The number was higher than she’d expected. “All are descendants?”
“Some are. Most are from other camps we brought in. Others were kind of adopted, like Jeremy and me, from parents in society who didn’t want to send their less-than-perfect children to the concentration camps, or have them killed.” His tone sharpened as he spoke. “You know they do that, don’t you? They use the imperfect children as slave labor or, if they are lucky, kill them.” Anger flashed in his green eyes.
She averted her gaze and picked at a thread from the seam of her T-shirt. “I am aware.”
“I figured as much.” He huffed past her to another tunnel. “Come on.”
She stood her ground. “I might have been aware. That does not mean I agree with how the people are treated. I ran across several things I have not agreed with. That is one of the reasons I left.”
Spinning on his heels, Rein’s face hardening into stone, he spat, “You should’ve done something.”
Ellyssa felt her stomach churn as rage boiled up. That was an emotion she knew, and knew well. Muscles twitching, aching to release pent-up energy, she spat back, “Like what? What could I have done? Why do you not tell me what you would have done?” Her voice matched his venom.
Rein rocked on his feet as if she’d slapped him. Lids narrowing, his face pinched into a scowl. He stepped forward, his hands balled into tight fists. Ellyssa instinctively coiled, like a snake about to strike, waiting. The moment never came. As fast as the air sizzled with intensity, it dissipated. His features and stance loosened.
Skeptical, Ellyssa tossed away her previous reservations and plunged into his head. Rein’s thoughts were jumbled, fleeting, shifting from one to the other faster than a deck of cards being shuffled. Brief doubts about why she was here, what she wanted, whether she should be trusted. Regret filtered through for blaming her for a situation she hadn’t caused. He wanted to accept and trust her as easily as Jordan and Mathew had. She was just so damn confusing.
Rein focused on her appearance. The angry pink in her cheeks began to fade, and her hair glowed yellow under the light. He wondered if her hair felt as soft as it looked, like silken thread.
Ellyssa’s midsection quivered and heat pulsed in her veins. She pulled out.
He squared his shoulders, but not in a confrontational way. “I don’t know,” he stated, pulling his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.”
“Your apology is accepted.” Her tone was still sharp, but only to mask the sensation of uncertainty.
After all, she was the outsider here. For the most part, everyone she’d met had accepted her, although she should be considered the enemy. What he—the whole community, for that matter—knew had happened in the past was nothing compared to future plans. Society was to be exterminated to make way for a perfect human being. A perfect soldier and Ellyssa’s and her siblings’ genes were the key.
Maybe she should leave. Her father would not give up until she was returned home. The longer she stayed, the greater the risk.
They deserved the truth. She’d have to reveal her secret eventually.
“Ellyssa?”
Snapped from her thoughts, she looked at Rein. He was smiling, not a happy one, more filled with chagrin.
“I really am sorry. That was unfair. It’s just—” He shrugged.
“I understand.”
“Are you hungry?”
Nodding, Ellyssa’s head filled with questions about when she should tell them the whole truth. She turned back toward the direction of the hospital. He shuffled behind her, but instead of following, he put his hand on her shoulder. His grip was firm, and thrilling. She wheeled around, ready to defend; his hands flew up in surrender.
“Wait,” Rein said, amused. “We’re going to the dining hall. It’s time to meet the others. Jordan insists.”
His hand glided from her shoulder to her hand. His touch was different than when he’d held her hand through the enclosure. The soft stroke of his fingers traced along her skin like a feather. She looked at him.
Pulling his lips into an uncertain grin, Rein entwined his fingers with hers, and a pleasant shock ran through her veins, turning her blood into a mixture of ice and lava. Her pulse quickened.
“Come on,” he said with a tug.
Ellyssa followed behind him, cherishing the heat radiating off him. She relished how his touch felt different from the doctor’s or Jordan’s, how her heart hammered in expectation. Unsure and elusive. New and tantalizing.
They entered a part of the tunnel where the lights had been turned off to save energy. Darkness closed around her, but instead of going on high alert, she relaxed. The inky black seemed to last forever, until they turned a sharp corner. Light stretched along the rocky ground and wall and, with it, came the sound of whispered conversations.
