by J. L. Weil
Ryker angled his head toward me but kept his gaze on the zombie. “I have to agree with Dash on this one. If we let it out and things go south, Dash will kill it.”
“We have to take that chance. Let me try to make it understand we’re not going to hurt it.”
“Like anything we say will stop you.” Dash was angry with me for putting myself in danger.
“Then why not just say yes in the first place?” I muttered. It would have saved us all time we didn’t have to waste.
The zombie had watched our exchange in silence. Did it understand what was happening? There was only one way to find out. I took a step forward, twining my fingers together. I needed to do something with my hands, for my nerves had spiked. “We’re going to get you out of here, but you have to promise you’re not going to hurt anyone,” I explained to the Forsaken.
“Hurtssss,” it hissed, touching the glass with a bony hand. The green glow washed over my face.
“I get it. My friends have been hurt by them too.”
Dash positioned himself in front of me, and worked on picking the lock on the door. Ryker stood at my back, scanning the hall with his sharp eyes, poised for an attack from any direction. And I felt close to throwing up.
The door groaned open. No sudden movements. Everyone froze, waiting to see what would happen next. The only sound in the room was our staggered breathing. Guided by an inner voice, I lifted my hand in the air, palm out, as if I was going to press it to a wall. Then I waited.
The zombie tracked my movements with a tilt of its head, and if I didn’t know better, I would say he remembered my previous visit. A gurgling hiss formed at the back of its throat—a warning. Dash and Ryker gave each other the nod, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed Dash had a hand on his blade. I hadn’t even seen him move. Most importantly, neither had the zombie.
The Forsaken lifted its hand, taking its first step out of the cage. A green hue trailed in the air behind it. When its palm flattened against mine, a chill raced down my arm, arriving at my head like a brain freeze.
I winced.
“Charlotte?” Dash whispered, asking if I was okay. The blade was now in his hand.
“I’m fine,” I replied softly.
“That makes one of us. I’m about ten seconds away from snapping its neck.” Dash gritted his teeth.
The zombie didn’t take well to Dash’s hostile tone. It whipped its head around and snarled at him.
Dash’s muscles clenched. “Watch it, Skeletor. Any sudden movements and you’re toast.”
“Dash.” I sighed in impatience.
He lifted a brow, dying to throw his knife into the belly of the Forsaken.
“I won’t hurt you,” I reassured the creature, keeping my voice smooth and steady. “Just don’t move, okay?” I warned it.
The zombie remained speechless, but it also stood still. I took that as a good sign. We were getting somewhere… at the moment.
Here goes nothing.
I stood up on my tiptoes.
Don’t be grossed out. It’s no big deal. Please don’t rip my face off.
And then I brushed my lips across the zombie’s, keeping my eyes open. Not something I would recommend.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kissing a zombie wasn’t as disgusting as I’d predicted. That said, it wasn’t like locking lips with Dash either. I had assumed I would feel nothing, but there was emotion, just a different type of emotion.
I wanted to ease its pain, release it from its imprisonment to the mist. When my lips connected with the Forsaken’s, a jolt of power slammed into me. My eyes fluttered, and a flash of light radiated from the center of my chest. I’d never felt anything like it. Divine grace were the only words that came to mind.
There. I had done it.
Exhaling, I quickly put space between the zombie and me. I had no idea how it would react to being kissed. Ryker and Dash filled the silence.
“Did she just—?”
“Kiss a zombie? I think so,” Dash finished for Ryker. They both stared at me with a mixture of awe and fear for my sanity.
The three of us stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the Forsaken stunned.
“Am I really seeing this?” Ryker said, watching the zombie begin to change.
“A zombie waking up? Pretty freaking unbelievable.” Dash’s eyes ignited into an incandescent silver color, juxtaposing the zombie as its glow began to dull.
Ryker forked a hand through his hair, parting it to one side. “I’ll say.”
I was in as much shock as they were, watching the transformation happening right in front of us. “Are you guys done talking as if I wasn’t here?” I grumbled, feeling left out.
They both turned their heads to me. “No,” the duo said in unison.
Gah. They were no help.
My attention focused back on the Forsaken, who watched me with hazel eyes, no longer pitch black ones. The color had bled through the darkness, and the tone of his skin lost its biohazardous green glow. “Can you understand me?” I asked, as if I was speaking to an alien.
The Forsaken nodded, his fingers slowly curling around the metal bars of the door while he stepped fully out of the cage. “You released me.”
His ability to speak clearly momentarily threw me off guard. “I guess so. I’m not really all too sure what I did.”
“You’re the one.”
Red colored my cheeks. “What does that mean, exactly?” I was still profoundly stunned by his deep voice, devoid of the hissing quality I’d gotten used to expecting.
“The mist has been buzzing about a girl with the ability to restore the soul. We have waited a very long time for you. My name is Macen.”
Wonderful, I was even more popular than I thought. “I’m Charlotte. Can you remember what your life was like before I uh… you know, kissed you?” I asked awkwardly.
Dash slipped a hand to the small of my back. “Freckles, we don’t have time for a Q and A. The guards are going to regain consciousness very soon, if they haven’t already, and the alarm will sound. I’m not about to press our luck a second time. We need to get out of here while we still have the element of surprise. That window is closing quickly.”
