Dead World Rising Read online

  Acknowledgements

  To my adoptive mum Julie, whom the character Jade is based on. You've been my friend, my muse and my mentor. These books would not exist without you. My husband Bill, who has spent hours listening to me talk about my characters and plots lines despite not liking zombie books and films. You are a trooper, thanks for being there to lend a listening ear.

  My mum, who has finally gotten round to reading the first book. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I hope like this one just as much. If my books can make you like something other than true crime, I must be doing something right.

  Dead World Rising

  Book 2

  Redemption

  Chapter 1

  Frankie

  When we'd set off from Meltham to rescue our friends, we could not have predicted what would happen. We'd fought against mutated walkers, I had faced the potential loss of all who I held dear. I even found something I never knew I wanted. In this life, love wasn't something any of us believed we could have and yet I found Jensen. All of our lives had taken more than one unexpected turn.

  When we came to Scotland we'd scoured enemy walls and found very little breakages in their defences, we then came to Dunvegan Castle in search of safety and rest. Last night Jensen and I had cemented our relationship. I thought that we were safe here, but we were awoken in the morning to find a group of people running from a horde, among those people was the first love of my life...Nikkita.

  Her face had haunted my dreams for half a decade, I cried out at night fearing I would never see her again, but somehow she was here. I could not help but stare at Nikkita, in appearance she looked as I remembered her. Gorgeously tall, even taller than me. Milky skin as pale as the moonlight, ruby red hair that fell past her shoulders and emerald eyes that had always seen right through to my soul. She had the figure of what I considered to be a real woman, curvy in all the right places with hour glass shape and large breasts that most women would die for. Nikkita wore what I called typical apocalypse attire, biker boots with dark jeans that she could easily move in, a short sleeve black vest top and a thin black suede jacket that had plenty of pockets. I felt my head spinning, it was all too much to take. How could I even begin to process all of this when one of my friends was dying?

  'Are you alright?' Jensen asked as he sat down next to me.

  'Yeah, I'm alright but-,' I broke off as Nikkita came towards me. He gave me a quizzical look as I got up off the grass, I stood in front of her not knowing what to say. Here she was, this stunningly beautiful woman who I had once pledged myself to. How could I even begin to explain this to the others, to Jensen? For now, we had other things to attend to. I put on my best leader face and tried to focus on what really mattered. My friend Jillian was dying, she'd been bitten more than once and some of Nikkita's friends were injured in the battle.

  'How are your people?' I asked her softly. 'Three hurt but nothing serious,' she replied plainly. She seemed somewhat colder than I remembered, but then again who knew what horrors she'd faced in the last five years. I knew I wasn't the same shy, fearful girl she once knew so how could I think that she would be unchanged as well?

  'I'm Tamara, thanks for the help lass,' she stood up to shake Nikkita's hand, which Nikkita took almost reluctantly.

  'This is my lot, Zachary, Anthony, Brian, Yasmin, Casey, Xandra and Delilah,' she said as she went round her people.

  'What's your name missus?' Tamara asked playfully. Oh fuck, was Tamara flirting with my girlfriend? As the word 'girlfriend' swam round my head, I felt how unnatural it sounded. Oh Goddess this was the last thing I needed right now, before Nikkita could answer I stepped forward.

  'Her name is Nikkita,' I told my friends not looking at them. I saw Jensen's eyes go wide as he realised just who she was, Tamara seemed to realise too as she stopped looking at Nikkita with flirty eyes and went to sit next to Jensen. Izzy didn't know anything about Nikkita so she just looked confused, Finn just stared at the floor not saying anything and Jillian was too preoccupied with checking to make sure all the walkers were dead.

  'Jillian how are you feeling?' I asked her worryingly.

  I needed to take my mind off this awkwardness, not only that Jillian had things to take care of before she died.

  'I've not got long, but I want to make sure you kids are safe before I go,' she told me kindly. I looked at the various bite marks on her arms and saw the black veins spreading fiercely towards her head, I knew she spoke the truth. Jillian had a few hours at most before she died, I knew that none of us would let her turn.

