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Renee paced the tiny space. Her mind was racing from her interactions with him the night before and from the hunt earlier that day. When Zane opened the door, she wanted to ask him about what she and Brie had spoken about, along with a million other things. Only when their eyes locked, all thoughts flew out of her head.

They collided with each other, both trying to consume the other with kisses and touches. Everything in her demanded they be joined immediately. Every cell screamed for him to fill her, twist their bodies and souls together until they were one. They were meant to be one, always.

Zane broke their kiss when she got his pants unbuttoned and unzipped. They both peered at each other with heavy breaths.

“I didn’t mean-” he began.

“Don’t apologize. If you hadn’t stopped me, you’d be naked right now. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not usually this horny. It’s like every time I see you, I can’t wait for us to be like this.”

His body stiffened, and his expression became distant.

“It’s the only time I feel like everything’s right. When we’re close, it’s like nothing else matters. I know it’s all going to be okay because we’re together.” She threaded her fingers into his hair.

He lowered his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Renee waited for him to say something because she felt pretty vulnerable and raw after she had just disclosed such intimate thoughts and feelings, but he didn’t. He just held her tighter. Zane shifted them until he crushed her in a hug.

Had she said something wrong? Why was he holding her like she was going to disappear if he let go?

“Zane?”

“Stay with me,” he whispered.

Renee’s head spun. Her vision blurred, and she thought she might pass out. Something about the way he’d said that. He’d said that to her before, but this time he sounded scared and broken, like he believed she might not. The tone and words struck something inside her and made her legs wobbly. A sharp ache in her head caused her to inhale sharply.

“Zane,” she muttered as her vision went dark.

...

Renee dragged herself up and placed her palm against the windowpane. The bloody scene in front of her wasn’t any different from anything she’d seen in the past, but it still left her heartbroken. No escape. Even Renee knew her time was up. She got away because they’d assumed she was already dead and had moved on to the still-live prey. They preferred meat with a heartbeat.

She’d fallen and hit her head on a concrete curb just outside the hotel she was hiding in. She only managed to make her way two floors up because dizziness was overtaking her sense of direction and ability to balance. Her fingers gripped the windowsill of the window in the room she was hiding in while her palm, flat on the glass, kept her from swaying. Something tickled the side of her face, but she ignored it, unable to look away from the death in front of her.

Maybe it was better she couldn’t hear the screams, gunfire, or explosions. Renee shivered. Most places had no power, and it was only fall, so she shouldn’t have been as cold as she was. It was just after nightfall. She closed her eyes even though it was stupid to close them, leaving herself open to attacks, but what did it matter anymore?

The city was overrun. All of her family and friends were long dead. Any new alliances she’d made - gone. After fighting so hard over the last seven years, she was alone, again. The last of her food was depleted days ago. Out of water. No reason to try anymore. Humanity had lost.

As soon as they stepped foot in the city, Renee knew they’d made a colossal mistake. It was too barren, too quiet. She swore she even felt the undead watching her. It didn’t make sense - zombies didn’t watch anything; they didn’t plan. They came in waves and devoured everything until there were only piles of bones.

The image of the tall, menacing zombie filled her mind. Renee had seen him in the shadows as she neared the harbor. At first, she hadn’t realized he was undead because the dim light obscured his features. Even after, when everyone was running for their lives and she’d seen him again, he didn’t look quite dead. He was too clean, too fresh looking - almost human.

Renee put her forehead against the glass and gripped the windowpane tighter. Nausea threatened to make her throw up what little fluid she still had left in her body. The hair on the back of her neck stood. She bit her lip. They were here. It was only a matter of time.

A light touch on her back made her stiffen and tremble. It was a hand, a cold hand. It slid up to her neck and gently squeezed. She froze. Not a zombie. Confused, she opened her eyes and glanced at the reflection in the window.

Her mouth dropped open, and she gasped, trembling even more. It was him. His odd, bloodshot, amber-colored irises stared back at her in the window’s glass. It must’ve been a trick of the light because they seemed to glow. Blood covered his mouth and chin. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, but she didn’t fight him even when he turned her to face him. His eyes moved over her face.

Renee’s lips quivered as he continued to hold her by the neck. Her eyes flicked to his arm, covered in blood and gore. She snapped her lips shut to keep from retching. His other hand came up and reached for her face. Instinctively, she shuddered. He advanced until his body touched hers and showed his teeth.

Yanking her head to the side, his fingers stroked the side of her head. Definitely not what she had been expecting. His touch was light, the way it had been when he’d touched her spine seconds earlier. She recoiled when his fingers grazed the spot on her head that she’d hit. His odd eyes flicked to her face. Renee wanted to scream or possibly tell him to go to hell. However, her lips stayed sealed.

He moved his hand and brushed the hair over her shoulder. Why hadn’t he killed her? No other undead had ever acted like this. Come to think of it, no other zombie had acted like anything. They were murdering machines, period. Renee thought about shoving him away and making a run for it, but his expression changed, surprising her.

