BLUE IRIS

Colt

FROST DUCKED and crawled down the moment we spotted the campers' location. He took off the nocs to scout the distance. The stream water in a slow current that separated us from them. A few trees hanging out over the water that blocked mostly the views of the other side.

Tension rode in me as I positioned myself and rested the muzzle of my rifle onto the log that hid us from the campers. I looked through the scope. One small tent was hidden under the vines, and they seemed to be there for a couple of days now based on the ashes of firewood, plastics, and cans littered on the ground, leaves fragments, and as well as the grass bank was already covered with mud.

"Affirmative. They're definitely just campers," Frost muttered. He was vigilant, I gave him that. He informed me that Iris was not what I thought she was and just needed shelter. "Agree."

"They must be scouting for a safer place. By the look of it, in a few days, their group will follow them here."

"Have you seen anyone?"

"Nah. Hiding or away, or someone must have spotted us first?"

"If you're not a son of a billionaire you could be working your ass off at the CIA."

He chuckled, cocking his brow cockily. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be in a military, but I knew that's not gonna happen, and I like the perks of being undercover, you know." My brows lifted. "Which perk exactly are you trying to tell me? Sleeping with women to gather Intel?"

He patted my shoulder. "Damn right."

I laid down on my back while Frost was waiting for someone to appear. "How long are we gonna stay here?"

"Just wanna spot one. I want to confirm if they're only campers."

"Hmm." I closed my eyes.

"Don't sleep, asshole. You should be the one spying out."

I opened an eye. "I'm not sleeping, just resting, and listening to the birds."

"Listening to the birds or thinking of Iris? You are the police officer here, remember? You swore an oath."

"That was pre-virus, and I trust your instinct. Just making your dream come true, man."

"Lately, you're not so helpful, Colt. Your Blue Iris is plaguing your brain."

I hit his side. "You're a dick."

"I'm just stating the fact, dickhead, and what was that hug all about?" He softly laughed.

"I don't know. I'm as surprised as you by my actions. Lately, I keep thinking about her."

"I know you like her. That's so obvious, by the way, and everyone knows it. The way you look at her?" He whistled. "And damn if she's not getting hotter every day."

I groaned and wanted to punch him if I didn't know he was just messing with me.

"I know you agree with me, but you better be in a hurry."

"For what?" I raised my head up, supporting my body with my elbows.

"Before we bleed out and die."

"We're not gonna die because of the damn virus."

"Maybe from a hard-on?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, inwardly amused because he was probably right. "Can you forget your dick for a moment?"

"Sure, when I am in your position. I mean apparently, you just solved your problem."

"And if you're not so dick yourself, you have a woman with a soft and warm body that prevents you from dying with a raging hard-on, but you choose life just to sway your dick to every woman in the fucking globe." "That was months ago. I can't even remember the feeling of my cock balls deep in woman's pussy."

"Jesus," I muttered, shaking my head with amusement.

"So, do we have a deal?"

"What deal?"

"That you're willing to share Iris with me?"

I cocked my head and shook. "If I don't know you well, I already punch you till your eyes pop out from your head."

He smiled. "Thank you for the heads up, man. By the way, Heloisa is right, I'm out of Iris' league."

"Good. Now, keep her away from your shitty head." I took a deep breath. "It's been years since I like someone. It's weird how I wanted to see her eyes, her smile, and hear her voice. She's like my needs, my-" "Okay, stop right there. Now, who sounds like a romance novel? You're in deep shit!" His face turned red, trying hard not to laugh out loud.

"Fuck you."

"Later, man. Seriously though, you become less scary. I even saw you smile. If I know the little thing you call twig can make you smile, I should've searched for her before you scare the hell out of our group." "I don't have a reason to feel bad, asswipe."

"What I mean is, you're still the tough and broody who barks around, but I'm truly happy for you. You can't just focus on protecting everyone. I'm not complaining though because we care about you and trust you that you would do everything for us, but please, think also about yourself, your needs, Colt. Look at the world right now. It won't get back to the way it was if you die as a hero from keeping us alive." "Your point?"

"Enjoy your life while protecting us. Make a move on Iris. If there are scientists out there creating a cure, I know they have time to jerk off, you know what I mean?" "Jesus! This is not just about sex."

"I didn't say what's going on between you and Iris is just about sex, but orgasm is not a bad thing." He smirked. "You can't just love her or cocoon her without a couple of orgasms."

