Chapter 17 – Assault

I reflexively pushed the woman off of me, leaving her stunned as she caught her balance.

"It's okay," she said while watching me wipe her spit off of my mouth. "In the English world, two girls can fuck. I did it a few times while I was on Rumspringa. We don't have to give these disgusting men babies. That's why I wanted to come here. We can be free together."

I huffed. "Look," I said, but paused because she still didn't mention her name.

"Irina," she said finally.

"Irina look, you can't just go around and force people to kiss you."

"Why? Are you saying you think there is something wrong with two women together? I thought the English were more understanding."

"I don't have a problem with it when it's consensual. I didn't consent, and I don't have those feelings or desires for you. In fact, I'm actually pregnant right now."

"They are forcing you to have their children? I didn't think they did that outside our community."

"Nobody is forcing me to do anything. I chose to have sex with a man and I got pregnant. Simple as that. I think it's great that you came with us if you felt uncomfortable in your community. But, we planned to bring the cured woman here with us. That's who we traded Sam for. So, if that's not you, we need to tell the guys and go back for her."

"Why would you choose to let a nasty male put his disgusting peen inside of you?" she asked, ignoring the more important topic.

"Peen?" I asked confused.

"Their rod," she said as if I was dumb.

"Their penis?" I asked to clarify.

"Don't say that nasty word," she chided me. Then she leaned in to me as if I had a secret. "One girl I knew told me that most men will shove their peens in girls' faces and tell them to suck it."

I stared at her a moment, completely at a loss of how to respond. After a few failed attempts to speak, I shook my head and decided to try to refocus on what was important.

"Irina, will you please tell me whatever you know about the cured woman? What would they be doing with her? Why wouldn't they let us take her with us?"

"I do know a little, but if I'm going to tell you, I'll need something from you in return," she said haughtily.

"What?" I asked frustrated. I had a bad feeling that something horrible was happening to that woman, so whatever Irina wanted in order to give me that information, I would have to consider.

"Go into the bedroom with me and let me touch you for ten minutes wherever I want," she said brazenly.

For the sake of the cured woman's safety, I would do just about anything… anything, that is, except that.

"Um, how about, no," I told her slowly as if she was of limited intelligence. Obviously she didn't understand me when I told her I was not interested, or perhaps she just didn't care. "I'm with Edward. I'm not going to just go let you have your way with me."

"He doesn't have to know," she persisted. "And even if he found out, most English guys don't mind their girlfriends with other women."

"It's not going to happen," I maintained.

"How do you know you don't like girls if you've never been with one? I learned so many things when I was on Rumspringa. I could teach you. There is this amazing thing I can do with three fingers…."

Her words were thankfully cut off by the guys coming in to take a break from the construction they were doing outside.

"Hey Edward," I said, grabbing his attention as he headed to the kitchen to get a drink.

"What's up?" he asked as he came and wrapped his arms around my waist and smiled his most adorable smile.

"We have a problem," I told him, thus causing that smile of his to fall right off of his face.

"What is it?" he asked concerned.

"This is Irina," I said, as if I was introducing them for the first time. The other guys gathered around as well, and they all smiled welcoming due to the fact that we finally got her name. "She is not the cured zombie," I added, making all of them grimace.

"What the hell?" Emmett asked, clearly the angriest since he was the one who felt the most responsible for the woman.

"The bishop did a little switcheroo on us, and this woman wanted to go in her place," I explained.

"But I'm not going back," she announced. "I'm staying here, and you boys are going to keep your peens away from me."

The guys all looked at each other questionably.

"Basically, she is not interested in men," I interpreted.

"But they're sure as hell interested in us," she said strangely. Before I could even consider what she meant, she grabbed me again, and again, attempted to shove her tongue in my mouth. Like the first time she assaulted me, I tried to push her off, however I wasn't prepared for the sheer force she was holding onto me with. It literally took me using all of my strength and kicking her knee to get her off. Damn strong Amish people.

When she was finally off of me, and her ass was on the floor, I couldn't help but glance at the guys for their reactions. Edward was in shock, Emmett was annoyed, Pete was disgusted, and Seth had the biggest smile I had ever seen on his face before.

"Why'd you have to stop?" Seth whined, but kept that goofy smile on his lips.

"Um, is there something you want to tell me?" Edward asked after a minute.

"Yeah, this chick keeps assaulting me," I told him. "That's the second time she has done that. I think I may have to file a restraining order."

