Frequency (The Frenzy Series Book 3) (10 page)

“Tage,” Ford asked.

“Yeah?”

“Do you need to feed?”

I watched as Tage’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “I’m okay. But thanks, buddy.”

Ford shook his head. “No. You need to be strong right now, for both of my sisters. I can help.”

Father agreed. “I agree, and I can help, too. It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but you can feed from me.”

Tage’s eyes met mine and I nodded. “Go ahead. They’re right.”

“What about you?” Tage asked. “You have to feed at some point, Porschia.”

“I’ll get sick,” I whispered, reveling in the feel of his strong fingers lacing through mine.

“You’re already sick. You need strength. We don’t know where Roman is, and I bumped into the friendly Elder Yankee on the way here. I agreed to go into the forest tonight and bring back meat. The Colony is desperate.”

“I can go with you,” I argued.

Tage raked his hand through his head. “Someone needs to stay with her.” I looked over at Mercedes, her steady breaths raising and lowering her blankets rhythmically. He didn’t believe I could hunt anymore. And what about the treaty? I guessed it was as good as gone now. They weren’t asking for help; they were
telling
us to get food, and they weren’t willing to feed us to get it, either. And where in the hell was Roman to fix this mess?

“I’ll do it,” Father volunteered. “I’ll stay here. You two feed and take the two in the rotation on the hunt. She’ll be fine,” Father said.

“I’ll stay, too.” Ford ticked his head toward Mercedes. “In case he needs backup.”

Everyone in the room knew that his staying with Father had nothing to do with backup. If Mercedes passed away, Father would lose it. Plain and simple. And so would I.

My fingers shook. “Okay. We’ll feed, help with the hunt, and then hurry back here.”

Feeding from my brother’s throat, I only took a few sips. It was all I thought I could stomach and more than I ever wanted to take from him. Ford shuddered as I sealed the wound.

“Gross,” he said disgustedly.

Amen to that, Ford. Amen to that.

Voices floated all around me, hovering like clouds in the clear blue sky when no wind pushed them. Father’s. Ford’s. Porschia’s. Where was Mother? I felt warm, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets and familiar scents. Wood burning, rich soil, the dark water swirling around in my spot of the river.

I dip the toes of my foot in the warm water, the rock beneath my bare feet warming my heels. The sky is blue and billowing clouds float happily across the sky. The trees are thick and full and the sunshine…my God, does it feel amazing. It feels like heaven; perfection and contentment.

Warm hands on my waist startle me. I crane my neck, brushing my cheek against Noah’s jaw. His tiny shadow of hair scrapes against my skin and I melt into him. “Just think, ‘Cedes, just five more months and we’ll be married.”

“I can’t wait.”

Mischief in his eyes, he answers, “We don’t have to, you know.”

I turn in his arms. “We do. I don’t want to get pregnant yet.”

That admission startles him. “I don’t know if I ever want to have kids.”

“Why on earth wouldn’t we?”

The wind ran her fingers through his dark hair, ruffling it deliciously. “Because of them,” he said, looking across the river. “Not to mention the night-walkers. Now that you’ve been on the rotation, you know what they’re like. Do you really want our kids to be in the same situation? Do you want to put them in danger?”

“I want to give them life and protect them from danger. And you know what?”

“What?” he said, pulling me tighter.

“I want to do that with you. We’ll be the most amazing parents in the world, and no night-walker or Infected piece of garbage will ever mess with us or our family.”

He smiled, the tension releasing from his chest on a deep exhale. “I want that, too. I’m just afraid. Stupid to say, huh?”

I shook my head. “No. It isn’t. We’ll be raising our kids in a dangerous world, but we can protect them. I believe that. I know I’d never let an Infected catch me. I’m fast,” I sassed, grinning up at him.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” I twisted in his arms and was gone before he knew I’d left. The thing about Noah? He was fast, too. He caught me as I was almost up the dry, dirty bank.

“Not as fast as I am,” he said, a smile playing on his lips.

“Then I guess we make a great pair.”

“We do,” he answered softly.

“Good. Now kiss me, Noah.”

He smirked, pushing my back into the bank. “With pleasure.” And did Noah ever know how to deliver that.

Pierce invited me to go back to the “freak show.” I made sure to block my true feelings about that place and told him I would try to help him find a cure. Truthfully the guy was crazy, but if he found a cure it would benefit me. I could go back to normal. I could have my life back. There was nothing to lose, but everything to gain. So…why the hell not?

Upstairs is something interesting, if you want to see.

Sure.
I panted as I walked up the stairs, trying to get oxygen to my cramping calves. It took me longer to walk the few blocks from the apartment, and longer still to walk up the two flights of stairs. At the top landing, I rested against a wall and caught my breath.

Pierce smirked. From behind the wall in my mind, I released,
Asshole.

He just smiled. At least he knew it. Handing me a flashlight, he led the way down the hall. The doors that lined this hallway were solid and had no bars. They were metal and looked damned near impenetrable.

What’s in here?

Pierce walked to the farthest door on the left and removed a set of keys from his pocket. I made a mental note to find out where he kept them, but thanks to Wren, Pierce didn’t hear my plan. Metal clanged from the other side, angry and aggressive, absolutely pissed off. The door’s lock released and Pierce slowly eased it open, a wry smile on his face.
You’ve already met my brother. Did he feed from you, Saul?

Roman sat in a chair, his nostrils flaring, dried blood caked to his brow and forehead. A strange, thick metal circle was clamped around his neck.

What is that?
I asked.
How are you holding him? I know he’s strong.

If he moves too much, it’s off with his head. Do you like the gadget I designed?

Roman’s dark stare fixated on me and he bared his fangs. “Get me out of here, Saul,” he commanded.

I shook my head, flicking my eyes toward his brother. He and I both knew I couldn’t get by Pierce if I wanted to. Plus, I wasn’t so sure that Roman being away from Porschia, and Blackwater, was necessarily a bad thing.

“Coward. She’ll never want you now. You’re a rotter. She’s eternal.”

Only she isn’t, is she?
Pierce said
. She might not live long at all. In fact, I’m surprised she’s still here. How are the hallucinations? Is she able to eat?

What the fuck did you do to Porschia?
I stepped up to Pierce, every muscle in my body taut. For the first time since turning, I felt like I could win a fight against him.

Settle down. I just had to teach my brother a lesson. See, it’s supposed to be bros before hoes, but when Porschia sashayed into the picture Roman forgot all about loyalty. It was simply time to remind him.

That was the problem with those two—they thought they were the only two players on the board at any given time. They were wrong. And I would show them just how wrong they were. I just needed time.