Page 4 of Goddess of Storms

“See you in a few days. Stay alert and check in often. And watch out for the crazies with the Blood Moon rising.”

“You got it, boss,” I say and turn back to my desk. I grab up my two bags and wait for Morganite to do the same. “Come on, pretty boy, you’re burning what’s left of the daylight.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming. I have everything I need in the back of our Jeep. And yes, that includes my own tent. I still think it’s silly that we can’t share. Just more shit to carry.”

“Oh, I thought that’s why you spent hours in the gym?”

“If you’re lucky, on this little journey, you’ll see first-hand why I go.” He winks as he leads us to the door to the garage where the Jeeps are kept.

The others are already checking off the list of supplies each of the vehicles are to be equipped with. I load my bags in the back and take inventory of the first aid kit and the emergency roadside kits as Stone checks the tires and other supplies. Both of us work fast and efficiently. We are the first to leave and head towards our zone. We have to cross the other two zones to get to ours.

With Stone driving, I open the map and locate the best spot for our camp for the night.

“I think our best bet for our first night is just right on the inside of our zone. We will have to walk from there anyway.”

“You lead, I’ll follow.” Stone winks.

* * *

Three hours of Stone karaoke and I'm ready to take Reid up on that offer to slit my throat. When he finally parks at the spot I pointed to on the map, I jump out and head towards the back of the Jeep and grab my pack and tent. I search for the driest area and start to assemble my tent. Even with the storms that rolled through, the ground is hard and with all my strength I can't get the stakes into the ground.

"Need a hand?" Stone whispers in my ear, causing me to jump.

"Jesus, Stone. Creep much? Yes, can you pound these in for me?" I ask, holding up my hammer.

He wiggles his eyebrow as he takes it from me. I stand back and helplessly watch as with one blow each is all it takes him to do what I couldn't with a dozen. I try not to gawk at him as I notice the muscles he flexes with each hit. With a satisfied smirk on his face, he stands back up standing too close for comfort.

"Since I helped, does that mean we get to share?" he asks, handing me the hammer back.

"Not if you were the last man on earth." I smile as I take it from him and continue to finish my tent.

Once I’m done, I throw my pack inside and then call back to Stone that I'm going to gather firewood. I also want to scout the area for fires, because I don't want to wake up to my tent going up in flames.

I don't stray too far, searching for dry kindling and branches, when there is a crunch of leaves behind me. Twirling around, I find Stone is standing a few feet away.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"I came to help, but next time I will announce my presence." Stone smirks.

"Ha ha, you could've been a bear for all I knew," I say exasperated.

"Did you bring anything to protect yourself from a bear?" Stone asks.

Patting my hip, "You're lucky I didn't shoot you. Next time, you may not be so lucky. So, don't just stand there, help me find some firewood. We have a cold front moving in, it's going to get cold once the sun sets."

"Whatever you say, Stormy. You haven't been wrong so far," Stone says as he starts picking up branches.

"Please, don't call me that."

"Sorry," he mumbles.

"You don't have to be sorry. Just painful memories of my parents surface when I hear that name. Enough chick flick moments, we have a job to do."

Stone starts whistling a tune and the time passes faster. Before I know it, we are back at our campsite with the fire going.

"Well, you've learned a little about me, what makes the Stone tick? Why did he become a forestry ranger?" I ask.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he muses.

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