“Oh can I? You won’t get yourself captured by the prisoner again?” Jane laughed. It was a light laugh that didn’t seem to fit her. It should have been deeper and stronger. Everything about her exuded strength and prowess.
“I wasn’t captured. He’s the one in the cage.” He kicked the door.
“Yet you were the one with your face smashed against it. Interesting.” Her deep chocolate brown eyes twinkled. She winked at me before sauntering away.
I watched her retreating figure.
Joseph spat. “Don’t even look at her. She’s a Pteron, far too good for you.”
I smiled. “Is that so?”
“Yes. Stay away from her.”
“I planned on it. I am inside this cage after all.” I wasn’t interested in the girl in the way he was implying, but I’d let him think what he wanted. Maybe it would distract him enough that he’d slip up. All I needed was a small opening and some more information. Jane would be the key to that. Levi had promised a girl would watch Marni. I had only seen one female since entering the prison. It had to be her. I’d get information and get us all out of there.
“I came to get you for dinner, but forget that.”
“Going to starve me now?” I was hungry, but I wouldn’t let him know it.
“You’ve been uncooperative.”
“You haven’t seen uncooperative.”
His face faltered slightly. Maybe he was learning.
“I’ll bring your food here.”
“That’s probably a wise choice.” I stayed in the same spot. I wouldn’t move back. I wasn’t shifting, but that didn’t mean I would fully retreat. “No more games or you get nothing.” He turned and walked away.
“I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Only after he left did I hear the faintest sound of laughing. It was Chet. My first clue. If he was close enough to hear, I’d be able to find them fast. Maybe we’d get out even sooner than I thought.
6
Mary Anne
I hadn’t planned to have sex with Gage again, but it happened. It always seemed to happen with us no matter how bad the timing or the location. We were like animals, and I guess in Gage’s circumstance he really was one. I didn’t have that same excuse. I was still human even though everything about me and my life felt different. Somewhere in the craziness of the journey I’d lost my old self, and I had no idea how or if I ever wanted to get it back. I definitely didn’t if it involved losing Gage. In the short time we’d spent together I’d realized I liked myself a lot better when I was with him. I might have made some stupid decisions, but they were my decisions to make, and I didn’t regret them.
At first I ignored the rays of sun coming through the side the tent. Getting up meant leaving Gage’s arms, and I wasn’t ready for that yet. Any night could be our last together, and that reality made facing morning more difficult.
“Hey.” He nuzzled against my neck.
“Morning.”
He brushed some hair away from my face. “Sleep ok?”
“I slept a little bit. You?”
“I enjoyed my company.”
I ran my hand up and down his chest. “Me too.”
“One of these days we need to do this when we’re not on the run.”
I laughed. “That would be far too simple and boring.”
“But nice. I’d even make you breakfast.”
“Now that sounds good.”
“You’re not going to question my ability to cook?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I’m not questioning anything about you anymore.” I reluctantly slipped out of his arms, but not for long.
He had me pinned down under him in seconds. “Thank you.”
“For?” I looked up at him expectedly.
“Everything, but specifically I’m referring to last night.”
“I should thank you too.”
“You did seem to enjoy yourself.”
“I always do.”
He brushed his lips against mine. “So do I.”
“We need to go.” I had no desire to separate my body from his, but we couldn’t put it off any longer.
“I know.” He moved off of me and unzipped the bag. “Hence why I’m excited for a morning when we’re not on the run.”
I slipped back into my underwear and bra. “One day.”
“Soon.” He kissed the space between my breasts before getting up to get dressed. “Very soon.”
“You’re optimistic this morning.”
“It’s amazing what a night of sex with you can do for me.”
I laughed. “Glad it helped.”
We finished dressing and packed up the tent. Neither of us wanted to get back on the road, but we had no time to lose. We didn’t have a death wish. Any security we felt from the cover of night was gone. Although darkness probably shouldn’t have made us feel better. Nearly all of the creatures we were running from could see as well at night as during the day.
Still, realistic or not, the night gave us a sense of protection that the day didn’t, and I found myself jumping into the SUV, clinging to the hope that distance and continuing to move would somehow help. But the real problem was I didn’t even understand what we were doing. How could we possibly break the Dires out of a high security prison, especially since we weren’t even sure where the prison was? Denny had made it sound simple, like I should have been able to conjure up a plan, but it wasn’t simple. I was so far out of my comfort zone it wasn’t funny.
Gage got us back on the interstate, and I tried to calm my thoughts. Genevieve could help. She was a genius with understanding systems. She’d break us in. The biggest problem was how I was going to get her to help in the first place. If she went into shock upon seeing us it wasn’t going to do us any good.
The drive should have been monotonous, but after everything we’d been through, there was something extraordinarily enjoyable about just sitting next to Gage. Maybe like the sex, our situation defied all rational rules. Maybe it was because he represented my real life, but deep inside I knew it was more.
