Infected -Book One- (Complete)

Chapter 5

San Francisco was a great city during the day but night time was a different story. It was cold and frightening in less populated areas. We lived in one of those areas. Eddie had lived in what he called a "crappy, run down apartment" a little before we met. Once he got his reporter job he moved into a better area. I moved in with him. It wasn't the best but we wanted to stay somewhere that cost much less than a house before we bought our own home. It was basically a money saving place for us. There were was still your regular homeless person or druggy that hung around the area.

"Where are we going?" Azlin asked. I shrugged. "It is cold. Are you cold?"
"No."
"I am sorry."
"Why?"
"This is my fault."
"You didn't do anything."
"I know you believe that."
"Azlin you're fine. Don't apologize for anything."
"I have to."
"You don't."
"Okay." She was quiet for a moment. "I will go back if it makes everything better for you all."
"No, why?"
"Do you not think it is better that way?"
"I'm okay with you staying."
"I know but I should go. It is the right thing to do. Tomorrow take me back and I will not escape again."
"Only if you really want to." She didn't say anything else.
I crossed the empty street. The other side wasn't empty. A few guys hung around under the street light. The corner store was closing up. I forgot my phone.
"It is late. That store closes at 11pm."
"That's right." I mumbled. "How do you know that?"
"You go there often. The operation times are stuck in your memories."
"You have my memories but I don't have yours."
"I could share mine with you." Her dark grey head and light grey eyes bobbed in front of my face.
"You can?"
"It stems from a power of mine. But I must warn you; you will also feel what I have felt."
"Will it hurt?"
"I will show you." She closed her eyes. I stopped and put my hand on her head.
"No don't do that here." I whispered. She opened one eye. "Do what?"
"Use your powers. You also shouldn't be out right now. I rather look like a crazy person talking to myself than have you exposed."
A man crossed the street behind us.
"Let's go." I mumbled. I shoved my hands into my pocket.
"He is coming closer." She glanced back at him.
"I know." I whispered. He caught up and roughly grabbed my shoulder. "Hey- Ah!" Azlin used my hand to grab his. With my other hand she twisted him around and pinned his hand to his back. He kneeled. We leaned next to his ear. I let her do the talking. "I don't know who you are but you need to back off."
"You bit-" she pushed him to the ground.
"What was that?" I asked.
There are more coming. I looked back. His group from the light post was starting to crowd us.
"Do something!" I yelled.
Of course.
"Lady get off!" He yelled. Azlin took full control of me. She covered me in head to toe in a solid, thick, grey skin.
"What the hell?" His voice quivered with fear. She picked up the man in her hands and used him to knock out two coming from our left. She leg swepted one holding a bat behind us. She broke the bat in half.
Woah.
"Impressive, yes?" She asked.
Yes. A few more stood up against us. She punched one and kicked the other into the building.
In a matter of seconds she had taken them down. We stood in the center of men groaning in pain.
Do you hear that? I asked. She listened. What is that? Stomping? She turned around. Venom tackled Azlin. She roared in his face. "What are you doing?" She yelled.
"Who told you this was okay?" He roared back. We tumbled down the hillside. She kicked him off over our head. "You attack me? You want to fight me?"
"Yes!" He yelled. He punched her in the face. She grabbed his throat. He pulled her arms off and kicked her into a dumpster."You are not stronger than me."
"I am as strong as you Venom." She jumped off the dumpster and tackled him. He put up a shield. She bounced off of it.
You guys need to stop fighting! We don't want to hurt them Azlin.
"But he hurt us." She hissed. He pushed her into the ground by her throat.
"Give (y/n) back control."
"She gave me control. I had to protect her."
"Protect?" He let go.
"She was not safe. Look!" She pointed to the men limping down the hill. He looked at them. They froze up.
Venom got up. He stomped closer to them.
"Don't hurt us!" One shouted. He stopped and turned his head a bit. "Are you sure?" He mumbled. "Okay." Venom shrunk down and Eddie came out.
"Run! Now!" another said to his guys. They started running.
Azlin let me out.
I could see the stars from my own eyes. The concrete was cold. I could feel the impression Azlin had made into it.
"(Y/n)?" Eddie sat me up. "Are you okay?" I nodded.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"Azlin protected me."
"She didn't take over by herself?" He asked. I shook my head. "No. I told her to do it." He grunted as he sat down beside me. "I'm sorry for fighting with you (y/n). I was feeling heated."
"We all were. Well not Azlin, she kept calm. It kept me calm."
"We should've been here to protect you. We shouldn't have let you leave."
"It's okay. It gave us time to talk. she said she's okay with going back tomorrow."
"Why?" I was surprised by his sudden concern.
"She said it will make everything better."
"Do you want her to go?" I shook my head.
"But if it's what she wants, I will not stop her."
"Come on, let's talk about this at home."
Eddie and I sat on the couch facing each other. "I know by now you guys have connected emotionally."
"Yes. It's fine though. We're ready to separate." I rubbed my knees with the palm of my hands.
"You're lying but I can't change your minds." Eddie turned his head a bit. "Venom we can't." He listened. "Do not do that. Do not-"
"Are you sure you want to separate?" Venom's head popped out. "It is not fun when you do not have a human with you."
"Yes we are sure." Azlin came out to respond. "We have made up our mind."
"You speak as if you are one. It will be hard for you to leave."
"We are sure Venom." Azlin went away. Eddie shook his head. "We can talk tomorrow before we go. Are you hungry?" I shrugged.
"I guess I don't know."

