“Here.” Nick opened his pack and dumped vials of the cure into Marcus’s hands. Marcus stared at them as though Nick had covered him with spiders. “It doesn’t work on everyone. Just those who haven’t been infected too long. It’s from a hospital in the Aqua Region. I’ll explain more when I get back. I just need to take care of her right now,” Nick said as he picked up Kate’s slumped body and cradled her in his arms.
Marcus nodded and stuffed the vials into his pocket. When Marcus turned to leave, he stared down at Margot’s body for a long moment.
“Oh, fuck,” Marcus spat.
“What’s wrong?” Nick asked, pulling his helmet on.
“Remember the group Yara and I had to exile from Vanguard? They wanted to close everything down and deny people from entering. Margot was one of them.”
“You should have killed her when you had the chance,” Nick said and left Marcus to sit with the consequences of his past decisions.
With Kate in his arms, Nick made his way through the massive home, cautious of running into Margot’s guards or the undead. He made it outside and started toward the woods with no idea where he was headed. All Nick knew was that he could not return to the base and face questions about Kate’s condition, and he could not stay at Margot’s house.
As Nick walked, he thought about the night he carried Kate through the woods with the unfamiliar members of the junkyard. Then, his body ached after carrying her a short distance. Now, Nick felt as though he could carry Kate across the country with little strain.
The distance they had come, both with time and emotion, was inconceivable to him. Once a frightened, timid woman, Kate put everything on the line to save others in a horrid situation she was all too familiar with. And Nick was so desperate to be near her, to make her happy, even if it meant nearly cracking beneath the weight of it all.
Chapter 52
Two hours passed before Nick came upon a break in the woods. Finally, a structure came into view—a small, one-story home. Nick entered with caution and laid Kate down on a couch in the living room before searching the home for residents or Infected. After ensuring the house was clear, Nick sat on the couch beside Kate, slipped off his helmet, and ran his fingers through his hair.
Kate remained fast asleep, taking deep, steady breaths. Nick stood to find a hall closet and rummaged through the linens for a blanket. He found one that was soft and made of fleece and draped it across her body to keep warm. Nick pulled the velcro on his tactical vest and sat it in an armchair. After wearing it for weeks, he felt a hundred pounds lighter. He spent the next few hours pacing the floor, sifting through items in the home, and watching Kate sleep.
Nick sat beside Kate once again and stroked her hair, listening to the gentle inhalations and exhalations of her lungs. The sun had just begun its ascent over the earth, slipping through the curtains and casting a warm glow on the furniture.
Kate shifted from her side to her back. Her eyes burst open, taking in the strange surroundings in a panic.
“Hey, you’re okay. I’m here,” Nick cooed, sliding a warm hand up and down her arm. A breath of relief rushed from Kate’s mouth, and she sat up.
“Did they get out? Is everyone okay?” Kate asked.
“Yeah, baby. We got everyone out,” Nick answered.
Kate’s eyes sprawled across Nick’s body.
“Oh, God. Nick, you’re covered in blood. Are you hurt?” Kate plucked at pieces of his shirt where pools of red had dried.
“I’m fine. It’s not my blood.” Nick swatted away her concerned hands.
“Nick, there’s so much. How can you even be sure? Stand up,” Kate ordered and stood, waiting for him to comply.
Nick raised an eyebrow but did as he was asked. Kate’s gaze washed over him, inspecting every inch until she gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. She scrutinized his chest, then his stomach. Walking around to his backside, Kate ran her hands across the zombie tattoo, searching for wounds. Nick raised his arms and rested them against the back of his head to give her a clear view. When she came back around to face him, Kate’s stare lingered on his face.
“Margot was force-feeding people contaminated meat to turn them into Infected. She created an army of them. When she figured out she was under attack, she had the guards release them. They never tried to attack me, but I had to cut down as many as I could,” Nick explained.
“I have to be sure,” Kate replied. She looked down to see that his black tactical pants were still damp and thick with the viscous fluid. Kate knelt, untied Nick’s boots, and pulled them off. Nick squinted his eyes, watching and contemplating her actions.
Kate stood and took a hesitant breath. Her fingers grasped the belt around Nick’s waist. Without looking up at him, she pulled the nylon fabric free from the loops and tossed it on the couch. Then, Kate pushed the button of his pants through the hole and pulled the zipper down.
Nick’s breath quickened as he watched Kate slide the pants to his ankles, but he remained frozen in place with his hands behind his head. After Nick kicked off the pants, Kate inspected his legs, brushing her hands along his calves and thighs for incisions hiding among the crimson stains.
She stood before him once more. Kate slid her fingers into the waistband of his boxers, and Nick’s breath hitched. Her fingernails lightly scraped against his skin as she pulled them down his legs. Once she reached his feet, Nick stepped out of them.
Nick’s heart hammered in his chest as he stood naked before her. Kate inspected him, walking a circle around him like a predator stalking its prey. When she made her way back to his gaze, Kate’s eyes devoured him from top to bottom.
Still scouring his flesh for injuries, Kate’s attention kept snagging on the biceps flexed behind his head. Her eyes roamed his tattooed chest, heaving with apprehensive longing. Every muscle in his body was rigid and battle-hardened. With a striking, rugged appearance that commanded respect, Nick melted like butter in her presence, and she could not get enough.
“Get on your knees,” Kate ordered, taken aback by her demand. What the hell was she—Nick dropped to his knees. No questions. No confused glances. Only submission. “Why did you…”