He made me feel like no one else ever had. Part passion and part comfort, I never wanted the experience to end. Whether Gage liked it or not he was stuck with me—although I was starting to truly believe he did like it. He did love me. I wasn’t sure what had changed for him, whether it was the circumstance, or something buried deep inside before, but his feelings for me had grown, and he wasn’t clinging to me for protection, his or mine. There was something real between us, and once things calmed down, I planned to explore exactly how deep it went.
“What are you thinking about?” He sipped a bottle of water as we drove past the ‘Welcome to Florida’ sign.
“You.”
“Always a good thing to think about.”
I rested my hand on his leg. “Glad you’re still modest.”
“I’ve never been modest.”
“I know.” I knew way too much about Gage. Or at least I’d thought I had. The more time I spent with him, the more I began to question if I’d seen the real him before. He was better than the jock who starred in my fantasies. He had a heart and strength unlike anyone else I’d ever met. If anything, Gage Marshall was even more attractive inside than out.
Sunwalk, Florida was as small as Genevieve had described. For some reason I hadn’t quite believed her. I’d assumed she was exaggerating, trying to relate to my tiny town, but she was right. It was small, but still not as small as Mayville. Sunwalk had a few traffic lights and lots of palm trees. We didn’t have either of those back home.
“What’s the plan exactly?” Gage traced small circles on my jean clad leg.
“Plan?” I raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I have one?”
“You always have plans.” He moved his fingers in the opposite direction.
“Not always.” I liked to pretend I did. I was supposed to be the one who was on top of everything.
“Usually.”
“True, but this time I’m winging it
.” It was terrifying because there was so much on the line.
“You don’t know how to wing it.”
“Considering all we’ve been through, I’m learning.” It wouldn’t be fair to explain how different I felt. He was the one who’d been physically changed. I hadn’t.
“I’m only kidding.” He stopped tracing circles, and rested his hand on my leg. “I know you can. You can do anything.”
A wave of pride swirled through me. “I know you are, but you’re not completely wrong about me winging things.”
“Not completely wrong?” He raised an eyebrow. “Is that your version of saying I’m right?”
“Not fully… but I am a planner by nature. I like things neat and logical, but that doesn’t work right now. I’ve had to face that.”
“We’ve both had to face a lot.”
“You more than me.” A wave of guilt hit me again. He was a Dire because of me. I’d wanted him alive so bad I’d traded in his human life without thinking. I wondered if I’d have wanted him to do the same thing for me. Would I have chosen to be turned into a paranormal creature rather than close my eyes for the last time? In theory, yes, I’d have done anything to live, but not if it meant losing myself completely, or losing the ability to see those I loved. We’d find a way to return to our old life. Somehow. Facing Genevieve was the first step.
“I’ve got a plan.” It came to me all at once, nothing like the way plans usually formed for me.
“Let’s hear it.” Gage slowed down as we reached the residential area of town.
“First, you need to promise to go along with anything I say.”
“Uh… why do I sense that’s a loaded statement and what you say isn’t going to be something I like?”
“Because your sense is right.” I took a deep breath. “I need to see her myself.”
“Absolutely not.” He shook his head.
“Seeing both of us might be too much.”
“She’s a big girl. She can handle it.”
“And her parents? Want to tip them off?”
“They’re going to recognize you too.”
“I dyed my hair.” I turned a piece of my black hair in my hands. It still felt like I was pretending to be someone else. I’d never imagined something so superficial could have had such a big effect on the way I felt about myself. It wasn’t that I felt bad, but I felt different.
“You think that’s really enough?”
“They’ve never met me.” Boston was far enough from Florida that they hadn’t come to parents’ weekend.
“Still, your face was plastered all over the news.”
He had a point. And her parents would have had more of a reason than most to pay attention to the news about us. I was sure Genevieve had been upset. “I’ll call her first.”
“Will she pick up an unknown number?” He slowed to a stop at a stop sign. A mother with two young kids crossed the street in front of our SUV. Watching them clutch her hands made me miss my mom more.
“Probably not.” Once again he had a good point. She hated junk calls, and that’s what she would assume the out of area call was. “I’ll have to leave a message and wait.”
“Why aren’t you doing it then? We’re almost to her house.” Gage slowly continued driving down the residential street.
“I’m procrastinating.” I played with a loose string on the cuff of my shirt.
“I didn’t know you were capable of doing that.”
“I am.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “Think about how long I went before telling you I liked you.”
He grinned. “You have wanted me for a while, haven’t you?”
“I’m never living that obsession down.” After years of keeping my fantasies and feelings a secret from almost everyone, it was strange to be able to say it out loud.
“It wasn’t obsession.”
“Then what was it?” I kicked at my sweatshirt on the floor.
“Interest.” He smiled.
“That’s a much nicer way to put it.”
“It’s the only way to put it. You aren’t the type of girl to get obsessed. At least you weren’t. Obsession and logic don’t go together.”
