Both men, tired and restless themselves, grinned as they went to get help with it. Fun was something they hadn’t had in Safe Haven since Matt’s betrayal. It was overdue.

  7

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Angela motioned her team into place. “Yes. I need to know how many of you they’ll kill.”

  The line of men shifted nervously at those words. They’d been called here to assist with a lesson and while they were glad the training tent was empty of witnesses, it didn’t calm the tight stomachs. The females were using live rounds. The men had observed them loading weapons with little of their own skill and the hair on their necks had risen.

  “Everyone ready?” Angela asked as she slid her wrist blade off.

  There were open mouths and the start of protests when she gave the call.

  “Go!”

  The seven males froze in place as the women began shooting.

  Angela’s voice led them through the familiar routine. “Your men are in the line of fire, ladies, as they will be during the battle. You have to pick out ours, from theirs. Second level, go!”

  The females switched from rear targets to those closest to the line of men.

  Angela observed in confidence. These women had loathed the idea. She’d insisted. They would be careful.

  “Damn it!” Jennifer shoved Tracy to the left. “Clear me a line of fire!”

  Tracy grunted, ducking so that Jennifer could hit the target by Kyle, nearly getting it center.

  Tracy rose up to cover Jennifer as she turned to sweep the rear, popping off two quick rounds that sank into targets on either side of Charlie’s head. They weren’t near the center, but the trims were as close as she would come to hitting him.

  Crista pulled the trigger without slowing down, ignoring Jeff’s pale face as she spun to the right. Correctly, it allowed her to get a perfect aim on the farthest target. She sank the shot in with a smooth pull and dropped to her knee.

  Sam spun to cover Crista while she reloaded and Angela clapped, ending the routine.

  “Excellent. Dismissed.”

  The lesson ended quickly, the men free to return to their posts, but Angela knew most of them wouldn’t. Becky’s idea to make them concentrate had been solid. Her girls were sharper now and the men had just observed them in action. They would be eager to offer praise and advice to achieve improvement. After, there would also be stolen moments that Angela was encouraging. If they lost the battle, a few of her survivors may at least carry away a child to give hope for the future.

  Jennifer let Kyle wipe the sweat from her forehead, staring at him. He wasn’t speaking to her like the other men were their females, but she could feel his pride and his misery. The stronger she became, the more she showed that she would be able to care for herself, the unhappier he was.

  Jennifer didn’t like his pain any more than she did her own, but wasn’t sure what to do about it. She couldn’t stay here after everything that had happened, but it wasn’t fair to ask him to go with her. Safe Haven needed him too much. This camp needed her too, but it wasn’t enough of a bond. She’d lost a son here. There was no erasing that ghost.

  Kyle held out an arm to her, eyes speaking volumes. “Can I escort you to your tent?”

  Since the baby, she’d had her own–at her request. Kyle hadn’t argued, only suffered each night until sleep finally claimed him.

  “Your tent would be better.”

  Kyle blinked, surprised.

  Jennifer let out a tired sigh. “I need to feed the baby and I could use a nap.”

  Kyle took that in with a thumping heart. “I’ll find something to do while you rest.”

  “I’ve got something for you to do,” Jennifer directed. “I need to feel your heat for a while, Reece. I’m still pissed. You know that, but I…”

  Her eyes softened against her will. “I miss you.”

  Kyle didn’t say anything, not wanting to push. He slipped his arm into hers and led them to his tent, willing to take whatever she wanted to give.

  He held the flap for her, feeling her small cringe as she ducked under. He quickly thought of a distraction so that she wouldn’t change her mind and send him away or leave for her own quarters.

  “Why wouldn’t Angela tell me why she thought you could talk with the ants?”

  Jennifer shifted the baby into her bassinet. “We’re not allowed to reveal some things for someone else.”

  “Permission is required?” he joked, staying still as she came to get the diaper bag by his feet.

  “Sort-of,” she agreed lightly. “It would have told you too much about me.”

  Before he could open his mouth, Jennifer explained that statement.

  “I can communicate across species. She sensed it. The ants fear me too much, though. I’ve tried.”

  “You’ve killed a lot of them,” Kyle mentioned carefully. “Before she changed the rules.”

  Jennifer didn’t deny that. “The rage had to go someplace. They were abominations then, not allies.”

  Kyle went to the bed and settled in place, leaving her plenty of room. When she sank down next to him and rolled against his hip, he froze. Her arms shifted, coming to rest under his neck and on his chest. Kyle forgot to keep breathing.

  Jennifer laid her head on his shoulder and closed her lids. She was asleep less than a minute later.

  Kyle didn’t move. At some point, he took in enough air to remain conscious. That was the only interruption he allowed.

  8

  Angela rubbed her shoulder. She’d been pushing herself again, but the extra training sessions were mandatory if they were going to pull off what she had in mind.

  “Let me.”

  Adrian’s warm hands on her shoulders were like a match to gasoline. She jerked away. “What do you want?”

  Adrian celebrated even as he mourned. She almost hated him now. Good.

  “To care for you.”

  Angela flushed. “That won’t happen!”

