Retribution (The After Light Saga Book 5) Read online

  “I promise,” I said. “Now, can we hurry and clear these homes so I can wash this disgusting crap off me?”

  “As you wish.”

  We quickly cleared the rest of the homes without any trouble, which made me wonder, why would there be a lone Manic? Where did he come from? Had the home been his before the apocalypse?

  There were so many questions, none of which would ever get answered.

  I knew I shouldn’t care so much. There were so many other victims of the apocalypse.

  But still, I was a human with a heart, and would always wonder about each soul I met, whether it ended up dying or not. We were all players in this game called life, each of us with our own set of struggles. And while mine seemed overwhelming at times, I had to remember all those who were left on the topside to rot.

  Back in the house, we seemed secure, for the moment, anyway. I headed toward the kitchen and opened the pantry door.

  It was filled with rows and rows of canned vegetables and fruit, stacked neatly on the shelves. There were also bottles of water, which would have to be boiled to remove any contamination. I dug through the cupboards and found pots and pans, a huge plus.

  “Looks like we’ve scored,” Finn said, coming up behind me. “Maybe we can stay here for a few days and load up on calories. It seems to have everything a home needs.”

  “It will do for now,” I said stepping into his arms. “But one day, we will find our forever home. I want that more than anything. As for today, we can’t stay here too long. The Arvies seem to know where I am, like I have some kind of invisible beacon. They will come for me. That is certain, and I’d say we have two days, tops.”

  He nodded in understanding, and I fell into his arms. It was there, in his embrace that I wept for the first time in a long time. Everything that had been buried deep inside, the fear, stress, the dangers, the death, the power inside me, the unknown future…it exited in torrents from my eyes and down my cheeks, and he held me until I was done.

  Finn took his canteen and cleaned my face, washing off the blood and grime. Moving to my arm next, he scrubbed out the bite wound on my forearm, then applied medicine and wrapped it.

  Taking a few bottles of water from the cupboard, a small bar of soap, and a hand towel from his backpack, he helped me wash my hair in the sink. I felt loved as he surrounded me with his large frame and delicately massaged the blood and sweat from my scalp. It felt amazing to be clean, and cleaned by him.

  When he was finished, Finn held me tight, not saying a word. His warm breath on the top of my head gave me a sense of peace and love. I kissed the bare skin on his neck, and he looked down at me and smiled.

  “It’ll be all right, Abi. I promise. As long as I’m alive, I won’t let anything else hurt you.”

  And that’s where my problem was. Finn would die protecting me, and the thought of being on this god forsaken Earth without him would ruin me. He was my world. He was the reason I kept fighting. He was an important part of my past, my present, and God knew I would make sure he was in my future.

  He placed his hands on the sides of my face. “We will get through this.”

  “I know,” I breathed. “I think I’m overly emotional. I need to rest.”

  “Yes, you do,” he said, pressing his lips to my forehead. “The room down the hall on the left looks cleanest, and it has a good-sized bed. I’m going to bring the bike in, secure the house, and whip us up some grub.”

  “Let me help,” I said.

  “No. I need you to rest. I’ve got this. Now go. I’ll be in to check on your arm in a little bit.”

  “I’ll be waiting.” I stood up on tiptoes and kissed his lips. I didn’t linger, knowing we needed the place secure.

  As I made my way back to the room, I emptied out my pack onto the small desk. It was covered with dust from the past years. I wondered who lived here, or who slept here. Were they still alive, dead, or had they become victims of the ARV-3 serum?

  There were no real pictures of people in the house. It seemed to have been cleared of all personal effects, which made me wonder if they’d moved away. But why leave all the food? Maybe they were in a rush and headed to a safe zone. For all I knew, they could have been in the government bunker we’d just escaped.

  I stripped off the top layer of the bed, a thick comforter, heavy laden with dust. The sheets and two pillows underneath appeared clean, but I knew with the thirteen years gone by, they were probably filthy.

