The Lair (4 page)

“But none of us has been exposed,” McKenna groused.

“We don’t know that,” Lily said gently. Funny, just a few days ago, she would have been annoyed by McKenna’s whining. Now, she knew this was just how McKenna acted when she was afraid. Under the circumstances—McKenna must be terrified. She was pregnant and alone. Joe was probably dead. Frankly, it was a miracle she could function at all. “We were all really close to Ticks not that long ago.”

“It’s not airborne,” Carter said quietly. “It’s passed from one victim to the next by bodily fluids. Like the vampire virus. A Tick has to bite you or—I don’t know—swap blood somehow. We should all be safe.”

But his voice sounded desperate rather than confident. That’s when Lily knew he’d figured out the same thing she had.

But McKenna obviously hadn’t figured it out yet, because she said, “So, what? If one of us does show symptoms, they just leave us in here to die?” McKenna broke off mid-rant; she must have noticed both Lily and Carter staring at her. “What? Get sick and die, right? That’s how it goes.”

“Yeah, for most people.” Lily pushed herself to her feet and moved to stand over by the shelf. Right at eye level was a bobblehead of a superhero—one of the ones she didn’t recognize. She reached out and gave his head a nudge and then watched it bob for a second before turning around, but she still couldn’t make herself look at either of her friends. “But if I show signs—I mean, any signs, any fever at all—you’ve got to take me out right away, okay?”

“What?” McKenna gaped.

“Lily—” Carter took a step toward her, but she held out a hand to stop him.

“You know I’m right. So we might as well get it all out on the table.”

McKenna wobbled to her feet. “What are you guys talking about?”

Lily opened her mouth, but couldn’t make herself say it aloud. Instead she turned back to the bobbleheads, trusting Carter to fill in the blanks for McKenna.

“She’s talking about the regenerative gene. There’s some rare gene that only about one to two percent of the population has. If you have that gene and you’re exposed to the Tick virus, you turn into a Tick.”

“Yeah, I know that. Just because I was a cheerleader in the Before doesn’t mean I didn’t watch the news.”

“According to Sebastian, when Genexome Corporation did the research that created the Tick virus, they started with Roberto’s genes, with his DNA. They created a virus that mimicked some of the characteristics of the vampire virus. Roberto was trying to create an army of monsters that he could control. So he made a virus that also affected the victims’ mental capabilities and he did away with the territorial thing all vampires have going for them, but he still started with the same gene.”

“So?” she asked.

“So, if Mel didn’t have the regenerative gene, when Sebastian fed off her she would have just died. Instead she turned into a vampire. That means she has the gene. And Lily and Mel are identical twins. Genetically identical. So she has it, too.”

“Oh.”

For a second, no one seemed to even breathe. Finally Lily gave the bobblehead one last nudge and turned around. No superhero was going to save her. “So there it is. That’s why it’s a good idea for me to be held in quarantine. And probably why you guys should stay in a separate room.”

Damn, she should have thought of that before now. She made a move toward the door to go talk to Merc, but Carter stepped in her way.

“No. Don’t go borrowing trouble. We know you weren’t exposed.”

“No, we—”

“Yes. We know. I was with you the whole time. You weren’t bitten. Besides, it took us two days to drive here. I’ve been watching for symptoms that whole time and haven’t seen any. And I know you haven’t, either.”

“How do you know—”

“The way you kept asking McKenna if she was cold, too? And the way you kept holding my hand to your cheek? You’ve been watching for signs of a fever. Not very subtly, either.” He brought his hand up to her face and cupped her jaw. His other hand slipped to her waist. For just a moment, her heart pounded with something other than fear. “You’re fine. Don’t worry.”

The anguish in his voice as he said it matched the way she felt. Then he dropped his forehead to hers, and she had to close her eyes against her tears. It was all she could do not to press her body against his and just lose herself in his touch. But it seemed wrong under the circumstances with McKenna there. Especially since McKenna had just lost Joe. So instead, Lily swallowed hard and stepped back. Carter trailed his fingers down her arm and clasped her hand.

“Did you really think I hadn’t noticed?” he asked.

