Fractured Refuge

by Annabelle McInnes

  ‘When they gave her to you to rape, torture, starve, brutalise?’ he offered.

  Shocked, the man said, ‘No, I saved her, brought her straight here.’

  Euan narrowed his eyes. He saved her from Mickey-O? Stole her from the compound and brought her here? Fuck. ‘Were you followed?’

  There was resolution behind the ice. ‘No.’

  Euan’s heart quickened. ‘You tell anyone about us? What you found here? What you saw when you were ordered to follow?’

  The man’s focus flickered and Euan’s gut soured. That unease crept back in, burrowed into his chest. When the answer came, it was worse than he suspected. ‘Only one, but I trust him with my life, with her life.’

  Now he smelt the oil, the lingering exhaust fumes that were trapped in the wood. The musty stink of mice urine and dead cockroaches. ‘And the sudden conscience?’

  The boy heaved a sigh full of defeat and said nothing.

  Euan’s lips firmed and he scrutinised the hunched shoulders and bowed spine. Time was no longer his ally. It was his enemy, as tangible as a living being. Every second he lingered was another moment away from the tasks that needed to be completed. Protection was paramount. Spilt blood would not aid his quandary.

  Not now.

  Trust was the key.

  Euan moved to the corner of the room where a length of chain had been thrown in the man’s fit of rage. Two padlocks and keys found in the dust shortly followed. His head was light, even as his stomach solidified.

  ‘Stand,’ Euan ordered as he approached.

  The man obeyed with jerky movements. Euan wrapped the chain around his throat and locked it in place with the padlock. The other end he secured to the steel beam that supported the timber building. ‘You’ll clean up this mess. Use the bucket in the corner. If you’re still here in the morning, we’ll talk more.’

  ‘You’re going to just leave me in here?’ The man’s voice was incredulous, astounded.

  Euan turned. The man before him was not a man. He was a child, barely out of his teens. A boy who had likely been forced to witness, and be a part of, atrocities that no one should see or endure.

  His thoughts were already in the trees, preparing. ‘I’m a good at tracking, finding my way though that forest. I’m going to bet that chain that I’m better than you. So do what you need to do, but know that I’ll see you tomorrow regardless.’

  Without another word on the subject, he turned. The door to the garage was the only sound that followed him.

  Chapter 5

  She was listless in his arms. A body of bones held together by pallid skin. She hadn’t struggled, and not a sound had passed her lips. If it wasn’t for the slow rise of her chest as he carried her against him, he would think she was dead.

  Nick suspected she nearly was.

  Or wanted to be.

  The expansive lawn that spread out between them and the house had lost its lustre in the cooler months. Each footfall reminded him that under the grass, the dirt and the steel, Kira was hidden, safe and whole. He trudged the towards the whitewashed brick home. Its pitched roof and timber window frames kept its glass intact. The beat in his heart eased with the knowledge that their little Pixie was invisible in this.

  He’d been pacified. Safe in their underground bunker, he’d forgotten.

  But holding the wraith in his arms, reality slapped him in the face. Hard.

  The scent of timber and leather enveloped Nick as he kicked open the hardwood front door with his boot. The noise thundered through the abandoned upper floor. He stepped over the trip-wire laid out to alarm them of intruders that penetrated the sanctuary of their home and moved without hesitation into the shadowed hall. There was no dust in the air, or decay in the walls. They’d maintained Kira’s family home, even if it was something she had no knowledge of as she hadn’t been aboveground to see it.

  Nick suppressed the quiver of his muscles. They’d almost relented this morning. He’d seen Euan’s fortitude begin to crumble. Now he shared the same thoughts as the bully. No fucking way was Kira coming aboveground.

  Ever.

  He beelined to the family room. The old red fabric couch was there, and the pine furniture. He was fucking glad Euan had made the call to get rid of the junk from below. But nothing was ever wasted. They still used this space for storage. Euan had even set up a modified gym with a makeshift punching bag. The man was relentless in ensuring they maintained peak physical condition. How many times had he told Nick that at any moment things could change, that they could lose all of this? That they could once again become victims to the wilderness? How many times had Nick brushed it off?

