After the Ending (15 page)

Chris leaned the side of her head against mine. “We’ll
just have to be each other’s home.”

Ky laughed softly. “Are you ladies gonna cry? ‘Cause if
you are, I’ll just be on my way,” he teased, but he didn’t move an inch.

“Ha! As if you’d ever give up the chance to cozy up with
us.” Chris gave him a friendly slap on the gut.

“I hate to interrupt this…whatever it is,” Jason cut in
from behind us, “but I need to talk to Dani. Alone.”

Ky’s arm retracted from my shoulders like he’d been
burned, and he hopped a yard away. “Right. Of course.” He ducked his head and
hurried off.
Weird.

Chris’s arm tightened around my waist as Jason stepped in
front of us. “You too, Johnson. And take Jack,” he said.

She let go of me and stepped so close to him that their
shoes nearly touched. “If you make her cry, I’ll punch you,” she threatened.

“Really?” Jason’s eyes strayed to my face. “Looks like
you’ve already done a pretty good job of it. Does that mean
I
get to
punch
you
?” I hadn’t even noticed the wetness streaking down my cheeks.

“Those are happy tears, you ass,” Chris snapped before
stomping off with my dog. Chris and Jason’s friendship was…strange.

“Dani, I know you’re probably angry, but—”

I stepped closer to him, and he tensed. “Angry?” I
hissed. “You think I’m angry? Try pissed. Try frustrated to the point of
needing to scream. Grams, your dad—who knows who else—might need us right now,
and we could get there in a few hours. But no, we’ll sit here for
three days
while they might be
dying
.”

Reaching out, he grabbed my shoulders tightly. “Fuck,
Dani, I know! Don’t you think it’s the same for me? Don’t you think it’s
killing me to be so close and not be able to help them?”

“I don’t know!” I practically yelled. My gaze dropped to
the flagstone driveway beneath our feet. “How could I possibly know what you’re
feeling? You never talk about it. For all I know, you don’t even care.” I met
his eyes, pleading. “Please, Jason, just let me go with Chris. We’ll find a car
and get down there tonight. We won’t take any of the group’s supplies, and you
can stay here with everyone else and honor your agreement.”

He swallowed and opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Intently, his eyes searched mine.

“Please, Jason,” I begged, my chin trembling.

Suddenly, he pulled me against him in a tight hug and
rested his cheek atop my head. “I’m sorry, Dani. I can’t let you go. I’m so
sorry.”

An avalanche of tears poured down my cheeks, accompanied
by hiccups and moans. Jason hid me in his arms as my sobs played out, sparing
me the shame of breaking down in front of everyone.

Once my tears had dried, he walked me up to the room I
was sharing with Chris and settled me on the bed. He sat on the edge, reminding
me of the incident that morning—how good his fingers had felt on my skin.

“But my stuff,” I mumbled, hoping to keep his mind from
the same topic mine had drifted to.

He pointed to a corner of the room where my pack and
duffel bag sat. “Chris already brought everything up.”

“Oh. Where is she?” I asked. I sounded like a lost little
girl.

“I think she’s helping with dinner. Dani, I—”

“I know,” I interrupted. If he stayed much longer, tried
to comfort me some more, I’d start crying again. “Can I just be alone for a
little while?”

“Sure,” he replied and leaned in to brush a stray curl
out of my eyes before standing. “I’ll send Jack up.”

“Thanks.”

When Jason opened the door, we were both surprised to
find my dog sitting patiently in the hallway. He trotted in and hopped onto the
bed beside me for some much-needed cuddling. As I curled around him, I heard
the door shut quietly.

While I lavished attention on Jack, I felt something odd
attached to his collar. I lifted my head so I could see it and found a folded
piece of paper wrapped around the leather band. Curious, I unwound and unfolded
the paper. Feminine, bubbly handwriting covered the page.

Dani-

You have a very
important choice to make tonight. You need to leave. If you’re still here by
sunrise, we’ll kill Jason and Chris, and then you and your dog. If you tell
them about this note, they’ll come after us and we’ll defend ourselves. Any
spilled blood, like my sister’s, will be on your hands. If you and your mutt
leave before morning, we’ll continue on peacefully. Without you, there won’t be
any more conflict. Make the right choice. Go.

