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“Stay here; I’m going to check it out. If I don’t return in ten minutes, go that way,” Hatton whispered, pointing, and before I could stop him, he disappeared.

“Storm’s with Sapphire,” Belladonna said, and some of the tension left my shoulders.

“The others?” Rose asked.

“Sketchy. I can briefly hear their thoughts, but they’re concentrating on staying alive. I won’t link in case I distract them,” Belladonna replied.

“Yeah.” I looked up as a rustle sounded behind us and a staggering woman approached. She leapt on Rose before Rose could react, and Stitch reached for her. I grabbed her arm and yanked and gagged as the limb detached.

“Get it off me!” Rose cried. Teeth came dangerously close to her throat as Stitch seized a branch and whacked the zombie. I tossed the rotting flesh away and threw up as Stitch stabbed it through the head.

“Oh God, I didn’t expect that,” I whined. Stitch handed me a bottle of water, and I rinsed my mouth.

“Move; we’ve attracted attention,” Rose murmured. I hauled Rose up, and we crept after Hatton.

Movement in the trees startled us, and Stitch swung her branch.

Hatton caught it with a smirk. “What happened?” he asked, looking at us covered in gore.

“One attacked Rose. We need to move; we’ve got some on our ass,” I said.

Lightning lit the sky several times, and I grinned. Candle was somewhere out there kicking butt. Feeling bolstered, we followed Hatton and headed for home.

Blue

“Never piss her off,” Priest muttered to me as Nun went after the zombies with rabid ferocity.

I shrugged and smashed one’s head off. A small group had surrounded us, and I was shocked that we were still alive.

Thanks to Priest’s skills and Nun’s blood-thirst, we were surviving. The last one fell, and Nun turned to me and grinned.

“This is fuckin’ fun!” she chortled.

“Your idea of fun and mine are completely different,” Priest retorted.

“No, it’s not!” she replied.

I saw movement and dragged her into an open doorway, just in time. Fifty or so zombies shuffled past. I held my breath and sighed in relief. Nun’s eyes narrowed.

“No,” I whispered. Nun huffed at me but let them pass.

“We need to get to the clubhouse,” Priest stated. I understood his urgency. That was Brielle’s last known location, and it was where she knew we’d head.

“We’ll find her,” Nun replied, squeezing his hand.

“I know,” Priest murmured.

“Priest, she’s had me and you in her life. If anyone can survive a zombie apocalypse, it’s Brielle,” Nun declared, reaching out and touching his face.

“Let’s move out. She’s waiting for us,” I stated and stepped out. Arms grappled me, and I was taken down to the ground. I yelled, kicked out, and punched.

“Fuck!” Sailor roared, and I blinked. Shit, I’d hit her!

“Sailor?” I asked.

“Blue?”

“Yup,” Sailor replied.