“Story of my life.” Caleb absently toed a severed arm. “God, I need a cigarette. You still smoke?”
“No. Scotlyn asked me to quit.” Now, he just pretended to piss her off.
“She asked, so you did it?” Caleb mocked. “That’s sweet. Still, it’s just as well you gave it up. Worst part of all this is, I can already guarantee that cigarettes are going to cost a friggin’ fortune in a few weeks. Come to think of it, we should try to corner the black market, now.”
“Worst part of this is you lost my woman.” Zeke wasn’t getting over that anytime soon. “What kind of stupid, irresponsible jackass lets a helpless human…?” He trailed off as a familiar scent hit his heightened senses. Over the stench burning rubber and carnage, he smelled something… clean.
Scotlyn.
The woman always smelled of summertime. The warm, bright colors of a vintage July. Sea and laughter and hot fudge sundaes sold on a sandy boardwalk. The twinkling lights of a Ferris wheel ahead of you and the promise of endless Saturday evening at the peak of your childhood shining in the future. Well, someone’s childhood, anyway. Not Zeke’s, but probably someone’s.
He would’ve known the erotic fragrance of her anywhere.
His head snapped around and there she was, just walking towards him with a leopard-print pet carrier in one hand and fuzzy pink backpack slung over her shoulder.
She hadn’t left him, after all.
“Your helpless human came back.” Caleb murmured. “Huh. Didn’t see that one coming.”
“Zeke! You’re awake!” Scotlyn gave him a tentative smile, stopping about ten feet away from them and setting down her bags. “Are you okay?” Her eyes went from Zeke to Caleb and then back, again. “Um… I didn’t know what to do for you after you…well…” She trailed off, looking nervous. “But your brother said he could help you, so I…”
Zeke cut her off, relief giving way to anger. “What the fuck were you thinking?” He stalked towards her, so furious that his vision clouded with the red haze it got before he Changed. “You went outside on your own? To get a fucking cat?!?”
Scotlyn’s eyes went wide. “Pucci isn’t just a cat. She’s my baby. I couldn’t abandon her. I told you that before we decided what to do next, I had to go rescue…”
“Then you should’ve waited for me! You could’ve been killed. Then where would your precious baby be?!”
“Don’t yell at me!” She yelled. “Being my boss doesn’t mean you get to act like a jackass when we’re not at work!”
“Zeke’s not acting, cutie-pie. He’s always a jackass.”
“Stay out of it, Cale!” Zeke flashed him a deadly look. “It’s your fault she went out in the first place.”
“My fault?! I’m not the one who Changed days before the full moon. You would’ve been out of commission for a week if I hadn’t shown up to give you the salt.”
“You were very sick, Zeke.” Scotlyn put in. “I couldn’t wake you up. Your brother really was the one who helped you, so there’s no need to snap at him like…”
“He’s not my brother.”
She snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course he is. You two look identical.”
Caleb and Zeke both stared at her.
Scotlyn blinked. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No.” Caleb finally told her. “I just don’t think anybody’s ever admitted that before.” He cleared his throat and looked over at Zeke. “Well, your secretary and her cat are safely back in your arms. Now what?”
“I’m an assistant, not a secretary.” Scotlyn put in.
“Don’t care.” Caleb kept his attention on Zeke. “If you wanna protect her, finding the pack is your best play and you know it. Out here alone, we’re just waiting to be picked off by zombies or vamps.”
Shit.
Vampires could usually only feed on human blood and that had just become one of the rarest commodities in Vegas. The vamps would absolutely try and steal Scotlyn if they could.
“Alright. But, we look for Darcy first.”
“Obviously.”
Zeke rubbed at his pounding temple and forced himself to calm down. There was only one thing he could do and it was the longest long shot he’d ever faced in his life. “Trixie… I am a shape shifter.”
“Yes.” She agreed seriously.
He met her gaze and just laid it out for her. “Will you come with me, anyway?” He had no idea what he’d do when she said no.
“Yes.” She said.
