“Love you, Nana.”
“Love you, too.” She flittered away.
I munched on a crab cake and watched as Cole went from friend to friend, talking and laughing. He epitomized beauty, everything right in the world...in my world. He moved to Veronica’s side, and said something that made her frown. There wasn’t a single spark of jealousy inside me. Good Ali.
“By the way, I want you to know I’m done coming on to you, Ali Bell,” Gavin said as he approached me. “You’ve never looked at me the way you look at Cole, and I’m starting to think that’s a look I’d like to receive.”
“Aw. This means my little boy is growing up. I’ll even help you out with rock-solid tip to get you started.”
“And that is?”
“Give up your ho-bag ways.”
Grinning, he bumped my shoulder with his own. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a brat?”
“I’m just certain Cole has mentioned it a time or twelve.”
“Smart boy.” He enfolded me in his arms, giving me another hug.
I hugged him back.
“Are you happy with the way things worked out?” he asked.
I cupped his cheeks, and the action reminded me of the vision. I looked at Cole, still with Veronica. The tension he’d worn like a second skin had fallen away. “I am. But what about you?”
“Never better. Veronica and I have decided to move here. I don’t know her reasons, but mine are simple. Alabama is an ocean of untapped, horny fish and daddy likes his seafood.”
I laughed. “I’m glad you’re staying. I would have missed you.” My gaze returned to Cole. He was watching me now. There was no suspicion in his eyes, no anger. He still trusted me, the same way I trusted him.
He closed the distance between us.
“I’m more certain by the second that the visions don’t always mean what we think they do. And now your five minutes are up,” he said, taking my hand. “It’s time for our talk.”
“Talk? That’s what we’re calling it these days?” Gavin said with a laugh.
We passed Mr. Ankh, and then Mr. Holland, and my cheeks heated.
“Where are you going?” Mr. Holland demanded.
“Ali’s old room.”
“You have ten minutes. And then I come up to get you.”
From the corner of my eye, I think I saw Cole flip off his dad.
“Fine, fifteen minutes,” Mr. Holland grumbled.
“You give them fifteen. I’m giving them five,” Mr. Ankh said. “Her grandmother has a temper and I don’t want to face it again.”
Nana had a temper?
The moment we entered my old room and shut the door, I turned to him and wrapped my arms around him. We were kissing in the next instant, and it was electric, consuming, the force of it so great I felt as if I became a part of him.
“Ali,” he said, when he finally came up for air. “People are always throwing the word love around, but before you, I never did. And I’d never needed to hear it, either. Then, the other night, you uttered those words to me, and it’s okay if you don’t remember, but I heard them, and it affected me, and now I want to hear the words for real because I love you so much it hurts. I need to hear the words. If you’re ready to give them.”
Huge step. The one that would send me over the cliff.
He took my hand and shoved it under his shirt, placing my palm on his skin, just over his heart, where the last part of my name was etched. “You’re a part of me, and you’ll always be a part of me, and if you need more time, that’s all right, too.”
“Cole...”
He shook his head. “Don’t say anything. Not yet. I want to get the rest of this out.”
My eyes widened. There was more?
“I think I’ve told you how stubborn you are, how curious and now, even jealous, and you’re also quick tempered, and you’ve got the meanest right cross of all time.”
“Hey,” I said, losing a little of my happy buzz.
“But I get more joy from your smiles than anything else,” he continued. “I look at you, and I want you. Actually, I have only to think about you to want you. There’s a sweetness to you, a vulnerability you allow so few people to see, but I’m one of the lucky ones and I’ll be forever grateful.”
Oh.
Who was I kidding? I’d already leaped off the cliff.
“You’re mine, Ali Bell.”
Silence.
“Can I talk now?” I asked.
He nodded stiffly.
Did he fear what I had to say? “Breaking up with you was the toughest thing I’ve ever gone through. At least I thought so at the time. Staying away from you proved tougher. From the moment our eyes first met, I’ve been drawn to you. Not just because you’re the hottest guy I’ve ever met, but also because you have a core of courage and honor and when I’m with you, I feel safe and protected, and even cherished. I might be yours, but you are certainly mine, and I’m never letting you go. I love you, too, Cole Holland.”
