Zombies Sold Separately by Cheyenne McCray

how males found the way she looked intriguing, enticing.
    But she was oh-so-dangerous. The Taiwanese Krabi sheathed at her side and her martial arts skills made her a lethal weapon, a deadly beauty. I knew how to fight. How to kick ass. But Lawan made fighting look like a dance, an art form.
    I wasn’t surprised that she might be cold when she wasn’t in her Siamese cat form. Lawan came from Thailand and had only been in New York City for a couple of years. This was barely her second winter in the city.
    “Everything okay?” I asked as I came up beside her.
    “Yes.” Lawan didn’t look at me, just continued staring at the park. “I suppose so.”
    Her lips parted as if there was something else she wanted to say, so I stayed quiet. She turned her head and looked directly at me. She was petite, very petite, but even though I’m five-eight I didn’t feel like she was any smaller than me. Despite her quiet nature she was a powerful Tracker and had a strong presence.
    “It is just…” Lawan frowned, her pretty features more serious than I had ever noticed before. “I have had very strange feelings for the past two days. I feel—I feel as though I am being watched.”
    “Do you think you are?” Despite being Elvin I felt a strong chill and I didn’t think it was because my own fighting suit was far more revealing than Lawan’s.
    “Honestly…” She looked back at the park, her dark eyes serious, intent. “Yes.”
    “Right now?” I asked in a lower tone and she nodded.
    For a long moment neither of us said anything as we stared at the snowbound park, the light traffic, the occasional pedestrians who braved the freezing cold, and the small snow flurries softening the night.
    “Come on.” I touched her arm. “I’ll buy you a drink before the meeting.”
    I waited for her as she continued to stare at the park. Then she turned and we walked side by side to the entrance of the Pit.
    Fred, the Doppler bouncer who was a golden retriever in his animal form, greeted us as he always did. He was the kind of being who made a good friend. Devoted, trustworthy, friendly—an all-around good guy. He smiled and gave me a wink before he let us through the doors.
    The Pit was rocking and I almost groaned. I’d forgotten tonight was the annual talent competition. The place was packed like Brownies in a bucket of peanut butter.
    Brownies love peanut butter.
    I tolerate peanut butter and am not crazy about crowds.
    Lawan fell a few paces back as we pushed our way through the crush of beings. Laughter and applause had me pausing to raise myself on my toes and look over the heads of two paranorms blocking my view of the stage.
    Faerie juggling.
    A Sprite was juggling seven tiny Faeries at the same time while the crowd hooted, shouted, and laughed. The Faeries had each tucked themselves into a little ball about the size of an orange. Faeries dress in bright hues which made for a brilliant show of yellow, red, blue, green, pink, orange, and purple. As they spun Faerie dust puffed out and sparkled in the air.
    Lawan came up to stand beside me and despite the chaotic noise in the Pit, I heard her sweet laughter.
    As a rule, Sprites have always been considered some of the lesser Fae and I had never liked them—until I met Negel, a Sprite who’d died just weeks ago to save my life from the Vampires who had been determined to kill me.
    Through Negel I learned that Sprites are good beings, deserving of our respect and concern. The relatively few Sprites who are malicious, destructive, and mean give the whole race an undeserved reputation.
    They are ugly, though. Really, really ugly. This adds to the way other paranorms view them and for the most part shun them.
    To my surprise, I learned that Sprites are a peaceable race of beings with kind hearts who stay hidden as much as possible from other beings, keeping to themselves. Throughout the centuries they have chosen to ignore the reputation given to them by the few Sprites who wreak