She closed her eyes to focus on her telepathic communication.
“Dirk, are you there?”
“Hey, babe. Are you and Melanie okay?”
She let out a breath of relief.
“Mel is sleeping and I’m next door to her.
I have to warn you. They plan a surprise for you, though I don’t know what.”
“I do. They’ll shoot me with silver bullets, with what they call their Heretic’s weapon.”
“Because you’ve shacked up with a witch no doubt.”
“Got that right, babe.”
“Then stay away. Let me come up with another plan.”
“I’m already here. Look out the window.”
Dora ran to the window and squinted. She saw nothing but pacing zombies. “
Where?
”
“Behind the oak tree by the cellar.”
She barely made out the dark shape of a huge werewolf.
“They’ll smell you.”
“Nah. I gave myself a mud bath. Remember, I’m a master at evading hunters, both human and werewolf.”
“So what do we do?”
A knock on the door startled her, and she cutoff communication. Theo entered. “What are you doing by the window?”
“It’s kind of hard to sleep with them moaning out there. Poor Melanie must be so scared. Please let me go to her.”
“The child is sound asleep. Apparently, she’s no longer disturbed by their
white
noise.”
Would children learn to sleep through zombie moans? What a horrible world. She weaved slightly. “Well, I for one am still disturbed by them. Never will get used to zombies or other beasts.” Dora rubbed her arms as a chill coursed through her, though not because of the hungry zombies outside her window. She wouldn’t let them shoot Dirk.
“Daddy!” Melanie’s scream pierced her heart.
Theo left to attend her and Dora followed. Like hell, she would let him stop her from comforting her niece. Mel sat on her bed whimpering. “Auntie!” She jumped off the bed and ran into Dora’s waiting arms.
“Honey, what’s wrong?”
She sniffled. “They killed him.”
Dora dried her eyes and smoothed her hair back. “Who?”
“The hungry men ate the man who was trying to climb over our fence at Marti’s house.” She squeezed Dora tighter. “Stay with me. I don’t want to sleep alone.”
“It was just a dream, honey.” Though it sounded like something she must have witnessed. She held Mel and turned to give Theo a questioning glance.
“Very well. We leave at dawn. By then the traitorous werewolf will be dispatched.” He patted his holster and gave her a warning glare before leaving and closing the door.
This door apparently did not lock. Not that she would use it to walk out with Mel, not with three werewolves and a mob of hungry zombies outside. Poor Mel had been traumatized enough. How many people had she seen being devoured by the
hungry people
? “Come on honey, let’s get some sleep.” The two curled in the small bed.
“Auntie Dora?”
“Yes?”
“Will we see Daddy Josh soon?”
Interesting, she didn’t ask about her other daddy. Had Josh explained Victor was not coming back? But how would he know for sure? “Yes, real soon, honey.” Dora kissed her and waited. Mel soon slept in her arms. Dora gazed at all the toys that once belonged to a child. In the corner stood a hobbyhorse. Kind of like a broom handle, but one with a palomino horse’s head. If she could fly with a shovel, why couldn’t she use a stick horse? She had to do something before Dirk sacrificed himself trying to rescue them.
Without disturbing Melanie, she quietly rolled out of bed and looked out the window. The breeze would have been pleasant had it not carried the sickening reek of rotting walking corpses. The zombies had ghoulishly moved from staring at both rooms to only this one. She opened the window. They would easily fit through. What if she couldn’t fly? They’d both meet a horrific death.
Theo’s car alarm suddenly blasted. Dirk! A few zombies shuffled toward the sound. Noise meant humans.
The downstairs door slammed open. A gun fired and a wolf’s piercing yelp echoed. NO! Had they shot Dirk with silver bullets? She dashed to the window and searched the darkness. It must have been him. Telepathically, she called to him.
“Dirk, my love? Are you hurt?”
Nothing. She glanced down at Theo.
Crap. Theo’s clothes tore, then his bones popped and cracked, making her wince at the sound of the rapid dislocations. A low growl escaped as his head morphed into that of a monstrous wolf. In seconds, a blood-curdling bipedal werewolf stood on the doorstep. He stared toward the woods, before releasing an earth-shattering howl.
Mel sat up. “Auntie, what’s happening?”
