Then There Was You Part 16

Dane smiled in victory as the lever made a tiny click and the bookshelf popped open. Beyond the opening, a staircase led to the second floor. He listened for noise but didn't hear anything. He crept onto the stairs then closed the bookshelf door behind him. Without a knife, or a shard of gla.s.s, or any kind of weapon gripped in his hand, raw vulnerability threatened to suffocated him. Fear of the unknown throbbed through his body with his racing pulse.

"Is anyone up here?" he called, figuring it wise to announce his arrival rather than be an intruder. "I'm Sara's friend."

Silence.

At the top of the stairs, he found what looked like a converted apartment. The s.p.a.ce was much larger than it looked from the outside. A small kitchen, minus the appliances, on the left contained a table, chairs, counter, and portable camping stove, making it seem sort of welcoming even if it didn't have everything a traditional home would have.

The middle opened up to a living room area with a fireplace, a couch, and tables with what looked like oil lamps. On the right, three doors led to additional rooms. Two were small bedrooms with bunk beds to sleep six, and between them, the last room had been made into a bathroom of sorts, with a portable toilet and washbasin.

Once again, Sara's family and their resourcefulness and planning amazed him. They'd thought of everything. He had no doubt there were probably enough supplies stashed out of sight in this apartment to last months.

On closer inspection, he found ashes in the fireplace, food ration wrappers in a makes.h.i.+ft garbage, and filtered water in gla.s.s bottles on the counter. Everything looked as if it had been used recently, but he couldn't determine if her family had been here last night, last week, or within the last month.

His hope soared with the notion that maybe Sara had used the fireplace. Maybe Sara made it here to eat, drink and rest. Dane's chest burned when he thought about her getting taken away, what she might have had to do to escape to make it here.

Dane searched the cabinets for food options, deciding on a protein bar and a snack-sized bag of freeze-dried apples. Grabbing a jar of water from the counter, he gulped half of it, which did little to quench the thirst he'd worked up since losing his supplies.

He got to work on a fire next. As soon as night settled in another few minutes, the smoke from the chimney would disappear against the dark sky. The hearth should be far enough away from any windows that the glow of firelight wouldn't give him away to anyone pa.s.sing by. A couple of logs sat in a basket as well as a stack of books. By the look of the one on the top, which started at page eighty-one, whoever had been here had been using the novels as kindling. He followed suit then settled onto the couch, stretching out his aching legs toward the fire.

As the heat warmed him, he fought to keep his eyes open long enough to eat. With his belly full, he gave in to exhaustion and curled up on the couch, hoping that soon Sara would be there.

Dane woke to the sound of a creaking floorboard beyond the couch. In an instant, his mind sharpened and focused. His body tensed, aching for a weapon. If he could reach his gla.s.s water jar, he could smash it and use the remains to slash his way out of the house if needed.

He braced against the couch, ready to jump...to fight.

"Dane!" He didn't have time to register the owner of the voice before a body dropped down beside the couch. Hands gripped his s.h.i.+rt tight in fists as Sara's sweet scent filled the air around him.

"Sara?" he questioned, disbelieving his own senses. Without waiting for a reply, he sat up and scooped her into his arms, holding her tight to his chest, kissing the top of her head. "You're here. Are you hurt? How did you get away? Where were you?" he rambled while checking her for bruises, cuts, or any other signs of harm.

He set her down onto the couch beside him, and she cringed. His chest ached when she gave a gasp of evident pain. "You're hurt. Where?"

"My feet. From the forest. I ran away, barefoot. I'll be fine in a couple of days."

So many questions filled his mind with Sara in his arms again. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe. No one would ever hurt her again. No one would ever take her from him. He'd die protecting her.

He clenched his jaw against the question he had to ask even if he feared the answer. "Did they...?" His voice caught in his throat. "If they hurt you...touched you...I'll...."

She shook her head, biting her lip as tears pooled in her eyes. She took a moment to compose herself before speaking. "You found it. I knew you would," Sara said, ignoring his questions. She wrapped her hands around his head and pulled him down to kiss her.

