“I’ve learned to stay prepared around you,” he replied. Our eyes fell toward the floor. The fallen zombie hand twitched beneath us. It went all ‘Addams Family,’ leaping up onto its fingers, and scurrying off into the darkness away from the firing bullets.
“This shit is getting freakier by the damn second,” Rye mumbled from the circle.
Kaleb stroked my neck. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah,” I nodded, my throat sore. “But that one was different. He didn’t go to dust.”
“Looks like we’re getting closer. Or Dreven is changing tactics.”
“We stick to the plan,” Grady said. “Yeah, yeah. I know I sound like a broken record right now. But we keep moving. Come on.”
“This day sucks like sucking lemons off a rhino’s ass,” I mumbled.
“You sure have a way with words,” Kaleb smiled. But there was concern in his eyes.
He waited for the soldiers to move along, then hauled me into an alcove, urging me against the wall. “I’ve got your back.”
Giving me the time I needed, he studied me, letting me get my breath. My neck pulsed, but the reprieve gave me a second to catch up after the attack.
When I found my grounding, I nodded I was okay when my eyes caught his. But at the sight of the love I found spiraling in his pools, the heat, the need, the worry, the fear, I faltered.
His chest heaved with need beneath my hand, stoking mine. And in one fell swoop his lips crashed against mine, drawing me into the scent of him. I moaned against his mouth, needing my mate—needing the connection—and the truth of what we fought for each and every day.
Love filled me to the core.
“Isn’t this how people in horror movies get killed,” I gasped when we came up for air.
“Only if they’re not a wolf shifter and stubborn psychic.” He kissed me again, his tongue unrelenting. “Are you sure okay?”
“Yes.” My heart thundered. But in a good way for once.
“I’d have let Mayra use her magic.” He stroked my neck. “You can’t keep offering yourself as a sacrifice for the greater good. To not have you in my world…” He trailed off.
“I don’t plan on going anywhere, okay? But there’s more than our well-being at play here. We must stay focused on the bigger picture.”
“Not if it means losing you we don’t. I mean it.”
He embraced me, and I rested my head against his shoulder. “Same goes, buddy. Same goes.”
He laughed, his lips finding mine once more. But conscious of time and the house of horrors we’d walked into he reluctantly retreated. “No matter what Libby says. No matter what any woman I’ve slept or fooled around with says. Always know you’re the only one who has ever made me lose my shit.”
“Seriously,” I laughed. “You need to use your head voice for this kind of stuff. Head-Kaleb is so much more romantic.”
“I’ve got to keep you on your toes, Vane.”
“Ding, ding, ding. He’s just reached dick status, everybody.”
He smirked. “How about this?” ‘My heart was yours the moment you threw me the bird at the academy.’
“That’s more like it.” Tilting my head, I lifted my lips, waiting for his kiss. He growled with need, and fed from me, his tongue deep and meaningful. And I met him every step of the way.
Too soon, did I find myself saying, “Time to rejoin the others before we croak. I refused to have ‘Death by Zombie’ engraved into my tombstone.”
He chuckled and took my hand. “Come on. Let’s go finish the job. Because tonight, once this is all over, I plan on celebrating by burying myself deep inside you.”
I rolled my eyes. “And who said romance was dead?”
25
I’m sure a clock ticked somewhere. But here, in the dark, fighting zombies, time lost all meaning.
My cheek stung where I’d grazed it from falling to the ground during another zombie attack. My throat still hurt, and bruises peppered my body. But I’d got off lightly.
We’d had to stop to bandage up a few soldiers, taking the strategic position of protecting those who wrapped them up. Aside from Private Branch, we’d had no more casualties. Those injured could still move, which meant they could still fight. But Grady teamed them up with others to have their back should they need it. He’d also nominated the store where we planned to barricade ourselves in and take respite. It reaffirmed the blessing of Dan’s forward-thinking by asking Grady to join the team. He was an asset. Even without the ghost gig. Although Karl had helped in a huge way, too. We were lucky to have them both.
