Nova Nocte (Book 2): Quarantined in Chaos

by Melissa Gibbo

  So she doesn’t trust us. I can’t blame her, but it will make it hard for us to trust her.

  “Our company is only twelve people and a dog right now, but we’d be happy to make it fifteen and a dog. Care to join us on our journey?”

  “Where are you going?”

  His sister let go of her ear and interrupted.

  “You said twelve, where are the other two?”

  Her brothers leapt to their feet as she rose and brandished her rifle. I looked down the barrel and reminded myself that if she fired, it would hurt but not kill me. Beside me, Cal cleared his throat and pointed up. Reggie looked annoyed; Daemon waved and grinned.

  Thank God he’s cute.

  “What the...?”

  I took the Remington from Margot and sat back down.

  “Maybe we should start over. They call me Squirrel. We are a mixed community of humans and vampires on our way to Canada because the zombie outbreak is only in North and South America starting a few miles short of the Canadian border. The rest of the world is fine and the Undead gentleman over your head is acting as a guide slash smuggler to get us out of quarantine and into new lives. So again, would you like to join us?”

  Reggie and Daemon landed behind each of her buddies and took a seat quietly. Soon everyone followed suit and acted nonchalant. I fought the urge to laugh as the befuddled trio blinked rapidly and let the words sink in. Claude put his machete on the ground.

  “Can you give us a minute to talk this over, please? It’s a lot to take in; I want to make sure I’m not tripping on bad meat or something.”

  “Please, go ahead. Do you three mind if we use your fire to warm up some of our SpaghettiOs?”

  The family gave us the go ahead and we waited. After ten minutes, Victor led them over and Claude began to carve up their cooked game.

  “We’ll join you. We just want to know the catch up front.”

  Margot started handing some of the meat to Sunny and the others. I ignored the too friendly glances she gave Daemon (although my fangs may have descended when she checked out his butt).

  A good peace offering. There’s nothing like breaking bread to bring people together.

  “Perfect. Now we are going to need the three of you to trust us and relax; we need to ask you some questions...”

  After the glamoured interviews went fine, the terms of the Pact were agreed to. When we were done, the only sound was chewing. After a tense supper and some light conversation, the sentries were posted and everyone set up their bedding for the night. Our quartet of vampires left the camp just before dawn to spend the day hidden in a crumbling hunting shed a few miles away. I snuggled against Daemon and drifted off to Nod.

  CHAPTER 16 JANUARY 3RD & 4TH - YEAR 2

  Our travelling detail has grown to fifteen people, a German Shepard, and a toddler. We found the little boy in our sweep of a little white house in Ridgeland. Poor kid was barricaded inside the place with a maggot-ridden corpse and nothing else. Chase and Victor led the search and came out carrying this half-starved child covered in filth; he can’t be more than three or four. Sunny and Nurse cleaned him up, gave him water and food, and haven’t let him go.

  “I think the body in the house must’ve been his father or something; looks like the guy had a heart attack.”

  I looked at the Nurse and adjusted the flue on the fireplace.

  “Wonder if the kid has anyone out there looking for him.”

  I glanced at Sunny rocking the sleeping child in her arms.

  I guess she’s a Mom a little early. I pray that we got to him in time.

  “Not likely. He’s been in that house across the street for a few days at least. I think the little guy will be okay, but he’s gonna need a name soon.”

  “Do you think that was his home? We could go check it out for clues. Or maybe...” I felt my voice waver “his dad’s wallet.”

  Bubba tiptoed past Sunny and her bundle.

  “We got that feller buried. Even said a couple of prayers fer him. How’s the little one doing?”

  “Nurse says he should be fine, just really needed food and water. And he’s got a serious rash from that mess.”

  He plopped onto the futon and kicked off his boots.

  “Well ain’t that a prayer answered.”

  I listened to the child’s breathing and Sunny whispering soft lullabies.

  Reggie and Margot came in and got a stern glare from her before they walked more softly.

