The Host (The Host #1)(55)

Since he seemed to be waiting for some acknowledgment of his warning, I nodded once. I took the flashlight from his hand slowly, being careful not to make any quick movements that might startle him.

He smiled in encouragement.

I followed his directions quickly—the sound of the rushing water was not making my discomfort any easier to bear. It felt very strange to be out of his sight. What if someone had hidden in these caves, guessing I would have to come here eventually? Would Jeb hear the struggle over the cacophony of the rivers?

I shone the flashlight all around the bathing room, looking for any sign of an ambush. The odd flickering shadows it made were not comforting, but I found no substance to my fears. Jeb’s tub was more the size of a small swimming pool and black as ink. Under the surface, a person would be invisible as long as they could hold their breath.… I hurried through the slender crack at the back of the room to escape my imaginings. Away from Jeb, I was nearly overwhelmed with panic—I couldn’t breathe normally; I could barely hear over the sound of my pulse racing behind my ears. I was more running than walking when I made my way back to the room with the rivers.

To find Jeb standing there, still in the same pose, still alone, was like a balm to my splintered nerves. My breathing and my heartbeat slowed. Why this crazy human should be such a comfort to me, I couldn’t understand. I supposed it was like Melanie had said, desperate times.

“Not too shabby, eh?” he asked, a grin of pride on his face.

I nodded once again and returned the flashlight.

“These caves are a great gift,” he said as we started back toward the dark passageway. “We wouldn’t be able to survive in a group like this without them. Magnolia and Sharon were getting along real well—shockingly well—up there in Chicago, but they were pushing their luck hiding two. It’s mighty nice to have a community again. Makes me feel downright human.”

He took my elbow once more as we climbed the rough stair-case out.

“I’m sorry about the, um, accommodations we’ve got you in. It was the safest place I could think of. I’m surprised those boys found you as quick as they did.” Jeb sighed. “Well, Kyle gets real… motivated. But I suppose it’s all for the best. Might as well get used to how things are going to be. Maybe we can find something more hospitable for you. I’ll think on it.… While I’m with you, at least, you don’t really have to cram yourself into that little hole. You can sit in the hall with me if you prefer. Though with Jared…” He trailed off.

I listened to his apologetic words in wonder; this was so much more kindness than I’d hoped for, more compassion than I’d thought this species was capable of giving their enemies. I patted the hand on my elbow lightly, hesitantly, trying to convey that I understood and wouldn’t cause a problem. I was sure Jared much preferred to have me out of sight.

Jeb had no trouble translating my wordless communication. “That’s a good girl,” he said. “We’ll figure this all out somehow. Doc can just concentrate on healin’ human folks. You’re much more interesting alive, I think.”

Our bodies were close enough that he was able to feel me tremble.

“Don’t worry. Doc’s not going to bother you now.”

I couldn’t stop shivering. Jeb could only promise me now. There was no guarantee that Jared would not decide my secret was more important than protecting Melanie’s body. I knew that such a fate would make me wish Ian had succeeded last night. I swallowed, feeling the bruising that seemed to go all the way through my neck to the inside walls of my throat.

You never know how much time you’ll have, Melanie had said so many days ago, when my world was still under control.

Her words echoed in my head as we reentered the big room, the main plaza of Jeb’s human community. It was full, like the first night, everyone there to glare at us with eyes that blazed anger and betrayal when they looked at him and murder when they looked at me. I kept my gaze down on the rock under my feet. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Jeb held his gun ready again.

It was only a matter of time, indeed. I could feel it in the atmosphere of hate and fear. Jeb could not protect me long.

It was a relief to scrape back through the narrow crevice, to look forward to the winding black labyrinth and my cramped hiding place; I could hope to be alone there.

Behind me, a furious hissing, like a nest of goaded snakes, echoed in the big cavern. The sound made me wish Jeb would lead me through the labyrinth at a quicker pace.

Jeb chuckled under his breath. He seemed to get stranger the longer I was around him. His sense of humor mystified me as much as his motivations did.

“It gets a bit tedious down here sometimes, you know,” he murmured to me, or to himself. With Jeb, it was hard to tell. “Maybe when they get over being cheesed off at me, they’ll realize they appreciate all the excitement I’m providing.”

Our path through the dark twisted in a serpentine fashion. It didn’t feel at all familiar. Perhaps he took a different route to keep me lost. It seemed to take more time than before, but finally I could see the dim blue light of the lamp shining from around the next curve.

I braced myself, wondering if Jared would be there again. If he was, I knew he would be angry. I was sure he wouldn’t approve of Jeb taking me for a field trip, no matter how necessary it might have been.

As soon as we rounded the corner, I could see that there was a figure slumped against the wall beside the lamp, casting a long shadow toward us, but it was obviously not Jared. My hand clutched at Jeb’s arm, an automatic spasm of fear.