His mouth on hers felt like watching the most amazing sunset, warm and comforting. It made him hungry for more. It fueled his kisses, prompted his hands roam her body. He'd lost her, for a time, and having her with him again was a gift he never thought he'd get.

"I would have gone anywhere to find you."

"And you did. I knew you would be waiting for me." Sara peered into his eyes, and he saw the unspoken questions on her mind. His heart ached for her.

"They weren't here when I found this place, darlin'." Sara sucked in a shaky breath, and he held her tighter, wis.h.i.+ng for a way to take away her fears. "But I'm pretty sure someone has been recently."

"I thought for sure they'd make it." Her voice broke.

"Sara, look at me." He took her head in his hands and forced her eyes to meet his. "I saw evidence of someone being here before me. I'm not sure how long ago, but the filtered water on the counter is fresh, so it can't have been more than a few days."

"There's water?" she whispered, and he noticed how dry her lips were.

"Of course. You stay here and rest. I'll get you some."

Dane returned to her side a minute later with another jar of water and a selection of food from the cabinet. Her family wouldn't love him scrounging through their stockpile and taking what he wanted without thought of rationing, but Sara needed it, so he didn't give a s.h.i.+t.

She accepted the food and water. While she ate, she stared at the fire. He waited as long as he could before giving in to the questions racing through his mind.

"How did you get in here without me hearing you? The front door hinges squeak, and the latch on the door to the stairs is clunky. I know I'm tired, but it's a little concerning you could make it all the way to the couch without me knowing."

Sara smirked, a bit of her old spark returning. "There's another way in. Do you think we wouldn't have an alternate route in and out of our shelter? Silly, unprepared boy."

"Hey, I've done pretty well by us. I'll have you remember those fighting lessons I gave you and how critically important those have turned out to be. You wouldn't even know how to use a weapon if I hadn't shown you."

At the mention of weapons, her smile faded and her shoulders drooped. She went back to staring at the fire again as if lost in her own thoughts. A line of tears crested her lower lids, sliding down her cheeks.

Dane wiped them away with his thumb and pulled her into the protection of his embrace. "It's okay. You're safe here with me." Anger at an unknown enemy spiked inside him, and he wished he could lash out at the person who'd done this to Sara.

"I killed him. They were going to take me to their camp and...." A s.h.i.+ver rippled through her whole body.

"It's over," he whispered, trying his best to comfort her. "You did what you had to do. I'm proud of you. You're strong and resilient. Other people would have succ.u.mbed to their fate, but not you. You find a way to fight. And you'll fight to put that moment in the past, too. I know you will. You're a survivor."

"You gave me strength, even when you weren't there. I kept hearing your voice inside my head, yelling at me to fight. So I did."

"You did good, darlin'. You did so good."

Sara ate quietly for a while, and Dane sat with her, happy to be with her again. The urgency of the last few days faded as if the world outside the bookstore didn't exist anymore-those terrible people who'd taken Sara where bad memories waiting to be forgotten, the virus nothing more than a cold. He didn't care about the world out there as long as he could share this reality, in here with her.

Chapter Twenty-Four.

Sara couldn't stop the disappointment from bubbling up in her chest. She'd been so happy to find Dane waiting for her she'd put her family out of her mind. But she'd had a chance to relax after her long journey to the bookstore, and she couldn't help but wonder if it had been worth it since everyone else wasn't here.

Sure, there'd been some evidence of use, but it could've been anyone, and it could've been from days ago. They both knew how much could change in a couple of days. What if whoever had been here had left and been attacked? They could be out there somewhere, hurt, or worse. The unknown ate at her rational thought.

Maybe she should face the facts. The odds of reuniting with her loved ones had long since disappeared. Dane had become her family. He had been since the cabin.

"What should we do next?" Sara asked.

