Page 10 of Deceptively Dead

Hunter looks from me to the direction I was heading, then back to me again. Without a word he strides over and picks up my precious bow and arrows and slings them over his broad back. Then he turns to me and holds out his hand. “Come on, we need to move.” His voice is demanding and I find myself automatically taking his hand. As soon as our fingers touch he tows me out the door and onto the balcony. The afternoon sun is bright in the sky and I’m momentarily blinded by its light. A cool breeze ripples my clothes and when I open my eyes the sky around us is a vibrant, cloudless blue. Not a day I would have picked to have a zombie horde arrive.Shouldn’t it be dark and cloudy?I absently think to myself as Hunter lets go of my hand. I shake my head and try to focus as I look over to Hunter, only he’s not there anymore, instead Chase is standing by the rope on the railing quietly talking to someone below. Confused I look around me, but Hunter is nowhere to be seen. I shrug and make my way over to Chase, standing next to him I peer over the balcony railing at Nate, who is untying a large, black survivalist or army style backpack/kit/kitchen sink?I have no idea what they are called, having never seen one in real lifebefore, from the rope attached to the railing. I watch as he sets it on the ground next to two others exactly the same.

“Alright, we need to pick up the pace. Chase, get Angie down now.” Hunter’s quiet command sounds from directly behind me and I nearly fall over the railing I jump so high. I spinquickly to level him with a glare as I snap “And just where the hell did you come from? Are you magic? Is that how you keep disappearing??”

He just blinks at me for a second and then gives me a wide, devil may care grin that has my knees go weak. “I was on the roof, sweetheart. Checking on the horde.”Ah, that makes sense.

“Of course you were. That’s what I said.” I say turning away from him so he can’t see the blush his endearment caused. Chase snorts out a laugh from beside me and I turn to glare at him. He holds up his hands in surrender and takes a step back, but he can’t hide the huge smile on his face.

Then he wiggles his eyebrows at me suggestively and says, “Jump on.”

I stare at him in shock for a second, fairly sure that now is not the time to proposition me like that. My mouth moves without words escaping and I’m pretty sure I look like a fish out of water with my eyes bugging out of my head. I slide a look over to Hunter to find he’s smiling too.

“He’s going to carry you down the rope Angie, jump on his back” Hunter states gently.Oh. Oohhh. Right, yes, of course.

“Yes, okay. Sure. That’s what I thought.” I reply. I realize I’ve been nodding my head vigorously and immediately stop myself. Chase turns and presents me with his huge muscled back. It pains me that they all probably hear my sharp intake of breath. But,damn he’s so fine!And I get to ride him! And that’s enough of those thoughts. I have no idea what’s gotten into me at this stage, so I quickly move up behind Chase to wrap my good arm around his neck, he obligingly squats down so I can reach him. My injured arm comes up to loosely hang over his other shoulder, it’s not going to be much help unfortunately. As Chase slowly stands, he holds onto my good arm to keep me in place and I pull my legs up to wrap them around his waist, however, I appear to be far weaker than I used to be and my legs end uparound his thighs instead. Grumbling against the back of Chase’s neck I start to wiggle myself further up his body. I feel him go tense under me and he lets out a soft groan that I feel vibrate across my body.

“Hunter…” Chase demands in a strained voice, and I feel strong hands wrap around my waist. Hunter hoists me up higher on Chase’s body and I go a little lightheaded from being in the middle of them. My traitorous body leans into Hunter’s hands and a breathy sigh escapes my lips to brush over the back of Chase’s exposed neck. He shivers and I tighten my body to pull him closer. Before things can escalate any further Hunter steps away and releases my waist. I am dimly aware that I am wrapped around Chase like a vine now but my head is still stuck on the dirty images having them both so close forced into my mind.Nope. No. Definitely not the time for my body to start waking up from its forced hibernation.Fortunately, Chase starts to move, and it jogs me out of my thoughts about a Hunter/Chase sandwich.

