Jenny Undead (The Thirteen: Book One)

by Murray, J. L.

  THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP.

  There were hundreds of heartbeats. They pulsated in Jenny's head. She shook away the feelings the sensation brought up inside her and looked at Trix.

  “Calm down,” she said, though the claw inside her had tightened. She clenched her fists until she could feel her nails biting into her palms. It didn't hurt, but it distracted her a bit. She tried to relax her shoulders, but she felt anxious and twitchy. The red threatened her vision, but she pushed it away. If she hadn't just eaten, it might have taken her.

  “What's with the shades?” the new guy yelled over the noise.

  “Our future's so bright,” said Jenny. She could smell the hot blood and taste his meat on her tongue.

  “Whatever. Go on in.”

  Any unnatural cravings she had felt at the gate multiplied tenfold when the three of them stepped inside. Heathens were everywhere. Screaming, fighting, laughing. It was a party. Jenny had never seen anything like it. Booths had been moved out of the center and a big bonfire blazed. Men and women in faded leather passed around bottles of homemade liquor. A guy with a Mohawk ran past them, naked and whooping.

  Jenny turned back to the doorman. “What is this?” she said. “What's happening?”

  “It's a wake,” he said.

  “A wake?” she said. “There's never been a wake at Expo.”

  The guy shrugged. “Lost a good one, I guess. I never met her, but her crew paid off the vendors.”

  Jenny turned back to Casey and Trix. “We have to go,” she said.

  “What? Why?” said Trix.

  “Someone's going to recognize me.”

  “How do you know?” said Casey.

  “Because this is my funeral.”

  “Shit,” said Casey, looking around. “I didn't even know Heathens did funerals.”

  “They don't,” said Jenny. “I don't know why they would do this.”

  “You must've been some important bitch,” said Trix. “You were like a Heathen princess or some shit.” She snorted at the thought, but straightened her face when she saw Jenny looking at her. “Sorry.”

  “Why are we here, Jen?” said Casey. “You never told us. Why can't we just get a sample from some other living. Why's it have to be at Expo?”

  “It's not the sample I want,” said Jenny. She was having a hard time focusing. There were so many people here. The hunger was rearing up. It was making her angry. She didn't know how the two things were connected, but the rage always followed the hunger. Always. She was so tired of feeling this way. A woman walked past them and she had to plaster her arms around herself to keep from grabbing her and tearing into her flesh. Jenny blinked hard.

  “What do you want?” said Trix. There was an edge to her voice, but she wasn't having nearly as hard a time as Jenny. Casey, on the other hand, was watching the crowd hungrily.

  “Answers,” said Jenny. She narrowed her eyes at the people. “Fuck it. I don't see Declan or anyone I know. Maybe they left already. Come on. I know where to go.”

  Jenny felt like a monster in disguise. She supposed she was. Walking among these unsuspecting people, every part of her was telling her to tear them apart. But she had to fight it. If she didn't hang on to the one part of herself that was still living, that was still one of them, she would be no better than the rotters who she'd spent nearly half her life fighting. It seemed like it would be a betrayal to give in to the hunger. Not just a betrayal to herself, or even to Declan, but a betrayal to everything they had been together. She couldn't break that.

  She kept her eyes front, and walked with purpose towards Sully's tent. She tried not to look at the revelers. She tried not to notice them, but it was impossible. Every muscle tensed, every thought in her head was of ripping and tearing and blood and meat. When she finally found herself standing in front of the door to Sully's place, it was like she had passed some sort of test. She looked back at the other two. Trix was holding Casey's hands. Jenny could see that his knuckles were white.

  “Everything okay?” Jenny rasped.

  Casey nodded woodenly and Trix shrugged. Jenny lifted the flap and they entered.

  Sully wasn't alone.

  TWENTY

  “Let him go,” Jenny growled.

  A guy dressed in a black tee shirt and jeans had Sully by the throat. He had straight black hair that hung in his eyes and he smiled with bright square teeth when he saw them.

  “Why?” he said.

  “Because I want to kill him myself,” Jenny said. She didn't know if she was really going to kill Sully, but it wasn't a lie. But then, she wanted to kill everyone.

