Reaching for Home (House of Garner Book 3)

by Erin R Flynn

  “I will,” I purred, giving him a wink before saying goodbye to Darius, Jaxon, and Cerdic, making them promise to come back uninjured as well. They all smiled at me, and I smacked them. “Not a scratch. I’ll know if you lie and tell me it healed.”

  “We can’t lie to you,” Darius reminded me.

  I rolled my eyes. “Clearly fibs don’t count as you guys have. Real lies, but I would consider this one, so be safe.”

  “You too,” they replied as I headed off with Tyson who was flying the chopper I was on.

  We had just taken off in the chopper when the radio on the ground talked to us and it was Kristof.

  “Trisha changed the plan and gave us one of these radios instead of me going back and forth when I’m the most lethal,” he told us. “Flares are still the decision for signaling, but Cerdic will use this if the numbers don’t match up. Plus, Trisha has one chopper holding back to give us eyes if they split. Also, all noncombatants have already evacuated west to go drive in more equipment from the carrier.”

  “My sister really is the smarter one,” James grumbled next. “Got it. Trisha, you handle that and make sure we’re cleared out. We’re heading to finish on the ground prep with those who already drove out.”

  “Got it, be safe everyone.”

  I felt like that might be pointed at me, so I clicked to talk. “I’m in like four harnesses and ropes. I’m super, super strapped in at the gun. I won’t so much as get a boo-boo trying to reload. Vance and Lara are all over that.”

  The four of us had already worked together in Juneau after I’d gotten my crash course on some of the weapons and what we were plotting. And we worked well together. Tyson was even teaching Vance and me how to fly the chopper. I doubted they’d ever let me really pilot one, but everyone was being smart and preparing for worst case everything.

  “So someone was saying this was almost as good as the ending of World War Z where they were luring their zombies to stadiums and blowing them up. No one thought about that since ours aren’t attracted to sound, but there’s a huge crater of what was once LA, right? What if once the merchant ship comes back and we take our load further south, we take some of those Apache attack choppers and blow shit up?”

  “Not a bad idea,” James agreed with me. “We were talking about making sure we don’t blow up anything useful, but it’s smarter to use already blasted up area. That’s on the ocean though. We don’t need to waste the Apaches for that when we have a destroyer. We can drink beer on the ship and blow them up from there.”

  “Shit, that sounds like fun,” someone chuckled.

  “Fuck that, mate,” Cerdic argued. “We have cases and cases of Jim Bean we can enjoy instead of old beer.”

  That name reminded me of something. “Didn’t we see that place when we were at Fort Knox?”

  “Yeah, they took it over and all their stores,” Vance said, shaking his head. “I told them it was a shame you didn’t get to try any when you were there.”

  “We agreed and jacked some for later,” Cerdic told him.

  “Some? You kept going back for more, pissed they were mean to the Begleys and are a threat to Inez,” Kristof drawled. “And we’re almost done clearing out the Wild Turkey one as well. Apparently bourbon has to be made in the US and mostly in Kentucky. Screw those assholes who went for their gold and hard booze while forcing people to reenlist or get shot for deserting.”

  “Amen to that,” I muttered, hearing it echoed. “If you’re open to requests, south of there in Tennessee is the Jack Daniels distillery and might still have stores. That shit burns good. I only got a sip after a nasty fight that I helped a group in South America with, but it hit the spot.”

  “As my princess wishes, I will see it done,” he promised.

  “I would like a pony, please,” someone said in a fake female voice, and if I had to put money on it, I would have guessed James.

  “You get nothing to drink now, young James,” Kristof drawled, so clearly he agreed with me. We didn’t talk for a while, but then Kristof let us know when the blood was down and we were set.

  A bit longer and we landed at our outpost, which consisted of a dozen fancy trailers all hooked up to the campsite facilities along with a shit ton of military everything. Two other choppers had landed, and at least another dozen were coming. There were two dozen M-ATV Assault vehicles, trailers full of bullets, and just for fun, places for people to sit up on top and launch grenades.

