Safe In Your Arms (2 page)

Thirst quenched for a moment, Mina wiped her mouth with a hand, pausing as her fingers encountered a bandage on her cheek. She winced at the slight pinching pain of her fingers on the cut. Memory filtered back to her, making her want to cry out in anguish. Daren’s high school ring had cut her cheek when he hit her. She lightly cupped the bandaged area with anger that quickly turned into sad loss. It had been her older cousin who helped her escape the zombie-infested area of New York City. Daren and his friends had fought their way upstate to Alex Bay and her parents’ summer home with the expectation that the zombie population wouldn’t be so thick in the country. They’d been right, fat lot of good it did them. Death had still found them.

Mina set the jug down and recapped it, careful not to spill the water. They were used to zombie attacks when they were least expecting them. Last night hadn’t been any different in that, but this time she was the only survivor. Thanks to a stranger she hadn’t even gotten to see. He was nowhere around, which made her nervous. Daren’s cronies she could handle, but this man was an unknown danger. Her hand flew to her side, where her knives were hung on her belt. What her hands encountered was the soft fabric of a pair of loose sweatpants. Panicking, she felt the cotton shirt she was wearing. It hung loose on her, nearly falling off her shoulder as she moved.

Panic turned to shock and shock to feminine outrage. The man had undressed her! His hands and eyes had been on her unconscious body. Bile rose in her throat as her head spun. She looked around the cave, searching for a weapon. God knew what liberties he’d taken with her body! If he came back, she needed to be ready to defend herself. Besides the table with the canned food and water, there was the soft mattress with a pillow against the very back wall. Behind her she found a chest with what appeared to be a ham radio, a shaving kit, and personal articles, including a toothbrush and paste. She was so tempted to use the toothbrush, but the idea of sharing a stranger’s spit grossed her out. She wasn’t that desperate. Uncapping the toothpaste, she put a small dab on her finger and shoved it into her mouth to scrub her teeth as best she could. Closing her eyes, she sighed at the fresh mint taste. How strange that the simple pleasure of cleaning one’s teeth could become a rare treat.

“You could have helped yourself to my toothbrush.” The deep male voice startled her. She stood still until she caught her breath before turning her head toward the dark figure standing in the opening of the cave. She tried, but failed, to see more than his outline as he stood watching her. Fear at the size of him and panic at being cornered in a darkened cave with an unknown male put her instantly on the offensive. Her hand grabbed the closest object, a shaving kit, from the chest. Whipping it at his head with all her strength, she didn’t bother to see if it hit the mark as she grabbed for the oil lantern next.

A cry of surprise left her as she was tackled from the side. They fell to the cold floor together in a pile of flailing arms and legs. Mina’s elbow connected with his jaw as she struck out at him. A male grunt and then a blistering curse made her shiver in fear as she anticipated pain. She twisted beneath him to kick him away before she struggled to her knees. A hand grasped her ankle and yanked her back toward him.

“Let me go!” Even her panicked cry sounded more like a whisper as she tried to instinctively keep her voice low.

“Stop fighting me. Mina, stay still.” His order shocked her with the calm authority in his deep tones. There was a lack of anger in his words that surprised her into closing her mouth. She stopped struggling beneath his solid weight and allowed him to clamp her wrists together over her head. His face was hidden by the shadows as she tried to gauge his temperament.

“How do you know my name? Who are you?” She was far too aware of the heavy body holding her down. He was warm and smelled different from the males she’d been traveling with. They had a sweaty, masculine stink about them from the lack of a good shower and deodorant. The male pinning her to the floor smelled strong and spicy. She fought the urge to cuddle into his solid strength like a little girl seeking comfort after a night terror. Mina shook her head to clear it as he took a deep breath, further squashing her breasts beneath his hard chest.

“I’m the guy who risked his life for you. You’re certainly making me regret it now.” He held her wrists more tightly, seeming to anticipate another outburst of violence on her part. Mina forced her body to relax beneath him. A sign, she hoped, he would take as surrender.

“What do you want from me?”

“What do I want from you? Seriously? No, thank you for saving me? Oh, I almost forgot who I was talking to.” His sarcastic chuckle made her feel ashamed for only a moment before she remembered what he’d done while she was unconscious and unprotected.