I had to wonder how they’d get on in Portiside though. Soon, we’d take Grady through the portal and give him a test run. A lot of spirits avoid Portiside City where many of the magic wielders walk a fine line with the spirit realm. But a few hover to get close to the clairvoyants and mediums who operate in Whisper Street where Mayra’s shop is situated. We’d need to keep our eye on Karl. But all that seemed so far away—so surreal compared to the evil reality we’d got sucked into with the zombies. Everything aside from our next step stayed out of reach. All I could do was focus on the destination Grady had assigned.
The plan was to take time-out to assess the injured, do a recon of our position, radio our progress to Hanley. And we all needed a goddamn rest from zombies jumping out sporadically from the dark. It set our nerves on edge.
A somber energy fell upon us all as we tired from the repetitive onslaught. Some of the soldiers began talking between themselves, and Lopez let it happen, aware they needed it. But he kept them focused and moving, his guard up the whole time.
Mayra helped break the silence for our small group out of earshot of the others. “What’s it like where you come from, Libby?”
“The Shadow Cities?” Libby whispered.
“Is that what it’s called through the veil?”
“The central part, yeah,” she replied, doubtful. Mayra may have kept her distaste of demons at bay most of the time, but often it slipped out and she’d apologized, falling into stories during our magical summoning days when she hadn’t had great experiences with those from the demon dimension. She and Libby had gotten closer because of it. “But where I originate from is a dog eat dog place,” Libby continued. “Worse than this. But at least there you know the horrors lingering around every corner. And part of me misses the action. The rules are so different over there. People don’t worry about every damn thing. They just do—and take—as they please.”
“That can’t be a good thing.” Mayra moved closer to Libby. And she didn’t move away.
“It is most of the time.” She hesitated. “But you’re right. A lack of rules leaves room for many to take advantage. It’s one of the reasons I left. But it’s an interesting place in some regards. And so different to the places you know. They play on fantasy. No rules barred. No conformity restraining their imagination. Even back in Portiside it’s still conformed to a point. But where I come from, those with power make the rules, only dishing out punishment if it affects them directly.”
“I’ve heard some awful stories about the place.”
“Maybe so, Mayra. But they don’t apologize for who they are. Or cover up their intentions with political bullshit to hide their vices. Not like over here. Or back home.”
“How did you get passage through the veil?” I asked, and she scowled at me.
“You don’t ask a demon that.”
My bad. “Sorry.”
She pinched her lips. “It’s not your fault. You weren’t to know. But because of all the false stories spread about demons who choose to live in Portiside it’s a sore subject. They believe every demon got through the veil illegally.”
The Shadow Veil is a saving grace for the world where we live. It sits behind the mountains of Giant’s Pass, called such because of the giants who sleep as part of the rock, protecting our world from the demons. The veil is a weak point between dimensions. And whereas magical bearers like Mayra can summon demons through magic, the veil
is another way in. And even though Libby is a pain in the ass, she’s a demon able to climatize to Portiside. Not many can, hence why demon citizens aren’t huge in number, and why horror stories are often spread, generalizing them all.
I also recalled what she said about Bernard helping her to escape her ex and wondered if she might have avoided legal channels to get here. I shut my mouth and let them continue their conversation.
I’d had Dan save me and show me another world. What horrors had Libby faced to escape her nightmare? And had Bernard visited the demon world? It wouldn’t surprised me if he had. Is that how he knows Libby? Or did she run into him here?
I’d have to ask him some time.
“What’s The Shadow Cities like?” I heard Mayra ask.
“Busy,” Libby scoffed. “And overwhelming if you’re not used to it. It’s like Vegas and New York had a baby and then threw in Portiside City for good measure. Add a medieval market and you have yourself The Shadow Cities.” She focused on her movements while continuing her description. “There are other places surrounding it, too. That’s just at the start of our world. Magical glamors create the backdrop, adopting a lot of human fantasies to have our fun.” She shrugged. “Demons like to role play.”
