Free The Meeting Point by Tabitha Rayne

rustling and twitching in the leaves, the crinkling crack of sparks spitting from the fire, her own heart pounding in her chest. She was suddenly afraid. Claustrophobic even. Sounds and darkness were crowding in on her and she was about to cry out and reach for Angelo when Mae came striding back over and dumped a furry carcass at their feet.
    Lena winced. “What is it?” she asked, not actually wanting to know.
    â€œIt’s a rabbit,” Mae said, proudly displaying a bloody, sharpened stick.
    â€œFantastic. Thanks.” Angelo quickly sprang to his feet, picking up the floppy corpse, and kissed Mae hard on the lips as it swung loosely in his grip. Lena felt a little nauseous. “I’ll get cooking.”
    Lena was amazed at their capable way. They were perfect together in this strange life. Lena hoped she brought enough to the table. Suddenly bored by her own self-doubts, Lena went to find Angelo’s pen knife, determined to just get on with things. “Here,” she said, trying not to watch too hard as he opened the blade and sliced swiftly through the animal’s belly, pulling out ruddy innards and flicking them to the ground. She had to look away when he began to tug at the skin, peeling it away from the flesh.
    Soon the smell of hot, cooked meat was making her mouth water and Lena gladly took the slithers of rabbit handed to her and had a taste.
    â€œThat is actually pretty good,” she said, nodding, relieved that their first night in the forest wouldn’t be tainted by the throb of hunger. Not for food anyway.

 
Chapter 9
    Â 
    â€œWhat is that?” Marcus shifted his shoulder from under Deborah’s head.
    â€œOh, just leave it,” she said, annoyed that her perfect comfortable position was sabotaged. “It’s just the wind in a tree or something.”
    But Marcus was up and out of bed, leaving a cooling patch beside her. Something had been tapping at the window sporadically over the past few hours. Deborah had assumed it was just a branch swaying in the wind.
    â€œNo, there’s no trees on this side. They cut them down near my window as a reminder.”
    â€œA reminder of what?”
    Angelo flashed her a smile. “Not to escape.”
    Deborah looked at the tiny, high window and thought what a futile pointless exercise that was. A cat could barely have made it through the little gap. Marcus was now standing on the chest of drawers trying to see out to what was causing the intermittent tapping.
    â€œWhat the hell is that?” he said loudly as the thing bashed near his face, making him jump back and lose his balance slightly. Deborah held her breath as he wobbled, clutching the wall for support. “It’s going to break the bloody glass!”
    Deborah moved off the bed and went toward him, squinting up at the window. He was right; it was like a small, injured bird throwing itself again and again into it.
    â€œWhat’s it doing?” cried Deborah as the creature thudded sickeningly once more. Dawning crept in and she jumped up beside Marcus. “Quick, open it wider, let it in.”
    â€œNo!” He stopped her and roughly pulled the window closed. “It’s mad, it’s probably carrying disease.”
    Deborah rubbed her knee where it had hit the drawers as he’d halted her, pushing her off. “Marcus, please, I know what it is, let me up beside you.”
    He looked doubtful for a moment, but Deborah insisted, holding out her arm for him to pull her.
    â€œYou’ll have to lift me,” she said when she was on top of the drawers, her head only up to his chest.
    He cupped his hands low for her to step on and hoisted her high enough to see out of the window.
    Deborah immediately unlocked the latch and reached out to the butterfly, cupping it in her hands as it just began to fall. “Thank God,” she murmured as she brought the tiny treasure into the room.
    Marcus lifted her off the sideboard