  “Sorry.” They whispered. I stifled a laugh at the sight of Reggie being so fearful of the hormonal woman. He sat down his growing bundle of gold jewelry behind her chair.

  She gave them a satisfied smile and the pair turned to those of us near the hearth.

  “What’s up?” I asked.

  Reggie handed me a picture. It showed a happy family: mom, dad, and a baby at a party. The father wore a yarmulke and a shawl, the mother a simple dress. I turned it over and found words scribbled in blue ink.

  Chaim’s Bris.

  “His name is Chaim.”

  The room echoed with the announcement.

  Hebrew for life. Appropriate. I wonder if the universe laughs at little things like this.

  Sunny stroked the child’s forehead.

  “Hello Chaim. I’m going to take good care of you. I promise.”

  ###

  We’re on our way again now that Chaim is better fed and rested. The triplets took the lead on the road march, Reggie and Daemon flew ahead marking a path for us, Cal and I took up positions at either end of the line. Sunny, Chase, and Chaim were the only ones walking without their weapons drawn; they didn’t have to, all of us stood prepared to protect them. Nurse kept close and carried Sunny’s spear while Sindbad stayed on their heels. Chaim pointed out animals and chattered to his new foster parents from time to time. It was uplifting music for all of us.

  Around ten we stopped so Chaim could be put into a stroller we scrounged from the back of a wrecked Durango. He fell back asleep with a gentle whimper. Sunny stretched while her husband rubbed her back and shoulders.

  “He’s heavier than he looks.”

  Chase’s lips curled at the edges.

  “Kid’s always are. He’s adorable though. And he’s finally gaining some weight.”

  We circled up on the highway with our backs to the broken down traffic to block the wind. I gathered a little of the long tan grass and some twigs.

  “Anyone got our flint kit?”

  Pockets got patted down and bags got searched. The howl of the wind nearly drowned out the distant groans of the Dead. Sindbad growled but stayed put. Vincent handed the sandwich bag full of dryer lint and a flint bar.

  “Here you go. I’ll grab some more wood and set up a guard while we grab a nap and a bite.”

  He tipped his hat and set off on his mission. The lint took to the flecks of heat instantly, to my eyes it was an explosion of fireworks at my fingertips absorbing and evolving the energy trapped in the discarded multicolored lint into a burst of dancing light.

  This must be what it’s like to see a sun born from space.

  I ignored the impulse to fixate on the magic before me. The more I pushed aside the tug from within, the better grounded I felt. My reverie was shaken by Hannah.

  “The fire looks good. Do you want me to set up a little wall to keep the light from attracting fleshies?”

  “Yes. That’s a good idea. I’ll get some panels and bumpers for the wall. Can you tend the fire for me?”

  “Sure.”

  I stripped a couple of loose bumpers and some front panels; the racket was louder than I’d intended but it was nice to see progress as the tin barrier grew. A moan wafted on the air like a falcon, causing my ears to twitch.

  That one is getting close.

  Lips kissed my earlobe and whispered.

  “How about a stroll in the woods?”

  I spun to find Daemon smirking.

  “To deal with that zombie or to do something dirty?” I teased.
<
br />   He put a hand on my waist.

  “Who says we can’t do both?”

  “What a romantic date you have planned.”

  I put my hand over my heart and batted my eyelashes pantomiming being swept off my feet.

  “Ahem. Do you mind if I intrude on your little tryst?”

  We both separated and our hands went to our sides; we were school children caught by teacher. Reggie stared at us and chuckled.

  “Hands in the cookie jar, huh? Looks like Caelinus was right to have me check in on you two lovebirds.”

  “No, yes...” I stammered and the moan repeated a little louder. “...we were just about to go put down that fleshie.”

  “I’m sure you were. Doesn’t need both of you though.” He looked back at the others huddled around the blossoming fire. “Of course, if the two of you wanted to take an hour and clear the area thoroughly, I think Cal would understand.”

  He winked and strolled away.