  “I saw him first,” said the guy in black. He had deep dimples when he smiled and shiny black hair that gleamed in the lamplight. He was still holding Sully by the throat. Sully was sweating profusely, and his face was turning an unhealthy shade of purple. He was pinned against the hope chest in the middle of the tent, his arms and legs scrabbling like an insect. The man held him fast, though, like it was nothing. Dimples was looking from Jenny to Trix to Casey. “What are you guys, anyway? You're not living.”

  “How do you know?” said Trix.

  “I know because I'm not living either,” he said, still flashing the million-watt smile. His eyes were cold, though. Clear and so dark they were almost black. He stood up a little, loosening his grip on Sully. “Wait a minute. I know you guys. You were in that doctor's place.” He narrowed his eyes at Jenny, the smile slipping. “And you're the girl who disappeared.”

  “Who are you?” said Jenny.

  “Abel. I'd shake your hand, but...”

  “You're on the list,” said Casey. “Abel Cruz.”

  Abel stared at Casey. “What list?” he said. There was an element of near panic in his voice. He wasn't smiling any longer.

  “The list of the Thirteen,” said Trix.

  “That's you guys?” he said.

  “It's you too,” said Casey. “We're the ones who survived.”

  “And there's a list?”

  Casey shrugged. “Yeah. Doesn't really mean anything. It's just names. Kind of hard to look someone up these days.”

  “Where did it come from?” Abel said.

  “I think that's enough catching up,” Jenny said, looking at Abel. There was something about him that unsettled her. Maybe the fake smile or the million questions, but she wasn't sure she wanted Casey being his buddy.

  “Doesn't matter,” said Abel, smiling again. He had his eyes trained on Jenny. She glared right back at him. “I was just about to eat. If you don't mind.” He nodded at Sully, who looked desperately at Jenny, his eyes bulging. Jenny curled her lip at him. The smell of him was bringing back the clawing hunger. She pushed it down. Her anger was almost stronger than the hunger. Sully had killed her. Whether he meant for it to happen or not, if it wasn't for him, she'd still be alive and Declan would still be sane.

  “Why don't you look dead?” said Jenny, turning back to Abel. She took off her sunglasses and walked over to him. She looked at his face. His skin was bright and a very living color of deep tan. She reached up with her hand and squeezed his cheeks together with one hand. He was even a little warm. She pulled her hand away in surprise. His eyes were clear and dark brown and glimmered with amusement.

  “Clean living, sweetheart,” he said. “I eat what nature intends. I'm guessing you guys found another way, by the smell of you. Sheep? Goats?” Jenny clenched her jaw and Abel nodded at her. “Except for you. You're something special, aren't you? You've taken a life. Recently, too. Not enough to make you healthy, but enough to make a difference.” He looked at the others. “But the rest of you...definitely goat. I thought they'd all died out.”

  “Not all of them,” said Casey. “We found some on a farm in Idaho.”

  “Good on you,” said Abel, clearly annoyed. Sully had stopped squirming and was staring at Jenny. “Now get the fuck out of here, I'm hungry. We can talk when I'm done.”

  “Not this one,” Jenny said, her voice hard. “I need him
.”

  “Why?” said Abel.

  “Information,” said Casey.

  “Casey, shut the fuck up,” said Jenny.

  “Information?” said Abel. “What the hell kind of information?”

  “I need to know why he got me killed,” said Jenny.

  Abel raised his eyebrows. “That is a good question. Friend of yours then?”

  “I thought he was,” said Jenny.

  “Well, this is getting interesting,” said Abel. He looked from Jenny to Casey to Trix again. Jenny got the feeling he was assessing the situation, trying to decide if he could win a fight with them. His eyes lingered on Jenny's knife, then on her eyes. He let go of Sully and motioned to the gasping man chivalrously. “Knock yourself out, sweetheart.”

  “It's Jenny. Don't fucking call me sweetheart.”

  “I like you,” said Abel. “You've got spunk.”

  Jenny crouched down next to Sully. “Don't get too comfortable with living,” she said in a low voice. “Because I'm probably to kill you in a horrible way for what you've done.”

