In The Blood Of The Greeks (Intertwined Souls Series Book 1)

by Mary D. Brooks

  "What?" Thanasi asked.

  Zoe looked back at the cabin, her anger coming to the surface. "Not what. Who. He’s waiting for me," she said as she looked at Thanasi, making a decision. "They want me? Well, why don’t we give them what they want?"

  "No way am I going to let you go in there! I promised Father Haralambos!" Thanasi said, shaking his head.

  Zoe glared at him. "I don’t care what you promised. Eva is in there! I’m not going to stand out here arguing with you and let that woman die. Got me?" Zoe seethed, trying to keep her volume down. "Thanasi, if she dies, I’ll die. Then we can both tell Father Haralambos how we fucked it up. I’m going in there and if you want, you—" Zoe stopped talking when the cabin door opened and two soldiers ran out.

  One of the soldiers went to his motorcycle, got on and roared down the track. Zoe watched the other soldier, who she recognized as Kurt Barkow, and sneered. He was looking around for something and Zoe wondered what the hell he was doing. It soon became apparent when Barkow chose a high tree and threw the rope over the lowest hanging branch.

  "Oh, no, no, no," Zoe exclaimed and turned to Henry. Henry was already moving stealthily behind the cabin and around to the other side. He pulled out his gun, walked up to Barkow, and tapped him on the shoulder.

  Zoe watched, with some satisfaction, as Henry said something to Barkow and seconds later the gun went off and shot him in the head. Henry stood over the dead man for a moment before more soldiers started to run out of the cabin. Henry was now shooting at his former comrades and was being joined by some of the Resistance cell.

  "Now!" Zoe ordered and was stopped in her track by the sound of a single gunshot from the cabin. She was out of the bushes and heading towards the sound before Thanasi could grab hold of her.

  The remaining Resistance cell followed Zoe. Thanasi shook his head as he ran and started to shoot at the soldiers. Zoe threw her gun away, since it had run out of bullets, and picked up a dead soldier’s gun. There was only one place she wanted to be and she rushed through the door of the cabin.

  She stood at the threshold, stunned. Reinhardt was standing, laughing over the prone body of her lover, who was tied to a chair. Blood covered Eva and pooled around her body.

  "Get away from her!" Zoe yelled.

  Reinhardt turned and grinned, raising his pistol in Zoe’s direction. "Well. You took your time coming here. I had wanted—" Reinhardt couldn’t finish his sentence because Zoe raised her gun and fired. He looked down at his chest in surprise and then crumpled to the floor. His eyes grew round as Zoe approached him. Momentarily she stood over Reinhardt, spat on him, and raised her gun again.

  "An eye for an eye," Zoe screamed and fired into his head and body, emptying the clip. "Fuck off, you bastard!" She threw the gun down and it hit Reinhardt in the head, where it bounced and fell to the floor.

  Zoe jumped over Reinhardt and fell to her knees in front of Eva. She untied Eva from the chair and gathered her into her arms, ignoring all the blood that had now saturated her clothes. Zoe held Eva tenderly, hoping she wasn’t too late.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Three Days Later.

  The rain started to fall again but Zoe didn’t mind it at all. She looked out of the window and watched the muddy puddles become deeper as the American trucks rolled over them. All around her were American medical personnel treating soldiers and civilians. She had spotted some British soldiers and Australians as well. The temporary hospital was full of people. Greek and English voices intermingled. Zoe didn’t understand a word the Americans were saying, but she was happy to see them. Eva was placed in a semi sitting position near the back of the makeshift hospital, and a privacy screen blocked her from the men who occupied the other beds.

  It had been a tumultuous couple of days. The Americans had rumbled into town and some of the German troops escaped while the others surrendered to them and the Greek Resistance. Larissa was liberated. It was a dream come true, the moment Zoe had waited years to see. But she didn’t see it – didn’t savor the victory.

  While the Americans were liberating her home, Zoe was trying to keep Eva alive.

  It was a moment in her life Zoe would remember forever. Reinhardt standing over Eva’s body enraged her. She had shot the captain so many times she didn’t think anyone could recognize the kraut even if they had tried. Killing him wasn’t out of vengeance for herself, but to save Eva. Zoe shook her head at how the fates must be laughing at her. She had vowed to kill Eva, made a solemn oath, and here she was killing someone to save the woman.

