He spotted Rogue’s form marching down a cobbled path and quickly closed the distance. His knife flashed in the moonlight as he pulled it from its sheath with nary a whisper. At the last moment, she must’ve sensed his presence because she turned.
Her eyes widened, and she gasped. “No!”
Too late.
The knife flashed, and the hilt connected with her temple. She crumpled to the ground, her limbs splayed. She looked like a broken doll, and he paused to savor the moment. She was his now. Forever and ever. Nothing would part them again.
Chapter 16
Rogue woke up to the strangest sensation. The feeling of being suspended in the air and moving at the same time. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked at the scene in front of her face. Her vision was blurry, but she thought she recognized…trees? Moving trees. The dappled sunlight filtering through leaves brushed across her skin. She was definitely not at the Zoo anymore.
A sharp stabbing pain lanced through her temple, and her jaw ached as if she’d been punched. She tried to lift a hand, only to find she couldn’t budge. Her whole body was immobile, held in place with restraints.
With growing panic, Rogue raised her head and gazed down at her feet. She was lying flat on her back and looked like a mummy. Every inch of her was wrapped in a blanket and tied down with green vines. “Hello? Is someone there? What’s going on?”
The movement stopped, and she was lowered to the ground. A stretcher. She had to be on some kind of stretcher. But why? Then a face appeared above her head, and she stifled a scream. Bones!
“Good morning, my love. I trust you slept well.”
Rogue stared at his smiling countenance with horror. He looked exactly as she remembered with those jutting cheekbones and hollow eyes. “Did you kidnap me?”
“I’m afraid so. It was the only way I could get you away from those people.”
“Why would you do that?” she asked.
“So we can go home to Prime. We belong together, you and I,” Bones said, that eerie smile still firmly fixed in place.
“I can’t go home,” Rogue exclaimed, horrified. “They’ll kill me. I can never go back, and you know it.”
“Not if you’re with me,” Bones said. “I’ve got enough information for Senator Douglas to pardon both of us.”
“Pardon us? What did you do?” Rogue asked.
“I went looking for you, of course,” Bones said. “I told you, we belong together, and deserting Prime was the only possible option.”
“This is crazy, Bones. Please let me go,” Rogue pleaded.
His face hardened, the smile slipping away. “No, you’re coming with me.”
“I don’t belong to you, Bones. I never did. I don’t love you,” Rogue cried out, struggling against her bonds.
“Yes, you do. You just have to realize it,” Bones said.
“But my mother, the Zoo. I need to go back.”
“Forget about that place and those people. They don’t deserve you,” Bones said. “I’ll treat you like a queen.”
Rogue shook her head, wracking her brain for the right thing to say. Something that would convince him to set her free. But there was nothing. Bones was crazy. Utterly mad.
“There, there. Try to relax. I hit you pretty hard,” Bones said.
Her memories of the previous night came flooding back, and she remembered a shadowy figure. A knife flashing in the moonlight. The dull thud as the handle connected with her skull. And after that, nothing but darkness. Seth. He must be worried sick about me.
“Let me go!” Rogue said, opening her mouth to scream.
“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Bones cautioned. “Who knows what’s lurking out there in the forest? A T-rex, maybe, or even a pack of raptors.”
Rogue clamped her lips shut, her eyes darting to the trees. The sheer danger she was in hit her in the stomach like a hammer blow. Bones was right. Anything could lurk in the shadows, waiting to pounce. “Could you at least untie me and give me a weapon?”
Bones shook his head. “Sorry. I think it’s best if you stay where you are. You need to rest.”
Rogue flinched when he reached out to caress her face. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll protect you. Nothing will come near you while I’m around.”
Somehow, his words failed to soothe her growing terror. “Please, Bones. You can’t leave me like this.”
“Shh, keep quiet. We still have a long way to go,” Bones said, pressing one finger to her lips.
