“Michael’s been bitten. I’m hiding him from the cleaning crew.”
“Bitten?” I said.
“By a zombie.” She pointed to his newly bandaged shoulder.
My stomach dropped, and my vision blurred. A bite from a zombie is a death sentence. There is no cure. Once a zombie bites you, you’re just another form of walking dead.
“No,” I said. “We’re getting married today.”
She spoke, but I heard nothing. I couldn’t move; I couldn’t think; I couldn’t even blink. This was my wedding day. It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. The only violence that was supposed to happen involved an enormous cake and a sharp knife.
She slapped me across the face, hard, snapping me out of my paralysis.
“Help me with him,” she demanded.
“Where’s Grig?” I looked around. “He was going after Michael. We need help to move Michael without anyone seeing us.”
“There’s no one here but us,” she said.
“Then I need to get help. Alex is strong and a friend.”
“He’s with the police, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Then he won’t do it. If he finds out Michael’s been bitten, he’ll follow police procedure: he’ll kill him.”
I gasped. “But he’s Michael’s partner.”
“You know I’m right,” she said. “There are rules and regulations about zombie attacks. Michael doesn’t stand a chance unless we get him to someone who can save him.”
“Save him? No one can save him.”
“Maybe, but I know someone who just might be able to do it.”
“You’re a doctor,” I said, noticing the black bag for the first time.
“Yes,” she said. “Lucy Greene.” She stuck out her hand, and we shook. “Of course, I already know who you two are.”
“You realize the insurance doesn’t kick in until we’re married, right?” Michael’s smile was lopsided and less cheeky than normal, but I felt a surge of happiness when I heard his voice.
“I paid extra for the ‘in case of catastrophic wedding failure’ coverage,” I joked back, trying to hide the tears that threatened to fall.
“We should get someone over here to finish the ceremony, Sylvie. Then I’ll have Alex take me out,” he said.
“No!” I said. “We have to explore all the options first.”
“There’s nothing to be done, Sylvie,” Michael said.
“Lucy says she knows someone who might be able to save you,” I said.
Michael stared at her. “How is that possible?”
“Dr. Victor Swan,” Lucy said, as if the name alone was enough of an answer.
Michael froze.
“Who’s she talking about, Michael?”
“A crazy I put out of business a few years before I met you. He was getting his kicks torturing zombies. They changed the Geneva Convention because of him. He never went to jail, because he wasn’t technically breaking any laws, but he lost his license to practice.”
“He was a doctor?” I asked.
“Yeah. And a wizard.” Michael shuddered. “I still have nightmares about what I saw there.”
“He was trying to find a cure,” Lucy said.
“That’s what all the psychos say when you take away their toys. He’s just another Frankenstein looking to make his fame and fortune off his monster.”
“Every pioneer is considered a crackpot by some,” she said. “Once they succeed, they’re heroes.”
“How do you know Swan?” I interrupted.
“I’ve been studying zombies and his work for many years,” she said. “I’m part of the zombie disposal squad. Well, I’m a coroner for the city, and I volunteer with the corpse patrol.”
Michael backed away from her. “Did he send you to steal my body?”
“No! He doesn’t even know I’m here,” she said.
“Why are you here?” Michael asked.
“I heard the alert on the police scanner and rushed over to see if I could help.”
“Why would you do that?” I said.
Lucy blushed scarlet. “I’ve been following your exploits in the tabloids. It’s so romantic. It’s like a real-life Romeo and Juliet story with all the opposition you guys have faced.” She gasped and went pale. “Except we’re going to make sure you have a happier ending,” she whispered.
“Victor won’t help me,” Michael said. “I told you: I busted him.”
“He’ll forgive you,” she said. “He was trying to reverse the infection and find a cure. The only way he could do that was by trial and error.”
“The experiments he performed on those helpless creatures were horrific.”
“You’re one of those helpless creatures now, Michael,” Lucy pointed out. “Victor may be your only hope. No one else knows half as much about zombies as he does. Do you want to fight for your life and throw yourself on his mercy, or do you want to curl up into a defeated little ball and die?”
“He’s a monster.”
“Do you want his help or not?”
I held my breath as Michael thought. I wanted so badly to shake him until his teeth rattled, but I knew from experience that if I tried to force him to do something he wasn’t ready to do, he’d do the opposite.
I couldn’t afford that now. This was too important.
He looked at me. “What do you think, Sylvie?”
“Go for it,” I said. “I’m willing to try anything.”
“Then we’d better get moving.” Lucy picked up her bag. “At the most, we have ten hours left to cure you or kill you. You two continue through the forest to the highway. I’ll get my car and meet you up the road in ten minutes.” She patted me on the arm and then jogged toward the parking lot.
I leaned my head against Michael’s good shoulder. “This better work,” I said. “I’m going to kick your ass if you die.” I paused. I knew he’d hate the suggestion, and I’d resisted making it earlier, but I also knew it would work. “Or, we could go to Faery.”
He kissed my forehead but said nothing.
It was probably better than arguing. “How are you feeling?” I asked, dreading his response.
