The odd hold he’s had over her has been broken. Eve, for once, feels like she has nothing to prove.
Maggie can sense the storm clouds brewing. Her big sister is itching for a fight, and just waiting for the person who would give it to her first. Evergreen has been changing Eve as well, but Maggie doesn’t know who her older sister is becoming.
The girls quickly brush their teeth and head through the kitchen, down the tunnel, and into the cave. They have gotten used to the various Zappers that come and go. Sometimes the training area is packed to the brim; other times, it’s just the Quinns and the Abbotts. Beth always seems to be the first to arrive, this morning included. Warming up and stretching on one of the thick rubber mats, she appears to be watching a video on a tablet—the footage is shaky, obviously from a head cam.
Explosions, cries, movement. It appears to be a battle between a couple of Zappers and a massive hoard of fliers. Engrossed in the skirmish, Beth startles, realizing that Eve and Maggie are now standing before her. Deftly flipping the off switch, the tablet powers down, and she throws it into her backpack.
“Apologies, ladies, you weren’t supposed to see that.” Beth is sheepish and adorably sweet, concern marring her delicate features.
“There had to be at least a few hundred Snappers, Beth…was that real?” Maggie asks, flummoxed.
It takes a moment as the gorgeous blonde quickly calculates her answer. “Yes.”
Eve and Maggie look to each other, their apprehension apparent.
“But I remember Martin saying in one of his never-ending lessons that fliers are rare, right? So then, how…” Maggie continues.
“How do you think?” Beth utters, bitterly.
Realization dawning on her, the youngest Abbott snarls, “Our parents seriously are the worst.”
Eve hears footsteps as others join them. Without turning, she knows one of them is probably Luca. Looking over her shoulder, she sees him standing directly behind her. His gaze intense. Eve fills with rage as she glances at him, facing forward once more. A fury like nothing she has ever felt before has latched on, and she happily lets it consume her.
“What are you guys playing at? Day after day of training, more of the same, while you keep us in the dark about what is really going on out there. Has the world ended? Are we the last known survivors, holed up in this glamourous prison? Do you honestly think, after all that Maggie and I have gone through, that we can’t handle the truth? Or are you too stupid to realize that we are smart enough to see straight through your bullshit?”
Beth’s mouth drops open.
Eve is positively feral as she sneers at the group, stepping so that she is right in front of the female Quinn’s face. Nodding calmly, Beth accepts the challenge. Raising her hands, she slowly starts to circle. Everyone but Eve and Beth pull back, giving the girls room to fight it out.
Round and round Beth goes, but Eve doesn’t move. The tension thickens as the moments tick by, and the eldest Abbott remains motionless.
Tiring of Eve’s inaction, Beth is ready to end this charade. Soundlessly, when her circle brings her to where Eve’s back is facing her, she lunges—only for Eve to step aside at the last second. Beth rolls, coming to her feet, and whips back around. Now also raising her hands, Eve’s eyes are untamed as she ignores the whistling and catcalls.
Both girls start to circle.
Maggie, honestly, hadn’t thought Eve had it in her.
Gone is her insecure, awkward older sister. The woman before her is terrifying. Her kicks, punches, moves, and countermoves coming so fast that Maggie has a hard time following. All that she knows is—Eve is winning.
A crack of Eve’s elbow into Beth’s nose, and a side kick to her stomach knocks the wind straight out of her. Merciless, another front kick, and low roundhouse sends Beth flying onto her back.
Eve is on top of Beth, her hands firmly around her neck, choking her. Blood flows from Beth’s nose as her face darkens. Her right hand claws at Eve’s strong grip, then flies to the mat, repeatedly slapping the surface. Beth has surrendered, but Eve isn’t letting go.
There’s a commotion, as it takes both Rowan and Tate to peel Eve off, kicking and screaming, as their baby sister coughs and gasps. And then, Beth is laughing. Hoarse, her vocal cords raw and already swelling, she only laughs louder, unable to control her tear ducts flowing in response. Wiping her eyes, Beth watches as Eve struggles to break free from Rowan and Tate, calling them names that have even Maggie impressed.
