As an early Christmas present, chapter updates will increase to five times a week! Monday to friday!

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I headed for the forest since I had a better chance of losing them in there. They would also be unable to bring the quads after me. I snarled in pain as I felt several branches strike the injury on my leg. I tried pushing for more speed anyway, but my injuries were sapping my speed and strength quite noticeably. I was barely running as fast as most humans and I couldn't go any faster. As it was, I felt the scabs on my injuries pulling open more and the scent of my own blood was easy to pick up.

Mere minutes later I heard swift footsteps coming up behind me. Daniel was having no problems following the heavy scent of my blood as it escaped from re-opened wounds. I growled as he put on a burst of speed while circling widely around me hidden just out of sight in the trees.

I slid to a stop as he darted around me to cut me off. My chest was heaving for breath as my heart pounded hard as it tried to keep up. The injuries to my heart and lungs were barely healed enough to keep them working. I stepped back with a frustrated snarl. The snarl was pretty pathetic since I was out of breath.

My mind was somewhat hazed from exhaustion, that run had taken a huge toll on my recovering body. Even my instincts didn't push me to try for First Strike. They knew that he was a Terror and that I was far too injured to even attempt it. I took another step back as I turned sideways with a growl, any feral zombie would know from my stance that I wanted no part of a challenge. It had been an instinctive action though, so it would have no real effect on sane zombies.

Daniel slowly walked toward me. His stance held no hint of a threat. I blinked as I noticed that he actually looked somewhat concerned as he approached. My wounds felt like they were on fire and I knew I wouldn't be able to go much further. The lack of an escape route didn't sit well with me. I took another step back with a faint growl, I wasn't exactly thinking clearly. I just wanted to get away from any human or zombie at this point.

Daniel seemed to realize that I wasn't exactly in control at the moment and stopped. He hesitated, uncertain of exactly how to approach me. He spoke softly, "Relax Trinity. I am not going to attack you. Let me check your injuries, from the smell you are bleeding quite a bit."

He took slow steps forward and my vision hazed a bit redder as the powerful zombie approached. I knew I had no chance of outrunning him on a good day, but in my current state, some humans could outrun me. My head was pounding in time with my heartbeat, and my mind still wasn't working clearly.

He reached out to touch my shoulder and I backed up a step out of reach with a faint growl. He sighed faintly as he took another slow step forward, "Take it easy. I just want to make sure you didn't injure yourself too badly. You have fresh blood stains where each of those bullets hit you."

I glanced down to see that he was correct. Huge splotches of red marked each injury that was hidden beneath my clothing. Half of my pant leg was soaked from the wound on my thigh. My shoulder wasn't too bad, but it still throbbed and bled. The two spots from the lung strike and heart had merged, although it looked as if the wound that damaged my lung had bled the most. It was a small miracle that the scab on my head hadn't re-opened.

No wonder I wasn't thinking straight, the blood loss would be affecting me, not to mention that I had managed to run myself into near exhaustion. My body's energy had been channeled into healing since I had been injured and it had nothing in reserve for strenuous activity.

He slowly reached out again. I gave a faint growl, but didn't move. He ignored my growl and carefully peeled back my shirt sleeve until he exposed the wound in my shoulder. Blood was slowly seeping out of various cracks in the scab. He held up something that looked like a pepper shaker and I narrowed my eyes at it. He explained, "This is cayenne powder, it will help stop the bleeding. I can do this wound, but I am pretty sure that if I try to patch up your other wounds that you will take a swipe at me."

I growled a light warning. If he tried to take my shirt off, I would try to take a swipe at him regardless of how injured I was. It had been bad enough having Nina change the bandages, Daniel did not need to see my bra. No man did. I had always valued my privacy as a human and it had become far more pronounced as a Nightstalker.

Daniel shook the red powder onto the wound until it was completely covered. He passed me the shaker, "Here, go put that on your other injuries so they stop bleeding. You can go behind that clump of trees, I will wait here."

I took it with a reluctant growl as I stalked off. It was closer to a slow painful walk. I could feel each step now that I had slowed down and my body realized just how much it hurt. Once I was out of sight I took off my pants to inspect the worst injury.