He looked heartbroken. Genuinely bereft and lonely. Lonely, she understood. What the hell was she thinking? Maybe she was already dead and in purgatory. When her shaking hand reached up and touched his face, no one was more shocked than her. His brows pinched. Something in those almost gold eyes shifted, growing more resolute.

He pulled her head to the side and brought his mouth to her neck. Shit, this was it. He would tear out her throat because she offered it to him. Tingles covered her when his lips planted a kiss there. Her hand snaked around his waist and tugged him closer. When his teeth sunk into her neck, she almost welcomed the bite. Renee was glad as her flesh was torn from her. She couldn’t live with herself knowing she’d willingly offered herself to a zombie, that she went out on her terms.

...

Renee’s eyes fluttered open and found Zane holding her. Concern wrinkled his brow and made his face tight. His glowing, amber eyes looked troubled as he gazed at her. Distressed, the same way he had appeared when he’d killed her.

Zane, her Zane , killed her. He’d told her over and over he was selfish. He agreed with her, when she said he took everything from her, including her life. He hadn’t ordered it. He’d done it himself. But even then, he hadn’t wanted to hurt her. It pained him to do it.

“Why?” she choked out.

With watery eyes, he eased her to the sleeping bag and pulled his hands from her. “You remember.” He withdrew so he no longer touched her and averted his gaze.

“You didn’t order them. It was you.”

He nodded, still not meeting her eyes.

“I wasn’t in the street. I was in a hotel hiding. You found me,” she said as the memory sharpened.

“Yes.”

“Did you search for me?” Renee remembered seeing him several times before he found her. He’d been watching her.

“Yes.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“I told you, I’m selfish.” His tone filled with the self-hate she recognized. Not sure what he was like before he’d turned her, but since then, every time he talked about himself, his voice was always filled with contempt. And she despised it. Someone had turned him too, made him undead. He wasn’t evil. He was doing what was in his nature now, and what would be in her nature too.

“Okay, but why?”

“I don’t know, maybe because I’m a dick like you said.”

Renee scooted toward Zane until her legs touched him and reached out. His body tensed as her fingers touched his face. She turned him to her.

“Why?”

“Because…” He paused as his eyes moistened again. “Because you’re mine.”

Renee wondered if he kept telling her that since he felt responsible for her death, although it didn’t make any sense. He’d decided that before she was dead. She brushed his hair back.

“You were so gentle, like you wanted to comfort me.” With her other hand, she threaded their fingers together. “It’s like you didn’t want to turn me. Why did you? And don’t tell me it’s because you’re selfish. That isn’t why.”

“It is. I could’ve let you die, be at peace but I couldn’t let go.” He blinked, and a few tears escaped his eyes.

“Let me die?”

Zane raised his fingers and touched the side of her head. Renee remembered he’d done that same motion then, too.

“You were dying. I only meant to be with you so you wouldn’t die alone.”

“I was dying from when I hit my head?”

He nodded and withdrew his hand before turning his face away again. “You didn’t have long. When you touched me, I thought… I’m a bastard. You hate everything about this existence.”

“Not everything.”

He turned his watery eyes to her.

“I don’t hate you. You saved me.”

“I damned you.”

“No.” She brushed her lips against his. “You saved me. I would’ve died if you hadn’t bitten me.”

“I made you into this . You hate everything it means to be undead.”

“Yeah, I do, but I get to be with you. If I have to exist like this, then I accept it,” Renee said, and meant it. She was done questioning everything about them, especially their relationship. She’d never experienced anything like their connection before, with anyone. Something that twisted her up and challenged her constantly while also giving meaning to everything.

“You can’t. It’s not enough. I’m not enough to make it worth it.”

“Stop!” She cupped his face. “You told me there was nothing without me. Don’t you get it? Zane, there’s nothing for me without you. I love you.”

His eyes widened. “You love me?”

“Of course I do. Did you think I’d be mad when I remembered?”

“I thought you would hate me, think everything was a lie.”

“Well, I don’t. I’m not angry. I’m happy you made me, because it means we get to be together.” Renee moved until she straddled his lap.

“But you can’t stand the violence, the death.” His hands traveled up her sides.

“Are you trying to ruin my moment?” she quipped.

“Your moment?”

“I’m going to strangle you,” she said with levity, recalling when she’d attacked him on the roof. “I’m trying to be romantic like you usually are and profess my love, and you’re screwing it all up.” Renee wrapped her arms around his neck, wondering how he would feel if she suggested he read the book he found for her so he could get these moments right in the future.

“This is my fairytale, remember? Kings, queens, armies… this is the part where you’re supposed to say something that sweeps me off my feet. Then we kiss, so it all ends up happily ever after.”

“You could be happy with me, even in this world?”

“I could only be happy in this world, with you.”

His lips quirked up before they broke into a smile. “Then I will spend the rest of my life making you as happy as I can, my queen.”

“Queen?” Renee smiled because he used her words.

“You did say I was their king,” he laughed.

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Then you have to stay with me. Keep me in my place.” He drew her closer until their hearts beat against one another’s.

“Always, my king.” Renee sealed her promise with a kiss. Because this time, she knew she’d never run again. Her place was with Zane, her king of the dead.