Page 122 of Wicked Hungry

Who knew one body contained so much red? It covers me in tangy tacky stickiness; I reek of slaughter. My God, I’ve killed him. Or even worse if he lives, I’ve infected him. Given him the curse.

I back away and look around me.

Gilroy is gone. Connor too. And Nye. It’s just me and Karen, and the sleeping hostages. And Zach.

“Where?” I ask. “Where are they?”

“They ran off to try to stop Gilroy and Nevin — before they could alert the guards.”

“And Meredith? And Carolina?”

“They’re fine, Stanley. But we all need to get out of here.”

“The door?” I ask. “Do we go out the door, then?” I look around for it. But it’s gone.

“I closed it,” Karen whispers next to me before I even feel her moving. “We’re trapped here now.”

I shake my head slowly. My hand finds my pocket. The key is there, solid, small, and heavy. But my eyes flit to Meredith and Carolina.

“Should we try to wake them?” I ask.

Karen bends down and smells Carolina’s breath. She shakes her head. “They’ve been drugged. They won’t wake until it wears off.”

“What can we do, then?” I ask.

“Carry them,” Karen says. “You carry Meredith, and I’ll get Carolina.”

From far away I hear a ringing bell. An alarm. But Karen’s staring at me, her nose gently sniffing the air. Her pupils are huge.

“Maybe I should go get them,” I say. “Leave you here.”

“No,” Karen says, turning away. “Don’t leave me alone with him.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say. “I know you were mad at him, but still, you guys were together for—”

“It’s not that. It’s not Zach. It’s not you. It’s the blood.”

My eyes want to dart over to Zach. Is he dead? Shouldn’t I be trying to save him? I’m afraid to even touch what’s left of him. Could there be life in his ravaged face? Or is it just so much meat?

Just then I hear a cry, then footsteps running our way.

Connor bursts into the room, followed by Nye.

“We don’t have long,” Nye gasps, slamming the door shut behind him. “Gilroy got away from us, but he’ll be back soon. The alarm has been raised.”

Then he sees the body. And me. He shakes his head, unable to makes sense of the scene. “So much blood,” he says. “What happened?”

“Did he hurt you?” Connor asks.

I shake my head. “The blood isn’t mine.”

Connor nods, then looks at Zach. His face pales, and he looks away. “This is all wrong. We need to get out of here.”

Nye stands by the queen. “I should take h

er,” he says. “Perhaps Morgaine will offer her safe haven when she finds out Gilroy is behind all of this.”

He reaches down and grabs her, pulling her up into his arms.