Where We Begin: Co-Exist Origins

By Cyra King

Before the Zs invade the world and everything changes …

Former cheerleader Megan Cole strives to excel in her nursing profession—though it's a little too late to make her dad proud.

When she's assigned to Michael Hayes, a cop who's admitted with a gunshot wound, she finds him way too grumpy. But they have more in common than she'd care to admit.

He's dealing with loss. She still misses her dad. They're both lonely.

Can they finally overcome their pasts and heal each other?

This is an origin story from the CO-EXIST: RISE OF THE ZOMBIES universe, but it can be read as a stand-alone. Ultimately, it's about two people finding love in the least likely of places.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cyra King
• Release date: Oct 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9786299712725

Book preview

Where We Begin

Co-Exist Origins

Cyra King

Copyright © 2022 Cyra King

Cover design by Cyra King

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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Digital ISBN 978-629-97127-2-5

Foreword

Dear Reader,

WHERE WE BEGIN is a looking-back-in-time on Megan and Mike’s journey pre-apocalypse.

This story takes place two years before the events of the first book in the CO-EXIST series: RISE OF THE ZOMBIES.

It can also be read as a stand-alone. There are NO zombies in it, but there’s plenty of ♡♡♡.

Contents

1. MEGAN

2. MIKE

3. MEGAN

4. MIKE

5. MEGAN

6. MIKE

7. MEGAN

Excerpt from Co-Exist: Rise of the Zombies

Acknowledgments

Author’s Note

MEGAN

If people had told me the world would be overrun by nasty flesh-eaters and life as I knew it would end in two years, I’d have laughed at their utterly insane garbage.

They got half of it right. The Necropocalypse did happen. The Zs ruled the world, or Salt Lake City, at least.

But here’s where we began.

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Oh, God. Last night was a total disaster. Jody eases into an empty chair next to me and sips her industrial-sized coffee.

Another casualty? I offer between chewing a grilled cheese sandwich and charting on an elderly male patient with renal problems.

Never trust online pictures. The guy looks like my seventh grade Math teacher with the eighties hairstyle and Old Spice smell. I knew that finger slip was an omen.

Jody’s been fixated on a dating app recently, and I don’t envy her. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out she’s lonely after her husband left her and their four-year-old for his yoga instructor last year. I have a feeling the next one’s going to be your soulmate.

She scoffs. Like you would know. You have more birthdays than you do dates.

I check my Casio. Ten minutes before I have to scoot back to the ICU. Did the whole song and dance routine back in college. I’m pickier now. Besides, my soulmate’s probably in a different universe.

Oh, honey, Jody says, smiling, don’t give up. He’s out there somewhere. And you’re still young.

23 with an old soul.

Come on, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you.

Sadly, I thought so, too—until Dad died. I guess he’d be able to rest in peace now that his little girl’s finally making her mark in the nursing world. I finish up my sandwich and chug down my black coffee.

Tell you what, I’ll babysit Katie this Saturday. We’re both off-duty, so Jody could go on her next rendezvous with a stranger from the Internet who might or might not turn out to be a serial killer. Of course, I’m rooting for her to eventually find that connection with someone. But I’d rather have my meet-cute moment at a Laundromat. A guy who does his own laundry is a keeper.

Has anyone told you lately how awesome you are? Jody says. "Thanks but I promised