“You didn’t even get properly dressed before you moved onto another woman,” Eve cutely puffed her cheek, her body covered by the navy-blue cloak, covering her neck to toe.

Aurum finally managed to button his shirt, “she gave in awfully early for a woman that resisted it for weeks despite wanting it. I thought it was strange before…now, I am sure.”

Eve’s eyes became downcast as she looked down, “I am the one…”

“Eve. I don’t need excuses,” Aurum glanced towards her, “I am a lustful man who cannot control his urges. Does having you near me and your latent or now awakened powers constantly affecting me makes me a little hornier than usual? Maybe. Doesn’t mean you have to blame yourself or make excuses for my action. I am the one who decide-d to seduce them. By taking the blame…don’t make me a coward who can’t even own his actions.”

Eve helplessly smiled. She took a step back, gently hugging him, wrapping her arm evening gloves covered arm around him, “big brother…you are so cool sometimes.”

“I think you saying that makes me less cool,” Aurum gently hugged her, stroking her back. She fit so perfectly in his arms. He slid his palm down to her ass, looking towards Kiriko, “still…your powers are growing stronger. First Rei accepting and kissing you so easily…and then Kiriko submitting. In fact, it didn’t even take me a moment to make her body heat up. There wasn’t any need for much foreplay and she just…you are like a walking aphrodisiac.”

“Is that why you covered my whole body,” Eve raised her eyebrows. She was currently wearing a pantyhose under her skirt and belt, wearing an off-shoulder top on top of it, and have the cloak wrap around from her neck to feet. There were also the evening gloves.

“That cloak is basically useless since it only keeps the wearer cool…but it is perfect for you. Seraphim’s Presence. It might use flowery words but I am sure it has something to do with pheromones that allow you to control other’s behaviour. Saya will research it. This should hide your body and keep others from getting too affected,” he calmly answered.

“I understand,” Eve stroked his white shirt, sliding her lips along with his chest, her breath hitting against his chest, “at least my luck skill is useful.”

Aurum rolled his eyes, “Yeah. It was ‘Lucky’ that we got this cloak.”

Eve giggled, “But it was!”

“Uh-huh, I totally believe in luck,” he cupped her cheeks to raise her face, showing her the eyes that he rolled.

Eve wanted to roll her eyes at him when she pulled on his cheek, “What will I ever do with you.”

Aurum leaned in, whispering in her ear, making her grip on his shirt and close her thighs, feeling her cheeks get flushed. He pulled back, clearing his throat, “are those ideas enough.”

“You are going to hurt your body if you keep going like this,” Eve hotly breathed out as her big brother cupped her cheek, pushing his thumb through her lips.

Kiriko slowly opened her eyes. Aurum’s body hid her view of Eve, but she could still tell that they were close, “you two?”

Eve pulled his thumb out of her mouth, wiping her lip before looking towards her, greeting her, “Aunt Kiriko. I heard you had a heat stroke and fell asleep?”

Kiriko panicked for a moment, looking towards Aurum. She sat up, adjusting her clothes only to find them well adjusted. She crossed her legs, “Sorry. I must have hurried over. Did you talk to the Takagi’s?”

“Eve left right after Rei reported,” Aurum scratched the back of his neck, ‘she did leave after Kiriko and I started having sex.’

Eve strode over to the table, searching under the edge, pressing a button that caused the map glass to rise, along with the man that stuck to it. It was a map of the city being re-drawn by hand. At the centre was Takagi Estate and everything around it. She pointed on the North-Eastern Quadrant on the map, “this is where the scouts saw the zombies.”

She slid her fingers towards the west, “On the North West is where Sir Takagi went with his soldiers. We haven’t heard from them at the scheduled time. Lady Yuriko is going to take a unit to search for them. A few members of Medical Unit are going with them. The Reserves of Cleaner and Scouting Units are also going with them. The rest of the members of Logistic and Medical Unit will be helping the Civilians evacuate.”

“If east and west both have zombie related problems,” Kiriko dreaded to ask, “Could this be a…”

“Zombie Wave?” Aurum nodded, “We have been cleaning zombies. Although they keep reappearing every week, their numbers are lower. In turn, they grow stronger by a very small margin. Also, the zombies from farther lands keep coming as if they know there is civilization here. When is the reset?”

“Midnight…today,” Eve nervously informed.

Kiriko covered her face, closing her eyes, “that’s…we…damn it. Couldn’t it have happened a day earlier or later.”

“It’s just bad luck.”

“Bad luck,” Aurum let out a troubled sigh, “You believe in it too much. Who else is prepared for deployment or has already been deployed?”

“Firearms and Trapping Unit is preparing for an assault. They are mounting a defence.”

“What about the zombies that are going to appear on the South Side tonight?”

“We would have reached Safe Grounds long before that. Even if there is an emergency…that area is countryside, not many zombies were there to begin with. There are even fewer of them now. As long as there are a few guards and firearms units, they should be safe,” Eve slid her finger back to the North, “we need to deal with them…but …”

“Our people are stretched far too thin. There is too much to do. Too much to take care of,” Kiriko raised her eyes, “We can hole ourselves here. For the past month, we have used all the drops to prepare a defence. With all those resources we can hold for a few days even against a zombie wave. By that time, our forces can regroup.”

“No,” Aurum rejected the idea right away, “If we mount a fortress defence strategy then every kill from a trap would grant everyone a tiny amount of experience. Against the zombie wave, they would have enough to level up. Two or three days…we’d have Outbursts on our hand. Numerous. We are going to crumble from the inside.”

“Do you have a better suggestion?”

“Yes, well,” Aurum scratched his chin, closing his eyes, “Where is she?”

“She?” Kiriko looked towards Eve in confusion, who smiled and answered.

“Straight North.”

“I see,” Aurum took a deep breath, “then, Eve. Come with me.”

“Yes, big brother.”

North of Takagi Estate, Apartment Building’s Gate,

The girl with purple hair sat on the chair, wiping the blood off her katana’s blade, cleaning it. There was a big pile of items in front of her, though none that she actually cared for other than a plastic bottle that she carried to wash blood off her face.

“Saeko-senpai! Saeko-senpai! Are you there?”

Saeko looked towards her waist, picking the walkie talkie from her utility belt, “Kohta-Kun. I am here.”

“Right, can you tell me the nearest rendezvous point? Aurum is on his way North. I have to inform him.”

“Aurum is coming…here?” Saeko raised her eyebrows. She darted her eyes towards her arms and legs, covered in blood of the zombies, “How long do I have?”

“Uh…um…15 minutes?”

“I see,” Saeko stood up, putting her sheathe by her side, pointing her shining blade forward, “Tell him he can find me himself.”

“No! Saeko-senpai! It is urge—”

Saeko crushed the walkie talkie, interrupting Kohta’s message. She softly smiled, “Aurum is coming…is he…I need more water…”