Chase easily swings us both over the railing, his massive body seemingly not noticing my weight at all. I watch, fascinated, as he lowers us, arm over arm down the rope. His muscles bulge and I swear his shirt nearly rips at the seams. I might drool a little, but no one can be sure.

Before we even hit the ground, I feel warm hands grip my waist again and I look around to see Nate pull me from Chase’s back. He doesn’t put me down immediately and I find myself dangling with my feet off the ground while his strong arms band around my stomach. Before it gets weird or I can ask him to put me down, although to be honest I’m not sure Iwouldask to be put down, Nate sets me gently on my feet. His hands linger on my waist before traveling up my body and tangling in my short hair. He leans down to murmur into my ear “I like this.” He gives my hair a slight tug for emphasis before he stepsback from me. I spin around to find him nonchalantly lifting the middle pack onto his back.What the fuckitty fuck has gotten in to these guys?!I think to myself as Chase brushes past me and starts to load up his own pack and I notice absently all three packs are bristling with weapons strapped to every available surface. The thought that something strange is happening in my neighborhood, is only emphasized when Hunter steps in close behind me and runs his large hands over my arms, his broad hand lingering at the base of my neck, before moving to claim the last pack.I must have died.I decide,I’ve died and gone to some weird version of my heaven, where these three insanely attractive men think that I’m worth their attention. Yep, that must be it. The infection got to me, and I died. Bloody Nate, what a shitty doctor.A large hand lands on my good shoulder, and I blink up into Nate’s amused face.

“Did you just call me a shitty doctor?” he asks, and I gulp as I realize I must have spoken the last part of my thoughts out loud. Hopefully it was just the last part, anyway.

“Umm. No?” I mean to sound confident, but it comes out as more of a question and I want to face palm myself. Nate leans closer and murmurs, “Good. I’d hate to have to spank you for insulting me.” My mind goes blank and my eyes go huge as my brain melts and simultaneously comes up with every dirty thought imaginable. I gape at him and try to think of something to say that’s not going make things awkward and I end up yelling “ISN’T THERE A ZOMBIE HORDE COMING?!”Yep, I just yelled that into Nate’s adorable face that’s just inches away from my own.I watch his face move from seductive and cheeky into full blown shock and I realize that that’s what I must look like all the time around these guys. Big eyes, open mouth and scrunched up brows.Kill me now.

“Um, well, yeah there is. Sorry… we should get moving then?” he looks confused and sheepish as he rubs the back of his head,but my eyes have fixated on his flexing bicep. He notices my gaze and gives me a lopsided smile that slowly heats his eyes. Just as he goes to open his mouth again Hunter calls out from behind him “That’s enough Nate, she does have a point about the zombies. Chase, I want you up in the hide across the road, thin the herd a little and we will meet you at the rendezvous point in twenty. Check our backs are clear, and don’t be late.” Chase picks up a mean looking rifle that’s resting by his feet with a massive scope attached at the top. He snaps off a salute to Hunter and turns and blows me a kiss. At least I think it’s to me. It might be to Nate, who’s still standing next to me, but I doubt it. Then he turns around and jogs up the driveway of our hideout, quickly disappearing from view. It’s about that time Hunters words sink in.

“Nope. No. Bad idea. We should stick together. People always die when they split up. It’s when shit starts going down. Haven’t you seen any horror movie ever?” I ask distractedly as I move in the direction Chase disappeared to. A large hand on my bicep halts my progress and I look back over my shoulder at Hunter.

“Chase has his orders, and he will follow them. If you are with us, then you listen to me. That’s the deal, got it?” Hunter growls the words at me, getting in close to my face. I can’t help the thrill that goes through me at his commanding tone and I shiver a little. But, I wrench my arm from his grip and plant my hand on my hip to glare at him, my concern for Chase making me ragey.

“What if I think it’s a stupid plan? Will you leave me?” the last question comes out with a lot less bite than I intended.

