Chapter 4

4

Anna

The sun has gone down by the time Drak and I have a fully thought-out plan of what we're going to do and how we're going to do it. He's gone back to their main ship for the night to prepare the small transporter ship they have on board. It can travel just as far, but it's more like a car than an apartment that flies. We'll use it to move through the area faster and safely, but it won't be a solid shelter.

It's fine by me. Without Drak, I'd be traveling on foot for the whole search. Besides, with his built-in zombie repellent, a phenomenon that must just be pheromones or some kind of chemical reaction, we'll be able to stay wherever we want when we need to sleep. I really don't understand why zombies turn and walk as fast as they can away from wherever the Aprixians go, but I'm not going to question it. It's a gift.

We'll still have to look out for other humans, but Drak is able to smell and sense when other people are near. Not to mention, he's pretty much indestructible, so I have to have faith that he won't let anything happen to me.

At my core, I'm the kind of girl who knows I can survive on my own, but I like not having to. It's a huge burden lifted off my shoulders to be able to relax at least some of the time. And even though he pesters me to no end, Drak lightens the load constantly. I don't have to be as on edge when he's around.

"What are you doing?" Megan asks, letting herself into my room. It's my fault for leaving my door open. In a sorority house, that's practically an invitation for guests.

"Packing," I respond simply.

I can practically hear her rolling her eyes even though I don't look up from my backpack. "I can see that," she drawls. "What are you packing for?"

"I'm going away for a few weeks," I answer boredly, rolling my spare socks.

"What?" she shrieks, causing me to wince. Her brown hair is braided on either side of her head, the strands jumping a little as she storms over to me.

"Volume control," I scold, clicking my tongue at her.

"Um, fuck that," she returns, putting herself in between me and my bed so that I have to stop what I'm doing. "You're going away for a few weeks?" Megan parrots. "Where the hell are you going? Were you even going to say anything?"

"Yes," I answer tightly.

She laughs humorlessly. " When? On your way out the door?"

"No." Maybe . "At breakfast."

"You're not going anywhere," she fumes, hands on her hips and nostrils flaring. "You're actually crazy if you think we're going to let you out of this house on your own?—"

"I'm not going alone," I snap, maneuvering around her to get back to my bag.

Her anger quickly shifts into confusion. "What? You're not going to Aprix without us, are you?"

Nose scrunching, I look at her. "Why the hell would I be going to Aprix?"

"Um, I don't know," she ponders, sarcasm dripping from her every word. "Maybe because you finally realized how perfect Drak is, and that you want to mate him and have his babies?"

The hair on the back of my neck stands up, discomfort surrounding me from every side. What the hell has she been smoking?

The last thing on my mind is fucking babies.

"Now, who's being crazy?" I reply, lost for all other words.

"Oh, come on," she groans before pointing an accusatory finger in my direction. "You might be able to fool him into thinking he bothers you, but you're forgetting I know you. You're ridiculously into him."

"In what little fantasy world exactly?" I shoot back.

Megan and I are friends, but she couldn't be more off base.

"Live in denial then," she huffs. "But seriously, where are you going?"

"Drak and I are going hunting," I answer just to get her to stop this inquisition.

"For weeks ?"

"Yep," I reply, popping the end of the word out.

"What the hell takes weeks to hunt? Are you going for some kind of zombie-killing record or something?"

" Megan ," I warn. "Can we not pretend that you give a shit about hunting? I'm leaving with Drak for a few weeks, and then we'll be back. That's it."

Folding her arms over her chest, she looks me up and down and arches an eyebrow. "I could just ask him."

I give her a tight smile. "Go right ahead."

Drak isn't going to tell her shit. It was my one condition. He's allowed to tell Terum so that he isn't worried about him, and that's it. Terum is apparently like a father to Drak, despite him not being that much older. I couldn't make him keep it a secret from him too. It's not like I care what Terum thinks anyway. He can silently feel that this trip is pointless for all I care.

But the girls? The last thing I need is for them to feel some type of way about this mission. I don't need their pity, their worry, or any of their concern. I'm going to look for my brothers, and if I don't find them, no one here will know I failed.

"You're seriously leaving for that long?"

I don't let her mournful tone affect me. "Could be shorter, I'm not sure yet. But yeah, we're leaving. Drak will stay in contact with Terum with one of their little pager things. So you can stop acting like my mother now."