  And after days of sleeping on rocks, dirt, and hard floors, I simply didn’t give a damn. Zipping open my pack, I retrieved my sleeping bag and spread it over the bed. It was probably dirtier than the bed, but it was mine.

  FINN WAS STANDING OVER ME with the medical kit.

  “I’m sorry I woke you,” he murmured. “I need to change your dressing. Blood is seeping through the bandage where you were shot, and we can’t risk infection.”

  I nodded and rolled to my right, giving him access to my injured arm. It hurt like hell, but so did the rest of my body. It wasn’t like the pain stuck out in any particular area.

  His fingers were careful as he unwrapped the gauze. A small section of the wound had split open and was seeping blood.

  “Does it hurt?” his eyes studied mine.

  “Not really.” As soon as I said it, I knew he would see right through me.

  “Yeah right.” He chuckled. “You know, it’s all right to complain about the pain. You have every right to.”

  “What’s the use of complaining? It won’t change anything or make it better.”

  “But it might make you feel better,” he noted, raising a brow.

  I shook my head. “Whining is not my way of dealing with pain. If anything it makes it worse because I’m focused on it.”

  His dimpled grin warmed my insides. “Always trying to be strong.” He cleaned my wound and inspected it, his fingers pressing around the injury. “There doesn’t seem to be any infection.” Finn gave me a nod, and I prepared for the sting as he put a few iodine drops directly onto the wound. I sucked in air between my teeth and gritted them. He then used the tool Dr. Banks gave him to seal the wound once again. “Hopefully, it’ll stay shut this time.”

  “I hope so.”

  His eyes softened, taking in my face.

  “What?” I asked, feeling a little vulnerable.

  He shook his head. “You’re so beautiful. In the few months we’ve been topside, you’ve changed so much, keeping me in a constant state of awe. You are the reason I wake up every morning, and the last person I think of before I go to sleep.” His fingers gently caressed the sides of my face, sending waves of fire through me. His dark eyes swirled with emotion and want.

  God, how had I gotten so lucky to have such a gorgeous human by my side for all these years? I ran my fingers down his arm, tracing the tight muscles.

  “I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention just how good the past few months have been to you too.”

  He took hold of my hand, always a perfect match. “And I could never have imagined that the cute girl I grew up with, the one who pulled my hair, pushed me down, and called me names, would be the love of my life.”

  “It was inevitable, Mr. Armstrong.” I giggled. “You were a miracle from God, sent to me in the nick of time. You are solely responsible for me not going insane over the past thirteen years. And look,” I gazed deep into his beautiful, brown eyes. “You’re still here, even now. If it weren’t for you, I’d be a rotting corpse in the middle of the desert. But you came to me, at the exact moment I needed you most.” A tear escaped my eye and slid down the side of my face.

  Finn cleared his throat. “I’m a bit insulted you didn’t think I’d come find you. You left me, even after we promised we were going to do this together.” His eyes saddened. “Do you know the hell we went through trying to figure out what happened to you? We had no idea where you went, or if you’d been taken by the government.”

  “I’m sorry. But I’m the one the government wants. I wa
s warned they’d kill anyone who was with me, or aiding me. If anything happened to you…” my words faltered, and I could feel myself start to unravel. “If anything happened to you, because of me, I would let the monster inside take over and gladly give into death.”

  “Hey.” He pulled me toward him until our bodies were pressed tightly together. His closeness, and his manly scent, even mixed with sweat, made my head swirl. “Don’t ever talk like that.”

  Being in his arms gave me strength. It gave me a sense of security, something that had become a rarity these days. The longer I was enclosed in his arms, the more I craved it.

  “You know the worry and burden you bore?” he asked, and I nodded. “Take it all, and triple it. That’s what I felt when you left the bunker without letting me know. You have no idea what I felt. I’m fully aware of the consequences and would give my life for you in a heartbeat.” He paused, his eyes saddened. “I’ve told you before, Abi, you have my heart. And my heart will follow and fight for you, until the very end.”