  'Don't worry about us, do you want to talk to Cammi before you go?'

  I didn't know quite what to say, we knew what was coming but after losing Tom earlier this year I wasn't sure how our group was going to cope with Jillian's death.

  'Yes,' was all she said. I told Finn to give her the radio, she took it and went inside leaving me to deal with the mess out here. I didn't know what to do or where to put my head, I could feel my own cheeks burning out of embarrassment.

  'Come on, let's get your people inside and seen to,' I told Nikkita. I couldn't even look at Jensen as I walked in, I told Nikkita to head upstairs and put their friends in the bedrooms. Jensen muttered something about going to check on Jillian while Finn and Izzy said they were going to clear the dead from inside the castle.

  Tamara asked me come with her up to the Keep, I knew it was her way of getting me alone for a talk. As I climbed the stairs leading to the Keep I still couldn't fully grasp the situation, I half expected Tamara to shout at me or tell I had been stupid or something, but she merely hugged me.

  I felt surprised by her affection, all I could do was cry in her arms as she held me. All the guilt I'd buried came rushing back, I felt lost and guilty and so torn. As I pulled back she just looked at me with sympathetic eyes, I wiped eyes on my sleeve and tried to straighten myself up.

  'How is she here?' Tamara asked softly.

  'I have no idea, I thought she was dead, I really did. If I had for one second thought I'd see her again, I never would have let myself be with Jensen,' I told her tearfully.

  'I know lass, but what are you going to do?'

  'I don't know, this is all too much. I love Jensen I really do but...,' I stopped not wanting say what I was thinking.

  'But, she's your first love, and that still means something,' she tanswered gently.

  'Yes, how can I even begin to explain this to Jensen?'

  'I haven't a clue lass, but you've got to tell him something.'

  'I need to talk to Nikkita first, for all I know she's found someone else,' I said knowing that I was being wishful.

  'I could always take her off your hands,' Tamara joked, though I suspected there was some truth to her words.

  'Ha ha, trust you to come out with that,' I laughed. We stood for a minute looking out into the distance, it seemed peaceful out there. The view from here was stunning, it was miles upon miles of beautiful forestry. I could just make out the main road that we'd driven on, it seemed as though we were miles from any kind of populated area. I could quite easily spend the rest of my life out here, but sadly that wasn't an option, turning my mind back to reality I started to descend the stairs.

  'Good luck,' Tamara whispered as I went to find Nikkita.

  I could hear her in the room Jensen and I had shared, I laughed at the irony at her picking that room. Two of her injured friends sat on the bed the other laid on it, I breathed deeply before walking in.

  'Are you all alright?' I asked calmly. 'Anthony has dislocated his shoulder but Nikkita's fixing it,' one of the girls informed me. Anthony was a young lad, he looked to be barely out his teens. He had a slender figure most women in the old world would have starved themselves for, he was tanned wi
th shoulder length jet black hair and sparkling blue eyes.

  'I didn't know you could do that,' I said surprised.

  'A lot has happened in the last five years,' she replied with a cold tone to her voice.

  'What about your other two people, sorry I'm bad with names,' I joked.

  They reintroduced themselves, the guy lying down on the bed was called Zachary, he looked remarkably like Anthony only older and taller.

  'You two related?' I asked pointing to Anthony.

  'Ha, is it that obvious?' Anthony joked. Xandra was the girl sat on the bed nursing what looked like a sprained ankle, she looked to be in her mid-twenties, she was as curvy as Nikkita and not much shorter. Her shoulder length pale blond hair clung to her sweaty colourless face, her pool green eyes glistened as a ray of sun caught them.

  Delilah was the other tall girl who stood looking out the window, she seemed to be a little older than me. She had olive skin and a toned body that I could see through the rips in her white tank top. In the light of day her bob length honey hair shone as she turned to look at me, she looked me up and down with her hazel eyes, as if trying to figure out if I could be trusted.

