"If you need a break, I can carry her for a bit," Tom panted from behind me.

His comment actually made me chuckle. I couldn't remember the last time I had chuckled; it had probably been back when my eyes had been light brown. The chuckle had also caused me to unclench my jaw for the first time since putting Liz on my shoulders.

To my surprise, I had become slightly desensitized to their scent during the last hour of hard walking. The virus still sang for their blood, but it was easier to tune out. With the bloodlust still present, there was no way I could lower my guard since a one-second slip in control would spell disaster for both me and them.

I paused and glanced back at the two exhausted adults with a smirk. "By the time I tire enough to put her down, you'll have collapsed."

After stepping over a fallen log, I kept walking.

"I know she is helping us," Tom muttered to Marissa, "but I think she's a bit of a jerk."

Even though they had remained mostly polite, all my responses to their polite overtures had been gruff and blunt. Admittedly, I hadn't replied to any of their questions since picking up Liz.

Marissa replied softly, "She probably just isn't used to being around people after so long. She may be rough around the edges, but she could have easily left us behind."

Tom grunted and stumbled as he nearly tripped over something, likely a tree root. I ignored their conversation; a normal human wouldn't have heard their quiet whispering.

We were getting closer to the cabin, but it was still at least half an hour away. I wasn't even sure if we'd make it there before it got completely dark. If these two have enough breath to talk, then we are clearly not going fast enough. I picked up my pace slightly, forcing them to walk faster.

Yeah, I was a bit of a jerk.

~

       The last leg of the journey passed far too slowly for me. I was trying to keep my annoyance at bay, but it was a losing battle. I wasn't used to putting conscious effort into every step I took in order to appear human. On top of that, I had already stifled half a dozen growls, and they had barely been speaking. My constant hold on my control due to their mere presence was an irritant as well. Nightstalkers in general were prone to irritation. Very prone.

Thankfully, the two behind me were saving their breath to try and keep up with our faster pace, although they frequently stumbled over roots and sticks in the rapidly fading light.

I had to give them credit for their determination though. They weren't going to be left behind easily, even if they had to push themselves to the point of collapse. Liz occasionally swayed from side to side as she struggled to remain awake, but she never spoke a word.

Somehow, Tom found enough breath to mutter, "I think she must have been a drill sergeant before the world went to shit. They push you right to the breaking point with no remorse."

I was somewhat amused that Marissa once more stuck up for me. "If she had no remorse, she wouldn't let us stop for a short break every half-hour."

Tom didn't reply, possibly breathing too hard to utter more words. Liz began shivering as the temperature dropped but didn't complain. Their silence was wise with the fading light. Most zombies didn't see well at night, although that wouldn't stop them from trying to locate something they heard or smelled. It was rare to run into zombies in the middle of the forest like this, and thankfully, we hadn't encountered any so far.

Apart from their loud footsteps and heavy breathing, the faint burbling of the creek we were walking beside was the only thing that broke the silence. The cabin was along its banks, so we wouldn't have to search for it.

It wasn't too much longer before I sighed in relief, finally spotting the cabin ahead. The adults staggered into the clearing in an exhausted daze, too tired to even notice the building in front of them. Admittedly, it might have been too dark for them to see it.

"We're here."

Tom and Marissa blinked and looked up in a fatigued confusion, realizing that we had finally made it. I took Liz off my shoulders and set her down.

I opened the door and peeked inside. "It's clear. I'll get the fire started."

Leaving the door open, I went to the woodpile beside the cabin, grabbed an armful of wood and kindling, and carried it inside. The humans trailed behind until they stood in the doorway behind me, trying to peer into the darkness as they swayed from exhaustion.

With a sigh, I put my bundle of wood by the woodstove and pulled a flashlight out of my backpack. Flicking it on, I pointed it at the large bed in the corner.

"That's the only bed. You three will have to share it. Get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on things until morning."

"Are you sure?" Marissa asked, her words slurring together in exhaustion while her gaze lingered longingly on the bed. "We can take turns watching for trouble."

I snorted faintly as I arranged the kindling for the fire. "You'd probably fall asleep. I'll manage."

Tom shook his head, too tired to argue, and guided Liz to the bed. Marissa followed him with staggering footsteps. I lit a match and watched the fire take hold, adding a few smaller twigs before setting larger pieces on top.