Lily gave a shrug. “You’re the one who’s always talking about how smart I am. I guess I just hoped I’d figured it out before you. I didn’t want to freak anyone out unless—” She couldn’t even bring herself to say it.

“Well, we don’t have to worry about that,” he said brusquely. “You’re fine.”

Okay, time to get past her squeamishness. She didn’t want to say it aloud, but she couldn’t afford not to say it, either. “Look, about that. If something does happen—”

“Nothing’s going to happen. We’re here now. We’re safe. That’s not something we have to worry about.”

“Sure. Right now. But if I am exposed, I want you to promise me—”

“It’s not ever going to happen.” Carter’s voice was like steel.

Lily dropped his hand, wanting to throw up her own hands in exasperation. “Fine. We’ll pretend it’s not a possibility. But just so we’re clear, if I ever am exposed to the virus, if I ever do start to turn, I want you to take me out before I can hurt anyone else.”

“Jesus, Lily, you can’t ask me to kill you.”

“I’m only asking you to do what you would do for anyone else.”

“But you aren’t anyone else. You’re you.”

“If I’m exposed to the Tick virus, I won’t be
me
anymore. I’m asking you to do the right thing. I’m asking you to protect the people I care about if I’m not in a position to do it myself.” Just to be sure, she turned and looked at McKenna, too. “Got it?”

McKenna gave a queasy nod. “Got it.”

Carter didn’t respond, but just stood there, his jaw clenched so tight she thought he might crack a molar. She stepped closer to him and looked him in the eye. This close, his eyes were startlingly blue. She thought of all the things they’d been through together. She thought of the boy she’d met in the Before two years ago—that impossibly handsome, recklessly charming guy. That guy she’d crushed on and then made herself forget. And then she thought of the guy who showed up at her Farm to rescue her and Mel just over a week ago. She knew now that he was so much more than just that hot guy she’d crushed on. He was a hero. A guy who’d put his life on the line to save her and to lead this ragtag band of human teenagers. And he claimed to love her.

“Look,” she said bluntly, “I’m not going to just hide here in this cave. I didn’t escape from that Farm and come all this way so I could cower. I came here so I could make a difference. So I could fight. You have to accept that.”

Carter pulled her back into his arms and tipped her jaw up so she met his gaze. “Fine. And you have to accept that I’m not gonna let you get exposed. Ever. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe. No matter what.”

He didn’t give her a chance to answer. Which was probably just as well, because she didn’t know what she’d say. She was used to taking care of others, not having anyone take care of her. Having Carter in her life was going to take some getting used to. Just like the cold of the cave. Just like the knowledge that she had the Tick gene, that she had the potential to become a bloodthirsty monster.

That was okay, she was adaptable.

CHAPTER THREE

Carter

Six weeks later

I knew I was in trouble when I walked out the bay door and saw Lily waiting for me by the Hummer.

Spring had come early to the mountain—thank God—and the last deadly ice that had covered the parking lot had finally melted. Which meant we were doing more food raids and sending out patrols nearly every day. It also meant that the ice and snow farther up the mountain was melting as well. Which was why Taylor Tech and I were going up the mountain to the solar array he’d installed last fall. Taylor had landed at Elite for stealing, hacking, and reselling five hundred iPads from his old school district. If it had wires and a circuit board, he could hack it. And thank God for that, because if it hadn’t been for the solar panels he’d scavenged and then set up, we wouldn’t have any electricity at Base Camp. Living in the caves without light would be difficult, but without the air filtration system, it would be impossible. Just up the mountain from camp, the solar panels had been inaccessible for most of the winter. Which was why Taylor and I needed to check on them today, make sure they were in good shape, and hopefully have time to install a few of the new ones that had been scavenged in the last food raid.

While I couldn’t blame Lily for wanting to be outside now that the temperature was finally above freezing, I didn’t like it. Even though she was still inside the fence line. Even though I was right here. Even though there was no way a Tick could get at her, it still made my skin crawl having her out in the open like this.

“What’s up?” I asked.

She had her hands shoved into her pockets, and rolled up onto the balls of her feet. She grinned, tipping her face toward the weak spring sunlight. “Merc said you were driving up the mountain today. I thought maybe I’d tag along.”

