He led the way through the forest, Veronica staying close to his heels. Along the way, we met up with Frosty and Justin, and I did some mental measuring. They were both about the size of the spy I’d seen. But then, so was Lucas. And Gavin.
Gavin also wore a bandanna.
The spy had to be someone close to our circle. I mean, the guy had known the location of Cole’s barn and that we would be on patrol tonight. But...I didn’t want to accuse any of the slayers. I might not be able to trust myself right now, but I did trust my friends. Even, surprisingly enough, Gavin.
In a lot of ways, he was like Cole. He got in your face with his with beliefs and opinions. He was fearless, cared nothing about consequences. But he was fierce when it came to the safety of his friends.
I had a lot to think about.
“What I’m about to say is true, so I’m not simply making it true in your life by speaking it, if you know what I mean, but she’s a terrible enemy to have,” Gavin said softly.
“Who? Veronica?”
He nodded.
I shrugged. I’d had enemies before, and I would make many more, I was sure. “What do guys see in her anyway? I mean, she’s beautiful, but that’s all she’s got going for her.” I think what I was really asking was—what did Cole see in her?
Gavin looked straight ahead. “She’s actually a very nice person, but envy has turned you both into raving— Well. Never mind. I want to keep my balls. As I was saying, she’s smart, and she’s funny, and the best part is, she puts out.”
Was sex always on his mind? “Your words are like poetry.”
He chuckled, saying, “I admit I’d like to take her to bed, have since the day I met her, and she’d let me, I think, if she weren’t so determined to win back Cole, but unlike your Mr. Holland, I’ve never hooked up with another slayer. I like to keep business separate from pleasure. A cliché, I know, but there are far less complications that way. As I’m sure Cole is learning.”
“I’m a slayer,” I pointed out, “and yet you keep asking me out.”
“You’re also not my type. Or you weren’t. I’m not sure what my type is anymore. You resist, and it drives me wild.”
“That’s sad.”
“That’s life.”
I rolled my eyes, a common occurrence in his presence. “You might be the weirdest person I’ve ever met.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t think that was a compliment.”
“Agree to disagree,” he said.
We entered the barn, and my spirit jerked from Gavin’s grip, flying forward as if tugged by an invisible cord. I skidded across the room and...boom!
Gasping, I pried open my eyes. I was sitting in the chair, spirit and body joined.
Mr. Ankh knelt in front of Cole, already patching up his injuries. Just as I’d suspected, he was covered in blood.
New to-do list: Find a way to disable the zombie inside me. Kill the zombie inside me. Still do whatever proves necessary.
He blinked open his eyes and grimaced.
Mr. Ankh said, “You need stitches, son,” and began digging in his bag of supplies.
A lump grew in my throat as Cole’s gaze met mine. Violet against blue. A cold mask against sorrow.
I’m sorry, I mouthed.
He nodded, looked away.
Would he cut me from his life now that he knew about Z.A.?
It was better than death, and yet almost as painful.
“Where’s Kat?” Frosty demanded. Like Cole, he was covered in blood.
Without looking up from his task, Mr. Ankh replied, “When you started bleeding, she started screaming, and I insisted she go home.”
I bet he’d had to threaten to ban her from the building forever to actually get her to go.
Frosty raced out.
“Everyone’s been injected with the antidote?” Mr. Holland asked.
I hadn’t, but then, I hadn’t been bitten. Still, I requested a dose and received it a few minutes later. The cool stream came with a measure of strength, stopping my trembling.
“Zombies were everywhere, man,” Gavin said, standing. “We couldn’t contain them all.”
“Yeah, and they seemed to know exactly where we’d be,” Lucas threw at Justin.
Justin shot to his feet. “I didn’t tell anyone about tonight. I didn’t know I’d be meeting with everyone until fifteen minutes ago, when Cole came and got me.”
“Ever heard of a phone? Texting?”
“Cole watched me the entire time. And do you really think a zombie is capable of taking my calls?”
“You were in the locker room alone for several minutes. You could have gotten a message to someone at Anima,” Trina spat. “They could have arranged this.”
“You think I’m wearing a wire, too?” He ripped his shirt over his head, revealing a hard, cut physique I hadn’t known he had.
A hand penetrated my line of sight, and I glanced up. Gavin stood in front of me, offering me assistance. I twined our fingers, and he tugged me to a stand. I wasn’t as strong as I’d thought, because my knees almost buckled. He wound his arm around me and held me up.
A chair skidded. I saw Cole stand, brush Mr. Ankh aside and stalk into the locker room. The door slammed shut with a loud bang.
Of course, Veronica followed him.
* * *
I fell asleep thinking about ways to disable Z.A. Cut off my hands? Remove all my teeth? Then I’d live, and she’d have no way of hurting anyone.
Let’s make that plan B.
The ring of my cell woke me. From the bed, I blindly reached out, patting my nightstand. “Hello,” I rasped when the phone was at my ear. What time was it?
“You missed our appointment, Miss Bell.”
Dr. Bendari?
I jolted upright. The fancy wall clock said it was 5:59 a.m. I’d set my alarm for six, and—my phone vibrated, right on cue. I needed to get ready for school.
“Something came up,” I said. “I tried to call, but you shut off your phone.”
“A necessary precaution.”
“And why is that?”
“Do you expect me to believe you don’t want your slayer friends to capture me?”
Reverse psychology? Please. “I’m the one with doubts, Dr. Bendari. You could be planning to murder me.”
“I guess we’re going to have to trust each other. Are you still interested in meeting?”
“I am.”
“Good, because I’d like to hear about the trouble you had last night.”