Fantasy Apocalypse (FaithWynters and goldcat)

[goldcat16471]

Like hell the pain wasn't too bad. It was written all over her; even though she smiled, Denny noticed the ticks of pain her expression made each time she put weight on her leg. Mira couldn't hide her body's natural reflex. He sighed to himself, yet a certain pride filled him that distracted him from his tension. Her perseverance impressed him--as much as a human's could. For a brief moment, he pictured her belonging in a world nothing like Earth. His world. Images of Mira battling and holding her own against other demons flashed through his mind. When confronted or told to back down, Mira's face would flash a deceivingly sweet smile, then her words would bite them until they were nothing and were forced to leave her alone. The visual made her appear quite triumphant as a demon. Too bad her gullibility would never give her that power, he thought. Denny had to remind himself that it had only been a day since he had manipulated her into helping him escape. A simple, unfortunate human--that's all.

He studied her intently and made a conscious decision to stay true to his words despite her rejection. As she turned away, appreciative of his offer, he caught a glimpse of her cheeks before her hair hid them from him. Was she blushing? He had to resist the urge to chuckle. His earlier fears of offering something "too intimate" dissolved. Apparently it had a positive effect on the girl. The smallest evidence of a smirk formed in his eyes, but Denizio looked away from both humans to cover his smugness.

It felt good to know he had that kind of power over her emotions. When he was cast down on Earth, he lost a great deal of the power he once had. Of course, the demon still found ways to prove superiority over humans (showing off his strength, giving them nightmares, feeding off their emotions until they're physically and mentally deteriorated, laughing at their struggles... oh, and killing them.) Yet, demons also enjoyed the benefits of lust and arousal. Falling in love may be unheard of for demons, but they often enjoyed mutually beneficial partnerships or flings. As a young, higher-ranking demon, Denizio won over many demons' attractions. On Earth, Denizio had no intentions of flirty banter with humans, so he never released that power. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he missed it. If Mira really had blushed, it reminded him that he still had that power. He certainly hadn't intended to use it on Mira, but if his "kind" gesture had flattered her, so be it. More power to him. Perhaps if she had been the demon he envisioned, she'd have that power over him too.

Her next words made his mind return to the situation at hand. She expected him to leave her behind and run ahead with Marcus if danger occurred. Even the way she said that statement... She sounded so sure of it--as if it were a command. Just as quickly as it had gone away, the storm inside Denizio returned. Any thoughts of his "power" over Mira left his mind. He scowled as he stared outside the window. "Yeah right, Mira," he thought to himself, "Leave you behind and run with the shithead. In your dreams, girl." He much more preferred her company, and although he wasn't planning on voicing it, if anyone was getting left behind, it was Marcus. "I wonder if I can make that happen...?"

Behind him, he continued to sense the suspicious emotions emitting from Marcus. He looked back at him with daggers in his eyes. With that kid around, there was no escape from himself. Mira and Marcus were fuel to a dangerous rollercoaster; it could derail at any moment. Denizio already had a temperamental nature. The other two were not helping.

“Now c’mon, slowpoke, let’s find that safehouse!” As if on cue from his thoughts, his emotions switched again. Denny raised an eyebrow and looked back at Mira with a softening expression. There was that nickname again. Taking her in as she winked and limped out the door, Denny shook his head. How ironic.

He waited for Marcus to exit, then followed both of them outside of the bloodied up store. The next group of survivors to enter that place were in for a rotten surprise. Denizio wished he could see their reactions, but he could imagine their horror. It made him smile.

A longer time had passed than he had expected. The sun was halfway across the sky; it was noon. They began to cross through the parking lot in a line. Mira's limp set the pace and Denny stayed at the back to keep an eye on Marcus. He mentally mapped out the path they could take to get to the small apartment: They'd have go East outside the parking lot, go down 41st Avenue, take a right on Crimson Street, then turn onto--His thoughts were interrupted when Marcus fell in step beside him. The action caught Denny off guard and he opened his mouth to prepare a not so friendly "shoo," but bit his tongue when the boy pointed to Mira.

To be perfectly honest, health was not Denny's forte. As much as he despised Marcus, he could recognize that the human knew what he was talking about. Damn him! Denizio gave Marcus a cold look before examining Mira. She supported herself on her baseball bat with every step she took. Her pants leg had soaked through with blood. Deep down, Denny felt some responsibility for her injuries... Why did he have this urge to protect the girl? It would be simpler to let it go, yet he couldn't. As Mira spoke to them, Denny let out another sigh, "Mira..." At least he could take credit for what Marcus had noticed. "I know you're in pain. It's obvious. And if you're going to make it to the safe house in time, you need to let me carry you. You don't need to die from blood loss."

She's being a burden. That's the only reason he decided to help her--at least that's what he kept trying to convince himself. She kept slowing them down and it made him impatient. Pushing past Marcus, Denny walked over to Mira and bent down to pick her up. Scooping her into his arms, he didn't wait for a response. His decision was made and final.

