Page 26 of Immune

And then a Zed reaches the bottom of the stairs, my eyes catching its cloudy ones over Kaito’s shoulder. It defuses any argument that might have come from the strange moment, keeping it gloriously brief before we fucking bolt up the stairs like our asses are on fire.

SIX

DAKOTA

The upstairs hallway is dark and narrow, the carpet soft with damp under my boots, just like most places. The air smells of old wallpaper, mildew, and the kind of panic I flat-out refuse to believe belongs to me.

Behind us, the Zeds throw themselves at the bottom of the stairs with enough enthusiasm to make the entire house tremble. The floor beneath our feet shudders, and my heart gallops in my chest as though a herd of horses is stampeding right through the caverns of my ribcage.

Just ahead of me, the bathroom door sits slightly ajar at the end of the hall. Inside is one window that will lead to the porch roof. One stupid escape route I planned before accidentally adopting the world’s most inconvenient Alpha known to exist.

Fuck my ever-loving life.

I shove the door open the moment I’m close enough, wrenching the window open with enough force that the pane of glass warbles in the frame. Annoyingly, the stupid thing sticks halfway up, the wood swollen from the downpour of rain we’ve had over the past few days. Apparently this house has decided now is the perfect time to develop a post-apocalypse personality, screwing my patience and plans all to hell like it’s just another day.

“Fuck,” I growl, yanking harder. “Come on, you son of a bitch.”

Kaito doesn’t waste a second, rushing in behind me close enough that the scent of him slips under the rot clamoring up the stairs. Burning wood. Worn flannel. Blood. Alpha. Thecombination sneaks under my skin with a comfort I don’t have the time, patience, or emotional capacity to unpack. So I bottle it and pull harder at the window just as Kaito lifts his arms beside mine. He’s careful not to touch me, cautious as he asks, “May I?”

The question is so unexpected, catching me so off guard, that I stop fighting with the window long enough to stare at the Alpha. “What?”

“Can I help?” he rushes to say, ignoring the very obvious glare on my face. I don’t even know if the glare is actually directed at him, the Zeds, or the second situation I’ve found myself in with this damned Alpha. Either way, Kaito pays it no mind, gesturing to the window just as the Zeds start climbing the stairs.

I hate this man. I hate this house. I hate this fucking world.

“Fine,” I blurt, and Kaito falls into action quickly.

He grips the frame tightly and shoves the window up with one hard push. The wood screams like a bitch, the swollen frame giving way, and the cool evening air spills into the bathroom.

Climbing out first onto the porch roof, I almost lose my balance when my boots slide on the damp shingles. The drop to the front yard will definitely hurt, but I think it’ll be manageable. Thankfully, there’s only a narrow gap between the neighboring house that sits close enough that a desperate idiot could jump from one roof to the other.

Historically, I have been known to be that same desperate idiot.

Kaito climbs out behind me, jaw clenched tightly against the pain I know his side is causing. Behind him, the bathroom door rattles as the first Zed hits it. Another shudder as another Zed joins it, and I blow out a steadying breath as I ask, “You can make that jump?”

“Yeah. I got it,” Kaito answers quickly, complexion pale and slightly alarming.

“You keep saying that,” I argue, gesturing quickly to the mess he’s in.

He flashes the briefest smile that looks more like a disguised grimace. “Yet, here I am.”

Saving us another argument, the bathroom door splinters, and waiting becomes a new luxury neither one of us can afford.

I don’t wait a single second longer, falling into a sprint across the porch roof, leaping the gap, and landing hard onto the neighboring roof with a pained grunt as agony races through my knee. I roll with it, catching myself before I slide too far and topple right off the porch like a fucking idiot. Then I turn just in time to watch Kaito jump right after me.

For a split second, he looks like he might actually make it cleanly.

I should know better than to think such things, because his wounded side ruins everything a second later.

His boot slips on the edge of the roof and he hits hard, one hand catching the gutter while the rest of his body drops against the side of the house.

“Kaito,” I snap before I can even stop myself, the panic that washes through me rendering me defenseless and stupid.

His gaze flicks up to mine, and something in his eyes looks as though he notices. That’s both interesting and inconvenient, but what the hell is new these days? That’s literally the theme my life has taken since my eyes opened this morning.

“Don’t sound so worried,” he grits out, still dangling against the fucking house.

It angers me like nothing I’ve felt before, and I grind, “I’m not worried. I’m pissed you’ve somehow managed to use gravity wrong.”