Zombies Sold Separately

by Cheyenne McCray

  “Dinosaurs?” I said with surprise. “You sent him to live with dinosaurs?”

  “Not a norm or paranorm in sight.” Desmond gave me and Colin a tired smile. “If he makes it out of that stone in some way, he isn’t going to be able to hurt anyone ever again.”

  I held out my hand and he took it. I smiled. “I hope you’ll stay in New York City. You’re pretty handy to have around.”

  “The city is my home now.” Desmond squeezed my fingers. “I will see you.”

  I kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

  Colin shook Desmond’s hand and thanked him, too.

  “There’s someone you’ll want to see.” Desmond indicated with a nod of his head for me to look over his shoulder.

  “Tristan?” I nearly held my breath as I saw the Drow male who looked so much like my brother. With his dark blue skin and blue hair, he stood out among beings of other skin tones.

  “Considering he was the only remaining Drow male in this world, his Host was easy to match up with his essence.” Desmond released my hands. “Just remember that to him no time has passed since he was trapped in the stone. He won’t know you.”

  I nodded, barely hearing Desmond as I stared at my brother. Desmond squeezed my hand again. I gave him one more look, telling him with my gaze how much I appreciated everything he had done for us.

  Then I left him and Colin to walk toward Tristan. I came to a complete stop when I reached him and met his gaze.

  He cocked his head in a familiar way that made my heart ache. “You are a Drow female.” Tristan looked me up and down with surprise in his gaze. “You are dressed much like a warrior.” His black eyes met mine. “I know of no female Drow warriors. Why do I feel like I know you?”

  His voice was so much my brother’s that I had to hold myself back from running to him and throwing my arms around his neck.

  “You do know me.” I walked up to him and took his hands in mine. His skin was dark blue against my pale amethyst. He was tall like our father and I tilted my head to look up at him. “It’s been a very long time.”

  He glanced at our joined hands and back at me. “My soul knows you,” he said. “But it does not make sense.”

  I smiled. “I was five the last time I saw you.” The memory of his being taken caused me to swallow. “You made me hide in the bushes the day you disappeared.”

  “Nyx?” Shock filled his gaze. “It is not possible. My sister is only five.”

  “Your essence was put into a stone, Tristan. Like these others that you see here,” I said, “time froze for you. It didn’t freeze for me.”

  Tristan’s blue hair was a shade darker than mine and it brushed his shoulders when he shook his head. “It is as I was told earlier, but I cannot believe it.” He caressed my collar that I’d worn since birth. “You wear this. Only my sister could and it bears your name as well as your station. How—how old are you now, little sister?”

  “Twenty-seven.” I smiled as more surprise registered on his features. “We could be twins now.”

  My brother enveloped me in a hug, squeezing me so tightly that I gasped for air. “To know that I did not see you grow is a great sadness in my heart.” He drew away and I sucked in a deep breath. “But at least I am free now to get to know the sister that I always loved.”

  “I missed you so much, Tristan.” My eyes would have filled with tears if they could have. “I thought you were gone forever. We all did.”

  “How are Father and your mother?” Tristan’s hand seemed to shake as he pushed hair from my face.

  “Very well,” I said, my voice catching a little. “They’ll be shocked and ecstatic to see you.” I just couldn’t get over seeing him. Right there. With me. “You are back from the dead, Tristan.”

  I shook my head, still having a hard time grasping it. “You’re here, you are really here. This is the happiest day of my life.”

  Tristan hugged me tight. “It’s so good to see you, little sister.”

  “Father has missed you so much that he could barely talk about losing you.” I paused. “Nor could I, and for that I’m sorry. I just missed you more than I could bear.”

  Tristan hugged me again, squeezing me tight. I didn’t mind. His scent was so familiar that it brought back waves of memories from when I was just a little girl. All of the things he did for me and with me. I’d loved him so much.

  When I pulled away I smiled up at him. “Let’s go see Father and Mother.”

