Shattered World (Broken World Book 2) (6 page)

Every muscle in my body tenses. Angus and Axl step forward since they’re the only two who are armed. The door slowly eases open, and a mist of frozen air puffs out. I hold my breath, but nothing happens. It’s dark in the freezer, so it’s difficult to see in, but as far as I can tell there’s no movement.

Hadley lets out a sigh of relief just as Trey shrugs and says, “Maybe he didn’t turn.”

Winston mimics his shrug. James shakes his head like he thinks we’re all a bunch of morons prone to overreacting. Who knows? Maye we are.

Axl’s arm relaxes. “Guess not.”

A high-pitched scream fills the room, and every hair on my body stands on end. Something runs toward us, faster than any of us can react. James jumps back three feet, and Winston’s hand slips off the handle when the door bursts toward him. Axl steps in front of me and Hadley while bringing his knife forward.

He ends up pushing me to the side and I stumble back, tripping over my own two feet. The smell hits me just as I slam against the floor. It’s muted, thanks to the freezer, but it’s still death. Like an animal rotting on the side of the road as you drive by in a car.

The pilot rushes forward. He’s coated in a layer of ice. Like the first frost that covers your grass in the fall. His skin is blue instead of the usual gray, and the rotting is minimal. But his eyes are still milky and wild as he charges at Angus.

Luckily, Angus is ready, and for once his rage is useful. He actually has a smile on his face. The dead pilot runs toward him with his mouth wide and his arms reaching, and Angus steps forward to meet him. He brings the blade of his knife down so hard that the crack of bone vibrates through the room. The body drops to the ground, and black goo oozes from the cut. The smell is so rank that my stomach lurches uncontrollably.

Hadley coughs and covers her nose, and for a moment she looks like she’s going to hurl. I crawl back a few inches to get out of the way.

“Guess cold don’t stop ‘em,” Angus says. He spits, and a drop of brown liquid lands on the pilot’s back. His clothes are crisp from the freezer, making the circle of saliva stand out.

“At least we know,” Winston says, and Trey nods.

James stands to the side with his mouth hanging open. He doesn’t even blink. The expression on his face reminds me of the way I felt when I realized the dead were walking the Earth. This was his first opportunity to get up close and personal with one of the bodies. He looks like he might be a little in shock. I’m glad he isn’t going with us tomorrow.

I’m still on the floor, and when Angus turns, he flashes me one of his signature monkey grins. “While you’re down there, Blondie…” He motions toward his crotch while my insides convulse.

I blow the hair off my forehead and push myself up. “Keep dreaming, Angus.”

“I plan on it.” He shoves the knife back in its sheath.

I feel like I need to wash my brain out with soap and water.

Axl glares at his brother, then focuses on me. “You okay?”

“Other than the giant bruise that I’m sure to have on my ass? Yup.”

“Sorry. Instinct.” He shrugs, and doesn’t look very apologetic.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Trey cracks his neck, and I cringe. I hate that sound. “Guess we better bury this guy.”

Hadley’s face is white, and I’m not sure she would survive a trip to the surface right now. Plus, I feel like I’m covered in a layer of slime after Angus’s comment. I grab Hadley’s arm and turn to the elevator without even looking at anyone else. I need a shower. “We’re going to head back to my condo. Have fun with that.”

6

“ARE YOU SCARED?” Hadley asks.

I look up from the dresser and chew on my bottom lip. She stands in the doorway of my bedroom while I dig through the closet and dresser. Her skin is still pale after her first encounter with the undead, and her eyes look too big for her face. She reminds me of a frightened child.

              “I don’t know.” I bite down harder on my lip and think about going, about facing a city full of those monsters. About the possibility of not coming back. Of someone else not coming back.

I look away from Hadley and stare at the carpet. The tightness in my stomach when I think about something happening to Axl tells me exactly what I’m afraid of. I don’t want to lose anyone else, especially not him.

“You scared of losing him?”

It’s like she’s reading my mind. When I tear my gaze away from the floor, her emerald eyes are calmer. Curious, even. She studies me like she’ll be able to read my mind if she looks hard enough.

She walks in and sits on the edge of my unmade bed. “You could have just told me this morning that something was going on between you two.”

“Nothing is.” I sit next to her. “Not yet, anyway.”

