Dillen tried to hold back his desire to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but his beast would not be denied. So, he stopped ignoring his baser instincts and did just that. They’d pussyfooted around one another long enough. Granted, it might not have been the ideal time to stake his claim, but the lion in him wanted his mate. Now, and forever.
The moment their lips touched, he was a goner. Her lips were so soft, succulent, and the sweetest apple pie. Her flowery scent only ramped up his desire and need for her. When he deepened the kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck, it was like coming home for the first time ever. Cecelia made him want to be a better man. A man deserving of such a kind and generous soul. She’d risked everything to bring him back, and he would never forget it. If it took the rest of his life, he would make sure she knew every day how much he meant to her. How much he loved and cherished her. That she was his entire world, and without her, he was nothing.
It took Fabio yelling at the top of his lungs to pull them out of their sensual embrace. Dylan watched in horror as body after body after body kept falling through the portal. It took a few minutes, but he finally recognized the young man and woman who I tried to help him. Although their skin looked different, the clothes they’d been wearing were the same. He still didn’t know their names, and he still didn’t know if they were friend or foe. But given that they tried to help him, he was leaning toward the former rather than the latter.
He tried not to chuckle at Camille‘s excitement about the raining zombies and how a Zombie Apocalypse had always been on her bucket list. Or, how Fabio has joined in with equal amount glee and enthusiasm. Should he tell him about Bertie and who he thought these people were, even though technically had no clue? Or, should he wait to see how things played out? Before he could make a decision, Zoe silenced everyone in the room right before Zelda started barking orders.
There will be plenty of time to tell them about the zombies and Bertie later, right? Besides, Fabio has them contained. How much trouble could they get into? It’s obvious the zombies at the old graveyard are a more pressing matter.
Mind made up, Dillen grabbed Cecelia’s hand and did as he was told.
* * *
The old cemetery on the outskirts of town had always given Dillen the creeps, but tonight was different. Tonight, the boughs of the old cemetery where he’d lost his life in battle only a few days ago twisted like contorted bones. It was as if the ghosts from the past were writhing in a silent scream for help. He knew the cold stones held no threat, but still, there was something sinister in the air. He could feel it.
When the howling of the wind picked up, it was as if the rose of tombstones to wrecked in silence like a sea of the dead. Most of them were overgrown and unkempt, while others crumbled with the weathering of centuries. The new ones with smooth marble and black writing had floral tributes laid in front of them. He couldn’t help wondering if one of those tombstones was his. At Ariel laid him to rest several days ago? Had his friends grieved over him, as they said their final goodbyes? Just the thought of such pain and sorrow made is just hurt all over again.
“Dylan, are you okay?” Cecelia asked, concern evident on her face.
Although the words felt lodged in his throat, he forced him out because he had to know. “Did they have a service for me? Do you know which tombstone is mine?”
He waited for Sicilia’s response with both curiosity and trepidation. Had she mourned over him and all that would never be? Was the pain so unbearable that it prompted her to bring him back from the dead?
“To be honest, I don’t know,” Cecelia murmured under her breath.
“I don’t understand. Were you not there?” Dillen asked, confusion evident on his face.
“No, I learned about your death this morning from Ariel. She briefly explained about your battle with Paimon and how you had died trying to save her. She begged… no demanded… that I bring you back. I tried to explain how dangerous that could be and the consequences involved, but she didn’t care.”
Dillen nodded and gave Cecelia a somber smile. He knew when his baby sister set her mind to do something, there was no going back. He just hated that Cecelia had been put in the precarious situation. Yet, he was glad that she had agreed to help him because their story had only just begun. He made a mental note to ask her later about the consequences of bringing him back from the dead. Was the Zombie Apocalypse one of them? If so, was it the only one, or were there more? She was hiding something, he could feel it. Regardless of her response, they’d weather this storm together.
They’d just reached the center of the graveyard when the portal came into sight. Fabio and Camille had been right, it was raining zombies. But instead of saying hallelujah, he let out a few curses under his breath, especially when Bertie was the last zombie to exit the portal.
“Hello, lover. Long time no see,” Bertie said in a seductive voice that was anything but.
Dillen shook his head in disgust and cringed at the sound of his new nemesis’s voice. How he had ever found this woman attractive was beyond him? He knew without a doubt things had just gotten worse. All hell was about to break loose in Bass Ackwards, Tennessee, and this time, it was all his fault.
He involuntarily took a step back when everyone turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. But that wasn’t what made him gasp in horror. No, it was when Cecelia let go of his hand and slowly moved away from him. The closeness they’d shared only moments ago had suddenly been replaced by an iceberg large enough to sink the Titanic. When he started to explain, Cecelia held her hand up and leveled him with a glare that stopped him dead in his tracks.
“This is not the time, nor the place. We need to close the portal before more zombies slip through,” Cecelia said in a controlled voice.
