A Night in the Darkness

VIII. The Sweetest Venom
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Chris’ sinuses seized up as the large oak door’s of the library slammed shut behind them. There was so much dust, and their presence had launched it into the air around them. Despite his watering eyes, however, he held his sneezes and hacks. Considering their predicament, a silly, weak fit of allergies might weaken the groups waning morale even further.

He turned to the others, standing behind him. Jill was ridding Rebecca’s face of the flecks of blood she had acquired earlier. She still looked like she was in shock. Jill carefully wiped the blood and tears away from Rebecca’s face; almost lovingly. He smiled a little. He couldn’t express how relieved he was to see that they were all right; especially Jill. After what he had seen since parting with the two of them, he had tried to prepare himself for the worst. Now that they were together again, he promised himself that they would all make it out of this alive.

Barry, for his part, didn’t look much better than Rebecca. His skin was pale and sweaty, and his gaze was glassy and unfixed. Something about it bothered Chris. He had partnered with Barry in at least a dozen other situations, and Barry was always cool headed. More often than not, it was he who was keeping Chris from breaking down. Perhaps the thing with Forrest had just been too much. They had known each other fairly well. Or maybe it was something else…

Chris turned his attention back to the library. It was absolutely enormous. It was set up like a large foyer, with two regal looking staircases against either wall, leading up to a second floor. Books were crammed in every nook and cranny of the place. Besides the shelves upon shelves, their were tables and stools and chairs stacked with books and papers. There were even piles sitting on the floor.

Chris took a step forward, not daring to lower his gun. The place was eerily quiet, and he wasn’t taking any chances. He almost jumped when he heard the others begin to follow behind him. He signaled to Jill to follow him and scout the first floor, and then Barry and Rebecca to ascend the staircase and search the second. Barry nodded dutifully, Rebecca zealously so, most likely to hide her fear.

They began climbing the steps, their creaks fading and leaving Chris and Jill alone on the main floor. Without a word, the two began through a row of bookcases, each time swinging around the corner in opposite directions before continuing down the next one. The two worked this way in silence for several more rows before Jill broke the silence.

“Chris…”

“Yeah?” he snapped out of his concentration.

“Chris, I’m worried about Barry.” Chris met her eyes, and saw her words reflected in them. He nodded.

“Me too,” he replied. “He doesn’t seem like himself. Usually he would have taken charge by now.”

Jill nodded her head in agreement. Chris suspected he knew what was on her mind.

“You don’t think…” she started. “You don’t think he might have had something to do with Enrico, do you?” They rounded another bookcase, clearing the area before continuing down the next one. Overhead, they could hear the creaking floorboards of Rebecca and Barry. He hoped it was them, at least.

Chris suddenly regret pairing Rebecca with Barry. He should have thought of it. But it was an easy mistake to make. They all trusted Barry. It would be all too easy for him to deceive them.

“I don’t know,” Chris finally answered flatly. He wanted to say no, but had to be realistic. Who else could it be? Jill had been with Rebecca the whole time, and Barry was the only other survivor they’d come across. Wesker and the others had to be assumed dead until found, as grim as it seemed. “We’ll just have to keep an eye on him.”

Jill nodded, saying nothing as they cleared yet another bookcase, which were seeming more infinite and labyrinthine by the moment. They were halfway down the aisle before Jill caught Chris’ eye.

“Jill, are you alright?” Tears streaked her partner’s face, and with the realization of it Chris also noticed that he had been hearing her sniffle. He stopped walking, gently turning her face up to his.

“Jill, what’s the matter?” he continued, trying to ignore how awkward he felt. He had never seen her this way, this vulnerable; and he had definitely never been good at consolation. But it was Jill. He had to try, at least. She held back a sob as she answered.

“It’s just too much…” she said through her soft tears. “This place is like a nightmare… our friends are dying and missing, and Barry might be doing it.” Her tears were falling more freely now, and she pressed against Chris for comfort, he instinctually wrapped his arms around her and held her, feeling less stupid and useless not having to see her teary eyes.

