Chapter 4：CHAPTER FOUR COMPANIONS

It was like if a building was on fire, all the ever-so calm zombies start to move at the same direction with some of the Runners mixed up screaming in frustrating from the slow pace of the mass, trying to walk on top of the fallen ones.

Another couple of shots resonated in the distance, the fire of the gun very bright in the natural all black night, as the moon stood shaded by the toxic clouds.

I start laughing, a full teeth laugh, a sinister expression taking over my features as my eyes become filled with a red fireish glow.

Humans… yes… finally…

I jump on top of roofs, my mind trying to calm my pulsating body, a throbbing sensation that almost made me think that my heart beat again.

I stay on top of a pole as I oversee the situation and easily conclued that they were royally fucked. The group of heavily armed men in military gear were protecting the ones in the middle; civilians perhaps; while they backed off inside one of the buildings. A quick swipe on the surroundings showed me military vehicles with the tires messed up, and for the state of the car for a very long time and distance.

They were ambushed perhaps? All the four tires had holes in them… A little odd to say the least.

They caught my attention once more when they finally reach the inside, locking the door behind them as soon as the zombies start hammering their bodies against it.

With a dumb smile plastered in my face all the time, I start to plan my hunt; I wouldn't let the underdogs zombies take my meal away now would I?

So, how should I save them? Like a knight in shining armor coming to the rescue?

Damn I knew that horse would come in handy someday, pity I never found one.

Hiding that I was a vampire sounded like fun, imagining the look on their faces when I revealed the truth send shivers down my spine and watered my mouth. It would be so… messy.

But then they would get suspicious of me, a mere human surviving in a packed city? Even more it would be problematic to fight in front of them, and saving them while pretending to fight as a human was going to be a little too much.

After all, I could always kidnap some of them, lock them up like the cattle they were, see them beg for their lives as I sip them little by little, crushing piece by piece their hopes and dreams.

Ops, not the time to be getting hard now.

Ah, no, no no… I know… I know the best way, I thought as I licked my incisors, feeling my pants get tighter. From what I saw in the movies the humans nowadays thought that vampires were… misunderstood, humans with sharp teeth and a strict diet, I could exploit that, wear my puppy eyes.

Then snap their necks inside my den.

The moment they felt under my gaze they were already mine; I was just waiting to tell them that.

I slide in the building by the upper floors, the halls filled with the undead. I easily make my way to the first floor, but I don't go to them yet; no no, I wait for them to come to me, but was kind enough to leave a path cover in zombies goo and parts.

I enter one of the rooms, sit high up the table, curving one of my legs up as to really clarified that I wasn't a zombie, and start sharpening my blade; the sword one; making the eerie sound echo through the empty corridors.

"What was that?!" I hear a frantic voice say, and decide to stop my movements, letting the sound fall.

"It was nothing, let's move on."

"No." I hear him insist, as well as flustering of sleeves and anger and fear streaming of their smells. "I'm sure I heard something."

They stop to listen, and I almost cannot stop an excited giggle from escaping my lips as I slowly rasp the sharpening tool over the blade, making it almost sound like a cry in pain.

"See?" The other said, and the silence fell again as they moved in heavy steps, covering all sides, scanning all shadows and dark spots, the impending doom of the zombies from the outside a constant reminder that makes their panic and fear grow more and more.

They frantic heartbeats sounded like music to my ears.

They were close now, so I start the sound again, making an aloof and indifferent expression once they open the double doors, passing the light from their weapons on the fallen chairs until it reaches me.

I keep my pace though, as if nothing changed, feeling the anxiety grown on the group, their minds in turmoil as if trying to figure out what the hell they were looking at; and if they should shoot or not.

I could help them with that.

The one responsible for the group, I assumed, was about to speak when I stop my movements, slowly moving my head to look at them and letting my red eyes shine in the darkness.

"What the hell!"

One of them screamed, a trigger happy that was almost pointing his gun at me once the leader interferes, as if sensing my bloodlust grow with the movement.

He grabs the weapon, but doesn't low it down, and with a raspy strong voice asks:

"Who are you? Can you speak?"

I puff at that, dropping from the table while holding my sword with the other hand, towering over the man.

Damn that felt good.

I smirk "Why should I tell you human?"

