Revenants Series (Book 2): Remnants

by Elisabeth, Lee

  I'll keep him guessing for as long as I can. I'll feed him one lie after another, until he can't remember which trail of crumbs leads back to the truth.

  It's what I do.

  * * *

  Allyson

  The group listens while Wayne explains what we found...or rather, didn't find...at the farm last night. He and I walked the entire perimeter, twice. We never saw a single person. Daniel thinks it's a good sign; Chloe asks if we noticed anything that might have caused the group to suddenly vacate. Wayne and I both shake our heads. There was nothing...no sign of anything amiss, no obvious signs of struggle, and the food stores in the outpost were still full, so they didn't leave to look for food.

  Not that a routine food run would have required all of them.

  "Maybe they decided to head south before the snow hits," Daniel suggests.

  I glance at Wayne. He looks at me and shrugs. We both know that's a long shot...we discussed it, and all other manner of possibilities in great detail last night. None of them make any sense. The farm has everything you could need to survive a harsh winter.

  "It just seems strange that everyone would be gone,” Chloe says. “And you said it didn't look like anything was missing. So, what? They just left everything behind?"

  "It's a little weird," Daniel admits.

  I study the look on everyone's faces. It's an odd blend of uncertainty, acceptance, and happiness. Emily is smiling...she's ready to go now, anything to avoid sleeping in a cold tent another night. Daniel seems convinced we've finally lucked out. Chloe doesn't appear eager to go, but the look on her face displays a reluctant acceptance.

  "Does anyone see a better alternative?" Daniel asks the group.

  No one responds. I could think of a hundred better alternatives, but I don't say anything because I doubt they would listen.

  Erek claps his hands once, and says, "Alright. Everybody be ready in ten."

  I watch as they dutifully stand and begin tearing down the tent. Now that the decision has been made, they seem lighter, cheerful even, but I can't shake the sick feeling lurking inside my gut. It foreshadows a story with a very unhappy ending. Especially for me.

  Aiden is out there.

  He's looking for me.

  And he took the whole family with him.

  * * *

  Chloe

  I reach down to pull a stake out of the ground. When I raise up, I bump into someone standing just behind me. Erek. A wild flutter erupts in my stomach. His strong hands fall to my hips, pulling me closer to him. I lean back against his solid frame, enjoying the feel of him.

  "Are we calling first watch tonight?" he whispers into my ear.

  "I've already put our names on the list," I say, smiling.

  He brushes his lips across my neck, then leaves to go help Kate and Jax load their sleeping bags into their packs. I walk to the opposite corner of the tent. Wayne is already there, pulling the stake out.

  "It's amazin' what you miss when you're gone for a night," he says, laughing.

  "What are you talking about?" I ask innocently.

  He tosses me the stake, then turns to work the next one out of the hard ground. "Come on, Chloe. People in the next county saw that public display of affection," he teases.

  I glance around the campsite just in time to see Daniel smiling and shaking Erek's hand. My face, already beet-red, feels like it's turning purple.

  "Great, now everyone knows," I say, feeling self-conscious.

  He laughs again. "Took long enough."

  I roll my eyes. "Thanks, Wayne."

  He shrugs. "Just sayin'."

  He hands me the last stake. "You start foldin' the tent. I'll be back in a minute."

  "Where are you going?" I ask.

  "Dan owes me a ten."

  I shake my head, confused. "Money? Why? It's not like you need it anymore."

  "No. But a bet's a bet...and he lost."

  I watch him saunter off toward my brother. It dawns on me the guys have been placing bets on how long it would take Erek and me to finally admit we had feelings for one another.

  I can't help but laugh at myself.

  It's funny how the things you're blind to can be so obvious to everyone else.

  * * *

  Daniel

  Allyson is standing at the edge of the camp, wearing the look of someone who just received a death sentence. I can't figure her out...not that I've had overwhelming opportunities to try. She's been reluctant to get to know the rest of us, choosing to stick close to Wayne most hours of the day.

  I walk over and stand beside her. "Hey, Allyson?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Are you okay?"

  She shrugs. "I'm fine."

  I run a hand through my hair. "Look, I don't think I ever apologized for how I acted the other night. I shouldn't have gotten so angry."

  "It's fine," she says.

  "No, really. I mean it. Can we start over?" I ask, holding out my hand.

  She looks at it but makes no move to shake it.

  "Are you going to just leave me hanging here?" I ask with a smile.

  She reluctantly places her palm in my hand. It feels soft and warm, despite the coldness in her eyes. "I can tell you like getting your way," she says evenly. "But one day you'll look back on this moment and realize you should have listened to me."

  “Come on, Allyson. It was just a house filled with people. It wasn’t evil.”

  She stares at me. Her eyes seem to carry the secrets of the dead. She reminds me a lot of Meredith, with her guarded expression and unwillingness to provide a straight answer to even the simplest question.

  "What's the worst that could happen?" I ask.

  "It's too late to worry about that now," she says. "Now, there's only time for consequences."

  She pulls her hand from mine and walks away, presumably to find Wayne. I stand there, thinking about what she said. Consequences. It sounds ominous...like a warning that should be heeded...then again, she could just be crazy.