“Surprisingly normal.” He ran his hand through his hair. “A little tired, but I blame all the excitement.”
He leaned into me. “Give us a kiss.”
I slapped his arm playfully. “We have more important things to worry about right now.”
“No.” He stopped in his tracks. “You are the most important thing in the world to me. I’m doing this for you. I don’t know how long I can hold on. Whether the priest finished the ceremony or not, this is our wedding day. I want to kiss my bride.”
He gathered me into his arms. His lips were gentle, the kiss slowly deepening as we found comfort in each other. His hand slid down my back to grab my ass, pulling me close. He was rock hard.
I moaned and pressed closer.
“How very touching.” A dry voice interrupted our solitude.
I jumped away from Michael with a guilty start.
“Grig,” I sighed. “Where have you been? You were supposed to be protecting Michael.”
He tapped his sword hilt. “More zombies followed the three you saw. I couldn’t let them live.”
He raised his nose in the air and sniffed, his eyes locking onto Michael. “I see I missed one. I’m sorry, Michael. I’ll make this as quick and painless as possible.” He drew his sword.
“No!” I lunged between the two of them, forcing Grig to back up.
“Are you taking him to Faery?” Grig asked.
“No,” Michael said.
I lowered my eyes.
Grig shrugged. “Your choice.”
“I refuse to be a pawn in Faery.” Michael lifted my chin with his finger. “We’ve had this discussion.”
“That was before the zombie bit you,” I said. I didn’t want to argue, but I couldn’t help myself. Dr. Swan might be able to help him. In Faery, Michael would definitely l
ive.
“I’d rather be dead than a prisoner never allowed or able to leave Faery.”
The breath whooshed from my lungs. My eyes stung as tears blurred my vision. “But it would save you . . .” I whispered.
Michael gathered me to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me before pulling back and placing his hands on both sides of my face. He held me like that until I raised my eyes to meet his. He wiped away the tears with his thumbs.
“I love you, Sylvie. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but that would be no life. I’d rather be dead than a slave.”
I nodded, gave him a wobbly smile, and snuggled back into his embrace.
“I can’t lose you,” I whispered as I nuzzled his neck.
“We’re not giving up without a fight,” Michael said.
“In that case, I assume you have a plan?” Grig said. He quirked an eyebrow at me.
“We do,” I said from the comfort of Michael’s arms.
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“Like hell you are!” Michael objected.
Grig ignored Michael and looked at me. “When he turns zombie, he’ll need to be put down before he hurts you or anyone else. Do you think you can kill him?”
“No,” I answered, stricken. I held Michael, tight.
“Let me be there to protect you,” Grig said.
“She doesn’t need you to protect her! I would never hurt her!” Michael said.
“You can’t know that,” Grig said.
Grig gave Michael a measured look before he turned back to me. “I’m going with you.”
“Fine,” I said. I would never say it aloud, but I was relieved that Grig would be there if things went horribly wrong.
When we got to the car, Lucy looked long and hard at Grig. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?”
“We’ve never met,” Grig said. He took Lucy’s hand in his and kissed its back.
Lucy looked exhausted, almost empty as she got into the car. I worried about her driving, but we needed to get moving.
Michael’s cell phone rang.
“Hey, Alex,” he said. “Yeah, we’re fine. . . . No, she forgot to tell me. . . . I’m glad he’s safe. . . . Thanks, I appreciate that. We’re heading home to change.” He glanced at me. “No, it’s not like that. We’ll talk about this later. I’ll check with you after we’ve cleaned up.” He hung up and ran his hands through his hair.
“He’s suspicious. He knows something is going on, but he doesn’t know what,” Michael said.
“Great,” I said. “He thinks I’m up to something, doesn’t he? I thought by agreeing to be your best man he was endorsing me and the wedding.”
“Sylvie, werewolves are suspicious of everyone. You know that. That’s what makes them such good cops.”
“But I’ve done everything in my power to make him trust me.”
“You can’t make someone trust you, Sylvie. You earn it.”
“One mistake, and I’m branded for life!”
“Alex was frantic.”
“In my defense, I didn’t realize I’d glamoured you,” I said.
“I know, Sylvie. So does he. He’s just afraid you’ll do it again. He’s trying to protect me.”
I sighed. “You’re right. We have to find out who’s behind this before Alex has me arrested for kidnapping you.”
“We can always play that game later if you want.” Michael waggled his eyebrows at me.
“Brat.” I said, smiling.
During the drive to our apartment, Michael and I crouched, out of sight, in the backseat.
The phone was ringing as we entered. “It’s Alex,” Michael said. “I’ll let the machine get it.”
After quick showers, it was time to gear up. “This time, I’ll be prepared for anything.” I slipped on my running shoes and stuffed a five-inch blade into the back pocket of my jeans. A loose sweatshirt and a ball cap completed my glamorous transformation.
Alex ambushed us as we left the building.
“What’s going on?” he asked Michael. He looked at Lucy, Grig, and finally, me. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“Alex, I didn’t want to get you involved.” Michael scrubbed a hand across his face. As soon as Michael moved his arm, the hair on Alex’s nape stood straight up. Alex growled low in his throat.