  That time had come. The woman in his arms, her breath shallow, was evidence that the monsters still lurked in the shadows.

  The beech floorboards were cold. The whole damn house was cold. But he wouldn’t disobey Euan and take her downstairs. As much as he hated it.

  He placed her two socked feet on the floor as gently as he could. He was careful where he touched her, held her and placed his hands. She was nothingness. A will-o’-the-wisp where only a flicker of light remained. He clasped bony shoulders until she could stand on her own.

  ‘No fucking shoes,’ he muttered, as his regard flickered up and down her malnourished body. ‘And no pants. Damn girl, what did he do to you?’

  She remained silent. Her eyes focused on the timber floor.

  ‘Shit …’ Nick huffed.

  His shoulders relaxed; the tension and anger he held tight settled in the face of such a wretched thing before him. She wore the ragged jumper as though it were a dress that hung to her knees. A swathe of torn cloth that engulfed her. Exposed skin was layered with filth, her face was gaunt from lack of nourishment and her hair was worse than an abandoned rat’s nest. He remembered the last girl they had taken from Nirvana. She had suffered similar cruelty. His hands fisted at the memory. He swore he would do anything in his power to ensure that same ending did not occur again. He placed his rifle against the nearby wall, out of reach.

  ‘Do you want to sit down?’ he asked her, pointing with his chin toward the two-seater sofa.

  The woman didn’t answer. She didn’t even blink.

  The muscles around Nick’s eyes tightened. Her silence was unsettling, her apathetic responses unnerved him. As the morning lengthened, the heat of the sun made the wood in the house expand. It popped as it stretched and swelled. She flinched.

  ‘Do you want something to eat?’ he tried again, remembering how she had forced those needles into her mouth. The ravishment that had twisted her face. The hunger that had consumed her.

  Again, there was no reaction.

  Nick inhaled and readied himself to ask another pointless question.

  It was then, in a moment of miscalculated weakness, that she took a step back.

  He thought he’d made progress. Until she kneed him in the balls.

  He squeezed his eyes closed as he doubled over and groaned. He clutched his obliterated assets while his last meal threatened to erupt up his throat. Pain so violent lanced through him. He couldn’t breathe...

  She had destroyed him. God have mercy, he was going to die. He began to curl in on himself.

  Just as the girl attempted to launch over him and escape.

  He reached out and grabbed her ankle a moment before she was out of reach. He didn’t know how he did it, but with what could only have been achieved with divine intervention, he caught her. She crashed to the ground, palms outstretched. She emitted a silent oomph as she landed.

  She rolled and began to kick at the hand that gripped her ankle. They grappled, tumbled, wrestled for dominance. Nick’s strength was abundant but her determination and fortitude was undeniable. Tiny wrists evaded his capture. Sharp elbows discovered his sensitive ribs. Snapping teeth found purchase in his exposed skin.

  Nick nearly lost an eye to sharp, dirty claws, and he made an uncomfortable decision. The impact to his lower half still sent shards of discomfort throughout his b
ody. He was weakened; it was only a matter of time before the slippery thing evaded his grasp.

  He grabbed a bony waist with both hands and dragged her squirming body towards him. He huffed, pain from her struggle hindering his progress, and heaved himself over her in an attempt to stifle further efforts to escape.

  She froze beneath him. Every muscle encased in ice.

  Belatedly, he realised what he’d done, and what she likely thought he intended to do. ‘Fuck me, girl, that’s the last thing I want. Hell, it was the last thing I could probably do.’

  Under him, she began to tremble with silent sobs. He swore again.

  She sniffed loudly and his heart cracked. ‘Shh …’ he crooned. ‘I’m being serious. No more of that shit you’ve gone through. You’re safe now.’

  He fought the urge to pet her, calm her through physical contact. His body might be trapping her to the floor, but that didn’t mean that he had to be a bastard. But any attempt would be interpreted as a threat, and so they lay, unmoving as she settled, squashed into the floor by his larger body. The blinding pain slowly morphed into a dull throb. He contemplated his next move.

