The White Rabbit Chronicles

by Gena Showalter

  But he’d made it sound like she was coming right away. If so, I wasn’t her. She had already lived and died.

  But that couldn’t be true, because the well-being of many hadn’t yet been established.

  Had it?

  Was there some piece of the puzzle I hadn’t yet seen?

  Something hard and warm settled on my shoulder, shaking me. I came up swinging.

  The person responsible ducked, barely avoiding a black eye. “Whoa!” she said, frowning as she straightened.

  “Juliana?” I rubbed my eyes, a thread of unease winding around me. “What are you doing here?”

  “There’s a problem,” she said, and she did sound worried. “Cole needs you outside.”

  Cole? I checked the bed. No indentation to prove he’d ever returned. “What problem?”

  Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Like he’d really tell me. I’m a baby, remember?”

  Good point. Did this have anything to do with our last vision?

  Juliana backed away from me. “I had a message and I delivered it. Cole wants you out back ASAP. Like, five-minutes-ago ASAP. But go ahead. Take your time. Maybe he’ll finally wise up and kick your scrawny ass to the curb.” She stomped out of my room, the door slamming behind her.

  Brat.

  “You’re sweeter than sugar. Said no one. Ever,” I mumbled. As I threw my legs over the side of the bed, my phone rang. If Cole thought to command me to hurry...

  I picked up, barked, “What?”

  “Get everyone out of the house!” River’s frantic voice registered. “Now! Don’t waste time doubting me. What’s the worst that could happen if I’m lying? Just get everyone out. I went through Camilla’s papers. They’ve rigged bombs, Ali. They’re set to go off sometime today. I’m on my way. We’ll help you find and deactivate them. Okay? All right? Trust me on this. Please.”

  Bombs? My heart raced. Was this why Cole wanted me outside?

  No. Couldn’t be. He never would have sent Juliana back inside.

  I rushed to the window. The sun was high, bright. I had a view of the massive backyard but saw no sign of Cole.

  “Did you hear me, Ali?” River demanded.

  “Yes. You wanted to know what was the worst that could happen if you’re lying. Well, you could have Anima waiting outside, ready to ambush us.”

  Did I really think he would do that, though? That he’d help Anima like his sister?

  No. No, I didn’t.

  “Ali,” he said, and he sounded agonized.

  “Okay, I’ll—” The rest of the sentence died in my throat. Helen had just come strolling out of the house, and two men in hazmat suits had just stepped from the bushes, clearly intending to grab her, not realizing she was spirit rather than flesh.

  If they could see her, they were slayers, and she had dropped her cloak. But why would she do that?

  I beat my hand against the pane, but of course, no one glanced up. I turned, raced for my door.

  “What’s wrong?” River demanded.

  Boom! The entire house rattled on its foundation. Plaster crumbled. Dust and smoke thickened the air, and I coughed as I stepped into the hall.

  Boom!

  Boom!

  Good glory. The bombs!

  “Ali!” River said.

  “It’s happening.” Trying not to panic, I tripped my way to the staircase, looked down. Countless zombies ghosted through the walls, entering the mansion. They had somehow breached the Blood Lines.

  Or Camilla had wiped away the Blood Lines before we’d left for the club.

  My throat went dry. The zombies wore collars, as usual, but today, small packs of explosives were hooked to each one.

  Lord, save me. Anima’s actions the past few weeks began to make sense. The reason they had sent zombies out in the light of day that first time—they’d been testing to see how long the creatures could withstand the rays of the sun. They’d been testing us, too, to see how we would react. Then they’d waited until we were too exhausted to fight and ambushed us.

  We’d been outplayed.

  Boom!

  The house shook against the force of another explosion.

  Either Anima had stopped caring about keeping me alive, deciding to eliminate us all, or—

  Oh, no. Not or. Please not or. Or Juliana had been working with them. Had attempted to lure me outside so the Hazmats could whisk me to safety while my friends died. Helen must have seen them and gone to check things out so that she could learn what was going on and warn me.

