Simon Says (Guardians of the Dark Book 1) Read online

  Somehow, he had walked her inside and kicked the door shut behind them. She didn’t remember him doing it, but she felt the play of his muscles when he reached behind his back to lock the dead bolt on the back door. He maneuvered her toward a kitchen chair and helped her sit.

  “I’m going to make you some coffee. Okay?” She nodded as he moved toward the automatic coffeemaker. He put the water in and added more grounds than she normally used to the filter cup, then switched the thing on and turned back to her. The sound of perking and the strong scent of brewing coffee filled the small kitchen within moments. It felt oddly comforting. Commonplace and routine, it brought sanity back to her life faster than she would have believed possible.

  Simon leaned against the kitchen counter and regarded her with concern. “Better now?” She nodded again. “You’ll be steadier once you get some coffee in you. Now, tell me about this neighbor. Does she live alone?”

  “Oh, no.” She realized what he was getting at. If Becky Sue had been attacked, more than likely, so had the sweet little old lady that was her grandmother.

  Simon cursed and turned to the coffeepot, removing the carafe and filling a mug directly from the stream of freshly brewed coffee. When it was half full, he replaced the carafe and handed the mug to her.

  “Drink this. It’ll perk you up and steady your nerves.” She did as ordered, though she usually didn’t go for such strong, black coffee. “I take it from your reaction, the girl didn’t live alone?”

  Mariana clung to the mug for strength even as the strong brew started to permeate her body. Surprisingly, it helped her focus as the caffeine hit her system.

  “She lived with her grandmother. Just the two of them.”

  Simon’s expression grew even grimmer. “How close is their place?”

  “Just over the hill. They’re my nearest neighbors.”

  “I know the house. I’ve scouted it before. Damn.” He filled a cup for himself from the coffee maker. “How old is the grandmother? Can she get around okay?”

  “She’s pretty old and suffers from arthritis. Becky Sue pretty much took care of her. I visited them once or twice, but they mostly kept to themselves.”

  “I’ll need to go check on the grandmother and their house.”

  “You don’t think…” Her words trailed off when he turned to her. She could see he did indeed think the worst. “If she was crippled in life and unable to get around much, would she still be that way under the influence of this contagion?”

  “I truly have no idea. The only people I’ve seen infected were fit young Marines. But I guess I’m going to find out.”

  “I’m going with you. If she wasn’t infected, she’ll be frightened and may need help. There’s no way of knowing how long ago Becky Sue was attacked. Her grandmother could have been alone for days. She’ll be disoriented and frightened if you show up on her doorstep. At least she knows me, if only in passing. Plus, I’m a doctor. Mrs. McGillicuddy knows that.” Simon seemed unconvinced by her argument. “It’s daylight and it’s supposed to be sunny all day. Didn’t you tell me the others hide from the sun? It should be safe to take a quick drive over to their house, check things out, and come back. It’ll only take a few minutes, and you’ll be with me the entire time, right? What could go wrong?”

  Grim faced, Simon relented. “All right, but we do this my way. I’ll approach the house first and check things out. If the old lady is still alive, I’ll signal you in. If not, you stay clear. Got it?”

  “Aye, aye, sir.” She gave him a salute and a smile, glad to see his expression soften just the tiniest bit.

  “Take the pistol with you. How many rounds do you have left?”

  Mariana checked the specially crafted handgun. It could hold up to six dart rounds in an oversized, rotating cylinder. She’d only used three on Becky Sue.

  “Three left. How many does it usually take to disintegrate one of those creatures?”

  Some of the grimness returned to his eyes. “Theoretically, it should only take one, or so the experts tell me. As you probably saw, I’ve learned it actually takes awhile for the toxin to spread and do its work. Multiple rounds help the process along. I usually use at least two if possible—one in the upper body and one in the lower. The key is to hit them while they’re still some distance away, or when you’re in a position to retreat quickly to a safe distance.”

  “Good to know.” She hated to think how hard won his knowledge was.

  “Finish up your coffee and we’ll get on the road. I want to do this, then report in before I go down for the day.” He rubbed his unshaven face in a rare outward show of fatigue. He was unbending more and more around her, showing that he was, indeed human, after all. That was something he had never really done during their previous involvement.

  “How’d you do last night?” She watched his expression as she sipped the strong coffee.

  “I got two more. By our counts, there should be only one left, but if they’ve infected civilians, the problem has spread.”

  “That’s not good,” she observed, stating the obvious.

  “No, not good at all.” He swallowed the last of his coffee and placed his mug in the sink.

  She grabbed her jacket, stowed the pistol within easy reach in one pocket, and headed for the front door, next to which was her car, a small, sturdy SUV. Simon said nothing when she made for the driver’s seat, though he did open her door for her as soon as she chirped the locks open. He was a gentleman, after all.

  She noticed him looking into the back before opening the door, probably checking to be certain the spacious vehicle was indeed empty before they got in. She would have to remember to do that herself. She wasn’t used to living under near constant threat. Until this situation was fully resolved, she would have to be more cautious.

  “I meant to tell you before,” he said as he got in on the passenger’s side and shut the door. “I like your choice of vehicle. My little brother has one of these and I borrowed it the last time I moved. It holds a lot more than I expected.”