“I think…they are both ready…to get inked….” Beth cackles, finding the entire debacle hysterical.
At this, Eve stills. Her fury replaced with confusion.
“We’re going to get power strips implanted?” Eve inquires cautiously.
“Duh! How else are you going to leverage one of the rusty old weapons in this place! The only question is…which one of us is going to have to honor of escorting you?”
As if on cue, Luca moves to stand in front of Eve as she is freed by Rowan and Tate. Everyone in the room watches her, making sure she doesn’t head straight back at Beth.
“I’ll do it,” Luca volunteers.
“You?” It’s Eve’s turn to laugh. “Absolutely not!”
Surveying the group, Eve storms from the room, not looking back once.
Chapter 24
She walks straight out the front door, her boots crunching on the gravel driveway. Eve can’t stay in that house for one more second. Part of her wants to starting running and never stop. Another part wants to march back inside and fight every inhabitant one by one.
Eve no longer recognizes the woman standing with blood on her hands. She is rougher, less forgiving. Like the jagged stones beneath her soles. The more she is pushed and pushed, the more she finds herself wanting to push back. Here at Evergreen, she has never been more unhappy.
It isn’t just Luca.
This place has turned her into a killer, just like them.
Before, she was kind, quiet, gentle. What she has just done to Beth in there makes her feel tainted. She felt the bones break in Beth’s nose when her elbow had connected. And, in that moment, it felt good.
But now there is only shame. Fighting is addicting—inflicting pain creates a sort of high. Eve now understands why professional boxers allow their bodies to be pummeled over and over.
Because they enjoy it.
Spotting the hot springs, empty and bubbling right in front of her, she doesn’t hesitate.
Stripping down to her sports bra and high-cut briefs, Eve cautiously steps into the steamy pool. Bruises new and old litter her pale skin. She wonders why she hasn’t done this before as the heat relaxes her aching muscles. Speaking of musculature, that change is new as well. Physically, Eve is starting to look like any one of the mutant hunters, cut and defined, even though she knows that they will never truly accept her.
Even when she is tattooed and battle proven, she and Maggie will always be outsiders.
Swimming off to the side and facing away from the log mansion, the sun has almost set as she rests her head on her hands. Observing the swaying grass in the field and the trees that border it, Eve hears a singular pair of boots approaching.
It has to be close to seven—the time when they’re usually dismissed and allowed to grab a quick meal before retiring for the evening. Clenching her jaw, she refuses to acknowledge whomever the intruder might be, having made it quite clear that she wants to be left alone.
Splash. A body dives in, sending a wave of soothing water higher up Eve’s back before it settles.
That same someone comes up for air, disturbing the surface as they swim their way over, joining Eve at the wall.
“You’re cute when you’re pouting,” Rowan drawls.
Of all the people Eve expected it to be, Rowan was toward the bottom of the list.
Since their time in Saintsville together, Eve really hasn’t had much contact with him. Besides stealing glances of Rowan’s sessions with Maggie, they both have been doing their own thing. She
knows that most of the Quinns do not spend all their time at this base. Many disappear for days at a time, on whatever mission Riley deems appropriate.
A fresh scar and stitches sit directly above his left eye. From the angry look of his flesh surrounding the wound, it was definitely Snapper inflicted.
The good thing about Rowan, Eve ponders, it that she doesn’t lean one way or the other with him.
She doesn’t hate him, and she isn’t fond of him either. He is just a smooth-talking stranger, and probably one of the few people she doesn’t mind being next to at the moment.
Because honestly, when it comes to Rowan, she just doesn’t care.
“Nice shorts,” Eve mumbles sarcastically, noticing the orange, Hawaiian-print swim trunks he has brought out for the occasion.
“Shh, they’re contraband. If Riley spots me in anything but, ‘EMTF-approved articles of clothing,’ I will get spanked.”
