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Chapter 1

Alexander

"Are you excited?" Amber my roommate asked.

"A little," I replied, although inside I was having a major case of butterflies.

"Do you think you'll be spending the night out?" she asked lifting one eyebrow and smirking.

"Come on Ber I highly doubt it, besides we've only been dating for a month now. My vajayjay is too good to just be handing it out." I joked.

"Well ok I'm going to Randy's when I get off work so you'll probably be home before me," she said.

She grabbed her coat and purse then checked her lip gloss in the mirror of our foyer one last time. She then turned to me smiled and said, "Relax, have a good time, be happy, after all that drama with Alex you deserve it."

She walked back over to me then gave me a long hug. It took me aback for a second because Amber wasn't a real touchy type of person. She then quietly walked out the door. I had no idea at that moment I would never see her again.

*****

It was 6pm on a typical Saturday. Families were out going to dinner, friends were hanging at the mall, and I was going out on a date with Ajani (call me AJ) I didn't know where he was taking me yet. He had told me earlier it was a huge surprise and he knew I was just going to love it. We lived in a fairly small town so there weren't too many places we could be going. A restaurant, a movie, shopping at the mall, or a picnic by the river that's about all West Oaks has to offer on a Saturday night.

A knock at my door woke me up from my daydreaming about where AJ and I might be headed. He had said he would be by to pick me up at 7 yet it was only a little after 6. I wasn't even dressed yet.

"Damn can't wait to see me, eh?" I asked as I opened the door with a huge cheesy grin on my face.

"Of course not Victoria," was the reply. My grin quickly turned into a bitter scowl. "What are you doing here Alex?" I asked.

"Whatever do you mean my dear, weren't you waiting for me?" he smirked.

"You already know you are not the person I was expecting," I said.

"Oh, you must have a little play date with Ajani then. How delightful," he said.

"There is no play when I date someone Alex; you of all people should know that," I said.

"Yes, yes I know all too well Victoria. I miss you very much," he said looking right into my eyes to drill his point home harder.

He always got me, he always did. Alex was absolutely breathtaking. Blonde hair cut short to his scalp, ice blue eyes that bore right into your soul. He was very tall having the broadest shoulders I had ever seen. He was muscular but not in a bulky way more like lean and cut. You always knew he meant what he said no nonsense with this one.

We had dated 3 years, our senior year of high school then 2 years of college. They were the best days of my life as well as the worst. When you are with someone as gorgeous and charismatic as Alex then well there were bound to be issues. Not to add Alex ate all that attention up like ice cream with a spoon. He loved to play into it. Even if he meant nothing by it when he talked to you he would make you feel like you were the only person in the world.

I tried with him. I really did, but there is only so much a person can take. Even if he never cheated on me (or so he claims) we couldn't even walk down the street without half a dozen girls coming up to him. They acted as if I was invisible having no problem interrupting our time together. Actually they seemed like they enjoyed flirting and batting their eyelashes at him with me standing right there to witness it all.

I put up with it for as long as I could but eventually it was just too much my heart could handle. I let him go so he could be with all his little followers. It was like he was "The Pied Piper" or something. I never quite understood it; yes he was sexy as hell and smooth as silk but to follow someone around like you were under a spell or something. I just wasn't that type of girl.

The weirdest part of it all was that it wasn't just females that seemed to be infatuated with him, it was everyone and everything. The straightest of guys often "joked" that they would go bi for him. Gay men adored Alex as well. Even animals were calmed in his presence.

I suppose all that adoration made him feel pretty secure in our relationship. Then the time came for me to end it, when I told him it was over about 2 months ago he was beside himself. At first he thought it was just me being silly. Once he figured out I was serious he was shocked not understanding why.

Honestly I didn't quite understand myself. He never mistreated me, although I always questioned his fidelity I never had any real proof that he ever had cheated. I think he loved me as much as Alex could love anyone yet there was always a wall between us. It was like he had a secret he couldn't reveal to anyone. I suppose that's why I felt like he was a cheater, too me keeping secrets from someone feels a lot like cheating. This feeling was the main reason I had ended it. Apparently Alex had not yet found a way to accept it was truly over.

"Catch your breath Victoria," he whispered.

I did, I also realized I could not let this man see through me like this anymore. I tore my eyes from his repeating myself for the millionth time, "Alex really what are you doing here?" I asked, "I'm leaving soon I have no time for your cryptic riddles please just tell me why you're here."

"I just wanted to see you, see what your plans were for the evening," he said slyly.

"Well I have a date with AJ which you obviously already know, so just cut to the damn chase already," I said.

I was getting pretty impatient at this point. I wasn't even dressed yet AJ would be here to pick me up in like twenty minutes. Alex just stood there looking at me like he wanted to tell me something extremely important yet he just couldn't. This was nothing new with us, same old Alex I thought to myself.

"Spit it out Alex, I seriously don't have time for this nonsense," I said.

He continued to just stand there trying to get me to lock eyes with him again. No way was I falling for that old trick, he was just too tempting. I needed to stay strong.

"Fine, goodbye Alex," I said. I started to shut the door; I almost had it shut when he grabbed it to stop me. With his free hand he gripped me around my waist to pull me into him.

"Let me go, seriously!" I said.

"Look at me Victoria," he said gently.

"No Alex please just let me go," I said.

"I cannot Torry," he said. Then I knew whatever was bothering him was truly important. Although everyone I knew, friends and family called me Torry, Alex never did. He always referred to me with my given name Victoria. He definitely had gotten my attention when he had used my nickname Torry. Fine I decided I'll give in just this once, damn this man. I quit squirming away from him settling myself against his broad chest, I looked up into his eyes, and yeah I was a sucker.

"What is it Alex?" I asked, "Just tell me."

"Please Victoria whatever you do tonight don't go down to the bonfire."

"Why?" I asked.

"Just stay in, rent movies, go to dinner with AJ, or hell hang out in your bedroom," he said. I saw that the last idea hurt him slightly. "Just promise me whatever you do you will not go to that bonfire!" At this point he was practically begging me.

"Um well I don't know where we are going. AJ said it was a surprise so I can't promise you anything Alex. I'm sorry but you really have no right to ask me not to go somewhere just so you can show up there with some skank. Take her, see if I actually give a shit," I said. I pulled away from him then. I finally started to realize what he was really doing here and it pissed me off. Just like Alex to try to use his charm to get his way with things. "Take whoever you want there Alex I truly don't care. Seriously though how dare you come to my house trying to sweet talk me into not going so you can possibly get it in with one of your "followers". You aren't in charge of where I go or what I do anymore Alex," I said.

"You are wrong Victoria this has nothing to do with some girl. I am trying to keep you safe," he said.

"Save it Alex, keep me safe from what exactly?" I laughed. "Again I really don't care if you bring some random chick to a bonfire. Is your fucking ego that damn huge that you think it would just break me completely to see you with someone else? You've got to be kidding me right?"

"That is not what this"- I cut him off.

"Fuck that I know that's not what it's about, I know exactly what this is about. In no way is this about me and my feelings getting hurt is it Alex? Oh no this is all about you, you not wanting your feelings or your rep to get hurt, right? God it's so clear to me now, you don't want AJ and me to show up ruining your good time with your little "Alex worshippers". I mean how does that make you look if I show up with someone else, not heartbroken or pining away over you? Maybe your little followers won't think you so great then huh Alex?" I said. "Every time I think you might change you always remain the same."

"You have no idea how wrong you are Victoria, you are so very wrong," he said. He turned away from me slowly than began walking down the porch steps. I breathed a sigh of relief then headed back into the house so I could finish getting ready. All of a sudden I heard him call my name once more "Victoria," I turned to see him standing beside his car, wait were those tears in his eyes? Nah couldn't be. "Please, stay safe," he said as he got in his car and left.

Chapter 2

Ajani

Thanks to Alex I had to rush to get ready before AJ showed up for our date. I had just enough time to slip on some jeans, a black tank top, and some black converse. I began to run a brush through my black hair before I heard my cell phone's text tone go off. I ran over to my purse and fished it out, "BE THERE IN 10 LOVELY" it said from AJ. "Fuck," I whined.

I decided to just throw on some black eyeliner and sparkling sheer lip gloss. I checked to see how much of my black nail polish had chipped off since the last time I painted them. They didn't look too bad but I secretly wished I could find some polish that didn't chip so easily. I grabbed my black "Boondock Saints" hoodie since it was mid-October and my purse. I then checked to make sure the back door was locked after that I just figured I would wait for AJ on the front porch.

As soon as I had gotten the front door locked I heard his car pull up. I turned around, our eyes met through his windshield. I couldn't help but smile which caused him to smile which caused my butterflies to start fluttering again. No he wasn't the ethereal beauty Alex was to his credit though he was fine as hell. Beautiful tan skin with hazel eyes, he was built a bit stocky but he was all muscle, he definitely could've been a model for an underwear company somewhere.

Looks weren't the only thing he had going for him he had the most infectious smile and laugh I had ever come across. He was fun loving, he made me feel safe and carefree when I was around him. I could be myself with him I didn't have to pretend because AJ didn't have "followers" to impress, AJ didn't give a damn about what anyone else thought. Most of all AJ was an open book he had no secrets. He told me everything that was on his mind no matter what, that one thing brought me closer to him than I had ever been with anyone else. I wasn't held at arm's length with AJ's heart, he simply trusted me with it.

"Well, you coming lovely or what?" he yelled out of the window of his red Dodge Charger.

"Yeah," I replied. I double checked the door to make sure it was locked than I ran down the porch steps to the passenger side of his car. The door was already opened for me by the time I got there. "Always the gentleman huh?" I teased.

"Of course, only the best for my lovely," he teased right back. I slid in the smooth cream leather of the passenger seat and quickly leaned over to greet him with a kiss. Although it only lasted a short time it pretty much left us both breathless and aching for more. "You're killing me over here, better get going or at this rate we'll never get there," he grinned.

"Yeah O.k. so just exactly where is there?" I asked.

"Now, now can't spoil the surprise can we? Just sit back and relax lovely you'll find out soon enough."

Secretly I hoped we were headed to the bonfire just to show Alex he hadn't rattled me. At that thought my text tone went off, I just figured it was Amber so I casually checked the message PLEASE VICTORIA DO NOT COME TO THE BONFIRE. I AM ASKING YOU ONE LAST TIME. JUST STAY HOME. PLEASE.

P.S. KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED AND AN EYE ON THE NEWS.-ALEX

Really now he was trying to use scare tactics to keep me away from the bonfire. Only so he could save face with all his worshippers and whatever skank was his current flavor of the week. God he pissed me off.

"Uh everything ok?" AJ asked then grabbed my hand.

"Everything's fine just some annoying person trying to get under my skin, but it never works when I'm with you," I said. I looked over at him then smiled. When our eyes met my heart melted. We were out on a back county road so I thought nothing of him taking his eyes off the road for a split second. Big mistake! When we looked back to the road there was a very dirty, looked to be intoxicated man staggering in the middle of the street. "Shit!" AJ yelled. He swerved just in time to miss the guy. The guy didn't even flinch he just kept stumbling down the middle of the road. "Jesus Christ, you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine. What do you think he's on? And just exactly where did he come from?" I asked.

"I have no idea lovely but whatever he is on must be some pretty good shit," he joked.

"That was really freaky AJ; my heart is beating so fast. I was sure we were going to hit him."

"It's what they call skills lovely," he said then smiled over at me. Bam just like that I was at peace again, he just had that calming effect on me. He was so laid back, he took everything in stride, so unlike me. That's why I liked him so much.

*****

I just sat back staring out the window for a while not really paying attention to where we were headed. I let myself soak up the feeling I got when I was around him. I let myself breathe without worrying about anything in the world. We finally started to slow down I kind of knew we were headed towards the river except we weren't in the same spot as everyone else who were clearly headed to the bonfire.

We had pulled in front of a small cabin with a porch that had a beautiful view of the river. Two other small cabins were there as well, one to the left, one to the right, but they seemed to be unoccupied at the current moment. The cabins were placed about half a mile away from where everyone had gathered for the bonfire. There was a small trail past the cabins that led down to the bonfire. I could already see the party had started.

"Is it too much too soon?" he asked.

"No it's absolutely beautiful, it's...its...well it's perfect AJ," I said.

"I wasn't sure if you'd feel like I was trying to push you into something you weren't ready for. I mean we don't have to do anything; we can just sit on the porch and watch the sunset. Or we can walk down to the bonfire; I mean I heard they are having fireworks"-

"Shh," I interrupted him, "it's wonderful Ajani!" With that I leaned toward him and kissed him. We spent about half an hour in the car before we even made it to the cabin. Once we finally did reach the cabin we couldn't take our hands off each other. He felt so good, his muscles so hard yet soft. Before we could make it to the small bedroom he was the one that stopped.

"I just want to tell you I really care for you lovely. You're not like any other woman I've been with, you're so well...just you, and I appreciate that. You're strong and independent; you stand up for what you believe even if it hurts to do it. Well...fuck what I'm trying to say is I love you lovely," he said. With that I pushed him into the bedroom and we spent some quality time together.

Chapter 3

The Bonfire

We laid in bed relaxing for quite some time; I even dozed off for a short nap. I felt so comfortable in AJ's arms he held me like he never wanted to let go. I didn't ever want to get up; I wish time could've just stopped then. Unfortunately I knew eventually we were going to have to head out back into the world.

"Hey lovely," AJ whispered when I finally began to come back from my relaxed state. He brushed my hair back from my face then caressed my cheek. "You are absolutely gorgeous; my only hope is that I can wake up with you by my side every day."

"Cut the bullshit pillow talk sir," I joked then playfully slapped him in the chest.

"No, I really mean it Torry. I meant what I said earlier, I know we haven't been together long but I feel a deep connection with you. I do love you," he said.

"I feel the connection too," I said. I did, I just wasn't ready to start using the L word again so soon into things. I didn't want to hurt him I really didn't. He had always been so honest with me though so it was only fair to show him the same respect. I leaned up on one elbow so I could look him in the eye. "I care deeply for you Ajani, I do," I said.

"Why do I feel a but coming on?" he asked with a sad smile. That hurt my heart.

"I'm sorry I am just not ready to say that so soon. It's not that I don't feel it I just can't bring myself to say it yet. I hope you understand," I said.

"I do lovely, thanks for being honest with me. I respect that more than you know," he said. He brushed my hair back once more. "Alright enough with all the serious talk lets head to the bonfire for some eats and drinks."

"Sounds good to me!" I said so we got dressed then headed out to the bonfire.

