Chapter 9 Grey #2
“I’m not afraid to freeze.” She utters the words with conviction and I wonder if she’s thinking about her time on the icy shores of Kodiak Sector.
However, there isn’t time to ask. The urgency dancing along my skin tells me we need to move. Because more of my wards are firing off warnings.
In all different directions.
Anything could be coming for us right now. Wolves. Vampires. Dragons.
It’s hard to know for sure. The runes just notify me of approaching predators, not the type. But the amount of flares shooting off in my head tells me it’s a pack of intruders, not a solitary one.
Fortunately, my wards are doing their job in providing a distraction.
I can almost feel the grenade-like explosions rippling through me. Only they’re miles away at the moment.
That gives us just enough time to escape on foot.
Or a snowmobile, anyway, I think as I move into the tunnel to lead. Ashlyn follows without a word, her sweet scent filling the space and adding a renewed sense of importance to the equation.
“When was your last heat?” I ask as we move, my question soft yet riddled with underlying wariness.
I should have inquired about that on day one.
“Too long ago,” she says quietly. “I knew not to imbibe anything in Glacier Sector, so I didn’t experience the forced estrus like many of the others.”
I wince, aware that several Omegas went into a forced heat after what Granger did to them.
But I wince even harder at the realization that Ashlyn might go into heat soon.
“I should have taken you back to Lunar Sector,” I mutter, annoyed that I let a potential confrontation deter me from properly protecting Ashlyn.
“I’m where I’m supposed to be,” she answers calmly.
Which means she’s foreseen this chase already.
That explains her lack of fear right now. Most others would hate being in this tight space, not knowing where it leads.
But not Ashlyn.
She’s trusting the process, and perhaps is already aware of where we’ll end up.
I don’t say anything else for a while, just crawl quickly through the tunnel system I created decades ago. It’s what allows fresh air to enter the cave, but also serves as a decent escape hatch.
By the time we reach the end, my wards have almost all blown up, but the chaos is unfolding behind us, not in front of us. I can sense my runes ahead are still very much enabled and alive.
Which is good as I don’t feel like fighting our way out. It’ll be a waste of precious ammunition.
I push the grate out from the wall ahead of me and hear it fall with a clang against the cement below.
Grabbing the sides, I hoist myself through the opening and perform a tuck and roll onto the floor before jumping up to my feet. Then I turn and pull Ashlyn through the opening so she doesn’t accidentally fall forward into the pitch black space.
Of course, her eyes should be as adjusted as mine to the darkness.
But I don’t mind the excuse to touch her.
I set her on the ground, then reach up to cup her cheeks. “I’m going to find you a coat, gloves, a scarf, and some boots. They won’t do much, but they’re better than this shirt.”
And she’s going to need the layers for the snowmobile ride.
“Afterward, I’ll need you to wear a backpack full of supplies,” I tell her.
She says nothing.
“Okay?” I prompt.
“Yeah,” she whispers. “I’ve just never seen this before.”
I frown, following what she means. “This isn’t in your visions?”
“No.” She swallows and I hear it more than see it. “Where are we going?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I admit. “But we’ll find something.”
There are emergency bunkers hidden all over this region of the world, most of them built by humans during the Infected Era. Most of them are energized by solar power, a technology that’s easily reconfigured even if it’s a little rusty.
I go grab the supplies we need—including the items for Ashlyn—and bundle her up. Then I guide her over to a tarp that I rip off to reveal our ride. It’s already gassed up and ready.
“Do you have escape huts like this attached to all your lairs?” she asks, sounding impressed.
“Yes.” Survival is one of the skills I’ve mastered in my lifetime. “One can never be too cautious in this world.”
“Always preparing for alternate paths,” she says. “I’m beginning to understand why we’re fated.”
“Only beginning to?” I ask, grabbing her nape and pulling her toward me. “You haven’t known all along?”
“Not everything can be revealed in visions,” she breathes, her head angled up toward mine.
“Hmm,” I hum, then lean down to kiss her softly. “We’ll see what else we can reveal after we find a new den.” I nip at her bottom lip, then pick her up and settle her on the snowmobile.
Grabbing a helmet with a face shield, I put it over her head and ensure she’s protected. Afterward, I help her with the backpack and put a few items—mostly guns and ammunition from my emergency stockpile kits—in the various storage areas on the vehicle.
I slip into a leather jacket lined with fur and use a rubber band to tie my hair up into a bun at my nape.
The last thing I pick up are gloves, the waterproof material easily gliding over my fingers and hands as I secure the item in place.
“All right,” I say, sliding into place in front of her and picking up my own helmet. “Wrap your arms around me, Ash, and don’t let go. This is going to be a dangerous ride.”