Sequel to Patient Z
The zombie apocalypse left twelve people trapped, but safe, at a scientific research base on an Arctic island. Three years later, with supplies critically low, they know they can’t survive another harsh winter. But all of them fear what awaits them on the mainland.
Former grad student Matt Warner has retrained as a nurse under the group’s doctor, Peter Lane. Training is not the only thing Matt wants to be under Peter for, but Peter has always resisted responding to Matt’s interest in him. Before all this started Peter had a husband back home. A husband he desperately hopes is still alive.
Despair finally weakens Peter’s resolve and he and Matt begin sharing a bed. It’s Matt’s dream come true, even if he knows Peter’s feelings for him aren’t as strong as his for Peter. But everything changes, when the group learns of the existence of a vaccine against the zombie virus and they escape the island to search for the people distributing the vaccine. Matt fears their relationship won’t survive, because Peter wants to search for his husband -- even if only to confirm his death. And Peter knows if he goes looking for him, he’ll lose Matt forever.
“I won’t keep you up,” Matt said, moving to stand. Peter raised a hand.
“Please. Stay. We should talk. The ... the other night.” He paused for a long time. “The kiss.”
“I know. It can’t happen again and all that.”
“No. I was ... shaken. You being hurt. That there were zombies here on the island, when for so long we thought we were safe.”
Vicky had said that, and Matt had thought she wanted to stay here forever. Peter couldn’t want the same, though. He wanted to be with his husband. That couldn’t happen if he stayed here. Unless ... Shit. Matt got it. He didn’t know where Harrison was. He almost certainly wasn’t at their home. But Harrison knew where Peter was. Peter wasn’t staying here only because it was -- in theory -- safe from zombies. He was waiting here for Harrison to come find him.
Matt looked at the shutters over the window, imagining looking out in the light one day and seeing people approaching, coming from a ship or a plane. Walking right up and knocking on the door. Peter throwing himself into the arms of Harrison. He felt sick.
The light that leaked around the edge of the shutters had a green tinge, and Matt knew why. He stood and got across there with only one crutch. He opened the shutters and was bathed at once in a spooky green light.
“Holy cow,” he muttered, forgetting all thoughts of Peter’s husband walking up and knocking at the door one day. Ribbons and curtains of green light danced across the sky. It rippled like silk and dripped like paint.
“The aurora?” Peter asked.
“It’s spectacular tonight. You have to see it.” In a moment, Peter stood beside him, arm pressed against his as they shared the space in front of the window.
“Yes,” Peter said softly. “Spectacular.”
“No wonder the atmosphere feels so charged this evening,” Matt said, with no scientific justification. Peter clicked his tongue in disapproval but smiled, without looking at Matt. Matt turned from him and looked at the sky again. They stood in silence for a long time, watching. How could they stop? How could they turn away before the dawn came and the light show faded? How did you look away from such beauty?
Perhaps by looking at another beautiful thing. Matt turned to look at Peter, face upraised to the sky, eyes wide and full of wonder. The spooky light flickered over his dark skin, giving it green-edged highlights. Almost like he was under the sea.
“There are some compensations for being stuck here,” Peter said.
“Yes,” Matt replied, barely above a whisper. Peter turned, catching him staring. But Matt couldn’t look away. Beauty was magnetic. Just like the aurora. He held Peter’s gaze. Made no move, said nothing. Put it all in his face, in his eyes. The invitation. The plea.
Peter didn’t turn away. He might have been hypnotized by Matt’s gaze. Maybe only the dawn would break them from what Matt feared was becoming a staring contest. But a moment later, to his thrilled delight, Peter reached up and slid his hand around the back of Matt’s head. He leaned close. Matt tilted his head to the side to give room for their noses when their lips touched. Matt turned as Peter did the same so they were chest to chest. Their lips never parted as they moved. Peter touched Matt’s tongue with his, and Matt shivered with delight. Yes. This was better than the first. The first had been born of shock and fear. This kiss Peter had thought about.
It ended after about a century, and still too soon for Matt. Peter pulled back. Not hard, not fast and guiltily. But it ended. Matt moaned softly, shifting to try to get his cock more comfortable as it grew. But despite all his hopes, he knew this would go no further tonight. Peter wore a thoughtful expression, questioning everything, Matt wanted to believe. But Matt didn’t want to push and scare him off. He let Peter make the choice. Peter chose to step back, out of Matt’s arms. He closed the shutters and turned back to Matt.
“That ... was ...”
“Don’t say wrong,” Matt said. “I couldn’t stand it if you said it was wrong.”
“I won’t. But I have to think about this. I can’t ignore my feelings, so I have to decide what I want to do about them. I’m sorry if you think I’m stringing you along.”
Matt forced himself to affect nonchalance. He even shrugged. “Take your time. Time is all we have here.”
