Blackbird's Fall (4 page)

She’d
try to help him, because to her she didn’t have any other option.

Chapter
Five

The
pain was what woke Marius up. It was searing, burning, took control of his
entire body, and had him groaning. There was something tight on his side,
something that was pulling every time he took a breath. It was an uncomfortable
feeling, and everything in his body ached.

Slowly
opening his eyes, Marius had to blink back at the dim lighting. It was just a
glow from a candle beside him, but it seemed so bright, as if he looked
directly into the sun. Scanning around the room, he was confused as to where he
was. It was a bedroom, one that had a few pictures of flower silhouettes
hanging on the wall, and a chair pushed in the corner with a blanket over it.

He
was confused and so damn tired, and didn’t know where the hell he was. The low
growl that came from in front of him had Marius rising up just enough that he
could see the floor in front of the bedroom door. An older black lab sat in
front of the partially open door, his teeth bared, his focus on Marius. The
pain in his body was there, but he gritted his teeth and pushed it away.

Then
the door opened all the way, and Marius instantly went on alert.

“Easy
or you’ll tear the stitches,” the woman said in a soft voice.

She
had long, dark hair, and he instantly remembered seeing her. She’d been leaving
a greenhouse, and he’d been just a few feet from a large farmhouse. But then
he’d been attacked. Closing his eyes and breathing out, he tried to think of
what happened after he’d been stabbed.

He
opened his eyes and looked at her as she neared. She held a tray with medical
supplies on it, but she wouldn’t keep eye contact with him. He didn’t know if
she’d had the supplies stockpiled, or if she’d found them when scavenging, but
he was thankful nonetheless.

“And
just so you know, if you try anything my dog will rip your throat out, right
after I shoot you.” She lifted a handgun that he hadn’t noticed she held.

He
nodded. “I won’t hurt you,” he said, but she had no reason to believe him.
Times were hard for everyone, but being a woman was even more so. Men were
desperate, willing to do anything they wanted to a helpless female. But this
woman didn’t seem so helpless at all. She screamed strength, yet was still
compassionate enough to help a stranger in this fucked up world.

She
nodded, but kept the gun close. He was glad, because he didn’t want her to feel
threatened by him. It had been so long since he’d seen anyone willing to help,
and even longer since he’d seen a woman. The last woman he’d seen had been the
fellow scientist that had gotten infected, and that had been months ago that
he’d killed her.

They
stayed silent, and he watched as she set the tray on the bedside table. The dog
stayed close to her, and kept his gaze trained on Marius. He was loyal, and
Marius had no doubts he’d rip his throat out if he felt Marius was a threat to
the woman.

When
she faced him again and looked right in his eyes, his heart stopped for a
second. Her eyes were this vibrant green color, and the longer he stared at
her, took in the creaminess of her skin, the way her figure was visible through
her clothing, added to the fact he hadn’t seen a woman in far too long, had the
male part of him rising up. He felt heat move through him, that familiar twinge
of arousal that had been lost for a long fucking time.

He
should feel guilty that he was so aroused by this woman that he didn’t even
have a name to go with her face. But it was a natural, instant reaction, not
one Marius particularly had gone for, and in all honesty he was surprised he
could even feel desire after getting stabbed.

Closing
his eyes and breathing out, he remembered it all now with startling clarity.
“The man that stabbed me ran off into the woods.” He opened his eyes and looked
at the woman. “I wounded him, but he was insane enough that it looked like it
didn’t affect him that much.”

She
nodded. “
Anymore
people have gone off the deep end,
and I only see it getting worse.”

She
had a point. The end of the world, so to speak, changed people, and not always
for the better.

“I’m
glad to see you’re awake though,” she said as she focused on the tray of
alcohol, gauzes, and ointment.

“How
long have I been out?”

“Three
days, but you’ve been in and out of it. Thank God because during those times I
was able to get you to have some broth and water.”

Three fucking days? Shit.