He let it linger until she wanted to scream her head off. His every touch repulsed her, and she shivered with ill-concealed loathing. Then he was gone, and the swaying motion resumed as he dragged the stretcher behind him.
Rogue could do nothing but stare at the canopy above her head. That and try to control the panic that crashed through her veins with every second that passed. She was as helpless as a babe, unable to lift a hand in her defense. If something attacks us now, I’m as good as dead.
***
Long hours passed before Bones stopped once more. Hours during which he ignored her every plea and doggedly placed one foot in front of the other. She had to give him credit where it was due. He might be insane, but he was strong. A lot stronger than his skeletal frame would have one believe.
Rogue filed all of these facts away in her mind. It would not do to underestimate the man. He was dangerous. Dangerous and mad. But he was also crazy about her, an emotion she might be able to exploit if she acted the part.
It was close to nightfall, and he set about making camp while she remained tied to the stretcher. She watched as he sprinkled the clearing with a pungent yellow liquid. It stank of ammonia and reminded her of piss, but it couldn’t be. Right?
Afterward, he made a small fire and collected enough wood to last the night. From his bag, he produced a canteen and a small cooking pot. He filled the pot with water and placed it next to the flames to boil.
When he was done, he walked to her side and knelt on the ground. With his face cast in shadow, he asked, “If I untie you, will you promise not to run?”
Hope kindled in her chest, and she nodded. “I promise.”
“Because there’s nowhere for you to go. You’d never make it back to the Zoo. Not alive, anyway,” Bones added with a menacing growl.
“I know,” Rogue whispered, doing her best to look meek and docile.
With deft movements, he untied the vines that held her in place. Once freed, she sat up slowly. Every limb ached from being frozen in one position for too long. Her head felt as if it would explode, and she almost puked on the spot.
Bones eyed her with concern. “How do you feel?”
“Sore,” she muttered, rubbing her arms and legs.
“I hope I didn’t hit you too hard,” he added, reaching out to touch her temple.
Pain lanced through her brain, and she hissed. “Don’t touch me. It hurts.”
He yanked his hand away. “I’m sorry. I really am, but I had no choice.”
“You could’ve just asked,” she mumbled, gingerly examining her head. It was bruised and swollen, but the bone was intact. At least, he didn’t crush my skull.
Bones snorted. “You wouldn’t have listened. You haven’t seen it yet, have you?”
“Seen what?” Rogue asked, her eyes watering.
“Our future together. I have, and it’s glorious.”
Rogue wanted to laugh in his face, but that would be folly. Instead, she crawled toward the fire and extended her palms to the flames. The heat warmed her body and eased the ache in her joints.
Bones followed and sat down next to her, far too close for comfort. While she loathed his presence, she ignored him and focused on her breathing. It was hard to concentrate when her brain felt like molten lava.
“Here, have some water,” Bones said. “You must be parched.”
Rogue accepted the canteen and took several big swallows. As much as she hated taking anything from him, she needed to regain her strength. “Thank you
.”
Bones took a cloth from his bag and dipped it into the pot next to the fire. He wrung out the excess before handing it to her. “Here. Press that against your wound.”
Rogue obeyed, and the hot compress did much to ease the throbbing pain. After a while, she felt strong enough to get to her feet. “I need to pee.”
Bones jumped up, his eyes narrowed. “Alright, but stay close. If you try anything, you go back to the stretcher.”
Aware of his watchful gaze, Rogue walked toward the nearest bush and squatted behind it. Her legs were far too wobbly to make a run for it, and she resigned herself to waiting. You’ll get your chance. Just be patient. He’ll let his guard down sooner or later.
After she’d emptied her bladder, she went back to the fire and sat down opposite Bones. Before he could move closer, she forestalled him with a question. “What’s that yellow stuff you sprinkled on the bushes?”
“It’s T-rex piss,” he replied.
“T-rex piss?” Rogue repeated, her nose twitching with distaste. “What for?”