Dirk might be somewhere out there dying. Her heart broke, but what could she do? She couldn’t fight off three werewolves to get to him. Dora hoped he could return to Marti’s place and maybe then she could remove the bullet. But silver was lethal. Yet, his sister had survived. How would she get him to his veterinarian brother-in-law?
She had to take advantage of the distraction and escape. “Shh. Honey, we need to leave.” Dora hastily put on Melanie’s coat over her pajamas and then put on her shoes. Hurray, for Velcro straps. With trembling fingers, there was no way in hell she’d be able to tie a knot.
Mel asked, “How? The bad men are downstairs.” She shuddered and whispered, “And the hungry people.”
Battling back tears Dora twisted a smile. “Trust me.”
“Of course I do, you’re my auntie.”
She braced herself. “What the bad man said is true. I’m a witch and can fly.”
Mel scrunched her face. “You are?”
She grabbed the stick horse. “Mel, you hold onto me tight okay?”
“Are we going to fly like Harry Potter?” The classic first book was her favorite and she had given it to Mel on her last birthday.
Dora leaned the horse in front of the open window, climbed it and Mel wrapped her arms around her waist. “Better.” The stick buzzed in her hands as the strange witch energy coursed through her. “Hold me in a tight bear hug, Mel, and don’t let go.” Silly as it was, she rhymed a spell.
Hobbyhorse, use your might and take flight. Bring us to Josh’s sight away from the zombie blight.
She always did suck at poetry. Nonetheless, it worked and the stick vibrated and lifted.
Melanie gasped.
“Shh.” The broom cleared the window and flew, bumping up and down only a few feet from the flesh eaters and they dangled like an enticing meal.
The zombies barked stuttering moans, calling the attention of more undead that shambled from the woods. Jeez, at least two dozen. They extended their arms and flexed fingers toward them. Mel’s shrill scream surpassed the loud zombie yowls.
Dora wished she could tell Mel to close her eyes, but she had to continue repeating the spell if they were to stay afloat.
Theo’s monstrous form dashed onto the dirt road and growled at one of his goons. The beta bowed and headed into the woods with his gun. Had Dirk gotten away or was the werewolf simply retrieving his body? The alpha werewolf roared and thundered toward them, knocking down zombies in his way.
Dora almost lost her nerve and focus. The hobbyhorse dipped dangerously low and Melanie’s high pitched squeal rattled her maternal instinct.
“Auntie!” The tall hippie zombie grabbed Mel’s foot and she gripped Dora’s jacket and screamed while the zombie tugged.
“No!” The hobbyhorse wobbled. They were being dragged down to be eaten alive.
Mel shook her foot and her shoe began to loosen. “Auntie!”
Panic tore at Dora. Had she come so far only to lose her niece? Hell no! Mother grizzly rage filled her senses. She raised her biker boot heel and kicked the zombie on his head. Over and over, until his skull crunched. “Get off, you mother fucking zombie!” Still, it didn’t let go. The crescendo of moaning zombies grew deafening as the ghouls swarmed beneath them in a feeding frenzy. Mel’s squeals kept Dora’s maternal instincts on overdrive and she booted the zombie, digging a bloody hole in its skull and reaching gray matter. The hobbyhorse vibrated and buzzed, emitting sparks of light as it fought to take off. Another zombie climbed over the attacking zombie to get to them. The second zombie caused the hippie zombie to stumble and lose his hold from Mel’s foot. It fell back holding only her shoe. Her adrenalin in full gear, Dora no longer rhymed. “Broom fly!” Fortunately, the stick climbed. “Hold on, honey!”
Theo bellowed and slashed off zombie heads. His fanged maw spit foam as he ranted at the swarm blocking his way to his intended prey.
The hobbyhorse balanced about ten feet above the remaining hungry ghouls. The werewolf leapt toward them and they lifted mere inches from his extended claws.
Fly!
Dora willed it to move and they zoomed away. Theo howled in werewolf road-rage and chased them for miles before finally giving up. No, he wasn’t giving up. He would stalk her after making sure Dirk was dead.
Dora worried about Dirk, but she focused on getting Melanie back to the safety of Josh’s arms. Later she would come back for Dirk. To hell with rules. Dirk was her mate.
Chapter 18
Dora landed on the deck of Marti’s house. The flight had taken less than five minutes. She and the little girl slipped off the hobbyhorse. Dora hugged Mel tight and then released her. “Are you okay, honey?”
“Yes, Auntie.”
She took her niece’s hand and called, “Josh!”
