Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
I swallow down the ball of emotion as I force myself to sit up. Losing my shit and breaking down won’t help me. I need to check on Kristen and then find Destiny. I’m desperate to know she’s still alive and unpunished for our attempted escape. Logan is the cruelest one here, so I’m hoping she managed to slide under the radar.
With slow, shaky movements, I pull on my still-wet clothes, shivering at the chill of them. Once my boots are on, I crawl over to Kristen.
“Hey,” I croak out, voice raw from last night. “Kristen. You okay?”
A soft moan rumbles out of her. “Mmm.”
Stroking her hair, I let out a ragged sigh. “You’re okay. Just rest. I’ll get you some food and something to drink.”
I tug her sleeping bag over her limp body and kiss her temple before forcing myself to my feet. The tent spins around me. I stumble a couple of steps before steadying myself. I’m most likely concussed, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Mom’s not around to nurse me back to health.
Thoughts of Mom have my heart squeezing in my chest.
I miss her so damn much.
My hand trembles as I reach for the zipper of the tent opening. Stepping out and taking stock of the aftermath from last night is the last thing I want to do. Destiny may need me, though, and Kristen definitely does. I can’t let them down.
With a sharp inhalation of breath, I force myself to move and exit the tent.
Outside, the air still smells like rain and the sky is overcast, but it’s not storming. Fall has slipped in, bringing its icy chill along with it. Since we were forced out of our home by monsters, we didn’t exactly have an opportunity to pack a bag or grab something appropriate to wear.
A campfire crackles nearby and I’m drawn to its warmth. I can hear people whispering and a few women crying. I can only hope it’s not Destiny, or worse, Raegan.
What if they found her?
Bile creeps up my throat. Surely I’d have heard her if they captured her again. She got away. I just know she did.
I find Lisa and Seth sitting by the fire, feeding their three kids some breakfast. The two adults glower at me with hatred in their eyes. Though those two and their family haven’t ever done anything to my siblings or me, they’re guilty by association. I don’t care if they’re unhappy.
Ignoring them, I continue to try and make out the faces around the fire. Tom sits nearby. His kids must still be asleep because they’re not with him. His features are impassive and he says nothing to me.
Where is everyone else?
A man steps out of his tent and as he approaches, I recognize him. It’s Michael. He gives me a cold stare, eyeballing me up and down as though I’m not a threat to him before calling out.
“Jace,” Michael barks out. “I need help with the bodies.”
The bodies?
My blood turns to ice as I frantically look around. Where is my sister? Where’s Destiny? Panic claws at my throat and I struggle to breathe.
Until I see a flash of golden blond hair.
Jace, holding my little sister’s hand, guides her over to the fire. He then pushes on her shoulder, making her sit down beside Tom. Then he crouches down in front of her, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat.”
She doesn’t shake or nod her head. She doesn’t reply.
“Destiny,” Jace says, shaking her gently. “You can’t give me the cold shoulder forever.”
Again, she doesn’t respond.
I curl both of my hands into fists, ready to attack him, but he stands up without another word. He cuts his eyes over to me before gesturing at her.
“Can you check on her? She doesn’t seem well.”
Pushing past the desire to punch him in his fucking face, I give him a curt nod before settling on Destiny’s other side.
“Hey,” I murmur, taking hold of her cold hand. “You okay?”
Nothing.
No squeeze of her hand, no reply, no indication she even heard me.
“Dez,” I say, voice turning firmer. “What happened?”
Again, silence.
“Tom,” Michael barks out. “Keep an eye on the girl. Ronan, with us.”
Gritting my teeth, I bite back hateful words to him. Instead, I press a kiss to Destiny’s head before rising to my feet. I’m not eager to deal with bodies, but I have to make sure Raegan isn’t one of them.
Maybe Logan is.
Now that’s just wishful thinking.
I follow Jace and Michael through the trees until we arrive at our destination. There are two bodies covered with blankets. Based on the swells of their breasts under the fabric, they’re female. My stomach seizes painfully.
Please don’t be her.
Please.
“We’re not burying them, but we’re moving them away from camp. Their corpses will begin to stink and we can’t afford to draw in predators.” Michael tugs off the blanket from the first body. “She was too young to die.”