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

Chapter 51

The smell of cooking food wafted on the air as I grudgingly returned to the Stronghold. Nicky was lounging on a bench near the gate and came over as the guard let me in.

"There you are. I was beginning to wonder if I had to grab my trusty bow and start practicing blindfolded in hopes you'd come rescue any poor bystanders. What were you doing out there? Watching where the birds were shitting?"

I rolled my eyes and idly swung my hand at her with my nails poised for a slash. She ducked my blow, as I expected her to, before straightening up and sending a mock punch my way. I let her hit my shoulder, although I barely felt her teasing blow.

"Yeah, yeah. I missed you too," she drawled in a sarcastic tone.

I snorted and shook my head. "Right."

Bizarrely enough, Nicky's sarcastic comments and utter lack of fear somehow defused the last traces of my temper to something closer to normal. My instincts also saw her as harmless at this point, so her actions didn't trigger my temper or any need for retaliation.

Now that I thought about it, Nicky somehow always managed to avoid triggering my instincts in the first place. The amount of tolerance I had for this crazy, yet loyal, woman was so bizarre I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. Anyone else would have been in big trouble if they tried half the stuff she did.

The guard and a few bystanders watched the exchange with wide eyes, although Nicky simply grinned at me.

"Come on, I'll grab us some food. Do you want anything in particular? Are we meeting on the roof as usual?"

"I wouldn't mind a few pieces of fruit, if there are any. The roof works for me."

Nicky grinned. "I can manage that. I'll meet you up there." She turned and jogged away.

I headed toward the secondary building while Nicky braved the dining hall. My sharp ears picked up hushed muttering from people in a window above who had seen the exchange.

"Shit. Did you see that?"

"She didn't even look worried. I would've had a heart attack if a zombie tried to slash me."

"Me too, although I'd never annoy her like that redhead does."

"I'm amazed she's still alive. I know Daniel wouldn't tolerate that sort of thing."

It looked like I had startled the humans here once more. Then again, the building friendship between Nicky and me simply went against any possible resemblance of common sense or logic. Sticking one grouchy Nightstalker with one crazy human bent on annoying the hell out of everyone around her should have been a surefire recipe for disaster. Yet, Nicky still lived. Somehow.

I climbed the stairs to the roof and sat in my usual chair to await Nicky's return from the dinner rush, which I considered to be the true realm of insanity.

She made it out of the dining area intact, with a plate and bowl in her hands. When she reached the roof, she passed me the small bowl with a few different types of sliced fruit. I munched on them while watching her slowly mangle a slab of cooked meat.

"They really need to sharpen these steak knives," she muttered. "I offered to show the cooks how to do it, but Ben mumbled something about fearing for his life, and the cooks quickly declined my offer."

Considering she was still packing her crazy pirate sword everywhere, I failed to see why Ben was worried about her carrying a sharp steak knife. Unless she had been saying or doing something Nicky-style, which was entirely possible.

"Feel like archery after we finish eating? My aim has improved."

"Sure." It wasn't like I had anything else to do.