The days and nights flowed into one another. It was a long and agonizingly slow journey as we weaved through the wreckage in town. Most of the highway was packed with abandoned cars. In some areas, the road had the same black marks we’d seen in New Mexico. I was thankful Lucy didn’t notice them. She was busy playing Slap Jack with Javi and Neto, using a deck of cards Zac had given her.
With each mile that passed, I held onto the hope things would get better, and we’d find an oasis of people with a town still intact, untouched by the warring angels.
We didn’t.
Every town we passed, big and small, had been left devastated. Some places looked like a bomb had been dropped on them, with not one structure standing. Those with buildings remaining looked like a ghost town. We had stopped at one near the Texas border and searched every single building. No electricity, no running water.
Not a living thing in sight.
With endless hours of inching down the highway, there was nothing to do but gaze out the window. There was something strange in the air. Gray clouds hung over us, unmoving. It didn’t look real. Sometimes I’d spot a patch of blue with puffy white clouds drifting in between the gaps of the ominous carpet-like sky.
The sun was invisible to us now. With each day that passed, the world around us became grayer. The sky, the landscape, our spirits . . .
We didn’t know where the safe haven was, even though Dorian asked the angels at every stop we made. Zac was patient with him, repeating his answer. We were meeting up with Remi in Los Angeles. But Dorian continued to press him for more, insisting we had the right to know. It was so annoying that I wanted to slap him. Thankfully, Nacho told him to shut it.
We were all getting on each other’s nerves after being cooped up on the bus for days and losing hope we’d ever see another person again. It didn’t help that Tristan kept his distance, just waving a hello whenever we took a break. It wasn’t until one afternoon, when we found a couple with a little boy, that the gloom hanging over everyone lifted.
We spotted the father first. When we pulled over, he’d looked panicked, his eyes constantly darting to the heavy brush behind him. Once we convinced him we were on his side and wanted to help, his wife and son appeared from the bushes.
The boy was sweet and instantly took to Javi, Neto, and Lucy. He reminded me of the boy at the apartment complex in Sun River, and I wondered what had happened to him. Deep inside, I knew the answer.
“You’re it!”
“Not fair! I was it yesterday! Tell him it’s his turn to be it, Jo!”
“I can be it if you want.”
“Okay! You’re it!”
I woke to the sound of the boys playing. I stretched and looked out the window, unable to tell if it was morning or afternoon.
Blaze and Nacho were syphoning gas. The SUV’s hood was propped up, and Calder was leaning over it, checking the oil. Lucy was with Zac again, showing him another skater move.
“Dorian, dude, get over here,” Nacho called to him.
“I’m helping Josette with the supplies,” Dorian said.
“She can find her own damn chips. Get your ass over here.”
Dorian frowned, and then whispered something to her, before joining Nacho and the others.
I scrambled off of the bus, relieved to finally get a chance to talk to her alone.
“Are you okay?” I weaved my arm through hers, walking her farther away from Dorian.
“As good as I can be,” she said. “Dorian’s been so supportive.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“He’s been nothing but nice,” she snapped.
I startled back, raising my brow at the tone of her voice.
“Sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m so confused. When I first saw Dorian, I wanted to kick his ass, but then he hugged me and . . . I don’t know. I couldn’t. It’s like I had to be with him but I want to be with Calder, and when I try to move away from Dorian, it’s like I can’t leave his side.”
“I thought you broke up with him. He was supposed to be in California.”
“He said he had a change of heart and couldn’t leave. He was waiting for me to come back when the storm . . . ”
“You don’t have to go back with him.”
“I know.”
“You have other people who want to help you. Me . . . Calder.”
“I know.” She glanced over at Calder, her eyes shining. “Calder’s wonderful. When we were together by the stream, alone, we talked about what was happening between us, and we agreed to—”
“Babe!” Dorian waved his stained hands, taking several steps until his body blocked our view of Calder. “Will you bring me a rag or something? I don’t want to get this gunk on my clothes.”
Jo’s dark eyes narrowed. I grinned, expecting her to finally put Dorian in his place. A cloud passed over her face, and the wooden expression she’d been wearing for days returned.
“I’m coming,” she said.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
I grunted, folding my arms across my chest as she walked away. Dorian gave her a wide smile, pecking her cheek as she handed him a rag.
There he goes, marking his territory.
I shuddered.
“I think you need some of this.” Tristan held out a bag of trail mix.
“What makes you say that?”
“I can see the hangry a mile away.”
“Ah, so that’s the secret to getting you to talk with me, friend.”
“Sorry about that. I’ve been a poor friend. Hence, the peace offering.” He shook the bag.
“Okay, I am a little hungry.” I chuckled, sticking my hand in the bag and scooping out a handful of mix.
“What’s going on?” He gestured at Dorian and Jo before tossing a handful of trail mix into his mouth.
I munched on the mix for a moment, wondering if he would understand why I was so worried about her.
“It’s Jo. I think with all that’s going on and her parents gone, she’s not herself. It’s like she’s reverting to the way she was when she was with Dorian.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Hell yes! Look at her.” I threw my hand in her direction. “It’s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers over there. She’s lost her spunk. You saw what she was like with Calder. That was the real Jo.”
“Hmm.” Tristan looked suspiciously at Dorian. “For a human, he is unusual. Is he always that clean?”
I laughed. Even in the war torn dusty streets, Dorian’s shirt and clothes were spotless.
“Yes. It’s annoying.”
“At least he’s more appropriate for her.”
I snorted. “Appropriate?”
“I meant human.”
“Human.” I shook my head as I looked at Calder. His eyes followed Jo as she went back on the bus with Dorian. Was it really better Jo was with a human rather than someone who truly cared for her?
I reached for the trail mix, my fingers brushing against Tristan’s as he dived into the bag at the same time.
Bright sapphire eyes locked with mine. Electricity raced up my arms and into my chest, bringing me back to life. It was like I’d been holding my breath the last few days in the bus without him.
The intense yearning to be near him, to touch him, to feel his lips on mine was still there—and as strong as ever.
He closed his eyes briefly, and then pulled back his hand. “Ladies, first.”
Nacho’s whistle pierced the air. “It’s time! Everyone back on the bus.”
“Save me some for later.” I bolted on board, not daring to look back. Maybe Tristan had the right idea by keeping his distance.
I rushed back to my seat and leaned my head against window. My heart continued to pound as I closed my eyes and waited for my feelings for Tristan to go away.
“It’s later.”
My eyes flashed open at the sound of Tristan’s voice.
“What are you doing?”
“Being a good friend. I know you must be bored out of your mind and well . . . Scrabble?” He held up a board game.
I laughed. “Where did you find this?”
“Your bedroom closet.”
“Oh my god, you did not seriously go in my room, did you?”
“I did. I wanted to make sure you didn’t forget anything important.”
“Scrabble’s important?”
“Very important.” His eyes sparkled as he grinned.
“Then I guess we’ll have to play.” I moved over to make space for him. “But it’s been a while, and I’m a bit rusty.”
“To make things interesting, we’ll play for this.” He tossed a bag of peanut butter cups into my lap. “I hear they’re your favorite.”
“Oh, you are going down.” I laced my fingers, popping them as I prepared for battle with the angelic prince.
* * * * *
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