Revolution
Chapter 4

Carrie

I rolled over and stretched, pushing my butt into the air like a cat. I had been exhausted last night. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept that deeply. It was probably because I hadn’t exactly slept much the night before. Or the one before that, on the bus.

The hot shower had been just what the doctor ordered. I almost didn’t pack my own soaps, thinking maybe I would just shower with Bryce. I had never been a big fan of that Axe crap he used though.

My lavender and vanilla body wash did wonders for me. And I felt smooth.

I nearly slipped in the shower when I heard someone moving around in the apartment. I hurried up to get out, but he was already gone. I was pretty sure it was Deacon anyway, seeing as there was the biggest burger I had ever seen in my life, sitting on the table.

I ate every bite and refused to feel guilty about it.

My night had started out rough. I fell asleep nearly as soon as my head hit the pillow, and I landed right back in that bus station. Only this time I hadn’t been outside when they came in. The dream got so real, I even tasted blood.

Obviously it was only a by-product of my dream. Unless I bit my tongue… and it healed already.

My mouth tasted normal, sort of. My throat didn’t feel dry and scratchy after a long night of sleep. And it held a sweet aftertaste. Huh.

Oddly, the blood created a shift in my dreams. Deacon was there. He stepped between me and the vampires, and they just sort of disappeared. Almost like he commanded them to leave me alone. Then he was holding me. And… well, yeah.

Even if my high school boyfriend actually had done the deed, he must have been really bad at it. It was technically his first time too, obviously. But last night, dream Deacon made me feel things that the other idiot never did.

Even Bryce couldn’t do so much with so little. I caved after a while and started taking my shirt off for him. Maybe if he had made me feel so good with just that, I would have caved to a little more. I would have loved for things to move further last night, in my dream.

I didn’t know Deacon well enough for it to happen for real. Or, like, at all.

That thought made me pause as I rolled over to turn my phone on from where I had plugged it in the night before. I didn’t know Deacon well, but in my own way, I knew he was a good man. There was something… more to him. I couldn’t figure it out.

Last night he told that vampire in the alley that I belonged to him. I was pretty messed up at the time, but I didn’t get the sense that he was lying. Or when he said that I was safe here. I believed him. Which was why I agreed to stay.

My phone started dinging like mad as soon as it was fully on. Clarise had blown up my phone with calls and messages. I laughed at myself for wondering if Bryce tried to call and check on me. He didn’t. He was probably more worried about himself and his new little girlfriend. Well, up until they were killed anyway.

I really hoped the twins made it back to his apartment okay. I wanted to go check on them, but I worried I would run into that vampire out there again and lead him right to them. They were probably better off without me anyway.

I called my best friend, knowing she was more than likely climbing the walls.

“It’s about dang time! Where the hell have you been?” She answered with a demand, telling me I was right, she was freaking.

“Girl, don’t even get me started.” I sighed and scooted back under the soft covers. Why did my chest feel sore?

“Uh, no. You have got to do better than that. I have been watching the news nearly nonstop since I got home on Friday. Please tell me you are alright. That you and Bryce are safe somewhere.”

I huffed. “I’m fine, he’s definitely not though.”

Clarise gasped. “What happened?”

I groaned. “The douche has been cheating on me. For months. His boss’s daughter was practically living with him. She even answered the door wearing the shirt I bought him.”

“No! What did you do?”

“The same thing I should have done months ago. Seriously, why was I still with him? We both know I never fully trusted him.”

She sighed. “I don’t know. I wondered that myself, from time to time. Maybe he was just something familiar. So, where are you now? Where have you been? Did you at least get out of California before all hell broke loose?”

I chuckled sardonically. “I spent the entire day sitting at the bus station. I was there when everything started blowing up, literally. The other night I started having one of my panic attacks, so I sat outside the back door.” I heard her gasp shockingly through the phone. “Girl, I know it was not the safest idea to do, but it saved my life. Not long after, these two guys came in, talking all sorts of crap. Then one bit someone on the neck.” Clarise gasped again. “Thankfully they never saw me. I waited hours until I decided it was safer inside then out. Even found a teenager hiding behind the counter. We spent the night and all day yesterday together. We got split up though when another vamp showed up. I insisted her and her sister hide while I led him away. They’re just kids. I had to protect them, ya know?”

“Of course.” She repeated.

“Anyway, I ended up in this dead-end alley screaming my lungs out for help, and this guy opened the back of his bar and let me in. I slept in one of the apartments above the bar last night.”

