Page 28

Renee opened her eyes, surprised by her surroundings. She propped herself up on her elbows and surveyed the room. It was a lovely, clean bedroom full of neutral colors and a big, comfy bed she realized she lain on.

Naked.

She was naked on a soft mattress with fresh sheets. No sign of her clothes or anyone else. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Tiptoeing to what she assumed was the bedroom door, she opened it and found a walk-in closet full of clothes. Nice. Whoever had lived there seemed to enjoy a variety of colors and styles. It was like walking into a store before desperate and destitute ransacked it. There were some places that still had more clothing than others, but they were always in heavily concentrated zombie areas. Places Renee didn’t dare to go, not for clothes anyway.

Her fingertips brushed against some of the fabrics as a small grin tugged at her lips. For the first time in years, she might be able to find clothes that fit properly. Almost all the clothes in the past seven years, save the ones Zane got her, hadn’t fit right.

During the initial panic of the downfall, many places were destroyed or scavenged until almost nothing useful was left, including clothing items. Or maybe she wore the same size as everyone else. Renee touched a soft green blouse with long flowy sleeves. Not practical, but it was so soft. She’d have to check before she left if there was anything that would fit her.

Her eyes flicked over to the other two doors. One had to be a door that allowed her to leave the room. As her fingers closed on the knob to the middle door, it turned, and she jumped back like a rabbit. Zane’s eyes widened as he stepped into the room.

Shit. His shirt was off, and he looked clean. Renee pinched her eyebrows. Her memories were hazy, but she swore he had been shot. Slowly, she raised her eyes to his glowing ones. He’d eaten recently. They were super bright. Her fingers traced over where she thought they hurt him, but it was smooth skin. Perhaps she was confused since she’d been terrified in the moment.

His fingers wrapped around her hand and held them to his heart. “Are you thirsty?”

Renee thought about it, but for the first time since she’d traveled with the horde, she wasn’t. She shook her head. “What happened?”

“We took the city.”

All the humans were dead. Like every other place they’d traveled to. Her stomach sank. She berated herself for being cheeky about shopping for clothes only moments before in the closet. A foggy memory crept into her thoughts and her eyes widened, recalling the woman who tried to shoot Zane. She yanked her hand away and stepped back, grabbing her head.

She had wounded someone, another human, to protect him. Too far, she’d crossed the line and was a traitor. The woman’s screams and Renee’s own fear that Zane would die enveloped her. He stepped forward, but she backed up.

“Get away from me.”

Traitor repeated in her mind. She shook her head.

His tone was calm as he spoke. “Don’t say that. We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t. Get out.” The worst human, she’d betrayed her own kind.

“I can’t. I’m sorry, Renee, but it can’t wait anymore. Too much has happened.”

“Stop! I know what I did.” Renee let go of her head, taking rapid breaths. “I hurt that woman. I’m a traitor.”

“You’re not a traitor. Please listen-”

“No! I hurt people to protect you! Do you have any idea how screwed up that is? I hurt someone because… because I can’t lose you. What’s wrong with me?” Her knees went slack, but Zane caught her before she crumpled to the floor.

“Nothing’s wrong with you. You’re perfect. You always have been.”

Her brow pinched. That didn’t make any sense. “No. I’ve always been a screw-up. I hate myself.”

“Please don’t say that.”

“I’d do it again. I’d hurt anyone who tried to kill you. I don’t care who they are.” Renee sobbed at her admission because the horrible truth leaving her lips sealed her fate. She’d never return to her people, because she no longer had people. Somehow this undead creature had made her feel alive in ways she didn’t understand.

Zane led them to the bed where they sat on the edge. He drew her into his arms and held her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. How was it possible the kindest person she’d ever met wasn’t even a person? She clung to him until tears no longer fell.

After taking a shaky breath, she asked, “Why am I naked?”

“Because your clothes were ruined.”

“Did you bathe me?”

“Yes.” His hand ran up and down her spine.

“Why don’t I remember that?”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Could be a lot of reasons. Probably shock.”

That checked out. After all, she had attacked a human. Renee peered at her hands. They’d been red before - covered in blood.

“Why am I yours?” she asked, staring into his amber eyes.

“Because you always were.” His fingers traced the side of her face. “Because I love you.”

Renee held her breath, not sure she’d heard him right. “You… you love me?”

“Only you.”

Deciding to shut off her higher thinking, she leaned forward and captured Zane’s lips. He loved her, only her. Her heart swooned at his words. Hearing someone declare their love in real life was absolutely better than reading about it. Perhaps he was an undead creature, but he was still a beautiful one, equal to, if not better, than some magical being from one of her beloved books.

Renee needed to show him she cared about him too. She twisted her body and straddled him. He responded but seemed almost hesitant. Her fingers traced his sculpted chest and abs as she used her body weight and climbed him until they toppled back onto the bed. He laughed at her antics and gently broke their kiss.

“You need time. This can wait. I don’t want to, but you’re more important.”

