Book of the Damned: A-E5L1-01-00: (A reverse harem, post-pandemic, slow-burn romance) (The JAK2 Cycle, Book 2)

by V. E. S. Pullen

  Sasha was kissing Azzie like he’d just come back from war, and the rest of them turned away to give them privacy but I watched. It was fine, it didn’t bother either of them, and I just felt like I needed to be a witness. Sometimes I feel like, if no one is watching, shit isn’t really happening. This was happening, my brother and my girl were so clearly in love, in a way that made me so happy, so jealous, and so filled with anticipation for when I’d finally get to kiss her too. And I hoped someone would be watching us.

  The kissing finally ended, and she wiped her face with one hand while hanging on to him with the other. We’d all been standing around awkwardly, I guess waiting for Azzie to make introductions. “This is my foster family,” she said, once she got herself together, pointing at each one. “Rachel, Greg, Heather, and Michael.”

  “Why are they here?” Adriana asked cautiously.

  “Because if Azzie disappears, we die,” Rachel said calmly. “She told us it was time to run, so we’re running.” Apparently she’d holstered her bitch-ray again, and was being reasonable.

  Gemma and Adriana exchanged looks. Ryan eyed the family, and then Azzie, finally saying, “I’m glad we listened.”

  She nodded. “Me too.”

  Adriana looked troubled. “The kids too?” When Rachel nodded, Adriana turned to Azzie. “I’m sorry. We’re sorry. We’ve been stupid, and we underestimated the situation. And you.”

  Azzie shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, it happens a lot. It’s also why this will work, now that you’re on board. You are on board, right?”

  Both of the Viper Twins nodded. “You say jump, we jump.”

  “Cool. Well, for now, I’m going to say carry, and walk. Anything that’s going, we need to haul all of it in one trip.” We’d all worn packs, and everyone but Azzie had carried something in their arms too, even the little kid, and it had all been dropped as soon as we stopped walking. It was a relief to have five more sets of arms, I had no desire to pick back up the two big (and heavy) tote bags that I’d been carrying. Let one of the Callis douches carry them.

  “Where are we going?” Jason asked, heading for the pile.

  “You actually have a couple minutes before sherpa duties start,” Azzie said, smiling at him widely. “Anyone who needs to use the bathroom right away, can do so. I need a few minutes in the cabin, then we can go.”

  “So we’re really walking out of here?” Greg asked, brow furrowed. “That’s going to be hard with all this stuff, maybe we should leave some of it.”

  Azzie shook her head. “No, we’re going to go someplace safe. You and your family are going to stay there as long as you can, the rest of us are going to leave. I see that look, Greg. You gotta trust me.”

  “I do, Azzie,” he sighed. “I do. It’s just a little worrisome.”

  “It’ll make sense once you see it and I explain. Now c’mon, I need you to break down the base station inside.” She took him inside the cabin, and while they were in there, we got everything organized. Adriana ended up crouched down in front of the youngest kid, the little boy, and she surprised the fuck out of me when she told him she had a little boy too, but he was still a baby.

  “You have a kid?” Luka asked incredulously, and Adriana nodded. “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-one,” she sighed. “Same age as Jason and Ryan. We’re actually second cousins or something like that.”

  “Wha—?” I stared, open-mouthed, at Jason who nodded.

  “Our family… it’s extensive.”

  “Everyone wants to know what is going on at these bases,” Gemma explained. “When they started recruiting for the study, our families requested we apply… they made Adriana participate even though she had a four month old little boy at home, which fucking sucks.” Adriana nodded, her eyes welling up.

  “You have a baby?!” Azzie cried out from the porch, furious. “AND THEY MADE YOU LEAVE HIM?”

  Rachel pulled Michael and Heather away, over near the edge of the woods, to huddle with Greg while they both tried to distract them from Azzie in a rage. I get it, she was scary.

  Adriana nodded at her miserably. “It’s kinda why I’ve been such a bitch. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I really am a ball-busting bitch, but I’m not usually that bad,” her voice was changing even as she spoke, picking up a bit of a Jersey or east coast accent. It was bizarre. “But I haven’t seen my kid in a month, and I’m so scared for him all the time. And this place… all this fuckin’ food, all this stuff…” She looked around. “There’s a fuckin’ spa here.”

