The gun seems to triple its weight in my hands. One second stretches into two, and before I know it, a whole minute has passed. I sigh and, turning it around, offer it to him, handle first.
I’m a hunter, not a murderer. And Maverick is still human.
For now.
My action doesn’t surprise him so much as it arouses his usual suspicions. Maverick refuses to accept it, taking another step back as if desperate to get away from me.
Desperate, I think, or too ashamed to come any closer…
“Why?” he asks me. “Aren’t you frightened? Scared of me? Scared of what I can do?”
Am I?
I shrug. “You could’ve killed me at any point these last few weeks. Before Chase got here, I was alone with you for almost a week. Now, I won’t ever forget that you stole from me, but after that… you saved me and Chase from East Jersey. You’ve partnered with us, and you’ve killed plenty of lurkers. Knowing how bad you need it, you gave it back so that I could fix Chase. You’re… you’re something, Maverick Brooks, but you’re no monster. I’m not going to shoot you.”
“You’re not?”
“No.”
Honestly, I don’t know what’s come over me. The Xandra of old wouldn’t hesitate to take out a threat. But that Xandra has had to watch too many people she loved die. Mom, Rory, Hallie… Chase was only twenty-four hours away from death. I’m not going to be the one to kill Maverick unless I have to. I don’t want to be the reason that another survivor dies. I can’t take the guilt.
For once I’m going to trust someone else.
I place the gun in the dirt, nudging it toward him with the toe of my boot. Maverick hesitates for a heartbeat before swooping down and picking it up.
“Besides,” I add, turning my back on him and praying that I’m right in putting my trust in this former cop, “I wouldn’t have to pull that trigger. I believe you. If you’re ever a threat, no one else will get the chance to kill you before you kill yourself.”
He doesn’t say anything to that, but when I peek over at him again, the gun is hidden from my sight. And, as he turns away from me, so is his face. Though I can’t see it for myself, I’m sure his eyes are wide open, awake as they reflect the flames of our night’s fire.
He doesn’t ask me if he’s taking first watch or if I am.
It doesn’t matter.
Neither one of us is going to bed tonight.
And then, clearing his throat, he says softly, “James.”
I raise my eyebrows at him.
“‘Maverick’ was the name I earned during my police academy days. But my name… it’s James.”
I nod at him. “We’ll get those lurkers. And we’ll find more antidotes. You’re one of us now, James.”
But if he pulls a stunt like that again, at least I know he’s vulnerable for now.
CHAPTER 28
Chase is sleeping, his head in my lap. With my good hand, I stroke his forehead. His temperature is perfectly normal. No fever. He’s breathing fine. Teeth are pretty white and as straight as they used to be; no fangs, and his fingernails are the bitten-down nubs I know well instead of claws.
I shouldn’t be so worried. I’ve checked his eyes countless times since last night and nothing’s changed. The antidote did its job… I think.
Ihope.
Twenty-four hours have passed and we’re still in Skyway Park. Chase… he hasn’t woken up yet. Maverick tells me that it’s normal, that the antidote overrides the body and knocks it out because it needs to combat whatever it is that makes a lurker a lurker. I get that. Iknewthat.
But it’s one thing to be aware of how an antidote works. It’s completely another when someone you love is as good as playing Sleeping Beauty.
Too bad I’m pretty sure a kiss won’t be enough to wake up Chase…