  Oh, plus the huge area of landmines. Lots of them. They were all ridiculously marked with bright spray paint for us, but the corrupted wouldn’t see them. There were some worries that after a lot went boom those markings would be lost, but James assured us that was fine because now that I’d fixed them all and a few other things, we could trigger them remotely so yeah… Boom.

  Everyone was a mixture of excited, nervous, and a healthy dose of shit, did we bite off more than we can chew? Prince George was no Anchorage with its surrounded metro areas for sure, and we were better prepared this time so that was only the small chunk. At least for me.

  “They’re on the move,” Trisha announced minutes after twilight started. “Shit, they really just frenzy on your blood, Inez. It’s still bright as can be, and they’re stumbling out.” It was another ten minutes before she updated us. “They’re splitting fairly evenly. It seems more each pack moves one direction or the other and the next pack goes the other way as if sensing less competition for the same smell.”

  “Still works then,” James said. “We just need to know if the ones who started further south already on our side keep to the blood path or divert directly to her.”

  “Roger, we’re heading there now,” she said.

  “We’re under an hour,” James announced to the others so they got ready.

  It was about twenty-five miles from the southern point of Prince George to the end mark of the blood, but corrupted would make it faster than any humans could. They didn’t really run faster, but they didn’t have pain, they had no stopping point, whereas a normal runner would need more air or their muscles would burn to keep them from continuing or at that pace.

  Corrupted didn’t have any of that. They ran full throttle the whole time, as there wasn’t any damage to worry about to a dead body. Plus, that whole lack of higher reasoning thing normally didn’t have them worrying they could fall and get cut and then they got eaten.

  Better than them eating us.

  “You guys came in through Edmonton, right?” Trisha asked while everyone waited for the next update. “How cleared out was it?”

  “We were only there less than two days and we didn’t get as much done as we wanted,” I admitted. “Places were raided but not fully, and we were more focused on filling the freezer and provisions.”

  “The wildlife there exploded,” Cerdic added. “Bloody hell, it was almost ridiculous how many deer, elk, and antelope were all over. I don’t know their original numbers, but there was no way that was normal. Even the little guys were all over the place. Too bad we didn’t know you liked duck then.”

  “Well, go get some,” I teased him.

  “I was itching to get some bison, as there were huge herds,” Jaxon admitted.

  “Awesome, and now my stomach’s growling, but that wasn’t what I meant,” Trisha cut in. “There were some brochures at the hotel about Edmonton, and along with the GPS I found a gun store and military surplus place. The mall looks good too if it’s not torn to shit. We were thinking we could hit a few places we females could use.”

  “Amen,” Lara agreed. “And everyone loaded up the Bath & Body Works stuff because we were heading to the coven, but now we’ve delayed and we could use some of that stuff. Most were normal stores we knew, but a few we didn’t like La Senza—”

  “It’s like a spicier Victoria’s Secret,” I told her. I rolled my eyes when she gave me a shocked look and Vance seemed like he was trying to not laugh. “We took a day to load up at a mall in Canada. It was right across from Victoria’s Secr
et and bath stuff we were getting. I hit the Sephora there too even if I never got to really play with any of it.”

  “Shit, yeah, we should clean out the makeup,” Lara agreed. “And not just to all box up in trailers. We were so busy doing that to travel light, we didn’t replace some of what we need, and now we’re hanging out more.”

  “The real question is whether you guys will judge me if I want to play at the Disney Store now that I know I’m a princess,” I said, my tone completely serious.

  Trisha was the first one to burst out laughing. “Oh fuck, we’ll find you a tiara, Inez. That was too awesome.”

  “Thank you, thank you very much,” I chuckled. “I did see this awesome snow globe once and I thought it would be the coolest thing to collect those, the pretty nice ones, not like the tiny trinkets.”