  Azzie flushed, looking away. “Yeah, umm… that’s because of me.” We all stared at her and she finally shrugged. “My disease makes my fingertips and toes get numb at best, sometimes my hands or a whole foot in cold weather. My skin is always really sensitive no matter what, because of the way my blood circulates or doesn’t, and it gets so itchy that I scarred myself up pretty bad when I was young, just scratching the itches. The scars have mostly faded thanks to Rachel, but it was super nasty. But I used to cut my own toenails, you know? Like a regular person. Then my self-cut nail caught on my sock and ripped inside my shoe without me realizing it and I bled for hours before I noticed I was leaving tracks. Again, not a big deal, until I think about how many people may have died because that blood was in my shoe and not in vaccines, so getting manicures and pedicures and such doesn’t make me feel guilty at all, not getting them does. And that’s why they built the spa.”

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Oh… right. You missed all that. But Jason and Ryan both knew, and you guys didn’t say anything to your cousin. Wow. Okay. Well, so, yeah… my real first name is actually Aesli, and I’m where the vaccine comes from. Azrael is my middle name. I’m sorta the reason for this place.”

  I was beginning to really love watching Azzie tell people this shit — I know it made her uncomfortable, but the expressions on their faces… holy. shit. Adriana? Fucking priceless.

  “You— you— I— what?!”

  “Yeah. It’s me! It’s me!” Azzie proclaimed sarcastically, waving her hands in the air. “Surprise!”

  “WHAT?!”

  “Wow, was this what I looked like when I heard her name the first time?” Ryan asked, completely amused. “Kinda makes you wish you were nice, doesn’t it Aid?”

  “I don’t— I don’t know what to say,” Gemma was actually crying, and yeah, looking so fucking ashamed of herself.

  “You could try I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head at her.

  “No!—” Azzie stopped her as she tried to open her mouth, really unexpectedly angry. “No, I don’t want your apology… suddenly you’re sorry because now you know I’m important? Do you think that means anything to me? Are you going to start being nice to me now that you can get something from me? Don’t be a fucking hypocrite, and don’t think for one second that I’m that fucking gullible! You own your anger and your hate, I don’t blame you for that — I don’t even blame you for picking on me, I make a good target — but if you start being nice to me because now I matter? No. I don’t accept it. Shove it up your ass.”

  “Well shit,” Adriana said, looking Azzie up and down. “Now I actually am starting to like you. I thought you were like those other bitches, just weaker. You always been this— this feisty?”

  “She got up on a table in front of a couple hundred people and announced you were sluts, bullies, and idiots… why are you surprised she’s got a backbone?” Ryan was looking between the Viper Twins like they were the biggest morons on the planet. “Are you really that clueless?”

  “I assumed you put her up to it, Ry,” Gemma said, shrugging. “Especially when Jason was there to carry her past all of us like she was some little pet getting rewarded. Everything that happened after that just reinforced that idea. Where were you, by the way?” She asked, turning on Azzie who was watching them with a furrowed brow, and I can almost guarantee she was rewinding through every interaction with them, trying to see it from their perspective.

 
“That was all her, all of it. And she was in the hospital,” I answered for her. “She got infected with a mutated strain of JANUS, and it almost killed her.”

  Gemma’s mouth dropped open, and Adriana started crying again, apologizing for being so weepy but it was an emotional day. Her accent was even thicker when she was upset.

  “Azzie, I’m apologizin’ and you’re gonna suck it up and let me. I never shoulda been so damn mean to you. You bein’ sick was never a secret, and it shouldn’ta mattered what it was or why, I was terrible to you. I am so sorry. You didn’t need my shit when you were dealin’ with all that.”

  “Okay,” Azzie said, nodding. “I’ll accept that apology. Don’t expect a hug though, I still can’t stand you.”

  “Then why are you saving our lives?!” Adriana was genuinely confused.

