Underland(57)

“Nice, that’s a good move. You have to assess your opponent and find their weakness. Use whatever you have available to distract them.”

“Again,” Kira huffed. She was lightly out of breath.

“You can’t beat me, Kira.” He sounded a little smug.

“I said again.”

He took the broken crate and set it back in the middle of the room. Placed the stick back in the middle. “You don’t get three chances in real life, Kira.” He reset the clock on the stove and went to his mark.

That final taunt pushed her over the edge. Zeke was right. She’d have to assess her enemy and use his weakness. What was a zombie’s weakness?

Oh. Something told her not to be so foolish—but she just couldn’t make herself care. Kira turned around on her mark, giving Zeke her back. She leaned down to her boot and slipped out her knife, then picked up a piece of splintered wood in her other hand, careful to hide what she was doing. She stood back up and watched the clock. When the timer was about to go off, she turned her back to Zeke again, carefully pressed the knife into her collarbone, and made a long scratch. It started to bleed.

She grimaced but kept her focus on Zeke’s reaction.

“Kira,” his voice had deepened into a groan. “Please tell me you didn’t.” She could hear the desire in his voice and knew his eyes were probably flashing as he tried to control his hunger. “What have you done?”

The alarm rang. Kira spun and raced for the crate. Zeke had backed away from her, pressing himself against the far wall. His breathing had picked up as he tried to suppress his desire.

This time she grabbed the stake. She was smart enough to beat him.

Zeke’s eyes were indeed flashing. He grinned evilly. “Good, the first part of the lesson is gaining the weapon.” His eyes were locked on the blood dripping down her collarbone. His chest heaved and his head bobbed as if to a drumbeat. There was something weird about it. But familiar.

Zeke’s fingers flexed and went to his side. His body tensed.

All of a sudden it hit her.

Zeke circled her. “The second part of the lesson is killing your opponent.”

His head was bobbing to the rhythm of her heart.

He lunged.





Chapter 26

Zeke’s body hit her full force, sending both of them flying through the air. She screamed and hit the ground. Her head smacked the cement. She saw stars.

Zeke’s body landed on top of her. Any second, his teeth would gnash, and he’d rip out her throat. She whimpered and turned her head.

But nothing happened. She could feel his body pressed against hers, hear his breathing rasping against her ear, but she was still alive.

He whispered, sending currents of electricity and fear through her. “What you did was very, very stupid.”

She turned so she could see him, furious. “It wasn’t.”

Zeke shook, struggled to control himself. “I could have killed you.”

“And I you.” Kira smiled. She flexed her wrist and nudged him with the stick, making him feel the weapon over his heart.

“Being stabbed in the heart wouldn’t stop me,” he chuckled.

“No, but being stabbed through the brain would.”

He froze when the knife she had hidden in her boot touched the base of his neck. “I do believe this is the right angle.”

Zeke laughed again, deep and throaty. He slowly lifted himself off her. “How did you know I wouldn’t lose control and kill you? I could have, you know. And why did you change the direction of the stake?”

“I don’t know, I just did.” She slid the knife back into her boot. Her head throbbed from the impact with the cement floor.

Zeke reached down and helped her up. Too fast. Her head swam and the room started to spin. He caught her, wrapped both of his arms around her to steady her.

She held on. Kira probably should have pulled away once the room stopped spinning, but she didn’t. She didn’t know what possessed her to stay in his arms, but she wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Maybe she craved human contact, the warm embrace of a hug. Of course, this was absolutely settling for a zombie hug and a lukewarm embrace.

But he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to release her either. In fact, he pulled her a little closer and nuzzled the top of her head.

“Don’t test my restraint again.” Zeke released her and stepped away. “You may think you trust me, but don’t.”

He turned and ran across the room. The loss of him stung like rejection.

In one long leap, he jumped ten feet up the ladder and over to the second beams. Up the next rope onto the floor he’d claimed for himself.

So much distance between them.

The silo door opened and Den entered.

Den’s eyes took in the destroyed crate and bounced to Kira’s bloodied shirt. He pursed his lips but didn’t say anything at her injury. Instead, he lifted an eyebrow and scanned for Zeke. “Tomorrow’s the big day, my boy. I’ve already placed my bets, and I think we’re going to win big. I can feel it.”





Chapter 27

This time when Den and Zeke got ready to leave for the night, he didn’t lock her in the silo. “Come with us, Kira. Let’s have some fun.”

Zeke’s head snapped up, and he studied Den with a worried expression, but he didn’t say anything.