  Sully was gasping, trying to say something. After a few tries he was able to speak in a hoarse voice. “I'm sorry, Jen. It wasn't my decision.”

  “It wasn't your decision to send me into a hopeless situation where you knew I would be killed?” she said. “It was stupid to go. I take responsibility for that. But you set us up, you motherfucker. You fucking set us up.”

  “Let me explain...”

  “Why would you do that?” she said. “You were my friend.” She could feel the rage rising. The red tinged the edges of her vision.

  “I knew you wouldn't die. But you had to change. You have to understand, Jen. You had to change.”

  “Why?” said Jenny. “Why did I have to change? And there's no way you could have known I wouldn't die. You're not bullshitting me, Sully.”

  “You're one of The Thirteen,” he said.

  “But I could have died,” she said. “If the rotters would have gotten at me, they would have eaten everything off of me. If someone had shot me or stabbed me in the head. I could have died, you piece of shit. What gives you that right? What the hell did you get out of it? Did it get you off to think about the power you wielded over me?” Jenny realized it was her hand on his slick, sweaty throat now. Her teeth itched and her insides ached. She forced herself to loosen her grip and Sully gasped for air again. Jenny screamed and picked Sully up by his stained shirt and let him drop on the floor. She put her boot on his chest.

  “Why?” she said.

  Sully put his hands up in surrender. “Your mother told me to,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.

  Jenny faltered. She looked back at Casey who looked just as astonished as she felt.

  “He's lying,” said Abel, his eyes dancing. He was enjoying this. Jenny looked back down at Sully. He was terrified. That was good. He deserved to be terrified.

  “How the fuck do you know?” said Jenny.

  Abel shrugged. “I just do.”

  “Forgive me if I don't believe you,” said Jenny.

  “I believe you,” said Trix.

  “Thank you,” said Abel.

  “Shut up!” Jenny said over her shoulder.

  “She's alive, Jen, I swear,” said Sully. His eyes darted behind her to look at the others, seeming to hesitate on Abel for longer than the others. “She sent me after you. After Casey. After all of you. She wanted me to bring you together. She said you could save everyone if I just brought you together.”

  “Where is she?” said Jenny. “Is she in Chicago?”

  Sully shook his head and Jenny knelt on his chest making him groan. “Where the fuck is she, Sully?”

  “I don't know!” he mouthed. “I swear. I have no idea.”

  “Sully!” said a woman's voice outside the tent. “You in there?” There was a murmuring. She was with someone. Several someones by the sound of it.

  “Yo, Sully,” said another voice. Jenny froze. It was Lucy. “Get out here, asshole. Munro wants to talk to you.”

  “Get rid of her,” Jenny whispered, rising from crushing Sully's chest. “Or I give you to Abel.” Abel flashed a grin and waved at him.

  “I'll be out in a bit,” Sully called. “I'm...I'm occupied right now.”

  Jenny heard Lucy sigh and could almost see her rolling her eyes. “Fine,” she said. “Meet me by the fire pit. Munro says he has something special for you. Maybe something Jenny wanted you to have.”

  “Okay,” he said. He nodded at Jenny and she could hear their voices receding.

  “Hang on,” said Abel after they'd gone. “This is for you?”

  Jenny grimaced. “I guess.”

  “You crashed your own funeral?”

  “You could say that.” Jenny looked at Casey and Trix. “We have to get out of here. If someone sees me, they might come after us.”

  “Who cares?” said Abel. “There's four of us.”

  “There's two hundred of them,” said Trix.

  “Like a big, sweaty buffet,” said Abel, licking his lips. Trix did the same, but then she looked at Casey guiltily. He didn't seem to notice.

  “I have more questions,” said Jenny, looking at Sully. “You're going to have to come with us.”

  “If he goes, I go,” said Abel.

  “Why?” said Jenny.

  Abel shrugged. “I was here first. Besides, I'm bored. Maybe it'll be interesting.”

  Trix snorted. “It's not.”