“Are you kidding?” But her good mood was infectious and I couldn’t help smiling.

She sidled closer to me, stopping just a few inches away. Her fingers tiptoed up the front of my shirt and she looked up at me with her head tilted to the side, an impish smile on her face. “A solid two to three hours alone? Out in the sunshine? Away from Base Camp? No way I’d joke about that.”

My head swam in response to her words. Base Camp was safe, but it was almost impossible to be alone. Yeah, we could catch a minute here and there. Like this, this moment out in the sunshine, with the chaos of Base Camp a whole twenty yards away. But two to three hours? I hadn’t had that with Lily . . . well, since that night we’d slept side by side for a few hours on the Farm, right before we’d escaped. And, oh man, I wanted her alone.

I trailed my fingers up her arm. She had on a couple of layers of clothing, but, hell, layers could be peeled off. Her smile widened, like she knew just what I was thinking. And that combination—the smile, the hint of intimacy, the lure of time alone with her—it was like a mind wipe. There was some reason this was a bad idea, but for the life of me I couldn’t think of why.

“Hey,” a voice called from behind me. “We heading out soon or do I have time to grab some food first?”

I turned around to see Taylor walking toward the Hummer. He did a little double take when he saw Lily peeking out from behind my shoulder.

“Oh, sorry, man. Didn’t realize you were . . . occupied. I’ll just grab a bite to eat and be back in a minute, okay? Then we can head out. ’Cause we should get started soon. I mean, if you still want to . . .”

No. I didn’t still want to. I didn’t want to drive up the freakin’ mountain to install more solar panels. I wanted just five freakin’ minutes alone with Lily.

“Fine. Be back in five minutes.”

Taylor trotted off and I looked back at Lily. She smiled sheepishly. “I guess that means no three hours alone.”

“Yeah, I guess not.” I blew out a breath and stepped away from her. “Just as well.”

She frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Come on, it’s not like I’m going to let you go traipsing around on the mountain with me.”

She took a step back herself and did a double take. “Not going to
let
me go?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Maybe you better tell me.” She propped her hands on her hips. “Because it sounded to me like you think I need your permission to leave Base Camp.”

“Of course I don’t think that.”

“Good.”

But that stubborn look in her eyes sent fear dripping down the back of my neck. “But just to be clear, you’re not leaving Base Camp.”

She arched an eyebrow.

“I have to leave Base Camp eventually.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.” She stepped closer and dropped her voice, so that even if someone was out in the parking lot with us, they’d have a hard time hearing our conversation. “Have you noticed the way people treat me here?”

“Yeah. Everybody loves you. They think you’re great.”

“Right. I don’t know if it’s because they think I’m an
abductura
or just because I’m your girlfriend or what, but the Elites all treat me like I’m a friggin’ China doll and the Greens act like I’m Joan of Arc or something.”

“So?” She’d had a hell of a time on the Farm. And she’d lost Mel. If anyone deserved an easy time of it now, it was Lily.

“So, I need to be doing something.”

“You do plenty. You do KP duty nearly every day and—”

“I need to be doing something important. Whether I should be or not, I’m in a position of power here.” She gave me a small, sheepish smile. “I need to—you know—use my powers for good. Not evil.”

“Fine. But that doesn’t mean putting yourself in danger.”

“I’m not planning on being reckless, but I need to help. To do something concrete. Besides, I think seeing me do things will help morale. In case you haven’t noticed, things in the cave are getting tense.”

“Yeah, I noticed. I’m not an idiot.”

Her lips twitched just a little. “So then you noticed how skittish all the Greens are. I don’t think I’ve seen a single Green leave camp since we got here. Since that guy was exposed just before we arrived.”

I knew she was right; I just didn’t know what to do about it. I pushed a hand through my hair.

“They’re scared,” Lily said.

“Wouldn’t you be?” Hell, I knew the answer to that question. Of course Lily would be scared, but that wouldn’t stop her from doing something, not if she thought it was important. “Look, it’s going to take a while for people to get over it, that’s all. I’m not going to force anybody out of the caves.”