A bit further along, they stepped into a room where the ceiling towered overhead. Although the middle part leveled into a large floor, speleothem deposited mineral ornaments had formed along the edges of room. Beautiful formations rose from the floor and dangled from above, and flowstone cascaded into layers of limestone steps. The lack of dripping water told Ellyssa the cave was dead. She could only imagine its spectacular beauty in its heyday.
Shifting focus, her eyes flowed from the picturesque scenery to three rows of lights suspended from long wires. Then her gaze traveled toward the people sitting in the center of the room.
Ellyssa stood still, amazed at the variety of races she’d only seen in history books. Her eyes flitted from one person to the next, noting the subtle to extreme changes within skin tone, hair color, eyes, varying degrees of body and facial shapes, the little ornaments that hung from their ears or pierced parts of their faces. Children sat with parents, smiling and laughing. It was beautiful. So unlike the pale white, sterile world in which she had been raised. Here, everyone was an individual.
The Renegades sat at long, rugged wooden tables on log benches. A far cry from the formal dining room to which she was accustomed. Even without the amenities, though, the atmosphere welcomed her. Warm. Homey. All the things missing from her life.
Rein smiled encouragingly. “Let’s get something to eat.” He pointed to a line of people holding the same red trays the doctor had brought in to her.
She spotted Trista next to the row of hungry Renegades. The perfect blonde stacked dishes into a black bin. She smiled and waved at Ellyssa.
Ellyssa remained with her legs anchored to the ground. An air of wonder, like the day she’d escaped, bubbled in her.
She returned her attention to the people. The pale green eyes of a female she hadn’t met stared at her. Another female, with reddish-brown skin and beautiful auburn hair, elbowed a male, with a large nose and huge brown eyes, next to her. Afterwards, heads swiveled around toward her.
Feeling awkward and out of place, a nervous smile popped unexpectedly onto Ellyssa’s face as she continued to look at all the different Renegades. Then, she met Candy’s glare. The redheaded female’s eyes kept moving from her face to her hand intertwined with Rein’s, and back. The fiery redhead’s face pinched into a look of revulsion. The exact opposite of Jason’s, whose gaze scrolled the length of her body, hungrily.
Ellyssa’s smile fell away.
An urge to jump into both of their heads stirred, but to get a read with so many voices was impossible. She kept her shield firmly in place.
Ignoring the crew of onlookers, Rein pulled her toward the line, where others waited to be served. As they passed the tables, conversation resumed, but the words were clipped. She still felt their stares burning into the back of her head.
“Everyone pitches in here,” Rein stated, giving her hand several little squeezes. She wasn’t sure if it was for encouragement, or him gauging her response. “Some are assigned kitchen, cleaning, hunting, et cetera.” He grabbed a tray and pushed it into her grasp. “Today’s special is deer stew.”
“What?” Ellyssa’s stomach churned. She hoped she had masked the disgust. It would seem rude after all Mathew had done for her. But deer…? At The Center, protein came from animals raised in a sterile environment and fed an all-grain diet, free of bacteria and germs, not from wild animals. Then she started to wonder about the food Mathew had brought her. She’d never considered questioning its origins. Her stomach sloshed again.
“You’ll love it.”
The corner of her mouth pulled back as a male with pretty teeth and tight curly hair poured a ladleful into a bowl and handed it to her. Grudgingly, she peered into the bowl. Little chunks of meat, carrots, and potatoes swam in the watery broth.
“This way.” Rein led her between tables until he stopped by a male with neatly-combed ash-blond hair, hunkered over his bowl and shoveling spoonfuls of soup into his mouth. He looked up when Rein set his tray down and sat across from him. He was nice-looking, about Rein’s age—early twenties—with a straight nose and strong chin.
“Ellyssa, this is Woody.” He patted the space next to him.
“Hello,” she politely said as she took the offered seat.
Woody watched her, grey eyes sliding across her face, before he jerked his head in response. A piece of his hair flipped over and fell into his face. He brushed it away and resumed eating.
A slight frown formed between Rein’s eyes. “Woody?”
Woody dropped his spoon on his tray. “I told you how I felt, Rein,” he sniped, then stood.
The moment he spoke, Ellyssa remembered his voice, still irritable, like in the old store. Ill at ease, she wanted to know what he’d told Rein, but instead she poked at the pieces of deer meat.
