Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ORION
The limits of my sanity had been tested many times these past two years. I’d witnessed so much horror, things no one should ever have to see. However, as horrific as they were, they never managed to break my spirt or my capacity for survival.
Tonight, my strength began to fray.
Wallowing in self-pity seemed so wrong. At least I was alive. At least I wasn’t human, a target for Dawn. At least I somehow managed to find a man in a hopeless wasteland, along with a group of amazing friends.
Still, was this now the essence of my life here on Earth? Days of increasing drama, this unbreakable fatigue? Would any of us find peace? Were the days of Haven nothing more than a fleeting blink in the grander scheme of horrors?
A long sleep might help me shake off this toxic negativity.
Possibly a cry and a cup of tea, too.
Always remember, things can be so much worse… I repeated the words like a mantra, giving up when they failed to sink in.
Yes, tea and tears and sleep were the only possible antidote.
“How are you?” I asked Miko when we reached a small lane, trees bowed over our heads.
“Looking forward to a sit down,” he answered, his calloused hand still linked with mine.
“Sounds wonderful. How are your feet?”
“Not bad. Yours?”
“Cross with me.”
He smiled, my heart flexing pleasurably in response.
“Do you think these shifters have a foot spa?” I asked.
“It’s good to dream.”
The trees opened up at the end of the lane, revealing a huge field and a farmhouse surrounded by several metal fences topped with barbed wire. It reminded me of Haven’s secure entrance before Lance ruined everything.
A short distance away from the house was a barn, also ringed with fences, and a watermill behind that. A river flowed to the west, disappearing into a patch of woodland.
Wow. How idyllic. When would life throw a grenade into it?
So, so negative…
A wider perimeter fence surrounded the whole area for an extra wall of defense.
Miko sighed as we walked down the gently sloping hill to the perimeter fence.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing. All good.”
Completely untrue. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
Andrew stopped by a gate in the perimeter fence. “Welcome to our home.”
Arlo unlocked the gate, ushering us through.
“We have hot water,” Malorie said. “Plenty of comfort for your recuperation.”
I liked her warmth, her homely aura. It helped combat the draining darkness within me.
Hearing the mention of hot water stoked my emotions. I was on the verge of weeping with joy. “Thank you so much.”
“You are more than welcome. Just don’t betray us or we’ll feed you to the walkers.”
Sharp edges to temper the warmth. I admired that.
“Noted,” Miko stepped in. “You call them walkers, too? Like Richie did.”
“Why do you ask?” Arlo locked the gate behind us.
“We call them biters.”
“I see.”
“Slowies and speedies,” I said while we walked to the next gate.
Andrew chuckled, his laugh a heavy boom. “I love that.”
“Appropriate,” Malorie added. “Can I steal it?”
“Please do.”
Miko gave my hand a squeeze.
“So, you two a thing, eh?” Arlo asked.
“Yeah,” Miko answered. “Bond mates.”
“Cool. You’re lucky. I’ve given up hope.”
“Don’t say that, darling,” Malorie responded. “You should never—”
“I know, I know,” he cut her off, spinning his keys on his finger. “Hope is a constant. We lose that, we lose ourselves.”
Wise words.
“Indeed,” Malorie said. “But if you interrupt me again, I’ll put salt in your coffee.”
He laughed. “Sorry, Mum.”
“You better be.”
Arlo opened the next gate.
“We keep chickens here,” Andrew said. “And we have a huge supply of fuel, the hot water system running on generators. It’s slightly temperamental but works wonders.”
“What’s the issue?” James asked.
Andrew explained some connection problem that went over my head.
“We can’t seem to keep it stable for more than two days,” Andrew added. “Everything needs to be reset. I would like to connect things to the watermill at some point. But it’s proving difficult at the moment, so we store and filter rainwater.”
“I can take a look if you like. I designed the system at our last place.”
“You did?”
“James is an engineering wizard,” Paige said.
Cate stroked the back of his head with pride. “He really is.”
“Where was your last place?” Arlo asked.
“Aragon Tower, London,” Miko joined in, explaining Haven.
“Sounds awesome,” Arlo replied, opening the final gate.
“It was.”
Stars, the sadness in Miko’s tone practically stained the air.
“I’m sorry you lost it,” Andrew said. “Once we’ve got you settled, I want the full story.”
“But we know all about you, Miko,” Malorie added. “It really is an honor to meet the alpha of the Reyes Pack. You’re pretty famous.”
Miko offered as much emotional response as an ice cube. It was nice to see his personality still intact, despite his softening with me.
Made me feel all special and gooey—the nice kind of gooey.
Miko nodded.
We were past the final gate, facing the red brick farmhouse.
