05

I sighed through dead lungs.

Honestly, being a zombie during the apocalypse wasn't the worst arrangement.

Then I'd found Ethan. Then I'd gotten my mind back. Then I'd had to watch him hold Avery while she slept.

My cloudy eyes reflected the two of them tangled together.

At least I'd paid him back before the world ended.

I owed him nothing.

Something rustled outside the gas station.

I turned toward the sound.

Dozens of eyes gleamed beyond the broken windows.

Oh, fantastic.

Zombie wolves.

“Hrrrk! Hrrrk!”

I fought the ropes. Everyone else slept like the dead, which felt insulting under the circumstances.

“Hrrrk!”

If they wanted to die, fine. They didn't get to take me with them.

I kicked a loose stone. It skidded across the floor and struck Ethan in the head.

He sat up with one hand clamped over his temple. The movement woke Avery.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

Ethan glared at me. “Are you trying to die?”

I jerked my chin toward the windows and snarled as loudly as I could.

We're all trying to die, apparently.

His expression changed. He rose in one smooth motion and kicked Logan's boot.

“Up. Something's outside.”

Logan pushed himself upright, blinking. “What thing? The only dangerous thing in here is tied to the post.”

I snapped my teeth at him.

I wouldn't have warned any of them if I weren't scared too. Zombie wolves bit anything that moved, including other zombies, and I had no interest in losing an arm.