BLOODLINE The Last Sanctuary | A Novel | By @WendyyWolfe

[15] Full Speed Combat Mode

One night after giving in and allowing Seth to take her out to a movie, they went back to his place and stayed up all night talking and laughing. When he pulled her up off the couch and kissed her, she kissed him back. He slowly undressed her, and she let him. He caressed her body and she didn't stop him. When he took her to his room and made love to her that morning, she hadn't realized how lonely she had been.

They had tried to keep the relationship secret, but she was sure everyone knew. He said he didn't care. Haven hadn't returned to the pregnancy center but since they had been together, Seth had tried to discourage her from giving up her baby. She refrained from discussing it because the center was adoption based and had families waiting for newborns. Those families paid the bills for the girls. Haven shook off the thought because Seth and the center social worker, Linda, had gotten into a huge argument at the diner the other day when they first heard about the sickness in Salt Lake City. Linda had tried to make Haven go with her, but Seth wasn't hearing it. He told her straight up to stay out of it. Haven left with Seth because she wanted to.

Linda left mad, but it didn't really matter now.

Seth was dressed and together they went to the kitchen where a clock hung over the refrigerator. It was five am.

Haven knew instinctively he was thinking about his mom. He hadn't heard from her in days and now it would be impossible to contact her or anyone. She went to him and held him around the waist. He melted against her, secure in her embrace and buried his face in the scent of her hair.

1It was hard to be brave when everything around him was falling apart, and he whispered against her head, "I'm afraid Haven. We should have stayed with Hollis and Verbena."

She pulled him tighter to her body in answer to his aching honesty. Looking up to his face, she kissed him, and he responded pressing the hard contour of his lips against her mouth. Their igniting passions returned to stark reality when a loud pounding at the door shook them loose from each other's arms. Seth put her behind him and stole over to look out the peep hole.

The banging continued joined now by muffled shouts. Seth opened the door in a rush, reached out and jerked Bretta Howard into their small living room.

She was out of breath, her face white with panic. She threw her backpack on the floor, ran and hugged Haven, and Seth scolded her for being so loud.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help it! I'm surprised I made it here," she panted. "Have you guys heard from Cole or anyone?" Bretta asked nervously. "Cole was supposed to pick up his son you know, two days ago for the weekend but I haven't heard from him or anyone and now the town doesn't have electricity. It's gone crazy out there. The military had set up a road block near the highway intersection but they've all gone and the donut shop in town was open earlier, but hordes of people came from everywhere and they handed out whatever they had then closed. I was on my way to the diner, but I don't know if it's safe." Bretta took a deep breath and slumped into a chair. "I just want to get home, but there is no way I can make it to Missouri in this mess." She started to cry, and Haven went to console her.

"Seth, what do we do?" Haven asked him reluctantly.

"I think we ought to go to the diner. Try to find Hollis and Verbena. We should stay with them until this is over. I have enough gas to get there," he stated.

Haven agreed. "I'll pack some clothes for us. Bretta did you bring clothes?"

She nodded and pointed to her backpack.

"I stuffed it full of stuff," she admitted. "I wasn't about to stay by myself while the world is going to shit around me, no way."

"Well just stay with us. We'll be safe out at Hollis' and when this clears up, we'll help you get home. Have you talked to your family at all?"