Fight the Tide (19 page)

“Are they still
there?” Parker padded across the deck, the wood cool under his bare feet. It was after midnight, and Adam stood sentinel on the bow. The moon and stars were hidden under a veil of clouds, and Parker squinted into the dark.

“Yep. But they don’t seem to swim, so that’s something.”

He shuddered, thinking of them tumbling off the pier after him and Abby. “It’s like, the one good thing about them.” Listening carefully, he could hear the chattering on the wind.

They’d dropped anchor in a cove just before sunset, and soon infected had swarmed along the beach. Even after Craig and Adam had covered every porthole and made sure there was no light, the infected had splashed toward them, fortunately not getting beyond the shallows.

“They’re not trying to get to us anymore. Just milling around.”

They were still off Georgia, and Parker thought of Atlanta. “Do you think the CDC is still running? Trying to find a cure? I know that guy on the radio said it was hit, but…”

“It’s possible they survived. You never know.”

The hair on Parker’s bare arms rose in the night breeze, and he rubbed them before tugging at his T-shirt collar. “Where do you think they are? The fucking Zechariahs, I mean. Assuming they’re real. Which I think they must be, given the shit-show we’re living in now. No way this was all just some accident.”

“Seems unlikely, given how targeted it apparently was.” Adam drew Parker close to his side, rubbing his big hand over Parker’s arm. He wore his leather jacket, and Parker inhaled the musky scent with a little smile, pressing his face against Adam’s shoulder.

“Wonder if they’re living it up in some bunker. Waiting for the rest of us to die, or get infected and
then
die. Sooner or later the infected must starve to death. Or dehydrate. Right?”

“I hope so.”

Parker rubbed his cheek against the leather. “Feels weird to hope all those people will die. They were just…normal. Maybe they could be fixed. If there was a cure, we could get the world back. But if we do, that means we’ve killed people who might have been saved.”

“We’ve only killed to survive. We didn’t have a choice.”

“I know. It just…” Parker lifted his head, laughing softly. “I was going to say it sucks. Understatement of the millennium.”

Adam rubbed Parker’s arm rhythmically. “You could say that.”

“Are they all sleeping downstairs? I think so? I was quiet when I went past Craig and Lilly in the pullout.”

After a few moments of silence, Adam said, “Yes.”

“So what’s up with Lilly? After you said something, I was checking her out at dinner. She watches you when she thinks you’re not paying attention, but then can’t look you in the eye. I never noticed that before?”

Adam sighed. “She saw me. After Abby, when I ran onto the pier. I was so afraid something had happened to you. Could smell the blood, and I didn’t think to control myself.”

“Oh shit. Well… Do you think we should tell them? Just to avoid having to come up with excuses? I mean, sooner or later you’ll probably have to get your wolf on again in front of them. Maybe we should get ahead of it.”

Adam stared at the dark sky. “Yeah. It’s crossed my mind too.”

“But?”

“For so many years I kept it a secret. You remember how badly it went with my foster parents when I tried to tell them. Tried to show them.” He took a shuddering breath.

“I know,” Parker whispered, soothing his hand over Adam’s chest. “I’m sorry.”

“Until I met Tina in college, I never thought anyone could know the truth and still want to be my friend. Still want anything to do with me.” He angled his head to face Parker, brushing his thumb over Parker’s lips. “Never thought I’d have this.”

Parker caught Adam’s hand and pressed a kiss to his palm. “You’re stuck with me now. You might come to regret it. Probably already do.”

With a laugh that sent warmth through Parker’s chest, Adam shook his head. “Nope. You’re stuck with me too.”

“It’s a real hardship. You’re all sweet and brave and gorgeous.
Ugh.
The shit I have to put up with.”

Adam kissed him then, and they moved into each other’s arms, Parker’s thigh sliding between Adam’s, rubbing lazily through their jeans. They kissed softly, tongues exploring, and eventually pulled back, resting their foreheads together. Parker closed his eyes contentedly.

When Adam spoke again, it was a whisper. “What if I tell them and they get scared? What if they think I’m a freak and don’t want anything to do with us anymore?”

