by Angela White
“You want a pill?”
Kendle’s grip on him tightened. “No.”
Luke shifted again, settling her further onto his lap and he rocked them, lids shut. The feel of her in his arms was wonderful. She smelled so good! Like ripe berries in the sun that needed to be picked and he let his mind wander their previous kisses. Any day now, she’d be his and for a little while, he would be happy.
“Are you worried?” he asked suddenly.
She didn’t lie. “A bit.”
The town was gathering for a meeting about the lack of contact with the outside world, and Luke planned to voice his own theories, no matter how unpopular. There were less than a hundred people here, but that didn’t mean they were helpless. If war had destroyed their homelands, didn’t that give them a duty to offer shelter to those left?
That was a question most of Pitcairn had been pondering since Mayor Kraft called the town meeting. They were gathering in the side yard of his estate and that was the part Kendle was dreading the most. After the nightmares, it didn’t matter if Ethan never leered at her again. She wanted nothing to do with him and that included being on his property.
“I’ll be watching after you while we’re there. Try not to get out of my sight.”
She was relieved to know Luke had felt the same menace from their hand-delivered invitation. The sight of those three green-eyed men on muddy dirt bikes had sent a chill into Kendle and she had instinctively retreated from the doorway to let Luke handle it.
“Unless you’d rather I stayed away from you while people are around.”
Kendle’s mouth opened in shock. “I’d never treat you that–”
Luke sealed their lips at her denial. When she tightened her grip, he deepened their kiss. I want her so much!
Kendle felt the shudder of need run through him and moaned, pressing her body to his. With that big hand tangled in her spikes and the other crushing her close, she couldn’t go far and was glad when he retreated and let her breathe. As soon as she could, she assaulted him the same way, not letting him pull away until she was full of his taste.
Luke grinned as they broke apart, painfully hard against her thigh. “Still worried?”
She leaned down to place a kiss at the base of his throat. “I don’t want to hide this, when we go.”
Before he could protest, she used her tongue to taste his throat, and felt him tense under her. “I mean it, Luke.”
“The people here like to gossip.”
She smiled softly. “Let’s give ‘em a reason. We’ll be nothing more or less than what we are.”
Luke both loved and hated the image. “Not a good idea, darling. These people can be cruel.”
“Do we need them for anything?”
Luke considered that question carefully, wanting to be open about their growing relationship as much as she did. “I’m not sure…”
“I am.”
He studied her intently, discerning the rings of contentment around her pupils and the dilation from hormonal responses, and still shook his head. “It’ll hurt you later, if we’re wrong about the war.”
“We’re not and it wouldn’t matter anyway. You say no because of your past, not my future.”
She left his arms and went toward her own bed. “And I won’t give myself to a man who makes me hide our love in public.”
“What did you say?”
Kendle wasn’t certain of his mood now, she’d never been sharp with him before, and she kept walking without answering.
“Kendle.”
He was right over her shoulder, steps silent in the dark, and she stopped, but didn’t turn.
“Did you say…love?”
She was saved from answering by a knock at the door and Luke spun towards it, ready to growl at whoever had interrupted them.
He jerked the door open to find Ethan Kraft standing at the base of the stairs, where his slick orbs were able to go over Luke and most of the living quarters.
Ethan instantly detected Kendle standing with her blanket in her hand, pointed back to her bed.
Well, that makes the choice then, doesn’t it, Luke thought, and pulled out the fierce grin of male pride that he had been saving for this moment.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Ethan. Not sure what he wants yet. Don’t think he can talk now that he’s discovered our secret.”
Kendle reluctantly came to the door, wrapping the blanket around her bare legs.
Even in his shock, Ethan’s slimy gaze crawled over the skin showing from under her tank top. He had honestly believed her when she’d said there was nothing going on with her and Luke.
She lied to me!
Anger slowly bled into Ethan’s sickly expression and Kendle allowed Luke to slide an arm around her tense shoulders and tug into his warmth. “He’ll tell us in a minute I guess. Brace for it.”
Luke’s tone was so happy that Kendle had to smile, feeling this moment was the least she could do to repay him for all the trouble she’d been. “If he’s going to be a while, I’ll go get some coffee on.”
She leaned into him, placing a soft kiss to his jaw. “We’ll pick up where we left off when he leaves.”
Murder flashed across Ethan’s face and he spun toward the jungle. He kept walking, not stopping to deliver any of the other reminders he’d been sent out to give. He also didn’t travel toward the family estate, where some of the townspeople were already gathering. His pace was jagged, uneven, and he swayed against the jungle like a sick animal. She lied to me!
They watched for a long minute, even after he was out of sight. The wick was now lit. Would it simply burn out over time or explode?
“Sorry.”
“I enjoyed it too.”
Very aware of her warm body against his, Luke glanced down at her. “Coffee?”
“No. Just me.”
Luke swept her up into his arms, loving her ring of laughter. “That’ll do fine. You say when.”
Kendle nuzzled his jaw, finally feeling like the world might stand a chance after all. “Now.”
