what he could see. It seemed empty. “I’m not sure we’re going to have much—”
The face of a diseased sprung up on the other side of the pane and Rhys’ heart damn near jumped from his chest. A huge chunk of flesh hung from the side of its face like a rancid strip of steak. With hatred locked onto Rhys through its bloody eyes, it opened its mouth and released its war cry.
Chapter Eight
About twenty-two weeks ago
“Look, Vicky,” Brendan said as he pulled a chair out and sat down at the kitchen table opposite her, “it’s been over two weeks since our anniversary meal and,” he reached over and held both of her hands “I’m not prying, but you’ve been different. Whatever you found out at work that day is eating you up and I want to help if I can.”
Vicky looked out of the window to her right. The entire wall on that side of their penthouse apartment was made from glass. The tallest building for a few miles around, it gave them a great view. London sat as a backdrop with the towered skyline an ever-changing sight of architectural competition. Phallus after phallus, each one grander and bigger than the one next to it. And who said it was a man’s world?
In the foreground however, stood the Alpha Tower. The sight of it hadn’t bothered Vicky when they moved in. To see it every time she looked out of the window now made the knot in her stomach twist tighter. Although the tower hadn’t bothered her at first, she wouldn’t have chosen the flat, but Brendan loved the view. He said it was perfect. And seeing as he’d been the one paying for it, it made sense that Vicky should honour his wishes. But now everything had changed.
When she looked back at him, Brendan shrugged. “So, do you want to talk about it?”
“Of course I want to talk about it.” Vicky ground her jaw and her vision blurred. She swallowed against the burn in her throat. “I want to talk about it more than ever. But I can’t . I’m sworn to secrecy, remember?”
A frown creased Brendan’s forehead. “But you can trust me, Vic.”
Some of the tension left Vicky as the grief took over. It rushed through her as a hot wave and her eyes watered. A deep and stuttered sigh and she said, “I know I can. I know.”
Brendan squeezed her hands. “Look, I wouldn’t normally pry, but I’m worried about you. Whatever it is you’re keeping to yourself is clearly eating you up. I can help if you let me.”
If she continued to look into his intense blue stare she’d give everything away, so Vicky looked down at the glass-topped table. For a few seconds she focused on one spot in front of her and felt her breaths; in and out, in and out. When things overwhelmed her she tried to bring herself into the present moment. Nothing mattered but the now. It made no sense to try and think beyond that point. When she thought of the future she couldn’t see a way out.
When she looked back up warm tears rolled down her cheeks. Another deep and stuttered breath and she said, “I found out what they do in the Alpha Tower.”
Brendan straightened his back and leaned toward her. “What is it? You can tell me.”
He sounded keen, not a surprise really. If she’d lived with him like this for the past few weeks, she’d be champing at the bit to find out what was up his arse. “ Zombies , Brendan.”
Brendan jumped back and his seat screeched over the hard floor. “ Zombies ?”
“I know. It sounds fucking mental doesn’t it?”
“What do you mean zombies ? You’ll have to give me a little more than that.”
Unable to control the shake that ran through her Vicky pulled her hand away from Brendan and bit one of her fingernails. It had been years since she’d bitten them and she could still smell the lemon hand wash she’d used earlier that day. “We have the whole weapons embargo, right?”
“Yep,” Brendan said.
“And we’re stuck in the middle of this stupid cold war.”
“And may that end as soon as possible.”
“Well,
The face of a diseased sprung up on the other side of the pane and Rhys’ heart damn near jumped from his chest. A huge chunk of flesh hung from the side of its face like a rancid strip of steak. With hatred locked onto Rhys through its bloody eyes, it opened its mouth and released its war cry.
Chapter Eight
About twenty-two weeks ago
“Look, Vicky,” Brendan said as he pulled a chair out and sat down at the kitchen table opposite her, “it’s been over two weeks since our anniversary meal and,” he reached over and held both of her hands “I’m not prying, but you’ve been different. Whatever you found out at work that day is eating you up and I want to help if I can.”
Vicky looked out of the window to her right. The entire wall on that side of their penthouse apartment was made from glass. The tallest building for a few miles around, it gave them a great view. London sat as a backdrop with the towered skyline an ever-changing sight of architectural competition. Phallus after phallus, each one grander and bigger than the one next to it. And who said it was a man’s world?
In the foreground however, stood the Alpha Tower. The sight of it hadn’t bothered Vicky when they moved in. To see it every time she looked out of the window now made the knot in her stomach twist tighter. Although the tower hadn’t bothered her at first, she wouldn’t have chosen the flat, but Brendan loved the view. He said it was perfect. And seeing as he’d been the one paying for it, it made sense that Vicky should honour his wishes. But now everything had changed.
When she looked back at him, Brendan shrugged. “So, do you want to talk about it?”
“Of course I want to talk about it.” Vicky ground her jaw and her vision blurred. She swallowed against the burn in her throat. “I want to talk about it more than ever. But I can’t . I’m sworn to secrecy, remember?”
A frown creased Brendan’s forehead. “But you can trust me, Vic.”
Some of the tension left Vicky as the grief took over. It rushed through her as a hot wave and her eyes watered. A deep and stuttered sigh and she said, “I know I can. I know.”
Brendan squeezed her hands. “Look, I wouldn’t normally pry, but I’m worried about you. Whatever it is you’re keeping to yourself is clearly eating you up. I can help if you let me.”
If she continued to look into his intense blue stare she’d give everything away, so Vicky looked down at the glass-topped table. For a few seconds she focused on one spot in front of her and felt her breaths; in and out, in and out. When things overwhelmed her she tried to bring herself into the present moment. Nothing mattered but the now. It made no sense to try and think beyond that point. When she thought of the future she couldn’t see a way out.
When she looked back up warm tears rolled down her cheeks. Another deep and stuttered breath and she said, “I found out what they do in the Alpha Tower.”
Brendan straightened his back and leaned toward her. “What is it? You can tell me.”
He sounded keen, not a surprise really. If she’d lived with him like this for the past few weeks, she’d be champing at the bit to find out what was up his arse. “ Zombies , Brendan.”
Brendan jumped back and his seat screeched over the hard floor. “ Zombies ?”
“I know. It sounds fucking mental doesn’t it?”
“What do you mean zombies ? You’ll have to give me a little more than that.”
Unable to control the shake that ran through her Vicky pulled her hand away from Brendan and bit one of her fingernails. It had been years since she’d bitten them and she could still smell the lemon hand wash she’d used earlier that day. “We have the whole weapons embargo, right?”
“Yep,” Brendan said.
“And we’re stuck in the middle of this stupid cold war.”
“And may that end as soon as possible.”
“Well,
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