Apokalypsis | Book 6 | Apokalypsis 6 Morris, Kate (cheapest way to read ebooks TXT) 📖

brothers were in the other bedroom sleeping. Abraham had offered her his bed, but she’d opted to couch it instead. It was a long, leather sectional, so there was plenty of room. The smell of food cooking awoke her senses, and she sat up and stretched. She’d also slept in her clothing, so she felt like a rumpled mess.

A wet tongue licked her hand, and she rolled onto her side and was greeted by Dixie. Her eyes were soft and warm with affection.

“I’m up,” she told the dog and petted her big head.

Wren used the boys’ bathroom in the basement and brushed her teeth with her finger, using some organic, all-natural toothpaste, whatever that meant. The electric was working again today, so that was one thing. The bathroom unquestionably looked like only boys were using it. Toothpaste globs were splattered in the porcelain sink, clothes were discarded on the floor, and the toilet seat was up. She was still appreciative. It was a large bathroom with double sinks and a huge walk-in shower.

Some people were up and moving, but others were nowhere to be seen. She’d fallen asleep on the sofa in the basement while the boys cleaned guns at a table in another room where there was a ping-pong table, air hockey, and other things to keep so many kids occupied. The sounds of metal clinking gently against metal and the smells of gun oil were soothing and reminded her of the many, many times Jamie used to do the same thing in another room of wherever they were living at the time while she was drifting off. She’d also soaked her pillow with fresh tears with those memories. Her heart had a permanent blank spot now where her love of Jamie used to reside, and she knew she’d never fill that again. He was the last of her family, her last remaining connection to who she used to be and from where she’d come.

“Good morning,” Avery said in the kitchen. “Coffee? It’s not instant.”

“No, thank you,” she refused and let Dixie out to go to the bathroom.

“Sleep well?”

She nodded and stood at the front door to look out. It was one of the few spaces with some glass still left to see the outdoors. Being boxed in all the time was starting to get to her. She’d lived for the last four years with one foot out any door she was living. Not being able to see out windows was making her a little paranoid and a lot claustrophobic. The sun was out. The snow was gone, and the sky was even blue. She longed to be outdoors, maybe going for a run, but the bitter cold was smothering that desire.

“I’m supposed to be getting Tristan up now, but they got in so late I thought I should let them sleep a while.”

“What time did they get in?”

“Around four, maybe? I don’t know. It was after you went downstairs. I’m sleep-deprived. I’ve always been sort of a night owl, but this is even kicking my butt.”

Wren offered a lopsided grin. “I know what you mean.”

“Where are you from, Wren?” Avery asked bluntly as she sat at the counter sipping hot tea, the bags still steeping in the big mug.

“What do you mean?”

“Australia? New Zealand? I’m sort of a geek for dialects. My father was Swedish. He spoke many languages, though.”

“Oh, that’s cool. Where’d they meet?” Wren asked, hoping the blonde supermodel would stop asking questions. Any of them knowing her true identity could get them hurt by very evil people.

“College. England. So, where are you from? Your accent, it’s not glottal, not decisively British, either.”

She sighed. “Australia originally, but I’ve lived in the United States for a long time now.”

Wren hoped she’d drop it there, but of course, she didn’t.

“Did your uncle move here for work?”

“Sort of. Yeah, I guess that would be the reason,” she mumbled and wanted to kick herself as she heard Dixie scratch at their door to be let back in. She also wanted to kick herself as she let her dog in because Avery had given her the perfect excuse, and she’d blown it. There was a towel right by the door that they were using to dry doggie paws and pat fur dry. Her brain was only half awake, so she wasn’t ready for the six-a.m. inquisition. Instead, she hoped by the time she was done drying Dixie’s snowy paws, Avery would forget her questions.

“And your family?” Avery asked as Wren finished and entered the kitchen again.

“Where are your new pets?” she asked, deflecting again.

“Oh, Renee took the big one up to the apartment with her. It was love at first sight. Biscuit is with Kaia in her room. I guess that’s okay. I don’t know. We’ve never owned a dog before. We’ll have to pick your brain for care and handling info.”

“Not me. Dixie is my first dog, too. She’s not even mine. Elijah’s neighbor in the city…died,” she explained without fully explaining that depressing situation. “We took her in. It’s been good. She’s a great alarm system.”

“I’m hoping for the same. I know they can hear better than us, so it can’t hurt to have more alert ears around. Do you think they’ll run off?”

Wren smirked. “Not likely. You feed them, they’ll stay.”

“My cell was working this morning for a little bit, so I called their owners. No answers. Not sure if they…”

“They’re probably dead or left for somewhere like a quarantine camp or safe camp, whatever the governments want to call them.”

“Right. That’s a good theory. So? Your parents? Where are they?”

“They’re dead. Sorry to be so blunt. House fire,” she blurted without thinking. This woman was even better than Elijah at poking her nose into people’s business. Wren explained it in a way that made hiding the lies and exact details a little easier, though.

“I’m so sorry. Elijah said you went to school with him?”

She nodded.

“Are you…boyfriend and girlfriend?”

“No!” she proclaimed too loudly and then felt bad. It