Free From The Ashes (Life After War) by Angela White

Angela. Ignoring the audience, Kyle quickly took her to his truck, slightly haunted. Not this one.
    “ Hey, wait!” Lilly shouted, following. “There are some things you need to know about that slave.”
    Neil grabbed Lilly's arm. “Why did you do that?”
    “ You shouldn't let the bruja into your camp!” Lilly growled, spinning free of his hold. “She's trouble.”
    Neil stared, mind also going to Angie. Bruja meant witch, didn't it? “What?”
    Lilly didn't lower her voice. “She had them fighting over her from day one, and she'll do the same to you. She killed to get top slot here.”
    “ Sounds like survival,” Neil commented, watching the girl in question peer up at Kyle with a bleeding lip and a dazed expression that the trooper thought would be hard to resist. It was, apparently, because Kyle stiffened and stopped walking.
    “ She's done that and then some,” Lilly informed him, subtly moving closer. This man was also in the chain of command, she was sure. “She made them believe she was a witch, and Cesar put her in charge of us.”
    “ A witch? What made him think that?” Neil questioned casually, not liking how Kyle was staring down at the girl. He'd started walking again, but his expression was much too protective.
    “ Bad things used to happen to his men–the ones who hurt her. None of them do now–they won't after what she did to Kern.”
    “ They're nice to her now!” another woman threw in, arms streaked in blood and bruises.
    “ She makes deals with the men, and she always gets what she wants,” Gracie added, standing next to Lilly.
    Like it's an honor , Neil thought sarcastically, reading the jealousy loud and clear. “Deals?”
    “ She protects those kids like they're hers–makes us take their place,” Grace answered.
    “ She's steals men's minds,” Lilly whispered, leaning in. “She's a threat.”
    “ Then why is she a slave?” Neil questioned, looking at Lilly coldly. “And why aren't you dead for what just happened?”
    “ Cesar won't let her use it. He threatened those damn kids.”
    “ It doesn't stop his men from trying, though. They think if she comes to them willing that they'll be able to kill Cesar.”
    “ He keeps her weak–just enough food and energy to keep her and the baby alive.”
    “ She can't kill them all, though she's tried to get us to help her enough times. We knew better than to fight back.”
    Neil let the women spew, pulling the details that mattered. Jennifer was special. And that was dangerous because she might not be all good, like Angela. It sounded like this one might use her power at will, but that wasn't the big problem here–the other slaves were.
    These jealous, power-hungry women not only knew of magic–they had accepted its existence and developed a fierce hatred of it. When they got to Safe Haven...
    Neil let the thought go, observing how tenderly Kyle was attending the pregnant teenager. This wasn't good. Not good at all.
     
    6
    Kyle slid Jennifer into the seat and hastily backed away–his control was weak compared to the flames shooting through his skin at the contact.
    Jennifer looked up to find Kyle staring at her with a dangerously observant expression. Did he understand that she was hated by her own kind? That she was alone and might be easily taken advantage of?
    Jennifer winced as her stomach clamped down. Yes. There was a heat growing in his eyes as he studied her. It was a fire that Jennifer recognized... one she would use. Those kids wouldn't be slaves forever and neither would she.
    “ Are you okay?” Even Kyle heard how winded he sounded.
    “ Yes. Just have to rest for a minute.” The cramps were subsiding–it was her back and head that had taken most of the blows.
    Kyle wanted to be alone with her, and found himself using Adrian for his own gain for the first time–though it was only a small manipulation. Pregnant sheep were to be protected at all costs.
    He hit his radio. “Take 'em on, Neil. We'll catch