I pulled back a little and looked up at him from under my lashes. “You forgive me?”
“I forgive you,” he beamed down at me.
I released him and stepped away, loving the cocky look on his face. He turned away from me and crawled into the van next to King. I watched him waggle his eyebrows at King who shoved him angrily in return. Got to love those boys.
I was finally ready to get in the van when Vaughan stopped me. “It was stupid of you to wander off, Tyler. I can’t protect you, if you don’t listen.”
I turned to look up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. “I-“
“Stop,” he cut off whatever I was going to say and truthfully I wasn’t even sure what had been about to come out of my mouth. “I want to protect you. It’s not a job, and it’s not an obligation. It’s my choice to protect you and Miller. My privilege. I want you to listen from now on, alright?” He reached forward and tucked an errant strand of hair behind me ear.
I heard myself say, “Alright.” But it didn’t feel right. I wasn’t the kind of girl that acquiesced easily. I wasn’t the kind of girl that just gave any boy his way. Especially one that had said I had a giant stick up my ass.
“Get in the van,” he ordered. “We’ll figure all this out later.”
I didn’t know what he meant by “all this out.” Me not listening? Kane? Him tucking the hair behind my ear? But I obeyed. Because somehow over the last twelve hours, Vaughan had become a man- possibly the only man still alive- that I listened to.
And instead of hating him for it, or becoming bitter I somehow respected his ability to tame this small part of me.
Tomorrow I would definitely go back to my rebellious, smart-aleck self. But tonight the least I could do was get in the van so we could leave.
I climbed in next to Miller, feeling his similar responsibility to keep an eye on Kane. Vaughan got in the driver’s seat and all the doors were closed and locked. The sun was just starting to rise in the east, the sky lightening from thick black to hazy gray.
The city was quiet again as we drove out of it. The occasional Feeder wandered the street disinterested by our progress, but the rest of the buildings and sidewalks were as still as death.
Inside the van though, we were full of life. And that gave me hope- something I hadn’t truly felt in years. It blossomed in my chest and spread through my body before I could stop myself.
Another night passed and we all survived. We picked up a passenger, but right now he wasn’t a threat. We had food. We had ammo. And we had a van full of gas, with extra stores to get us further on our journey.
And I had been right. Because even in this van, on the road, surrounded by destruction and death, I felt like I was home. It hadn’t been the gift shop at all. It had been these people, these strangers that were starting to feel like more.
That were starting to feel like family.
And for the first time since this hellish infection destroyed the world and filled it with decay, I wasn’t planning to escape.
I was planning to stay- to stay with these people and a way of life I was falling in love with.
Look for Episode 9 coming Friday, October 25th, 2013
About the Author
Rachel Higginson was born and raised in Nebraska, but spent her college years traveling the world. She married her high school sweetheart and spends her days raising their growing family. She is obsessed with bad reality TV and any and all Young Adult Fiction.
Look for more from Rachel in 2013.
The remaining episodes of this novella series will be released twice a month. Look for Episode 5 coming September 6th, 2013.
Other books by Rachel to be released in 2013 are Sunburst, the second book in the Starbright Series, The Relentless Warrior, the sixth book in The Star-Crossed Series and The Fall, the second book in the Siren Series.
Other Books Out Now by Rachel Higginson:
Love and Decay, Episode One
Love and Decay, Episode Two
Love and Decay, Episode Three
Love and Decay, Episode Four
Love and Decay, Episode Five
Love and Decay, Episode Six
Love and Decay, Episode Seven
Reckless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 1)
Hopeless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 2)
Fearless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 3)
Endless Magic (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 4)
The Reluctant King (The Star-Crossed Series, Book 5)
Starbright (The Starbright Series, Book 1)
The Rush (The Siren Series, Book 1)
Bet in the Dark (An NA Contemporary Romance)
Follow Rachel on her blog at:
www.rachelhigginson.com
Or on Twitter:
@mywritesdntbite
Or on her Facebook pages:
Rachel Higginson
Or
Reckless Magic
Rachel Higginson, Love and Decay, Episode Eight
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