Half Past Dead

by Zoë Archer

  He slept the afternoon away while Mariana finished up her day of duty in the clinic. It had been a busier day than usual and more upsetting by far. She locked the clinic door behind the last nurse to leave and went back to see how Simon fared. A young officer had come over a half hour earlier to drop off a big black duffel full of stuff for Simon’s eyes only. She’d directed the man to the back and he had come and gone without much more ado.

  Mariana tapped on the door frame, hearing movement from within. “Simon?”

  “Come on in, Mari.” She heard rustling as she entered and realized he was stuffing his old clothing into the duffel. He had changed into fresh camo BDUs and managed a quick shave. Damn, the man looked good enough to eat.

  She’d been down that road before. No matter how much she missed him, and though she knew now why he had left without a word, she wasn’t sure she was ready to risk her heart again. He’d broken it once already.

  “I just locked up. Everyone’s gone for the night.”

  “Then I’ll be going, too. There’s not much time before sunset.”

  She wondered why that mattered. Then again, he’d been on night duty when he’d gotten hurt. Whatever he was doing out there in the woods, it was a nighttime thing. Maybe he had a squad he had to get back to, waiting for him in the trees. She wouldn’t ask, no matter how curious she was.

  “I can drop you off wherever you want.” She thought she would at least make the offer, though he wasn’t likely to take her up on it.

  “Are you heading right home? No errands to run or places to go tonight?”

  She was puzzled by his question, though she saw no harm in answering him truthfully. “No place to go tonight. I’m heading home to do laundry actually.”

  He lifted the bulging duffel bag as she watched him from near the door. “That’s good. Mari”—he stepped close to her, his expression intent—“until my mission is complete, stay close to home at night. It’s safer.”

  “Is there something I should worry about?”

  “Just trust me. I can’t say more. Just stay inside while the sun’s down.”

  Frankly, she was surprised he’d gone that far. Whatever he was doing in the woods at night, it was dangerous. Dangerous enough for him to warn her when he was probably sworn to secrecy. Now that gave her pause.

  “All right, Simon. I’ll be more cautious after dark.”

  He prowled over to her in that silent way of his. He moved into her personal space before she could say another word and one of his big hands touched her cheek. He towered over her and something infinitesimal in his eyes made her feel…odd. Not quite the way she used to feel in his presence—totally overwhelmed and as if he was her past, present and future—but protected…cherished…and regretted.

  It was bittersweet.

  He didn’t say a word as his head dipped and his mouth claimed hers in a poignant farewell. Tears started behind her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she would ever see him again after this and the kiss he gave her had a sense of heartbreaking finality in it.

  Her hands went to the lapels of his shirt as she pressed herself against his muscular chest. He hadn’t changed much since she’d last seen him. Not in any outward way. It was the internal changes that gave her pause.

  Simon drew back, holding her gaze. There was something indefinable in his eyes that touched her deeply. The silence stretched as he looked at her and she wondered what thoughts passed through that agile brain of his.

  “Stay safe, Mari.”

  The moment ended and she stepped back. “I’ll be fine, Simon. Watch yourself when you’re out there. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

  “I need a lot of things, Mari.” His expression smoldered. “Most of which I can’t have.”

  “Can’t you?”

  “No.” The word hung between them for a timeless moment, then he moved, breaking the spell.

  Simon opened the door and held it open for Mariana to precede him. They walked the short distance to the clinic entrance before they both paused once more while she unlocked the door.

  “Will I see you again?” Damn, she hadn’t meant to ask. She cringed inwardly at how needy she sounded.

  “It’s not a good idea.” His eyes clouded with an emotion she couldn’t interpret as the moment dragged.

  “I understand.” She didn’t really, but it seemed the thing to say.

  “No you don’t.” His smile was almost her undoing. “And I can’t tell you any more than I already have. You’ll just have to trust me.”

  “I do. I’ve always trusted your judgment as far as my safety goes, Simon. I think you’re wrong about other things. In particular, I think you’re wrong about us.”

  Their eyes locked. “You don’t know how much I wish I were.”

  He gave her one last, hard kiss, then left her standing in the empty doorway. She saw the sun hanging low in the sky as he walked off, into the setting sun. It was sort of poetic, in a way.

  In all other ways, it just plain sucked.

  Simon was gone within moments, walking straight into the tree line until he disappeared and she doubted she would ever see him again. Her breath caught in her throat as that realization struck home.

  It had been an upsetting day all the way around. She’d discovered things about him—about what had happened to him—that made her want to cry. For him. For the things he’d been through. The uncertainty about his condition, the threat to his life. She hated that he’d had to go through that alone and longed to be let into his life so she could help in whatever way possible.

  Simon was a tough guy though. He had rarely opened up to her during their brief affair and now wasn’t any different.

  At the very least, she’d achieved some closure. Seeing him again and gaining insight into why he had disappeared before helped a little. It would take time to put everything in perspective but at least she wasn’t left wondering.

