Read Online Zom-B Angels by Darren Shan - Free Book Online

used to work in Bow long ago, which – if I’m any judge of an accent – isn’t too far from your neck of the
woods. I’m sure we’ll find plenty to talk about.’
    Ciara sticks out a hand and pretends to ruffle my hair, only she doesn’t quite touch me. Can’t, since she’s human and I’m not. I’d probably contaminate her if one
of my hairs pierced her glove and stabbed into her flesh. I’m pretty sure that every cell of my body is toxic.
    ‘I didn’t expect to find living people here,’ I remark as Ciara leaves.
    ‘There aren’t many,’ Carl says, ‘but we get a few passing through, and Ciara is a permanent fixture.’
    ‘She was here when we first moved in,’ Ashtat explains. ‘She worked in one of the hotel restaurants. Dr Oystein calls her the queen of the dinner ladies. She’s so
stylish, isn’t she? I asked her once why she chose to follow such a career. She said because she liked it, and we should all do what we like in life.’
    ‘Isn’t she afraid of being turned into one of us?’ I ask.
    ‘That cannot happen,’ Ashtat says. ‘If she was infected, she would become a revived. But no, she is not afraid. She feels safe around us. She knows we would not deliberately
turn her. Of course it could happen accidentally if she fell against one of us and got scratched, but she is happy to take that risk. She says there are no guarantees of safety anywhere in this
world now.’
    ‘But if she is ever turned, God help the bugger who does it to her,’ Shane growls. ‘I don’t care if it’s an accident — if anyone hurts Ciara, I’ll come
after them with everything I have.’
    ‘You’re my hero,’ Carl simpers. ‘Now shut up and eat.’
    Shane scowls but digs in as ordered.
    I tuck into the gruel, not bothering with the spoon which Ciara supplied, just tipping it straight into my mouth from the bowl. I used to think it was disgusting, but having had to scoop brains
out of skulls to survive since leaving the underground complex, I’m less fussy now.
    Jakob is first to finish – he doesn’t eat all of his gruel – and he reaches for the bucket and turns aside, sticking a couple of fingers down his throat. The rest of us follow
his example when we’re ready and the room comes alive with the sound of a few dozen zombies throwing up.
    The children of the night — what sweet music we make!

THIRTEEN
    Nobody says much for a while after we’ve finished eating and puking. We all look a bit sheepish. It’s not easy doing this in public, even for those who’ve
been living together as Angels for months. It feels like having a dump in front of your friends. I’ve done a lot of crazy things over the years, but I drew the line at that! Yet here we are,
all thirty plus of us, looking like we’ve been caught with our pants down around our ankles.
    Ashtat pulls something out of a pocket, closes her hands over it and starts to pray silently. I roll my eyes at the boys and make a gagging motion, but they don’t laugh. When Ashtat
finishes and unclasps her hands, I see that the object is a crucifix.
    ‘What are you doing with that?’ I ask.
    ‘Praying.’
    ‘With a cross? Don’t you guys use . . . I don’t know . . . but not a cross. Those are for us lot.’
    ‘
Us lot?
’ Ashtat repeats icily.
    ‘Christians.’
    ‘What makes you think I’m not a Christian?’
    I snort. ‘You’re an Arab. There aren’t any Christians in the Middle East.’
    ‘Actually there are,’ Ashtat says tightly. ‘Quite a few, for your information.’
    ‘I’m not talking about people who go there on pilgrimage,’ I sniff.
    ‘Nor am I,’ she says. ‘I’m talking about Arab Christians.’
    ‘Pull the other one,’ I laugh.
    Ashtat raises an eyebrow. ‘You don’t think you can be both an Arab and a Christian?’
    ‘Of course not. You’re one or the other.’
    ‘Really?’ she jeers. ‘So you think that all Arabs are Muslims?’
    ‘Yeah,’ I mutter, although I’m getting the sinking