Ew!
I inch away from the dead cat and pull the collar of my t-shirt over my nose.
“I know you’re back there.” A male voice drifts from the other side of the dumpster. “So you might as well just come out.”
I literally stop breathing. Shit! Shit! Shit!
“Or I can just come back there,” the guy suggests, sounding kind of bored. “If that’s what you prefer.”
Dammit, I’m so screwed!
I rack my brain for a good lie as I push to my feet and inch out from behind the dumpster. What waits for me on the other side, though, isn’t what I was expecting.
“You’re not the drug dealer.” I say, eyeing over the guy in front of me.
Or well, I think he’s a guy. He’s definitely male, tall, lean, with blonde hair that hangs in his eyes. But underneath the moonlight, his eyes look silver. And his lips are black… perhaps from lipstick? He does have the whole Goth vibe going, dressed in clunky boots, black jeans, a black fitted t-shirt, topped with a black vest embellished with silver chains. But none of that explains why his blood veins show clearly through his pale skin…
What the hell?
I blink and blink again, wondering if I accidentally inhaled too much secondhand smoke before I left the house. Larry and my grandma were toking it up pretty hard. Then again, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen things that weren’t real. Sometimes, when I’m really tired and sleep deprived, I think I see my parents’ ghosts. My grandma told me I was probably just bat shit crazy, like my mom, who apparently claimed she saw ghosts too.
I frown. “I’m seeing things again, aren’t I?” I scratch my head. “Although, you don’t look like a ghost.”
The corner of his black lips quirk, but he never quite fully smiles. “That’s because I’m not.”
I cross my arms, my guard up. “Then what are you?”
He stares at me undecidedly for a beat or two. “A zombie.”
Chapter 4
Ava
I start to bust up laughing until I note the seriousness in his expression. Well, seriousness might be a stretch. More like expressionless, like a blank canvas.
“A zombie?” I repeat, staring at him blankly. Then it clicks. “Oh, I get it. You’re tripping on something.”
His brows knit. “No, I’m not.”
“Yeah, you are.” I pat his arm. “It’s okay. My grandma goes on bad trips all the time. She even thought she was a fairy one time. It took me two hours to convince her that she needed to stop trying to spit fairy dust in my face—which, FYI was just spit. Eventually, the drugs faded out of her system and she was fine.”
He stares at his shoulder where I patted him then lifts his gaze to me. “I’m not high. I’m being serious. I’m a zombie and I’m here to save you.”
Great. This is worse than I thought. Either this guy is high as a motherfucker or he’s a complete nutjob.
“Thanks for the offer,” I say, backing away from him. “But I promise you I don’t need saving.”
“Yes, you do.” He matches my step, eyeing me over with a strange look in his eyes. “You’re cursed. And soon that curse will be collected.”
I fleetingly pause. Larry has said something similar to me before. Am I cursed? Then I shake my head. Seriously, Ava, you think you’re cursed because your grandma’s perverted boyfriend and a guy who thinks he’s a zombie said you were?
Yeah, I definitely think I got high on secondhand smoke.
“Look, thanks for the offer to help me,” I tell Zombie Guy. “But I promise you I’ll be okay. Just as long as you take off, because I’ve got some business to attend to and if you’re around and I get caught, you’ll probably get your ass kicked. Or worse. And I’d rather that not happen.”
A crease forms between his brows. “You’re worried I’ll get hurt?”
“Yes, so please, just get the hell out of here.” I try to shoo him away.
But his feet remain planted to the asphalt, the crease between his brow deepening. “You’re trying to help me?”
I let out a frustrated groan. “I am, but if you keep doing this weird, shocked, no-one-could-possibly-want-to-help-me thing, I’m going to bail out and let you fend for yourself.” I put my hands on my hips as he continues to stare at me like a confused puppy. “Seriously, dude, what is with the lost, confused puppy act?”
“I’m not sure what you mean?”
I roll my eyes. “Sure you don’t. I bet that’s what you tell every girl who falls for the look, right?”