Jack whined as the note slipped from my grasp. A single
train of thought echoed through my mind.
I can’t lose him.

Zoe

From my makeshift desk in the mess hall, I could feel Jones’s
mood—black and bitter—as he strode in. The stark, empty dining room was
suddenly charged with an incessant hum, like mosquitoes trapped in a megaphone.
I had the sudden urge to flee, but I didn’t move.

Meandering over to my table in the corner, Jones smiled
and asked, “Zoe, my dear, how’re you holding up?” He leaned his back against
the wall mere feet from me, crossing his arms and ankles nonchalantly like we
were friends catching up on old times.
Creep
.

We were indebted to him for letting us stay on base, so I
knew I needed to keep my snide comments to myself as much as possible. I wasn’t
about to schmooze with him though. “I’m fine, thanks,” I replied. “What can I
do for you, Captain?”

“What are you working on?” he asked a little too
curiously, ignoring my question. He stole a glimpse at my computer screen, but
I closed the lid before he could read my email to Dani.

Although I couldn’t see his exact thoughts, I could feel
his emotions prickling my skin ominously, leaving unwanted goose bumps in their
wake. Alarm rang in my mind, but I ignored it—the group was down the hallway if
I needed them.

“So tell me a little bit about yourself, Zoe.” Jones
paused briefly. “What happened to your family? Are they in Massachusetts? Is
that where you’re from?” Although his questions were harmless enough, his
emotions felt malicious. I didn’t trust him.

Seeing my wariness, he feigned offense. “Oh come now, my
dear. We’re practically family now.”

My eyes narrowed. Realizing I was displaying my distaste
for him too openly, I turned away and began packing up my computer. “I haven’t
heard from them,” was all I said.

“Do you have a history of mental illness in your family?”

I froze.
Why the
hell would he ask me if my family is crazy?
My thoughts lingered on the
word ‘crazy’, and a feverish hatred suddenly burned through my body.
Fucking Dave told him. Did he tell anyone
else? Harper and Sarah would’ve talked to me themselves if they knew…

My first instincts were to deny everything and to claim
Dave had misinterpreted my meaning. I’d been drunk and only quasi-coherent;
everyone could attest to that. But Jones had approached me alone for a reason,
and my instincts told me to keep quiet. Something wasn’t right—Jones was a
snake trying to poison me with his words.

“What are you getting at, Sir?” My tone was more annoyed
than I’d anticipated.

Jones smirked sadistically and reached for my hair like
an affectionate father. He stopped before touching me, and after hesitating for
a moment, lowered his hand. “You have a little spunk in you. Dave said you were
different.” Pausing, he waited for his words to ignite some sort of response.
When my granite expression remained, he continued, “Perhaps you’re a little
too
different for Dave. He thinks you might be a…what’d he call it? Oh yes, a
Crazy
.”
He snorted with laughter. “But, I’m sure you already know that, don’t you?” he
asked, searching my face for recognition.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” I simpered, wondering if
batting my eyelashes would be taking it too far. Having this guy as an enemy
wasn’t making me feel warm and fuzzy.

“Don’t be coy, girl,” Jones snapped. “Telling me
everything will only help you. I guarantee it.”

Yeah, right.
His presence alone was threatening. I
could feel his agitation; he was wound up and ready to burst. He considered
himself superior to me and was pissed off that he had to placate me—a lowly
woman—to get the answers he sought. I wasn’t sure how I knew that exactly, but
his emotions were growing stronger by the second. His aggression thrummed
through me, and my heartbeat quickened in panic.

“I think you misunderstand me, Captain. Perhaps you can
explain what you want from me.”

Full of self-satisfaction, he said, “You wonder why I’m
not completely freaked out like your friend, Dave. I’ll tell you a little secret.”
He leaned in closer. “You’re not
that
special. I’ve seen others like
you. I’ve
killed
people like you.”

I pretended to be indifferent as I finished packing up,
but inside, my heart pounded like it was trying to break out of my chest. It
took everything I had to appear calm. W
ho the hell is this guy? How many
people has he killed?
He said he’s seen others like me…

Curiosity overpowered caution, and against my better
judgment, I dilly-dallied. I could feel beads of sweat forming in my cleavage.
“What ‘others’ are you referring to? I’m dying to know,” I taunted unwisely.

