Falling Apart (Barely Alive #2) (14 page)

The boys returned. Their footsteps clunked and echoed in the cavernous room. They’d been under Dominic’s control since he’d bitten them. And they knew nothing else except that they weren’t the ones being eaten or killed. They were at the top of the food chain. Dominic’s reign loomed over the country and at the top was the best place to be.

Shit. Less time than I’d originally thought to live. Holy crap. Reality sucked.

I had Brian in my pocket and no idea how to keep Heather safe. Not being able to think fast enough was getting on my nerves. I needed to eat. And suddenly Dominic’s offer didn’t sound so bad.

“I want some time with Heather before I hand her over.” I hung my head, dropping my arms by my side. Somehow I needed to soak all my acting skills together to pull this off. If he suspected anything, Dominic would never buy my ruse to turn on Heather and stay with him.

Dominic jerked his head back. “What? I get to have her?”

“What am I going to do with her? I’m outnumbered and starving. The only thing I want is James.” I narrowed my eyes, doing my best to ignore Heather’s clutching hands in the folds of my shirt at my back. Her nails would leave crescents in my skin – hopefully, they came out. “Can you deal with that?”

He slapped his thighs. “Hell, yes, I can deal with that. What’s one more boy?” He turned his head and watched me from a side angle. “What’s the catch? Why now?”

I didn’t have an answer.
Why not now? Why now? I’ll tell you why you son-of-a-bitch. Because I’m going to help her.
“What do you want me to say? I’m hungry. I’m tired of not getting any. Give me some time with her and I’ll turn her over.”

“Alive? I’d rather she were alive. I need some time with her, too.” He winked. I almost gagged.

Heather released my shirt and pulled from me. I didn’t look her way. I offered a jerky nod. “Of course alive. I don’t eat human.” And I forced a smirk. “Yet.” I held up my hand. “But I get to leave with James, right? No problems?”

Eager – who wouldn’t be – Dominic clapped his hands. “Great. I’ll get you an office or something. I think there’s one by the receptionist desk. Then you’re close to the holding pools.” He waved his hands at the zombie boys who had started surrounding us. “Back off, boys.” They obeyed. He motioned toward Brian. “He’s yours, I guess. Do you want me to have him incinerated or are you going to take him with you?”

I hadn’t considered the option. Did I want to take Brian? He’d had enough crap happen to him in a handful of hours, I doubted he’d be worth much. But at the same time, I couldn’t do that and I needed someone to protect Heather when I pushed her ass out to the SUV. “Sure. I’ll take him.” I pointed over my shoulder. “Can I have that room now? I’m anxious to get this going since, according to you, I have less than a few weeks left.” Of course, I was horny, but not as badly as I needed Dominic to believe.

How else could I convince him? I focused on the feel of Heather’s breast in my hand when we’d been trapped under the animal building. The way she’d looked lying on the couch at the biology department. The feel of her breast pressed against my arm – braless. I loved braless. Loved it!

Evidence rose and I didn’t bother hiding the front of my pants. Visible gray had reached my forearms once more. Shit. I’d never considered to check and see if my important parts turned gray. The idea made me nervous. Maybe the extra blood holding it together would keep the color at bay. That’s the last thing I wanted dying on me.

Not that a few days was enough time for anyone to come up with a cure. The vaccine was a gold mine. A cure would be a miracle I didn’t have the guts to pray for.

Dominic spied my evidence and leered. “Sure thing, Paul. Those hormones rage out of control at this stage. I’ll have you escorted there and then you can have some privacy. Do you think an hour would be long enough?” He waited for my answer, his hand up, ready to direct more boys to do as he willed.

To Brian, I thought,
Keep it together. We’re protecting Heather. I have a plan and it involves getting us all out. Blink if you understand.

He blinked but didn’t do anything else to give me away. I sure as hell hoped Dominic wasn’t tricking me with him. That’d be my downfall.

