Free The Last Bastion of the Living: A Futuristic Zombie Novel by Rhiannon Frater Page B

herself in making love to the only man she had ever loved.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter 5
     
    The painful scene before him reminded Dwayne of the night he had packed his bags and walked out of his old home. It held a finality that bothered him.
    Maria slowly moved through her flat, checking each cabinet, the closet, under the bed, every location she might have left one of her small possessions. The tension that had settled between her eyebrows had her forehead knotted. Clad in her charcoal-colored dress uniform, her hair braided down her back, she looked lovely, yet stern.
    Standing near the door, Dwayne waited for her to finish her last round through the flat. It was spotless, sterile, and empty. It made him ache to see it so barren.
    For the last year, this place had been his safe haven from a bitter, soon to be ex-wife, surly teenage twins, an angry adult daughter, the pressures of his career, and the unyielding stress of knowing the Inferi Scourge were just outside the wall. Now it was over and he couldn ’ t help but feel afraid when he watched Maria heave her bags over her shoulder.
    Her strength of will always amazed him. All too vividly he remembered her rousing him after the grenade had exploded and hurtled them both through the air . He couldn ’ t even see or hear at first. Blood had filled his eyes and he had been deafened by the explosion. Though badly wounded and bleeding profusely, she had kept firing at the Scourge streaming toward them. Unable to get to his feet, his mind numbed and his body yet to feel the full brunt of his wounds, he had been dependent on her to rescue them . He would never forget her expression when she had seen the tiltrotor swoop down to airlift them. She had been unbelievably beautiful in her joy. He was fairly certain that was the moment he fell in love with her.
    Now watching her stand in silence as she regarded her flat for one last time, he grappled with the fear that he would never see her again once she walked out the door.
    “I think I ’ ll miss this old rat cage,” she said at last.
    “You ’ re what made it special,” he reminded her.
    Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes. As she slowly exhaled, he watched her features soften and the tension disappear from her brow. She was amazing at keeping herself calm and collected when all the rest of the world fell apart around her. Right now he felt close to shattering . Despite his resolve, his eyes felt damp and he folded his arms over his chest and swallowed hard.
    Maria opened her dark eyes and her gaze settled on him. S he strode the few steps over to him. A smile slightly pulled on her lips even though her eyes were rimmed with unshed tears.
    “I have to do this,” she said at last.
    “I know,” he answered in a low voice, his emotions kept in check. He wouldn ’ t make this harder on her.
    “If I can help destroy the Scrags in the valley and reclaim it for us, I have to. I can ’ t stand not being able to do anything but wait for the city to completely run down, or for them to get in.”
    He knew her speech was more for her than for him and he let her talk without interruption.
    “I will not fail,” she finally added after a long beat. “I will make this work for you and me and everyone else in this city.”
    “I know you will. I have no doubt in your abilities. Hell, you dragged my ass onto that tiltrotor. I wouldn ’ t be here if not for you.” He lightly touched her chin. “Your stubbornness sets into your jaw and once that happens, I know nothing will stop you.”
    That made her grin and she wrapped her arm around his waist.
    Dwayne kissed her mouth, her cheeks, and her forehead before drawing her against him and inhaling the fragrance of her hair. They were almost the exact same height and she fit so perfectly against him. Despite their age difference, life experience, and backgrounds, they were perfect for each other. They completely understood each other. And because of that, he wouldn ’ t