Crisis averted, I dropped my hands, but his arms came up around me before I could step away. I let out a slow breath trying to keep any panic from welling up. I did not want to be in his arms.
“We need to leave here soon,” Joshua said. “Our troubles are still waiting. I’m stalling as best I can.”
Ah. His agitation made more sense. I could only imagine what his leader was screaming at him through their link. I nodded and tried to wear a concerned look. “I’ve asked that the Elders help make our troubles go away.
He eyed me for a moment. A surge of possessiveness swept through me, then calculation. I didn’t miss the hint of suspicion as he smiled slowly. “That would be ideal.”
The suspicion worried me. Perhaps I was playing it up too much. “Would you mind if I took a bit more time to shower? I think I smell like a hot dog.” Hot Dog? I kept my face straight while I mentally kicked myself over my random choice of smell comparisons.
He leaned in to inhale deeply. “I smell spiced pears. Delicious.”
Crap. I struggled with what to do. I did not want him licking me again.
“Joshua,” Nana rumbled a warning.
He reluctantly released me. “Of course. Go bathe. Winifred can fill me in.”
“I’ll be quick,” I promised him. I just needed to wash my neck where I still felt his tongue. Suppressing a shiver, I walked away and closed myself into the bathroom.
Through the door, I heard Joshua’s howl of frustration and Nana’s calm tones. I stayed in the bathroom, hiding, wondering how long it would take Luke and whoever else to hunt down the three in the woods. Then, how long would it take the wolves living here to pack up and leave? I needed to do something to keep Joshua occupied until we were ready to go. He could send all the messages he wanted after that. The rest of the Urbat would be too far to reach us in time. I hoped.
After a few minutes, I emerged with a thoroughly scrubbed neck. Joshua’s eyes tracked me as I walked the short distance to him. He’d once again been pacing.
“We’re leaving,” he growled at me.
“Now?” I forced myself to remain calm. “We still have your friends out there to worry about.”
“Not any longer. They’ve been silenced. He is asking me for information. They are gathering to return. We must leave now.”
I let out a loud sigh. “Of course. Then we need to leave.” Nana sat on the chair watching us. “Is everything ready?”
“Almost,” she said.
My stomach gave a sickening lurch, and a wave of dizziness hit me. A dream called, and it almost knocked me out where I stood. I struggled to breathe and stay upright.
Joshua lunged for me, worry in his eyes. Behind him, Nana rose, her expression determined. Joshua’s hands gripped my arms as he steadied me. I opened my mouth to reassure them both, but only managed a wide-eyed look as Nana reached for his neck. My shocked expression was the only warning I managed to give Joshua. Nana twisted his head sharply, killing him instantly. Before his body could crumple toward me, she pulled him back.
“What did you do?” I gasped, quickly revising my thoughts that older people were nice.
“We’re ready. We don’t need him anymore. The families have packed and the last one is leaving. The unmated are following as escorts. Gabby has given the location of the last ten so they can be avoided. We are all that remain.”
I stared down at Joshua’s lifeless form and felt like crying. His death didn’t bother me as much as the timing of it. I’d meant for him to live to pressure Luke to replace the Claim. Now there was no reason for Luke to give up his stubborn determination to keep me at arm’s length.
“Come, Bethi,” she said lifting my bag and holding out a hand. Lethal hands, I thought still dazed.
We walked through a quiet compound. A sense of cold anticipation filled the halls. Doors to apartments stood open. Small things like lamps and blankets were missing. The large pieces of furniture remained. What had I started? They all trusted me. They’d listened. For the first time in all the lives I’d recalled, the people around me had run before it was too late. Did it mean things would change this time around?
Outside, the remaining cars left the parking lot in an orderly fashion. Sam stood on the porch watching it all. Three cars waited nearby with their doors open. Gabby stood near one, her eyes unfocused. Clay stood just behind her, a hand on her shoulder. They both faced the Compound.
“The Urbat have turned,” she said when I stepped onto the porch. “A small group, though.”
“I’m not surprised,” I answered distractedly. I couldn’t see Luke.
Nana nudged me aside, and I watched Carlos stride past carrying Joshua. I hadn’t even known he’d been following us. He stepped off the porch and headed for the woods.
“Where’s he going?” I asked. We didn’t have much time if the Urbat were headed toward us.
“Taking him to the woods. Charlene put her heart into this place. Maybe they will leave it be if he’s found out there,” Nana said moving past me.
She slid into the backseat of one of the cars, sandwiching two little boys in between her and Jim. Michelle and Emmitt sat in the front. I doubted they’d been given the time they wanted to cement their Claim. Emmitt started the car forward as soon as Nana closed the door.
“Sam,” Gabby said, “we need to leave now.”
Carlos emerged from the woods at a run with Luke at his side. My heart went crazy. Deep down, I’d thought he would leave without me because of what I’d done.
Sam held out his hand and helped me from the porch. He, Clay, and Gabby climbed into his truck while Luke, Carlos, Grey, and I quickly filled the remaining car. Luke kept his distance from me, leaving the space of the middle seat between us. I hugged my arm to my stomach, not so much for the stitches, but for the emotional maelstrom of doubt that lived there. We left in a hurry. Everyone followed the same road heading south. From there, cars in the caravan started taking random turn-offs.
“Does everyone know where to go?” I asked.
Grey answered. “Gabby gave everyone several safe locations where the Urbat population is low. The Urbat are mostly in the north-east so everyone will avoid that area.”
“Tell Gabby we need to find somewhere safe enough to stop for a few hours. We need to plan how to get Peace before the Urbat find her.”
Grey nodded but said nothing. Hopefully, he was talking to Sam.
I glanced at Luke and found him watching me. It hurt to look at him. My eyes burned, and my lips trembled. I struggled to keep it all in. I didn’t think a simple apology would make up for what I did to him but said it anyway. He gave the barest of nods and reached across the seat to clasp my hand.
His touch, the light rumble of the tires over the road, and an already long messed up day did me in. My eyes fluttered closed and a single thought floated to the surface before a dream pulled me under. I hate car rides.
Chapter Seventeen
I woke with a gasp. Luke’s hand was stroking my cheek. My head lay back against the seat.
“You all right?” he asked softly. He’d turned toward me, but he still kept his distance.
The tires still rumbled over the road as I lifted my arms. I flexed my hands and wiggled my fingers as I swallowed hard. “They cut off my fingers. One by one.” I let out a shaky breath and closed my eyes again. “Can we stop for an energy drink or something?”
The car remained quiet, and I opened my eyes just in time to see Luke and Grey share a look.
“What?” I demanded looking between the two of them.
Luke picked up one of my hands and started massaging the fingers. After what just happened to them, it felt great. But, he looked out the window while he did it without answering me.