The Amour series (Book 1): The Embers of Amour

by LaRue, Coushatta

  He touched her hair, and she glanced back at the jack-a-lanterns suddenly feeling very hollow inside. Aaron was tugging at her shirt when his voice of sweet nothings disappeared from her ears. She gazed back up at him and felt tears in her eyes. She wanted to know why she felt so happy and so miserable at the same time. When she went to speak, she saw herself standing afar in the courtyard in front of them. She said nothing as her other self stared with emptiness in her eyes. Abby’s mouth went dry, and she looked up at Aaron with a sour expression.

  His eyes were so cold. His touch felt like needles digging into her flesh. His smile was pulled back into a sickly grin. He reached for her face and as his sharp fingers touched her pale skin bruises started to appear around them. She felt the air inside her lungs disappear, and she was choking on nothing. He did nothing but watch her cry in despair as he told her how much he loved her as he kissed her forehead ripping her skin with his teeth.

  Abby looked back over at herself in the courtyard and saw that she now had bright lively eyes. The other her looked alive and angry. The other her in the courtyard raised a hand to the sky and pointed at a bird flying towards the moon. She pointed a finger at Abby as Aaron dug his nails into her flesh, kissing her neck softly as he stared off at another woman. She looked Abby dead in the eyes with a compassionate look.

  “You did not break me.” She whispered to herself from the courtyard.

  Chapter twenty-one

  A violent cough woke Abby from her sleep. She leaned forward with her hands over her mouth as she coughed. It burned her lungs, and her chest felt as if it were about to rip apart. She felt hot tears on her cheeks and Evan’s hand on her back. She wheezed and felt as if she were going to throw up. After what felt like forever, she fell backwards, pale, red-faced, and panting. Her blanket had fallen off her naked body, exposing her. Evan pulled it back towards her neck, and she grabbed it. She felt so weak. So tired and out of it. When she looked at Evan, he blurred for a few seconds.

  “We need to stop,” Evan said as his voice broke.

  “No…” She begged. She saw that it was close to dusk now. She had slept all day. It frightened her.

  “You look and sound worse,” He admitted with a frantic voice.

  She looked out the windshield, at the cloudy sky, and the snow falling. She felt as if she were losing it. She had no idea how she could become so sick so fast. It just did not seem possible. Her hand lay on top of her bandages on her leg, and she closed her eyes. There was no telling what the virus did to her immune system. She felt her chest tighten as she wondered about it.

  “No. Just keep going. We need to get to Haven,” She said before letting out another violent cough. This time it did not last long, but she tasted blood in her dry mouth. She just wanted to sleep and rest. She wanted to find Haven and be done with the hell around them.

  He shook his head and looked around. There was nowhere to go. He sighed in defeat and leaned back into his seat. His hands were tight on the steering wheel. He kept glancing at her; and every time she coughed, he gave her a glassy stare. She reached for her bottle of water but was not able to grip it. Evan reached for it, opened it, and then put it to her lips. She felt like a child, and it hurt, though his kind eyes made her feel better. She sipped from it then started to cough again. He put the lid back on and rubbed his eyes.

  Outside the rain turned into snow, and it danced around in twirls. Evan slowed the truck as the snow became heavier. She thought of Haven, and a heavy weight pulled at her heart. She feared they would never get there. She was worried that something was horribly wrong with her. She crossed her legs under the blanket, ignoring the pain in her stomach; she closed her eyes and heard Evan say something. Before she could even comprehend it, she passed out. She woke an hour later shaking and coughing violently. She cupped her hands over her face and breathed. Her face was very hot.

  The truck was stopped, and Evan was eating from a potted meat can and drinking water. He blinked at her and touched her forehead. His hand felt so cold. She tried to rub sleep from her eyes, but her arms felt very heavy. She reached for her water again and struggled to keep her arm steady. Evan grabbed the bottle before she could, and he opened it again. He placed it on her lips, and she drank a little. It hurt to swallow. Evan reached for something in the back and pulled out a thermometer. Abby didn’t even remember grabbing one from the pile at the church. But at the moment she could barely even remember her name.

