Page 57 of Siren in Love
“Botanical gardens,” Corvin said, then pulled Mike that way.
“Good thinking.”Peter took the lead.“They’ll have more useful gardening tools there.”
They got away from the new zombies.
“They’re following us.”Corvin pointed at the zombie with the garden shears still in its throat.That one was leading the charge at their back.
Peter jumped over a deck chair by the pool.“They’re being directed to do so.The necromancer will be here somewhere.Which means, once he runs out of zombies to set on us—”
“It’ll only be him,” Mike said.
The zombies behind them struggled with the deck chairs, and as Mike looked over his shoulder, the fresher bellboy zombie fell into the pool.
At least zombies aren’t raised to be smart.Mike knew all too well that it took an extraordinarily skilled necromancer and very fresh corpses to raise the fast kind of zombie, the kind that was potently lethal because of their speed and dexterity.Luckily, Dominic isn’t that good at what he does.
The path to the botanical gardens, charming and romantic during the day, had taken on an ominous, eerie air.The colors had faded mostly to shades of gray apart from the few circles of light drawn by the lanterns set near the ground.Mike started humming, using his siren sense to let the echoes in the darkness show him what he couldn’t see.
“Why are you humming now if it doesn’t help with the zombies?”Corvin held Mike’s hand tightly.
“The way sound travels helps me take in my surroundings.It’s a lesser-known siren skill.”
Corvin’s jaw dropped.“Wait, are you telling me you have echolocation?Like a freakingbat?”
Peter giggled.“Echolocation.Oh, Michael, he’s just the sweetest human ever.”
Mike respected his boss, but right now he wanted to toss a tune at him that would make his fangs fall out.“It’s not echolocation.”Mike considered for a moment.“Okay, it’s a little like echolocation, in an extremely oversimplified way.”
“That is socool,” Corvin said.
Mike’s heart swelled with joy.“It is?”
Corvin nodded.“Yes!Like you’re the main character in a superhero story.”
“Well, it’s pretty much like echolocation, I guess.”
Peter cackled.Mike ignored him and went back to humming.The zombies were still on their heels, shambling as fast as they could on their undead feet.
The entrance to the botanical gardens was a large, ornate rose gate that had yet to be conquered by vines and blooming things.In the dark, it looked like metal bones framing the pale face of the moon.
They jogged through it and along the angular gravel walkways surrounding a wide patch of spring flowers.Behind that, the fountain with a nymph spouting water from a seashell purled away, and the large structure of the first hothouse shimmered faintly in the moonlight.
Peter tried the door and found it open.“This is surprising.Much like not encountering any of the undead on our way here.”
“You think he tried to get us to the hothouses?”Corvin asked.
The vampire shrugged.“Possible.I suggest we each see about arming ourselves as soon as we can.I knew we should have stopped by the kitchens for a cleaver and a few good knives.One should always make time to visit the kitchens during a zombie attack.”
How many zombie attacks has he weathered?Mike wondered, not sure whether he really wanted to know the answer.
The first hothouse was the one with the orchids and the butterflies, though few of the insects bent their wings to the moonlight.Those that did shimmered like the rarest gems, in moonstone pale grays and pearly silvers, and if it hadn’t been for the current situation, the sight would’ve been enchanting.
“Oh.”Corvin pulled his hand out of Mike’s.“That count as a weapon?”
He pulled an earth-encrusted trowel from under a few lush leaves.The doors behind them were pulled open, and the zombies continued their approach.Mike wondered how the dead and now exceedingly wet bellboy had managed to get out of the pool.
“Better than nothing.”Peter looked over his shoulder.“Keep it.”
“Want to try getting those shears back?”Mike asked.
