Page 133 of After the Burn

We circled what remained of the house, and that’s when I saw it. An old Ford sat half-hidden among the ruins, its nose buried in weeds. A rear tire was missing, and the axle had sunk into the mud.

I looked at the remaining tires and the faint ruts leading away from them. “Colson’s tracks.”

Taryn followed my gaze. “I guess the hope of finding a working vehicle is dashed.”

“Maybe we can’t drive it out of here, but it should keep us safe until the storm is over.” I grabbed the handle.

A shape rose from behind the hood. I let go of the handle and grabbed Taryn, pulling her back.

The rotter lunged.

I grabbed its neck and slammed it repeatedly against the side of the truck until only slime and black blood remained. Fuck these things. I’d had enough for the night.

Taryn whispered in my ear, “I think it’s dead.”

I nodded and threw the thing aside. “Get in.” I grabbed the handle again and pulled the door open, the rusted hinges protesting with a loud, piercing screech.

Taryn got in and crawled across the old, torn upholstery. I followed, slamming the door shut behind me. Inside, it reeked of mildew, old vinyl, and smoke.

Rain hammered the roof, but for the first time since the barn collapsed, we were safe… relatively.

The silence inside the cab should have been tense, but a wave of contentment washed over me instead. I was keeping Taryn safe, and there was nothing in this world I’d rather be doing.

I remembered her yelling at me earlier to drop, and I didn't hesitate. Subconsciously, I trusted her completely.

I turned to look at her as she rested her head against the seat. She closed her striking gray eyes, and her dark lashes settled heavily against her pale skin. Her face had shifted from the gentle softness of a girl's features to the sharp, defined contours of a woman.

Granted, not eating regular meals probably had something to do with that.

Taryn had grown more mature. While she remained ruthless, I now valued that quality because it was crucial for our survival. She was intelligent, and her father’s teachings had saved us multiple times.

Maybe it was long past time I forgave her and embraced Adrian’s proposal with both hands?

Taryn opened one eye. “You’re staring.”

“Yes.”

She raised her head. “Why?”

“Because you’re exquisite.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

TARYN

Ilooked at him in shock.

Lucas Rowen was complimenting me. The world really had ended.

“Don’t look so shocked.” He smirked. “I’ve never denied your beauty.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Compliments coming from you are suspicious as hell. Are you afraid we’re going to die tonight?”

No other explanation made sense. Maybe he was bitten and didn’t want to tell me. It would be just like him to turn into a rotter and chomp on my ass.

He rolled his eyes. “We’re not going to die tonight, Menace.”

I raised my eyebrows in question. “Menace?”