“It’s just… never been this bad before,” she continued through her dry chokes. “I want so badly to believe that we’ll make it out of this, but… I just don’t see a way.” She cried quietly, Chris holding her in the aisle.

Rational thoughts crossed his mind as he comforted her. This was unprofessional; they hadn’t secured the area. It was dangerous; they were leaving themselves completely vulnerable to attack.

But he was holding her, Jill Valentine, and that was right. It felt so, at least. Her sobs had stopped against his chest, but he could still feel the warmth of her tears. He rocked minutely from side to side, swaying with her. He nuzzled down closer to the top of her head, his lips brushing accidentally along her hair. He felt her jolt at the contact, and stiffened, wondering if he had overstepped his boundaries.

Instead, she turned her head upwards, her forehead brushing across his mouth. Chris tentatively planted a small kiss on her, hoping to hell he wasn’t misreading her. Jill raised her head further, so that the two of them were eye to eye. Chris leaned in, their lips close enough for them to share a moment’s breath. He felt Jill’s mouth touch his slightly, just enough to tickle. But she didn’t follow through. She was waiting, it seemed, for Chris to come the rest of the way.

He obliged, pressing his lips to hers. She accepted him immediately, any hesitance between them melting away immediately. She pressed against him, bringing their kiss deeper, tongues dancing amongst each other. Chris tightened his embrace heaving her closer to him. The momentum pushed them off balance and Chris hit back first into one of the bookshelves, knocking a few volumes off the wall as they did.

The two didn’t notice, tangling themselves into one another. Jill’s hands were under Chris’ shirt and feeling every muscle, traveling to his arms and feeling them, as well. Chris was indulging himself in every last inch of Jill’s body, running his fingers through her auburn hair, tracing his finger under her shirt to feel the wonderful contours of her back. His hands traveled around her waist to her abdomen, his fingertips brushing across her hip lines.

Jill sighed into their kiss at the contact, her heart racing. She grabbed Chris’ wrist and eagerly guided his hand down her hip lines and down the front of her pants. He gasped as he realized where she had led him. He pressed a finger against her wet opening, eliciting a moan from her. He began a slight rhythm, working a little deeper inside with each stroke.

His eyes widened as he felt Jill’s fingers dip below his trousers. He felt her hand grasp firmly and confidently around his member, causing him to moan in surprise and pleasure. She began stroking him, the friction making his knees shake. He had never been involved with Jill, but he had known her a long time; and he had never known her to be so forward, so demanding. What had gotten into her?

Jill gave him a hard tug, calling him to attention and breaking their kiss. He looked down to see that she had unzipped the front of her pants, his hand protruding from them and causing them to slowly slip down her legs. He met her eyes, reading her signal, the sight of her seductively biting her own lower lip driving him over the edge.

Chris spun her around, so that her back was now against the bookshelf. Her pants slid to the ground and she quickly kicked them off, so that they hung from one foot. Her panties were still on. He wrapped one arm around her bottom and lifted her up, locking lips with her once more. He unzipped his own pants with the other hand. They were leaving themselves totally exposed; it was the most irresponsible and dangerous move to make. Neither of them cared.

Chris finished undoing his pants and pulled them down enough to expose himself. Jill held the fabric of her undergarments aside as Chris pressed against her, the teasing sensation driving her crazy. She used her other arm to grab hold of his shoulder, pulling him closer and into her. They gasped in unison, Chris immediately building a rhythm of thrusts. Their kiss broke, but still their lips touched, caressing each other as they breathed together.

Jill already felt herself coming close. The intensity and spontaneity of the encounter was hurrying the pace of it. She could tell Chris wasn’t far behind. She wrapped her arm around Chris’ neck and pulled herself towards him, biting down on his shoulder. She was so close.

A scream suddenly resounded throughout the library, stopping the blood of the two lovers. A guttural yet feminine shriek of terror and anguish, followed by gunshots. It was Rebecca.