“Zombie.” He almost spat the word.
“Not yet,” Michael said. “But soon, too soon.” He closed his eyes. “We’re going to visit Swan. See if he can help me.”
“This happened when you went into the forest with the fairies,” Alex said.
“It wasn’t like that!” I said.
“They had nothing to do with this,” Michael said.
“Right,” Alex said. “It’s just convenient and totally unrelated.”
“Yes,” Michael said. “Why would they be so obvious about it?”
Alex threw his head back and howled. The misery in that sound ripped my heart in two. When he was done, he looked Michael straight in the eyes and said, “How can I help?”
A tension I didn’t even realize I was holding disappeared.
“You could get in big trouble, Alex,” Michael said. “Just turn around and leave us to it.”
“You’re my partner and friend,” Alex said. “Of course I’ll stand with you. What can I do?”
“Thank you,” Michael said. “Knowing you’re on our side is enough.”
“I’ll make sure the police stay off your backs,” Alex said. “Just keep me in the loop.”
* * *
Traffic was slow once we neared Victor’s house. I groaned when I saw why. I pulled the baseball cap lower over my eyes and slumped in my seat. Five media vans sat in front of the building.
“Great,” I said. “Not only do we have to figure out who’s behind this and cure you, but now we have to dodge paparazzi.” I wanted to scream.
“Sylvie, we can glamour the people here and sneak into Victor’s house,” Grig said.
“Let’s wait and see what’s going on first,” Michael said.
We watched in horror as two burly police officers forcibly escorted Victor, in handcuffs, out his front door.
The flash of the media’s cameras was blinding. I could hear the press calling out “Why did you do it?” and “Where are they now?” as they crowded around Victor before the cops shoved him into the police car.
Victor kept his head down and never opened his mouth.
“Somebody made that connection pretty quickly,” Michael said.
“Now what do we do?” Lucy said. “Victor was going to fix everything.”
Michael pulled out his cell phone. “Alex. They just picked up Victor Swan. Could you have him put in a private investigation room until I get there? I want to question him about those zombies before anyone else talks to him.” He paused. “I appreciate it. What? Good idea. Let me know what you find.” He hung up.
“Victor didn’t send those zombies after you,” Lucy said.
Michael wiped a hand across his sweaty brow. “Prove it,” he said.
Lucy lowered her head and said nothing.
* * *
Michael pulled me aside when we got to the station house. “Tonight, Alex and his pack are following the zombie trail to its origination point.”
“They can trace the zombies to the source?” I said.
“Alex thinks so,” he said, wiping his brow. “How do I look? Will I pass as uninfected?”
“Your eyes are a little bloodshot, and you look like you’ve just run a few blocks, but I’d still do you.” I smoothed his sweaty hair before kissing him lightly. “Just to be safe, I’ll throw a glamour around you.”
“Let’s do this then.”
We walked, hand in hand, Grig and Lucy behind us, to the staff sergeant’s desk.
“I’m here for Victor Swan,” Michael said.
“We got a call,” the sergeant said. “He’s upstairs in Interrogation Room 3. Scum like Swan shouldn’t be allowed to wa
lk the streets.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Michael said.
Victor sat facing us, on the far side of a large table, his chair tilted back on two legs, his feet propped on the table.
“Lucy,” he nodded at the redhead. “Have they brought you in about the zombies, too? Does he,” he glared at Michael, “think you did it?”
“No,” Lucy squeaked, blushing. “I . . . I’m here to help. Michael’s been bitten.”
Victor raised an eyebrow. “Really?” He started laughing. “Fate must have a sense of humor after all. You clearly need my help now. Why should I bother?”
“I told you he’d say no.” Michael turned to leave.
I grabbed his arm and forced him to look at me. “This is our only hope.”
“Fuck,” Michael said, running his hand through his hair. He paced the room before turning back to Victor.
“I’m giving my consent,” Michael said. “The others never had a choice.”
Victor opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Our eyes met.
“This could be good for you too, Victor,” Lucy said. “If you cure him, people will realize you were right.”
“Please,” I spoke the word I knew Michael would never utter.
Victor turned to Michael. “You still think I’m a monster?”
Michael nodded. “I’m only here because of Sylvie.”
“Well, you’re truthful. I’ll give you that.” He paused.
“We have the resources of Faery at our disposal,” Grig said. “We can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.”
“Tempting,” said Victor. “But what I want, Faery can’t give me.” He looked at Michael. “I want my life back.”
“No,” Michael said.
“Then why should I even consider this? Everyone already believes I engineered the attack at your wedding. If I kill you while doing illegal experimentation on you, they’ll throw the book at me.”
“Please.” I mouthed again.
“I want my name cleared first.”
“He could be dead by then,” I said.
Victor shrugged. “I won’t do anything until you find the real culprit.”
“Isn’t there anything you can do before then?” Grig asked. “Not to cure him,” he added at Victor’s negative headshake. “To help us clear your name?”
The Wild Side: Urban Fantasy with an Erotic Edge Page 14