“I think an hour would be fine. But I want James to come with me and wait with Brian. He’s in that cold pool and I’m afraid it will take a while to warm him up. He hasn’t eaten in a while, either.” I pushed it. Chancing Dominic would do what I asked with Heather dangling so close.

Taken aback, Dominic looked like he wanted to say no. I pressed with a bit more bait. “Hell, maybe I don’t want to leave the girl. She’s firm, you know? And she tastes so damn good. I don’t know, maybe we could come up with a diff—”

Dominic cut me off. “Nope. We made a deal. I’ll make sure you stop by and pick up James on your way to the room. Blankets will be provided as well.” He stepped close to me, his finger pointed inches from my nose. “Remember, she better be alive. I want her alive.”

“Dominic. I got this.” I had to come up with more of my plan. Only a few steps into it and already I’d been veered off course.
Shit.

“Okay. These two will take you by the pool and then on to the office. You’ll have to use the desk. I don’t have a room with a bed. Bend her over or something.” A slick smile covered his lips. He motioned at a new pair of boys. “You two, go grab some blankets and give them to Brian.” He pointed at a slinky silver watch clasped around his wrist. “Paully, you have one hour, then I want her back in my office. Come back this way and the boys will help you find it.”

I jerked my head. “Awesome. She’ll see you in an hour.” I turned and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. Heather struggled against my hold, but I pulled her tight and leered at Dominic as we left the room. His chuckle followed us out. I held Heather’s head to prevent her from looking at the still-imprisoned girls.

Heather whimpered as I pulled her along. I didn’t want to be mean, but the two boys with us were under Dominic’s control. We had to get out of his field of view or earshot before I could attempt to change them.
Brian, you’ll need to help me on that.
He walked beside me and grunted his agreement.

A hard slam to my instep and Heather was off. My nerves were over-sensitive and she’d hit me hard enough to feel it in my bones. I groaned. Dominic’s boys grabbed her before she could get too far, laughing as she jerked and wrenched herself in their arms.

Dominic’s laughter surprised me from behind. I spun back. He watched us from the doorway and called out. “She’s a spitfire. Do what you can, ‘cause I can’t wait.” He lifted his finger to his forehead in a sort-of salute and disappeared inside.

Helluva good thing I hadn’t acted yet.

Brian grumbled beside me. “You know he’s not going to let you go, right? He’s going to keep all three of you. He’s hoping you’ll turn to his way of thinking.”

I arched my brow and tensed. If Dominic could hear his thoughts or see what was going on… “Did you figure this out before or after I bit you?”

He faced the zombies holding Heather, boredom slowing his words. “Before. I can’t hear him anymore.”

Unsure how to read Brian’s reactions, I faced the struggling group. With their attention focused on Heather and their backs to me, I grabbed one of the zombies by the shoulder and bit into the meat beside the joint, certain a healthy amount of saliva soaked the wound. While he froze and refocused, I yanked the other one’s hand to my face and chomped down on the beefy section of his palm. They both tasted like strychnine – or rather how I imagined strychnine tasted.

Heather wriggled from between them and rushed to Brian. The last place I wanted her to be. Or to run to.
Damn. Don’t touch her, Brian.
He withheld his arms from wrapping around her.

The two boys looked at me blankly.
Uh.
I had no idea what to do with three people’s minds to control plus my own. Things were getting out of hand.

“Um, okay. You two need to take us to the pool. I need to get James out.” I motioned for Brian and Heather to follow. They could hear my thoughts but the “how much” was still in question.

The joviality disappeared. I was the leader that took all the fun out of everything… Dominic’s charm made him more likeable initially, but at least I’d never turn on a person. Dominic hadn’t tried to bite me to regain control and I couldn’t help but wonder why. His offer to join him had appeal, but I’d never go into anything while he controlled me. I hoped I’d try to kill myself first. There was a furnace room and I was always cold. Especially as hungry as I was.

We reached the pool room in somber quiet. The moans hadn’t stopped and they poured over us, pushing me a little closer to insanity. Once I’d stepped through the doors, the cloying humidity took my breath away. One would think I’d never been in a pool area before. Wavelets of water moved against themselves and other objects, breaking up the monotonous moans and our silence.