  Adrian let her go, hurting. His plan to make her hate him enough to turn him over was working. By the time Marc’s team returned, she should be pissed enough to let Marc know. When that happened, the wolfman might take matters into his own hands.

  “At last I’ll be out of her way,” Adrian whispered. “Where I can’t keep hurting her and getting away with it.”

  “You could force it, you know. I’ve seen you do it before.”

  Adrian grunted at Kenn’s words. “I wouldn’t let you. I’m no better.”

  “She didn’t want me,” Kenn admitted. “And I always knew it. That’s not the case here, is it?”

  Adrian didn’t answer. Her survival mattered to him and losing this camp would kill her, the same as it would him. His only goal at this point was to make sure that didn’t happen. He planned to accomplish it any way he had to.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Inside and Out

  July 25th

  Double Springs, Alabama

  1

  Angela opened her lids well before the alarm went off, furious. In her dreams, she couldn’t find Marc, only Adrian. It was a crappy start to the day and she rolled from the bed with a low curse as she stubbed her toe on her BOB.

  “Everything okay in there?” Shawn called from the flap.

  “Fine!” Angela snapped, testing her weight on it through the tears. “Buzz off.”

  The surprised Eagle moved back a bit, stung.

  Angela regretted her rudeness, but these men had no idea what a strain she was under. The weight of this plan was almost too much for any one person to carry, let alone her.

  “Damn you,” she muttered. “Damn you straight to hell.”

  Angela pulled her boots and bra on, in that order, and she noticed it.

  “Becoming a soldier finally,” she grumbled, tucking her shirt in. “When I couldn’t care less about being one. Lovely.”

  By the time she finished dressing and made it to the flap, Angela had cooled herself off with a mini-rant, but the anger and frustration was still there, boiling under the surface. It wouldn’t take much to set it free.

  You need a release, the witch stated tersely. We both do.

  Angela sent a mental curse to the witch, feeling the loneliness rise at the thought of Marc.

  “Go do something useful!” Angela spat.

  The witch withdrew angrily as Angela turned to Kevin.

  “Where the hell do you have me today?” Angela snapped.

  He held out a slip of paper. “Team leader for the supply run.”

  Angela broke into a reluctant grin. “Really?”

  Kevin was now very glad they’d done it. “Yes. It has to be undercover, though.”

  Angela was torn. She didn’t want to leave the herd unattended, but she did want out for a while.

  “Adrian will care for them,” Kevin soothed, also glad that Zack had told him she would need to hear those words. He wouldn’t have known on his own.

  “Okay. Now?”

  He waved toward the busy QZ. “Slip into the clothes laying on your cot and get there without being noticed. Easy for an Eagle of your level.”

  Angela laughed and the shield above them roiled with calming blue.

  Adrian observed her happiness in secret, sure she wasn’t aware he’d set it up. When he got as frustrated as she appeared to be, going on a run always helped. It didn’t erase the nerves, but it definitely helped keep them under control.

  “Should she be leaving camp?”

  Adrian shook his head, unable to speak, needing the air. The sight of her happy was so rare that it was enough to distract him from everything else.

  “Do you want me to go along, too?”

  Adrian nodded gratefully. It was something he couldn’t order or ask for openly. It was another one of those things the Marine needed to give willingly and he had.

  Adrian smiled this time, shocking Kenn with the wave of happiness and he left the Marine standing there, trying not to draw the notice of the woman going to the mess. She would get updates, get changed, and then get gone. The only thing better than making her happy for a couple hours like this would have been going with her.

  Adrian waved at the parade of children going by. Field trip day had finally come around for them and they were clearly as ready for it as Angela was. They were jumping, skipping, chattering excitedly on their way to the training tent and he chose to go with them instead of keeping to the solitude of rounds. He didn’t have to worry about it until she left. That wouldn’t be for at least fifteen minutes. He would spend it with his kids.

  2

  Emptying the waste tanks on the campers had become an FND job under Angela’s reign. She wasn’t quick to hand out hard duty and those slots were no longer filled with grumbling troublemakers. Eagles now did that nasty work.

  Jeff wasn’t trying to score points with the bosses by taking a turn on camper work. He was simply tired of the smell and the gauges always sitting at full. A man never knew what camper would be open for his morning business and that was dangerous with the coffee Li Sing served.

  Jeff began refilling the tanks with clean water and carefully rinsed the sewer hose that he’d used to empty the tanks. He then went to the rear of the cart to get the chemicals, feeling content with the work he was doing. He was leading most of the prepping classes that Angela had rolling and he’d helped with a number of others, as well. He was also running the Kai lessons for Neil, doing a steady job of shoving the rookies through so they could start training. All the camp members who were staying were taking the classes unless they had a medical reason not to. Angela wanted them to be able to fight at least a little and buy themselves time to make a run for it.

  It occurred to Jeff that nearly every class she had going on was for personal or group survival, not battling the coming government. It didn’t make him feel any better, though he respected her for trying to make sure some of their people would survive. If she was only preparing them for flight, then she hadn’t seen them winning.

  “Just the opposite, probably,” he told himself, emptying the tanks again to complete the rinse, then adding fresh chemicals. “If that happens, they’ll split up and I need to pick who to go with.”

