The Stalking Dead (Gang of Ghouls, #1)

by Eva Chase

I felt the attention of all three of my men shift to me. They were my men—I’d been the leader of the Skullbreakers, and they’d been my closest colleagues as we built the gang together. We were in all of this together, in life and death… but ultimately, I called the shots.

I squirmed in my seat, trying and failing not to notice how damp my panties had gotten.

You’re with us, Minnow, just like you’re meant to be, and we can show you ten times better than any fucking normal.”

Minnow. The nickname sank into my brain with a spike of adrenaline. I stared at him. My voice came out in a whisper. “What did you just call me?” Mr. Grimes—or the man who wasn’t really Mr. Grimes anymore—grinned. “Minnow. Like old times, when you were a little thing splashing around in the marsh like you were going to learn to breathe water. Are you going to complain about that now? I guess I can come up with a more fitting one since you’re not so little anymore.” No. It couldn’t be. I gaped at him. He… He knew. In therapy, I’d talked a little about the imaginary friends who’d occupied so much of my free time, but I’d never gotten into that much detail. I’d never told anyone—and it’d always been him talking to me when he called me that name, not the other way around, so no one could have overheard—no one could have known about that… Except the guy who’d coined the nickname in the first place. Swallowing hard, I studied every plane of his face, every angle of his body, as if I’d be able to recognize the hazy impressions of those ephemeral presences in this new manifestation. “It’s… How did you know that?” He squeezed my shoulder. “How could I forget? Technically we rose from the dead last week with Kai’s little trick, but really you brought us back to life ages before that. If it wasn’t for you, we’d have faded away into that numb nothingness. Fuck that.”

“We all remember, Waterlily,” Ansel said, taking a step closer. At the second familiar nickname, my heart stuttered. Zach shrugged. “We’ve been trying to tell you all along, kid.” Vincent shot him a look. “She’s not a kid anymore. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t need us. She’s our Lily.” He shot me a hesitant smile. “Or maybe Lil when the mood is right.” My head was spinning. How could their crazy story be true? How could they be the formless figures who’d romped through my childhood games? How co...

“We’re going to stick close by. Make sure no one gets in your face or takes any jabs at you. Deal with anyone who tries. I don’t think it’ll take very long—most of the kids at that college have never had to deal with a real threat in their lives.” His face split with a vicious grin that shouldn’t have thrilled me… but did. Please tell me my panties didn’t just get wet, I begged myself. Myself pleaded the fifth.

“No one but you. There never will be anyone else from now on. And I don’t mean just for enjoying ourselves. You’ve got my whole heart.”

Nox simply glared at me without saying anything. His gaze softened as it shifted to Lily. “Everything okay?” When I glanced back, she was blushing so hard her pale skin had gone nearly as red as my hair. Her lips looked delectably tender from all our kissing. “Yes,” she said, with a hint of her own defiance. “And it might have gotten even better if you hadn’t interrupted.”

“Of course I wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want. She’s our girl. Our woman.”

“I’m not trying to make her all mine. We’re all with her. However she wants any of us.”

“Good. You’d better remember that. Now why don’t you make yourself useful and grab us some breakfast. Something extra nice for Lily too. All she’s got right now is one sad box of cereal.”

“Who did this?” he snarled. “When I get my hands on them—”

“Who did this to you?” he repeated in an even more ominous voice.

“You aren’t a minnow anymore, are you, Lily?” Nox said, his baritone dipping even lower. “You’re a goddamned siren.” He brushed his thumb over my mouth again. “You liked having Ruin all over you.”

If Ruin’s kiss was all bright exuberance, then Nox’s was total darkness. A pure, intoxicating darkness like the headiest of liquors, drenching me from head to toes in an instant. Just like that, I soaked my panties.

“You’re a good girl, aren’t you, Lily?” he murmured, every word like a flame. “No one’s treating you fucking right. But I’ve got you. I’m going to make you sing again.”

Nox growled, but there was nothing angry in the sound now. “That’s right. I can’t wait to see you unravel for me. I’m going to take you so high, baby.”

“You’re fucking gorgeous like this,” he said. “So fucking beautiful when you’re moaning for me.”