 

[FaithWynters]

With each step, a cold blade sliced through the nerves in her calf. Before, she thought this little injury wouldn’t be anything to write home about. Last night she had doctored it to the best of her abilities, and it looked to have been fine. The creature, however, had ensured that the wound wouldn’t be one forgotten anytime soon. Mira knew she wasn’t going to get any better by whining about it. Instead, she took the pain in stride—in her mind—there was no other option. She was very aware that her pants leg was soaked through and the bandages weren’t far behind, but they just didn’t have time to stop and patch it now. The sun shone down on them with warming noon rays, and they needed to be out of harm’s way before the sun started going down. There was no way she could outrun a hoard right now, and they all knew that the sun was the only thing that kept them at bay.

Mira wondered briefly what one of them had been saying behind her—anything to keep her mind off of the pain. She highly doubted that the two had somehow magically started hitting it off. If it was Denny threatening Marcus, she really didn’t want to hear it. That being said…Marcus had this air about him. There was something about the way he looked down the barrel of a gun that didn’t set well with Mira. The way he almost pushed Denny’s buttons to see how far he would go. It was almost antagonistic in a way that even if it was hidden behind a veil of care it was meant to be seen—at least by Denny. She had this feeling that the two men thought she was a little more oblivious to their more subtle battle for dominance than she was. It wasn’t the physical stuff, but the smiles and the looks—almost as if the two were playing a cunning little game of chess. The distrust was thick and hung in the air like a suffocating smoke. Somehow, she had found herself in the middle. Mira could act, for now, as if she wasn’t aware.

It was understandable. Mira couldn’t shake the image of Denny, his hands tied on the floor of the same meat locker they had saved Marcus from. How could someone do that? There was a slight curl in Mira’s stomach, and she swallowed hard to push the feeling away. Marcus had seemed distraught by the way the group had locked Denny up, but made him no less guilty.

“We may not take kindly to thieves, but I still don’t think this is the right way to do it…” The words echoed in her mind as she thought back to that night. As she stood at the front of the store looking out into the pouring rain, a crack of lightning illuminating the duo’s features every so often. That’s what Marcus had told her. She had been debating taking her chances with the water and the monsters when he appeared and convinced her to stay.

The sound of her name rather close behind pulled Mira out of her thoughts like a final crack of lightning. Really she thought that she was hiding the pain a lot better than she apparently had been. Maybe as her mind drifted her resolve had partially dissolved? Denny had always been more apt to seeing through her. He didn’t show it often, but she knew. Through light squeezes to her shoulder when she was patching herself up, or asking her if she was alright when he found her sitting on the fire escape…Still, her mind flitted back to the fact that they had hardly known each other an entire day. So much had happened.

“Really, I’m fine. You really shouldn’t—“Mira didn’t even get a chance to argue before he leaned down and pulled her off the pavement. Before there was a chance for logical thought to catch up with emotional reaction, her words shifted. His name came out three pitches higher than the previous words in a shrill gasp of panic.

In a movie, a scene such as this would have come with comedic shrieks of discomfort and laugher. Denny would have enjoyed the tussle as Mira frantically fought to regain her own freedoms to walk on her own…This was not that. It was sheer panic. Mira’s arms wrapped around the first anchor she could find—Denny’s neck. The sound of wood clattering to the ground echoed through the empty parking lot. Fingernails dug unforgivingly into the flesh of neck and shoulders; face pressed into the blood-stained t-shirt that covered a bony clavicle.

Too close. No space. Get out. Run. Trapped. Trapped. Trapped. Run. Run. Run. Stronger than you. Get out. Not again. Not again. Stop. nononononono….

She didn’t make another noise. She couldn’t. Her heart pounded through her chest as if it were an automatic cannon. Something blocked her brain from having her say anything. She just froze. What seemed like an eternity was only a few seconds. It didn’t matter that it was Denny, but it helped. Her mind slowly caught up. Warm skin. The smell of blood. Strong arms anchored her in place. She could feel the warmth of silent tears as they were soaked up by the cloth beneath her face.

The only thing she could think of was the trust that anchored her a little more in the reality of the situation. It had been an eternity of stillness. Mira wasn’t quite sure if it had been her imagination, but it seemed like they hadn’t moved at all. Heat seeped across her skin.

“Go.” It was the only thing Mira could choke out as her the panic slowly began to settle. She held her grip firm; every muscle was tense. She wouldn’t pick her head up—not yet—any panic that had subsided had been replaced with shame, and her mind wasn’t all there to face that or the man holding her quite yet.

 

[goldcat16471]

He couldn’t even take a single step before all hell broke loose from his decision. His name came out of her mouth in an ear-splitting shriek causing him to whip his head away and cringe as the sound vibrated in his ears. That noise… So much desperation rooted in overpowering fear. Before, it only came from the countless humans and demons who tried pleading with him before he ended their lives. Each time he had killed them seconds after. So why… Did that come out of Mira’s mouth now? He nearly snapped. Denizio could have dropped her then and there. He wanted to turn on Marcus, lift the hunting rifle that was strapped behind his back, and kill the shithead. Marcus planned this; he destroyed the little trust Denny had formed with his partner and now she hated and feared him as she rightfully should. Marcus fooled Denizio into picking her up and his demonic touch gave everything away to Mira. His true evil was revealed to the humans. For just a moment, that was Denizio’s only logical answer. Now Marcus would pay with his life.

