No Shelter (#1) A Post-Apocalyptic Love Story

CHAPTER 10

  Daedric eyes my necklace from across the fire. “Fancy,” he remarks.

  I tuck the necklace under my shirt.

  Mary is sharpening her knives again and Eve is off somewhere setting up traps. We’ve set up camp in the forest near Lake Elsinore. The lake is dry, but there’s plenty of game in this area due to the ponds and streams in the higher altitudes—and the lack of humans.

  “We should stay here a few days to regroup,” Isaac suggests. “We’re running low on food and water.”

  Daedric doesn’t appear too jazzed about this, but he doesn’t object. “Two days should be enough.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Mary?” I whisper to Isaac as we lay together gazing at the stars.

  He turns onto his side to look at me. “Because it wasn’t anything. It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t matter.”

  “You’re so full of crap.”

  “I’m full of crap?” Isaac shoots back. “You’re the one who made me swear never to kiss you again. What was I supposed to think? What was I supposed to do?”

  “I don’t know, but I didn’t think you would start hiding stuff from me. We’re supposed to be best friends.”

  “You’ve always been more than a best friend to me and you know it. That’s why I couldn’t tell you. Besides, there wasn’t anything to tell.”

  “That’s not what it looks like,” I say with a glance in Mary’s direction. “Have you seen the way she looks at me?”

  “Have you seen the way Daedric looks at me? The guy’s got it bad for you.”

  “We’re talking about Mary.”

  “Forget about her,” Isaac whispers, and in one swift motion he reaches around and turns me toward him.

  His breath tickles the top of my nose. He puts his hand on the small of my back and pulls my body against his. I can smell the new soap he used to wash up. His lips graze mine and a shudder passes through me. I reach up, placing my hand on the back of his head, and I pull him closer.

  His fingers move in light circles over my back as we kiss. His hand slides forward caressing my ribs as he kisses my neck. I know we should stop, but I don’t want to.

  His hand moves up and slides underneath my bra. I suck in a deep breath as he kisses me more urgently. He moves his hand down my belly and under the waist of my pants. I grab his hand.

  “Stop,” I whisper.

  “Why?” he asks, as he kisses my ear.

  “Just stop,” I say, pushing him off me.

  “Sorry,” he says. “I guess I got a little carried away.”

  Is that what happened with him and Mary?

  “It’s okay,” I say, as I turn around and lay down.

  I can feel him adjusting his crotch behind me before he lies down.

  “Good night, Nada,” he whispers in my ear.

  “Good night, Isaac,” I say, as I twist my finger around the ruby pendant.

  The traps are empty, so I catch two squirrels and one rabbit with my bare hands. Mary slices the meat razor thin and we have more jerky within hours. As we’re packing up the meat, Mary glances at my neck and snickers.

  I look down thinking she’s laughing at my necklace, but it’s tucked inside my shirt.

  “What so amusing?”

  “Nice hickey,” she says with a smirk.

  I touch my hand to my neck, but I don’t feel anything.

  “I guess Isaac had fun last night,” she continues. “Did he draw circles on your back?”

  I want to smack the stupid grin off her face, but this would just play into her game.

  “As a matter of fact, he did,” I reply. “It was so relaxing I almost forgot where we were.”

  “I’ll bet it was,” she says, as she gets up and storms off with her backpack.

  This is not what I want. Though Mary and I were never close, I don’t want this animosity between us; especially not over Isaac.

  I jog to catch up with her. “Mary, I’m sorry,” I say. “I don’t mean for any of this to hurt you.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says as she pulls her honey-colored curls into a ponytail.

  “You know what I’m talking about,” I say. “I know about you and Isaac.”

  “Look, Nada. Isaac told me to keep my mouth shut and that’s what I’m doing.”

  “You don’t have to keep your mouth shut,” I say, glancing back at Isaac.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he used me, that’s why,” she says. “Once he figured out where Vic kept that stupid necklace, he realized he had a way to get you back and he didn’t need me anymore.”

  The pain in her voice makes my throat swell. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why are you apologizing? It’s all my fault.”

  I glance back. Isaac is catching up to us. “What do you mean?” I ask.

  She shakes her head. “He told me he was in love with you,” she says. “That’s why you could never find out about us. He told me… He said as soon as he figured it out, he was going to get you back. And he did.”

  “He told you that?”

  “Told you what?” Isaac says as he pulls up next to me.

  Mary slows her pace so she can walk next to Eve.

  Isaac shoots her a glare that chills my blood. “What did she tell you?” he asks me.

  I can’t even look at him. According to Mary, he used her like a disposable cup. When there was nothing left, he threw her away.

  “What did she tell you?” he demands.

  I shake my head in disgust and disbelief. “I always knew you could be a jerk, but I never expected you to be a total jerk.”

  “What? Did she lie to—”

  I put up my hand to stop him. “Don’t talk to me.”