“That doesn’t concern you.” Jones sat down next to me,
gripping my arm firmly to keep me sitting. “What you need to worry about is
what your friends will do if they find out you’re a
freak
. We got rid of
ours.” He let his words sink in, then continued with false kindness. “I only
want to help you.”

Jones’s concern was enough to make me vomit, and
apparently my disgust was blatantly displayed on my face. He sighed in
irritation. “Look, let’s cut the shit.”

“Finally,” I grumbled.

Instantly, he was furious; it radiated off of him. “If
you want me to keep quiet about your
secret
, you better do the same for
me.” His tone was harsh, and his words promised that really bad things would
happen to me if I disobeyed. “I’ve got a good thing going on here, and I don’t
need anyone poking around where they don’t belong.” He jabbed his index finger
against my chest.

For a brief moment I wondered what Jones was hiding, but
then an image flashed in my mind; it was of one of the women I’d met when we’d
arrived. She was naked in his bed, scared and crying.

Without warning, his calloused hand grabbed the back of
my neck roughly, and my body tensed with fear. Low and venomous, he said, “I
know girls like you. You always get in the way.”

In that moment, I saw his plan to kill me. I saw his
combat knife slicing into my side and then into my chest. A gun would be too
loud, bringing too much attention too quickly. I didn’t know if he was
threatening me with the horrific image of my death or if he was merely
contemplating how he’d do it, but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t remain near him
a moment longer.

“Get your hands off me!” I demanded, but his fingers
constricted. I muffled a shriek as my head snapped back.

Jones’s face was inches from mine, and I could smell his
rank, sour breath. His eyes bored into mine as he hissed, “You see, girl, I’m a
Captain in the United States Army, and I have
zero
tolerance for
bullshit. Don’t even think about getting close to my girls. Don’t cause any
problems or ask any questions. I
won’t
tolerate it!”

“You’re crazy!” I snarled, trying to pull out of his
grasp.

“That may be, but I’ve got my eyes on you. If I see you
so much as look at anyone in a way I don’t like, I
will
gut you like a
pig. You know I will.”

I couldn’t breathe. The room started to close in around
me.
His
anger and
my
fear waged a war in my head until I could
neither discern nor push the emotions away. I couldn’t ignore them. I thought
of Dave’s betrayal as my death replayed over and over in my head.

Somehow, I managed to tear myself from Jones’s painful
hold and flee. I raced outside into the freezing cold of the late afternoon.
Through tear-blurred eyes, I could barely see two feet in front of me. I didn’t
care.

After what seemed like an eternity of aimless running, I
finally stopped, my throat raw from inhaling the frigid air. My body was numb
with cold, and pain lanced my sides. I had no idea how far I was from my
friends.

I doubled over, dry heaving. I wished I could expel all
the negative energy balled up inside me, but nothing would or could come out. A
tree trunk supported me as I focused on controlling my breathing.

He’s insane!
He’s going to kill me…it’s only a
matter of time.
“I need to find Harper,” I said, trying to rally myself,
but my voice came out raspy and indistinct.

Looking around, I figured I was in the woods that butted
up against the side of the base. The long shadows caused by the setting sun
reminded me that winter wouldn’t be merciful if I stayed outside much longer. I
was improperly dressed for the frigid weather, my long-sleeved shirt and jeans
offering little protection from the breeze that crept in through the trees. But
I wasn’t ready to go back.

Standing up straight and composing myself, I heard Dani’s
voice in my head.
Come on, Zo! You’re smarter than him…and you have an
advantage.
I thought of the strange power budding inside me and tried to
imagine how I could use it against Jones, but I couldn’t come up with anything.
I desperately clung to the hope that he was full of shit. But I’d seen his
plan…I’d felt his determination like it was my own. If I didn’t do something to
stop him, he’d
find
a reason to kill me.

Hearing a branch snap behind me, I spun around. Taylor,
Jones’s lackey, stood only a few feet away, watching me. His breath was visible
with every exhale, and in the twilight his smile was demonic.
Shit.

