dane,” I breathe. “I want you.”
“I want you too,” he says, lifting my nightdress up. “No panties. Hmmm.”
I help him pull down his pants, spread my legs and urge him into me.
“Yes,” I whisper as he slides inside me.
How did I ever live without this?
“Dane,” I say, sleepy and sated after our lovemaking.
“Yes, beautiful,” he replies gently.
“Where did you go, before our wedding?”
The fingers that were running up my arm still. “Do you remember what happened five years ago?”
I nod. “Sure. The virus spread from country to country. They couldn’t contain it anymore. I remember a loud blast, like the world was coming to an end. Chaos. Everyone was losing it. Looting, breaking things. Running, hiding. Killing. My dad protected me. Made sure we got out safely.”
“Right,” he murmurs. “A lot of us escaped the city and came out here, where there were grasslands and fields. We came to live like we would have in old times, where we could hide, and live off the land in peace. Unfortunately, not everyone wanted that. I came across a man, Dravid, his name was. I’d met a girl and we were travelling together. She was alone and I was protecting her. This was before I met Gina.”
I kiss his arm, silently asking him to continue.
“Dravid invited us to stay with him, gave us food and shelter. I thought he was just a nice man, helping people, like I would do,” he says, his voice hardening. “But the truth is there aren’t many good people out there anymore. He was an evil man. He used to sell slaves. Human trafficking. He’d doused the food and it put us to sleep. When I woke up, I was locked in a cell.”
“What happened?” I ask, rubbing my chest absently where it was suddenly hurting.
“He had women captive there. Passing men that had something to barter with, he would offer them one of the women as payment. He was acting like a pimp, forcing women that he had found to sleep with whoever he demanded.”
I gasp. “Gina?”
“Yes, Gina,” he replies sadly. “One day a man came in, and wanted to see a live sex show. Dravid said that if I didn’t have sex with Gina in front of them, he was going to kill her and I was going to watch, and it would be my fault.”
Tears pool in my eyes. “I’m so sorry Dane.”
So that’s what he meant when he said he didn’t have a choice. He really was a good man and I kept throwing Gina in his face.
“No wonder you’re so protective of her,” I whisper. “So what happened?”
“Your dad happened actually,” he says, sounding amused. “He came across us and saved us all. Dravid got away though. When I went away before the wedding, we’d gotten word on his whereabouts. I wanted him dead. I had to go. I wanted him to be gone from this world before I married you. Evan wanted it too. We’d been working hard to find him. He was pure evil Olivia, I’m not even going to tell you the things he’s done. I wanted to stay for the wedding, I did, but we couldn’t let him get away. More innocent lives were at stake, and I couldn’t be that selfish. Luckily, I was able to find him and return in time for that wedding kiss.”
“Did you kill him?”
“Yes, does that bother you?” he asks slowly.
“No,” I reply honestly. “It doesn’t.”
He’s quiet for a few moments. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“I ask myself the same thing about you,” I whisper into the darkened room.
Chapter Thirteen
The days pass quickly, and soon Dane and several of his men are getting ready to leave in search of supplies.
“I’ll be back in a few days,” Dane tells me as I tie his hair back with a leather thong at the nape of his neck. “I’ll look for some honeysuckle flowers for you.”
I smile at his thoughtfulness. “Don’t worry about anything except coming home to me in one piece.”
“I always do,” he says, standing and turning to me, wrapping me in his arms. I felt safe, cared for, in his arms. Like I was meant to be there.
“Sam and Jase will be here, along with others. I know you think Jase is a pain in the ass but he’s a skilled fighter and does whatever needs to be done. I’ll feel better with both of them here, at your side.”
“You’re taking Lars?” I ask.
He nods. “I’ll also feel better with Lars at my side. He’s my right hand man. You know this.”
I did. “I’ll feel better if you have Lars with you as well.”
His lips suddenly kick up at the corners. “Who thought we’d be here right now? Sure as fuck not me.”
I smile back. “Now that I have you, I’m not letting you go.”
“Wouldn’t want you to,” he says, leaning his forehead against mine. “I have the most beautiful, brave, courageous woman by my side. What else could I want?”
“A side chick?” I joke, making him laugh.
Damn, I love that sound.
“I’m going to miss you,” I blurt out.
I love you.
“I’m going to miss you too,” he says quietly. He pulls off his dog tags and places them around my neck. “Keep these for me. They look good on you.”
