Survival Instinct Read Online Free PDF Page B

will be giving a thorough physical and will be carefully checked for bites or other sign of infection.” His tone made it clear that this had been enough to stop many people from entering the ‘community’ but she wasn’t put off by it. Hell, maybe she’d get lucky and there would be a doctor here who could make sure her baby was doing all right.
    She walked forward, making sure she smiled as she kept her hands in sight. Dave had removed his finger from the trigger but he hadn’t lowered the shotgun and she didn’t want to spook him into firing. The man with the rifle gave Dave a look of utter contempt as he opened the gate and allowed Nadine to come in. Without missing a beat, he raised the sniper scope to his eye and pulled the trigger, lowering it as quickly as he’d lifted it. She heard the sound of a bullet hitting flesh and spun, startled. There was a zombie with its head completely obliterated behind her, not five feet away. One had been sneaking up behind her and she’d been careless, completely unaware of her surroundings. That was unforgiveable, and she gave the man a look of intense gratitude. He flushed, shrugging one shoulder as he grinned at her.
    Nadine ignored the smile and the question behind it. She knew that look- it was the one that asked without words if she was available and willing. At the moment she was neither, so she pretended not to have seen the question in his bright blue eyes that reminded her so much of Graham. He was handsome enough, and if she’d been in the mood for a quick roll in the hay she might have taken him up on it. Broad shoulders, strong arms, and a narrow waist told her that this was a man who took physical fitness seriously, and it paid off in spades. There was light stubble on his rugged face that meant he’d shaved that morning but tended to scruff up quickly, and crow’s feet formed around those smiling eyes, telling her he knew how to enjoy life. Yes, if she’d been interested in sex, he might be the one for her. But she’d never been the type of woman to fall into bed just because if was convenient, and her heart belonged to someone else.
    “Nadine?” He was puzzled, and she realized he’d probably asked her a question and she’d missed it completely while taking inventory of his body. Embarrassed, she gave him a cool look, waiting for him to repeat himself. “I asked you where you’d come from,” he said again, confusion still twisting his features. He gestured to the right with a nod of his head, inviting her further into the camp and away from Dave. Gratefully, she followed him.
    Sighing, she tried to bring herself to tell her story. She’d had no one to talk to in quite some time, and she found herself reluctant to reopen wounds she’d so recently allowed to scab over. She settled for just the basics. “I was a forensic pathologist on base in Delaware,” she said shortly. The man, still unnamed as he had yet to tell her anything about himself, came to a sudden halt before turning to goggle at her. “What?” she snapped, uncomfortable with the look he was giving her.
    “How long have you been travelling?” he asked, not answering her question, meeting her eyes to let her know he was waiting for an answer.
    She shrugged. “Everything went to Hell on March 21,” she said, sorrow lacing the words even though she fought to keep her emotions in check. “I guess that’s how long I’ve been on the road.”
    He said nothing for a moment, studying her with suspicion before relaxing the set of his shoulders. “You’ve been by yourself for nearly two months?” he asked her, and watched her puzzle it out even as she nodded her agreement. “Well then, let me be the first to welcome you to the first settlement of Relief, Kentucky.”
    Nadine just stared at him, unable to believe she’d really travelled so far so fast. She’s ridden a bicycle for stretches of the trip, but the packs on her back made navigating the roads treacherous and she’d