The Queen Of Zombie Hearts. Gena Showalter
I didn’t allow myself to worry, either. Worry actually weakened faith.
“I can do this,” I said. “I will do this. Now. Now! Now!”
Words were another spiritual weapon. They could be used for my good or my bad. Positive or negative. Today, I focused on the positive and flames sprang from the ends of my fingers, slowly spreading to my wrist. Slow. Not what I was used to, but okay. I could work with this.
Unsure of Gavin’s injuries, I pressed my hand into his chest—his sluggish heart.
He didn’t ash, thank God, but he did unleash a broken scream, his back bowing. At any other time, the sound of his pain might have made me flinch. Now? I smiled.
I maintained the contact for several seconds before withdrawing, dismissing the flames and returning to my body.
“You can touch us now,” I told Kat.
Gavin groaned.
“Good boy,” I said, wanting to dance and sing. I hadn’t lost him. “I know it hurts, but you’re stronger than a little pain, right? And if not, well, you’ll soon get to enjoy Mr. Ankh’s vast array of drugs, so it won’t matter.”
He tried to focus on me, but his eyes were rocking back and forth, unable to stay locked on any one object. A sign of dizziness. “Ali?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Kat, too.” She moved to his left, squeezed his hand.
“Kat, I need you to text Cole,” I said. “Tell him to return to the car, that we’ve found Gavin, and he’s hurt pretty bad.”
“On it,” she said, withdrawing her phone.
Now for the hard part. “We can help you, Barbie, but we need you to stand.”
He didn’t act as if he’d heard me. “Wreck...was chased, shot at...ran, lost tail...got to gym...fire...”
“I know. Everyone but Cole is missing,” I said as gently as possible. I’d tell him about the deaths after he was stabilized.
“Frosty,” he said, then grimaced and clutched his side.
Kat pocketed her phone and pinched his chin, forcing him to face her. “What about him? Have you seen him?”
“Ali,” he repeated, as if he hadn’t heard her. “Help.”
Disappointment could have felled her, but my friend squared her shoulders, determined to motor on.
I was beyond proud of her. “Let’s get him to Mr. Ankh.”
With a major effort from both of us, we finally maneuvered him to his feet. As he swayed, we positioned ourselves under his arms, becoming his crutches. Had to be a comical sight, two sticks trying to balance a grade-A manimal. My legs juddered under his weight, and I’m sure Kat’s did, too.
As we lumbered forward, Gavin said, “Saw...Frosty. He came to gym...men chased us...he led them away...from me...but not before he told me...meet him...Wok and Roll.”
Kat practically bubbled over with exhilaration, and I didn’t have to wonder what she was thinking. The Wok and Roll was a twenty-four-hour Chinese buffet only a few blocks from here, and if Frosty was still there, waiting for Gavin, she could be in his arms within the next half hour.
Cole and Reeve paced beside the car. Spotting my ragtag trio, Cole rushed over and took Kat’s place. Reeve opened the back.
“Any sign of Anima on your end?” I asked.
“Not one.”
Together, we got Gavin settled inside. I straightened, stepped back and said, “Take him directly to your house, Reeve, rather than the church.” Gavin might blow an artery if he had to climb into the tunnel. “But call your dad on the way and let him know you’re coming. He’ll do something to ensure Anima isn’t nearby, watching.”
She nodded. “Done and done.”
Kat took my hand, tugged. “Ali and I are heading to the Wok and Roll. Frosty might be there, waiting for Gavin.”
“Uh, Kat.” I planted my heels. Hello tricky, sticky situation. “You’re going with Reeve.”
“What? No.” She gave a shake of her head, drawing attention to the fact that she was paler than before. “No way. No how.”
Yes way. Yes how. “You’re not objective when it comes to Frosty.” More than that, he’d had Anima on his tail. Could be with Anima right now. Not only would Mr. Ankh disapprove of me taking her into a situation far more dangerous than this one, but Frosty would also. “I need you to listen—”
“No.” She stomped her foot. “You listen. I’m going!”
O-kay. I suddenly understood why Cole was as hard-core as he was. Arguing with your allies wasted precious time. “Kat. Please. Be reasonable.”
Cole didn’t give her a chance to respond. “Two choices. You’ll do what she says.” In full commander mode, he added, “Or you’ll do what she says. Feel me?”
Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits, the patent stillness of a predator coming over her. “Oh, I feel you all right. Now you’re about to feel me.”
He flattened his good hand on the car, caging her against the metal, leaning down to get into her face. “You want to try something? Go ahead.”
Ding, ding. Round one of The Bloodbath has begun.
“Gavin could be bleeding out right this minute.” I glared at one, then the other. “We could have targets on our backs. Get in the car and go, Kat.”
Still she shook her head, stubborn to the bitter end. “I’m going after Frosty. That’s final.”
I looked to Cole. He was practically hemorrhaging determination. Hard decisions came with hard consequences—he was getting ready to make one. One of us would have to go with her, and we both knew it.
“It’s time for you to prove number seven.” That he would stand back and let me fight. “You’re injured. I’m not. I’ll be the one to find Frosty.”
I expected an argument. Instead, he gave me a clipped nod and grabbed Kat by the waist, hauling her inside the car, holding her down. She fought like, well, an alley cat, hissing, clawing, scratching, and it tore me up inside. Every fiber of my being screamed to help her, to stop this, to give her what she wanted, but I didn’t. Sometimes what we wanted wasn’t what we needed. I would apologize later, and she would have to forgive me...because Frosty would be with me.
Please, let him be with me.
I stored my .44 at my waist (safety on). As the car sped away from the curb, tires squealing, my gaze collided with Cole’s, and through the window, we experienced a moment of total understanding. He’d do whatever was necessary to protect the girls. Even at the cost of his own life.
It had better not come to that.
The second the vehicle was out of sight, I sprinted into the forest, heading toward the shopping center where the Wok and Roll was located. The activity helped loosen my regret, and I began to warm, my blood rushing faster and faster through my veins.
Eventually, gnarled trees gave way to a paved road. I went up a hill, down a hill, through another neighborhood, careful to study every passing car, before finally reaching my destination. My lungs burned. Despite the cold, beads of sweat rolled down my spine.
It was Saturday, and shoppers were out in droves. Building after building stretched on both sides of me, each peppered with stores and restaurants. Being around so many people unnerved me. Anyone could be with Anima, just waiting to strike.
Strike and die.
A bell tinkled over the door as I entered the buffet. The scent of fried meat immediately assaulted me, and I almost hurled.
Only