…

They had found Richard, slumped against a bookshelf. His skin was a sickly purple grey, his eyes bloodshot and sunken. Rebecca had almost shot him as they rounded the corner, thinking he was a zombie. He had cried out weakly, however, as he recognized her and Barry.

“Run,” he said. “Get out of here, before it comes back.”

“Before what comes back?” Barry asked, raising his gun once more. Rebecca quickly approached Richard, kneeling beside him and taking his pulse. She recognized poison immediately when she saw it.

“What happened?” she asked, looking for the infection point. There were no bite or sting marks, but there was a deep, bleeding gash on his right shoulder. Richard’s eyes swiveled to meet hers, and she wished that he hadn’t. She saw death in his eyes.

“The snake bit me,” he replied weakly. “It’ll come back. You have to leave. You can get to the labs from here.”

Rebecca nodded. “Yeah, I know,” she said. She took his arm and attempted to hoist him. “Come on,” she grunted as she lifted him. Barry rushed to her side to help him up.

“I can’t move my legs,” Richard moaned weakly. “Please leave me here. It’ll come back for me, so you can escape.”

“Shut up, Richard,” Barry said gruffly. They carried him down the aisle, his feet dragging between them with a annoying sound.

“Stop!” Richard cried out as loud as he could, which wasn’t much. The two did as he asked, his feet dangling at the ground. But the dragging noise persisted. No, Rebecca thought. Not a scraping sound. It was a hiss.

Rebecca turned her head over her shoulder and saw it. A snake. It slithered towards them, it’s gigantic head almost as wide as the entire aisle. It stopped before them, raising it’s head, looming above. It’s mouth was gaping open, revealing it’s huge, dripping fangs, as though it were yawning. Barry had raised his gun once more. His finger already on the trigger.

It all happened in the space of two seconds. The snake struck down at them, it’s mouth open, ready to feed. Barry fired a gigantic shot from his magnum, falling backwards as the snake hurdled towards them. The shot connected, but seemed to not deter it at all. Rebecca felt herself falling to her side, being forced out of the way as Richard pushed her.

She fell to the ground, screaming as she watched Richard disappear from the waist up into the snake, his legs hanging loosely from it’s maw. It’s throat worked horrendously, carrying Richard’s body further down it’s gullet, until he was gone completely, save for a slightly noticeable lump in the snake’s throat.

Barry was firing shot after shot at the creature. It flinched, but still didn’t stop until it had swallowed Richard Aiken completely. Barry’s gun clicked empty as the snake finished it’s meal, turning it’s reptilian eyes towards him and Rebecca.

…

Chris and Jill rushed up the stairs, guns ready. Chris’ belt was still undone, the buckle flapping around at his waist. They reached the top of the stairs, searching for the source of the shots. There was another scream, just ahead, and the two rushed forward. Turning into an aisle between bookshelves, they saw what was happening. The tail end of a giant snake, it’s head blocking the view of the rest of the aisle. Rebecca and Barry were on the other side of it.

Suddenly, the snake’s head swiveled around, so that it was facing them. It hissed and opened it’s mouth, appearing as if it were yawning. Jill fired a shot directly at it’s eye. The snake flinched, and it immediately retaliated, lunging at her furiously. Jill felt a sharp pain in her leg as she was knocked backwards. Her eyes refocused and she was on her back, looking up at the ceiling. She could here shot’s firing and her name being called. Slowly coming into her view was the snake, looming over her body, fangs dripping with venom, mouth stretched open in a hungry yawn.

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*Midnight and "Enchanter468," thank you so much for the reviews. To the latter, I'm afraid the unfinished business between Chris and Jill may be the closest this story comes to actual M/F. From this point on, I don't know if there will be time to put it in. But I embelish as I go, so you never know.
*For all those who may have been reading my Metroid fic, I regret to inform you that it has been put on hold until further notice, for a variety of reasons. I may not be back to it for a while, but rest assured, I do plan to finish it.
*Next Chapter will hopefully be up sooner than later. In the meantime, Read, Rate, Review,and Enjoy!!!