“I
honestly didn’t think you’d make it.” She held no emotion in her voice. It was
more clinical, as if this were a job she was performing. “But I stitched up
your wound, gave you some of the antibiotics I had on hand, which in all
honesty helped in saving your life, and just waited to see if you’d wake.”

He
looked down at his abdomen, pushed the sheet lower, and saw that she had
stitched him up. “You saved my life.” Looking back at her, he saw she was
looking at him again. “Thank you. I’d almost lost hope in humanity.”

She
blushed, and it was the prettiest shade of pink that covered her cheeks.

“I’m
Marius Blackbird. What’s your name?”

“Maya
Pointe,” she said softly, and he heard her swallow. “I brought in some more
gauze and peroxide to clean your wounds.” She swallowed again, and he could
tell she was nervous. “You must be hungry.”

He
shifted on the bed until he was sitting upright. He’d pushed through the pain,
because he didn’t want to look weak in front of this woman. He wanted her to
know, for some inexplicable reason, that if it came down to it he could protect
them.

“We’ll
start out slow, with more broth and water, to get your body used to solid food
again.”

“Thank
you again.”

She
nodded and started getting the supplies on the bedside table. “I’d removed your
dressing to let it get some air, but it’s starting to bleed again because
you’re moving so I think another bandage is probably best.” She grabbed the
ointment and dipped a strip of gauze in the peroxide.

“Where
am I?”

“You’re
at my grandfather’s farm, or, what used to be my grandfather’s farm.” She had a
soft, gentle touch.

“I’ll
leave as soon as I’m able.” Although he wanted to stay here, obviously, he
needed to make her know he wouldn’t be any trouble.

She
nodded. “We’ll worry about that once you’re strong enough to actually get out
of bed.” She then started cleaning his wound, dabbing the peroxide soaked gauze
on it, and then smoothing ointment on it. She covered it with a clean bandage,
and for a second she just sat there, staring at him. Finally she stood, and the
dog started to get anxious.

“If
you need anything just let me know.”

He
nodded.

“I
can hear you on the lower level if you need me. Don’t try getting out of bed
just yet, not unless you want your stitches to open up.”

“Thank
you again, seriously.”

She
smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll bring in some broth and
water, maybe a little bread to help your stomach.”

He
also didn’t mention the fact she’d given it away that she was alone in this big
house. If he had been a bastard, one of those motherfuckers out there trolling
for women, wanting them as their personal toys, she would most definitely be in
danger. He wanted to protect her, though, wanted to keep those bad people away,
and Marius wasn’t sure why exactly he felt that strongly about her.

It’s because you’ve been alone for
months, having no actual contact with someone who remotely cared about making
you well.

She
might not “care” about him, but she cared if he lived or died, even if for the
sole purpose of being a decent human. It also didn’t help that he found her
utterly gorgeous, with her sweet face, her gentle voice, and the fact she put
on a strong front. Threatening to shoot him didn’t piss him off or make him on
edge. It made him proud that in the face of all the ugly shit they faced she
could be a little warrior.

Chapter
Six

As
soon as Maya closed Marius’s door behind her, she leaned against it and
breathed out. She’d played a part in there, acting like she was stronger than
she really was. He was the first person she’d talked to in far too long, and
she couldn’t help but feel warmth at that.

Sherman
started whining, and she pulled her thoughts away from the man currently laid
up in the bed, his half naked body something that had her thinking pretty
inappropriate thoughts.

“I
know, boy,” she whispered to Sherman, and pushed away from the door. A she
watched the dog run around for a bit, she thought about what she was going to
do with Marius. She didn’t know him from Adam, and he could be dangerous. This
world was only fit for the strongest anymore, men and women willing to do just
about anything to survive. He’d been on the road for a while, or so she
assumed, and Maya wasn’t sure what lengths he’d gone to make sure he didn’t die
or get turned.

Although
Sherman seemed okay with him enough, her dog was still wary, that much was
clear, and she was glad she had her protector around. Sherman was also good
with judging others, and if they were perceived threats. But inside she felt
all kinds of mixed things, emotions that confused her, frightened her, and said
she needed to get him better so he could be on his way.