  FORTY-ONE

  Sunday, January 2

  “Suuuure you missed me.” I set down Kali’s crystal dish of Fancy Feast on the floor of my kitchen and looked at the blue Persian. “No need to pretend.”

  Kali raised her head and stepped with a cat’s grace that easily rivaled that of the Elves. She took her first delicate bite before giving me a look that said, “I don’t like being watched while I eat,” then looked away from me to take another small bite.

  “Dahlia always takes good care of you when I’m gone.” I turned and headed out of the kitchen. “There’s no reason you should be mad at me.”

  I reached my bedroom door and sighed when I looked at the destruction Kali had left in her wake. The pretty panties I’d just bought were in shreds on the floor, scattered from one end of the room to another like black, hot pink, red and green confetti.

  I quit trying to figure that cat out a long time ago. How did Kali get into a lingerie drawer three feet up? Had to be a paranorm cat—it just didn’t shift I guess until I left. Maybe that was it. Surprisingly, the panties I’d picked out with Colin weren’t among the destroyed.

  Probably because she liked him. Maybe I’d have Colin do all of my panty shopping.

  I smiled then turned as I heard a knock on the door. My first though was Adam, but it wasn’t his familiar knock.

  To be on the safe side, I sent feelers of my air elemental magic out, allowing it to slide beneath and around any gaps in the door’s molding.

  “Colin,” I said to myself with some surprise.

  I opened the door and gave Colin a smile as I gestured for him to come in.

  He looked as sexy and hot as he had the first time I’d seen him on stage at the Pit. His long golden hair rested around his shoulders and his burnished gold eyes looked at me in a way he’d never looked at me before.

  The twist in my belly sent shards of desire through me. “You aren’t using your Dragon charm on me, are you?” I said without thinking as the door closed behind him.

  He stopped in the middle of the room and his gaze held mine. “That’s just you wanting me,” he said and my face grew hot. “The same way I want you.”

  My fair skin had to be full-on red. “I—”

  Colin came close to me and he cupped my face in his hands. They were strong, callused hands that sent an erotic thrill throughout me. His scent, his presence, everything about him was enough to make my head spin as though I was drunk on him.

  “I don’t think—” I started, but then he brought his mouth down on mine.

  And kissed me.

  A kiss that set my whole body on fire.

  It was urgent, demanding. Nothing soft or hesitant about it. His was a kiss of ownership.

  That thought made me break away. I tried to catch my breath as I looked up at him. His gold eyes looked almost bronze as he let his hands slide down to my upper arms then held onto me.

  “What—what was that all about?” I said between breaths.

  His smile was confident and sexy. “I’ve been waiting for this to be over,” he said. “And waiting for time to be alone with you.”

  “You can’t just do that.” I wasn’t sure what I was saying, except that a man having ownership over me was not in my list of reasonable expectations in a relationship. “What’s gotten into you?”

  “You’ve gotten into me.” Colin drew me up against him. It was a side I hadn’t seen. He’d been everything from friendly to flirtatious to someone who’d worked hard with me side-by-side. “From the time I fi
rst saw you watching me on stage, I knew you were the one.”

  My face grew impossibly hotter.

  Colin looped his arm around my waist and pinned me to him. “You and I are destined for one another, Nyx.”

  I shook my head. “You are acting absolutely nuts.”

  My breasts were smashed against his chest as he gave me an incredibly carnal smile. “I think not.”

  Then he kissed my remaining words of protest away until I couldn’t remember what I’d been protesting.

  He tasted warm and masculine. The hard press of his body against mine made me groan into his mouth.

  A knocking at the back of my mind told me I wasn’t ready for this. It was too soon.

  Why was it too soon?

  But it kept knocking at my brain.

  Then I realized I heard real knocking.

  This time, familiar knocking.

  I came back to myself and pushed Colin away.

  This time I was breathing a lot harder and my heart was beating like crazy.

  I cut my gaze to the door and heard the familiar knock again. “Adam,” I said, my voice hoarse.

