“Runners?” Liam asked, glancing between the men.
“Smugglers,” Scott explained. “They run guns and ammo downriver. Sell to both sides. Normally, the Occs leave them alone since they need the supplies as badly as we do. But with everything going on, the Runners will probably dock and wait for things to quiet down.”
“What about the raft?” Liam said. “Jenn could get us across.”
“Or she could dump us in the middle of the river,” Sessions noted sourly. He ignored the scathing look Liam sent his way, though he pursed his lips and looked away when Scott eyed him warningly.
“She probably could,” Scott said, in a somewhat conciliatory tone. “But using the Runners would be much, much faster. And honestly, I’m not sure how much time we have. I sure as hell don’t want to be trapped in the DMZ when fighting starts. The real problem is payment.”
As if on cue, an eager call from the river reached them.
“Hey! Hey, fella!” came the captain’s voice.
Grumbling, Scott made for the riverbank. And, since he saw no point in returning to his spoiled hiding spot, Liam followed after him. Sessions, too, did likewise.
“Yeah?” Scott called, even before he’d reached the shore.
The entire atmosphere aboard the boat had changed. Men crowded the deck’s low railing, whispering among themselves and even the captain seemed to be leaning forward. A broad, hungry grin had replaced his earlier, congenial one.
“While you was off chatting,” the man said. “I reckon I spied a pretty face tucked away there. Don’tcha know its bad luck bringing a woman on board?”
Once again, Liam fought the urge to look around. Had the man noticed Jenn or Kathryn hiding? Or had one of the others slipped up?
“She’s not for sale,” Scott said.
“Sure, sure,” the captain said, waving a dismissive hand. “I ain’t looking to buy. Just borrow. Let’s say we forget the guns and bits. Each of us takes a turn and we call it square.”
“Out of the question.”
“Now, let’s not be hasty! Why don’t—”
The sound of brush crunching underfoot made Liam whirl, followed a split-second later by Scott and Sessions. Nora walked toward them, head high and hands balled at her sides. She looked straight past Liam and for a brief moment, he thought she was staring the captain down. Instead, it turned out her gaze lingered solely on Scott.
“Do it,” she whispered.
Liam started to protest but Nora turned to him, eyes blazing.
“Don’t,” she said. “Liam… just don’t.”
He closed his mouth, though that had more to do with his inability to find the right words than it did with Nora’s force of will. It was a difficult feeling to properly explain. He had shared so many precious, intimate moments with Jenn that the prospect of another person treating that experience as a bargaining chip seemed oddly perverse.
“We can find another way,” Scott said.
“There’s no time,” Nora said. She exhaled a short, shaky breath. “We need to cross. And I don’t want to gamble with Adam and Morgan.”
Scott’s shoulders slumped, but he made a valiant effort at a smile. Slowly, he leaned in and kissed Nora’s brow.
“You’re a saint, kid.”
Gritting his teeth, Liam turned and marched back to his tree. Once he was out of sight, he gazed up into its branches.
“Jenn,” he called softly. It was an enormous struggle to keep his voice from turning into a shout.
Jenn appeared, walking precisely astride one of the thick, lower limbs. Guiding a branch away from her face, she crouched and stared down at him.
“Did you hear?” Liam asked.
Jenn nodded and glanced over her shoulder at the place where Nora stood. When she turned back around, she seemed almost reluctant to meet Liam’s eyes.
“I heard,” she said.
“Then do something!” he snapped, surprised by his own fury. “We have to stop her!”
He felt the stares of the nearby militiamen but made a conscious decision to ignore them. It wasn’t difficult, given the way Jenn still would not look at him.
“It’s not our place,” she said.
“The hell it isn’t!” Liam snarled. He wanted to pace, but didn’t dare venture out from behind his tree. As a result, he wound up stamping the ground, repeatedly shouldering and adjusting his rifle. “I can’t believe you’re letting her do this! I thought you were her friend!”
