A Darker Shade of Dead (20 page)

A few flights of stairs and several more hallways later, they arrived at a big space that was fast being converted into a makeshift laboratory. The guys had already made good progress setting up tables, and even as they watched two more groups arrived with equipment from Sandra's lab.

It took an hour or two to get everything set up, but Mariana and Sandra were able to start working almost right away. The guys worked around them, putting everything else in place while the two women put their heads together in one corner of the large room.

It didn't take long for Sandra to verify Mariana's work. She may have come to the team as a general practitioner, but Mariana definitely had a good head for research. They worked well together, and before Sandra knew it more than two hours had passed. The fourth time Sandra yawned, Mariana closed the reference book she'd been holding with a bang that startled Sandra into nearly jumping off her stool.

Mariana laughed. The twinkle in her eye was hard to resist and Sandra chuckled, too.

“Time to get some much needed sleep.” Mariana began putting things away. “Doctor's orders.”

“Don't worry. I won't argue with the prescription. I'm beat.” Sandra got to her feet slowly, suddenly remembering something vital. “Only…I don't know where I'm supposed to sleep now.”

Mariana's attention shifted over Sandra's shoulder. “I don't think that'll be a problem much longer.”

Sandra turned to find Matt coming into the room behind her. He looked as tired as she felt, but his fatigue didn't slow his determined stride. She had to hand it to him. The man had outstanding stamina—as she was coming to know firsthand. She felt her cheeks heat with a blush as the slightly racy thought crossed her mind.

“Looks like the lab is coming along. Anything else you need brought in here?” Matt asked both ladies.

Mariana surveyed the room, her hands on her hips. “No, it looks like they've got just about everything we need for now, thanks.”

“So what's the verdict on your research?” He looked at Sandra expectantly.

“My conclusions are the same as Mariana's. Her reasoning is sound and the treatment should work to make John immune to the contagion.”

A look of grim satisfaction crossed Matt's features as he nodded. “How soon can you be ready to try it?” This time his question was directed squarely at Mariana.

“The reagents are already prepared. We can do it any time.”

“Good.” Matt looked at Mariana directly. “I'd like you to leave at first light to rendezvous with John and Donna. I've already talked to John about this in some detail, and he wants to proceed. There will be a small plane waiting to take you to Knoxville and back.”

 

Matt didn't bother looking at Sandra. He knew she'd be concerned by his decision to proceed with testing their scientific theories on John. In a way, it was reassuring that she was so concerned about the idea. It told him she had a heart—unlike the other members of the original science team. Most of those heartless bastards didn't care who they injured or killed in pursuit of their goal.

The way Matt understood it, Mariana would give John a series of injections over a few hours. They'd know within a short amount of time whether the plan worked as intended or not. Worst case, John could die, though Mari had said she thought the odds of that were slim. John might also respond badly to the injections, in which case, he could become unfit for duty. Again, the odds of that happening were low, Mariana had assured him. Matt thought it was worth taking the chance to proceed because if it worked as they thought it would, John would survive the session immune and able to fight the zombies without fear of infection.

Right now, Matt needed all the skilled immune fighters he could get. John had the skills; all that was missing was the immunity. It was Matt's hope that Mariana would take care of that on her little excursion to Knoxville, and they could all get on with their assigned missions.

Matt spotted Simon lurking near the door and motioned him inside.

“Almost done here?” Simon asked with a smile for his fiancée.

“We were just going to call it a day,” Mari assured him. “The commander just told me he's sending me to Knoxville to see John and Donna.”

Simon's eyebrows shot up and he sent a questioning look in Matt's direction.

“It's only for a few hours. Mari can fill you in on the particulars.”

With those few simple words, Matt had given clearance for Mariana to discuss her latest work with her fiancé. He figured she probably already shared a good deal of her work on the project with him, since he was participating in the study rather closely.

For a while they'd been the only two working on the project at all. They'd dated many years ago but broke up over Simon's career. The zombie problem had reunited them after Simon was exposed and became immune. He'd been the first immune soldier. He'd been the one sent in to eradicate the original problem. The only one. He'd done a hell of a job against awful odds, and then he'd tried to fade into the shadows after completing the mission and settle down with the woman he never should have lost in the first place.

He and Mariana had gotten a second chance, and Matt knew if the contagion hadn't resurfaced they'd be living on a farm somewhere by now, happily married and starting their family in peace. As it was, Mari was pregnant and Simon had been drafted to continue the dangerous work of fighting zombies. Only now he was part of a bigger team and he wasn't the only immune man who could combat the creatures.

While their peace had lasted, Mariana had tried to figure out more about how Simon's systems had been affected by the contagion. She'd been researching it on her own, with Simon's cooperation. He'd been her willing guinea pig from the start.

There were few secrets on Mari's side of that relationship. On Simon's side, Matt wasn't so sure. He'd worked with Simon for many years in special operations. They both had very high security clearances and knowledge of things that were meant to be kept top secret. There was a lot about his work that Matt had never been able to discuss with anyone other than his immediate teammates. The same had to be true for Simon, yet he'd managed to form a committed, healthy relationship with Mariana. That was something to think about.

For years, Matt had thought he'd never be able to commit to a woman because of the nature of his job. Then Sandra had walked into his life—and right into the middle of his mission. For the first time, he could share a mission with a woman he had feelings for. It was a novel experience that still made him feel a little strange.

Somehow, Simon and Mari were making it work. Maybe there was hope for Matt and Sandra, too. Only time would tell.

“If that's all, sir…” Simon looked at him questioningly, and Matt realized he'd been silent too long, keeping them all waiting.

“That's all I've got. You should probably both get some rest.”