The three humans barely paused long enough to remove their shoes before climbing under the covers with their clothes on. As I stood up, Chloe poked her head in the doorway, looked around, and promptly trotted over to jump on the end of the bed.

Tom and Marissa didn't even have enough energy to complain – or they might have been hoping the dog would warm up their feet.

I gave them a strange look as soft snores met my ears. Had their heads even hit the pillows before they passed out? I shook my head and headed to the door. Chloe lifted her head tiredly and stood up in resignation. I stopped and pulled her bone out of my backpack before walking over and setting it in front of her.

With a sigh of relief, she lay back down and dropped her head to her paws. I watched her for a few moments before leaving. Even with three humans present, she wasn't content to remain behind without her bone.

I ran a circuit around the house to ensure that nothing lurked in the woods, although the air only held the usual nighttime scents. I followed our path a mile back and confused the scent trail in case any zombies crossed it and tried to follow it.

When I spotted a rabbit, I made a quick decision. Seconds later, the rabbit met its demise, and I drank its blood. The burning in my throat eased as the warm, red liquid washed the scent of the humans away. If I had to travel with humans, it would be best if I hunted every night since it would help with my control.

I headed back to the cabin with handfuls of pungent-smelling plants I'd collected on my run and dropped them all around the clearing. They should prevent anything from scenting the humans within, at least for tonight. I caught a second rabbit and cleaned it since the first one was likely contaminated by my saliva. The humans could fry it for breakfast and give any leftovers to Chloe.

I added more wood to the merrily burning fire before sitting in a nearby armchair. I didn't bother pulling my light blanket out of my backpack. The stove was giving off plenty of heat now, although I didn't need it.

The smell of several humans in an enclosed space was making me second guess my decision to remain inside. I had wondered about that. With a faint sigh, I pulled a pungent herb out of my pocket.

As I crushed the stem, it emitted a strong, crisp smell. I rubbed the juices under my nose. It helped a bit, but not enough to be worth the trouble. I growled under my breath as that small hope was dashed.

I had become somewhat used to their tantalizing smell during our three-hour hike, but being trapped inside a small building where their scent couldn't escape was a new level of torment. If I needed proof that I wouldn't be able to ride in a car with humans, I now had it.

I seriously hope that I become more desensitized to their scent, or this trip is going to have a lot in common with jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. In other words, there could very well be blood and guts on the tarmac by the time it's all over.

It was a long night, and in the end, I didn't take a bite out of anyone. Much to my surprise, I even managed to doze off occasionally.

~

       A couple hours before sunrise, I stood and quietly started getting things ready for my human companions. In a cupboard, I found a pot and filled it with water from the creek. I set it on the woodstove to boil and placed empty water bottles nearby.

As the water boiled, I rummaged through the cupboards. I found a few cans of food and left them on the table, along with a frying pan with sliced-up rabbit meat that they just needed to put on the stove.

By the time I finished, the water was boiling, so I moved it next to the water bottles where it could cool down. There wasn't anything else to do in here, so I went outside for some fresh air.

Chloe followed me and went into the bushes to do her business. I sat on an old lawn chair in front of the cabin and simply enjoyed the fresh air. The scent of those sleeping inside leaked out of every crack and gap like it was purposely trying to find me.

I was quite surprised when Chloe came over and sat beside me. I slowly reached out and gently scratched behind her ear. It was rare for her to let me touch her. I could count the number of times on my hands. After a bit, I pulled my hand back, unwilling to make her uncomfortable.

We sat there for a couple of peaceful hours before I heard a set of footsteps walk around inside. The light steps could only belong to Liz. The door creaked open, and she stepped out, blinking at the bright light.

She came over and sat in a nearby chair with a box of dry cereal and a bottle of juice. Of course, she had to pick the closest chair.

"Morning," she murmured.

"Good morning," I replied, hoping my tone would indicate I wasn't interested in talking.

Much to my relief, she either picked up the hint or was naturally very quiet since she munched on her breakfast without speaking. I simply didn't have the kind of patience to tolerate a chattering child.

Thankfully, after spending all night in the small cabin, her scent didn't bother me as badly, although that wasn't saying much. Part of me still obsessively thirsted for her blood, and her scent caused a slight burning sensation in my throat from her close proximity.

