Page 177 of My Undead Love Life

I didn’t realize I had stopped until my chest hitched painfully. Air came in sharp, uneven pulls.

“There you go.” Keith’s voice stayed steady. “In and out. Slowly. Stay with us.”

Mad moved past the bodies, sweeping the tree-line one last time. His axe was wet with blood. His golden eyes searched every shadow, every gap between the trunks, and every possible place another attacker might be waiting.

“You’re safe,” he said without turning. “It’s done.”

Done. The word echoed strangely inside my head.

My fingers curled as though I still held the katana. I felt the man’s throat again, and the resistance from the blade catching…then giving. Warm blood had hit me. My stomach rolled. I leaned sideways and gagged. Nothing came up.

Keith’s hand moved to the back of my neck. “Easy.”

“I killed him.” The words left me before I could stop them. “I killed him.”

Mad finally turned toward me. “He grabbed you, flare. His people were surrounding us. One of them tried to gut Luck. They were going to take our supplies, take you, and kill the rest of us.”

“I know.”

“You acted when I told you to.”

“I know.”

“You saved yourself,” Mad said. “You probably saved us, too.”

Luck’s throat worked. “You did. If you hadn’t moved when you did, we all would’ve died.”

Oxi shifted closer. “He would’ve hurt you.” His voice shook with anger that hadn’t finished leaving him. “He put his hands on you because he thought you were weaker than him. He was wrong.”

Keith looked at Mad. “Can we stay long enough to check her properly?”

“No.” Mad’s answer was immediate. “We can’t stay exposed. Gunshots carry. If those seven were part of a larger group, someone might already be coming. We check for injuries while moving.”

Luck crouched beside one of the bodies, retrieved a dropped pistol and two magazines, then shoved them into his pack. Keith grabbed the revolver and ammunition.

Mad took a knife after wiping it on the snow. “We need to move. Right now.”

Keith didn’t look away from me. “Can you walk?”

I nodded.

When he and Oxi pulled me up, my legs didn’t cooperate. They felt heavy and numb beneath me.

I stumbled. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

Oxi caught me immediately, one arm bracing around my side. “It’s okay. We got you.”

“I’ve got this side,” Keith said. He moved close enough for my shoulder to press against his chest.

“I’m going to be okay,” I told them. I didn’t know whether I was trying to convince them or myself. “I know I’m not okay right now, but I will be. I promise.”

“We know,” Oxi said gently.

Luck crossed the bloodstained snow and retrieved my katana. He crouched, wiped the blade carefully with a strip of cloth, then guided it into the sheath at my hip. The soft click as it settled made me feel safer. “You’re going to need this later,” he said.

I looked down at the weapon. “Thank you,” I whispered.

“Any time.”