He looked rough after being on the road for days. He'd been caring for her since the second he'd woken up to find her in the bookstore apartment, but by the layer of grime covering him head to toe, he needed a little care and attention, too. He needed to get cleaned up, into fresh clothes, and if the bags under his eyes were any indication of fatigue, he needed about a week's worth of uninterrupted sleep.

"You mean after I have my way with you in front of the fireplace?" Dane's eyes twinkled in the firelight. How the man could have such a strong s.e.x drive in times of crisis amazed her. Nonetheless, her body responded to his suggestion as warmth pooled low in her belly.

"That's not what I meant," she said, scooting a few feet away from him, so she had some hope of conversation before he got in the mood. "I mean, what do we do next? Wait here for someone to show up again? Go back to the bunker? Make this our new home?"

"All of those sound plausible to me, and I'll do whatever it is you want to do. I've learned not to try and stop you when you get your heart set on something."

"Are you trying to placate me, so you get to the making out part faster?"

"Is it working?"

"No. We need a plan. I'm tired of winging it. I want to make a good decision for a change. One we both agree on."

After a long pause, Dane spoke. "I think we should wait here a few days, as long as it stays safe, and see if your family returns. I believe they were the ones here before since the bookshelves hiding this apartment were all in place when I arrived. Then, if no one comes, we gather as much as we can from here and head to the bunker. It's a safer location. This time we'll travel on foot through the woods, so we can go undetected."

Sara weighed the options. Walking for days through the woods sounded torturous to her sore feet. They could also go to the colony like Travis had offered. At least it was closer, and after experiencing a taste of what the colony could offer them, it might be nice to live with a community of people instead of by themselves in the isolated bunker.

"After I got away," she began. Dane's jaw bulged when he clenched his teeth together, like he did every time he had to listen to something he didn't want to hear. "Some nice people found me. They took me to this little camp they'd set up called the colony. They had shelter and some food and supplies. They gave me new clothes and shoes. They were nothing at all like the other people we've met. Travis, the doctor, he invited me back anytime to live there."

Dane's eyes narrowed. "He did, huh? Awfully nice for a complete stranger. Did Travis' wife think you should join the colony, too?"

"I don't think he's married, but what does his marital status have to do with anything?"

"A lot." Dane stood and paced, more agitated than she'd ever seen him. "Did he offer you a puppy if you bring them all the supplies you have? Did you tell them where you were going? Did you even mention me when he offered you a place at his table?"

She heard the real words, but his tone implied "in his bed." Sara's heart raced, her cheeks heated with anger and frustration. "What? They were nice people. I thought it might be a good option for us. Together. Of course, I mentioned you. I made it clear I had a boyfriend. Maybe past tense had been the right term to use, if you're going to act like a jealous idiot."

"Just how nice was this Travis guy?"

"Nice enough not to hit me, if that's what you're getting at!" All the stress and anger, all the pain and frustration of the last few weeks flew out of her. She'd never been so angry with him. "I can't believe you would even go there for one fleeting second after everything we've been through together."

Dane turned on her. "What do you expect me to think? You've done nothing but insist on how important it is to stay away from people for the last month. Every discussion with you has been about laying low, hiding out in the bunker, keeping secrets. All of a sudden, some doctor asks you to join his little colony and you're jumping at the chance?"

"Maybe I was wrong about everything!" Sara couldn't stop from yelling any more than she could stop her eyes from tearing up.

"Maybe I was, too! Maybe I was wrong to follow you onto not one, but two wild goose chases to find your family."

Sara's mouth dropped open for a second before she clamped it shut. She balled her hands into fists at her sides, trying to channel her anger into them. "I never said you had to come with me."

"You didn't leave me any choice. I had to come to protect your a.s.s, so I could make sure you lived long enough to find your family, if they're even still around to be found. If I'd had any choice, I would have stayed in the cabin and defended my home instead of following you around like a guard dog and pack mule."

Sara opened her fists and slammed her palms into Dane's chest, shoving him away from her as hard as she could. He stumbled a few steps, shock registering on his face before he found his footing and stormed up to her again.