It took a force of will, but I didn't act on my instincts. I couldn't forget about the bloodlust or turn it off, but like a teenager's terrible music echoing loudly up from the basement, I could put up with it if I tried. It was, and always would be, a conscious effort.

I heard heavier footsteps inside, and Tom cautiously peeked through the open door. Chloe trotted over to him with a wagging tail, and he relaxed when he saw us. He came outside with two water bottles pinned under his arm and closed the door behind himself. He sat on the steps not far from my feet and drained one of the water bottles like he was dying from thirst.

"I can't believe how long I slept. Is the clock correct? Is it really eleven o'clock?"

I didn't bother digging my old watch out of my backpack. "Seems about right for where the sun is."

"Wow. I haven't slept that long for ages."

Silence fell between us. He seemed bothered by the silence and my short answers, although Liz didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary and continued eating the dry cereal.

"How close are we to the highway?" Tom finally asked.

"About a twenty-minute walk."

He looked at the driveway and dense trees. "We probably wouldn't hear a vehicle from here."

"Not likely." At this distance, even I wouldn't be able to hear one unless it was extremely loud, so if they heard it, we had other problems.

He took a long drink from the second bottle, then asked, "So, what's the plan then?"

"Once Marissa wakes up and eats something, we're going to walk to the highway. There's a truck stop if we head west. With luck, we might even find a working vehicle on the way."

The last part was pretty much a lie – the chances of finding a working car along a major highway were almost nonexistent. But there was no point in staying here when I could move them close enough to the highway to flag down a passing vehicle. I would just have to keep a sharp eye out for zombies and pretend to be human while luring any of them farther down the highway.

A yawn from inside informed me that we would be on the move soon enough.

~

       Once again, I carried Liz on my shoulders as we trekked through the forest beside the highway. Tom and Marissa were keeping up better today, but it was still a slow walk at best.

Marissa ducked beneath another low branch. "Is there a reason we're walking in the trees? It would be much easier to walk on the highway."

I exhaled slowly at her naïve comment. It was a miracle they had survived long enough for me to find them. They knew nothing about evading zombies. And I was the lucky winner who got stuck with them. Oh, joy. This trip is going to be as fun as playing football using a porcupine.

"We can see the road from here, and if anyone drives by, we can run out of the trees and wave them down. If we walk on the road, it makes it easy for zombies to see us."

She was silent for a long time after that. As we walked between the trees, I kept a sharp lookout for any zombies or moving vehicles. Much to my disgust, no travelers magically appeared to whisk this group to safety. Marissa and Tom occasionally tried to start a conversation, but my blunt and short answers discouraged such idle jibber jabber.

After seeing several zombies on the road, Marissa and Tom fell silent with jittery nerves, afraid to attract attention to themselves. I pushed onward, only letting them pause for short breaks.

So far, we had only passed regular zombies on the road, and none of them had realized that humans were walking through the trees just out of their sight. I kept careful tabs on the breeze; if it shifted, we might have to cross the road so the humans remained on the downwind side.

Spotting another abandoned vehicle on the highway, I slowed to a stop and put Liz down. No zombies were in sight, so I left the shelter of the forest and jogged over to the car along the side of the road. I didn't need to tell the humans to remain in the shelter of the trees – they were happy for the brief respite.

As I walked around the car, I saw the lid on the fuel tank was open, and when I leaned over to knock on the tank underneath, it echoed back hollowly. This didn't particularly surprise me, but it still annoyed me. I returned to the group and put Liz back on my shoulders.

Neither Tom nor Marissa commented – it was the third vehicle we'd seen without the hood propped open, but we were on the wrong side of the road to see the gas cap on most of the vehicles.

If any of them had started, or if I could find one that someone hadn't siphoned the gas out of yet, we could have made much better time. That was how my luck tended to run, although considering we had only seen regular zombies and none of them had caught our scent, I counted this as a good day.

~

       "Stay here. I'll go make sure it's safe." I exited the trees to scope out the three buildings at the truck stop.

Chloe trotted after me, quite enjoying the leisurely pace. I approached the restaurant first. The broken windows and missing door made it easy to enter, although it was emptier than I had anticipated. Even the tables and chairs were gone.