His mouth is on mine then, reminding me what I’m going to be missing out on for the next few days.
He soon pulls back with a groan. “Great, now I’m hard.”
“And now I’m wet.”
“Fuck Olivia,” he growls. “I need to go before I take you back up to our room and fuck you again. You’ll be feeling me all damn week if I do that.”
I wanted that.
I lick my
lips.
An invitation.
“Fuck it,” he grits out, then calls out, “Lars we’re leaving in an hour now!”
Picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder, I ignore the catcalls and cheers and let my husband carry me up to our room.
He was right, I felt him for days.
And it was perfect.
I help organize breakfast the next morning. The hens hadn’t laid many eggs so we had to make do with berries, oats and milk from our cows. With so many people, it was quite a mission each day, and everyone worked hard. The women in the kitchen, the farmers who managed our small amount of livestock and crops. It was a lot of pressure too. If the crops didn’t grow, we didn’t eat. We didn’t get to have much red meat. If we ate the animals, then we went without milk or eggs. It was a hard job to balance, and got very overwhelming at times. My dad let everyone have red meat on my wedding day, as part of the celebration. We hadn’t had any since then. If Dane found cows or chickens roaming he would bring them back, but even then there was a chance that they could be contaminated. The best bet was finding tinned food or catching some fish. We could always eat that and knew it was safe.
“Did you eat enough?” I ask Regan as he cleans his plate. He glances up at me shyly. “Is there anymore?”
I grin and hand him the berries from my plate. “You can have these.”
His eyes widen. “I can’t eat a lady’s food. That’s not very gentlemanly.”
I laugh warmly at that. “It’s okay, I’m full,” I lie. “You go ahead.”
I see Regan’s mother, Ivy, giving me a grateful look. I smile at her, kiss Regan on his head and then head outside where Sam, Jase and three other men are sharpening sticks into spears.
“Can I help?” I call out.
Sam lifts his head, grinning at me. “Sure. We can use you for target practice.”
The other men look horrified at his idea, while Jase nods encouragingly. “Best idea you’ve had all day.”
Laughing, I sit down, pick up a stick and a knife, and get to work.
When five days pass with no sign of Dane, I begin to worry. I tell myself it’s normal, he’s been gone way longer than that and has always come back safely. Circumstances could have changed, and he has no way to contact me. I was worrying for no reason, wasn’t I?
“Sam, I feel like something has happened,” I say, wringing my hands. We were sitting outside on the grass, staring at the stars.
“What do you want to do?” he asks.
“I guess we will have to wait a little longer, but if he doesn’t come soon then…”
“Then I will go out and find him and the others,” Sam says.
“We don’t know where they are.”
“I do,” he said, getting my attention. “We don’t just go in any old direction every hunt. This time they were going north. Because he said they planned to be back soon, they probably would have stopped after a two to three day walk.”
I never thought about their hunts being so organized before, but I should have.
“So we wait,” I murmur.
Sam takes my hand in his, and I remember that it isn’t only Dane missing.
It’s Lars.
And other men too.
We wanted them home.
Two Weeks Later
I pick up my tatted back pack, and slide it on my shoulder, then grab my bow. Picking up the case of arrows, I close my room door and lock it behind me. Storming down the hallway, I continue until I come across Sam and Jase. They both look at me, instantly on alert.
“Where are you going?” Sam asks.
“I’m going beyond the walls. I’m going to find the men.”
They share a glance. “We’re going Olivia. You’re staying here. Who will take care of everything and everyone?”
“Well, then one of you stay. I’m going,” I say, steel lacing my tone. “I always do what’s best for my people. Today I do what’s best for me. I need to find Dane and the men. He’s my husband, Sam. Not only that, but everyone needs him here.”
“I know Olivia,” Sam says, “We will handle it. Imagine what Dane will do to us when he realizes we let you leave the safety of the walls. We’ll be dead.”
“Let her come,” Jase says, surprising me. “She won’t slow us down. I’ve seen her skill. Let her show what she’s made of. She’s not just a princess. She’s a warrior princess, aren’t you Olivia?”
“Warrior Queen,” I reply, grinning. “And I’m ready to leave when you are. How many men are we taking? We can’t leave the castle vulnerable.”
The men from the dungeon were released and were working alongside the guards, just to keep an eye on them. They seemed okay, and weren’t infected in any way, but we still had to check their characters.