The scene around him felt slow as he started to act his first instinct out. As Denizio started to release his arms from under Mira, he wondered how she could have possibly discovered his secret just from him picking her up. They had touched before and this time was no different than the other times: he had no ill intentions. It made no sense. Besides, Marcus especially couldn’t have been clever enough to predict this reaction out of her. It’s not about me, he thought. The explosion of his demonic nature subsided as quickly as it came and he restored his grasp on the fighting girl before she even slipped an inch. The boy standing behind them was lucky that this demon had an impulse control.

With his mind back in the right place, he registered that the clank of the wooden bat on pavement caused a disruptive echo around them and Mira’s wail could have attracted unwanted attention. Denny struggled to keep his eyes peeled on the surroundings as she flailed in his arms. Nothing was moving, except the bat. It rolled several feet away and collided with the wheel of an abandoned cart, which let out a soft creak from the impact. Luckily, the impact wasn’t strong enough to create more motion.

Mira threw her arms around Denny’s neck and he grunted as the sudden pressure choked him. He attempted to loosen her grip by holding onto her tighter, so she knew he wouldn’t let her fall to the ground and get scraped up even more. He maneuvered one hand over her arm and gently pried it away from his neck. Nails dug into his flesh like the creatures’ had before. Only her nails hurt him more. He clenched his jaw.

Panic. That was all that he sensed inside her entire being. But why? Even when they were confronted by the monsters inside the store, Mira had enough clarity in her mind to take whatever action was required to survive. That was how she had lived so long since the start of the apocalypse. So it stunned Denny that she was now frozen stiff in his arms and seemingly lost of any sense of reason. Just because he had picked her up... What could have triggered such a reaction from her? What demons did she face? What obstacles were thrust upon her by his kind? Denny narrowed his eyes at her, feeling an indescribable pang in his chest. He wasn’t going to hurt her. How could he show her that?

He raised his hand again and carefully moved to place it on the back of her head. The action might cause another breakdown, he thought, but it also felt like the right thing to do. She needed soothing and even though he was the worst at it, he would try… Only because I need to keep her trust, he told himself. Denny gently stroked her hair.

“Let me help you,” he said.

He didn’t move until she gave in. The one word she managed to muster out was enough for him, and the pang finally dissolved. They were back in action. Once they were to the safe house, all of them could pretend this never happened. Momentarily, he closed his eyes, thanking himself for staying in control. If he had reacted to his first instinct... Denny interrupted his thoughts and turned to where the bat had rolled. He could try to pick it up, but that would mean shifting Mira around. He didn’t think she could handle that.

With a heavy sigh, Denny turned to Marcus. He didn’t want to do this, but it might help Mira trust him more. If he pretended to give Marcus a chance while still keeping an eye on the shithead, Mira might calm down. He hoped so anyway. At the very least, giving commands meant staying in control. “I’ll let you carry the bat. Make yourself useful if we have company.” You’ll actually be our distraction as I don’t plan on letting you live if they attack. At least I can give you a false sense of security with the bat. Denizio was also prepared for any tricks the boy might pull. If he tried to attack now, the demon could use his powers against Marcus. I hope you’re not stupid enough to let it come to that, Denny’s eyes spoke.

He nodded his head East--the direction of the safe house. Denny debated forcing the boy to walk in front, but then figured that if he tried to attack from behind, that would give Denizio a valid reason to kill the shithead. He also had a feeling Marcus wouldn’t attack so long as Mira was in his arms. Images of how Marcus looked at Mira when she first opened the meat locker returned to him. She’s special to him. He wondered how the two interacted the night she stayed with the group. Denny pressed his lips flat and turned sharply away from the boy.

Denny began the trek to the apartment above the shop. Emotions still poured out of Mira. If emotions carried weight, she would be the heaviest person he ever encountered. Was it embarrassment he sensed now? His forehead creased, and he thought to himself. Emotions do carry weight. At least for humans. There’s a reason for all this… Some sort of baggage. I thought I would want to forget this happened, but now I want to know why… Denny studied the girl in his arms. I will find out why.

The rattling of cans nearby drew his attention back to their mission. He stopped and pressed his back into the small shop behind them letting the canopy's shadow bury them. They were on the sidewalk now and buildings of varying sizes surrounded them. Abandoned cars lined the street. He cast his eyes about searching for the disturbances. He landed on some cans someone had tied up hanging from another shop’s door. It looked like a trap, or an alarm system. The person probably made it during the beginning of this hell, thinking it would alert them to the creatures. It might have been clever in another situation, but the way the wind rustled them now… The noise probably led the creatures straight to this person.