Next, I headed to the run-down mobile home, but I heard at least three different zombies growling before I even tried the door handle. As far as I was concerned, they could stay in there. It would make my life easier.

The gas station was in better shape. It had also been thoroughly looted, but the doors were still intact and capable of locking. The chairs and tables from the restaurant had been stacked against the windows by past travelers to act as barriers. There was no way to heat it, so the humans would be making good use of the blankets they had taken from the cabin.

Walking back outside, I waved them over. I pulled out Chloe's bone as I waited impatiently for the group to get closer.

I jerked my head toward the gas station. "Go in and make yourselves comfortable. Close the doors. I'm going to check the area."

Without waiting for a reply, I dropped the bone on the ground and left. If any zombies showed up, Chloe would warn them. Besides, she didn't like being anywhere near me if I was hunting.

Once I was in the trees, I took a deep breath of the forest air and tried to ignore the faint burning in my throat. Liz's scent had partially rubbed off on the shoulders of my dark grey hoodie, which was making it hard to forget about the group I needed a break from. Nightstalkers tended to be loners, and I hadn't had any true company for months. It was an adjustment, and it wasn't going down smoothly.

I spotted a regular zombie wandering down the road, and with a sigh, I went to lure it the other way.

~

       I leaned against the side of the gas station and kept watch while Marissa warmed a few cans of soup in a glass coffeepot beside the campfire. I pretended to ignore the child playing with a stick by my feet. I wasn't sure whether to be semi-amused or irritated by Liz's fascination with me. Perhaps I was just the first new person she had met in the last six months.

We took the hot soup inside the building and poured it into paper coffeecups since we couldn't find any bowls. I sat on a counter and slowly sipped on a cup of soup while gazing out the window. Marissa and Tom debated over ways to make our handful of food supplies last until someone drove by.

"Trinity, are there more of these edible plants around?"

I glanced back to see them sifting through the small bag of chickweed and dandelions I had picked for them. A few others were in there, but I didn't know what they were called. Just that I'd seen other people eating them.

"The grass and ditches are full of dandelions, but most of the ones in that bag aren't that common."

Marissa tentatively stuck a piece of chickweed in her mouth and chewed it. "Not bad... Not something I'd want to make an entire meal of, but it's a good side dish."

"There's tons of that one on the shady side of the restaurant."

She nodded and continued sampling the greenery with Tom and Liz. They didn't try to keep the conversation going, so they must have finally realized that I wasn't a fan of talking.

The sky slowly dimmed as the day came to an end without any vehicles appearing on the highway.

"It's dark. Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Liz asked me.

They are so I don't scare you to death... But I couldn't exactly say that out loud.

I shrugged. "Light bothers my eyes. Even the flickering of the fire outside is bright enough to hurt, so I just find it easier to wear sunglasses all the time."

"They look nice," Liz said.

"Thanks." My response was more automatic than intentional. The time I was spending around these humans was bringing back some social skills. I was curious to see how long my human charade would hold up.

With a yawn, Liz snuggled down in the blankets. Tom and Marissa made one last trip outside for a bathroom break before also getting ready for bed.

Marissa came over with a blanket. "Here."

I shook my head. "I have a blanket in my backpack. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She took my word for it and went back to Tom and Liz. It wasn't long before all of them were lying down on the floor and trying to sleep. I watched idly as Chloe put her bone down beside them and slowly tried to edge underneath the top blanket.

Tom sighed and lifted the edge for her. "Come on, Chloe."

She eagerly scooted forward and disappeared underneath, becoming just a lump between the two humans. I suspected that my dog had just been nominated as the best heater in the area.

I wandered around the empty shelves to the other side of the store. Not that it helped me escape the strengthening human aroma inside the closed-up building.

I felt the moment the last sliver of the sun dropped beneath the horizon. My instincts strengthened, becoming more aware and more prominent. I had hunted earlier, so the bloodlust wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was still there. Even though I was full from the rabbit and the soup, it clamored for the humans' blood as well.

Shaking my head hard, I sat down in a corner and pulled out my light blanket. Day two with these people was almost over. I might as well try to get a nap in.

Maybe some sleep would make me less grouchy. Yeah, I wasn't counting on that.