“Come on in,” Andrew announced like a royal herald. “Let’s get you sorted.”
The farmhouse’s décor met my expectations. Soft, warm shades of yellow and biscuit brown, lots of comfy furniture and ornaments, wooden beams in the ceiling.
Charming, cozy, and eased my tension slightly.
Arlo went about turning on extra solar lanterns and lighting candles. Malorie showed me her collection of celebrity biographies stuffed into a bookshelf.
“Help yourself to the reading material,” she said. “Now, then. What happened to your wrists?” She pointed to me and Basil, who stood to my left.
He explained the iron drama.
“What a horrible experience. I’m so sorry. I’ll see what we have in our medical supplies.”
“Can I join you?’ Paige asked. “I’m the pack medic.”
“Of course.” She led Paige away through an arched doorway.
“Tell you what,” Andrew said, “Get cleaned up and we’ll discuss everything in detail shortly. You could all do with a shower.”
No truer words were spoken.
Under the hot spray, I went limp. Holding onto the rail inside the small cubicle, I allowed myself to feel the trauma.
It rolled over me, replaying again and again in my mind, joining forces with those other apocalypse memories.
Tears rolled freely down my face, and I didn’t mind.
Once the sobs were over, I stood a little straighter, much lighter.
At least for the time being.
I stepped out of the shower, Miko there in the steam holding out a fluffy blue towel, his still wrapped around his waist.
Five-minute showers each to conserve water. Scrub, scrub, scrub, every inch of me fresh with the scent of lemon soap, my hair free of gore and poop and stars only knew what else.
I took the towel, drying myself off. “Thank you.”
“Welcome.” He finally got dressed, slipping on the fresh clothes this family supplied.
I eyed the thick plaster covering his head wound. “How’s the injury?”
“All good.”
Like Miko’s pack, these shifters were stocked up and ready to take in survivors, hence the bountiful supplies of clothes, dry goods, and various other things in the barn.
Unfortunately, survivors were few and far between in these parts.
A couple of shifters joined the farm for a few weeks last year before moving on. No one else had come after that.
What a shame. This farm would be the perfect place to start again.
Could we forget Dunstable and start again here?
Miko handed me my pile of clothes—black jeans, gray jumper, red underwear. We were even supplied with new boots and coats. It was like having a supermarket on the doorstep.
They even had stuff in Trev’s size.
I pulled my jumper over my head. “We’re clean again.”
“Yeah. Finally.”
He helped me dress my iron wounds, applying magnesium to the angry burns before bandaging them.
“Thank you.”
He stroked the white cloth with his thumbs. “I hate that I wasn’t there.”
“Sorry?”
“I should’ve been there sooner. I never… I fucking failed you.”
Stars. He looked so defeated, his usually perfect posture slumped. “Don’t say that, Miko.”
He met my eyes, those dark orbs so enticing. “What if… What if…”
“Don’t dwell on what ifs.” I slipped my wrists from his gentle grip, stepping closer to take him by his big biceps. “At least in this case. I’m fine. I’m here. I don’t plan on going anywhere again.”
“Until the next attack.”
My hands slid up to his shoulders. “Talk to me.”
He shook his head.
“It’s just us in here. If you need to vent, my ears are willing.”
The corner of his mouth twitched in response. “Funny.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be.”
Miko released a long breath, minty from a round of enthusiastic teeth brushing.
“How do you make me like this?” he said.
I blinked at him. “Like what?”
“Looser.”
“Oh. A gift I suppose.” Goodness, his lashes were perfection.
“I talk to James about stuff, but never about the past. I never feel as open as this. You make it easy to talk and it’s so weird.”
The vulnerability he projected was so alien yet so beautiful.
“It never has to be weird,” I said.
He released a long breath through his nose, cupping my face with his right hand. “Have I ever told you how handsome you are?”
Stars, I wanted to melt. “T-Thank you. You’re handsome, too.”
“Scratch that. You’re gorgeous.”
My cheeks flared, probably the color of tomatoes.
“And cute when you blush,” he added.
Desire stirred within me as I drank in his features, running the back of my hand across his stubbled jaw.
“Can I kiss you, Ori?”
“Ori?”
“Just wanted to try it out.” He smiled. “What do you think?”
I giggled softly. “About this kiss or the nickname?”
“Both.”
“I…” I paused, licking my lips. “I like both.”
A sexy, growling response followed, rousing my cock to life. “Good.” He claimed my mouth with his.
His lips parted with mine, our tongues meeting in a gentle reunion. He took me by the hips, pulling me closer, breaking any lingering tension with his exquisite touch.
Stars. This man held the power to turn me into soup.