He slammed the door open. “Melanie!”
Mel dashed to him. “Daddy!”
He picked her up and held her close, both in a silent embrace and tears. After the relief of their reunion, Josh glanced at Dora and looked around. “How did you? Where is the…Wolfman?”
Marti stood gaping. “The ground level alarms didn’t go off. Did you guys parachute in?”
The flight had not zapped her of as much energy as flying with the shovel had. Maybe her body had acclimated to her witchmacallit. No such luck. Dora’s energy drained, her legs weakened like cooked noodles and she collapsed in slow motion.
Josh knelt at her side. “Marti, get Dora some water.” Dora winced as Josh picked her up and carried her into the house. He set her on a sofa. Her head throbbed.
Mel sat at her feet. “Auntie Dora is tired from flying.”
Josh gave his daughter an incredulous look and turned his attention to Dora. “Just rest, sis.”
Marti rushed in with a glass of water. “Here, drink.”
Dora guzzled the entire glass. Her headache, diminishing. Good. Recovery time was lessening, or was it the water? Maybe her strength returned when hydrated. At least she had controlled her flight. She tried to get up but Josh gently pushed her back. “I need to get back to Dirk. He’s hurt.” That and she needed to make sure the Benandanti didn’t follow her back and harm her family.
“Sis, you’re not going anywhere. You’re as pale as a sheet. I want you around so you can use your Hawaii cruise twenty-eighth birthday present.”
“Please, I need to help Dirk. Honest, I was just thirsty.” Truth was, she did feel weak, but she couldn’t let Dirk die. She mustered every bit of strength and forced herself to stand. If they shot him with silver bullets, she’d need to operate as soon as possible. “Marti, Dirk was shot. I’ll need a first aid kit.”
Marti nodded. “No problem. I have a med-kit backpack, with a few surgical knives and plenty of bandages.” She’d been a former army nurse turned zookeeper before starting the sanctuary.
“Thanks.”
Josh gave her a mirthless smile and sighed. “Okay, but I’m driving.”
“No. You stay with Mel.”
Marti volunteered. “I know all the roads, I’ll take her.”
“Did I mention I now have frequent flyer miles on Hobbyhorse Air?”
Mel tugged at his shirt. “Daddy, she can fly on the horsey.”
Josh gave Dora a sidelong glance. “You mean that horse toy on the deck?”
“We flew away but the hungry man took my shoe.” Melanie pointed at her left foot.
Josh shook his head. “Dirk said you could fly but how could I possibly believe that?”
“Remember the bad guys are looking for the wicked witch? That would be me.”
Mel nodded. “Auntie is a manyŏ.”
Dora raised a brow. “I’m a what?”
Josh smiled. “Manyŏ is Korean for witch. We learned it from one of her books.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and then turned to Dora and lowered his voice, “Okay, we need to talk.”
“Sorry, I’ll explain later.” She grabbed the backpack from Marti. “Thanks.” She blew him a kiss and opened the door.
He chased her out the door. “Wait!”
Dora turned and twisted a smile. “You can ground me later, big bro.” She mounted the stick and closed her eyes, focusing on a new rhyme.
Mighty horse-head broom, go above. Seek the man I love.
The hobbyhorse vibrated and lifted
.
Josh gaped and Marti gasped. He stepped forward. “You really are…”
Mel chorused. “I told you. I told you, she can fly.”
Dora’s head throbbed, but it didn’t matter, she had to reach Dirk quick.
This time I plead, fly with great speed.
She hung on repeating the mantra. The stick torpedoed above the tree line and then aligned itself horizontally. She held on for dear life as it zoomed in the direction of the estate.
****
Dirk waited hidden behind a mound of poison oak shrubbery. Fortunately, werewolves were immune to the plant’s toxic oils. Theo’s beta stalked him with orders to shoot him with silver bullets. The alpha coward broke werewolf protocol. Silver could never be used against another werewolf. The packs would hear about this. The beta had shot at him and missed by only a hair’s length, hitting a tree. His convincing yelp assured them that he was now dying of silver poisoning. He grinned. Too bad their plan to finish him off would fail.
Dirk used his claw to cut his arm, leaving a blood trail for them to follow and draw them away from the home. He’d take out each in his stealthy manner and then return for Dora and her niece. Odd, she had not tried to communicate. His heart drummed in fury. Had they harmed her?