Cat Eyes: Acrux [Book 2]

Chapter 23: A new city

We were going at a reasonable speed on the highway. Tania had grumbled that I didn't fit in the car, but Acrux suggested something I didn't think he would do. I was happy, and I was able to make my face triumphant before that crazy woman. So now I was sitting on Acrux's lap. He saw the forest in the distance. I took advantage and leaned back, letting my head rest between his shoulder and neck. I was in heaven.

I could see old buildings drowned by the sea, from past cities that were left under it, and even some ruins along the way, such as the remains of vehicles and houses. The world had been left like this because of us.

"Jun city is on the way. After passing through the sector you came from, we would go there to rest."

"Ha..." I smiled as I enjoyed Acrux's short laugh vibrating in his chest. "And so you complain that we have strange names?"

"Well, well. Our cities have those names because, in the past, their names were similar. We had to change their locations once the ocean's level went up."

"Oh..."

"Other countries disappeared almost completely under the sea," I added, "and others were left uninhabitable for us."

"I do remember that," he mused. "Because of the extreme weather."

"Before, centuries ago, there were not that many storms."

I smiled when I felt Acrux's hand gently go through my arm. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, and he did not seem aware of what he was doing. He was attentive to the landscape that could be seen outside the vehicle.

"Countries like ancient Italy, and Japan, almost completely disappeared under the sea..." he murmured. "Our leaders taught us about it..."

I knew immediately that I could now ask him the questions I had wanted to ask so much. Questions about him, his life, and his childhood. What he liked, and what did he not? He already remembered. But I stopped again, knowing it might cause him pain to remember.

I sighed.

"Are you uncomfortable?"

I denied it right away.

"I'm in heaven," I whispered, snuggling against him and giving him a quick kiss on the neck.

Alpha blinked in confusion after seeing me do that, and I smiled at him, pretending innocence.

I had to move to get my water bottle, but Max slammed on the brakes when I opened it, and Acrux held me against him. I squeaked through my teeth when I realized I had wet his shirt.

"But what the hell is wrong with you?!" Tanya snapped at her friend.

"Did you want us to crash into that rock?!" Max replied.

"You should have it on automatic pilot and with all the sensors, and it would brake better that way!"

"It would drain the battery faster!"

They started a whole discussion about how to drive and got out of the truck, so we did too.

"Sorry," I asked Acrux, shaking some water off his shirt... and touching the marked muscles under the wet cloth. "I had no idea."

He turned away.

"It's okay."

He took a backpack from the trunk and went into the forest.

I looked around. It was beautiful, green everywhere, dressing the mountains, and the birds sang nonstop. It was perfect, and it smelled perfect, too, like slightly damp earth and plants. The road was kind of muddy since it had no asphalt. In the end, the outside was more EH territory than humans. The rock had fallen from the heights of the hill and got in the way.