  Mine burst, shattered into a million pieces and was instantly put back together again. Because of him. Because of his undying love for me. Finn was my perfect match, and if anything was right in this horrid world, it was him. He was my life.

  “How did you know where I was?”

  “I didn’t. I had a hunch after I passed through the town that had been set on fire, with a downed helicopter and tons of Arvy corpses, many of which had no bullet holes. I knew I was headed in the right direction and followed the few traces of footsteps leading southeast. From there, I went with my gut to the nearest area. If I’d come just a little bit sooner—”

  “No.” I stopped him, placing my finger to his lips. “You came exactly when I needed you. And look,” I said, addressing my body with a wave of my hand. “I’m still alive, and in one piece. I even had a hole in my arm, and you patched me up. Now that’s commitment.”

  He rolled his eyes and laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound. He was my world. My everything. And the real kicker? There was probably no one else who would want to spend their lives with the Government’s Most Wanted freak, except Finn.

  “Listen. From here on out, you’re stuck with me. No more leaving without my knowledge.” He narrowed his eyes on mine. “Did you forget we got hitched in Billy’s bunker? That we vowed to be doing this life together?”

  Heat filled my cheeks as I remembered our special time in Billy’s garden. “How could I forget?”

  “One day, I promise to make it official. A celebration, when our families are there.”

  “It’s not necessary. It’s official to me…to us.” I placed my hand over my heart. “Right here. And that’s all that matters. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

  His fingers lifted my chin. “Just promise you’ll never leave without me, ever again.”

  “I promise,” I said, reaching out, placing my hand on the back of his neck, pulling his face inches from me. “I’m sorry. I just felt—”

  His mouth covered mine, halting my next words. His tongue slid between my lips, deepening the kiss. A moan ripped from my throat as his warm hand splayed out over my belly and moved up under my shirt. God, I wanted him, more than anything.

  A yell from outside pulled us apart. There was a crash against the front door, and then another.

  Finn jumped off the bed, grabbing his shotgun. I hopped off after him and slid Hellfire from her holster, following after him. “I don’t think it’s Arvies,” I said, still not hearing anything indicating they were outside.

  It was most likely Manics.

  No matter what was outside the door, I prepared for bloodshed as I watched Finn run down the hallway. “Finn, wait.”

  Another bang on the door sent it flying open, splintered wood shooting across the floor. A body rushed in, and Finn stepped forward with his shotgun.

  “Stop! Drop the gun!” he hollered.

  The intruder’s face was wrapped in dirty fabric, so we could only see his bright blue eyes. His clothes were dirty, and on top of his head was an old, tattered cowboy hat. He turned and looked at us, then lifted his arms and weapon in the air.

  “I said drop it!” Finn moved forward, his shotgun in close range with the man’s face. I was right behind him, with Hellfire pointed toward the door, in case anyone else came in.

  The man slowly bent forward placing his weapon on the ground. When he straightened, his fingers pulled the fabric wrapped around his head, revealing his face.

  “I’m just a survivor looking for food,” he said. “I had no idea anyone was living here. I’m sorry for intruding.”

  He was an older gentleman, with a scruffy white beard; his bright-blue eyes were filled with concern. I noticed they weren’t crazed, as I’d seen with the Manics.

  “Are there others with you?” Finn asked, his weapon still pointed at him.

  “Yes, two. My wife and son. We left our bunker a week ago, and have been searching for food before we make our journey toward a safe zone.”

  Finn turned back to me, and I nodded. We both lowered our weapons, but I was still on guard. Especially when Finn stepped toward the man, extending his hand. Their hands met with a firm handshake.

  “My name is Finn, and this is my wife, Abi.”

  My heart swelled when he turned back to give me a wink and his sexy, crooked grin.

  Wife. God, I loved the sound of that word as it left his perfect lips. It was a word I could easily get used to.

  The man placed his hand on his chest and tipped his head. “I’m Marco, pleased to meet you. We weren’t sure if we were going to run into anyone else out here.”