  I sigh. So much like Meredith.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Meredith

  "Would you like some soup, Jane?"

  I peer at the bowl of watery broth in his hands. "I'd rather have some of what you've been eating," I say, wrinkling my nose.

  He laughs. "I only have enough of that for me."

  I raise an eyebrow. "Is it wise to starve your army?" I ask, gesturing toward the group of men sitting on the ridge above us.

  He follows my gaze. "They search harder when they're hungry," he says. "I decide when they eat...and when they don't."

  "Let me guess...they allowed her to escape, didn't they?" I ask. "So, you're punishing them until they find her."

  The corner of his mouth lifts slightly. "Why were you really following that Germ through the woods?" he asks.

  I stare at him, thinking. He seems so sure of himself. He thinks he has the cure. He thinks he has it all figured out. And obviously, judging by the frailty of his followers, he likes to be right...and in charge...so I say, "I already told you. He was leading me toward the cure."

  He snorts. "And I told you, I already have the cure."

  I roll my eyes. "No, you had the cure, but you kind of blew that, didn't you?"

  He levels his gaze on me. "I’ll find her."

  "Is that right?"

  "That's right," he says evenly.

  I look around the woods, feigning boredom, even though my heart is pounding. "Well, whatever you're doing seems to be working great. So, why don't you let me be on my way."

  "You're staying right here," he says. "And, I will find her," he adds.

  "How are you so sure she is the cure?" I ask, fishing.

  He doesn't bite. Instead, he holds out the bowl of soup again, and says, "It might be awhile before we stop again, Jane. Better eat to keep up your strength."

  Again, I push the bowl away. "I'd get more strength chewing on a stick."

  "Suit yourself," he says, tossing the contents onto the ground
.

  "Are you ever going to tell me your name?" I ask.

  "My name isn't important," he says. "We start walking again in ten minutes."

  I watch as he walks to where his men sit, eating their meager rations. I can't make out his words, but it's obvious by their downtrodden expressions he's reprimanding them...most likely again...for not finding her.

  Her.

  The cure.

  I lean my head back against the tree and stare at the clear sky above me. Could it be? Is it possible that the woman he's searching for is the one Harlan Downs was leading me to? I close my eyes and mumble a quick prayer.

  Please, Lord. Please...

  * * *

  Allyson

  Daylight reveals a house not nearly as frightening as it seemed last night. At first glance, it’s just a simple two-story farmhouse, but I know all too well there's an expansive attic folded into its large, gabled roof, where I was jailed when I didn't listen. I also know there's a basement hidden beneath the hard ground, with a steel cage in the far corner.

  "It's really pretty," Chloe says, interrupting my thoughts.

  I nod absently. A shiver runs up my spine.

  "Stop walking. Now," Erek barks.

  Everyone stops in their tracks and looks at him. Everyone except Wayne and me, that is. We know what suddenly caught Erek’s attention, and we know what he's trying to protect them from. Wayne got the CliffsNotes lesson last night, but Erek didn’t…yet he noticed it anyway. I'm more than a little impressed.

  "What's wrong?" Daniel asks.

  Erek motions to the thin line of fishing wire stretched across the driveway. It's nearly obscured by weeds on either side. "What does it trigger?" he asks me. "And don't say you don't know."

  "It's like a dirty bomb,” I say. “I'm not sure what all Aiden packed into it, but I know it's nasty."

  "And you were just gonna let us walk into it?"

  I shrug. "Sure."

  He takes a step toward me. "Have you lost your mind?"

  "I doubt I'd know,” I answer. “It doesn't seem like something crazy people are aware of."

  He's standing directly in front of me now. "What did you think would happen when we tripped it?" he asks in a low, menacing voice. "Did you think we'd all get a good tickle and a few hearty laughs?"

  I kick my foot out and trip the wire. Everybody tenses for impact, but nothing happens. I look up at Erek. "I detached the canisters last night, before I took Wayne on a private tour," I tell him. "So, I guess that means I'm not totally crazy." I turn and address the rest of the group. "As long as you stay close to the house, you're safe. If you have to leave the property, stick to the main drive. I didn't dismantle the traps in the woods."

  "How many more are there?" Erek asks.

  "Many." I turn and take a deep breath. "So, this is the main house," I say, pointing to the dwelling in front of us. "It has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. There's power, and..."

  "Power?" Chloe asks with a smile.

  I nod. "Generator. If we have gas, we have power. The plumbing will work till the well runs dry."

  Emily claps her hands and laughs. "I never thought I'd see indoor plumbing again."

  "Well, enjoy it while you can."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" Daniel asks.

  "When the others come back, we'll have to fight to keep it," I tell him. "Either they die, or we do...but they won't share."

  "I doubt they'll come back," he argues. "They left for a reason."

  I shake my head. "They didn't leave. They're hunting."

  "You said the food supply was full," Erek reminds me.

  "It is."

  "So, what are they hunting?"

  "Me," I say.

  "Why do they want you so badly?" Daniel asks.

