by M. J. Haag
“Eat up. It might make you feel a little better.”
She took a few pieces of the candy and stared at the counter as we waited. Tor’s expression wasn’t as playful when he joined us, and I knew he’d been listening to our conversation. He looked at Shelby with pity in his gaze. Vorx hadn’t stopped looking at her. The conflict in his eyes seemed to be tearing him apart every time he glanced at the ring she wore. They knew married women were off limits and respected the rule. But their need to protect all females was just as strong. I wondered how they would react if Matt decided she would be exiled with her husband. Even if she weren’t, that wouldn’t negate the ring she wore.
The door opened, and Matt entered, followed by Turik. Matt scanned the room, taking in the scene, and exhaled heavily.
“Looks like we have everyone on the list, plus a few,” he said, his gaze flicking to Shelby before settling on me. “Are you all right?”
“Perfectly fine. I had more than enough protection. None of them got close to me, and Shelby says this is all of them.”
He faced her.
“I really wish you weren’t here.”
“I know, and I’m sorry for putting you in this position. But, we both know you can’t make exceptions. People here will lose faith in you. Besides, Nat will find a way to cause problems if I stayed behind.”
Matt’s weary expression as he nodded pulled at my heart. Everything rested on his shoulders. Over in Tolerance, at least Mya had Drav.
“He’ll try to find a way to cause trouble even if you don’t stay,” Matt said. “That’s why I made sure to have proof of what he meant to do first.” He looked at me. “Can you download all the footage while we start moving everyone?”
“Absolutely.”
Shelby laughed, a bitter, sad sound. “Cameras? You’re all a lot smarter than he gave you credit for. I’m guessing you’re going to publicly show some of it?”
“We have a projector we can use against the supply shed,” Matt said.
“I’ll go through the footage and clip pieces together,” I offered. “You have enough on your plate.”
“June, make sure I’m in it,” Shelby said.
Although I didn’t want to do it, I knew she was right.
Carrying the first four men, Tor and Turik left with Matt while I got to work. Shelby quietly watched the footage with me until it was her turn to go with Matt. Turik and Vorx accompanied her.
“You need sleep, June,” Tor said, watching me work.
“And I’ll get some. But I need to finish this first. Did you see how tired Matt looked? It wasn’t from lack of sleep but the stress of having all this pressure on him. If I can do a little to help ease that, then I should. Tolerance is a thriving community because everyone is working together there. That’s why I came back here. I want to help make this place more like Tolerance. Isn’t that worth a few hours of sleep?”
He kissed my brow and rubbed my back while I pieced together the footage, saying nothing more until it was finished.
Tomorrow, Tenacity would lose fourteen of its citizens.
I stood beside Matt, my gaze fixed on the video loop projecting on the shed wall. The footage glowed brightly in the predawn light and made it easy to see the men, who were now bound and kneeling in front of us, as they broke into my house. Even better was the audio I’d picked up and laced in.
The first group of five men didn’t say much when they broke in and found nothing. But what they did say was damning.
“Nat’s going to want her beaten for this.”
The second group of four was chattier.
“Take everything. The bitch deserves it.”
“I hope Matt reassigns her to one of our houses. She’s good at getting supplies. We could use more women like her.”
The third one, though. That was the cherry on top.
After making his lackeys go inside first, Nat strode through the front door and saw his men bound and out cold on the couch.
“I’m going to enjoy beating the shit out of her,” he said.
“We should have done it the first time,” one of the others said.
Behind them, Shelby remained by the door, peeking through the window and casting worried glances back at them.
I’d made sure to remove all footage of the fey kicking their asses. Although it would be clear they were responsible since they stood off to the side now, I didn’t want to spread any more fey-fear or hate.
At first, it was just us silently watching the loop. But as the sky lightened, and the time to meet for a supply run approached, more people gathered. The size of the crowd gradually grew to include those who came to stand in the soup kitchen line as well. Finally, Ryan and his fey arrived. He didn’t go to Matt as usual but hung back with the fey to watch the footage.
Through it all, the men in front of us remained hatefully aware but quiet. Shelby knelt beside her husband. She’d insisted on being bound and gagged like the others. She finally got her way, despite fey protest, after saying, “It’ll be easier on me out there if I’m treated the same in here.”
My heart went out to her.
“It’s time,” Matt said quietly.
I nodded and stepped forward. After a long discussion with him, I’d gotten my way as well.
“When the fey found me and Ryan told me about the settlements that had been created, it sounded like a dream. A safe place where I wouldn’t be alone anymore. People living and working together to survive what the world threw at them. That’s what I expected it to be. What it needs to be. Not the nightmare I experienced when a group of these men broke in and stole our food only to return the next day to beat the man I was with to the point he couldn’t walk anymore.
“This isn’t the community it needs to be if we want to survive. We have to help each other. We need to work together to bring food in so we don’t starve. We have to stop the hatred.”