Jenn recoiled, eyes wide and face looking as though he’d slapped her. Then her expression hardened. Eyes narrowing, she turned and disappeared among the leaves.
“Jenn?” Liam called out, loudly as he dared. “Jenn, come back.”
He craned his neck but couldn’t spot her. With a sinking feeling, he looked around at his audience of militiamen. Most did not look at him, but the few that did offered grim, sympathetic smiles or shrugs.
“Liam?” came a quiet, lilting voice from the spot Jenn had previously occupied. Gradually, Kathryn emerged from the greenery to peer down at him. Her expression was as serious as any he’d yet seen on her, full of concern.
The first inkling of an idea came to Liam as he stared up the young woman. Her white, makeshift dress hung down past the branch that formed her perch like the tail feathers of some immense bird. Some sort of raptor, he supposed, given how deadly she’d proven herself to be.
“Problem?” Kathryn asked, cocking her head.
Liam nodded and stepped close against the trunk. Doing so allowed him an overly intimate glimpse of Kathryn’s thighs—and higher—but he was too focused on the matter at hand to be embarrassed or distracted enough to avert his gaze.
“That’s right,” he whispered. “There’s a problem. Did you see the men on the boat?”
Kathryn nodded sagely.
“They’re going to take us across the river,” he continued. “But then they’re going to hurt Nora.”
“Bastards?” Kathryn chirped, so earnestly that Liam couldn’t help but smile, despite everything.
“Bastards,” he agreed. “Can you do something for me?”
He knew the form of Kathryn’s answer even before she spoke it. Even before the steely glint filled her eyes and she bared a mouthful of wickedly sharp fangs.
“Fast and strong?” she asked.
“Soon,” he said. “Not until we’re across. But once we’re across, then yes. I want you to be fast and strong.”
Chapter Five
The negotiations had concluded swiftly and Liam returned to the beach just in time to hear the last of the details. The Runners would ferry them across in two trips, then anchor on the far shore. Scott would remain on board as a hostage while the men exacted their toll from Nora. Then, once the matter was settled, the two groups would continue on their way.
Unless Liam had his way, of course.
There had been no small amount of grumbling from the Runners when the rest of the passengers emerged from hiding. Apparently, more than a few felt cheated upon seeing Jenn, Kathryn, and Julie. That, even more than the barter itself stoked the rage swirling in Liam’s gut. Were the men so foul that they couldn’t be content with abusing a single woman?
He gripped his rifle in a white-knuckled grip, ready to swing it like a club at the first man who dared lay a finger on Jenn—or Kathryn. Fortunately for all involved, no one tried.
At the captain’s insistence, most of the militiamen remained behind to compose the second group of passengers. From the furrowing of Scott’s brow, Liam thought the man would refuse. But, after a tense, quiet moment, he simply nodded and gestured quickly at the three militiamen he’d selected to be part of the first crossing. Those men boarded first, wading out into the shallows and hauling themselves aboard without any difficulty.
Liam followed after them, Kathryn riding astride his shoulders and Nora following in his wake. The water was colder and deeper than he’d expected and he felt a brief moment
of panic as it rose to his chin before he’d covered half the distance to the boat. There turned out to be a large sandbar spanning the second half, however, and he was able to continue wading, albeit at a slower pace.
Hauled on deck by the militiamen, Liam turned around just in time to see Jenn and Julie enter the river together, each holding one of the woman’s children.
And it was then that the first signs of trouble began to emerge. Jenn matched Liam’s height rather closely but the two of them practically towered over Julie. As they neared the deepest point, the woman began to struggle to keep Morgan held above the water. She froze as her footing slipped and her swaddled daughter’s feet dipped briefly into the water.
Liam reached for the railing, intending to help, then noticed Scott beginning to wade out to do likewise. Jenn, however, was faster than either of them. With a quick, unthinking gesture, she reached out with a half-dozen vines to cradle the girl and lift her up.
An explosion of conversation erupted among the Runners. Liam understood a few astonished curses. Then, nearly as fast as it had begun, the sailors switched to another language—one he recognized but could only partly understand.
