Anne didn’t say anything as his angry gaze went over her muddy clothes and new bruises. She set her broken glasses on the table and grabbed a bottle from the medicine cabinet. He had his demons to fight, and she had hers.

  8

  Marc found Angela in the usual place as full dark settled over dystopian Kansas views–perched on the top of the highest, sturdiest structure inside the perimeter. This time, it was Adrian’s semi.

  It’s like she can’t get close enough to the sky, Marc thought.

  He noted her shadows, and the newest layer of awning on the outer edges of the perimeter. It was a deflecting glint that would interfere with the sights on a scope and make it rough to pick out a single target. They only had one side of the camp covered so far, but it was something they were adding to every day that Safe Haven wasn’t on the road.

  Marc nodded to Kyle, Angela’s senior shadow.

  The mobster quickly vanished toward the QZ.

  No doubt to check on Jennifer, who he hadn’t been able to get near since returning from the dump and burn. It would be a short moment, though, because Kyle had duty over the farthest perimeter from the girl for the next five hours. Now doing schedules together, Marc and Kenn had agreed that a separation was needed, and this first day of it had to feel like it wasn’t ever going to end. Tomorrow wouldn’t be any better for Kyle.

  Marc only held a bit of sympathy. He had always been a little leery of Kyle, but he’d honestly thought the man was one of the good guys. It’s like he and Adrian switched places on me, Marc thought with a resentful frown.

  Reaching the semi, Marc called, “Permission to come up?”

  “As you would, grunt,” she replied cheerfully.

  Marc cleared the top of the truck and stopped, stunned at the sight of the shield above the camp. Right over Angela, it was pure purple.

  Marc was glad the sheep weren’t paying much attention yet. For now, only Adrian and a few of his Eagles knew of the magic building itself around Safe Haven.

  “Watch this…”

  The colors above them faded, and then began to change like a rainbow.

  “It feeds off of emotions, reacts to them.”

  Marc sat down next to her, mind racing for a response. “What is it?”

  “Can’t you guess?”

  He flashed to their clubhouse in the snow. “Protection.”

  Angela flushed at the thoughts now rolling through his mind. They’d experienced something like this once before. The shield had been a lot closer then, almost hot to the touch, but so strong that nothing could have gotten through. It was right after he’d had said I love you for the first time.

  “It’s so nice to be able to remember those moments.”

  Angela slowly leaned against his arm and happiness settled into Marc’s heart. He had Angie and Charlie. He wanted little else.

  Angela didn’t bat a lash when his arm slid around her, still concentrating. She was making the shield fluctuate in small ripples. Sort of like a pond, she thought.

  “Brace.” Angela inhaled deeply, pulling energy from the bubble.

  “Noise coming.” Marc let off the button an instant before a crackle of harsh static went through. It was loud enough to make the dogs start yapping and the wolf come from under the truck.

  Curious, Marc waited.

  Radios lit up again, “Just a pulse. At ease.”

  Marc’s mouth dropped open as Angela let go of the mental link.

  “There’s something new for ya!”

  Marc didn’t say anything, working on accepting it. She was able to send her thoughts over the radio. What would she be capable of in a year? Or ten?

  Angela had been lying low about her gifts over the last two weeks. She wasn’t too weak to use them anymore. She wasn’t sure she was strong enough to control them. However, seeing Charlie in the line of fire today had reminded her how serious the challenge ahead was. Complete control or not, she wouldn’t be sitting back anymore.

  “Is that frightening to the big, bad Marine?” Angela joked awkwardly in the silence.

  “A little.” Marc’s expression darkened. “For you.”

  “Me too, Brady, but also for our son. He’ll always be a target. First, to trap me, and then, to trap him.”

  Not sure how to change that, they sat in silence as the camp slowly settled back down from the pulse of energy she’d sent.

  Neither of them was surprised when Adrian came through the shadows a minute later. His expression said he wasn’t happy about what she’d done, and a sharp glance passed between them.