“It keeps the other dinosaurs away. They smell that stuff, and they run a mile,” Bones explained with a smug smile.
“Wow, that’s quite…ingenious,” Rogue said, injecting as much admiration into her voice as possible.
“You think so?” Bones asked, his chest puffing up. “It thought it was pretty clever too.”
Rogue decided against asking him how he got the urine. Instead, she chose a more personal topic. “This future you’ve seen about us. Tell me about it.”
He eyed her with suspicion. “You really want to hear about it?”
“Of course. It’s not like we’ve got anything better to do.” At that moment, her stomach growled, loud enough for the entire world to hear.
“Hungry?” Bones asked.
“I could eat.”
He pulled two strips of dried meat from his pack and handed her one. “Here. It’s Parksosarus meat. I killed and dried it myself.”
“Thanks.” Rogue sniffed the meat, inhaling the aroma of smoke and salt. Her mouth flooded with saliva, and she took a nibble. It tasted fine, so she went at it with gusto. “This is good.”
Bones grunted. He rummaged in his bag and took out a tin cup and a bag of dried herbs. He mixed the herbs with the boiling water in the pot before putting it aside to steep. “We’re meant for each other, Rogue. I knew it from the first moment I saw you in the market square back at Prime.”
Rogue frowned. She remembered that day only too well. She was fourteen at the time and hungry. Scouting the stalls for something to steal, she stumbled into a member of the Watch: Bones.
He’d stared at her with that creepy look that made her skin crawl. Then, he’d asked for her name. Afterward, he always seemed to be around. No matter where she went or what she did, he was always there. Watching.
“I remember,” Rogue said. “I was just a kid, though. There’s no way I’d feel the same about you.”
“I know, but I was content to wait. I knew our time would come, and it has,” Bones said, his eyes gleaming.
Rogue shifted in her seat. “How do you know?”
“Because I have something Senator Douglas and General Sikes would kill to have,” Bones said.
“What’s that?” Rogue asked, though she already knew.
“Information. I know enough about the Zoo to make a full-scale invasion possible. The Exiles don’t stand a chance.”
A knot formed in her throat. A vision of the Zoo in ruins flashed through her mind. All the Exiles, dead. The ground stained with their blood. “You realize they’ll kill all those people, don’t you? Innocent people.”
“Not necessarily. They could become subjects of Prime. In return for their lives, they can provide the city with goods,” Bones said. “Meat, hides, fruit, and vegetables. They’ve got it all.”
“Maybe, but it shouldn’t have to be that way.”
“Why not? The strong survive in this world, Rogue. They survive, and they take what they want.”
Rogue struggled to keep a straight face. “And what am I? Strong or weak?”
“You’re strong. That’s why I chose you. With you at my side, I can accomplish anything,” Bones said, his intense gaze roving across her face.
“I see,” Rogue murmured, though every cell in her body screamed at her to run.
He took the tin cup and filled it with the herbal concoction. “Here, drink that.”
Rogue accepted the cup with reluctance. “What’s in it?”
“Just a few things to numb the pain and prevent infection.”
“And what do you want in return for your information?” Rogue asked, taking a sip of her tea. It was bitter but created a soothing glow in her stomach.
“I want a full pardon for us both and a respected position within the Watch,” Bones replied.
“And you think they’ll grant your request?” Rogue said, her eyebrows raised. She did not believe for a second that either Douglas or Sikes would give Bones what he wanted. They were cruel and merciless. They’d use him then toss him aside like a broken toy.
“I don’t see why not?” Bones said. “I’m handing them an entire city on a platter. A lifetime of ease and luxury.”
“Built on the backs of slaves, yes,” Rogue said.
“It’s the way of life, Rogue. The sooner you learn that, the better.”
Rogue chose not to reply. At that moment, her hatred for Bones knew no bounds, and she itched to toss the hot tea into his face. Steady, Rogue. Hold your horses.
