“I don’t think so,” snarled Henry, stepping through the kitchen, his shotgun raised. “You ain’t meeting nobody but your friends in Hell, Slick.”
Then he fired the gun, hitting Travis in the middle of his chest.
We all screamed as Travis fell backwards, a large bloody hole in the middle of his chest. When he hit the tile, his eyes stared lifelessly toward the refrigerator and he didn’t move.
“No way,” whispered Paige as we stared in disbelief. “Seriously, it can’t be that easy?”
I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t the dead body of a demon lying in the middle of my grandparents’ kitchen.
Billie released my arm and dropped quickly to the ground. I kneeled next to him.
“Is he okay?” asked Kristie, bending down.
“Uh, I think he may have died from the zombie virus,” I said, staring at his closed eyelids.
“Wouldn’t he be attacking us right now then?” asked Henry, staring down at us.
I touched Billie’s cheek and sucked in my breath. “Oh, my God, he’s still warm. And look, the color is coming back to his cheeks!”
Kristie touched his forehead. “Maybe he’s going to be all right?”
Before I could answer, Billie’s eyelids began to flutter.
“Billie?” I said, reaching for his hand. “Hey, are you okay?”
His eyes opened. “I’m… back,” he whispered staring at me in wonder. “I didn’t think it was possible.”
I smiled at him in relief. “I guess anything is possible.”
He swallowed. “Help me up?”
I stood and pulled him with me. “How are you feeling?”
He touched his cheeks and then smiled broadly. “You know what? I’m doing pretty good actually. I feel great!”
I stared at him in disbelief. He did look healthy and refreshed. Nothing compared to the monster who’d tried attacking us. I began to wonder if Travis’s death had been the cure for the zombie plague. It certainly didn’t seem logical. But then again, nothing I’d seen in the last few weeks seemed real or logical. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Oh, yeah.” He walked to Travis’s body and nodded. “Looks like someone did a number on that guy.”
“You don’t remember anything?” asked Kristie.
“Nope.”
“You’re lucky,” I said.
Our eyes met and he smiled. “Very.”
“You must have been in some kind of trance or something,” said Henry. “Just like that young man, Justice. Listen, we’d better get out of here and head back to Atlanta. Got us so many dead bodies on the lawn, your neighbors are going to start talking.”
“Oh, my God,” I said, forgetting all about the zombies in the yard. “How are Bryce and the others doing?”
“They were holding their own, last time I checked,” said Henry. “Ordered me into the house to check on you women. Good thing I came when I did.”
“I’m going out there,” I said.
“No, I’ll check,” said Henry.
Before I could argue, Bryce barreled through the door looking upset. “Cassie, thank God,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “I heard from Nora that Travis made it into the house and I thought I’d lost you.”
“He did make it in here but Henry took care of him,” I replied, closing my eyes.
“Yep,” said Henry. “Shot that sucker straight through the heart.”
“See, what did I tell you?” said Bryce, releasing me.
I arched my eyebrow. “Tell me?”
He walked over to Travis’s dead body, and with a grimace, said, “There’s no way this guy was a demon. If he was, he’d still be alive.”
“That’s what I thought,” said Kristie, clucking her tongue. “You girls and your wild imaginations.”
I sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”
“I want to leave,” said Paige, looking pale. “All of this blood is making me nauseous.”
Kristie put an arm around her. “I hear you.”
“I agree,” I replied. “Plus, I’m tired and could use a nap.”
“Really?” snorted Bryce. “I just took out forty or fifty zombies on my own. If anyone could use a nap, it’s me.”
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll drive while you and Adria take your little naps.”
Henry cleared his throat. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. We all know how you drive.”
“Everything okay in here?” asked Nora, walking back into the house with Tiny.
“Check it out,” said Paige. “We killed the demon!”
Nora stared at Billie in disbelief. “Billie? Oh, my God, are you okay?”
He smiled and raised his arms. “I’m doing great.”
She rushed over and threw her arms around him. “Thank God,” she mumbled. “I thought I’d lost you.”
He chuckled. “You can’t lose me that easily.”
“Where’s Adria?” asked Kristie.
“She’s fine. She’s in the van with the girls,” said Nora, still staring up at Billie in wonder. “Sorry, but I still can’t get over this.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “I know. I’m not an easy guy to take down.”
“Good thing,” she said, releasing him.
Kristie turned to Tiny. “Did you guys take care of all the zombies?”
“We got most of them. There are still some heading this way, but nothing we can’t handle,” he replied.
“What about Travis’s driver?” she asked. “Are we going to have a problem with him, too?”
“Nah, he took off,” said Tiny. “When I tried approaching him, he flew down the street like a bat out of hell.”
She smiled. “I’ll bet.”
“I can’t believe everyone made it,” I said, staring at everyone. After the last few hours, it seemed like a miracle.
“Everyone but Luke,” sighed Kristie, shaking her head somberly. “Poor kid,”
Bryce’s face fell. “Yeah, that poor kid. Justice told me what happened. I still can’t believe it.”
