Page 83 of Blood We Steal

I dropped down, groping in the darkness, my palm sliding over the rough, familiar canvas of the jail uniform.

The man grunted in pain when I touched his arm, and I pulled back instantly, sorry for hurting him but so glad I’d found him.

“Aaron,” I whispered.

I didn’t need to. Between the screams, moans, and gunfire, my voice would have been lost.

“Moni…”

He sounded weaker than I’d ever heard him, in more pain than he had been when Nana died.

“We gotta go.” I reached for him, trying to be mindful of injuries I couldn’t see. Aaron still flinched at my touch, and I gentled my hands more but didn’t leave his side.

“Moni, I…”

“Can you stand up?”

“Yeah, I can⁠—”

There was a piercing shriek of an alarm and a sudden burst of flashing red lights that made my eyes cross, allowing me to see Aaron. He kneeled on one knee, his broken arm hanging uselessly at his side, his other pressed against his ribs like he was trying to hold them in place.

I’d been wearing the bulletproof vest long enough that it felt like a part of me.

Now I ripped it off, the Velcro straps muted in the chaos of the room. I threw it over Aaron’s head and carefully worked his injured arm in, then strapped it in place.

I gingerly lifted his uninjured arm and pulled it over my shoulder, then pushed off the ground and pulled us both to standing.

It was a shocker I’d held my balance, but there was no time for celebration. I looked around frantically, ignoring Rubin who was tangled up with two COs who’d stormed in with about twelve others. I started to move toward the opposite corridor but stopped dead in my tracks when more bodies spilled in.

Dead ones.

Dozens of them. And I instantly knew the barricades hadn’t held.

Aaron was dazed beside me, both of his eyes swelling and a huge lump growing by the second on his forehead. I risked tightening my hold on him and turned toward the C block door. I didn’t know what I’d find there, but I knew what was here.

I took one step and then let out a muffled scream when a hand closed around my elbow.

Though defenseless and holding Aaron, I whirled, ready to face the CO or zombie—or Rubin that had grabbed me.

It was Kane. “Come on, this way.”

He gestured for me to move and grabbed Aaron. I followed behind him, looking frantically for threats.

Looking for Rubin.

I found him.

Three feet away from me, a statue in the brutal ballet that was unfolding.

“Why, Simone?” He was focused completely on me, like the literal end of the world didn’t matter.

“Come on, Simone!”

It was a frantic Veronica, but I ignored her, my gaze locked on Rubin.

A moment passed, another, and just before I ran, I whispered, “Familja është e shenjtë.”

FORTY-ONE