Cole sat up and glanced at me over his shoulder, his expression grim. "Will you tell me about the wreck? About what happened afterward, to your parents?"

I licked my lips and forced myself to speak before I shut down like every time before. "I came to and saw my dad spotlighted by the car's headlights. Three zombies fell on him, disappearing inside him, coming back up for air. Then I blacked out, and when I came to again, those same zombies had somehow dragged my mother beside him and they were doing the same thing to her."

"Was he alive at the time, your dad?"

"He couldn't have been. He never made a sound."

"And your mom?"

"D-dead, I think. In the car, there was so much b-blood on her." My teeth began to chatter.

"She couldn't have walked to the zombies to try and save your dad?"

"N-no." Right?

"We don't have to talk about this anymore," Cole said, returning to a stretched-out position beside me. "You're a little shocky."

"I'll be okay. But why did you ask about the wreck?" Here and now, of all places and times.

There was a long, heavy pause. "The 'he' your sister mentioned..."

"Yes?"

"Don't react until you hear me out, okay? But if your dad was alive before the zombies bit him, they could have infected him. He could be-"

"No!" I shouted. More softly, I repeated, "No. That isn't possible."

"Ali."

"No." I peered up at the ceiling, tears welling in my eyes, spilling onto my cheeks. He was saying my dad might have become the very evil he'd once feared, and that simply couldn't be right. It couldn't.

If I had to fight my own father...if I had to end him... No! I couldn't do it. I wouldn't do it.

But someone would, I thought. For all I knew, they had already.

"I know it's a hard thing to consider, and you know I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't think it was a possibility. I would never purposely hurt you, but I wanted to prepare you, just in case, because...that's what happened to my mom."

A buzz of shock lanced through me. "Your mother was a zombie?"

"Yes. I was there when my dad ashed her," he said flatly.

"I-I-" All I could do was hold on to him more tightly, offering what comfort I could.

"She'd come for me, determined to make me like her. I fought her, but not to the best of my ability because she was my mom, and she managed to bite me. I shouted for my dad, and when he raced inside my room she lunged for him. She almost beat him, but he rallied himself and struck with a glowing hand. He was crying when he did it."

"Oh, Cole. I'm so sorry."

"The zombies aren't mindless at first. They remember what they had, and they hate that we still have it. They want to take it from us. The fact that you're being hunted so determinedly..."

Yeah. I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. My dad could be hunting me.

Cole sighed and said, "Come on. I'll take you home."

"All right," I replied gently. I needed time to think, to plan.

We were loaded into his car a few minutes later, then parking at the curb soon after that. He checked his phone as he walked me through the forest, and frowned.

"Something's going down at your house," he said.

"What?" Suddenly on the lookout for zombies, I raced forward.

"He didn't say." Cole moved in front of me and prevented me from falling into any traps. Halfway there, I inhaled the scent of rot. It saturated the breeze, so thick it created a film over my skin.

I looked up but saw no hint of a rabbit in the sky.

Why hadn't Emma warned me? "Well, the zombies are out here somewhere," I said, palming my blade. "Do you see them?"

"Not yet, but they're close by. The scent is unbelievably strong." He unsheathed his crossbow with one hand and phoned Frosty with the other.

The closer we got to my house, the faster we ran. No zombies jumped out at us. When we reached my fence-no zombies waited there, either, thank God-I caught a glimpse of a retreating Cruz as I threw open the gate, too upset to even tell Cole goodbye. I had to check on my grandparents.

"What the-" I heard him say.

First thing I noticed: all the lights in the house were on. The second thing: policemen were everywhere.

"Weapons," Cole reminded me.

I tossed the blade to the ground before I scrambled forward. "Nana! Pops!" The officer who stood at the back door grabbed me and held me in place.

"Are you Ali?" he demanded.

Porch light spilled over us. He was an older guy, on the heavier side, with concern bathing his face. "Yes. Where are my grandparents? Are they okay? What happened?"

"Are you okay?" he demanded.

"I'm fine. My grandparents-"

He ignored me, shouting, "I've got the girl." His gaze moved behind me, to Cole, who'd followed me. "Who are you?"

"The boyfriend," was Cole's response.

Understanding replaced the cop's concern. Other cops rushed to our little group, and between their questions and mine, answers began to fall into place. A "vandal" had broken into the house and scared my grandparents. Pops had made sure Nana was hidden and had then come looking for me. He hadn't been able to find me. The vandal spotted him, knocked him around. Meanwhile, Nana called 911.

Couldn't have been a zombie. Cole had promised there was a Blood Line all around the perimeter. So...why the smell?

"Justin," Cole muttered.

My eyes widened. Justin wouldn't have done this, I didn't think, but his co-workers certainly could have. Still, that smell of rot...

