Heaven in Hell: Box Set Episodes 1-4

by Dia Cole

  He pressed his gun to Dominic’s temple.

  5

  My relief at hearing Dominic was still alive turned to panic. I bucked against Grace’s hold. “No. Please don’t.”

  If they don’t kill him, there’s a chance Dominic’s healing abilities will kick in.

  Spider gave me a thoughtful look. “You’d want your man to die a slow painful death over a quick merciful one?”

  I nodded. He could think whatever he wanted as long as he left Dominic alone.

  Spider laughed. “I love cold-blooded women.” His expression turned smug. “I expect to be compensated for this later. You’ll soon learn that we work on a bartering system around here.”

  It didn’t take a genius to realize what I’d be forced to barter with.

  Spider grinned. “Viper, don’t waste the bullet. Bring me his weapons.”

  Grace cleared her throat. “He has the keys to the van too.”

  I tried to elbow her in the stomach. “You fucking bitch.”

  If I get out of this situation, this chick is going down.

  “Stay still,” Grace hissed. The knife left a thin line of blazing pain against my throat.

  Wetness trickled down my neck. My vision blurred. I blinked hard trying to shove the dizziness away.

  I can’t afford to pass out.

  Viper pulled something from Dominic’s pocket. “I’ve got the keys,” he called out. Then he stripped off Dominic’s vest, radio, and guns.

  When he came down the ladder a minute later, he was wearing the tactical vest over his jacket. “What’d ya think?” he said, spinning around in a circle.

  Spider laughed.

  My shoulders slumped.

  So much for me ever getting the serum now.

  Grace rocked from foot to foot behind me. Agitation came off her in waves. “Can Aiden and I leave now?”

  Spider’s eyes went flat. “You’re not taking my son anywhere.”

  “He’s not your son.” Grace’s hands trembled against my skin. “You said if I brought you the girl you’d let us—”

  A loud howl cut her off. “What’s that?” Viper said, drawing his gun.

  The second howl made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

  Eden’s close. Too close.

  “It’s probably a damn coyote,” Spider said, spitting out his toothpick. It hit the sand upright, looking like a tiny grave marker.

  Panic coiled low in my belly. “It’s a Howler. A super fast zombie that is almost impossible to kill.”

  The darkening sky rumbled, adding an ominous undertone to my words.

  Viper paled. “What the hell is she talking about?”

  Spider chuckled. “This one’s a comedian. There’s no such thing as fast zombies.”

  A fat raindrop hit my nose.

  We are sitting ducks out here.

  No matter what kind of badasses these people thought they were, they were no match for what was coming.

  Another one of Eden’s bloodcurdling shrieks cut through the thunder.

  I shook my head at their stupidity. “If you value your life, get out of here.”

  Grace shifted nervously behind me. “Spider, let Aiden go.”

  More raindrops splattered around us.

  Spider tightened his arms around the boy. “No. But a deal’s a deal. You brought the girl. You’re free to go.”

  “I’d never leave my brother.”

  The slight twist in Spider’s lips showed he’d been counting on it. He stroked his mustache as if thinking deeply. “Of course, you’re always welcome to stay. I’m sure we can come up with some way you can earn your keep.”

  As if waiting on his words, the sky opened up. Rain poured down in sheets.

  “You son of a bitch.” Grace released me so quickly I fell forward into the sand. She held the knife in front of her and took a step toward Spider. “Give me my brother.”

  Spider wiped rain off his face and set Aiden down on the ground. “Put the knife down before you hurt yourself.”

  Grace motioned her brother over. “Aiden, come to me, sweetie.”

  Aiden looked back and forth between his sister and Spider.

  “Go stand with Viper,” Spider ordered.

  “No, Aiden. Come here,” Grace cried, as the boy shrugged and walked away.

  Viper put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Boss, you want me to—”

  “Nah. I got this.” Spider fingered the eagle-shaped buckle on his belt. “Put the knife down, Grace. I’m not going to ask you again.”

