Page 14 of Cruel Devotion

Crystal chandeliers cast a spectral glow over the room.

I rushed in.

Lei slammed the door shut.

Gripping my machete, I gazed around the space. “What should we do now?”

Lei stepped forward. “We will see soon.”

We tiptoed onto the large, empty dance floor that once pulsated with music and laughter. Now it was just an abandoned, hollow space.

The tall windows were framed by heavy velvet curtains in a deep shade of red, their folds partially blocking out the moonlight.

In the corners of the room, overturned chairs and long-forgotten wine glasses hinted at a celebration that had been abruptly ended.

Lei put his shotgun down and looked at me. “We are safe for now.”

“Maybe.” I lowered my machete. “But we should probably head away from here too.”

“Let’s stay.”

“Why?”

“I just need a few silent minutes with you, Monique.”

“We don’t have the time—”

“We must create it.” Quick, Lei’s hand wrapped around the nape of my neck, pulling me close until our breaths mingled in a rush.

The horrifying groans of zombies filled the air, but for that moment, time stood still.

We gravitated toward each other, pulsing with a force much stronger than fear.

He kissed me, and his soft, inviting mouth melted with mine.

Our lips danced.

There was a sweet taste of promise, a hint of what could be, and the assurance that even in the direst of circumstances, love could find its way.

As we pulled away, Lei’s eyes were dark with desire, and I felt a warmth bloom within me.

But the groans of the zombies outside jarred me back to reality.

I whispered. “We have to keep moving,”

Lei’s voice was husky with longing. “Or we can find a place to hide in this mansion, and I can finally make love to you.”

“We have to survive.”

“Or we can truly live.”

I hesitated, my heart torn between the urgency of our situation and the need for Lei’s touch.

But before I could make a decision, the door rattled with a force that made the chandeliers tremble.

Lei lifted his shotgun. “Goddamn it. They’re about to come through.”

I raised my machete. “And I don’t think there is another exit.”

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