by Brant, Jason
Cass tried to get to her feet, but her strength finally failed her. The pain in her back had blossomed into mind-bending torture. Just sitting up sent fresh hell reverberating along her spine.
“Where are you going?” she asked, pulling Lincoln close.
“To help fight the Vladdies back.”
“No! You’re staying here with us.” Cass reached for his hand, but he pulled away.
“There won’t be an us unless we stop those damn things. Keep him safe. I’ll be back soon.” Lance turned to leave.
“I’ll come with you then.”
“You can’t even walk. Stay here and look after Dragon.” Lance bent down, put his hand out toward his son. “Skin it, my man.”
Lincoln finally stopped crying for a second. Stared at Lance’s hand. Then he grinned and slapped him five.
“Good enough.” Lance turned back to the door.
Lincoln reached for his father and wailed again.
Epilogue
Lance panted and flopped back on his pillow as Cass carefully rolled off him. She tried to hide the grimace as she collapsed beside him on the bed. A sheen of sweat covered their damaged bodies from their pain-ridden sex marathon.
Today was their first time in bed together since they’d left the islands. They were always too busy searching for food and taking care of Dragon or the others to find time for themselves. Lance thought the pent-up frustration inside him had nearly reached a boiling point, but the way Cass had just worked him over made him think it had been worse for her.
Even though they were both stitched and bandaged, she’d really let it rip.
It was a good morning.
Cass nuzzled against him, laying her head against his shoulder. “I really needed that.”
“I could tell.”
They stayed in bed for a while, watching the ceiling, enjoying having a roof over their heads again. Just spending time together was amazing, but being in a bed with pillows, knowing their child was safe in the next room, felt like a little slice of heaven.
“We have to protect this place.” Cass brushed her hair from her face. “Lincoln can have a life here. A real life.”
“I can’t wait to show him how to kick ass at Mario Kart.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of him not worrying about being eaten every night.”
“That’s important too, I guess.” Lance wanted to scratch at the bandages covering his upper arms. The healing wounds really itched. “But let’s be real—kicking the shit out of the other kids at Mario Kart will get him all the girls.”
“Dumbass.”
“And yet, you married me.”
Cass faced him. “I knew you’d come for us. No matter what it cost.”
Lance thought about Adam lying beside the stream, his mind devoured by hunger. “It cost a lot. But I’d pay any price to get you back.” He winced. “That sounds corny as hell.”
“It is corny as hell, but I like it.”
“You’re getting soft in your old age.”
“Ask Wayne how soft I’m getting.”
“Wayne?”
“I’ll tell you about it later.”
“Ominous.”
“You won’t like it.”
Lance shifted against her. “What happened?”
“Later.” After she pushed herself from the bed, she stretched in front of a series of large windows that covered most of one wall in their makeshift bedroom. She sauntered a few steps along it with an exaggerated hip sway.
It was almost sexy.
Bruising covered most of her back, and parts of her arms and both knees had bandages on them. One eye had blackened a bit, while her bad leg hitched a little as she walked.
Still, Lance enjoyed the view.
Their room was a converted office, with a bed and two dressers tucked inside. There were clothes in the closet that didn’t fit them all that well, and bottles of water on the nightstand. It was more comfort than they’d had in a long time. They were fifteen stories up, in a corner office, with quite a view of the inner harbor.
She peered out over the deserted buildings and streets. “I never thought we’d stay in a city again. It’s… weird.”
Lance agreed.
They’d spent most of the night getting their wounds tended and meeting a few people. Emily Snow had met with them while Doc Brown stitched and bandaged them up. She offered to give them a tour of the building and introduce them to some others. Between the two of them, they barely had the energy to stand, though, and had promised to be more chummy the next day.
Most of the fighting last night had died down shortly after they’d hustled into The Light. The Vladdies wanted no part of the building, for the most part, and had retreated to the darkness. It was obvious they were aware of the fortifications and spotlight defenses, and they realized they couldn’t get inside.
