He ran for the God-Killer, but she was faster, running up the wall and over the heads of the fighting, biting, snarling masses. Black Annis was already turning blue, her nails and teeth growing, and she launched herself into the mix, adding to the chaos. Not even the Cleavers’ scythes could scratch that blue hide, and her matted, greying hair swung heavily about her terrifying face as she got to work.

Tanith landed by the glass case and Vex grabbed her, hauled her away. She spun, crunching an elbow into his ribs. He grunted but held on, managed to send her stumbling. Before she fell, she got a hand to the ground, cartwheeled to her feet again as he rushed in. His first punch missed, his second caught her, and then a right cross sent her stumbling. Lucky shot.

She wiped blood from her lip, and grinned at him. “I like your shoes,” she said.

She sprang at him, brought him down. He squirmed beneath her, shifting his hips and pressing his knee to her stomach. Her hands closed round his throat. Tightened. She liked being strong. He pushed with his knee, but she held on, squeezing tighter, and then he let her fall into him as he sent a palm shot into her chin. Lights danced before her eyes and when her brain came back online, she was face down and Vex was on her back with his arm round her throat. How the hell had that happened?

Out of the corner of her eye she saw people running, then Vex was lifted off her by a kick accompanied by a screech, and hands were on her, pulling her up, those hands going for her eyes now, clawing at her face. Tanith’s forehead crunched into the nose of the rage-zombie and he howled, and she did it again and he staggered away. A woman reached for her and Tanith kicked at her knee and her ribs and her head, the kicks tapping out a rapid rhythm that dropped the woman on the spot.

Behind her, Vex was ducking under a wild swing. He grabbed his assailant, flipped him over his hip, stamped on his groin to keep him out of the fight. Tanith backed up to him and there they stood, taking down the rage-zombies as they ran up. Tanith spun and kicked and headbutted. Vex flipped and choked and subdued. He evidently didn’t want to permanently hurt anyone if he could help it. Tanith had no such qualms.