My breath caught in my lungs. It was seconds when It finally sunk in. It was a Scav.

Panic seized my body, making me immobile. My mind processing the danger I was in. My eyes searched the room looking for any kind of weapon.

I needed to fight to survive, but there was nothing within my reach. I was defenseless.

Panic seized me. Avery and Archer were upstairs. Silas was in the study.

“Please,” the man begged agonizingly, taking a shaky step closer to me.

Think. I told myself. I had to find a weapon.

I knew better than to take the threat at face value, like I had the girl. The Scav Silas had forced me to kill. They were not defenseless, they were dangerous. Their only goal was blood and it didn’t matter whose. There was no empathy in my response, purely survival. I could not let him get past me. I could not even think about that possibility.

My training began to kick in as I slowly etched away from the dangerous man in my kitchen. All my focus was on getting on getting a weapon I could use to fend him off before he jumped me. I forced myself to breath evenly trying to keep a level head and my panic at bay as I moved slowly, making no sudden movements.

The Scav took another shaky step closer. “I’m so thirsty. Please.”

His plea hit me in the middle of the chest, like a physical pain.

I could not think of him as a defenseless victim who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had to see him for what he was now. A danger to Silas and my son, my family.

I swallowed, trying to keep my emotions from bubbling into hysteria and panic. This was so bad. Disastrous. Survival meant keeping calm and thinking about my next step.

“Please,” he pleaded, frowning as he realized I was backing out of the kitchen.

I halted trying to decide on my next move. The lives of the people I loved hung in the balance. One mistake, could cost their lives.

Silas. He would at least be able to fight back. I took a shaky breath.

I scanned the immediate area, trying not make any sudden movements fearful it would escalate the situation.

Don’t get injured, don’t let the Scav’s blood contaminate my blood and the most important part was to stop it which meant I had to kill him.

His eyes zoned in on my neck and he licked his lips. “I can smell your blood.”

I shifted my foot back slightly, knowing the only way I could make it out of this incident alive was to find something to defend myself with. I was no match for the large man that looked like he was about to feast upon me any second now.

“I need blood,” the man whispered, staring at me like I was the only thing that mattered.

I looked out of the corner of my eye to see a small table. It had a lamp and a statue. It was something.

“Just a little,” the Scav moved closer and I could tell from his stance he was going to launch himself at me.

It was now or never.

As long as his attention was on me, the ones I loved were safe. All I needed to do was stay alive and kill him but I knew by experience it would not be that easy. Both times I had gone up against Scavs I had not come out unscathed.

There was no more time, I had to make a choice. I lunged for the statue and grabbed it off the table toppling the glass lamp off the table. Glass shattered as the object hit the floor.

The Scav lunged for me as I swung the statue at his head, hoping to at least disorient him so I could get away.

His hand connected with me as I hit the hard object connected with his head. He yelped but he knocked me off my feet.

I landed on the floor with a groan. Pain jarring through me and then he was on top of me groaning.

I had my hands already trying to push him off me but he was dead weight. Unmovable.

It was the sound of footsteps approaching, quicker.

The Scav growled and opened his mouth baring sharp teeth. I squirmed trying to push him off me but it was useless.

Then Silas was above me wrenching the Scav off me. I was trying to catch my breath and get to my feet, knowing the fight was far from finished. My body ached, my vision blurred and I inhaled sharply.

Silas was struggling with the Scav.

A second growl emanated from the doorway of the kitchen.

Oh No. There stood another Scav. A female with red shimmering eyes.

Two of them.

Silas shoved the male Scav against the wall. The force broke plaster off the wall but did nothing to slow down the Scav.

Our backs together as we faced our enemies. Silas the male Scav, and I the female Scav.

Silas bent down and pulled a knife from his the strap on his leg as the Scav’s approached us.

He handed me the weapon. I wanted to argue but he was stronger than I was. There was no time to argue, I was the weaker of the two of us by far.

I didn’t have time to comprehend how this was happening or how they had gotten into the house, all the mattered was getting out of this alive.

The male Scav roared and pushed Silas. I held the knife tightly as the female Scav rushed toward me.

There was no time to think, no time to make a decision. It was instinct. A need for survival. The first plunge of the knife into her stomach did little to slow her down. She gasped as her hands went to my throat, scratching as I pulled the weapon free and stabbed her again.

Blood gushed from her wounds. I could hear furniture crash and splinter. I had no idea what was happening. Even in the back of my mind I was conscious of the dangers of their blood contaminating mine but the most important thing was to stop them. No matter what.

I had to protect my sons.

Her hands tightened on my throat and she began to squeeze. I ripped the knife from her and aimed higher hoping to get closer to heart, knowing that would be the most damage.

There was a grunt as I caught sight of Silas fight the male Scav. Our eyes caught for a moment. I had to get through this. I didn’t want to die here, like this.

My vision began to blur but I refused to give in. I kept plunging the knife, hope it would be enough. Then the female exhaled and slumped over me. Her hold on me slackened and I drew in a desperate breath. One breath and then another.

Silas roared as he shoved a piece of broken furniture into the male Scav he was on top of. I shoved the dead Scav off me to roll on to my side and sit up. The bloodied knife still in my hand.

Blood squirted from the male Scav and splattered across Silas’ face.

There was blood everywhere. I tried to get to my feet and took another deep breath still trying to replenish my stolen air as I looked around for any other threat.

Silas was breathing hard as he watched the eyes of the male Scav dim. He wiped his mouth and got to his feet.

“You okay?” he asked, coming over to me to take the knife from my hand.

I nodded slowly, still in shock. I was disoriented and still having no idea how two Scavs had attacked us in the house, a house that was guarded.

Adrenalin was still pumping through me as I breathed hard staring at the dead bodies in the reception. Blood pooling around their bodies.

Silas took me by the arms. “Are you injured?”

His eyes concerned as he scanned me over.

I shook my head slowly, struggling to think properly.

“Silas,” I said, feeling more alarmed, as I lowered my gaze to take in the blood that covered most of my body including my hands.

“I know.” He breathed heavily.

We had survived an attack by two desperate Scavs but there was a good chance we were infected.

Feeling more panicked I tried to wipe the blood off but it was a useless task.

Silas pulled out his phone. “How fast can you get to the house. There’s been an incident. Scavs.”

And then he ended the call, his focus was on the dead bodies like he was weighing up all the suspects and figuring out which one was more likely to be the mastermind behind this.