Circle of Death (Damask Circle 2)

Camille’s busy, so you’re stuck with me. Now, where are you?

In an unused water tank of some kind. One with a big rock sitting on it, if that’s any help.

Her gaze swept the small clearing. No tanks this side of the house, or anywhere near what she could see of the big old shed behind it. He had to be on the other side, then.

Have you heard anything moving about?

No. The only sounds I’ve heard are noisy bugs and the occasional bird. That doesn’t mean there isn’t something here, though. Our murderous friend is not one t

o leave things to chance.

An understatement if ever there was one. She approached the house cautiously, trying to hear beyond the high-pitched call of the cicadas. A chill crept across her skin and, for an instant, her vision blurred. The world seemed to spin briefly, and she had to thrust a hand against the side of the house to remain upright. The dizziness eased, but her throat felt as rough as sandpaper, and no amount of swallowing seemed to help. She swiped at the sweat dripping down her forehead and wondered if she was coming down with something.

You okay? Concern shimmered down the link between them.

She nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see her. I’m just a little light-headed. Lack of food, probably. I’ll be there in a sec.

Just be careful. The cicadas have gone quiet.

She looked around. The sudden hush felt almost threatening. Another chill ran through her, and this time it was more fear than anything else. I’m okay. I can protect myself, you know. But she wondered who she was trying to convince—him or herself.

She pushed away from the wall and headed past the front of the house. Three tanks came into sight, one close to the house and two others near the shed. The one farthest from the house had a large rock perched on one end. She certainly wasn’t going to be able to move that rock by herself. She’d have to draw on the energy of the day and the earth to help her.

Just don’t do so when you’re standing close, Doyle warned. It’s been set to explode the minute anyone tries to move it.

Warning heeded. She turned the corner. Found you.

But the words were barely said when she came nose to stomach with the second-biggest dead guy she’d ever seen.

HER SCREAM FROZE SOMEWHERE IN HER THROAT, AND for an instant all she could do was stand there and stare up at him. He was monstrous. Not as big as the zombie that had attacked Doyle, but damn close.

Fear shot through her—not hers. Doyle’s. Kirby, run!

His mental shout unlocked her limbs. But before she could react, the zombie threw a punch, his fist smashing into her jaw. It sent her flying backward. She hit the ground hard and her breath whooshed out, leaving her gasping. Blinking back tears, battling to breathe, she looked up to see the zombie launch at her.

She yelped and rolled away. The zombie hit where she’d been only seconds before, and the ground literally shook. He screamed in frustration and lashed out again, fingers clawing the air inches from her face. She scrambled farther away and called to the energy. It burned through her body, flashing jaggedly across her fingertips before she launched it toward the zombie.

Pain surged through her mind, and again her vision blurred. Suddenly there were two zombies burning up in front of her. Two pairs of flaming hands fighting the force of her net, trying to reach for her.

She scrambled backward, even though her net seemed to be containing the zombie for the moment. But there was no easy escape from the stench of the dying zombie’s burning flesh, and her already churning stomach rebelled again. She threw up in the grass and felt like she was going to die. The madman in her head had obviously found some friends to help him, and the pounding was mixed with a weird buzzing that hurt so intensely she could barely see.

Kirby! Damn it, answer me. Doyle’s mind-voice seemed hollow, as if it were coming from a million miles away.

She looked up, barely able to make out the water tank that trapped him. She felt so weak her whole body was shaking. She couldn’t walk up there. She didn’t have the strength to even stand right now.

Move to the back of the tank.

There is no back. It’s round. For God’s sake, tell me what’s wrong!

I don’t know. She blinked, but it didn’t seem to help her blurry vision.

Can you see the rock at all?

I can see the hatch it’s sitting on.

Face it, then move to your left. The buzzing was getting louder, becoming a tunnel of noise that was closing in around her. Quickly.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she reached for the fire again. It burned through her, almost wild and uncontrolled. She clenched her fists, somehow restraining it, and opened her eyes. The water tank had become three white blobs dancing erratically on the hill above her. She blinked again, and the three became one, a blob of white surrounded by a darkness that was quickly closing in on her. She launched the pent-up energy, then the darkness encased her, and she knew no more.