The word love was like a sucker-punch to my stomach. I lost the people I loved, but was I ready to love or for another heartache, if in case? I didn't know. On the other hand, life was too short not to enjoy each second of it. "Enough talking about it," I said through gritted teeth.

It was normal for us to talk about sex, but talking about love, Iris, and orgasms at the same time was a bad combination. And I couldn't watch the campers with a raging hard-on, could I?

"Fine."

"So, is there anyone who broke your heart? I mean there must be a reason why you became a complete asshole?" Now, it's my turn.

He shrugged. Frost's expression suddenly changed into hard and sour. I must have initiated something very sensitive topic.

"Yeah, there was one, but she was too good for me." His voice almost cracked.

"I'm sorry."

Frost glanced at my side. "It doesn't suit you, Colt. Don't be softie on me now."

"She must be something special," I poked.

He shook his head in amusement. "You won't let it go, will you?"

"Nah, I'm bored."

"Not gonna tell you shit." He paused. "It's just... I hurt her."

"You mean you broke her heart."

"Worse than that."

"Shit! Frost, what did you do?"

"I also broke my heart in the end, but she didn't have any idea. Lately, I realized what I've lost. I wish I can go back to that time and make it up to her, but I think it's too late. I don't even know if she's still alive. I was going to see her before I met you, guys, then things went out of control. It was harder to get back home, and besides, I doubt if she was still there. I don't know if my dad is still alive either."

"We'll find her, Frost. When things are a little under control, I'll help you find her and your dad."

"What if she moves on? What if she doesn't want me in her life anymore? What if—”

I squeezed his shoulder and shook my head. "Frost, no more what ifs. You know why we are still alive because we never lose hope, and you can't just live with what ifs. How will you know if you won't even try?" "Look at you, man. You have all these shits in you."

My chest constricted. "I've been there, so I knew shits. When Colton died, I thought I had no reason to live anymore. He was the only family I had left, besides Gael, but he made me promise that I wouldn't mourn for him, that I was alive because I had a purpose, and I had to look for that purpose. If he was alive, and I was the one in his position, I would tell him the same thing."

"Thanks, man."

A few hours later, the camp had still no movements. We had to change our position to the west. We found two small tents behind the trees. Good distraction. And the moment we scouted, we looked at each other in shock. Frost groaned and shook his head.

"Fuck!"

"Sonofa "

My shoulders stiffened. "What the fuck is she doing here?" I hissed in anger.

Cora got inside the tent, two white men about our age followed. They didn't look like military, but they had handguns on their sides. Everyone had it nowadays, and it was not a shock anymore.

"Why do I feel like she's using herself to trade some food?" Frost suspected.

"Alone? It's more than that." And it suddenly reminded me something. I hesitated to tell Frost, but he needed to know. "I slept with her." I grimaced the moment those words came out of my mouth. "What?" His head jerked with eyes focused at me, reading me if I was just shitting him.

"I was..." I breathed through my nose. "I don't know. She just knocked on my door, and I let her in. I didn't even stop her."

"You don't have to explain. I also slept with her. I know it's not surprising, but what's this all about?"

"What if she's selling info about our camp?" Blood rushed through my head. Heat shot across my face. "What if these people are looking for Iris?"

"Why they want Iris back? It's not that she reported them to the authority for brutally murdering her brother."

"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this."

Frost's expression showed he wasn't impressed with what we saw. "Let's head back. It's almost sunset," he finally said after a deep breath.

Our way back to the camp was slower than we used to. We needed to take precautions that we were not being followed, though it was useless when Cora already traded our location to those men, or I was being too paranoid.

I still couldn't believe she was dealing with them without telling Gael. Gael would never allow her no matter how terrible her attitude was. I hoped they were not from the Colony Iris was talking about.

"Should we tell Gael?"

"He has to know," I said bluntly.

"He won't allow Cora to get back to the camp, Colt."

"Then let her stay with them."

Frost grabbed my arm. "This has nothing to do with Iris, has it?"

I shook my head. "No." Not entirely. "This is about our camp. We've been there for months and we're still safe until now because we used precautions. And if she told them where she came from, then they were others waiting out there and followed her the moment she left that tent, then what?"

"She's maybe a bitch, but she's not gonna put us in danger, especially you and Gael."

