Smoke on the Water

by Bianca D'Arc

  “I love you so much, John.” She lifted her hand to stroke his cheek. He turned his head and dropped a kiss in her palm.

  He rolled away and tucked her close, spooning with her from behind.

  “Let’s get some sleep. Buzz will wake us before the cleanup team leaves.”

  She drifted off as John settled the soft comforter around them, too tired and sated to stay awake any longer.

  In the late afternoon, John left the bed. He let Donna sleep while he did a thorough search of the mansion. The cleanup guys were still hard at work. He’d wake Donna up before they left, but he didn’t have the heart to rouse her yet. She was tuckered out from the night they’d spent in the woods chasing zombies. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be too many more nights like that in their future.

  The fact that they had a shared future still amazed him. He’d never felt such love in his heart for a woman, never admired one or cared for one so deeply. That she felt the same about him in return still made him grin like a fool. There was no doubt they’d signed on for a tough mission chasing zombies and bad guys who wanted to zombify the world, but they’d face whatever came together.

  He’d never had that before. Sure, he’d worked with team members and comrades in arms that were like brothers, but he’d never been part of a couple like this before. He worried about her working in the field, but he’d worry more if he weren’t able to be there with her, watching her back. She’d already proven she could handle herself well. With his tutelage, she’d have every advantage to come out alive from the situations in which they’d no doubt find themselves in the future.

  She taught him things too. She’d sharpened his appreciation for scientific method and protocols. She was one of the most intelligent and quick-witted women he’d ever been with and he was still a little amazed that she’d fallen in love with him. He wasn’t questioning it. He wouldn’t point out that he was probably getting away with something. If she was willing to be his, he’d take her on any terms. He loved her that much.

  His only worry was how the rest of the team would react to their return to base as a couple. Would she want to hide their relationship? Would she be embarrassed by him? He wasn’t sure and it was driving him a little crazy.

  They’d talked about their feelings, but they hadn’t talked about how those feelings and this new relationship would work day to day, working together with the rest of the team. Maybe he was borrowing trouble but Donna was such a special woman, he didn’t want to hide his love for her. He was prepared to take the teasing—maybe even a reprimand or two from some of the more stodgy higher-ups—but was she?

  He didn’t want their relationship to make her uncomfortable. He knew how some of the guys would react with teasing and even lewd remarks. He’d clobber anyone who said anything disrespectful around Donna, but the possibility was there. He didn’t know the rest of the team that well yet. They seemed like good guys but he wasn’t one hundred percent sure of them all yet. Time would tell.

  He only hoped Donna was willing to give him the time. In the back of his mind he still worried that she’d jumped headlong into this relationship too fast. He worried that circumstances had thrown them together and somehow she’d wake up and realize she’d made a mistake in thinking she loved him.

  He planned to tie her to him and convince her that was where she really wanted to be before anything like that could happen. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he wasn’t about to let her go.

  John was thinking about all this as he searched the big house from top to bottom. Nearing the end of his search, he finally found what he was looking for. A secret room was built cleverly into the house, hidden in the architecture so well, he’d almost missed it.

  Inside, he found the doctor’s secret lab, along with all her notes and files, a computer, and a laptop.

  “John?” Donna’s voice came to him faintly from another part of the house.

  “I’m in the west wing,” he shouted back.

  Before long, he heard her footsteps drawing closer.

  “In here, Donna.”

  A few more footsteps drew closer and then her head peeked into the hidden room.

  “What is this place and how in the world did you find it?”

  “It’s a hidden laboratory. Every self-respecting mad scientist has one. Didn’t you know?” He grinned at her as she advanced into the room.

  “What did you find?”

  “Paydirt. There’s a complete list of all the rogue science team members and their foreign contacts. Dr. Bemkey may have been insane toward the end, but she was meticulous. Her lab is spotless and all her notes on the experiments she was conducting are neat and tidy. I already forwarded all the electronic files to the team at Fort Bragg. We can leave the paper documents for the techs to decontaminate and package up for shipment as soon as they’ve dealt with the zombie remains.”

  “Wow. This is really good.” She paged through one of the notebooks on the table. “I bet the docs back at base will learn a lot from this.”

  “No doubt,” John agreed, moving close to her and swooping in for a quick kiss. “Damn, I needed that.”

  “Mmm. Me too.” Her fingers stroked over his chest in a way that made him want to forget all about the work they had yet to do.

  He cuddled her for a while but he knew he had to get back on track with the mission so they could wrap things up and head home to base. What kind of reception they’d get once the commander realized they’d become a couple, John wasn’t sure. There wasn’t really a chain-of-command issue. They both worked on the same team but for different branches. Donna wasn’t CIA, so fraternizing wouldn’t really be an issue unless Commander Sykes wanted to make it into one. Judging by the way he’d seemed to accept Sarah and Xavier’s engagement, John didn’t expect too much trouble from that direction.

  The possible complications could come from higher up or from the other team members. The other guys would tease the hell out of John for hooking up with his first female partner. First, last, and only, as far as John was concerned. Donna was it for him. The other guys would just have to deal with it.