“Thank God.” His hold on me tightened.
Now for the bad news. “When I’m no longer able to use the antidote,” I said softly, “I want to use the flames on me.”
“No.”
“Yes,” I said. “You must.”
“I can’t lose you.”
“Maybe you won’t.” To-do: survive.
“Maybe I will.”
“Faith,” I said. “Have faith in me, in this. The last time you didn’t, we fell apart.”
“Ali—”
“Light will chase away the darkness,” I interjected.
“Ali,” he repeated again.
“I know. I know it’s hard.” I kissed him and said nothing more. But I didn’t change my mind.
I never would.
Chapter 29
End at a New Beginning
For the next week, I floated on clouds of bliss. I stayed dosed up on the antidote, so I stayed somewhat strong, though I had moments of utter weakness and moments of depraved hunger.
Z.A. was fighting.
Cole rarely left my side. He showed me the Christmas present he’d gotten for me—a drawer in his bedroom. I’d jumped into his arms, wound my legs around his waist and whooped like a madwoman. He’d broken up with Mackenzie when she moved in, citing things were getting too serious. For me, he said, things couldn’t get serious enough.
Afterward, he’d taken me to visit Jaclyn. Poor girl. Since our rescue, she had turned away every visitor. Me, she’d let inside her bedroom, and she’d hugged me and sobbed until she’d passed out from exhaustion.
I was now determined to draw her back into the world.
Wren and Poppy had been there, hanging out with Justin. They knew he and Cole were friends once again, so I was a little surprised to learn Wren and Justin were still dating. I was also surprised when the girls talked to me, as if we were still on decent terms, and promised to call.
Change. No matter where we were, it always showed up.
Right now all of the slayers and those in the know were in Cole’s barn, gathered around a huge TV screen, watching a video of five-year-old Cole being trained by his father to fight zombies.
He was beyond adorable—Cole, not his father—with a mop of black hair and big violet eyes. He got a little overeager with the nunchaku and nailed his dad between the legs. The crowd burst into laughter.
I was perched on his lap. He grinned at me, saying, “Yeah. I’m just that good.”
I loved this playful side of him.
Who was I kidding? I loved every side of him.
Kat, who sat beside us, shouted, “Rewind that!” and threw popcorn at the screen. “Mr. Holland’s expression was all, like, oh, no, I’m going to need my balls reattached, and Cole’s was all, you’re about to lose something else, sucka.”
She and Frosty had not broken up once since she’d confessed her illness. And Reeve’s talk with Bronx had gone better than she’d dreamed—and exactly as Kat and I had expected. He was fully committed to h
er and demanded exclusivity.
Everyone was so happy. Even Veronica seemed to be at peace. (I wondered if she’d made use of Gavin again.)
I rested my head on Cole’s shoulder, and he hugged me tight. We still hadn’t had sex. As much time as he’d spent with me, Nana had spent with me. And if not Nana, Mr. Holland or Mr. Ankh. Or Kat and Reeve. We were never left alone, and I got it, I did. Everyone knew Cole’s kisses sometimes overwhelmed me, allowing Z.A. to take over my body.
Sometimes not even a kiss was necessary. And oh, glory, now was one of those times. I was rubbing my nose against the length of his neck, I realized, barely even conscious of it, getting caught up in the sweetness of his scent. My mouth watered.
Hungry, I thought.
No. Oh, no.
Smell so good.
No! Never.
Must feed!
No.
Shaking, I held my breath and stood. “I...have to go,” I said.
“Something wrong?” he asked, looking up at me and frowning. He held on to my waist, keeping me in place.
“I need another dose.”
The frown intensified. “But you had one only half an hour ago.”
