Apocalypse: The Dead Lives
Chapter 49: Power

Chapter 49: Power

The storm had taken them.

One moment they were there Ronan and Marco, locked in a deadly battle, lightning crashing around them.

The next, they were gone, torn from the world in a blinding explosion of violet and gold.

We had searched for them, screaming their names into the howling wind, but the storm had left nothing behind. No bodies, just scorching earth and the empty space where they once stood.

That was two days ago.

Now, the storm had returned.

I stood frozen as the wind roared through the trees, whipping my hair into my face. Everyone else had backed away, forming a loose circle around the clearing, weapons drawn, ready for anything.

The air crackled with energy. The sky split open.

And they fell.

Marco hit the ground first, landing hard on his knees, breathing ragged. A second later, Ronan crashed down beside him, one hand braced against the earth, his body tense like an animal ready to strike.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, Marco groaned and pushed himself up, swaying slightly. His clothes were torn, his knuckles scraped raw. But something was different about him. His presence felt heavier, his movements more deliberate. His usual smirk was gone, replaced by something unreadable.

And then there was Ronan.

He rose to his feet in one smooth motion, exhaling sharply, his jaw clenched. His eyes. Those piercing blue eyes scanned the faces around him before locking onto mine.

And just like that, the world disappeared.

I barely registered Marco staggering toward me before I rushed forward and threw my arms around him. He stiffened for a second, but I hugged him briefly, whispering, "You’re okay. You’re alive."

Then, I let go.

And turned to Ronan.

A second later, I was in his arms.

I buried my face in his chest, my hands gripping the back of his shirt like he might disappear again if I let go.

His heart pounded beneath my palms, fast and strong, his body solid, warm, real. I had lost him, and now he was here, and I didn’t care that we had an audience.

I tilted my head up, and before I could think twice, I kissed him.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle.

It was desperate, all-consuming like the past two days of fear and grief had erupted into something I could only express with my lips on his.

His arms tightened around me, one hand sliding up to the back of my neck, the other pressing against the small of my back.

He kissed me like he had been starving for me like I was the only thing keeping him tethered to this world.

When we finally broke apart, I whispered, "I love you."

He didn’t say it back, not with words. But he didn’t need to. The way he looked at me, the way his fingers traced my cheek before pressing a kiss to my forehead, it told me everything.

A sharp sting of awareness pulled me from the moment.

Marco.

He stood a few feet away, his hands clenched into fists, his jaw tight. He wasn’t looking at us, but I could feel his jealousy, thick in the air between us.

But something else lurked beneath it something darker. I knew Marco well enough to recognize when he was hiding something.

And Ronan? He was different too.

They both were.

There was something in the way they carried themselves, the way the air crackled around them.

Power.

Not just the raw, humankind but something else. Something unnatural.

Neither of them spoke about what had happened. Neither of them explained how they had survived.

I will get my answers later. For now, I just needed to keep them safe.

I turned to the others, lifting my chin. "We need to move. Marco’s coming with us. No more fighting."

"Impossible; I will not be welcoming my arch-enemy into my home," Ender argued.

"I agree, we have to part ways with him," Ronan muttered.

"Where else is he supposed to go? He gave up his title as the commander, his dad’s pissed at him. We’re the only ones who can help him." I argued.

"He will compromise our location, the moment he knows it." Ender blankly stated.

"I know where it is. My father often took my sister and me to Watkins Glen when we were children." He blankly stated.

"You tell him where we live?" Ender asked, eyes wild with confusion.

"Yes, and he hasn’t contacted anyone yet."

"No, Hailey-Jade." Ronan blankly stated. "He poses as a danger to society. To our people." That was all he said.

"Do you trust me?" I asked Ronan and he stared deep into my eyes.

His jaw clenched. "I trust you."

"Then trust me when I tell you that Marco wouldn’t harm anyone. I’ll make sure he doesn’t."

Ronan nodded in agreement, the rest of them hesitated, but I saw understanding in their eyes. Whatever had happened to him, Marco wasn’t the same. The battle between him and Ronan was over. At least, for now.

I reached for Ronan’s hand, intertwining our fingers as we started walking. Marco fell in step behind us, silent.

We were heading back to Watkins Glen.

The journey was tense. The others walked ahead of us, their shoulders rigid, their weapons close.

The guards were silent, ever-watching. They moved like a pack of wolves, tense and wary. Ender, kept a firm arm around August, who trudged beside him, eyes locked ahead.

August barely acknowledged me.

He only spoke to Ender, murmuring low words that I couldn’t hear. But I felt the weight of his glare whenever his eyes flicked to Ronan and me.

I wasn’t sure what had changed between us.

But something had.

Marco walked a few steps behind Ronan and me, his presence a shadow that never left. I could feel the heat of his gaze on my back, but I didn’t turn around.

Instead, I held onto Ronan tighter.

Something about him now drew me in more than ever. His presence, his confidence. It was something deeper than what could be seen on the surface. Something unshakable.

He walked like he belonged to the world. Like nothing could touch him.

And I promised myself that I wouldn’t let go.

Not again.