“I know that it’s frightening, but… Wait what?” Zeke paused, unsure he heard her right. “I’m a shape shifter.” He repeated, in case she missed that part.
“I noticed.” Scotlyn closed the distance between them. “Well, honestly, I guessed werewolf, but, either way, it’s not the craziest news I’ve heard recently. And, since you being a shape shifter saved my life, I’ve decided to just add it my list of stuff to freak out about later and go with it for now.”
Zeke stared down at her.
Scotlyn stopped directly in front of him and her anger seemed to fade. “That zombie would’ve killed me if you hadn’t stopped it. Whatever you did and however you did it, you chose to endanger yourself to protect me.”
Caleb snorted. “One zombie and you had to Change, Z? Pussy.”
Zeke disregarded that, dazed that Scotlyn knew the truth and still wasn’t leaving him. That she was looking at him like he’d done something heroic. “It wasn’t a choice.” He said softly.
If he’d had time to consider the ramifications, he wouldn’t have done it. Obviously. It was basically suicide to Change without the full moon. A shape shifter went into a coma-like sleep, his energy all but depleted. Hell, Zeke had woken-up feeling like he’d been attacked with a sack of bricks, but he was still far luckier than most shifters who’d tried it. They never woke up, at all.
No, Changing like that to protect Scotlyn had been pure instinct. He’d seen her go down and it had just happened. He hadn’t chosen… He met her shining green gaze and his desperate thoughts faded.
God, she was beautiful.
Scotlyn smiled at him, her eyes bright. “It’s lucky for me that I didn’t find a better job, yet.” To his utter amazement, she leaned in closer to wrap her arms around him. “Thank you.”
Caleb’s eyebrows soared.
Zeke froze. Scotlyn had never hugged him before. Actually, he was pretty sure no one had ever hugged him before. It was even more shocking than the kiss had been. Hugging was so… intimate. They might sleep with him, but no woman had ever wanted to be intimate with Zeke. He’d never been special enough.
He gently cradled her closer, not sure where his hands should go.
Scotlyn didn’t seem to notice his awkwardness. “It’s odd, though.” She mumbled into his shirtfront. “I remember you telling me that it was stupid to help people at the end of the world.”
“Not when she’s my person.” Zeke gave up trying to get the hug right and just enjoyed it. He rested his cheek against the top of her head, his whole body melting into hers. “Besides, if you were eaten by a zombie, who would refuse to make my coffee every day? You and I are a team.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He could feel her breathing, smell the perfect fragrance of her skin, and he knew that he was holding everything that mattered to him. Zeke’s eyes met Caleb’s over the top of Scotlyn’s head. Pack law or not, he’d already mated with this human in all the ways that mattered. They both knew it.
Caleb watched him steadily. “Alright.”
“I’ll protect you, too, Zeke.” Scotlyn promised, missing the exchange. She moved back to smile at him. “I killed four zombies to reach to Pucci, so my aim is definitely getting better.”
Zeke cringed and tried not to think about her fighting monsters. “Awesome. Let’s let me and Cale do most of the killing, though, alright?”
She glanced over at Caleb, like she’d forgotten he was there. “Oh right.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “He’s a werewol
f, too, isn’t he?”
“Standing right here, cutie-pie.” Caleb gave her a wave. “With super hearing.”
Zeke flinched at her word choice. She really needed to understand the werewolf versus shifter thing, because there was a big difference. “Caleb is a shape shifter, but he’s not going to hurt you.” Zeke slanted his pack-member an “or else” kind of glare.
Cale flicked him off.
“And did he really say there were vampires around?” Scotlyn demanded. “Jesus! Why didn’t you tell me all this before, Zeke? Don’t you think it was kind of important?”
“The human makes a fair point.” Caleb agreed. “I can’t believe you’ve kept her so blind to the world, Z. It’s dangerous for her not to know this stuff.”
Zeke ignored that complaint. “Of course, vampires are real, Trix. And a lot of them will hurt you. So, don’t go near any alone.”
She shot him a mystified look. “Do you honestly think I’d ever go near a vampire?”