“Then fuck them. It’s their loss.” Parker bristled at the thought. “We don’t need them. They’d be dead without us. Who cares what they think? What anyone thinks?”

“Down boy. It’s okay.” Adam smoothed a palm over Parker’s hair. “You don’t have to make them the bad guys here. I wish I didn’t care what people think. But I do.”

Softening and kissing his cheek, Parker murmured, “I know. It’s easy to say, especially for me. Okay, so let’s be real. If they see you go all claws and fangs and fur, they’re probably going to freak and be terrified. It’s a pretty normal reaction since most of us have no clue werewolves even exist.”

“Right. I get that.”

“But it doesn’t seem like Lilly’s said anything to her dad. If we get in front of it and tell them the truth, they’re probably still going to freak. Craig will be protective of the kids. They’ll have a lot of questions. They’ll be afraid.”

Adam nodded sadly, and God, Parker wished he could take away the hurt that Adam’s foster parents had caused. And what the hell was up with his parents keeping Adam and his sisters so isolated? Were all werewolves like that? Did they have some big fight with their pack? Parker knew Adam didn’t know the answers, so he kept his rhetorical questions to himself.

He kissed Adam again. “But they’ll see that you’re good. That you’re, like,
the best.
And if nothing else, we’re smack in the middle of the non-zombie apocalypse. And you’re immune to the Zechariah virus, and you have super strength and speed and are a total badass fighter. So unless they’re criminally stupid, once they process it, they’ll be damn glad to have a werewolf in their corner.”

Adam smiled. “You think?”

“I
know
. So I guess we should try and figure out a good time. Maybe give it a few days, what with Abby. They probably don’t need any more big shocks this week. Especially Jacob.” He smiled ruefully. “I just realized I have no idea what day it is. That’s so weird, right?” His smile faded as slippery nausea slithered through him. “I can’t believe it’s only been a couple days. And we’re still sailing, and eating dinner, and…going on. Trying to act normal.”

“I guess this is normal now. We have to keep going. No matter what.”

As rain began spitting down, Parker pressed his face to Adam’s neck, glad that the sound of the rainfall washed away the chattering drone from shore.

*

“Hey. We saved
you some coconut milk. The canned stuff tastes pretty good on cereal. And we have Coco Pops.” Parker stood at the cabin door, watching Jacob, who was curled on his side on the port bunk beside Mariah, facing the hull. His lank hair brushed his cheek, and he wore the same shorts and tee he’d had on for days. His knobby knees looked even more painfully sharp.

Jacob gave no indication he registered anyone was even there. Parker tried again. “Why don’t you come upstairs with the rest of us? Have breakfast and get some fresh air.”

Nothing.

Craig had tried already, Lilly dissolving into tears. Parker thought ruefully that Jacob was made of stern stuff to resist a little girl crying. Of course the kid was in shock, but he at least had to eat. “If you’re not in the mood for cereal, I’m sure we could whip up something else.”

No response. Parker sighed and sat on the end of Jacob’s bed by his feet. He could see Jacob tense up. “Look, I know this sucks. This is the worst. But you need to eat something. You’re going to get sick otherwise.” He quietly added, “Your mom wouldn’t want that.”

“How do you know what my mom would want?” Jacob’s voice was a hoarse whisper. It was progress, at least. They’d all been avoiding mentioning Abby, but perhaps it had been the wrong tack.

“Well, first of all, no mom wants their son to get dehydrated and malnourished. That’s, like, mothering one-oh-one. Second, she asked me to take care of you. She… Jacob, you were what she was thinking about. She wants you to be okay. She wants you to survive. So you need to get out of bed. I know it’s only been a few days that she’s been gone, and you’re in shock. You’re confused.” He paused. “About a lot of things, I think.”

Jacob still stared at the hull, but was wired with tension.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you the other day. When you asked about me and Adam? Sometimes, I can be…” He laughed darkly. “I can be a total asshole, if you want the truth. So I’m sorry about that. If you ever want to talk, or ask any questions, or just…anything, I’m here. Adam too. We want to help you.”