*******

We took the short trail through the woods holding hands. It was dark out so AJ had brought a small flashlight to light the way. I found it quite romantic with the sound of the nearby river flowing mixed with the sound of woods at night. Actually I was a little saddened when the trail opened up to the huge field where everyone had gathered for the annual bonfire.

Almost everyone from town was here, I hadn't expected anything less. The annual bonfire was a big event every year there was a huge turnout. It was pretty much the last "hoorah" before winter swept over the town. After tonight people would pretty much become obsessed with the upcoming holidays.

As we approached the crowd I fell back a step I had spotted Alex, how could I not? Of course he was the center of attention in a huge crowd of people. His arm slung around some blonde bimbo with fake boobs. Yep I definitely called it. He was laughing and joking around with the people in the group sipping on a beer. The boy should run for public office the way he charms people.

Then he noticed me, all the laughing stopped and his arm fell from Blondie. He stood there looking at me in horror, Blondie followed his gaze. Once she finally figured out exactly what had got his attention she threw her drink at him then stormed off in the direction of the river. This got a huge "whoa" from the crowd as well as a few laughs as they had yet to figure out what was going on. AJ already knew the deal so he started walking me in the other direction away from the large group.

"Is this gonna be a problem?" he asked.

"Not for me," I answered we continued to walk until we reached the bbq pit to get some food as well as a few beers. "If he can't handle it that's his problem not ours, I'm with a wonderful man surrounded by wonderful scenery with some wonderful food; most importantly I am going to drink some wonderful beer. I'm not going to let anything spoil this night or anyone for that matter," I said.

"That's my girl!" he said as he put his arm around my waist.

We got our food and beers then headed over to a couple of empty lawn chairs close to the bonfire. Unfortunately they were close to Alex and his cronies but they were the only seats available. It was just as well I had no problem ignoring their shenanigans; I had AJ to focus on. After we finished our food AJ like the gentleman he is gathered up our trash then went to throw it away.

"Another beer?" he asked while heading to the garbage can.

"Sure," I answered as I watched him walk back over to where the drinks were. When I turned back around to face the bonfire Alex was right in my face. I jumped back, my first thought was how the hell did he get over here so fast, my second was damn he has some nerve.

"I told you to stay in Victoria. No I begged you," he said looking furious.

"Well see Alex you have no claim to me anymore, last time I checked you weren't my father. I can do whatever I want with whomever I want whenever I want," I said.

"Clearly," he replied.

"Always a smart ass, nice to see nothing's changed. Why don't you go back to your "public" Alex? Why can't you just leave me alone? Better yet why don't you go find where Blondie wandered off too and spend some time focusing on fixing that. She did seem pretty pissed at you when she stormed off," I said sweetly.

"I am not worried about my public as you call them or Blondie as you put it right? I am worried about you; things here are going to go bad quickly." He got extremely close to me at this point. "I suggest if you care for AJ at all you will take him, head back to that little cabin and lock the doors."

"Is that some kind of a threat Alex?" I questioned. I had had enough of this bullshit so I stood up and got in his face well as close to his face as I could manage. "Don't fucking threaten me Alex. I've tried to be civil with you because we used to share something," I said using my fingers to quote the word "something". "Now you're just pissing me off, not to add acting like a freaking stalker. How in the hell did you know we had a cabin? That shit is just creepy so please just go back to your groupies and for the last time LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed.

At that moment AJ was heading back with our beers. He saw what was going on dropped the beer then proceeded to run over getting in between Alex and me. He grabbed Alex by his hoodie. "Please tell me there isn't a problem," he said through clenched teeth.

Alex began to back away with his hands up in surrender. "No problem at all Ajani. You two enjoy the rest of your evening." Ajani let go of him then, Alex just turned walking back towards his large group of friends. A couple of the bigger guys came up to him to make sure he was ok, asking him if he wanted them to go take care of the guy. He assured them he did not, clapped them on the back then continued to head back to their spot. He was smiling once again he began joking with them so everyone went back to partying. Alex the great was fine so let's all have a good time.

AJ asked me if I was ok I said of course I was, he then asked if I wanted to head back to the cabin to which I just shook my head no. I didn't want to give Alex the satisfaction of knowing I had done exactly what he asked me to do. Things went back to normal and everyone forgot about the small incident. Everyone was having a good time. AJ had gone and got us some more beers, I sipped on mine while I snuggled his neck as we both shared one lawn chair. A few times I had caught Alex look over at us but it was only for a few seconds. The night was moving along the way parties usually do, too quickly.

All of a sudden there was a blood curdling scream that stopped the good times for everyone. It was one of the most frightening things I had ever heard. People stopped what they were doing and began to ask each other what was that? What that was became known rather clear to us in a few seconds when Blondie came stumbling back to Alex's group. She was covered in blood; she seemed to have big chunks of flesh missing.

"Wait, are those like big ass bite marks?" AJ asked quietly in disbelief. I slowly got up off his lap as we both began to rise I couldn't answer him. I was in complete shock at what I was looking at. Part of me wanted this to be a sick joke my gut instinct told me otherwise. This was all too real, this was extremely bad. Blondie stumbled a few more steps with her arms open her palms facing the sky her eyes locked on Alex as if asking him why. Why had he let her stomp off? Why had he not come looking for her? Why had this happened? Then she fell face first landing directly at his feet. Everyone was frozen in place except for Alex, he looked down at the women then slowly turned his head towards me and gave me his "I told you so look". Then all hell broke loose.

Chapter 4

Torn Apart

At first people were so shocked that they all just stood there staring. Alex still had his eyes focused on me. Then women began to scream and panic ran through everyone. People took off running in every direction. Some people ran towards the fallen woman trying to help her, if she was still alive, which I highly doubted. Others ran away from the whole scene clamoring to get to their cars so they could rush home to forget what they had witnessed.

I just watch for a second before I heard Alex scream to AJ, "Ajani get her out of here please! Go to the cabin, lock the doors, lock the windows, and for God's sake keep all the lights off!"

"What? Why? We should stay here and call the police. We all may have witnessed a possible murder, isn't anyone going to call for help?" AJ asked.

"There is no help Ajani," Alex said. The cool calm way he said it sent chills through my entire body. He sounded so certain that there was no help. I knew him well enough to know that when he was certain of things he was usually right.

"Wait, what do you mean there is no help?" AJ screamed.

"Go ahead Ajani try to call the police, fire, an ambulance. No one is going to answer. There is no help, now is the time to help ourselves," Alex replied. I looked at AJ as he pulled out his cell phone and tried to dial 911.

"Fuck it just rings busy," he said beneath his breath he looked back over to Alex who was still standing over Blondie, "How can you stand there so calmly when a woman is dying at your feet, a woman you were with I might add?"

"I cannot help her, I am sorry I feel horribly but it is too late for her," Alex said.

"You're not even going to try?" I asked desperately. All though Alex seemed like an arrogant bastard at times he did have real compassion for people. The fact that he didn't seem to give a shit about a woman dying at his feet appalled me.

"Get out of here Victoria! I tried to warn you but you of course were too stubborn to listen. Honestly that doesn't surprise me much; usually your hardheadedness is quite becoming but now is not the time. Torry please for once just trust me," he pleaded. He had called me Torry again it had startled me enough to wake me up a bit out of my shock because I knew he was dead serious.

At that moment surrounded by people screaming, running every which way, utter chaos, I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that the worst was yet to come I looked at AJ and said, "I think we should go, I think we should go right now!"

"It's not right Torry we can't just leave this woman to die," he said.

"What can we do AJ? You tried calling for help and you got nothing. Are you a doctor? Can you save her? I want to get out of here! I want to go!" I screamed.

I looked down at the dying woman; Alex had taken some more steps away from her. There were a few people trying to help. People had pulled out their cell phones to see if they could reach some help to no avail, all anyone got was a busy signal or an "all circuits are busy" message depending on their carrier. At this point Alex tried to shoo people back from Blondie for some reason I couldn't understand. A lot of the people listened to him, they simply got up then backed away from the scene, this didn't surprise me much since he always had that effect on people.

There seemed to be a few people that wanted to play "hero", they continued to try to save the woman. They had turned her over and were trying to do CPR on her. There was so much blood covering her there was no possible way she was going to survive. The flesh wounds were just too deep like she was attacked by a bear or something that had mistaken her for food. Her eyes were closed thank God but as one of the guys went down to give her mouth to mouth they shot open. She clamped on the man's lips with her teeth. He began to scream and pull back which resulted in his bottom lip as well as some skin from his chin being ripped away.

Everyone else that had been trying to help the young lady looked on in horror. Once the whole of what they had just observed had sunk in they began to run away with the rest on the onlookers. The man with no bottom lip decided to run off towards the woods in a panic. Blondie began to chew the lip she had just ripped off the man's face. Alex took a step towards her, I screamed out "Alex! No!"

This got AJ's attention knocking him out of his own shocked state. I started to walk towards Alex to keep him away from the obviously deranged woman when AJ grabbed me by my shoulders and yelled, "We need to go NOW!"

At the exact moment Blondie jumped up looked in my direction than began running at me. Alex grabbed her when he realized she was headed my way, with one hand he threw her into the huge bonfire. She started screaming and ran out of the bonfire completely engulfed in flames. This wasn't possible, I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I could barely hear AJ and Alex in the background yelling my name. My mind just couldn't grasp what was going on. It wasn't real, it couldn't be. Things like this only happened in cheesy horror movies, right?

The only thing that finally got my attention was when AJ took hold of my hand starting to pull me away from the woman who was still heading for me. Although her being fully engulfed in flames had slowed her down some it was physically impossible for a normal human being to be on fire yet still be functioning. I started to walk with AJ, too little too late. I heard Alex scream "NO!" as I felt a hot searing pain on my upper arm. I turned to see Blondie's flaming hand wrapped around my upper arm. The pain racked through my entire body. I began to scream over and over again, "She's got me!"

AJ gripped my hand tighter trying to pull me away from her; it wasn't working so he let my hand go. At first I thought he had given up on me before realizing he had gone over to the engulfed woman and was trying to pull her off me. I was certain she was going to kill us both when I felt someone latch on to my free arm tugging me away from her abruptly. I started to scream again as I felt her nails sink into my already blistered skin. As I was pulled away from her grip the blistered skin went with her. Then I saw her put the burnt blistered skin from my arm to her mouth, chew, and swallow. That sent me into a frenzy of dry heaving. Once the woman had finished her snack of my skin she went back to going after AJ that got me screaming for him again. The whole time I was still getting pulled in the other direction, by who I didn't know. I glanced over at my arm seeing how horrible it looked, this and the fact that AJ was fighting with a flaming cannibal while I was being dragged off by who knows what caused me to full fledge panic. I just starting screaming feeling as if I would never be able to stop when I heard someone say calmly, "Go to sleep", and my world went black.

Chapter 5

What the Fuck

I woke up still screaming, screaming for AJ, screaming for Alex, screaming for my life. My screams echoed off of white concrete walls, I received nothing in return. Eventually I was able to focus looking around taking in the fact I was some place I had never been before. I was in a small white room in a hospital gown; I lay on a small white hospital bed. My arm had been bandaged, looking at it took me back to the awful things I had recently been through and I felt nauseous. I began to gag then tried to get myself under control. I had the worst migraine I had ever felt in my life, the fact that I was surrounded by white lights, walls, sheets, and clothed in the same color sure didn't help.

After another bout of dry heaving I began to explore my surroundings, I found nothing, just the small concrete room, the white walls, white hospital bed. I started to believe maybe I had lost my mind and I had ended up in an insane asylum. Then I happened to look up in the right corner seeing a blinking red light. I watched it blink on and off a few seconds before I realized exactly what it was...a camera. I stood as close to it as possible and yelled, "What the fuck is going on?"

******

A loud beep answered me along with a voice I recognized suggesting I back away from the door. I obeyed only because I wanted to know well what the fuck was actually going on. A slight white door which blended in with the concrete wall I hadn't noticed before opened up. I tried to escape I didn't get very far before two huge arms scooped me up holding me in place while I struggled to get free.

After a few more minutes of squirming to escape I realized it was no use the arms engulfing me were just too powerful. I gave up in defeat falling limp in those arms as a voice I knew so well whispered in my ear, "Are you finished my dear?"

I stopped struggling altogether then looking into those ice blue eyes like I had on so many occasions. This time though it was different, this time when I looked into his eyes for once I finally saw straight into his soul. I saw the walls between us completely torn down, I saw pain, I saw compassion, and I saw love.

******

"What's happened Alex?" I asked. "What the hell happened last night? Where am I? What is this place and how did I get here? Where is AJ? He's here right; he made it here too right? Please tell me he is here; please tell me he is ok Alex please."

"One question at a time ok Torry?" he replied. With that I knew something really bad was happening. He was about to tell me the truth, my whole world was about to change. I buried my head in his chest wailing all the while he held me patiently waiting for me to get it out of my system.

After I shed all the tears I could Alex walked me back to the bed, we sat down together with me still tucked closely to his chest. I knew it was going to be bad; I had no idea just how horrible it was.

"I know you have a ton of questions Victoria. I will try my best to answer them as truthfully as possible. I just want to let you know that although I may have a lot of the answers I surely do not have them all," he said.

"What happened Alex?" I asked for the thousandth time.

"What happened was a tragedy, something I did not want to happen. What happened is an illness, a virus that is extremely easy to spread through bodily fluid. What it appears to do is kill the body slowly but yet a small animalistic part of the brain survives. What it seems to want most is too infect others as quickly as possible while also consuming the flesh of the uninfected," he said.

"You mean like zombies Alex? Are you shitting me? That's Hollywood movie nonsense. There is no way with a serious face you are going to sit here trying to tell me I just witnessed the beginnings of a zombie apocalypse. Is that what you are getting at? This has got to be someone's idea of a bad joke and I for one am not laughing," I said.

"I really wish it were a joke Victoria. I am afraid it is not. Yes, a zombie apocalypse is a very good explanation of what is going on out there," he said.

At that I jumped off the bed and began laughing hysterically. "You can't be fucking serious. And what do you mean by out there? Where are we anyway? How did I get here exactly?" I decided to ask again.

"Unfortunately I am dead serious no pun intended. We are at an old vacation resort my father bought years ago. He spent years of his life stocking up on things we would need as well as renovating the hotel for many survivors. As for your other question I am the one that brought you here."

"A hotel resort your father prepared? What does that mean? Wait I thought your dad died when you were like ten Alex?" I asked.

"He did. As a matter of fact he took his own life because most people thought him insane. It would seem the jokes on them now wouldn't it? My father was not insane, he was psychic. He knew this was going to happen.