“What about—”
“Something’s coming,” Kaleb said suddenly.
Grady ordered everyone to stop so we could do a recon our surroundings.
My mate raised his nose to the air, and he took a step closer toward me. “More zombies!” he yelled suddenly, firing his weapon into the pitch black.
Another wave of the walking dead spilled out of the stores.
I fired alongside him and the others. But then withdrew my blade and jumped into the fray when they drew near.
We cut through those who flew our way, making haste. Cries of pain from fallen officers had us turning back to help. Some continued, the others either dragged or carried as the onslaught ensured.
“Head to the store!” Grady ordered. “We fall back and barricade. Go!”
We weren’t far from our location, one he’d chosen for its size and enclosed space. A lot of the stores had open fronts with shutters that no longer worked, but the place we aimed for had a storefront and doors. We kept moving toward it.
A hand grabbed onto my arm. A face with gnarly teeth poked her head out of the shadows straight after. I punched the female zombie in the mouth.
She was a deathly pale woman with red ragged hair, eyes glowing from a face where little skin existed. Her decaying body stayed determined against its weakened state. But it wouldn’t have mattered if she were only bones. Not with the magic inside her as a driving force.
I vowed when I caught hold of the Senates—the government who ran our world back home—I’d shove a decapitated zombie hand up each of their asses. Seven assigned people against all the madness we’d faced so far.
Being among this kind of crazed havoc made it seem all the more wrong. Dreven was so damn powerful to orchestrate this much magic at once. And they’d sent in so few to tackle the problem—something that may not have happened at all if not for Cole’s quick thinking.
The woman screeched, her grip on me relentless. Zax raised his weapon to her head and sliced through her neck. But the arm remained.
“Help!” someone screamed. I turned my weapon to see Private Young on the floor, a zombie biting into him. With all the strength I had, I threw the redhead over my shoulder and into the zombie gnawing on Young’s arm. Taking my blade, I chopped the redhead’s wrist, kicking her body back, then swiped the blade against the neck of the one making a meal of Young. Everyone fought around us. No one able to take a breath. The hand on my arm crumbled to dust, but the zombie after Young continued to attack. I chopped its arms, its legs, until all that remained was a torso able to do nothing.
With its use gone, the lot dispersed into tiny particles. I coughed at the cloud bursting in my face.
“It bit me, it bit me, it bit me,” Young mumbled. He was going into shock.
Unable to see anyone with a medical kit—the soldiers and IET busy fighting around us—I used my blade to tear off my sleeve. Not the most sanitary thing I had to use, but Young needing a tourniquet to stop blood pulsing out of the nasty bite on his arm.
“Young,” I ordered. “Get on your feet. Now!”
I forced myself to focus. The situation nudged all of us toward an edge, especially the soldiers. Trained for highly stressful situations they’d manage better than most. But our superiors had trained none of us this.
I knew fear. I knew pain. My youth had memories of both the physical and emotional kind. I’ve been a prisoner, kidnapped, gnawed upon, and burned. I managed because I had to; especially in the psychiatric hospital where I’d found no love. Only abuse. They tore my human rights away from me during my two year stay. And every day I refused to back down from the fight—I refused to let them win. But Dreven had done well to compress the fear, the unknown, the terror into small windows, each one more terrifying the next. Some soldiers had gone trigger happy. Others who’d gone in like a force to be reckoned with now jumped at every movement. His strategy worked. And we needed something to fortify us all in this fight or we wouldn’t make it through.
Young shakily got to his feet, and I grabbed another soldier to help him along. Assessing the fight, I fired at those who came at our borders, falling back into step with the soldiers fighting their way to our destination.
Somehow, we cleared a path, and the threat dispersed.
My arms ached, my limbs like jello, but the store came into view and adrenalin rushed through me hard. I kept my weapon aimed, my back against the sea of soldiers making their way toward it, and held my eyes on the shadows.
