by Susan Bliler
His too black hair seemed to mirror his constant too black mood. Yet, she knew that in the breadth of his arms, under the unrelenting watchfulness of his gaze, some lucky woman would one day be sheltered. Even his warm brown eyes that had scowled at her with such disdain, still showed promise of softening for the right person. Regret seared her chest with the knowledge that it would never be her.
Quietly, Shy followed the highway she remembered led to the nearest town. Once a set of headlights had shone in her rearview mirror for several miles, convincing her that she was being followed, but eventually the lights disappeared as the vehicle behind her turned off on some rural road.
Ahead, bright lights formed a faint glow in the distance indicating that she was nearing the town. The knowledge helped relieve some of her tension. Finally, after almost an hour she passed a lit sign that read, ‘Welcome to Great Falls’.
Just inside the city Shy breathed a sigh of relief when she found a café with a large neon sign under the name indicating the restaurant was open 24 hours. It was 11:30pm when Shy pulled into the parking lot.
She circled the building and parked behind it in an effort to hide the vehicle from the view of the highway. She found the button that popped the trunk and exited the vehicle to search for a coat. The temperature had steadily decreased in the time she’d been on the road. Shy rubbed her arms frantically as she stared down at the empty trunk. Slamming the trunk closed, she peered into the backseat of the car. Shit! No coat there either, she had no choice but to do without.
Shy crammed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. One hand pulled out her bra and her socks while the other fished deeper coming up with the wad of cash she’d taken from Jenny. She quickly thumbed through it. $46.00? Christ! It wouldn’t get her a place to sleep for the night, but it’d get her fed.
She entered the restaurant and headed straight for the restroom. Inside she locked herself in a stall and quickly put on her bra and socks before using the facility and washing her hands.
Staring in the mirror she sighed roughly at the sight that met her. She was sickly pale except the dark circles under her eyes. Her cheeks were sunken and for all her pinching, she couldn’t manage to bring any color to her them. She gave up on her face and raked her slender fingers through her hair in effort to tame the long auburn locks. What I’d give for a steaming bubble bath. She managed to crisscross the strands into a loose side braid before she was satisfied enough to leave the restroom and find a table.
“Hi hon…just one?” The stout older brunette waitress asked as Shy approached the ‘please wait to be seated’ sign.
“Yes.” Shy followed the woman to a table near the windows that overlooked the highway.
“Um, sorry...”
The waitress turned to frown at Shy.
“I forgot my coat. Is there any way I can sit someplace a little warmer?”
The waitress slid her eyes down Shy’s petite frame before turning from the window seat and leading Shy to one closer to the counter. “Good Lord girl, you’ll catch your death of cold.”
“Thank you,” Shy murmured as she slid into the booth in the center of the restaurant. She hadn’t avoided the windows due to the cold weather, she simply didn’t want to be seen should any Walkers drive by searching the area.
The waitress slid a menu onto the table. “Can I bring you something to drink?”
“Coffee.” Shy replied instinctively, taking up the menu. As the waitress turned Shy caught her, “Wait! Can you make that hot tea instead?”
The waitress didn’t look at her, simply penned a large ‘X’ on her pad and wrote something beneath it, “Not a problem.”
Eyeing the menu Shy discovered just how difficult it was being responsible for the life and health of another human being. Her mouth literally salivated at the thought of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, but she quickly flipped the page away from the breakfast section knowing her son deserved something more nutritious.
When the waitress returned with a mug of steaming black tea, Shy placed her order. “Sirloin steak, wild rice, steamed veggies, and a cup of hot chicken noodle soup to start.”
The waitress waddled away while Shy tried to convince herself that steak wasn’t too far off from a mound of syrupy pancakes. Her mouth disagreed, but her conscience was eased by her choice. Her lips quirked ruefully. She had enough people angry with her; she didn’t need to be mad at herself too.