  “The cleanup team is finishing up,” Donna said, her head tucked under his chin. “They brought some stuff we could make for dinner if you’re interested.”

  At the mention of food, his stomach rumbled. She laughed.

  “I guess we should eat. Once it gets dark, we’ll have to do some patrolling to make sure we got them all last night.”

  “I hope we don’t find any more of them.” She shuddered and pulled away. He let her go but followed her out the door of the hidden room.

  “I honestly don’t think we will.” John took her hand as they went through the house, just wanting to touch her. “But we need to be absolutely certain before we call this done.”

  They ended up in the kitchen where a few MREs were waiting for them on the center island, courtesy of the cleanup team. Donna dug into the packages with gusto, reading the directions. John was well familiar with the Meals Ready to Eat and didn’t have to waste time figuring out which packets held what and how to prepare them. He tore in and started handing stuff to her that he thought she’d like.

  They played with their food like kids, throwing morsels into each other’s mouths and clowning around with lots of laughter and love. John had never had so much fun with a couple of MREs. It was Donna that made all the difference.

  “Do we really have to go out there?” Donna’s gaze was caught by the setting sun out the window.

  “You don’t.” John covered her hand on the table, drawing her attention. “But I’m going out to do the check. You can stay in here. It’s safe. The creatures weren’t able to get in here while the doc lived here.”

  “Yet they still got her.” Donna shivered at the memory and John took her hand in both of his, drawing closer.

  “Only because she went outside to nag her husband. Let that be a lesson for the future.”

  She burst out laughing as he’d hoped she
would and the disturbing memory left her eyes.

  “I’d never nag you, John. Maybe just…forcefully remind you of things now and again.”

  He pulled her in for a quick hug. “I think I can live with that.”

  John patrolled the woods around the house and the fishing camp most of the night. Thankfully, all was quiet. Donna had volunteered to come out with him, despite her obvious reluctance. She was a trooper. He admired the hell out of her courage and willingness to do the hard jobs.

  He’d left her inside, cataloging some of the scientific evidence they’d found in the hidden room. The last time he’d cruised into the mansion to check on her, she’d been on the phone with some of the other team members, relaying newly discovered information.

  He’d checked in with the team leader earlier and received new orders. If he found no evidence of further zombie activity in the area tonight, they were to hightail it back to North Carolina. The team there was still in trouble and needed help. John was more than willing to enter the fight back on base, now that he could fully join the combat team. It had been hard for him to sit on the sidelines in a support role. He’d done it in order to be involved in the mission in which his little sister was so heavily involved. Meeting Donna had been a fortunate twist of fate.

  Who knew he’d find his soul mate on a top-secret mission? John still couldn’t quite believe it. For sure his sister, Sarah, was going to be surprised. John smiled as he thought of his little sister. The smile widened as he finished his last circuit before dawn with nary a sign of a zombie. The place was clear. They’d gotten all the creatures the night before, thank goodness.

  Donna was waiting for him with open arms. He stepped into her embrace and swept her into a hug that made her squeal as he swung her around. He dipped his head and gave her a smacking kiss.

  “Now that’s something to come home to.” He loved the way she smiled at him with that soft look in her eyes just for him.

  “But we’re not home.” She rolled her eyes around at the mansion that was serving as their base for the moment.

  “Anywhere you are is home to me, Donna.”

  “That is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

  She actually teared up. Damn. He hadn’t meant to make her cry. John dipped his head and kissed away the tears as gently as he could, which only seemed to make it worse. Double damn.

  “Don’t mind me.” She tried to downplay her emotional response and he let her.

  “You’re beautiful, Donna.” He set her a little away from him. He couldn’t let her go completely, but he walked by her side as they entered the mansion. “So what have you been up to while I was out chasing shadows?”

  “I found a lot of great information and sent it back to the docs at the base. I was on the phone with them most of the night, in fact.”

  “Do you think you got it all? Or is there more to discover here?”

  “There’s probably a lot more good information to discover, but it’s beyond my technical skill. I think I hit the most important stuff for now, but the lab contents have got to be boxed up and sent back to the science team.”

  “Good. Buzz is going to do that while we head back to Fort Bragg tomorrow.” He paused as she turned to face him inside the giant kitchen of the posh house.

  “You got new orders?”

  He nodded. “We both did. I spoke to Commander Sykes a couple of hours ago. They’ve still got big problems on base and need all hands on deck. We’re heading back to North Carolina. You okay with that?”

  “Yeah, I guess. So you didn’t find anything in the woods?”

  “Not a trace. I think it’s safe to say that we got them all.” He hooked his thumbs into his utility belt as he leaned back against the kitchen counter.

  “Thank goodness.”

  “We have to drive to Knoxville this morning and we’ll catch a flight from there. You ready to face the rest of the team as a couple?” He laid his worries on the line. He wouldn’t hide their new relationship. He wanted her to acknowledge his claim to all and sundry.

