Page 12 of Dyana (Love in the Apocalypse #3)

Chapter five

Dyana

Present

I scrambled for my knife under my pillow, and just as I swung it, the shadows descended on me and pinned me to the mattress.

“Dyana, it’s us. It’s us! You’re safe!” One of them turned the lamp beside my bed on, and the soft glow illuminated Jack and his friends.

Jack? Memories of the previous day returned to me and quickly reminded me that I wasn’t alone. “Let me go.”

“As soon as you drop that knife, Doll,” Jack promised. His voice was calm and soothing, a steadying strength that was all too familiar.

I dropped the knife, and the men quickly released me and gave me some room, though not nearly as much as I preferred.

I scooted away so that my back was against the wall and closed my eyes to breathe through the residual effects of my panic attack.

I hated that they were seeing me like this.

A hand cupped my cheek, his thumb tenderly brushing away tears I hadn’t realized were falling.

When I opened my eyes again, I stared straight into Jack’s.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked softly.

I shook my head. No, I didn’t. Not even a little.

“When you’re ready to talk, I’m here.”

“We all are,” Bryce added.

“Do you want us to stay with you a little longer until you fall back asleep?” Evan asked.

I snorted but shook my head. I wouldn’t be sleeping anymore tonight. If I were alone, I’d get up for the day, read a book, and wait for the sun to rise, but I wasn’t alone. I didn’t want to disturb their sleep, so I scooted back under my blanket. “I’m good. Go back to sleep.”

Jack looked like he didn’t believe me, but didn’t press the issue as they returned to their beds. Once they were settled, I turned my lamp off, letting the darkness back into the tower. Of course, the truth was that the darkness was already there.

Within me.

Past

My time with Sheriff Finley was the lesson I never wanted, but I learned a lot relatively quickly.

Number one was not to trust anyone, ever.

The second was never to let myself be in a position of weakness again.

I wouldn’t let anyone think they had the right to tell me what to do again.

Fuck that. I headed toward Wyoming again, but didn’t get far when I passed a child in a tree on the side of the road with a zombie beneath it.

I passed by, determined not to stop. That was another new rule.

No more fucking heroics. I wouldn’t have gotten into that mess if I hadn’t been looking for Kelly.

But even as I reminded myself why I wouldn’t stop, my eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, and I cursed as I slammed on the brakes.

I reversed the truck down the road until I was beside the tree and climbed out of my window with my crossbow.

I shot the zombie in the head and then looked at the kid.

“Grab my arrow and get in. I’ll take you home.”

The kid, a little girl around ten, quickly scurried down the tree, yanked the arrow from the zombie’s head, and jumped into the truck.

I started driving and glanced at the kid expectantly. “Where to, kid?”

“My name is Amber, not kid,” she replied.

Someone didn’t like being referred to as a kid. I could understand and respect that. “Sorry. Where do you want me to take you, Amber?”

“We live at the church. Make a right at the next street,” she replied. “Thank you for coming back for me. I wasn’t supposed to go off alone, but my stupid brother, Danny, was taking too long to get ready.”

“Happy to help,” I replied.

I followed her directions to the church, and as I pulled up, several men with makeshift weapons, followed by women, poured through the doors. “End of the line, Amber.”

She looked through the windshield apprehensively. “Oh, Mama looks mad,” she stated. With a labored sigh, Amber dropped the arrow she clutched to the floor and climbed out of the truck.

“Amber Renee Carter!” A woman shrieked as she ran up to Amber and grabbed her.

She shook her gently before embracing her tightly.

“I was worried sick about you! SICK! What in the devil were you thinking, going off on your own like that? You know what could have happened to you! You know it isn’t safe! ”

“I’m sorry, Mama,” Amber whined. “I just wanted to help pick berries, and Danny was taking forever.”

“I don’t care if it takes him all day, you do not leave the church without him.

Ever,” Amber’s mother scolded. She looked at me through the open door.

“Thank you for bringing my girl back safely. Where did you find her?” Amber looked at me with wide eyes, and if I hadn’t been watching her so closely, I would have missed the imperceptible shake of her head.

“I found her a couple of turns back, walking along the side of the road,” I replied. I’d keep Amber’s secret for now. I was pretty sure she had learned her lesson.