On his way.

It
was the smart thing to do to have Marius leave when he healed. This was Maya’s
place, her sanctuary, and she’d been determined to make it work for the better.

But what if he’s one of the good
guys?

“Good
guys” was a loose term anymore, and although she was on alert when it came to
him, keeping her weapons close, she wouldn’t have any problem killing him if he
posed a threat. She had compassion to a point, but the moment she got a bad
feeling regarding him, the twinge in the pit of her stomach, she’d take care of
him. She couldn’t be soft anymore.

But weren’t you soft taking him in?

“Oh
shut up,” she whispered to the voice inside of her head. She headed to the
kitchen to get Marius something to eat. But doing something as mundane as
cooking couldn’t keep her thoughts clean. Maya kept picturing what he’d looked
like when she’d cut off his shirt to assess his wound.

He
was a big man, easily six and a half feet tall, and he was lean, like a
swimmer’s build with sinew and muscles. Was he even bigger before the fall?
Surely he’d been without proper nutrition for a while. Just thinking of how he
might have looked, of how big he probably was, made the very feminine part of
her rise up.

But
she pushed all of that away. Right now she couldn’t be thinking about anything remotely
sexual. Being with a man, thinking about how it would feel to have him over
her, thrusting into her, making her remember what it was like to be a woman,
was the least of her worries. She didn’t want to think about what she’d lost,
about what she could lose all over again if she gave herself over to her
emotions.

“I
don’t need anyone but myself,” she said softly, speaking to herself, but it was
a lie. Having someone else was natural for another human to want, but that
didn’t mean she could rely on anyone anymore. The world had changed, and not
for the better. The only person she could trust was herself.

****

Three days later

Marius
pushed himself up in bed, and pulled the blankets off. He was wearing a clean
shirt and pair of sweats that Maya had given him, and was feeling his strength
return. The last three days he’d taken it easy, allowed the healing to take
place, but he couldn’t just sit in bed anymore. He had to get back in the swing
of things, had to walk around, build up his strength that way, as well.

He
sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, and breathed out. For the last several
days Maya had been tending to him, nursing him back to health, and he was in
her debt. Without her he’d have died, that was a fact. He told her he’d leave
once he was better, and he would if that’s what she truly wanted, but he hoped
he could show her how helpful he could be, how he could protect her if need be.

Marius
wanted her to see that having him around would be beneficial. This was, after
all, the kind of place he’d been hoping to come across. It had everything that
would ensure them to survive: water, land to grow things, a secure location.

It
also was the fact he wanted Maya, and with each passing day he found that
desire for her growing. She kept her gun close, was on alert, but there were
moments when their eyes would lock, when they’d just hold each other’s gazes
for a second.

The
door opened, and he looked over to see Maya coming in with a tray of food.
Steam rose up from the bowl, and she was smiling, but as soon as she saw him
sitting up she scowled. Sherman, the black lab that had gotten warmer toward
him, came trotting up and butted his head up against Marius’s thigh.

“Hey,
boy.” Marius rubbed the old dog’s head, and lifted his gaze to look at Maya
again.

She
set the tray down on the bedside end table, and glared at him. “It hasn’t even
been a week yet.”

“I
know, but I have to get up and start moving, have to start earning my keep,
Maya.”

She
seemed to glare harder at him, and he chuckled.

“You’re
going to end up hurting yourself all over again, and then you’ll be right back
where you started.”

She
was right, but he couldn’t
lie
here anymore. He had
to move around. Standing, Marius felt the twinge in his side from his stitching
pulling slightly, but he was careful. When he stood upright he breathed in,
feeling his muscles stretch. He needed to get his strength back. He was eating
solid food again, his stomach settled enough that he was used to the thicker
substance.

He
was becoming stronger, but in the back of his mind he kept thinking about the
man that had stabbed him, and how he’d run off. What if he came back? What if
he’d been planning on coming after Maya, and he’d seen Marius instead? He’d
told her about stabbing the guy, but not of his worries. He hadn’t told her any
of that, because he didn’t want to frighten her, but the possibility that the
fucker would resurface was real.