  Azzie thought about it for a second, then tilted her head with a shit-eating grin. “Because I’m better than you. I’m a better person. So learn from this. You never know who somebody really is, and just because they’re different than you doesn’t mean you get to be a raging asshole. A lesser person would let you die, and your little boy would grow up without a mommy, if he grew up at all. Remember that next time you hold him. You’re only there because a better, stronger person than you showed mercy.”

  “Daaaaaamn,” Jason whispered, looking at Azzie in a way I really did not appreciate one bit.

  “Back off, Callis,” I hissed at him.

  “I want to hate you for making me feel like this,” Adriana said, “but you’re right. I mean, you don’t have to be such a bitch about it, kinda undermines the whole better person thing, but I can’t argue the facts. So thank you, you arrogant asshole.”

  “You’re welcome, you low-class, socialite-wannabe. You and your garbage sister,” Azzie was still grinning at her. “Now shut your goddamn cock holster so we can get out of here.”

  “Super classy, whore. And speaking of, exactly how many of them are you fucking?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business but none,” Azzie said, then winked at her. “Yet. So keep your skank paws off them until I make up my mind.”

  “I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!” Ryan shouted and Azzie turned on him, freaking out.

  “Shut the fuck up!” she hissed. “What part of hiding, and running for our lives are you confused about? Jesus Christ!”

  “Sorry, I’m sorry,” he said, looking around and panicking.

  “Timeline’s moved up,” Azzie called softly to Greg and Rachel. “We gotta get into the woods as quickly as possible—”

  “Azzie, before we go, can I talk to you privately?” Rachel motioned to the cabin, a pinched expression on her face.

  Not sure what made me think it, but I was positive this wouldn’t be a good conversation. I almost went with her into the cabin, but Azzie called me overprotective and gave me an adorably mean mug meant to intimidate me away from following, and I let her think it worked.

  I should’ve trusted my gut.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Azzie

  “Azzie,” Rachel had said my name a few times, but I ignored her while looking over the cabin one more time. Everything looked the same, it really did. It would be fine. No one would know we were here. “Azzie,” she barked out again, and I couldn’t keep putting this off.

  “What’s up?” I finally focused on her, and she looked… she looked like Michael did when he’d fucked up bad: a little scared, a little ashamed, a whole lot worried, and just a smidge defiant.

  “There’s something you need to know…” she trailed off, biting her lip. I gave her a second, then gestured for her to get on with it. “You shouldn’t take any supplements with you.”

  I was confused. I needed them. They were the only things keeping me from getting really sick, I got most of my nutrition from the smoothies and powders I mixed into drinks.

  “Rachel?” I asked in a small voice, feeling like I really didn’t want to ask this question, but I had to know. “What’s wrong with the supplements?”

  “You’re overdosing on iron,” she said finally, closing her eyes and running a hand over her face. “McNamara had me convince you that you were anemic, but you’re actually overdosing. It increases your red blood cell production.”

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Some of your symptoms of PV are actually from the iron overload.”

  I was deadly calm.

  I was so calm, the furniture was giving me props for how still I could stand.

  I was fine. This wasn’t a problem. I was not going to react.

  “Why?” I managed to get it out of my throat, my throat that was swelling shut under the force of the screams I was holding in. It came out strangled sounding.

  “When I said no, Michael got pushed off the jungle gym at school and broke his arm, and Heather got knocked off her bike by a car running a stop sign.”

  “That— that was two years ago.”

  “I know.”

  “You’ve been poisoning me for two years?”

  Her head jerked in a nod.

  “What does it do? Iron overdose?”

  “Chronic fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain. Enlarged spleen. More serious ones if it goes on long enough.”

  “Longer than TWO YEARS?”

  “I’m sorry, Azzie, but they threatened my family. And you aren’t family.”

