AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brushinghair off his forehead, John began to laugh as he set his pack on the ground. “Leave the gossip for later, Sarah. Besides, you’re leaving out the best part.”
After unzipping the duffle, Sarah removed a handgun with a silencer attached to it, a scope, and boxes of bullets. “Found them under a bed in a house we bunkered in for the night.”
John, impatient, moved to the bag. “No, the other things.” He rummaged through the contents, then removed two items from the bag. “Salt and instant coffee.”
Eva Couldn’t take her eyes off the item as she lifted the jar from his hands. “Coffee.” She dragged out the word, as if it was the first time she’d ever said it. Sure, they had a variety of teas back at Everwood, but coffee was a rarity. “Let’s make some.”
Sarah was already removing utensils and a small pot from her pack. “Already on it.”
It was then that Eva had noticed Krieger had left the lean-to. She took a step outside and noticed him leaning against a large tree. Luke and Derek were nowhere to be seen.
Slowly, she approached him. “I’m sorry about Derek. I don’t know why he reacted that way.”
He spun to face her, then relaxed against the big oak. “He has a thing for you.”
Eva felt the heat rush to her cheeks as a nervous giggle left her lips. “Derek just... well, he’s familiar. I’ve known him a long time, we have a history with each other. With all the crew. I guess he was just being protective, like I told you before. Like a brother.”
Krieger practically rolled his eyes. “Please, did you see Luke or John losing it when they saw you in my arms?”
She averted her eyes, unable to meet his intense gaze. “I . . . well . . . they—”
“He has a thing for you.” He eased off the trunk and started back to the shelter, then stopped for a moment next to her. He brushed the side of his hand against hers and leaned toward her, whispering, “I don’t trust him, Eva. There’s something not right with him. I feel it. Be careful around him.”
She took a deep breath as he moved past her and disappeared into the shelter.
The drumming in her temples returned as Luke and Derek emerged from the brush. Derek’s eyes held a dark, menacing glare. Was Derek dangerous?
As she considered this, the smell of coffee filled the air around her.
“Ahh man, Coffee!” Luke ducked into the lean-to as Derek approached her.
She held up her hand. “I don’t want to talk about what happened in there. Ever. Let’s just forget about it.” It took a moment, but then he nodded. “Anything to report?”
Always a little paranoid, he scanned the area. “We were successful in dropping the letter off to the settlement outpost. We hit a few weather disturbances but were able to hunker down in a home and wait it out. I do believe the weather patterns have gotten worse.” She nodded in agreement as he continued. “We also came across a camp of Others, but I navigated us around them unseen.”
He paused as his dark eyes met hers. A foreboding, unwelcomed feeling washed over her as his gaze seemed different from before. Was Krieger right? Did Derek harbor romantic feelings for her? Impossible. She had squashed that with him years ago.
He shifted his weight, closing the space between them as an awkward silence stretched out before he asked, “How are you?”
She took a step back. “Me? I’m fine.”
He cleared his throat. “We saw the river and the water that over took the tunnel you had been camped in. Had to find a way around it. I didn’t think you would be strong enough to make the trek back to Everwood so soon. I remembered this place and had to check. I feared—”
“No, no. We were able to get away. I mean, it was sketchy at first, but we made it here. I was going to start back home today.”
Derek crossed his arms over his chest. “I hadn’t expected to see you like that—with him.” A vein pulsed in Derek’s neck, and he dropped his arms to fist his hands at his sides.
Looking at the ground, Eva took another step back. “Like I said, I’m fine, and I would like to head back to Everwood as soon as possible. Let’s finish breakfast here and move out.”
He stared at her intensely, as if he had more to say to her, but instead, he slowly nodded and turned, his ebony hair reflecting the morning light as he moved to the lean-to.
“One more thing, Derek. No fighting.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her, his lips pressed into a thin line, and more unspoken words passed between them.
Her back straightened at his look. “I mean it, Derek. That’s an order.”
As he joined the crew in the shelter, Eva let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She’d been weak, let her defenses down, and if she wasn’t careful, she could have a mutiny on her hands. Lock it up.