And just like that, he was back to square one with his mate. Chest filled with anger, worry, and sorrow, Dillen did the only thing he could. He prepared for battle.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cecelia had been a necromancer since the day she was born. In the beginning, she'd been tricked and had accidentally brought back sinister beings. But the sinking feeling in her stomach, told her that tonight, she'd unleashed something that couldn't be tamed. The trees in the graveyard that had once seemed peaceful and friendly, now stood like a menacing guard, as their long branches swayed back and forth ominously because of the howling winds. She couldn't help wondering if one of them would eventually reach out and grab any who dared to enter their domain. She knew it was nonsense, but nonetheless, the feeling was there and it was real.
Whereas the darkness had always been comforting to her, tonight, it felt strange and menacing. She knew it had more to do with the crazy woman standing in front of them referring to her mate as a lover, then it had to do with the New Moon. Yet, there was a blackness that had settled over the graveyard she couldn't recall seeing before.
The old Baptist church on the hill was covered in shadows. The gnarled trees surrounding it hung low, creaking ominously, and giving her the creeps. They needed to deal with these crazies once and for all. She'd had enough venture for one night to last her a lifetime. Is this what was in store for her if she decided to become Dillen's mate? They'd spend their nights fighting Bridezillas, who didn't know when it was time to move on? Thanks, but no thanks. She already had enough crazy in her life and didn't feel the need to add more. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Thank you very much.
"Am I the only one wondering why this crazy-assed zombie is dressed like a bride and calling Dillen lover?" Camille asked, breaking into Cecelia's thoughts.
She wanted to say, "No, I was wondering the same thing," but instead, she chose to remain quiet. Besides, she was more interested in Dillen's response, who looked one part pissed, one part sorrowful, and one part deadly. The King was ready to shift and if he did, all hell would break loose. She couldn't let that happen. Not yet.
Yeah, there were evil zombies running loose around the cemetery looking for something or someone to eat,
but they had bigger problems. They needed to close the portal before a whole damn army of them slipped through.
"Cami. Symone. We need to close the portal now, before it's too late," Cecelia yelled over the whistling winds.
Before Camille could respond, Cecelia turned to her left only to see animated flesh swarming toward Sassy and Jeeves. Although the zombie's eyes had been gouged out by its last victim, it seemed as though his desire for Kangaroo meat was his last, desperate attempt to stay alive. She watched in fascination as Sassy, with a flick of her wrist, blew the creature to smithereens.
"Nobody eats this kangaroo, but me buddy," Sassy yelled as the zombie howled in pain. Cecelia wanted to laugh at the feisty blonde's declaration, but she liked breathing too much.
"Um. CeCe, it's now or never," Symone screamed, regaining her attention.
"Right," she said, refocusing her attention to the problem in front of them. "We need to close the portal."
"Damn straight, or these mongrels will eat everyone in town," Camille replied with anger and venom in her voice.
"I couldn't agree more. But remember, these are demons. Yes, they were once human, but they've lost their way, so we need to send them back. We can't show any fear, or they'll feed on it."
"Understood," Symone replied. "What about Bridezilla?"
"We'll have to deal with her after we close the portal," Camille said with a heavy sigh. She could only focus on one problem at a time.
Without saying a word, Scroogess created a circle using salt and then lined it with candles. She used the power of the Northern Lights to light them. Cecelia was grateful for her new friend because they needed all the help they could. Once Scroogess cleansed the area with sage, they were ready to close the portal. Joining hands, the four women gathered in the circle under the New Moon. Each of them kneeling and representing North, South, East and West. Once everyone was positioned, they began their chant while Zelda, Mac, Sassy, Jeeves, and Dillen protected them from the zombies, who had escaped from the portal.
We call upon the Ancient Ones,
To lend us your strength, energy and power from above,
We command that you close this portal where evil resides so freely,
For a Zombie Apocalypse is not what we hold dearly,
So grant our wish and close this door,
To stop these evil Spirits from entering evermore,
Three times three,
Hear our plea,
Three times three,
We command thee,
Three times three,
So mote it be!
The chant had a hypnotic tone that allowed the witches to fall into a trance-like state. The trees that once looked menacingly, now stood guard as their protectors. As they continued to call upon the Ancient Ones to do their bidding, Cecelia felt them tap into the very power of the earth herself. When the portal didn't immediately close, they continued chanting the spell.
We call upon the Ancient Ones,
To lend us your strength, energy and power from above,
We command that you close this portal where evil resides so freely,
For a Zombie Apocalypse is not what we hold dearly,
So grant our wish and close this door,
To stop these evil Spirits from entering evermore,
Three times three,
Hear our plea,
Three times three,
We command thee,
Three times three,
So mote it be!
The wind kicked up again and the old church on the hill lit up like a Christmas tree. Cecelia knew it was the magic of Scroogess's Northern Lights chipping in to lend a helping hand. Although Zelda and the rest of the gang were still fighting off zombies, the portal wasn't as large as it was before. But instinctively, she knew they needed to say the spell again. It might temporarily wipe them of their powers, but they had no choice. It was imperative that they undo some of the damage bring Dillen back from the dead had caused. The world was out of balance all because of her. So, she encouraged her friends to keep going.
"It's working. The portal is almost closed. Don't lose focus now. We need to call upon the Ancient Ones one more time. I need you to give it all you've got. We can do this." She listened with joy in her heart, as their voices rose strong and clear above the winds. There was no doubt in her mind that the portal would close, as they chanted the spell one final time.
