Page 3 of Tara's Warriors

Melissa let out a little whimper as Tara guided her over to the table to sit down before she opened the fridge and took out some ice. “No power. The sink needs electricity to work. There’s a backup generator under the bus. I have to take the panel off, but I think I remember how to get it working.”

Wrapping up some ice in a plastic bag, then layering it with a clean pirate-themed hand towel, she gently placed it on Melissa’s red hand. “Here, put this on and don’t worry about the backup generator. Do you have a first aid kit?”

Trembling, Melissa pointed to the narrow cupboards next to the kitchen sink. “In there.”

Jillian still clung to Tara’s hip, but she was glad to have her there. She forced herself to only think about caring for Melissa, about making sure she was all right before addressing the steadily growing noise of the crowd outside the bus—yells and occasional screams that seemed to be rising by the second. She just finished putting some numbing spray on her friend’s hand when the sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs reached them.

Rachel—a stout, graying woman in her sixties who was also a sheriff when she wasn’t busy being a pirate—let out a sigh of relief when she saw them. “Is everyone okay?”

“Mel burned her hand, but we’re okay.” Tara ran her hand up and down Jillian’s back. “What was that? What happened?”

“I have no idea. All the electronics are dead. Cell phones, cars, everything. And the sky is wonky as hell.”

“Shi-oot,” Tara whispered, conscious of Jillian’s too perceptive ears. “What do you mean the sky is wonky?”

The plentiful gray strands in Rachel brown hair caught the light as she shook her head. “Woman, I can’t even begin to explain. Somethin’ you gotta see for yourself. If you folks are all right, I need to check on the rest of campsite.”

“Can we do anything to help?” Tara cast a worried look at Mel’s hand and pain strained face. “I’m wondering if I should get Mel some medical attention.”

“I’m fine,” Mel said as she glared down at her hand in frustration. “Just wrap me up. I’ve got a couple painkillers in my purse leftover from when I had my wisdom teeth out. I’ll pop a couple of those and see if I can get the backup generator on the bus running. Going to be a bitch considering I had the directions saved on my phone and never printed them out, but I think I remember how to do it.”

Rachel pursed her lips. “Lemme ask around and check if anyone is familiar with generators. I’ll try to send you some help, if I can. Don’t got electrocuting yourself—I got enough shit to deal with at the moment.”

They all gave a tense laugh before Rachel waved and left the bus.

Despite the bright sunlight beaming through the tinted windows, the interior was shadowy without the normal comforting lights.

“Hey, Captain?” Mel asked in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, Mel?”

“Think you can cut me outta this corset? There is no way on God’s green earth I can bend over and put on my shoes with this thing all cinched up.”

“Of course. Let’s get you out of it.”

When Tara began unlacing the back of Mel’s corset, the other woman shook her head. “Just cut me out of it. I need to breathe.”

Noticing the other woman was looking a little shaky, Tara unsheathed the dagger strapped to her thigh and carefully inserted it between the lacings running up Mel’s back over her silk shirt. The blade was beautiful, a gift from one of her ex-boyfriends. He’d been a great guy, and an even better bladesmith, and the heavy-duty laces parted like hot butter beneath the sharp edge. When he gave it to her, he’d said it was sharp enough to shave the balls off any man stupid enough to mess with her.

While she’d never attempted to geld anyone, she was grateful for the weapon as she sheathed it with one hand and helped Mel with the other. Jillian also helped—her eyes still stretched wide with shock, but some of the pink had returned to her cheeks. Once they freed Mel, the other woman took a big, deep, gasping breath then slowly blew it out.

“Better?”

“Much.” Mel sighed. “Can you wrap up my hand?”

“Of course.”

Jillian remained silent as Tara disinfected and bandaged Mel’s hand.

After digging through Mel’s purse, she found the meds and handed them to Mel, along with a bottle of orange juice from the fridge.

“Thanks,” Mel said after she’d gulped down the pills. “Burns sting like a mother.”

“Don’t I know it.” Tara held up her arms so the sleeves rolled back, revealing years of grease burns, hot coffee/soup burns, and the occasional burn from a too hot plate or pan during her time working at her family’s truck stop restaurant.

Mel rubbed her head with her good hand, keeping the other elevated. “It looks nasty, but it isn’t blistering yet, so I think I managed to escape really hurting myself.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, staring at each other with fear bright eyes before Jillian’s high, excited voice cut through their growing worry. “Grammy! Auntie Mel, come look! The sky is rainbows!”

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