  I dropped my phone and sprinted down the hall. “Cole!” The smoke thickened in the hallway, and my coughing intensified. “Kat!” I had to get them out. Now.

  Screams of pain, moans of agony. But when I attempted to descend the staircase, the foundation underneath my feet...just...collapsed. I flailed as I tumbled down...down...down....

  Landing, I lost what little breath I had. A dark spiderweb wove through my mind; pain slashed me from head to toe.

  As many abilities as I had, I was currently helpless.

  No! Never helpless. “Cole! Kat!” My eyes burned and watered. Dust and rubble enclosed me, pieces pinning different parts of me. Bleeding parts. Where were they? “Cole! Kat!” Panic...closing in... “Someone! Please.”

  Movement to the left. I struggled to free myself, calling, “Over here!”

  Red eyes swung to me, and I froze. A zombie. He was struggling underneath the rubble, reaching for me, chomping his teeth. I yanked with all my strength, finally gaining my freedom, and scrambled backward. A sudden high-pitched ring made me cringe. Pain...more pain... I curled into myself, my hands flattening over my ears.

  Boom!

  Guts and shattered bones became shrapnel, hitting me, cutting me.

  The zombie had just exploded.

  At least the noise had died, too. I stood on wobbly legs. “Cole! Where are you?” I stumbled forward. Shock held me in a tight grip, nearly cutting off my airways. Destruction...everywhere. “Kat! Please. Talk to me.” I couldn’t distinguish furniture from plaster or room from room. There were only piles and piles and—

  A hand!

  My heart hammered against my ribs. I dropped to my knees and heaved away different-sized rocks, each one heavier than the last. Please be alive, please, please be alive. Finally, pale hair came into view. A face I loved.

  Gavin! His eyes were swollen shut, his lips parted on a moan. He was alive!

  His pitiful condition angered me, and another dose of strength lanced through me. Anima would pay.

  I left my body behind and fired up. As injured as I was, I managed to produce only the smallest flickers of flame. Still, they were enough. I pressed them into Gavin’s cheek and his moan morphed into a bellow. Within seconds, the swelling drained from his eyes, allowing him to blink into focus.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Zombies are here, and they’re loaded with explosives.” The two parts of me joined and I helped him to his feet.

  “The other slayers?”

  “You’re the first I’ve found.”

  A small cry for help caught my attention.

  I snapped to, heading toward the sound, stumbling over the rubble, closing in. “Kat? Kat, is that you?”

  Boom!

  Boom!

  More rattling.

  More dust.

  How many explosions would I have to endure before I found all of my friends?

  Boom!

  A gust of molten air threw me backward. I landed, losing the breath I’d only recently regained. Gavin and River rushed to my side and helped me up.

  This wasn’t happening. Couldn’t be happening.

  “You okay?” River asked.

  Not even close. “You mad
e it,” I said.

  “Brought five of my best,” he replied. “Would have brought more, but I wasn’t sure who I could trust. We’ve already found Reeve. Chance is taking her to our van. Come on. I’ll take you there.”

  “Forget it. I stay. I search.” I protect. “By the way, there were two guys from Anima in the backyard. Zombies aren’t our only threat.”

  “Got it.”

  My nails cut into my palms, and I realized I’d fisted my hands. “Have you seen Cole or Kat?”

  “No. I’m sorry.”

  Okay. Okay. No time to waste. “Help us search.”

  River moved forward. Gavin and I lumbered after him, closing in on the cries—except, all went quiet.

  “Kat! Kat, where are—” Another zombie, headed our way. “Incoming!” I shouted, dragging the boys to the ground.

  Boom!

  The moment the rattling stopped, we raced through the rubble. Too much dust. Hard to breathe. Hard to see—but I noticed movement, a spill of dark hair... Mackenzie, I realized, my heart skipping a beat as she clawed her way up from a pile of concrete and slumped over.

  I quickened my pace, but the boys beat me to her.

