The Frenzy Series (Book 2): Frantic (11 page)

“What?”

Tage laughed, followed by Roman as he released my hair and helped me stand up. “It means you need Roman.” A smug smile slid over Roman’s face. “For now,” Tage added quickly, effectively erasing that arrogant smirk. Mine fell away, too. I had a lot to learn on the road to self-control. This wasn’t going to be painless for anyone.
Especially Dara.

Clutching his sore ribcage, Tage showed me to a real bedroom on the second floor. There were no moldy spots on the mattress; instead, it was covered by a deep red blanket that was thick and soft. Other than a chest of drawers, the room was bare. “You can stay here. The cell isn’t going to hold you anyway.”

I smiled. “Nope.”

“It held everyone before you, you know.”

My mouth opened wide. “Did they try to escape?”

He shrugged. “Probably.”

“Was he really shirtless?” I asked, biting my thumbnail. I walked over to the window and eased back the lacy white curtains, peering outside. More empty houses. Beyond, I could see the fountain that sat in the center of the pavilion square.

Tage snorted. “No. I was just messing with you.”

“Why do you do that?” I turned to face him.

“Do what?”

“Push people. I saw you do it to Roman during the rotation. You do it to everyone.”

Tage looked at me and leaned back against the wall. “I don’t know. I guess I like to see reactions.”

“That might not be the smartest thing to do.”

He shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. “I’ve never been accused of being smart. Now get some rest.” He stood and tugged the door open. “We hunt tonight.”

“In the forest?”

Tage bared his fangs in a wide smile. “Depends on the Elders.”

I laid awake staring at the peeling, silvery damask wallpaper until my eyes blurred and sleep came. I woke to the mouth-watering scent of fresh meat. “Breakfast in bed,” cooed Tage in a falsetto.

Stretching and yawning, I smiled. “Oh, honey. You take such good care of me.” His pupil took over his iris, dilating as he approached. “Kidding, Tage.”

“I know.” Someone was grumpy.

“What’s for breakfast?”

He smiled like a proud little boy, puffing his chest out. “I drained it and cleaned it for you.”

From behind his back, he produced a silver charger plate. The animal had been skinned and my God, did it smell delicious. “What is it?”

“Groundhog. He was digging along the river bank. Never even saw me coming until it was too late for him.”

“That’s his problem.” I tore off a leg and began tearing away the meat, chewing. Blood and sinew filled my mouth in a medley that would have made me vomit as a human, but somehow was a delicacy now.

Tage watched me in awe. “What?” I asked around a mouth full of food.

He shook his head and sat down on the bottom of the mattress. “I don’t get it.”

“Me either.”

I noticed suddenly that I didn’t hear Roman or Dara in the house. “Where are the others?”

“Carrying the trees to the carpentry shop.”

My teeth hit animal bone and snapped it in two. I hated her being near Saul. I hated her, period. Whatever she was doing, it wasn’t because she was trying to be helpful. No night-walker ever volunteered to help a colonist do anything before. At least, I didn’t think so.

“Your brows are touching. What are you thinking about?”

“Why’d you bring me food?”

“We’re going for a walk, and I thought it would be best for everyone if you went on a full stomach.”

Good thinking on his part. “What about you? Did you get enough blood? I can share some.”

“I’m good.”

I devoured the rest of the groundhog in no time and while I cleaned up, Tage found my boots. Sitting in the chair, my fingers shook as I fumbled with the strings I’d tied a hundred times before. Looking up from the laces, I smiled; nerves trembling my lips. “Ready?”

“It’s sunset. You’ll be okay.”

“Does Roman know?”

Tage’s smile fell. “He’s not my keeper.”

“Well he sure seems to think he’s mine.” Leaping up from the bed, I looked at Tage. “Don’t let me hurt anyone,” I said softly.

He shook his head. “Never.” Tage held his hand out, waiting for mine, and watched me with a guarded expression. When I slipped my hand into his, he smiled slightly. “I’ll take care of you.”

“Since you claimed me and all?”

Tage’s mouth opened and then closed abruptly. “Roman?” he guessed.

“For the record, I’m glad it wasn’t him. He’s really intense.”

Clutching his heart, he whined, “And I’m not?”

“Not in the same way, no. Roman’s very possessive and entitled. You’re more intensely emotional, but I trust you. I trust you with me.”

Tage squeezed my hand. “I won’t let you down.”

I smiled.

“Ready?” he asked.

“I hope so.”

Chopping down the trees was easy. With Dara helping, it took no effort at all to get them across the river. Roman came to help in the late afternoon, and Ford joined us on the Colony’s river bank to help. I think he was trying to avoid going home. He’d already finished his chores at the barn. Ford and I removed limbs while Roman tossed them into a pile, and then Dara would take the trunk to the shop. An awkward tension filled the air. No one spoke. No one laughed. Nothing.

When evening came and the sun began to graze the tops of the western hills, I finally asked Roman, “How is she?”

“Better.”

“Can she feed?”

His dark eyes narrowed. “She isn’t your concern anymore, Saul.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means she is a night-walker. You can’t be with her. You need to do your best to pretend she doesn’t exist anymore. She will do the same.”

I swung the axe, embedding it into the trunk of the tree I’d finished working on. “She won’t just forget about me. She loves me and I love her. You can’t stop that, Roman.”

He smirked. “I can and I will. Stand in my way, and I’ll let her drain you, just like she wants to.”

“It would destroy her, and then she would hate you for letting it happen.”

“Wrong. It would take time, but I would build her back exactly the way I want her.”

“She isn’t a
thing
. She’s a person,” I spat.

“She isn’t a person anymore. She’s cursed, just like the rest of us. And she’s mine... or she will be once Tage is removed from the equation.”

“Tage? He likes her?”

He snorted. “He claimed her and she is bound to him, but I intend to break that bond as soon as possible.”

My fingers balled into fists. “How did he claim her? What does that even mean?”

Roman smiled. “It doesn’t mean what you imagine it does.” He walked toward me slowly. “It means that she fed from his vein. She can feel his emotions and he can feel hers. It’s an intimacy very few night-walkers ever get to experience. She was supposed to bind to me, but I’ll take care of the problem.”

“You’ll have worse problems than that if you don’t take care of Porschia.”

Roman stepped back. “You should get ready for your feast. The Elders are providing the meat in the Fellowship Hall tonight.”

“What about the rotation? Did they find anyone?”

“I’m about to find out.” He hefted the giant tree trunk and sped away toward the shop. Chips of wood covered my clothes and most of the grass underfoot. I laced my hands behind my head and looked up to the darkening sky with no idea of how to fix any of this.

From across the swirling water came a shrill keening, and my eyes were riveted to the source. Blonde hair, matted and tangled. Torn jeans and a dark sweater. She clutched her side. It was Mercedes, Porschia’s sister. “What do
you
want? Haven’t you done enough?”

She smiled, turned, and slowly walked away. I wanted to throw something at her, but she was still freshly Infected and faster than most of the rotters. She was up to something.

Roman and Dara made it very clear that I wasn’t to go to the pavilion for the evening rotation. Maybe I should have listened, gone home, and changed into clothes that weren’t glued to my skin with sap. The only thing I knew when I walked closer to the square was that I wasn’t prepared to see
her
.

“Porschia?” The words barely tumbled from my lips in a whisper, but she turned to face me. Her hand was wrapped tightly around Tage’s. He was her anchor, keeping her from floating away on the current that was consuming her. Frenzy was a beast, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I did the wrong thing by telling her to use the ring. I’d wondered it almost every waking moment since that day.