Fear exploded through me, and I jerked at the rope, the abrasions on my skin splitting open. Warm liquid trickled down my fingers and pooled on the floor. The moans and grunts mutated into snarls, the zombies whipping into an abrupt frenzy.
They’d scented my fear.
I forced myself to still.
“I had hoped you would realize we were the better choice,” Dr. Wright said with a sigh. “Your abilities intrigue me.”
“Too bad, because I would rather die than help you.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say.” She smiled with ice-cold assurance. “But when you become a zombie, do you really think you’ll be able to resist me? You see, the ropes are laced with the chemical Cole uses for his Blood Lines. The zombies can’t break them, which allows us to maneuver the creatures wherever we desire. And when we put the zombies with a human, instinct takes over.” Dad hissed at her, and Dr. Wright glowered at him. “Enough.”
He wrenched at his own binding.
Jaclyn stumbled. “Dr. Wright—”
“You will behave yourself,” she snapped, and I wasn’t sure whether she was talking to the girl or to my father. “Do you want me to feed Ali to other zombies?”
My dad, then. He gave another wrench, a much harder one, and this time Jaclyn was forced to release him or topple to the ground.
“Stop—”
He sprang at Dr. Wright, clawing and biting at her, but he couldn’t get past her suit.
Dr. Wright grabbed hold of his rope and attempted to wrestle him to the ground. “Enough of that, Mr. Bell. You’ve already earned Ali’s punishment. Now you’re working on your own.”
“Taste!” my father shouted.
I heard shrieks erupt behind me, the rush of footsteps.
“They’re escaping, Dr. Wright,” someone shouted.
“Keep with protocol!” she demanded.
Hisses of determination sounded next. More footsteps. Then more still, though these were lighter. People screamed. Zombies grunted. Then sharp needle-like pricks were jabbing at my neck and shoulders, shooting acid straight into my veins. I screamed and flailed as my chair fell forward. I tried to slip out of my body, desperate to protect myself and fight, but my strength was compromised by all that acid. At least my bonds finally loosened, and I was able to free my arms.
I twisted and batted at what could only be a nest of zombies—but my hands merely ghosted through them. They were spirits, and I was human. The original biters stumbled away from me, gasping, choking, but that didn’t help me. Line after line of zombies wanted a turn with me, and the next line simply surged forward.
“Daddy!” I screamed.
Maim…
Kill…
Destroy…
The thoughts bombarded me, as every point of contact with the zombies scalded me. Soon I felt as if someone had peeled away my skin, exposing raw muscle.
The second line stumbled away, and the third stepped up to the plate. They were like sharks, burrowing deep, past skin, muscle and hitting bone, uncaring about the bright light shining down on them.
Maim…kill…destroy…
No, I thought. No! I would not give in. People could fight the evil urges, Cole had said, and I would fight. If I could win this battle, maybe I could survive the infection.
Maimkilldestroy…
NO!
“Stop,” I said. “You will stop.”
One by one, all of the lines began to fall away, unable to resist the power of my words, natural realm or not. When there was no one else around me, I still couldn’t force myself to rise. My entire body felt bathed by flames.
“Stay…back,” I rasped.
From this angle, I could see the entire room. Several hazmats were lying on the ground, struggling to escape. Zombies, so many zombies, tried to claw past their suits. Zombies littered the floor, practically climbed the walls, and swung from the equipment. The ones who had yet to attack me formed a wall at my left, shaking with the need to return to me.
Maybe they would have broken free of my faith-filled demand, but suddenly my dad loomed over me, his big body blocking them. His eyes flashed red in the light, and he licked his lips…lowered his head… “Join me. Will join me.”
His words were as powerful as mine, and I found myself trying to sit up to reach him. “Daddy, I love you. Please, help me. You have to help me.”
A howl rent the air, followed by another and another. The zombies that had formed the wall, wanting a go at me, were collapsing, their bodies spasming.
“Ali!” I heard from across the room.
Cole! Cole was here!
Maim—
No! I thought again. NO.
My dad straightened, turning to confront the newest threat.
“Ali!” Cole shouted again.
“Cole! I’m here.”
More howls erupted, this time followed by groans of pain.
The battle between zombies and slayers had begun.
My dad fought beside me, tossing his fellow zombies into the walls, away from me. Adrenaline pumped through me. If I stayed in this spot, he would, too, and one of the slayers would kill him. And with the way my dad was helping me…well, I couldn’t let that happen. He was fighting the evil, too!
I closed my eyes and tuned out every ounce of my pain. It wasn’t easy, but I found a way, the intensity of my determination allowing nothing else. Slowly, my spirit began to rise from my body…rise…I can do this…the moment I was completely free, I experienced a rush of strength, the cold air battling the fever heat. Cole tossed me two daggers.
A zombie rushed toward my dad from the left, but he was occupied with the one on his right. Leaping into action, I crisscrossed my arms—nailed a jugular—parted my arms, swung—nailed another. My body arced forward and back, my feet constantly moving me through the swarming masses. But even if I’d lacked skill, I would have dominated. These zombies were weaker than any I’d fought.
I lost sight of my dad. From the corner of my eye, I spied Cole, fighting just as fiercely as I was. He was covered in black gunk, riddled with scratches, but still he fought. For me. To save me. To kill those who would destroy us all. Haun was behind him, but he wasn’t on his feet. He was lying flat on his back and unmoving as my dad—no, no, no—burrowed inside his body, vanishing, then rising and moving on, black goo on his chin. Trina fought in front of Haun in a desperate bid to save him, even as zombies chewed at her legs.
I battled my way toward them. Someone hit me from behind, knocking me down. My forehead banged into something—a body. At least it cushioned my fall. A second later, teeth were in my leg and more fire was winding through me. I kicked with my other leg, dislodging whoever it was.