  Gavin felt for a pulse, then hefted her into his arms. Her head lolled against his chest. “She’s alive.”

  For how much longer? She was bloody, already black-and-blue. “Take her to River’s van,” I said, “and heal her with your fire. I’ll look for the others.” I wouldn’t stop until everyone was found.

  We branched apart. “Cole! Kat!” I headed in the direction of Mr. Ankh’s office. Smoke parted with my movements—

  And finally, blessedly, I saw Cole!

  He held a babbling Juliana in his arms, Veronica limping beside him.

  “Ali!”

  My knees almost buckled, so great was my relief.

  “I’m s-so s-sorry,” Juliana said. “M-Milla said they’d take Ali. Only A-Ali. Just wanted t-time to show Cole h-he could live w-without her.”

  Her words registered, and I flinched. I’d already guessed the truth, but the confirmation stung. She’d helped Camilla, and together, they’d helped Anima do this. Just to get rid of me. Was I really that bad?

  “You did what?” Cole almost dropped her.

  She squeezed her eyelids tightly closed, no longer able to face him, tears leaking out.

  He opened his mouth to blast her.

  “Don’t,” I said. There was time enough for that later. “Let’s find Kat and the others. Stay away from zombies. They explode.”

  Frosty must have heard our voices. He jetted from around the corner. Blood poured from his temple and soaked his shirt. His wild gaze scanned our faces, noting our identities. “Have you seen Kat?”

  “No.” Lord, help us. Of everyone, she was the most fragile. “Kat,” I shouted.

  Boom!

  As the ground shuddered, Cole thrust Juliana at Veronica. “Get her out of here. Now. I can’t even stand to look at her.”

  Juliana sobbed. Veronica gave a weak nod.

  “There’s a van at the end of the driveway,” River said. “Gavin and Mackenzie are there.”

  “Reeve?”

  The frantic voice came from behind me.

  I spun. Bronx rushed toward us, features smeared with blood and soot.

  I pointed in the direction of the front door, or what used to be the front door. “River’s guys found her. And before you flip out, they’re on our side, here to help. At the end of the driveway, there’s a van. She’s there.”

  Bronx didn’t stick around to ask any more questions.

  Dodging zombies and explosions, Cole and Frosty helped me pick through the rubble. I’m not sure how much time passed before sirens erupted in the distance.

  Boom!

  I continued working, hot tears streaking down my cheeks. Besides Kat, we were missing Jaclyn and Mr. Ankh. They were okay. They had to be okay.

  But how likely were all of us to survive this much carnage?

  I wasn’t good with numbers, but even I knew the answer to that.

  Chapter 28

  TOO LATE! TOO LATE!

  VERY IMPORTANT DATE!

  Anima must have done something to divert authorities away from the house, because, despite the sirens, no one but River and his boys ever showed up to help. We were on our own, becoming more desperate by the minute.

  The van, our fastest means of escape, had just been bombed. Thank God everyone inside it had exited in time.

  “I’ve done triage before.” River motioned for Bronx and Veronica to place their charges on a flat plot of land. “Keep zombies at a distance, and I’ll take care of the girls.”

  The two, plus two others from River’s crew, formed a protective circle around him. The rest of us continued digging, fighting, ducking, digging again. I pushed myself hard, harder, screaming Kat’s name until I grew hoarse. By the end of the first hour, I was trembling so violently, I probably looked like I was having a seizure.

  “Ali, go over there and let River check you out,” Cole said.

  “No!” I threw a block of concrete to the side. I had to find Kat.

  “You have to stop. If you keep this up, you won’t be on your feet much longer, and we need you on your feet.”

  “I’m not going to pass out.” My gaze caught on something sticking out from a pile of rocks. I dug faster, saw...Mr. Ankh’s hand! “Help me free him.”

  Everyone crowded around me. Together, we managed to clear the debris. His eyes were open, and—

  Staring straight ahead, I realized. At nothing. My excitement withered. His mouth was parted on a pained gasp he’d never gotten to finish. His chest was crushed, flatter than it should have been.