“You mean something other than black?”
“Correct, solider. You will obey, am I making myself clear?” So perfect is Rowan’s impersonation of Riley that Eve bursts out laughing.
“You’re weird,” Eve smirks, her mood lightening.
Friends. She and Rowan can be friends.
Eve didn’t realize how much she needed a friend, and at the moment, she can’t afford to be picky.
Seeing the mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he splashes water at her exposed head, her mind is changed once again. New potential friendship with someone who is attractive, ripped, and has cool hair?
Eve could do worse.
Chapter 25
At Rowan’s suggestion, Eve meets him at the crack of dawn outside the compound. Her breath is visible as a gentle mist rolls on the ground. Half awake, she yawns, tucking her cold hands under her arms. Eve regrets not wearing a windbreaker over her hoodie, but Rowan promised her a run.
Sure enough, right at five o’clock, he comes bouncing down the stairs in sweatpants and a hoodie identical to hers. Bright and chipper, Eve grimaces. Rowan appears to be well rested, while Eve is bone weary.
Last night had gifted her another nightmare. Worms had been crawling under her skin, and no matter how much she had clawed, she couldn’t get them out. Waking up in another panic, her throbbing arms were covered in deep, self-inflicted scratches.
She thinks maybe it’s time to talk to someone about the dreams. But the only person she trusts is her sister, and her sister isn’t exactly the most empathic person on the planet.
Plus, Maggie is spending more and more time with West. According to her sibling, they aren’t “official” and she doesn’t “believe in commitment,” but Eve can see plain as day that Maggie is lying to herself if she thinks she would be happy with anyone else.
As Rowan approaches, the corners of his eyes crinkle slightly in concern. Eve realizes she must look as bad as she feels.
“Hey…you okay?” Rowan inquires, studying her.
“Yes. I’m fine. Ready?”
“If you get tired at all, let me know, we can do intervals of walking and running.”
“Rowan, let’s just go….”
Pulling her hood up over her head, Eve starts to jog down the driveway with Rowan quickly catching up. But he isn’t done talking.
“How far do you want to go? Riley has already given his approval. We can skip endurance training, as long as we are back by breakfast. But it’s up to you….”
His words stagnate as they warm up, their pace increasing.
“I want to be gone for as long as we are allowed.”
He nods, and it only takes a few minutes before they reach the main gate. Whoever is stationed at the surveillance cameras—still a mystery to Eve—scans them, and then lets them through.
For the first time in months, Eve is beyond Evergreen’s walls and out in the open. Sweat trickles down her back and between her breasts, soaking her tank top beneath her hoodie. Letting Rowan take the lead, he brings them to a thin trail in the heavy woods, and the terrain changes, carrying them up the side of a steep hill.
Her legs burn and her heart pounds against her ribcage before she finally surrenders, slowing to a walking pace. She doesn’t know if this is sad or not, but this simple run is turning into the most fun she has had in a while.
Rowan, realizing that Eve is no longer pacing him, walks back down the hill to join her. Having long since removed his hoodie and tank top, tying them to his waist, his bare skin is flushed.
“You…quit on me!” he says between labored breaths, using his forearm to remove the sweat sliding down his cheeks. “Come on, woman…you got more in you!”
“I don’t do hills….” Eve wheezes, laughing.
Rowan joins her and they continue to climb all the way up. When they arrive at the top, the view is well worth it.
Dark blue water extends for what must be miles, reflecting the mountains in the distance. A giant lake rests before them, undisturbed except by the fish touching the surface. They watch as a group of birds dips down for a drink. Feeling overheated and longing to feel the breeze on her skin, Eve peels off her hoodie and walks over to a large, flat outcropping of rock. Sitting down, Rowan joins her.
A sharp intake of breath, and then warm hands gently grab her left forearm. Rowan raises it, surveying the damage. Mentally kicking herself, Eve realizes she had forgotten about her arms.
“Eve…what happened?”
