Read Online Undead L.A. 2 by Devan Sagliani - Free Book Online Page B

hand, and yanked her roughly to her feet. The next thing he knew, they were running into the kitchen. Emily tried to pull him toward the long, dark hallway that lead to her bedroom in the back, but he fought her.
    “We'll be trapped,” he warned her. “They'll be no way to get out.”
    “The backyard,” she yelled back. “We can climb the back fence and run into Angeles National Forest. That way they can't corner us.”
    It was the best they could do on short notice. Tyler darted to the back patio and leaped down over the railing off the redwood boards. Whipping his head around, he saw they had a narrow corridor to escape through if they hurried. He held Emily's hand, helping her down off the patio and onto the lush grass of the backyard near the pool. They ran for the back fence, still holding hands. For a moment it seemed like they were home free, until Emily tripped. She fell face first in the grass and let out a loud cry.
    By the time he helped her back to her feet, their escape route was blocked. They were surrounded on all sides with only moments to spare. It was a split second decision to run into the gardening shack, and lock the door. Had they not taken that action—there was no doubt in his mind that it saved them—they would be part of the motley assembly of flesh-hungry ghouls hunting them now.
    “What are you thinking about?”
    He was surprised by the sound of her sweet voice. He hadn't known she was awake.
    “I was just thinking how much like a dream everything is right now.”
    “Maybe being trapped by flesh eating monsters is one of your crazy dreams,” she laughed. “My dreams are usually about shopping at the mall, and horses, and traveling to exotic places. They don't end in me being trapped in a small wooden room, waiting to be eaten alive by the animated corpses of my former neighbors.”
    “Yeah,” he agreed. “At least we still have each other.”
    “You know you always wondered why I picked you out of all the guys I know,” she began.
    “I've never said anything like that,” he protested quickly, but she cut him off.
    “Oh, we don't talk about it, but it's obvious. You try to hide your jealousy, and you do a pretty good job, but I still see it pop up from time to time. It's clearly coming from your insecurity about not being enough for me. That's why I never teased you about it. I understood that you felt that way, but I never saw you as missing something that other guys had.”
    “What are you saying?”
    “Tyler you've got something all the other guys I've ever met will never have,” she said. “You're a romantic at heart. It's what I love about you.”
    “I don't know about that,” he said, feeling super uncomfortable by how candid the conversation had turned. He wasn't used to her being this direct with him.
    Don't over think it, man, he told himself. Jesus Christ. It's the end of the world and you still can't talk to her about your feelings? That's just pathetic!
    “Stop,” she said. “I want you to really hear this, just in case something happens. Not a lot of guys would leave the safety of their own home, leave their own family, to come looking for a girl they weren't even sure was alive. Not many guys would risk their lives to make sure I was okay.”
    “Well, they should,” he said forcefully, “because you are worth it.”
    “That's just it,” she said. “No one else showed up. No one else ever will. You are the only one who cares whether I live or die now. Do you get what that means?”
    He just nodded his head.
    Where is she going with all this?
    “I saw something in you the very first day we met. Something I've never seen before in anyone,” she recounted. “I knew I would end up falling in love with you even then. It wouldn't matter if you were rich or drove a nice car. All that would matter is that we ended up together.”
    “Well then, I guess you chose well,” he laughed, trying to lighten the mood a little.
    “Yes,” she agreed, kissing him.