Screams of pain, moans of agony. But when I attempted to descend the staircase, the foundation underneath my feet...just...collapsed. I flailed as I tumbled down...down...down....
Landing, I lost what little breath I had. A dark spiderweb wove through my mind; pain slashed me from head to toe.
As many abilities as I had, I was currently helpless.
No! Never helpless. “Cole! Kat!” My eyes burned and watered. Dust and rubble enclosed me, pieces pinning different parts of me. Bleeding parts. Where were they? “Cole! Kat!” Panic...closing in... “Someone! Please.”
Movement to the left. I struggled to free myself, calling, “Over here!”
Red eyes swung to me, and I froze. A zombie. He was struggling underneath the rubble, reaching for me, chomping his teeth. I yanked with all my strength, finally gaining my freedom, and scrambled backward. A sudden high-pitched ring made me cringe. Pain...more pain... I curled into myself, my hands flattening over my ears.
Boom!
Guts and shattered bones became shrapnel, hitting me, cutting me.
The zombie had just exploded.
At least the noise had died, too. I stood on wobbly legs. “Cole! Where are you?” I stumbled forward. Shock held me in a tight grip, nearly cutting off my airways. Destruction...everywhere. “Kat! Please. Talk to me.” I couldn’t distinguish furniture from plaster or room from room. There were only piles and piles and—
A hand!
My heart hammered against my ribs. I dropped to my knees and heaved away different-sized rocks, each one heavier than the last. Please be alive, please, please be alive. Finally, pale hair came into view. A face I loved.
Gavin! His eyes were swollen shut, his lips parted on a moan. He was alive!
His pitiful condition angered me, and another dose of strength lanced through me. Anima would pay.
I left my body behind and fired up. As injured as I was, I managed to produce only the smallest flickers of flame. Still, they were enough. I pressed them into Gavin’s cheek and his moan morphed into a bellow. Within seconds, the swelling drained from his eyes, allowing him to blink into focus.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Zombies are here, and they’re loaded with explosives.” The two parts of me joined and I helped him to his feet.
“The other slayers?”
“You’re the first I’ve found.”
A small cry for help caught my attention.
I snapped to, heading toward the sound, stumbling over the rubble, closing in. “Kat? Kat, is that you?”
Boom!
Boom!
More rattling.
More dust.
How many explosions would I have to endure before I found all of my friends?
Boom!
A gust of molten air threw me backward. I landed, losing the breath I’d only recently regained. Gavin and River rushed to my side and helped me up.
This wasn’t happening. Couldn’t be happening.
“You okay?” River asked.
Not even close. “You made it,” I said.
“Brought five of my best,” he replied. “Would have brought more, but I wasn’t sure who I could trust. We’ve already found Reeve. Chance is taking her to our van. Come on. I’ll take you there.”
“Forget it. I stay. I search.” I protect. “By the way, there were two guys from Anima in the backyard. Zombies aren’t our only threat.”
“Got it.”
My nails cut into my palms, and I realized I’d fisted my hands. “Have you seen Cole or Kat?”
“No. I’m sorry.”
Okay. Okay. No time to waste. “Help us search.”
River moved forward. Gavin and I lumbered after him, closing in on the cries—except, all went quiet.
“Kat! Kat, where are—” Another zombie, headed our way. “Incoming!” I shouted, dragging the boys to the ground.
Boom!
The moment the rattling stopped, we raced through the rubble. Too much dust. Hard to breathe. Hard to see—but I noticed movement, a spill of dark hair... Mackenzie, I realized, my heart skipping a beat as she clawed her way up from a pile of concrete and slumped over.
I quickened my pace, but the boys beat me to her.
Gavin felt for a pulse, then hefted her into his arms. Her head lolled against his chest. “She’s alive.”
For how much longer? She was bloody, already black-and-blue. “Take her to River’s van,” I said, “and heal her with your fire. I’ll look for the others.” I wouldn’t stop until everyone was found.
We branched apart. “Cole! Kat!” I headed in the direction of Mr. Ankh’s office. Smoke parted with my movements—
And finally, blessedly, I saw Cole!
He held a babbling Juliana in his arms, Veronica limping beside him.
“Ali!”
My knees almost buckled, so great was my relief.
“I’m s-so s-sorry,” Juliana said. “M-Milla said they’d take Ali. Only A-Ali. Just wanted t-time to show Cole h-he could live w-without her.”
Her words registered, and I flinched. I’d already guessed the truth, but the confirmation stung. She’d helped Camilla, and together, they’d helped Anima do this. Just to get rid of me. Was I really that bad?
“You did what?” Cole almost dropped her.
She squeezed her eyelids tightly closed, no longer able to face him, tears leaking out.