There was nothing but dead air, to the point I had to check my phone to see if I lost signal. “Clarise? Are you there?”

“I’m here.” Her voice sounded squeaky. “So, are you saying there really are vampires attacking Cali?”

I sighed. “No doubt about that, unfortunately.”

“What are you going to do? Where are you going to stay? How are you going to get home?” That last question came out a touch on the high-pitched side.

“Honestly, I don’t know when I’ll even be able to try and get home, not with all the freeways blown. Deacon has an empty apartment. He says I can work for room and board.”

“Ooo, who’s Deacon?”

Seriously, all this end of the world drama, and Clarise still cooed over a new guy in the picture?

I rolled over and buried my head in the pillow. “He’s the bar owner. The one that saved me last night.”

“Is he cute? How old is he? Is he single?”

“Oh, my gosh, girl. You have got to chill out. I’m surrounded by bombs and vampires. Who has time for gorgeous men?”

She giggled. “So, he’s gorgeous, huh?”

I groaned. “Fine, he’s drop dead, change my underwear gorgeous. Happy?”

Like, seriously. I never cared for guys with long hair before, but Deacon really made it work for him. His long black hair was tied back the whole time, but still. It looked way hot.

“Good. you might as well have some fun while you are trying to survive. Have a rebound with him, get Bryce out of your system.”

“Clarise, until further notice, he’s my boss.”

“So?”

I rolled my eyes. “Would you sleep with Mr. Sorenson?”

“Ew, no. But he’s old and fat.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I heard the front door open and close, so I figured that meant Deacon was back. It should bother me that he technically barged into my new apartment, but it didn’t.

“Listen. I gotta go. Will you let the school know they are going to have to cover me for… I have no idea how long?”

I could hear her little pout. We met at orientation just two months ago and hit it off. She was like my best friend-soul mate. We were heads and tales different, but we balanced each other out.

“Fine. Promise to take care of yourself, and keep in touch with me okay? I’d say send me your address so I can have the kids make you cards, but I don’t see mail getting there anytime soon.”

I sighed and sat up. “I don’t either. As long as the phone lines stay up, I don’t see a problem. But don’t worry. I feel really safe here. Like, my kind of feeling, feeling. Ya know?”

It was weird how easy it had been to confide my weirdness to her. She was a big believer in tarot readings and astrological signs. I probably could have told her all the specifics about that vamp chasing me, I just didn’t feel like getting into it right now.

“Good. That makes me feel a little better at least. Love ya, Car!”

“Love you too, Clare!” I teared up a little as I said goodbye to my friend. I could hear movement in the kitchen, so I wiped my face and got out of bed.

Deacon was in the small kitchen, cracking an egg over a frying pan when I walked out. In the light of day, I could see just how well he filled out his jeans and the black t-shirt he was wearing.

“Good morning.” I announced myself, feeling a little shy.

What do I say to this guy? Thanks for the awesome dreams?

“Morning, angel. How did you sleep?”

Angel? Was he one of those guys who forgets names easily, so he uses pet names to cover up for it? Or was he one of those guys that called all the women he knew pet names?

I walked over to the small table next to the kitchen and sat down. “Really good, actually. I knew I was tired, just not that tired. Guess that happens when you don’t sleep for two days.”

He gave me a curious look, his eyes lingering on my old ratty tank top and biker shorts. I get claustrophobic when I sleep, so I wear as little as possible. If I had been at home, I probably would have ignored clothes altogether. Odds were, once I adjusted to being here, they would disappear again.

“Why didn’t you sleep for two days? Have you been scared with all the stuff going on?”

I laughed softly, tapping my fingers on the table. I might as well tell him, seeing as we were going to be spending a good deal of time together. I never thought it was fair to keep secrets when no one else could do it around me. This wasn’t even that big of a deal.

“I didn’t even know about most of this until the other day. I live in Phoenix. I took a bus up to visit my now ex-boyfriend, as a surprise, on Thursday night. I do not recommend it. It was disgusting and gross.”

“What happened with him that made him an ex?”

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, wishing I could smack myself. “He has only been living here for a few months, and he was already shacking up with someone else. I’m not even sure they made it a week. Whatever. I should have dumped his annoying butt a long time ago. I always felt there was something off. Now I know what it was.”

Deacon poured the eggs on to a plate that already held toast and brought it over to me with one hand. His other hand carried a glass of orange juice.