“What are we waiting for then?” I retorted.
Dash scowled and shook his head. “Ryker, keep an eye on Macen.” He sized up the zombie turned human. “Don’t try anything. If you want to live, do exactly as you’re told and don’t fall behind.”
Macen nodded.
My heart went out to Macen. Dash was only trying to protect me, but I couldn’t imagine what was going on inside his head.
“Exactly what is our extraction plan?” Ryker asked as we moved down the dreary hallway. God, I never wanted to see another dungeon for as long as I lived.
“We need to get to the stairwell,” Dash said, moving with calculated precision through the underground maze.
I shoved at a strand of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail as we reached the stairs and made our ascent. We burst into one of the rooms just a smidge below ground level. Ryker kicked the window out, shattering glass over the ground.
“Next time, try the lock,” Dash said. He boosted me through the opening, followed by Macen and Ryker. Dash was the last one out before the alarm sounded.
“The Institute is going into lockdown. We have less than five minutes to get over the wall before we’re screwed,” Ryker informed us.
Dash’s eyes swept the area. “Then I suggest we move our asses.”
Men dressed in dark blue uniforms shuffled in the distance, moving through the courtyard and scouring the grounds. They knew we were here. And possibly that the zombie had escaped. Shit was about to hit the fan if we didn’t get outside the wall. There were definitely more guards on duty than there had been before our exposure of the hidden lab.
Avoiding getting spotted would be a problem.
Voices carried over the courtyard. “Shut it down!” “Seal the doors!” “Guard the gate!” A slew of prot
ocol commands rained around us.
So much for being ghosts.
Apprehension whirled through me. I snuck a glance over my shoulder as we ran toward the wall. Red lights blinked over the doors of the tower.
A guard stepped out of the dark. “Stop or I’ll—”
Dash threw out his arm, hitting the guy in the neck. He went down to the ground, gasping for air, and we kept moving. Another guard appeared, blocking our path, and Ryker spun, catching him in the gut.
“Move. Get her over the wall,” Dash ordered Ryker in a forceful whisper.
Turning back around, I noticed we were almost at the perimeter. Ryker whipped off his shirt and pants the last few steps of the way and shoved them into my arms. “Hold these for me, doll.”
I rolled my eyes, gathering the bunch of clothes against my chest. Before I could comment on him going commando, he was shifting. I skidded to a halt and flung around to face Dash. “I’m not going without you.”
“I’ll be right behind you,” he assured. Reacting immediately and not giving me an opportunity to argue, he swept an arm around my waist, lifting me off the ground. Ryker took it from there, grabbing me with his talons and flying us over the wall.
Assholes. I had to bite my tongue to keep from yelling. The taste of metal coated my mouth. Knowing there was a wall between Dash and me, even if it was only for less than a minute, gave me a mad case of trepidation.
Ryker, knowing our time was quickly ticking away, dropped me five feet from the ground and flew back for Macen. I landed crouched like a cat with nine lives. Pushing to my feet, I wrung my hands together. The wait was torture. I was blind, unable to see what was going on over the wall, and it was killing me.
Macen dropped down a few feet from where I was pacing. I rushed to his side. “Are you okay?” I whispered.
He nodded, surveying the Heights as if seeing it for the first time. Maybe he was, but I didn’t have time to appreciate the beauty of his newfound sight. If Dash and Ryker didn’t appear in T-minus ten seconds, I would scale the wall and drag their butts over it.
“There!” a voice shouted.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots followed the shout.
“No!” I screamed, no longer caring who might hear me, and my feet raced toward the wall. As I stretched out to climb it, a pair of arms circled around me.
“Freckles, it’s okay. We’re here.” Dash spun me around in his arms.
My fists rapped on his chest. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” I hissed through my teeth.
“It doesn’t feel good, huh?” he said, hugging me.
Now was not the time to joke or bring up the numerous times I had scared the piss out of him. “Shut up,” I muttered.
Ryker picked up the clothes I had dropped on the ground in my rush to save them, and wiggled into the pair of pants. “We need to get to the ranger before they bring out the big guns.”
“There are bigger guns?” Macen asked. His hazel eyes were wide.
Dash released his embrace and interlaced our fingers. “If there is one thing the Institute is consistent about, it is being full of surprises.”
We had stashed the ranger several miles from the rear access of Diamond Towers to aid in our swift getaway. Hopefully, it would still be there when we reached the spot.
Running through the heavy thicket, I knew with each heartbeat we were losing time. My legs moved faster than they ever had. I didn’t know how Macen managed to keep his energy up, but the former Forsaken seemed to have an abundance of it. It was kind of freaky and made me wonder what kind of supernatural effects he still had from being exposed to the mist.
Was it a wise idea to take him with us?
It was a little late to change our minds. I was positive once we got somewhere safe, Ryker and Dash would drill him so hard. I almost felt sad for him.
Holy crap.
Had I done the right thing by releasing him?
Dash’s hand tightened in mine, pulling me back to the present. I didn’t have time to stress about what might happen until I knew there was something to worry about.
