Zoe sat on the couch as the others checked the apartment and set up their computers and other tech. Karmen had this huge zombie man with her that she kept calling Beast, and when he stomped through the house, the floor shook.
He scared Zoe a little bit, but Karmen kept telling her she was in control of him.
“Where will he sleep?” Zoe asked.
“He’ll keep watch outside the door,” Karmen said with a wink. “Zombies don’t need to sleep.”
“And you’re sure you’ve got a lock on him?” Noah asked. “It won’t drop if you fall asleep or something?”
“No, I’ve got him,” Karmen said. “I’ll have the others set up all around the building and I’ll keep the bird in the sky, watching out for any hordes and making sure we don’t have any surprises while we rest.”
“How are you holding up?” Parrish touched Noah’s hand, and Zoe blushed again.
Yeah, they were definitely an item now, which made her happy. Her sister had practically swooned over the dude since the day he moved in across the street.
He was cute, too, but he was a mess. From the looks of it, he’d gotten hurt worse than any of them today.
“I’m going to go clean up a little bit, and then I think we all need to eat something. It’s been a long day,” he said.
But before he took off to one of the bedrooms, he crouched down in front of her.
“Hey,” he said. “Remember me?”
Zoe laughed and rolled her eyes. “It’s been a while and your face is messed up, but it hasn't been that long,” she said. “We did live across the street from each other all my life.”
Noah smiled. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re safe,” he said.
Zoe threw her arms around him.
“Thank you for coming with Parrish,” she said. “If there was anyone she’d have wanted at her side, I know it was you.”
“Well, thanks,” Karmen said. “What about me?”
Zoe made a face. “I didn’t think you guys liked each other much.”
Karmen laughed. “No, I guess we didn’t back then, but we’re all in this together now.”
Parrish introduced her to Crash, and for a while, they all sat around talking and going over everything that happened.
Even though she had been reunited with her neighbors and her sister, Zoe couldn’t help but feel a little bit like the odd one out in this group, though. Sure, she’d known Parrish, Noah, and Karmen her entire life, but the five of them had apparently known each other for over a thousand years.
She curled up against the corner of the couch with a blanket, listening to them talk about the island and their plans for tomorrow. Every once in a while, Parrish touched her leg or asked her if she was feeling okay, and Zoe always smiled and nodded.
But there was something bothering her.
Something more than just being the only outsider in their guardian group.
Her arm was itching more and more the past few days, and for some reason, she’d been terrified to look at it. As if some part of her didn’t really want to remember that night back at the hotel.
She’d been playing her violin, even though she knew it agitated the zombie locked away in the bedroom. She’d done her best to follow her dad’s orders before he’d died, but she wasn’t strong enough to move the heaviest furniture in front of his door.
After he turned, the lock on his door had seemed to hold him in there good enough.
Or at least she thought it was enough.
But then, in a moment of weakness and loneliness so deep, she thought she’d lose her mind, she played her violin.
A stupid mistake, just like with the curtain earlier. She wasn’t cut out for this survival life the way Parrish was.
She remembered it now.
The terror she’d felt when her dad pushed through the door, his eyes glowing red as he sought her out. She’d been afraid he would tear her apart until there was nothing left but a pile of bones.
Instead, he’d left her with this.
She peeked around the blanket to make sure no one was watching before she carefully pulled back the sleeve of her shirt, her hand trembling.
It was just a small bite, really.
And so far, it didn’t seem to be turning her into one of them. If it was going to turn her into a zombie, it should have happened already, right?
She was fine. Parrish was here now, and she was going to make sure Zoe was safe from now on. It was all going to be okay.
“You sure you’re feeling alright?” Parrish asked.
Zoe quickly slid the sleeve of her shirt over the bite and smiled nervously. What would Parrish or the others do to her if they realized she’d been bitten? Should she tell them?
Let’s keep this our little secret, a voice inside said to her. It was a voice she was sure she’d heard before, and it soothed her as much as it scared her.
“I’m fine,” Zoe said. “Just tired.”
“Me, too,” Parrish said. “Let’s get some rest. Come on.”
But Zoe stayed awake long after the others had all gone to sleep, clinging tightly to her sister’s hand and trusting that somehow, Parrish would make everything alright.
Fifty-Two
Epilogue: The Dark One
The Dark One opened her eyes and sat up, taking a moment to get used to her new body.
The streets around her were littered with the dead. All her beloved servants, slaughtered mercilessly.
She smiled.
And each death had brought her just a little bit closer to freedom.
The guardians believed they were in control now, their powers too great to be challenged, but they had no idea who they were dealing with.
Every time they unlocked a new level of power, they gave more to her, as well. A little trick she’d set up from the start, thanks to Lily, the fatalis stone, and a handsome young farm boy.
David thought he was so clever when he’d turned her own creation against her by using the stone to seal her powers,
