Page 27 of My Undead Love Life

Mad rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged briefly at his mouth. “I would've been gone a long time ago if it wasn't for you both.”

Outside the metal door, the undead still wandered the subway tunnel in what felt like endless numbers. Their groans and dragging footsteps echoed through the dark while the four of us tried to survive another night in the apocalypse.

And somewhere out there, one man had stayed behind so the rest of us could be here.

5

SPENCER

Acold sweat broke over me as I bolted upright.

The nightmare had felt so real. Probably because it was. Keith had been standing alone in the subway doorway, blood splattered across his clothes as the undead surrounded him from every direction. And I was being dragged away, helpless to stop any of it.

“Kei—!”

Before the cry could fully escape, a hand quickly covered my mouth. The smell of dirt and cold metal invaded my nose as one of the men's palms pressed against my lips, muffling the rest of my scream.

My heart lurched so violently it felt like it might crack my ribs. I’d forgotten where I was, and I didn’t know who had me. My hands shot up and gripped his wrist, but before I could shove his hand away, a sound made me freeze.

Scratch.

The sound came from the other side of the door.

Scratch.

Dragging claws raked slowly down the metal with an awful screech that reminded me of nails across a chalkboard. The noise filled the cramped closet and settled deep in my spine, vibrating there seconds after.

My eyes burned as I blinked through tears. Darkness pressed in from every direction. I couldn't figure out where I was. I couldn't see the shelves, the sleeping bags, or the guys. I couldn't even see my own hands. The candle must’ve gone out while I slept. The closet was dark, the air was freezing, and we were trapped here.

Memories from yesterday crashed back into me all at once. Keith and I had gotten separated from Tori and the guys before we’d been stuck in the subway, surrounded by zombies. Keith had kissed me for the last time before he pushed me into the arms of a stranger. I remembered the deafening silence when his gunshots stopped, and I remembered running through endless tunnels in the dark with Luck, Mad, and Oxi until we found the service closet.

Keith.

God, Keith.

The grief hit so hard it took my breath away.

Another scrape dragged slowly across the door.

Scratch.

A chill crawled across my skin.

The hand over my mouth tightened slightly. It wasn’t enough to hurt, but it was enough to remind me to stay quiet.

I knew it was Luck only because of the way he smelled. I hadn’t even recognized that I’d noticed his scent, but somehow, I had.

My breathing came fast through my nose as I strained to listen.

“Fuck,” Mad growled softly somewhere close.

Another scrape dragged slowly across the door.

“That has to be an animal.”

Scratch.

The metal door groaned faintly beneath whatever was outside.