It's a bitchy thing to say, but Megan oversteps sometimes. I think it's hard for her to remember that we aren't all actually family. Bonded in a way that's close to it, yes, but we all had lives before this apocalypse, and I haven't given up on all of mine yet.

Family isn't something I need more of. I've never had good luck with being attached to people. People are temporary. If this apocalypse has proven anything, it's that. Right now, my actual brothers are suffering—if not worse. I can't have more ‘sisters' to worry about. I have to force my brain to consider them to be roommates, no matter how much our circumstances have bonded us.

I care about them enough as it is. But I need to keep my boundaries in place, even if that means being unnecessarily snarky to people who definitely don't deserve it. They've done nothing wrong. The wrong lives inside of me.

Straightening her shoulders, she clears her throat with an awkward cough. "Fine, be that way. See if I care."

She already cares.

Megan storms out of my room before I can consider apologizing. It's fine though, she'll get over it eventually. She'll have to.

Louder footsteps in the hall cause the floor to creak, and I don't have to look up to know it's one of the Aprixians. I figure it must be Drak, but when my gaze swings to the door, it's not his white hair that I see.

Terum's dark—nearly black—gray complexion almost makes me think he's Marrec for a moment. While Marrec has a lighter hue and bright-ass red hair, Terum has hair the color of neon green slime. Still, even though I recognize that he is who he is, Marrec traveling all the way back to Earth and being in my bedroom would feel less strange. I've hardly spoken to the Aprixian leader.

Arching a brow, I scan his face. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," he replies simply, adding nothing else.

Blinking, I tilt my head at him. "With?"

"I would like you to mind Drak's heart on your journey."

That's not what I expected. I don't know what I was assuming he'd say, but I wouldn't have guessed this.

"His heart?" I echo.

"Yes," he agrees, nodding his head once firmly. "Drak may like your less-than-sweet demeanor, but he is still a soul with feelings. I expect you to keep that in mind. Do not use him for his help by offering promises that you cannot deliver when he will give it to you freely."

Is this guy seriously asking me not to lead Drak on?

I couldn't be doing anything further from leading him on. I've been cold to him since he showed up. I'm pretty sure I've told him to leave me alone once a day, every day.

Giving the big alien a confused look, my eyebrows pull in. "I've literally tried to kill him before, and you're worried about what I'll do to his heart?"

Terum doesn't even flinch at the mention of my previous assaults on Drak. Yes, I tried to shoot him several times when they arrived here, after letting themselves into our house. I found them tending to a passed-out Stevie. What else was I supposed to do? Watch?

Learning the Aprixians are bulletproof was horrifying. We were at their mercy once the bullets pinged off of Drak with no armor being responsible. I felt instantly helpless. Human men, I could kill. I would kill them to keep the girls safe. But the Aprixians made me feel useless and vulnerable for the first time in a long time.

"Drak has survived many attempts on his life," Terum deadpans, voice calm and steady. "He can take on any physical battle you bring to him. But his heart? It is as soft as any unmated male's."

"I don't understand why you're coming to me with this," I gripe defensively.

"Yes, you do," he argues, tone holding no malice.

I don't get this guy. He's supposed to be a father figure to Drak, so he's warning me to be careful with him. And yet he's not showing a hint of emotion. Is he trying not to scare me or something?

"Drak knows the deal. He offered to take me, and I haven't promised him anything in return," I say, effectively ending the discussion. "Is there anything else?"

He eyes me but eventually shakes his head. "That is all."

Huffing, I get back to packing and try to ignore the strange pang in my chest. I don't have time for whatever drama is stirring up between Drak and me. It's not like he treats me like he's in love with me or something.

Really, Drak treats me like a boy—someone to hunt and joke around with when he's bored. He thinks I'm interesting because I'm a human and I like weapons. It's fine by me, at least he doesn't treat me like I'm a helpless little girl who can't do anything.

I'd rather have his respect than his affection. I'm not looking for love, I'm looking for my family. Boyfriends only complicate things, and if Drak were into me, he would want to be way more than my boyfriend.

He'd want fucking wedding bells and babies.

I can hardly keep myself sane. How exactly am I supposed to care for someone else when I can barely take care of myself? Drak would be better off trying to sway Megan from Al'rik than attempting to pursue me.

Even if the thought of that bothers me immensely.