  Adrian left soon after, delivering a hard, warning sweep of her guards as he vanished.

  “What was that about?” Marc asked, stifling his jealousy.

  Angela leaned closer to Marc’s heat. “He wants to be sure I’m not preparing for a suicide run that I haven’t told him about.”

  Those words sent Marc’s profile into an instant scowl. “Are you?”

  “No. One gunshot wound at a time, please.”

  Marc wasn’t amused by the joke, still too hurt from the near loss.

  Angela didn’t offer ear candy. He had to deal with it, just like she did when the nightmares woke her up gasping for air.

  “Are you sleeping through yet?” Marc asked.

  Angela winced at his accuracy. “Some nights.”

  “You can wake me. I’ll stay up with you.”

  “And still work your shifts as alertly?”

  “No.” That’s the line, he realized. If it would hurt the camp, or even affect them badly, it was too far. That was her limit now.

  “Yes, it is.”

  Marc’s mind kicked into high gear, picking out the mind-reading and the things she knew, but shouldn’t if she were too weak. Not only had she caught his conversation with Charlie, she knew that he approved of the down time she was being forced to take.

  “You know that I can block them, right?” Angela viewed him with shuttered eyes. “Your thoughts.”

  Marc wasn’t sure where she was going. “...yes.”

  “I can stay out of your mind.”

  “No, please, don’t.”

  His fast response had her raising a brow. “Why not? Most people find it to be–”

  “I’m not most people!” Marc interrupted sharply.

  His voice dropped into flames. “And I can love you there, baby cakes.”

  Angela giggled, and the bubble above them flashed into a deeper purple. It drew their attention back to the shield.

  “Why can’t the camp see it, but some of the Eagles can?” Marc asked.

  “Belief, mostly.”

  “But it’s always there, even if they don’t believe in…magic?”

  “Yes.”

  Despite talking to Adrian, Marc had to ask, “What happens when they find out?”

  “Then I will have run out of time,” she responded shakily.

  “And you’ve considered–”

  “Not letting them know? Of course, but it’s unlikely this would remain a secret, Marc. It’s growing too fast, and I have to put it somewhere.”

  “He could find things,” Marc said, unable to lock down on the jealousy this time.

  “He will now that he knows what you do–that I’ve been laying low–but it won’t be enough,” she explained, ignoring his emotions. “I’m still evolving. So are my gifts.”

  Still evolving, Marc repeated silently. Like something else… “What’s coming for us?”

  The witch’s red eyes blended with roiling blue, matching the color of the bubble above them. Everything you fear and more, the witch answered sleepily. She’d been dozing contentedly while Angela played.

  “When?”

  “Not long,” Angela stated, refusing to let the witch start revealing painful truths. She planned to fight that fate.

  “What can I do?” he asked.

  “Help me with my plans.”

  “You know it, honey.” Marc tugged her closer. “We’ll start in the next week.”

  “Tonight would be better,” she said quietly.

  “Sure. At the mess?”

  Angela drew in a breath. She’d missed his heat last night while he stood duty. “My tent, in an hour.”

  Marc’s body flared to life and he gave a jerky nod. “Okay.”

  Catching his sudden nervousness, Angela snickered. “To make plans.”

  Marc tried to snap out of it. “Yeah, plans.”

  Angela laughed and the shield responded with a wave of deep violet.

  She had run a few simple tests on it, and suspected Adrian had, as well. It didn’t let the bugs in or the smaller flying debris when the wind gusted. The bags and trash were caught on an updraft and disappeared into the clouds. That was something even the Eagles hadn’t noticed yet. Fascinating, it had caused Angela’s nightly routine to end in a high place, studying it. She had the sense that the shield was important for more than their protection, and she was determined to figure out what it was in time to use it. That Safe Haven was being gifted with it as a defense, she had little doubt.

  9

  “I’m Leslie.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  She’d come from the shadows in silence, but what she wanted shouted from her arched back and painted face.