“Thank you? For what? For stripping me naked, taking my clothes and weapons, and doing heaven knows what to me while I was out? I should be cutting your hands off right now!” Her rage, born out of embarrassment and humiliation, only burned hotter as he huffed out a derisive grunt of arrogance.

“Not every man is after your body, Duchess.” Mina bit her lip as his head dropped close to hers and his warm breath fanned against her cheeks. It smelled clean and minty, evidence that he’d already brushed his teeth. “All I did was get you out of wet clothes and dress you and your cut. Infection is not to be taken lightly when there are no doctors or nurses around to administer to illness and wounds.”

“I didn’t ask for your help,” she snapped.

“You didn’t exactly complain or fight me when I was helping get you away from the Zs either.” An impatient growl left him as he shook his head. “Why am I wasting my breath with you? I’m going to let you up now. I’ll forgive your ungracious behavior this one time, but the next time you strike me, prepare to be hit back. I’m no gentleman, Duchess.”

Mina froze as he rolled off of her with an agile speed to stand up at the entrance to the cave. The early morning light backlit him, making him look even bigger and more of a threat. She slowly pushed herself up and slid back until her rear hit the edge of the mattress. “Touch me and I’ll make you wish you hadn’t,” she hissed at him as she reached out and picked up the shaving kit beside her. It wouldn’t do much damage, but it would add weight to her punch.

“Believe me, I’m already regretting touching you.” He sighed, shrugged, and reached up above his head. A blanket flipped down, blocking out the early morning light. He moved forward and she heard what sounded like wood falling into the small fire pit. Seconds later a match lit, illuminating his face for a split second before he held it down to the wood.

“We’ll have more light in a moment. We can only have a fire at certain times during the day. Early morning and at dusk. The Z’s don’t see the light or smoke as well during those times. As they decay, their eyesight seems to deteriorate. Unfortunately their sense of smell only gets better.”

“What are you, a zombie doctor?” She bit her lip as the sarcastic defense left her mouth.

“No, I’m just someone who knows that to fight a war, one must know as much about his enemy as possible. You and your buddies obviously didn’t know shit about the Z’s.” His gruff voice made her flinch. “Lesson one, no loud noises. Scream and the Z’s go into a feeding frenzy. Two, if you’re going to shoot them, aim for the head, but never when you’re outnumbered or cornered. Three, never get cornered, always have an out. Four, flickering light attracts them like moths. Your group didn’t just break all the rules; they attracted the Z’s right to my backyard.”

“You might have warned us, you know. How long were you watching us? Why didn’t you at least show yourself? You could have saved them—”

“Show myself to three men and two women, all heavily armed with assault rifles and pistols? You’re right. I should have invited you all back to my cave for a barbeque.” His sarcasm was evident as he knelt to move some of the wood that was just starting to smoke. “What world are you living in, woman? This is every man for himself.”

“Yet you saved me. Why?” She clutched the shaving kit as he looked up at her just as the wood caught, sending flames flaring up. The light illuminated his male features. She bit her lip at the intense expression on his handsome face. In the light of the flickering flames she could easily make out the shaggy hair framing his face and covering his forehead. His face was smooth and clean-shaven, thanks to the kit in her hand. His eyes beneath dark eyebrows, which arched in displeasure at her, seemed to glare harshly. She couldn’t see what color his eyes were, but she did know he was young and hot as hell. His attitude, however, was in need of a serious adjustment.

He seemed to be studying her, debating on how to answer her question, and Mina wondered if he even knew why he’d taken the risk of saving her. She almost hadn’t made it. Last thing she remembered was the water closing in over her head and the vague disappointment that she was going to drown because she was weak with hunger. This man, who was glowering at her with an unfriendly frown, had obviously saved her. He’d pulled her out of the water, taken her out of her wet clothes and even applied a bandage to her cut. She wanted to know why he’d bothered.

“Chalk it up to a momentary lapse in judgment. A bad one at that.” He shrugged a solid shoulder beneath a white T-shirt as he stood up. “I suppose you’re hungry.” He moved to the small chest and produced a can opener before grabbing up one of the cans on the top of the pyramid. Mina gasped and threw a hand over her face as he tossed them both at her. She felt a little foolish as the items landed softly on the mattress beside her. A peek up at her benefactor made her bite her lip as he stared down at her in an uncomfortable silence.

“Yes...thanks,” she whispered, feeling like a child once more.

