“Aviella-” Efram starts.
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Let’s get this over with.”
I turn and go through the curtain. There is a row of small shower stalls with opaque plastic sheets covering each of them. Dirty tiles on the floor and walls and a single yellow bulb for illumination in here too. The lighting is enough to make it creepy without the added accents of the pale colors on the walls and the mildew-covered tiles.
The boys follow me in. Nathaniel and Efram look uncomfortably around noticing there is no changing area or any way to gain even a semblance of privacy. Strangely, maybe because I’m broken inside, I’m instantly aroused. Seeing my three men naked, at the same time, sends my thoughts spinning in a totally different direction than the setting should allow. Of course, it’s a welcome escape from the reality I’m facing.
“Well,” Rafe says, and shrugging, he starts stripping.
Leave it to him to have no shame. Out of instinct, I turn my back and he snorts, loudly. Great Rafe, thanks for that. It’s not like this isn’t awkward enough.
“Right,” Efram says, sighing.
Feeling self-conscious, I slowly undress and grab a towel from a stack by the door. Carefully I do my best not to look at the men as they undress. Okay, I can’t help a peek, but it’s only a quick glance. I have to know and… damn. They’re all very… well-endowed. And ripped. So damn ripped. Swallowing hard I hurry into the stall and pull the curtain closed. The water is cold, and I yelp.
“Aviella?” Efram asks.
“Fine, it’s colder than I expected.”
“Ah,” Efram responds.
The sound of running water echoes off the tiles. Grabbing soap, I try to focus. Efram is in the stall next to mine, which makes it hard. It’d be nice if he were in the stall with me. Scrubbing my back, touching me, leaning in for a kiss…
Stop it!
I’m nuts. There could not possibly be a less sexy situation to be in than this, and here I am thinking about… no. Stop. Seriously. Hurrying, I finish scrubbing and shut off the water. I wring my hair out, grab a towel, and wrap it around myself. I take a deep, cleansing breath, then step outside the small stall.
The moment I do, Hunter is right there, too damn close, and my skin crawls as I stumble back to keep him out of my personal space. His eyes are glued to my chest, staring at the edge of my towel, which makes him even creepier. He has that fixed, crazy smile on his face, and there is something in his eyes. My magic swells, creating a tingling sensation down my arms and legs. Clenching my teeth, I seize control of it before it lashes out. I really don’t like this guy. Something is off about him.
“Sorry,” he says, grin not fading. “Thought you might need some more towels.”
He holds out a stack of towels in front of him, but his eyes never come up to meet mine.
“We’re fine,” I snap. “Thanks.”
“I’ll just leave them over here,” he says, turning and putting them on the bench.
The curtains over the showers rattle almost as one, and all three of my men step out. Nathaniel and Efram have towels draped around their waists in at least a modicum of modesty but not Rafe. My cheeks burn hot as I get an eyeful of his impressive manhood, which he has no qualms about showing off.
“Thank you for the towels,” Nathaniel says, stepping between Hunter and me. “We’ll be out shortly.”
“Right,” Hunter nods with forceful enthusiasm. “Glad to hear it.”
He turns and walks out. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My heart slows, but knowing that Rafe is full-on, out-and-about I stare at the ceiling, pointedly ignoring his nudity.
“Rafe,” Nathaniel snaps.
“Yup?” he asks, either feigning or actually being innocent.
“A towel, please,” Nathaniel says.
“Oh, right,” Rafe says, his voice annoyingly teasing.
My cheeks must be fire red. They’re burning so hot it feels like my skin is going to melt off. Rafe grabs a towel and wraps himself. My heart slowly returns to a normal pace, and the four of us look at each other.
“Yeah,” I say to fill the silence. “I’m going to dress really quick.”
Nathaniel and Efram turn their back without a word. Rafe grins broadly and waits. I arch an eyebrow, but before I say anything, Efram grabs his shoulder and forces him to turn around. Rafe moans loudly but doesn’t try to peek while I dress. Once I’m dressed, I tell the guys so they can dress too, and I walk out the door to let them do so in private.
