From The Ashes (Life After War) (55 page)

“
We’re the flushers. We make the noise, and the rest of the crew captures them in nets.”

“
Taking some alive?”

“
Yes. Chris thinks he can raise these, too.”

Sam shrugged. The vet appeared to be doing well so far. Most of the animals he’d added to the collection were still alive, with quite a few of them pregnant. That thought had need, sharp and heavy, settling into her gut.

Neil leaned over slowly to pull something from the glove box, letting his scent hit her. Charlie wasn’t the only one who was studying these post-war females. The trooper had noticed Sam always used a light spray of perfume. He’d taken it to mean she liked her man to smell good, too, and he subtly waited for any reaction. With the windows up, she should be getting a full blast.

Sam was. Neil’s musky, tempting scent was one of her favorites. Polo on a man with that attitude of control was attention-getting, but she was smart enough to know it was being used as a weapon to wear her down.

Sam hit the window button and began breathing through her mouth.

Neil frowned, quickly sitting back. She didn’t like it. Damn. Something different? Sighing inwardly, the trooper skipped on to the next ambush. He grinned at her. “Ready to go be covered in glory?”

Samantha couldn’t resist his excitement or the challenge. She leered. “You know it.”

Neil did. She wanted the same things that he and the rest of Adrian’s army did–to be useful and be recognized for it. They were a perfect match. If only he could make
her
see that.

Sam joined the men at the rear of the vehicles, taking her air horn and the long, thick leather gloves the flushers were required to wear.

As she and Neil softly stepped towards the far end of the creek bank, the nauseating thrill of battle started to fall over her mind. This is what she’d come for too, as much as human contact. She didn’t have to have a man, but this ego-feeding boost, she’d been desperate for.

“
Ready?”

Sam was unable to keep from flirting at Neil’s innocent question. “Born that way.”

Neil’s eyes flashed with hunger. “Prove it!”

Sam hit the button on her horn instead of grabbing him, and the turkeys scattered.

6

She and Neil stayed back, occasionally hitting their horns to keep the birds from fleeing, and the gunshots rang continuously as the team took aim.

When they’d bagged enough for a good camp stock, nets were brought out to capture the requested dozen. The angry birds fought, and it took them more time to load the netted birds into the trucks than it had to actually capture them with the nets. Turkeys were mean.

“
You gonna live?”

Neil slung blood onto the browning grass. “Affirmative. Just got my first turkey bite. Can’t go until the award shows up.”

Sam had a number of scratches and marks, too, but only Neil’s was bleeding.

Neil did quick first aid, dumping the alcohol over the wounds twice before adding ointment and a bandage.

He looked up as he finished. “Did you do yourself yet?”

Sam flushed at her thoughts, aware of the others lingering at the rear of the trucks. Except for the three snipers in the trees, they were alone. “Later, maybe.”

Neil came over to the hood she was leaning against. None of her injuries appeared to be serious, and he let it go. But he didn’t back off.

“
Can we talk a minute?”

She immediately tensed, and the trooper grunted. “I’ll make it quick, and then you can go back to ignoring me.”

Sam didn’t tell him it was the only way she could leave him alone. “Get it over with, then.”

Neil’s pitch lowered, gaze softening. “I miss you, and I’d like to spend some time together that isn’t work.”

Sam wanted that, too. “Not a good idea, Neil.”

The trooper snapped his mouth shut. “Fine!”

He spun toward the creek to get their used equipment, and Sam followed.

“
Neil, hang on.”

He stopped but didn’t turn, and she sighed again. “I can only treat you guys the same.”

“
You know, by now, that our team will survive?”

Sam concurred ruefully. She should have known Neil was smart enough to understand what she’d done. “Yes.”

“
What can I say to convince you?”

“
I don’t think there is anything. I’m not made for what either of you have in mind.”

Neil spun around, jealous that he wasn’t enough. “What do you want from me?”

“
Why can’t you both be my… friend?”

His response wasn’t a surprise.

“
I can’t share, Sam. I’m barely okay with being your…” He stopped himself.

“
Whore?” she supplied coolly.

Neil winced but didn’t deny the title. “It’s not what I want, but if that’s the only place you have for me, I’ll take it. I don’t even see other women now.”

Sam was instantly elated. It meant he hadn’t picked anyone.

“
I need to think,” she said finally, flooded with nervous confusion. Was she really going to do this to all of them?

Neil grunted. “Take your time, and let me know. I’ve finished my shopping now, and I’m ready to buy or steal, whichever you’ll allow.”

It sent her to their second kiss, to the one he’d wanted for comparison. Apparently, it had done to him, what it had to her.

Sam paused on the way to the truck, nose filled with his scent. She didn’t want the drama, but she did want him. “You smell good, Neil. Too good for a hunting trip.”

The trooper leered, confidence restored. “Wait until you get me fresh out of the shower. Smell like a French whore.”

Sam spun around, ready to let him have it at the continued game when she’d said she needed time to think, and saw he was just as surprised by the spark as she was.

Sam groaned, moving for Shawn’s truck. “Damn you.”

“
For what? I was…”

Splash!

Sam turned back, but didn’t see him. “Where’d you go, Neil?”

Her call had Eagles immediately moving her way, and Sam hurried to the creek edge. Had he fallen in?

Oh, Shit!

“
Shoot it!” Neil ordered, fighting for breath as he was dragged down.

Sam’s hand was fumbling for her gun as her eyes found the end of the large python coiled around Neil’s body. Its mouth was floating on the ripples as they struggled, and she fired without hesitating.

