Page 37 of Dyana (Love in the Apocalypse #3)

Jack’s words were sweet, but it wasn’t me I was worried about. “You’re probably right,” I conceded as the kettle started to whistle. I poured the water into the cups and stirred them before handing them out, and then prepared my own. “I just don’t like the idea of risking what we’ve built here.”

“We understand wanting to march down there and kick this guy’s ass,” Bryce said as he sipped his tea.

“Believe me, there’s nothing we’d like more than to go handle this guy, but we have to be smart about it.

We can’t let our emotions get the best of us and rush into a dangerous situation. We’ll beat him together as a family.”

I nodded and smiled. “I like the sound of that, as a family. It’s been a while since I’ve had a family to fight for. Who is taking the first shift?”

“Me,” Jack said with a yawn. “I’m supposed to take over in about an hour, but I think I’m going to get a little shut-eye first. I’m tired.” He finished his tea and shuffled over to the bed.

I stifled a yawn. “Sleep sounds good,” I agreed. We all finished our tea and then snuggled up in our bed.

Regret filled me as I lay there listening to their steadying breaths.

After about forty minutes, I poked Jack, who moaned sleepily but didn’t otherwise move.

Carefully, I crawled off the bed without disturbing them.

They were going to be pissed when they woke up and discovered what I did.

Slipping a sedative into their tea had been risky, but necessary.

I couldn’t let anyone else get hurt because of me, especially my newfound family.

In the past, whenever Harris showed up, I ran, leaving those I was with to deal with his fury.

Harris was my responsibility, and it was time I faced him.

I was proud to say the thought of running hadn’t occurred to me.

This was my family, and I couldn’t run away from Harris anymore.

I had to protect them, which meant handing myself over to him.

If I could get him to let Amber go in the process, I’d consider my endeavors successful.

I left a note for them when they woke up.

I hadn’t expected to say goodbye to them so soon after coming together, but I also never expected to be able to live out my happily ever after.

It just wasn’t in the cards from the start of the apocalypse.

I had accepted that years ago. Not wanting to give Harris any more weapons, I left with only a knife and a flashlight.

I had one more hurdle to jump before I was in the clear.

Quietly, I made my way down the tower steps and to the top of the path leading to Cora’s house.

I flashed the light twice and waited for a reply.

A few seconds later, Derrick returned the signal.

I watched quietly as the living room light came on as he went inside.

A few minutes later, the light went off again.

Confident I was the only one awake now, I made my way down the hill.

I didn’t know how long the guys would be knocked out, so I needed to put as much distance between myself and them as I could before they could sound the alarm and come after me.

Making my way down the mountain in the dark was a challenge, even with an almost full moon, but I didn’t want to risk using the light unless I had no other choice.

I didn’t want Harris to see me coming until I was already there.

I was on edge as I crossed the bridge into town, expecting Harris to jump out at any minute and grab me, but he never did.

Before I knew it, I found myself in front of the police station questioning my sanity.

My cause was noble, but now that I was here, I was thinking that the guys had been right.

This was a mistake.

But then I thought of Cora, little Johnny, and the baby on the way.

I thought of Cora’s men and how they allowed me to stay in the tower even though they didn’t want to at first. And then I thought about my guys.

The love and confidence they’ve given me filled my heart with purpose more than they will ever know.

Even if this was a mistake, there wasn’t a risk I wasn’t willing to take to ensure their safety.

As long as they lived, this would be worth it.

With more bravery than I felt, I pushed the door open and walked into the station.

I snatched at the little bit of satisfaction I felt when Harris nearly fell out of the chair he had tipped back.

He hadn’t been expecting me. We could have ambushed him after all.

When he composed himself, Harris grabbed his gun and pointed it at me.

“There’s no need for that. I came alone and willingly,” I said as I tossed my knife and flashlight on the desk and raised my hands.

“I’ll determine that for myself, thanks,” Harris replied. “Down the hall,” he ordered, waving his gun in that direction. “First door on the left.”

I entered the room and came face-to-face with Amber.

“Search her.”

Amber patted me down roughly. “She’s clean.”

“Ok. I’m going to make sure she’s alone.” Harris left us, and I didn’t hear the door lock.

“Amber, you have to get out of here. Go back up the mountain. They’ll take care of you.”

Amber approached me slowly, and as she neared, I reached for her. Her face twisted in disgust as she pulled away from my touch. I cried out as I felt a sharp sting across my cheek, and it took my brain a moment to catch up and understand that Amber had slapped me.