When I leave there, Hunter is perched back on his rickety stool, staring at me as soon as I enter the room. He rocks forward, the stool making a clack as it hits the ground. My skin tingles, magic rising, ready for anything, but he doesn’t move. A few minutes later, the boys rejoin me.
“Okay, well, now you’re all decontaminated, I can let you through to the registration room,” Hunter says, standing up. “You’ll need these.”
He opens a locker next to him and pulls out bright yellow hazard suits. He hands them to each of us, and we put them on over our clothes. Nathaniel doesn’t bother putting one on, snorting when Hunter hands it to him.
“Suit yourself,” Hunter says, walking to the door opposite the one we came in. He turns the wheel and the door swings silently open. “Bunker Registration is down the hall. They’ll help you find a place to stay on the other side.”
“Thanks,” I say, stepping through the door, glad to be quit of him.
Hunter shuts the door behind us, and the clang of the metal bars sliding into place echoes around us. This is a connection tunnel we’re in, so we walk ahead until it comes to another heavy door. On the other side of that door is a small room with a similar door on the far side.
Safety signs on the walls illustrate that you can take off the suits here. After we close the door we came through, we lose the suits, hanging them on pegs on the wall. It seems strange because I’ve seen movies with rooms like this, and there is usually some kind of water or smoke stuff that washes away whatever the suit was protecting you from before you take it off. At least a rush of air or something. Nothing happens though.
A thin woman sitting behind a desk looks up when we enter. There’s a haunted look to her eyes, which part of me instantly blames on her being even this close to Hunter. She nods as we step into the room, smacks her lips, then shakes her head.
“How long?” she asks.
“A night, at the most,” Nathaniel answers.
“Go down that hall, look to the right, and there’s an open bunk room. You can share it.”
She stares down at her hands behind the desk, ignoring us, so we head down the hall she half-pointed at and walk until we find an open room on the right. There are three sets of bunks in the room and a couple of small chests along with a sink and toilet in the corner. It’s very basic, but at least it’s a place to rest.
“We need to plot our path. We shouldn’t stay here any longer than absolutely necessary,” Nathaniel says.
“Right,” Rafe says. “Nate and I will be back.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” I ask.
“Of course not!” Rafe exclaims. “There will be loads of danger and adventures. Mighty tales to woo you with on our return.”
He grins mischievously until Nathaniel jabs him in the ribs with an elbow.
"Ow," Rafe says.
He glares at Nathaniel. Nathaniel doesn't dignify him with response. I laugh.
“Why don’t you wait for morning?” I ask. “Going at night seems like a terrible idea.”
“We need to find a safe path, and if it comes down to it and Rafe has to use his Crossing Key, we need to know the safest place to use it,” Nathaniel answers.
“And the wooing,” Rafe adds, grinning. “Don’t forget the wooing.”
Nathaniel glares at him, but it doesn’t slow Rafe down in the least. I can’t argue with their logic, well, outside the wooing bit, of course. I want to, sure, but Nathaniel’s right. It’s stupid to not
be prepared. My stomach is sour, and my skin feels icky through and through. I know it’s because of Hunter. I look over my shoulder back towards where we left him.
“I’ll be here,” Efram says, seeing my glance.
“Don’t you… feel it?” I ask, unsure how to put the feeling into words.
“Yeah,” Efram says.
“That is one weird dude,” Rafe says.
“There is something off about him,” Nathaniel says. “But that only reinforces what we must do. We cannot stay here.”
“Fine,” I say, shuddering. “It’s just… that guy could be the star monster of a late-night horror show, you know?”
“He might have been,” Rafe says, unhelpfully.
“Rafe!” I exclaim.
Rafe grins as he walks over. He grabs my shoulders and stares into my eyes, his eyes serious for once.
“Nothing,” he says, his voice solemn. “And I mean nothing, will happen to you. He would have to come through all of us first, and that is not happening.”