  ###

  Daemon and I cleared the area of Dead in ten minutes. We went in opposite directions and circled around until we met a few miles ahead of our camp. I fell into Daemon’s arms and we lay back on the hard earth near an overturned ambulance. He trailed kisses over my neck and collarbone; each kiss was a buffet for my newly heightened senses.

  I pulled him down on me and moved my fingers from his lapels to his chest; his hair gave my cheek its own gentle caresses. I felt my hunger rise with the arousal as our mouths found each other. Daemon slid out of his jacket and shirt like it was on fire. I gave his nipples playful bites while I scrambled out of my shirt.

  He sat over me on his knees; I ran my hand along the tightening front of his pants. Daemon leered at me and bit his bottom lip. His fingers deftly opened my jeans and slid inside. I gasped as the rolling sensations took over and grappled with his belt buckle. As I pulled him free of the pants, his enthusiasm reached for me.

  “Commando, huh?”

  I licked the tip and was rewarded with a groan. He shifted his index finger and ring finger and I found myself echoing his response.

  “Ohhh, mmmm...”

  My lips ran over the shaft and dragged my tongue back up to the tip before wrapping my mouth around his trembling member. I rolled my tongue and hummed gently while I sucked. His fingers entered me while he kept circling his thumb on my clit. I opened my eyes and was mesmerized by the shifting waves of particles; I timed my movements with the rotations of the energies.

  “Oh, god yes. Whatever you’re doing, don’t stop.”

  Exactly what I was thinking.

  I gradually increased the suction and drew my lips from the base to the head, while I rubbed Daemon under the base with my fingers. Gripping his sack, I massage it and arched my hips for him to penetrate deeper. I released my mouth and flicked the end with the tip of my tongue.

  “Daemon, I need you.”

  I kicked out of my damp jeans and he inserted himself with another moan. I rode him in time with the waves of light dancing on his skin while he thrust into me. The asphalt beneath us cracked, causing an abandoned El Camino to roll into the ditch. I clung to him at the waist with my legs and sank my fangs into his neck to stop the escaping screams.

  Daemon’s fangs locked onto my left breast and he drank to the rhythm of our lovemaking. The ground began to move and sink from the impact of his plunges. I close my eyes and sank into the cresting passion. He released my breast and brought my face to his with his fingertips. Our eyes locked and the world felt light as air. I kissed him and kneaded his tongue with mine as we came to a mutual climax.

  “I love you, Squirrel.”

  I held him tight to me.

  “I love you, too.”

  “Are you going to let us drop?”

  I tilted my head at him.

  “What?”

  Daemon chuckled and kissed my cheek. He looked beyond me; I turned my head. We were hovering a foot over the fractured road.

  “Oops.”

  We crashed back to the earth and laughed.

  “I’ve never had sex in the air before; we should try that again on purpose one night.”

  “You’ve only had sex once before.”

  He helped me up and handed me my wranglers.

  “And that was good, too. We should do it that way as well. Pretty much we should just keep doing it.”

  I pulled my clothes on and tossed his shirt at him.

  “No objections here. Probably shouldn’t do it near anything breakable though.”

  Daemon stopped me as I pulled my shirt over my head and kissed my stomach. Lingering tides of desire stirred.

  “We should go back to camp soon. I think we are way over our allotted hour.”

  He stood and placed his jacket on my shoulders.

  “You’re welcome.” He brushed crumbled stone from my hair.

  “You, too.” I joked back.

  We strolled back down the road and talked about the future we could have outside of the quarantine.

  ###

  Our return wasn’t commented on, by Cal or anyone else, but we did come back to a wall of smirking faces. Except one: Margot. Daemon and I joined the others for a few minutes before the next portion of our journey commenced. Chaim snoozed, blissfully oblivious to the world around him. Chase tucked another blanket around him and adjusted his beanie. The rest of the night passed uneventful except for a few remarks about the mysterious damage to the highway we passed twenty minutes later.

  CHAPTER 17 JANUARY 5TH-8TH - YEAR 2

  We’ve been pushing our travel hard to cover ground. Between Sunny needing to puke or pee and Chaim being, well, a toddler the trip is frustrating. Last night we started having one vampire carry Sunny ahead with them after we clear out an area. The other vampire getting switched between trailblazing and group protection, stays to help set up our next resting spot. Sunny is less than pleased.