Her heart twisted in her chest, giving her more reason to want him. “No. I’ve already waited. You told me when we got somewhere else…”

“I know, but a lot has happened.” His fingers threaded into her hair.

“Yeah, I hurt someone to protect you. That’s gotta get me something, right?” she asked in a playful tone.

“Yes, okay.” He laughed and kissed her.

Renee’s fingers went to his pants and undid the button. His hand clasped hers to stop her. She smacked his hand and bit his lip.

“I’m naked, so you have to be too.”

He grinned and tugged off his pants along with his boxer briefs. He didn’t know it yet, but Renee wasn’t taking no for an answer. Zane kept proving he cared about her, and she would care for him in the only way she knew how at the moment.

Her fingernails dug into his shoulder as she had another mind-blowing orgasm from only his touch. Being the gentleman he was, he repositioned them to cuddle, but Renee shoved him on his back and climbed on top of him. Her heated core brushed against his hard shaft.

“Renee,” he said in a strained voice and shook his head.

“You said you loved me.”

“That’s why I’m saying we can’t.” His chest rumbled with his words.

Renee delighted in the vibrations that her fingertips sensed as he spoke. “You’re the only one who makes me feel this way. The only one I need or want like this.”

Shamelessly, she rubbed herself over him, coating him in her wetness as he groaned. “Make me yours, Zane, in every way, forever.”

Something broke in his eyes. He growled like he did when he ripped something apart. Damn, that was hot. It used to terrify her, but now it triggered her desperation for him. His fingers dug into her hips before he flipped them, so he hovered over her.

“You’ll always be mine,” he said in a monstrous voice that made her nipples sharpen to points.

“Always,” she echoed back.

Renee’s breath hitched as he eased into her. She hadn’t realized his size, not really, but she did now. It was the most incredible sensation, and he hadn’t even moved yet, as he waited for her walls to stretch to accommodate him. With slow, gentle strokes, he opened her and claimed her. Tore her soul wide open and captured a piece of it to tuck away as his forever. In return, she snatched a portion of his for herself, hiding it deep inside her heart so no one could take him from her. As long as they had each other, they would be whole.

Her fingers touched his silky hair as their eyes locked. With Zane, she was better than safe. She’d finally found a home – a place she could let her guard down and remember. Remember? Before her mind focused, his fingers rubbed her tiny bud. Her eyes slid shut as she moaned, and her hips bucked.

“Come for me,” he commanded.

Renee cried out as her core clutched him tight. He hissed but kept going. She gasped as she was torn from her body and scattered among the stars. Reborn with his love. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She wanted to see his face but didn’t want to make him feel weird. Instead, she drew his mouth to hers and kissed him.

Zane’s movements quickened, becoming more frenzied. He broke their kiss and buried his face in her neck as she screamed and tightened around him again. He groaned and thickened inside her. His lips kissed her neck as she twitched under him, still coming down from the high.

“That was,” Renee tried to catch her breath. “Oh my god, that was amazing.”

He chuckled and propped up on his elbows. “I wanted to do better.” His fingers brushed the hair from her face.

Better? She wasn’t sure if she could handle, better. Who knew the king of the undead was so skilled? Her brows pinched. Did anyone know?

“What are you thinking?”

“Do you have sex with other…” She didn’t want to say zombies because it was really gross and also made her furious to think he did.

“No.” He brushed his lips across hers. “I’ve never touched any of the undead. I haven’t had sex since I’ve been… this.”

“I didn’t know zombies could have sex.” Shit, was she going to get something because she’d done this? It dawned on her that they hadn’t even used protection. Panic filled her.

“It’s okay. You don’t need to be worried.”

“But you said…” As far as she knew, no human had ever even considered being intimate with a zombie, so it wasn’t like there was a rulebook for any of what they’d just done.

“You said you trusted me.”

“I do,” she insisted.

“Then trust me when I tell you it’s okay. I would never hurt you or put you at risk.”

Renee exhaled. “Okay. I didn’t mean to make you feel weird.”

“Us talking about this isn’t what’s making me feel weird.”

“Then what is?”

“All the possibilities since you became a part of my life. Nothing is the same anymore.” His fingers caressed her jaw. With him on top of her, not only did she see and hear his words, but she felt every one of them reverberate against her skin. It was enthralling.

“Yeah, nothing’s the same, but that’s not terrible. I mean, you’re here with me.”

“Do you honestly believe that?” His head tilted to the side.

“Yeah, I do,” she admitted. Perhaps she was a turncoat to her own species, but she didn’t care anymore. This insane and maybe sick love made her whole and strengthened her.

“Why did you run again?”

She looked away. “I wasn’t running from you or Brie. I couldn’t stand all the death, the violence.”

“I know.”

“You do? Is that why you keep forgiving me?”

“No, that’s why I understand. I keep forgiving you because I love you.”

He said it again. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest.

“If you love me,” she paused. “And you wanted to do better...” Her lips shifted into an impish grin as she raised her hips.

He laughed but lowered his mouth to hers. Hours later, spent from Zane insisting he could do better two more times, Renee drifted off to sleep. She’d never been happier in her entire life.