  Casey was the girl who'd reintroduced everyone to me she seemed really nice, though she was a little too chatty. She was an inch shorter than me with long wavy, waist length reddish brown hair. Her azure eyes were paying more attention to everyone else, than to Yasmin who was trying to talk to her.

  Yasmin was a very young and tiny Asian girl, who looked to be about sixteen. She had long black hair and dark brown eyes, she barely spoke as I introduced myself; she just clung to Brian who I assumed was her boyfriend.

  Brian was sat in a chair with Yasmin on his lap, he didn't seem much older than her. He was 5'7 in height and looked rather pudgy, he had shoulder length ash blond hair that was tied back in a ponytail, he had dark blue eyes and a sweet smile.

  'Let me know if you need anything, I'm going to check on my friend,' I told them politely.

  'Thanks, I'll let you know if we do,' Casey replied smiling. I left the room and went down the hall, I could hear Jillian crying as she spoke on the radio to Cammi. I could feel my own tears welling as I entered the room to find Finn, Jensen and Tamara trying to comfort Jillian as she told Cammi that she was going to die. All their faces were red and tear stained, I wiped my own away knowing that I needed to be strong for them.

  'Cammi, sweetheart, are you still there?' Jillian asked tearfully. 'Y-yes mum I'm still here, let me come to you. I can find a car, I'll make it, you just need to hold on mum,' Cammi cried.

  'No you won't, I've got an hour maybe two if I'm lucky. I just wanted to tell you I loved you, and to tell Gail to take good care of you,' Jillian's voice broke, she could barely speak.

  'I-I love you mum,' Cammi wailed through the radio.

  'I love you too my little Camille.' She dropped the radio and just sat on the bed crying, I went to put my arm around her but Tamara beat me to it. We all sat there feeling upset with glum faces, even Tamara who was the resident joker couldn't muster up a laugh or joke. We sat together not knowing what to say, but we all knew what had to be done.

  'It's time,' Jillian mumbled. We all looked up at each other, no one wanted to put her down but we couldn't let any strangers do it. I never understood how I often volunteered for the jobs no one else wanted, I wasn't being a martyr or hoping for any recognition. I guess I just didn't want the others to carry the burden of killing those we loved, somehow I could handle it without either losing my humanity or succumbing to insanity.

  'I'll do it,' I sounded stronger than I felt. I saw the relief on their faces, Tamara couldn't do it. I feared if she did she would be one of those who lost her humanity. Jensen was too kind, too sweet to end a loved ones life. He would be among those who would crumble under the weight of the burden. Finn, well I knew Finn could handle it but he'd already taken care of Tom when he was dying. Finn shouldn't have to do this again, no it was my turn to protect them from the pain.

  No one else said anything as they hugged her goodbye. As they walked out the room I looked at Jensen, whose face showed none of the hurt or confusion he felt from Nikkita's presence I only saw the deep sadness one feels from losing a loved one in this world. Yet underneath the sadness I saw something else, fear. Fear that if we didn't find Maggie and Jade soon, they too would join the long list of people we had loved and lost.

  Tamara kept a brave face on but even her hands shook as she walked out. Finn's face was the one I couldn't look at, tears spilled from his azure eyes and his face was drained of all colour. Prior to the last few months Finn and his sister lived alone, just the two of them for five whole years.

  In many ways they'd been shielded from the horror and loss, but now as Finn became part of our family he found out what it was like to watch those you loved die.

  Jillian just sat on the bed and said, 'make it quick.' I nodded as she closed her eyes, I took a deep breath knowing that this was the only way. Her smiling face made this somewhat less painful, being a Pagan I knew she was going on to a better place. Jillian would be free from all the hurt and pain, she would get the greatest gift of all...to be at peace.

  I brought my knife down on her head but as I'd killed so many walkers it was blunt. Time seemed to speed up and I had no time to stop or react as I watched the knife snap in her head. I hadn't got it far enough in, the poor woman was still alive. Jillian fell to the floor screaming in agony as the others came rushing back in. Their faces were full of horror as they fell to her side trying to comfort her. The blood spurted from her skull as she lay weeping on now bloody, wooden floor.

