Addison's POV

Zed was still refusing to let me walk on my own. I swore I was feeling up to it but he still made her ride on his back. As he walked my mind drifted back to our time in my bathroom this afternoon.

XxFlashbackxX

Zed helped me out of the bandages Eliza and Bonzo had wrapped me in and was cleaning my shoulder of the dried blood patches around the bite. Then he dug through his bag to get out some healing ointment, gauze and fresh bandaging wraps.

"It looks a lot better already." I comment, checking out the wound in the mirror. I glance at Zed and see his lips purse together into a line as he continues to pull supplies out of his bag. I know it's still hard for him, seeing the wound he inflicted, but he has to see that I don't blame him for it. I decide to not press the issue further but look at the wound more. It's open still but it's not bleeding anymore, it almost looks like it's already starting to scab over. I didn't think a wound that deep would scab so quickly.

Zed returns with ointment in hand, I smile up at him from the mirror. His lip quirks up in the corner but that's all I get. He gently rubs on the ointment, obviously concentrating really hard on not putting too much pressure that would make me uncomfortable. Yes, touching it stung but I tried my best not to flinch from his fingers. He was being so careful and gentle.

Once he finished, he rewashed his hands and placed a pad of gauze over my shoulder before wrapped it securely with the bandages.

"There! All done!" He exclaimed. I smile at him again.

"Thanks for taking such good care of me." I say softly. His warm smile returns as he leans down and kisses my cheek from his spot behind me.

"Anything for you Gorgeous. Now get dressed! We can't keep Eliza waiting long or she'll kick my ass!" He said with a mock scared expression. I giggle and follow him out of the bathroom. I put on a strapless bra as to not aggravate my shoulder and put on a mighty shrimp tee with my captain jacket overtop. I slide into my skinny jeans and sneakers before returning to Zed's side.

"Ready?" I asked with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, hop on!" He says as he kneels down in front of me for the second time today.

"Im perfectly capable of walking." I protest.

XxEnd FlashbackxX

And obviously I lost that fight as I ride to Eliza's house on the back of my zombie boyfriend. I smile and press my mouth to his shoulder.

"I think," I begin and pause to make sure he's listening and kissing my way to his neck, "it would only be fair if I bite you back." I tease, planting a kiss to the side of his neck and then scraping my teeth along the skin there. He shivered and laughed.

"Did some of my zombie urges rub off on you or something?" He teased, turning his head towards me and I ark my neck to kiss him.

"I think they have," my voice more sensual than before, "you are looking mighty delicious right now." Zed trips over his own feet and we almost go toppling to the ground but luckily he's able to rebalance and keep us going. I laugh and kiss his blushing cheek. "Sorry." I whisper with a giggle. He chuckles as he continues our path to Zombietown.

"Why do we have to go to Eliza's again?" I asked, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Her Mom is known as a Zombie Healer. And no, she doesn't have powers or do any like magic spells or anything. She just knows a lot of things about us and can use certain herbs and stuff to help our bodies heal quicker. Eliza thinks she might know why I turned zombie with a fully functioning Z-band and why I bit you. Maybe even give you something to heal faster." Zed explained. I let what he said settle in my brain. I ride on his back quietly as he walks.

The walk didn't take as long as the walk from school, we reached the barrier wall just as our friends were approaching. I wiggle against Zed's hold on my legs and he tries to tighten his grip but I've already broken out of it enough to get my feet on the ground.

"H-hey!" He exclaims as I run off towards them. "Wait!" He chases after me. Bree caught sight of me and breaks away from their group to run to me too.

Normal POV

"Addy! You're ok!" Bree exclaims Eliza and Bonzo are surprised and rush to follow. Bonzo, able to catch up, wraps his arms around his girlfriend's waist from behind to hold her back.

"Bonzie! What are you doing?!" Bree exclaimed, struggling against him to go hug her best friend.

"Breeska, grusrah." Bonzo gently reminded her.

"Right, gentle, cause she was hurt." Bree said, more to herself. She gave Bonzo's arm a light pat to show she was calmer. She smiled at him as they approached Addison and Zed, who were still running, at a more normal pace.

"Hey!" Addison greeted, trotting to a stop and Zed close behind.

"Seriously?" He scolded. Addison gave him a shy smile and reached up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek.

"Sorry again." She giggled. Zed tries but fails to give me an angry look as a smile curls the corners of his lips.

"Oh fine!" I gives in, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Are you guys finished?" Eliza asked in irritation.

"Addy! I was so worried!" Bree finally gushes after being patient for too long, giddily bouncing forward with her arms extended towards her best friend. Addison smiled wide and stepped forward into her arms, she winced slightly from the pressure against her arm that shot up to her shoulder. Zed couldn't see her face but he could feel the slight pain and stepped forward to break it up.

