Page 39 of Scythe's Salvation
Laughter sounds in my head but before I can ask any more questions, I feel myself getting sleepy again, so I curl up on the couch to wait, my eyes growing heavier and heavier.
“We’ve got you, Chance,” the voice whispers.I don’t hear it, though, because I’m dreaming of when I see my mom again.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FIVE
Tamara
I coughand can hear the crackles in my chest, so I know that the wound is now infected. I feel so awful that I can’t even eat the food that Portia brings to me twice a day. When she comes in, I hear a sharp gasp and turn my head to see a shocked expression cross her face. She practically runs toward me and drops to her knees, her hand going to my forehead.
“Oh, dear heavens above, you’re burning up,” she murmurs. I’m too drained to object when she slides the dress I’m now wearing up to my stomach so she can examine my side where I was shot.
Pain lashes through me as she carefully removes the bandage, the adhesive tape catching and pulling which has me whimpering. An awful odor permeates the air, outside of my unshowered body, and has me gagging as she starts to clean it.
“Stop,” I weakly mutter. “That hurts.”
“It’s infected,” she replies, her hands continuing to clean away the blood and pus that’s steadily seeping from the hole. I knowthey removed the bullet, and it was what they said was a through and through, but outside of that, I’m totally clueless.
“Why, Portia? I don’t understand,” I whisper. “Why is he doing this?”
She looks over her shoulder then quietly says, “I’m the daughter of one of the prophets here. Because of my position, instead of being put into the breeding program like they’re planning to do with you, I was married off to Tim. My father and the elders wanted someone in law enforcement who would help keep things quiet.”
“I still don’t understand,” I reiterate, my hands now clutching the sheets as she continues to clean my infected wound. I realize that I’ll probably need some kickass antibiotics to knock it out of me, but I doubt they have those on hand.
“Your son is Tim’s,” she says, looking at me. “Tim is a soldier for the cause and because of what those bikers did to several of our strongholds, they came to Roanoke for two reasons. One, for him to reclaim his biological son, and two, to destroy the men who almost wiped them out.”
“So, let me see if I have this right,” I start, anger starting to override the pain she’s inadvertently causing. “Y’all are a bunch of crazy assholes trying to build some kind of army or some shit, and because the Imperial Knights got involved after several of their women were taken, y’all decided to come to Roanoke and cause problems? You know you won’t get away with this, using me and my son as pawns. Because youknowthey’re going to come for us and what do you think is going to happen then? You think they’re going to just tell y’all that they’re going to let bygones be bygones? Yeah, no, that’s not gonna happen. Iknow several of the women who escaped the clutches of these misogynistic assholes.”
My rant leaves me exhausted but my ears perk up when I hear her whisper, “I hope they kill them all and rescue the women like they rescued Selah.”
“You know Selah?” I’m grasping at straws to keep from losing consciousness due to the pain wracking my whole body.
“I know of her and her brothers,” Portia admits. “They’re the lucky ones, they got away.”
“Did you ever try?” I ask, curiosity joining the chat.
She nods as a tear silently slips down her cheek. “Tim threatened to take my two children away and put me in the breeder program. I hate him, Tamara, but I’m stuck. I won’t allow him to corrupt my babies the way this place has done with so many others.”
“The club will help you,” I promise.
She laughs but there’s no mirth. “I doubt it, Tamara. All they’re going to see is the fact that I’m married to Tim. The same man who kidnapped you and your son.”
“I’ll make them, Portia,” I reiterate.
Shrugging, she finishes what she was doing as a sad expression crosses her face. “As long as me and my kids can get out of here, I don’t care. I just want some peace in my life, Tamara. I’m tired of being used. So, so tired.”
The sweetest sound I’ve ever heard wakes me up as tiny arms wrap around my neck. “Mommy,” Chance cries. “I missed you so much!”
Strong arms encircle both of us and lips briefly touch my forehead as I pry my eyes open. “Hey, Tam,” Scythe says, emotion filling his eyes. “I should’ve gone with y’all that day. I’ll regret that for the rest of my life.”
“You couldn’t know,” I murmur. “Where are we? And how did you find me?”
“We’re back at the clubhouse in the infirmary. Roxy and Saber have checked both of you out, and you’re hooked up to fluids as well as IV antibiotics,” he replies. “And you have your son and Selah’s girls to thank as to how we found you, sweetheart. The reason you don’t remember is because you’ve been so sick. When we found you, you were completely out of it.”
I don’t understand what he means about the kids being responsible for us being rescued, but I’ll ask that shortly. Right now, I have one thing on my mind. “Chance is okay?” I ask.
“I’m perfectly fine, Mommy,” Chance replies. “That’s what Dr. Roxy told me.”