He shakes his head, sending strands of his hair into his freakishly gorgeous eyes. “No, there are no girls who fall for the look.”
“Okay, well, then guys.”
“No guys either.”
I grimace, growing more on edge. “You know what, it doesn’t really matter, just as long as you leave. Now.” I begin to push him in the direction of the road, but freeze when I hear someone coming down the alleyway. “Shit.” Panicking, I snag Zombie Guy’s sleeve and tug him with me as I duck behind the dumpster.
“What are you doing?” Zombie guy asks as I crouch down and pull him with me.
I cover his mouth with my hand. “Shhh… Just be quiet for a minute, okay?”
Surprisingly, he nods.
Well, he may be crazy but at least he listens.
I hold my breath as footsteps approach the other side of the dumpster. My heart is pounding in my chest and I still have my hand over Zombie Guy’s mouth. I can’t feel the warmth of his breath, which is strange. But what makes the situation even more bizarre is when he places a kiss on my palm.
My gaze snaps toward him and I blast him with a what the hell look.
His lips move against my palm as he whispers, “You smell good.”
I put my finger to my lips and scowl at him, indicating for him to shut the hell up. Although, deep down, my heart does a stupid little flutter from his compliment. Doesn’t matter, though. It’s not like I’m going to hook up with him or anything. I mean, sure the guy is hot, but he also thinks he’s a zombie. Plus, I don’t do hookups or dating or kissing or anything else like that. And I won’t. I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t get involved with anyone. And I’m sticking to my promise no matter what. Besides, hating to be touched by other people kind of complicates getting close to anyone.
I try my best to ignore Zombie Guy, lowering my hand from his mouth. Then I listen for signs that whoever entered the alleyway is still there. But it’s hard to concentrate with Zombie Guy staring at me.
He watches me intently before inching closer and tilting his head to the side. Then he reaches for me and plays with the strands of my long, brown hair for a bit. I want to tell him to back the hell off, but I’m too nervous to speak. My nerves only skyrocket when he dips his head toward me and licks a slow path up my neck.
“You taste good too,” he whispers then licks me again.
What the shit is happening? And why am I not stopping it? Not only am I not stopping it, but I shudder. Actually freakin’ shudder.
By the time he moves away, my heart is a clusterfuck of a wreck inside my chest.
“You’re going to be okay,” Zombie Guy says to me, trailing his finger across my hairline. “I won’t let anyone do anything to you—you’re too nice.”
“No, I’m not,” I whisper. “Trust me.”
“But you are.” His finger skims my jawline and he tracks the movement with his gaze, seeming mesmerized. “I don’t care what Leader says. We don’t need another one of me running around. I’m going to save you from this.”
My lips part to ask him what he means, but the dumpster goes sailing across the alleyway and crashes into the building. Garbage flies everywhere, causing the air to reek of spoiled milk and rotten eggs.
I spring to my feet, preparing to run like hell. I pull Zombie Guy up with me too, not wanting to leave him behind. Sure, the guy is straight up crazy, in a sweet way sort of. But he doesn’t deserve to get into trouble for something I was about to do
.
But what I see standing in the center of the alleyway makes me slam to a halt.
Because it isn’t the drug dealer. It’s…
I blink. “Mom….”
Chapter 5
Ava
My mom smiles at me, sticking out her hand. I start to walk toward her, but Zombie Guy clutches onto my hand, holding me back.
“Don’t. It’s a trap,” he warns, stepping up beside me in a protective move.
I dither, glancing from him to my mom, unsure what to believe. On the one hand, the guy next to me declared he was a zombie and that he needed to save me from being cursed. But on the other hand, my mom has been dead for years, so…
Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong.
The town clock chimes twelve, announcing the next day has arrived.
My mom smiles. “Happy birthday, Ava.”
My heart warms in my chest until her face starts to melt like candle wax, dripping down her body and pooling around her bare feet.
