Laughing, she stopped at the ATM and made her drop.
Nick escorted her back to her car and waved to her as she got in and left him on the street in front of her store. He was just about to head back to the club when he heard a strange sound coming out of the al ey that cut between her store and the one next to it.
It sounded like a dog. …
No, it was the same sound he’d heard outside of Kyrian’s house earlier. The sound of zombies hunting him.
A chil wind blew against his skin and he could swear the sky darkened.
Al the lights on the street failed as several car alarms went off.
“What the …”
Something came out of the al ey so fast he couldn’t even identify it as it rammed into him and knocked him back.
CHAPTER 9
It struck him hard in the chest and knocked him down. Rol ing with it, he came to his feet, ready to fight, even though his shoulder was throbbing again. Dang, would it never stop hurting?
His stomach knotted as he recognized Stone. At first he thought Stone was a zombie, but as he looked at him, he realized he was …
As normal as Stone could be. Which real y wasn’t saying much.
“What are you doing?” Nick had to force himself to stop there and not let fly the particularly nasty insult that was stinging his tongue. But he wouldn’t give Stone the satisfaction of letting him know how rattled he’d made him.
Stone laughed, shoving Nick back. “Did I scare you, little girl?”
Al right, gloves off. “You’re such an epic dork.” Stone grabbed him in a grip so fierce it didn’t seem human.
“I’m going to make you eat those words, Gautier. Along with your teeth.”
Nick tried to break free. Stone increased the pressure on his neck until his vision dul ed and his ears buzzed. What kind of Vulcan, kung fu death grip was he using? Nick was like a puppy someone had grabbed by the scruff of his neck. His body had just gone limp and he couldn’t do anything other than dangle in Stone’s grip.
It was highly embarrassing and it seriously pissed him off.
“Let him go, Stone. Now.”
Stone’s grip tightened as Caleb Malphas stepped out of the shadows. The quarterback and star of their high school footbal team, Caleb had al the power and popularity Stone craved.
And luckily none of Stone’s stupidity or cruelty.
Stone shoved Nick away. “I was just having fun with him.” Caleb’s dark hair was brushed back from his face, showing just how perfect his features real y were as he eyed Stone with malice. “Real y? Wel , why don’t you run along before I decide to have some fun with you?”
Stone’s gaze narrowed. “We’re not at school, Malphas. I’m not the same person out here that I am there.” Caleb invaded his personal space. He stood so close that their noses were almost touching. “Neither am I, Blakemoor.
Trust me, the animal in you is no match for the demon in me.
Now move along before I give you a taste of what I can do to you without the footbal pads to dul my blows.” Curling his lip, Stone blinked and stepped back. He raked a sneer over Nick that promised him another round whenever Caleb wasn’t here to interfere. “You’re not worth getting my knuckles busted anyway.”
With one last sul en glare, he put his hands in his pockets and crossed the street.
Nick glared at the punk. “You better be glad my arm’s in a sling. Otherwise you’d be missing some teeth … buttmunch.”
“Is that the best insult you can deal?” Nick turned his fury toward Caleb. “You want a taste of it?” Caleb laughed. “I like your spirit, Gautier. It’s a shame you’re not stil on my team.”
Nick scowled as he sensed Caleb meant something other than footbal . “What are you doing here?”
“I was on my way to the Triple B. It’s almost time for Mark and Bubba’s class on Zombie Defense and Execution. It’s the most entertaining thing since that time Stone set himself on fire in chem class.”
Nick laughed at the memory. Stone had been trying to show off for Casey when he knocked over a beaker ful of something highly flammable that had exploded and ignited his sleeve. Unfortunately, Ms. Wilkins had been fast with the fire extinguisher and al Stone had lost were his eyebrows and some dignity.
Half the class had been rooting for a Freddie Kruegering of Stone, but luck hadn’t been on their side and he’d survived to continue being a waking nightmare for al of them.
“You want to come along?” Caleb asked him.
As much fun as it sounded, he hesitated. “I’m supposed to head back to my mom’s job.” ’Cause she would absolutely kil him if he didn’t.
“And miss Bubba’s Zombie Roadkil Recipes? C’mon, Nick, you know you have to see this. It’s must-view entertainment on an infinite scale of epic awesomeness.” Caleb pul ed out his phone and handed it to him. “Give her a shout and ask her if you can go.”