Chapter 6

Thanks Dad

"My father tried to warn people yet only a few believed him. He spent his life preparing for our family as well as going around recruiting people he felt the future would need, doctors, scientists, teachers, ex-military people, you know. Most of the people he went to try to recruit thought he was a quack those that believed him are now residing here. They knew this day would come; many were here before the outbreak even occurred preparing for the influx of survivors we would receive. Dad thought of everything, we have own source for food as well as the food that he stock piled. We have our own army I suppose you would say as well as many weapons to keep us safe. We have our own hospital wing which is where we are right now with our own medicine and any medical equipment, as well as a lab to try and find a cure for this infection. We also have our own source of generators to keep the electricity going."

"Dad bought 3 of these old resorts and renovated them for this day. There is this one in West Oaks, one in New York as well as one out west in California. Of course I am in charge of running this one; dad had already picked out some special people to run the other two resorts for now," he said.

"What do you mean for now?" I asked.

"Look I know all this is a lot to take in Victoria. I don't want to overwhelm you."

"It's a little too late for that, in for a penny in for a pound, tell me," I said.

"As you wish, for now means eventually I will take over all the resorts. In my father's visions I was meant to rule the living and keep them safe. According to my father I am to become the leader of this New World. A New World where the walking dead will outnumber the living. My father saw me as the only savior our world has," he said.

"And why you Alex, why are you the savior of the New World as you put it? I asked.

"Simply put because I am immune to the virus therefore my DNA holds the cure. My scientists just haven't found it yet but for now if I give a small amount of my DNA to the survivors they seem more resistant to the virus. Unfortunately it only lasts a few days then I have to give them more," he said.

"Just exactly how do they get your DNA in them?" I asked not really wanting to hear the answer.

"There are several ways as I am sure you know," he laughed. I didn't. "Ok yeah nothing like that Victoria. I just give them a drop of my blood in their food or drink, and the chefs plan to put it in there every few days. They can't taste it but it helps keep them alive in case they come in contact with the infected. Although it doesn't help if they are already infected at that point it's too late it is only helpful if a healthy person that has had some of my DNA in them comes in contact with them. We haven't had very many instances of this happening at the resorts as we have guards posted all around but sometimes the infected find a way through. So it's better to keep their immune systems up with my DNA in case that happens," he said.

I tried to soak it all in, "This is crazy Alex".

"That reaction is precisely why I never told you Victoria that is why we could never truly get close. I know you always felt it. I know that is the reason you chose to leave me, honestly I completely understood. I still understand, but you've got to try to understand my position as well. I saw this whole thing consume then destroy my father I refused to let it do that to me too. I had to keep this from you to keep my sanity. Not to add I was hoping this would never really happen but alas we are here," he said sadly.

"I'm sorry Alex. This is a lot for one person to handle alone." I grabbed his hand. "A leader huh, the savior of our New World." It all made sense, the way everyone wanted to be around him. It's like their instincts knew he was going to be their only hope one day.

We sat in silence for a few minutes to let all the information sink in. I still had a ton of questions but I figured I would have those answers in time. I did have two more questions that I couldn't wait any longer for the answers; my mind just wouldn't allow it.

"Ok then," I said. "I'm going to try to accept everything you've told me. Sounds like you've got a tough road ahead I'll support you the best I can."

He squeezed my hand then looked up at me, "That means everything to me." I squeezed his hand in return continuing to look in his eyes to show him I meant what I had said. Then I took a deep breath to steady myself for the next questions I needed to ask.

"I just have a few more questions that I really need the answers too. First, what happened to AJ? Secondly why am I in a sealed room? Please be honest with me no matter how bad it is." He looked away from me so I automatically knew it wasn't going to be good. "Please I need to know these things." He sighed then looked back at me.

"I don't know where AJ is. In all that disorder getting you away from the infected and seeing you safe was my only concern. I snatched you up when you passed out then yelled for everyone to get in their cars and to follow me. I would assume AJ had to go back to the cabin to get his car but he has yet to show up here. I am very sorry Victoria I know you cared for him deeply," he said.

Tears welled in my eyes, "So he just got left out there? He could be one of those things?" I asked. Alex wiped away my falling tears.

"Yes he could but he could also still be alive. He could still be fighting; if he is I assure you we will find him. I promise you that."

I shook my head to let him know I understood. Once I found my voice again I asked, "Well then why am I locked away from everyone?"

This is when the tears fell from his eyes. "Because you are infected Victoria."

Chapter 7

Infected

"I'm infected?" I asked. With all the information I had just received I had no idea how my physical as well as mental being could handle anymore. The world as I had known it was gone. Anyone I had ever known, cared for, or loved was either out there fighting the infected or had become the infected. As if that wasn't enough for me to deal with "The Savior of the New World" or Alexander as I've known him for years had just informed me that I would be turning into one of the infected. All my hope poured out of me.

"Kill me Alex," I said calmly. "If I'm infected and have no chance then kill me. I don't want to become one of those things. Please don't let me become one of those things! Just kill me now!"

"I can't Victoria, I refuse to give up on you," he replied.

"Why can't you save me? Aren't you The Savior?" I asked. I stood up then I got right in front of him I seized his face to make him look at me. "Why can't YOU save ME? You said you are supposed to be our savior right, so why can't you save me?" I yelled.

"It only works if I give you my DNA before you become infected," he replied. He sounded completely defeated that pissed me off even more.

"Really Alex, really? As if your DNA hasn't ever been inside me. Fucking help me here!" I screamed. "Don't let me turn into one of those things. Either save me Savior or kill me!"

"My DNA only works if it's been inside you recently, as you know we haven't been together for over 2 months. I have scientists working 24/7 to find a cure. I am sorry Torry." He went back to staring at the floor.

"So kill me then please Alex. If you ever loved me don't let me turn into one of them."

"It is because of my love for you that I cannot give up hope. Therefore I will not kill you please stop requesting me to do so."

"Fine," I said sitting down beside him on the bed. "How much time do I have left, as me?" I asked.

"A few hours at most," he replied still staring at the floor. If I only had a few hours left I wanted to make them count damn it.

"Promise me Alex that if I turn into one of those things you will kill me. You, not one of your lackeys but you personally, you say you love me then prove it. Don't let me become one of the damned just kill me, look me in my eyes and promise me at least that. No matter what we've been through I know you're a man of your word so if it comes down to that please promise me you will set me free from it," I said.

He sat there for a few minutes with his head held in between his hands. I finally gave up waiting for a response got off the bed then went to the corner of the small room settling myself on the floor. After a short time he lifted his head looked me in my eyes and said "I promise".

He had tears spilling from his eyes as did I. I had never felt so desperate in my life which may be ending soon. I picked myself up from the cold floor then went to him. I placed myself between his legs and looked down into those eyes I knew so well.

"I need you Alex, no I want you so much right now," I said. More tears began to fall. He picked me up then softly placed me on the small hospital bed. He held me close to him looking into my eyes he whispered, "I love you Torry. You're the only one I've ever loved or will ever love." His tears fell softly onto my face as my tears merged with his.

"Why did this happen?" I pleaded.

"I don't know", he said. He placed his head into my shoulder I couldn't take it anymore. This was all to fucked up for me. I needed him more than anything I had ever needed in my life. No regrets, they didn't matter my life was going to end soon anyway.

"I need you Alex. I need you right now," I cried. With that he pushed up my white gown and plunged himself inside me. For a moment everything felt right with the world even though I knew it wasn't. Deep down I knew nothing would ever be the same but right then right there I felt like everything would be ok. "I love you Alex," I whispered in his ear and I did.

"I love you," he said as he began to pump himself inside me. I let myself go in the ecstasy; I didn't want this feeling to ever stop. He held me so close I could feel his heart beating. We looked into each other's eyes when we climaxed. It was the most loved I had ever felt in my life. It was almost perfect but the whole I would be dead soon or worse kind of put a damper on things.

We lay side by side barely fitting in the small bed. I had no idea how he could be comfortable but being intertwined in his arms is all I needed at the time. Eventually I fell into a deep sleep knowing I was tucked safe inside his arms. I kept having dreams of becoming one of the infected and killing Alex. I couldn't shake that dream no matter how I tried. I began to squirm fighting against his long arms holding me tight. I felt the urgent need to get away from him before I hurt him yet he wouldn't let me go. I started to fight harder ripping at anything I could, the sheets, my gown, my bandages.

"Let me go!" I yelled over and over again. I felt those strong arms pick me up off the bed then hold me down on the cold tiled floor. "Get away from me! I don't want to hurt you! I love you!" I continued to struggle under his weight. I just wanted to get away from him I really did not want to hurt him.

"STOP!" he screamed. I immediately obeyed. I lay still for a short time keeping my eyes closed. For some reason I felt like if I opened them all hell would break loose. "Open your eyes Torry," he said quietly.

"No," I whispered. I didn't want to lose this feeling of being held by the man I fully loved. I was certain if I opened my eyes I would truly turn into one of the infected. Dear God I did not want that to happen but Alex kept persisting for me to open my eyes.

"Torry, you're healed," he exclaimed in my ear. I couldn't believe it, I knew this had to be a dream, a good dream it was so if this was a dream what exactly did I have to lose? I opened my eyes which were blinded by all the white in the room for a second. Then I focused on his beautiful face over mine. "Look," he said pointing to my arm.

I looked over at the bandages on my arm they had been pulled away from me fighting my nightmares or from our love making, either way it didn't matter. When I glanced under the tattered bandage I saw only perfectly healed skin. I looked back up into Alex's smiling face and he repeated two of the most beautiful words I had ever heard. "You're healed."

Chapter 8

Cured

"How?" I asked in awe.

"I don't know," he answered. I guess we both were still in astonishment of the situation. We just sat there for a while staring at my arm that had fully healed. Finally realizing I was practically naked on the cold tiled floor Alex helped me up to the bed then he held me for a short time. I let it sink in for a few minutes more before I pulled away from him some and asked, "Can I get out of this room now please?"

"Hopefully, I'll have one of the doctors draw some blood and run some tests to make sure the virus is gone so you can't get anyone else sick."

"Ok," I said I wanted out of that small room so badly, just not at the expense of getting someone healthy sick.

"I have to go soon Torry; I have a lot of things I need to take care of. Although I don't want you to think that I am rushing off after what just occurred between"-

"Go," I cut him off. "I'm pretty sure a leader of a New World has a ton on his plate," I joked. Apparently he didn't get it because he frowned at me. "I'm joking Alex."

"Are you sure you won't be upset with me Victoria?" he asked. "I don't wish to leave you here alone, I truly don't but as a leader I must."

"Seriously Alex I understand. When I said I was going to be supportive I meant it," I said. He smiled making my heart almost burst out of my chest.

"Alright I'll send in a doctor immediately to get the tests started so we can get you out into the "World" as fast as possible," he said. He gave me a quick peck on the forehead; he began to walk toward the camouflaged door when he stopped abruptly. He turned to me slowly and began to smirk.

"What?" I asked.

"You may want to put on another gown Victoria. They are in the small bin under the bed," he said. I took a moment to look down at myself, yep pretty much in the buff.

"Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated," I said sarcastically.

"Always with sarcasm, one of the many reasons I adore you," he remarked.

"Oh go lead the World or something," I said throwing the tattered remains of my old gown at him. He caught it with one hand threw it back at me then blew me a kiss and walked out the door.

I went to get another gown from the bin hoping I would be able to get the hell out of here soon. I was also secretly hoping that there was still some kind of normalcy on the other side of the wall. I sat back down on the bed trying to absorb all the information I had received as well as all the events that had occurred since yesterday. As I was lost in thought there was a small knock at the door. "Come on in," I called out.

In walked a short man with a broad smile and twinkling eyes. "I'll try to make this as fast as possible. I'm glad that you're feeling better," he said.

"Thanks," I replied. His mannerisms reminded me of someone. I wondered how someone could be so laid back given the dire situation we all were in.

I suppose it was different for the doctors involved searching for a cure to save mankind would probably seem really exciting.

"All done," he said. "I'll get the tests going; hopefully everything turns out fine and lovely."

"What did you just call me?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"Lovely, did you just call me lovely?" I asked.

"As lovely as you are dear child I think you may have misheard me. I said I'll get these tests going and hopefully everything turns out lovely," he answered then walked back out the door. Leaving me there alone with my thoughts as well as the last word he had said "Lovely".

Chapter 9

Guilt

I lay back on the bed letting that one haunting word resonate through my brain. It all came rushing back, the smile, the eyes, and the last night in the cabin, the love. All with one word "lovely".

All at once the waves of guilt came crashing down on me. I was safe he was not, I was alive he may not be. All that kept going through my mind is how he got left behind and no one seemed to care. Sure Alex had said they would look for him whoever "they" were; still I had to question that. Would they really look for AJ? Would they really save him?

Alex was their leader now, their savior. If not for Alex their whole existence would have probably perished. Would they really ever allow someone they saw as Alex's rival into this or any of the resorts or would they just leave him to die or become infected like it seems they already had? Or worse would they kill him themselves then just report that they never found him? What was truly going to happen to him?

"Oh AJ I am so sorry," I wept. I wish he would have never been with me then maybe he would have had a fighting chance. They would have never left him if he wasn't associated with me, they would have already tried to search for him. If he was dead or worse infected it was my fault. I began to become consumed with all that guilt. I turned to the wall and cried myself to sleep with the thoughts of AJ out there in the harsh shadow of the world fighting for his life left completely alone.

******

I awoke to Alex exclaiming "Good news!" I didn't care. I continued to lay there facing the wall wrapped up in my guilt. I felt Alex lightly touched my shoulder thinking I was still asleep, he bent down and whispered in my ear, "Wake up Victoria, I have wonderful news," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice it made me want to curl up into a tighter ball and sleep forever.

"You have no trace of the virus in your bloodstream. You are going to be just fine," he said softly.

"I will never be fine," I answered.

"What? What's wrong Torry? I thought you were going to be thrilled with this news. The doctors have yet to figure out what happened exactly. Although clearly when our DNA mixes we get a very interesting result, not only are you virus free the doctors think your DNA could be the missing link to obtain a cure. You may be the true savior for mankind, I thought you would ecstatic to hear this news," he said.

I turned to face him. "That's just great. That's just fucking stupendous. Do you not realize what we just did and the reasons for which it occurred? I thought I was dying. Had I known I was going to be fine I would've never done anything like that I'm no cheater Alex. I'm no whore and yet I certainly acted like one, didn't I? And that's not even the worst of it. Oh no, the most fucked up part of all this is that while we were here experiencing pleasure he is out there going through hell. Should I be ok with that? Should I acting like a slut make me someone's savior? Doesn't sound quite right to me somehow but I guess in this warped ass world we are living in it makes perfect sense," I said. He seemed to be speechless for once which was a new experience for me.

