Like I’d eaten a garbage-coated skunk, the taste of his rotting flesh clung to my tongue. Excitement danced in Penny’s eyes as she kept just outside the creature’s reach. This was her every night. What had they done to her?
I snapped my jaw tight on Seth’s other leg, and didn’t let go. This time the zombie hissed, not from the pain. He seemed to feel no pain. He hissed because I kept him from his meal.
So he made me his dinner instead. Jagged fangs pierced my back, acid saliva burning as his teeth sunk in. I cried out at the stinging agony. And then it was over.
Like a rag doll, his body collapsed in a heap. It was all true. Zombies actually existed. And one just bit my fucking back.
“I know you didn’t actually agree that I was right,” Penny said, “but I figured the bite was convincing enough.”
She didn’t seem concerned about it, so I held back the question that nagged as much as the wound stung—what happened to the victim of a zombie bite?
“Yeah,” I said in shifter tongue, looking up at her. Her face was once again emotionless, gorgeous yet distant. The dagger hung in her hand, and she stood still over the body, over me.
“I’ve never been so close to a wolf,” she said. “A little intimidating.”
I laughed, or as close as I could get as a wolf. What came out was more a snarl. Good thing Penny understood. “The zombie hunter think’s I’m intimidating?”
“So you admit that I was right?” She raised her brows.
“How could I not?” I replied. “Please tell me that this isn’t like the movies. I really don’t want to turn into one of those things.”
“You’ll be fine,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t know if it passes like that or not. But from personal experience I can say a bite doesn’t turn a shifter.”
She lifted the hem of her shirt, exposing the beautifully pale skin of her stomach. Scars covered her side. It wasn’t common for a wound to scar that dark, not with shifter healing.
“But it scars unlike anything else,” Penny said.
“Penny,” I said, wishing I could make it better. Scars showed her bravery, and they were as beautiful as she was, a badge of her strength. But if I could have taken away her pain, I would have.
“It’s fine,” she said, taking a step back and lowering her shirt. “Long done and over. What we need to do now is get this thing away from the house so Mrs. Ricci doesn’t wake to find… well, this.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Okay.”
I shifted back and dressed myself, nagged by the sting in my back. I hoped what Penny had said was true, that shifters didn’t get infected. It was possible that it was only ravens. It was something to monitor. It also made me wonder, if a bite doesn’t turn us, does it turn humans? What if becoming a zombie happened some other way? What if it wasn’t a virus at all?
When I turned back to Penny, I found her back turned to me. She hadn’t watched, but instead stared at the body on the ground. Maybe it wasn’t just me that struggled with all of this. Maybe it was harder for her than she let on. I couldn’t imagine watching people I knew turn into those things.
She was as brave as she was beautiful.
I returned to Penny’s side to help pull the remains out into the woods. After we’d covered Seth in rocks, and hidden him as much as we could from view, I turned to Penny. There was still so much I didn’t know.
“What he did to the possum,” I said. “He would have done that to his wife.”
“And kids,” she said. “It’s happened before.”
“With this zombie infestation in town, why aren’t people freaking the fuck out? Why does the coroner say nothing strange is going on? Why hasn’t the whole town turned into a horror movie massacre?”
“Someone’s cleaning up,” she said.
“A conspiracy?” I asked. “But why?”
Sunlight broke behind the trees, and Penny’s head snapped toward the skyline. “I have to go,” she said.
And before I could say another word, black wings fluttered, and Penny was gone.
Chapter Nine
Penny
There was no precedent. No one broke curfew. And before this, I’d only bent it.
I scanned my bedroom, waiting for the consequences of my actions. Waiting for what, I wasn’t sure—my sister’s tears, my father’s wrath. Something. But no one was in my bed. No one waited in the shadows to berate me.
The manor was still quiet; breakfast hadn’t been served. I pulled off my boots and grabbed a set of fresh clothes. With a sigh of relief, I accepted that everything was fine. I’d worried for nothing. A quick shower and I could curl up in bed for a short nap before Kaylee dragged me downstairs.
Clothes in hand, I crossed the lush carpet, to the cool hardwood. I stepped into the silent hall.
“Penelope.” His deep voice reverberated with a harsh edge. I knew it was bad when I went from Penny to Penelope. Really bad.
I froze. Fight or flight kicked in. Fly away, that’s what I wanted to do. But I couldn’t.
He said, “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
I turned slowly, and met my father’s cold, ice-blue gaze. A foot taller than me, and built like a brick wall. I’d never met anyone more intimidating than my father.
“Good morning, Dad,” I squeaked. Smooth. Real smooth.
“You know curfew is for your own protection,” he said, crossing his arms. “You know what happens after dark, yet you still go.”
He didn’t understand. No one did. “I have to,” I said.
“You don’t,” he said. “What you have to do is stay safe. Think about the rest of us. Imagine what it would do to the constable if you didn’t come home. Think of your sister, who dreams of finding you just as you found Danny.” It was about everyone but him and me. He didn’t say how he would feel. And I knew he wouldn’t. He never did.
“It’s not about them,” I said.