“Just think about it,” Bones said, leaning forward. “We’ll have it all: a home, respected positions, anything we want. No more stealing and scrounging for scraps like before. We’ll be together, at last. Forever.”
“What if I don’t feel the same way? What if I can’t?” she said.
“You will,” Bones said with utter confidence. “It might take a little time, but you will.”
Rogue stared at him, aghast. It was clear that he believed every single word. He truly was crazy. I have to escape. Tonight, if possible. I can’t let Bones have his way. I’d rather get torn apart by a pack of raptors.
With her mind made up, Rogue finished the last of her tea. She looked at Bones. He seemed relaxed, dreaming of a future that would never be. Now was her chance to butter him up. Once he got distracted, she’d run for it. He’d never find her in the dark.
“What else do you see in this future of ours?” she asked, leaning back.
Bones began to talk. He droned on and on about how perfect everything would be once they were together.
Rogue listened with half a brain, the other half occupied with plans of escape. As the minutes passed, she grew aware of a buzzing in her ears. A languid feeling stole over her body as her muscles melted into the ground. Realization set in too late, and she gasped. “You drugged me!”
“I had to, my sweet. I know you’ll run if given a chance, and I can’t have that,” Bones said.
Rogue struggled to keep her eyes open. “You bastard.”
“It’s okay. You’ll forgive me,” Bones said, moving to her side.
“I…I hate you,” Rogue said, the words slurred. She sagged to the ground, her eyes closing against her will.
“Sleep, my love. When you wake, it will all be different,” Bones said, brushing the hair from her face. “You’ll see.”
Chapter 17
The trip back to Prime City passed in a drugged haze. Whenever she woke up, Bones forced more of the herbal concoction down her throat. Half the time, Rogue didn’t know where she was or even who she was. She existed in a permanent fugue state filled with dreams and delusions.
Bones kept her tied to the stretcher during the day, and at night, he trussed her up like a hog. He never left her alone, and they were always on the move. First through the forest, and then the abandoned city ruins.
One morning, Rogue woke to find herself clear-headed and alert for the first time in days. They’d spent the night in an abandon
ed apartment, and for once, Bones forewent the awful tea. It worked its way out of her bloodstream during the night, and she felt like herself again at last.
She tilted her head and looked around. It wasn’t hard to spot Bones, his lanky frame pacing the room like a caged tiger. “Can you untie me, please?”
He stopped in his tracks and glared at her. “You took your sweet time. The sun’s been up for ages.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know I had an appointment at dawn,” she replied, her temper stretched to the limits.
“Well, you do. Prime City is only a short distance from here,” he said, hunkering down to loosen her bonds.
“I can’t wait.” Rogue sat upright, rubbing her hands and feet to restore circulation.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Much better now that I’m not being drugged,” Rogue replied with an acid tone.
“Good, because you’ll need all your strength when we reach the walls. The climb won’t be easy.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Drop the attitude. When we reach Prime, I expect you to behave with the proper respect toward your betters.”
“My betters? I hope you’re not talking about Senator Douglas and General Sikes,” Rogue replied as she stood upright.
“That’s exactly who I’m talking about,” Bones said, handing her a strip of dried meat and a bottle of water. “Come on. You can eat while you walk. Maybe that’ll keep your mouth shut.”
Rogue pulled a face at his back, but she followed him down the apartment block’s ruined stairs and into the open. He pointed in the general direction of Prime. “You go ahead. I’ll take up the rear.”
“Fine,” Rogue grumbled, not missing the loaded crossbow pointed at her back. “Let me guess. If I try to escape, you’ll shoot me.”
“That’s right. Now move.”
Rogue had no option but to obey. As they walked, she ate the meat and emptied the bottle of water. It felt good to be awake again, freed from the effect of the drugs. The sun was warm, and the sky stretched into infinity—a beautiful day.
The Extinction Series | Book 2 | Primordial Earth Page 10