Denny let out a breath and scanned the area one more time. “It’s safe.” He continued walking. They were on 41st Avenue right now. A banged up sign ahead read Crimson. They would have to turn right on that street, so Denny planned on checking around the corner first. Based on the time of day he didn’t think that they’d encounter creatures, but he really didn’t want to deal with another group. Not with Mira in this condition. They would definitely try to take advantage of that. Plus time was still passing, and the later it got the the more dangerous it got. He checked the sun. They had plenty of time before it set. He sighed.

 

[FaithWynters]

The spike of adrenaline was slowly draining from her. That didn’t make this situation any less horrible for the young woman who was now focusing in on everything she could to pull out of the panic. ‘Let me help you’ The words had taken a moment to settle; they repeated over and over again until the shakes in her arms lessened into tiny little tremors. Mira couldn’t blame him… It had been the first rational thought that had been able to scream through the thick fog that settled in her mind and drowned out anything but instinct.

He doesn’t know. It isn’t his fault.

In all honesty, Mira didn’t know why—after all these years—it still happened. It wasn’t like she wanted to seize up like some nutcase any time she was unwillingly thrown into a situation of physical contact or confinement. It wasn’t like she just woke up one day and decided that twenty-four hours of complete and utter hell would be a great reason to be the way she was.

Sometimes Mira would wake up to the feeling of their nails dragging across her skin, their girlish little giggles sending chills down her spine from the darkness, the feeling of half-smoked cigarettes being put out on her skin. Her tears were nothing but fuel to their evil hearts. The bruises were gone from skin bound by unforgiving rope and duct tape, but the scars ran deep and just beneath the skin. Hair grew back, and memories could be pushed under the rug of the dark recesses of one’s mind to, hopefully, be forgotten for a long time. Still, she remembered the weightless feeling of being carried to that godforsaken trunk; they had grown tired of Mira’s pleas and screams and tape had rubbed once soft and smiling lips raw. Words had turned into broken whimpers as sore arms and legs fought to be out of their grasp.

Then she lay there alone for hours. Bound and gagged, Mira was certain that this was how she would die. They would write a book about a tortured eighteen-year-old who had done nothing to deserve this but try to see the best in people. They would write about how the three girls had just cried in court and whimpered that it was ‘only a prank’ to the police. They would write about how those girls only got probation and she got seven years of therapy and some kind of fucked up that you only read about in books like these. But the darkness had whispered to her after the first three hours and she didn’t like what it said.

She said that it was hard to get over, but that was implying that Mira had gotten over it. Instead, she hung on her senses until she pulled herself out of hell and back onto Earth. The smell of blood and sweat mingling in the cloth of the shirt beneath her, the harsh sandpaper stubble brushing against an unprotected ear, the tightening of his arms around her in some semblance of comfort, the rise and fall of the chest beneath her, the soft sigh on his lips…

There was no way words were passing from her own tight lips. Eyes stared wide behind Denny from where she’d pressed into his collarbone. Mira watched the still scene that awaited them. The warm rays of sunshine added only to the redness of her skin, and the world around them hadn’t seemed to notice her outburst—only the two men that were now discussing something—Mira wasn’t even listening.

The mixture of worry and embarrassment was starting to fill the spaces that the fear was no longer occupying. Mira wanted first and foremost to apologize—to make it very clear to the young man that now held her in his arms and walked that the little episode wasn’t something to be concerned about. Her mental stability wasn’t going to become an issue as it had with so many others. Mira was stronger than that.

Why are you even worried? If he leaves then he leaves; this wasn’t supposed to be long-term anyway. The young woman knew she needed to get herself together, but still, she remained silent.

Wide eyes still looked blindly behind Denny. She vaguely remembered him pulling her arm gently from where she’d latched onto her neck. Now, that arm hung limply by her side. When her eyes finally focused, the only thing they could see was the look on Marcus’ face. With face alight from curiosity, he walked behind them, bat resting on his shoulder and watching her. She could almost see the trace of some sort of amusement dusted throughout his features, but as he noticed she was watching, it shifted to concern. There was something else there that Mira couldn’t quite put her finger on, however. Somewhere deep in his eyes, there was only the softest flicker of…something. That something sent an instinctual chill through Mira; one strong enough that without thinking, she tilted her head and hid her face away in the crook of Denny’s neck.

. . .​

The unexpected could sometimes be the biggest blessing of all. This hadn’t at all been what he’d expected, but he would take it. Denny’s name came out of her mouth like nails on a chalkboard and Marcus reveled in the goosebumps it gave him. The visible discomfort from the man who carried her was also a joy. That had wiped the smug look clean off of the bastard’s face. He would think twice before so brazenly handling his Dove again.

Oh, what a treat! His little Dove had some demons of her own and fun ones too! If the grasp of the one she trusted most could pull out such beautiful shrieks, what wondrously shrill melodies he could compose with his own!