  And there it was. I’d been living with them for over three years. In the beginning, I ate most of my meals with them, celebrated holidays with them… I was with them anytime I wasn’t with Mouse. I even took the kids out to the movies or the arcade so Greg and Rachel could have alone time. Then things changed: Michael broke his arm and Rachel got very protective of them, didn’t want them going out places with me alone. I stopped getting included in holiday celebrations, and I was just never home anymore for dinners or movie nights. I thought it was because I was older and they assumed I wanted to hang out with my (non-existent) friends from school, so I didn’t question it, I just backed off and let them be their family unit without me, I was just a stranger living in the same house.

  “That was— you’d been nicer to me, before that. I remember. I thought it was just fear about the kids, but you never came back from it. Was it guilt? I hope it was guilt.”

  “It was fear for my kids. Whatever guilt I felt was nothing compared to that.”

  “Fuck you, Rachel. I hope you get a fucking ulcer from it,” I spat at her.

  “Yeah, sure,” she said tiredly. “At least now you know.”

  “Don’t talk to me, Rachel. Don’t look at me, don’t touch me, and don’t fucking talk to me. Be thankful for the rest of your family or I’d kill you myself.”

  I turned from her and told her to get out. I needed a few minutes to get my shit together or I might change my mind about being the better person.

  Sev

  Rachel came out of the cabin, but Azzie didn’t.

  Rachel looked very unhappy. I checked her hands for blood but they were clean. “Where is she?”

  “She needed a minute,” she said, moving carefully past me to head straight for her kids, but I grabbed her arm, stopping her.

  “What did you do?”

  “Nothing. Today.” She glared down at my grip on her arm but I didn’t remove it. “I followed orders,” she spat at me, “and I protected my family.”

  “What about Azzie?”

  “She’s not family.”

  “Fucking. Bitch.”

  She shrugged. “I did what I had to.”

  “Let her go, Sev.” Azzie was in the doorway, in the shadows. I couldn’t see her face clearly, but her voice sounded wrong. Hard. Cold. Deadened.

  “What did she do?”

  “None of your fucking business.” Shit. I hadn’t hear the tone from her in at least a day, not since the last time someone she trusted betrayed her.

  “Az…” I pleaded. “Don’t do this. Don’t carry it yourself.”

  She shook her head, like talking was too diffic
ult. She stepped forward, out into the light, and her mask was in place. Before I released Rachel, I squeezed down on her arm. “She might be a better person, but I’m not. Make it right.”

  “I can’t,” she said quietly, pulling away and rubbing her arm. “I can’t undo it.”

  “It’s fine, Sev,” Azzie said wearily. “We need to get going.”

  “You’re going to tell me, Azzie.”

  “Later,” she promised. “C’mon.”

  I followed her back to the others who were gathering up all the things we needed to carry into the woods — all the suitcases, tote bags, pillows, stuffed animals, and boxes — but I stayed near Azzie, where Greg lingered too. He ignored me.

  “She told you?”

  Azzie was using a broom on the gravel driveway to conceal our movements and where the baggage had been, not acknowledging him.

  Greg waited. Finally, without looking up, she asked, “Two years…? How long did you know?” Her voice was small, shaky. Painful to hear.

  “They threatened our kids,” he said.

  “I was a kid,” she responded, a crackle in her voice.

  “You weren’t our kid.”

  “FUCKING HELL!” I cursed, shouting “GO!” at him, pointing to the group. He needed to step off before I lost my fucking mind on him. He retreated but I didn’t let Azzie past me, I grabbed her by the shoulders. “Tell me, honey b. Just tell me what’s going on before they break your fucking heart anymore than it already is. I can’t stand watching them hurt you like this.”

  “I can’t tell you right now,” she whispered, ducking her head and hiding her eyes. “I can’t— I don’t know, maybe it isn’t as bad as I’m making it out to be…”

  I couldn’t do anything for her. I couldn’t take away the pain, I couldn’t undo whatever they did, and I couldn’t force her to stop finding ways to blame herself. I tugged her into my arms, tucking her head under my chin, and held her. Letting her feel safe and cared for, that’s all I could do.

  “Thanks, Sev,” she said after awhile, giving me a squeeze. “I’ll be okay.” I reluctantly released her and followed her over to the others. She looked around the group, holding her shit together even though everyone could tell she was hanging by a thread.