Sage wasn't sure she should go anywhere with him. Though she had to admit he was a sight to behold with that sword. "The next one? What? You murdered that guy."
"He was already dead."
She didn't get a chance to argue. The grunts and shuffling of a fight broke out inside the parking garage. After sharing a look, both of them ran around the corner without a word. Just inside, Ariston fought against two men attempting to drag someone on to the ground.
Adonis!
Her heart swelled with both recognition and terror. Then a rush of air from her right nearly threw her off her feet. Pan flew forward on freaking enormous, black bat wings and knocked the two attackers to the ground. When his wings folded onto his back, Pan checked that she was okay. His eyes were glowing full red. His features flickered with what looked like a struggle to retain his human face over something…not so human. It had a long snout and ram horns like Zale had. His human face won the battle.
What the hell? Add that to the list of Pan questions that grew by the minute. But, right then, she only cared about one thing. Sage raced to Adonis and kneeled beside him, sucking in a breath as she skinned both of her knees through the thin material of her borrowed pants. She felt for a pulse on his neck and sighed in relief to find him breathing. He'd said it took a lot to kill him, but it was nice to know for sure he was okay. She glanced up in time to watch Pan kill one of the attackers, and then he and Ariston went after the other one.
What the actual fuck was happening?
"Letum."
She turned back to Adonis who groaned and rubbed his forehead. "What?" If he were incoherent, something serious could be wrong. Wait, wasn't that the Latin term for the zombie things they were talking about earlier? "I thought those were a joke."
"Wish they were." He struggled to sit up and she helped him. "Shit, my whole body hurts."
Pan cut the other guy's head off and Ariston made quick work of stabbing both bodies in the hearts.
"Are they really zombies?" She shuddered. The one she'd seen up close had moved like a zombie, maybe not quite as slow as the ones in movies and television, and he'd had bleeding gums. The guy certainly had smelled the way she'd imagined a zombie would.
Ariston joined the conversation as Sage helped Adonis to his feet. He was heavier than he looked when nearly toppled, but she supported him. "We don't know how many there are."
Another scream pierced the night.
"Or how many new ones there will be by the time we find the first set," Pan added grimly.
Sage looked at them each in turn and barked out a laugh. She quickly covered her mouth as they all stared at her. Clearing her throat, she retrieved the dagger from the sheath in her back pocket and said in her most deadpanned voice, "Happy Halloween. Let's go stop the zombie apocalypse, shall we?"
17
"You took your sweet time getting here," Myrine said dryly. "I was beginning to think you listened to my advice and went home."
Chrys flicked his gaze to the side where the Amazon queen took a fighting stance next to him, spear at the ready. She was beautiful in her leather pants and black tank top. Blood ran from a cut on her shoulder, making her appear even more the fearless fighter. He wished he hadn't had to miss part of the battle to get there. Perhaps he could have spared her that injury, though she wore it as a badge of courage. She was every inch an Amazon warrior. "There was a complication."
Understatement where Dionysus was involved.
"Oh?" Myrine said pointedly. "I can't wait to hear all about that if you survive this. Brace yourself. When his neck glows gold, fire is about to erupt from its throat."
"Good to know." Chrys hastily pulled the spear from over his shoulder, discarding the rope he'd used to secure it across his back. The big black dragon glared at him while its wings beat heavily above the trees. How did such a large creature hide? "Why isn't he attacking?"
Myrine laughed. "Don't worry. He will." She paused to meet his gaze, a sparkle of combat in her eye. He hadn't seen such a look in centuries, and her beauty and drive took his breath away. "He's recharging above range of the spears…from the ground."
As she spoke, she raised her fist over her head, and warrior cries echoed high above as several spears shot out of the trees around the dragon. Many stuck through his wings and hind legs. He roared in fury at the blind attack.
It struck Chrys then why he'd been led into battle later than the others. He gawked at Myrine. "You used me as a distraction?" The dragon had been focused on him alone and hadn't noticed the vrykolakas climbing the trees. It was a clever strategy, but he wished he'd been informed of it. Had she not trusted he would arrive in order to do it?
"Look out!" Myrine shouted and grabbed his arm as she entered a run. She was faster than him, and he stumbled, dropping his weapon so he didn't hurt her as he dragged her down. Flames erupted mere feet away, in the spot he'd been standing moments ago, and he rolled on top of her to shield her from the heat. Though they were out of direct range, the intensity of it scorched his skin enough that he was sure to have blisters. Luckily, they'd heal by morning.
"We'll meet again, satyr, when you are not hiding behind a bunch of sneaky females." The voice of the dragon slithered
