Page 51 of Bitten By Zombie

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

ZOMBIE

The blood was washed away, but his hands were far from clean.

The shower had removed the evidence and gore from his body but not his soul.

It felt good to know that a predator was eliminated, but what didn’t feel good was taking a life. Zombie sighed as he made sure the clothes he’d worn were ashes in the burn pit behind his house.

“Hey, Vlad.” Zombie picked up the black cat that pretty much came with the house. “Where’ve you been, boy, huh? Out with the ladies the last week, I bet.” He carried him inside and opened a can of food he kept just for Vlad.

The vampire cat hopped up on the counter, not wanting to wait for the dish to come down to him. Zombie stroked his silky fur as he ate and purred. The simple act never failed to center him and clear his mind. Or maybe it was because he told him all his problems and the cat wasn’t a snitch.

Zombie sat on the barstool, focusing on the sound of the purr. When Vlad was full, he bumped his furry head into Zombie’s. He loved rubbing all over his face and he indulged him.

“What am I gonna do, boy? Huh? I did a really bad thing. I did it for the right reasons, but I still did it.”

Vlad sat right in front of his face and just stared at him. Like he knew there was more to the story.

“He was a horrible human being. The stories Lily and Heidi told made me vomit. The innocent girls he hurt. I met one myself, and I just…” He trailed off. He couldn’t put those images back in his head, or he’d be tempted to head back over to the apartment and put more holes in the man’s body.

“And Heidi. He wanted to…his own biological sister. And the best woman I’ve ever met.” The thought of Heidi brought a smile back to his face.

“You’re gonna love her if you ever get to meet her.”

The cat meowed like he was contributing to the conversation.

“I have to let her go, though, Vlad. She wants her life back, and we did what needed to be done. End of story, right? But how? How can I let the woman I love go?”

Zombie’s chin rested on his hands as he talked to the cat. Vlad rammed his face again. Over and over, crossing back and forth in front of him.

“I need my Rabbit, Vlad, but she wants her old life. A life I’m not a part of.”

Zombie didn’t think he was strong enough to let her go, but on the other hand, he wasn’t selfish enough to make her stay. “Ouch,” he protested when the cat bit his ear and let out an ear-splitting meow.

“What was that for?”

Vlad hissed at him. It was the first time he’d ever done that. He felt like the cat was telling him not to be a dumbass. Of course, the cat wasn’t saying shit, but it’s what Zombie wanted to hear. Somewhere deep down, he wanted permission to go for it. Be selfish and ask her to stay. Maybe he was looking for justification or absolution, he wasn’t sure. One thing was sure, he couldn’t get any of those things from a cat. Only Heidi could give him what he needed, damn it.

“You’re right, Vlad. I should go for it instead of throwing a pity party with a cat.”

Vlad licked his paw, looked at Zombie with an “I know it”look, lept off the counter and exited the house.

“But the big question is will she even want to stay when she hears exactly what I did to her brother? When she realizes exactly what I’m capable of.” He spoke to the empty room as he grabbed his wallet and headed out the front door.

The ride to the clubhouse was a quick one. He’d chosen the house because of its convenient location, and before he knew it, he was kicking the stand down and striding inside.

Heidi had told him repeatedly how sweet and nice he was. He hated to disavow her of that notion, but he wanted something good with her. In order for that to happen, she had to see the real him, all of him.

He was done whining about it or talking to a fucking cat about it. He was more of a doer anyway. He’d already decided his course of action on the ride over.

They’d date. Dinner, movies, maybe a weekend in Vegas. That way, she would get her life back and he’d get her. There was no rule that said she had to give up her old life just to be with him. All he had to do was convince her of that.

Heidi knocked him back into the door as soon as it closed behind him. Her arms around him felt like home.

She was his home.

“Welcome back, brother.” Outlaw’s voice broke through his brain that was fogged up with thoughts of getting Heidi naked. “The stage is set, and everything is handled, so why don’t you two call it a night.” He gave a pointed look to the back of Heidi’s head.

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