Luke’s grip tightened. “We’ll skip the meeting.”
Brought to reality, Kendle gave a disappointed sigh. “Guess it’ll have to wait until after.”
“One more to hold me over then...”
Kendle obediently tilted her lips up for his kiss.
2
“I think she’s lying.” Mary Jo stood spitefully with the Mayor. “I ain’t putting up anything without knowing for sure.”
“And how should we find out for certain? By waiting?” Luke snorted angrily. “We all know something’s wrong. The question is, what should we do about it?”
The small crowd muttered and called unhelpful answers that made the Mayor’s green orbs glow brighter. The timid man they’d met on their trip to the creek was gone and in his place was the lord of Kraft Manor.
“I don’t care either way and I think most folks here feel the same,” the Mayor said firmly and was rewarded with quiet.
The well-dressed snob also stood to get his share of the attention, earning a frown from Luke that Kendle hoped he might hide. Most of the people here had green eyes. Had he noticed that? And not the normal color, but glowing. They were infected with something and Kendle didn’t think Jenna’s ghost story explained even half of it.
“We don’t want the outside world to come here, not even a small part of it, and we don’t need anything from there, so why should we risk our lives to go back?”
Wanting to help, Kendle forced herself to remain silent, knowing Luke’s cautions on the way here were right. She was an outsider and anything she might add would be instantly rejected. She subtly searched the shadows, wondering where the Mayor had shipped Ethan off to for this meeting.
“And I say that’s a shitty attitude toward your fellow man. What kind of person only thinks of themselves at a time like this?” Luke sneered. “Wait, I know. The rich kind, who’ve never cared about anything but themselves. That was the whole proble
m with the world that made most of us come here in the first place.”
Mayor Kraft shrugged off the words with a wave of his gloved hand. “We’ve already voted no, and besides, over two thirds of this group are among that population you’ve so clearly dismissed. And that means you’ll not need anything from us, the problem.”
The Man veered toward his Villa. “Please leave this property at once.”
Luke stared in shock as the pristine yard emptied, not understanding he had pushed things too far. Where is their honor?
Kendle was glad to see a few people remain. They were grouped together by the gate, staring at her with normal, though cool eyes, and Kendle joined them.
If she could sway enough of the townspeople, maybe they could still get a search party together without the Mayor and his rich friends. Drawing on her nerves, she smiled. “Hi. I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
She extended her hand. “I’m–”
“We know who you are,” the woman in the middle spat, ugliness in her tone. Her jeans and top hung on a thin, grieving frame and her lashes were wet with unshed tears. “We heard when your plane went down. My boy was your cameraman.”
Kendle blanched. Mac had been the only one who hadn’t survived, and Kendle instinctively braced herself.
“I’m so sorr…”
Slap!
Kendle’s head rocked to the side.
“Couldn’t even come to his funeral!” she shouted, hatred lining her aged profile. “He’s got a lot of nerve, bringing you here!”
“It was an accident that Mac died, Ms. Webster. The rope broke and we both fell fifty feet. I was in the hospital when he was buried,” Kendle told the woman stiffly.
“I never believed that excuse! Cursed!” Ms. Webster screeched, hand raising.
“I’m giving you a pass because of your grief, but don’t ever lay a finger on me again!”
Kendle jerked on the edge of her jeans, lifting them to uncover an ugly scar. “I was in surgery.”
Kendle waited, furious enough to fight back if the woman attacked her again, but the sight of the scar had an effect and the slow lights of regret began sparking.
“You both fell?”
“Mac landed wrong and it broke his neck. I only had my ankle snap in five places.”
The mother’s mouth opened, but Kendle didn’t give her a chance to respond. She spun out of the yard with Luke at her heels, still full of shame that she wasn’t sure she should be carrying over the crash.
They’d been on a deadline and hadn’t stopped for the last fill up. When their pilot had gotten lost, the lack of fuel sent them down before they could find a clear place to land. The private jet had ended up in the canopy, over a hundred feet up and they’d been climbing down when the rope she and Mac were on broke.
Kendle didn’t stop until they were almost to his cabin, her steps short and fast, and Luke stayed with her. The people here had always been cruel to him, but he’d thought she would be safe unless they flaunted their relationship. Today, they’d been hand-in-hand most of the time and gotten a few glowers, but it was still the past causing trouble. Didn’t the mistakes ever let go?
As the cabin came into view, the surf crashed loudly onto the shore, and Luke was surprised when Kendle bypassed their dark home and proceeded toward the water.
The sinking sun was beautiful, full of colors that didn’t belong, and it seduced them repeatedly with vivid shades of purple and red. Gulls swooped over the beach where crabs crawled among the soggy grains and the castaway stared at the waves with horror. It should have been her and not Mac–would have been if he’d been the star and not her.
Luke hung back, letting her tackle her demons, but he was ready to intercede if she got too upset. One wrong move and he would grab her.
“I wasn’t supposed to survive the crash or the fall.” Her voice was like the waves–angry. “And I should have died out there, too!”