Liam shifted his grip on his rifle and sought Kathryn’s eyes. She was wringing the water out of her dress but must have been alerted by the outbreak of conversation and turned to meet his gaze.
“Bì zui!”
At the Captain’s barked command, the conversation ceased. The militiamen onboard exchanged glances but did not include Liam in their silent communication. They did, however, sit up a bit straighter and Liam thought he spotted one casually inspect his rifle.
Jenn reached the edge of the boat first and, no doubt sensing that further subterfuge was pointless, used her vines to lift Julie and Morgan bodily up on board. She did the same for herself and Adam next, grinning and whispering something in the boy’s ear as he laughed with delight. Once she’d reached the deck, she transferred the boy to his mother’s arms and shook the water from her hair. Gracefully, and seemingly oblivious to the stares aimed her way from every direction, she guided the vines she’d used back into place around her hips and stomach.
Only then did Jenn seem to take notice of those on board. Her gaze hesitated as it slid past Liam, then settled on Nora. She seated herself on the woman’s other side, despite there being space enough for her to sit between them. She did not speak, but chose instead to wrap a slender arm around her back. Somehow, the gesture seemed to convey infinitely more.
“Suànle, boys,” the captain said loudly. “Let’s get this tub turned ‘round!”
Trying to keep his face outwardly calm and emotionless, Liam turned away from Jenn and Nora. Grabbing Kathryn, whose determined expression suggested she’d been about to try balancing on the ship’s low, narrow railing, he pulled her down to sit beside him.
“Blood-secret,” he said.
Kathryn’s indignation at having her fun spoiled vanished instantly. Her brows rose dramatically and she even glanced around at the sailors busying themselves with carrying out the captain’s orders.
“Now?” she asked. “Blood-secret now?”
Liam nodded. Bracing the butt of his rifle against the deck, he leaned against it and angled his head to expose his neck. It was the most convenient position, of course, but more importantly, it kept him from having to see the looks Jenn and Nora sent his way.
“Now,” he said.
Scooting closer, Kathryn maneuvered herself half into his lap and bit down. Now, as always, her teeth sent a sharp thrill of pain lancing out through Liam’s shoulder. This time, however, he did not allow himself to react to it. If anything, he welcomed the ache, accepting it as nothing but the first hint of the pain he would pass on to the Runners when the time came.
As the boat turned, Liam’s eyes found Scott standing on the beach. The man’s expression was mostly unreadable but Liam could just make out the journey his eyes took. He looked from Liam, to Kathryn, and then back.
Then he nodded.
The crossing took both less time than Liam expected and far more. Though the Runners were practiced enough to make the trip without even a single order from their captain, he hadn’t expected the nausea the slight unsteadiness of the boat would bring. Though he never felt the urge to vomit, he did wind up closing his eyes and breathing deeply to keep his stomach from churning. The lack of stimuli, however, left his mind free to seize upon the warm pressure of Kathryn’s lips on his neck and the sound of her feasting.
It was a rather hypnotic sensation and it was not until Liam felt a hand on his shoulder that he realized they’d reached the opposite bank. He turned, expecting to find Nora and instead discovered one of Jenn’s vines touching him.
Nora sat in the same spot as always, her head slightly bowed and her eyes unfocused. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, trembling and glistening with nervous sweat. Her brow was in much the same state, locks of auburn hair clinging to her face.
“Nora,” Liam said.
He had no sooner spoken her name than Jenn’s vine bore down, silencing him. She met his eyes across Nora’s hunched shoulders and silently shook her head.
Liam was about to protest when a sudden throb of pain in his shoulder brought him back to reality. He turned and tapped Kathryn’s back. At once, her fangs withdrew from the meat of his neck and he felt her tongue begin to lap eagerly at the rapidly healing wounds. In seconds, they had closed and she drew back to stare up at him.
