Stories by Kiera Dellacroix

by Dellacroix, Kiera

  She grinned, watching him walk away and letting him go a few steps. "And Doug?"

  He stopped and turned a look over his shoulder.

  "Thanks."

  "My pleasure," he said with a rakish grin.

  She watched him go with a genuine smile.

  --------

  Corky watched Malory enter Medical and stop to speak quietly with the young, machinegun-toting Coy, who would be serving as both nurse and guard for the duration of the evening. When the conversation was over, she shot her a wink and went to share a few words with the convalescing Dr. Ballenger. Her rounds apparently completed, she favored her with a bright smile.

  "Care to join me for dinner, Dr. Rivers?"

  "Sure," Corky said. "Let me meet you there in about ten minutes?"

  "Okay, see ya in a few," Malory agreed easily and turned to amble out into the hall.

  Lest Coy might observe, Corky tried not to watch the sway of the Commander's hips as she walked away. She was only partially successful and mentally chastised herself for the failure. Earlier, she had come to the inescapable conclusion that she was in love with Lt. Commander Malory Lovecraft. The idea only so shocking because of her reluctance to admit it and the full weight of that knowledge had struck with the force of a ton bricks when she had watched her openly frightened lover prepare to enter the lab alone. Watching Malory struggle with her fear had scared her as well and when the Sergeant Major had intervened, it was all she could do to keep from hugging the man. With a sigh, she rose from her seat and looked in on her patients one last time prior to relaying last minute instructions to Coy.

  When she entered the mess, she was disappointed to see Malory sitting across from McNeely and engaged in conversation. She scanned the room for alternative company and came up empty as the only other people present were DeSoto and Butler.

  Scowling, she got a tray and made for a vacant table but paused uncertainly when Malory waved her over. She shot a cautious look at her companion and received a nod and another wave so she padded over, choosing a seat across from her and next to McNeely.

  "Hi, guys."

  "Good evening, Doctor," McNeely said with a curious smile.

  "Dr. Rivers," Malory said amusedly. "How is Dr. Grey?"

  Their demeanor instantly brought up her guard and she narrowed her eyes covertly at the intriguingly smiling Commander. "No change but stable," she said slowly. "I can't find a reason for his symptoms. I have several tests I'd like to run tomorrow, hopefully they'll be a little more conclusive."

  "I see," Malory said. "No sign of an intruder in his system?"

  "None that I can find at the moment."

  Malory digested this as she slowly assumed an alarmingly innocent expression. "Mr. McNeely asked me a question earlier and was quite disappointed when I wouldn't answer it. Perhaps you'd have better luck with Dr. Rivers, Sergeant."

  McNeely abruptly stopped chewing the food in his mouth, his eyes widening and then narrowing into deadly slits.

  "What question is that?" Corky asked cautiously, not liking in the slightest the look on Malory's face.

  McNeely hurriedly swallowed his food in one large gulp. "Nothing of any real importance, Doctor."

  "Would it be easier if I presented it to Dr. Rivers for you, Sergeant?" Malory asked helpfully.

  He pursed his lips. If the Commander presented the question, it would only succeed in embarrassing him and the doctor. In his estimation, it would only be fair to capture the devious woman in her own trap. "No, I can handle it. Dr. Rivers, I asked the Commander earlier if she would inform me as to what exactly she was doing to you the other night that resulted in the screams that woke the entire facility."

  Corky gasped in surprise and McNeely ignored his own blush as he pleasantly observed the crimson beginning to flagrantly cover the Commander's face.

  "You crafty bastard," Malory chuckled, amused at having been outmaneuvered. "Oww!" she yelped as her shin was kicked from across the table.

  "I can't believe you," Corky hissed.

  "I didn't tell him anything."

  McNeely's blush faded and he went back to the business of eating his meal, casually observing the entertainment unfolding around him.

  Corky fumed, her face an angry shade of red. "Do you want us both to lose our jobs?"

  "That's not something we have to worry about as far as the Sergeant Major is concerned," Malory explained as she reached down to rub her wounded shin.

  "You could have at least given me a little warning."

