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Chapter Twenty

MAVERICK

L eaving Mallory in the tent was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. Pretty sure it’s tied with blowing Aspen’s dead brains out. Actually no, it’s definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Seeing how broken and vulnerable she was just about broke me. I didn’t want her to see that side of me, and I’m embarrassed that I showed it to her. Letting down my guard is something I never do. I’ve only ever done it with one person once before, and that was Ghost. Her punishment wasn’t meant to be a full-on beating, but that’s how it looks right about now. Her back is striped with purplish black bruises and angry red welts. One in particular really concerns me, as the skin has cracked in a few spots on it, leaving it open and raw. The blood has long since dried on it. I’m so pissed off at myself for not noticing that sooner and not inspecting her back better with a flashlight after I was done like some fucking rookie.

I hoped that leaving her with the gun would make me feel better about leaving her alone, but it doesn’t. While I gave her a quick rundown on how to use it, her eyes were wide and confused. Although she assured me that she understood what to do, I know that she really didn’t. I hike my pack higher up onto my shoulders and continue my jog through the forest, coming out of the dense trees onto the asphalt road. Scanning my surroundings, I determine that it’s safe to keep moving. I pass the Welcome To Georgia sign again, entering back into Alabama, and I know that I’m close to the strip mall. Several minutes later it finally comes back into view, and I sprint towards it like a madman, checking my watch to confirm it’s only been twenty minutes since I left.

Jumping through the busted hunting store door, I head straight to the back where I know the first aid supplies lay. I grab the healing salve as well as some lidocaine numbing spray and a more potent antiseptic. Stuffing it in my bag, I also scrounge around for more food and other supplies that we are running low on. When my pack is full of mixed nuts, beef jerky, and protein bars, I’m satisfied and sling it back onto my shoulders. The weight is much heavier than when I left camp, and I know it’s going to slow me down. I promised Mallory I’d be back within a few hours, and I’m going to make good on my promise by cutting it down to one. I turn to sprint out of the door and head back to my poor pet but stop dead in my tracks in the doorway of the shop. A whole horde of zombies lies across the lot, stumbling and bumping into each other as they walk around aimlessly. I let out a string of curses under my breath and back myself inside the doorway and out of sight. How the fuck do I have such bad luck? Peeking my head around the door jam, I do a quick head count, fifteen zombies, way more than I could possibly handle on my own.

Letting out a defeated sigh, I slide down the wall next to the door, landing on my ass. My mind whirls with possibilities on how the hell I’m going to get out of here in one piece. I wait until about an hour or so has passed, and the zombies still haven’t left the parking lot, but they have crept closer, which has my nerves on edge. “Fuck it.” I growl out, pushing myself to my feet. I check my watch, and it's already been two hours since I left. Breaking my promise to Mallory to be back in time, has me irritated and angry. Stalking to the back of the store again, I pick up an assault rifle and load it with bullets, grabbing another case of rounds and stuffing it into the side of my pack. Pulling the strap of the rifle over my head, I clutch the cold metal in my hands, making sure the chamber is loaded and ready. I slowly make my way back to the door, taking a deep breath to center myself, taking aim at the closest zombie, and pulling the trigger.

The sound of the gun going off, and the zombie dropping dead with its brains splattered all over, alerts the rest of the horde to my presence. I sprint out of the shop back towards the way I came, shooting zombies as I go. When the third one drops to the ground, a fourth and fifth one follow too close behind and not by my hand. Sweeping my gaze around, I see another man across the lot picking up my slack. We nod at each other and continue to take the undead back where they belong. A much smaller man steps out of the shadow of the man with a gun, a mallet in his hands, and he tosses it at a zombie with all of his body weight. I’m honestly surprised that he didn’t accidentally fling himself along with the mallet with how much force he put behind that throw. The mallet imbeds itself in the zombie's head, and as it slumps to the ground, the small man is hooting and jumping up and down at his success. I shake my head at his excitement right along with the other man. When all the zombies are lying in bloody heaps on the ground, I nod and salute my unknown comrade; he returns the gesture, before I sprint back towards my girl.

I don’t stop running until I see the Welcome To Georgia sign again, and I vow right there to never see that fucking sign again. Bending over with my hands on my knees, I heave in deep breaths until my racing heart is back to normal and I stalk into the dense trees back towards camp. Before I know it, I hear a familiar voice and the crunch of a stick up ahead. The voice of someone I was worried I wouldn’t see again. “Son of a bitch!” She squeals, and I jog towards the sound. I find Mallory sitting on the ground, clad in nothing but the sleeping bag wrapped around her body, as she clutches her foot with her hand. When she sees me, her anger is replaced with relief. “Maverick! I thought you weren’t coming back to me.” Her words crack at the end, breath hitching as she’s almost in tears.

“So you just decided to go tramping through the woods naked to come find me?” The humor in my voice very evident while I kneel down to her level and inspect her foot. A sharp rock protrudes from the ball of her foot, blood streaming down her sole. “Could you maybe refrain from hurting yourself for the next few days?” I shake my head and scoop her body, wrapped in the sleeping bag, into my arms.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll get right on that.” Her response is laced with sarcasm and an eye roll, and it has me chuckling. I walk us back towards camp, shuffling us into the tent and zipping the flap behind us. “Did you find everything you needed?” She peers up at me, laying back down on her stomach, her perfect ass free for my viewing pleasure. I’d relish in how good it looks if it weren't for the wounds covering it.

“Yep, sure did.” Shrugging my pack off my shoulders, I pull out the first aid supplies I grabbed along with a packet of beef jerky. Ripping the bag open, I hand it to her as well as a can of soda I managed to snag. Her squeal of delight makes my heart do things I’ve never felt before. Mallory immediately pops the can open, taking a large swig. “Hope you like it.” Her only indication that she does is her downing half of it in one go. Then she starts on the jerky next while I disinfect her lower back and ass. She hisses from the pain, but tries her best to stay as still as possible for me. Spraying the lidocaine onto her back, she sighs in contentment, and then I slather her skin with the healing salve before I move towards her foot to patch it up as well. Once she’s finally covered in gauze, looking like she's part mummy, I cover her up with the sleeping bag and lie down next to her. “I’m sorry I was late getting back; there was a whole horde of zombies waiting outside the hunting shop when I tried to leave.” I stroke her hair, and her eyes go wide, a gasp leaving her perfect lips.

“Oh my god! How did you get out of there?” She screeches, trying to get up to fawn over me, but I gently push her back onto the ground.

“Honestly, I got fucking lucky. I thought I was a goner, but these two men showed up on the other side of the lot and helped take down the horde. No idea who they were, but I’m grateful for them nonetheless. However, one of them was damn excited about killing one with a wooden mallet.” I end the sentence with a chuckle, remembering the absurd scene from earlier.

“God, that definitely sounds like something Noah would have done.” She says with a giggle.

“Who’s Noah?” My brows furrow with the question.

“Oh, he’s one of my best friends. Rue and Noah are like my other halves. My people. I miss them a lot.” A tear tracks down her cheeks at the memory of her lost friends. I swipe it away with my thumb, pulling her into my side to soothe her as something in the back of my mind niggles at the mention of the name Rue.

“I’m sure you’ll get to see them again, Mallory.” She hums her response, already falling asleep against my chest. I run my fingers through her hair until night falls and my own eyelids close with exhaustion.