  Thus, another reason for the FND work. Jeff didn’t have a very high opinion of his worth despite the steady accomplishments. He’d been beaten down during his life too many times to think he’d be chosen to stay with Adrian or Angela unless he was one of those people who could do any chore they needed handled.

  Jeff stripped his gloves and told the duty guard that the camper was now open for business.

  “Looks like you missed something,” Alex said, pointing to a long hose in the grass.

  “Damn,” Jeff swore. “Thought I put that up.”

  A bit embarrassed, he headed for the hose. As he neared it, Jeff realized it was too long to be the sewer hose. He drew his gun.

  Crista was working out with the team near the creek and she stumbled when she spotted Jeff with his gun out. She caught herself before she hit the ground, then took off running toward him. With her gun in hand.

  The other rookies understood there was a problem and hurried to back her up. Also with their guns in hand.

  When Jeff began firing, they followed his lead, never questioning what they were killing.

  Adrian watched it happen with pride–in his own achievements–but also in Angela’s. These females never would have come forward and done so well without her rising to the challenge first.

  Adrian went to the mess, where lunch was being cooked. The kids were getting samples from Li. The smells of fresh corn and cabbage were enough to make everyone drool.

  “Look out!”

  Adrian spun in time to see Tracy being dragged into the creek by a long arm that wasn’t human.

  He rushed to help, but was easily beaten by the two teenage boys that flew by him and dove into the creek without any thought of their own lives.

  “Get them out of there!” Angela shouted, running full out from the mess.

  There was no doubt that she would be the next one in the water.

  Adrian motioned to Jeff and Alex, then tackled her.

  “Get off of me!”

  Adrian yanked her up and shoved her into the arms of the waiting Eagles. “Stay on land! That’s an order!”

  Angela was still struggling to get free when Adrian dove into the water.

  3

  Charlie gasped air in and returned to the bottom of the creek, where the snake had Tracy wrapped up. He shoved his mouth to hers, sending his thought. Breathe slower. Eagles are here.

  Tracy was in panic, thrashing wildly, and Charlie held her still so that he could force the air into her. As soon as she took it in, he lunged for the surface, lungs on fire.

  “There he is! Grab him!”

  With no time to explain, Charlie dove back under to avoid the hands and swam down to find Adrian with his mouth to Tracy’s.

  Grateful, Charlie treaded the bottom and waited until Adrian had to go up for air.

  Around them, the Eagles were hacking at the huge snake with their knives, but doing little damage. When the python began to roll, Tracy was ripped from Adrian’s arms.

  Magic burst out in a blaze of heat that seared the water.

  The snake recoiled, loosening its grip, and Charlie tugged Tracy’s limp body from its reach. He shoved his mouth to hers as he propelled them to the surface.

  Not about to let go of her, Charlie shoved her against the bank and began doing CPR.

  On his right, Adrian popped up and took over the chest pumps while Conner came to their left to help hold her up.

  Tracy coughed violently and sucked air into a burning set of lungs, and Charlie leaned back.

  Not sure what was going on, Tracy clutched at his arm. The teenager slid an arm around her waist as they carried her onto land.

  Charlie sank down next to her as she went to her knees, taking ragged breaths. He didn’t feel the entire camp’s attention on them as he leaned his head against hers.

  Tracy felt his magic warming her, easing the panic. “Thank you.”

  Charlie shuddered with the adrenaline rush and the terror that was slowly subsiding. “I almost lost you.”

  Charlie’s words caused approval and surprise in equal measure.

  Embarrassed and cold, Tracy tried to make light of it. “One less rookie to care for, right?”

  “Don’t do that!” Charlie growled, sounding so much like his father that all of those listening realized he’d grown up again.

  Tracy sighed, shivering. “Ok-kay.”

  Charlie took the blanket from Adrian and wrapped it around her shoulders, then stood them up. “Come on. I want you checked out.”

  Still appearing unaware of his audience, Charlie didn’t look at anyone else, only the woman shivering against his hip as he led her away.

  Angela watched, resigned. Charlie and Tracy were a match. He’d chosen his first mate, too young or not, and there was nothing she could do to stop it that wouldn’t destroy her own relationship with him.

  “It could be worse,” Adrian stated, also watching the couple talk quietly as they entered the medical tent.

  Angela shrugged. “It’s not her I mind, you know? He’s just not supposed to be ready for this yet.”

  “You’re the one who isn’t ready.”

  She snorted. “You can say that again.”

  Adrian waited for her to blast him about being tackled, but Angela only returned to the mess for updates before she left camp. She’d been about to sit down when the panic wave from Charlie had hit her. Adrian had been right to hold her. She hadn’t been able to stop herself.

  Relieved, Adrian motioned to the dripping men and women to get changed, and the crowd slowly dispersed.

  Left alone to clean up, Jeff and Crista examined the thing that had started all the trouble.

  The item wasn’t a hose or a snake, but a long worm. Jeff intended to ask Samantha if it could be used for the garden or if it would ruin the plants. He knew most worms could be cut and they would regenerate.