She wrapped both hands around her mug of tea absentmindedly to warm them as she thought about her future. She knew she needed to contact her sister as soon as she got the chance. First, she’d need to think of a lie. The truth, horrific as it had been, would only incite her sister to call out the National Guard.
Shy dropped her chin into her upraised hand as her elbow rested on the table. She didn’t want to relive the atrocities that had happened to her and Leto at the Megalya facility, and she certainly didn’t need any national attention drawn to a child that was the product of artificial insemination from a never heard of shape-shifting species. No, she’d tell her family that her son was the result of a raucous night of sorority-girl life. While her mother certainly wouldn’t approve, it was definitely a thousand times better than explaining the truth.
Her soup finally arrived and Shy savored every aromatic spoonful until her dinner was served. The sirloin steak, while not large, was cooked to a medium rare perfection. It seeped savory juices as she cut into it. She took alternating bites of her steak and wild rice before she attacked the bright pile of steaming vegetables on her plate. By the time she was finished, not a single piece of broccoli, cauliflower, or carrot was left on her plate.
“Any dessert hon?”
Shy dabbed her mouth with her napkin, “No thank you. Say, would you happen to know the name of a cheap motel in town?”
The waitress eyed her over the tablet she wrote on, “The motel on 15 isn’t bad. Cheap, but clean.”
Shy winced as she pulled eleven dollars from her stash to pay for dinner plus two dollars for a tip. Then she held up the remainder of the cash, “Thirty-three dollars kind of cheap?”
The waitress stopped writing to eye Shy suspiciously, “You in some kind of trouble?”
Shy shook her head, “No! No, just…passing through and need a cheap place to stay is all.”
“Well,” the Waitress frowned bracing both arms on the table, “I don’t know where your traveling to, but I doubt thirty-three dollars is gonna get you there.” The Waitress passed a cursory glance over the restaurant before leaning lower, “Look, if you’re having….man trouble. There’s a shelter down town. No questions asked.” The waitress stood and jotted something on her pad before ripping a sheet from her tablet and handing it to Shy. “Here’s the address, just let them know you need a place for the night. They’ve even got clothes they can give ya’.”
Shy could feel her cheeks singeing a bright red as she dipped her head to inspect the scrap of paper. Christ lady you have no idea the kind of ‘man’ trouble I’m having! “Th-thanks.”
The waitress took the empty plate and coffee cup and strode to the counter as Shy quickly rose and exited the restaurant.
Inside the car she shivered as she waited for the vehicle to warm up. Damn Montana winter! Her breath was coming out in cloudy puffs and the vehicle was taking too long to get warm. She left the keys in the ignition and exited the vehicle intending on going back inside the café to wait for her vehicle to heat up.
“Hey pretty lady, need some help?” A large man wearing a cowboy hat and a long black duster stepped from behind a semi-truck cutting off her path to the café.
“No thanks,” Shy answered politely trying to pass him, “Just gonna wait inside for my car to heat up.”
The man’s hand snaked out and caught her arm causing Shy to cringe. Ever since she’d been assaulted at Megalya she hated being touched, especially by men.
“Don’t touch me!” She barked instinctively trying to pull from the man’s grasp.
The man’
s grasp tightened, “Hey darlin’, no need for hostility. Just trying to help keep you warm is all.”
“Take your hands off her!”
Shy didn’t need to look over her shoulder. She knew the voice, and by the sound of it, Leto was pissed!
Chapter 21
The cowboy jerked Shy to his side and looked up at Leto. “Why? She yours?”
Shy was startled when she was jerked to face Leto. He was angry but for once it wasn’t directed at her. It felt…nice. God he’s beautiful!
Leto didn’t respond, simply dropped his eyes to the hand that was still crushing Shy’s arm.
The cowboy turned to Shy then, “Is that your man?”
“No,” Shy responded pushing on the cowboy’s chest in attempt to shove away from him before responding angrily, “but you’re not either so let me go.”
The cowboy smiled up at Leto, “See friend, she’s not interested in you.”