“This is gonna be
so
much fun,” he said, chuckling
devilishly. His eyes lingered on my exposed neck and heaving chest, and his
hands twitched at his sides. He licked his quivering lips.

As I registered what Taylor wanted, dread washed over me,
making me jittery and queasy. “What the fuck’s wrong with you people!” I
screamed, and my throat seared in pain. I turned away to run, and he sprang at
me. Grabbing my arm, he yanked me toward him, and I immediately jerked back.
“Don’t touch me, you son of a bitch!” I slapped at his hands. Unrequested, I
could feel the excitement coursing through him. Once again, my unwanted ability
to feel people’s emotions was making it difficult to focus.

Taylor’s hold tightened as he laughed and shook his head.
“It’s funny that you think there’s something wrong with
us
.”

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me against his chest.
His breath scorched the back of my neck as he jerked me to the ground. I
struggled against him, but it didn’t do any good. My forehead slammed against
the hard earth, and my shoulder screamed in pain upon impact. As I felt his
tongue sample the delicate skin on my neck, I broke out in a cold sweat. His
mouth was slimy and hot, and my body tensed at the thought of what he might do
next.

“Get off me, you psycho!” I shrieked. “What do you people
want from me?” But I already knew the answer—like with Jones, I could see
Taylor’s plan as it played out in his mind. He was going to beat me until I
couldn’t move, undress me one article of clothing at a time, and then he was
going to rape me—and probably kill me.

Refusing to accept such a fate, I fought back. Taylor
rolled me onto my back, and I jerked my knee up, aiming for his groin, but his
body was too close. I attempted to bite him, but his sweaty palm slapped me so
hard my jaw popped. I was momentarily stunned.

“Oh come on. I just
wanna
play
with a pretty girl.” He wrestled with me, trying to control me; his spittle
sprayed the side of my face. In that moment, I knew what cattle felt like in
the rodeo—being roped into submission, humiliated and helpless. But I wasn’t
helpless. He’d have to beat me unconscious before I let him violate me.

Distracted by the sight of my exposed stomach, Taylor’s
hold on my right arm loosened. I tore it away from him, gouging the side of his
face with my nails.

He froze in surprise and pain before slapping my face
again. “You stupid bitch!” Anger had replaced his taunting playfulness, and he
punched me in the gut. I gasped for air, feeling like my insides had exploded.

“You’re gonna get it now,” he promised.

Terrified, I started screaming and struggling with every
ounce of energy I could muster.

Surprised by my sudden display of might, Taylor studied
me with dangerous amusement. “You’re a feisty—” He paused, his eyes darting
around the darkening woods. “You hear something?”

All I could hear was my muffled cries as I struggled to push
him away. “Go to hell!” I screamed and kneed him in the groin, causing him to
choke in pain. I elbowed him in the face before scrambling to my feet. As I
took my first step to run away, his hand wrapped around my ankle.

“No!” I sobbed as my other ankle twisted and I collapsed
to the cold ground again.

That was when I heard it—a dog’s snarl and a man’s
infuriated voice. “Let go of her, Taylor.”

My vision was too blurred with tears to see the
newcomers, but I continued to struggle. Surprise had loosened Taylor’s hold,
and I was finally able to scurry away, putting several yards between us. I
crouched against the trunk of a tree, trying to salvage what little remained of
my shredded composure.

“What the hell are you doing here, Vaughn? I thought you
were dead.” Taylor shook his head as he stood, momentarily forgetting about me.
The stranger nodded to the Husky at his side, and it trotted over to me. I
shrank away, unsure what it would do, but the dog only nuzzled my face and
hands.

I attempted to wipe the moisture from my eyes so I could
see more clearly. The sweat on my hands was like glue, picking up loose leaves
and dirt
from the frozen ground, and the debris
scraped my stinging skin; the tender spots on my cheeks were throbbing.

The man—Vaughn—stood in the distance, and although I
couldn’t see the expression on his face, I could tell he was a solid force to
be reckoned with. I detested the thought of anyone seeing me in such a state,
but I was immensely grateful he’d shown up.
He just saved my life
.