“Belinda’s going to be devastated,” said Henry, scratching his whiskers. “Even if they weren’t really related. She grew quite attached to that kid.”
None of us said anything. We’d all lost so many loved ones in the last few weeks and it never got easier. If anything, Luke’s death was a reminder that none of us were safe from the threats still out there. All threats. Whether our enemies were zombies or people, we had to watch our backs very carefully.
“Well, we should get going,” said Billie.
We agreed and started packing up what was left of the snacks, water, and baby supplies.
“I should make the baby a bottle for the road,” said Kristie.
“Good idea,” said Tiny, handing her the canister of formula and a bottle of water.
“Everything ready?” asked Bryce, carrying a couple of extra pillows from the bedroom.
“We just have to load the vehicles.”
Billie walked over to Kristie. “Why don’t I bring the bottle to the girls and let them start feeding Adria.”
She handed it to him. “Sounds good. We’ll be right out.”
“Okay,” he said, walking out the back door. “Take your time so you don’t forget anything.”
“So, who are you riding with, Justice?” asked Paige.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. You guys okay with me tagging along?”
Paige twirled her blond hair around her finger, and stared at him as if he was the last pair of Jimmy Choos on the face of the Earth and she couldn’t live without them. “Uh, of course you have to come with. You’re part of the team now.”
He smiled. “Then, I guess I’ll be riding with whoever wants me.”
“Of for crying out loud, you’ll be riding with Paige,” said Henry, getting up from the kitchen table. “That girl has had her knickers in a bundle ever since she’s laid eyes on you.”
Paige’s face turned crimson. “Don’t listen to him. He does
n’t know what he’s talking about.”
Justice’s lip twitched. “Too bad. I always wanted to know what knickers in a bundle looked like.”
“Hey, that’s my daughter you’re flirting with over there, young man,” said Kristie. “There will be no knickers bundling up anywhere. Period.”
“Really, mom,” mumbled Paige, walking out of the kitchen.
“Oh, I think you’re in for an earful later, Kristie,” I giggled.
She shrugged. “That’s fine. I’m used to it.”
I laughed and went outside to join Paige.
“Cassie!” hollered Paige, standing on the side of the garage. “I don’t see the van. Did the guys move it to the front of the house?”
“Not that I know of,” I said, walking up the cement steps.
Sure enough, the van was nowhere to be found.
It was missing.
Her face turned white. “I think we have another problem on our hands.”
***
“You girls doing okay back there?” asked Billie, as he turned the van onto the freeway.
“Yeah,” said Kylie, closing her eyes, trying to block out the sounds of Adria’s cries.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She just finished her bottle,” said Allie. “So she can’t be hungry. Poor thing.”
“Well, we have a long way to go before we reach our destination. You need to try and shut her up,” replied Billie.
“That’s not nice,” said Kylie, opening her eyes. “She can’t help it, you know, she’s just a little baby.”
“I don’t care; keep her quiet so I can concentrate on the road.”
“Um, so you never told us, why are we riding with you and not the others?” asked Kylie.
He looked back at her in the rearview mirror but didn’t say anything.
The hair on the back of Kylie’s neck stood straight up. “Billie?”
A cold, evil smile spread across his handsome face. “I prefer that you call me… Travis.”
***
End of Book Four
End Zone
Prologue
Travis
He inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of rot and decay as the zombies stumbled around in the indoor amusement park below. To him, the scent of death meant victory was on the horizon and this brought him great pleasure.
Smiling in approval, he reached for the cigar tucked behind his ear and bit off the end. Lighting it with his fingertip, he wondered how the ally from the east was faring, not that it truly mattered. The human population had dwindled to such an insignificant number, that it wouldn’t take much to control the remaining survivors.
Just as predicted.
He looked up toward the glass ceiling of the mall. “And you thought that you could outwit Lucifer? Obviously, you underestimated his power.”
Lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a thunderous boom that made his teeth vibrate.
He sneered. “Really? That’s all you got?”
Jennifer, his newest follower, cleared her throat. “Excuse me, sir?”
He turned around to find the lovely and easily manipulative young woman standing next to a man dressed in black.
“Good evening,” said the stranger, his blue eyes twinkling. He was in his sixties, with white hair and a kind face that hid the true nature of the soul lurking inside.
Travis puffed his cigar and released a thick stream of smoke. “Well, look what the cat dragged in. I was just wondering if and when you’d show up.”
“It wasn’t an easy journey here, let me tell you.”
“If it were easy, then I’d be concerned.”
The priest hesitated. “You’re not exactly what I expected.”
“Sorry to disappoint. He made me leave my horns at home. True story.”
The priest’s laughter turned into a rattling cough. “Sorry,” he said in a raspy voice as he pulled out a handkerchief from his trouser pocket. “Bronchitis.”
He tapped his cigar, sending ashes to the ground and grunted. “I take it that a celebratory stogie is out of the question?”
“Probably not a good idea, sir.” The priest wiped the spittle from his mouth and then shoved the handkerchief back into his pocket. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, face-to-face. I’ve waited so long… I -”
“Save the handshake,” he interrupted as Father Brambati raised his hand and took a step toward him.