My body glazes with a deathly chill, goosebumps sprouting across my arms.
“Run.” Zombie Guy tugs on my arm as he takes off running down the alleyway toward the street.
I run with him, clutching onto his hand, my heart thrashing in my chest. My mind is racing a million miles a minute, questions flooding my brain. Who was that? What was that? But most of all… “That wasn’t my mom,” I whisper, my heart feeling as though it’s splitting in two.
For the briefest moment I thought she was alive, that somehow she’d come back from the dead. But I should’ve known that wasn’t possible. People don’t just come back from the dead, do they?
“No, that wasn’t your mom.” Zombie Guy quickens his pace as we near the end of the alleyway.
“Then what was it?” I talk loudly over the hammering of our footsteps.
He peers over his shoulder at me and for a split second, I swear I see fear in his eyes. “It was—” He grinds to a sudden stop as a figure materializes in front of us, blocking the end of the alley and our only exit.
I squint through the darkness, trying to see who the person is. Since they have a hood pulled over the top of their head, all I can make out is that they’re freakishly tall with broad shoulders and gleaming red eyes.
What the shit? Red eyes…
I blink several times, trying to erase the hallucination away, but nothing changes. So either I’ve lost my damn mind and I’m not coming back from crazyville, or this shit is really happening.
“Fuck,” Zombie guy curses, then flips a bitch, towing me with him. But again, he screeches to a stop as the figure with red eyes appears in front of us again.
Zombie guy whirls around, but again the figure is there. Over and over again, the same thing happens until finally we’re backed into a corner. Zombie Guy refuses to let go of my hand, moving me closer to him.
The figure stands in front of us, eyeing me over with his glowing red eyes. “Ava, it’s so nice to meet you. I’ve been waiting a long time to collect your curse.”
“You won’t be collecting her curse,” Zombie Guy growls. “Not tonight. Not ever.”
“And who’s going to stop me? You?” The figure takes a measured step toward Zombie Guy. “Besides, you couldn’t stop me even if you were able to. Your Leader needs Ava’s curse to be collected.”
“Wait, what?” I eyeball the two of them, fear pulsating through my veins. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on is you’re about to give me what I’m owed.” The figure reaches for me.
But Zombie Guy smacks his hand away. “Don’t touch her.” Then he lets go of my hand and inches toward the figure. “Here’s what’s going to happen. Ava is going to walk out of here, alive, and everyone is going to leave her alone.”
The figure laughs. “You think even if she walked away from this, she’d be left alone. Newsflash Dead Boy, no one has left Ava alone since she was fifteen.” It flicks a glance in my direction. “Isn’t that right, Ava?”
My head is spinning. How does he know about that? How does he know my name? How does Zombie Guy know my name?
I swallow down a shaky breath, my hands curling into fists. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Or what?” it taunts, turning toward me.
I stand my ground, even though I’m terrified. “Or your mouth is going to become really acquainted with my fist.”
The figure’s eyes flash bright red. “I’d like to see you try.”
I raise my fist. “Fine, then you will.”
Zombie Guy captures my fist before I can throw down the punch.
“Don’t touch him,” he warns, his gaze colliding with mine. “If you do then you’ll die.”
A cold chill slithers down my spine and the figure howls with laughter.
“So, you’re breaking orders?” it asks Zombie Guy amusedly. “Good, because I wasn’t going to let Leader take this over again. He may have stolen two of my cursed girls already, but he will not get a third. I will not let him win this thing going on between him and I.” His eyes flash so brightly I have to close my eyes.
Zombie Guy yells something, but the noise is overtaken by a loud snap. Before I can even process what’s going on, my legs give out on me, and I collapse to the ground, unable to feel my body, my soul—feel anything.
For the wildest moment, I feel at peace. But then a wave of pain rolls over me.
“I’m dying,” I croak out, darkness and pain surrounding me.
“No, you’re not.” Zombie Guy’s voice echoes through the darkness. “I didn’t want it to go this way for you, Ava. I’m so sorry.”