“You’re currently near two shape shifters,” Caleb interjected, “so self-preservation clearly isn’t your strong suit. Just to cover our bases, try not to eat poisoned candy or set yourself on fire, either.”
Scotlyn made a face at him. “If you don’t like me, why are you coming with us?”
“I’m not coming with you. You’re coming with Zeke and Zeke’s coming with me.”
Zeke looked up at the clear blue sky and wished for a lightning bolt to strike his idiot pack-mate right in the head. “Cale, I swear to God…”
“What? I’m trying here, but she’s still a bad idea on about fifteen different levels. You know that, so don’t expect me to be happy that she’s gonna get us killed.”
Scotlyn frowned up at Zeke. “Are we really a team?” She asked warily.
“Yes.” The word was emphatic. “But, there are a lot of bad things loose in the city who want to get their hands on a living human, right about now.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “Some want you more than others.” He absently raised his gun and fired it towards a zombie that was shuffling their way. The creature crumpled to the ground.
Scotlyn winced, but Zeke wasn’t sure if it was from the gunfire or the conversation. “You’re saying it would be safer for you to leave me behind?”
“No.” Zeke lied before Caleb could answer. “I’m saying we have to be careful. That’s all.” He hesitated. “Just promise me you’ll stay close, alright? Don’t wander off and don’t trust anyone. Just me and,” he hesitated, weighing his options, “just me and Caleb.”
Caleb’s gaze slashed over to Zeke.
Zeke kept his attention on Scotlyn, but the words were meant for his pack-mate. “Cale’s about to give me his word that he’ll look out for you.” He arched a challenging brow at Caleb. “Agreed?”
Caleb’s eyes flicked to Scotlyn and then back to Zeke. Surly attitude aside, Cale really was White Hat, by nature. So many of Zeke’s memories featured Cale protecting him and Darcy from the others, insisting that they all needed to have each other’s backs. To Cale, the pack was everything and, if Scotlyn was Zeke’s mate, then she was part of the pack. Simple as that. Caleb might not like it, but he would respect it.
Cale slowly nodded. “Alright.” He said grudgingly and pointed to the leopard-print pet carrier. “But, you keep that friggin’ cat away from me.”
Chapter Five
Bright side to the zombie apocalypse:
Either you can enjoy knowing your enemies are now zombie food,
or you’re a zombie yourself and you can enjoy eating them.
Either way it’s win/win.
Joseff the Unconquered, king of the vampires, nearly threw the goblet of blood at his lackey’s head. Only the fact that it would be a waste of a suddenly finite resource and his own legendary control stayed his hand. “You lost her?”
Outside the windows of the presidential suite, he could see Vegas descending into hell. If they didn’t get out of town soon, it would be too late. The zombies were pushing at the barriers he’d erected around Fremont Street and desperate survivors kept trying to break in.
The entire city was going to fall.
Hell, the entire world was going to fall. It was just a matter of time. Before the electricity had gone out completely, Joseff had threatened the casino’s computer guru with enough menace that the boy pulled off some kind of techno magic and got the internet back for twenty precious minutes. Joseff had stared at the monitor, the online news site lighting up the infected cities so the globe looked like a Christmas tree, and he’d known they were all in deep shit. Whoever was left alive was just standing on the stern of the Titanic waiting for it to complete its inevitable slide beneath the waves.
And somewhere, out in the middle of the chaos, was the niece of the old king and a royal pain in every sense of the word. The only being who could challenge his right to the throne. The woman he would kill to possess.
Princess Darcia Eugenia Angelina Laurent.
He couldn’t leave Vegas until he found Darcy and he couldn’t hunt for her himself in the daylight. There were just a few hours left to safely escape this town, but he couldn’t do a damn thing except wait out the sun. In the meantime, Joseff was going out of mind imagining ways Darcy could die. He’d spent all last night looking for her and he’d come up empty.
Where the hell was she? She was so small and the ruined city seemed so vast.
“I didn’t lose her, sire. I just can’t find her anywhere.”