  He was dead, and there was nothing we could do to save him.

  Razors in my chest. Reeve had just lost everything. Her father, her only family. Her home and refuge. All of her possessions.

  No. Not everything. She still had Bronx. But I knew how badly she was going to hurt. How horribly she would suffer. How she would blame herself, and hate herself, and relive what had happened.

  Can’t break down. Not now.

  Kat needed me.

  I threw wood and plaster and glass over my shoulder, screaming, “Kat. Kat! We’re here. We’re not leaving without you. Hold on, okay. Just hold on.”

  Pop. Pop. Pop.

  “That’s gunfire,” River called, holding a rag against Juliana’s wound. “Anima sent in the troops. We’re screwed if we stay here.”

  I didn’t care.

  Pop. Pop. Pop.

  “Weapons?” Cole demanded.

  As the slayers told him what they had on hand, a low moan caught my attention.

  “I’m staying behind to—” Frosty began.

  “Shut up!” I screeched. Still as a statue, I listened. More gunfire. The hiss of flame. The crackle of burning wood. I ignored the sounds, concentrating. Then...

  Another moan, soft but sure.

  I rushed over to where I thought they had come from and heaved pieces of wood and glass out of the way, ignoring the sharp stings in my palms. And then I saw her. My sweet, sweet Kat.

  Her collarbone was broken, the end cutting through her skin. There was an angry gash over her pelvis, and one of her legs was twisted in the wrong direction. But her eyes were open, and unlike Mr. Ankh’s, they focused. She was alive! Happiness and relief bombarded me.

  Her arms were wrapped around an unconscious Jaclyn, providing a first line of defense, protecting. Even now. She smiled weakly, blood gurgling from the corners of her mouth.

  “She’s here!” I shouted.

  “Finally,” she whispered. “Had to be...last one to...arrive at party. Grand entrance...my thing.”

  “Shh, sh
h, kitten.” Frosty shoved me aside to kneel beside her. “Save your energy, all right.”

  I rushed around to her other side, saying to Frosty, to anyone who would listen, “We need to get her to the nearest hospital. And someone call Detective Verra. She— No,” I gasped out.

  Kat had bite marks on her arms. The flesh was black, oozing.

  Zombie toxin.

  Frosty must have noticed, too; he sucked in a sharp breath.

  You can sit here, panicking, or you can act. “Does anyone have the antidote?” As soon as I’d learned what the fire could do, I’d stopped carrying mine. But civilians like Kat couldn’t tolerate the fire. They ashed as quickly as zombies.

  Frosty and I waited, tense. Desperate.

  No one spoke out.

  “Anyone,” he shouted. “Please.”

  Then we heard the sweetest words this side of heaven. “I do.” Chance bounded over from triage, with a tiny plastic vial in his hand. “It’s only half a dose. We didn’t come with enough for everyone, so I’ve been doling out sips. It’ll keep her symptoms at bay until you can get her a proper injection.”

  Frosty poured the contents down her throat.

  “Kat,” I said, doing my best to disguise my fear. Time wasn’t our friend. Had just become slayer enemy number one.

  Just?

  Her gaze shifted to me, and she offered a small smile. “My Ali. Helped me...live.”

  “And that’s not going to change. Do you hear me? You’re going to continue to live. I promise. And you know I never lie.” I met Frosty’s wild gaze. “Do it now.”

  He gently lifted her into his arms. The pain should have been excruciating for her, but she didn’t even cringe. That wasn’t good. I knew that wasn’t good.

  Chance extracted Jaclyn and carried her to River.

  “Let’s get you to the hospital, kitten,” Frosty said.

  “Cole’s place is on the way.” The words spilled from me. “We can get more antidote there.”

  He eased forward, careful not to jostle her. “You’re going to be okay, kitten. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “Love you,” she whispered. “Just wanted to...fix you...lunch...and live...you and Ali...made life worth...fighting for...thank you.”