Free No Mere Zombie: Deathless Book 2 by Chris Fox

place. He exited the corridor into the Ark’s central chamber. This would be the most dangerous place. If there were opposition, it would be here.
    He gathered the shadows thick about him, enveloping him like the womb of the very night itself. It wouldn’t stop Isis; she was too canny for that. But it would fool any of her Ka-Dun, had she any left in the Ark. Irakesh crept between the monoliths, gawking at the catastrophic damage around him. The entire chamber had been torn apart by some unknown weapon. Gouges marred walls and floor. The obelisks that powered the place were shattered, only three of five intact. This was why Isis hadn’t detected him. She’d been unable to. This Ark was damaged past usefulness. Unless she repaired it, one of the greatest wonders the world had ever known was little more than a fancy cave.
    Was this somehow his work? It couldn’t be. His sabotage had only damaged a few critical systems. This place had been through a protracted battle with a level of violence he’d never witnessed. Though it made his job easier a part of him cried out at the destruction. This place was more than priceless. It was power.
    He crept closer to the access key, a statue of Isis, life-sized and incredibly intricate. He could feel the power matrix within, thrumming with the life the Ark somehow still clung to. It was enough for his purpose. He reached for Isis’s outstretched palm, wrapping his cool fingers around the warm stone. It pulsed, sending a jolt shooting up his arm. It hurt, but he didn’t dare release the hand before it had done its work. Another pulse, then a third and fourth in rapid succession.
    Just like that it was over. He stared down at his hand in wonder. He’d done it. He’d stolen the access key for the Ark of the Redwood. If he could make his way to the northern continent he could finally show them all. He'd become one of the most powerful Ark Lords the world had ever seen.

Chapter 11- Deathless

    If staring at a woman’s ass were illegal then the police were already on their way. Blair gaped openly as Liz bent over to pick up a stack of heavy plastic crates left behind by Mohn Corp. She wore a tight-fitting pair of black fatigues, not the sexiest clothes but still impossible to ignore on a woman like her. He felt a brief twinge of guilt given his recent flirting with Bridget, but only a twinge. It’s not as if Liz even knew he was looking.
    She easily hefted three of the crates, each weighing sixty pounds or more. Liz began walking back to the Ark, peering around her burdens since they were taller than her head. Blair picked up two of the crates knowing the limits of his strength. He still found it odd that women were so much stronger than men, but it provided a strange sort of balance to the traditional world.  
    “Let’s make this the last load,” Liz called over her shoulder. A sheen of sweat made her shirt cling to her back, highlighting the muscles as they moved. “We’ve been at this all day. There’s enough food and medical supplies down there to last us for months.”
    “You’re not getting an argument from me,” Blair replied, following after her. It was easier to go single file through the Ark’s confines, at least when carrying this sort of burden. “It looks like we’ve raided almost everything we can from their camp anyway. Pickings have been slim for the last few trips.”
    “Maybe we can actually relax for a bit after we finish,” Liz suggested, beaming one of those smiles over her shoulder.
    “I found a bottle of rum yesterday,” Blair said, shooting back a grin. “We ought to crack it open and celebrate. You realize this will be the first downtime we’ve had since we became werewolves? We didn’t even pause after the end of the world.”
    They entered the comforting shade of the tunnel, winding down into the Ark. It amazed him how differently he’d come to view it since the day he’d arrived. That had been less than three months ago, and yet the