"You don't know that." I continued walking. "Maybe not on purpose, but the moment she told them about the camp we were all in danger. And I won't let them get into us without a fight. She should know that before she went out there. That's why I need to tell Gael."

"Look, I owe you all my life, and you don't have to question my loyalty because it's always been to our group, but I don't think those men are after the camp or Iris. They're just campers and just want her. I guess."

"You don't owe us anything. We're family. I just hope you're right." "Don't do this, Colt."

"It's not your call, Frost. This is for everyone's safety."

"So you'll gonna let her die outside?"

"It's up to Gael. She fucked up, Frost. She chose her fate the moment she sneaked out and betrayed her own group. We don't even know if she still stays inside or out there. I haven't seen her in the kitchen or around the camp for days. That's why we are here, right? To scout," I pointed out.

"Well, there's only one way find out."

***

IT WAS already dark when we reached the camp. Frost used the exit gate from the back while I sneaked through the main gate.

I heard everyone's conversation around the fire which gave me easy access to get into Cora's cabin. I picked the lock and got inside.

Her bed was well made and clothes neatly folded above the bed. Her backpack was missing, and nothing suspicious in the nightstand drawer. I lifted the mattress-nothing was hidden under. It was almost perfectly set up as if she knew something was coming, or I was overthinking everything. But there must be something about why she was out there and not with us, and she hadn't come back until now.

"What she's doing out there?" I asked myself and carefully tucked her mattress back like how it was before. I walked out and locked the door behind me.

On my way to the dinner they prepared, Iris called out my name.

I froze on the spot.

"Hey." My voice came out a whisper. The moment our gaze met, a lot of thoughts scattered in my head.

"Hey, you." Her eyes lit up. Fascinating.

I pulled her tightly into a hug. This time I didn't hear a gasp from her. She wrapped her tiny arms around my body, and my heart instantly galloped. Warm hands rubbed my back, causing tingles of electricity to spread all over me.

I couldn't stop thinking about her even I was somewhere. It felt like we had some fucking cosmic connection that it was hard to explain, and there was no way this could be relieved by sex alone.

When I was with her, my brain didn't seem to work. Frost was right, Iris was like a plague to my brain in a damn good way.

All I knew was I deeply cared about her. I planted a soft kiss on top of her head.

When she loosened her arms around me, I felt the sudden emptiness the moment our body parted. The moonlight reflected in her blue eyes as she looked up and met my searing gaze. She smiled at me it encouraged me to cup her small round face with my hands and caressed her dashing pretty pink soft cheeks.

Make a move, Colt. The voice of Frost echoed in my head.

My gaze dropped to her lips. Tension suddenly thickened around us. Electricity sparked. Heartbeat skyrocketed.

Her breathing caught, then she breathed out, almost like a sigh, and whispered, "I-I don't mind."

And it was my cue to lean down, brushes my lips against hers, and let my lids flutter close.

Desires blasted through me with just three simple words. I leaned in and kissed her, and tasted the sweet mouth I wanted to possess the moment she threatened my cock. Her lips parted, and I captured her mouth, and all the restrains I had vanished in the air. Her fingers gripped my front shirt, then released them to run through my hair.

I released my hands and I cupped the back of her head and the other at the small of her back. Our mouth moved in sync like we'd done it several times. Perfect.

My tongue licked the seam of her lips, and she opened up, meeting with hers in her mouth. Iris moaned, pressing herself against mine. The heat we created was racing down toward my dick.

Overwhelmed with the kiss, lust overtook me, finding me hard to stop kissing her. This was all I'd been wanting, but now it was not enough, I desperately wanted something more I wanted Iris. I wanted her in my bed. In this cruel world. In my

life.

Pain pierced through my heart. I kissed her hard one last time and freed my mouth from hers.

Her confused blue eyes met mine. "What's wrong?" she asked, still panting. She then looked down as disappointment laced all over her pretty face. "I get it. It's a mistake."

It took a moment for me to seemingly let those words sink in. Fear rushed through me when she started walking backward.

"Iris."

"Sorry if I kissed you. I guessed I was just a little bit overwhelmed, but I'm glad you're back. Safe. Everyone is waiting for you for dinner."

"Iris, just hold for a moment." I ran my fingers through my hair and stepped closer to her. "Um." I rubbed my beard. "Shit." I held her hand. "Look."

"We'll talk later." That was it, she then walked away.

What the fuck?