“No.” Hunter says, then so quietly I don’t think I was meant to hear, “Never.” Then he looks over my shoulder at something and nods his head before turning away from me. Next thing I know my feet are swept out from under me and I give a startled squeak as Nate scoops me into his arms as if I weigh nothing at all.

“Come on trouble, looks like we are running out of time for you to keep questioning the Alpha-hole.” He says this with a smirk in his leader’s direction before setting off at a light jog with me still in his arms, carrying me bridal style, backpack and all. It must be mighty uncomfortable for him, but he doesn’t seem to notice. He takes us in front of the barn and up toward the little tree line at the front of the property. Hunter easily overtakes us to fall into the lead position and by the time we reach the trees I squirm in Nate’s arms, wanting to get down. He looks down at me with a little smile, but puts me on my feet all the same. Smart man that he is, he wraps his long fingers around my good hand and leads me into the woods.It can’t be that obvious that I was thinking of going to find Chase. Right?I scowl at Hunter’s back as I stomp through the trees, Nate stalking silently at my side. We jog for a good few minutes before I realize,he said I could stay. They’re keeping me with them. They aren’t going to just abandon me to fend for myself!The realization puts a spring in my step, and I move faster through the undergrowth, a stupid smile fixed on my face. Nate gives my hand a squeeze and I notice him looking at me out the corner of my eye, I flash him a quick smile and double my efforts to keep up with Hunters brisk pace. Inside, I feel a warmth start to tickle my stomach and with a little shock I realize,I feel happy.

Chapter Eleven

The strange happiness I feel doesn’t last long. Worry for Chase starts to pull at me. I haven’t heard a single shot, but I can hear the faint screeching moans of the dead horde, coming way back in the direction of our safe house. Our house.A sense of melancholy falls over me at the thought of never seeing the place again, never sleeping soundly, tucked into my makeshift bed and surrounded by men willing to keep me safe instead of making me prey. It was the first place I felt truly safe since the apocalypse started, somewhere I got to let down my walls and learn to trust in others again.

And since when did I let my walls down?I think to myself as we plough through the forest. Nate’s hand tugs on mine as he helps me step over a fallen log and I realise the answer to my question isas soon as I met them. The second I saw these guys all my fear and pain andangerjust died. Well, mostly. Then they just kept piling dirt on with their sweet words, comforting presence and fresh bath water.I never stood a chance againstthem.Add into the mix their recent collective change from their respectful (almost to the point of shyness) attitude towards me, to this new and mind-boggling dynamic where it seems like they are nearly competing for my attention, and, well, let’s just say I’m glad they decided to keep me with them. I’d hate to become a stalker.But, I realise,if they left me that’s what I would become, I’d stalk them to the ends of the earth because I don’t just want them (which, after everything I have been through is amazing in and of itself) but I need them. There is no other way around it, each one of these three guys has played a major part in helping me to heal mentally and physically, and in doing so it seems like they have well and truly gotten under my skin. All three of them. There is no conceivable way that I could choose between them, choose one over the others. And that’s a bit terrifying, given their new interest being shown in me. But,if I can’t have all of them then I’ll have none of them and that’s just the way it has to be. I repeat that a few times to myself until it doesn’t sting so much, and I feel like I might actually have a chance of sticking by it. Gods, how my life has changed in just four short days.Or is it five? I never asked how long I was unconscious for.

A sharp tug on my hand from Nate pulls me to an abrupt stop, just an inch or so from running into Hunter’s broad back.Geeze, I really need to work on my spatial awareness,I think as I take a step back, straight into Nate’s solid chest. He wraps his arms over the front of my stomach, without letting go of my hand, and leans in to whisper in my ear “You should really watch where you’re going, Trouble. One day you might run into something really mean.”

“Hmm.” I hum in agreement, “You mean instead of just regular mean, like Hunter?” I whisper back. I feel his chest vibrate slightly as he chuckles silently against me.

