The Frenzy Series (Book 2): Frantic by Casey L. Bond Page B

Saul,” I said, my head stuck in the front door just enough to holler.
    “Come on up.”
    Stepping inside, I eased the door closed behind me. To the left was the kitchen. There was a fire, but it needed wood. I’d fix that on the way out. She needed more wood. I’d fix that later today, or send word to Ford later.
    The steps creaked underfoot, but I climbed them fast and found her in an old recliner, fabric draped over her lap, brows drawn in concentration. She moved the needle, quickly stitching the two pieces of fabric together. I cleared my throat, breaking her concentration. “Good morning, Saul. I suppose it’s your turn to try and feed me some crap about Porschia. Seems her brother couldn’t tell a lie. Can you?”
    I laughed. The woman had me. “She’s sick, but my mom’s taking care of her. She didn’t want to go home, but she didn’t want to get you sick either.”
    “Bullshit.”
    “Pardon?” My face heated with embarrassment and I pulled my coat away from my neck.
    “I said bullshit. That’s a lie. Did she get bitten? Was it by her sister or another Infected?” The woman tried to sound tough, but I heard the waver in her voice.
    “No. She isn’t Infected.”
    “Well, at least that was the truth. Is she a night-walker, then?” My heart thundered. “Oh, no,” she said, dropping her work and using the arm rests to help herself to her feet. I grabbed her elbow and eased her up. “I knew something was going to happen. I had the worst feeling about her being in the rotation. And that mother of hers, if she can even call herself that. Why, I ought to wring her neck...”
    I let her rant for a while before interrupting. “Mrs. Dillinger?”
    “What is it?” she snapped.
    “The Elders don’t know.”
    She stared at me for a long moment before adding, “That’s good. Let’s keep it a secret for as long as we can.” Motioning toward my neck, she asked, “She do that to ya?”
    “Yeah, but I told her to. I was trying to help.”
    “With what, exactly?”
    I swallowed. “She’s having trouble feeding.”
    “I’ve never heard of that before. Night-walkers have always fed from us.”
    A strand of sunlight peeked across the floor, the shutters unable to hold it back. “You were in the rotation?” I asked tentatively.
    She shook her head, silver hair flying this way and that. “There wasn’t always a rotation,” she replied shakily.
    “If the colonists don’t uphold their end of the treaty, it will be that way again.”
    “That’s the most frightening thing I’ve heard all day. Listen—about Porschia? She’ll be okay. Just give her some time. But you need to keep away from her right now.”
    “I want to help her.” I did. I’d trade places with her if I could.
    She smiled softly, her wrinkles becoming shallow. “I know you do, but Porschia has feelings for you. And feelings, emotions, can make a person spiral and make poor choices. Imagine what it would do to a new vampire.”
    She pursed her lips, having said her peace.
    “I understand. It’ll be hard—”
    She finished my thought, “But it’s what’s best for Porschia.”
     

     
    Tossing two pieces of split wood into the fireplace, I stoked Mrs. Dillinger’s fire before heading back to the wood shop. Brian Yankee, Elder Yankee’s son, was waiting for me there. “You’ve been through the forest, Saul. We need wood, and I need your help.”
    The man had barely spoken four sentences to me before this morning. Now he made it six and stunned me at the same time. “How can I go into the forest?”
    “With my help,” came a sultry voice from the shadows on the right side of the shop. I knew that voice. Dara walked boldly into the sunlight. “You fell the trees and I’ll drag them across the river.”
    “Won’t they be too heavy?”
    She slapped my arm playfully and gave me a bright smile. “No, silly. It’s no trouble at all. When I overheard Brian talking the other day about needing new material, I volunteered