  “Here,” Evan put the thermometer to her mouth and nudged it trying to get her to open her lips. She parted them slowly and eyed him. He looked slightly blurry. Her heart felt as if it were beating hard in her chest. She let the thermometer slide under her tongue and shut her eyes again. She jumped when she heard it beeping loudly in her ear. Evan took it from her mouth and stared at it.

  She rubbed her eyes and asked sleepily, “What’s the verdict?”

  “A fever,” He grumbled, staring at the thermometer with such a hard look that Abby thought he was trying to change the number with his mind. He put it down and sighed heavily. He stared at her and grabbed her clothes from the back. He handed them to her. They were dry. It made her wonder how long she had been asleep.

  She moved the blanket and tried to put her shirt on. Her arms fell to her side like stone. She fumbled with the shirt and could not figure out how to put her arm through it. Evan helped her put her shirt on and then helped her with her sweats. She shook as she tried to put her socks on. Her heard swam; and she leaned back, forcing tears away. Evan put them on for her then her shoes.

  “How did we not grab more clothes?” She laughed poorly.

  He frowned at her, “Suppose it was the least of our worries.”

  He put the potted meat towards her face, and she moved it away. It smelt awful, and made her stomach turn. He seemed offended but then pointed at her water. She shook her head, and he frowned sadly. She pulled the blankets around her then watched the snow outside. It fell in large flakes. They all seemed to blur together every now and then. She shivered, and her throat burned. Tears filled her eyes as the thought of dying entered her mind.

  “I suppose I should get used to the cold.” She sniffled.

  “We need to do something about your fever,” Evan cleared his throat trying not to change the subject from the fact that Abby was sick.

  “Lest not worry about it, Evan,” She yawned then said, “Let’s focus on Haven.”

  He shook his head and glared at her annoyed. He turned towards her with a serious look on his face then he said harshly but calmly, “You were perfectly fine and now are sick as a dog. I have never seen anyone get this sick this fast. Something is very wrong with you.”

  He dug into a duffle bag behind them and pulled out cold and flu medicine. She rolled her eyes and smirked. He opened the bottle of flu medicine and handed her a small cup of grape tasting goo. She drank it, and it tasted awful. He then handed her a bag of cherry cough drops. She smirked. He glared at her.

  “I’m going to be okay,” She smiled softly.

  He gave her a long look and nodded slowly as his eyes drifted downward. He gazed back up at her and breathed, “Okay I believe you.”

  He turned the truck back on and pulled back onto the road. He did not believe her, and she knew this. There was a pinch of fear that maybe she was turning into one of those monsters outside. She shook it away and snuggled into the blanket. She would be okay. She just had to keep telling herself that. She was bitten and had lived. She refused to die of a damn cold.

  Her legs were stiff from not moving, and she was hungry again, though she was sure she would not be able to eat anything. She shivered and drifted in and out of sleep. She did wish they could stop, so she could lie down and rest. It was probably better if they did, nevertheless she just wanted to get to Haven and see something real and normal again. The thought of Haven filled her mind more than anything else. The hope was something she could not let go.

  Chapter twenty-two

  After about an hour
, the truck started to shake and rock. Evan cursed and hit the steering wheel. The truck slowed and came to a rough stop in the middle of the road. Abby watched the trees around her spin in her head. She looked at the empty road ahead and then at Evan.

  “What is it?” She asked.

  “I don’t know,” He growled staring at the steering wheel angrily.

  He rubbed his face, letting out a mad breath. He stared at the empty road ahead then popped the hood latch. Abby wrinkled her nose and wished she knew more about cars. She wondered if Evan knew anything about fixing cars. She went to reach for the doorknob when he put a hand on her arm and squeezed it. He gave her a hard look.