Marius
might not want to frighten her, but Maya wasn’t a shrinking violet. She could
hold her own, and deserved to know the worries he had. She seemed to trust him
a little more, but he could still see she was wary. He didn’t want her
questioning who or what he was, or if he’d hurt her. He wanted to prove to her
that he could hold his own, too, could watch over her with his life, and that
he could help her take care of things here.

The
more days that passed, the more that resolve filled him.

“You
doing okay?” she asked, and reached out as if she meant to help him.

“I
got it,” he said and smiled at her. Sherman whimpered and butted his head
against Marius’s leg again, and he chuckled. “It’s all good, boy.” They made
their way out of the room, and he braced a hand on the wall to steady himself.
He hadn’t been out of bed in the last six days anymore than was needed to go to
the bathroom.

His
body had been healing, and he wasn’t accustomed to moving around. But he’d have
to get used to this, because too much time had passed with him worrying if that
psycho would come after them. Marius could not let Maya get hurt, especially
not because he could have inadvertently brought that fucker to her place.

They
walked out into the living room, and he sat on the couch, feeling his side
start to ache.

“Let
me get your food and you can eat out here.” She left for only a moment, and
when she returned she had the tray in hand and set it in front of him on the
coffee table.

This
was the first time he’d been out of the bedroom, and as he took in the living
room, saw the little country style knickknacks, the pictures on the wall, and
the rustic furniture, he felt this serenity fill him. Everything was outdated,
but it was homey, comfortable.

“This
is your place?”

“My
grandfather’s.”

He
nodded. She pointed to the food, and he started eating.

“Where
are you from?” she asked.

This
was the first time they were actually talking about personal things. They might
have been friendly these last few days, but they hadn’t ever gone in detail
about themselves. But Marius wanted her to know about him, so he was eager to
tell her about himself. The only reservation he had was telling her about his
involvement with the virus and government. He didn’t want her looking at him
like an enemy, but then again he looked at himself differently now.

“Originally
from California, but I moved to Colorado when I was twenty-two for graduate
school.”

She
lifted a brow and leaned back in her seat. God, she was so fucking gorgeous
with her long dark hair framing her face, and her vibrant colored eyes. He
tried not to stare at her more than was appropriate, and definitely tried not
to check out her body, but she was curvy in all the right places, and the very
male part of him had been without a woman for so long. But it wasn’t just sex
on his mind. Maya was smart and strong, and that turned him on, too.

“Graduate
school? That’s impressive.” She smiled genuinely.

“At
the time it was good, but things change.”

She
nodded. “They do.”

They
were silent for a few more seconds as he ate, but then he cleared his throat,
needing to be honest with her. But before he could tell her about his
background she started speaking again.

“Did
you have anyone close?”

Although
she didn’t come outright and ask if he had been with someone, he knew she was
asking if the infection had claimed someone he held dear. For a second he
stared at the half eaten food on his plate, the memories of his past
resurfacing.

“I
did years ago, well before the infection broke out.” He lifted his head and
looked at her. “But I worked a lot, was too invested in myself and my career to
give her the attention she needed and deserved.” More silence filled the air
between them.

“I’m
sorry about that.” Maya looked sympathetic. “It’s times like these, when
everything we took for granted is gone, that we regret things we did.”

He
nodded. She was right, so damn right. Although he hadn’t planned on marrying
his ex, he did regret that he’d been a workaholic, that he hadn’t given them a
better shot. That’s what he regretted.

“What
kind of work did you do?”

Well,
he’d been meaning to tell her anyway, so he might as well get it out. Setting
his sandwich on the plate, he wiped his mouth before speaking. Maybe he was
stalling slightly, because he knew she’d look at him differently once he
admitted his involvement concerning the infection. But he had to be honest with
her. He had to.

“I
was one of the scientists involved in creating the immunization that turned
into the infection.”