Leto didn’t say a word. One minute Shy was trying to wrestle free of the cowboy’s bruising grip and the next thing she knew the cowboy was on the ground out cold. Leto rose from where he was hunched over the man’s unconscious form and slowly approached Shy.
She took a tentative step backward, then another as she slowly backed away from him.
Then the waitress burst out the doors of the restaurant, “Hey, what’s going on out here?” She looked at the cowboy on the ground and saw Shy backing away from Leto. “Honey is that the abusive boyfriend?”
Shy felt humiliation wash over her as Leto’s expression darkened and he titled his head to stare at her accusingly. “Th-that’s not what I told her Leto.”
Shy heard the waitress yell over her shoulder, “Jimmy call the cops!”
Shy held up her hands as she continued to back away from the large Walker, “I-I don’t want any trouble. I’m just leaving.”
“With something that belongs to me?” His tone was harsh, accusing, but the hatred that typically burned in his eyes when he looked at her was absent.
Shy dropped her hands to cover her belly and spoke softly. “Th-the baby’s mine Leto.”
Leto froze then, his eyes shifting and he inhaled slowly before dropping his eyes to where her hands attempted to shield his child, their child. “Mine!” The word, while barely audible, was laced with conviction and carried to Shy on the cold wind that stung at her cheeks and held the faint sound of sirens in the distance.
If only she could bide her time until the police arrived. The thought died nearly as soon as it was formulated. Leto would kill the men before allowing them to take him in. Shy’s eyes dropped to the unconscious cowboy still sprawled out in the snow. She watched his lifeless form for several tense moments, and she sucked in a sharp breath when she failed to see his chest rise or fall indicating he still lived.
Her eyes shifted to Leto, imploring him. “You have to let us go Leto. The police are coming.”
He advanced a step, his eyes still locked on her abdomen. “Never!”
“Jimmy, Ronnie get out here!”
Shy felt panic flare to life. You stupid bitch! Shy cursed the waitress silently even as guilt washed over her. She knew the waitress was only trying to help, but anyone that stood in front of Leto right now risked his life by doing so.
When two young men shot out of the restaurant Shy held up her hands and screamed, “STOP!” She was trembling even as she spoke, “It’s…it’s okay.” She turned imploring eyes to the Waitress. “Please, all of you go back inside. This has nothing to do with you.”
“Look honey,” the waitress challenged propping one hand on her ample hip, “We won’t let him hurt you.”
Leto turned his head as if finally realizing he and Shy weren’t alone. The sneer that formed his features indicated he didn’t appreciate the woman’s insinuation, but his words fortified the look, “She carries my child.” He turned back to stare at Shy, “I don’t hurt what’s mine.”
“Hey,” the Waitress yelled, “She’s a person too Mister and she has choices.”
Shy shook her head, “Jesus! Just stop.” She frowned at the waitress.
“She does have choices.” Leto responded to Shy alone, drawing her eyes back to his. “Right now Shy you have two choices.”
Shy gnawed her bottom lip nervously.
“Either get in the car or I’m going to kill them all and take you to the car.” He didn’t smile as he held her gaze.
Shy eyed him then turned to stare at the group that was speaking among themselves formulating some plan. Shy cringed when she thought of the outcome. No matter what they did or how many there were, it would all end the same. They’d be dead and Leto would have her. Or she could go with him now peacefully and spare the lives of the three morons that had foiled her escape with what they perceived as a kind gesture.
Shy’s eyes shot to the road just behind her. She wasn’t sure if the police and their fire power would stand a chance against an angry Walker, but with them still not in sight she was rapidly running out of options.
“Shy, you have five seconds to decide then I start hurting people.”
“Honey?” The waitress called.
Shy watched Leto’s jaw bunch in annoyance as he spoke, “I’m going to start with her.”
Shy lifted terror filled eyes to Leto then let them slide to the trio still standing in front of the restaurant before being drawn back.
“Three seconds.”
