Far Series (Book 1): Far From Home

by Mary, Kate L.

  Lisa didn’t respond for a moment, her expression thoughtful as she turned his words over in her head. The more she thought about it, the more her mouth turned down, and the more I became convinced she was closer to her mid-forties. Damn, her skin looked great.

  “I suppose it can affect people differently,” she said thoughtfully. “Years ago, when my husband and I were first married, I woke up feeling horrible. Turned out I had strep. We thought for sure my husband would get it, too, since we were newlyweds and we’d kissed about a hundred times the day before.” She let out a little laugh and shook her head. “He did come down with a fever, but he was over it in no time, and he never tested positive for strep. Meanwhile, I was sick for two weeks and miserable.”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Devon told her. “I just think it’s better to be cautious at this point. At least until we’ve seen a little more.”

  Lisa nodded slowly. “I see what you mean.”

  “So, I take it you’re not from Shamrock,” I said.

  “No.” She blew out a long breath. “I was in California at a medical conference for emergency room workers. The virus got bad, and travel was cut off, and I got stuck. I was trying to make my way home to Atlanta with two coworkers, but they got sick. They died, I didn’t, and now here I am.”

  She waved to the room like she wasn’t sure what else to say.

  I liked this woman.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “Me, too.” She let out a deep sigh. “The worst part is knowing there’s nothing to go back to. Which is probably the real reason I haven’t moved on.”

  “Your husband was sick?”

  She gave me a tight smile that made the skin at the corner of her eyes crinkle just a little. “We divorced years ago, and I wasn’t seeing anyone. No kids. My parents are dead, too. It’s just me. With no job to return to, I just don’t know what to do with myself.”

  “Staying here seems…” I hesitated, trying to choose my words, but couldn’t come up with something nice to say.

  “Awful?” Lisa laughed. “Believe me, I know. There are some good people, and then there’s Randall and those kids. It just breaks your heart. And Buck is a gem. But it’s not going to be long before the town runs out of resources, and Corporal Miller is challenging. To put it mildly.”

  “He seems like he’s taken over pretty thoroughly,” Devon said.

  “You could say that.” Lisa exhaled as she turned to clean up the medical supplies, signaling she was done talking about it. “I should check on my other patient, but let me know if you need anything else.” She turned to face us once she was packed up, smiling again. “And be sure to say goodbye before you leave tomorrow.”

  “We will,” I told her. “And thanks again.”

  Lisa gave us another smile before slipping into the other room, leaving the door open only a crack, and the whisper of a quiet conversation followed.

  I was glad Miller had found it in his heart to give us two rooms, but more than that, I was grateful they were adjoining. We didn’t know these people, and while almost everyone we’d met was friendly, I agreed with Lisa about Miller. That guy was a creep.

  “We should see if she wants to go with us,” I said to Devon, keeping my voice low in case she could hear us.

  Devon frowned. “Lisa?”

  “Yeah.” I almost rolled my eyes. An old habit that might never go away.

  “We don’t exactly have the room,” he pointed out.

  I sighed. He was right, and while part of me thought it would be easier to find a new car, another part didn’t want to give up my Civic. My parents had bought it for me, and the idea that I might never see them again made it that much more special. Even if we were crowded.

  As if sensing the reason for my hesitation, Devon didn’t mention trying to find another car or say anything else about it, and like when he’d set me on the dresser, his gaze held mine, making my scalp prickle. I shifted from foot to foot and couldn’t look away even though I wasn’t exactly comfortable. The expression on his face had me thinking about how he’d run his hand up my back at the other motel, as well as the way he’d held me when we arrived here.

  What was he thinking? It was impossible to know. I was beginning to accept that my first impression of Devon hadn’t been correct, but that didn’t mean I understood him completely. And I definitely didn’t understand why his touch made my body tingle when most of the time I found him irritating.

  “Kiaya has been gone for a long time,” I said, unable to stand the silence.