  Waiting for help from Leftheri, who was the only medic left, Zoe held onto Eva knowing Eva could slip away from her. She prayed like she had never prayed before begging God to listen. She promised Him everything if only Eva lived.

  Zoe was grateful for Thanasi’s help in the cabin. He had organized everything, and for that she would love him for all eternity. He had come through for them when she thought everything was lost. Seeing a bloodied Eva on the floor had broken her heart. She wasn’t even aware of how long she sat there while Thanasi tried to stop the bleeding. It was all a blur for Zoe.

  Zoe looked down at Eva and smiled. She brushed away the dark bangs. One very bloodshot blue eye opened. The other was bandaged and Eva turned her head and gave a weak smile to Zoe. "Hey," Eva whispered.

  Zoe sat on the chair she had occupied for the last two days and held Eva’s hand. "Do you know where you are?"

  "Heaven."

  Zoe laughed. "Not quite. Yesterday you were in Berlin."

  "You’re here," Eva rasped. She tried to smile, but winced instead. "Ow."

  "You put a dent in the cabin wall. That’s not how you decorate the cabin, Evy." Zoe wagged a finger at Eva, causing her to smile. She quickly looked around to see if anyone was heading their way. Everyone was either lying in a cot or caring for those in the cots. She leaned down and very tenderly kissed Eva on the lips. "Shh, don’t tell anyone."

  "This is how we got into this mess."

  Zoe turned around to see Henry had hobbled over on crutches. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "How’s the boss?"

  "Sore," Eva replied. "What happened to you?"

  "Well." Henry sat down on the seat offered to him by Zoe, who sat on Eva’s bed. "I got shot."

  "Did Zoe shoot you?"

  Henry sat back in his chair and laughed as he ran his hand over his bald head. "No, because if she had, I don’t think my mama would recognize me. My comrades shot me. Might have something to do with me shooting Kurt in the head, but that’s just a guess."

  Eva’s eyebrow rose as she gazed at Henry for a moment before she turned to Zoe. "See, Zoe, Henry can shoot."

  It took Zoe a moment before she realized Eva had made a joke and started laughing. A very familiar visitor popped his head around the privacy screen.

  "Thanasi, guess who is awake and telling jokes?"

  "Is she still in Berlin?" Thanasi smiled down at Eva and dropped down on his haunches to greet her.

  "Morning, Thanasi," Zoe said, and glanced at the young Australian medic by Thanasi’s side. His orange hair stuck up at awkward angles and the smattering of freckles on his face made Zoe grin. "Funny. Now you’re a comedian."

  "I try, little one, I try," Thanasi retorted and grinned. He turned to Eva. "You’re looking a little less like a punching bag today. Has Zoe told you about all the excitement?"

  "It’s been a little busy."

  "A little," Thanasi replied before he brought the man that was standing behind him forward. "This is Captain Anthony Jenkins. He’s a medic. He looks like he is only fourteen, but he isn’t. They breed them to look young." He turned to Anthony and repeated what he had said in English.

  Anthony laughed and went to Eva’s side. He stumbled over his Greek and then frowned. He turned to Thanasi. "What’s the Greek word for ‘examine’?"

  Thanasi told Anthony and he turned back to Eva and repeated what Thanasi had said. After he completed his examination and pulled the b
lanket back up around Eva, he quietly gave some instructions to Thanasi before getting up to attend to his other patients.

  Anthony tried his Greek again and gazed down at Zoe. He looked puzzled when Zoe scowled at him.

  Zoe was not impressed. She wasn’t a married woman and he had just called her ugly. Thanasi laughed at Anthony’s use of the language. He explained to Anthony what he had said and his face turned the brightest shade of red that Zoe had ever seen.

  "Oh, no! Tell her I think she’s beautiful," Anthony stammered.

  "Come on, let’s get you away before you get Hurricane Zoe going after you," Thanasi replied, and he steered Anthony away from the two women.

  Zoe shook her head and Eva tried desperately not to laugh. They looked at each other and smiled.

  "I agree with him."

  "What? That I’m ugly?" Zoe asked.

  "No, that you’re beautiful." Eva smiled.

  Zoe smiled back shyly as she fussed over Eva.

