Havermouth, The PresentTalen pulled Cameron out of the crowd that had formed around Rhett. “Do not become separated from Morgana and Rhett,” he told him, leaning his forehead to the red-haired alpha’s. “Watch sharply for danger if the three of you go into any of the houses. Be aware that Rhett’s reactions may be impacted by his exhaustion, and that Morgana does not possess either the strength or speed of werewolf.”“Talen,” Cameron protested, gripping his shoulders. “I’m coming you.”“You need to stay here, Cam,” Talen told him firmly. “With Morgana and Rhett. They need you.”“What the f-k do you think is inside the hospital?” Cameron’s head turned towards the building and the crumpled carpark of tents, his eyebrows pulling together in concern.“I do not know,” Talen replied honestly. “But we can all smell that there are dead bodies under these tents. I think, as they have not moved to intercept us, they are not zombies. But I cannot be sure, knowing that there are zombies lose in th
Havermouth, The PresentThere were no triggers that could be determined from outside, and so they moved to the external doors, weapons held ready, whilst the bomb experts forced the frosted glass doors open.The zombie burst out of the opening. A Van Helsing, his body covered in third degree burns, with bandages just clinging in places, and IV lines dangling from the needles in his veins, he let out a horrible, inhuman, screech.Rohan’ s men’s gunfire sliced through the zombie at the knees, and as he collapsed, he continued in his efforts to reach them, clawing along the floor with surprising speed, dragging lower legs that clung only by a few sinews and strings of skin, leaving behind a gory trail.Rohan’s bullet exploded the Van Helsing’s skull, splattering the ground and walls in brain matter. Heath regarded his childhood friend in surprised re-evaluation. He wanted to tease Rohan playfully, as his friend had done blowing him a kiss earlier, to take the edge off his uneasy surprise
Havermouth, The PresentCameron stood on the tray of the Unimog next to Aislen watching as Heath and Talen made their way through the white tents. Beside the werewolf soldiers, it was not easy to keep Talen within eyesight, he towered over even the tallest, something that made Cameron slightly nervous as it would also make Talen a target.Aislen gripped Cameron’s arm in both hands, her eyes also glued to their mates.“Give me a hand up, Cam?” Rhett called up pulling Cameron’s eyes down, and he bent over to grip Rhett’s wrist in his hand, lifting his mate up too easily.“Shit Rhett,” Cameron scolded his mate as Rhett rose to his feet and dusted his palms off on his knees. “You could compete as a featherweight.”Rhett scowled. “I could still take you, puppy.”Cameron pulled a dubious face. “Not at the moment, you couldn’t.”“Shut up with that crap,” Rhett’s attention was on their mates, and not their conversation, so his banter was absent minded. The ambulances and tents partially obscu
Havermouth, The PresentAs Cameron stepped in front of Aislen, Rhett wrapped his arms around her and hauled her back into the house, hoping that the puppy would follow, but possessing only the strength to lift one mate. As he shoved Aislen into the house, he heard a gunshot ring out, and jerked around in time to see Cameron hit the ground.Aislen shrieked, her face contorting in pain and fear. “Cameron!”“F-k,” Rhett scrambled on all fours to where Cameron had collapsed on the footpath.There was a roar from the direction of the hospital, and suddenly one of the Van Helsing 4WD’s was flipped onto its side. Heath jerked as a bullet grazed along his cheek bone and blurred out of sight again. A thunder of footprints tore Rhett’s eyes from where his blonde mate had been to where the soldiers who had been in the houses ran towards the shelter offered by the upturned 4WD and Unimogs and began to lay down covering fire for those who had been caught exposed by the tents.He heard Talen’s voic
Havermouth, The PresentAislen ignored the protests of her men and was up off the bench seat the moment the Unimog slowed and started to stop. Talen rose, catching her by the waist and steadying her against the final rocks of the truck with expert balance, before jumping lightly down and reaching up for her.She stepped into his arms with utter confidence that he would catch her. “Sorry, daddy,” she said as he set her to her feet. “I need to know that August is still secured.”“We all do. Heath and Rhett can take care of Cameron, let’s go check on…” He trailed off as the destruction came into sight. “What the f-k happened here?” He marvelled.“You sound like one of the Triquetra,” Aislen remarked absently, her eyes scanning the damage. “Something f-king went on,” she summarized. “We’ll find out what after. Let’s go,” she tugged on his hand, pulling him along behind her towards Leighton’s ancient warehouse.It was crumbling, Aislen thought, the building too frail for what they had been
Havermouth, The PresentAislen swallowed hard. “Well,” she said slowly, feeling all their eyes on her. “I dreamt about you.” Leighton tilted his head to the side. “I dream about things sometimes,” she continued, feeling her skin prick with sweat. “I dreamt about you meeting Verina… I dreamt about the flood and the bodies, and I dreamt about you crossing the river. I saw you go to the Edison’s farm and take Mr Edison’s Ute, and go to the caves near the dam…”“Mhm,” Leighton shifted slightly. “That was accurate.”“Normally when I dream things, they’re like a warning…” Aislen glanced at Stella. “And I’m starting to learn to pay attention to them. I dreamt about you… and Verina… and that’s why when we first encountered you and the zombies, I sort of trusted you.” Though it hadn’t hurt that he was f-king hot, she admitted to herself. “And I think my dreams about the river and the bodies were trying to tell me something. I thought that they were warning me that the flood was coming, but… Wh
Havermouth, The Present“So,” Aislen raised an eyebrow at Leighton. “How is it going?”Leighton laughed under his breath and ran his hands through his head. “You expect miracles of us, Aislen Carter,” he told her.“We have been working on isolating a measure of the infection,” Connery announced. “If we can get a measure of the infection, then we can get a measure of quantity of vampire blood required to neutralize it. At the same time, we are looking at ways of concentrating the blood, and distributing it in the water to maximum effect.”“Bleeding in the water won’t be effective?” Talen raised an eyebrow.“Not really,” Connery replied politely, although the look he exchanged with Meguitte was indulgently exasperated. “We are talking about people rotting into the water and being consumed by the wildlife, the virus then being excreted into the water at a later time - ”Aislen covered her mouth with her hand. “No,” she gagged. “Excuse me…” She broke away from the group. Talen scooped her
Havermouth, The Present“Could take a shower?” Cameron said looking down at the mess of his top and shoulder as they waited for the water to boil over the camp stove.“Not much point,” Heath was, if anything, covered with more blood, but not as much of his own as Cameron was. “The day is not done yet,” his grin stretched his cheeks, and he ran his tongue over the elongated sharp points of his teeth. “Let’s just clean up a little, and then you three can head back to the bunker - ”“Bull shit,” Cameron’s head jerked up from his inspection of his wound. “We’re not splitting up, Heath.”“Look, Cam,” Heath said reasonably. “You’re shot, Aislen’s pregnant, and Rhett…”“Rhett’s what?” Rhett demanded as their eyes turned to him. “Rhett’s fine. Everyone needs to stop worrying about Rhett. Rhett’s got this.”“Rhett’s talking about himself in third person,” Heath pointed out.“Rhett knows that,” Rhett scowled. “And Rhett’s not staying behind whilst Heath and Talen go and risk their lives fightin