“Thank you, you didn’t have to do this, ya know.” He just shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “Aren’t you going to eat something?”

Maybe it was a trick of the light, or a remnant of my nightmare, but I swear the whites of his eyes glowed and flashed to my neck.

He shook his head, his eyes closing for a short moment. “No. I’m not much of a breakfast person. I’ll have someone pick up groceries for you today, that way you are covered. Unless you feel up to venturing outside to go shopping?”

Just the idea of it sent shivers down my spine. Vampires, raiders, and drones that shot people. Hell to the no.

“No. Thank you. You don’t have to buy me groceries, I can pay for them myself.”

He waved my comment away nonchalantly.

I ate in silence, not feeling as uncomfortable as I normally would have when I was the only one eating. It was hard not to feel comfortable around Deacon. Which was weird, but again, totally felt normal.

“I probably should make time to go shopping soon though. I only packed for the weekend. I don’t have a lot with me.”

Deacon stood up, a look of both amusement and bashfulness on his face. “I, uh, sent a friend of mine out to the store last night. He helps out at the bar when he is in town. I had him pick up a few things for you. Most of them are things for you to wear while we work. It didn’t look like you had much with you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Deacon carried over a few bags, a large rectangular shoe box, and a smaller square one. My jaw dropped.

“You didn’t need to buy me so much. The agreement was room and board, Deacon.”

He tskd and shook his head, like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. “Consider this a bonus. My bar isn’t exactly normal.”

I raised an eyebrow at this and carefully opened the bags. “Um. Are you sure this is the right bag? This looks more like a bag of spare material.” I lifted up a piece of checkered material and spread it out in my hands, my eyes widening. Probably more than the skirt was capable of.

“I’ve already been through most of it. It’s the right bag. He did throw in a few extras, like the shoes, and I think, um…” he cleared his throat awkwardly, sticking his hands in his front pockets. I was not naive enough to miss the growing problem he was trying to hide. “Underwear, I believe. Why don’t you go get dressed? That way I have time to show you the ropes and such before we open for the lunch crowd.”

Apprehensively, I carried the items to the bedroom. My nerves were having a party, making the boxes a bit harder to juggle with the bags, so Deacon helped. He set them on the bed and then quietly left the room. I opened the bags and dumped them on the bed.

This was scary. And maybe a little bit of fun.

Maybe I could live differently here. I wasn’t the cop’s daughter. I wasn’t the kindergarten teacher. I wasn’t Bryce’s shadow of a girlfriend.

Here, I was a waitress in a bar. I worked for a man who could be a model. And he seemed to like me, I think.

I felt no vibes from him that said I couldn’t trust him. The opposite in fact. Every vibe in the air said I was home. And it made me feel braver. More confident than I ever had before. Almost like I was finally finding me, the real me.

I pulled on one of the lace thongs, something new for me, and a strapless bra. Next, I pulled on a simple black mini skirt, it kind of reminded me of some of the skirts I wore to job interviews. Only a foot shorter, and a whole lot tighter. I topped that with the dark green top. It was like the baby sister to my new skirt. If it had been an inch wider and half an inch longer, it would have been the same size too.

I walked into the bathroom and checked out the new outfit. Not bad, even if I did say so myself. Just for kicks and giggles, I lifted my arms up. Sure enough, the top lifted to the very edge, my black bra showing just a bit. I then bent down and giggled again as I pulled the shirt back up.

Definitely going to have to act like a lady in this outfit.

I went back to the bedroom and opened the shoe boxes. The large one held a pair of tall black boots, the kind that zipped up to your knees. The smaller box held a pair of black strapless heels.

Not quite ready for a full day in three-inch heels, I pulled the boots on. They had a small heel to them, so in time, I would be used to it. I always wore my tennis shoes to work before. They were easier for chasing five-year-olds around a classroom, or a playground.

I didn’t pack any makeup, I never cared much for that stuff. To me it was like lying to both yourself and everyone else. Bryce always said I didn’t need it anyway. I brushed out my long blonde hair and redid the braid I slept in.

Taking a slow, deep breath, I returned to the living room.

Deacon was sitting at the table, looking at his phone. His eyes shot up when I opened the door, and his jaw dropped. Just for funsies, I turned a bit, and bent over, pretending to fix a zipper on one of the boots.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shift in his seat, trying to fix his pants, again. Score one for the new me.

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