Page 94 of My Undead Love Life

“Yeah,” he said, a little breathless. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Her hands moved quickly over him, checking for injuries. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, snowfire.” He smiled softly at her. “Thank you.”

My jaw tightened as I looked away, scanning the street. One more straggler stumbled toward us from near a bus stop.

I moved forward and drove my axe into its skull harder than necessary. The body dropped, and my axe stuck. I yanked it free with a grunt, breathing through the ugly heat in my chest.

It wasn’t fair for any of us to be jealous.

Oxi would die for her. Luck would die for her. I would, too. And Keith…if he was alive, he already proved he’d die for her.

“Keep moving,” I muttered.

The firehouse came into view just as the last light faded. The brick structure stood the same as it always had, broad and familiar, with the old bay doors facing the street and the faded station number above them. Snow had built up along the base of the building. The flagpole out front was bare, the rope snapping softly in the wind.

It made me feel sick.

“Looks intact,” Luck said.

“Yeah,” I replied, but something felt off. “My old group stayed back here when I left, and as far as I know, they should still be here.”

I stepped up to the side door and pulled out the key.

My key.

The metal felt colder than it should have against my glove. I had locked this door a thousand times. Opened it half-asleep at three in the morning. Shoved through it, laughing with Ryan, and stormed through it angrily. And the last time, I walked out of it after being told I was the problem.

Now, I was back with Spencer behind me, Luck and Oxi at her sides, and a bad feeling crawling under my skin.

I shoved the key in and turned. A soft click echoed as the lock disengaged.

“Ready?” I asked, glancing back over my shoulder at them. “Like I said, there should be someone in here, but worst case…”

They nodded, understanding clear in their expressions.

I turned back and pushed the door open. All it took was three steps inside for everything to go to hell faster than I could’ve ever imagined it would.

A body slammed into me out of the dark. Rotting hands hit my chest. Teeth snapped inches from my face.

“Worst case!” I barked, shoving it back as the others rushed in behind me.

More shapes moved in the shadows. Too many, and many of them were familiar. My stomach dropped, but there was no time. I couldn’t think about it.

I swung my axe over and over again. The tight, dark quarters of the firehouse weren’t beneficial. My only advantage was that I knew this place like the back of my hand. Still…I hated fighting them off in the dark the most. We couldn’t fucking see shit.

Luck cursed somewhere to my right. Spencer’s katana hissed through the air. Oxi’s cane sword punched through skulls with soft, efficient sounds that made my skin crawl.

I moved by instinct, by memory, by the layout burned into me so deeply I could navigate the station blind. Bay door ahead. Too many blind spots. I had to protect Spencer. To protect all of them.

Another infected lunged, and I buried my axe in its face.

With one last squelching crack, the groans and shuffles in the immediate area finally stopped.

My breath came out harsh through my scarf. “We need to clear the rooms before we rest,” I said gruffly.

The firehouse was darker than it should have been. It had been left to rot with its memories still inside—literally.