Almost at our destination, thunderous footsteps headed our way. The ground rumbled beneath us, and the screeches came again.
“Go, go, go!” Grady yelled.
He stayed at the back, accounting for everyone as they headed toward the location. Refusing to leave him behind, I raced up toward him, keeping my weapon hailed as he ordered every soldier through.
Kaleb and the others got lost ahead in the fray, so me and Grady kept our guns poised, checking to ensure no one had fallen back.
“Clear,” he said, pointing ahead. Our flashlights highlighted the doors where everyone piled inside. He hand-signaled for us to move along, and I followed his stance, keeping our footsteps light and fast.
We’d almost reached the doors when someone shouted, “Wait!”
Spinning on my heel, the beam from my gun fell upon four soldiers spilling out of the dark. Two carried one unconscious, and another soldier approached protecting their back.
“Garcia fell.” One of them explained as they hurried toward us. “We had to go get him.”
The one protecting their rear kept his weapon aimed at the shadows, ensuring they got in unscathed.
“Come on!” I yelled, waving them forward. The noises behind them grew louder while our predators sought us out.
Those carrying the injured Garcia fell through the doors. Others from within the store came forth to help them. But the soldier, who’d protected their backs, tripped over something when he sped up. He crashed against the ground. I held the store door open with my back, and yelled, “Get up!” Dread filled my stomach from his exposure to the enemy. “Hurry!”
I heard Kaleb calling my name, ordering me to stay inside as he pushed through the crammed soldiers. The man outside got to his feet and stumbled forth. I outstretched my arm, but he held firm onto his weapon. Gray, mottled hands snaked out of the dark, gripping onto his shoulder.
“Help!” He reached for me, but it was too late. Fear consumed the young man’s features, and then he disappeared.
“No!” I attempted to leave the store to help him, but Grady grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I pleaded, “We have to help him!”
Screams pierced my ears. A sucking sound silenced them. I stilled, my panting deafening as Grady held onto my arm. Somethin
g rolled along the floor and hit my foot.
My eyes widened with shock at the dead officer’s face staring up at me from the helmet.
“Grady,” I whispered.
He pulled me inside, and Kaleb broke free to rush over and help barricade the doors.
Shock took hold. Dead. I’d have reached him. I should have stepped out sooner.
“I’ll make sure the store is secure.” Grady disappeared before I had the chance to yell at him for pulling me back.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered to Kaleb, the dismembered soldier hitting my final nerve.
He put his hands on my shoulders. “We’ve seen worse, remember? We’ve handled worse. We’ll handle this.”
“He was scared. So freaking scared!”
“Terra, don’t. Let the fear take you over and you’re no good to anyone. We keep moving. We do not stop.”
“Grady should have let me go!” I gripped onto his arms. “I would have reached him!”
“He did exactly what I would have done.”
I couldn’t catch up with myself. I couldn’t find my balance. My center.
Kaleb’s voice became distorted when he asked if I was okay. I tried to speak. But all I could see was the soldier’s head; a look of surprise forever captured on his face when it rolled at my feet. All I could hear was the wanton groans of the monsters outside. And all I could feel was the hopelessness waving through us as we retreated to lick our wounds and see to the injured.
“Take a deep breath,” Kaleb encouraged me, but I couldn’t find it in me to do so. He pressed his forehead against mine. For us alone he said, ‘I’m here with you. My mate. My Terra. Push through this, baby. This world needs us, no matter what either world thinks. We can’t take Dreven down without you.’
‘You can. I can do nothing here.’
‘Bullshit. You’re Terra Vane. You survived your family. You survived a sadistic doctor in a twisted psychiatric hospital. You survived the EFA training. You survived the rogue shifters, the vampires, shifters, and a djinn. You will survive this. And you will rise above all you see.’
Death Be Rising (The Terra Vane Series Book 7) Page 16