  The squeal of steal against wood echoed through the dark living room.

  Specifically, the metal legs of a bed moving across the main bedroom’s timber floor, where the hidden hatch to their bunker was concealed.

  Just what he needed. She’d seen it all on the cameras. Euan was going to spank her ass pink.

  ‘Nick?’ a feminine voice murmured behind him.

  The air changed. The scent of dust and desertion transformed into the scent of woman. Of lavender and life. Of beauty and perfection.

  Of Kira.

  The skeleton beneath him stilled. Her sniffling was cut short, her entire meagre body shivered. She held her breath.

  Nick moved his head until he could see his beautiful little Pixie hidden in the darkened mouth of the hallway. Her natural platinum-blonde hair in wild disarray, her crystal-blue eyes were nervous, her tiny body and elfin features were mostly hidden by shadows.

  They should have locked the door to her panic room.

  But there was no help for it now. She was here, encased in the secure walls of the house. If he managed to keep her inside, he could use the blonde devil’s charm.

  ‘Need a little help with her, Pix,’ he grunted, his mouth full of dark hair. ‘She’s terrified outta her mind. And I’m not helping.’

  Kira nodded, and with slow steps made her way to where they lay tangled on the floor.

  Despite the fact that Kira had not seen the sunshine in nearly two months, her eyes never left the prize covered by Nick’s body. The wraith had grown unnaturally still, her breathing had shallowed. The stink of unwashed clothes could not detract from the feminine essence beneath. But Nick’s body had no reaction, every part of him was engrossed in the little sun-sprite making her way cautiously towards them.

  ‘Hey there,’ Kira murmured with deliberate care. She crouched when she was at an arm’s length from their position on the floor.

  Nick shifted, being cautious not to let the girl go just in case she moved to escape. Sunken eyes were wide, brown-gold radiated disbelief and wonder. Sharp cheekbones with pale lips were parted in awe. The look solidified how precious their Kira really was.

  Both sets of female eyes began to shine bright. They glimmered in the sunshine that streaked into the room from cracks in the heavy, protective curtains. Nick loosened his grip completely, and the woman scrambled out from under him to rush into Kira’s now outstretched arms.

  Soft sobs echoed through the living room. Faces were touched, hair was petted and exposed skin was caressed with reverence as both women relished the opportunity to physically bond in a way that only females could.

  Nick sighed, fell to his back on the floor and cupped his bruised balls. ‘I’m going to be a eunuch from now on.’

  ‘You’re going to be fine,’ Kira whispered. When Nick arched his neck to see them, they continued to gaze into each other’s red-rimmed eyes. It was obvious that she wasn’t talking to him.

  ‘What happened to you?’ Kira murmured.

  ‘She castrated me,’ he replied, despite knowing her question wasn’t directed at him.

  He caught the look of dissatisfaction she threw his way. He shrugged. ‘She hasn’t made one sound since we found her.’

  Kira frowned and brushed the matted hair out of the woman’s eyes. ‘What’s your name?’

  Only silence answered. It was accompanied by a slow blink as wetness continued to dribble down her dirty cheeks.

  Kira swallowed audibly. ‘I’m so sorry about … whatever happened,’ she whispered, holding the brown eyes. ‘But you’re safe now. We promise.’

  The woman’s shoulders shuddered and she crushed her skinny body against Kira’s. She pushed her face in the crook of her neck and shoulder and began to heave silent cries.

  Nick shared a glance with Kira. Despite their earlier quarrel and Kira deliberately disobeying Euan’s direct order, they were united with a synergy that eclipsed rational thought. Their understanding melded into one mind and Nick witnessed true beauty when Kira’s eyes softened, and her generous heart and lean arms engulfed the tiny shuddering bird.

  He firmed his lips in response. As Kira softened, Nick’s resolve turned granite. The dissipating pain meant coherent thought was able to penetrate past his initial concerns. Euan was right. There was so much unknown about her, about the man she came with, about why they had come here. Their intentions, aspirations and purpose.