  “It’s Kiaya,” he said, an appreciative smile pulling up his lips. “She’s probably teaching Lexi to read or to tie her shoes.”

  His words stung, but at first I wasn’t sure why. Then it hit me. He liked Kiaya. Not in a romantic way, but in a respectful way. He thought she was good to the core, which she was—she proved that back at McDonald’s on our first day of travel—but he thought I was selfish and spoiled. Even worse, he wasn’t totally wrong.

  I looked away from him and headed for the bathroom. “Maybe we should start calling her Saint Kiaya.”

  I wasn’t able to keep the hurt out of my voice, which only made me feel worse.

  “Rowan,” he said when I passed him.

  I ignored him and continued walking, but didn’t get far before he’d grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop.

  He studied me for a moment before he said, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” I didn’t look at him.

  “Rowan,” he said again, this time his voice more firm. “Look at me.”

  I did, turning slowly. I lifted my gaze to his face only to find him six inches from me, his blue eyes piercing and serious as he waited for me to say something.

  “What is it?” he asked when I still didn’t talk.

  Tears had sprung to my eyes for some stupid reason. Not that it was anything new. I was an emotional crier. It didn’t matter what it was, I cried. Anger, sadness, happiness, a touching story on Facebook. It all made me cry. I literally had no control over the tears.

  I blinked, trying to keep them back and barely succeeding. “You think I’m a worthless, spoiled brat.”

  He started, shaking his head in confusion. “What?”

  “Don’t deny it. You’ve implied how spoiled I am too many times, and you made me stay by the pool when you and Kiaya searched the cars because you thought I would get in the way.”

  “I did that because you were hurt,” he said gently, “and I didn’t want to have to worry about you.”

  The knowledge that he was concerned for me didn’t erase the fact that he didn’t even try to contradict my other statement.

  I yanked my arm out of his grasp. “Well, if you’re lucky, we’ll get back to Ohio tomorrow, and you can be on your way.”

  “Rowan,” he said again, sounding more exasperated this time.

  I ignored him, still blinking back the tears, and continued to the bathroom.

  Once again, I didn’t make it there.

  He grabbed my arm, forcing me to spin around. A second later, my face was between his hands and his mouth was on mine. The kiss stole my breath. Shocked me. Took me so by surprise that I could barely react enough to kiss him back. Then his thumb caressed my right cheek, bringing me to the present and making me totally aware of how his lips moved over mine, and the way my head was spinning. I had to hold on to him when the kiss deepened, as his tongue brushed my lips, urging me to open my mouth. Which I did. When his tongue brushed mine, a jolt went through me. It was like lightning. Like an electrical shock. Like the hand of God.

  Even when he finally broke the kiss, he didn’t release me, but instead held my gaze with his. “I think you are smart and resilient. I think you’re strong. Maybe you had an easy life and maybe I resented that a little when we first met, but know this. That says more about me than it does about you, because there is nothing worthless about you. Believe me.”

  I was breathing heavily, having a difficult time catching my breath
and an even more difficult time trying to figure out how to respond. The kiss had caught me totally off guard even though Devon’s actions had told me he was attracted to me, but even more shocking was how my body had reacted to him.

  “Say something,” he prompted when I didn’t respond, irritation ringing in his voice but worry flickering in his eyes.

  “You kissed me,” was all I managed to get out.

  His mouth turned up into a smile. “And I plan on kissing you more. I hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s okay,” I mumbled.

  “Good,” he whispered before closing the distance between us again.

  The kiss was softer this time, and after a second, he moved his hands to my shoulders then slid them down my arms. Goose bumps popped up on my skin from the caress, and I shivered. It was the good kind of shiver, though. The kind that made you feel like you were home.

  His lips were still on mine when a scream penetrated the closed door.

  Devon pulled away but didn’t let me go, his head snapping toward the door. My heart was already pounding, but it started beating harder, thumping against my ribcage like it was trying to break free.

