Bound in Desire: Love's Dark Hold Amidst the Zombie Apocalypse

Make time

As I listen to the oddly familiar sound of the car rumbling to life, personally just hearing something from before everything felt nice, and comforting.

As Lincoln pushes forward down the deserted road people leaving everything behind. He weaves around abandoned vehicles and the occasional shuffling figure of the undead as the wander aimlessly.

Odd...

Seems like that was something I HAD in common with the undead.

The silence inside is broken only by the hum of the engine and the distant moans of the zombies we pass.

I had no idea how far away we were from what they call the sanctuary and I didn't know if I was scared anxious mad or sad.

All I knew was this was happening.

Maybe it wouldn't be that bad.

I feel Mason's hand rest firmly on my thigh, and each jolt of the car seems to press my leg into his grip it was a subtle reminder of his promise to keep me close.

I still feel his lips on mine.

Suddenly, a loud thud sounds through the car as a deer slams against the window. I jump as my heart pounds. Lincoln jerks the wheel avoiding a group of zombies emerging from the side of the road. To feast of the hit deer. The undead swarm is and the deer, their bony fingers clawing against the glass and dragging along the metal as Lincoln accelerates.

"Hold on!" he growls as he pushes the car to its limit. Mason's arm quickly wraps around my shoulders, burying me in his chest as he braces me as the car swerves violently to avoid another cluster.

"Damnit!"he he shouts as he drives avoiding the zombie the place around us.

The road ahead is ridden with debris—burned-out cars, overturned shopping carts, even piles of forgotten or left behind belongings, and tents. Lincoln navigates around them, the car jerking and rocking as he maneuvers. In the back seat, I inhale Masons scent my eyes covered but the zombies around us seemed to cluster their groans amplify, my body leans into Mason's solid form as the car sharply maneuvers. His grip is strong, and despite the chaos surrounding us, his touch grounds me.

We manage to get past the mass of zombies, only to encounter a new problem up ahead. I finally look up and see overturned semi blocks the road, and we can already hear the groans of more undead trapped beneath it, writhing and clawing. Their rotting figures pulling themselves apart to get to us. Lincoln curses under his breath, bringing the car to a stop.

"We have to clear the way, in a hurry," he mutters, glancing at Mason, who nods, his jaw set.

"Stay here," Mason commands me firmly, his fingers brush over my cheek in a surprisingly gentle gesture before he exits the car.

He and Lincoln move quickly, Mason gives me a last look before they step into the chaos . They work in tandem, slicing and shoot the crossbow with deadly ease. I watch as my heart pounds, as they kill the zombies with chilling ease, clearing a path for us to drive through.

Just as they finish, one of the undead lunges at Lincoln from behind. Before I can shout a warning, Mason is there, his machete slicing clean through the creature's neck. He shoves the body aside, throwing a quick glance my way, checking to make sure I'm still safe.

Or maybe that I hadn't run off.

Lincoln nods toward the cleared area. "Get in the car," he calls out, already heading back.

Mason hops into back in and I can feel the lingering adrenaline radiating off him as he looks over at me. "You okay?" he asks, voice rough but laced with concern.

I nod, though my hands tremble slightly. "Yeah, thanks to you both."

His gaze softens briefly before he smirks. "Just part of the job, sweetheart."

"We told you we could keep you safe. We are doing just that." Lincoln says softly.

You could tell he wasn't good at being soft and kind. Neither one of them did.

Lincoln turn on the engine yet again, and we push forward, leaving the remnants of the undead behind. The road finally opens up, and for the first time in what feels like ages, there's a stretch of open highway ahead of us.

A few minutes later, the car screeches as the breaks watered come to a halt as a barricade of cars comes into view, blocking the entire road. Figures move on the other side—survivors, but they're armed, and the looks on their faces suggest they're not here to share resources.

Lincoln curses under his breath this obviously wasn't part of the plan he turns to Mason. "Time for Plan B?"

Mason nods as he glances back at me. "Stay down below the windows. This could get ugly."

Lincoln rolls down the window slightly honestly barely cracks it as he calls out to the men on the other side. "We're just passing through. We don't want any trouble."

One of the men steps forward, a rifle slung over his shoulder. "Passing through isn't free. Leave your supplies, and maybe we'll let you go."

I can feel the tension radiating off Lincoln as his hand runs through his hair. He leans out the window, his voice deadly calm. "We don't have time for this."

The man with the rifle narrows his eyes, sizing both of them up. "Make time."

Lincoln doesn't wait. In one fluid motion, he swings open the door and steps out, brandishing his weapon as he advances on the group.

"Listen we have no supplies but the weapons on our backs." He says casually holding his hands out to show no harm.

"There is two of y'all we need two weapons! Now!" One of them shouts with authority.

Fine. He tosses something.

"Now you!" He shouts no doubt at Mason.

Mason rolls down the window and tossed a machete out the window. While I ducked down in the floor board.