I'd figure out the flaws in my logic later. Pops was now in the hospital, in stable condition and expecting a full recovery. Nana was here to answer the phone in case my kidnappers called. Only, I hadn't been kidnapped, I'd snuck out.

I would carry the guilt of this forever. I'd brought this war to my grandparents' doorstep. I couldn't even comfort myself with the knowledge that I'd been out fighting tonight. I'd been making out, having fun while they worried and suffered.

"Can I see her?" I croaked.

"Sure," the cop who'd first grabbed me said.

Though they weren't done questioning Cole, he followed me inside, refusing to leave my side. I found Nana in the living room, sitting on the couch and silently crying. Her eyes were red and puffy, her nose running. They must have told her I'd been found, but had kept her here while they dug for the truth.

The moment she spotted me she was on her feet and racing to me, throwing her arms around me. I hugged her right back, holding on to her with all of my strength and crying along with her.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"We'll talk about it later. I'm just happy you're safe."

After all the wonderful things they'd done for me, I'd caused my grandparents nothing but grief. And the horrible thing was, I knew I'd continue to do so.

Pops came home from the hospital a few days later. He looked so fragile I wanted to slug the doctor who'd released him and the insurance company who'd refused to pay for any more of his care.

I told Nana to take any money necessary from my college account and get him readmitted, but she refused. She had been desperate to have Pops back and under her care.

He had bruises under his eyes, and his cheeks were hollowed out. His skin was grayish and paper-thin, and all of his joints were swollen. He was such a darling man, my Pops. How could anyone have hurt him like that?

First day back at school, Cole and I confronted Justin and his sister in the parking lot. Cole spotted them as they stepped from the bus. He got out of his car and shouted, "Silverstone!"

Justin faced him. Without any other words spoken, the two launched at each other and just started hitting.

I got out and approached Jaclyn. "Interfere, and you'll end up just like your brother," I said through gritted teeth. "You and I are going to talk."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Screw you."

"If you ever go near my grandparents again," I snarled, "I will wipe the floor with your face. Do you hear me?"

She scowled, the wind blustering her hair back into place. "What are you talking about? We didn't do anything to your grandparents."

"Just like you didn't start those rumors about me?"

The boys were busy throwing punches, cursing.

She shrugged. "Yeah, I stared the rumors. So what?"

"So you're an evil little troll with no morals, who doesn't mind hurting innocent people. I know you and your group came to the house to harass me, maybe even to rough me up. When you discovered I wasn't there, you turned on my Nana and Pops."

"I told you! I didn't do anything to your grandparents."

"You know who did, and you will tell me." I didn't wait for her response. She needed to know how serious I was. I popped her in the nose, blood instantly spurting from her. Her knees collapsed and she hit the ground with a howl.

Dr. Wright raced outside, the school doors banging shut behind her. "Enough!" she yelled. "Enough, boys. Ali. Now!"

The security guards had to pull the boys apart. Me, I held up my hands, palms out and said, "Self-defense."

All four of us ended up suspended.

Kat came by to see me that night, but I was distracted and we ended up arguing, too.

"I told you about my illness, but you won't tell me what's going on with you?" she said, arms lifted with exasperation. "And I know something's going on. You're spending more and more time with Cole, you're bruised all the time and I would think he was beating you if I hadn't seen the bruises on everyone else you're hanging out with. I know you're involved in whatever Frosty's involved in, and I know you're keeping secrets from me."

"I am," I admitted, "but I can't tell you anything more."

Absolute hurt flashed over her features. "You don't trust me?"

"I do, but these secrets belong to a group of people. I can't betray them."

"But I'm your friend."

"You are. And so are they."

"Ali-"

"I'm sorry, I just can't," I repeated.

She'd left in a huff.

I spent the rest of the night in a daze, roaming the house, checking doors and windows, with weapons strapped all over my body. After all those years of doubting him, I'd become the image of my father.

There was no reason to sneak out. Cole and the boys were out there, checking traps and patrolling the area. There was no reason to stay up, either, but I couldn't force myself to sleep.

Pops and Nana had forbidden me from seeing him. For real this time, they'd said. And they meant business. Nana was sleeping on the couch in the living room.

Something had to be done.

The next morning, I texted him. Can U come over for dinner tonight? My grandparents would come to love him if they got to know him.

His reply was immediate. Yes. Everything OK?

Just need U.

About X. C U.

X must mean "time." I grinned. Then, while I had my phone out, I decided to text Kat. I'M SORRY. I hated that I'd hurt her feelings.

I wasn't expecting a reply until much later, if ever, but only a few minutes passed before I heard that telltale beep. No, I'm sorry. I was pushy & U know I'm never pushy.

A chuckle left me. Kat had a gift. She could make me laugh, no matter the circumstances. Friends?

Best.