“If you’ll excuse me.” He walked to a cart with large brown bins and tossed the remains of his dinner in. Then he disappeared into a tunnel on the far side of the room.
Red flushed over Rein’s face. “I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize.”
Determined to try the meal, she spooned some of the stew in her mouth. Surprisingly, it tasted better than she’d originally thought. Either that, or her taste buds weren’t as picky as they used to be. Fine dining wasn’t something someone indulged in when on the run. She finished the watery broth with her slice of bread.
“Did you like it?” Rein smiled. “By the look on your face, I wasn’t sure.”
She nodded. “Yes, it was good.”
“Good.” He got up and took both trays to the bins. “Would you like to see more?” he asked. His eyes shifted over Ellyssa’s shoulder, and his smile fell.
“Hey,” called a musical voice, sending a grinding displeasure down Ellyssa’s spine.
Ellyssa spun around and watched as Candy’s braids bounced in sequence with her steps, beady eyes set in a glare. The redhead stopped right in front of her, their noses almost touching.
She pointed her index finger at Ellyssa and jabbed it in the air. “Just because they’re letting you take a tour, against my protests, don’t think you can just parade around here whenever you want.” Candy’s hand moved forward to poke her in the chest. “I’m keeping—”
But before Candy made contact or could finish her sentence, Ellyssa’s hand snapped out and grabbed her by the wrist. Candy’s ugly face grimaced and her beady eyes widened. Silence spread as conversations stopped, and Ellyssa could feel hundreds of eyes on her. She held fast to Candy’s gaze.
“Do not ever touch me,” Ellyssa hissed, emphasizing each word. “Ever.” She released her wrist.
Candy rubbed her wrist, still shocked. Ellyssa gave her one more warning look before turning away. She almost bumped into her escort, who looked as shocked as Candy. Ignoring Rein, Ellyssa brushed by.
“Hey, I’m not done with you.”
“Stop it, Candy,” Rein snapped.
“Don’t tell me what—”
“Shut up,” Rein warned.
Ellyssa heard him jogging behind her, his steps loud against the ground. “Wait up.”
She slowed until he reached her side then resumed her pace.
“That was amazing,” Rein said.
Without responding, her steps quick and short, Ellyssa followed the tunnel as if she knew where she was going. She didn’t have a clue. This network of long corridors hadn’t been included in the tour. She assumed, if she followed the cables, they would eventually lead her to the room with the generator. From there, she’d find her way back to the hospital room.
Rein reached down and grabbed her hand. “Ellyssa,” he said, stopping.
She turned on a heel and faced him, her face composed and blank. “What?” she said calmly, even though a surge of anger enveloped her, and she fought a mounting desire to go back and finish what Candy had started.
“I knew you were fast from your response in the store. You took us completely by surprise.” He blinked, shaking his head. “This time, though, I didn’t see anything more than a blur. How do you move so fast?”
Ellyssa paused before answering. “Special training.”
Rein’s lids rose. “Special training. Like, for what? To be a soldier, or something?” He paused for a moment. “The Center. Of course.”
Ellyssa wished she hadn’t said a thing, not now, at least. She nodded.
The emotions on Rein’s face changed visibly, one to the next, as he absorbed the realization of what she had just shared. The twisting features stopped, not into a look of anger or surprise or hate as she’d expected, but one of comprehension.
“I knew there was something about you, but I had no idea.”
“I am afraid there are a lot of things you do not know about me.”
20
Detective Angela Petersen still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to go out to dinner with Dyllon. She knew better than to get too close to the locals. Yet, here she was, sitting across from him in a low-lit restaurant at a cozy table meant for two.
She tried to keep her gaze on the menu, but every once in awhile, she’d look up and catch him staring at her. The flame from the votive candle reflected in his sea-blue eyes and emphasized the definition of his cheekbones.
Angela set her menu down. “When I agreed to dinner, I assumed it was to discuss the case.”
“It is,” Dyllon replied indifferently.
A waiter appeared wearing a tux and carrying a bottle of expensive Merlot, which he presented to Dyllon before opening it and showing the captain the cork. Dyllon nodded and the attendant poured a small sample into the glass. After swirling the red liquid, Dyllon tasted it. He placed the glass back on the table, and the server topped his off, and filled hers as well.