  “I got this. Just stay in here and keep warm.” He pointed at the seat. He went to leave then grabbed the cough drop bag and gave it to her. She smiled, nodding her head as he got out of the truck. She took one cough drop and put it in her mouth. It actually tasted good. She watched as Evan went to the front of the truck and opened the hood. She could not see him but could hear him cursing and hitting something. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.

  He came back, panting with snow in his dark hair. His eyes looked brighter today. She eyed him as he tried to start the truck. It did nothing. He cursed and hit the wheel.

  “What is it?” She asked again lowering her eyes.

  “I don’t know,” He snapped. She could see the look in his eyes. He had no idea how to fix cars either. He looked ashamed.

  She shrugged and said nonchalantly, “Well guess we have to find a new ride.”

  Evan did not look pleased at all, and Abby was not too thrilled at all either. But, there was nothing else they could do.

  “I don’t know shit about cars except how to change a tire and oil. Whatever is wrong with it has nothing to do with the oil or a tire.” Evan complained as he rubbed his face, sighing.

  “Well we can’t do anything, so we shouldn’t worry about it.” She told him in a hushed voice. He gazed at her with a blank expression then nodded slowly. Evan sat quietly for a long time before stuffing a water bottle in his jacket pocket.

  “I’m going to go look for another car. Please stay here.”

  “Are you sure that is a good idea?” She replied.

  “There is no other way,” He answered, and then added, “You shouldn’t be walking out there.”

  He looked at the snow as if it were one of the undead. She knew he was right, but she wanted to help him. She also knew it was not safe for him to be out there with the undead. Plus, it was very cold; and he could get sick just as easily as she could. He already looked pale. She wondered if he were sick. She swallowed hard and stared at the sheet of snow that seemed to go on forever. It felt so odd that she was here in her life now. A year ago things were so different, but she felt as if things were better now.

  “Be careful,” she told him softly. He forced a smile, though she could see the fear in his eyes. He took the gun out of his pants and went to give it to her when she turned it away.

  “No you need it more.” She breathed.

  He agreed reluctantly. He gave her a long look before he left the truck. She watched him start to walk. He stopped, glanced back at her, and then started to walk forward again. He kept looking back, and it made Abby smile. She finished her cough drop and took another. She rubbed her cold nose. She was freezing.

  She stretched out on the truck seat and lay down. She pulled the covers to her neck and coughed. The world spun around her. She stared blankly at the roof, and her teeth chattered. She felt crazed. She was very hungry, but her stomach bubbled and acid rose to her throat. She forced the bile back down and closed her eyes. She remembered when Aaron had the flu the first year they were together. He stayed in bed for a whole week, whining. She had made him food, brought him medicine, and took care of him.

  It was a good time, and she did her best to help him feel better, but she still remembered the disappointing look on his face when she had accidently bought the wrong kind of cold medicine. She felt the muscles in her face tighten. She thought of the smug looks she use to get from Aaron, and she suddenly felt very stupid for all the times she had made excuses for him. She shook the feelings away. None of it mattered anymore. She knew that she had tried so hard, because she had truly loved him. She should not regret it or feel ashamed even if it all just blew up in her face. The emptiness in her heart was hard to ignore. He had been so cruel. She opened her eyes, feeling foolish about it all again.

  It felt like hours had passed before she sat back up to look out the window. The snow was lighter now, but the sky was gray, and the sun was hidden behind some clouds. She did not see Evan, and she was starting to feel panic in her chest. She feared something horrible may have happened to him, or worse he had abandoned her. She rubbed her eyes and felt bad for thinking it. Evan was not like Aaron. He would not abandon her just because they had a problem. Evan was the type of guy to fix it or find a way around it, so everything would be okay. He would not run.

  As she leaned on the cold window in the driver’s seat, she saw a blur walking towards the truck. It seemed to be a black shadow for a very long time before she realized it was Evan walking back. He had his arms wrapped around him, and he seemed to be jogging. Abby moved back to her seat and waited. He quickly got to the truck and got back inside. His nose and cheeks were red. His teeth were chattering, and he sniffled.

