* * * *
The zombie charged her. Nikki leaped away, but not fast enough. The creature's fist clipped her jaw and sent her flying. She hit the concrete hard, her breath whooshing from her lungs. The zombie turned, its movements ponderous yet not slow. A sick grin marred the features that had once been pretty. Rolling over, Nikki scrambled to her feet. The zombie rushed again. She dodged sideways, barely avoiding the creature's fist, then glanced at the shadows at the chimney's base. Slowly, foot by foot, she was leading the creature away from Jake.
A shot rang out through the silence, then a string of curses and the sound of running footsteps. MacEwan and his men were trying to deal with the second of the creatures. The third still held guard near the door. The zombie rushed Nikki again. She ducked, but not fast enough. The creature's hand smashed into the back of her skull and sent her flying. Her knees skinned against the concrete, and she shook her head, fighting tears and the stars dancing before her eyes.
From behind her came the sound of a scraped footstep. Panic surged. She twisted away, but the zombie hit her hard, knocking her sideways, back onto the concrete. It laughed, an oddly vacant sound that chilled her soul. She blinked back tears of pain and tried to roll to one side. The zombie reached down and stopped her, then put its hands round her neck and hauled her upright. She might not be able to die, but right at this moment, it sure as hell felt as if she could. The creature's grip tightened. Gritting her teeth against the pain, gasping for breath and trying not to panic, she reached into her pocket.
The edge of darkness was closing in fast. She quickly loosened the top of the salt container, then took it out of her pocket and flung it into the zombie's face.
The creature roared and let go, tearing at its eyes as it staggered away. Nikki pushed upright. She could barely see through tears, and her throat felt raw, as if it were on fire. It hurt to breathe, let alone move. But she had to move, before the creature came back.
A warning pulsed through her mind. She scrubbed the tears away and turned. The zombie sniffed the breeze, using scent instead of vision.
It spun and charged. Nikki didn't move. The creature was too fast to outrun, too strong to fight by normal means. All she had left were her abilities. But she needed time to use them again, time to recover from the stress of lifting Jake. Time she didn't have.
She took a deep breath and prayed for a miracle.
Thrusting a tight beam of energy at the creature, she halted its charge. It screamed in fury, struggling against the invisible cords holding it immobile.
Sweat broke out across Nikki's brow, running into her eyes, stinging them. She didn't blink, didn't move, fearing either might cause her to lose her grip. Fire ripped through her mind, a red haze of agony she had no choice but to ignore as she battled to contain the creature. But simple containment was not the answer. The zombie had to die, or else it would come back again and again. The creature who controlled its mind wanted Jake dead. The zombie would follow the wishes of its master until it succeeded.
Or died.
She had no choice. Slowly but surely, she pushed the creature backwards, forcing it towards the edge of the building. The creature hit the ledge, and its arms flailed. It screamed, a sound so human, Nikki hesitated.
In that instant, the creature surged forward again—running straight for the shadows that held Jake. Nikki gasped and dropped to her knees. She couldn't do it again. She bit her lip and hugged her body tightly. She had to. This zombie had to die, or more people would. People like Jake, who'd done nothing to Jasper except be her friend.
She forced past the pain and grabbed the creature, thrusting it back to the edge. It struggled desperately, wrenching and twisting the invisible lines holding it captive. Pain rippled through every fiber, every cell. Nikki ignored it and tightened her hold, then thrust the creature past the edge. When it had cleared the concrete edge by several feet, she let go. The creature fell, screaming. She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, desperately trying to catch her breath. She felt like she'd run a damn marathon—but it wasn't over yet. Two zombies still remained. Another gunshot shattered the night. Nikki licked her lips and climbed unsteadily to her feet. MacEwan appeared out of the shadows to her left, half carrying one of his men. A zombie followed them, dragging one leg more than usual.