Page 1 of Her Shadow

1

KARA

The streets had returned to that eerie, deep silence Kara hated so much. All she could hear was her own deep, labored breaths. She felt her lungs burning as she fought to keep moving. The only problem was that she didn’t know why she was bothering. Where else was there left to go? Nowhere. She had no one waiting for her. They were gone. Her legs felt like lead, her shoulder throbbing with every step she took.

It’s no good. I can’t do it. I’m never going to make it.

But she forced herself to keep moving. Every time she shuffled forward, she kicked up small clouds of dust. Buildings loomed overhead, their windows gaping like hollow eyes, staring down at her as though they could see the inevitable.

You’re going to die, Kara.

Only a week ago, she had been heading up her team—people who had actually become her friends—on a routine scouting mission, one of dozens she’d led since the outbreak. The goal was as easy as they came: get in, get out, grab stuff, and head back to Fort Haven as quickly as your legs could carry you. But it would seem that the undead had other plans that day. Then again, they always did, didn’t they?

I’m the only one left.

She hadn’t dared think about it until now. The idea of just how alone she was was something she felt deep in her gut. It was a mixture of grief and guilt she could in no way afford to process fully. Every last one of them was gone. The horde had torn them apart before any of them had even had time to react. And yet here she was, alive by some twist of fate. She turned her head to examine her shoulder. She could see the blood leaking from the wound, her mind spinning from the shock and exhaustion.

Was I bitten? Scratched? Fuck!

Kara had fallen. She’d tripped and torn her skin on some broken glass. She remembered now. The undead hadn’t gotten anywhere near her.

Calm your shit down. You’re fine.

As she leaned against the corner of a broken-down vehicle, her vision started blurring. She tried to calm down her breathing. She knew she was fading fast. Her body was begging her to rest, to lie on the ground, but to do so would be a death sentence.

Her hands trembled as she pushed herself upright, her eyes darting to the horizon where the sun was beginning to dip. It would disappear within half an hour, and the cold would come. She needed shelter, and she needed it now.

A sound drifted through the air, just faint enough to stop her train of thought—a low, guttural moan. Her heart kicked into overdrive, adrenaline forcing her to snap back into focus. She pressed her back to the nearest wall, wincing, and scanned the street. The source of the moan wasn’t visible yet, but it didn’t have to be. She knew exactly what it meant.

They were near. The dead. The undead.

She needed to weigh up her options. Running was the first thing that came to mind, but her legs were barely holding her up. Could she find a hiding spot and hope that whatever was outthere passed her by? She couldn’t hear any footsteps yet, just that low, desperate sound of hunger.

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the cool stone behind her head. Kara was a firm believer in mindfulness. She focused on her five senses to help block out the surge of panic threatening to burst out of her chest. But she could barely hear anything. The sound of her heartbeat roaring in her ears drowned out everything else. She couldn’t cope. Not after losing to her team. Not after?—

Suddenly, she spotted a rapid movement just on the boundary of her field of vision which snapped her out of her thoughts. It was too fast and too deliberate to be an undead. She didn’t have time to react before a cold hand clamped over her mouth.

“Don’t say a word,” a firm voice hissed in her ear.

The hand over her mouth was strong…a woman’s…but Kara somehow didn’t feel under threat, yet she tensed up, her fight-or-flight response kicking in. But something about the touch held her in place—there was no malice in it.

What the hell is this?

“Don’t move,” the voice said again, softer now but still commanding.

Kara’s pulse quickened as the reality of the situation sank in. Whoever had grabbed her wasn’t a threat. She felt it instinctively. Her racing thoughts slowed just enough for her to take in her surroundings. They had ducked into a narrow alleyway. It was dark enough to hide them from view. She could hear the soft shuffle of footsteps now, the distinctive sound of feet dragging. It was growing louder, getting closer. The undead. One or more of them. And they were still hunting.

The stranger’s body pressed against hers as they both stilled. She synchronized her breathing with that of the stranger in an effort to remain undetected. Kara could hardly bear the tensionin the air. Her life was hanging by a thread for the umpteenth time that day. One wrong move and it would all be over.

Then the moaning came. It grew louder and louder as the stench of decay filled the alley, making Kara’s stomach churn. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying to overpower her gag reflex.

Don’t breathe. Don’t move. Just wait.

The zombie passed by, its clumsy shuffle fading into the distance. Kara let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Slowly, the stranger released her hold, stepping back just enough to give her room to breathe.

“You’re safe. For now,” the voice said, still low but less urgent than earlier.

Kara turned around to face the woman, her knees shaking as she looked straight into the eyes of the person who’d just saved her life. Her dark pupils met Kara’s, steady and assessing. She had a strong, angular face framed by wavy, knotted blonde hair and a few streaks of dirt across her brow. Her gaze flicked down to Kara’s shoulder, narrowing slightly.

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