Marcus had to remind himself that he must watch his excitement—although at times it was hard as he watched Denny struggle with handling the panic he’d so willingly waltzed into. Concern. That was the correct emotion for the situation, and he worked on delicately drawing the mask down. The girl was mentally unstable! He should be worried about that fact. To Marcus, it was just another small crack he could use to drive the wedge. Denny wouldn’t waste his time protecting someone if it was obvious they had a few screws loose. While his little Dove wasn’t crazy, the young man wagered it wouldn’t take much to make it seem like it if it came around to it.

Eyes shifted from soft brown locks as Denny made her world spin. He dared not whisper quiet assurances while she calmed down—it might only make it worse. As much as Marcus enjoyed antagonizing the thief, now was not the time to push his luck while emotions were high. Mira would not be able to protect him if her partner acted. A single nod was meant to signify that he heard the order, and Marcus cleared the short distance and scooped up the discarded weapon.

It would be nice to have something to defend himself with if the time came. He had suggested Denny carry his Dove only because he was stronger than Marcus—he was a lot of things, but he did give credit where it was due. That and because Marcus knew there would be no way in hell her partner would let him carry Mira himself. It was clear that Denny was ruthless against these monsters, but without two bullets to rub together before, Marcus felt much safer now.

“It’ll be okay, Mira.” Marcus had locked eyes with the man in front of him as he righted himself and slung the bat lazily on his shoulder. Marcus knew all too well the threatening look and feeling that radiated off of Denny. Something about it made the hair on his arms raise—the look wasn’t natural; with Denny though it never was. Marcus didn’t know how Mira was able to ignore it—hell, the girl was probably too naïve to feel it. That same quiet little thought danced through his mind—she was too good for both of them. He would enjoy basking in her innocence once Denny was well and gone.

The young woman didn’t even move. In his arms, she could have been mistaken for a perfectly damaged little statue. Her fragility was precious and was one of few reasons why he didn’t take the bat to the side of Denny’s head until his skull was nothing left but a mush of brain matter and blood on the concrete beneath their feet. No… Marcus would use the brute to get his precious Dove to safety, then find a way to make him leave. Only her trust would make that happen so an attack was not in the cards today.

Instead, he easily followed behind the pair down the street. He played the part, only half paying attention. When sounds ahead brought him out of his thoughts, he perked up, following in the movements. It was most likely not a monster; the sun was far too strong for the damn creatures to worry themselves with getting out in it. When the forced leader deemed it safe, Marcus followed, once again getting lost in his own thoughts. He knew when it was necessary to be observant, and now was not one of those times.

What is she thinking about behind those pretty little eyes? Mira had resorted to staring blankly in any direction her head was facing, which, in the current situation gave Marcus a wonderful view of the top portion of Mira’s face.

Oh, how much more beautiful you’ll be when you’re missing your bottom jaw! Little thoughts like that were common in the presence of a beautiful lady. What Marcus wanted to know, however, was what had caused the little disturbance. Surely only men like himself could cause such an abhorrent response to settle like a sleeping bear in a young woman’s chest? His mind began spinning wonderful little tales of torture, and he was just in the process of running a scalpel just beneath her fingernails when eyes shifted and focused in front of him. In an instant, the mask of concern had returned.

“How much farther until we get to this safe house of yours?” Marcus cleared his throat as he cleared the distance until the two matched strides. The group was almost down Crimson street at this point, and Mira had caught something in her sights that she did not like. She will love your dissecting stares soon enough, Marcus. Just be patient. Rewards are for those who earn them.

“Those bandages,” with a slight tilt of his head, he nodded toward the leg that hung limply out into the warm afternoon sun, “are done for.”

 

[goldcat16471]

They settled back into their pace after determining the source of the sound was rattling cans. Tension resonated in the air between them as they walked. It was so thick that Denny imagined the humans could choke on it as if it were city smog. Its presence was reasonable, considering the situation the three found themselves in. As far as Mira and the shithead could tell, they were an unlikely group forced to work together temporarily for their survival during the apocalypse. Each of them had to hope that neither of the other two would be the reason for their death, but none of them truly trusted each other.

So yes. Tension and suspicion made sense. Yet, Denizio detected so much more than that. Negative emotions flooded Mira. A craving built within him and demonic hunger attempted to take control of his resolve. He pushed it aside. Not yet! Not Mira! He lectured himself. He focused on Marcus’s emotions in the hopes that he could feed a little off of him, but his emotions were different--positive even. The boy seemed… Excited almost. Anticipation maybe? Denizio’s eye twitched. He didn’t believe for a second that Marcus was just anticipating their arrival to the safehouse. Oh no. Darkness swarmed his emotions, no matter how positive they seemed. If only Denizio still had his throne in the demonic world… The lessons he could teach Marcus. Stop it Denizio. Thoughts like that will only guarantee you never returning… What does it take to get them to let me back? The girl in his arms shifted into his neck and interrupted his thoughts.

