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Denise's shout was so loud, it tookbelowhed
"Filthyaniet awayfrom me," she rasped to Bones
I laughed even as Bones snorted and sat back as well, pausing only to cut his palm and slap it over the slash in my wrist
"Hallo, Justina It appears we're still stuck with each other"
Denise laughed also, and then she wiped at her eyes and looked around
"Where's Randy? Isn't he with you?"
My smile faded Belatedly I realized that Randy wasn't in the roo to death had distracted lance at Bones, as frowning and getting to his feet
"Why would he be with us?" he asked Denise in a sharp tone "Randy was supposed to stayhere"
Denise got up now, too, her face pale "He wanted to help find whatever it was Patra was using He said he wouldn't leave the house He's been gone about twenty minutes"
Bones turned and strode out of the room I went to Denise and took her hands Even with all the blood loss I'd suffered, mine armer
"You stay here," I told her "We'll find him"
Denise's hazel eyes met mine, and the vehemence in them made me actually back up a step
"No fking way," she said, and shoved me to the side
I let her go, feeling a bit woozy now that the battle adrenaline was leavingat the blood and torn clothes around her abdomen where that mortal wound had been
"Moan
"Don't worry about me," she cut me off "Go after Denise"
I gave her a grateful look and left, h the ruins of the house far slower than I had before It wasn't aThat broughtto dance in my vision
Bones was kneeling on the floor of the kitchen with Denise in his arht next to them
"Oh, Jesus," I whispered
"Fix hi on Bones's back "Fix him, fix him,FIX HIM! "
But that was i to life when Bones and I gave her blood, so its healing properties had had a chance to work Randy's body lay in pieces, parts covered by the dirt that had once been the zombie, or zombies, who'd torn him apart
"He's gone, luv," Bones said to Denise, forcing her away froht of her husband "I'm so very sorry"
I don't think Denise even heard hi while her fists pu to co I could do would ease her pain
Spade carim-faced, and knelt down next to us
"Crispin, I'll take Denise out of here You need to get Cat and the others to safety We don't have much time"
Wordless, Bones nodded Spade gently pried Denise from Bones's arms and carried her out of the kitchen
Everyone still left standing was in e for a speedy exit We all had to get as far away from here as possible, before Patra came to finish us off
Bones picked ue that I could walk Frankly, I wasn't sure if I could As he h the broken items in the house, I was surprised to see one of the televisions were still on
"threetwooneHappy New Year!" Dick Clark announced, followed by the usual noise of party Syne" It seemed impossible that so much had happened in only two hours
My vision began to get hazy, whichup to me, because when I blinked next, ere out on the lawn Strewn amid the odd-colored snow and heaps of dirt were bodies What once had been vae of gladness to see Tatearound, and prayed that Juan and Dave had also made it
Ian knelt on the ground, his chestnut hair uishable even from behind His shoulders shook
Bones set me down and then took rapid steps forward Mencheres seized hirim
"How many?" Bones asked hoarsely
Mencheres's gaze slid to several of the piles of shriveling limbs
"We don't know yet"
Bones knelt beside Ian "Ian, o None of thehtered over their bodies because we didn't have the strength to leave Patra's already taken too "
Through rapidly graying vision, I saw the three of thein to collect the remains of what used to be their friends
Chapter Thirty-Two
DAVE'S FACE WAS THE FIRST THING I SAW when my eyes opened He smiled
"Hello, Cat Are you hungry? Thirsty?"
"Thirsty," I rasped, downing the water he handed me "Where are we?"
He took the glass back "We're in South Dakota nohile everyone regroups"
A glance to h the heavy drapes
"My God, what time is it?"
"About three o'clock You lost a shitload of blood and had to be given two transfusions Then Bones didn't want you to wake up and start to exhaust yourself, so he gave you so pills Don cooked up for you You don't re to spit them out?"
Not at all I sat up, noticing I was no longer bloody and I was also wearing a clean T-shirt