“That’s right,” he said. “It’s not. You’re acting like a foolish, selfish child. So you’ll be treated like one.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re not to leave the manor until you respect the rules we’ve set forth to protect every member of this constable.”
“Wait,” I said. “You can’t—”
“Don’t push your luck, Penelope,” my father said. “Your shifts at the shop will be taken by your sister. And you’ll take that time to reflect.” He turned his back and walked away, leaving me standing there like an idiot.
Just like a fucking child. He treated me like I was ten years old again, caught trying on my mother’s amulet. It had been innocent curiosity at the time, a harmless offense. And now—it was my decision to make. No one had the right to tell me not to hunt my brother’s murderer. He should have understood. Danny was his son. Still, all he wanted was to hide, just like we always did. Hide from the monster like we hid from the world on our plantation in the middle of nowhere.
Not me. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t.
My steps were heavier as my frustration welled. I would find the zombie that killed my brother, no matter what anyone said. And I would put that monster down. I’d reached my limit. The angry tirade in my head was a good sign that I needed to calm down, or explode. A hot shower would help. It always did, but I knew it wasn’t the cure. Vengeance was.
The bathroom door thudded as it shut, maybe a little harder than it needed to. The cool tile floor was pleasant beneath my feet, the gentle blue of the walls tranquil. I took in a deep breath of lavender, from the essential oil diffuser, and let the familiar aroma calm my nerves.
A small knock, then the door behind me creaked. Her scent was distinct. It was always her.
“What do you need, Kaylee?” I asked, without turning.
“Just checking on you,” she said.
“I’m fine.” I walked over to the tub and turned on the water. It felt like ice on my fingertips.
“Did you talk to Dad?” she asked.
I said nothin
g, and turned up the heat. Ice turned to boiling water, then back to a pleasant middle. Dad wasn’t a subject I was willing to discuss.
“You did,” she said. Then I heard her sigh. “We’re trying to keep you safe, Penny.”
Something about the way she said that made me pause. She said ‘we,’ not ‘he.’
The realization hit me, colder than the shower had been when I first turned it on. She told him I was out all night. “You told him,” I said.
It wasn’t a question. I knew my sister well enough to know that she had betrayed me.
“Penny,” she said, “I had to. You’re going to get yourself killed. You won’t stop on your own. And you’re not thinking clear—”
“Get out,” I said, turning to meet my sister’s gaze.
Tears welled in her eyes, like she was the victim, when she had been the one who had turned on me.
“You think it’s okay to do whatever you want,” she said, “but it’s not. The rules are there for a reason. And every time you go out, you hurt the ones that care about you. You hurt me.”
“It’s my life,” I said, anger renewed and thrumming through my voice. “It’s not about you.”
“It’s not all about you, either,” she said. Tears streamed down her red cheeks. “If you just tried—”
“Tried to be more like you?” I asked. “I can’t play happy, trapped in this place, forced to mate someone I don’t even like.”
“I don’t pretend to be happy.” Her voice was soft, and she looked down at her feet. I hadn’t meant it like that. I knew she didn’t feel the way I did. But I was too mad to apologize. I needed space.
“Clearly,” I replied. “I’m glad you’re happy. But I’m not. Get over it. And get out.” My words sounded harsher than I’d intended.
Kaylee did as I asked without another word. Left with the solitude I’d wanted, the room felt colder than it had before. I knew she had only wanted to help me. She always tried to help me. But this wasn’t help. And it wasn’t fair. I knew I had every right to be mad, and I was. But still, I regretted what I’d said, and I regretted sending her away before she’d even shut the door.
With a click, I locked the bathroom door. My clothes fell to the floor as I stripped, leaving only the amulet around my neck. I grabbed my favorite soap from the cabinet, lingering a moment longer than I should have. Next to mine was Danny’s favorite orange and mint soap. I couldn't get myself to throw the bottle away. And in a way, I was glad no one else had either. Maybe it would have been easier if they had. But having his belongings around made it feel like part of him was still here.
I stepped over the lip to the deep, white tub, and let the warm water rain down over my face. The heat washed the tension from my shoulders, the regret from my bones. And if only for a moment, everything was okay.
I listened to the patter of water droplets, stared at the black of my eyelids, and drifted away. Kaylee would be fine. I’d apologize later. I’d be fine too. I just had to keep moving forward. I would find Danny’s murderer. There was still a lead I hadn’t followed. I needed to go to the animal shelter, like Corey had said. And there was one person who wouldn’t judge where I went, only one man that I could go to when I left the constable. Axel.
After my shower I returned to my room. I scanned the space that had always been mine, always been home, and gathered what little I needed. It amounted to less than I’d expected.
Danny’s jacket, an album of family photos, my mother’s necklace, a few toiletries and clothes, and the cash I’d stashed away for the future. My whole life had led me to this moment. I’d always known I’d leave the constable one day, but now that it was time, I was nervous.
What would happen to Kaylee after I was gone? Would she follow me? I hoped not. Austin was here for her. They had a future together, here. I’d miss her as much as she’d miss me, but we’d be okay. We could visit each other, and talk on the phone. We’d figure it out.