“Aye, aye, Commander. That's just what I was thinking.” Simon held out his arm for Mari to take and with not much further ado, he escorted his fiancée from the lab, leaving Sandra alone with Matt.

“You ready for some downtime?” he asked quietly. Matt had a mysterious expression on his face that Sandra could almost interpret as…a sort of caring concern. Whatever it was, it touched her. When he stretched out his hand, she took it without hesitation and allowed him to lead her from the room.

“Where am I bunking?” she asked on their way out the door.

“With me.”

She shouldn't have been surprised by his calmly resolute tone.

“Won't that raise eyebrows?”

“Probably.” He let her precede him through a doorway that led to one of the many staircases in the old building. “But I don't really care. You've been in harm's way more than I like, Sandra. I'll be damned if I let you out of my sight any more than I have to.”

That sounded a little more serious than she'd expected. She knew she was having trouble separating her heart from her mind where Matt was concerned. He'd attracted her from the very beginning. Everything she'd learned of him since had only increased her crush on him. She admitted in the darkness of her mind that she was already half in love with the man. It wouldn't take much for her to tumble head over heels, and that would spell disaster.

She was holding out on him. That last secret—her secret shame—would destroy any chances for them. She knew it. She understood the danger of getting more involved with him. This could only lead to heartache for her if and when he found out the truth.

But she was powerless to fight it. She wanted whatever time she could have with him. More than her next breath.

He led her to a narrow corridor with lots of doors. He opened the last door at the end of the hall, and she wasn't surprised to discover it was a bedroom. Old fashioned and painted a rather depressing green color, this section of the building must have been used as a barracks at one time. She'd bet the other members of the team were happily snoring behind those other doors she'd passed on the way to this one.

“It's not a palace, but it'll do.” Matt stepped into the room behind her and shut the door.

The bed was a double. Surprising in a barracks setting, but since the room was at the end of the hall, more than likely it had been designed for the commanding officer of the rest of those quartered here. She knew RHIP meant rank has its privileges and often those in charge got a little more room to maneuver than those under them. So the head man got a bigger bed, which suited her fine. If Matt was going to insist on bunking with her, she didn't want either one of them to wind up sleeping on the floor.

Matt was already shrugging out of his shirt, moving around the room, letting his fatigue show. The man had to be beat. As she was. The bed looked too inviting. This was no time to quibble over sleeping arrangements or what the rest of the team might think. Let them think whatever they wanted. Sandra was too tired to worry about it now.

She kicked off her shoes, removed her outer layers, and unhooked her bra under her T-shirt. That would have to be enough. She was too tired to do much more. She pointed her feet toward the bed and collapsed on it, her eyes closing almost immediately.

A soft male chuckle behind her was the only warning she got before a warm body settled onto the mattress beside her. Matt's strong hands lifted her, moving her around on the bed to his satisfaction.

“You can't be comfortable like that,” he said.

“Like what?” she mumbled, her face smushed in the pillow.

“In all those clothes.”

“Too tired to change into my nightie,” she complained.

“No problem.” Big hands raised the hem of her T-shirt over her head, lifting her as if she weighed nothing at all while he stripped her bare in a matter of seconds. Her pants were pushed down, along with her panties, and within a minute she was naked. “That's better.”

Matt's voice purred with satisfaction near her ear as he settled on the bed with her in his arms. Skin to skin. He was naked, too.

Oh, my.

He spooned her, one hand cupping her breast as his body cocooned her in warmth. Her nipple beaded against his palm as her breathing sped.

“Sleep,” he ordered, a chuckle clear in his tone.

“You get me all hot and bothered and then you expect me to sleep?” she groused, but it was halfhearted at best.

“We both know we're too tired to do each other justice right now. I promise I'll make it up to you later.”

“I'll hold you to that.”

 

Sandra woke to warmth, Matt's strong arms around her. His hand still clasped her bare breast and his fingers moved back and forth on her skin, arousing the flesh beneath. The louse was awake and had been touching her body, making her hot. It had felt like a dream, but now she realized the dream lover was all too real.

“That's not fair,” she complained with a small smile.

“It's only unfair if I don't follow through,” he replied smoothly, nipping the flesh of her neck. His mouth was warm, his lips damp against her sensitive skin. “I wouldn't leave you hanging, Sandy. You know that.”

“Thank heaven for that.” She tried to joke with him, but she was too excited. He'd done a good job of getting her primed even before she woke. The sneak. The delicious, adorable, incredibly skilled sneak.

He rolled, turning her in his arms until she was above him. Not what she'd expected.

“You're letting me be on top?”

His grin said it all. It was full of deviltry and desire, seduction and satisfaction.

“I've fantasized about watching you ride me,” he admitted. “Besides, why should I do all the work?” His playful wink dispelled his smart-alecky tone. She chuckled along with him.

“All right, let's rope this little doggie and let the cowgirl ride.” She grasped his already hard cock in one hand, aware of his sharp intake of breath, liking what she so obviously did to him when she touched him. She held the power now—while he let her. She liked that.

He flipped a little foil packet up between his fingers. The man had come prepared. She liked that, too.

“You've been planning this rodeo for more than a few minutes, haven't you?” She shot him a suspicious look.

“I had to do something to kill time until you woke up. I thought through a bunch of different ways we could do this and decided on this one. For now.” His expression held a promise that sent a shiver down her spine. Her hand tightened fractionally around him.

“We'll have to explore some of those other ideas.”

“Oh, I fully intend to. But first…” He ripped the wrapper with his teeth.

She reached for the condom and took great pleasure in teasing him while she slipped it over him.

Everything went very fast from there. Fast, but pleasurable. Sandra wasn't inclined to wait anymore than Matt was. She sheathed him and positioned herself with little fuss, pausing only to draw out the feeling of connection, the long, wet slide into perfection as she seated herself over him.