The scab on my leg had completely come off and the wound had re-opened and torn even further. With a sigh I started applying the cayenne powder to try and control the bleeding. I pulled a pair of loose soft cloth shorts out of my backpack and put them on, they would rub the least.

I took off my shirt to inspect the other two injuries. The one to my heart had mostly stopped bleeding on its own, but I put some powder on anyway. My heavy breathing had obviously opened up the other wound above my lung more, since it was bleeding worse.

Considering that I still hadn't completely caught my breath, I knew that there was internal damage that was still trying to heal. The lung probably had some blood in it as well from internal bleeding. It would slow me, but it wasn't dangerous for a zombie. The bullet that hit my lung had exited my back, but I couldn't see it or reach the exit wound. I shook some powder over my shoulder, it would have to do until the bleeding stopped on its own.

I put on a clean dark shirt that would be less likely to show future blood stains. I could still clearly scent Daniel, so I hadn't been fortunate enough for him to leave. My head had cleared some, but I knew my control was not good enough to return to the Stronghold at the moment.

In truth, I had burned a lot of energy and lost more blood than I had realized at first. Human food wasn't going to help me in this situation either. I needed to hunt again. Running around after an animal was the last thing I felt like doing at the moment, but there wasn't any way around it.

I wandered back to where Daniel was patiently waiting. He watched my slow walk, "Ready to head back?"

I had enough control back that my voice and sarcasm had also returned. I snorted at that idea, although the action caused my chest some pain, "I have no desire to go to a place where several people are just waiting to kill me."

Daniel sighed as he leaned against a tree, "No one had any idea that they would have tried to harm you. They were new here. They have already been exiled from the Stronghold."

I glanced over in surprise. They exiled humans because they threatened a zombie? I failed to see the logic in that one. My tone was flat, "Any that came from the same Stronghold they originated from will likely be more than willing to finish the job that they started."

Daniel didn't seem affected by my worsening mood. "There were only two others that came from the same place and they won't attempt anything."

This guy reminded me of Google, he had an answer for everything, even if it was wrong. My head may not be up to full speed, but it still had a few working brain cells capable of doing math, "You caught up to me in less than five minutes. I don't see any possible way that you could know that."

He growled lightly at my accusing tone before responding, "Nina went off with a dozen fighters to locate them and lay down the rules. Not many will dare cross her."

I rubbed my forehead, trying to massage the headache away, "Let me guess, because of her bodyguard?"

He grinned at me, flashing his sharp teeth, "Exactly. No one wants a pissed off Terror coming after them."

I knew exactly how they felt. How can I convince this guy to go back without me? "All the more reason not to go back and annoy her. My general constant state of irritation tends to annoy many people."

He sighed gustily, showing that I was trying his patience with my arguing, "Good thing it doesn't annoy her then. I can tell that your injuries are paining you more than you are letting on, let's go back so you can get some rest."

Blast it, this guy had a one track mind. I bet I wasn't going to be able to argue my way out of this one either, if I didn't come willingly, he would probably tie me up and throw me over his shoulder before hauling me back by force. He was probably just waiting for me to realize it and give in gracefully. Too bad my Nightstalker instincts made me as stubborn as a cat faced with a swimming pool.

I may be able to take injuries that would kill any human, but they took a serious toll on me until I healed. I was tired, tired enough that even being irritated and stubborn felt like too much work. That was quite a feat for a Nightstalker. I sighed, "My control is not up for being anywhere near humans at the moment."

I raised my nose to the air and sniffed lightly before turning and slowly walking off. Daniel sent me a confused look, "Where are you going?"

"Hunting."

He had a look of disbelief on his face, "You can barely walk. Anything more will open up those wounds again."

I shrugged, "I've hunted with worse and managed." This time I could at least run for a few steps or jump out of an ambush, unlike the previous time I had been shot. Nightstalker ambush abilities counted for a lot when sneaking up on something. It was much easier at night, but it could be done in the day if you were okay with some failed attempts.

Daniel shook his head, "Wait here."

He took off, running easily and effortlessly through the trees. I narrowed my eyes at his retreating figure, unsure of exactly what he was up to. Not as if I had much choice though, I didn't stand a chance of keeping up to him. I sat down on a log and waited, half expecting him to show up with a petrified rabbit.