Taken Over (Book 2 The Ravening Series) (7 page)

   Lloyd
nodded as he clipped the radio to his belt. “Yes sir.”

   “There’s enough food to last a couple of days. I wish we could spa
re more, but…
”

   Molly trailed off, her cute face pinched as she watched us worriedly. Molly had been a stranger to us before this had all happened, but her training in scuba diving had save
d
our lives when we
were
trapped on the Cape, and unable to escape by crossing either of the bridges. She was a sweet person with
her
curly
red hair and cat green eyes. Since we had joined the larger group of survivors, Molly had helped
with
cooking duty, and
had taken
charge of the food s
upplies
.

   What
Molly
hadn’t said was that they couldn’t spare anymore
food
on us, especially when they didn’t know what our fate would
be. They couldn’t
afford to
waste food on us if we were going to be dead in a day. “We’ll be fine,” I assured her. “There will be plenty of opportunities to find more
food
on the way.”

   Molly
managed a wan smile for me before squeezing my arm gently.
“I’m sure there will
be
,” she
replied
fervently.

   “We’ll be following a different route than you, sticking more toward the back
roads and
heavily
wooded areas,”
Darnell continued.

   “We’ll meet up with you
once we get the supplies
,”
Lloyd
assured him.

   “Bethany please,” Abby whispered.

   I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her against my side. “I
have
to go Abby, but Aiden will be here.”

   “You
don’t
have to go!” she insisted. “There are others that could go!”

   I sighed softly, glancing at my brother over her head.
He had wanted to come too, but we could not leave Abby alone, and he was needed here
more
than I was. He understood s
c
ience, he was
a better
help to the doc than I was.
Bishop
had taken
,
and
stored
,
plenty of blood from me over the past three weeks. In the past day he had taken even more.
He
had protested my leaving also, but he had done so only with me. I think
Bishop
realized that I needed this, that I needed some sort of mission, some kind of goal i
f I was going
to
keep
surviv
ing
.

   He knew that denying me this was denying
me
something that I fervently needed. I needed to escape my thoughts, needed to
escape my
memories
,
and
my
torment over losing Cade. 
“There aren’t any others,” I said softly.

   “Of course there are!”

  
“Abigail,” I said gently, but firmly.

   Molly draped her arm around Abby’s shoulders. “It will be fine,”
Molly
assured her. “
I need some
help with the cooking and getting the rest of the supplies packed up.”

   Abby gave a small nod
but tears shimmered in her dark eyes. I managed a smile for her and gave her a quick hug. I felt guilty leaving her here, felt guilty hurting her like this, but
it
had to be done. It
needed
to be done. If we succeeded than we may very well be able to save her life
, and the lives of many others
. I didn’t want to hurt her, it was the last thing I wanted as she had already experienced so much loss in her
short
life, but
I couldn’t stay here
.

   “I love you Abby.”

   She threw her arms around me
and
hugg
ed
me tight. “I love you too Bethany, please come back.”

   I closed my eyes, fighting against a wave of tears as I gently dislodged myself from her. I had to get away from her
,
before I couldn’t. “Good luck,” Darnell said softly.

  
Aiden walked beside us as we exited the building.
He
took hold of my arm pulling me back from the others as they made their way to the forest. “You know that I don’t
agree with this
.
”

   “Aiden…”

   “Even Bishop feels it would be better if you stayed. If something happens to you…”

   “He has plenty of my blood, believe me, I know.”

   “That’s not the point…”
   “I have to do this Aiden.”

  
As h
is dark eyes scanned me
,
I was struck by
the stark differences in my brother
over the past few weeks
and they
tugged at my heart. He was only eighteen, yet dark circles from lack of sleep
and stress
had form
ed
under his ey
es. His mouth was pinched tight;
the corners of it
were
tugged down. Just weeks ago, even with the aliens looming constantly over us,
he had retained a carefree air and youthful innocence that I hadn’t possessed in years. An air that had been refreshing and joyful
,
even for someone as jaded as me. Aiden’s exuberance had been contagious, his smile bright, and his quick wit
uplifting. Though he still retained a lot of his old personality there were subtle changes taking him over that I didn’t like, and didn’t want to see continue. I wanted to ease the burden he
had
taken on, and this was
one of
the way
s to do that
.

   “If you’re doing this because of him Bethany…”

   “What are you talking about?” I interrupted sharply
, angered and wounded by his words
.

   H
e frowned as he tilted his head;
his golden hair
was longer than usual as it
spill
ed
into one of his eyes.
I was struck by how much of a man he had become in such a short time. Struck by how much he looked like our father. A lump formed in my throat, my eyes burned. I wished our parents could have been here to see the strong, brave, intelligent man he had become. They would
have
be
en
so proud of him, and Abby. I shied away from thoughts of what they would think about me.

   “Anyone with eyes has seen the difference in you Bethany. Ever since he was taken, you’ve been walking around like a zombie, barely alive.” I couldn’t meet his gaze
;
I became focused upon the
people
gathered by the tree
line
, waiting for me
. “I hope you’re not doing this as some sort of a death
wish.”

   I swallowed heavily, my hands fisted at my sides. “I’m doing this because it may be the only hope we have,” I gritted through clenched teeth. I was resentful of his words, no matter how truthful they may be.
“Who knows how long it will take us to get to Boston, or if we even
will
make it to the city
.
T
he doc needs those supplies as soon as possible
if he’s going to help anyone
. This is the best way
to get them
.”

   His hand was light on my arm; I finally turned my attention back to him. “I understand that, but I also feel as if you don’t plan on returning.”

   My mouth dropped. “Of course I do!” I sputtered in indignation. “You and Abby…”

   “I want you to return for
you
.”

   I recoiled from him, feeling as if I had been slapped. “Aiden…”

   “I want
you
to want to live again. Not for me or Abby, for
you
,” he insisted fiercely. “He’s dead Bethany…”

   “Shut up Aiden.”

   “No
,
you need to realize that
he
is
dead.”

   I glared at him; my teeth ached from clenching them so tight. “I know that Aiden,” I snarled at him.
Aiden’s eyes widened in surprise, he hadn
’
t expected me to tell him that I had come to accept the fact that Cade was gone.
“I know he
’
s dead, I know that he
’
s not coming back. I know that I am alone…” I broke off shaking my head. “Not alone, I didn’t mean that.
I don’t know what I am anymore.
”

   “
You’re not alone Bethany.
” To my absolute horror and
shame my chin began to tremble. I was struggling not to unravel, not to let free my pain and misery. Struggling to re
t
ain my
shaken
composure.
They were already worried enough about me, I couldn’t turn into a sobbing mess right in front of him.

   “But I am.” I took a deep breath, regaining control of myself as I lifted my chin and met his wounded gaze. “I love you and Abby. I love Bret and Molly, and I’ve even come to like Jenna
a little
, but it’s not the same.
Nothing
will
ever
be the same.
I
will never be the same. What I felt for him…”

   My gaze drifted back toward the group waiting far more patiently than I would have
been
. I had never talked about my feelings for Cade, never shared them wi
th anyone. I didn’t think they c
ould understand
the intense bond that had
been forged
between us
in such a short time
.
Especially since
I had been dating Bret
when everything with Cade happened
. I felt they would feel I was being childish, or that I felt guilty because Cade had sacrificed himself to save me (which I did), but it was so much more than all
of those things.
My love for Cade
was the first really amazing thing I had experienced in years.
It had been s
o different, so
true
.