  “Are you traveling by foot?” Finn asked.

  “Yes. Our bunker is thirty miles north. I had a radio there, and after hearing a transmission from a guy named Kurt, speaking of a community of survivors fifty miles east of here, we left. They said they have shelter, food, and water. Things we knew we would be in desperate need of soon.”

  Finn twisted his head, looking at me. I shrugged. Maybe this safe zone could be a place to stop and rest before our next push to Grammy’s.

  “Did you run into any mutants on your way here?” he asked Marco.

  The man nodded. “There were five of those creatures wandering a few miles from here. But my son took care of them before they caught wind of us.”

  “How’d he do that?” I asked, curious.

  “Before the chaos, he was on leave from the military. He was a sniper, top of his class. He’s still got a wicked eye, even after all these years.” The tone of his voice and the gleam in his eye exposed his pride.

  “Do you live in this house?” Marco asked.

  “No, we’re also passing through,” Finn answered. “We’re heading to another community, where Abi’s grandmother is living. Unfortunately, it’s hundreds of miles away.”

  “That sucks,” the man said flatly.

  “Yeah, tell me about it.” Finn raked his fingers through his thick hair, causing his biceps to flex, exposing his new tattoo. Seeing it made me remember why we were here, and why we were on the run.

  “Look, there is ample food and water here for the five of us. We’ll need to secure the door, but we should be protected here, especially with increased numbers.”

  “I’m sorry about the door. I’ll go get my family and help fix it when I get back.” He glanced down at his gun on the floor.

  “It’s yours,” Finn said, picking it up and offering it to him.

  “Thank you. I appreciate your kindness.”

  “It's good to meet other survivors and not just those mutants who want to take a bite out of us,” Finn teased.

  “No kidding.” Marco chuckled as he walked out the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

  I sauntered over to Finn and suggestively pressed the front of my body against his, wrapping my arms around his waist. He slung his shotgun over his shoulder and wrapped me tightly in his arms.

  “I guess you liked my introduction, huh?”

>   “I’m not gonna lie, it took me by surprise. But hearing you refer to me as your wife made my world a better place.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Well then, wife…once we take care of all the damn distractions in our life, and you heal up completely, I’m going to take you on a honeymoon.”

  “A honeymoon?” The thought of it sounded like heaven, but right now, it had to be classified as a dream.

  “Mmmm,” he hummed, pressing his lips against mine. “And I am going to build us a home that overlooks the water, and there will be a large area where we can plant our garden. And a yard for our children to run and play.”

  A deep ache resonated in my chest, hoping and praying this dream would come true. “You truly know how to sweet talk a girl.”

  “Oh, I plan on doing a lot more than sweet talking.”

  His eyes darkened with desire. Taking my bottom lip between his teeth, he gently tugged, drawing a soft moan from my throat. His lips crashed down against mine, claiming me with a needy kiss, while his tongue gently swirled across my lips before dipping deeper, allowing our tongues to collide. His hands became frantic, exploring every part of me. My legs went weak, and Finn’s arms tightened around me as if he knew the ground beneath me had just disappeared.

  A knock at the door interrupted our yearning, making me wonder if we’d ever get to consummate our marriage.

  Finn pulled back, resting his forehead against mine. His breath was heavy, and before he spoke, he gave me two more quick kisses.

  “Come in,” he called.

  As the door swung open, Marco stepped in with two others behind him.

  “Finn, Abi, this is my wife Cindy and my son Parker.” He stepped aside, addressing them.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Finn said, greeting them with handshakes.

  “Yes, it’s nice to meet you,” I added, following his lead.

  Cindy looked to be in her late fifties, with whitish-blonde hair. Her nose and cheeks were red with sunburn, but her green eyes appeared kind and exhausted. Parker could’ve passed for thirty-five, and was tall and lanky. He had shoulder-length, blonde hair and a long beard. His eyes were the same bright blue as his dad.