Chapter 19: Road to Cornwall, Connecticut - February 2015
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"Did you just kiss my sister?" Danny was actually sputtering and Teylor didn't need to look at the man to know that he was getting a death glare.
Teylor shrugged, his eyes fixed on Caro. Green could think whatever he wanted. The only person here who mattered was standing right in front of Teylor, eyes wide as though she didn't entirely believe what she was seeing. He raised his hand to Caro's face, brushing a stray hair away. "I missed you."
"Took you long enough to get here," Caro muttered, but Teylor noticed that she hadn't moved away, one arm still tucked firmly around his waist, the flush on her cheeks no longer from the weather.
Unfortunately, their audience wasn't willing to give them a moment's peace.
"You detest Cruz!" Danny snapped, his very existence annoying Teylor. "You refer to him as a lump of wasted brain matter."
Beside them, Tex started hooting. "If you could see the look on your face right now, Green!"
"Honestly, Danny, it's none of your business," Caro retorted, rolling her eyes. With a final look at Teylor, one that he couldn't read, Caro pulled away. "We have other things to deal with right now."
Teylor fought the urge to pick Caro up and throw her into the SUV, hightailing it back south, suspecting that the reaction would be quick and unpleasant. Caro was out here for a reason. Until they knew what that was, she wouldn't be going anywhere.
With a final glare at Teylor, Danny turned back to his sister, pulling a familiar syringe out of his jacket pocket. "Give me your arm."
"What is it?" Caro stepped back against Teylor, and his arms wrapped around her almost automatically. She was watching Danny warily, and Teylor could sense her heart racing, her breath quickening. Was she actually afraid of her brother?
"The cure." Teylor answered soothingly, moving to lace his fingers through hers.
Caro glanced over her shoulder for confirmation, her shock evident, before her gaze returned to Danny. "There's a cure? We heard a rumor but..."
"But you thought it was a trick," Danny said, his frustration evident. Teylor understood. This was far from the first time that they ran into a group of people convinced that they were peddling snake-oil. "It's not. Hell, if I didn't want to waste the dose I would take it myself."
Caro seemed to be considering that, then she straightened, taking a step away, although Teylor noticed that she didn't drop his hand. "You should save them for the children."
"We've got plenty," Danny responded. "And they won't need shots anyway. Once you get the vaccine, you're contagious with the cure in about an hour. All you have to do is breathe on them."
Surprise and suspicious reappeared on Caroline's face. "What? How is that possible? Are you sure..."
"Doctor Scott developed it herself," Teylor explained quietly.
Caro's eyes widened. "Rachel Scott? They mentioned her at the hospital, said she was our best hope. But her ideas sounded crazy and..."
"I'll explain later." Apparently tired of argument, Danny grabbed his sister's arm, sticking Caro with the needle. At the sight, Teylor felt a surge of satisfaction. She was safe.
Caro, on the other hand, was not impressed, yanking her arm away and rubbing at the injection site vigorously. "What the hell, Danny! That's assault!"
Teylor was mildly amused to Caro's outburst, knowing that if Caro really wanted to escape that she was well versed in self-defense - or at least knew how to knee a guy in a particularly sensitive area.
"So where are these friends of yours?" Danny asked, maneuvering Caro around to Miller's SUV. When Teylor made to follow, Danny stopped him with a sharp look. "You ride with Burk."
Teylor was halfway across the road before Danny spoke again. "And don't think that this conversation is over. Because believe me, it's not."
Fuck.