  “Here,” She pulled the blanket off of her and handed to him. He waved it away and rubbed his eyes.

  “Nothing… I didn’t see anything,” He snorted, his voice was filled with disappointment, he then said, “I just don’t understand how there are no cars. I saw a sign about a town being twenty miles from here.”

  Abby licked her chapped lips and suggested, “Well I guess we should start walking before it gets dark.”

  “That isn’t a good idea,” Evan replied harshly.

  “It is already very cold. It will be worse at night,” Abby explained then paused to cough and continued, “There has to be a house around here.”

  Evan gave the sky a long painful look before answering, “Are you sure?”

  “Don’t really have a choice, do we?” She smiled.

  He did not return the smile. His face was emotionless, but she saw his lips tremble. He was uncomfortable with the idea. She knew that, and so was she. It was a stupid idea. Nevertheless, staying in the truck would be stupid too. She did not want to tell him, but she would rather die trying to find a way than die sitting and waiting for things to change. Abby dropped the blanket from her shoulders and grabbed her jacket. She pulled her arms through slowly and ignored the pain in her chest.

  She pulled the blanket over her again and gave him a soft stare. He looked as tired as she felt. She was not ready for any long walk, and her chest felt tight. The soreness in her throat was making it hard for her to speak, and her legs were very sore. She pretended she felt better than she actually did. They stared at the road in silence as the snow lightened more.

  “Are you sure?” Evan asked with a sad tone.

  Abby nodded in response, and Evan opened his door slowly. Abby opened hers, and the cold that hit her in the face burned. She wobbled to the side of the truck and stared out into the woods in front of her. It looked eerie and full of secrets. She frowned and stepped out. The road was icy, and she had to put a hand onto the truck, so she would not fall. The wind blew through the blanket and onto her body. She shivered and closed her eyes. This was not going to be a pleasant walk.

  Her legs shook from weakness, and she coughed before rubbing her runny nose. She waddled towards Evan’s side of the truck and saw him getting the duffle bags out of the truck. Her eyes shifted downward. She felt so tired. He handed her the bath supplies bag and a small case of water. She did not tell him it was way too heavy and was hurting her back. She forced a smile as he grabbed the two duffle bags. She could see they were too heavy for him. He picked them both up and grunted at the weight. Abby’s arms shook then fell from the weight of the bag and case of water.
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  Evan looked at her sadly and stared at the things on the road. He pressed his lips together and stared at the two duffle bags in silence.

  “Let’s take as much as we can,” He said gritting his teeth with a frown. His eyes glassed over.

  He took most of the food and medical supplies and some of the water out of the two duffle bags and placed it all into one. He put the other duffle bag full of supplies into the truck. He took the bathroom supplies and put that too into the bag. He looked at the duffle bag in disappointment. They were going to leave more than half of their supplies behind.

  “Someone will be grateful for this when they find it,” Abby said trying to be positive. Evan gave her a sharp look then reached into the front seat and grabbed the cough drops and flu medicine. He put the duffle bag around his arm and turned towards the wide, white road. He gave her a long thoughtful look before he held out a hand. She grabbed his warm smooth hand, and he pulled her close.

  They walked side by side. Abby kept glancing back to watch the truck slowly disappear into the white. The sun fell gracefully on her head. She pulled the blanket over her head and stared upwards to let a snowflake fall on her warm cheek. The peace was shaken away when she coughed violently causing her to lean over. Evan stopped to watch her. She forced a fake smile, and he frowned. She was burning up, and every bone in her body was shaking. She felt so weak and drained.

  It was hard to steady her feet on the icy road, and a few times she almost fell. She could feel Evan’s muscles tensed under her arm that was around his. After what felt like ages but was really only an hour and a half, Evan stopped to give Abby more medicine. It tasted foul in her mouth. She wrinkled her nose and felt tears in her eyes. Evan gave her a gloomy stare. He looked around nervously and rubbed his fingers through his snowy hair.