I watched in horror as the flames spread even farther, to my elbows. And it hurt. Oh, it hurt. Pain shot through me, undeniable, agony in its purest form. “Have to...go,” I panted. “Go. Everyone.”
Not heeding my command, Cole picked me up. I was careful to keep my hands pressed against my middle, away from him, and my ankles straight out. He stopped at the table piled with food and drinks and anchored me against his chest to sweep everything to the floor. Then he gently laid me down.
I heard the gurgle of spilling liquid as he peered at me.
“Fight it,” he commanded.
The flames spread to my shoulders. “Trying.”
“Try harder.”
The rest of the slayers surrounded me. I saw pity. I saw fear. I saw dread.
They hadn’t left. They needed to leave.
You’re going to die, and I’m going to rise.
“Don’t let her live,” I said. “Kill her. Kill her through me.”
Impossible now, she gloated. I’m going to feast on him. Empty him.
“No,” he said, his voice breaking at the end. “Anything but that.”
“Cole, have to...kill her...please.” She wouldn’t stop with him. She would destroy everyone. ”She’s here... Wants you.”
“No,” he insisted. “There has to be another way.”
Tears fell down my cheeks, and even those burned. “Please,” I begged. “Hurt. I hurt. The pain. Too much.” And like the flames, it was only growing stronger.
“You’ll just have to bear it, because I can’t bear to lose you. If you die, I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I shouted, and I think the other slayers did the same.
“Fight, then,” he demanded. “With everything you’ve got, fight.”
Didn’t he understand? That was what I’d been doing.
I tried to scoot away from him, my gaze scanning the faces of those around me. “Help.”
“I survived it,” Gavin rushed out. “She accidentally touched me with her flames, and I survived. The zombies had bitten me, and she had to give me the antidote, and she burned me. Afterward, I felt stronger than ever before.”
I’d already told him.
He shook his head, giving Gavin the same denial he’d given me. “You didn’t have a full-grown zombie living inside you.”
“True, but if you do nothing, she dies anyway and we’ll have to battle her evil twin. A twin with powers of her own.”
Cole scrubbed a hand down his face, clearly torn. “Ali touched Kelly with her flames, and he burst into ash.”
“She isn’t like Kelly.”
“Did you not hear me? There’s a zombie inside her. Right now she’s more like Kelly than like you.”
“I heard. Now hear me,” Gavin said, reaching out. “I’m going to do this for her whether you like it or not. I’m not just going to watch her die.”
“Wait.” Cole grabbed his wrist, stopping him. “Let me think.”
“You’ve been thinking. The time for action has come.” That said, Gavin used his free hand to punch him in the face.
Cole stumbled backward, and Gavin moved closer to me, his spirit arm rising from his physical arm. A second later, he flattened firelit hands on my chest.
I screamed as I realized this was pain, not what I’d felt before.
Thankfully it didn’t last long. The red flames burned him, and he hissed and jerked away.
Cole shoved him. “You better pray she doesn’t—” His gaze landed on me and he jolted. “Ali, your color is better.” He reacted instantly. His spirit stepped out of his body. Eyes narrowed, he held out his hands, and white-gold flames lit over both, glowing brightly. He was shaking as he pressed his palm over my chest—inside my chest.
I released another scream.
No! Z.A. shouted.
The red intensified, and though Cole hissed from the pain of it, he didn’t back off.
Lucas left his body, too, and jerked him away from me, shouting, “She might not mean to, but she’ll kill you, my man.”
Cole fought him, throwing the boy backward. I sagged against the table, the red flames spreading faster, as if to compensate for what Cole had tried to do. Then Cole was once again beside me, once again touching me.
The pain magnified a thousand degrees, shooting through me, eating at me, consuming me, and another scream burst free. My back arched, coming up off the table, all of my weight settling in my shoulders and toes. I’d shatter. Any second, I would shatter.
What if Cole died because of this?
“S-stop,” I managed. “Stop.”
He snarled, but never severed contact.
“Cole!” Frosty yelled. “Stop this. We won’t let you do this.”
“Help me pull him away,” Bronx gritted.
My skin felt as if it were snapping and popping and ripping away. The agony... Nothing compared to this. Now it was too much, too much, far too much. I wanted to die.
“The red is fading now,” I heard Gavin shout. “She’s healing. Help Cole. Light up and put your hands on her.”
I wasn’t sure how many seconds—minutes?—passed before everyone obeyed. I couldn’t see past the pain, but I eventually felt pressure on my ankles, knees, thighs, belly, arms and shoulders. A terrible heat filled me up and split me apart.
No! Zombie Ali shrieked. No, make them stop, make them stop!
No longer on...my to-do...list, I tried to tell her.
Her voice grew quiet, quieter...until it evaporated altogether.
And then the pain was...leaving?
Yes, I realized a few seconds later. It was. The heat was becoming bearable, almost pleasant. I sagged against the table, finally able to breathe.
My eyesight cleared, and I could see flames dancing all over me; they were no longer red, but gold, like they were supposed to be.
The slayers had saved me.
Their hands fell away from me. Someone held a mirror in front of my face, and I looked, seeing no sign of Z.A. Then the mirror was gone, and I was staring at Cole, marveling that I experienced only a desire to hug and kiss him, not to bite.
Excitement, relief and undiluted joy filled me, and I found the strength to lift my arms and encircle his neck. “Cole,” I sobbed.
His hands shook as he brushed the hair from my face. “You’re still here. You’re still here!”
I was, and he was, though there were blisters all the way up his arm—blisters I had caused. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
“Don’t be. I’m not.”