"I am sorry Victoria, I thought what we shared was pure raw emotion. You are no slut, or whore, or any other degrading slur you wish to call yourself. Under the circumstances you aren't even a cheater. I understand you feel guilt for Ajani. I feel guilt for all those I could not save, for all those I have lost, and for all those left to fight for their lives. That doesn't mean we stop living or that we stop loving. Do you think the people out there fighting would want you to just give up on life? Are they giving up Victoria? I think they would find it a huge smack in the face to know someone who had made it to safety was ready to give up so easily," he said sternly.

He sat on the edge of the bed reaching for my hands. "Ajani loved you; Ajani sacrificed his safety for yours. You must ask yourself why. The answer is simple, because more than anything else Ajani wanted you to make it. He wanted you to survive, to be safe, and he wanted you to live your life. Knowing the kind of man Ajani is I am certain if he fell he would want more than anything for you to move on, to find happiness," he said.

My tears began to fall with that, Alex wrapped his arms around me once more. "I know you're right it just hurts so much. I feel terrible, like a part of me is missing and will never be whole again," I sobbed.

"It's called grieving; you have a right to it. You have a right to cry, to hurt, to be pissed, and most importantly you have a right to live. Consider it a gift from Ajani; he wouldn't want you to waste it. He'd want you to take his gift and make things better for other people. Hopefully together we can," he said. "How about we get you out of the hospital wing? We can get you some food, a shower, some clean clothes. Then I can show you around."

I wiped my tears from my face and straightened myself up. "Ok," I said realizing Alex was right Ajani would have wanted me to continue to live, to fight. So in his honor I would.

Chapter 10

Freedom

I stepped out from the small hospital room into a long corridor. Alex took my hand; I let him lead the way since I had no idea where anything was. We took an elevator up to the top floor where there were only 3 doors for the whole floor. "Honeymoon suites?" I joked.

"Actually presidential at one time," he replied.

"Fitting," I said. He chuckled.

"Feeling a bit better?" he asked.

"I will once I get some food and a hot shower," I answered.

He led me to the last door at the end of the floor, he opened the door with the swipe of a key card. "We will get one for you," he said.

"A room?" I asked confused by what he meant.

"No silly, a key card for our room," he answered smiling. He then reached for the nearby light switch turning on the lights. It was breathtakingly beautiful decorated in the colors of black and deep red with accents of silver. There was a small kitchen off to the right the cabinets seemed to be a dark mahogany grain of wood, the appliances stainless steel. There was also a small breakfast bar that was the done in the same color scheme as the rest of the suite. Off to the left of the hallway was a large office to which I only got a short peek at the huge mahogany desk cluttered with papers before Alex quickly shut the door.

"More secrets?" I asked with a raising eyebrow.

"No, just not the right time, now is the time to focus on you rejuvenating and gaining your strength back." He then led me past a great mahogany dining table into an enormous living area the size of a small movie theater that was set up similar to one as well. Red velvet seats sat across from a project style screen there was even a small popcorn maker that sat empty no time for movies and popcorn anymore it seemed. We had become stuck living in a real life horror film.

We went past the living area down another small hallway into a bedroom fit well for a president or as was the savior of the New World. A California king bed complete with canopy stood in the middle of the room. The color scheme changed in this room. Everything was done in a deep plum color accented with warm colors of gold. The bed screamed romance with its satin sheets and velvet canopy in the deep purple color. There were also candle scones hung up on the walls. Very royal indeed, it almost took you back to the times of kings and queens until you looked across from the bed where a 50 inch plasma screen was hung on the wall. The room had a bar on one side of the television with a sitting area of plush gold velvet couches on the other. The walls of the sitting area were nothing but from floor to ceiling windows which I assumed held a spectacular view of the river if only all the plum curtains weren't drawn.

I continued to follow Alex to a door beside the small bar he opened it to reveal a large bathroom that every girl dreams about. Jacuzzi tub, his and her showers, his and her sinks, a separate area with toilets and bidets. Here the color scheme went back to the original black and blood red. Everything was black marble the sinks, the tub, the floor, accentuated with blood red roses on the vanity as well as fuzzy towels of the same hue. The Jacuzzi tub also seemed to be surrounded by windows but again all the curtains were drawn.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"2:21,"he answered.

"In the morning?" I asked puzzled.

"No," he said quietly.

"Then why are all the curtains drawn?" I asked and began to reach to pull them open. He grabbed my hand before I was successful.

"No Victoria not yet, you don't want to see it. Take a bath, eat something, get some rest, then and only then will I show you it," he said.

"What is it?" I asked. He answered with one word.

"Hell".

******

"I want to see it Alex, show me," I said.

"I will Victoria but for now it can wait, you need food and rest. It is a lot to deal with. Trust me when I say to you, you need to be emotionally as well as physically ready for it," he said.

"I'm ready," I said.

"Please just bathe and eat then I will show you. I'll let you in on everything that is going on," he said.

I gave in. "Ok I'll shower up real quick, eat a sandwich or something then I want to see everything," I said.

"No. No quick shower, a long hot bath is what you need," he said as he started filling the Jacuzzi with hot water. "Get in, relax for a while. I will go get you something to eat."

"But Alex," I began. He came to me at once leading me over to the tub.

"No buts my dear, bathe and eat, then we will talk. I am not backing down on this one."

"Fine," I said. With that Alex left me alone. I looked around the grand bathroom for a minute thinking at one time this would've been an incredible honeymoon suite. I thought of all the wonderful memories that were probably made at this resort at one time, it made me sadly nostalgic for a few seconds, wishing things could go back to normal. I quickly snapped myself out of the pity party, feeling sorry for myself would not change anything. I disrobed and climbed into the large tub, a shower would have done the trick but honestly the huge pool of warm water felt wonderful. For a short time I tried to let go of all the horror surrounding me putting my mind on pause.

I closed my eyes letting the warm water and soothing bubbles engulf my body. I hadn't even noticed that Alex had walked back in with a large tray of food. I dunked my head under the water then reached out for a bottle of shampoo when I felt another hand on the bottle as well. I opened my eyes and saw Alex, oh beautiful Alex gripping the shampoo bottle at the same time. My heart skipped.

"May I wash your hair Victoria?" he asked.

"Yes," I whispered. I expected him to sit on the edge of the tub to wash my hair, apparently he had other notions. To my pleasant surprise he took off his clothes then joined me in the tub. He wasn't aggressive; he had asked to wash my hair so that's what he did. He lathered up the shampoo in his large hands, he then came up behind me and began to massage my hair. It felt amazing, I let myself melt into him, he then washed, rinsed, and conditioned my hair twice. I was completely intoxicated by him.

I let myself relax onto his lap; he started to feed me cheese and grapes from the food tray. Afterward I immersed myself into his powerful arms; we stayed entangled with one another for quite some time. I lay my head back against his shoulder, he touched my cheek. I rolled my head toward him to look into those icy blues, I did. I almost gave in but right before our lips met I stopped him. As hard as it was, I had too.

"I can't. I want too, believe me I really really want too but I just can't, not right now. I have to know before I can move on with you," I said.

"Need to know what exactly?" he asked. "If you don't know how much I love you by now then I don't think you will ever truly know."

"No, it's not that. I need to know if AJ is still alive or...or..." I couldn't bring myself to finish it.

"Yes, I understand," he said. I had hurt his feelings again, I felt horrible. Either way I went it seemed someone was doomed to get hurt.

"I'm sorry," I said. Tears began to spring up in my eyes, I started to get up away from him but he pulled me back.

"No Victoria, I do understand. I don't want you to have to live with anymore guilt than you already do," he said. "I will send the search teams out to the last place he was seen."

"I want to go," I said.

"That I will not allow," he said firmly. That got me out of the tub; I snatched one of the blood red towels and wrapped it tightly around myself.

"Allow Alex?" I questioned in disbelief. "You may rule over all these people but let's get one thing straight, you do not rule me. I don't give a damn how bad things are; I want to go on the search for AJ so I will with or without your permission. Now I can go with your people or I can go on my own, your choice," I said.

He sat in the tub for a few minutes silently; finally he got out, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself. He walked right up to my face staring at me coldly, "As you wish Victoria, but don't you ever blame me for trying to shelter you from the carnage you will see." With that he pushed the curtains open then stepped back allowing me the view that once was beautiful was now filled with fire and death.

The sky was only blue in small patches; most of it was consumed with smoke from the several fires burning as far as the eye could see. There were soldiers all around the perimeter of the resort shooting at the infected that were trying to reach the healthy inside. The absolute worse part of it was the once stunning river was now a river of drifting bodies of the infected that had tried to get to the resort by crossing the river. In these cases clearly the wide heavy flowing river was the winner yet even as other infected saw the bodies of their brethren flowing by they continued to try to make it across the river. The virus was so strong in them they were concerned with nothing more than getting to the healthy to spread their disease, they would stop at nothing this frightened me beyond words.

I looked at Alex with wide eyes still not believing if all this was real; it was hard for my brain to grasp. Then I thought of myself up here in this beautiful suite with a beautiful man and part of me just wanted to stay safe here, with him. Yet the other part of me told myself that I was being a selfish uncaring bitch, that I would never have peace of mind until I knew for sure. AJ could still be out there in that living nightmare I had to put on a brave face at least for him. I think Alex read the resolve on my face as if he knew what I was thinking.

"If you go, I go," he said.

I took his hand while we both stared out at Hell. I hoped I wouldn't regret what I was about to say. "Then let's go."

Chapter 11

Searching

"Sir I think you are making a grave mistake," one of his soldiers said.

"I did not ask for your input solider. I simply asked you to get a search team ready for me," Alex responded.

The solider looked at me then back to Alex with a disgusted look on his face. "Sir please these people need you. We can't afford for anything to happen to you. You're our only saving grace here, you must think about all the survivors not only one," he said as his eyes rested on me.

"Tread very carefully solider. I will be going on this search. I refuse to waste any more time arguing with you, get me a search team ready and do it NOW!"

"As you wish sir," the solider said quietly slightly bowing to Alex. He backed out of suite but before he got to the door he said, "It should take maybe half an hour to get things ready sir."

"Thank you," Alex said politely. I think he was feeling bad for yelling at the man. Unfortunately I thought he was going to have to do a whole lot more yelling at people before this New World was in any kind of order.

I walked back over the windows to take a better look at things around the resort. Once you got over the initial shock of everything that was so wrong out there you kind of accepted it. Just like with everything else in life if you see something enough you eventually get numbed to it, at least I secretly hoped this would become true.

I saw the barrier Alex had set up around the resort. The river became a barrier of sorts on one side, from the river there were tall fences of razor wire as well as armed soldiers stationed at different points. Littered around the razor wire fences were the remains of several of the infected. They had been shot to death by the soldiers as they were trying to find a way in the resort. Many of them had missing hands or in some occasions missing limbs from climbing the razor wire, again fear swept over me. The notion that all they cared about was getting to the healthy no matter what chilled me to the bone. I also noticed far off to the right was a fire pit where some soldiers in hazmat gear were taking the bodies to burn.

I noticed that there were black tarps put up around all the other windows of the hotel so the other survivors didn't have to see the scenes of the soldiers killing then burning the infected. It struck me that that was very much like Alex to take that into consideration. His empathy for keeping people safe and sheltered from as much hell as he could made my heart swell for him even more, perhaps the solider was right; maybe he shouldn't be put in harm's way. He was their savior. Was it wrong for me to ask him to do this? To essentially take these peoples King from them because I mean that's what he was wasn't it? The King of the New World, my Alex. Yet he was no longer just my Alex, many people depended upon him, they needed him.

As if he could read my mind he came up behind me wrapped his arms around my stomach and whispered in my ear, "It will be fine."

I turned myself to face him, "I don't think you should go Alex. I think that solider was right, these survivors, they need you," I said. "I can't, no I refuse to put you in any danger when so many other people's lives depend so greatly on yours. I can go, I will be safe with the soldiers, but your people they need you to stay alive."

"And I need you to stay alive," he said. "I understand your worry Victoria. Yes these people need me and I will lead them but in return I need you. If I lose you I will be of no good to anyone. I cannot live without you; therefore I have to make sure you are safe. The best way I can make sure of that is to keep you safe myself."

I couldn't find a good argument for that so I just said "Ok." There was a knock on the door, the solider let us know the search team was ready. I gave Alex a worried look then.

"You don't have to do this Torry," he said.

"Yes, I do.

******

We took the elevator down to the basement level, when the doors opened I was taken aback. It was basically an underground military base. It was hard for me to grasp the concept that there was no more government, no more democracy, that this man whose hand I was holding was in charge. Anyone that was once one of our troops had they survived the infection had become one of "our troops". If the president himself were still alive he was in one of these resorts and now he was simply a survivor.

I felt extreme sorrow for Alex at that point; this is just too much for one person to handle. I made up my mind then that no matter what happened I would be there for Alex. Everyone needs someone to be there for them, he was that someone for everyone else I would be that someone for him. I squeezed his hand then gave him a small smile, he returned with a squeeze and smirk of his own.

We were surrounded by soldiers; we were whisked up onto a large military vehicle. I was given a surgical mask and told to try to keep it on at all times. I was also warned that once we got past the barricade that the smell would be horrible. If I needed to puke as the soldiers so eloquently put it there were small buckets placed in front of our seats, awesome I thought.

We were in a caravan of sorts with a tank in the lead to knock things out the way if need be so we could pass through. Our vehicle was in the middle with another truck behind us that held fewer soldiers just in case we found any survivors.

"How often do they go out on searches for survivors?" I asked Alex.

"Every day, at least twice a day, one day shift one night shift," he answered.

"Do they ever find anyone?"

"They do, not as many as I would like but I refuse to stop sending out the search teams as long as I know there could be people out there fighting to survive," he said.

We drove up a ramp out into dusk, it was still light out for now. The sun was setting so it would be nightfall shortly. When we reached the front of the resort I saw several soldiers helping survivors they had found into the resort. My heart went out to them. They were all different ages as well as from different backgrounds and lifestyles yet they all had one thing in common now. They were all survivors and now they were safe.

When we got to the edge of the resort Alex reached out for my hand again. "Ready?" he whispered. I just nodded my head.

We went through the large front gate then we were outside the barrier. Once we were outside the barrier I could tell immediately, everyone's demeanor changed. I could hear the soldiers shooting at the infected that were trying to climb on the vehicle. Alex and I were heavily surrounded by many soldiers yet it was still quite alarming to know the infected were so close by. The smell was the absolute worst part by far; it was the smell of rotting flesh and burning rubber, a whole world full of dying, decomposing, and burning.

