imminent natural death of one of the Lord’s Army’s elderly members. The baby wasn’t due for more than a month. In that time, surely
some
one would succumb to old age and the physical demands of such a rough, migratory lifestyle.
What exactly was the average human life span without Church intervention, anyway? Melanie would know, but if I asked, she’d figure out what I was up to. So instead, I added that question to two others rolling around in my mind as I set the rifle down and picked up the pregnancy book.
To my relief, according to the book, Mellie’s baby had already passed the most critical milestone—namely, lung development—and with each week spent in utero, the infant’s chances of survival increased dramatically. So in another couple of weeks I could cross premature birth off my list of concerns, barring unforeseen disaster.
Unfortunately, the book didn’t list any surefire way to induce labor without a hospital, a doctor, and an intravenous oxytocin drip—an IV full of hormones. The authors did suggest several “home remedies” for an overdue birth, including walking, variations of an herbal tea, and intercourse, of all things, but none of that sounded very reliable to me. Maybe the experienced midwives in the Army knew of some herb or plant that could—
“Hey, whatcha doing out here alone?” Finn asked as he pushed the balcony door open.
“Learning what to expect.” I closed the book and held it up for him to see.
Finn leaned against the balcony rail. “I thought you were going to be standing guard with the rest of us when she gives birth.”
I shrugged and set the book on the ground, then stood. “I might not have to, with sixty other trained soldiers there to help out.” I smiled and stepped into his embrace when he held his arms out. “That’s got to be worth at least, what? Eleven exorcists?”
“We’ll be lucky if half of them can fight like Eli.” Finn stretched his sore hand for emphasis, and I ran my fingers lightly down his palm. The swelling looked a little better and much of the redness had faded. Still…
“You may have to stick to touching soft things for a while.” My cheeks flamed over my innuendo, but the heat in his eyes rewarded my bold words. After seventeen years under the Church’s puritanical social rules, I still found it much easier to snuggle in the dark than to flirt in broad daylight.
“Now, that is one piece of advice I’d be happy to follow….” Finn leaned down, and my heart began to pound when his lips met mine. I’d seen and touched him every day for the past five months, yet every time we kissed, I felt like we were starting something new and wonderful. Something daring and bold, and completely ours.
Something that made my entire body feel alive and—
The balcony door flew open and slammed into my back, shoving me against Finn so hard that his teeth cut into my lower lip.
“Ow!” I cried.
Finn shoved the door off us and pulled me out of its path.
“You’re both relieved of duty,” Devi snapped as I turned to find her peering over the railing. “I get how you might not see the flames, with your vision so clouded by lust…” She turned and pointed toward Eli’s campground. “But can you honestly not
smell
the
smoke
?”
Maddock joined her at the railing, and I followed their gaze to see a dark plume rising into the sky from the center of the Lord’s Army’s camp. “Fire!” Maddy shouted, already on his way back into the building.
“Stay here,” I said to my sister as I ran after him, with Devi on my heels. Finn grabbed the rifle with his good hand on his way into the building.
“You stay with her.” Reese handed Grayson the pistol, then raced into the hall and down the stairs after us. We piled into the SUV and took off toward Eli’s camp on the eastern edge of the small, abandoned town.
Three miles later Reese slammed on the brakes and the car slid to a dusty stop ten feet from a grimy four-person tent. Two
some
one would succumb to old age and the physical demands of such a rough, migratory lifestyle.
What exactly was the average human life span without Church intervention, anyway? Melanie would know, but if I asked, she’d figure out what I was up to. So instead, I added that question to two others rolling around in my mind as I set the rifle down and picked up the pregnancy book.
To my relief, according to the book, Mellie’s baby had already passed the most critical milestone—namely, lung development—and with each week spent in utero, the infant’s chances of survival increased dramatically. So in another couple of weeks I could cross premature birth off my list of concerns, barring unforeseen disaster.
Unfortunately, the book didn’t list any surefire way to induce labor without a hospital, a doctor, and an intravenous oxytocin drip—an IV full of hormones. The authors did suggest several “home remedies” for an overdue birth, including walking, variations of an herbal tea, and intercourse, of all things, but none of that sounded very reliable to me. Maybe the experienced midwives in the Army knew of some herb or plant that could—
“Hey, whatcha doing out here alone?” Finn asked as he pushed the balcony door open.
“Learning what to expect.” I closed the book and held it up for him to see.
Finn leaned against the balcony rail. “I thought you were going to be standing guard with the rest of us when she gives birth.”
I shrugged and set the book on the ground, then stood. “I might not have to, with sixty other trained soldiers there to help out.” I smiled and stepped into his embrace when he held his arms out. “That’s got to be worth at least, what? Eleven exorcists?”
“We’ll be lucky if half of them can fight like Eli.” Finn stretched his sore hand for emphasis, and I ran my fingers lightly down his palm. The swelling looked a little better and much of the redness had faded. Still…
“You may have to stick to touching soft things for a while.” My cheeks flamed over my innuendo, but the heat in his eyes rewarded my bold words. After seventeen years under the Church’s puritanical social rules, I still found it much easier to snuggle in the dark than to flirt in broad daylight.
“Now, that is one piece of advice I’d be happy to follow….” Finn leaned down, and my heart began to pound when his lips met mine. I’d seen and touched him every day for the past five months, yet every time we kissed, I felt like we were starting something new and wonderful. Something daring and bold, and completely ours.
Something that made my entire body feel alive and—
The balcony door flew open and slammed into my back, shoving me against Finn so hard that his teeth cut into my lower lip.
“Ow!” I cried.
Finn shoved the door off us and pulled me out of its path.
“You’re both relieved of duty,” Devi snapped as I turned to find her peering over the railing. “I get how you might not see the flames, with your vision so clouded by lust…” She turned and pointed toward Eli’s campground. “But can you honestly not
smell
the
smoke
?”
Maddock joined her at the railing, and I followed their gaze to see a dark plume rising into the sky from the center of the Lord’s Army’s camp. “Fire!” Maddy shouted, already on his way back into the building.
“Stay here,” I said to my sister as I ran after him, with Devi on my heels. Finn grabbed the rifle with his good hand on his way into the building.
“You stay with her.” Reese handed Grayson the pistol, then raced into the hall and down the stairs after us. We piled into the SUV and took off toward Eli’s camp on the eastern edge of the small, abandoned town.
Three miles later Reese slammed on the brakes and the car slid to a dusty stop ten feet from a grimy four-person tent. Two
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