"Let me guess, you're going to get all aggressive with me now for kissing your woman?" Irina got up and challenged Edward.

"Aggressive? No," he replied, "but I am going to warn you to keep your hands off of her or else we will have to think of a different living situation for you."

"Says who? You?" She snorted. "I may not have spoken much over these past few days, but I have done a lot of watching, and I see how everyone here is scared of you."

"Huh?" Emmett interjected. "Scared of little Edward?"

Irina ignored him and continued her verbal attack on Edward. "They all bow down to you. Even the old man. They treat you like you're the bishop around here. Always seeking your approval and guidance. It's ridiculous. I bet Bella didn't even want your disgusting baby inside her."

"What is she even going on about?" I vaguely heard Seth question.

"I warned everyone," Pete responded. "She is one bat-shit crazy little Amish girl."

"Well, I am not one of your disciples," she continued. "I will not put up with this kind of totalitarianism in the English world."

"I'm surprised she even has that word in her vocabulary," Pete grumbled.

"Okay, just stop!" Edward said, finally having enough of Irina's rant. "I'm no one's bishop, or leader, or whatever the hell you're accusing me of. But, I will kick you out of here if your behavior towards Bella continues like that, because it's just fucking wrong. You can't push yourself on someone against their will. You just can't."

"What if she realized you're disgusting and she chose to be with me? Would you lock us outside and doom us to be eaten by the zombies?"

"No, I wouldn't do that. Bella is free to do what she wants with who she wants. Wants, is the important word there. She has to want it, and by the way she shoved you off of her, I'd say she doesn't want it."

"How would she know if she never tried it?" she retorted. "She isn't willing to even try, so where I come from, we force resistant children to do things anyway. They don't want to eat their broccoli, we force it. They don't want to plow, we make them anyway. They learn. She can learn."

"Did she just compare being a lesbian to eating vegetables and doing chores?" Emmett asked dumbfounded.

Edward huffed. "Listen, I do believe people can fall in love with someone based on who they are on the inside, more so than whatever bodies they're in, but you can't force it. If Bella develops those feelings for you, then it's up to her to tell you."

"She just isn't ready yet," Irina said, refusing to back down.

"Even if that is the case, you still can't force it," Edward reiterated.

"As I have already told you, I'm not not ready for anything," I jumped back in to speak for myself. "I'm just not attracted to you. I'm sorry, but that is the truth, and it's not something that will change. I like peen," I said, which I couldn't help but laugh at. "Edward's peen tastes really good actually," I added as my laughter only grew stronger.

The guys didn't seem to understand what the hell I was saying, but they all kind of chuckled with me, allowing much of the tension in the room to escape.

Irina was still in denial, which was fine, but if she came near me again, I wouldn't hesitate to punch her in the fucking mouth.

When the confrontation died down, the guys decided to put off construction and go into full rescue mode once again.

"We can't exactly go back in the cover of night and steal the girl from wherever they are keeping her," Pete said as we all began throwing ideas out.

"So, let's just go back there and demand they release her," Edward suggested.

"We should bring Sam back," Seth said, which warranted an unwavering glare from me.

"No, we aren't involving Sam again," Edward insisted. "If we return with him, they will know we went back on our deal as well, and we want to have the advantage of doing the "righteous" thing."

"But we didn't do the righteous thing," Seth rebuffed. "You took Sam back."

"He followed us, and as far as they know, he just ran off somewhere," Edward disagreed.

"We can't do this," Emmett said after being quiet through most of the brainstorming. "You two have a baby on the way. If this thing turns ugly, it's not worth the risk. I'm going to go alone. Maybe I'll make less noise that way and just try to find her without anyone even knowing I'm there."

"You couldn't be stealthy if your life depended on it; you big oaf," Pete grumbled.

"Pete is right, we should do this together," Edward told him.

"Now, I didn't say that," Pete retorted. "This woman bit him, so she is his responsibility. I just don't think he can pull it off."

"I have to try," Emmett said resigned. "I'm going to go, and I'm going to figure out how to save her myself. I know I can do it."

"You shouldn't go alone," Edward repeated. "Too many things could go wrong."

"Exactly!" Emmett agreed. "Too many things can go wrong, and I'm not going to let your risk yourself again. Not when you have too much to lose."

"We went before. Bella was pregnant then too. What's the difference?" Edward questioned.

"That was your idea, and you knew a lot of people were being abused and sacrificed. This is just one woman. She is my woman and I need to go back for her."