  I tell him I'm not sure, but it's a lie. I know why they want me...just like I know they'll burn this place to ashes before they let me go a third time…but I can't bring myself to say it out loud. It makes it too real.

  "Let's get on with the tour," I say, changing the subject. "We only have a few more hours of daylight."

  * * *

  Chloe

  Allyson takes us around the property, showing us the small storage shed beside the house that contains the food rations first. It's full, making my mouth water. A large freezer in the corner holds enough wild game to last weeks. Our last stop is the barn. Stacks of hay line the interior room, and the scent of livestock lingers in the air, but I don't see or hear any animals in the stalls.

  "Where are the animals?" I ask.

  "Horse," Allyson answers. She shakes her head. "I'm not sure. Someone scared her off a few months ago."

  "Why?"

  "To punish me," she says, turning away.

  I stand there a moment longer before turning to follow the others back to the main house. It's beautiful...like something from the pages of a western-themed love story. It has a large wraparound porch, complete with rocking chairs and a swing. Stepping inside is like stepping into my grandmother's house. I can almost imagine a pan of cookies baking in the oven. I take a moment to look around the house. There's a formal living room to my left, just off the family room. A grand piano sits in the far corner. It's small, but cozy. The den is larger, filled with a couch and two overstuffed armchairs. A recliner sits beside a see-through fireplace that divides the den and dining room. A hallway runs the length of the house; Allyson tells us it leads to a small suite built by the man and woman who lived here before the world ended, complete with a bedroom, bathroom and sitting room. A separate foyer, and large staircase flanks the dining area, and a large country kitchen finishes off the first floor.

  "Where are the other bedrooms?" I ask.

  "Upstairs."

  "Which one is yours?"

  Allyson begins walking toward the kitchen door. "I'll sleep in the barn,” she says. “You can have your choice of the bedrooms."

  "The barn?" I ask, confused.

  "I won't sleep in this house," she says, then walks out of the house.

  Erek comes to stand beside me. "Maybe it's haunted?"

  I shake my head. "I don't know, Erek. Something isn't right."

  He shrugs. "Maybe, maybe not."

  "I think we should leave."

  He laughs. "Go pick a bedroom, Princess. I won't let the boogeyman get you tonight. Cross my heart."

  I can hear Daniel, Emily, and the kids walking around upstairs, choosing their bedrooms. Erek takes my hand, leading me toward the stairs. I follow behind him, silently, but I can't shake the feeling that this farm, with its pretty house and food supply and power, might be too good to be true. And in my experience, when things seem too safe and too right, someone I care about usually dies.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Daniel

  "Do you think the kids will be okay in the sewing room?"

  Emily uses the mirror above the bathroom sink to look at me without turning around. "Sure. Why wouldn't they be?"

  I shrug. "I don't know. There's no window in the room. It'll get pretty dark at night," I say. "Aren't kids afraid of things like that?"

  She tests the faucet. A stream of water pours out, just like Allyson promised it would. She turns it off and looks at me again. "They've been sleeping in a tent...it can't get much scarier than that."

  "Kids are braver than adults most of the time."

  I turn to find Erek and Chloe standing just behind me. Erek leans into the bathroom and looks around. "This is a far cry from the tents." He looks at me and winks. "Those kids will be just fine tonight...windows or not."

  "Which room did you decide on, Daniel?" Chloe asks.

  "I called the smaller one next door, but Emily seems to have her eyes set on this one," I say, looking around the master bedroom.

  Chloe rolls her eyes. "Of course she does."

  "You do realize I can hear you, right?" Emily asks from the bathroom doorway.

  Chloe smiles. "Yes."

  "Each of the rooms have private bathrooms, so you
can't go wrong with any of them," I say.

  "Except we're short one room," Chloe interjects. "Where will Wayne sleep?"

  "I doubt Wayne cares about having a bedroom," Erek says. "He'll probably sleep in the barn with Allyson, anyway." He takes Chloe by the hand. "Come on, Princess. Let's go find our rooms."

  I turn my attention back to Emily once they exit the room. "Well, I guess this is home. For a while, anyway."

  "Yes, and it's absolutely perfect," she says, smiling.

  I lean against the door jamb, watching her open and close each of the drawers, pulling out some items for closer inspection, ignoring others. The late-afternoon sunlight throws a soft shadow across her face, highlighting her cheekbones. When I first met her, I thought she was nothing more than an entitled snob, but the more I get to know her, the more I like her. There's another side to her I nearly missed…a softer side. Her father's money couldn't buy her happiness, security...or love...yet somehow, all the years of pretending and rejection created a better, more beautiful version of her.

  If she allows you to see it.

  A familiar feeling of loss slowly mixes with the warmth flowing through my veins, cooling the heat I so desperately want to enjoy. I miss Meredith. I think about her every day. Maybe I always will. But, when I'm with Emily, I'm not as lonely, and the pain of losing Meredith doesn't sting as badly. Maybe that’s the most I can ever hope for. An old song creeps into my head...sometimes you can't be with the person you love, so you do your best to love the one you're with...even if it hurts.

  So, I will. I'll do my best to love Emily until I can't anymore.