I nodded and turned away, watching Joe sleep through the bars of the cage. “Did you know about this?” I asked, hearing him move up beside me.
“Jeb told me.” Zeke knelt close to the bars and reached through, shaking the unconscious man. He stirred with a groan, opening his eyes blearily, and Zeke held up the thermos. “Hey,” he murmured, unscrewing the top and pouring out a dark, steaming liquid. “Thought you could use this. It’s black, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Thanks, boy,” Joe wheezed, reaching for the mug. His hands shook, and he nearly dropped it. “Damn, I’m worse off than I thought. How long until morning?”
“A couple hours,” Zeke replied gently, handing the cup of soup through the bars, as well. “This will be over soon. How are you holding up?”
“Oh, I’ll live.” Joe sipped at the coffee and smiled. “At least for another day.”
Zeke smiled back, like he really believed it, and suddenly I had to get out of there. Spinning on my heel, I hurried away—away from the caged, doomed human who had been prey to me moments before. Away from the boy who showed me just how monstrous I truly was.
“Hey! Allison, wait!”
I heard Zeke jogging after me and I whirled on him, suddenly furious. “Go away,” I snarled, managing, barely, not to show fangs. “Why do you keep hanging around? What are you trying to prove, preacher boy? Do you think you can save me, too?”
He blinked, utterly bewildered. “What?”
“Why do you try so hard?” I continued, glaring disdainfully, holding on to my anger through sheer force of will. “You’re always giving things away, putting yourself at risk, making sure others are happy. It’s stupid and dangerous. People aren’t worth saving, Ezekiel. Someday that person you help is going to stick a knife in your back or slit your throat from behind, and you won’t even see it coming.”
His blue eyes flashed. “How ignorant do you think I am?” he demanded. “Yeah, the world’s an awful place, and it’s full of people who would as soon put a knife in my back as shake my hand. Yeah, I could stick my neck out for them, and they’d throw me to the rabids without a second thought. Don’t think I haven’t seen it before, Allison. I’m not that stupid.”
“Then why keep trying? If Jeb thinks this is hell, why even bother?”
“Because there has to be more than this!” Zeke paused, ran both hands through his hair, and looked at me sadly. “Jeb has pretty much given up on humanity,” he said in a soft voice. “He sees corruption and vampires and rabids, and thinks that this world is done. The only thing he cares about is getting to Eden, saving the few lives he can. Anyone else—” he shrugged “—they’re on their own. Even people like Joe.” He nodded back toward the woodshed. “He’ll pray for him, but he keeps himself distant, detached.”
“But you don’t believe that.”
“No, I don’t.” Zeke looked me straight in the eye as he said it, unembarrassed and unshakable. “Jeb might’ve lost faith, but I haven’t. Maybe I’m wrong,” he continued with a shrug, “but I’m going to keep trying. It’s what keeps me human. It’s what separates me from them, all of them, rabids, demons, vampires, everything.”
Vampires. That stung a lot more than I thought it would. “That’s great for you,” I said bitterly. “But I’m not like that. I don’t believe in God, and I don’t believe humans have anything good in them. Maybe you have a nice little family here, but I’ve been on my own too long to trust anyone.”
Zeke’s expression softened, which was not what I wanted to see. I wanted to hurt him, make him angry, but he just watched me with those solemn blue eyes and took a step forward. “I don’t know what you’ve gone through,” he said, holding my gaze, “and I can’t speak for everyone, but I promise you’re safe here. I would never hurt you.”
“Stop it,” I hissed, backing away. “You don’t know me. You don’t know anything about me.”
“I would if you’d let me,” Zeke shot back, then crossed the space between us in two long strides, gripping my upper arms. Not hard; I could’ve jerked back if I wanted, but I was so shocked that I froze, looking up into his face.
“I will if you give me a chance,” he murmured. “And you’re wrong—I know a few things about you. I know you and Ruth don’t get along, I know Caleb adores you, and I know you can handle a sword better than anyone I’ve seen before.” He smiled then, achingly handsome, his eyes liquid blue pools as he gazed into mine. “You’re a fighter, you question everything you don’t agree with, and you’re probably the only one here who’s not terrified of Jeb. And I’ve never met anyone like you. Ever.”