"Your woman?" Seth retorted. "So, because she randomly bit you, you think you have some sort of cured zombie claim on her?"

"No, but I do feel responsible," Emmett replied. "Look, I'm not asking permission to go alone. I'm telling you all that I'm going alone. I'm only asking to use your truck, and if you tell me no, I'll go into town and find another one to take."

Edward glanced at me, as if he was looking for my opinion on the matter, so I subtly shook my head no. Without thinking about it anymore himself, he reached in his pocket and handed Emmett the keys to the bigger truck.

"You should keep the bigger truck here since there is more of you. I'll be fine in the smaller truck," Emmett told him.

"We won't all be going anywhere together in the foreseeable future, so the smaller truck is fine for us to make trips into town and whatnot. Besides, Bella and I are a little partial to it since it's saved our lives multiple times. It's better you take the bigger truck anyway. There could be more people you want to bring back, and it's much more comfortable for overnight. It's fine, really," he insisted.

"Edward…" I started to say, but Emmett cut me off.

"Thanks man," he said emotionally before wrapping his big bear arms around Edward in an unexpected embrace. "I know we haven't known each other long, but I love you, bro."

And that was exactly my issue. When I shook my head no at Edward, I didn't mean I didn't want him taking our truck; I just didn't want to let Emmett go alone. He was right to call it a huge risk, because it was, however it was a risk I felt we should all be taking together. In a very short amount of time, we had all become a family, and as a family, we should have all been sticking together.

I tried to tell Edward my thoughts on the matter a few times after that, but I kept getting interrupted, and because I was so conflicted, I didn't push it as much as I probably should have. The next thing I knew, we were watching Emmett drive away in the bigger truck. It all happened so fast that I honestly didn't know if I should feel guilty for letting him go alone, or just relieved to be staying back with Edward where it was safe.

The next few days dragged on. We tried to busy ourselves with building the house additions, but we all worried about Emmett and it didn't help that things with Irina were still incredibly awkward. She was the only one who refused to help with anything, and she continued her futile quest to seduce me by making little comments, attempting to touch me whenever possible, and constantly licking her lips anytime I did accidentally look her way. It was long past ridiculous, and I wasn't sure how much more of it I could take before I exploded on her.

"Why didn't we force her to return to her home with Emmett?" I grumbled one afternoon.

"I wouldn't force anyone to live with those people," Edward told me. "It would be like forcing someone into a religion they don't believe in. Hopefully she will give up her pursuit of you soon. I know it seems like she has been here forever, but it really hasn't been very long."

I huffed. "I know."

He reached for my waist and pulled me closer to him. "You know, if you wanted, you could always spend more time with my peen," he said, jokingly serious. "You did tell her you enjoyed the way it tastes."

I giggled. "I do. What we should really do is go use the only bedroom that she has taken over, and not even attempt to be quiet about it."

I unbuttoned his pants, and let our joking turn into real desire as I began to stroke him.

"Or we could always just fuck right here," he said as his voice thickened with lust.

"We could do both," I suggested just before his lips crashed down on mine.

Since the arrival of my aggressive admirer, Edward's and my sex life had been limited to obscure locations outside, or even in the truck when everyone else wasn't paying attention. It was always fun, but I was longing for the freedom of being naked together that the privacy of the room could only offer. Then again, with the world the way it was, I could only be grateful for the time we did have, and I needed to constantly remind myself of that.

…

When Emmett had been gone for a week, our concern for him escalated. When the second week came and went, our concern skyrocketed.

"He knew the risks when he left," Pete grumbled as we discussed a possible rescue mission.

"Something happened to him, and we can't just shrug our shoulders and do nothing," Edward argued.

"He didn't want you risking yourself," Pete maintained. "Think of Bella and the baby. If these people really are hostile, the potential danger is high."

"But what if it's something simple like he ran into trouble with the truck?" I suggested. "We should at least go there and see if there is anything we can do to help."

"Bella, I'm going to go. You should stay here," Edward said, which only made me roll my eyes.

"Are we seriously having this conversation again? No. You go, I go. That's the way this thing works."

"Okay, then we are going," he decided. "We're going to be careful, and not do anything stupid. If you guys choose to stay, then you can," he said to Pete and Seth.

"I'm in," Seth said without hesitation.

"Ah shit. You know I ain't letting y'all go off without me," Pete grumbled.