  “Do not touch Sully,” said Jenny, lifting the man off the ground. He staggered on his feet, but stayed upright. Jenny looked at her arms. She looked at Trix. “Did you see that?” she said. “I just lifted him up. And before that I threw him on the floor.”

  “You can do all kinds of things when you're hungry,” said Abel. He was smiling again. “Hunger gives you power. You must be new. When did you turn?”

  Casey answered for her. “Couple of days ago.” Jenny glared at him.

  “Damn,” said Abel. “No wonder you're so angry. You're just a baby. So to speak.”

  “Let's just go,” said Jenny. She looked at Sully. “You're coming with us.”

  Sully nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

  Trix narrowed her eyes. “Why was that easy?”

  Jenny looked at Sully as she answered. “He knows that if he stays, Declan will kill him. Isn't that right, Sully?”

  “You want me to go or not?” said Sully.

  “Who's Declan?” said Abel.

  “Jenny's crazy boyfriend,” said Trix.

  Abel raised an eyebrow. “You have a crazy boyfriend?”

  “No,” said Jenny.

  There was the sound of cheering outside as the five of them crept out of the tent. They walked along the the fence that surrounded Expo, trying to avoid running into anyone. Jenny looked out toward the voices in between tents and makeshift dwellings that belonged to vendors. There was a crowd surrounding some kind of fight. Heathens with bottles shouted gleefully at the violence. The fighters moved toward the crowd and for a moment the wall of people parted. Jenny froze.

  Declan was fighting a stocky guy in a leather vest with no shirt underneath. But it wasn't so much a fight as a beatdown. Jenny watched, transfixed, as Declan's fist met the guy's nose and he went down, arms flailing. Declan jumped on top of him and brought his fist down on the man's face over and over. Jenny watched as though hypnotized. She couldn't look away from Declan's face. It was equal parts rage and grief, tears pouring down his face as blood from the other fighter sprayed his cheeks. The man on the ground was no longer moving. Tyler came jogging up and pulled Declan off just as the crowd closed around them again.

  “Something wrong?” said Abel, following her gaze to the crowd.

  Jenny started. After a moment she shook her head. “No,” she said weakly. “Let's go.”

  TWENTY-ONE

  “What the fuck are you trying to do to us, Jenny?” Fisher was more worked up than Jenny had ever seen him. She could identify the hunger in his eye
s, mostly because it was the same gnawing anguish she was feeling. Everyone in the room was staring at Sully. “You can't just bring a living in here. We have to fucking live here. It's all we have.”

  “He knows things,” Jenny said. “Things about us. Things about my mother. He might be exactly what we need. And he's the only living sample we have right now.”

  “Sample?” said Sully, his head snapping up.

  “Shut up,” said Fisher and Jenny together.

  Jenny touched Fisher's arm. “Please. Just leave me alone with him. If he's lying, I'll kill him myself. Look at him. He's practically pissing himself. Just give me an hour alone.”

  Fisher drank in the sight of Sully for a long time before he looked back at Jenny. “I've been this for over a year, Jenny. For over a year I've been dead. And in that time, I have never hurt anyone. Not a single person has so much as gotten a paper cut because of me. Do you understand?”

  “I do,” she said.

  He turned his white, red-rimmed eyes to Sully again. “I don't think you do. I've never been this close to ripping someone apart. I can hear his blood rushing through his veins. I can feel the vibrations his heart is making. I think you'd better hurry.”

  “Okay, Fisher,” Jenny said.

  “I'll be downstairs,” he said. “Eating.” Sully shuddered as Fisher left the room. Jenny shut the door. They were in the lab, surrounded by dirty microscopes. Jenny brought two rickety wooden chairs over, but couldn't sit down. She was too twitchy. She knew how Fisher felt, because she felt it too. She wanted to sink her teeth into Sully. But there were more important things at the moment. She would just have to suffer for a little while. It would be worth it. She was getting better at pushing the red away.

  She paced around Sully. “Everyone wants to eat you,” she said.

  “It's nice to be wanted,” said Sully.

  Jenny reached over and grabbed the front of his shirt, making him gasp in surprise. “Is this a game to you, Sully? Is this fun for you? Because I can call Fisher back. I can call them all back.”