Only The Dead Don't Die | Book 4 | Finding Home Popovich, A.D. (any book recommendations txt) 📖

blank stare. She had never been one to talk. Scarlett supposed the tactic helped with her Merkaba invisibility.

“Dude, you okay?” Justin joggled open Luther’s door. He toppled out on top of Justin. “Hey, uh, help,” he squeaked out.

She and Dean rushed to their aid. As her night vision adjusted to the dark, she noticed Luther’s ripped, bloodstained clothing. “Bite marks!” Dozens of them.

Dean yanked her away from Luther by the back of her shirt. The clicking of his Glock paralyzed the moment. Time faltered, as if she witnessed the scene unfold from another dimension. No, not Luther! Scarlett darted in front of the gun. “Wait!”

Dean looked around uneasily, blinking at the stream of headlights speeding down the highway a block away. Their street remained devoid of traffic.

“Thanks a lot.” Justin finally squirmed from under Luther’s deadweight.

Luther hadn’t turned as if stuck in limbo. She sent him frantic waves of healing energy. Not that she was a proficient healer. She sensed Luther’s strong heartbeat—fading. A millisecond after its last beat, he—it would enter the void state of the undead.

With unspoken horror, they waited. Waited for their dear friend to turn on them. So, they could do the only decent thing. Release him from eternal misery.

“What happened?” Dean finally asked.

Mindy scooted to the passenger’s seat and just sat there shivering, obviously in shock. Scarlett pressed anyway. “Was Luther attacked by creepers?” It was a stupid question.

Mindy nodded so slowly it gave her the chills. The next thing Scarlett knew, a rash of bites pierced her skin. Without realizing it, her empathic ability had taken over. She absorbed his intense pain, staving it off, allowing it to funnel through her. Bit by bit, she whisked the toxic energy to the cosmos to cleanse.

The edge of the Y-zone bustled with heavier traffic. “We’re sitting ducks out here,” Dean muttered. “Justin, get Mindy on the bus. And bring me the tarp I left on the table. That’ll be the easiest way to move Luther.”

“Sure, come on, Mindy.” Justin grabbed her hand.

Mindy shook her hand free and just stood there clutching her pack.

“Whatev.” Justin took off for the bus without her.

Scarlett checked Luther’s pulse. “It’s too slow.” Wasn’t he immune? But with so many bites . . . she didn’t see how he could fight off the toxic energy.

Dean’s hand trembled, fingering the trigger. “The least we can do is give him a fighting chance.” Dean uncocked the gun.

Justin returned with the tarp. They rolled Luther’s unconscious body onto it, tying off the ends. Justin and Dean pulled the tarp by his feet while she walked backward, watching for traffic. If just one of the many vehicles got off on the exit . . . Stop thinking about it, she demanded.

Luther moaned. Justin and Dean dropped the tarp. They aimed their guns at Luther’s head. Mindy cowered behind Scarlett.

“Holy shit!” Justin gestured frantically to the city transit bus turning onto their street.

“Justin, help me move ol’ Luther to the other side of the bus,” Dean whisper-shouted.

They made it to the curb side of their bus just as the city bus screeched to a sudden stop. Its digital sign flashed: X-zone Quadrant R-5. The door squeaked open, followed by shouting. The man barely made it off the bus before puking in the gutter.

Justin turned away. “Gross me out.”

Finally, the man went back onto the bus. With the phhsst of the air brakes, it turned around in a parking lot but didn’t get back on the highway.

“That was close,” Dean muttered.

Luther mumbled something. His eyes popped open. The gun in Dean’s hand wavered.

Luther puckered his mouth repeatedly before rasping, “You all are scaring me. Hold on. I can’t get my mouth to cooperate. It’s like that weird feeling when the Novocain starts wearing off.”

“Luther, are you—turning?” Scarlett asked gently.

Luther scrunched his mouth awkwardly. “That’s a big hell no! I would have turned hours ago. I vaguely remember pulling over at some point.”

Scarlett studied his face. Despite his bloodshot eyes, he showed no signs of the first side effect: red-rimmed bulging eyes, the kind that stared blankly.

“Let’s get you on the bus,” Dean said, eyeing the traffic exiting the highway.

“That’s what I wanted to say,” Luther said as if his memory had returned. “Get the gas cans from the camper. And my duffle.”

“On it!” Justin took off.

With Luther’s help, Scarlett and Dean labored Luther up the bus steps while Justin collected the gas cans.

Luther forced an obviously painful laugh. “My bad, shouldn’t have had that extra order of fries.”

Mindy followed, looking around, not too sure.

“Ella’s inside,” Scarlett said, hoping to convince Mindy to join them.

They laid Luther on the first bed they came to.

“You’re sweating up a storm.” Dean gave Scarlett a double dose of furrowed brows.

“It’s a good sign,” Scarlett assured. She had never seen anyone last this long after a bite. “His antibodies must be fighting the infection.”

Ella and Twila rushed over.

“I want you gals at the back of the bus. Now!” Dean said rather sternly.

“Water,” Luther rasped.

Dean offered his canteen.

“Uncle Luther needs the magical tea,” Twila insisted from the back. “Ella, can he have one of Mateo’s bottles?” Twila’s beseeching eyes took over her face.

It was a tough question, one she never would have asked Ella.

“Sure, it’s his special crystal.” Ella rummaged through her pack. “Here.” She handed a bottle to Twila.

Scarlett grabbed a plastic cup from the cupboard. “Pour most of it in the cup and give me the rest of the bottle.” Scarlett patted Luther’s wounds with a washcloth soaked in the crystal-charged water while Dean held the cup to Luther’s mouth.

Mateo started whimpering. Ella fumbled with the pacifier. Irritated, Scarlett glanced back at Ella. It wasn’t a good time for a crying baby.

Ella flashed