Heather and Brian held back, sticking to the safety of the peripheral tile walls. I had to get James out but I hadn’t had anything to eat. I’d succumb to the cold as fast as, if not faster, than he had. Then no one but a confused Brian would be left out to protect Heather.

I rushed to the end of the pool where I’d dropped James in. At first I didn’t see him. All the boys in the pool had their heads down, noses no more than an inch or two from the water. If someone pushed on their shoulders, they’d go under. The back of a head covered in damp, dark hair I’d recognize anywhere swayed three feet from the edge. I knelt on the slippery tile and reached for his collar. But the tips of my fingers just barely grazed the curve of his shoulder. I’d never reach him. I dipped my hand into the water as I pulled back.
Holy crap, the temperature was enough to shrivel my… never mind.

Both of Dominic’s boys – I couldn’t think of them any other way – stood beside me, watching with blank expressions. They were expendable.
Sorry guys
. I pushed myself to my feet. “Climb on in there and push James to me. You’ll need to help me get him out.” I had to speak loud over the cumulative noise.

They didn’t ask questions or argue. They bent to the side and slid themselves into the water. Small waves rippled away from them. Some of the zombie boys were short enough their faces immersed in the waves sweeping by.

Arms lifted above their shoulders, Dominic’s boys waded to James and grabbed him about his waist. They unceremoniously pushed him up onto the side of the pool. Water pooled under him. Their jumping and pushing splashed more than their entrance had.

I yanked on my brother’s shoulders. Stiff and cold, James felt like ice. His lips had faded to gray.

The two boys remained in the water. Their chins quivered and goose bumps sprang up on their exposed skin. I didn’t need them anymore. They weren’t worth anything to me. “Stay here, guys.”

They didn’t argue. Just folded their arms against the cold. I might have needed them to carry James to the office, but I didn’t want to chance sending them back to the pool alone. I’d carry James. Brian could help me. James just needed to warm up. I’d get blankets for that. Crap, but what would I tell the other two boys when they saw these two weren’t with me? And James would need to lose his soaked clothing or he’d never warm up.

I didn’t wait to change my mind. “Brian, grab James’s legs and help me get him to the front office.” He moved to do what I said, leaving Heather to watch with her eyes open wide. Hands cupped under James’s freezing arms, I pulled my brother while Brian worked with his legs.

“Follow me. Now.” I muttered to Heather. She nodded, shock working in my favor more than hers. As much as I wanted her with me, I doubted I’d be able to yell at her or force her to come with me. The bridge felt like it’d been lit and I didn’t want to blaze the last of my chances with her.

We struggled down the hallway, thankfully not far, and carried James into the back room Dominic must have intended for Heather’s raping.

A curved-back chair with faux suede cushions squeaked when we dropped James into the seat. His wet jeans rubbed on the material, the sound loud with the absence of the moaning.

My hands shook. With hardly any food in me, I was pushing myself past my breaking point. It’d be dangerous to test how far my control would hold. I had to prove myself to Dominic, or he’d never agree to keep me on. But at what price? I doubted Heather was willing to pay.

She huddled against the closed door. Brian stared at the wall, blocking as much reality as he could. Hell, I’d give anything to do the same.

No blankets. I yanked the wet shirt from his body. He’d ditched his sweatshirt somewhere around the house in Sandpoint when meat had been available and we’d been able to keep our temperatures up. I couldn’t take his pants off in front of Heather. Well, not
couldn’t
, more like
wouldn’t
.

A quick search of the office revealed what I’d already known – no material of any kind – no towels, blankets, extra coats or even cotton balls. Nothing that could be used for insulation or drying purposes.

I wiped my forehead. I was so hungry, even though I thought I should be sweating, I was freezing and there was no way in hell sweat was coming out of any of my pores.

The modest office had no windows, one door, and a practical desk centered between two chairs and a shelving unit. Neutral colors inspired by shit covered the walls and trim.