  When I looked back at Colin he gave me a gentle smile before bringing me to him and kissing my forehead. “I understand,” he said. “You need to work things out in your head. I’ll give you time.” His mouth quirked. “But not much.”

  What was there to say? My recently ex-boyfriend kept knocking at the door, and another male had just given me a kiss worthy of his Dragon reputation.

  Still, I knew he hadn’t used his Dragon charm on me. It had been the real thing.

  “I’ll save you some embarrassment and questions.” He smoothed my hair. “You talk to him. I’ll see you later.” He said in a gently teasing tone. “Just remember what I said about not having eaten human males in a while.”

  And then he was gone.

  I knew he’d been teasing, but at the same time I knew he was serious about me. And him. The two of us.

  For a moment I stared at the spot he’d been standing in, wondering if he’d just used a transference to leave my apartment, or was hanging around in glamour.

  “If you’re still here,” I said as I walked to the door, “you’d better leave. I need to talk with Adam alone.”

  No answer and I didn’t expect one. I couldn’t sense his presence in my apartment and I was sure he was gone. I knew he’d respect me and my privacy. Even if he had gone from friend to wannabe lover in sixty seconds flat.

  My belly flip-flopped for another reason as I opened the door.

  Adam looked so good with his tousled brown hair, his warm brown eyes, and the stubble on his jaws.

  “Hey, Nyx.” The tenor of his voice sent a shiver through me, but then the look in his eyes made me pause.

  “Do you want to come in?” I didn’t move out of the doorway, just waited for his response.

  He shook his head. “I just wanted to talk with you for a moment.”

  I tried not to show any outward sign that his mere presence was affecting me. I wanted to be in his arms. Wanted to feel his embrace. Wanted to feel like everything was okay and nothing had changed.

  “I won’t be working as a liaison to the paranorm anymore.” He paused, and a prickling sensation traveled over me. “I’ve been promoted and am moving to another precinct.”

  “Congratulations.” My voice wavered a little. “Guess I won’t be seeing you around.”

  Adam shoved his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket. “I’ve been thinking about it over and over again. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see now how it could work between us.”

  I met his gaze. In his eyes I could tell he was hurting as much as I was, but he was right. How could it have worked? Maybe if I were a Doppler or Shifter and had a normal human appearance any time I wanted. But I’m Drow, and it just doesn’t work that way for me.

  “You’re right.” I tilted my chin a little. “Meeting your family proved that our worlds are too different.”

  “I’m going to miss you, Nyx.” He looked down at his shoes before returning his gaze to me. “I already do.”

  “Me, too.” The words came back in a whisper that I had to force out.

  Adam took a step toward me and in the next moment I was in his arms with him just holding me. I would miss his coffee-and-leather scent, would miss his smile and his laugh. Would miss everything about him.

  He released me and took a step back. “I’ll always love you, Nyx.”

  Those words almost sent me over the edge. At that moment I was glad I didn’t have tears, because I wouldn’t have wanted to cry in front of him.

  I met his eyes. “I love you, Adam.”

  He studied me for a long moment before he said, “I’ll see you around.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. See you.”

  I shut the door behind Adam, then placed my forehead against the smooth wood and closed my eyes. I could hear his footsteps growing fainter as he walked away.

  I took a deep breath, pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, and dialed Nadia’s phone number. While the phone rang, I wandered into my room and saw the blank space where the picture of Adam and me in Belize had been sitting on my nightstand. I had put it in a drawer earlier, unable to look at it without feeling heart-wrenching pain.

  Nadia answered, her “Hello” sounding like a word in a song.

  “You up for a sappy movie and some popcorn?” I asked my friend who was always up for a sappy movie. If I wanted action-adventure, I would have called Olivia.

  It was obvious Nadia heard something in my voice. “I’ll bring over Casablanca. You start up the popcorn maker.”

  “Deal,” I said before disconnecting the call.

  I straightened my shoulders and headed into the kitchen, straight for the pantry and the popcorn.