It was only for a few seconds, but Denny knew he shouldn’t have been that deep in his thoughts anyway. He needed to focus on the surroundings and get Mira to safety. He scanned the area quickly to ensure that nothing had changed during his brief lack of focus. No movement up ahead, soft footsteps behind him, and steady breathing in his arms. All was the same. Denizio scolded himself for his momentary vulnerability.

They neared the intersection. The metal on the Crimson sign folded in certain areas showing it had suffered some impact. It must have become a target, or else caught in the crossfire during a fight. Denny noticed spots of dried blood on the faded words. Random everyday objects in the human world now painted with blood. It definitely looked like hell, even though the sun and blue skies provided a false sense of security.

Just as Denny was about to creep up to the end of the building and peek around the corner down Crimson, Marcus approached Denny’s side and spoke. The still surroundings caused his voice to stick out and seemingly echo off the abandoned walls around them. At least that’s how it felt to Denny. He stepped in front of the boy and stopped in his tracks before Marcus could leave the cover of the building. How could he be so damn careless? How could the shithead have lived so long without the basic survival skills of quietness and observation? Marcus didn’t lower his voice enough for Denny’s liking, and it looked like he would have just walked right around the corner without even checking if it was secure. Denny scowled. Marcus definitely just leeched off the old group’s skills.

His question reminded Denny of the whiny kids he’d hear about asking, “Are we there yet?” to their parents, driving them absolutely crazy as they drove. Denny wished he could throw this noisy toddler outside a moving vehicle. Denny fought to keep his temper under control and ignored Marcus’s question.

He pressed against the side of the building and peeked around the corner. Crimson Street was similar to 41st; he spotted no movement ahead. After checking, Denny’s irritation remained. He turned to Marcus. “How ever did you survive so long?” Denny asked, then explained, “If you shut your mouth and watch where you’re going, you’ll find how much farther as we go.” Denny turned away and began to move again when Marcus stated something else. He flicked his eyes to Mira’s bandages. Dammit! The shithead was right. They have to hurry. “It’s not too much farther,” he whispered to Mira.

Denny abruptly picked up the pace. They trekked passed old ads in store windows and passed an abandoned kiosk. Their motion made worn flyers drift up off the ground in their wake. He caught a glimpse of one: “Lost dog.” Probably now a dead dog torn apart by a creature or eaten by a human.

Suddenly, a rotting stench like the one they just left in the grocery store wafted out of a tiny shop with broken windows.

Movement.

Denny ducked below the window immediately, cursing in his mind and shifting Mira so she would remain secure in his arms even as he was on one knee. Denny looked back at Marcus and eyed the bat in the boy’s hands. He brainstormed his next course of action if they had been seen. All of them resulted in him destroying whatever it was inside. Quickly.

“This group is done for,” a voice said. Denny stiffened then began to gently maneuver Mira onto the ground. He carefully made sure her bottom touched the concrete first and leaned her back against the window, all the while watching her leg and listening to the people inside. In the moments he spent setting Mira down, he was surprised they hadn’t attacked yet.

“Whatever got to them… It looks like they suffered a lot,” another wavering voice said. Denny grabbed the hunting rifle and spun it over his shoulder to hold it in front of him.

“Come on. We have to keep moving. It doesn’t do us good to dwell on their experiences. We’re still alive, so let’s keep it that way.” Denny rose his eyebrows and subtly raised his body to peek into the bottom of the window. Two older men had their backs turned to Denny as they surveyed a scene inside. Denny couldn’t tell what they were looking at, but he could assume by their body language that it was a gruesome scene. Sadness and fear irradiated off them. Perfect. The two inside were not threats to him or Mira--as long as they remained unseen. “Let’s see what they had in here, then check out the back room.” He watched as they scavenged off of the floor. One of the men did the sign of the cross, and Denny narrowed his eyes.

He waited silently for them to leave the main room, so that he could pick Mira back up, and they could pass by the window and glass door stealthily--That is if Marcus could actually stay quiet this time. He glanced at Mira and her bloody bandages. Her blood was probably painting the sidewalk below her. Hurry up, dammit! He thought as his attention returned to the partnership inside the shop.

“God, it stinks…”

“We’re almost done in here.” Their emotions had spiraled downwards throughout the minute they scavenged. Hunger returned within Denizio and his eyes widened. A perfect opportunity. After casting a brief glance back at the two behind him, he turned away and tilted his head downwards. Denizio closed his eyes and seemingly mumbled nothing to himself in silence.

He could almost feel the emotions travel away from the men's auras, go through the broken glass window and absorb into him. It felt as though it entered through his skin and seeped into his veins flowing to every part of his body. Tingles went through his toes and fingers and he felt a bit renewed in his strength after the battle earlier in the day.

Denizio’s eyes snapped open. He kept his feeding very brief, so not all of his hunger had been appeased, but he certainly could contain his urges to feed on Mira better. He returned to watch the group inside. The one who had done the sign of the cross had his arms wrapped around his body. “I have a bad feeling…”

The other had been paused in motion on the floor, “Let’s go to the back room now.” His voice was strained. Paranoia. Denizio’s feedings fueled paranoia like crazy. That was why the old group had fallen apart by the end. He had corrupted them. The men moved to the back room.