“Okay!” Shy wrapped her arms around her midsection and dropped her head as she whispered, “Fine Leto. I’ll go with you, just let them be.”
He turned sideways and Shy inched slowly past making her way to the car.
“Honey you don’t have to do this!”
Shy didn’t even look at the waitress as Leto opened the passenger side door ushering her inside before closing it just as quickly behind her. He crossed to the other side quickly and within minutes they were back on the highway headed straight back to StoneCrow.
The ride was long and silent. Shy kept her eyes glued to the window, her arms still wrapped over her belly.
Leto cast her a sidelong glance before reaching down and flipping the heater to high. “Where’s your coat?” His tone held that familiar condescension.
“I don’t have one.” Shy barked back in annoyance. She was done trying to convince him she wasn’t the enemy. He knew she wasn’t.
“Where were you going?” he demanded.
Shy turned to frown at him, “It’s really none of your business.”
“Careful Shy,” he warned dangerously, “you know not where you tread.”
She turned her face back to the window. “I’m not staying at StoneCrow. You can just tell me what it is you want and take me back to the city.”
“You’re coming home.” The reply, made quickly, brooked no refusal.
“StoneCrow is not my home.”
“It is now.”
The statement sent a chill of foreboding washing over her. Shy thought long and hard before she tried to appeal to his sense of decency…if he had any. “You know making me upset isn’t good for the baby.”
That caught his attention. His head turned to her before his eyes slid to her belly, his nostrils flaring. “I’m sorry.”
The words, nearly a whisper had Shy turning to stare at him in shock. He actually knows how to apologize?
“I don’t want to hurt the baby.”
Shy clamped her mouth shut and turned sad eyes back to the window. “Yeah, just me. I get it.”
“Not you either.” Leto countered angrily.
“Well that’s a change,” she responded sarcastically and received a low warning growl in return. She frowned at him, “So what’s the plan, hold me prisoner until I have my baby? What then?”
“My baby,” he amended.
“If you think…” she’d been about to challenge his claim to her child when something pinked off the car. She silenced to listen for the noise but forgot it as soon as Leto’s hand wrapped around the back of her neck and forced her
to bend down seconds before the vehicle swerved violently. Gasping, she reached for the dash with one hand while the other clamped to the seat. “What’s wrong?” She turned to Leto and instantly recognized the rage that tensed his features.
He struggled to control the vehicle while reaching toward Shy. One large hand fisted in the front of her shirt and he pulled her forward off the seat. “Get down!”
She did as he commanded while blurting, “What if the car flips.” She could only watch his intense gaze. His hands fisted in a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.
“We’re under attack.”
Chapter 22
Attack? Oh my God! From who? She didn’t need to ask, she knew. The Megalya had successfully impregnated her with a Walker child. They’d go to any lengths to re-capture her. It all made sense now that she knew that Walkers were real. It explained why the technicians had begun feeding her more and beating her less the last few weeks she’d been at Megalya, they’d known she was pregnant.
Leto too seemed to know their intent. “They won’t get our baby. The Sentries are coming. Hang on Shy!”
Not knowing if he meant figuratively or literally, she braced her hands on the underside of the glove box and ducked her head. More sharp pings rang in the interior and she heard the distinctive sound of thick glass as it began to fissure.
“Leto?” Panic laced her tone. She didn’t want to go back to the Megalya and she was equally as terrified of them getting their hands on Leto. She’d witnessed firsthand the torture he’d endured at their hands. She too was familiar with their viciousness. They couldn’t go back. A sob escaped her when she thought of her son being subjected to them.
“I won’t let them take you Shy!”
Her mind worked frantically. If they were able to stop the car, Leto would surely fight to the death to protect her and their child, but then what? She and the baby would be defenseless left to the twisted machinations of the Megalya. She knew she’d never survive their torture a second time and she certainly had no intentions of allowing them to do to her child what they’d done to her and Leto, but she couldn’t allow Leto to be tortured again either.
