Page 124 of My Undead Love Life

“Spencer,” I said immediately. “You⁠—”

She stripped with sudden frantic purpose, yanking off her coat and layers before undoing her pants and shoving them down.

I was too panicked to even process the fact that she was stripping in front of everyone.

“All good,” she said, voice breathless. Her panties were soaked in blood. “I’m on my period.”

For half a second, no one moved.

“…You’re what?” Luck blinked.

“I’m on my period,” she repeated, a little breathless now.

I stared at her, dragged both hands down my face, and let out a long, shuddering breath. My knees actually felt weak. “Oh, thank God.”

“I mean—” She huffed out a breath, her shoulders finally dropping as she stood in front of us completely naked and visibly relieved. “Yeah. Yeah, okay, that was terrifying for a second.”

“No, that was several seconds,” I corrected, already digging into my backpack. “I just aged like ten years.” I shoved my hand past ammunition, protein bars, spare socks, a roll of medical tape, and the little stash I’d carried for her. I pulled out a pad and handed it over.

She stared at it. Her eyes went shiny again, but this time there was something soft in them that hit me directly in the chest. “I love you,” she whispered, taking it. “Thank you.”

I shrugged, trying not to make a big deal out of it. “I’m thoughtful, and you know I love you.”

“That’s…” She shook her head, clutching the pad to her chest for a second. “That’s insanely thoughtful, Keith.”

Behind us, Luck said, “He came prepared.”

“No kidding,” Oxi murmured back.

Mad just shook his head. “Unbelievable.”

“Hey,” I shot back. “Some of us plan ahead.”

Mad’s golden eyes narrowed. “Clearly.”

I pointed at him. “Do not say clearly like that. I heard the judgment.”

“You were meant to.”

“Also,” I added, reaching back into the pack, “I have a ton of condoms.”

The collective relieved breaths that hit the air were almost funny enough to make the situation less insane. Almost. Because right after that, silence rushed back in, reminding all of us there was a broken room down the hall and two bodies inside it.

Spencer’s smile faltered. Her gaze drifted toward the door, and her face went pale again.

I stepped closer, blocking her line of sight with my body. “Don’t.”

Her eyes lifted to mine.

“I suppose it’s time our emergency contraception lecture was paused for bite inspection.”

Spencer gave me a look. “Keith?”

“Okay, fine. Let’s do this.” I let out a shaky breath.

The check itself was tense, awkward, but terrifyingly necessary. Mad checked Spencer first because his hands were steady and because I thought I’d lose it if I saw so much as a scratch on her.

Her coat had torn badly at the side, but the layers beneath had held. There were dark bruises already forming along her ribs and hip but no broken skin.