“Can I offer you lunch for your troubles?” Amber’s mom asked.

I wanted to say no, but my stomach made itself known and growled.

“Lunch would be lovely,” I replied. I turned the truck off, grabbed a handgun, my bow, and a knife, and exited the truck.

It chirped as I locked the doors and glared at the people around me.

My message was clear: touch my truck and die.

Amber ran around the truck and grabbed my hand to pull me inside the church.

I kept my hand on my gun in case the entire thing was an elaborate ruse as I entered the church.

We entered a small foyer with one hallway leading to the right.

The sanctuary was ahead of me to the left, and another hallway ran the length of the church in both directions past the sanctuary doors.

“Come on, the kitchen is this way,” Amber said excitedly as she dragged me down the first hallway behind her.

She led me into a room beside the kitchen, where tables were set up and about ten more people sat.

The group consisted of about twenty men, women, and children.

A couple about ten years older than me approached with welcoming smiles.

“Hello. I’m Pastor Jeff. This is my wife, Marta. Welcome to our church.” Pastor Jeff clasped my hand in both of his.

“Hi. I’m Dyana,” I replied.

“Dyana found me on the side of the road and brought me home,” Amber announced.

“Well, thank you for that, Dyana,” Marta replied.

“Amber is the resident firecracker and gets herself into trouble sometimes. We’re grateful you were passing through and found her when you did.

” Marta’s tone was warm, her words were kind, but there was something well hidden behind them that made me feel unwelcome.

She didn’t want me here. Maybe it was an innate distrust of strangers.

I could understand that. “Please, join us for a meal before you get on your way again.”

“Of course, if you wish to stay longer, you are more than welcome to,” Pastor Jeff added. He missed the look his wife shot him, but I didn’t.

“Thank you for your hospitality. I’ll take that meal for now and consider your offer to stay.

” I replied. I hadn’t planned on staying, but I couldn’t ignore the potential here.

As I ate, I observed the group. They didn’t have many weapons, and what they did have were a lot of what you might have lying around your house.

They wouldn’t last long without proper weapons.

I happened to have a small stockpile of weapons.

Throughout my lunch, people continued to seek Pastor Jeff’s direction.

It was clear everyone here looked to him for guidance.

As long as he accepted me, the rest would have no choice but to follow suit, and with the preacher in my pocket, I’d be in control.

I learned during my capture that safety lies in numbers.

As horrible as those officers were, they kept the town safe and zombie-free.

I also learned that men will do anything for a good lay.

“Do you have any guns to protect yourselves?” I asked.

“We’re a passive community,” Marta replied. “We don’t believe in guns or violence.”

I tried hard to school my expression, but by the shift in Marta’s, I knew I hadn’t succeeded. Of all the idiotic things to say. How the fuck were these people still alive?

“I can understand how you would prefer to live that way before everything went to hell in a handbasket, but do you think that’s a wise position to take going into the apocalypse?” I challenged. “I think it’s ok to use a little violence when necessary. It isn’t a pretty world out there.”

“Speaking of,” Marta replied, “Where did you come from?”

I considered how to answer this and decided to be straightforward. “I was held against my will and...” I glanced around at all the little ears hanging on my every word and censored myself. “was used by the local police force as their personal stress relief toy.”

“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Pastor Jeff said. He reached over and squeezed my hand that rested on my thigh.

I slid my hand out from beneath his and covered it.

I squeezed it, forcing his hand to remain on my thigh.

“Thank you,” I replied. “It wasn’t easy.

I thought I would be safe there, but I wasn’t.

I’m just searching for a safe place to exist in a terrifying world.

” I looked into his eyes, expecting to see the heated desire I had grown accustomed to, and all I found was earnest innocence.

A tingling thrill shot through me, and though it was admittedly tinged with guilt, I knew in that moment how easy it would be to wrap the good pastor around my little finger.

“You’ll be safe with us!” Amber piped up, appearing between Pastor Jeff and me. Stars shone from her eyes. It would seem I gained an admirer. I removed my hand from his and chucked Amber under the chin. Pastor Jeff’s hand remained on my thigh. Maybe more than one admirer.

“You think so?” I asked Amber.

She nodded emphatically. “Right, Pastor Jeff?”