The Queen Of Zombie Hearts. Gena Showalter

true. The two are connected. What injury one sustains, the other sustains. So why can’t the opposite be true?”

      Silence.

      “Look, I’ve done it to Cole. He’s even done it to himself, and he’s now on his feet. Just a little while ago, I did it to Gavin. He strengthened almost instantly.”

      “Hold up.” Veronica’s tone was as hard as granite. “You’re telling us you put Cole and Gavin at risk? That you weren’t a hundred percent certain what would happen, but you did it anyway?”

      In a nutshell, yes. But... “They were already at risk,” I pointed out.

      Mackenzie moaned, as if the argument had disturbed whatever restful state she’d managed to achieve.

      “Do it, Frosty,” I commanded.

      “You ain’t his boss,” Juliana barked.

      He rubbed his knuckles in the crown of the girl’s head. “Thanks for the backup, squirt, but I’ve got this one.” He strode to Mackenzie’s bed.

      Juliana’s gaze threw daggers laced with hate at me.

      I dismissed her, saying to Frosty, “Don’t wuss out. Do it.”

      “You better be right about this,” he muttered. Out flowed his spirit, flames crackling at the end of his fingers.

      He touched Mackenzie, and she gasped, clearly pained. He tensed to draw back.

      “Don’t,” I said. “Don’t sever contact until she screams.”

      He bared his teeth in a fierce scowl.

      A moan slipped from Mackenzie...another. Her head thrashed against the pillow.

      “Ali,” Frosty groaned.

      “Just a little longer.”

      Then Mackenzie opened her mouth and screamed. She batted at Frosty’s hand, but because he was a spirit, and she wasn’t, she couldn’t touch him. Couldn’t stop him.

      He stepped back, and she sagged against the mattress. I leaned over her, looking for any change. Her color was returning, pink flooding into her cheeks, and the dark circles under her eyes were fading.

      That. Quickly.

      A lady never smirks.

      Since when have I ever been a lady?

      I smirked.

      Frosty rolled his eyes. “We get it. You told us so.”

      And don’t you forget it! I looked to Bronx. “Are you hurt?” Should Frosty torch him, too?

      “I’ve got a few bumps,” he said, “but I’m fine.”

      My gaze shifted to Veronica.

      “I’m fine, too,” she said.

      Her green eyes were bright with worry. Her dark hair was tangled, grass and twigs woven into the strands. Even still, she was a beautiful sight. Physically flawless—Cole’s perfect counterpart. Which was probably why they’d dated.

      Yes. Cole had gotten around...and around.

      “Someone clue me in,” I said. “How is this place a secret?”

      Veronica ran her tongue over her teeth. “Jules and me are off grid. I don’t buy or rent anything under my own name. Only the guys here...and Cole...know where we live.” Like a guilty suspect during interrogation, she looked away from me.

      Cole had known and hadn’t told me. Me, his girlfriend. His one and only.

      I had no words.

      No, that wasn’t actually true. I had a lot of words—for myself. I wasn’t a jealous girl. Either Cole was mine or he wasn’t. End of story. Either I trusted him or I didn’t.

      But he’d broken up with me for several weeks, and he’d spent those bachelor days with Veronica. He hadn’t cheated on me, considering we’d been over, but it had certainly felt like it. Because they’d done things. Things I didn’t like to think about.

      Things he now refused to do with me.

      So, yeah, I kind of wanted to claw her face off and spit in her skull.

      Graphic much? Straitlaced Ali piped up.

      Not graphic enough, Bloodthirsty Ali quipped.

      Hello, new personalities. So nice to meet you.

      So, going full circle. Cole was mine. There was no question about that, and I did trust him. Totally and completely. And I knew he wasn’t interested in anyone else. Not even Veronica. But...yeah. This omission hurt.

      Get over it. People are allowed to keep secrets. And it’s not like this is important right now anyway.

      And there was Pragmatic Ali. I knew her well.

      “I was out last night,” Veronica continued. “I’m a regular at Hearts, and I went home with... Well.” Her cheeks flushed, and she cleared her throat.

      Didn’t want her little sister to know she’d left the nightclub to get a little some-some from a stranger?

      “It’s okay,” Juliana said, glaring at me. As if everything wrong with the world was my fault.

      I wasn’t judging, jeez.

      “He tried to drug my drink,” Veronica said, her voice trembling. “He didn’t realize I’m the untrustworthy type and switched our glasses the moment his back was turned. He went down, and another guy came rushing into the room, clearly expecting me to be the one on the floor. We fought. I won. Barely. I raced home on foot and had no idea what was going on, just assumed it was a date-rape thing, until Bronx started banging on my door a few hours ago.”

      Anima was smart. They knew how to track. The time she’d spent here concerned me. “I don’t think you guys are safe. You’re hard to find, yes, but not impossible. Sooner or later Anima will show up, and we all know what will happen then.”

      She blanched but said, “I can take care of myself and my sister, thank you. I’ve been doing it for a long time.”

      “Don’t play the pride card,” Frosty said. “You and Juliana need to be behind Mr. Ankh’s walls, and that’s that. He has cameras and a system to alert him if anyone steps foot on his property. You don’t. He also has secret passageways if there’s a problem.”

      Veronica sighed. “Okay, okay. I get it. My place sucks. His doesn’t.”

      Listen to him but not me. Awesome.

      “I’d like to see what you could afford, Ali Bell,” Juliana snapped, marching to her sister’s bed. The two joined hands in a show of support.

      Once again, my chest constricted. I’d had that kind of unity with Emma, and I missed it almost as much as I missed her.

      “Cat fight later,” Bronx said. “I’m ready to go. I need to see Reeve.”

      Need was far stronger than want, but I knew he wasn’t overstating. The same bond existed between Cole and me. Invisible but fierce.

      “If Kat isn’t in my arms within the hour,” Frosty said, checking the safety on his gun, “I’m going to get cranky.”

      First: that was a scary thought. A cranky Frosty was a murderous Frosty.

      Second: if we were going to stay together, we’d need an SUV.

      Fabulous. “Looks like we’re all about to become freelance valets.”

Chapter 8

      BONKERS TODAY,

      BONKERS TOMORROW

      On the drive to Mr. Ankh’s, I texted