The Virus Within: The Road Ahead (Book 1 - SERIES COMPLETED!)

Chapter 9

My eyes strayed to the doors yet again. I leaned against the counter and glowered at the darkening sky, trying to will a moving vehicle to appear. I was seriously beginning to wonder if someone had put up a sign that read: "Cranky Nightstalker ahead. Take a different route."

The day was beginning to feel impossibly long after being cooped up in here for over twenty-four hours. Someone send me some travelers or some patience. Other than a few passing zombies, the highway remained just as deserted as it had been all day, so apparently travelers on remote highways were in short supply.

My reserve of patience was almost as empty as the road. I had spent most of the day in the storage room avoiding my companions. Even the smallest question had me snapping at the speaker.

It was getting extremely hard to avoid growling at Liz, who occasionally entered my personal space, innocently naïve about the mood around us. Chloe wasn't fooled and kept away from me, as well as ensuring that someone was always between me and her.

The bloodlust raged behind my control, pushing it almost to the breaking point.

This couldn't last much longer.

It wasn't even possible to take a deep breath to try and relax since my throat was already burning from the heavy human scent hanging in the air. How the occasional passing zombie on the highway didn't smell us was beyond me. Perhaps the wind was blowing the other way.

Ben stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm going to get ready for bed." He walked toward the back of the store.

"Liz, let's go brush our teeth," Marissa told the child, who followed her to the bathrooms.

Once the doors clicked, I turned to Hank. "The longer we sit here, the more our scent is ingrained into the building. Let me go check for a car that runs."

He shook his head without even considering the matter, probably aware that the chance of finding a working vehicle was slim to none. It probably didn't help that the sun was setting, and he knew it would be dark out shortly.

My already-foul mood tumbled downhill into realms better left untouched. "Okay. Screw this. You can put that twist on once I leave."

Hank narrowed his eyes and got to his feet as I grabbed my backpack. For a moment, I almost thought he was about to let me out, but he simply stood in front of the doors, clearly blocking any attempt I might make.

I gritted my teeth to keep from snarling at him. His attempt to block me only further stirred up my instincts, which were already high from the bloodlust. By the time I wrangled my temper down enough to reply without growling, Ben returned.

He stopped and frowned when he saw the standoff. "What's going on?"

From the way he was eyeing me up, he probably already knew the answer. The way he quickly moved to stand beside Hank was another clue.

Hank's eyes never left me. "She was about to leave, and she seemed pretty certain she could undo the metal around the door handles."

Ben looked at me in irritation. "What is with you? Just stay inside until someone comes. We aren't that bad. I'll even quit bugging you about your sunglasses."

I leveled a glare at him. "I would rather entertain a zombie than be stuck in here with you."

Ben gritted his teeth and took a step forward, also pushed past his limits by a crazy woman who was obsessed with visiting zombies at sundown and endangering everyone else in the process.

Hank laid his hand on Ben's shoulder, restraining him. "Let her be. I know she's feeling cooped up, and I suspect she has problems with claustrophobia." Moving his gaze to me, he kindly said, "Going outside is a death wish. Just sit down for a while longer."