  "Where would the fun be in that?" Malory replied with a chuckle.

  Corky huffed and crossed her arms over chest, glaring dangerously at her moronic girlfriend. "Well, to answer your question, Sergeant," she growled. "I was screaming because our clueless leader could lick the stripes off an asphalt highway."

  McNeely had to bring a hand up to cup his mouth in order to prevent spitting his food across the table and he struggled to get himself situated, risking a quick glance across the table. The Commander had her head stooped and a hand covering her eyes, the hand a severe white in contrast to the visible and almost purple forehead.

  Corky smiled victoriously and haughtily went about finishing her dinner, occasionally casting triumphant little looks at the hiding Commander.

  "On that note," Malory mumbled. "I'm obviously 0 for 2 this evening and will try to finish my dinner with a modicum of dignity," she added, emerging from her refuge bravely and pointedly ignoring the looks being cast upon her.

  "Doctor, is there a series of exercises you could prescribe that might strengthen my skill in that area?" McNeely asked cheerfully, relishing Malory's sigh of defeat and Corky's fresh blush.

  --------

  "Well, that could have gone better for me," Malory said as she flung herself onto her cot.

  Corky shut the door to Malory's quarters and chuckled. "Ya know, I like that man. He had you twisting and churning."

  "Yeah," Malory admitted. "He kicked my ass. I'll have to think up a suitable punishment."

  "Don't be a poor sport," Corky chided. "You started it."

  Malory grunted into the blankets.

  "How long has he known?"

  Malory rolled over onto her back. "Found out today."

  "Is he the only one?"

  "Yeah, unless your pal Clovis knows."

  "He probably does. He knows about my preference but he hasn't said anything," Corky replied. "How did McNeely find out?"

  "You called me by name earlier," she said sitting up to unlace her boots. "That and I sent him in here to get the extra chair and he found some of your scrubs."

  "Oh," Corky said. "You scared me today."

  "I was scared myself," she said, wiggling out of her pants. "This shit freaks me out."

  "Do you think whatever was in that thing got inside Grey?"

  Malory pulled her sweatshirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. "I have no idea but there wasn't a trace of anything left in the lab. Maybe it just emitted some sort of gas. I just don't know."

  Corky came forward to kneel in front of her, reaching around to unclasp her bra. "Is that why you have Coy standing guard in Medical with a rifle?" she asked as she tossed the garment to the ground behind her.

  "Yeah," Malory said distantly as Corky's eyes roamed over her chest. "Since you can't find anything wrong with him, I thought it prudent."

  Corky leaned in to a pull a nipple into her mouth lovingly. "Do you love me, Malory?"

  "You know I do."

  Corky withdrew and flicked at the nipple with her tongue until it hardened. "Then say it."

  "I love you, Corky."

  "Are you wet?" she asked as she teased back and forth between breasts.

  "Yes," Malory whispered.

  "Do you want me?"

  "Always."

  With a delicate bite on an erect nipple, Corky rose to her feet and began to undress. "Why were you with your first for only one night?"

  "Because I was just curious," Malory answered ab
sentmindedly, her eyes riveted on the figure in front of her.

  "Not curious enough to see her again?"

  "It didn't work out and I'm glad it didn't."

  "Why?"

  "Uhm…" she stuttered as panties fell to the ground. "Because I wanted to wait until I felt what I feel with you."

  "Was that the only reason?"

  "Turn around."

  "Why?"

  "Because I want to see your ass."

  Corky smiled and turned around to remove her T-shirt. "You didn't answer my question."

  "Uh… yeah," she answered distractedly. "She didn't want to see me again anyway."

  "Really? Why?"

  "There was…oh, boy," she broke off abruptly as Corky bent over deeply at the waist, letting her bra slide off her arms to the floor.

  Corky set her feet further apart and wiggled her rear provocatively. "You were saying?" she asked coyly over her shoulder.

  "Uh… I don't know, what was I saying?"

  "Do you like?"

  Malory could only nod stupidly.

  Corky stood and turned around. "Why didn't she want to see you again?"

  "Don't tease."

  "Tell me and I'm yours."