  “This giant game of leap-frog the preggo is a waste of time, Squirrel!”

  I start putting vehicles in neutral and pushing them into a barrier wall.

  “No it’s not. It is the best way we can keep moving at a good pace without endangering your or your baby-to-be. The others will catch up in an hour or so and by then we will have a resting spot set up and some food cooked. Try to relax.”

  A pot flew past my head.

  “Listen to me! This is not okay. I don’t want to spend every night getting flown around and protected; I can take care of myself. I’m only five months pregnant, it’s not like I’m in labor.”

  I walked the pot back to Sunny and placed it next to the fire she was coaxing to life.

  “But you will be. You may even give birth on this trip if we can’t make it because of the weather or because we have too many Dead near the urban areas. Or you could lose the baby, and possibly your life in the process, because of the toll this venture is taking on your body.”

  She went to sit and I helped lower her to the torn out Volvo seat.

  “Sunny, we all know you’re tough, but this is your health. Look around; it is fucking winter and we are going north.”

  Sunny absently rubbed her protruding stomach and glanced around. I watched the understanding weave its way into her. I listened to the tiny heart beating inside.

  “Less food ahead. Less shelter. Less heat. More Dead.”

  “Exactly. We are doing everything we can now so that when it gets bad, we will already have things covered. It’s not that we doubt your will or skill in this struggle; it’s that we care too much to risk losing you.”

  I knelt beside the expectant mother and warmed her hands in mine. “I think I’ll get the fire going better.” She cleared her throat while I pretended not to see her wipe a tear. “Could you grab some more wood when you drag off those zombie bits?”

  “Sure.”

  I grabbed the nearest piece of dead guy and toss his ass into the woods. Literally his ass, it was the bottom of a torso.

  ###

  The parade has been forced to stop and hol
e up in temporary shelter of abandoned vehicles and useless cargo. The plummeting temperatures and stinging winds are taking a serious toll on our companions. Our scavenging of inert traffic has escalated to new levels as we add heavy coats, blankets, thick hats to our list.

  We’ve come across more Dead than usual along the road, bringing up the argument of whether or not we should leave the road. The only bright spot is that so far no one is sick and we’ve found a couple of decent stockpiles of unexpired cans. I’ve finally realized that I’ll never eat again; unless you count drinking the blood of my friends and allies. Even when we leave the quarantine, I’ll never have another donut, turkey leg, or even a banana.

  The new donation schedule is penciled out and I’ve got Margot tonight.

  If she asks to be Daemon’s donor with that grin one more time, I may overdrink and deal with her brothers later.

  “Hey, Squirrel, can I talk to you?”

  I shake my head and switch it to a nod midway. Hannah’s face told me I must’ve resembled a bobblehead on a tilt-a-whirl. Nurse stood next to her, Sindbad oddly absent.

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  She sat down under the makeshift canopy of car doors and tarps. He didn’t.

  “It’s about the trip; I won’t be able to keep going with the rest of you.”

  I returned my calendar to its plastic bag and pushed all the worries from my mind.

  We’ll be okay if we only lose one donor. She can’t seriously think we can escort her back to Edith & Liam’s though. We can’t wait through the winter even if she’s willing to.

  “It’s your choice if you don’t want to stick it out and travel with us through the weather, but there’s no guarantee you’ll make it back to Nova Nocte at the Hedburgs’ place. We can set up something here if you want, wouldn’t take us more than a few days.”

  Hannah looked at the Nurse and her bottom lip trembled.

  No. She’s fine. There were only a couple to put down yesterday...

  She rolled up her pants leg and revealed an infected bite mark on her calf. The arteries around the wound snaked outward revealing the quick travel of the poisonous nip. The leg was dark and the sparks of life were dimming all over her skin. The silence of the death sentence hung until Nurse knelt and lowered the denim.