The Virus Within: Third Wave (Book 2)

Chapter 8

They both looked at me.

I smirked at Daniel. "I just handed you a key clue. Surely you can figure it out from here."

He frowned slightly, not truly upset, but a bit annoyed I wouldn't come right out and give him a straight answer. Nicky started snickering at his frustration with the purposely unforthcoming Nightstalker.

The sound had Daniel examining her instead. "You don't seem particularly surprised or confused..."

Huh. He's in a rather perceptive mood today. If this becomes the norm, I won't be able to get away with half of what I currently manage.

"Nope. I know the secret," Nicky declared with a grin.

Startled by that revelation, Nina asked, "Really?"

Nicky rubbed her hands together like she was plotting world domination. "Zombie secrets are the best. Blood, tomato juice, soap, rutabagas... The list goes on and on."

Rutabagas? I'm not even going to ask...

Nina opened her notepad. "How did you find out about them?"

I rolled my eyes at her roundabout attempt at prying clues out of the redhead. Unfortunately for Nina, Nicky liked tormenting Daniel too much to slip in such a fashion.

Nicky shrugged. "Trinity dropped some hints, and I put them together. It took a few tries to get the correct answer, but I managed it. Take my advice and don't stick a mini firecracker inside a rutabaga. You get the wrong answer."

Nina and Daniel glanced at me, and I simply smirked as a response. Nicky had a wild imagination, but for all I knew, she might have blown up a rutabaga at some point in her somewhat daunting past. Nina dutifully scribbled down the facts, warning, and her own speculations.

"Care to expand on Nicky's comments?" Daniel asked me.

I bared my teeth in a feral grin. "The answers lie within your instincts. I've already given you far more hints than I originally intended."

He sat up straighter in sudden realization. "You knew I'd notice your injuries were healing faster than mine."

Okay, maybe he isn't the sharpest crayon in the box after all... "I thought that was kind of obvious..."

He growled faintly at the mild insult, and the faintest flicker of red flashed through his eyes. I ignored the faint growl and pointedly stared at the fire, although the flames were high enough that it was somewhat uncomfortable.

Nicky started chuckling. "Do you honestly think she worked so hard to get those wounds to disappear, and it didn't cross her mind that you or Nina wouldn't notice the difference?"

Daniel gritted his teeth and growled lowly at Nicky, the red flashing through his eyes again, lingering slightly longer this time. Nicky grinned at his reaction before leaning over and digging through her backpack. She pulled out a bottle of dish soap and placed it near her feet with a flourish.

I smirked at her actions and Daniel's suspicious glare. She's just evil. There's no way he'll consider soap harmless after how she lumped it together with her knowledge of my enhanced healing. It must make him wonder every time he washes his hands.

"Why don't you go hunting and see if you can figure things out?" I suggested.

It would also separate him from Nicky, which would keep things from potentially escalating. Daniel gave me a long look, but eventually sighed and nodded. He got to his feet and walked to the edge of the roof.

"Oh. Daniel?"

He paused and glanced back at me. "Yes?"

I grinned evilly. "This trick is a double-edged sword, so don't hurt yourself too badly. Consider that my final hint."