  Not about his abandonment anyway. No, now she would wonder about his health, his safety, whether or not he was alive or dead. She would wonder and worry for him. The man she had never gotten over. The lover she missed every single day.

  She sighed heavily and left the clinic, heading for her car. The sun was sinking behind the trees and she’d promised him she would stay in tonight. She didn’t understand why it was so important to him, but she had felt the urgency in his words, in his stare. So she would go home and do this last thing for him. It was little enough. This one last thing and then she would do her best to put Simon Blackwell behind her. Forever.

  Walking away from Mariana again was one of the hardest things he had ever done. Of course, he didn’t see any other way to keep her truly safe. He faded into the trees, then doubled back, watching as she made her way out of the clinic and into her car. When she pulled out and headed for home, he headed back into the woods and began a jogging pace. He decided to head for the woods near her house.

  He would check that she made it home safely, then begin his nightly patrol. The search area had grown closer and closer to her backyard lately as the creatures started to go farther and farther afield. That wasn’t good. He vowed to contain them. Failure was not an option. Especially not with Mariana’s safety in question.

  A little more than an hour later, Simon peered through the trees at Mariana’s home, watching her move around behind the windows. She was home. Safe for now.

  It was time to go hunting.

  Mariana tried her best to put the disturbing thoughts of her encounter with Simon out of her head as she ate dinner, but found it impossible. He was never far from her mind. She had learned so much today. Still, she knew so little. His healing was nothing short of miraculous. He had hinted at something horrific that had brought it about and she wanted to know more. She also knew he would never tell. Not unless there was no other choice.

  She would either have to be read into the program—which was as likely as a snowball in hell right about now—or she would have to discover what had happened to him on her o
wn somehow. Another fat chance. In all likelihood, she would never know what had brought about his amazing change. She might not ever see him again either. It was that last thought that brought a tear to her eye.

  She had loved him so deeply. He had taken up residence in her soul and she realized only now, after seeing him again, that he’d never quite left. She still loved him and cared about what happened to him. Even if they could never be together, she wanted to be sure he was safe. And she wanted him to be happy.

  He hadn’t looked all that happy today. Dark shadows filled his eyes—even darker than they had been before. His face had been leaner, harder than she remembered, though his physique hadn’t suffered. He was still built like a Greek god with a casual attitude about his body that made her mouth water. He used his body as a tool in his work. He didn’t perfect that physique by standing in front of a mirror in a gym somewhere. To her, that was a plus. Simon was unconsciously sexy, a warrior first, whose body was a honed weapon.

  Just remembering what he could do with that killer bod made her quiver. They had been together far too short a time, in her opinion. She could have spent years making love to him and still not be satisfied. He had ruined her for anyone else.

  With a sigh, Mariana finished her lonely dinner and began cleaning up. She spent some time by the sink, washing the dishes that had stacked up over the past few days. She lived alone, so she could afford to be a little lax on the household chores if her work schedule interfered.

  Her cabin was rustic, but she loved it. She had taken her time choosing it, wanting something closer to nature than she had ever had before. Hers was the only house on the lane, with her nearest neighbors out of sight over a small hill. The neighbors were quiet, an elderly lady and her granddaughter who took care of her. Mariana had visited them a few times since moving in, but mostly they kept to themselves.

  Mariana’s backyard was small compared to other places she had lived. It bordered the woods so it felt like the whole forest was her backyard at times. Deer often came out of the woods to nibble on her lawn and there were all kinds of birds and little furry creatures that visited from time to time.

  There was a small window over the sink and as dusk turned to deep night, she watched the woods as she worked, noting the appearance of a few small woodland creatures. An owl hooted and she thought she caught the flash of its eyes in one tall pine, but couldn’t be certain.

  Turning back to her task, she concentrated on the dishes for a while. When she looked up again, the woods were dark, mysterious, and silent. Not a single creature stirred. A predator of some kind must be nearby. The smaller animals always knew when something bigger and badder was around.

  She shut off the water and wiped her hands, raising her gaze to take one last look out the window.

  She froze, a scream stuck in her throat as a face—a gruesome face—reflected back at her from the other side of the window.

  Was it a trick of the light? Was she looking at her own reflection, somehow distorted into a grotesque mask? Or was there someone—or some thing—out there, looking back at her?

  She dropped to a crouch, using the kitchen counter for cover as her breathing spiked in panic. What to do? Her cell phone was plugged in to the charger in the other room. Her rifle was in the hall closet, unloaded. She had a few kitchen carving knives in the drawer behind her, but she wasn’t much of a hand-to-hand fighter. She’d had the training early in her career with the Navy, of course, but had only done enough to pass, never excelled.

  She cursed her own inability and laziness. She had meant to better her skills. She’d just never gotten around to it. Something always had seemed to get in the way or be more important. Now she saw the folly in her delay. She would go tomorrow and sign up for a self-defense course. It was stupid to live way out here on her own with no real way to defend herself should someone try something.

  If someone was really out there, she was a sitting duck. The more she thought about what she had seen in that flash of time, the more convinced she was that something really was out there. A person or maybe a few kids playing a trick of some kind, trying to scare the shit out of her. Well, they’d succeeded, if that was their aim. If not, what was up with the guy she’d seen?