Matt stepped forward.
“Change starts today. You will no longer be assigned to houses. You know your neighbors well enough to know who you want to live with by now. Choose wisely.”
There was a murmur through the crowd at that.
“That’s not fair,” someone called.
“Why not?” Matt asked.
“All the people who go out for supplies are going to group together.”
“Then become one of the people who leave for supplies,” Matt said angrily. “What’s not fair is living off of someone else’s hard work. Which leads me to change number two. Everyone over the age of sixteen will leave on a supply run once a week.”
There was more outcry.
“My knee’s shot. I can’t run. You’ll be sending me out to die.”
“No, he won’t,” I said, speaking up. “I’ve gone on supply runs. The fey do all the leg work. They carry us when infected are around and jump to the roofs to keep us out of harm’s way. All I have to do is pack the food I find into totes. The fey even carry out the weighted totes. Don’t throw out excuses before you even try going on a run. It’s fear holding you back, not physical limitations.”
“I’m not letting one of them carry me around,” someone shouted.
“That’s your choice,” Matt said. “But those who refuse to do their share are saying loud and clear that they do not want to be a part of this community. From this day forward, this community will be open to the fey. If you can’t sit at a table with them, eat the food they’re generously preparing, and offer a word of thanks for their part in making this the safe haven it’s meant to be, then this isn’t the place for you.
“The group of men, and woman, before you are hereby exiled from Tenacity for their parts in stealing or intent to steal food. They will leave with the clothes on their backs and nothing else. But if anyone would like to join them, I will not hold you in the same contempt. I will provide you with provisions and an escort to the bunker June once used as a refuge. You can forge your own way of survival as you see fit and without fey influence.”
“The
fey hate ends today,” I said. “Set aside your biases or leave. Stealing food and spreading hate are equally unacceptable. We’re not saying you need to like them, but you must have the ability to willingly work with them.”
The crowd was completely silent, finally understanding the seriousness of the message. A few men made their way forward.
“We had nothing to do with stealing food, but I don’t want to live in a place where our freedoms are being taken away from us.”
“Yeah, the freedom to hate without reason is an important one,” I said. “Good luck out there.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
I watched with the residents of Tenacity as Nat and his group were escorted out of the gates. It surprised me that he had nothing to say about Matt’s decision. Having the footage play in an irrefutable loop had probably helped kill any plea of innocence he might have voiced. I hated seeing Shelby leave, though. She walked a step behind her husband, a resigned vacancy in her gaze.
Turik glanced at me, and I shook my head slightly. He’d made it clear to Matt and me before anyone else had arrived that he intended to follow. It didn’t matter to him that Shelby was forever banned from Tenacity. She was a female, and the fey were determined to save each and every one of us.
After the exiled group left, Ryan offered to take those who were leaving by choice to the bunker.
“There’s a radio in the bunker. Can you bring it back with you, Ryan?” I asked. “People are still out there, and they might be interested in knowing about this place.”
Mostly, I didn’t want to give anyone the means to communicate and steal from the other preppers still out there.
“Of course,” Ryan said.
“Thank you for doing this,” Matt said. “I’m hoping if they leave on good terms, they might mention this place in a positive light to any other survivors they eventually come across.”
Emily arrived, pulling the attention off of us with the vast amounts of food she and her fey were carrying. The shift in mood was immediately obvious. People stepped forward and volunteered to help carry things for the fey. They even smiled and voiced words of appreciation. Emily looked positively giddy as she took a few people, mostly women, up on their offers of help.
The young mom with the little girl broke off from the line and went to Noru, who had the doll sticking out of the waistband of his pants.
With everything going on, I almost missed Turik slipping away and leaping over the wall.
Tor wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.
“Do you think he’ll be okay?” I asked softly.
“He will be fine. Shelby will be safe.”
I didn’t comment on how he made no mention of the rest of them. They’d made their choices. Now they needed to deal with the consequences.
A few men approached Matt to ask how he planned for the housing reorganization to work.
“I’m asking everyone to hold off on making any changes for the next few days. June and Tor are working on a supply run schedule with an equal weekly rotation. Once I have that, I plan to distribute it house by house and talk to the households about the reorganization.”
“You’re serious about requiring everyone to go out on supply runs?” a man asked.
“Yes. Very. I’m aware that some in this community have been using others for their gain. That ends now. We work together; we survive together.”
The men seemed content with Matt’s answer.
“You’re quiet. Are you tired?” Tor asked softly.
I tipped my head back to look up at him.
“No. I’m happy that things will be better now, but I’m sad they weren’t like this when Adam and I arrived. It would have saved him so much pain.”
Tor studied my face, tenderly gliding his fingers along my throat.
“You still love him.”
“I do. But it’s not the same love as it was. It changed. Honestly, I think it’d been changing long before we got here. I’ll always care about him. He’s a good man. But I don’t love him the way I love you.”