  “Trisha, I will make sure you are fully stocked with whatever supplies you may require if you take note of anything else our princess likes while accompanying her,” Kristof offered.

  “Wait, mate, you’re not shocked that they’re going shopping? Alone? That far away?” Cerdic interjected.

  “Well geez, I went all over a bunch of continents alone, but now I need a baby sitter,” I grumbled, taking off my harness so I could get out and stretch as long as we were landed and waiting. “I thought taking three of my military trained knights and badass Trisha in the military chopper was enough protection. I told Kristof because he’s got his special clearing out project.”

  “So you’ll be in the city with them just in case of emergencies?” Darius checked.

  “I will, yes,” Kristof confirmed.

  “Pushing it, guys,” I warned.

  “We know, but it’s in reaction to someone trying to poison you, not your skills or abilities, my love,” Darius said quietly.

  “I know, which is why I’m not flipping out, but you’re close to making it seem like I need to ask permission. I let one of my nobles know, and I’m taking my knights.”

  “Thank you for making sure we knew and taking protection,” Jaxon quickly cut in. Smart. “And there was also the pig farm and the one Kristof found milk at not far from there.”

  “Shit, I will forgive you guys for being pushy if we roast pigs like we did after we met up with the aircraft carrier,” I offered.

  “Deal. There are several large farms around here that we scouted, and that was why we brought up the over populations right away, as we don’t want all the big bad wolves to eat all the piggies we want to,” Cerdic informed us.

  “Alright, we’re several miles along the blood path, and they’re sticking to it heading directly south instead of cutting southwest to Inez. They clearly can’t smell her over her actual blood.”

  She confirmed it a bit later as we were all discussing the alpaca and llama farm that apparently the wolves had gotten into but hadn’t eaten them all. They found a lot of cows eaten at the ranches in the area, but their numbers were outrageous, so there was a lot of beef available too.

  “Hey, good thing you didn’t listen to me on that and instead tried to pull a power play on the one who controls all of this,” Sebastian said to someone that the radio caught.

  “She doesn’t own all of this,” Dennis snapped. “It’s nowhere near her coven. It’s all fair game.”

  “Oh, so was that the play? Try to put the screws to her, but if it failed you still know where good stuff is to raid on your own?” he asked, probably doing it to let us know that was what he had figured out without outrightly snitching.

  “Well, clearly the answer was yes,” Jaxon drawled. “They didn’t come for the deal but as scouts for what they think to claim for Olivia or Wessexes.”

  “And how would you have gotten it all back?” Sebastian demanded. “You thought we’d still trade with you after you pissed her off because of our alliance or Cerdic would go crawling home with you and you could trade to get him back for hunting rights, claiming the area, or getting ships?”

  “All three knowing the greed of my baby sister,” Cerdic seethed. “Try it, you git. Kristof and I could check all this area every night and not break a sweat. We find you coming all the way here from the UK when she offered to trade you provisions fairly, and I will take that as a sign of aggression.”

  “I do that you even came to scout, so I suggest you be very, very careful on what any of you do next,” Kristof warned, his voice ice cold. “It is out of respect for Princess Matilda that I don’t after her nobles promised that was not the plan that was agreed upon. I might insist on a vow of silence from all of you or you could easily find yourself at the end of my swords as corrupted will tonight.”

  I shared a look with Lara, Vance, and Tyson. Damn. Like dayumn.

  “I say we lock them in the brig the aircraft carrier has,” I added. “Let them sit and spin there for coming in to spy when I extended a deal in good faith. They should be in bad shape if they don’t eat that long. Maybe we’ll toss them some expired cans of tuna while we have a pig roast.”

  “I would suggest they help Father with all the skinning and butchering as they keep turning up their nose at such provincial and tasks they clearly think beneath them,” Jaxon said. “And once that is done the ship should have arrived to Ireland so they could take the cargo plane with the preserved pelts, the guests from the Wessex court, Father, and Kristof.