  “Nice night.”

  Kyle grunted. She sounded nervous and she should be. Need to accept one or not, he was in no mood to turn down yet another offer to replace the sleeping girl in his tent. None of them stirred anything in him now, not even lust.

  “Do you... Can you talk right now?”

  Kyle stared pointedly. “What do you want?”

  Leslie stepped a little closer, top artfully sliding off one shoulder. “I’d like to help.”

  There was no response from his body, but Kyle forced himself to ask, “Why?”

  It was more of a conversation than he’d given any of the other women who’d tried, and Leslie grinned, encouraged. “You’re high up here is why most of them chase you, I guess. I like it that you look after the pregnant girl. It shows you’re a gentleman.”

  Kyle heard the lies as much as sensed them. She was off the list from that moment. “I’m busy. Get back to camp.”

  Leslie gaped...and then her true opinion emerged. “You’re making a fool of yourself. I hope you know that,” she sneered, painted face now twisting into ugliness. “Be careful.”

  “What are you referring to?” Kyle led, eager to hit back with one of his glancing blows. He’d become as good as Kenn at delivering an insult.

  Leslie didn’t back down, though, she did back up. “I’m talking about you chasing Jennifer like a dog who’s found a bitch in heat. I’m talking about the way you’re not helping Adrian take care of this camp with all that attention on her. I’m talking about your hypocrisy–doing what others can’t, being alone with her all the time. People see the double standard. How long do you think they’ll put up with it? Everyone else has to follow the rules. Why not you?”

  Kyle opened his mouth to fire back, but Leslie vanished into the shadows and he snapped it shut. He’d expected the jealous tirade that some of the others had delivered, not the truth. And if one of the camp cliques had the sand to say it to his face, then everyone was thinking it. The line he was walking had just narrowed.

  The camp’s women would interfere next. Was there anything he could do to ease their tension and buy more time?

  “I’m pretty sure you stung her pride. She’s not sure what turned you off.”

  Kyle turned to see Tracy standing behind him, long, black hair flowing on the dry wind. It was the first time that she’d ever spoken to him that he could recall.

  “She’ll figure out lying was a bad idea and get over it. She just didn’t expect you to respond. It rattled her, I think.” Tracy, normally an extremely quiet woman, took a step closer.

  Her generous curves pulled Kyle’s eye. With those hips, in that short dress, from the front or back she was shaped like…

  Tracy gave him a slow smile, the kind that had Kyle’s mind screaming for him to duck, that this one knew what she was doing.

  “If you need a friend, I’m usually out on third shift. Catch my eye before mess and I’ll find you.”

  Kyle stared at Tracy, running through what he needed, how long it would take, and, if he would ever use her that way. Could he?

  Tracy knew he was evaluating, but didn’t say anything to convince. Instead, the high school teacher trailed her wrist near his nose as she stepped by.

  Jennifer’s sweet scent slammed into Kyle’s gut, and he grabbed the camp whore’s arm. “Wait.”

  Tracy delivered a sultry look over her shoulder, aware of his eyes on her lips. “Maybe a taste? To be sure?”

  Kyle let go as if burned. Yes, he could pretend with Tracy, if the need got bad enough.

  “I won’t claim you.” Kyle’s tone lowered into misery. “I may never touch you.”

  Tracy shrugged. “You need a friend, one the camp thinks you’re using even if you aren’t. You know that. It’s why you gave us both a chance tonight.”

  Tracy moved away slowly, loving the heat in Kyle’s gaze as he stared at her. He would think about it for a while, but in the end, he would come to her. They all did, because she gave them what they needed. With Kyle, it was wide hips and a maternity-like scent. For others, it might be a piece of clothing or a certain makeup style. It was the small things that a man appreciated, remembered, and rewarded.

  The same was true of females, usually, but in this case, Tracy had big plans for herself. She’d been studying the leadership since she joined Safe Haven and if there was one thing she understood, it was the needs of men. It was something she had gotten so good at while moonlighting as a stripper and that continuing the tradition after the war had felt normal. Apocalypse or not, everyone needed physical contact. It was what kept the human spirit fighting.