  “What was that?” I said even though he knew as much as I did.

  He shook his head, but the door burst open before he could even venture a guess.

  Kiaya rushed in, her eyes wide and her shoulders heaving as she gasped for breath. She blinked when she saw how we were standing but shook her head.

  “Lexi ran off!”

  “Lexi?” Devon released me and charged toward the door, sweeping the gun he’d given me up off the bed on his way by.

  “Yes,” Kiaya snapped.

  Devon pushed past her and hurried outside, and she followed. I rushed after them.

  Outside, the sun was setting, the horizon a bright orange that matched the color of the motel, and unlike before, the catwalk was crowded with people. The parking lot, too, was no longer empty, only the people down there weren’t survivors. They were zombies.

  They’d converged on the motel, either making their way from town or liberating themselves from rooms on the first floor. I wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter because a little girl was out there and in trouble, and we had to find her.

  “What happened?” Devon called as he charged down the catwalk.

  I saw Buck and Corporal Miller, as well as a few other people I hadn’t met, and beyond that, Randall and Mike. They stood at the top of the stairwell, behind the dresser that had been placed there as a barrier, staring down. Seeing the expression on the little boy’s face made my heart jump to my throat. He looked so determined, so motivated.

  “He’s going to go after her,” I said, talking to myself since no one was around to hear me.

  Buck and Miller had turned to Devon.

  “We don’t know anything for sure,” the corporal was saying. “She’s missing, but she could be anywhere.”

  “Like hell,” Buck growled. “You told everyone they could survive a bite, and she went out there looking for her mom.”

  He pointed to the parking lot.

  “Her mom?” Kiaya asked, cutting in. “She’s dead, though. Right?”

  “She is, but we’ve spotted her a few times in the motel parking lot,” the man beside Buck said. “It’s like she’s drawn here, if that makes sense. It’s been rough on the kids.”

  “She couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to think her mom would recognize her,” Miller said, shaking his head.

  “She’s five,” Buck snapped.

  The man at his side spit, his lip curled up in disgust as he looked at Miller.

  I pushed past them as they continued talking things through, rushing toward Randall and Mike. Like I’d thought, the little boy was already climbing on top of the dresser.

  “Mike!” I called, moving faster.

  He was crouched on top like he was ready to jump, but he turned to face me.

  “Stop,” I said, reaching for him despite the six feet still separating us. “Randall, stop him!”

  His uncle looked at me with wide, uncertain eyes, but did nothing.

  A cry rose behind me as other people realized what was happening, and before I could reach him, Mike jumped.

  “No!” I shouted, running faster, ignoring the throbbing in my back and not caring if I ripped every one of the stitches.

  I reached the dresser and leaned over, looking down just as Mike disappeared at the bend in the stairs.

  “Shit,” I said, hoisting myself on top of the dresser.

  “That’s a bad word,” Randall said, his eyes still wide and full of uncertainty.

  I had to bite back my reply, knowing it wasn’t fair. Knowing this man wasn’t equipped for the job he was facing. Knowing it wasn’t his fault there were zombies.

  “Rowan,” Devon called after me, “stop, goddamnit!”

  I slid over the dresser, landing on the top stair just as Devon reached the steps. He grabbed hold of my upper arm before I could move, refusing to release me even when I tried to shake him off.

  “Let go!” I yelled. “He’s ten!”

  “You don’t even have a gun,” he said.

  He was right. I’d seen Mike at the stairs and taken off running, not thinking about anything else. But I was unarmed. Unlike Devon.

  “Give me that one.” I held my hand out.

  “No.” He somehow managed to keep hold of me while also pulling himself up and sliding over to stand next to me. “I’ll go. This isn’t because I don’t think you can do it or because you’re worthless. This is because you’re still healing, and we haven’t had time to even teach you how to shoot. Do you understand?”

  His words pierced my worry over the kids, and I managed to acknowledge he was right. I was unprepared and already hurt, and running out there would be stupid.