Joseff’s jaw clenched. “She’s usually at that disgusting pit of a bar during the day. Did you check there?”
“I sent men to Prowl, but they haven’t come back.” Edgar hovered in the doorway, afraid to get too close. Unlike Darcy and Joseff, he hadn’t been born a vampire. He’d been turned as a human, so he was still able to go into the sun. It was why he’d been drafted to lead the Darcy hunt instead of someone with even half a brain. “I also sent more to search for her at her auto shop, but they may have been eaten by zombies like the last group.”
“Then send more.”
Edgar hesitated. “We have to face the fact that your greatest enemy is most likely dead, sire. Why are we still looking for her?”
Darcy wasn’t dead. He’d know if she was dead.
“Just find her.” He ordered flatly.
“But sire…”
“The woman is like a flea. A small irritant that’s impossible to get rid of. She’s alive and well. Believe me.”
At least, she’d better be. Without her, there was no sense in even fighting.
Whenever Darcy’s name came up in his company, Joseff could see people wondering why he hadn’t annihilated her long ago, the way he had his other enemies. For six hundred years, Joseff had won every battle he’d ever fought through ruthless cunning and ice cold logic. He’d worked his way up from a soldier to a king, because he never lost. No matter what he had to do, Joseff remained unconquered.
His plots were legendary. He foresaw all eventualities. Destroying the rightful heir to the crown seemed like such an obvious move that Joseff’s failure to behead Darcy caused most of the vampires to wonder if they’d missed some deeper plan.
Which they had.
Joseff always had a deeper plan.
“We’ve had some reports on her.” Edgar said swiftly, trying to make up for his staggering and unsurprising failure. Most of Joseff’s best soldiers had perished fighting the zombies or had long since fled the city. All he had left were the ones too stupid to run and too incompetent to die. “Caleb was looking for her. She could be with him or Ezekiel, by now.”
Joseff’s mouth twisted. “Those two mutts are her favorites.”
Still, they were at least semi-competent. For shape shifters, anyway. He hoped that Darcy was with them, since they were two extra bodies for the zombies to get through before they ate her. Darcy had been raised with those morons, so they were protective of her. She saw them as her brothers. She was safer with them alive.
It was why
Caleb and Zeke were the only two shifters he didn’t plan to kill.
Joseff gazed out at the ruined city. Buildings were burning. Cars were abandoned. Madness reigned. He’d managed to cordon off Fremont with a combination of strategic skill, stacks of automobile tires, and a total disregard for how many people died in the building process. Fremont was the best place in Vegas for a temporary vampire stronghold. The gigantic TV screens arching overhead provided cover from the sun and the cross streets were easy to barricade.
Joseff had no idea how long the defenses would hold, though. Hopefully, until nightfall, but he wasn’t counting on it. More importantly, he had no idea how his species was going to survive without blood. Vampires could only feed from humans.
…And from their mates.
Pleasure me, Joseff.
His teeth ground together. “Bring in Brewer.” He snarled, moving to sit behind his desk. A laminated note on its surface assured him that it was an exact replica of the table the Declaration of Independence had been signed on. He should’ve commandeered a different hotel. The Liberty Hall Casino annoyed him, from its patriotic wallpaper to its framed portraits of presidents in the bathrooms. Joseff had lived through the Colonial era and saw no reason to revisit it in its tackiest form.
He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers, as Edgar dashed off to do his bidding. Caleb was in line to be the next Alpha of the pack, but until he came of age, Brewer Macready was technically in charge. Not that anyone ever listened to that lack-wit. Torturing Brew would be a profound pleasure in the middle of an otherwise stressful day.
Questioning the shifters he’d captured was a total waste of time, but he couldn’t just kill them outright. Darcy would never forgive him. She might be a vampire, but she self-identified as a shifter. He had to at least give a pretense of honorable conduct. Joseff had never cared about anyone else’s feelings or opinions before. It was annoying to have to stay his hand to appease a girl centuries younger than himself.
Love in the Time of Zombies Page 7