"Oh my God," I whispered then started to cry. Alex said nothing it didn't matter if he had tried as there was nothing to say.

******

We drove through several neighborhoods slowly in case there were any survivors. The shooting continued sporadically as more of the infected tried to attack our small caravan. There was a soldier with a bullhorn calling out "If you're alive come out! We are here to take you to safety! We have food, water, and shelter! Come out!" Rarely did anyone come out.

There were car crashes everywhere that clearly had occurred once the infection set in with people panicking trying to escape. This was one of the main reasons we were led by the tank it could just push the wreckage aside. The things people were so proud of at one time, their house, their car, what they worked for no longer meant shit. It made me yearn for the world I was knew yet also made me realize that material things are expendable, human lives were not.

We drove through one more neighborhood then turned off onto the long county road Ajani and I had taken on the way to the bonfire several nights ago. I knew we were heading to the cabins, the last place Alex had seen AJ headed. My heart began to pick up speed; I was finding it hard to breathe. My anxiety level was off the charts I was pretty sure Alex sensed it because he put his arm around me then and pulled me closer to him.

Finally we came upon the area of small cabins, we pulled up closest to the one AJ and I had been in. I couldn't take it anymore it felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

"I can't breathe," I said. Alex knew I was on the verge of a panic attack so he called out for oxygen. He quickly tore away the surgical mask replacing it with the oxygen. He told me to concentrate on him while breathing in and out slowly. I did as I was told, after a short time I was able to pull and push air in and out of my lungs. He gave me another surgical mask to put on once he withdrew the oxygen mask.

"You ok now?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "Sorry." I felt embarrassed to have fallen apart so easily especially being surrounded by such brave people.

"Everyone has that reaction the first time they are pushed back into hell," a soldier nearby said. It made me feel slightly better.

It was dark out now; with no running electricity out here in the woods it was very dark. Some soldiers had spotlights that they were shining in every direction. They shouted out asking if anyone was alive out there. For a while there was nothing except silence, and then there was a faint sound from the cabin.

"Quiet!" Alex yelled out. Everyone obeyed instantly. My adrenaline was pumping through my body so badly I felt like I could fly.

"Is there anyone there," Alex boomed into the night. "It's safe to come out. Ajani are you in there?"

With that the front door of the cabin burst open. About 4 people came running out to the soldiers. As the soldiers started checking the survivors out, I noticed a horde of infected making their way through the woods.

"Alex!" I yelled.

"Get those survivors on the truck and get the fuck out of here, NOW!" he commanded.

A few of the soldiers hoisted the survivors onto the truck behind us while the others fought off the infected. "Move out! Move out!" I heard soldiers shouting so we did. I tried to look behind me to see if AJ was one of the survivors but I couldn't see. I did however see a glimpse of what looked like his red charger wrecked into a tree deep in the woods. My heart sank; please let him be back there I kept praying as we started making our way back to the resort.

Chapter 12

Praying

I tried to keep my eyes open on the way back to the resort I just couldn't. I was exhausted from the emotional stress and the anxiety of the day. I continued to sit in the shelter of Alex's huge arms; I laid my head upon his chest listening to the deep slow rhythm of his heartbeat. This soothed my frazzled nerves somewhat eventually leading me down the road to sleep. I was awoken by gunshots which sent me into panic mode and got my breathing level back up to difficult.

"It's alright Victoria, were home," Alex said.

"Home," I said quietly, I chuckled to myself as we passed the gates into the resort then pulled up to the front of the hotel. Home. I looked out to the front of the hotel noticing the huge lit up sign that used to read The West Oaks River Resort had now been changed by one of the soldiers I presumed or at least someone with a sick sense of humor. They had painted over the West Oaks River in white replacing it with one word in black that word: LAST, so now the sign read clearly THE LAST RESORT. "The last resort," I whispered then fell back to sleep against Alex.

My sleep was not peaceful; it was just as worrisome as if I had been awake. The most tragic part was in the back of my conscious I wanted desperately to wake up. I wanted to see if one of the survivors was AJ unfortunately my physical body wasn't ready to cooperate.

All I could do was dream the same dreams. Dreams of what I had witnessed over the last several days. Dreams of being with AJ, his face, his beautiful smile, his voice echoing "lovely" in my ear, dreams of the passion I had shared with Alex when I thought I was dying. The absolute worst occurring dream was one of Alex ordering AJ to be killed so he could have me all to himself. With that thought I willed myself to wake up, in the plum satin sheets I sat up and said one word "Ajani".

I felt a rush of hope wash over me anticipating that AJ had been one of the survivors we had found on our search last night. I looked around to see if Alex was anywhere to be found. I was startled to see him sitting at the edge of the bed with his head hung down in defeat. My chest began to tighten with anxiety. My hopes began to fade.

"He wasn't one of them was he Alex?" I asked. He didn't answer at first I found that to be a tad bit annoying. I crawled down the length of the bed to sit behind him placing my head on his shoulder hoping this would give him the strength to answer me be it good or bad. He still sat with his head down in silence. I was trying to give him patience but honestly it wasn't my strong suit so the longer he sat saying nothing the longer I became perturbed. I needed an answer I couldn't take the not knowing any longer.

"Would you please tell me already, look at all I've been through, stop treating me like you have to protect me with kid gloves. I am a strong woman, just tell me. No more secrets, remember," I said. He didn't raise his head but he did finally reply.

"Ajani was not one of the survivors we rescued last night. I am truly sorry. We will keep trying, I promise," he said then finally raised his gaze to meet mine.

All I could do was cry. Honestly I had no idea how my body was still able to produce tears nonetheless they continued to fall. Alex pulled me to him holding me tight letting me weep. He didn't say anything he didn't have too he just continued to be my rock, my pillar of strength, my Alex.

******

After I had calmed myself I pushed myself from Alex then said, "I need to speak with them."

"They need their rest; they've been through a lot. You my dear also need some more rest," he said as he picked me up trying to put me back to bed. I sat up.

"I just woke up, I'm fine. I understand that they need rest however I need answers. I can't move forward until I know or have some kind of clue as to what may have happened to AJ," I said. He gave me a displeased look which I knew usually meant he was going to let me have my way against his better judgment.

"Very well, I'll go have catering set up a small separate area for us and the newly rescued for breakfast."

"Thank you Alex," I said. I reached out for his hand then pulled him down to me giving him a light kiss. He nodded, slightly bowed to me then walked out of the bedroom.

Once I heard the main door to our suite close behind him I hopped up out of bed then jumping in the shower. I wrapped myself in one of the plush blood red towels and set out to find some clean clothes even if I had to wear something of Alex's. I went to the closet in the bedroom finding to my surprise a her side and a his side.

His side was definitely "his" side, full of plain black T's, jeans that were neither too baggy nor too tight, as well as several dark suits, pure Alex. I turned to see if the "her" side was just more of the same, to my utter shock it was filled with clothes in my size (9/10 respectively no size 2 here) all things I would pick out for myself. Dark colored clothing with a ton of hoodies, yes I loved hoodies. I picked my usual look, a tank, some jeans, and a hoodie.

I got dressed with a small smile on my face, Alex the ever thoughtful, the ever prepared. Prepared turned my smile into a slight worried face as I began to question what was going on here. How had Alex known I would eventually be joining him here in his suite? When exactly had he gotten all these clothes and placed them here? Was it all just Alex being Alex taking care of me or was there something more sinister to it? Like he knew I was going to end up with him.

I pushed the thoughts to the back of mind trying to focus on the fact I would soon be in the same room as the last people who had had contact with AJ. I hurried finishing getting dressed finding myself quite curious to see how the other survivors lived and if they would be able to give me any important information. I certainly hoped Alex treated all the survivors as well as I was getting treated they deserved it, we all did. Over all I had a ton of questions, questions about Alex, questions about the survivors, and most importantly questions about Ajani. I just hoped someone somewhere had some answers.

Chapter 13

Questions

Alex showed up about 15 minutes later to get me then take me to breakfast. We left the suite heading to the "L" floor or the lobby I'm sure it would have been if this was still a luxury resort but now it was known as "The Last Resort". How sad but appropriate I thought at one time this was a place for families to come for vacation now it was a place to come to survive. We stepped off the elevator into the lobby it had transformed from a place to "check in" into a place to be "checked out" for the newly rescued. Once checked out they would then be placed on a registry in case they had loved ones looking for them already at the resort then they were placed in a room Alex informed me.

We walked to our left where I saw a large ballroom full of survivors set up for breakfast, think Golden Corral but gourmet like. This made me smile I knew the world outside this place was literally Hell on earth so it brought me some peace knowing the survivors were at the very least eating well. I grasped Alex's hand as we walked past the main dining hall into a smaller room off to the side of the large eating hall.

When we walked in I saw a table with 6 place settings. Two on the side closet to the exit with 4 on the opposite side. The 4 on the opposite side were already occupied by the survivors so I assumed the other 2 places were meant for Alex and me. There was also a soldier stationed outside the door I suppose to protect Alex, it seemed there was always a few soldiers a couple of steps behind Alex no matter where he went unless of course he was in our suite. Although I was pretty sure Alex could take care of himself couldn't risk losing their savior I suppose.

Alex went around the table greeting all the survivors making sure they were comfortable and feeling well. Ever the compassionate king I thought as I stood by my seat waiting for him to return to the seat beside it. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do if I was to assume the role of queen and go around to each person as well or simply just be considered a survivor like everyone else, I didn't feel to queenly so I simply continued to stand by my seat. I looked at the other survivors taking in who they were, it seemed to be a new young family of 3, a mother, a father, and a toddler aged chubby little girl who looked like a cherub angel.

The last seat contained a stunning 20 something female that took my breath away when I looked at her. She seemed to be of some mix of several different races with honey toned skin and light teal eyes. She had the same honey colored hair with streaks of blonde running through it. My first thought was she had to have been a model before the world turned to shit. Sucks for her I thought as looks didn't matter much anymore here in the New World. It was now all about being strong mentally and physically to deal with this Hell.

Alex finally made his way around to his seat; before he sat he came to me pulling my chair out and waited for me to be seated. I found myself wishing we were back up in the suite so I could gaze into those icy blues and be held in his muscular arms. I quickly stopped myself from this daydream knowing this wasn't the place or time for all that. I had been the one to request this meeting so I needed to focus. AJ I quietly reminded myself, this was why I was here.

With that I smiled nodding my head in the direction of each of the survivors as a sign of acknowledgement and respect. They all returned my nod with a nod of their own, well except the little cherub angel who was busy playing in her cereal. My smile grew as I watched her; the resilience of children was a wondrous thing. To have seen what she had seen I could only imagine yet to still be able to act like a child brought me a small token of hope.

"Good morning," Alex said. "I appreciate your willingness to come share your stories with us so soon after your ordeal."

"Thank you sir it's no problem. Without you and your men we would have surely died, anything you ask of us is yours," said the father.

"We are honored to be in your presence savior," said the mother. Boy news travels fast I thought. I glanced up at honey blonde just in time to see her roll her eyes at what the mother had said.

"Yeah, thanks," said honey blonde as she began to eat her breakfast.

"Please call me Alex," Alex said.

"Of course sir," said the father.

"This is Victoria," Alex said cordially putting his hand in front of me to let them know who I was as if they couldn't figure it out. "She is very special to me; she has some questions for you all. It would be essential if you could disclose whatever you can to her please. I know it may be painful to recall what you all have suffered but it would mean so much to us."

"No problem sir, we will answer any questions we can," the father replied. The mother shook her head agreeably. The cherub continued to play in her food. Alex finally rested his eyes on honey blonde with a questionable gaze. She looked up at him then finally said, "Sure whatever." Then went back to picking at her plate.

"All yours Victoria," Alex said looking over at me. At first I had a hard time speaking even though I had played this scenario time and time again in my head. Looking at these people knowing what they had been witnessed too I felt horribly that I might be adding to their stress instead of helping them heal. Let's just get this over with as fast as possible I thought deciding to just cut to the chase.

"I thank you all again for meeting with us," I said. Smiles from mom and dad, another eye roll from honey blonde, I kept going. "I'm trying to find out any information I can about a very special friend of mine whom you all may have come in contact with when the outbreak occurred. It was his cabin we found you in. His name was Ajani, he also went by AJ"-

"Yeah he saved me," honey blonde cut in. "I was at the bonfire I saw it all, after you passed out getting whisked away by prince charming here."

"Hey now," I started but Alex grabbed my hand.

"Let her continue," he said.

"Thanks," she said. "Anyway after you guys got out of there safely AJ stayed and fought of the burning lady. He saved me from one of those monsters then he took my hand and told me to come with him. We ran back to the cabin. Once he got me inside to safety he told me he was going to check the other cabins to see if he could find anyone else."

"He found us," said the father. "He told us what had happened. He suggested we should all stick together, strength in numbers you know? So we went with him to his cabin, brave young man he was."

"Was? What do you mean was?" I asked.

"Was!" honey blonde spoke up. "As in he isn't around anymore. He saved us, we stayed in that cabin for days but once we began to run out of food he said he was going to go look for help then come back for us. I begged him to stay but like daddy here said," she pointed at the father, "he was brave. He wasn't giving up, he was a fighter. He told me to lock the cabin door after he left and not to open it until I knew for sure we were being rescued, which I did."

"What's your name?" I asked. I don't know why but I just needed to know her name.

"Bonnie," she said. "Well actually Bonita is my given name but I hate it so I go by Bonnie, why?"

"Lovely," I whispered in astonishment.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, have you any idea what happened after he left?" I asked her then.

"All I know is that he left, I locked the door, I heard him start his car and drive off. A few minutes after that I heard gunshots but AJ never came back. We thought he had left us for good until you all showed up. So is he here? Did he send you guys to get us? He promised he would," she said.

"Gunshots?" I asked. "Are you absolutely sure you heard gunshots?"

"Honey, I grew up in the ghetto I know gunshots when I hear them," she said. "He made it here right?"

"No not yet he hasn't," I said quietly.

"Oh," she said looking down picking at her plate again her face in a disappointed frown.

I let what she had told me sink in a little more. I looked over at Alex waiting to catch his eye. When I knew I had his attention I simply said, "Gunshots." I thanked the survivors then excused myself politely and ran from the room.

Chapter 14

No Easy Answers

I had no idea where I was running too I knew I just needed to get away from everyone for a while. I tried to find a quiet spot to go to in the resort unfortunately it seemed there were people everywhere. I couldn't even let myself be annoyed with that as these people could possibly be the last healthy people on earth. We were all we had left essentially so I couldn't even take out my frustrations on them. I just politely smiled nodding my head to every person that passed. They seem to bow to me in recognition which made my paranoia of the whole AJ situation bloom.