“Shut the fuck up, whore!” Amber yelled.

“Sometimes I wish you had left me in that fucking tree. Death would have been better than this life. It would have been better than listening to the people I cared about get murdered. I had to watch them do unspeakable things to my mother and the other women, all because of you!”

Recovering from the blow, I stepped back to put some distance between myself and the hurting teenager and tried to reason with her.

“Amber, I understand why you blame me. All these years with Harris, it would make sense that you were brainwashed, but I didn’t do those things; he did. He’s the monster.”

“Does telling yourself that help you sleep better at night? Do you have any idea how many people would still be alive if it weren’t for you? I do. I’ve watched them all die. Every person who ever trusted or cared for you, left for dead as you ran like a coward.”

“I know I’ve made mistakes. I’ve had to live with that. If I knew he took you prisoner, I would have rescued you. Amber, you need to escape. Get out of here while you can.” Harris would be back soon, and then he’d deal with Amber. I had to convince her to leave before he returned.

“You still don’t get it, do you? I’m not his prisoner, I’m his partner. The daughter he never had. He won’t hurt me.” Her confidence was admirable, but misplaced.

“Magnificent, isn’t she?” Harris said from the doorway.

I spun around to face him. I hadn’t heard him return, and now it was too late for Amber.

“I never realized how malleable children were. Like little globs of clay to shape into whatever monster you want.” Harris opened his arms, and Amber rushed into his embrace.

He held her tenderly, but while he might have fooled her, he didn’t fool me. I saw the evil inside.

“When I took her, I had planned to make you watch me rape her when I finally caught you. But the rug rat grew on me, and now I couldn’t imagine doing that, especially when my dreams have been filled with all the things I’m going to do to you.”

“Let her go, Harris. You have me where you want me. I’m not going to fight you, so just let her go. Let her live out her life in peace,” I begged.

“Three mouths are one too many to feed,” he pondered. Harris smiled at me, the cold glint in his eye sent a tingle down my spine. “I hadn’t considered parting ways with Amber, but perhaps it’s for the best.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to stay with you. Please don’t make me go away,” Amber pleaded.

“Hush, child. I have one more task for you before we part ways. Why don’t we show Dyana how obedient you are?” Harris took out his handgun and handed it to Amber. “Be a dear and kill yourself, Amber.”

“No!” I screamed. “Amber, listen to me, sweetheart. He doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t love you. This isn’t love. Shoot him, Amber. You have to shoot him.”

Amber ignored me as she looked up at Harris with tears in her eyes. “Do I have to?”

“Yes, dear. Dyana needs to see with her own eyes the death she’s caused. And who better to show her than you? I’ll carry you in my heart forever, but your time on this rock is up.” Amber nodded and stepped away from him before turning to face me, holding the gun to her temple.

“Amber, you don’t have to do this. Choose yourself. Choose to live, and kill him. Dying won’t do anything. If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t ask you to kill yourself.”

Amber met my eyes, a single tear trailing down her cheek. “This is your fault. You did this. I was dead the moment you saved me from that tree.”

The sound of the gunshot echoed around the room as Amber’s lifeless body crumbled to the floor.

I should have rushed forward, grabbed the gun, and shot Harris.

But I felt frozen in place by the shock of what I witnessed.

Finally, my legs gave out, and I fell to the floor and dissolved into tears—such a pointless waste of life.

Harris grabbed the gun and then knelt in front of me.

Through my tears, I could see the sinister smile on his face.

He was enjoying this. “You know, I thought breaking you with my hands would be enough, but seeing your pain now, I think I want to break you mentally first. I’m going to make you watch everyone you love die, then, when your mind is broken, I’ll take my time breaking the rest of you. ” He stood and left the room.

This time, I heard the door lock.

As I composed myself, I looked around the room, skipping over Amber’s body.

My family was still in danger, and I had two options.

I pried the sole of my boot off and pulled out the small knife stored there before replacing the sole.

Harris should have had Amber search me better.

I went into the small closet, the only other door in the windowless room, and closed the door behind me.

Sitting there in the dark, I contemplated my options.

I could wait for Harris to come back and hope I got the drop on him and could injure him enough to gain the upper hand, or I could take my life and turn into a zombie.

He wouldn’t expect that, and I had a better chance of a surprise attack on him that way.

Plus, with me gone, he wouldn’t have any reason to target my family.

This could all finally end.

But which do I choose?