“Why would I ask you questions?” he asked stiffly.

Oh, you poor terrified little queer kid. Been there, done that.
“You asked the other day. About me and Adam. So if there was anything else you were wondering, ask away. I won’t bite this time.” He realized with horror what he’d said as soon as the words were out. “I mean, uh…”
Shit, fuck, fuck. I suck at this.
He jiggled his leg restlessly. “Anyway, I…”

After a few moments, Jacob said, “I want to go to San Francisco.” He still stared at the wall.

Parker thought about making a lame joke about how it was indeed a mecca for queers, but bit his tongue. “I know you do. I know what it’s like, to want to find your family.”

“San Francisco and then Seattle. My grandmother’s up there. I’m going.”

“No, you’re not,” Parker said, as gently as he could.

Jacob finally turned his head to look down at Parker by his feet. “I am too.”

He choked down an
are not.
“Okay, what’s the plan? We drop you off on land, and off you go? That’s Florida over there now. You’re going to walk to California?”

“
No
. I’ll get a car.”

“Okay, sure. Sounds easy. And you’ll need to siphon a lot of gas. After you learn to drive, that is. Oh, and find food and water. Fight off the creepers. And of course the other humans, some of whom will be only too happy to come across you on the road. To hurt you.”

Jacob clenched his jaw. “You and Adam came across the country.”

“We did. This whole thing had just started, and we had no idea what to expect. You know now. You know what’s out there. And Adam and I wouldn’t have made it out of California if not for—” He exhaled. They really did need to get the werewolf business out in the open. Parker thought of that night on the backwoods road and Adam transforming, clawing apart the creepers that would have overwhelmed them otherwise. “If not for dumb luck.”

“Maybe I’ll get lucky too.”

“Maybe. But probably not. What you’ll get is dead or infected. That’s the way this world is now. We have to be vigilant every second.”

“I can take care of myself,” Jacob whispered, his wobbling voice belying his words.

“That’s pretty impressive, because I can’t. The last thing I want to be is alone.” Memories of an empty desert highway under a sea of stars filled his mind. He could feel the asphalt under his feet, the cold night wind relentless on his skin. Hear the absolute silence that came with being utterly alone.

“There was a night when I thought I’d lost Adam. It was the worst moment of my life. I can’t put it into words, how afraid I was. How much it hurt that he was gone. And if he hadn’t been okay, I don’t know what I would have done. We need each other. We all do, Jacob.”

“But you didn’t want to help us. You didn’t like having us around.”

Guilt sliced through him. “You’re right. I was suspicious. Afraid. But I know now that I can trust you guys. We can help each other. I don’t trust anyone else out there, but I trust you. It’s not easy for me to do.”

“But why would you want
me
around now? Why would any of you?” Jacob’s breath caught. “You were only stuck with me because of my mom. Now she’s gone. Why would you want me to stay? Craig and Lilly could have their own beds if I was gone. I’m not family.”

“Aren’t you? I think Craig and Lilly will disagree. They loved your mom, and they love you too. Family isn’t just about blood. It’s about a lot more than that.” Tentatively, he pressed his hand on Jacob’s bony ankle. “We’re a team. And look, I understand wanting to find your dad and your grandma. I wanted to find my parents. But they’re gone.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“I don’t. Not a hundred percent. But from what we saw of Boston… Standing in my kitchen, I just…felt it. And maybe it hurts too much to hope for some kind of miracle. So I made my peace with it. I had to let them go. And normally, the way life used to be, it would take months to process it. Years. But we don’t have that luxury now. We have to keep going.”

“I miss her so much,” Jacob whispered.

Parker wanted to hug the poor kid, but was afraid of pushing too far. “I know. I’m not saying you’re going to get over your mom. You’re still going to miss her and be really fucking sad. We all miss people. Family, friends. But we go on. We keep living. And I would never have given you this speech so soon back in the day, but we had time back then. Or at least we felt like we did. And like I said, it’s a luxury we don’t have now.”