  FOR CHEYENNE’S READERS

  Be sure to go to CheyenneMcCray.com to sign up for her PRIVATE book announcement list and get FREE EXCLUSIVE Cheyenne McCray goodies. Please feel free to e-mail her at chey@cheyennemccray.com. She would love to hear from you.

  Read on for an excerpt from

  VAMPIRES DEAD AHEAD

  —the next Night Tracker novel from Cheyenne McCray and St. Martin’s Paperbacks:

  “Another Tracker is missing.” Rodán set his wine glass on the white tablecloth of our table for two in the exclusive paranorm hot spot, Some Other Place. “Kennedy appears to be gone.”

  The hum and buzz of the restaurant and bar filled the pause as I digested Rodán’s statement. Another Tracker?

  A busboy stopped by our table and cleared our dinner dishes after asking if we were finished. I waited until he was gone before I responded to Rodán.

  “Kennedy, from Seattle?” I frowned as I spoke. “Any idea what happened to him?”

  Rodán slowly shook his head. “The Proctor Directorate’s investigation teams have found nothing.”

  “That makes how many?” I asked.

  “One Proctor along with eight Trackers.” Rodán’s handsome Elvin features remained amazingly impassive, his crystal-green eyes betraying no emotion as he spoke.

  “What does the GG have to say about it?” I asked.

  Rodán looked thoughtful. “The Great Guardian has other matters that concern her at this time.”

  “More important than the disappearance of paranorms who are important to the safety of this world?” The GG drove me crazy in the ways she chose to “help.”

  “It is not for us to decide where her attention is best suited, Nyx.” Rodán was gentle yet firm in his statement.

  “I’m having a hard time believing what’s happening.” I shook my head and my cobalt blue hair tickled my shoulders, which happened to be bared by my strapless Versace mini-dress. “There’s something very wrong going on.” A brilliant understatement.

  Rodán gave a deep nod. “Exceptionally so,” he said, making me wonder for a moment if he meant my understatement.

  I shuddered at my next thought. “Unless Zombies are back.”


  “We are well and rid of Zombies, Nyx.” Just hearing Rodán say “Zombies” made me shudder again. It had been a few months since we’d faced the threat, but it seemed like it had only been days ago.

  “Desmond thinks we’re rid of them permanently.” The silk of my dress slid across my thighs in a soft caress as I crossed my legs at my knees. My light amethyst skin contrasted with the black material of my dress. “I do have faith in him.”

  “As do I.” Rodán took another sip of his chardonnay and I watched the play of muscles in his arm, beneath his golden skin. “Which is why I planned to speak of Desmond with you.”

  I cocked my head. “What about him did you want to talk with me about?”

  “The Great Guardian and I have spoken.” Rodán leaned forward, his forearms resting on the tablecloth. “I intend to offer the Sorcerer a position as a Night Tracker.”

  Surprise made me blink. First of all, Rodán never told me about his choices for Night Tracker candidates. Secondly … Desmond?

  “Desmond has qualities that would benefit our team,” I said. “He isn’t the sword-and-dagger type, though.”

  A slight smile curved Rodán’s lips. “Indeed he is not. He has other talents that would serve him well.”

  I smiled, too. “I’m not being negative, Rodán. The thought just caught me off-guard. I actually think Desmond would make a terrific addition. Providing you can convince him to join the Trackers.”

  “That may be a challenge.” Rodán gave a nod of acknowledgment, his long white-blond hair shimmering beneath the low lighting, his movement revealing the points of his ears. “Desmond has been a loner, but after seeing what he and the Trackers did together to strike down his enemy, Amory, I know the difference he can make with us.”

  “Ah.” I sipped my chardonnay before setting the glass back down. “I wondered why you were telling me about a candidate. You never have before.”

  “That will potentially change, Nyx.” Rodán’s expression grew more serious. “I want you to take a larger leadership role.”

  I stilled and set my wine glass down. “More than being in charge of special teams?”