  "It’s true," Eva said.

  Zoe didn’t respond directly. She set about trying to make Eva more comfortable, all the while making small talk. Eva had closed her eye and Zoe’s voice soothed her to sleep.

  The day dragged on for Zoe, who had her own "wound" tendered to. Her ankle had swollen up after her rampage through the streets to get to Eva, but the pain was nothing compared to what she had won. Zoe sat beside Eva and tried to occupy her time. There wasn’t much she could do for Eva, so she decided to go and grab a hot cup of tea and watch the world go by outside the tent.

  An hour later Thanasi found Zoe sitting outside on a crate, enjoying the brief break in the rain.

  "Is Eva asleep?"

  "She was when I came out here," Zoe explained.

  "Good," Thanasi replied and sat down on the crate beside Zoe. "I need to discuss something with you."

  "Yes?"

  "Well, it’s about you and Eva. I made a promise to Father H and I’m determined to keep it."

  "What did you promise?"

  "I promised him that you and Eva would leave Greece."

  "Big promise to make, Ares," Zoe teased. "I don’t think there’s anything left for me here anyway. Father H asked me the same thing."

  "This is your home--"

  "Home is where you have family, and the only family I have is Eva. I don’t think she would want to stay in Larissa."

  "You have me." Thanasi thumped his chest and then grinned at the effect it had on Zoe, who just laughed at him.

  "You can come with us."

  "I can’t. I have to stay and fight."

  "Aren’t you sick of fighting? Come with us. I sure hope there isn’t a war on."

  "I have to stay and fight," Thanasi repeated.

  "On which side?"

  Thanasi looked up at the Greek flag that fluttered in the wind before he turned to Zoe. "Monarchy. I want the King back."

  "He can stay out of the country for all I care."

  "Where are you going to go?"

  "I think we are going to wait for Evy to get better and then we are heading to Egypt and a ship to Australia."

  "Australia?"

  "Yes. Eva and I will have a new start there."

  "It’s perfect," Thanasi said. "I think Father H would want you to go somewhere that’s as far away from here as possible — and Australia is very far away." He got up from the crate and kissed Zoe on the forehead. "I’m going to check up on a few of the boys and see how they are coming along."

  Zoe watched him leave and sat alone for a few moments. Leaving Larissa wasn’t a hard decision for her. She had always wanted to go and see what was beyond Mount Ossa. Now was her chance.

  Henry joined Zoe outside. He lit up a cigarette and offered it to Zoe, who shook her head. "How’s the leg?"

  "It’s going to be fine. How are you?"

  "Me? I’m fine."

  "Really?" Henry asked dubiously. "Killing Reinhardt--"

  "It had to be done."

  "You could have let me do it," Henry replied quietly. "That’s not a job for a woman."

  Zoe quietly laughed at Henry’s chivalrous offer. "You’re too sweet," she said and leaned against his shoulder. "Thank you, Henry. I should thank you for shooting Kurt."

  "That bastard. He got what he deserved."

  Zoe stared at Henry and looped her arm around his. "Are you going to get into any trouble with the Americans?"

  "No." Henry shook his head. "Thanasi told them I was working with the Resistance."

  "I’ve never really asked you—when did you meet Evy?"

  "Paris. I was under Muller's command until he assigned me to be Eva's guard and driver."

  "Did he ask you to keep an eye on Eva?"

  "Yes."

  "So you were his spy?"

  Henry nodded. "Yes."

  "You didn’t do a very good job." Zoe giggled, knowing the story of Eva’s activities in France and the Resistance, which included Henry.

  "I know. I’m a terrible spy." Henry laughed. "I’m a better friend."

  "Yes, you are. You protected Eva for a very long time."

  "I did, but what she needed was more than a friend." Henry put his arm around Zoe. "You are the best thing that ever happened to her. Please, don’t hurt her."

  Zoe shook her head slowly. "I never will."

  "Thank you, or else I will have to shoot you."

  Zoe rocked back on the crate and laughed at the reference to their first meeting. "It’s a good thing I didn’t know how good a marksman you were."

  "I’ll tell you a secret. I trained as a sniper," Henry revealed, making Zoe’s eyes widen in surprise.

  "You were a sniper?"

