Criteria (YA Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria) (4 page)

“I’m sorry.” Steven broke the kiss. “I just needed to do that.”

Fi wanted to die as he pulled away. “No, don’t stop.”

“You might be the last girl I ever get to kiss.”

Touching her lips, she stared at him, still giddy.

“Fi, we’re leaving now.” Yumi stepped up behind her. “What are you doing to her?”

“Nothing.” Torn, she extracted herself from Steven’s sweet, warm arms. “We should go.” She’d find a way to get back to him.

*****

“And you’re sure they didn’t hurt you?” Jack poked his head through the crack of Fi’s door later that night. He’d come to see her once he learned she’d gone down to see the visitors.

“I’m fine. I’m guessing Yumi’s asleep now.”

“Yeah, what? Is that why you won’t let me in?” He pushed at the door. “You’ve never left me out here before.”

“I’m really sleepy and if you come in, I won’t get much sleep.”

“Isn’t that the point?” he smirked.

Right now, he was making her skin crawl. “Maybe you should spend some time with Yumi. If you keep sneaking out each night, she’ll get suspicious.”

“I thought we agreed, this isn’t about Yumi. This is just us. You and me.”

“But she’s your girlfriend and my best friend. We can’t keep doing this to her. What if I get pregnant? How am I going to explain that to her?”

“You won’t get pregnant.”

“I’m not an idiot, Jack. We ran out of birth control three weeks ago.” That hadn’t bothered her until that night. Everything changed with Steven’s kiss and the notion of being with anyone else suddenly sickened her. “Just go.”

“Fi, we’ve discussed this already. We’ll cross that bridge if it happens.”

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow. I’m tired.” Trying to shut the door, she felt him push it open.

“The whole Yumi thing isn’t going to be forever. I swear to you.” His voice softened. “I love you, not her.”

The sweet tone of his voice almost broke her heart. “Then why are you with her?” She’d asked this a thousand times and he’d always said the same thing.

“Because I know she’ll kill herself if I leave.” His old excuse just sounded weak. “I’m with her to protect her from herself. She’s so unstable.”

“Is it true you’re going to kill those guys, but not the girls?”

“Yumi told you that? Doesn’t it sound like she’s a bit crazy?”

“Yumi didn’t tell me that.”

“Then who? The prisoners? Fi, they’d say anything to confuse you. Do you see why I don’t want them around? You already believe them over me.”

“It’s true?”

“The truth is, we’re probably the last civilized people left in the world and we need more girls. Kim and Brenda died last year, which makes five gone. We need more women to ensure that one day, there’ll be more kids born and yes, if it helps to make our group happier that’s what I’ll do. That being said, I’m not planning on doing what you think.”

“It’s obvious now, since those four came—it means there are other people out there. So we’re not the last. Maybe they’ve got more women there.”

“I’d said
last civilized
. Steven’s people will probably use us for food. I’ve seen this before.”

“We don’t know that.”

“Fi, remember when we were with the convoy with those people at Liverpool? They tried to kill us all, remember?”

“But that was different. They were cannibals. Steven isn’t like them.”

“Steven?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“Yes, him and the others. We should give them a chance.” She calmly approached him. “Watch them closely and don’t let them leave. Please, you aren’t a killer. You’re a good person.”

“What am I supposed to do if they hurt—you? Fi, I love you and I need to protect you. I have to, even if you hate me for it.”

“Jack—don’t.”

“We’ve haven’t decided anything. Yumi and the rest of us are going to discuss it later, but I expect they’ll just say kill all four, rather than risk them going back to their camp and bringing reinforcements.”

Monty walked into the room. “Hello.”

“Monty, do you have to be everywhere I am?” she screamed over Jack’s shoulder. “Find somewhere else to be!”

“Yumi is looking for you, Jack. I think she’s on her way up here,” Monty remarked with a sneer and left.

“I—I’ll be back.” Jack reached out to grab her hand. “Fi—“

“Get out, Jack,” she ordered.

Jack opened his mouth to speak, but then left.

She shut the door and bolted it behind him.

“You were right. They’re going to kill you.” Fi sat across from Steven in the cellar, hours later. She’d volunteered to bring food to them again so she’d get a chance to see him.

“I doubt it.” Steven sipped his soup, and then licked his lips. “Thanks for the food.”

She wanted to kiss him again, but couldn’t because the rest of his group was standing around.

“You doubt it, Steven?” Wisteria grumbled. “You’re joking, right?”

“They seem like nice people. They’re just a little scared,” Steven explained.