Instantly defensive, she yanks her wrist free. Grabbing her hoodie, Eve throws it back on and goes to stand, but Rowan delicately tugs her back to the ground. All it takes is looking into his gentle brown eyes, and Eve bursts into tears.
Before she knows it, Rowan is hugging her, his big hands rubbing her back.
“It’s okay…shh. It’s gonna be okay.”
He lets her cry until there is nothing left.
Leaning away from him, she uses her sleeves to blot her face, turning toward the lake.
“Did you…do that to yourself?” Rowan proceeds cautiously, his voice strained.
“No! Yes, but…not what you think. It’s complicated….” Eve mumbles, her head starting to throb from an impending headache.
“Then uncomplicate things.”
“You’re not going to believe me.”
“I work for a secret government agency, tracking and destroying human mutations caused by their systems being overloaded with electrical currents. I think I can probably keep an open mind, especially when it comes to you….” Rowan is back to being an obnoxious flirt, but she can tell he is still distressed.
“I didn’t know I was doing this when it happened. I was having a dream….”
“Damn, girl. S&M-style or…”
“Rowan! Ugh, you’re as bad as Maggie!”
“Apologies, continue.”
And after a deep breath, she does. Once Eve starts talking, the words pour out of her. How the nightmares started after her parents went missing. How they are steadily becoming more vivid. The odd correlations between them—like dreaming glass was embedded in her palm and waking to find a scar she hadn’t noticed before.
She talks about not fitting in. Not in the real world. Not in the Quinns’ world. Not ever, really. She talks and talks, confiding everything to him and the lake. When she’s done, she looks over to Rowan—deep in thought. Scratching the stubble on his chain, he sighs and stands, offering a hand that Eve accepts. Lifting her to her feet, she picks a few pine needles from her pants, waiting for his response.
“When I said ‘we should go running,’ I had no idea that it would turn into therapy hour…” Rowan teases.
“I should have known,” Eve accuses, her cheeks heating.
“Don’t worry, baby girl, I won’t tell any of my nosey family members what you just told me. But I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was concerned….”
They start to move, hiking back down the hill.
“Well, what do you think is wrong with me?”
Rowan gives her a knowing look before saying, “A lot of th
ings.”
“Can you be serious, please?” Eve begs, needing him to focus.
Sobering, Rowan rubs his palms together.
“I think that all of this might be a sort of stress response? First your parents, then having to take care of Maggie. And we stepped into the picture and further muddied everything. You’re super uptight in general, no, don’t shake your head, you know I’m right. I think that your body is trying to put all that energy into something.”
Eve can tell that Rowan isn’t totally convinced, but what he is saying isn’t something Eve hasn’t already thought of herself.
“But how do I stop the dreams? Drugs? Do I need to be restrained? I am so tired….”
“Don’t worry, we will figure it out.”
Throwing a friendly arm around her shoulder, he gives it a squeeze before breaking back into a jog.
“You coming? We’re going to be late!” he yells, over his shoulder.
“Late for what?” she questions.
Wiggling his eyebrows, he yells back, “You’ll see!”
Chapter 26
Riley is waiting on a leather couch just inside the entrance, his left foot tapping in annoyance. Eyes narrowing, he wordlessly reprimands Rowan for their tardiness. The mischievous Quinn just points to Eve and shrugs playfully.
She is instructed by their leader to grab a quick shower, some breakfast, and meet him back here in one hour.
Paying the price for her hard run, each step Eve takes up the three flights of stairs to her room is laborious. Stopping on the third-floor landing for a moment, she needs a break to continue. Four doors down from Eve and Maggie’s dorm is another door with a fish carved on the front. It looks to be a salmon, and as it opens, Sophia and Lucia step out.
Eve really does have the worst luck.
Painfully straightening, she moves to the side so they can pass, keeping her eyes diverted.
Heavy perfume accosts her as the girls approach, but thankfully they don’t engage. Eve hears them whispering as they descend to the second level, and then the first.
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