Ian grinned. “Does this mean I can come into your room whenever I want?”
Madaug shoved at him. “Don’t push it, E. I’m not that grateful.”
Eric and Tabitha joined them. “Thanks, Nick,” Tabitha said.
“We owe you.”
Nick shook Eric’s hand. “I would say any time, but real y, next time zombies attack, cal Bubba. He’s the one ready to believe you. Remember the number: 1-888-Ca-Bubba. ‘If he can’t fix your problems one way, he’l fix them another.’ There ain’t no Nick in that slogan. After this, Nick’s retiring to work for Kyrian as a go-fer. That’s al I want to do. I don’t want to know nothing about zombie slaying, duck urine, or anything else paranormal. Ever.”
But Nick stil had one person left to speak to.
Mark.
“How did you survive?” he asked as Mark left Simi, who was licking her fingers and joined them by the truck.
Mark flashed him a grin. “What? Did you forget the first rule I taught you, boy?”
Nick scowled as he tried to remember Mark’s various rules for survival. “Duck urine chases away every living and unliving thing?”
“Nah, that’s number six. Rule number one: I don’t have to outrun the zombie. I just have to outrun you. How you think Eric and Tabitha got captured?”
Tabitha laughed. “Oh please. Inspector Gadget over there made a blowtorch out of Eric’s art sealant and a lighter. I’m not sure the house is stil standing, but he got us out of there and Simi covered the rest of our retreat. We’d have gotten away completely had Eric not tripped and I made the mistake of going back for him while Mark was hot-wiring a neighbor’s car.”
Nick laughed at more proof Mark wasn’t completely insane.
Never go back for the fal en unless you want to be captured or kil ed. Unless the fal en was Bubba, who usual y had a larger calibre of weapons.
Mark sighed. “By the time I realized they weren’t behind me, they were gone and I was sick over it. I real y thought they’d gotten eaten. But luckily I saw your girlfriend under attack and, with Simi’s help, was able to get her to safety.” Nick nodded as he ran al of that through his mind. He only had one question left. “So how’d they get Stone?”
“Stone was here?” Tabitha asked.
“Yeah, the coward ran out and left us the first chance he got.
”
Alex curled his lip. “You know, he’s what gives werewolves a bad name.”
Madaug’s mom let out a deep sigh. “You know, guys, I’ve had enough excitement for one night. Bubba, can you take me home? Ian needs to be in bed. Madaug and Eric need to be grounded, and I just want to forget that I ever heard of anything preternatural. At least until I have to get up in the morning and deal with the Dark-Hunters.”
“Sure.”
Alex grinned at her. “So does this mean you’re surrendering your Squire status, Mrs. S.?”
“Not on your life. It just means I need to rest.” She lifted Ian up into the truck, then climbed in behind him. “Eric and Madaug … get your butts in here.”
Eric gave Tabitha a quick kiss. “I’l cal you later.” Bubba opened the door to climb in while Tabitha and Mark got in on the other side. “Let me run them home, then I’l be back to grab the rest of you.”
Nick nodded as Nekoda took his hand into hers and held it tight.
He, Caleb, Simi, Alex, and Nekoda stayed behind.
Nick went over to the game and sighed. “You know, it was a fun game. But for the whole zombie conversion thing, he’d have made mil ions on it.”
They al froze as they heard something rustling in the shadows. Nick pul ed Nekoda behind him as Alex flashed himself from their group to the source of the sound.
A few seconds later, he threw Stone into the light.
Nick glared at him. “You loser dork.”
“Ah, shut up, Gautier. You’re nothing but trash anyway.” Nick grinned. “Yeah, but I’m trash with a seriously modified cattle prod.” He stuck the tip of it against Stone’s hip and sent him flying.
But it had an additional effect that Nick hadn’t expected. Not only did it shock him, it turned him from human to wolf to human and back again.
“What the—?”
Alex backed up as Nick looked at him. “That’s the bad thing about being a shapeshifter. You hit us with electricity and we lose control of our forms.”
Gaping, he looked back at Stone, who would try to curse him during the few seconds he was a human as he flashed between forms. “How long’s he going to do that?”
“You gave him a pretty good jolt. Probably an hour.” Nick laughed. “Bonus round.”
Alex shook his head. “And on that note, I should get home too. I don’t want to get grounded either. See you guys tomorrow at school.” He disappeared into thin air.