“What about the men from the dungeon?” I say.
“What about them?” Sam asks.
“I don’t feel good about leaving them here,” I whisper, looking around us. “What if we took them with us?”
Sam and Jase share another look, and have some sort of silent conversation. “Might be the best option we have.”
“Where do you all think you’re going?” Gina says, eyeing my back pack. “Especially you. Don’t do anything stupid Olivia.”
“I’m going to bring back the men.”
“You mean you’re going to bring back Dane.”
I ignore her.
She sighs, scrubbing a hand down her pale face. “I’m coming.”
All three of us pin her with a look.
“I know Dane’s history, you don’t. I think I might know where he is too,” she murmurs, touching her bottom lip absently.
It still pisses me off she knows shit about him that I don’t.
“Gina--”
“Now she,” Jase says to Sam, whilst pointing to Gina, “will slow us down.”
Gina’s eyes narrow. “The hell I will.”
“What are you going to do?” Jase asks. “Fuck our enemies to death?”
“Jase that’s enough,” Sam growls. “Gina might not be able to fight but she knows shit, okay?”
“Fine,” Jase concedes. “A little sex on the way might be good.”
I slap him on the back of his head. “Stop being such a dick.”
He gives me a look that would make a lesser woman squirm. “Fine. You’re call princess.”
I rub my forehead. “Us, the dungeon men and five other men. What do you think?”
Everyone nods, including Gina.
It looked like I was finally going to see what was beyond these walls, but under the circumstances, I didn’t even care.
Chapter Fourteen
I shield my eyes from the bright sunlight as the gates close behind me. After years, I was outside of the castle walls. Looking around, I see no sign of life. Nothing but trees and grass. At least it wasn’t desert.
“You ready?” Sam asks, and I nod my head.
I roll my eyes as the men surround Gina and I. “Not necessary.”
We start to head north.
We’ve only been walking about ten minutes when I hear a scuttling noise from behind a passing bush.
Everyone stills.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s probably just… Ahhh fuck,” Jase grits out, glancing straight at me.
“What is it?” I ask, looking around. Goosebumps travel up my arms and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. What the fuck was going on?
“Your dad is rolling in his grave right now,” Sam says, wincing. “He might just come back to life to kill us.”
That’s it, I’d have enough. “Explain. Now.”
“Olivia--”
I hear the noise again, followed by a hissing noise. What the hell was it? Intrigued, I step towards the noise. Someone grabs my upper arm, and pulls me in the opposite direction.
I resist.
And then I see why no one wanted me to see what it was.
Or who it was.
It was… one of them.
Transfixe
d, I stare at its almost translucent skin, hollowed eyes, and peeled lips. Its scalp had almost no hair on it, just a few long strands of blonde here and there. I remember when that head used to be full of thick, healthy hair, just like my own.
My mother.
She wasn’t dead, she was a zombie.
“Wh-why?” I stutter, staring at the woman who gave birth to me with horrid fascination.
Sam pulls me. “Evan told us not to kill her. She stays here, hanging around the walls.”
“Mom?” I whisper. She stares back at me, tilting her head like a curious puppy. There was no recognition in her gaze.
My heart was hurting.
It felt like I was losing her all over again, but this time it was worse because she wasn’t in a better place.
She was in hell.
Why did my dad want to keep her alive like this? Like a monster. She wouldn’t want to live like this. I knew my mother. She would hate herself.
“Jase,” I whimper.
He comes to my other side. I look up at him, my eyes pleading with him. He knows what I want, why I said his name instead of Sam’s.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
I nod. “She wouldn’t want to live like this. Please make it quick.”
“You walk ahead,” he says, surprising me with a compassionate kiss to my forehead. “You’re making the right decision. Your father was weak when it came to her. Blinded.”
We walk ahead for about ten minutes when Jase catches up to us.
I didn’t hear anything.
I look forward and try to push her image out of my mind.
I try to no avail.
What else has everyone been keeping from me?
“He used to feed her,” Sam says, studying me as I lean my back against the tree trunk and close my eyes. “We killed any other zombie that came near the castle but not her.”
“She wasn’t a pet,” I whisper. “I don’t know why he did it.”
“He loved her. Too much to kill her. Love made him selfish. He didn’t want you to know. Made sure that no one told you. It was his burden to bear.”
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