Page 82 of Glitter Rose
He’s dead.
My brother is?—
She’s pregnant. With?—
My feet barely find purchase on slick grass, and Knox’s hand clamps around my wrist, keeping me upright when my knees threaten to buckle.
“SUV should be right ahead.” His eyes constantly sweep back toward the compound.
“I didn’t want him dead.” My legs give out. “I just wanted to be free.”
Knox catches and lifts me into his arms. “Sometimes those are the same thing.”
We’re halfway down the hillside when he halts. My heart bottoms out as shadowy figures emerge from the trees, staggering with that too-familiar gait that screams danger. Five—no, six zombies.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I clutch Knox’s arm.
He sets me down carefully, eyes scanning for options. “Miller, get behind us.”
“The explosion,” Miller whispers. “It must have drawn them.”
“Shut up.” Knox’s voice is steel. “Paris, you still have that blade?”
I gather Min-ji’s gift from my sleeve, the cold metal suddenly inadequate against rotting flesh and gnashing teeth. “This toothpick?”
Miller’s breathing comes in panicked bursts. “We’re fucked. They’ll be on us in seconds.”
Think, Paris. What would Telly tell you? You need to function right now.
“Wait,” I say. “They can’t see me.” As long as I’m not hostile, they won’t attack me. So what if I clean them up from behind while Knox and Miller make noise to cover mine?
“No.” Knox’s fingers tighten on my shoulder. “Whatever you’re thinking. Don’t.”
“Give me a bigger knife.”
He shakes his head. “You stay behind me.”
“We don’t have time.”
Muscles flex beneath the stubbled skin of his jaw. Without breaking eye contact, he reaches behind him and retrieves a hunting knife from his belt.
“You and Miller stay put.” I stash the toothpick of a knife back into my sleeve and grab the real knife from Knox’s hand. “Make enough noise to keep their attention on you. I’ll circle behind and take them out one by one.”
“That’s suicide,” Knox says.
“No, it’s math. Six of them, three of us. You two distract, I exterminate. Simple.”
Miller’s face has gone ghost-white. “We’re all going to die.”
“You’re worse than Telly.” I roll my eyes. “Look, I’ve walked past hundreds of these things. As long as I don’t startle them, they won’t even know I’m there. But I need you to keeptheir attention on you.” I never quite tested that theory, but it has to work.
Knox grabs my wrist, his grip firm but not painful. “Paris?—”
“Trust me.” I meet his gaze, letting him see the woman who survived alone for a year, not the half-starved prisoner he rescued. “I can do this.” At least this, after I couldn’t kill my own brother to save us.
“But—”
I press a quick kiss to his lips. “Don’t die.”