  "Because when I took her home that night I ran over her dog when I pulled into the driveway," Malory said quickly.

  A hand rose to hide a smile. "You're kidding me, right?"

  "No," Malory said, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue.

  Corky couldn't contain her mirth and slowly went from chuckles to an all out belly laugh. She carried on long enough that it completely spoiled the mood for as far as Malory was concerned.

  "It wasn't funny," she said indignantly after a moment.

  "She had to know it was an accident," Corky laughed.

  Malory gave up and flopped onto her back to glare off into space. "She loved that fuckin' dog. She dressed it up in a stupid knitted hat and carried a ridiculous picture of the mutt in her purse."

  Corky's eyes twinkled in amusement. "It's not like you did it on purpose."

  Malory rolled her eyes and sighed. "After I hit the brakes, she wouldn't move and made me get out to look. It was dark and the driveway was on an incline so when I got to the front of the car I slipped and fell on my ass in a puddle of blood. I freaked out and was hopping all over the place like a big sissy. Anyway, I tried to fling off the little pieces of doggie parts that were on my hands and ended up hurling the pooch's bloody little hat onto the windshield, where it landed with a gross little splat right in front of her face."

  Corky brought both hands to her mouth and laughed..

  Malory pretended to ignore her. "Understandably, she never called me again."

  "You made that up," Corky accused between chuckles.

  "Who in their right mind would make up a story like that and ruin a perfectly good turn on?"

  Corky spent a moment working the giggles out of her system before sensuously climbing onto the cot to cover her lover's body with her own. Legs immediately wrapped themselves around her waist to trap her and she tenderly placed a kiss on Malory's lips. "I love you, Malory."

  A small gasp was her reward. "Really?"

  "Really," Corky confirmed with a whisper, placing gentle kisses on the throat below.

  "Say it again," Malory sniffled.

  Corky brought her head up in surprise and Malory quickly raised an embarrassed hand to wipe away the tear that had escaped. "I thought you knew?"

  "I did," Malory sniffled again. "I just didn't realize how badly I wanted to hear it," she added, moving quickly to catch another tear but her hand was intercepted and Corky moved to kiss it away.

  "There all better now."

  Malory smiled. "Say it again."

  "I love you, Malory."

  --------

  Coy slouched in his chair by the door and yawned powerfully behind his hand. He spared a quick survey of his charges, lingering on the still immobile Dr. Grey before moving on to the sleeping Dr. Ballenger, noting nothing amiss.

  When he joined the Coast Guard he never pictured himself performing guard duty in an underground complex at the bottom of the world, yet here he was. He ran a hand through short-cropped blonde hair and sighed, wondering what had possessed him to volunteer for Antarctica. He had spent six months under the tutelage of Dr. Rivers before being seconded to the Department of Defense and thus eventually falling under the command of the newly assigned Commander Lovecraft.

  At first he didn't know what to make of the subtly hostile doctor, although he had to admit that she had certainly loosened up recently. She even flashed a smile in his direction from time to time. He wondered if it had anything to do with the presence of the easygoing Commander, who rumor had it, was extremely formidable if one was unlucky enough to pull a fuck up.

  A small whisper of noise came to his ears and he raised his eyes to again scan the interior of the room. Spotting nothing out of the ordinary, he rose and padded across the room to check the status of Dr. Grey.

  A few minutes later, he was treading back to his chair, pausing in the middle of his journey to indulge in a yawn and stretch that brought him to his tiptoes. The sound of a rasped gurgle from behind brought him to his heels and he spun to find himself face to face with Dr. Grey. Fear left him motionless as he met eyes rendered frighteningly insane.

  Grey brought both hands up and inserted them into his mouth. Without anything but the sound of tearing tissue and cracking bone, he exerted enough force to savagely break his jaw. The corners of his mouth tearing bloodlessly like a fleshy cellophane.

  Coy stood mesmerized in terror, all sound and action trapped within a motionless body that refused to respond. It was only when a nest of thick, muddy-red worms filled the doctor's mouth, their tubular bodies contorting in a maddening frenzy, that the rifle came up and he drew in a deep breath to scream.