Finally. Denny spun the hunting rifle behind him, scooped Mira carefully back into his arms, eyed Marcus, then swiftly moved past the tiny shop to carry on their way. Fucking Crimson Street. He knew he was right to be wary of it. “We just have to turn left up ahead, then the safehouse will be a flew blocks down that street,” he said. Denny looked back at Marcus and nodded questioningly towards Mira’s leg. It was concerning him after the hold up. No games. No bullshit. I’m fucking serious now. Is she going to be okay? Denny didn’t want to ask out loud. There was no point in alerting Mira, but he figured his nodding was enough for the shithead to understand what he was asking. And that he was dead serious.

 

[FaithWynters]

Slowly the initial fear dissipated. As Mira grounded herself in the world around her, her breathing slowed. Logic was starting to come back. It was a skill that she’d learned very early in the infection. If you couldn’t fight the fear away then there was no way you were going to survive. In instances like these, it did take Mira longer though, and usually, the knot that began forming in the pit of her stomach never came. It was hardwired into her and something that might never change. Still, she was starting to become more embarrassed than afraid.

Somehow, the smooth rhythm of Denny walking was soothing. Mira could feel the solid beats of his heart from the place where she’d buried herself if his neck. The few times she’d been grabbed like that before had ended up with her a sobbing, snotty mess; never had someone been able to pull her out of the torrent of fear that ensued. That was how Mira knew deep in her gut that she truly did trust Denny. Even subconsciously she’d been able to relax around him in ways she hadn’t with others multiple times. It made her feel horrible that her instincts had caused her to react so horribly when it first happened; she would have to apologize when all this was over and they were alone again.

The only thing that pulled Mira out of her soft trail of thoughts was Marcus’ voice beside them. It was harsh against the silent backdrop of the city and made her flinch. Mira could feel the slight tense of Denny’s muscles at the noise too and she knew that he would handle keeping him quiet. They all knew better than to test the limits of their luck; those creatures could have been anywhere. Mira kept silent though, instead, trying to focus on the things that had kept her calm before. The young woman just wanted to press herself into him and feel some semblance of comfort. It was selfish. Oh, was it selfish to use the one person she trusted like this—not just for carrying her to safety, but for real human contact. It had been so long and the warmth that settled between them was much nicer than the warmth of the sun above.

Denny turned on Marcus, Mira knew very well what the movement was. What the young woman didn’t expect was the feeling like the ground they were standing on was in the middle of the ocean. Mira pressed her eyes closed, trying to stabilize something in her mind that she had no control over. That wasn’t a good sign.

Marcus just stared at Denny in silence for a moment, holding his hands up. The man wasn’t over-reacting, but sometimes when Marcus got a little ahead of himself, he forgot the world around him. He took the scolding in silence, trying not to agitate the man carrying Mira. It would have been easy to spout off and cause more issues, but right now, it was best if they just kept moving and made it to safety. There would be enough time to stir the pot later; Marcus still needed to find a way to get Denny out of the picture. Now that Mira was severely injured, the young man wasn’t sure what exactly it would take to make that happen.

Mira was just about to peer back over Denny’s shoulder when the man turned again and the rocking returned. No longer did the young woman press into Denny’s neck. Instead, she just rested her face on his shoulder trying to fight away the shifting. Something wasn’t right, but Mira didn’t say anything; she’d been far too much of a burden already. The young woman didn’t even move when Denny whispered to her that they were almost there. It was another wave of embarrassment and guilt that washed over her as they continued. Mira’s mind shifted back to the store they’d just left not even ten minutes ago. Her scalp was still sore where that damned creature mercilessly pulled and yanked trying to get at her skin. Why hadn’t she just told him about the gun? Even if she didn’t give it to him, Mira was certain now that telling him about it was the right choice. Another pang of guilt. The whole situation they’d ended up in was her fault. Denny should have just left her behind like she said…but he wouldn’t.

The young woman’s jaw tightened as they walked, not really paying attention to anything around them. It was hard when the slightest shift of your body made you feel like you were in a washing machine. So when there was movement in front of them, Mira was useless at detecting it. The first thing she noticed was the quick drop in altitude and Mira had to bite her lip hard to keep from whimpering at the dizzy mess her mind was in. Marcus saw the movement in the storefront at the same time as Denny. Being a little farther back, he had more time to kneel behind them as the man on point decided what his course of action would be.

The spinning had stopped, and as Denny knelt there with her in his arms, it seemed the most pressing thing going through her mind at that moment was how strong he was. It wasn’t about trying to figure out why they’d ducked down or what that the voice off in the distance was saying. No…It was the sheer awe that flitted across her still-firing synapses at the fact that he could maneuver her in his arms and carry her weight with ease. If she hadn’t been pressed into his shirt, the heat told Mira that she would likely have a flush dancing across her cheeks. At least that’s what she assumed the heat in her cheeks was being caused by.