Lance had wondered how many times the vampires had tried to sack the building over the years before they finally gave up.
The children had calmed soon after they’d arrived and passed out on the floor of the lobby. Lance had nodded off a few times himself, until Emmett had started poking him with needles. Cass’ face lost much its color while the Doc prodded at her lower back.
There wasn’t any horrific damage, but he thought she had some issues with her discs. It would take more time to figure everything out, and he was a little busy at the time dealing with so many patients, so he had to give her a rain check for another appointment.
Lilith had calmed down a little, but still sobbed against Greg’s shoulder while Emmett checked her for injuries. Dealing with Adam’s loss was something they would all suffer through for a long time, but Lilith and Greg had been especially close to him. Lance didn’t know how well they would cope with it. He’d made Greg promise to keep an eye on her.
Greg had given him a sullen nod, but hadn’t said much.
Adam’s death had really taken the fight out of him.
Eifort had sat with Finn sleeping her lap, watching her husband take care of everyone. She’d fought like a goddamn mythical warrior to get her family back, and Lance could only watch her with awe and appreciation.
He also made a mental note to never piss her off.
The bullet that had struck Paul had passed through his shoulder without hitting anything vital. He’d pissed and moaned while Emmett stitched him up, but he and Liz were otherwise okay.
Emily Snow and several of the others had recognized Bill, and they were less than thrilled with his arrival. They’d immediately disarmed him before locking him up in an office on the first floor. Lance hadn’t seen him since, but planned to ask what the deal was with that. If Bill hadn’t helped them, no one would have made it back alive. If Lance had any say at all, the man should at least be freed from confinement.
There was a backstory there he needed to be filled in on.
By ten or eleven that night, Emily had escorted them to their room. They were asleep almost as soon as their heads had touched the soft pillows. Dragon had woken them up early in the morning, asking something about playing with the guys, which turned out to be Brandon’s G.I. Joe collection. Brandon could barely get out of bed with his own wounds, but Charlie had offered to watch Dragon for a little while and let him play. She didn’t appear to have slept much, her eyes red but alert. Though she looked tired, the bounce in her step and pep in voice made her relief at returning home apparent.
Cass had made sure Dragon was good with Charlie, then practically pounced on Lance as soon as the door to their room had closed behind her.
They were finally back together.
Finally safe.
And they both knew it wouldn’t last long.
The path of destruction they’d left in their wake would lead a lot of pissed-off people, and vampires, to their doorstep before long. What they would do about it was the question.
Cass put her hands on her hips as she scanned the Chesapeake Bay. “I want to take out those bandit bastards.”
“I agree.
”
“Soon. Really soon.”
“Are you nuts? We both look like we went ten rounds with Mike Tyson, and we just got our boy back. Maybe we should relax for a few days. Get a handle on the lay of the land before we do anything stupid.”
“While we’re relaxing in here, they’re out there kidnapping people. I can’t let that happen.”
“I understand that, but—”
“No, you don’t.” Cass turned around and faced him, holding him with a simmering gaze. Lance recognized the inferno burning in her eyes. “Let me tell you about what happened with Wayne. That’ll change your mind.”
Lance listened.
His blood boiled.
He changed his mind.
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About the Author
“JASON BRANT” is an anagram for Bas Trojann, a former Bigfoot hunter who, after being abducted (and subsequently returned) by aliens, decided to hang up his ghillie suit and enter the world of professional arm wrestling. Despite back-to-back first place finishes in the South Dakota World International Championship League, Bas receded from athletics to invent cheese and give Al Gore the initiative to create the internet.
Nearly a decade after writing the bestselling self-help series, Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese (Cut into Four Pieces) for the Soul, Bas has left his life of notoriety and critical acclaim behind him to write existential, erotic poetry.
His wife washes their clothing on his abs.
www.authorjasonbrant.com