The priest froze. “Of course.”
Travis nodded toward Jennifer. “Leave us.”
She lowered her eyes and walked away while the priest turned and watched her hips move in a way that would shock his church congregation.
Travis chuckled. “Ah… the sins of the flesh.”
The priest licked his lips. “She’s a lovely young woman.”
“Be honest, she’s not really your type, however, is she? A little too… womanly?”
Father Brambati’s face turned red.
“Hell, I’m not judging you.” He smiled darkly. “We’ve always admired your insidious ways, Father. Anyway, all of that aside, I have some excellent news.”
The priest leaned forward in expectation.
“We’ve located the child.”
Father Brambati’s bushy white eyebrows shot up. “Is that true? Are you certain?”
“The signs that Lucifer mentioned pointed to the small group of survivors from this part of the world. When I finally located these people, she was among them.”
He tilted his head. “She?”
“Yes, the infant is a girl. It just goes to show that the man above tried to pull one over on us, but,” he smirked, “He failed.”
Father Brambati frowned. “Well, I hope you’re right and this really is the one we’ve been searching for. It will certainly save us a lot of time.”
“We’ll know soon enough,” he replied, his eyes turning the color of molten lava. “If that little shit really is the second coming.”
1
Belinda
Belinda parked the car across the street from the C.D.C. and shut off the lights. She looked over at the sleeping boy next to her and his furry companion, the young pup who never left Bobby’s side.
Closing her eyes, she sighed, yearning for a cigarette. It had been thirty-six hours since she’d smoked her last one and was now completely and totally out. It was making her edgy and more than a little frustrated. A zombie apocalypse was never a good time to stop smoking. If anything, it was a reason to start.
Bobby’s eyelids fluttered open. He sat up and looked around.
“The prince has risen,” she said, ruffling his dark brown hair.
“Are we there, Linny?” he asked, stretching his short little arms.
She wrapped her own arm around the boy’s shoulders and pulled him in closer. He smelled of baby shampoo and the cherry sucker she’d given him earlier. “Yes, honey.”
He hugged her back and closed his eyes. “Good.”
For the past few days, he’d insisted that she drive him to this place, never letting up. Originally, she’d said ‘no’, shocked that he’d even been aware of the C.D.C. But he’d thrown a few fits, which wasn’t like him. In fact, Bobby was normally so mild mannered and sweet, that she hadn’t been prepared to deal with such tantrums. Grown men with tattoos and beer bellies, yes, but not a small boy with Down’s Syndrome, one who’d wrapped her around his finger already. In the end, because he’d been so adamant and Belinda hated to see him upset, she’d caved in.
“I love you, Linny,” he whispered.
A wave of emotions made her eyes burn. She blinked back tears, not wanting him to see them. “I love you, too, Bobby.”
He smiled up at her and her heart swelled.
“Oh, Bobby,” she said, kissing the top of his head. “How did you get to be so damn cute?”
His face grew serious. “I don’t know.”
She chuckled at his innocence, loving him even more for it. In just a short period, she’d grown so attached to Bobby, l
oving the child like he was her own. In fact, the truth was, although they were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, she’d never felt more alive. Caring for him had opened up a part of her life that she hadn’t even realized she’d been missing.
Motherhood.
Now, she wasn’t about to give it up for anything. As far as she was concerned, Bobby was now her responsibility until Bryce returned.
She touched the boy’s cool cheek. “Bobby, do you know why we’re here?”
He looked up at her, his large almond-shaped blue eyes unusually serious. “Yes.”
“Well, would you mind sharing it with Linny?”
Bobby nodded solemnly. “Friends.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh?”
“Yes.”
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed three zombies stumbling down the block toward the Cadillac, and grew tense. She quickly locked the doors and grabbed her gun from the glove compartment. Although Atlanta was still riddled with zombies, she’d never get used to their constant presence.
“It’s okay,” said the boy, smiling up at her reassuringly. “They won’t hurt you.”
“Right,” she said, expecting the zombies to surround her car, drooling and moaning like they usually did. Instead, this time, the creatures ignored the car and walked aimlessly by as she held her breath. Belinda released a ragged breath and slid the gun under her seat.
Goldie, who’d been sleeping in the backseat, raised her head. She turned and growled toward the back window at the retreating forms.
“Yeah, you tell them,” said Belinda, reaching back to pet her fur.
“Tell them what?” asked Bobby.
Belinda grinned. “Nothing, honey. I’m just trying to be silly.”
He giggled. “Yes, because Goldie can’t talk.”
“Well, not like us.” Belinda looked at her watch and frowned. It was almost six-thirty in the morning, and the sun had not yet even begun to rise. It was very odd. She turned to Bobby. “Wow, I can’t believe I let you talk me into coming out here this early in the morning,” she said. “And without my morning coffee.”
His smile fell. “I’m sorry.”
Zombie Games (Uncut) Boxed Set Page 65