  Grace lifted the knife farther up and took several steps toward Spider. “This is for my father.”

  No one’s watching me.

  The urge to run was overpowering. Blinking away the rain, I looked up to Dominic. He still hadn’t moved a muscle.

  I can’t leave him. Not with Eden on her way. Neither can I let these yahoos waste any more time.

  Summoning my last reserve of energy, I jumped up and tackled Grace to the ground. Before she could react, I pinned her knife hand under my knee. Gritting my teeth, I pushed her face into the sand.

  “Get off me,” she cried, bucking and twisting. The knife must’ve nicked her palm, because the sand around her hand reddened.

  Spider grinned. “This pussycat has claws. A pack of smokes on the brunette,” he called out to Viper.

  Aiden let out a feral growl and tried to wriggle away from Viper.

  Viper clamped his hand around the boy’s shoulder, keeping Aiden in place. “I call your smokes and add a bag of jerky.”

  “Done,” cackled Spider.

  I forced my elbow into Grace’s back. “Stay down, or I’ll infect you.”

  “Huh?”

  The men’s grins faded as I slid down my waistband revealing the black veins climbing up my hip bone.

  “Fuck.” Spider said, vigorously rubbing at his face. “She spat her gum on me.”

  Viper took a step back.

  Grace froze.

  A plan came together in my mind.

  I can use their fear to get Dominic and me out of this mess.

  I infused steel into my voice. “This is what’s gonna happen—”

  I was cut off by the sound of gunfire.

  Viper peered around the play structure. “Something is attacking Mitch and Riptide.”

  A man shouted behind us.

  Spider glanced back. “Tweety looks spooked.”

  That was an understatement. The giant ran at us like the demons of hell were on his heels. “Spider, they’re coming. They’re all coming.” His warning was punctuated by the sound of clicking teeth.

  A legion of Biters emerged from the tree line.

  Taking advantage of my distraction, Grace jerked out of my grip. With a quick thrust she buried the knife in my upper thigh.

  Feeling nothing other than slight pressure, I bared my teeth at her. “Thanks for returning my knife, bitch.” My hand clamped down on hers, preventing her from yanking the knife free.

  Blood poured out of the wound, covering both our hands.

  She blanched and tried to pull away.

  “I don’t think so.” With my free hand, I punched her as hard as I could in the chin.

  She crumpled into the sand, blinking up at me with a dazed expression.

  My knuckles throbbed, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing any pain.

  “Get to the van,” shouted Spider. He scooped up Aiden. “Bring the girl.”

  Tweety turned in my direction.

  Feeling faint, I struggled to my feet.

  No way are they taking me anywhere.

  Ignoring the slick-sounding squelch, I pulled the knife free from my leg and pointed it at the biker. “Touch me and die.” I tried for a menacing look, but I was swaying back and forth like a drunk sailor.

  Spider glanced back at us. “No, not her. Get Grace.”

  Without so much as blinking in my direction, Tweety bent down, flung Grace over his shoulder and ran.

  “L
et me go,” she shouted, beating her fists on his back.

  Good riddance.

  My relief was short-lived as I glanced down at the blood pulsing out of the open wound in my thigh. Damn it. It looked like she’d nicked an artery. The bloody sand seemed to lurch under my feet. I reached out and grabbed the ladder rail to steady myself. My strength was fading fast.

  The sound of clicking teeth grew deafening.

  The horde is closing in.

  My pulse thrashed in my ears as images of Eden’s horrible death assaulted me.

  I’m not going out like that.

  I let out a deep breath and forced the memories away.

  I have to get to safety.

  I managed to climb the first rung of the ladder. I glanced back and wished I hadn’t. The zombies in front were shambling past the swing set.

  Blood rushed in my ears. I sheathed my knife and tried for the next rung. My injured leg collapsed underneath me. Keeping the weight on my left leg, I pulled myself up.

  Only four more rungs. Three more. Two more.