"Uh, yeah! We all were! Haha." Zed tried to act natural but he was nervous. Nervous of how other people would react finding out Zed bit Addison. Would someone demand he be sent to Zombie Containment for punishment? Would they force them apart? He felt sick to his stomach at just the thought. Addison looked up at him worriedly.

"You ok Zed?" She asked, he snapped out of his horrible train of thought and nodded.

"Come on, let's get going!" Eliza interrupted. Addison grabbed Zed's hand and gave it a light squeeze of reassurance. She could feel his rising anxiety and nervousness. The two start to follow their friends to Eliza's house but Addy made sure they hung back a bit so she could talk to Zed.

"You sure you're ok?" She asked. Zed gripped her hand tighter and his whole body started shaking. She could feel his overwhelming fear building. Addison stopped them from walking and pulled him into her arms to hug him. "Talk to me! What's going on?" She encouraged. Zed took in a shaky breath to try and calm himself.

"What if they take me away? What if they force us apart?" His voice was shaky.

"Hey, hey! Shh..." She whispered. "You're ok! We're ok!" She pulled back slightly to place her forehead against his. "No one is going to take you away from me. I won't let them." She pulls back again to smile up at him. "I can promise you that!" Zed relaxes when he looked in her eyes and saw her sincerity. He smiled down at her.

When they turned to continue walking, they found an audience of their friends staring fondly at them. Bonzo couldn't help but walk up and give them a big hug, obviously hugging Addison much lighter than Zed, who he squeezed very tightly.

"Ok, ok! Geez Bonzo!" Zed complained while Addison just giggled.

The group finally made it to Eliza's, her mother in the kitchen making cookies. "Mom! I'm home!" Eliza yelled. Zinnia popped her head around the corner and saw all the teens standing in her living room. She grabs the bottom of her apron like a towel, wiping her hands as she walked out.

"My, my! Are we hosting a party I was unaware of?" Zinnia joked. To her surprise no one even broke a smile. All their faces were mixed with worry. "What's going on?" She asked towards Eliza.

"Well there was an accident and we were hoping you might be able to shed some light on the situation." Eliza said. Zinnia raised a brow but waved for all the kids to follow her to sit. Once they were all seated and comfortable, she asked.

"So what happened?" Zinnia asked. Zed stiffens beside her so Addison decided to speak up first.

"Well um, he didn't mean to at all." Addison quickly threw in there before explaining further. "Zed may have gotten a little too excited and, uh, bit me." Bree gasped from her spot on the floor.

"Like normal Zed kinky bit you? Or like zombie Zed bit you bit you?" Bree asked in her usual fast whisper tone.

Addison blushed as she admitted, "Both."

"Oh my!" Bree glanced back at Bonzo over her shoulder, he stiffened. Zed had smelt the change in her scent too so he guessed it was affecting Bonzo like Addison's would affect him. Zinnia sat back in her chair and rubbed her chin as she thought.

"Zed dear, what were you feeling before you turned? Was your Z-band online?" She asked. Zed nodded.

"It was working fine. I was telling Eliza and Bonzo about, um, things me and Addison were going through and, uh," Addison could feel how uncomfortable he was and grabbed his hand for support, "I got 'excited' and ran out of the classroom before someone could see me zombied out."

"Excited." Zinnia repeated. Zed blushes as much as a zombie could and nodded, avoiding eye contact. "And when the bite happened?" She asked for clarification. Addison jumped in.

"We were alone in the bathroom, in the middle of having sex and he bit me when he climaxed." She just spelled it out. They needed to get it all out there without beating around the bush. If Eliza's Mom was going to be able to help them she needed to know everything. The four other teens in the room blushed furiously with the explicit admission. Zed leaned to hide his face in Addison's hair, squeezing her hand tight. He was so embarrassed. Addison rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand comfortingly. He knew as well as she did that she had to know.

"I see." Zinnia nodded in understanding. "So you two are sexually active. How long have you been having intercourse?" She asked. Addison continued since she was probably the most comfortable talking about sex in the whole room.

"Let's see, about 3 years?" She said, thinking back.

"And have there been any changes recently that you can recall?" Zinnia questioned. Addison shook her head but Zed interrupted.

"We had a couple months that we were basically abstinent because we've been busy with football and cheer." Zed said. Zinnia seemed intrigued with that.

"And when did that stop?"

"Yesterday." Zed said. Zinnia tapped her chin as she contemplated.

"How many times have you kids had sex since yesterday." It wasn't quite a question but just looking for the number.

"Um," Addison started, it was her turn to blush. "6." Eliza across the room seems to choke on some air as she starts to cough violently.

"WHAT?" She finally gets out. "WHEN?!" She's in complete disbelief. Zed glares at her.

"None of your business." Zed growls. Eliza huffs as she sits back in her chair and crosses her arms to just listen.