The weight of his words, heavy with intention and unspoken emotions, layers across me, holding me down and lifting me up at the same time. The three men look at me as the air becomes charged with anticipation. Their energy weaves into mine, intertwining, twisting together, too similar to the way my fantasies have imagined our bodies. Swallowing hard, I nod, my lips trembling, wanting more, but I can’t possibly ask that of them.
"We'll be back soon," Nathaniel says, breaking the moment. "Get some rest."
They leave without another word, though both Rafe and Nathaniel cast a last lingering glance at me before they leave the room. Efram and I are alone. There's a moment of awkward silence as we look at each other, then my belly grumbles loudly. Efram chuckles and shakes his head.
"We should find some food," he says.
“Yeah,” I agree, glad to have something to do besides stare at his perfect lips, strong jaw, and his stunning eyes.
He steps forward and takes my hand, but as he does, a scream resounds through the walls, causing cold chills to run down my arms. I look around wildly, trying to find the source of the noise. It doesn't sound human. Efram pushes me behind him, protectively.
There's a moment of silence, and then a roar echoes off the walls. The screeching scream comes again as if in answer to the roar. Efram and I exchange a look, and he shakes his head.
"Welcome to Wormwood," he says.
"Great," I say, shaking my head and steeling my nerves. "Seems like the perfect Apocalypse vacation spot."
Efram chuckles. "Yeah. Courtesy of the former United States government and their experiments."
"Okay, well let’s find food," I say.
We head out into the hallway together and wander around. The sounds continue until it’s almost white noise. Although every once in a while, one of them is particularly loud causing me to jump.
Eventually we come to a kitchenette/dining area. It's empty but lots of picnic-style tables are set around ready for use. One wall is lined with machines. Old-style vending machines. Oddly, they’re actually stocked.
"I don't have any coins," I say, looking the machines over.
"I think I do," Efram says, digging through his pockets.
He pulls out handfuls of odds and ends and digs through it, managing to find some coins. Enough that we can each get some food. He inserts the coins and the food drops, making a loud clatter. I look around to see if we've attracted any attention, but we’re still alone.
I open the receptacle and take out the dried meats before popping them into a microwave, hitting the buttons to warm them up. When I turn to say something to Efram, I jump, because a woman is standing there. I don't know where she came from, but she jerks back and raises her arms protectively. At the same time, there is a particularly loud roar that almost makes the walls shake, and all three of us jump.
"Hello," I say to the newcomer, holding out a hand and smiling, trying to be friendly. "I’m Aviella."
She barely meets my eyes, hers keep darting away. When she reaches to take my hand, hers is trembling. Efram, for his part, is keeping his distance.
"They won't quiet down," she says. "You get used to it after a while."
"Thank you," I reply. "That's very kind of you to tell us."
She nods meekly, then turns and walks away. She disappears through a door, and I turn back to Efram.
"What was that about?" I ask.
"I'm not sure," he says.
The microwave dings alerting us to our food being ready. Tossing the packages from hand to hand to avoid getting burned, I put them down on one of the tables where Efram and I sit. The smell of the meat when I open the package, even if it’s probably some kind of proto-meat, makes my mouth water. I dig in with relish.
Efram eats slower, and his energy probes at me. He's trying to be subtle, and I know there was a time I probably wouldn't have noticed. My sensitivity is increasing.
"Just ask," I say, at last.
"What?" he asks, eyes widening.
"Whatever it is you're trying to figure out," I say, swallowing a mouthful of food. "Just ask."
"Stop worrying," he says, arching an eyebrow.
"I'm not worried," I say.
It's not exactly a lie. I wouldn’t call it worry myself anyway. Efram arches an eyebrow as he slowly chews his food. He continues watching, silent, waiting for me to say more. I try to hold out. I know what he's doing, using silence to encourage me to talk.
"I'm a little overwhelmed," I say, folding at last. "And a whole lot of creeped out. In truth though, I haven't had time to worry."