  “Fine,” I said, “but you get those kids and make sure all three of you get back here safely. Understand?”

  His lips twitched. “Always so bossy.”

  “Go,” I ordered, proving his point.

  He released me and charged down the steps, and had just made it to the bend in the staircase when someone else jumped over the dresser. Corporal Miller was the last person I expected to drop down next to me, but the wink he shot my way told me what his motivation was. He wasn’t the least bit interested in saving the kids.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get them back safe.”

  He charged after Devon, and I turned when something else scraped against the dresser. The man I’d seen with Buck was dragging himself over as well. He was as old as Buck but less fit, and he huffed as he dragged himself over, swearing up a storm. Somehow, he managed to get over.

  “Charlie, you old bastard,” Buck shouted, practically throwing himself over the desk. “You ain’t going without me.”

  Charlie only snorted before heading after the other two men, and Buck was right behind him.

  It made me feel better. Buck cared about those kids, and between the four men, there was a good chance they’d make it back here okay.

  “Rowan.” I turned to find Kiaya holding her hand out. “Come back up here before you tear another stitch.”

  I took her outstretched hand and pulled myself back over the dresser, landing on the other side with a huff. Randall stood there, tugging on the hem of his shirt as he looked out over the railing toward the parking lot.

  I followed his gaze.

  The commotion had drawn even more of the dead, and at the moment, dozens of them were stumbling our way. They were heading down the street and from in between houses, and there were more in the distance. They were all headed in our direction.

  Holding on to the railing, I leaned over so I could get a look at what was happening below me, ignoring my throbbing back. I spotted Devon, Buck, Charlie, and Miller kneeling behind a truck, and three vehicles over saw Mike’s head sticking out from under a car. A zombie stumbled past him, and his eyes grew wide, but he didn’t move, and the thing wandered off without realizing he was th
ere.

  Something bolted across the other side of the parking lot, grabbing my attention, and I saw Lexi just as she climbed under a truck.

  “There,” I hissed, pointing to her as she disappeared from sight.

  Kiaya’s eyes got wide. “We need to tell them where she is.”

  “Yeah.”

  I began waving my arms, knowing I couldn’t yell and draw more zombies this way. Kiaya mimicked me, the two of us jumping up and down and waving our arms like maniacs while Randall stood quietly at our sides. He looked shell-shocked, and not for the first time I realized he was not equipped for this world and these responsibilities.

  It took a few seconds, but eventually Devon looked our way. His eyes grew huge when he saw us, and he lifted himself up on his knees as if that would give him a better view. I began pointing toward the truck Lexi was hiding under, mouthing the words, over there, while I silently prayed he’d get the point.

  Devon leaned around the truck so he could see, after a second moving back to say something to the other men. Then he looked our way once again and gave a thumbs up before charging from his hiding place, the other men right behind him.

  Kiaya grabbed my hand. “They’re going to get her.”

  I could only give it a squeeze in reply.

  The men stayed low, moving from car to car, pausing when they reached each one so they could look around. My heart was thudding like crazy as I watched, my gaze moving from them to the nearby zombies and back again, and my hand still in Kiaya’s. She was as tense as I was, and all across the catwalk the other survivors were the same. I spotted Hank all the way at the other end, just outside our room. He looked like he was frozen in terror, and I couldn’t help wondering if he was thinking about his friend, remembering how the zombies had torn him apart.

  I shuddered.

  “It will be okay.” Kiaya released my hand and put her arm around me.

  If the situation hadn’t been so intense, I would have turned to look at her. This wasn’t the closed-off girl I’d grown used to.

  “Bethie,” Randall said, grabbing my attention.

  My head snapped his way. He was staring down at the parking lot, and I followed his gaze, searching the dead. It took a minute to find one that could have been his sister. They were all so decayed, and from this distance, it was tough to distinguish them from one another, but once I saw her, I knew.