  All sound died in a macabre embrace as his mouth was engulfed by Grey's and filled with a nest of traveling worms, muffling his cries. The invaders fought through his gag reflex unhindered, forcing themselves forward and tearing through soft tissue like barbed needles. His mouth and throat filled with what he knew was blood and his agonized cries filtered silently into labored gurgles. He contorted violently as Grey's teeth cut through his cheeks to solidify their union and he felt his body burning in the wake of the frantically moving intruders. An unholy strength lifted him off his feet and his legs struggled desperately in the air until finally, his activity decreased to a lifeless standstill and his rifle fell uselessly to the floor at his feet.

  05/09/02 - 0600 hours

  Percy strolled carelessly down the hall to relieve Coy. His tour of duty ended with the impending summer and he had spent many happy hours contemplating how to enjoy his accumulated funds. In his view, there were benefits to spending a year underground and the best one, in his opinion, was the savings plan. Everything was provided for him and paychecks added up untouched, the funds waiting impatiently for his arrival in an economic environment.

  So embroiled in his daydream of an irresponsible spending spree, it took him a moment to seriously register the abandoned rifle laying within a congealing puddle of blood just inside the door to Medical. Stopping in his tracks, he leaped backwards to place his back against the wall of the hallway and hurriedly pulled his gun from his holster. His head turned rapidly back and forth to make sure the hall was clear and he reached for his radio, every sense on heightened alert.

  His terse report to the rapidly waking Sergeant Major resulted in the klaxon being activated not five seconds into his explanation.

  "Commander Lovecraft and all military personnel report to the hall outside of Medical immediately with weaponry," McNeely barked urgently over the intercom. "All other personnel report to the mess and remain there. This is no drill. Move it people. I say again…"

  --------

  Malory flew out of bed at the sound of klaxon, dumping a grumpy Corky on the floor.

  "What the hell!" Corky complained
loudly.

  "The alarm," Malory explained, hurriedly slipping into her fatigues and sweatshirt without the benefit of underwear.

  Corky sleepily and tardily noted the klaxon, preparing to speak when McNeely's voice reverberated through the complex.

  "Jesus," Malory whispered when he was finished and fell to the floor to put on her boots. "Get dressed, hurry. I want you to come with me as far as the mess."

  "Shouldn't I go to Medical too?" Corky asked worriedly, reading the depth of fear etched onto Malory's face.

  "No!" Malory said. "Hurry, now," she added in a softer tone.

  Corky frantically hopped up to get her clothes, trying unsuccessfully to hastily get into her bra when Malory pulled it out of her hands.

  "Just pants, shirt, and shoes," she said. "Hurry, sweetheart."

  Corky did as she was told, trying to choke down the lump in her throat. Malory's movements were tense and edgy. She got her boots on and had no sooner stood when her hand was grabbed and she found herself being pulled out of the room.

  Malory drew her gun as soon as they entered the hall. "You stay in the mess with the others and don't let anybody leave," she ordered, pulling the frightened doctor down the hall rapidly.

  They soon found themselves in front of the mess and Malory poked her head inside the door to see people already milling about confusedly. "Go on, now," she said, prodding Corky inside.

  "Malory…"

  "I'll be okay, please go inside now," she interrupted, pecking her cheek speedily and turning to run down the hall.

  Corky bit her lower lip in anxiety, trying not to cry. Watching until Malory disappeared around a corner before turning to enter the mess.

  --------

  As Malory approached Medical she found the soldiers grouped in the hall on either side of the door.

  "Report," she said as she came abreast of the men.

  "Coy is missing, his weapon is laying just inside the door covered in blood," McNeely whispered. "No one responds from inside and the divider has been drawn so we can't see the infirmary section."

  Malory nodded grimly. "Make a hole," she said, waiting for the men to move aside so she could step forward and peek inside.

  There was indeed a rifle in the middle of an alarming puddle of drying blood, but more disturbing was the gory footprints tracking from the pool to behind the divider. Even more frightening were the tracks that entered the hall and quickly faded, leaving no trace.