Alex had said his father knew what was going to happen so did his father also tell him about our relationship? Had his father confided in him that I was the one to stand beside him, to be his queen of sorts? Was getting AJ out of the way part of the plan as well? I needed to know I would have to confront Alex himself with these questions; it's the only way I would ever really know.

I walked around the resort for a while to get my thoughts together. I took in that the survivors seemed to be in good spirits so I assumed that they were being treated well. That put my soul at ease a little more; it also got me questioning myself about Alex setting up AJ to be killed. Would someone that was so compassionate for others have the ability to do something like that? Would he be able to live with that kind of guilt?

I found myself heading back to the suite hoping he would be there. Once I reached the door I realized I still didn't have a key so I knocked hoping someone would answer. I had no idea whom I would get a room key from anyway, front desk I suppose. There had to be a station where the keys to the room were kept as well as a record of who was in what room sounded like front desk would be a good place for all that. I didn't need to worry though as Alex opened the door.

"I was hoping you would eventually return," he said as he stepped back so I could enter the suite. I entered slowly with my head hung down I went to the couch in the sitting area facing the view of the river that was covered by curtains and sat down.

"Come sit with Alex, we need to talk," I said.

"Of course," he replied then came to sit by my side. We sat in silence for a bit, he waited patiently for me to start. I was trying to find the right words to say. I thought of all those survivors faces I had passed in the halls. I suddenly began to feel horribly selfish for taking up so much of Alex's time. I'm certain he had plenty of other ordeals to take care of yet here he was waiting on me.

"No more secrets?" I asked.

"No more secrets Victoria," he replied.

"Fine, I'm just going to come out with it then. Did you order your men to kill Ajani?" I asked.

"Is that what you think?" he asked looking completely appalled that I would ever think that about him.

"I need to know the truth Alex. My mind won't rest without it; I have so many unanswered questions. It seems many of them are going to remain that way but if you truly love me Alex, if you want me to be with you wholeheartedly I need the answer to that question. I may never know what exactly happened to AJ however you can at the very least let me know if you played a part in it. I don't know maybe it was a part of your fathers plan," I said.

He sat looking thoughtful for a moment, I let him. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest I was certain he could hear it. I was scared he was going to tell me something I really didn't want to hear. Something that would change the way I felt about him forever.

"It is true," he said, "that it hurt me deeply to see you with someone else. It is true that you are and will forever be the only one I will ever love. It is true that I was jealous of Ajani since he had something I so desperately wanted. Nonetheless it is complete bull shit that you would think so low of me that I would put a hit out on someone. Are you so narcissistic Victoria to think this is just a whole conspiracy against you? Do you think with all that is going on I would be solely focused on making sure your new boyfriend be executed so you could come running back to me?"

It was my turn to be left speechless. I had never heard Alex speak this way. I started to feel like a complete asshole yet again. Making everything all about me, what I wanted to know, and what I wanted to find out. Maybe Alex was right maybe I was a bit of a narcissist. At this point Alex jumped off the couch went to the windows and thrust back the curtains.

"I am done trying to shield you from this shit Victoria. It is clear to me that you my dear need a dose of reality. Look out there!" he said I turned my head from it. "LOOK OUT THERE!" his voice boomed so I did as he said with tears in my eyes. "There are still people out there dying. There are still people out there fighting to survive. There are still people out there waiting to be rescued. I send men out there risking their own lives to find and help the living, not to kill them. Believe me, if Ajani had been found alive he would have been brought back here like everyone else. I would not waste a life like that, no matter what I may gain, and if he is still out there alive we will find him. I would never kill someone to win your heart over Victoria, NEVER!" With that he stormed out of the suite leaving me there to face reality.

******

He didn't come back to the suite all night. I felt wholly alone for the first time since all this had happened. I also felt awful for even questioning Alex. He had saved me, he had brought me back from the brink of death, and he had welcomed me back into his life and heart with open arms. He had taken care of me, given me what I had asked of him and kept me safe. It wasn't just me either Alex had done the same for thousands of others, he didn't have to help any of these people out he didn't know anything about them yet he did. I wanted so badly to apologize to him to let him know I was wrong for questioning him. I wanted to let him know I appreciated all he was doing for me as well as the others yet he never returned.

I thought about going to look for him then thought that was me being selfish again, I should give him time the same way he had given time to me. I really needed to work on my self-interested ways; it wasn't always about me or what I wanted. He had so many people to worry about as well as care for I shouldn't make that burden heavier I should be trying to lighten the load.

I hardly slept in the huge bed alone. I kept listening for him to come back in the suite to no avail. I eventually fell into a restless sleep waking up to a still empty suite. I took a shower then tried to eat something from the small kitchen. My stress level ended up being way too high for me to consume much.

Just when I was about to give up and go roaming around the resort hoping maybe I would run into him I heard a keycard swipe followed by the door opening. My heart jumped with excitement but swiftly sank a little knowing we weren't ok. He made his way down the small hallway stopping as soon as he saw me. As our eyes met he gave me his famous Alex smirk making my heart swell once again. I ran to him then wrapping my arms around his waist.

"I'm so sorry Alex. You're right; I'm never going to know exactly what happened out there. Honestly no one is ever going to know. I'm sure everyone has questions but there are no easy answers. I've been so selfish Alex, I am really so"-

He stopped me. "It's ok Victoria, everything's ok," he said holding me close to him. Relief washed over me as I stood there breathing him in. "I got something for you," he said smiling.

"Why would you do that?" I asked. "I was the one being a bitch; I don't deserve anything besides you've already done so much."

"Hush," he said. "Wait right here, ok?"

"Ok," I said. He went to the door opening it. I heard an all too familiar sound of paws on hardwood floor.

"Oh Alex you didn't," I exclaimed. Then I saw the most adorable thing ever. A German Shepard puppy running towards me, I got down on the floor to be bombarded by kisses.

"What's her name?" I asked him

"Hope," he said grinning down at us.

"Hope," I repeated.

Chapter 15

Moving On

I woke up to puppy kisses. "Awww Hopie," I said. I gave her a quick snuggle. "I love how you smell." Puppy breath is one of the best smells in the world. I turned over to find myself in bed alone. While it was nothing new it was still a shock to my system to reach out expecting someone to be there only to find cold satin sheets. Hope pawed at my hair then licked my face some more. "Alright, alright lets go get you some food," I said.

I climbed out of bed putting on my robe then headed to the kitchen with Hope at my feet. She knew it was feeding time; I put food in her bowl then filled her water bowl with some fresh water. I went to make some coffee when I saw the note Alex had left me on the fridge. Strange I thought to myself as he doesn't usually leave me notes, I know he is heads out in the morning to oversee the goings on in the resort making sure everyone was being taken care of.

I had suggested that once the majority of the survivors got over their initial shock of losing everything they once knew that we go around to meet each of them one on one. That way we could get to know them, their skills, and their talents. I was hoping we could find people with all different backgrounds and that they would be willing to help us rebuild the New World. Alex suggested we give it a few weeks before we started that endeavor. I agreed, let the people get settled in to their new surroundings. I took the note off the fridge then read it.

Dearest Victoria,

Could you meet me down in the lab? I have some important news!

Love Always,

Alexander

P.S. Bring Hope

I quickly got dressed then I put Hope's harness on, we set out to the lab although it took some time as everyone we passed wanted to pet Hope. Hope lovingly obliged she adored all the attention; I just enjoyed putting more smiles on people's faces. Alex certainly knew what he was doing, trying every way he could to bring some "hope" into his people's lives. Even though it took us a moment we finally made it to the lab where even the doctors and scientists took a break from work to coo over Hope. I gave Alex a quick hug and kiss.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well the scientists have been researching the reaction of our DNA mixing. While it still seems to be missing something to become a complete cure they suggest that if we give a little of both our DNA to the survivors they will have less of a chance of ever becoming infected plus the effect seems to last longer meaning we won't have to give them as much as often as we are now," he beamed. "Of course they will still be working on finding a complete cure in hopes that we may one day be able to save the people that are over taken by the virus, as well as finding a vaccine to prevent the virus from spreading."

"That's such great news!" I exclaimed hugging him once more.

"So would you be willing to give a pint of your blood once a week or so like I do for the people?" he asked.

"No need to even ask Alex, I'll give them a pint right now. Whatever I can do to help," I said.

"Wonderful," he said. "Let's do it right now then shall we?"

"Of course," I said as we proceeded to give our small sacrifice to help heal the world.

******

After donating blood Alex informed me he had a few more things to take care of however he did want to meet me for dinner. "Where, in the suite?" I asked.

"No, somewhere special, the suite across from ours meet me there at 7?" he said.

"Ok," I gave him another quick peck gathered up Hope then returned to our suite. I let Hope off her harness to let her enjoy exploring our suite. I walked into our bedroom area stopping in shock; there was a large black box with a red velvet ribbon wrapped around it lying on the bed. Along each side of the box were a dozen of red roses. "Oh my God!" I whispered.

I went to the box taking the small card off the top reading it. For my dearest Victoria, I pulled on the velvet bow to untie it then lifted off the top of the box. Inside I saw a beautiful black lace evening gown. It was so something I would have picked out for myself. It had a tight corset bodice made of satin with a layer of lace covering it. The skirt was more of tulle; it billowed out like something a ballerina performing the "Black Swan" would wear. The box also contained black fishnets as well as knee high black boots; I squealed I loved it all I couldn't wait until 7. My squealing got Hope all hyped up as she came running in jumping up on the bed to see what had got me so excited. She started licking my face all I could do was let her and laugh.

******

I was ready by 6:30 so I had a half hour to sit around waiting letting my anxiety build. I wondered what this was all about I guessed it was a celebration of sorts for the progress the lab had made. It was amazing news and it definitely deserved to be celebrated.

Together Alex and I could possibly save more lives that thought sent tingles through my entire body. It seemed like hours before 7pm would arrive luckily for me it eventually did. I stepped into the hall looking around no one was there, so I made my way across the hall to the door of the suite across from ours. I knocked lightly on the door causing it to open slightly much to my surprise. It looked completely dark inside so I thought for a second maybe Alex had forgotten or became too busy to and wasn't going to make it. Against my better judgment I decided to push the door open further to which I saw a huge ballroom bathed in candlelight.

Big pedestals with roses in glass vases surrounded one small table at the very end of the room. The whole back wall was nothing but picture windows letting in the light of the full moon. Standing beside the table was my Alex wearing a tux complete with red bow tie. He was smiling beckoning to come toward him. I walked slowly along the red carpet that had been laid out as a path across the room leading to Alex, I took my time to soak it all in as well as to give him time to soak me in. I ultimately reached him, I was finding it hard to catch my breath, and his blue eyes sparkled brighter in the candle light. I couldn't help wanting him right there at that moment.

"It's all so beautiful," I said quietly.

"You're so beautiful Torry, I love you," he said. "I wanted to show you how much yet I don't think it will ever be possible so all I can do," he stopped dropping to one knee. At first I thought what the hell is he doing then I kind of realized it sending me into another euphoric state of shock. "The only thing I can do Victoria is too give myself to you entirely. Will you marry me Torry?" he asked me "Will you truly become my queen?"

I gasped, it was hard to form the one word I wanted so badly to say eventually my mouth began to work with my brain again. "Yes!" I cried. With that he jumped up, picked me up, and kissed me. He then placed the ring on my finger afterward he walked me past the table to double doors that led outside to a balcony overlooking the back of the resort pool area. Usually by now people were indoors as it was late fall so it was too chilly for swimming. I was still in a trance so it took me a moment to notice that it seemed that everyone was out at the pool. Had everyone known but me? Sneaky Bastards I thought.

Alex led me to the edge of the balcony then shouted "She said YES!" To that there rose a great cheer from the crowd of survivors below as fireworks simultaneously went off.

"I love you Alex," I said looking up into his eyes.

"I love you so very much," he said. We kissed again which got even more cheers.

Chapter 16

A Sudden Change of Plans

I awoke the next morning not to puppy kisses this time but to Alex's which was a welcome surprise. I know it was our engagement party last night yet Alex was a responsible person whom always put the needs of his people before his own so I assumed he would've gotten up early making his rounds as usual.

"Good morning fiancée'," I smiled.

"Good morning my queen to be," he said.

We had had a long night partying, celebrating with everyone then we came back to our suite to consummate the engagement, several times consummated actually. We lay there for a few moments in loving silence when I thought he was getting ready to get up he tricked me by gently rolling on top of me. I smiled sleepily up at him.

"So how does it feel to be queen?" he said with that damn smirk of his.

"Well it's a little hard but it has its ups and downs," I smirked back two could play this little game. I felt the whole length of him shiver as I opened myself to him again. He felt so damn good inside me. I buried my head into his shoulder so I could let his smell consume me; I wanted every one of my senses to be engulfed with Alex. He bit at my neck pulling me closer to him by placing his hands behind my back.

"You complete me Victoria," he whispered in my ear. With that I climaxed hard, he kept going; it wasn't long before I climaxed again with him climaxing inside me.

We stayed entangled in each other for a while before my stomach started to rumble. He rolled off of me so I groaned.

"Now now we have plenty of time for that at the moment we eat, your tummy commands it," he said as he rubbed my belly. I instantly smacked his hand away.

Stop it you know how I feel about my pooch belly," I said.

"I love your belly, its perfect just like you," he said leaning down kissing my stomach sending shivers all over me again.

"Stop it seriously or we will never make it to breakfast, lunch, or dinner."

"You are correct, I know how about we go downstairs and have breakfast in the gazebo by the pool," he suggested.

"That sounds amazing," I said stretching. He leaned back over kissing me quickly.

"Race ya to the shower," he said.

"You're on!"

******

"I won," I said as I put Hope's harness on getting ready to go down to breakfast.

"Of course you did," Alex said as he came over to kiss me once more he then showed Hope some attention as well.

"Are they ready for us?"

"Yes, let's go!" he replied putting his muscular arm around me. With everything that had happened I couldn't believe I was ever going to be able to feel this kind of happiness again yet at this moment I did. I sent a silent prayer to all those still out there trying to survive hoping our troops would find them. I also sent out a silent prayer to Ajani hoping he was at peace where ever he was.

"Ready?" Alex asked.

"Yep," I replied. We made our way down to the pool area stopping several times to offer greetings to the survivors in addition to letting them love on Hope. I felt good about things; it seemed like a lifetime ago that I had felt this way. Hand in hand Alex and I proceeded to the gazebo. We decided to let Hope loose to let her explore and make new friends.