“Don’t hurt yourself, Duchess. I have things to take care of. I won’t be back for a couple hours. I strongly suggest that you eat and rest. If you have to go outside, then stay close to the cave. You might be tempted to go for a swim, don’t. The Z’s are sticking close to the beach, hoping to find any stragglers they missed. You. Stay off the beach and don’t leave sight of the cave.”

“I’m not a pet. Give me my clothes, and my weapons, and I’ll get out of your hair.” He took a couple steps closer, causing the flickering light of the small fire to illuminate the harsh beauty of his face. His brows drew together over dark blue eyes that forced her to feel his stubborn will. Sensual lips parted to reveal startling white teeth as he shook his head at her in aggravation. Temper and determination filled his features as he pinned her with a look of pure authority, marking him as an alpha male determined to press his warning on her.

“You aren’t my pet. You are an irritating complication I hadn’t counted on. I will do my last duty to your family by keeping you alive until you are strong enough to at least swim safely to the mainland without drowning.”

“Last duty? You know my family and my name. Who the hell are you?”

“You don’t like to be kept in the dark, Mina? Well, I don’t mind keeping you there. Now, do me the favor of following my simple instructions and your possessions will be returned to you as well.” He turned to lift the blanket, but paused to look back at her. “I’m sorry about your friends.”

Mina sat there with her mouth open as he disappeared outside and the blanket slid back into place. She stared at the blanket for several moments, waiting for him to return. Expecting him to come back in and attack her. When he didn’t come back she tried to relax her death grip on the shaving kit.

She didn’t understand. Her reluctant hero obviously knew who she was, but didn’t want to share his identity with her. Mina wasn’t a fool. She knew her father had made enemies over the years. What politician didn’t? He could be out to ransom her, if it were pre-Z-Day. Money would mean nothing to this man. No, his attitude hinted at a personal association with her family. The image of blue eyes the exact shade of his, only belonging to a much younger, friendlier male, flashed in her mind, but she shoved it away. The crush of her past never called her
Duchess
nor used such an insulting tone of rude aggression toward her. Shoot, he’d basically ignored her.

She looked about her with a feeling of gloomy fear. He’d left her all alone in his bat cave. She was weaponless, defenseless, and unsure where she was, yet he’d just left her by herself. Hugging her knees to her chest, Mina tried to calm her pounding heart. She was alone. Though she’d seen countless classmates and friends killed and turned into the monsters lurking all around her, she’d never been left alone to take care of herself. Her cousin, Daren, jerk that he was, had found her in her dorm room hiding in the closet.

Daren took her with him, met up with a group of friends who were armed to the teeth, and made it out of the city as fast as they could. She covered her ears as the screams and sirens of the city vibrated in her mind and memory. The horror of seeing human beings biting and tearing at the flesh of their own species made her feel sick to her stomach. She yanked the blanket up over her shoulders and stared at the flickering flames of the fire. The cave was getting warmer, but she couldn’t be much colder with the fear of isolation.

She was on her own now. Daren was gone. She’d seen his look of disbelief as the zombie knocked his gun from his arms and bit into his neck. The zombie had worn the torn and dirty uniform of a state trooper. The flash of a watch wouldn’t leave her as its hand plunged right into Daren’s chest to yank out a bloody mess before they fell to the ground, other zombies joining in on the feast. She opened her eyes, tilting her head back as her mouth opened on a silent scream of horror. Tears wouldn’t come; she hadn’t cried since the first day of the attacks, dubbed Z-Day. Gasping a shaky breath, Mina covered her lips with a trembling hand. She focused her mind on the cave holding her safe within its darkened mouth.

She turned her attention to her situation and the immediate future, veering away from the tragedy of her past. There was still the plan. The last text from her father had been an order to go straight to their summer house on the river. She was to meet her mother and sister, Callista, there. The plan was still in effect. If her father made it out of Washington, then the summer house was where he would go. She just had to get there. They had been so damn close. Last night she’d begged Daren to keep going farther up the coast. The Bradys’ summer house was on the peninsula of Alex Bay, a tourist spot for anyone in love with stories of pirates and buried treasure. She’d been struck with the romantic ambience of the small town herself when she first caught sight of famous Bolt Castle, sitting on historic and beautiful Heart Island. Who wouldn’t think of romance in an area filled with tales of love?