  Biters flooded the area underneath me.

  Something grabbed my foot and yanked.

  “No,” I screamed, fighting to keep my grip on the ladder. I looked down to see a skeletal hand fisting my sneaker.

  A bloated creature with sunken eyes snarled up at me.

  With my heart in my throat, I kicked wildly trying to get free. My foot slammed into its head. When I kicked again, the front part of its face peeled completely away from its skull. The slimy skin dangled off its chin like a gruesome scarf.

  Gagging, I rotated my ankle trying to dislodge its ironclad grip. My sneaker came off.

  More hands clawed my legs.

  I let out a shrill cry. My arms shook with the strain of keeping my body upright.

  I can’t hold on.

  I started to fall back.

  A strong hand shackled my wrist.

  Dominic.

  The sight of him gave me the strength to kick my attackers again. My other shoe was lost, but I was free.

  With a muffled roar, he dragged me up to the platform.

  Too dazed to speak, I collapsed next to him watching Biters fill in every inch of the sand below us.

  “They can’t get to us,” I gasped over the sound of thunder. The creatures clawed at the ladder, but lacked the coordination to pull themselves up.

  “She can,” Dominic said, pointing toward the street.

  With my heart still in my throat, I peered out one of the circular portholes on the side of the play structure.

  Eden was on top of the minivan.

  Someone fired at her from inside the vehicle.

  With a shriek she leaned over the roof and pulled out the heavyset biker by the throat.

  He let out a scream.

  The side doors of the minivan slid open and the biker with the ponytail jumped out. He shouted something inaudible and then unloaded his gun into Eden.

  The heavyset guy must’ve been hit by one of the bullets because he went still. Two seconds later, Eden ripped his arm off with a bone-crunching twist. Turning her back to the guy with the ponytail, she hunkered down and began to feed.

  Ugh. My stomach twisted. I had to look away.

  Spider, Viper, and Tweety must’ve spied the grizzly scene because they stopped short at the basketball court.

  Spider motioned the others away from the van. Guess he wasn’t a complete idiot.

  The guy with the ponytail met up with rest of the group as they ran down the street.

  Absorbed in her meal, Eden didn’t seem to notice them.

  Will we be as lucky?

  My entire body shook with tremors. I wasn’t sure if it was from seeing my sister’s handiwork or from the blood loss.

  “Christ. You’re injured.” Dominic clamped his hand over the wound on my thigh.

  “Don’t worry about me,” I said through chattering teeth. A welcoming numbness overtook my body. “You need to try to get away.” I pushed my knife at him. “Here, take this.”

  Pushing my hand away, Dominic whipped off his shirt and bound it tightly around my thigh. “This will stop the bleeding.”

  Wow. Even moments away from death, the sight of his tightly corded muscles made my heart beat faster. The rain washed away the blood on his washboard abs revealing perfectly healed flesh.

  Thank God, he’ll survive this.

  Losing the ability to hold my head upright, I rested my cheek on the cold wet metal walkway.

  Biters congregated underneath. They pushed and shoved each other with mouths wide-open. Their blackened tongues wagged in the air like leeches straining for a drop of blood.

  God, I don’t want to become like them.

  I was too weak to protest when Dominic hauled me into his arms and carried me across the walkway.

  He set me down in the helm area of the play ship. The space was large enough for the two of us to stretch out, and the canvas covering protected it from the rain.

  I let out a moan as he positioned me upright. My head fell against the plastic ship wheel. All I wanted to do was lay down and close my eyes.

  He held my face in his hands. “Stay with me, baby.”

  That earned him a weak smile. “You know. That’s the first time you called me baby.”

  “I’ll call you baby from now on if you’ll stay conscious.” He looked down at the tourniquet on my leg and flinched. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I must’ve passed out when that kid shot me.”

  “It’s okay,” I said through shallow breaths. “You need to go now. I’ll distract the Biters while you get to safety.”

