Okay, so I hadn’t exactly switched my focus.
Threads of fury joined an already toxic mix of emotions, whooshing through me. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t fair. How could he do this to me? Was he trying to punish me for the vision I’d had? A vision I couldn’t control? A vision I wouldn’t allow to come true?
No. This wasn’t for my benefit and wasn’t a punishment. He hadn’t known I would show up. This was for him. He wanted that girl in his lap.
My hands fisted. I’d been wrong about his sense of honesty. He’d lied to me.
I remembered what he’d said to me.
Me: Do you want Veronica?
Him: No. Not even a little.
Liar! I longed to shout.
How easy it would be to stalk into the ring, sink my teeth into his spirit and—
His spirit?
Oh, good glory. Was I thinking like the zombies now?
I raised my chin, squared my shoulders. I’d rather die.
I forced myself to concentrate for real.
“—report every detail,” Cole was saying. “I don’t just want to hear that you survived the night, or that you did or didn’t see any zombies. I’m not kidding, I want every detail. In writing. From all of you. Two partners can’t turn in one report. I want two from two, and I want you to write them separately. After what happened to Justin and Ali, I’m in an information-gathering mood.” Shadows and light battled for dominance on his face, giving him a sinister bent. “Got me?”
He scanned the murmuring crowd, bypassed me and quickly returned. Guilt flashed in his eyes, only to be extinguished, leaving the cold, blank mask. He stood, forcing Veronica to stand as well, and dropped his arms to his sides. She remained only a whisper away and frowned when she noticed me.
I held Cole’s gaze, again not expecting a vision, but wanting one—no, I didn’t want one, shouldn’t want one, but...
It never came.
Disappointment grew wings of sharply honed iron and flew through every inch of me, cutting at me.
Cole cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.
Don’t give him a reaction.
He looked away. “From now on,” he said, voice harder now, harsher, “if your partner gets bitten, administer the antidote the moment you’re able. Don’t wait until the fight is over. And if your partner bites you, don’t try to hide it from us. We’re not going to blame him.”
“Or her,” Mackenzie called, and snapped her teeth.
“Now you’re just giving the girls permission to take a nibble anytime, anyplace,” Frosty retorted. “I’ve got enough trouble keeping them off me as it is.”
Chuckles resounded.
I couldn’t force myself to laugh.
“You know who your partners are,” Cole said, “and where you’ve been placed in the schedule. Do what you have to do to get ready.”
The group broke apart; some kids were to walk the streets, hunting zombies; some were to go home and rest, catch up on schoolwork; some were to stay here and guard the bodies of the slayers, also waiting in case backup was needed.
Veronica rose on her tiptoes and whispered in Cole’s ear.
The fury returned, expanded, but I managed to calmly say, “What about me?” and step up to the ring.
All eyes darted in my direction.
“Ali Bo Bali,” Frosty said, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “I didn’t think we’d see you tonight.”
I appreciated the show of support.
“What about you?” Cole replied, hesitant.
Steady. “I want in.”
A muscle ticked below his eye as he approached me. “After what happened today? No.”
“What happened today?” Veronica asked, coming over to rest her head on his shoulder. Staking a claim? Digging the knife deeper?
If anyone told her what I’d gone through...
Cole eased away from her and massaged the back of his neck, a habit of his. Right now he was more than uncomfortable. He was discombobulated.
Good.
“You’re injured,” he said.
“I’m healed. Besides that, others have fought injured and you never complained.”
“Others have had more training. And why do you have bandages on your wrists?”
He’d noticed them, even though I wore long sleeves?
Trying to control my sudden trembling, I pulled the bandages off for good. My skin was more reddened than before, and far more swollen, but the ink was still pretty.
Veronica leaned toward me, shrugged. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but those are too big for your bone structure.”
There was a right way to take that? I knew the tattoos were beautiful and just the right size for me.
I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of a response.
No, that wasn’t true. I would. “I’m seconds away from giving you a brand-new bone structure.”
She blinked at me as if I was missing a few screws. “I’ve been nothing but nice to you, and you want a go at me?”
That was nice?
“I think the tattoos are perfect.” Cole stepped between us. His narrowed gaze roved over me, lingered in a few select places. I had to fight a shiver. “Tattoos. New hair. New makeup. I didn’t notice it before. You were too wet. I’m noticing now.”
“Wet?” Veronica said, the word almost strangled out of her. “Wet how?”
Scowling, Cole pushed her toward the rings. “Go. Now.”
I kind of wished the floor would open up and swallow me.
She flicked me a confused glance over her shoulder but did as he’d commanded and left us alone.
Getting back on track. He had a problem with my makeover? “Are you saying I’m eye broccoli?”
Frosty barked out a laugh. “Where do girls get this stuff, man?”
“I’m not even sure what eye broccoli means,” Cole said. “That you look bad, and I shouldn’t want to eat you, or that you’re loaded with vitamins and I should.”
Kill me.
Please.
“That I look bad,” I gritted.
“You don’t. You never have.” Cole lifted my wrists and traced his thumb around the designs. When he realized what he was doing, he scowled and dropped his arms. “So. Tell me. Why’d you make all these changes?”
Changes.
The C word overshadowed any pleasure I might have taken from his compliment...his touch. What would change tonight? Tomorrow?
Both hearts sped up, and my nasal passages seemed to clog with cotton.
“Easy, now,” Frosty said.
Cole released my arms to cup my cheeks. “Breathe, Ali. Just like that. In and out. Good girl.”