Chapter 9

As the sun rose over the horizon Daryl and Claire rode their horses out along the beach. Claire looked lovely in an airy blue sundress that fit over her upper body like a glove before billowing out at her hips, with a pair of white leggings. She rode a giant dappled, palomino drum horse that she had affectionately named Apollo. Daryl wore his usual vest, pants and boots with his crossbow. He rode a striking paint gelding that had been recently rescued from Columbia. He had wanted ride Melody's friesian stallion at first, but quickly chose otherwise after Claire related the tale of another who tried to ride her horse without her permission. She couldn't remember his name or what happened to him, only that he disappeared and was never heard from again. They rode through the surf, laughing without a care in the world, just enjoying one another's company.

"I've never done this before," Daryl said as they rode along.

"What, rode a horse?," asked Claire turning towards him.

"No," Daryl laughed as he looked out into the ocean before turning to Claire. "Been on a date."

Claire felt a jump into her stomach. She had been so excited about this date she had hardly slept through the night without waking up every five minutes to look at her clock to make sure she hadn't over slept. Then she heard Melody up and had gone to check on her and ended up staying up for the rest of the night, talking with Rick. She was exhausted but excited.

"So where do you wanna go?" asked Daryl breaking her from her thoughts.

Claire smiled, and pointed a head as they rounded a bend on the beach. A head of them a little ways was a rather large wooded island connected by a gated cement bridge.

"That's where we go to hunt when we get the urge. It had all sorts of game from rabbits, coons, squirrels, deer, and the occasional wild cat, and if you're really hankering for a fight, some alligator."

Daryl's eyes lit up at the possibilities.

"Well what the hell are we waiting for?!" he cried and kicked his horse into a gallop.

Claire laughed and raced after him.

Elsewhere in the compound, a dark shadow stood over Shane as he slept. A hand came over his mouth preventing him from screaming as he was violent shaken from his sleep.

"Hey there asshole miss me?" asked Merle as he forcefully pulled from him from his hospital bed.

"What the hell?!" Shane cried struggling to get free of Merle's grip. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get a few goodies for my commander, and I need a hostage." then he smiled, "Hello hostage."

"There's no need for that.." Shane said looking at the larger man. "...Take me with you..."

Daryl and Claire sat in a wooded glen on the island cooking their catch over an open fire.

"That smells delicious." Claire commented.

"It tastes even better." Daryl smiled kneeling down beside their kill.

Claire smiled, "But you know...I'm not really hungry for squirrel right now."

Daryl looked up at her and saw the evil grin on her face. His entire body instantly heated up. Slowly, she got up from her seat and walked over to him. He stood up just as she reached him. They stared at one another for a long moment before she grabbed the front of his vest and pulling into a violent passionate kiss.

A pair of angry eyes watched from the bushes as Glen glared at the couple. He had wanted to take Claire on a date. He could not allow this to continue. He slowly reached down into his bag and grabbed a large roll of fire crackers and a lighter. He flicked on the lighter and was inches away from lighting the entire roll when a black gloved hand reached out from the shadows of the bushes and came down on his forehead. Glen opened his mouth to scream but another hand covered his mouth and he was dragged back into the bushes.

Daryl and Claire noticed nothing as they took one another's mouths so violently that soon they were both seeing stars. Daryl forcefully pushed her backwards with his body until her back was slammed against a nearby tree. Claire began pulling at his vest until she finally ripped it off. Daryl quickly pulled her dress over her head and threw it to the ground behind him. He ripped her bra from her body and then leaned down and took her nipple into his mouth. He rolled his tongue around the soft rosy peak until it hardened. Claire gasped as he began suckling her. She raked her fingernails across his shoulders causing him to moan in return. After a moment or two she pulled his head from her breasts and kissed him again. She kissed his mouth and then trailed kisses down his neck, chests and abs. When she reached his pants she ripped the front open sending the button flying off into the grass. She slide his pants down and looked up at him with her mischievous smile before she gently took his long hard shaft into her hand and then ran her tongue down the length of it.

Daryl nearly jumped out of his skin when she took him into her mouth and began suckling him. He gripped the tree as tightly as he could and closed his eyes. He released a quiet moan of ecstasy as she gently slid his manhood into her sweet mouth until his length was completely covered. He felt his blood boiling. He couldn't take much more of this. The pleasure became so immense from her sucking his dick that he ripped off a large piece of bark from the tree.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore, he was about to burst. He suddenly grasped her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. He took out his knife and cut her leggings in half. Then he reached up and plunged the knife into the tree right beside her head causing her to gasp.

"That is so hot." she whispered as she brought his lips to hers again.

He grabbed her legs and lifted her off her feet wrapping her legs around his waist. Then he positioned himself and plunged hard and deep into her hot moist folds. Claire attempted to cry out as he forced his long length into her. But he smothered her cries with a passionate kiss. He quickly began pumping hard inside her. Soon they were covered in sweat and the sent of sex as he mercilessly drove into her again and again. Claire reached around and grabbed his hair and began pulling at it until he was sure she had ripped out a hand full.

