Page 21 of After the Burn

“You’re coming,” Adrian said finally

Beck stared at him for another long second before exhaling sharply through his nose. “Fine. But you owe me.”

Not really an agreement so much as a warning.

Adrian nodded once, as if he understood the difference.

The memory dissolved completely.

I shoved it all away hard and stepped outside, knowing that distractions led to eating brains and to my dick rotting off. Neither was on my top five list of things to do.

Cool air hit my face instantly.

Good.

I needed it.

The woods stretched out ahead of me, dark and endless beyond the dead fields surrounding the farmhouse. Somewhere out there was Taryn, and I needed to find her before she got into something even she couldn’t handle.

CHAPTER THREE

TARYN

Iawoke with my bladder aching, and the sky still dark.

Turning, I saw Lila wasn’t in her sleeping bag and that Max was gone too.

Getting up quickly, I grabbed my bat. “I’m going to kill that girl.”

I hated how important she’d become to me. I’d lost so much that I couldn’t fathom losing Lila, too.

Cautiously opening the door, I made my way around the building, quietly calling her name. “Lila? Where are you?”

I heard a rustling, and Max bounded out of the trees with a rabbit held tightly in his mouth, Lila right behind him.

“Look what we caught!” She pumped her fist and jumped in the air. “Breakfast is served!”

I stifled the urge to laugh at her unusual exuberance. “And just how do you propose we cook it without alerting anyone to our presence? We’re probably only a couple of miles from the town.”

Her excitement fell instantly. “Crap, I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Looks like Max found a solution," I said with a smile as he tore into the rabbit. Fur and blood clung to his snout. “Energy bars? Or would you like to join him?”

“Gross.” She grimaced. “I’m not that hungry yet.”

I laughed, went into the woods to relieve myself, and then into the shack to get our breakfast. Today, I was going to forage for some berries and get a little more rest. Tonight, I’d go check out the town and see if I could find any signs of Adrian or Beck.

I went back outside, handed Lila one of the breakfast bars, then joined her on the old log she was sitting on.

“How about after we eat, we see if we can find some berries to supplement our food supply?” I took a bite of my bar.

Lila unwrapped hers and frowned. “Yeah, that sounds good. I hate these things now.” She took a reluctant bite. “They get old when you eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

We both gave Max an irritated look when he let out a doggie belch, clearly satisfied with his meal.

“I’m going to check things out after it gets fully dark. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll spot Beck and Adrian, and we can get the hell out of here.” I didn’t think it’d be that simple, but hey, a girl can dream.

“God, I hope so.” Lila finished her bar and took a drink from the water bottle I’d handed her. “I’m sure Ethan has a lecture ready for the moment I get back.”