One of the ones been protected gasps, and parts the group of bulky man to have a better look, brown eyes sparkling between dust and sweat.

"Ah! You are a vampire!"

Yes I a-

Wait, you were not supposed to figure it out until I showed off my fangs. Oh well. I frown at that.

"Indeed I am. Now, what brings so many lambs to this slaughterhouse uhm…?"

"W-we were searching for you!" I raise an eyebrow at that. "For our research! I-I'm Doctor Dylan and I'm sure you heard of-"

With a bang the front door slams open interrupting the conversation, and thousands of groans and steps resonated now in the not so empty first floor.

"Well, seems like you won't be doing your research now doc. Hope you have a lovely afterlife."

As if I would let the zombies have my meal; but I wouldn't play easy to get.

The men in black started to work quickly, bringing the doctors and researchers in while barricading yet another door, but this time in this small room. I sit down once more, suddenly very interest in cleaning off my black nails from the old blood as they panic around.

"Lock the door! Push those chairs over it!" One of them tried to take my table but one simple tense of my muscles and a close in stare from my darkened eyes made him rethink his actions.

They started to focus all their attention at the door once it started to be rammed by furious undead on the other side; some held the door for their dear lives, others started to scream that it was the duty of the soldiers to do something about it, and part of them started to even cry out loud.

Yet two stood their ground; the chief and the doctor.

The chief was scanning the situation, probably cracking his brain for a way out, but the doctor had been staring at me this whole time, as if mesmerized by my features.

Which only proved he had a good taste of course.

"How old are you? Or is it impolite to ask?"

His questions take me off guard. What, you are about to die you know? How about worrying about it a little more?

"Dylan, what are you doing?" The chief asks. See, even he thinks is weird.

"Gathering as much data I can for the posterity."

Well, that was a hell of a logic. "Won't scream or beg for your life? How boring."

He gives me a weak smile, taking of a notebook and scribing all over it.

"Don't forget to add how handsome I am."

"Ok."

Wait, did he really do it? Such an obedient one… makes me want to swallow him up in one bite.

"So, have you lived here for a long time? How is your diet? There are any animals around? Or can you feed off of the undead?" Eck, hell no. He looks at my face and scribbles more. "Do you-"

"Enough." Says the chief as the door was starting to open, some undead arms making through. Now almost all the scientists were screaming as the soldiers were putting all their weight against the door, their feet backing off slowly but surely.

"Richard, you don't have to worry about it."

"After all, our friend here doesn't have any intention of letting that happen, do you?"

The moment he speaks it the cries stop as every human look at me, fear, tired, yet with a glint of hope in their eyes. That annoys me.

"And what makes you think that little one?"

"You haven't take your eyes off my throat since I first spoke to you."

Indeed I haven't, I thought once a creepy smile raised my lips up, but once that been pointed out I look at his face, encountering a pair of brown dark big eyes shining with excitement, as well as a curvy short brown hair, his skinny body been too small for the clothes he was in, making it all to tasty. His pinkish lips make me want to take a bite.

I lick my lips subconsciously, turning my face up and covering part of my features in the dark, only my red eyes shining through the shadows.

"What are you suggesting little Dylan?" I say, purring his name.

"Dylan, wh-" Richard starts, but Dylan interrupts:

"One week of blood for one week of protection, starting now."

Hm, how bold. But having them willingly come to my place would be much easier than dragging all of them by the hand, even more, playing nice for a little longer sounded like fun.

"Very convenient for you that now, isn't it? But like this there is no reason to protect your… fellow humans, is there?"

He shrugs. "You can do the hard way and make me jump in front of them all the time."

"Ha! As if you would be able to jump faster then I… But I agree to your terms, I'm feeling… charitable today. One week, as much blood as I want and need, and I promise no harm will fall upon you."

"Deal."

I felt like the devil making a contract.

It felt amazing.

Without giving him time to protest I throw him over my shoulder, slapping his butt so he would stop moving, and suddenly appear beside the door, making all the soldiers jump back as I quickly hold the metal with only one hand. I look at them with a smug smile in my face, and punch the door open outwards, swashing the zombies behind it.

Hardly did they know that, for now, they could be safe from the zombies, but had nothing to protect themselves against me.

And that was to my greatest delight.