“I like how you added in the ‘you weren’t’ part.” I smiled. “Now I’m totally open to becoming obsessed.”
He shrugged. “You said it yourself, you’re letting go of your logical and rational side.”
“And that means I’m primed and ready for obsession?” I arched an eyebrow.
“As long as it stays positive we’re good.”
“Meaning I shouldn’t get obsessed with hurting anyone?”
“That’s exactly what I mean. I have enough anger for both of us.”
“I have it too.” I spoke softly, not wanting to admit to all the myriad of emotions I was feeling.
“I know, but anger isn’t going to help us now. Calling Genevieve might though.”
I nodded and slowly typed in her phone number. As predicted, she didn’t pick up. I took a deep breath before going into my message.
“Hey, it’s me. Mary Anne. No I’m not dead. There’s a completely rational explanation for how I’m calling you. I’m alive. Please call me back.”
Gage turned onto another road. “I can’t stop. We might attract attention.”
“We might attract attention if we keep circling too.”
“What do you suggest?”
“What kind of place would have people in the lot all times of day?”
“Strip clubs.”
I glared at him.
He laughed. “It’s true.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of a library or grocery store.”
“But people don’t sit in their car at those places.”
“And they do in a strip club lot?”
“Who’s walking by to look in the windows there?”
“Just find a grocery store.” I stared at my phone willing it to ring. It didn’t. What was Genevieve doing? Surely hearing from a friend you thought was dead took precedence over nearly anything else.
I didn’t want to show up on her doorstep unannounced. Gage had me paranoid that I’d be recognized by her parents. I didn’t need to deal with that.
“Give it time.” Gage pulled into a shopping center. “It’s only been a few minutes. You could also call back.”
“You think it’s been long enough?”
“Staring at the phone isn’t going to help, so either wait or call back.”
“I’ve never been good at waiting.”
“Unless it came to me.” Gage grinned.
“Very funny.” I called her back.
“Yes?” Genevieve answered impatiently.
I hadn’t expected her to answer, and I froze.
“Are you going to talk or just annoy me?” She huffed into the phone.
I forced myself to speak. “Sorry. I was waiting for you to call back.”
“Call back?” Her voice lilted. “Who is this?”
“You didn’t listen to my message.”
“Who the hell is this? You sound just like…” she trailed off.
“Mary Anne. Yes. Because it’s me.”
“No.” I could picture her shaking her head. “Mary Anne is dead.”
“I’m not dead.” Although I was a little worse for wear.
“Prove it.”
“Prove what? That I’m alive?”
“That you’re really her. Tell me something only she could.”
I went with the first thing that came into my head. “Sex with Gage was even better than I expected.”
Gage chuckled loudly.
“Now I know it can’t be her. Mary Anne would never actually sleep with him.” She sounded so confident that it was difficult not to take it personally.
“Gee, thanks.”
Gage pulled the phone from me. “Genevieve, It’s Gage. We’re alive, but we’re in trouble. Any chance you can help us out?”
I strained to hear her response, but I couldn
’t with him holding the phone so close to his face.
Gage smiled. “Great. We’ll meet you there in two minutes.” He ended the call and handed the phone to me.
“Wait. What? She believed you? No questions?” I couldn’t believe he’d gotten her to change her mind so quickly.
“I guess I sound trustworthy.” He grinned.
“I’m her friend. Shouldn’t she trust me?” It wasn’t the time to dwell on my friendship with Genevieve, but it bothered me.
“Does it matter? She’s going to meet with us.”
“Yes it matters. She’s one of my closest friends.” I’d stopped being logical, which meant I was free to obsess over things. At least that’s the excuse I gave myself. I’d probably have obsessed over what I perceived to be a slight anytime.
“Does it matter to our current situation?”
“You sound like me.”
“You make that sound like a bad thing.”
“Not bad. Different.” And not the good kind. I needed to stop worrying though. Nothing mattered unless Genevieve could help. Otherwise I was out of ideas.
“She’s going to freak out, isn’t she?” I knew the answer to the question but I decided to ask it anyway.
“Of course she is. She thinks we’re dead.”
“You say that so calmly.”
“Would you rather I get upset?”
“No.” I sighed. “I don’t want that.”
He put his arm behind my seat. “You’re afraid of me now.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” I quickly corrected him. “That’s crazy.”
“You’re afraid of me losing control. I can tell, so there’s no reason to deny it. It’s normal, and it’s good. I’m not human anymore.” He looked away.
“I’m not afraid of you. I’m afraid of what could happen to you. That’s totally different.”
“Are you sure?” He turned off the engine. “Are you really sure that’s the only thing you’re scared of?”
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s not.”
“Exactly.”
I took his hand in mine. “I’m afraid of how you make me feel. Of how out of control we get when we’re together, but that has nothing to do with you being a Dire. That crazy feeling was there before you changed.”
“You know exactly what to say.” He leaned over and brushed his lips against mine.
Dawn (The Dire Wolves Chronicles Book 3) Page 4
