Finding Love in a Dark World: A Steamy Post-Apocalyptic Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

their backs, since what they could carry was now the sum total of their worldly possessions.
    He was used to moving around, the last six months had been the longest they had stayed in one place. He knew his mother was fearful of traveling alone and he picked up on her added stress. He was not quite sure what she was afraid of. She would never admit she was afraid, but Shane knew when she was. He liked the idea of traveling again and he always looked at it like an adventure. He was going to miss Aidan and even that new man Michael, but he did not want to stay in that tiny town forever. There were so many things that he was told growing up, the stories of the way the world used to be and he wanted to see more of what was left. Mostly knew he had to be brave for his mom.
    “Where are we going Ma?”
    “Well baby, I would love to see the ocean again, and wouldn’t you like to see water everywhere as far as you can see?”
    “Yes, I am ready for an adventure!”
    Jessa smiled down to him. He constantly reminded her of how wise beyond his years he was and of the uncanny ability children have to adapt to almost anything. He was already adjusting to this new “adventure” as he called it. He must have gotten that from his father. His father had been convinced that they must move around a lot, constantly searching. He was always looking for the perfect place to make a home. Over four years and they never found it. Kraven had always done more than love her. He had been her constant protector and had shown it many times during the course of their travels. There was also more than one or two times that he had saved their young child. She was especially nervous about traveling alone with her son. She was afraid she would not be able to protect him as she needed to. A gun and a crossbow had been added to the weapons on hand, though she still felt vulnerable.
    After all, there was no such thing as police to protect you now. The thought of dialing 911 actually made her nice. Wouldn’t that be nice. She would be calling every day she mused to herself. While Jessa remembered life before only vaguely, she had definitely remembered police. People did not have some uniformed force to depend on to save them anymore. They only had their own wits and skills and those of whoever they were living or traveling with. There was some protection and safety in numbers, but it seemed to her that you had to lose free will in the balance and it just wasn’t worth it to her. Deep down she hoped she wasn’t being pigheaded and foolish. Hopefully her stubbornness would not get them both killed. But she had to be true to herself. What was the point of being safe, if she could not decide how to live in that safety on her own terms? Jessa had always agreed with her husband that there must be someplace she could do that as part of a community. She was determined that if she couldn’t find such a place, she would help to build one. Now that he was gone, she was more determined than ever to make that place a reality.

9
     
    Jessa smiled at her good fortune. The pair had stumbled across a small cottage in the middle of the woods that seemed to have been empty for a while. She felt she was far enough away from the road to build a fire, as she was not too worried about thieves as deep in as they were. Shane was in the back room sleeping. She had strung some can lines in the woods as a make shift alarm system for some added protection. A minute’s warning was often the difference between life and death these days. Jessa had also secured his room with a few extra boards on the inside. With that extra sense of security, she was now outside enjoying one of her guilty pleasures, a joint. The civilized world may have ended, but at least there was plenty of pot now. Not only was it the best weed anyone had ever smoked, but the seeds were highly nutritious and not too bad tasting as an addition to almost any meal.
    Sitting back with her eyes closed, Jessa exhaled the