"A lot of good you did me. They were going to rape me! Three of them. I had to kill one and run. And where were you, huh? So don't tell me I can't save myself, because I can. I don't need you."

Sara sucked in a breath when a tear beaded in the corner of Dane's eye. He blinked a few times, and it vanished, making her wonder if she'd actually seen it or if it had been wishful thinking that he'd feel so deeply about what she'd been through.

Her chest heaved, her lungs burned, as she tried to catch her breath. But the pain and anger coursing through her made it impossible. She wanted to run away. Away from Dane and the men in the woods. Away from the pain and disappointment of not finding her family again. Away from the virus stealing everything from her.

Instead, she crumpled to the floor in front of the fireplace and wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking.

The door to the apartment flew open, slamming into the wall. Sara startled and shrieked, clambering to her feet. Dane faced their intruder, his body positioned in front of Sara. The gesture made her feel a tiny bit less p.i.s.sed off at him.

"Get out of here. Stay away!" Dane challenged.

"Who the h.e.l.l are you?" the intruder asked.

"Josh?" Sara stepped out from behind Dane. She didn't believe her own ears, but her eyes couldn't deceive her. By the door stood a man who looked as if he'd slept in a bush somewhere, twigs in his hair, grime smeared on his face and clothing, a frantic glint in his eyes.

"Sara?" He rushed to her and hugged her so tight she thought her ribs might break. "I don't even believe it's you."

Sara tried to blink away tears. "I could say the same, big brother."

"How did you get here? Where were you?" Josh stepped away enough to look at her before hugging her again.

"I went to the bunker, but you guys never came."

"We tried. The roads were parking lots, and then a curfew was implemented. We couldn't make it any farther."

"We?" Hope filled her voice. It was amazing enough to see Josh again, but the possibility of seeing the rest of her family overwhelmed her too much to think about. "Sue? Mom and Dad?"

"We made it. All of us did. You were the only one missing." Josh squeezed her shoulder before letting her go, his gaze s.h.i.+fting to Dane. His hand went to the gun at his hip.

"Josh, this is Dane. Dane, this is my brother Josh." Sara could tell neither man wanted to trust the other. "Dane took me in right after the virus. .h.i.t. He taught me to fight and use weapons."

"And you brought him with you?" Josh stared at her with a mix of shock and anger. "You weren't supposed to tell anyone about this place. No matter what."

"Well, I did. Get over it. He's with me, so you'll have to get used to him." Her gaze s.h.i.+fted to Dane. Sure, they'd just torn a strip off each other, but he still loved her, didn't he?

Dane walked to stand beside her and placed his hand on her lower back, answering her silent question. "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." He held out his hand.

Josh eyed him for a moment but didn't shake it. "Well, I've heard nothing about you, so you'll forgive me when I'm rude and tell you to get the h.e.l.l out."

"I'll leave when Sara asks me to and not a second before." Dane's hand tightened on her waist, silently giving away his annoyance.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Josh looked around the living room. "This place won't be ours much longer." He wandered into the kitchen and started stuffing food rations into a backpack.

"What're you talking about?" Sara followed him. Her nerves had been shot for so long, she didn't think she could handle any more stress or bad news.

"Pack up. Grab your s.h.i.+t. We have to go." Josh motioned for the two of them to hurry up.

"Dane, there should be a bag in the closet around the corner." She opened her pack from the colony and shoved some food into it, then into Dane's when he reappeared at her side with a bag in his hands. "Why are we packing up? What's going on?"

"The people in town are p.i.s.sed. They figured out we were up here with supplies the whole time. Like it's our fault they didn't prepare. Anyways, we tried to throw them off the scent by spending a few days away, but then I got word they'd seen light inside again and are planning to attack. Tonight. We'll be lucky if we get out of here before they raid the place."

"What else do we need to grab?" Dane asked, leaving the empty cabinet hanging open.

Josh eyed him suspiciously.

"He's with me, and he's another able body who can carry supplies. This way."