Read Online Devouring The Dead (Book 2): Nemesis by Russ Watts - Free Book Online Page B

one in the photo, but she didn’t remember confetti. She could still picture her husband, Karl, looking at her with such love as she walked down the aisle. What she would give to see him again.
    They had met and married within a year, even talked of having children. Karl had been eager to settle down , but Christina focussed on her investment company. It was still in its infancy back then and she dedicated herself to building it up. She wanted it to grow bigger and better than all of the others. Unfortunately, she spent so much time on it that she neglected her marriage. She still felt bitter the way it had ended; how quickly she had divorced the only man she had ever loved and how quickly she immersed herself in the business world instead, telling herself it was for the best. She convinced herself of that for many years.
    She was powerless to stop the wry grin on her face from spreading as an image of her yacht popped into her mind. Was it still anchored or had it been stolen, torn down, drift ing away unattended? Both her homes would be empty or burnt down. Her bank balance was most likely still intact, but it may as well be on Mars. A packet of matches was worth more now than a few million pounds in the bank. Would she trade the millions in her bank for a family like this in the album? She looked again at the happy couple. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, she thought. If she had settled down and had children back then with Karl then she wouldn’t be the person she is now. Who knows what would have happened.
    She look ed over at Cat, still sleeping. They had forged a bond, no doubt about it. The natural maternal instincts must have been there, buried deep within her and squashed under a pile of banknotes and paperwork. Why had she given up so easily on Karl? Was she scared, ambitious? Did she succumb to peer pressure? No, the truth was it was just greed. Christina looked at a stylish photograph of the wedding cake, a white tower of sugary sweetness. She couldn’t deny the past, couldn’t change it. It was there no matter how you looked at, there for all to see in black and white. Only the future can be changed. She listed to Cat’s peaceful breathing and knew she still had a chance to forge a better future, for both herself and others.
    Christina turned a page and the bride was sitting in the middle of a park, huge trees towering above her with bright green grass beneath her feet. An array of colourful flowers adorned the garden’s edge: roses, hyacinths, rhododendrons and even more that Christina couldn’t name. She began to wonder what would happen to them. No doubt they were now overgrown, the gardener most likely dead or undead. Would the infection leave them alone, let the grass and the trees grown? Would it spread through the animal kingdom, leaving the flora alone? Perhaps the Earth would return to normal, to a more natural state, a world without men or beasts. Her thoughts were interrupted when Caterina stirred and sat up on the bed.
    “What’s the time?” yawned Cat.
    “Nearly suppertime, honey. How’re you feeling?” said Christina closing the album.
    “Not bad actually. I just needed a bit of a snooze, you know?”
    “Well, the others will be back any minute, I expect. We should get ready, see what’s to eat. You get dressed. I’m going to speak to Jackson, all right?”
    Caterina got out of bed and began dressing as Christina silently left the room to go find Jackson. She was worried that it was getting dark and the others weren’t back yet. It was not like them to be late. No sooner had she stepped out onto the hallway than she heard a rap at the door downstairs. Somebody was here.
    * * * *
    Jessica blinked her eyes , but it was difficult trying to figure out the best route. She was not used to reading maps.
    “Rosa, stop it, I can’t concentrate” giggled Jessica, pushing Rosa gently away.
    “Stop kissing you? Never,” said Rosa leaning back.
    They were lying on the bed together, trying to