Whatever I’m feeling can’t be sustainable. I’m not like the Keepers. I refuse to be foolish and do anything nonsensical, and yes, torturing Fiona’s ex makes a lot of sense. Someone needs to rid the world of its trash, and I’m more suited for the job than most.
And if Fiona gets herself into trouble, that’s on her. She’s the one who wants revenge. Let her deal with the fallout.
This is all about sex. Nothing more. Nothing less.
It’s not lost on me that I’ve never had to lie to myself before.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Fiona says, looking small in the layers of clothes I’m making her wear.
My heart nearly stops beating at the thought of something getting to her. I don’t want to take her out into the streets. I want to keep her here, safe, where I can keep her well fed and sated.
“Are you sure you want to go? You’re only going to get in my way.”
“You’re not talking me out of this, and don’t act like you don’t like fucking after you’re done. If I’m not there, what will you do? Are you going to fuck Brett’s corpse?”
Ewww. I would never.
“If the people I used to run with see me, they’ll shoot on sight.”
“They hate you that much?”
“They fear me, which is worse than hate, because fear is harder to control.”
“Well, I won’t get you killed.”
“You know there are risks—”
“I’m aware! Now hurry up.”
There’s no putting this off.
I hand her a sword she’s been practicing with, because her axe had her getting too close to the dead.
“When we get to the apartment, I’ll go in first. You trail me by ten steps. Do you understand?”
“It’s literally imprinted on my brain.”
“Your sarcasm isn’t as witty as you think.”
“Maybe if I wasn’t bored to tears, I’d think up something more insightful.”
“Fine. Let the excitement begin.”
Chapter 12
FIONA
Standing outside of the apartment I’d hid in with Brett, I’m overwhelmed by hurt feelings.
So many things happened here.
I would have fallen apart the night the dead came into the city if it weren’t for him. Somehow, amid chaos, he got me to safety, finding an apartment a few floors above ground level that wasn’t occupied. We hid for days, and when he finally went outside to see if it was safe, he insisted I stay inside.
He made me feel special, and I suppose that in the beginning, I was. Somehow, over time, his feelings for me changed and I went from being his girlfriend to being a commodity.
For a while, it was charming. It felt like we were the only two people left at the end of the world. Occasionally, I’d see someone from the window, but Brett told me it was too dangerous to make friends. That they’d want to take what we’d had. Which was me.
And I believed him, for it was undoubtedly true.