Neil choked, going under as the coils tightened.

“
Neil!” Sam jumped in.

It only took them a minute to get the snake’s corpse off of the trooper and pull him onto the bank, where he lay coughing and chortling.

Sam stayed by his side. “What the hell, Neil? You know things come out of the water now!”

He was still giving the occasional cough. “Distracted.”

Sam flushed as his team frowned at her. “Not my fault. I didn’t switch out members.”

“
But you did show up when you weren’t on the list,” Shawn pointed out. Sam shooting at Neil hadn’t been funny at first, but now, it would become a team joke.

Samantha protested that. “I always go on the hunting runs!”

“
Yes, you do,” Shawn commented, eyeing his team leader. Had Neil left her off of the list on purpose?

“
I didn’t think… you wanted to be around me.”

Neil had started to say us, but hated to draw attention to the way he’d left his XO in camp to take her along.

“
I don’t…” She sighed. “Didn’t. Stop pushing me, Neil!”

Sam shoved to her feet but stayed close. “You want a hand into the truck, or should we just roll your ass back into the damn creek?”

Neil chuckled, full of the adrenalin that came from surviving. “A hand would be nice, thanks.”

The rest of the hunting team watched her slide an arm around his waist and tense when his came up to her shoulders. It was the first time they’d been this close since he’d kissed her, and lust sizzled from both of them. Neil’s reaction was to be expected–he was a man, and he’d almost died. For Sam, though, the needs appeared to be just as great, and none of the team was surprised when she placed a soft kiss to his cold cheek.

“
You gotta stop doing this shit to me, Neil.”

The trooper was so surprised by her action that he grinned like a fool and submitted without any further resistance. “Sorry, Sammi.”

The Eagles chuckled and went to finish loading the turkeys and supplies. It was time to go home.

7

Kevin drew on his courage. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Cynthia looked up in surprise. Other than lessons, the males here hadn’t shown her any interest. She raked him with a brutal gaze.

Kevin was neat and clean, and not so much bigger than her that she would feel intimidated. His body was lean and tight, short, blond hair neatly kept. He looked like an all-American playboy. What did he want with her?

Kevin slid onto the bench without waiting for an invitation, sure there wouldn't be one. “You’re legal now.”

That revealed a lot more than she’d expected, and the reporter leaned back, studying him. She’d seen Kevin watching her, had run into him more than once during her sneaking and spying, but she hadn’t thought it was an attraction on his part.

Kevin waited patiently, taking in her scent, the glint of her hair in the brief sun rays struggling through the grit. He found her sexy and exotic, and always had. Now that she was accepted, and he’d waited long enough to be sure she and Jeremy really were through, he intended to make himself known. The other Eagles hadn’t decided how to handle her yet, except to treat her like a teammate, but Kevin wanted so much more. Especially after sticking his nose in her business.

“
Yes.”

Kevin blinked. “Yes?”

Cynthia snorted, slightly attracted to the heat she read. He wanted her, and wanted her to know it. “When?”

“
After I get back from Little Rock?”

“
Sure.”

Kevin stood up, waving to someone over her shoulder. “I asked Adrian to put us together for some of the training lessons, to see if you might like spending time around me. Is that okay?”

The feeling of being chosen, of it being done publicly, had Cynthia flushing. She was willing to give him the same chance that he was extending to her.

“
Thank you for telling me. I wouldn’t have liked it if I had heard that from the camp.”

Kevin slowly reached forward and took her hand, officially declaring her as his choice. He placed a soft kiss to the back of it and met her eye. “I’ll never lie to you or cheat. I don’t beat women, and I’ll help make you strong enough to kick my ass anytime you feel like it. I’m not much on kids, but we can compromise in the future. Oh, and I like Matt. I could help you with him.”

Cynthia gaped. And they said females delivered too much information at one time!

Realizing he’d revealed more of his feelings than he'd meant to, Kevin let go and stepped back, cheeks dark red. “Sorry.”

He left with a stiff stride that told her she would have to make the next move now, or he wouldn’t come near her again.

The reporter tried not to smile at the feeling as the camp stared at them, but couldn’t stop the curve of her lips. Being wanted felt nice.

8

A loud whistle got Seth's attention, but it was already too late.

“
Becky?”

The couple scrambled for clothes. Despite the beating he and Kyle had taken, they hadn't been banned from their females and were still spending every minute alone with them that they could steal.

“
It’s your mom…”

Peggy froze at the sight.

Seth helped Becky finish pulling the shirt over her bare skin, and then wrapped his Eagles jacket around her shoulders… lovingly adjusting it.

Becky stiffly greeted her parent, “Mom.”

Peggy’s daze broke, and she left Seth's tent without a word.

Now on duty nearby, Samantha saw the older woman and understood where she was going, what she meant to do. The storm tracker reached her before she got to the Mess. “Don’t do it.”

Peggy didn’t answer, too furious.

Sam grabbed at her arm… “Listen…”

Slap!

Sam reeled back from the unexpected hit, letting go.

Peggy turned toward the crowded Mess, toward the people that would help her lynch Seth. It wouldn't take much to convince them fifteen was too young.

Sam grabbed her again, ducking the swing this time. She gave Peggy a light head butt that sent her to the ground.

“
Sit there a minute!”

Peggy didn’t answer, only raised a hand to her throbbing chin and glowered hatefully.

Sam knelt down and kept her words quiet. It didn’t hide her loathing. “This mess is your fault. You were too busy caring for Adrian’s kids to tend your own. You owe her!”

Peggy’s face turned bright red, but she didn’t interrupt.