We tore around a bend in our path at full speed. Dash skidded to a halt when we arrived at our destination. The ranger was still tucked under the weeping branches.
Thank God.
A succession of shots fired off behind us followed by a variety of magical ammo. Fireballs. Glowing arrows. Bursts of white light. It was like the woods had been lit up with fireworks. “I think we pissed someone off,” Dash mumbled, while ripping open the door to the ranger.
“You think?” Ryker sneered.
My face blanched. Air leaked out of my lungs, and I half feared my legs would run off without me. I didn’t know how the two of them could joke at a time like this. The Institute had finally brought out the big guns.
Picking me up by the waist, Dash jumped inside the ATV while Ryker hit the gas. I landed in his lap, barely believing we’d actually gotten away… and with a stowaway. I was feeling pretty badass.
Inside the ranger, Dash pressed his forehead to mine. “That was intense.”
A jittery chuckle escaped my throat. “Nothing you couldn’t handle.”
Then he kissed me, searing my lips with a hot and forceful kiss that was dizzying in intensity. We had tempted fate one too many times, and kissing Dash reminded me how lucky I was.
“Ew, can you guys keep the tongue to a minimum while inside the ranger?” Ryker complained as he steered over the uneven terrain.
For some reason, embarrassment struck me. It wasn’t like I hadn’t kissed Dash in front of the shifter multiple times before.
The Institute hadn’t given up, and we weren’t out of the woods yet—figuratively and literally. “Where are we going?”
“First, we need to lose the trackers. A cloaker would come in handy right now. You got any noteworthy powers there, Macen?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Get down!” Dash yelled, his body curling around mine in a crushing embrace against the seat. A series of arrows showered the back of the ranger, cracking the window. Glass shattered, and rained over us, falling into my hair. I yelped.
Ryker pushed the ATV as we raced through the soaring trees, the tires stirring up dust and the scent of pine. Dash eased up his hold, reaching for his bow. Not having a window did have one advantage. He let three arrows go at the same time, knowing they would all hit their mark.
Moonbeams poked through the canopy of trees while I spared a brief glance up into the sky. As we put miles between the Institute and us, the guards were no longer able to keep up, but we still had a long way to go before we reached our destination. Wherever that was.
It took another twenty minutes after the attack for me to finally allow my body to relax, but regardless of the lead we might have, there was one thing we knew: the Institute would never stop hunting us. We’d never be safe.
“Come here,” Dash murmured. Weariness dragged across his features, and I could see the weight of everything settling over him. This would never end. Not until someone put a stop to it. We were both tired of the running, the constant fear, and the uncertainty of the future.
Moving into his arms, my hand laid over his heart, taking comfort from its steady beat.
I fell asleep eventually, with my head resting on Dash’s chest as he kept me tucked against him. The whole trip took most of the night, and when Dash softly jostled my shoulders, the morning sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon.
His silver eyes cast me a long look. “I think it’s time we ask our un-zombie friend some questions, don’t you think, Ryker?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Macen. His name is Macen,” I emphasized to Dash and Ryker. He was a person. Not a thing… anymore. At least I thought so, but I knew nothing about him.
Dash waved away my concern. “His name isn’t important. What I want to know is how he survived for over a hundred years in the mist, and why his kind suddenly decided to invade the Heights.”
Mac
en’s eyes went straight to me as if I had something to do with the answers.
My stomach dropped.
Ryker guided the ranger to a stop in front of an abandoned barn. The once red building had faded to an almost dull gray, and it was missing boards on all four walls. It could make a great lookout spot, but it wasn’t so great for keeping out the bugs and critters. I also highly doubted it had running water and a bathroom.
Beggars couldn’t be choosers I supposed.
This should be interesting, hiding out with an ex-zombie, Ryker—the guy who makes my boyfriend mad with jealousy—and Dash. Talk about a recipe for disaster.
Dash and Ryker had to pry the door open, pushing aside overgrown vines and brush that had sealed the entrance like a fortress. Once inside, I scoped out our new accommodations, and it was hard not to miss the luxury offered at Diamond Towers. It had taken no time at all to get used to having food at my disposal, hot showers, and more than just the clothes on my back. But as I inspected the place—the weathered walls, creaky floorboards, and a hundred years of dust—I wouldn’t have traded it for a thousand nights in the Institute.
Inhaling a breath of freedom, I sneezed, forgetting about the dust.
“Bless you,” Dash said, coming up behind me and resting his chin on my shoulder. “Are you having second thoughts?”
I snuggled against him. “Who needs a bed when I have you?”
The feel of his lips brushing against my neck reached me then. “I’m pretty damn comfy.”
That he was.
Dash turned his attention to the ex-zombie. “So, Macen, how about you fill us in on how you’re still alive, and we’ll let you continue to breathe air.”
“Dash!” I hissed, whacking him on the chest.
Ryker moved so that he and Dash boxed Macen in from either side in case something happened. I wasn’t sure what they thought he would do, but it was evident to everyone that they didn’t trust him.
Macen didn’t seem perturbed by their lack of trust. “I’ll tell you what I can, but most of it’s fuzzy.”