“That isn’t what it seemed like when you two came out of the sauna.”

“It’s complicated. Axl is complicated. This thing has been hovering over us since I got sick.”

Hadley’s eyebrows shoot up. Oh yeah, she doesn’t know about that.

“We were traveling. We’d just picked up Joshua and just learned how bad the virus really was. Axl, Angus, and I were waiting to see if we’d catch it. We didn’t know if we were immune.” I stare at my hands as the memory presses down on me. I’ll never forget how hopeless I felt when I thought I was going to die. “I woke up one morning sick and we thought it was the end. Angus wanted to ditch me, but Axl wouldn’t let him. He took care of me. Better than my own mother ever did.”

“You should go to his condo, have some time with him before you head out. What if one of you doesn’t make it back?”

My whole body tenses, and I can’t take my eyes off my nails. The red polish is chipped now, probably from fighting off the dead. I guess having nice nails is a thing of the past. I should peel them off. They’re not real, anyway. Not much of who I was before all this started was real. Not my nails, not my hair, not my boobs. Not even my personality. When I stole all my dad’s cash and ran out on him, I did everything in my power to change who I was. Worked on dropping my low-class dialect, took a few college courses, bought nice clothes. I wanted anyone who saw me to think I was someone, because I had always felt like nothing. It was all just a show, though. At the end of the day, I still went to a club and danced naked for cash, then crawled home to my hole of an apartment.

It wasn’t until the virus hit that I started to feel like I belonged somewhere. How pathetic is that?

“Are you still here?” Hadley asks.

I look up and let out a tense laugh. “Yeah. Kinda. Just thinking things through.”

“It’s obvious you want to be with him, so do it.”

I swallow and nod slowly, but I’m not sure. Which would be worse? Having one night with him and watching him die, or never having a night with him at all? “Maybe that will make it harder. Being there in the middle of all that, trying not to focus on him.”

“You should at least talk to him.”

She has a point.

I jump off the bed and take a deep breath like I’ve decided what to do, even though I still feel as lost as I did the day my mom walked out on me. “Well, I’m going to have to go somewhere, because there is nothing in this condo I can wear.” I glare at the closet. I’ve been searching for something suitable to wear while killing the living dead. There’s nothing, of course. I’d be set if I were getting ready to walk down the red carpet, though. “Did your friend think she was packing for the Academy Awards or what?”

Hadley laughs and shakes her head, but her expression is pained. It’s going to be a while before any of us can think about the past without being sad. “That’s just how she was. She loved being the center of attention.”

I snort. “I can relate.” It’s usually a trait people use to cover up insecurity, but I don’t say that to Hadley. No reason to trash her friend. It’s not like she’s coming back. Well, she probably did, but none of us will ever be back in Hollywood to know for sure.

***

It takes me three tries before I get up the nerve to knock on the door, and even then my hand shakes. Why am I so nervous? I wasn’t nervous in the sauna earlier so it just seems stupid now.

Angus answers the door, of course. Luck has never been on my side.

He purses his lips and crosses his arms over the chest, then leans against the doorframe like he wants to prevent me from going in. “You come for more condoms or to fuck my brother?”

I roll my eyes and fight the urge to punch him. It isn’t easy. “God, Angus, can you ever just be normal? I came to see if there are any women’s clothes in this condo. There’s nothing but evening wear and lingerie in mine.”

He grunts and pushes himself off the wall, then steps aside so I can walk in. “In the back bedroom.”

“Thanks,” I say as I head back.

I push the door open without knocking. Angus didn’t indicate that anyone was in the room, so it’s a bit of a shock to find Axl standing there with his back to me. His hair is damp like he just showered. Probably had to after dragging a body to the surface. He’s shirtless, and his pants sit low on his hips, revealing the waistband of his boxers. God, he’s sexy.

He turns around, and my heart pounds when the corner of his mouth twitches just a bit. I’ve come to love that little half-smile. “Don’t you knock?”

“I was looking for some sensible clothes. Jeans and a t-shirt. Mine are all dirty,” I blurt out.

I realize it doesn’t answer his question, but at the moment I’m too focused on his bare chest to think straight.

He tilts his head toward the dresser. “There’re some in there.”