Laying in bed, I listened to Eddie breathe as he slept. His arm was across my stomach, our legs tangled together. I was wide awake. Azlin hadn't said a word. I thought I was tired but nothing happened when I closed my eyes. I want something sweet. I thought. It was past 2 am. Everything tasted better at 2am.
We should get ice cream. Azlin suggested.
"Agreed." I carefully untangled myself from Eddie. He moaned something before he started snoring again. I walked barefoot to the kitchen. The freezer light was bright. I shielded my eyes as I grabbed the ice cream tub. Sitting at the counter I scrolled through my news feed. Nothing good. A new game release was the only news I was excited about. I gave Azlin a small spoonful.
"Ice cream is good." Azlin purred. "This is (IC/F)?" She whispered.
"Yes. It's my favorite."
"It is my favorite now too."
"Eddie, ice cream." I heard Venom whisper. I looked at them. He nudged Eddie's head.
"Go to sleep or something. I'm not eating right now."
"But they are eating. I want some too."
"No." Eddie turned away from Venom. I looked at Azlin who smiled widely. I got up, grabbed an extra spoon and made way back to bed with the ice cream. I sat by the bed to not wake Eddie. I gave Venom the extra spoon. The three of us enjoyed the sweet frozen treat.
"I must apologize if I hurt you earlier." Venom said.
"I'm okay." I answered. His concern was nothing new. He was protective to the max of Eddie and I.
"I know you are." He replied "I am speaking to Azlin." She looked at him. Her eyes widened then quickly changed back to normal. "I am okay. I told you. I am as strong as you. You won't hurt me that easily." She ate more without giving him a second look. He mumbled something to himself. "This is nice. Kind of weird I guess but I could get used to it."
"I thought I said no ice cream?" Eddie sat up.
"Uh oh."
"(Y/n) you're not going to wake up with your stomach hurting."
"Relax I had him on portion control."
"You really have to stop giving him whatever he wants like he's a baby."
"He acts like a big baby."
"I'm baby." Said Venom. You rolled your eyes. Really need to lay off the Twitter memes.
"A sharp teeth, head biting, alien baby."
"I am also nice."
"Don't get too caught up in your own ego." I pointed at them. "Both of you." Eddie smiled.
"We saved the world." Venom added. I handed Eddie the ice cream. Azlin followed it.
"You saved the world?" She asked. He nodded.
"Once!" I said. "That was like forever ago."
"Almost a year." Said Eddie.
"We are heroes."
"Heros don't kill Venom."
"A hero will kill if necessary."
"You guys are more like" I thought for a second.
"Anti-heros!" She shouted.
"Yes! That's right Azlin."
"Anti-heros?" Venom repeated.
"Yes. You guys don't follow the same rules as regular heros. You'll kill unlike a regular hero. Or in you guys case, eat." I had a scoop of ice cream.
"So you can eat people?"
"You're not supposed to Azlin."
"Can we eat people?"
"I rather not."
"Why eat people Venom?" She went up to Venom.
"They taste good. You should try it."
"Venom! No!" I pulled Azlin back by me. "You're being a terrible influence already."
"She asked."
"And you answered honestly?"
"Should I have lied?" He tilted his head. Eddie chuckled.
"You didn't have to answer."
"We need to go back to bed. This conversation is going the wrong way." I took the ice cream and put it back in the freezer. "Azlin you should go inside."
"Why?"
"We don't need Venom telling you anything while we're sleeping." I patted her head. "You're too pure for his nonsense." I got into bed. Eddie almost instantly pulled me closer.
"Much better." He mumbled as he kissed my forehead.
"That's cute." Azlin mumbled. I closed my eyes. I could hear a boat horn in the distance as it entered the bay.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight (y/n)."