Once Bitten, Twice Dead - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,91

at the beach far below. Xavier could make out the figures walking with oddly staggered steps through the one open area at the rear of the villa.

Zombies.

They looked like they were running patrols. The damn things must be capable of following someone’s directions to organize something like that. These had to be the new-and-improved versions.

“Sellars is here. His trained pets are running security,” Sam said, summing up the situation.

“Edge of the cove, now, Reno!” Xavier ordered. He grabbed his gear and checked the lines as he prepared to leave the comparative safety of the helicopter’s interior. “Hold it steady. I’ll signal when I’m on the ground. Stay sharp.” Xavier backed out of the chopper, only a thin rope between him and the ground far below.

It wasn’t the longest descent he’d ever made, but it was close. He signaled his team through his headset the moment his feet touched the hard-packed beach. The strip of sand wasn’t wide, and there was a residue of seaweed and the occasional jellyfish gleaming in the dim light of the moon as he made his way toward the wooden stairs.

Weapon at the ready, he mounted the winding staircase as quickly as possible. The higher ground that the house was built on wasn’t too far above. Forty steps and he was ducking into the cover of the trees and bushes that lined the path leading to the house.

Sellars had taken a few vials of blood, then left. He’d turned off the light again, so Sarah was in the dark. It took a while for her eyes to adjust, but her body was busy working on a way out of the straps holding her down.

The table had been designed for a larger person, which worked to her favor. There was a bit of slack in the strap that covered her waist and forearms. There was another strap around her shoulders and one on her forehead, plus a few that laddered down her legs, holding her in place. All the straps went around her from one edge of the table to the other and disappeared beneath the hard surface of the table. No doubt they were secured somewhere below the platform she was lying on.

There was enough play in the forearms’ strap that maybe if she twisted a little, she could work her hands free one at a time. It would hurt like hell and probably strain most of the muscles in her arms and middle, but she didn’t see any other way. She set to work, grinding her teeth to keep from moaning at the pain she inflicted on herself.

She tried wiggling out the arm that didn’t have the IV stuck in it. It hurt like a bitch, but by the time her eyes were used to the dark again, she had worked her hand free of that middle strap. She used that hand to help her get the one with the IV out of the binding next. It was looser now, so it was a little easier. She was tempted to yank the IV out of her arm but didn’t want to do it in the dark, in case she started bleeding too much.

With her hands relatively free, she concentrated on her next step. Her shoulders and upper arms were still pinned, but she could move from her elbows and wiggle a bit. It would have to be enough.

She looked around and saw the instrument tray. If she could just…reach…

The back of her right hand made contact with something metallic. Twisting her wrist at an unnatural angle, she tried to pick up one of the instruments she could feel under her hand. She was careful, in case she came in contact with the business end of a scalpel or something.

In fact, that’s just what happened. She sucked in a breath as something sliced the side of her finger. It was a shallow cut, like a paper cut. It hurt and it told her what to concentrate on. She wanted that blade.

She ended up slicing up her fingers some more after a few more tries. But finally, she worked the damn thing around to where she could grasp it awkwardly between her third and fourth fingers. Bending her elbow like a crane, she brought the instrument to her waist and dropped it on her abdomen. Repositioning her fingers, she picked it up in a much firmer grip. At last.

Sarah immediately went to work on the strap holding her hips in place. The sharp blade sawed through the