When he’d been injured in the field, he’d healed at a normal human rate. When he’d been injured in his altered form, he’d healed within hours or days. He wasn’t willing to risk his human form. Luckily, they had suppressors for most of their weapons. They would need to pick up extra cleaning gear for those weapons along with the ammunition. He’d never used a bow and arrow and wasn’t sure now was the time to learn. At some point they would need to find weapons that didn’t make noise. He also didn’t want to keep changing at every turn to fight these things. It not only hurt like hell but it left him exhausted and hungry.
The glass to the door spiderwebbed out and he pushed gently. Shards fell inward and he reached in and flicked the lock. Opening the door, he held his arm out to stop Jess just walking in. The man was a newb. Sniffing the air, he detected no scent of decay. Listening, he heard nothing and there was enough light filtering in the windows to see into the store. He nodded to himself and went in.
“I’ll stay out here and keep a lookout,” Ethan said.
“What do you suggest I get?” Jess asked as he rushed into the store.
“Have you ever handled a weapon? Are you familiar with them?” Xander asked.
“Well, no. I’ve always thought that only the police or military should have weapons,” Jess’ voice held a hint of sanctimonious piety.
“How’s that workin’ out for ya,” Zahara asked and laughed as she moved up and down the aisles. Jess turned a dull shade of red and Xander coughed to cover his laugh. There was a great divide in the country when it came to owning guns. He had a special affinity for his own arsenal and at this point in time was damned glad he had it. He had ammunition to last several lifetimes but, in his book, you could never have too much.
“Okie-dokie. I think a shot gun will work best for you. You can get a wide spread and do some damage to those things out there. My advice it to aim for the head,” he said and walked over to a section with rifles and shotties. He picked up a Benelli M4 and looked it over.
“This one should do you good,” he said and handed the weapon over to Jess. Jess took it, his mouth opened in uncertain awe and aimed the barrel at Xander’s middle. Xander yanked it back and snarled down into Jess’ face.
“Never fucking aim a weapon at anything until you’re ready to fire. You’ll kill your kids or your wife, you idiot.”
“Oh. Sorry,” Jess said weakly.
Grabbing Jess by the upper arm, he steered the unresisting man over to the shelf that held boxes of shells. For ten minutes he showed Jess how to load, unload, fire, weapon safety and handling and how to clean it.
“I found some machetes and a samurai sword. I call dibs on it,” Zahara yelled from across the room. Her eyes glowed gold and Jess tripped and stared hard at her. Her smile was broad and her canines had grown to nearly an inch. Somehow the world ending had set Zahara free and Xander wondered if she would destroy herself with unlimited violence to be had? Killing for work and killing for fun was a tightrope and perhaps trap. Being a werewolf, however, killing was in their very nature. Xander had always accepted that. Though his early life had been violent because of his father, it had only been beatings and criticizing. Xander had never felt his life threatened by his father. Little had he known about his mother until much later.
Zahara’s had been filled with untold abuse and she held a deep streak of vicious rage and violence in her soul. She had reveled in the slaughter and he could see that she wanted more. She’d been set loose on the world. At this point, that might be a good thing. There were lots of zombies out there to kill. A smile drifted over his features. Their lovemaking in the shower had edged toward violence near the end but he couldn’t complain about that and neither could his wolf. They were well matched. He would have to watch her and hoped that she didn’t destroy herself in her new found freedom.
“What-t, what is she?” Jess whispered nervously.
“She’s my girlfriend,” Xander said and smiled broadly.
Ž
Reggie glanced in the rearview mirror at Shay, who was sucking her thumb. Jeb had done that when he was distressed and his heart squeezed. He’d never thought of black children being the same as his own, but this little girl reminded him so strongly of his son. Her sweet innocence and trusting were the same as his lost child. He felt tired, so tired. His heart had been torn from his chest with each shot he’d taken. Killing his children and wife had killed something in him, but he could not let them wander the earth as those horrible creatures. He saw several large groups of the heinous creatures but didn’t stop to shoot them. He was afraid he would traumatize Shay even more.
No. His old life was gone, burned to the ground and never to be resurrected. He had this small child, a child he wouldn’t have looked twice at in his old life.
“You gotta build a new life. You gotta keep this baby safe,” he said softly, his gaze going back to the mirror. He could still feel the weight of her and it was heavy in his heart. Maybe I died with my family? he thought. Maybe I’m someone new? Maybe this is my second chance to get it right, to be a better man, a