“Scared?” Amanda trembled, moving behind Garfield to vanish into the darkness. “They’re going turn us into breeding stock, if we’re lucky.”

“Amanda.” Wisteria hurried after her.

“I’m sure they’ve never actually killed anyone.” Steven smiled at Fi. “They’re just confused.”

“You’re sweet, but you’re wrong. Jack means it. He spoke about protecting me and stuff. The last time he spoke like that, he almost killed someone.”

“Greg?” Garfield asked.

“How did you know about that?” Fi glanced over at the brown haired guy.

“We heard some of Jack’s friends talking about it,” Garfield added.

“He didn’t kill Greg, not really,” Fi explained.

“He just left him behind to be eaten by biters, so he could get away.” Garfield walked off. “Huge difference, right?”

“Greg ran off,” Fi defended.

Garfield didn’t answer.

All she heard was Amanda sobbing as Wisteria tried to comfort her.

“I know there’s a difference.” Steven massaged her neck. “It’s not like Jack pulled the trigger.”

She didn’t know if it was his tranquil voice or his tender touch, but the tension she’d felt over the last hours dissolved.

“We’ll be fine; don’t worry about me,” he told her.

“Why are you so calm?”

“Because he’s an idiot?” Garfield sneered.

“Because I know that we’re not in any danger and even if we are, I’m not going to give anyone the pleasure of watching me lose it.”

Steven’s inner strength amazed her and made her love him even more. “There is a chance they’ll change their minds, but the inner circle’s going to decide and tell us what to do.”

“Inner circle? They run things here, right? I’m guessing they’re all guys.” Wisteria emerged into the moonlight.

“Why do think that?” Steven seethed.

“Only the strong survive and the only way you get a community like yours standing strong is with a lot of brute force.” Wisteria turned to Fi. “The boys tell everyone what to do here.”

“Yumi’s part of the inner circle too,” Fi pointed out. “So the guys don’t run this group.”

“She’s the girl that came with you? The one who kicked Brian’s ass? I’m pretty sure she’s the only girl they listen to, because she can do that,” Wisteria remarked dryly.

“Wisteria, leave.” Steven pointed at her.

“Steven—?”

“Now.” He scowled at her.

She nodded and backed away.

“I guess you run things in your group,” Fi noted.

“You’re funny.” Letting out a deep chuckle, he slipped an arm around her.

Kneeling up to him, she kissed him gently on the lips.

“So, is it going to be like a vote when the inner circle meets?” he continued.

“I don’t know how they make their decisions, but when they’re done, they’ll tell the group what they decided.”

“And if you don’t agree with what they decide?”

“I trust Jack.”

“Or you’ll end up like Greg.”

“Greg—you don’t understand how things work here.”

“Actually, I kind of do. He sounds a lot like the guy who runs our community, the Major. He can’t be reasoned with either. We either do things his way, or get thrown out of town and face the biters on our own. He’s a monster.”

She thought she heard Wisteria cough or sob, but couldn’t be sure.

“Is that what happened to you?”

“Why do you think we were out here on our own? No normal human being would send us out here to face this world, with only the clothes on our backs.”

“You had guns.”

“Guns are useless against biters. Fire one and all you do is attract more infected.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to keep talking about this. I don’t want my last conversation with you to be about the Major.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I don’t.” He leaned over her, kissing her neck. “Not a word.”

*****

The next day, Fi waited outside of the ancient hall that had once been the dining room. Inside, the inner circle was discussing Steven and his friends. Biting on her nails, she paced outside the doors. She didn’t know how she’d cope if anything happened to Steven.

After what felt like hours, the door slowly opened. Monty emerged with a broad smile on his face. “Hey, sweet-pea.” He tried to kiss her.

She slapped him. “Get lost.”

“Ah relax, you’re not that special, Fiona.” He chuckled and walked off. “At least not anymore.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re no longer the fairest in the land. Your boyfriend, or rather Yumi’s boyfriend, has a new friend. Why do you think he wants the guys gone? So he can have that blue-eyed girl all to himself.”

“Amanda? You think I care about that?” She brushed past him.

“You should, because now you’re free game just like the rest. You really should’ve been nicer to me.” He grabbed her arm.

“You’re sick.” She yanked at his grip.

“Careful, or it might slip that you’re banging that spy, or Jack—or both. Ever wonder how Yumi will react? She’ll probably stab you in your sleep.”

“If you do, you’re crazy. All I’ve ever done is deliver food to them.” She snickered to hide her fear. There was no telling how Jack would react, knowing she’d been seeing Steven.

“Yeah, right.” He laughed.