Nowhere close anyway …
Phasing outside, I close my eyes, wondering if I’ll be able to follow her just by sensing the direction she’s in. Clearly, her presence pulled me here, I just didn’t realize it.
When I was originally traveling to see the volcano, I didn’t follow a straight line out. At the time, I assumed it was because the terrain was easier or more scenic, but now I realize I was heading to her. My brain may have thought logically about where I was going, but really, I was heading to her. Always to her.
Yes. My body’s definitely feeling pulled back the way I came in. That’s good. I’m sure it’s the closest distance to civilization. Phasing quickly to the edge of the forest, I see clear markings entering the forest—and they’re fresh. Perfect.
I’m tempted to phase back to some of the points where I stopped on my way in, but that’d defeat the purpose here. I may become too far backtracked if I do that, and it’s better to be right on her tail. The only thing is, I really want to hurry. Knowing she’s out there, alone and unprotected, sets my nerves on fire.
A perimeter alert begins its successive beeps in my implant. It’s the outer ring of them. Somehow, she managed to keep from tripping the inner set, but I had them set up this way intentionally. Damn! She’s made it pretty far already.
Phasing to the device, I spin in a slow circle while still in my gateway. A shriek pierces the air. It cuts off abruptly just past the trees ahead of me as I hear beings crash through the underbrush.
I phase to the spot of the shriek immediately, my body ramrod tight as I panic, wondering what’s happened. Zoey’s pinned to a tree by another woman—no, not a woman. Not anymore. It’s a female transitioned, snarling as it grapples with her. I’m there instantly, pulling off the Wen-infected by its neck and snapping it with one hand.
I hear them before I see them break through the bushes just to my left. Five more infected, and they’re not all female. It’s an assortment of sizes and shapes. Where are they all coming from?
“Up,” I command her, pointing at the tree branches above and behind her head. Instead of listening, she breaks to the right, trying to run away from us all.
That’s not going to work for me. I don’t need to be worrying about where she is. Snagging the bag that’s strapped to her body, I force her to come to an abrupt halt, giving me the opportunity to grab her hips and lift her to the lowest branch.
My fingers sink into her soft, giving flesh, and a shock of awareness runs down my arms, spreading through my body like a flame on an accelerant. Whoosh … and now I’m inappropriately hard and completely distracted.
Her eyes flicker over my head just as I’m crashed into from behind. She grapples with the trunk next to her while I wait patiently, more concerned about her being secure and set than in stopping the Wen who’re starting to fight with each other over who gets closer to us. Teeth latch onto my arm next to my elbow as Zoey finally stands on the branch and begins to scramble up higher up the tree.
CHAPTER NINE
- Zoey
Even though my strange stalker is still keeping his distance, I know I’m not going to be comfortable enough to stay here at the cabin. The last couple of days I haven’t felt threatened—actually quite the opposite. I know it’s silly, but it almost seems like he’s watching out for me. That’s just me getting complacent though.
Which is why I’m sneaking out right now at the crack of dawn. Technically, it’s not even dawn, but it’s the third morning that I’ve tried to get up this early to attempt sneaking away. Every morning I look for him out the window before I walk outside, and he’s always there. It’s kind of hard to wake up at an early morning time without an alarm clock.
I’m sure I’m like every other person in the world, and I’ve been using my phone as an alarm clock for years. But, no phone now. It was absolutely imperative that I didn’t take anything Einar could track me with.
Looking around the small, one room cabin, a tear sneaks out. I don’t know when I’ll be back. And if Hengill actually erupts one of these days, this entire area could be wiped