  “Father can inform Mother of what all happened firsthand, and Kristof can escort those we’ve busted as being spies back to their court restrained like the enemies they are with a warning that North America is yours and certainly not theirs. That way it’s clear who else stands behind you and is not happy with them, plus he can hear any response Princess Matilda has directly from her.”

  I licked my lips. “Jaxon?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m going to ride you so hard tonight while you rub your blood all over my skin that your body will get more than strangled by mine but wear out every inch of my sexy Irishman.”

  “Fuck me dead, Inez, now I’ve got a stiffy people could see from space,” he said with a deep groan.

  “Sorry, but smart is my favorite kind of sexy, my fiancé,” I purred. “I think that perfect, and I have the perfect reward for you soon.”

  He just moaned this time, knowing exactly what I meant.

  “And for me to handle this?” Kristof asked hesitantly.

  “Suggest three options, and if they follow my rules, I’ll pick one.”

  He groaned deeply.

  “Enough fun, it’s game time,” Trisha announced. “We’re heading to you.”

  At least I had a lot of anger coursing through me about Dennis that shooting a big gun would help.

  9

  “We’re making our first pass now,” Tyson announced as he turned the chopper so I was facing the right way to run along the line of corrupted now at the start of the zone.

  “Let’s kick the tires and light the fires,” someone called out.

  “I have no idea what that means,” I drawled. “Safety off.”

  “Green light,” Trisha answered, already making sure they were out of the way and getting in line. The choppers were basically coming from our outpost, heading southeast then cutting north to fire down the line, before circling back to the outpost. It was like a rounded triangle.

  But more importantly, it would keep anyone from crossing over or getting in each other’s way.

  I hit the buttons to fire with my thumbs since the mounted minigun didn’t have a trigger to pull like other weapons. My fangs itched to come out as bullets shot faster than anyone could keep up with and either cut through or wounded corrupted. “That is so fucking fun.”

  “You’re hot doing it, sexy bite,” Vance called over.

  “These numbers are nowhere near Anchorage, and we cleared the other areas from the shore to here so we’re only getting them from the one side,” James said in my ear. “We’ll handle all of Prince George tonight. I would say to start luring them out of Edmonton the moment we’re done here so they have
a few hours to travel tonight. They won’t make it all the way here before morning.”

  “True, but given how they started moving the second twilight hit, I think it best not to risk anything more than a few hours,” Sebastian replied.

  “Plus, we want to scout another area west of here to set up an outpost with hookups so we don’t have to mess with this damn river that doesn’t have any bridges for a few hours’ drive,” Kristof added.

  Fair enough. That would get more corrupted out of Edmonton so it was safer there as well. We still had a ton to do in Prince George and lots of smaller towns for sure, but it was good progress that had me smiling for our second run.

  Fine, that was mostly getting to shoot the huge ass minigun, but I smiled for that as well.

  I was just about to comment that the landmines had been such a waste then when the first one went off.

  “Hit the vehicles and light up the area,” James ordered. In the prep work they’d towed or driven dozens of older cars and trucks to be the coolest bonfires to help us see ever.

  “I so want to shoot one of those,” I grumbled as the first RPG was launched and hit their target.

  “Start landing,” Trisha ordered just as we were about to reach the outpost. “Apparently the nobles are bored and there’s no need to waste ammo.”

  “Well, Edmonton was almost a million population, right?” Vance comforted.

  “That’s seriously twisted to think of things that way, as we want survivors.”

  He winced. “I didn’t mean it like that, just we should have bigger nights coming up since there are still way too many corrupted to kill.”

  “Yeah, I got you.” I was getting impatient. As scared as I was to build a coven, it was nice to get to stay somewhere, but we’d still be moving. I wanted that security and feeling like we had our place now instead of always on the go. “If the nobles are still bored and they don’t need sleep, they can always head north and clear out all of that area since we completely cleaned out Alaska.”