“I know.” A sickening heat swept over me, causing me to both sweat and shiver. A sensation I knew well. Only this one was far more intense. A strange buzz replaced the noise in the room. “I...I...” I backed away from him, shaking my head. “It’s worse this time.”
“Ali?” Kat reached out to grab me, only to shriek in pain and jerk back.
Frosty jumped up and threw her behind him.
Cole jumped to his feet, as well. I glanced down. The red flames had returned, crackling over my hands. My human hands. The fire was so strong it had breached my spirit and seeped out of my flesh. As I fought to douse it, the blaze spread.
Everyone but Cole scrambled away from me. “Ali,” he said, approaching.
“Don’t touch me,” I croaked. “I’m going to walk out of here, and give myself a final dose. Then someone is going to use their flames on me. Please.”
He violently shook his head. “They’d have to get through me, and that’s not happening.”
Z.A. whispered inside my head. You think you could have lasted this long if I hadn’t let you? I’ve been waiting for this moment, when the antidote would no longer help you. So go ahead. Dose yourself again. See what happens.
I watched in horror as the flames spread even farther, to my elbows. And it hurt. Oh, it hurt. Pain shot through me, undeniable, agony in its purest form. “Have to...go,” I panted. “Go. Everyone.”
Not heeding my command, Cole picked me up. I was careful to keep my hands pressed against my middle, away from him, and my ankles straight out. He stopped at the table piled with food and drinks and anchored me against his chest to sweep everything to the floor. Then he gently laid me down.
I heard the gurgle of spilling liquid as he peered at me.
“Fight it,” he commanded.
The flames spread to my shoulders. “Trying.”
“Try harder.”
The rest of the slayers surrounded me. I saw pity. I saw fear. I saw dread.
They hadn’t left. They needed to leave.
You’re going to die, and I’m going to rise.
“Don’t let her live,” I said. “Kill her. Kill her through me.”
Impossible now, she gloated. I’m going to feast on him. Empty him.
“No,” he said, his voice breaking at the end. “Anything but that.”
“Cole, have to...kill her...please.” She wouldn’t stop with him. She would destroy everyone. ”She’s here... Wants you.”
“No,” he insisted. “There has to be another way.”
Tears fell down my cheeks, and even those burned. “Please,” I begged. “Hurt. I hurt. The pain. Too much.” And like the flames, it was only growing stronger.
“You’ll just have to bear it, because I can’t bear to lose you. If you die, I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I shouted, and I think the other slayers did the same.
“Fight, then,” he demanded. “With everything you’ve got, fight.”
Didn’t he understand? That was what I’d been doing.
I tried to scoot away from him, my gaze scanning the faces of those around me. “Help.”
“I survived it,” Gavin rushed out. “She accidentally touched me with her flames, and I survived. The zombies had bitten me, and she had to give me the antidote, and she burned me. Afterward, I felt stronger than ever before.”
I’d already told him.
He shook his head, giving Gavin the same denial he’d given me. “You didn’t have a full-grown zombie living inside you.”
“True, but if you do nothing, she dies anyway and we’ll have to battle her evil twin. A twin with powers of her own.”
Cole scrubbed a hand down his face, clearly torn. “Ali touched Kelly with her flames, and he burst into ash.”
“She isn’t like Kelly.”
“Did you not hear me? There’s a zombie inside her. Right now she’s more like Kelly than like you.”
“I heard. Now hear me,” Gavin said, reaching out. “I’m going to do this for her whether you like it or not. I’m not just going to watch her die.”
“Wait.” Cole grabbed his wrist, stopping him. “Let me think.”
“You’ve been thinking. The time for action has come.” That said, Gavin used his free hand to punch him in the face.
Cole stumbled backward, and Gavin moved closer to me, his spirit arm rising from his physical arm. A second later, he flattened firelit hands on my chest.
I screamed as I realized this was pain, not what I’d felt before.
Thankfully it didn’t last long. The red flames burned him, and he hissed and jerked away.
