White Trash Zombie Apocalypse (White Trash Zombie 3)

Philip chuckled. “Ah, no. I’m glad I’m not with Saberton anymore.” He smiled wryly. “I wouldn’t mind being a ‘normal’ zombie at all.”>“Thanks,” I said automatically, but I couldn’t help but feel another twinge of worry and angst about being so much deeper into the Pietro “home” now. “I hope it all works out for the best.”

Brian was sharp enough to catch my slight hesitancy. “That’s pretty much what we’re all shooting for in the end,” he said, then gave me a smile. “Enjoy the party.”

I watched him go, then frowned slightly when a woman I didn’t know came in. At least I thought I didn’t know her until I caught her eye and she gave me a bright smile and cheery wave. I smiled back in delight.

“Heather!” I cried out. She had hazel contact lenses in, and her once loose, blond hair was now a deep chestnut pulled back in a flattering twist. Her face was subtly different as well, and after a few seconds of peering I decided, at the very least, she’d had cheek implants and a nose job. She was still quite pretty, but she’d be able to blend into a crowd easily.

“Angel!” she cried. “This is so great!”

“I’m so glad you made it,” I told her.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” she said, “even though my social calendar is sooo jam packed.” She rolled her eyes.

I laughed. “You’re way too busy kicking ass and taking names.”

“I can’t help myself,” she said with a snort, then glanced back, frowned. “Dammit, I lost Kyle. Where the hell did he go? He was right behind me.”

“He’s probably scouting the perimeter,” I pointed out.

Her mouth curved into a fierce scowl. “This is a parrrrrty. He isn’t supposed to be working.”

“I think he’s always worrrrrking,” I replied.

She laughed. “True. Not even going to try to argue that one.”

“How’s everything going for you?”

“Pretty damn good,” she said with a smile, then cocked her head toward a quiet corner and headed that way.

I got the idea she wanted a private word and followed. “What’s up, chick?”

“I’m dead!” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Yes, I know,” I replied with a grin. “I even went out on the scene, though there wasn’t much body to recover.”

Two days after Philip’s meltdown on the movie set, the burnt-out shell of Heather’s Jeep had been found at the end of Shore Road. When the sheriff’s office investigated, they discovered a body—or rather they discovered teeth from a body, since the fire had been hot enough to burn the bones to ash. Between dental records that convinced authorities the teeth belonged to Heather, and a significant amount of blood near the burned car that matched her DNA, there was no doubt in the eyes of the law that she was quite dead.

Heather hooked a finger into her cheek and pulled it away to show three molars that looked a little too perfect to be real. “New teef!”

I shuddered. “Oh my god. I can’t believe you let them pull your teeth.”

She dropped her hand, winked. “That’s what anesthesia and Percocet are for!” But then she grimaced. “It was the best way, short of chopping off a body part, to convince everyone I’m dead.”

“I guess it’s worth it if it helps keep you safe from Saberton.”

A wince flashed across her face. “And my brother.”

“Do you think he’ll believe you’re really dead?” I asked.

She gave a slow nod. “I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’m fairly positive he will. After all, I can’t imagine he’d believe that Pietro Ivanov would actually welcome Julia Saber into his fold.” She shrugged. “The story that was leaked is that I tried to come over to your side, and that when Mr. Ivanov found out who I really was,” she smiled and spread her hands, “shit got ugly.”

“Well, you look damn good for a dead chick,” I told her, smiling. And now I understood why Brian had wanted the Saberton man to get a good look at her on the movie set. Had to let them believe she’d been brought on board.

“Thanks! Oh, and I have a new name. Naomi Comtesse.”

“And a new hair color too. Looks great,” I said with a grin.

“All part of the new identity, thanks to Mr. Ivanov,” she said. Then she shook her head. “He sure has a lot more connections than I knew, and I’m pretty sure I’m only seeing the tip of the iceberg even now.”