Kendle took another step, letting the cold saltwater brush her toes each time the ripples rushed toward shore. “Sometimes, I wish I had.”
She was crying now and Luke gently wrapped his big arms around her shaking body, hoping this would help set her free. Facing the pain was hard, but it was also healing. “Come on, let’s go.”
Kendle’s voice wasn’t quite under control. “I want to spend the night on the beach.”
Luke was surprised, but understood she was trying to banish her nightmares, and he decided to let her.
“We’ll need a few things.”
Kendle tried not to let the sound of the ocean get to her, or ruin this. “I’ll stay here and gather driftwood while you get the bedrolls and some food.”
Luke studied the red handprint on her peeling cheek, not liking the idea. “You sure?”
She sighed deeply, feeling drained. “Yes. I’ll be right here.”
Uneasy, he shifted toward the cabin. With this new tension on the island, maybe it was time to get his guns out of storage.
“Help! Luke!”
Kendle’s shout sent terror through Luke’s mind and he flew back through the jungle with his machete in hand.
She was standing on the beach near where he’d left her, hands curled over her mouth as if to stifle another piercing shriek, and Luke followed her line of sight to the rushing waves of high tide.
What he saw had him quickly ushering her toward the cabin and his dirt bike. Mora wasn’t missing anymore and with all that blood, her death had only come minutes before they’d arrived. There was a serial killer on Pitcairn Island and they were in the middle of his hunting ground.
Chapter Seven
That’s a Pass
April 12th
Paralleling 73 near Buffalo Gap, SD
1
“He’s going to have to turn around. This is a dead end.”
Kyle picked up the mike at Angela’s words, not questioning her. “Four to base. I suggest a new check of the map.”
“Copy.”
They were on 61, traveling toward Martin, South Dakota, and the dreary landscape gave little comfort. Instead of being burnt, it was covered in mud. Even the road was splashed with gritty debris and they drove carefully over and around it, all thinking about the deer.
Minutes later, the convoy changed direction, using an alternate route that Angela fed to Kyle. The camp wouldn’t know she had saved them hours of extra travel time, but Adrian would. Did he also know she was searching for people around them while they traveled? Unsure, Angela focused on the semi in front of her instead of the cemetery they were passing, not wanting the stacks of rotting corpses to be burned in her memory. She already had too many of those.
It still felt odd to be a part of so many people. She and Marc had spent weeks at a time without running across another person, and she wondered if he had adjusted yet or if he still felt crowded and lost in the din.
“You feel like talking?”
Angela shrugged at the tone, glancing at Neil in the mirror. “Depends on the subject.”
“About becoming an Eagle and what it means to Adrian.”
There was a note of warning in his answer that she understood. Neil had been nothing but ice toward her since the tank was destroyed, since she’d made him look bad by being right.
“You want to be sure I’m the real deal before throwing in your support. Always protect your own ass first, huh, Neil?” She snapped her gaze to Kyle before the trooper could respond. “What about you?”
After hearing her ask Adrian to join the Eagles, both Brady and Neil were stewing on how to stop it and Kyle sighed, recognizing the battle that had now begun for this quiet female. She would have to prove herself to the men, including her own. No one would just accept this.
“They’ll adjust.”
Instead of being upset that she was catching some of his thoughts, Kyle grinned, loving the way she felt like Adrian.
“I am not him,” she retorted.
“You could be, with our help.”
Angela was surpri
sed and leery. “He can put me where he wants me, but I don’t need that kind of power.”
Neil raised a brow, thinking Kyle had things to fill him in on. “Then why be an Eagle?”
Unwilling to share her personal demons, she gave a half-truth. “Because he needs it and I can do it.”
Both men were quiet and she listened to their thoughts. So many had been fooled by Kenn and she’d spent years with him, picking up his habits. They wanted to be sure that she wasn’t the same. She would have to let these two in a bit.
“I’ve spent my entire life a victim. Until the war, I had no defenses and he… I was isolated, without my…abilities. I let myself be abused in the old world. That will never happen again. Adrian is offering me a way to be stronger than I ever have and also to help others who need it.” Her voice became a low mutter of determination. “I’d give him the female army he secretly hopes for.”
“Can you?” Neil asked bluntly.
The awful memory of Versailles flashed through her mind. “Yes. I’m able to do everything you can. I only lack the training.”
“That’s a lot of power to hand over to a stranger who claims not to want any,” Neil remarked.
Angela smiled coldly. “You mean to a woman.”
“Both.” Neil tried to even out his tone. “And then there are the things you can do. How do we know you aren’t telling us what we need to hear?”
Angela sighed. She had expected these questions from Adrian a week ago, when she’d brought Marc back from the edge of death. “If I was that kind of person, do you think Kenn, and Tonya, would still be alive?”
There was silence as both men accepted that as the truth. With her gifts, if she were bad at all, the Marine and his whore would have already been bodies on the side of a road somewhere.
“To help Adrian and to be stronger?” Kyle clarified.
Guilt rolled and the observant men noticed the change.