"Don't be," he says, filled with confidence and certainty. "We’re going to figure this out."
"How can you be so sure?" I ask. "There are so many moving parts. We don't even know who's after me."
He places a hand over mine, and my skin warms at his touch. We lock eyes with each other and our energy melds into one.
"I promise you," he says. "We’re going to figure out who's trying to snatch you. We will find your father. We have a lot of allies, and all of us are focused on helping you."
“And find out who's waiting for me when I break through time?"
"Yes, that too," he smiles.
Something about his confidence communicates to me, filling me with certainty, and I know, on some level, he's right. If I don't believe that, what do I have? I sigh and dig back into my meal.
Chapter Nine
On the bunk, I toss and turn fitfully. Sleep eludes me. Every time I think I'm about to doze off, I see the image of that symbol floating in front of me. I do my best not to focus on it. I’m afraid of it since Rafe's warning.
It's not like my magic has done any good against anything that has had the symbol. Maybe that's what's worrying me. Worry. Dammit, maybe Efram is right. I guess I am worried. It's not like there isn’t good cause! Everything is going to hell. Everywhere we go, destruction follows in my wake.
Images of Bunker E247 drift past. All those people, lost, because of me. I put them in harm's way. The things that are after me don't care who they hurt. That's a scary thought.
In the bunk below, Efram's steady breathing tells me he’s asleep. Stabbing jealousy pierces through my heart. What I wouldn't give to be asleep right now too! I think I’d feel better if Rafe and Nathaniel were back. I'm worried about them too. I know they can take care of themselves, but it doesn't lessen my concern.
I roll on my side, take hold of the pillow, and pull it tight around my head, trying to drown out the constant sounds that echo through the halls. Closing my eyes tightly, I try to will myself to sleep. Eventually it works.
A loud screeching sound jerks me awake, and I sit straight up in bed, whacking my head on the low ceiling.
"Ow!" I yell. "Damn it."
"Are you okay?" Efram asks, appearing next to the bunk.
"What is that infernal sound," I grouch, shoving my fingers in my ears to block out the noise.
Efram looks around. Outside the opening to our bunk
, people walk down the hallway, heading toward something.
"It seems to be an alarm," Efram says.
"Hey," Hunter says, appearing in the door. "Y'all need to get to the assignments. You stay here y'all gotta pay."
Efram and I exchange a look before I slide off the bed and we join the crowd walking down the hall. Eventually, we’re all in the dining area we found last night. Three people are set up at a table in front of the vending machines. Everyone forms lines in front of the table and shuffles their way forward, one at a time. When they reach the front, they’re handed a card, which they take and then wander off.
Unsure what to do, Efram and I join the line. We reach the front at last, and I'm handed a card. I look at it and arch an eyebrow. It has a room number and says “walls.”
"Excuse me," I say, to the person who handed me the card. "What does this mean?"
She rolls her eyes and sigh heavily, as if I just placed the weight of the world upon her.
"It's your cleaning duty," she says.
"Oh," I say.
I glance over my shoulder at Efram and shrug. He steps forward and gets his own card. We compare them and luckily, by some happy chance, we’ve been assigned to the same room, but his says floors.
I notice Hunter standing to one side watching the proceedings. He has his arms crossed and that same fixed, empty grin on his face. Every time I see him, my skin crawls. I can't imagine having to deal with him on a regular basis. Worse, he seems to be paying particular attention to me. Great, just what I need, a creepy fanboy.
Efram and I wander around trying to find the room we've been assigned to clean. It takes us a little time, but we manage locate it. A young man is already in there working when we arrive. He turns at our entrance and smiles.
"Hey, there," he says. "I'm Cordy."
"Hi Cordy, I'm Aviella” I say. "This is Efram."
We all shake hands and then set about our work. Cordy and I are both on wall scrubbing, and he seems to make a point of being very close to me. He seems nice enough, and he makes casual conversation while we work. It helps the time go by.
Apocalypse the Blossoming (The Power of Twelve Book 2) Page 6