Tor grunted.
“Does that upset you?”
“No. I care about Adam, too. He let me have you.”
I made a face. “He didn’t let anything. He was a stubborn man. I might have forgiven him for his stupidity, but you are not allowed to thank him for it.”
“I’m sorry he hurt your heart and made you cry. I promise to be very careful with it.” Tor dipped his head and nuzzled close to my ear. “Just like I was careful feeding my cock into your very small pussy.”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head, and my gaze wildly swept over the nearby fey. A few of them flashed a grin at me before looking away.
“Tor,” I whispered. “Knock it off.”
“Merdon spanks Hannah when she misbehaves. Sometimes she likes it. Sometimes she does not. Would you like to spank me? I might not like it.”
I snorted, not believing him for a minute.
Then, I understood what he was doing and turned in his arms.
“You’re a sweet man, Tor, but I don’t need you to distract me from thinking of Adam anymore. He made his choice, and I made mine. I chose you, and you healed my heart.”
He grunted and gave me a playfully sly look.
“You can still spank me.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Excuse me. June?”
I turned toward the sound of the voice and found a woman watching us. A light blush painted her cheeks, and I wondered just how much she’d overheard.
“Sorry about that,” I said. “Can I help you?”
“Hi, um, maybe? My name’s Sam. I was wondering if you two would consider letting me live with you when Matt rearranges things. I’m not looking for a free ride,” she said quickly. “I just…” Her gaze flicked to Tor then back to me. “I’d like to know what it’s like to live with a fey without having to commit to one.”
I struggled to keep the grin off my face at the number of fey who were avidly watching her now.
“Honestly, Tor and I have a house in Tolerance and weren’t thinking of staying here.” Her expression fell. “But it’s not a bad idea,” I added, glancing back at Tor. “What do you think?”
“Matt would need to—”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Matt said, having overheard. “You’re both welcome to live in the house June’s been using.”
I focused on Sam again. “You should talk to Emily about what it’s like living with a fey and human couple before you decide anything,” I said, thinking of how she’d been wearing her headphones to block out the sounds Hannah and Merdon were making. “The fey are very open people.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “Thanks. I’ll talk to her.”
Matt joined us as she walked away.
“Do you mind staying here?” he asked.
“No,” I said, speaking for both Tor and me. “We started the change, and we said fey were welcome here starting now. It’s the best way to show that we’re serious.”
“I like how you keep saying we. I wouldn’t mind the help.”
I looked at Tor. “What do you think?”
“I don’t care where we live as long as I’m with you.”
I tilted my head, offering my lips. He kissed me hungrily, and I heard Matt chuckle before walking away.
Since Ryan was taking the deserters to the bunker and there was no supply run going out, the usual gang returned with us to help us move our things from Tolerance. Not that there was a lot, but what Tor had accumulated I didn’t want to leave behind. He’d spent time collecting the games, food, and clothes, and things that were once easy to purchase, but now required hours of searching and potential risk. Each item he had mattered.
“Can I live with you, too?” Scath asked as he carried a tote filled with blankets downstairs.
“I’m saying this with love, Scath—”
“She doesn’t mean sex love,” Tor said, interrupting. “She means mom love. Mom explained it to
me.”
I grinned, hoping I’d get to meet Mya’s mom soon.
“As I was saying, no, you can’t live with us. I know the only reason you want to is because Sam asked to live with us, too.”
He grunted. I could tell he was disappointed, but he wasn’t upset by it.
“However, I still want to do game nights with you guys. It’s fun, and I think it would be a great non-pressure way for Sam to spend some time around you single fey.”
After that, I had to field at least a dozen questions about the next game night while keeping an eye on Tor. He liked standing behind me and stroking a hand over my backside whenever I bent over to pack something into a tote. The guys didn’t miss a thing and thought the game of cat and mouse Tor and I were playing was completely hilarious.
I was so wrapped up in the contentment of the moment that I didn’t hear the commotion outside at first. The fey did, though. They all paused what they were doing and watched the front door.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“They’re back,” Tor answered.
I didn’t need to ask who he meant. Uan, Adam, and the rest had returned.
Tor wrapped his arms around me. I pressed myself close, sliding my hand under his shirt and stroking my fingers over the skin of his lower back.
“I love you. Let’s go check on your brothers and Adam,” I said.
We joined the throng of fey moving toward the south wall. The shouts and good cheer were contagious, and I was smiling by the time we joined the masses. There were so many fey. Some of them had hair as short as Adam’s had been, which wasn’t a typical hairstyle. I couldn’t remember seeing it before.
“Did some of your brothers cut their hair?” I asked.
Tor flashed his teeth at me, his joy radiating from him.
“No. Those are my brothers who stayed in the caves. They returned with the others.”
I recalled my conversation with Turik about those they’d left behind and returned Tor’s smile.
“I’m glad you’re all together again.”