  “Sure, why not?”

  Her easy acceptance floored him. In a flash, he realized he’d made a mountain out of a molehill. She’d never know how uneasy he’d been. No, that would remain his little secret.

  “Yeah, why not?”

  He laughed at himself and hugged her close. Damn, his woman was perfect.

  They packed up and headed for Knoxville a couple of hours later and were back at Fort Bragg that night. John was proud of his new fiancée when they reported to Commander Sykes’s office for a full debrief. She took the bull by the horns, so to speak, surprising both men.

  “Commander,” she spoke forcefully as he motioned for them to take the chairs in front of his desk, “John and I are engaged. Is that a problem?”

  Sykes sat back in his chair and just looked at them for a long minute while John’s tension mounted. Then a slow grin stole over the commander’s face.

  “I can’t say that I ever intended to run a team quite like this before. Seems like Noah’s Ark around here lately with everyone pairing off, two by two. But I have no objection. In fact, I’m very happy for you. Congratulations to you both.” Sykes leaned forward to shake both their hands, his smile genuine and friendly.

  “Thank you, sir,” John replied, a little stymied by the man’s easy acceptance.

  As usual, Donna was more open with her reaction. She gave Sykes a quick hug and accepted a friendly kiss on her cheek.

  “Thanks, Matt. And thanks for pairing us up to begin with. I guess, in a way, we owe our happiness to you.”

  Sykes held up his hands, palms outward. “Oh, I can’t take credit for this. This is all on you two. And if the brass gets on my case, you can be sure that’s exactly what I’ll tell them.”

  They all laughed. John knew in his heart that Matt Sykes wouldn’t hang them out to dry. No, the commander was definitely on their side and he’d go to bat for them if necessary. He was that kind of guy.

  John didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky. Sure, being picked for a team that had to fight zombies in total secrecy wasn’t really the greatest stroke of luck, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Not only had he found a mission that got his blood pumping, but he’d found a woman who would complete his world now and for as long as they were blessed to be together. If he had anything to say about it, he’d keep her forever.

  Donna turned to him and took his hand. It was an inappropriate move in a military office, but he said nothing. When she looked at him with those beautiful eyes full of love, he’d give her anything. His heart, his soul, his life. And most especially, his love.

  Epilogue

  Somewhere in North Carolina

  “Bemkey, the crazy bitch, offed Wallace. He was our main contact at Praxis Air.”

  “I told you she was going to be trouble,” the man complained.

  “It couldn’t be helped. She was part of the original team. She knew too much. She had to be let in. I never planned to leave her around for long, though. She was a good scientist, but personally she was a liability.”

  “Was?” The man sounded curious.

  “She’s dead. One of the zombies must’ve got her or there would’ve been more to bury. I got the news through our source in the mailroom a half hour ago.”

  “Can’t say I’m sorry. In fact, I’m glad we don’t have to worry about her anymore. She was a loose cannon.”

  “I agree. But we’ll have to cultivate our other contact at the airline. We need them.”

  “Not to worry. I’ve got some leverage against one of the owners. Praxis Air won’t be a problem.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive. Leave it to me.”

  *

  Thank you for reading Smoke on the Water. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. The next book in this series is called Night Shade. A short excerpt follows.

  A complete list of all of my books, separated by series, follows. You can
also check out my website at WWW.BIANCADARC.COM. Or you can sign up for my new release list to be alerted when new books are released.

  Excerpt from Night Shade

  ©2018 Bianca D’Arc. All Rights Reserved.

  Dr. Eileen McCormick managed to pull into the base entrance only a couple of hours behind schedule. She stopped at the guard shack to identify herself and show the papers she’d been given, inviting her here. They searched her car and before they were through, Matt Sykes showed up, a concerned wrinkle between his brows.

  “I heard you had some trouble on the road,” he said as he walked up to her. “Glad to see you made it here all right.” He shook her hand, and she could tell he was moderating his strength so he wouldn’t crush her fingers.

  That was considerate. She’d shared too many handshakes with men who didn’t realize they were crunching her bones in their gorilla grips. It was nice to see the commander was thoughtful enough to consider such things.

  “How’d you know about the flat tire?” She blurted out the question before she thought better of it.

  “You’re too important to this team to take chances with, Eileen.” He tugged off his sunglasses, pinning her with his compelling, dark blue stare. “The minute that trooper ran your I.D., it sent up an alert that reached my desk a few minutes later. If you’ll recall, I was against your driving here all by yourself. It would’ve made more sense to fly. We could’ve had you here in an hour.”

  “Yes, but I would have had to leave my car and all my possessions behind. Or worse, let them be sorted and packed by strangers.” She made a face just thinking of such an invasion of her privacy.

  “You let us pack up the rest of your stuff to put in storage. I don’t see the difference.” He truly didn’t. She could see it in his expression. Typical of a man. He wouldn’t think twice of letting a stranger handle his jockey shorts. She noticed he didn’t comment on her car, he merely looked at it quizzically.