  'What the hell happened Frankie!?' Tamara exclaimed in shock.

  'Shit, I'm so sorry, my knife was blunt from the battle, I didn't know,' I cried dropping the remainder of the knife on the floor.

  'Anyone got a good knife?' Finn asked urgently.

  Everyone shook their heads, I didn't think I just raced out of the room back to where Nikkita and her friends were sat. They'd obviously heard Jillian's screams, they all looked wary and on edge.

  'Anyone got a decent knife, mine bloody broke?' I asked hurriedly. Nikkita handed me her long slightly curved knife without saying a word to me, I took it and raced back to Jillian. The others were sat round her, Tamara had just pulled the remaining knife part out of Jillian's head. Jensen went to get a cloth for her head but Jillian told him not to.

  'I'm going to die, don't waste a thing on me,' she said quietly as the blood dripped down her determined face.

  'I'm so sorry Jillian,' I told her apologetically.

  'Well it wasn't how I wanted to spent my last few moments, but it can't be helped,' she replied trying not to sound afraid.

  This time instead of sitting on the bed, Jillian sat in the middle of the floor.

  'No point in ruining a nice bed with my blood,' she tried to smile.

  'We love you,' I smiled softly as I raised the knife once more.

  'Just do me one favour, don't lose the love you have for each other,' she smiled weakly.

  'We won't,' Finn replied tearfully.

  The others held each other as I prepared to send our friend to the afterlife. Jillian closed her eyes once more and kept that same look of peace on her face, despite how dire things were she didn't have to fear leaving us. For we were much more than just a bunch of kids, we were survivor's. This time I felt sure that the knife wouldn't break, I plunged it into her head, and this time it went straight through. Jillian fell to the floor with a loud thud, eyes still closed. I slumped to the floor and for a moment we all just sat there, tears streaming down our faces. As I dropped the knife and reached for Jensen's hand, I didn't think about what Nikkita's presence meant or if we'd succeed in rescuing our family because in that moment I felt strangely safe surrounded by the people I loved the most.

  Chapter 2

  Nikkita

  It had been so long, I'd dreamed for so many years of finding her again. Frankie was my princess, my damsel in
distress that I'd rescued so many times from the awful people in the old world. She was still so beautiful, so kind even after all these years. Yet I could see just how much she'd changed. Frankie was no longer like an injured bird who needed caring for, she was a fierce warrior.

  Out of all the reunions I'd imagined though, this didn't even come close. I knew it straight away, she'd found someone else, and a man no doubt! Though he wasn't exactly a man, he was still a teenager. A pale, freckly, ginger boy. I felt so angry, so hurt. After everything I'd done to get back to her, this is what I'd found.

  'What's our next move?' Asked Delilah interrupting my thoughts.

  'We can't go anywhere until we're all patched up,' Zachary said loudly.

  'What do think of these people?' Anthony asked quietly.

  I walked over and closed the door, looking down the hallway to make sure no one was listening.

  'It's been five years, are you sure you can trust your girlfriend?' Delilah's voice was more accusatory than inquiring.

  'Seems to me like she's moved on,' Casey chimed in.

  'Give it rest!' I barked at them.

  I didn't need their input, and they could keep their opinions to themselves.

  'I think for now we can trust them, after all they helped us out, and we know their capable of taking care of themselves,' I told them.

  'You've got a point, and if we're lucky they might just help us out again,' Zachary mumbled.

  'You're the one that knows them, you can ask,' Delilah spoke a little too loudly. I wanted to protest, but they all just looked at me. I knew why it had to be me, but I didn't know how to talk to Frankie any more. Was she still my girlfriend, would my dreams come true that we'd ride of into the sunset together after all these years? Or would I be forced to endure seeing her in love with another?

  'Oh fine, if I have to,' I huffed.

  I opened the door and found my way to the room where Frankie and her friends were, I stood outside the door for moment. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I couldn't help it. 'I'm sorry, I thought she was dead,' I heard Frankie say.