Before long though, Mira felt the concrete beneath her and the protective arms that had been carrying her were gone. She didn’t say anything, the part of her that was still living and finally in the present moment knew better. Eyes opened for only a moment into the brightness. Her head was spinning again. Jaw tightened, trying to keep the light-headedness at bay. She heard the other voices now. A slow hand reached into her pocket to pull out the knife—it wasn’t like she was going to be very useful in a fight, but she’d try if it came down to it.

When Denny sat his little Dove down, the flush on her cheeks was very apparent. For a moment the young man wondered what could have caused it. Maybe it was the embarrassment from earlier that caused it or the closeness to her partner. Marcus’ eyes flitted up from her face and to the man who knelt ahead of her. Marcus wasn’t even sure what the hell he was doing. He just knelt there; his head tilted toward the sidewalk. Maybe he was listening, but Marcus didn’t know. Whatever it was, he was ready to get Denny gone. One less person for his little Dove to cry out to meant one less person who could stop him. Eyes shifted back to the young woman who now sat there, her head tilted slightly and listening, the pocket knife at the ready. He could see it now, the slight tremble in her hand. The lip pressed mercilessly in-between teeth in an attempt to fight something off. Marcus’ jaw tightened slightly. If the flush wasn’t from Denny then they needed to get her to the safe house or things were going to be a lot worse for Mira. He wasn’t sure, so when the man came back and scooped Mira up in his arms, he remained silent.

As they continued past the storefront, Marcus saw it. The large crimson streak settling into the concrete, pushing into every tiny crevice that Mira had left behind. She had lost a lot of blood…More blood than he thought by the looks of it back at the store. As he walked in stride next to the man as he spoke. Whether it was to Mira or to him, he wasn’t sure, but the look that Marcus received was understood. Honestly, the man wasn’t sure. The longer they took, the worse the young woman got and he’d need to check a few quick things before he knew.

Don’t flip the fuck out on me, and I’ll check.

The look was shot straight back, but Marcus didn’t wait for a response. He needed to check. If there was a chance Mira wasn’t going to make it to the safe house then they needed to stop so he could fix her leg out here. It would be a completely compromising position and he’d have to do it while Denny made sure no one decided to stick their noses into their business, but he knew it could do it. Slicing and stabbing and poking and prodding was his thing and he could do it with a surgeon’s precision.

As gently as he could, Marcus reached out for the hand that just dangled over Denny’s shoulder. She wasn’t moving much—probably an attempt to try and conserve as much energy as possible. Marcus went to press her small wrist between his thumb and index finger, unable to keep from appreciating the bone structure in her hands as he did it.

At the feeling of something touching her, Mira’s head was up in a flash. The issue was with it came the horrible spinning. Still, even though the spin she could see who had grabbed her—and it wasn’t Denny. There was that panic again, but this time, much more muted as she tried—and failed—to rip her wrist away from him. Why did everyone think they could just touch her whenever they wanted? She was in bad shape, but if they were thinking about just ditching her because she slowed them down then they just should have. Jaw tightened as she pulled weakly away, but within the few seconds she tried to fight with him, he’d released her again.

Denny wasn't trying to fend him off, and it was in those few seconds that she finally looked him in the eyes. Just leave me. She didn't dare speak but instead hoped her eyes told him everything. She was just slowing them down. They were going to die because of her. They needed to leave her and go. Another wave washed over her, and she pressed her eyes closed again. Trying to fight off the feeling, she could weakly set her head back down on his shoulder and hope he did what she wanted—what they needed.

The few moments that Marcus was able to keep her in his grasp told him a lot. In the seconds that he had gripping her before Mira had even been able to put two and two together, Marcus already knew her heartrate was far too fast to be one at rest. Her heart was starting to feel the effects of the loss and was having to pump harder to get oxygen through her system. That would have explained the flushed cheeks too. He also noticed, in the few seconds she silently tried to pull away, that she was much weaker too. If he hadn’t released, there would have been no way for her to pull free. She was starting to feel it, but the effects hadn’t gotten to the worse point of this stage yet. They still had time to make it to the safe house.

Where he’d fallen a little behind, Marcus picked up his pace as he watched Mira curl back into Denny. It sent fire through his stomach. Not only had his Dove tried to fight herself away from him already, but she so willingly curled into the comfort of this scumbag. He was giving into charity by saving her, just so that later he would have the pleasure of ripping into her skin himself. Oh, he would teach her manners; all in due time. The rage was there one second and stifled the next. Denny could see him now—he had to be careful about what he let on.

We need to hurry. With the tilt of his head forward, Marcus picked up his pace a little. He wasn’t going to say that in front of Mira. He knew women like her. She’d try to do the right thing and make them leave her. He also knew men like Denny. He’d be having none of it anyway. So it was just better to keep Mira in the dark and calm while they made their way to safety. It seemed pretty close anyway.