A/N: As many of you know, I had a story up called "Thirty Kisses." It was my hope to actually write 30 stories for this couple. But, as you can all see that it's been two years since I updated, I've decided to take that story down and post each 'story' as a separate oneshot. That way, if I do come up with any ideas I can post them, but you're not forever waiting for something that might never arrive.

Again, I apologize. I hope you forgive me.

This one has two parts.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Host

by Stephenie Meyer. Idea taken from LiveJournal Community "30 Kisses".

Theme #21: Violence; Pillage/Plunder; Extortion

We had been found.

They had entered the caves, waving human arsenal and screaming their disgusting profanities.

"Traitors! Parasite lovers!"

Death. Death everywhere.

They entered the plaza first, dirty and horrid; bullets and shrapnel screeching across the rocky walls, leaving white markings against the grey and sending sparks flying all around the room.

Trudy, Lacey, and Candy screamed as the sparks burned their faces, blinded their sight, forcing them into vulnerability. They were easy picking for the humans' guns; their screams cutting off sharply with their life force.

Doc was trying to protect Sharon and Maggie and was shot straight through the forehead for his heroic efforts. He stumbled back into Sharon's arms as the blood dripped down his face, leaving crimson trails on his cheeks His eyes dimmed and his mouth opened in a silent scream. The last thing he ever heard was Sharon's heartbroken shriek.

Maggie took over for Doc; standing over the wailing Sharon and brandishing her gun with all her might. But the shadowed humans slunk away from her shots, unaffected by any that might have hit their target. It took five shots to knock her off her feet.

Sharon was easy picking and her wailing turned into a strangled gurgle as blood seeped out of her mouth. She fell unto Doc's chest, her last breaths heavy and aching as blood spilled unto him and coated his shirt, now a mixture of brown and dark red.

Jeb fought back like Maggie did and I believe some of his shots actually hit those vermin. He told us to run and covered our escape route, sacrificing himself for our sake. He didn't make a sound as he fell.

Through the hallways we ran, Jamie holding mine and Mel's hands; Ian and Jared clutching ours. Kyle and Sunny followed, with him dragging her sobbing self after him. Behind us were the final screams and cries of our friends. They didn't stand a chance.

They wanted us. Us most of all because of Sunny and I – the invaders who had taken it all away from them. And the others because they loved us. Loved the enemy. Traitors. Isn't there a pit of hell designed just for them?

Kyle went down first, his knees buckling beneath him as they shot him down. He tried to push Sunny ahead, to hand her off to me, but she wouldn't hear of it and instead clung to him as shots pierced his back. As Ian continued to drag me down the hall I saw Kyle's eyes become glossy and his lips form the word, "Jodi..."

Or was it, "Sunny?"

Then I was hit and pain shot through my arm so suddenly I shrieked. It was fire; horrible, ugly fire burning my upper arm.

Ian paled, so quickly that I feared he too had been shot. He scooped me up, my hand tearing away from Jamie's, and hugged me close. Then he ran, faster than before.

Our friends followed. And they died.

Ian's shoulder blocked my view, but I heard the shots and felt the sparks and cried out for them. I heard Jamie's sickening gasp, Mel's last cry, and Jared's agonized shout as he fought back. And still, he fell.

We ran, Ian panting from exhaustion, his tears dripping from his face unto me to intermingle with mine. His tears followed the same trail mine had travelled down the contours of my face and his grip steadily tightened.

And then we were trapped.

Somehow, some way, they had blocked the entrances and exits; barred our way. They had found paths I didn't even know existed.

They had killed us already.

Ian realised this at the same time I did and he bit his lip in pain. His eyes held the same fear, the perfectly dark fear that had gripped the rest of us long ago, but he kept quiet. Looking down at me, I was petrified by his eyes and the emotion the lingered in them.

"I will protect you, Wanderer," he swore, his face hardening.

"No!" I gasped, my hands reaching for his face. The bullet still lodged in my arm hindered me and I was forced to lower them again.

His eyes tightened from, I knew, my pain. "I have to," he explained, his voice so gently its song contradicted the horrors around us. "There's no life worth living without you."

I shook my head fiercely. "No, no, no, no, no," I chanted, burying my head in his chest. "Nooo..." I moaned in desperation.

"Wand-Ah!" My name turned into a gasp and he staggered, somehow keeping me safe in the cocoon his arms had created.

"Ian!" I cried, terrified for him. "Ian?"

And then, I felt it. The wetness beneath my hand. I straightened and slowly peeled my hand away from his chest. The cry jumped from my throat.

Blood. Horrible, poisonous crimson spreading across his shirt, staining the material with his life.

"Oh no." I shook my head. "No, no, no..."

I hadn't heard the shot. This couldn't be happening; it couldn't, it couldn't...

And then the next shot rang out. There was no mistaking it.

He gasped, the sound painful even to my ears and he fell, hard, unto his knees. The fall jarred me as his arms released me and pain leaped across my arm as I landed on the rockiness of the ground. I ignored it, pushing myself up so I could look at him.

"Ian!" I clutched at him, my small hands fisting in his shirt. "Stay with me!" I screamed.

His face was pale, so pale, like a corpse pale; and his eyes were already becoming glassy. "...love... you," he slurred.

"No!" I screamed, feeling the tears streaming down my cheeks. "You can't leave me!"

I crashed my lips to his, desperate to hold him to me, to keep him here. I pried his lips apart as if I could breath life into him. The tears fell harder and faster as his blood seeped into my mouth, coating our lips. It was so very, very salty that there was no mistaking it, and I sobbed at the taste.

And then he fell, slack against my lips, with only my hands keeping him upright. I let him go and stared into his beautiful face for a long moment before laying him beside me. I watched him, hoping I would see his chest rise, or his fingers twitch; but he was still. So still.

I raised my head and looked into the eyes of those who had destroyed all that I loved, everything I needed. With my head held high I waited for what they would do to me.

"Now, bugger," one of them cackled, raising his gun. "Your life is over."

I shook my head, my hands reaching down. "You already destroyed it," I murmured, my hands finding one of his. They curled around his large hand, cradling it with all the love I had for him.

A part of me hoped they would make me suffer for what I had caused. The death of everybody. And another part prayed it would be quick. I wanted to find Ian again.

- - - To Be Concluded - - -