  His hands moved from his crotch to his hair, where he raked it out of his face. ‘Let’s get her to the sofa. Euan will be back soon, and we still gotta be careful.’ He attempted to roll to his belly, while his balls protested the movement. This included any attempt to draw life-giving oxygen into his body. He coughed through the ache.

  ‘She’s not a threat,’ Kira said, her eyes now alight with agitation she aimed in his direction.

  The burn of her ire penetrated. On principle, he agreed. But by contrast, he’d seen too many atrocities committed by those he would never suspect of doing so. In the new world, nothing could be taken at face value. ‘Let’s just see what Euan has to say about the man who was with her,’ he answered instead. ‘Too much is still unknown.’

  ‘I’ll vouch for her,’ Kira pushed. She assisted the living skeleton to her socked feet, muttering under her breath about her state of dress as she did so.

  ‘You know it’s not that easy,’ he told her as he hissed through the throb to stand. His eyes cut her way. ‘You going to be nice to me if I tell Euan it’s my fault you’re up here?’

  Kira sighed heavily, but her gaze was grateful when it met his.

  ‘Thought so.’ Nick smirked. ‘I expect kisses.’

  Kira’s answering smile was mischievous. A tilt to her lips that she tried to hide.

  Nick caught it. ‘Love you too, little imp. Good thing you got Euan wrapped around your finger, cause he isn’t going to believe a word I say.’

  Chapter 6

  Euan took his time to return to the house. His emotions were a volatile mix of corrosive ingredients. They bubbled and simmered, which caused a primal reaction inside his gut. The poison radiated through his muscles. His fists clenched, his lip curled and his shoulders stiffened. He didn’t think it was possible, but he detested Mickey-O even more than he had before.

  The world had suffered so much. The men, and the few women, who had survived the plague had been forced to watch their families perish. They had witnessed the life slip away from their mothers, their wives, their children … It was worse than any physical burden imaginable. It was an anvil of misery that required not only physical strength to bear, it also stole sustenance from the mind, the body, the temperament from those who bore it.

  And that fucking man. No, that fucking monster, was making children slash their consciences further apart. But this time, he made them do it themselves. Worm their fingers into their own flesh and muti
late their souls.

  The thought alone was horrific. Reality? Worthy of a death sentence. After he left the boy, who wheezed through a panic he didn’t understand because of the brutalities he had been forced to commit, Euan was irate. For the kid to risk his life for the sake of a woman he knew would only suffer untold cruelties under the prison of Nirvana. To bring her here …

  If it wasn’t all an act—and all of Euan’s instincts implored what he said was the truth, at least to the best of his ability—then the boy was a fucking hero.

  He should, would, be treated as such.

  When the rage that permeated within him had subsided, Euan considered the building threats. His biggest danger right now was not the kid chained in the garage, but Kira, who would want to be part of the solution. He’d promised her equality, a chance to be involved in a resistance at his side with Nick. But reality was a cold bucket of water.

  He walked through Kira’s overgrown lavender garden with a heavy heart. He had seriously been considering allowing her to leave the bunker, to see the sun, tend to her beloved garden, talk to her cherished chickens, but after this? Not a fucking chance.

  She would despise him for it. A progressive woman of modernity was not meant to suffer under the tyranny of a draconian regime. But to keep her alive and safe, Euan would become the dreaded dictator without a second thought.

  The front door was ajar, the lock splintered with the force of the entry. His heart skipped until he noticed the trip-wire tight and whole. As he entered the foyer, shadows surrounded him. The curtains were drawn to thwart intrusive eyes from the innards of their aboveground home. A few more steps took him from the gloomy entrance into the main living room. The furniture of leather and wood, of luxury and home of the aboveground home had been swapped with fabric and plastic on in their first week. It was a decision he had never regretted. His attention instantly snagged on Nick, where he leaned up against a crisp white wall. His hooded eyes watched the doorway. He lowered his gun at Euan’s presence. A contrite look was on his face.