I debated how to say goodbye. It would be harder than apologizing, which I also owed to her. If I walked into her room and told her everything, she’d try to get me to stay. I couldn’t. So I took the easy way out. I wrote her a note.
Kaylee,
I’m sorry for what I said. I love you, and know that you meant well. I wish you all the good things in life, and with Austin. You two are meant to be together.
Now I’ve found that too. Just not here. It’s time for me to go, and find my own way, start my own life. I hope you understand. I promise to call.
Penny
It was short and to the point. She’d find it on my pillow when she came to my room looking for me. By then, I’d be gone.
With my backpack, and a twisted gut of nerves, I walked down the stairs. It was the last time I’d call this place home.
“Where do you think you’re going?” My father’s voice was cold and harsh.
“I’m leaving,” I replied.
“You don’t get to live under this roof and ignore the rules,” he said. His fists were balled, and his shoulders were stiff.
I looked him square in the eye. His face was firm, but I wasn’t about to back down. Not this time. “I’m nineteen years old,” I said. “And I’m leaving.”
“If you walk out that door,” he said, “don’t bother coming back.”
“Thanks,” I said, “I love you, too, Dad.” The door felt heavier than it ever had as I pulled it shut. And as tears soaked my cheeks, I knew it was really true—there was no turning back.
Chapter Ten
Axel
I’d spent the morning and afternoon chasing leads and digging through death certificates. I’d found nothing of value. After a long day, I returned to my motel room.
Gaping, jagged, and coated in drywall dust—I stared at the hole where the radiator had been. It was difficult to imagine what could turn a man into the monster I’d witnessed the night before. As if a wound still remained, a twinge of pain stabbed the scar where Seth had bitten me. It took a mirror to see it, but the bite mark stretched across the center of my back, elongated from what it had been in wolf form. That got me thinking.
Maybe I was looking at the whole situation the wrong way. Maybe it wasn’t the morgue that I should have been investigating, but the doctor upstairs. Any sane human who was bit by a ravenous, yellow-eyed zombie would make his or her way to the hospital. They had to have sought medical attention. Well, unless they turned into a zombie before they had the chance.
Sweet and smooth, morning dew in an early spring—the scent told me it was her before she knocked. On my feet, I opened the door, eager to see her once again.
Penny—small, fierce, and gorgeous. Her eyes were on fire, a passion I’d grown accustomed to.
“Hey, Penny,” I said. “Is everything—”
Her fists squeezed around my collar, as she pulled my neck down. Her lips pressed against mine, hard, and urgent. Shocked, I just stood there, hard cock held down by the fly of my jeans. I reached for her, to pull her close, to feel the curves of her body, to taste her deep. But she let go, and took a step back before I could touch her.
“Hey,” she said, as her moist lips sparkled and enticed me. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah.” I gestured for her to enter, still swept up in the whirlwind of her kiss. Was it meant as an expression of friendship, or something more?
“I’ve been thinking,” she said, as she laid down on my bed. She folded her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. The sides of the big, leather jacket pulled away from her body. The fabric of her oversized shirt clung to her form, revealing the shape of her round breasts and small waist. I wasn’t quite sure what to think about the kiss, about her, or what the right thing was to do. But I was sure as hell glad she was there.
“I got a tip,” Penny said.
I watched the way her lips moved as she spoke, and imagined kissing them once again. But what good was I for her? I was a mess, and unfit to care for her in the way that she deserved. She was lost, but she could f
ind her way. I couldn't help her. She deserved better.
She continued, “A zombie’s been seen wandering around the animal shelter.”
“Today?” I asked.
“No,” she said, and sat up. The cheap mattress creaked as she moved. “I heard last night.”
“We should check it out,” I said.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” she said with a smile that lit up her copper eyes. That adorable dimple formed on her cheek, and I wanted nothing more than to touch her face. I was hopeless.
A lock of raven-black hair fell over her nose when she stood. With a puff, Penny blew it back to the side. “Let’s ride.”
She didn’t have to tell me twice. I locked the door behind us as we walked out onto the small, dark lot. This time there was no hesitation when we climbed on my Harley. Penny leaned in close and wrapped her arms around me. I could feel her heat, the softness of her breasts against my back, and again I wondered how the hell I was going to manage this. She felt so good, so right, riding behind me. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like after I left town, alone.
Cold. Without her smile, I’d be cold.
The wind died as we pulled into the lot. Penny’s grip loosened, and she hopped off.
As soon as I cut the engine, I could hear the barking of dogs from inside the building. One of the less central buildings in Corbeau, the animal shelter was surrounded by manicured grass and towering trees in every direction. The building was small against the landscape, modest and wooden. Some boards were old and faded, others newly replaced. With no sign of civilization in sight, it seemed a likely target for zombies, easy to snatch a meal unnoticed. If that was the case…dark alleys, poorly populated areas, did that imply some kind of reasoning ability?
“Any idea why they don’t wander down Main Street?” I asked.
Werewolves & Whiskers: Sawtooth Peaks Wolf Shifter Romance Box Set Page 54