  He flashed me an incredulous look. “I’m not leaving you. We’ll wait until the threat moves on, and then I’ll carry you out of here.” The stubborn set of his jaw and tightening of his shoulders told me he wasn’t changing his mind anytime soon.

  My heart ached as I studied his rugged profile. I felt the sudden need to let him know how I felt. “Thank you. For all you’ve done for us. For me.”

  “It’s my job,” he said absently, staring over the plastic side wall. “The Howler’s gone. I’m guessing it went after the others.”

  “Our first break of the day.” My eyelids were getting heavy. I was losing the fight to keep them open. “Dominic, listen to me. When the Biters come over here, you head for the street, okay?” I tugged off Dominic’s makeshift tourniquet. Blood streamed from my leg.

  “What the fuck are you—”

  He broke off when I pulled down the side of my waistband. “I’m infected and I don’t have much time left.”

  6

  The stricken look on his face gutted me. I waited for his anger and rage. For the lecture that was sure to come.

  “When did it happen?” he asked much too softly.

  Tears welled in my eyes. I blinked them away. He deserved the truth. “Back at the animal hospital.”

  He inhaled sharply, fisting his hands. “And you didn’t tell me?”

  “Can you blame me after what you did to Roger and Trish? Besides, I was trying to get the cure before you figured it out.”

  His dark brows knitted together. “Cure?”

  I let out a shaky sigh. We were past the point of games now. “I know about the serum you kept in your vest.”

  “You mean the accelerant?”

  I blinked up at him. “I don’t know what it’s called.”

  “The accelerant is what I was carrying in the vial. It works only on enhanced soldiers. It boosts our regenerative abilities. But it has wicked side effects and we use it only when we have no other options. Where did you get the impression it was a cure for the Z-virus?”

  My breathing was becoming labored. I struggled to take in enough air to talk. “Eden was bitten a few weeks ago in that auto body shop fiasco. Mike gave her the stuff in the vial. It healed her.”

  Dominic’s eyes widened. “Impossible.”

  “All I know is that she was infected, and then she was fine. Up until yesterday.
”

  Dominic shook his head as if rejecting the idea.

  A fit of tremors had me shaking so hard it felt like my head would snap off and roll away. I gasped for a breath. “If the serum helps super soldiers heal, why can’t it help regular people?”

  “Maybe. Christ, before he left Mike was going on and on about us needing more of the stuff. I think that was the main reason he asked to go back to base.” Dominic patted his chest. “Where’s my vest?”

  “Bikers took it.”

  Dominic cursed. “I’ll get the accelerant back. You just need to hold on.”

  Chills racked my body. “There’s no time. Just…take care of me before you leave.” I slid my knife over to him. It was fitting somehow that the blade that ended my father’s life would end mine too.

  His denial was a swift “No.”

  “Please.” It came out as barely a whisper. “I don’t want to come back. Not like them. Not like Eden. Damn it, Dominic. Remember rule number two.”

  He slowly picked up the knife.

  “Look after Reed,” I pleaded, but it came out more as a wheeze.

  “I can’t promise that,” Dominic said, moving closer to me.

  “Please.”

  He finally nodded and came over to kneel in front of me. He raised the knife, and then lowered it. “I’m sorry I failed you.”

  I brushed my hand over his cheek trying to wipe away the expression of torment on his face. “You didn’t.” And I realized that, for all his dominant pain in the assness, I’d been falling in love with him for a while. It’d started long before this godforsaken mission. Maybe it was the moment he kicked in our front door and said he was there to rescue us. Maybe it was the first time he’d made me do push-ups for mouthing off during training. Maybe it was the day I’d forgotten to put on a bra and he’d darted out of an all-hands meeting in the safe house cafeteria like his pants were on fire.

  He looked down at me, his dark gaze seeming to memorize the lines of my face. “I can’t lose you,” he said, his voice cracking. Then, he hugged me hard to his chest as if by doing so he could prevent the inevitable.

  His skin was slick and warm. His heartbeat pounded against my ear.