  She guessed he was making small talk as a way to defuse her fear. It wasn’t working, but she loved him for trying. She was wound tighter than a top and wouldn’t rest until they knew one way or the other if that sweet, crippled old woman had been attacked by something out of a nightmare.

  “I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” She turned to look at him as she started the car.

  “What?”

  “Come on, Simon. You’re not exactly the chatty type. Thank you for trying to take my mind off it, but I’ll never forget what I saw—what I did—tonight.”

  “And you never should,” Simon agreed, surprising her. “If it helps, try to remember that girl was already dead. You helped put her soul to rest. You didn’t kill her. She was dead a long time before the creature she’d become tried to attack and kill you. It was both self-defense and an act of mercy.”

  “Will the courts see it that way?” A dreadful thought entered her mind. “Simon, I never even thought about the legal ramifications of this. Becky Sue was a civilian. Do we have the right to do what I did to civilians? What about the law?”

  “I’m operating under the highest authority, Mari. Orders from the president himself, cosigned by the director of the Centers for Disease Control. This contagion has to be stopped at all costs and I’m authorized to use any and all means necessary to end it wherever it spreads, be it to military or civilian personnel. When I make my report to Commander Sykes tonight, I’m going to mention the continued problems you’ve had on your land, but otherwise I’m keeping you out of this, Mari. They’ll know you’re aware of the contagion and the creatures. That’s it. Anything else, let it be on my head.”

  “But Simon—”

  “No. Trust me on this. Everything surrounding this experiment has been screwed up from day one. I don’t want your name all over some top secret dossier somewhere. It’s bad enough that as it is, you’ll be a footnote in the file. I don’t want this to come back to haunt
you at a later date.” His jaw set in a stubborn line even as his words struck fear in her heart.

  “Do you expect more trouble?”

  “Honey, I always expect trouble. It’s the only thing that’s kept me alive this long.” He let out a heavy sigh, his stance relenting just a bit. “I’ve been walking a tightrope here. They know I’m immune. Already the research team wants to know why. I only have Matt Sykes to thank for the fact that the researchers don’t know my name or how to find me. I trust Matt. After this is over, I’m going to fade away where those mad scientists will never find me.”

  “But won’t they know who did the job of cleaning up the base?”

  “That’s where the mercs come in. All the paperwork is run through them. Some creative paper shuffling should keep my name far from Quantico for many years to come.” He shrugged. “It helps to have friends in interesting places. As for you, I want any record of your involvement as limited as we can make it. The locations of all the kills are being recorded by the cleanup team. There’s no way around that. They’ll know about the action on your land. You’ll be listed as a witness in the reports. That’s as far as I want it to go.”

  She was uncomfortable with the idea of lying, even by omission. Simon was so serious though, he convinced her of the need for secrecy. And really, what could it hurt for the reports to say Simon took the shots that disintegrated poor Becky Sue? Mariana would always know the truth. She would always remember what she’d done.

  “So what about the McGillicuddys? Becky Sue, and possibly her grandmother? How will their disappearance be explained? People do check on them and visit from time to time.”

  “When I call Matt, he’ll help square it. He’s good at that sort of thing. I imagine there’ll be some sort of cover-up to explain the girl’s disappearance and satisfy the locals. Don’t worry.” He reached out to take her hand. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise.”

  The seriousness of his vow took her by surprise. She had known he cared on some level, but what she saw in his expression—more open to her now than he had ever been before—floored her. He’d never made her any promises before. This could be a breakthrough moment, if she was foolish enough to believe he would let her into his life after this crisis was over.

  Only time would tell.

  She squeezed his hand and gave him a sad smile. “Thank you, Simon. That means a lot to me.”

  “Mari,” he tugged on her hand, leaning over the small console to meet her lips in a soft, gentle kiss. “You mean a lot to me. I never told you before, but I don’t think I could survive if something happened to you on my watch.”

  Simon kissed her once more and let go, turning away to gaze out the window. He’d almost revealed too much there. The sad, scared look on her beautiful face had made him want to ease her hurt and fear. She had looked so lost. It tugged on his heart and made him want to comfort her.

  If the situation wasn’t so urgent, he would march her right back into the house and make love to her until her eyes lost that shadow of apprehension. She was dealing well with a situation in which she was totally out of her depth. He was damned proud of her, but he also wanted to protect her. Make her go back into her house and batten down the hatches until it was safe again. Or better yet, go get a room on base until the terror was over. He wanted her safe. He wanted her happy. He wanted her. Period.

  Mariana put the SUV in gear and headed for the gravel lane that led to the neighboring house. He had done reconnaissance on the entire area and was familiar with the layout of each house and outbuilding where the creatures might possibly try to hide. He had found more than one making use of someone’s garden shed in the first few weeks. After he’d dispatched those, the others seemed to have steered clear of such places. They apparently had the capacity to learn from mistakes, which made them even tougher to deal with in the long run.