  "I was and then I was given the job of guarding Eva at Dr. Muller’s suggestion."

  "Again to spy on her?’

  "That’s what he thought."

  "Where are you going to go? Do you want to come to Australia with us?"

  Henry shook his head. "I won’t, but I will stay and escort you both to Egypt before I go back home."

  "Are you married? You’ve never mentioned your girl back home."

  "No, no girlfriend," Henry replied with a slight shrug.

  "Time to find a girl, isn’t it?"

  Henry got up from the crate and kissed Zoe on the cheek. "Yes, but I want to see the two of you safely on that ship to Australia and then I can look for the girl," he replied. "Now I’m going to eat something. I’m hungry."

  Zoe watched Henry hobble away on his crutches.

  "Eva, you were born under a lucky star to have a friend like that," Zoe exclaimed and crossed herself. After a beat she started laughing at how Dr. Muller had been beaten by two kindred spirits that he arranged to spend as much time with each other as possible. She got up from the crate and, still chuckling, she went back inside. Very quietly, Zoe resumed her seat next to Eva, who stirred and opened her eye. "Hey, thought you were asleep."

  "I was."

  "Did I wake you?"

  "No." Eva smiled. "Were you sitting here all this time?"

  "Not really. I just went outside for a cup of tea. I also had a chat with Thanasi about our plans."

  "Plans?"

  "To go to Australia. The first truck out of here when you are well to Egypt. Or do you want to go back to Germany?" Zoe asked, hoping the answer was no. She wasn’t looking forward to the prospect of living in a land that she despised.

  "Not home."

  "Alright, we set sail for Australia."

  "Australia it is," Eva replied and shut her eye again.

  After a brief silence, Zoe leaned in and whispered. "I asked Henry if he wants to come with us but he said no."

  "He wants to go back home," Eva whispered back. She opened her good eye and smiled on seeing Zoe’s face.

  "He wants to stay in Larissa until you are well enough and then see us to Egypt and on the ship before he goes home. You have such a good friend, Evy."

  "We do," Eva mumbled and fell silent. Just as Zoe thought Eva had finally gone to sleep, Eva opened
her eye again.

  "What happened to Jurgen?"

  "I killed him," Zoe replied. "He was taking something that didn’t belong to him. You belong to me."

  "I do?"

  "Yes, you do." Zoe nodded. "I’m not sorry I did it. He was going to kill you." Zoe saw glistening tears in Eva’s eye. "Don’t cry." She brushed away the tear that had fallen. "I would do it again if I had to. I love you."

  "I love you, Zo," Eva whispered back, her eye glistening with tears. After a long moment she revealed, "Reinhardt told me that Muller killed my mother."

  "What?"

  "He said that Muller," Eva stopped for a moment before continuing, "killed her because he found out I was--"

  "That’s rubbish." Zoe shook her head. "Don’t believe that bastard. He only said it to hurt you."

  "What if it’s true?"

  "It’s not true." Zoe pulled the blanket to cover Eva. She straightened the covers around her and tried to make her comfortable. "Your father was a beast of a man but he loved your mama and I don’t believe he hurt her."

  "You think so?"

  "I know so," Zoe nodded. She didn’t, and it would have been a heinous crime by Muller, but he was capable of heinous crimes. The last thing Eva needed was to carry the guilt of her mother’s death.

  "Okay. What happened to Muller?" Eva asked.

  "Leftheri bombed the house--"

  "He’s dead?"

  "Yes, very dead."

  "What about Despina?" Eva asked in alarm.

  "Don’t worry. Despina was taken out of the house before that. We found out that Athens had fallen and then all hell broke loose. Even little Paul...he climbed the flagpole and tore down the swastika and put the ‘blue and white’ up. I didn’t see it, but when Dimitri told me, it brought tears to his eyes. Then the Americans rumbled into town and here we are. Now, I think we’ve talked too much. Just be quiet and rest," Zoe ordered.

  Eva gave a lopsided grin at Zoe’s command. She closed her eye and Zoe sat there watching her sleep until her stomach grumbled. She got up and stretched, leaving the tent for a walk outside.

  They had managed to live through the war. Zoe never thought this day would come. She would go to church later and thank God for helping her through. She never thought she would go back to church either, but Eva had helped her see that God was not to blame for the death and the misery.