"Alex pulled out my chair so I sat down; he went around to the other side of the small table then took his own seat. Our breakfast was already there waiting for us along with a waiter strategically placed right outside the gazebo in case we wished for something else. I looked out onto the yard that surrounded the pool area seeing Hope playing with some children. I smiled then reached across the table for Alex's hand which he gladly offered to me.

"I love you Alex."

"I love you," he replied.

We gazed into each other's eyes until this perfect moment was cut off by soldiers shouting. Both of our expressions turned from complete love to utter concern.

"Get back!" I heard someone yell, I glanced over to where the children were playing with Hope.

"Alex," I gasped. He was already gone. He ran to pick up Hope then he started escorting the children back inside the resort. I turned my attention back to where the soldiers were shouting "Stop, get down on the ground" and I saw what seemed to be one of the infected that had gotten past the barricades somehow, he was bloody and staggering in my direction.

All at once it hit me; I realized who it was stumbling towards me. I instantly got up running to him. "Get down or we'll shoot, this is your final warning" I heard in the background. I ran as fast as I could to the failing man making it just in time before the soldiers got their shots off. I placed myself in front of him standing my ground. "NO!" I screamed. "It's Ajani, lower your weapons," I said.

I searched the grounds for Alex finding him ushering the rest of the children inside to safety as well as Hope. He turned around and met my gaze of despair. I continued to stand in front of AJ who had collapsed in a bloody heap to the ground. I looked back at him my eyes finding it hard to believe what I was seeing, my heart crumbling. He was covered in bite marks and bleeding profusely.

I turned my head back around facing the soldiers they were still trying to aim their weapons at AJ. "Don't shoot," I screamed. Alex was finally making his way over to me.

"Lower your weapons," he commanded. They didn't immediately respond. "Lower your weapons NOW!" he yelled. That got their attention they did as they were told backing slowly away giving Alex room to get by.

I rushed to where AJ was laying falling to my knees beside him cradling his head in my lap. I touched his face with my hand. "AJ, AJ! Ajani please look at me," I cried. "Please."

He slowly turned his head to face me opening up his eyes he whispered, "I found you lovely." He then lost consciousness, at that moment Alex was by my side.

"Get him to quarantine," Alex ordered the soldiers.

As I was holding AJ they came taking him from me. I looked down at my hands covered in blood then I looked up to Alex I immediately started to moan.

Chapter 17

Comatose

Alex came to me picking me up from the ground. He carried me back to our suite. It was a true nightmare, I thought I had seen pure Hell before but looking into Ajani's eyes at the brink of death had legitimately crippled me. I couldn't talk, I couldn't move. If this was a Zombie Apocalypse I definitely felt like a zombie at the time.

Alex began to bathe me washing AJ's blood off me; he tried to speak with me I had nothing to say. He quietly dressed me in one of his t-shirts; he laid me down on the bed telling me to try to get some rest. We both knew that wasn't going to happen.

Here I was newly engaged to a man I loved yet another man I cared deeply for that I thought had perished had fought his way back to me. No, there would be no sleep for me for many nights to come. I had no idea where to go from here. Of course my loyalties at that moment lay to Alex since I had agreed to marry him. Was that fair though? I had assumed with all the information I had gathered that Ajani was dead or worse one of the infected. With all those bite marks was he doomed to become one of them?

My mind was nothing but a bundle of confused thoughts. I refused to get out of bed except to relieve myself that allow took a huge effort to accomplish. With every step I took to the bathroom my heart grew heavier, my indecision became greater. Alex kept a regular vigil over me, feeding me when need be although I had no great desire to eat, bathing me when I suppose my stench became too much. He gave me space not pressuring me to speak as if he already knew I had no words to give at the time. He didn't even sleep with me anymore; he slept in a chair beside the bed with Hopie at his feet. Not quite the king treatment he deserved yet he continued to do it.

Days passed yet he brought me no news of Ajani nor did he ask any questions of me. He simply took care of me awaiting patiently my return from my comatose state. I had no time line to give him for that, I had no promises to make to anyone. My mind was completely shut down at times I secretly wished my body would follow.

I had no idea what day or time it was nor did I care. At times, actually most of the time I just checked out. I didn't want to face reality, it was too hard. I asked God hadn't I been through enough, I received no answer. I took that as a sign that there was no God or he didn't give a damn about what I had been through. I became nothing more than a shell of myself. No words, no thoughts, no worries, no pain, right? This was the only way I was able to survive at the time.

Then one day after Alex had washed my hair and was beginning to brush it out Hopie who had grown a considerable amount came to sit at my feet whimpering. I tried to ignore it when I suddenly realized I had resorted back to my old ways of being selfish, shutting myself down so I wouldn't have to face my problems. I wasn't being fair to the people or animals that cared for me to carry on this way. This was no way to live for any of us.

I had been spared the virus I should be grateful not stuck up in this suite letting a man who had so many more important things to do take care of me. I wasn't helping anything or anyone like I had promised myself as well as Alex I would. Time to wake up I told myself. I reached down to Hope stroking her soft fur she stopped whimpering and wagged her tail. With my other hand I grabbed the brush from Alex, he gasped. I started brushing my hair, he stepped back in awe. Once again I found my words.

"Is he still alive?"

Chapter 18

Alive

At first he said nothing staring at me like I was a ghost that had spoken which I suppose I was in some ways. I waited tolerably for him to respond to my question. I continued to brush through my thick dark hair noticing it had grown a substantial amount since this whole Hell on earth ordeal had commenced. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail continuing to await an answer, I received nothing. I still waited for an answer while I stroked Hope, she at least was responding to me being back from the dead so to speak. She was thrilled; she repeatedly licked at my hands while whining with pleasure.

I began to lose my patience at this point so I looked over to Alex asking the question again thinking maybe he hadn't heard me. "Is he alive?"

Again I waited certain he heard me that time loud and clear. I found myself slowly getting agitated with the silence, I guessed this was payback for the times he had tried to communicate with me before yet I ignored him. Fair enough I thought so I let a few more minutes tick by. When I still didn't get a response I got up out of the chair and screamed, "Is he ALIVE?"

I still received no answer. Fuck this I thought I'll go find out for myself making my way toward the suite door, before I could make my exit I felt his hands grab a hold of my midsection to hold me back. I fought to turn myself to face Alex, he still didn't say anything he just held me, I buried my head into his chest. He surprised me then as I heard him sobbing; I had never heard nor seen him act that way. Through all this turmoil I never experienced this reaction, I felt horrible yet pissed at the same time.

I needed answers; he was supposed to be the strong one like he always is yet at this moment he was reduced to tears. After that thought I felt awful, let's face it he was basically forced to bare the weight of the world on his shoulders literally. He had a right to break down from time to time just like everyone else. He may have been the savior to this New World but essentially he was still a human being with emotions was he not? With these thoughts I stopped reacting like a spoiled brat by wrapping my arms around him and for once I was his shoulder to cry on, I was his rock. When it seemed he had gotten all those over flowing emotions out I looked up into his face wiped the remaining tears away then calmly asked, "Is he alive?"

This time I got a response. "Yes barely, he is badly injured and fighting for his life."

******

"I need to see him," I said. Alex stared right through me. I got up in his face hoping that would wake him up for his state of shock of me returning to an able bodied being.

"I need to see him," I tried again emphasizing the word need. I must have broken through the barrier of his consciousness as he started to focus on my eyes and stopped looking right through me. I'm a real girl Alex.

"Ok," he said. Better than nothing I thought. He then bowed to me doing the whole after you arm deal. We went down to the quarantine wing, the doctors refused to let us in his room in case he suddenly decided to turn into one of the infected. They let us sit in an adjoining room that had a two way mirror in it.

I looked at AJ laying in that hospital bed, he was hooked up to so many wires, tubes, and IV's. He looked as if he was sleeping somewhat peacefully I hoped he was finally able to get some rest after all his torment. Even though I had no clue as to what he had been through I was certain it had not been easy struggling to stay alive while making it here on foot suffering multiple injuries. I decided the next time a doctor came in the room to check on us for whatever reason I would ask what injuries AJ had sustained along with finding out if he was infected or not.

Half an hour passed before another doctor came by to check on us. I guess they wanted to make sure their beloved Savior was ok. Alex said we were fine just sitting there continuing to pet Hope who was very content to sit at his feet and allow him to do so. As the doctor was about to take his leave I stopped him.

"Excuse me doc, but can you tell me exactly what injuries he has sustained, also is he infected?" I asked. The doctor paused he looked to Alex first silently waiting for approval before he spoke. Alex gave him a subtle nod suggesting it was fine to answer my questions.

"Well actually no miss he is not infected. We find it hard to believe since he had numerous bites yet he seems to be quite immune to the virus somehow like," he pointed his clipboard to Alex and I. This took me by surprise as I thought the bites were the main reason he was still down here in the hospital wing.

"Oh," I said nonchalantly hoping to get more info. "Then may I ask why he is still in quarantine?"

"Well miss he really isn't quarantined anymore, we just didn't want to move him as his situation is dire," he answered as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"What is his situation exactly doc?" I asked in a casual tone hoping to get a little more information from the good doctor. It was working as this time doc didn't look to Alex for approval before he answered me.

"He is in recovery from emergency surgery we had to perform soon after we tested his blood to make sure he wasn't infected. Although the gunshot wound didn't look too bad it took quite some time digging that bullet out of his abdominal area, by AJ walking around and we assume defending himself from the infected out there the bullet tore him up pretty good inside. We did our best to fix him up but it's still a wait and see type of deal," he said matter of fact. I tried to keep my cool although I was heated. No need to get good ole doc here into trouble.

"Thank you very much," I said. He left abruptly after that, perhaps he heard the edge in my voice realizing he had made a grave mistake. I waited for a few minutes pacing back in forth in front of the two way mirror. Once I mustered up my ability to remain calm I turned to face Alex and said one word, "Gunshot." I couldn't seem to escape that fateful word.

Chapter 19

A Single Shot

"What the hell Alex?" I didn't give him time to answer. "I can't believe I actually believed you. Why would you do that, why? I mean with the end of the world going on all around us how could you have that done? I cannot be that important to you I don't care how much you say you love me. That just isn't right or fair, you could've in the very least given him a fighting chance. You didn't have to do that Alex. Honestly if he would've made it here with only those bite wounds I would have choose you. Now I don't know this whole gunshot wound thing is kind of a deal breaker don't you think?" I yelled.

I broke down then, I sank to the floor sobbing wondering why Alex had stooped to this level. Hope came to lick away my tears then sat at my feet looking at me with sad eyes. Alex got up from his chair he attempted to come in my direction I stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't you even come near me right now," I said coolly giving him the look of death. "Do not touch me."

"Victoria please listen to me," he said trying to calm me.

"I don't want to hear any more of your lies, I refuse to do this. I thought this thing between you and I was right. I was stupid by once again letting myself believe in you and once again Alex you let me down. No more secrets. You fucking promised me that but you lied to get your way. And to think I was the one feeling guilty for acting like a spoiled brat. Ha! No I was just getting played for a fool. I would've given you myself forever I agreed to be your wife, if only you could have kept your promise of NO MORE SECRETS!" I screamed. I took off the engagement ring then proceeded to throw it at him. I picked myself up off the floor, briefly petted Hope's head then ran from the room.

I had no idea where I could run to escape this scorching hurt in my heart. I could only run so far before I was forced back into the reality this New World consisted of. Only everything Alex, this was his world now and I was trapped in it.

I found myself at the gazebo where Alex and I had planned on having breakfast the morning after our engagement party. I sat on the steps with my head in my hands crying. Which Hell was worse, the one outside these guarded walls with the infected or the one I was in with my heart shattered. Which truly was worse physical pain or emotional? At that moment I would have placed my money on emotional.

******

I sat on the steps of the gazebo for quite some time watching children play by the pool. I watched some adults swimming keeping vigil over the children. I wondered how many of the children were orphaned, or how many of the adults had lost their whole family. How many of these people had found the strength to keep going finding make shift families. No child was left unattended and no adult was left unneeded. In my anguish I found myself smiling, people found a reason to live even when it appeared there were none. A lost child found a new parent, a lost parent found a new child. They both needed each other to help heal the losses they had suffered, to help heal the wounds they had endured.

I sat watching them realizing I had nowhere to go, like all these people I was also a survivor. I had observed a great deal of unbelievable happenings yet they had happened. Like these survivors I needed to be strong, I must keep going. There had to be a way to achieve some kind of happiness in all this hurt. I put my head back down in my hands deciding to weigh out my options.

Had I given Alex a fair chance to even answer the questions I had asked? No. Was that fair given the circumstances? Possibly, although I knew Alex had more than enough food on his plate so to speak I couldn't get passed the facts. I thought back to when we went to breakfast with the survivors from AJ's cabin. I remembered what the beautiful Bonita (Bonnie for short) had revealed to me that after AJ made sure everyone was safe he decided to set out to find them more help. She said she heard gunshots very shortly after AJ left. What injuries did AJ sustained? A gunshot wound, coincidence? Perhaps, I couldn't rule out that there may have been others besides Alex's soldiers in those woods fighting for survival who may have mistakenly shot AJ.

I didn't know if Alex would actually sink so low to order his soldiers to shoot AJ if their paths crossed. Thinking it out caused me to fathom how far of a stretch it would have been for Alex to order soldiers to shoot one man in particular when Hell on earth was unleashed. If I ever found out that Alex had really gone through all those lengths to order his soldiers to carry out that action I would never forgive him.

My real issue was would I ever know without a shadow of a doubt what the truth was. There was only one way to know what had taken place out there. There was only one person who could tell me the full truth, Ajani. The truth lived and died with him, if he lived I would find out the truth, if he died I would never know. I felt someone come up to me standing slightly away from yet in front of me. I figured it was one of the soldiers that had come by before to ask me if I was ok.

"I'm fine," I said before they could even ask if I was alright.

"He is awakening Victoria," spoke Alex to my surprise. I slowly lifted my head glaring at him. My heart broke a little to see the sadness in his face. Hope was by his side, she whined as if she could feel the tension between us. I imagined she could, the thought of that made me feel worse but until I knew the truth I refused to let the wall I built up collapse.

"You better hope he lives," I said. I got up following him down back to the hospital wing.

Chapter 20

The Awakening

We made our way to AJ's hospital room, this time we were allowed inside the room although only for a brief visit the doctors had already warned us. I entered the room to AJ smiling weakly. "Lovely," he said in a very hoarse voice that was barely audible. I went to him pulling up a chair right next to the bed then I reached for his hand. Alex said nothing as he continued to stand in the doorway.