“Knock it off you two” Hunter growls at us without turning around. Nate snaps up straight under his warning tone butdoesn’t let me go. I try to lean around Hunter, to see why he’s stopped but it’s impossible to see around his massive frame in the cage of Nate’s arms. Eventually, I flop my head back to lean on Nate’s chest and stare up at the outline of his handsome jaw. Absently, I notice a light blond scruff starting to grow in and I wonder if it’s as coarse as it looks. My hand twitches, as if to test the theory of his stubbles scruffiness, but Nate pulls me tighter against him, likely squishing my backpack between us into his abs. Without looking at me he ducks his head and whispers so quietly I barely hear him, even with his mouth hovering just above my ear, his breath tickling my earlobe and making my whole body shiver. “You need to stop staring at me, sweetheart. I’m trying to focus.” His arms tighten around me a little more and he breathes “And you’re making that really hard.” My heart is thundering in my chest with his proximity and all I can manage is a quick nod, which scrapes my check against his stubble, and I let out an embarrassing, breathy sigh that I desperately hope neither of them hears. No such luck, Nate sucks in a sharp breath before abruptly stepping away from me. Confused I look around only to meet Hunters pissed off glower, I quickly look down at my feet as my cheeks flame.

“If you’re both done?” Hunter snaps lowly “Get the fuck away from her if you can’t do your job properly Doc, I will not ask again.” I cower slightly away from Hunter’s tone, absolutely mortified that I distracted Nate and put them in potential danger. Briefly, I flick my eyes up to Hunter, in time to see his face soften slightly before he turns away with a growl. When I look to Nate, he won’t meet my gaze as he lets go of my hand and steps away, facing back the way we came with a ridged stance.

Pathetically, my eyes start to burn as I stand quiet, hugging my injured arm to my chest, trying not to make a noise or be a bigger distraction while I mentally berate myself for being so complacent. I could have got us all hurt or killed, all because Ican’t control my damn primal response to these men. I have no one to blame but myself though, so I just wait miserably until Hunter gives the all clear and we sprint across a stretch of road and into the woods on the other side. When Nate goes to take my hand again I quickly snatch it away, not wanting to cause more conflict than I already have between the two guys. He sighs and takes up a position behind me as we trudge further into the forest.

I move on autopilot, following Hunter’s big frame, as I mentally cuss myself for being so useless at everything. The warm fuzzy feeling of actuallybelongingthat I was starting to feel has disappeared, leaving behind a dull ache that I am all too familiar with. It’s more than pathetic that something as little as harshly spoken words can send me spiralling straight back to the miserable pits of depression. With every step I take the tears burning behind my eyes threaten to fall, but I refuse to let them slip out, I will not be more of a burden to these men.

Eventually we come upon an old log cabin, buried so far in the woods it would be near impossible to find unless you knew exactly where it was. The forest looks like it has encroached on the cabin long before the apocalypse began, a moderately sized tree growing straight through the roof is evidence of that. Hunter pauses by the tree line of the little clearing the house perches in, scanning the area for danger. Eventually he gives the all clear again and we move into the space cautiously. As soon as Nate clears the forest, we hear a rustling from in the cabin. Before I can even blink, Hunter and Nate step in front of me, blocking my line of sight while simultaneously pulling weapons from the arsenal that’s strapped to each of their bodies. Hunter pulls a wicked looking Magnum and Nate draws his Katana with a deadly hiss. Both men are tense as more noises come from in the cabin and I belatedly reach for my own gun. Nate and Hunter start to move forward together, and I move with them, turningso I can keep an eye on our backs, trusting them to handle any threat at the front. They stop only a few feet from the cabin’s door, everyone is radiating tension, when a familiar voice calls out to us.

“Don’t shoot, I’m friendly” Chase’s voice sounds like he’s holding in a laugh, as usual, and Hunter holsters his weapon with a curse.

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