  The one Marine that was left was one he’d been hunting for a long time. This one had been part of a sniper-spotter team. He had been an expert at stealth in life and had demonstrated a propensity for the same now that he was…something else. He’d also been one of the original test subjects. He’d died honorably in battle, only to have his body experimented on after death to become a thing of nightmares. Nobody deserved that.

  As they made their way down the lane, Simon decided to share a little more information with Mariana. She had already faced two of the creatures, and they might be walking into the lair of a third. She deserved to know what he’d learned and observed during his time in the field hunting these creatures. Plus, it would help him organize his thoughts to bounce them off her. She had always challenged him intellectually, and he respected her knowledge and ability to reason things out.

  “They’re able to learn simple things.” He could tell he had surprised her by speaking. She listened attentively even as she navigated the narrow gravel lane. “Luckily, the more complex operations, like using firearms, seem to be beyond them.”

  “Thank heaven for that, at least. I can only imagine a platoon of zombie Marines able to use Uncle Sam’s artillery against an unsuspecting populace. Talk about a nightmare.”

  She caught on quick. He really enjoyed that about her. “They can use simple weapons like sticks and such. The knowledge of anything more mechanical than opening a door seems to have disappeared along with their humanity. They don’t move fast but they can sneak up on you if you’re not careful. They don’t talk either. Sometimes they make a sort of moaning sound.”

  “I heard that when Becky Sue got close. It was horrible. Like she was begging for help or something. I’ve had a few patients make similar sounds while they were delirious, but Becky Sue’s vocalizations sounded like a wounded animal. It was inhuman.”

  “She wasn’t human. Not any longer, Mari. Try not to let it get to you. You did the right thing. You put the girl out of her misery and let her soul finally rest in peace.”

  “I didn’t know you had a spiritual side, Simon.” She raised one eyebrow in his direction as she slowed the vehicle. They were close to the neighbor’s house. He saw no problem with parking in the old lady’s drive and knocking on the door. There was bright sunshine in the sky and the zombies shunned the light. If the worst had happened and the old lady had been turned, she should be cowering inside. If she was still alive, she would probably welcome a visit from Mariana after not seeing her granddaughter for a day or two.

  Simon shrugged off Mariana’s interest in his spiritual beliefs. “Like most soldiers, I have faith in a higher power. I’ve seen too many weird things and too much death not to believe the spirit lives on.”

  They arrived at the neighbor’s house and Mariana parked in the drive. There was an open space between the car and the house, which suited him just fine. He felt the weight of her stare.

  “That’s deep,” she commented when he finally looked at her.

  He had to laugh. His Mari always managed to surprise him with her reactions. She’d managed to take a very serious situation and make it light without discounting the innermost thoughts he’d just revealed.

  “Look, I want you to stay here. Keep the car doors locked, and the windows rolled up. I’m going to do some recon around the house. I’ll make one circuit of the perimeter and then come back to you. If I don’t see anything suspicious, we can go knock on the door together, just in case your neighbor is all right. She would probably be alarmed to see a strange man at her door, but like you said, she knows you. If she’s been turned, I’ll take care of her. I want you to stand clear. Run back to the car and lock yourself inside. There’s still one Marine unaccounted for and he’s the smartest of the bunch that I’ve faced. He could be hiding around here somewhere. Especially if he’s the one who attacked Becky Sue.”

  He hated the fear that reentered her eyes. Unfortunately, she had to know the truth about what they could be facing.

  “If you see anything bad while I’m gone, honk the horn. A short tap for something suspicious. Two taps if you see one of them in
the distance. Lay on the horn if you need immediate help. I’ll come running.”

  She visibly gulped and he took her hand, leaning in to kiss the fear away. She warmed to him, but this wasn’t the time or place. Why couldn’t he keep his hands off her? Why couldn’t he get enough of her? And why was he tormenting them both this way—letting them both glimpse something that could never be?

  No doubt about it, he was a glutton for punishment. Still, his duty was clear. She had been dragged into this mess and he had to stay by her side and protect her until the situation was resolved. He owed her that much at least. He would do the same for anyone, but knowing it was Mari who was in danger made it all that much more disturbing to his psyche, his deeply buried emotions…and his heart.

  “Be good while I’m gone.” He gave her a lopsided smile as he drew back, liking the way her eyes dilated in pleasure even under such dire circumstances. For that short moment in time, she wasn’t scared anymore. He had given her that respite. It made him feel proud and even more protective.

  “Be careful, Simon.” She touched his sleeve as he opened the car door.

  “Don’t worry. I do this for a living.” He winked at her and slipped out of the SUV, waiting by the door until she locked it behind him. With a parting grin, he left her to do a circuit of the house.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Mariana watched him go with her heart in her throat. She hated seeing him in danger. She knew intellectually that in his profession, he often put himself in harm’s way, but actually seeing it—participating in it, even to a small degree—was something very different. Watching every tree branch for movement, she did her best to stay vigilant, biting her lip when the sun dipped behind a scudding cloud for a long minute.

  She watched what she could see of the sky through her moon roof. It looked like clouds were gathering, which could mean trouble.

  Mariana didn’t breathe easy until she saw Simon rounding the corner of the house, moving at ease though obviously alert. He ambled up to the driver’s side window and she rolled it down to talk to him.