  10

  He will be ripped from your arms like grass from the earth. Do not cross that line!

  Angela gasped in terror, jerking awake.

  “Are you okay?”

  Angela was trying to remember how to breathe at the crushing desolation that wanted to overwhelm her. The dream had been so vivid!

  Marc assumed it was one of her old nightmares and shifted, wrapping his arms around her. “I’ve got ya.”

  The long day and pain pills had caught up with her, and she had fallen asleep while they were working on plans. Watching her in the flickering light had been so perfect that Marc hadn’t been able to make himself leave.

  Angela let him rock her, the feel of his warmth easing some of the panic inside. They needed to get Safe Haven ready to leave. Not this area or even this state, but this country.

  It was a lot to take in, even for the witch, and they both huddled in the protection of Brady’s thick arms.

  Marc tried not to notice how good she felt against him or how sweet she smelled. Even after twenty hours, he could still catch a whiff of her vanilla soap. That scent and Angie went together like butter and toast.

  Already covered, Angela shivered at the draft coming in through the flap, and Marc gently dislodged himself to go zip it. He clamped his lips shut to keep from asking if he should leave. All he wanted was a couple more quiet hours alone with her, nothing more.

  Angela watched him come toward the bed, glad she’d chosen to keep the inflatable mattress John had insisted on once she’d abandoned the warehouse for her tent. That had been a week ago, their first moving day after the final battle.

  “Will you hold me?”

  “Anytime you want,” Marc replied immediately.

  Angela folded the blanket back. “Now, Brady.”

  Marc eased onto the mattress with a body that made it difficult to get comfortable until he reached down and made an adjustment.

  Angela looked away with red cheeks, but sank into his warm embrace as soon as he motioned, eager to be close. All the thoughts in her mind were pushing and shoving, trying to get to the front to be solved, and all she wanted was–

  Angela sucked in a breath as Marc settled her against his chest, letting their bodies press close. The hardness in the center of him sent fear into her mind, but his musky scent was also filling her nose with ghosts.

  “Angie?” Marc waited for her to speak, worried she’d frozen.

  “Workin’ through it, Marine. At ease.”

  He grinned in the dim light. She was still growing, changing, and much of it was attractive. Especially with her hair wrapped around his fingers and her body pressed snugly against his hip. Was she ready for the next step? They’d been spending so much time alone together that the camp thought they already had an arrangement.

  Marc knew that wasn’t the same to Angela. If he wanted her against his back at night, he had to ask–make a commitment. That wasn’t an issue on his part. “Will you move in with me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Because the camp already thinks we’re living together.”

  “I said yes.”

  “And Charlie won’t mind, so we’re all good there.”

  “Yes, Marc.”

  “And I don’t expect sex or–”

  “Damn it, Brady!”

  Marc chuckled. “Just needed to be sure.”

  Realizing he’d been teasing her, Angela shoved him off the mattress. “Damn man.”

  Not expecting it, Marc tried to find his balance, but landed on his side with a loud thump.

  Rising to his knees, Marc’s laughter mixed with hers. Heat sparked as their eyes locked.

  “You sure? No rush.”

  “Yes.” Angela held the blanket back again, grinning widely. “Now get under here–my toes are cold.”

  Marc wrapped her up as closely as she would allow, thinking this would be perfect but for her injury and him wanting to–

  “Would you like to kiss me goodnight?”

  “Oh yeah, baby,” Marc groaned.

  Angela flushed in the darkness. “I could stand a little of that, maybe.”

  Marc’s body woke, insisting that she knew what she was ready for. He denied them both.

  “You still have two more weeks before you’re allowed any physical…”

  Angela tilted her chin up, lashes fluttering closed, and Marc surrendered.

  He pressed his mouth to hers, trying not to groan again. My Angie!