We call upon the Ancient Ones,
To lend us your strength, energy and power from above,
We command that you close this portal where evil resides so freely,
For a Zombie Apocalypse is not what we hold dearly,
So grant our wish and close this door,
To stop these evil Spirits from entering evermore,
Three times three,
Hear our plea,
Three times three,
We command thee,
Three times three,
So mote it be!
When each of the candles blew out and the winds died down, Cecelia knew the portal had closed. Although Zelda, Sassy, Jeeves, Mac, and Dillen had destroyed as many zombies as possible, a few of them had retreated and escaped, including Bridezilla.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Oh my Goddess! That was so much fun. You guys really know how to show a gal a good time on a Friday night. I haven’t had this much fun since I let Shamar Moore get to third-base,” Camille exclaimed.
“You know Shamar Moore?” Zara asked, the awe evident in her voice.
“Only in my dreams, honey. Only in my dreams,” Camille replied with a wink and a laugh.
Cecelia shook her head and rolled her eyes at her friends’ antics. Only Cami would think fighting a bunch of nasty smelling zombies in a graveyard was exciting. The only thing she wanted to do was go to bed and sleep for a month or two. Maybe when she awoke, she’d discover that today had been a bad dream.
They'd finally made it back to the farmhouse, which was bustling with activity. Weren't these people tired? Did they do this every day? She was exhausted and needed to regroup. Maybe once she did, she'd be in a better disposition to deal with Dillen. She'd felt his eyes on her during the entire battle. There had been so much left unsaid in the cemetery, but she didn't have the energy, nor the desire to get into it with him tonight. She needed to do what she did best… retreat before it was too late. And she would, just as soon as she could get her sore muscles moving. Until then, she sit back and listen to Camille tell everyone about what had happened in the cemetery. She could tell by looking around the room that Fabio wasn't the only one completely and utterly engrossed in her friend's story.
"When we first arrived, other than the wind, everything seemed normal in the old cemetery. But, as we got closer to the center, the portal came into view. Several of the zombies had already entered our realm and was obviously looking for something to eat. The last to exist was the Queen B and when she spotted us, she looked right at Dillen and said, 'Hello, lover. Long time no see.'"
"Nooo! Shut the front door," Fabio replied, looking at Dillen with astonishment and envy.
Cecelia watched the exchange and knew the man had a few screws loose. It also reminded her that she was still pissed at Dillen.
"I know, right? I thought I was going to have to hold CeCe back from opening up a can of whoop-ass on that Buffy."
"Nice. Girl fight," the huge zombie on the sofa said in a gravelly voice.
"Who are you?" Camille asked with a raised eyebrow, as she bit into a sugar cookie.
Cecelia watched as the zombie-man stood and introduced himself. He had messy black hair, piercing blue eyes that were red-rimmed, and a scar on the side of his neck where it looked like he'd been infected. When he raised his hand to shake Camille's, it fell off, which caused her to jump.
"Sorry about that. When I was younger, all the women loved my hands, if you know what I mean," he replied with a wink.
"If you say so. But I must warn you upfront. If you don't keep your filthy paws off
my silky drawers, or it won't end well for you," Camille replied, as she took a step backwards.
"Duly noted. I'm Zebediah by the way, but everyone calls me Zeb. These are my brothers, Jebediah and Rebediah, but everyone calls them Jeb, and Reb. The lovely lady on sitting on the love seat is Precious and the beefcake beside her is Scawdy. Sounds like you met Bertie in the cemetery, who we lovingly refer to as Bridezilla."
Cecelia knew the moment Camille's face transformed from disgust to intrigue, it was going to be a long night. So, against her better judgement, she settled into the other sofa and waited for the shit show that was about to happen play out. But to her amazement, it never did.
"Um. Okay. Did your parents not like you? Anyway, it's nice to me yawl. Now, where was I?" Camille asked, as if meeting a zombie was an everyday occurrence.
"You were telling us what happened in the cemetery," the cat known as Fat Bastard replied, right before he began licking his nads.
Cecelia waited for someone, anyone, to mention the grotesque slurping coming from the three cats, but no one did, so she relaxed again and tuned back into Camille's story.
"That's right. Anyway. One of the zombies had an ear missing and both lips. I'm not an expert, but it looked like a death-kiss gone wrong from the zombie that had turned him into the undead. It was obvious he was hungry and wanted to make Kangaroo tartar out of Jeeves. That's when Sassy yelled, 'The only person eating this kangaroo is me.' Then she blew his ass up like a hot balloon until he exploded. It was so freaking awesome. If only I'd had some popcorn. Best show in town I tell you. Best show in town."
Cecelia couldn't help but join in when everyone burst into laughter. While it hadn't been funny at the time, Camille's reenactment was hilarious.
"That's our girl," she heard Fabio say with obvious pride in his voice.
"I couldn't agree more, Fabio," Camille agreed. The admiration obvious in her voice and written all over her face. Then, she looked Sassy directly in the eye and said, "Girlfriend, remind me never to get on your bad side," which cause the room to burst into laughter, again.
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