“For what…” I barely get the words out before a blinding hot pain scorches through my wrist, as if teeth have sunken into the flesh.
Then the pain magnifies, flaring through my veins, my heart, my brain—everywhere.
The last thing I hear is a scream tearing from my lips. Then everything goes still.
As still as if I were dead.
Chapter 6
Leader
I’m just about to lead Remi to Heartley’s bedroom, so we can pick her up and head out on the cyborg mission when August comes rushing through the double doors of the emergency entrance. His eyes have never carried so much panic—so much emotion—as he looks around helplessly. When my gaze falls to what he’s carrying, I soon figure out why.
Lying lifelessly in his arms is a girl with long brown hair and pale skin. Her eyes are shut, her chest isn’t moving, and her entire body is limp. At first glance, she appears dead. But upon closer observation, I notice her blood veins are becoming more defined and her lips are darkening.
She’s transitioning into a zombie. But how? I haven’t even put August’s blood inside her yet.
“What the hell happened?” I ask, rushing down the narrow hallway toward him.
“The demon killed her,” he replies, his voice shaking with anger. “He didn’t try to collect her curse, like you said he would. He killed her and took off… I didn’t know what to do… She was dying so I…” He trails off, but I already know what he’s going to say. The answer is right there on Ava’s wrist.
“You bit her.” I don’t know whether to be proud of him or upset. Yes, he wasn’t supposed to bite her, but he may have saved her and hopefully saved my plan also by thinking on his feet.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t know what to do.” He holds Ava closer to his chest and stares down at her. “She tried to save me too. Sure, I didn’t really need saving. But it was nice… Not to be completely hated.”
Great. Maybe this is worse than I thought. Not only is Ava already turning into a zombie without me adding the elements that will make her more like August, but I think my first successful zombie experiment might be falling in love.
I need to fix this ASAP.
“Here, bring her in here.” I push open a door to our right and signal for Remi to wait outside.
She nods, but her eyes widen as her gaze wanders to Ava. Great. Now she’s going to start asking questions.
Well, more than she already has.
August rushes inside the small room and sets Ava down on the steel medical table. Then he sweeps her hair out of her eyes and cups his palm to her cheek. “She looks like she’s sleeping.”
“Well, she’s not.” I roll up my sleeves and begin booting up monitors. “She’s hovering somewhere between life and death right now. And either we can let her fully die and she’ll turn into one of those brain crazed zombies you hate so much. Or I can try to bring her back and make her like you. But I’m not sure how well that will work since you bite her first.”
“You’re going to at least try to save her, right?” August says—pleads.
I waver, unsure what to do. While I think I can save her, I’m not sure how well of a superhero Ava will make without the demon having collected her curse. And eventually, if she remains alive—well, as alive as a zombie is—it’ll come back to collect the curse. But just letting her turn into a brain crazed monster doesn’t feel right.
“I’m going to try to save her,” I tell him as I collect a syringe from a drawer. “But while I do, I need you to do me a favor and take Remi and Heartley to the wall to recruit a cyborg.”
August gives a firm shake of his head. “I want to stay here until she wakes up.”
“This is going to take a while.” I open the glass fridge to grab a few vials. “And I need you to do this for me. It’s important.”
“But you might need my help,” he says, refusing to take his gaze off Ava.
Without warning, I shove a needle into August’s arm. The needle piercing his skin barely fazes him and he allows me to draw his blood while watching Ava. Once I’ve collected enough blood, I remove the needle from his arm.
“That’s the only thing you’ll be able to do to help Ava.” I motion for him to leave the room. “Now please, August, take the girls and head to the wall to recruit the cyborg. I need that cyborg or else the world could be doomed.” I move toward the side of the bed with the syringe and vials in my hand. “Since I won’t be there to help control Heartley, you should take Caspian with you. I’d suggest taking Cameron to help control Remi, but he’s currently having a tantrum in the underworld, so you’ll just have to keep an eye on her.”