"Wait, so I'm supposed to stay here alone?" Irina asked. "No way in hell. Those zombies from town could come, and I'm not immune like you people."

"Those zombies in town haven't bothered us once since we've been here," Seth disagreed. "I think the fast one is even becoming my buddy. When I see him in the dark corners now, he gives me a little growl hello, and we let each other be. It's a truce."

"That is the most idiotic thing you have ever said," Pete snapped at him. "Zombies don't have those thoughts or feelings. He would kill you in a split second if he could. Fortunately for you, we have always kept you safe in town, and there has always been a ray of sunlight between you and any of them."

"You have your version of the truth, and I have mine," Seth said with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Regardless of the local zombies being hostile or not, I'm not immune and I've always been fine here," I told Irina. "And I'm going to try to convince Sam to stay. As long as he knows I'm coming back, he should be okay."

After a little more debating, we settled on Seth staying back with Irina and Sam, and Pete, Edward, and I were going after Emmett. We hated separating, but it was for the best considering the fact that we figured Sam and Irina could each pose issues for us with the Amish, and well, Seth was accident prone. Once again, we set out on the road, and when night fell over us in the rural area in between our home and the Amish community, Pete surprised us by decided to sleep outside.

"That's not a good idea," Edward told him.

"Why the hell not? The worst that can happen is a zombie horde attacks us. In that case, you are just as in danger in those thin walls as I would be sleeping in the back of the truck."

"Suit yourself," Edward conceded.

Thankfully, we survived another night unscathed, but after arriving back at the Amish outskirts, we quickly came to realize that humans had the capability to be far more monstrous than any zombie.

"Emmett!" Edward whisper-yelled when we found him drenched in sweat, with a chain around his neck attached to a plow that he was pushing across a field.

We could clearly see that he was being watched, but from our position behind a stack of hay, we were hopefully hidden enough.

"Emmett!" Edward repeated, just a little louder so that he could be heard.

Em turned to look at us, but his initial surprise quickly turned into dread. "You guys have to get out of here," he said with a heavy sense of urgency. "The bishop guy is fucking crazy."

It was only then that I noticed he had several injuries on his arms and collarbone that seemed to be bleeding through the bandages.

"What did they do to you?" I asked horrified.

"They haven't done anything. Most of the people here are actually really sweet. It's the bishop. He is a fucking lunatic."

"We are going to get you out of here," Pete said determinedly as he stepped forward and reached for Emmett's chain.

Emmett responded by quickly pulling away and forcing Pete back into obscurity.

"We can't let them see you guys, and if I step out of line, the bishop will take it out on the woman," he warned us.

"Em, what exactly is going on here?" Edward asked warily.

Emmett looked around to make sure no one was noticing us, then he turned back to explain. "The bishop figured out what our blood can do to the zombies, so he and a few other men have been hunting down their zombified family and community members, and basically shoving them in a secured room with us."

"Oh my gosh, but they could kill you in the process," I said horrified.

"They don't care. When I got here, the woman was so weak from being attacked by so many zombies, that she could hardly look up at me."

"What happened to you coming in here all stealth-like and stealing her without being noticed?" Pete griped.

"I tried! They keep her locked up all day, and force me to work out here non-stop until almost night time when I then get locked up with her. Every few days they shove zombies in there with us, and I basically have to let them bite the shit out of me without killing me until they start convulsing and change. The cured get let out – all of them except me and the woman. Fucking diabolical hypocrites! I attempted to push past them a few times, but they are strong as hell and have pitchforks."

"I can't believe a group of people could be so evil," I said incredulously.

Emmett shook his head. "Most of the people here don't even know the woman exists, and they think I'm just a new laborer to their community. They have no idea where their cured family really comes back from. They must think they were being held captive by the zombies, or something. The bishop has these people's minds so scrambled they can't see what's right in front of them. He warned me that if I tell anyone the truth, or run away, the woman will have to bear all of the curing attacks alone for now on, and I really don't think she can survive much more."

"Hey, what are you doing over there by the hay?" someone yelled at Emmett from out of our view.

"Shit!" he hissed. "Just get out of here, guys. If they catch you, you'll be locked up with me."

It was absolutely maddening. We had saved all of them from being offerings to the zombies, only for them to turn around and do basically the same to Emmett and the woman. It was not only hypocritical; it was utterly inhumane.

We couldn't just let it continue, and we absolutely refused to abandon Emmett. We would free him and the woman, we just had to figure out how…