I n f i n i t u m

Chapter Fourteen

When Emily found out that we left the group of survivors back at the town, she forced us to drive back down to pick them up and bring them to the lodge, saying that the cabin was more than big enough for everyone to shelter in.

"We'll be cozy," she had said.

I wasn't exactly happy welcoming nine strangers into our home, but seeing Jess struggle trying to adjust her sleeping bag between Marquis and the random woman who had posted up right beside him, made me think it wasn't such a bad idea. She almost looked like she wanted to suffocate the oblivious woman with her pillow.

"Shut the fuck up, Fang," she hissed.

Apparently I didn't do that good of a job at holding in my laughter. I was rested on the only couch in the lodge, wrapped up in a wool blanket, reading a small novel I'd found in a local town's bookstore. Jess and I were the only two people awake at this hour and it looked like it would stay that way until morning. Jess gave up her fight with the sleeping bag and stalked her way over to me. She rested an elbow on the kitchen counter, sending scornful looks to the sleeping woman on the floor.

"Who the hell are these people anyway?" she whispered, "you guys didn't tell me shit when they marched on up here!"

I put a finger to my lips, silently shushing her as I watched the huddled up form of Irene shift to her other side.

"They're a group of survivors Marquis spotted in the town nearby. Said they came in from a settlement that was overrun by a Nightress," I explained.

"Well, damn. That fucking sucks," she paused, "how long will they be staying 'cause this," she waved her index finger between herself and the woman who had stolen her spot, "is not working out."

I shrugged, "I have no clue."

She gave a groan, then made to slink away to probably find another spot, when she accidentally stepped on someones leg.

"Ouch!" A head full of gnarled dark hair poked out from underneath the sheets, and Teejay's scrunched up face came to view.

Jess was frozen, hovering over his body, and looked as if she was really going to apologize, but then an annoyed expression flooded her face, "Well why're you sleeping in my pathway? Damn."

We both watched as she sauntered away to a dark corner of the room, sleeping bag in tow. I held in my laugh when I saw the confused expression plastered on Teejay's face. The poor guy turned back over and quickly fell away to the rest of the peaceful snores in the room.

Shaking my head, I returned to silently reading my novel.

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A FEW DAYS LATER

Just as we'd promised, we gave Irene's people a few days to camp in with us, and yet, they didn't look anywhere near ready to leave. Not only were they taking up the space in our lodge, but they were draining our supplies too. Soon we'd have to travel to see if any of the farther towns had food. 

Emily was very patient. She was the most patient one out of all of us and even she couldn't wait for the new group to leave. They decided that I, as leader of our group, should be the one to break it to Irene. So now here I was, awkwardly fidgeting before the said woman as she waited for me to tell her what I'd called her over for. We stood alongside the lake, where both of our people washed their clothes, seemingly unaware of our— or my —awkward exchange.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

I finally focused my attention on her face and suddenly realized that the cap and the scarf were gone. My eyes immediately fixated on the lightly-colored scar starting from her eyebrow and down to her jawline.