"Hm. I think I may have an idea as to why you went full zombie with a working Z-band." Zinnia announced. Addison and Zed leaned forward listening intently, tightly holding the other's hand for support. Zinnia continued. "I believe you have found a mate." She said with a smile. When their faces just showed more confusion, she explained more.

"Back before the Z-band, zombies were very primitive and functioned mostly off instinct and emotion. Their brains weren't as complicated as now with the Z-bands. Our brains function mostly like a human's. But there's still that instinct in there for survival." Zinnia leaned forward with a smile. "And to assure reproduction." Zed gulped, unsure of where she was going with this.

"Old day zombies would choose a female to mate with and mark them with a bite to claim them from any other males."

"That's what I said!" Eliza interjected.

"Shhh!" Zed shushed her, still listening intently.

"I do think it was you Zombie placing a mark on Addison in fear of losing her since you went a while without intercourse. Now, there haven't been any markings since the Z-bands were put in place. So I've not seen one in person or heard of any personal accounts to confirm. But, it's said in legend that a mark connects the mates on a deeper level than just physically, if the cycle is completed properly." Both Zed and Addison's eyes were wide. All the feelings and emotions they've felt rushed back.

"Have you two been noticing anything differently?" Zinnia asked. Both of them nod together.

"Like what?" Bree asked with an amazed look on her face.

"I-I can feel his emotions, the strong ones anyways." Addison says still a little stunned.

"And physical. I can feel her pain. And pleasure too." Zed added.

"It's pretty incredible." Addison said with a dreamy sigh, leaning into his side.

Eliza made a grossed out gag noise. "He's like a brother to me. That's gross." She said, then smacked Bonzo's shoulder lightly. "Do I look green? Greener than usual?" Addison shook her head as if snapped out of a daze.

"S-sorry." She apologized.

"Incredible indeed." Zinnia agreed more to herself. "Can I have a look at the bite?" Zinnia asks, standing to walk over to Addison.

"Zed just bandaged it back up. I can go take it off if you want." Addy offered. Zinnia nodded and led her back to her work room, Zed following while the rest of them stayed in their spots.

"You can sit in that chair there." Zinnia instructed, while she grabbed some dried herbs from their jars and began to mash them in a small bowl.

Zed helps her shrug off her jacket and pull her shirt over her head before helping remove the wrappings from her shoulder. Zinnia walked back to her once Zed was done. Zinnia gingerly rubbed the herb mixture over the bite.

"Interesting." She mused.

"What? Is something wrong?" Zed asked quickly in a panic. Zinnia chuckled and shook her head as she continued.

"A bite this deep would usually require stitches. Possibly ending in death for a human that didn't get help in time. But it looks like you're over half way healed." She said. Once she finished applying the herbs, she stood and turned to Zed. "Let me see your bite as well."

Addison's brows furrowed in confusion. "Oh, I didn't bite him back." Zinnia looked at her in surprise.

"You must have. If you two have the connection. That's how you complete the cycle." She explained. Zed extended his forearm.

"She did bite me. When we were trying to bandage her up. I let her use my arm when Eliza poured on the alcohol." Zed said. Zinnia examined the bite mark on Zed's forearm that was all healed into a scar. Two slightly raised half circles in his skin, if you didn't know it was there you wouldn't even notice it.

Zinnia turned and sat down the bowl on her workbench and turned back towards the young couple rubbing her chin again.

"I think you might have been very lucky." She finally said. "You bit Zed after the fact when they were cleaning and bandaging you. If Zed hadn't offered his arm for you to bite down on, you might have bled to death." The thought made Zed's heart stop and hit him with a dizzy spell. He fell backwards but caught himself on one of her bookshelves.

"Zed!" Addison screamed and jumped to her feet to steady him. He was shaking again and his eyes wide. "Zed breath! It's ok! I'm ok!" She tried to calm him, feeling her heart constricting from anxiety.

"What's going on?!" Eliza exclaimed. Their friends came running and stopped in the doorway.

"It was completely by chance that you're alive. And it was all my fault. I could have killed you." He said quietly, his entire body trembling. Something deep inside his roared its protest at the statement. Addison pulled him down so his ear was pressed against her chest.

"You hear that?" She said, letting him listen to her heartbeat. "The fact is that I am alive. Because of you." He seemed to calm with her heart pounded against his ear.

"Yes. It was probably your Zombie's instinct telling you to let her bite you in fear of losing his mate." Zinnia said. Zed looked up at her from his spot against Addison's chest.

"My Zombie?" He asked, still slightly shaken. Zinnia nodded.

"You have a strong Zombie in you young Zed. Don't be afraid of him. He wants what's best for you. And Addison." She told him wisely. Zed thought it over for a moment then realized he had his face pressed against Addison's almost bare breasts.

"Oh god!" He yelled, pulled her against his front and turns do his back was to the door. "Get out!" He yelled. His friends in the doorway suddenly realized the same thing and Bonzo was the first to run back to the living room, followed much slower by Eliza then Bree.