Cole shoved him. “You better pray she doesn’t—” His gaze landed on me and he jolted. “Ali, your color is better.” He reacted instantly. His spirit stepped out of his body. Eyes narrowed, he held out his hands, and white-gold flames lit over both, glowing brightly. He was shaking as he pressed his palm over my chest—inside my chest.
I released another scream.
No! Z.A. shouted.
The red intensified, and though Cole hissed from the pain of it, he didn’t back off.
Lucas left his body, too, and jerked him away from me, shouting, “She might not mean to, but she’ll kill you, my man.”
Cole fought him, throwing the boy backward. I sagged against the table, the red flames spreading faster, as if to compensate for what Cole had tried to do. Then Cole was once again beside me, once again touching me.
The pain magnified a thousand degrees, shooting through me, eating at me, consuming me, and another scream burst free. My back arched, coming up off the table, all of my weight settling in my shoulders and toes. I’d shatter. Any second, I would shatter.
What if Cole died because of this?
“S-stop,” I managed. “Stop.”
He snarled, but never severed contact.
“Cole!” Frosty yelled. “Stop this. We won’t let you do this.”
“Help me pull him away,” Bronx gritted.
My skin felt as if it were snapping and popping and ripping away. The agony... Nothing compared to this. Now it was too much, too much, far too much. I wanted to die.
“The red is fading now,” I heard Gavin shout. “She’s healing. Help Cole. Light up and put your hands on her.”
I wasn’t sure how many seconds—minutes?—passed before everyone obeyed. I couldn’t see past the pain, but I eventually felt pressure on my ankles, knees, thighs, belly, arms and shoulders. A terrible heat filled me up and split me apart.
No! Zombie Ali shrieked. No, make them stop, make them stop!
No longer on...my to-do...list, I tried to tell her.
Her voice grew quiet, quieter...until it evaporated altogether.
And then the pain was...leaving?
Yes, I realized a few seconds later. It was. The heat was becom
ing bearable, almost pleasant. I sagged against the table, finally able to breathe.
My eyesight cleared, and I could see flames dancing all over me; they were no longer red, but gold, like they were supposed to be.
The slayers had saved me.
Their hands fell away from me. Someone held a mirror in front of my face, and I looked, seeing no sign of Z.A. Then the mirror was gone, and I was staring at Cole, marveling that I experienced only a desire to hug and kiss him, not to bite.
Excitement, relief and undiluted joy filled me, and I found the strength to lift my arms and encircle his neck. “Cole,” I sobbed.
His hands shook as he brushed the hair from my face. “You’re still here. You’re still here!”
I was, and he was, though there were blisters all the way up his arm—blisters I had caused. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
“Don’t be. I’m not.”
“Well, don’t ever do anything like that again, do you hear me?”
“Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
“Don’t worry.”
He pressed a swift kiss into my mouth. “The light chased away the darkness.”
Yes. I’d finally died to the evil and lived to the light.
“But your father. Your grandfather. Kelly. They ashed when you touched them with the flames.”
True. I’d put my glowing hands on all three men, and they’d ashed. “My dad and grandfather were fully zombie, with no humanity left. And Kelly had destroyed his own humanity with his actions. I was still fighting.” A thought occurred to me. “Have you ever put your hands on another slayer like that?”
“No. Never. We were too afraid we’d burn each other.”
I sat up, surprised to find there was no ensuing dizziness, no weakness. Just pure, unadulterated strength. Actually, I’d never felt better.
Check off list: kill Z.A., survive.
I flexed my fingers, popped the bones in my neck. “There isn’t a trace of the zombie toxin,” I said, marveling. “I don’t need the antidote. I don’t need anything. I’m one hundred percent racer ready.”
His violet gaze studied my face. “You look it. The bruises have fled. The chapped lips are gone. The gauntness has even left you.”
We’d had the power to do this all along; we just hadn’t known it. Now I suspected none of us would ever need the antidote again. We wouldn’t have to worry about developing an immunity to it. We wouldn’t ever have to stop fighting the zombies. We could help each other. Strengthen each other.
The White Rabbit Chronicles Page 71
