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“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 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 who had gotten infected, and that had been months ago he 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, had the male part of him, and the fact that he hadn’t seen a woman in far too long, rise up in him.
He felt heat move through him, that familiar twinge of arousal that had been lost for a long fucking time.
He should feel guilty he was so aroused by this woman who 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 who stabbed me ran off into the woods.” He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I wounded him, but he was insane enough that it looked like it didn’t affect him that much.”
She nodded. “So many 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 drink 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 was 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 she had stitched him up. “You saved my life.” Looking back at her, he saw she was looking at him again. “Thank you. I 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 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 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 over 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.
