Chloe

Brody's presence arrives at my side. "Here we are, darling. Sector seven."

With a mere glimpse through the fence, it's a rundown mess. If it weren't for my target, and the fact Brody could do with more ammunition, I'd be more than glad to head around. On the other hand, the more infected cleared out, the less chance there will be of them growing in numbers like they have over the years.

"Got a plan?" Brody's voice is tight, blunt. He's not happy with how I stormed off, but I'm not happy with how I'm letting him break down my wall brick by brick.

"Sneak in, find Barren Bennet, and sneak out."

A sly grin curls at his lips before concentrating on me. Using his plan, we round the side and slip through the weakest spot in the fence. Brody's fast to separate from me to place decoys, using articles of our old clothing to throw off anything with a good sense of smell. If someone decides to shoot at them, then that will alert us there are people in the area.

Right now, it looks like a ghost town. Deserted, with smashed in windows, decaying structures that have lost the ability to remain upright, and stains from smoke covers a majority of the place from where it must have taken the brunt of a turf war. Either that, or someone's taken it upon themselves to clear out any infected.

By the time we reach the heart, the buildings are scarce, and what looks like a bare town square sits with a large shopping centre perched behind it. Best place for supplies, and an even better hiding spot for someone who's looking over their shoulder.

He must be there. If not, someone will be, and they will lead us to him.

Turning around to consult phase two of the plan, Brody's nowhere to be seen. Panic sets in and I'm hastily searching through the windows of the row of nearby shops.

"Brody?" I call out in a hushed voice, and there's no response.

Someone could have taken him, or the moron's wandered off. I'm praying it's the latter. Something shuffling things around in the shop I'm next to has me on alert, baseball bat ready to take a swing at something that feels like jumping out.

"Brody?"

Entering, homeware greets me, and it only allows whatever's in here to take cover from my line of sight. Stalking my way through, the noise grows louder until I'm only inches from a storage cupboard. A figure strolls out and my bat is inches from their face, but the childish grin remains on their face.

"You asshole, I was calling you! Where did you go?" I seethe, the thought of me panicking winding me up even more.

"Sorry, I've been collecting items to make these." He holds up three bottles filled with what must definitely be something flammable.

Punching his arm and using the back of my hand to wipe the frustrated tears from my sight, I'm marching off until he grabs my hand.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I just wanted to help."

The way his thumbs stroke the back of my hand soothes the twister in my head, but it begins to bring back the part of my dream where he's nestled between my legs, rubbing my hands caringly as he thrusts inside me in a passionate pace.

Pulling away, I'm the first to leave. The sooner I'm away from him, the clearer my head will be. Until then we're stuck with one another, and I can't let him out of my sight.

"I learnt to make these from an old man a while back. He and his wife needed help to take their grandson across a stream, his parents were stuck on the other side back in sector six, and voila," he informs, attempting to fill the silence.

My mouth remains shut as we exit the shop, and he huffs in annoyance. "Look, I understand that you may hate me right now for prying and assuming things, but—"

"Quiet," I shush, grabbing his collar to yank him to the floor behind a circular wall design filled with wannabe flowers.

Before he can ask what's gotten into me, a cracked snarl cuts him off. Ragged breaths, choked snorts, and that distinctive groaning howl is all the evidence needed to suggest that it's a Bestial. Brody narrows his eyes in the reflection of the shop opposing us, and even he looks surprised.

He's going to see a lanky figure hunched over on all fours with pasty skin, and thinning strands of hair protruding from the pours in parts of its arms, legs and cranium. The dull eyes are most likely darting around for a sign of something living. Either it somehow caught a whiff of us, or we made a noise to attract it.

Or we're not alone.

I'm about to signal for Brody to get ready when something rough brushes against my ankle, then over my hand. Glancing down, my eyes gape until they're stinging from exposure, my mouth parting as a soundless scream leaves me. My fingers coil around Brody's fiercely, squeezing them. Instantly his eyes turn to me, making quick work to scan for the problem. His gaze follows mine, and his Adam's apple bobs. The sensation of his thumb rubbing the surface of my hand has a calming effect, slightly distracting me from the reptile comfortably lounging on my hand and a part of my leg.

The feeling of it slithering over my leg and into my lap sucks all the oxygen from my body, tears prickling my eyes as I try my hardest to remain silent. Brody wraps an arm around me, bringing me to his chest while his hand hovers over the rising serpent. Slamming my eyes tight together, tears flowing down my cheeks as it reaches below my chest.

Opening them, Brody's fingers hover inches from its head, golden brown skin, slitted yellow eyes stare into my own as a forked tongue darts out at me. Sinking my teeth into my lip to prevent a hoarse scream, Brody thankfully catches its head and makes fast work in pulling it off me. The snarl behind us startles me, and Brody gives me a gentle squeeze as I clutch the material of his shirt.

The sound of the snake hitting the floor relieves me, then a vicious hiss before a growl silences it, followed by the tearing of scales.

I'm panicking too much; I need to calm down if I'm going to get us through this. But the feel of the leathery skin against my own is making it hard to concentrate. Small shakes run through me, and the tears aren't stopping. Brody rocks me carefully, rubbing each part the animal touched. After a minute of cautious breaths and being tended to, I'm starting to get control of the reigns.

Looking up, Brody's already peering down with a comforting smile as he wipes the tears from my eyes with the pads of his thumbs. "I've got you," he mouths, going back to holding me.

"Thank you," I mouth back.

We're staring into each other's eyes for what feels like forever until I'm nearly jumping out of my skin all over again. Voices and gun fire echo down the hall, a savage snarl greeting them in return. Screams and whimpers of pain ring in my ears, and it's clear these guys shoot randomly rather than basic shots to the head. After a few minutes, the die down, and the pained grunts cease with a few final clicks of the trigger.

A few more voices call out, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out they've made a base here.

"Someone's here fellas, sweep the area; we don't want to piss of Mr Bennet any more than he is," a gruff voice orders, and Brody shares a knowing look.

When the footsteps fan out, Brody whispers, "Let's take them out, keep one alive."

Nodding, my eyes trail down to his arms that are still laced around me, and my fingers curled in the material of his shirt. Clearing my throat, we reluctantly pull away after making sure they definitely have moved on. Begrudgingly, we split off from one another. I'm scouting up her and slowly making my way down behind him to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble.

I know for a fact that when I get my hands on this guy, he's going to wish that company never opened.