He’s as laid-back as usual, but I don’t get how he can be after that moment in the sauna. It’s doesn’t make sense. My legs wobble as I walk across the room, and my heart races whenever I look at him. But he just watches me, as calm as always.

I open the dresser and dig through it, doing my best not to look back at him. It doesn’t really work, though. He hasn’t put a shirt on, and I’m distracted by it. I’m having a difficult time holding back.

Even with the distraction it only takes a moment to find a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that will work. Nothing warm, though. No sweatshirts or jackets. That may be a problem. It’s warm now, but this is the desert. The nights will be chilly, and who knows how long we’ll be out there. I want to be prepared for anything.

I jump when Axl’s hands touch my shoulders. He brushes my hair aside and runs his fingers down my arms. When his lips skim the back of my neck, my legs almost give out. It’s so soft and tender, so sensual. I turn to face him, and his stormy eyes search mine. Then he kisses me.

I close my eyes and it takes two seconds for me to forget all my doubts and worries. I run my nails down his bare back while his mouth attacks mine hungrily. Like he’s trying to devour me. I run my tongue over his lips. The subtle taste of vodka is still there from his earlier shot.

He nips at my bottom lip, then kisses his way down my neck. Thanks to the ridiculous wardrobe Hadley’s friend left behind, I’m braless and the dress I’m wearing is low-cut. He takes advantage of it. I gasp when his hands cup my breasts and he runs his tongue between them.

He pinches my nipples, and I gasp again. I open my eyes, and my gaze lands on the pile of clothes sitting on top of the dresser. The clothes I’m going to wear to Vegas. To kill the dead.

No. This is a bad idea.

I step back on wobbly legs. My dress is pulled down, exposing my breasts. I cover myself and shake my head. “I’m not sure if this is such a good idea.” It takes everything in me to get the words out, because I want to be with him, I really do. But I’m afraid it might make things too difficult when we’re in danger.

He swallows and stretches his neck like he’s in pain. I almost give in when the muscles in his shoulders flex. I love strong shoulders. They make me feel safe, like he can handle anything.

“Sure would complicate things,” he whispers.

I swallow and try to take a step back before I attack him, but the dresser is behind me. I end up bumping into it. He’s so close and his shirt is still off and he looks so amazing and my brain is still fuzzy from kissing him. I need to focus on something else.

I take a deep breath. “Why did you pick the three of us to go with you?”

He frowns and steps back, then scratches his chest and sighs. “Didn’t think it’d be such a great idea to have Angus out there with Winston and Trey.”

Winston and Trey are both black, and Angus has a history of being racist. Makes sense.

“And me?”

He winces, and his eyes flit away. “Wanted to keep an eye on you.”

My heart constricts, and the urge to attack him returns full force. I’ve never had anyone want to look after me. Not my parents or the endless line of losers I dated. Only Axl.

He looks up, and we stare at each other for a few seconds. There are a million things I could say, but I don’t speak.

After what seems like forever he says, “Was brave of Hadley to volunteer. She’s somethin’.”

My insides tighten. That look on his face when Hadley yelled at Mitchell… Was it just admiration? “Men do seem to love her.”

His gray eyes search my face, and he presses his lips together. Not his usual expression, something different. “Not me,” he says slowly. “She ain’t my type. I’d be afraid she’d break in half.”

I laugh, and my muscles unravel like a ball of yarn. “So what’s your type?”

“I always liked curvy girls myself.”

He takes a step closer. His hands rest on my hips for a second before moving up. They caress every curve and my cheeks heat up. My blood still simmers from a few seconds ago, and now that his hands are on me again, it starts to boil.

His hands stop on my cheeks, and he pulls me forward. Then his lips are on mine, and everything fades away. The kiss is softer this time. Sensual and slow.

I want him so bad that my body hums at his nearness. But waiting would be better. Wouldn’t it? My heart pounds when I pull away. “Would it make things too complicated in Vegas if we slept together now?”

His hands drop to his sides, and he sighs. He swipes his hand through his dirty blond hair. “Probably,” he says. “We should hold off for now, wait ‘til things have settled down a bit.”

“What if they don’t?” My voice is breathless, almost desperate. That’s how I feel. Like if I don’t have him now I’m throwing away my only chance at happiness.

He gives me a half-smile and shrugs. He doesn’t seem to have an answer to that question. Then again, neither do I.