Plague Nation (38 page)

He was venture capital, and liked to imagine himself a Gordon Gekko for the modern age, but with better hair than Michael Douglas’s character. He and his associate had enjoyed similar exchanges of vital information whenever they’d gotten the chance to dovetail their travel schedules.

Danny knew he should feel guilty, especially for leaving Grace during what looked to be a total snot-fest. Chuckie, the youngest, had brought Walker’s Flu home from daycare, passing it on to Celia and Bonnie in the space of just twenty-four hours.

But hey, he needed to be healthy for his presentation. No way would he impress the bigwigs—the guys with the money and the power—if he had to blow his nose every few minutes.

So he’d bailed on his wife and three kids, telling her to bring in their nanny if she
really
felt she couldn’t handle things on her own. As soon as he said it, he knew Grace
would
handle it on her own, just to prove to him that she could.

He could play her like a familiar old keyboard.

Of course, he preferred to play with new ones, too, now and again.

Another bout of coughing wracked his body as he turned to Nita, his very lovely and intelligent colleague, who sprawled naked on the 500-threadcount Egyptian cotton sheets provided at the boutique hotel they’d both “coincidentally” booked for the trip.

“You sound like shit,” she observed, charming in her lilting accent. “Did you get a flu shot this year?”

“No,” he admitted with some embarrassment. “I sort of forgot.” Truth be told, he’d never had any use for them, and had frequently given Grace a hard time when she insisted on getting the kids vaccinated.

It turned out that Nita was also a huge proponent of them, and given her scientific background, he’d actually listened to her, and had intended to follow through this year.

Nita made a
tsk tsk
noise.

“This is what happens, see?” she said. “Promise me you’ll get one when you go home, yes?”

He nodded, burying his head between her breasts.

“Sure, babe. Whatever you say.”

Oh well,
he thought.
I made it through the presentation and even the reception without more than a few sneezes now and again.
He’d probably spread a few germs, what with all the handshaking and backslapping. Hopefully if and when the honchos came down with the grunge, they wouldn’t connect the dots back to him.

Never knew what could queer a promotion these days.

I hate writing acknowledgements. Not because I don’t like thanking people who have helped me, but because I’m terrified of leaving someone out. So caveat #1: if you were listed in
Plague Town
, consider yourself listed here (although there will be repeats). Caveat #2: there will be blanket acknowledging. Caveat #3: please don’t hate me if I forget to name you!

Starting with the amazing Team Titan: Nick Landau, Vivian Cheung, Katy Wild, Cath Trechman, Miranda Jewess, Tim Whale, Selina Juneja, Sophie Calder, Hannah Dennis, Chris McLane, Jessica Gramuglia, with a loud shout out to Martin Stiff for the awesome cover design, and extra special “I love yous” to Tom Green and Katharine Carroll for being so fun to work with on publicity. I am officially spoiled rotten, especially by Steve Saffel, my Dark Editorial Overlord. A very extra special thanks and “oh my god, we got through the second book!” squee of joy to Steve.

To all the booksellers and bookstore owners who helped me promote
Plague Town
, you are amazing, generous people. Special thanks to Patrick Nichol with Indigo Books, Maryelizabeth Hart with Mysterious Galaxy, Del and Sue with Dark Delicacies, Jack with Dark Carnival, and Alan and Jude with Borderlands Books. Also, I am so grateful to Sisters in Crime NorCal, Lurking Novelists, Writing Wombats, and all of my fellow authors who’ve given me so much support. Special thanks to Kat Richardson and Jess Lourey for their extra time and love, along with Joe McKinney, Jonathan Maberry, Mira Grant, Loren Rhoads, and Lisa Brackmann.

A huge thanks to all the bloggers, reviewers, and assorted website hosts who’ve been so supportive and enthusiastic, and gratitude for every reader who has taken the time to read my work. And those emails you send? Those make a bad day good, and a good day great!

So many people helped with research. Therefore to all of my wonderful Facebook friends and family members, of which there are far too many to list, a heartfelt thank you! Special thanks go to: Captain Michael Castagnola with the San Francisco Fire Department; Major Marcy Meyer; and Peter “Indiana” Allison in the areas of setting fires, all things military, and parkour. Hell Ocho and T. Chris Martindale, you two continue to provide me with research material and some of the coolest ideas—with permission to use. I adore you both, and always will.

To my “let’s help Dana get some sleep” support group, especially Shantal and Ona, you saved my sanity.

Anne Stevenson and Jane Gutierrez-Thornton, your generosity and huge hearts saved both my sanity and my bacon! Aldyth, Brad, Maureen, and James, you also get sanity saver stickers for your ever-supportive friendship. Rick and Jen, bad movies and your company were high notes in a low year. A special hug of thanks to Linda Schrade—mom of Allie, my real life Lil—for my zombie-head necklace with hand-beaded blood and veins! Mom and Bill, thank you for knowing when
not
to ask how the writing was going.

And biggest thanks this time around goes to David Fitzgerald. Without his constant love, daily encouragement, and willingness to view endless zombie movies, I would still be huddled over my computer, rocking back and forth and muttering, “It’ll never be finished... it’ll never be finished...” Me too you!

Dana Fredsti
is an actress with a background in theatrical sword-fighting, whose credits include the cult classic
Army of Darkness.
Her favorite projects include acting alongside Ken Foree
(Dawn of the Dead
) and Josef Pilato
(Day of the Dead
). She has been a producer, director, and screenplay writer for stage and film, and was the co-writer/associate producer on
Urban Rescuers,
which won Best Documentary at the 2003 Valley Film Festival in Los Angeles.

She has written numerous published articles, essays, and shorts, including stories in
Danger City
(Contemporary Press, 2005), and
Mondo Zombie
(Cemetery Dance, 2006). In addition she’s published
Murder for Hire: The Peruvian Pigeon
(Rock Publications, 2007) and several books and stories for Ravenous Romance. She has served as the president of the literary organization Sisters in Crime, Northern California Chapter.

Through seven-plus years of volunteering at Exotic Feline Breeding Facility/Feline Conservation Center, Dana has had a full-grown leopard sit on her feet, been kissed by tigers, cuddled baby jaguars, and had her thumb sucked by an ocelot with nursing issues. She’s addicted to bad movies and any book or film—good or bad—which includes zombies. Her other hobbies include surfing (badly), collecting beach glass (obsessively), and wine-tasting (happily).

In the small university town of Redwood Grove, people are succumbing to a lethal strain of flu. They are dying—but not for long. Ashley Parker and her boyfriend are attacked by these shambling, rotting creatures that crave human flesh.

Their lives will never be the same again.

When she awakes Ashley discovers that she is a “wild card”—immune to the virus—and is recruited by a shadowy paramilitary organization that offers her the chance to fight back. Fatally attracted to her gorgeous instructor, and bonding with her fellow wild cards, Ashley begins to discover skills she never knew she had.

As the town falls to ever-growing numbers of the infected, Ashley and her team fight to contain the outbreak—but will they be enough?

“Sexy, weird, creepy...”

Jonathan Maberry,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Patient Zero

“Plague Town
will have you turning pages fast... and checking the locks on all the doors.”

Ray Garton, author of
Live Girls

“A delicious, gore-filled zombie treat.”

Stacey Graham, author of
The Zombie Dating Guide

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