Kathryn giggled quietly and swayed slightly as if drunk. Her lips and teeth were stained red and there was a palpable excitement to her that had been muted before. She seemed to be shaking equal to Nora, though with a nervous energy that contrasted with the other’s fear.
“Fast and strong?” she whispered, clinging to Liam’s sleeve. “Soon? Liam, soon?”
“Soon,” he promised her.
Liam stood, then wobbled in a fit of unexpected lightheadedness. If not for his rifle, he might have fallen. But before he could risk another step, Kathryn was again at his side. Slipping an arm around his back, she supported him until the feeling passed.
He spent that moment gazing across the river. The far bank was now a distant smudge of brown amidst much darker browns and greens. And though he could still make out the shape of Scott waiting, the man had faded to a man-shaped speck he could never have identified under other circumstances.
The militiamen on board were now lined up along the shore-facing rail, scouring the woods with their rifles. Liam’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment at his lapse and fumbled with his rifle to follow suit. Before he had a chance, however, Julie appeared and stopped him with a steadying hand.
“Don’t bother, kid,” she said. Then, ever-so-slightly louder, “We good to go ashore?”
“Don’t see anything,” replied the nearest of the militiamen. “You guys should be good. We’ll cover from here.”
Julie blew out a breath and gave Liam’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze before moving on. She didn’t have to go far, however, since Jenn had already risen to meet her. Even without being asked, Jenn pulled Adam into her arms and began unraveling her vines to convey them over the side. Julie, on the other hand, waited until she could confirm the shallowness of the water and then followed after, Morgan tucked securely against her chest.
Liam waited until both women had begun wading toward the shore, then turned his attention back to Nora. To his surprise, Kathryn had wrapped the woman in a clumsy embrace. She seemed to be trying to transfer some of her newfound energy through energetic whispering, and astonishingly, it actually seemed to be working. A thin, bemused smile had appeared on Nora’s face and she actually laughed once, under her breath, as she tried to extract herself from the young woman’s grip.
Meeting Liam’s eyes, Nora indicated Kathryn and then jerked her head toward the riverbank.
Liam nodded with understanding and stepped forward to pry her off. Before he’d gone more than a step, however
, something heavy slammed into him from behind. He staggered, started to fall, then found that he could not. A ferocious, burning pressure spread through his chest a second later and he thought, irrationally, that Kathryn had bitten him between the shoulder blades.
But, she had not. And glancing down a second later, Liam spotted the reason for his error. The blood-soaked tip of a long hunting knife protruded through the front of his chest. Its tip had not torn his shirt, but instead found one of the small bullet holes created by the earlier firefight with the Occs.
Nora’s scream split the air.
Liam stumbled again. This time, he did manage to fall, landing hard on his knees. Even as the wounds began to heal, he turned. His stomach sank at the sight that greeted him, so pronouncedly that he nearly thought he’d been stabbed again.
The Runners had waited until the opportune moment to strike. The three militiamen had been thrown overboard, their bodies hitting the water after a heartbeat’s pause. From the blood coating the knives of the sailors standing where they’d previously stood, they would not be getting up. The immediate threats tended to, the other Runners had now stepped up. Several joined the knife-wielders at the rail, rifles trained on Jenn, Julie, and the children they carried. Three more, led by the captain, were making their way toward the bow.
Grimacing, Liam rose to intercept them. He tried to raise his rifle but his strength was still returning and he settled for tucking it readily against the crook of his shoulder. The captain paused, frowning and glancing at the former oarsman who’d driven his knife into Liam’s back.
He didn’t have to say anything. Looking just as bewildered as the captain, the man lifted his knife and indicated the blood that coated it, as if to protest that he’d done his part.
“You got a pair on you, fella,” the captain said as he turned back to Liam. “Guess you’re one of them weirdos too, huh?”
Liam didn’t reply, except to brace himself and aim his rifle at the man.
The captain’s scowl deepened and he gestured sharply at the riflemen targeting Jenn and Julie. The women had angled themselves to shield the children.
Feral Empires: Fanning Flames Page 4