  And what was with that face? The quick glimpse she’d gotten looked like something had gnawed off parts of that horribly misshapen face. She was so frightened, yet felt silly. She didn’t know if she had really seen what she thought she’d seen. Second guessing her senses, she still wasn’t quite brave enough to stand up and take another look outside.

  Instead, she listened carefully, every sense extended as she cowered behind the sink. Was that a creak? Did something just brush against the exterior of the house?

  Oh, God.

  This was ridiculous. Cowering there by the sink like a ninny was getting her no place. It was time to man up and go see what was really going on. For all she knew, it could really just be some local kids prowling around, hoping to scare the bejeezus out of someone. She’d be damned if she would be the one they snickered over in the woods.

  Crawling forward, she plotted a path out of the kitchen that wouldn’t expose her to view from the window. It involved climbing under the kitchen table, but she was okay with that. She could stand to lose a little dignity in exchange for safety—just in case it wasn’t kids and there really was some sort of trespassing Peeping Tom outside her window.

  Mariana headed for the hall closet first. Better to be armed and the phone was farther away. She felt marginally better with the rifle cradled in her arms, fully loaded and ready for action. Next, she grabbed her phone, dialing the emergency number as she moved toward the back door that faced the woods. She approached it at an oblique angle, trying to peer out the small window set into the door.

  The phone seemed to work at first, then petered out and died. Not enough juice. Damn. She’d have to go back into the other room to get the charging cord and she didn’t want to take the time. The more time that passed, the more she became convinced that she had to have been seeing things. No suspicious sounds came from outside and she couldn’t see anything, or anyone, in her backyard. Maybe it had all been just a trick of the light. Or if it was kids, they were gone now that they’d succeeded in their prank.

  Cautiously, she opened the back door and stepped onto the porch.

  A second later she saw it, coming from the woods. It looked like a man in tattered camo fatigues, but its face…its face was…horrible.

  Streaked with grime that didn’t look like camo paint, bits of flesh hung off his jaw and gouges were taken out of his hollow cheeks. His eyes were vacant, staring. His jaw locked in position, seemingly unable to move.

  Mariana stared. Her rifle lay in her arms, but she was unable to lift it—or even to think—as the thing came toward her.

  “Get in the house!”

  She knew that voice. Or rather, that shout. It was coming from the woods.

  “Simon?” She peered into the darkness, looking for him. He broke through the cover of the trees a moment later. He ran toward her and the creature, weapons in hand.

  “In the house, now!”

  She didn’t need further urging. Her body responded to the order in his tone, the urgency of his command. She fled, locking the door behind her and racing through the house, rifle in hand, to make sure all the other entrances were shut tight.

  The windows were vulnerable, of course, but they were small enough that a full-grown man would have to shimmy through them carefully, if he even fit at all. It was a trade-off she’d made for safety, living alone out here in the woods. Smaller windows meant less light and a reduced view. When she had first seen the house and the tiny windows, she’d thought the decrease in light was worth the increase in protection, and that compromise was paying off now.

  House as secure as she could make it, Mariana returned to the kitchen. She peeked out the window. No sign of the monster that had taken the form of a man. She gasped as a camo green covered chest filled her vis
ion.

  Simon was on her porch, in front of her door. Thank God.

  “Is it clear?” she asked through the door.

  “For the moment. Open up, Mari.”

  She did, flinging her arms around him as he stepped over the threshold. She heard him kick the door shut behind him and the dead bolt snick into place. Thankfully he didn’t let her go, even as he saw to their safety. She was shaking from head to foot and he was a solid, comforting presence.

  Rifle barrel gripped tight in one hand, she clung to him, reaction setting in. After a moment she felt his arms settle around her shoulders, stroking her back as she shook.

  “It’s all right now, sweetheart. I took care of the problem. He won’t trouble you again.” His deep voice crooned to her, calming her further. At length, she stepped back.

  Damn, he looked good. Whole and healthy once more. She never would have believed he’d be in such good shape after the way she had seen him, broken and bleeding only hours ago. His color was good, though his face was darkened in places with camo paint. He was all hunter, lean and alert, clearly on a mission.

  “What was that? What did you do with him?”

  “He’s gone. That’s all you need to know.”

  “More secrecy, Simon?” She hated the way her voice broke, her blood still running high with emotion. “I can’t take much more, you know. Not now. Not after that guy scared the living shit out of me!”

  “Whoa,” he reached for her, tugging her into his arms again. “Calm down, honey. You’re okay. He’s gone and I’m here. I’ll watch over you.”

  That sounded awfully possessive to her. “How did you know where I live?” His expression shuttered as she looked up at him, pulling out of his arms. “You’ve been watching my house, haven’t you?”

  She had her answer when he looked away. His face never betrayed his thoughts, but his eyes told stories. At least to her. She had always been able to uncover his feelings just by looking into his eyes.

  “Damn it, Simon. Am I in danger out here?”