Unremarkable (Anything But) (22 page)
Read Unremarkable (Anything But) Online
Authors: Lindy Zart
“
I’ll make more. Eventually. You two can’t be the only ones adaptable to the virus. True, you are my first choice, but I can compromise with others in your stead.”
Ryder locked eyes with her, intense green fire burning through them. If everyone’s eyes spoke like his, there would be no need for words. “No, but we’re the only ones you have right now.”
Honor’s arm was going numb from the force of his grip and still she tried to get it out of his grasp. It was futile. “Don’t agree to anything. He’s lying. He’ll tell you anything to get you to do what he wants. Don’t let him win.”
His eyes turned sad, the hint of a smile on his lips. “Don’t you get it, Honor? He has you. As far as I’m concerned, he already has.”
“That’s a good boy.” August released her, shoving her away. She fell forward, Ryder catching her.
Straightening his suit and patting his hair, he told them, “I have some business to attend to. I will be back momentarily. Don’t try to escape. We’re in lockdown. There is no way out. And even if there was, I’d find you. You will not go anywhere until that blood is inside you, Ryder.” He pointed at Honor. “Or she dies. And I mean it.”
When it was only the two of them, Ryder smoothed her messy hair from her eyes, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead. “It’s going to be okay, Honor. No matter what. I promise.”
“
Don’t make promises. Then you look like a liar when they fail.” She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him, his embrace disturbingly calming with all the despair clinging to them.
“
You know, this isn’t how I expected us to be together.”
She looked up and caught the touch of humor in his eyes. “I don’t think anyone would ever pick this as a way to be with someone.”
“He said he picked us to be together, when we were babies. Do you believe that? Do you believe it's true?”
“
He says lots of things.” Honor turned her gaze from the heat of his. “What does it matter anyway?”
He answered slowly, “It makes me think, that maybe out of all of the bad, there was something good, or something good was meant to happen in spite of it. Is that crazy?”
She shook her head, the intensity of Ryder's eyes making it hard for her to breathe. Instead of saying anything, she reached for his hand and clasped it in hers, looking at their interlaced fingers.
“
Do you know what we are?”
She returned her eyes to his; his so close she could see the myriad of shades in greens and silvers in them. “We’re monsters.”
Ryder smiled sweetly, cupping her face within his palms. “No. We’re hope.”
“
I don’t understand.”
Honor moved to put distance between them, wondering how they had gone through everything they had and ended up where they were. He didn’t let her get far before he gently tugged her back. She let him, allowing her eyelids to slide shut as he hugged her from behind, his cool cheek against hers. It was crazy, but she felt safe in his arms. With all the chaos around them, and even because of them, she was sheltered from it all, if she was near Ryder. She could even pretend none of it was going on. It was them and that was it. Nothing else existed.
He had been the boy she despised; she had been the girl he tormented. None of it had been real, not even what she’d told herself she’d felt for him. Underneath it all the truth had always been there. They were alike; had always been alike. What scared her most of all was that she didn’t want to lose him, no matter what. Be it good or bad, Honor wanted to be with him. Be it as a monster or a plain, unremarkable human.
Hands on her shoulders, his breath cool against the back of her neck; he said softly, “It’s hard to understand, at least right now. It’s even harder to explain. But I know something no one else does, not even August.”
He paused, and then placed his lips next to her ear as he said, “We are the cure.”
Lindy Zart has been writing since she was a child. Luckily for readers, her writing has improved since then. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two sons, and one cat. Lindy loves hearing from people who enjoy her work.
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