"Leave us," I said looking up at Alex. I saw the pain of insecurities glaze over his eyes for a second until he regained his normal icy composure.

"Very well," he responded then exited swiftly. It hurt my heart deeply to treat him so cruelly nonetheless I rejected to open my heart up to him completely again until I knew the truth. I turned my full attention back to Ajani.

"I'm so happy you're safe, I was so worried about you. We even went out searching for you," I said.

"Bonnie?" he asked. Ouch, that stung a bit.

"Yes, we found her as well as the family you saved. They are all safe, they are all here thanks to you," I said squeezing his hand. He squeezed back slightly; I decided not to push him too much remembering the doctors' orders.

"It was nothing," he shrugged off the heroic talk just like I figured he would. "I'm just happy I found you lovely."

"I'm happy you found me too," I said. I smiled sweetly at him looking into his amber eyes. "I'm so very sorry you had to go through what you did to find me."

"No worries, I'm here now," he said.

"Yes you are. Look I know you're still a bit weak and you need some rest but I really just need to know one thing AJ," I said.

"I'm fine lovely. What do you need to know? I'm an open book."

"What happened out there?" I asked bracing myself for the answer.

Chapter 21

His Story

He coughed slightly; I got him a drink of water.

"Thank you lovely," he said. He then began his story. "After I saw that Alex had you safely away from well that thing, I fought with it for a bit finally being able to push it back in the bonfire. When I looked to see where Alex had taken you there were too many other people running in my field of vision, you know it was pretty chaotic out there. I did hear Alex yell for everyone to follow him but with people moving this and that way I still couldn't see where he was.

I decided to set out back to the cabin to get my car when I came across one of those things chasing Bonnie. I picked up a big rock then bashed the damn things skull in that took it down pretty easily. I took Bonnie by the hand and we ran back to the cabin. When we reached the cabin I heard people yelling for help so once I got Bonnie securely in the cabin I went over there to check things out.

There was one of those things on their screened in porch so they couldn't get out. I quietly found a big ass branch that had fallen from a tree, I snuck up on this one too hitting it over the head just like I did the other one, it went straight down too. I helped the family get past it telling them I thought we should all stay together, strength in numbers and all that. Well as I was helping the lady with the baby, Melissa I think her name was, the damn thing that we thought was dead sits up biting me in the back of the leg. Hurt like hell lovely, it pissed me off so much that I took that big branch and stuck that thing right through the eye, and it didn't get up after that." He laughed then causing him to start coughing some more so I helped him take another drink. It also caused the doctor to pop his head in telling me I had 5 more minutes. I nodded my head to let him know I heard him, with that he popped right back out.

"What happened after that?" I asked. There was so much more I wanted to say to him. I wanted to let him know how proud I was of him for risking his life to save others. I wanted to tell him how I never stopped hoping he was alive. I wanted to tell him how I never stopped wishing he would be rescued but I didn't have time for that now. All those things would have to wait at this moment I needed the truth.

"Well we waited lovely, we could hear those damn things all around the cabin, and they tried everything they could to get into us. I got so many more bites from those things when I boarded up the windows. We figured eventually they would wander off or die or maybe someone would send help for us yet none of those things happened. I waited until I couldn't wait anymore, when we about to run out of food I told them I would go find help. What else could I do lovely? I refused to sit there and watch people starve to death especially a baby. That shit aint right ya know?"

"Yes I know," I answered.

"So I thought it would be best to try to leave during the day, those things seem to be sort of nocturnal, when the sun came up I decided to try to get to my car. I told everyone to stay in the cabin no matter what they heard. I got to my car just fine, it started right up, damn I loved that dodge," he said smiling sadly. "Anyway as I was backing up to turn around when I looked in the rear view mirror, what do you think I see seating in my back seat? Yeah you know one of those things, I started fighting with it while still trying to drive, didn't work out so well I drove right into the woods crashing into a tree.

I had my seat belt on but the thing in the back must have forgot to buckle up cause it flew right out the windshield cutting it right in half. I was shaken up but other than a few cuts and bruises I wasn't hurt too badly. I got out seeing what damage the car had sustained wondering if I would still be able to drive it out of there. Then this thing comes crawling at me, it had no legs lovely, its guts where coming out yet it still continued to come after me.

I then heard gunshots ring out as someone in the woods shot at the damn thing. Well they hit it so well in fact that the bullet passed right through its head then hit me in the gut. I stumbled backwards then passed out under a tree. Whoever was out there probably freaked out when they hit me and left thinking I was dead. I bet they felt terrible thinking they were saving someone only to accidentally kill them. It burned like fire to get shot lovely; the funny thing is though the pain was nowhere near how badly it hurts to get bit by those things."

"I'm so sorry AJ," I said. "So you never saw who shot you?"

"No I didn't lovely, I was out in those woods for quite some time. I came in and out of consciousness, once I even dreamed that soldiers had come to rescue me," he said.

Oh God, he had been out there in those woods dying when we came searching and rescuing the others in the cabin. As if I didn't already feel terrible the thought of him being right there wounded yet once again left behind, my tears started to fall.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I just feel horrible for what you've suffered through AJ," I said.

"Hey now don't cry, it's not your fault lovely, you didn't make the world turn to hell."

Damn it I should be comforting him not the other way around. I really needed to become stronger, I wiped away the tears. "How did you make it past all the infected, how did you make it here?" I asked him knowing my time was running out.

"The infected? Oh yeah right, I get it so that's what we are calling them then?" he asked. I nodded, he continued. "With all the bite marks I had suffered along with being covered in blood I think the infected as you put it thought I was one of them. As for how I made it here, it was the fireworks; they woke me up out of my stupor. I figured if someone was shooting off fireworks they had to be human. It gave me hope so with the hope I found strength I told myself to get up. I went back to check on the others, no one was there. I went back to my car; I drove it as far as I could following the glow of the fireworks. My car broke down about 5 minutes from this place; once I saw it I knew there had to be help here."

"Times up," the doctor said. Again I nodded at him, I had found out the truth. I didn't think Alex sent out a hit on AJ it seemed AJ getting shot had been a complete accident. This made me feel much better until I thought about how much of a bitch I had been to Alex. I told myself I needed to work on not drawing my own conclusions so easily. If I was going to marry the man a little trust in him would be nice wouldn't it? I got up from the chair, bent over to kiss Ajani on the cheek. I was thrilled that he was alive and doing well. I was not thrilled with the realization that this whole Ajani/Alex situation was probably going to get worse.

"See you soon ok? Try to get some rest, I'll be back to check on you when the good doctor here allows it," I said.

"Sure thing lovely, I just have one question," he said.

"Shoot." Bad choice for a response, yes I know.

"What in the hell were those fireworks for?" he asked. My heart sank, before I could even try to explain good ole doc decided it was the right time for him to chime in.

"For their engagement party of course," said the doctor.

"Excuse me?" AJ said.

"AJ, please I can explain," I said. The doctor finally realized he had said something terribly wrong so he quietly excused himself.

"Alex and you, is this true?" he asked softly. I went back to the chair sitting back down, I guess it was time to tell my story and it sure wasn't going to be easy.

Chapter 22

Ajani Part 2

At first I couldn't speak, I had no idea what I was going to say. How do you explain to your new boyfriend that you presumed was dead or worse that you had slept with your ex-boyfriend when you thought you were going to die or worse? Then by some kind of miracle you found out you were going to live yet your new boyfriend was still missing presumed dead. You even went out to search for new boyfriend yet all you turned up with were the people he had saved. When you asked them what had happened to new boyfriend they had said he left to go get help, they heard gunshots and he never returned. Then after all this ex-boyfriend decides to pop the question to which I said yes simply because I felt that new boyfriend would have wanted me to be happy.

Yep that's exactly the route I should take, hey AJ it's your fault because I thought you were dead. Ha! This should be a great conversation I knew I was going to have to have it eventually, thanks to good ole doc I was forced to have it right after he had awakened from surgery. Hi AJ welcome back to the land of the living! Oh, by the way while you were out there fighting for survival I was here getting engaged and having a party complete with fireworks. Here take a look at my ring, oh wait I don't have that anymore but that's another story for another time. Fuck me.

"Torry, answer me are the fireworks I saw due to you and Alex celebrating your engagement?"

"Yes," I said gently dropping my head to stare at the floor.

"Well talk about some damn irony," he laughed. It wasn't an I think this is hilarious kind of laugh it was more like a can you believe this shit laugh. "Why would you do that?"

"I...I..." I couldn't talk.

"Out with it, you said you could explain. I'm all ears."

"I didn't expect all this to happen this way AJ. I didn't know we were on the verge of a Zombie Apocalypse. I mean that is kind of a game changer is it not?" I asked. Well that came out completely wrong.

"I see," he said. "So let me try to understand, make sure I've got things straight. Alex saved you, you all went out searching for me one time, you didn't find me so you come back here then got engaged to Alex. Sound about right to you Torry?"

"It wasn't exactly like that AJ. I was trying to do what I thought you would want me to do if..." I stopped. Wow I was getting good at this whole mouth insert foot deal.

"If what?" he asked. I didn't answer. "Look at me Victoria! If what?"

Time to face the music; I lifted my gaze to meet his. "If you had died or worse became one of the infected. You don't know how hard it's been for me here," I started but he cut me off.

"Hard for you Torry are you kidding me right now? You've been in a resort shacking up with King Alex. Yeah I know what his status is here; it's all anyone ever talks about, The Savior Alex. I get how you could be razzle-dazzled into all that shit; I mean who wouldn't want to be the Queen of Hell right Victoria?"

I hated hearing him call me Victoria it sounded so cold coming from him, so hate filled. "AJ it's not like that, you of all people should know I'm not like that," I said.

"I thought I knew you but obviously I don't know you at all. The Torry I knew would have never gave up on me; she would've kept the light on for me hoping one day I would make it back to her. Those thoughts of you are what kept me alive, those thoughts kept me fighting to find you. My lovely would have never moved on so soon like I didn't mean shit to her. No, you are not the person I thought you were," he said.

"AJ please," I begged him.

"No, I want you to go."

"Just give me a chance," I pleaded.

"I'll give you the same chance you gave me, which was none. Get out, I don't want you here anymore lovely," he said softly.

"It's not how you think Ajani, it really isn't," I said as tears fell from my eyes. He didn't say anything else to me he just silently pointed to the door looking at me with pure hatred in his eyes. I knew by the look in those eyes nothing I could say would make a difference; I gave up on him yet again and left. I stopped right outside of the hospital door slid down the wall sobbing.

Chapter 23

Alex Part 2

I cried until I had no more tears to give. I collected myself making my way back up to "our suite". I wiped my face on the sleeves of my hoodie trying to look presentable in case I came across some survivors. Can't have the Queen of Hell looking a hot mess now can we?

Making my way to the suite I let myself in. Hope was at the door wagging her tail waiting for me, this made me feel a little better. She would love me no matter how much of an asshole I was; oh the unconditional love of a dog was a great thing. I reached down to pet her letting her lick my face knowing it had to taste like tears. I knew Alex was in the suite somewhere as Hope was here, a feeling of relief washed over me again. I still had Alex to run too.

I walked through the suite looking for him. I wanted to tell him how sorry I was for being so mean to him earlier. I only hoped he would accept my apology. He wasn't in the kitchen or his office; I passed the dining and living areas nope not there either. Ah the bedroom I secretly wished.

I walked in the bedroom there he was, I saw him putting clothes into a suitcase. I came up behind him placing my hands over his eyes then said, "Guess who."

"I have no time for games Victoria," he said coldly. I dropped my hands quickly to my sides, so much for that approach.

"Going someplace?" I asked trying to lighten up the mood.

"I will be spending some time in another suite," he said.

"Alex I'm really sorry, I admit I was wrong. I jumped the gun I should've just listened to you," I said.

"Yes you should have," he said shortly.

"Alex please you don't have to stay in another suite," I said. I didn't think my heart could take any more pain today. He stopped packing then looking up at me. He must have seen the distress on my face so he came to me; he hugged me close for a second then abruptly let me go.

"Oh Victoria, beautiful naïve Victoria, I do not wish to stay another suite truly I don't but for my own sanity I must. It is for the best," he said.

"Why?" I squeaked out as more tears began to freely flow.

"I can no longer do this with you, you don't trust me, you don't believe in me you said so yourself. I told you I had nothing to do with Ajani being shot yet you assumed I did until you heard it out of his mouth. When I said you were the only woman I'll ever love I meant it Victoria however I do not have to be with you to love you, as much as it may hurt me to leave you I feel I have no other choice."

"Alex please don't do this, I'm sorry I came up here to apologize to you. To tell you that you were right, please Alex please. I don't want to be alone," I cried.

"I am sorry," he said as a single tear fell from his eye. "I will have a soldier stationed outside the door; he will follow your orders. I will be down the hall at the other suite in case you should need me."

I couldn't believe this was happening, he gathered up his suitcase then began making his way out of the suite. "Alex please don't go I love you," I said. He stopped in the living area then turned to face me; I went to him looking up into his eyes pleadingly.

"Do you truly love me Victoria?" he asked. I nodded my head hoping he would change his mind and to decide to stay. He then reached into his pocket he pulled out the engagement ring I had thrown at him earlier in my fit of rage. He lifted the ring in front of my face twisting it in the light to make it sparkle. He then sat it on the end table beside one of the chairs in the living room. "When you are ready to love me unconditionally, when you can trust me unquestionably, when you can honestly say you are ready to become my wife forever I will be there for you Victoria. You need to sort through all the things you are feeling about AJ before I can fully believe you are ready to be by my side forever. It is your choice to make," he said. He leaned down kissing my forehead then he was gone.

Hope whined after him at the front door, I understood exactly how she felt. I had failed both Alex as well as AJ. I had failed Ajani because I had given up on him. I had failed Alex because I couldn't trust him; the years of him keeping secrets made me still question his actions. I had not been fair to either man.

I went to the kitchen pouring myself a shot of Jack Daniels; I drank it then decided to just take the whole damn bottle with me. I sat it on the end table beside the engagement ring. I then opened the curtains; I went back to the chair sitting down. Hope came and lay at my feet joining me in watching the world burn. I scratched her behind the ears taking another swig from the bottle of Jack. The world outside the resort matched the confusion and pain I felt inside my heart.

I had no idea what I was going to do now or which direction I was supposed to go in. I placed my hand on the engagement ring letting more tears fall. I suddenly came to the realization that because of my indecision to be true to either man I had lost them both, leaving me completely alone.

Coming Soon Book 2 in the Series

The Last Resort: The Choice