Grinding and moaning was all that could be heard through the woods as the pleasure built inside them like a raging river crashing against a dam. The pressure built going higher and higher until finally the pleasure finally exploded with in them, sending them over the edges of ecstasy. Claire slammed her head against the tree and exhausted the powers above. Daryl threw his head back and roared like a wild animal as both met their release and he spilled his seed deep within her. Afterwards they slumped to the ground in a pile of arms and legs, holding on to one another for dear life as if they might be swept away from the surface of the earth if they let go.

"THIS IS SO UNFAIR!" Glen cried as he struggled to get free of his bonds. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HE'S AN UNCULTURED REDNECK AND SHE'S A HIGH CLASS LADY. SHE DESERVES SOMEONE WITH MORE INTELLIGENCE THAN A DAMNED POSSUM."

"Oh as opposed to you who's a teenage horny toad psycho fan boy. Who's raging hormones render him the intelligence of chipmunk and who probably has the sexual experience of a chihuahua humping a person's leg." said Melody turning around on her horse to look at her captive with a smile. "Is that what you mean or were you speaking of those with the intelligence of a possum such as our swat team in a derogatory manner?"

Glen opened his mouth to say something but quickly decided against it in case Melody decided to toss him off the back of her horse. He really didn't need to be stranded in the middle of a game park while hog tied.

"All I mean was that he doesn't know how to respect a lady." he complained. "What if he takes advantage of her?"

Melody laughed. "I think you'd have to worry more about her taking advantage of him."

Suddenly an alarm was heard in the distance. Melody froze for a moment before kicking her horse into a full run back towards the base. Glen held on to her leg for dear life and let loose a high pitched scream all the way back back to camp, fearing for his life.

They reached the camp with the soldiers on full alert. Rick ran up to her.

"Its Merle!" he shouted. " He broke into the building and took Shane and Dale as hostages."

"Where did he go?" she asked in a deadly calm voice.

"To the north side of the islands. Some of the men went after him. I heard gun fire not long after they left."

"Take him." Melody said before she turned and pushed Glen off the back of her horse and took off towards the North.

Several minutes later she was racing up the road towards the islands edge when she heard gun fire. She urged her horse on faster and reached the beach at the edge. She looked up and down the beach. Towards the north east she saw several shapes and rode towards them. When she reached them she gasped as she recognized three of her soldiers who had been gunned down. Anger seized her and she raced on following tracks in the sand.

She rounded a bend in the beach and saw two boats being launched in the surf. She raced towards them. One of the boats sped away. The other was still loading its passengers. Among them she saw Dale, Shane, an Merle. Dale had been tied up. When he saw her he instantly began shouting for her to turn back. Merle and Shane turned and began firing at her with pistols. She was close enough that she jumped off her horse and began returning fire. The first bullet hit Shane in the shoulder instantly taking him down in the surf. She then fired on Merle who was in the boat. Merle grabbed Dale and puled him in front of him, using him as a shield. The bullet hit Dale right in the chest.

Melody froze as she watched Dale's body slide down Merle's and into the boat. Merle kicked the body out of the boat and into the surf. He smiled and blew a kiss to her as he sped off after the other boat. Melody jumped into the surf and grabbed Dale's body. She dragged him to the beach and lowered herself to the ground while holding him.

"Dale," she stammered. "I'm so sorry." Tears were beginning to blur her eyes. "Please forgive me."

Dale nodded and patted her arm. He cut his eyes to Shane who was crawling out of the surf holding his arm. Slowly he pointed to him and then looked up at her.

"Shane...with..Merle..." He gasped as blood was beginning to fill his lungs. "...Don't...give ...up..on...humanity..."

Dale went quiet and his body went limp. Melody held his body close before she gently laid him down in the sand. Shane was coming for her. She stood up and stared at him an icy glare in her eyes.

"Traitor," she said.

"No Melody," he said holding up a hand in self defense. " Merle took me hostage. He made me shoot at you."

Melody didn't blink. She held up her gun and fired shooting him in the other shoulder. Shane screamed and fell to the sand. Melody calmly walked forward taking out her knife. She kicked him over onto his back causing him to howl in pain. Then she slammed her foot into the gun shot wound on his shoulder and knelt down over him.

"Traitor." she said staring at him.

"No.. Melody...please..AHHHHHHHH" he screamed as she dug her heel into the wound twisting her foot back and forth.

"Traitor..."

"Alright," he screamed, "I helped Merle into Claire's office. I helped him kidnap Dale. I shot one of your soldiers..." he gasped. "Please... Melody..."

Melody looked up to where Dale's body lay, and over to where her fellow soldiers bodies were. She looked back down at him.

"Melody...please..."

Melody closed her eyes and sighed. "Ok...I'll show you mercy."

Shane sighed with relief. Suddenly, Melody whipped out a knife and slit his throat.

"I'll show you mercy, by not taking every piece of skin off you." she growled in an icy tone.

Then she plunged her knife into his chest. "I'll show you mercy, by not cutting your limbs off and letting my men deal with you for killing their brothers."

Blood was gurgling out of his mouth and his body began to shake in a death rattle. She stared into his eyes.

"Traitor,"

She twisted the knife causing his body to spasm, then he became still.