by Erin R Flynn
Good thing we discussed it because we got hit hard, every corrupted we didn’t seem to get during the day coming for me. It was terrifying even as I knew they could handle it. I mean, it was almost like climax of a book level where one of the good guys gets it.
But we didn’t. We were fine. I used a lot of bullets, and after the first wave I realized I was the only one firing.
“I like your katanas, and I can move faster than reloading,” Jaxon explained.
Darius shrugged. “We went past that knife place and I picked up an array of swords they had along with all the knives for cooking and skinning.”
“It was a good hunt,” Jaxon murmured, both of them giving me heated looks.
Which was how we took a bath together in the lake, their bodies keeping me warm when the temperature dropped. Jaxon had to get out and handle the next pack that came, but he didn’t complain as Darius handled the next group… Especially when I wanted blood and then he got to taste me too.
If there was a limit to how many orgasms a woman could have in a day, I hadn’t found it yet. But at least I got the freezer trailer going along with the massive extra batteries Jaxon had hooked all up.
The next morning we drove along the mapped route and raided what we found along the way… Which wasn’t as much as we had thought. Yeah, we found a lot of good stuff, but clearly others had been there too. We got a lot from the farms we found, but the Walmart was completely picked over. I mean, just about everything was gone so a group had to have been through there.
We hunted when they felt animals near and even found some cows at one of the farms. With the shelves they’d put in the freezer trailer, we now had a plan. Granted, I tended to handle the stuff that couldn’t be sped up, like doing the freezer bags. That little machine took so long to do each one, so why waste their super speed doing other stuff when it would slow them down?
It was logical, but I knew they wanted me just to have the easy job too, which was why I was giving them kisses each time they came around. It was sweet of them.
We worked for a bit and then got back on the road. We realized something was really up when the last town before Fort Knox was completely cleaned out and clear of corrupted.
“Why do I think we’re going to get shot?” Darius grumbled as we moved along.
I snorted. “It didn’t take long for my distrusting and snarky outlook to influence your positive one instead of the other way around.”
“Yeah, but this is weird.”
Not even ten minutes later, Jaxon was pulling off the county road we were on to get a direct path there. He turned into an abandoned subdivision and shut down the semi. Darius followed suit, and the second he opened his door, Jaxon was there.
“I think the humans gathered to protect their gold,” he grumbled.
It took me a few moments to get my mouth to work. “So there are people suffering all over and—you think any military and government left came here where the gold is?” I cursed when he nodded.
“It’s not a bad play,” Darius admitted. “It’s far enough for the cities that got hit and too far inland from other warship gun attacks after all the EMPs took out guidance systems. It also explains why it’s all raided around here. Shit, we’re not getting in the vault.”
“Wait, I don’t know it’s in the gold reserves or whatever,” I clarified. “Maybe it’s just the town around it or…” I trailed off when they both gave me looks there was no way we were that lucky after all the luck we’d had. “Shit.”
“We need to stash the vehicles here and continue on foot,” Jaxon said. “We were thinking this would be a quick grab and raid the area before we move onto what’s next outside Columbus, but clearly we need a new plan.”
They agreed, and we pulled in further off the main road, going so far as to put the semi right up against a large abandoned house so it was less visible. We gathered up necessities and some food for the long hike ahead.
“You carry the pack, and I’ll carry her,” Jaxon said.
Oh right, super speed. I was not going to argue that because it would have taken at least seven hours on foot if we walked at a good pace. Well, a normal good pace.
We arrived on the outskirts not long later, and they were not happy, as there was clearly a settlement at the former military base. Honestly, it looked like a military base from what I’d seen right after I’d woken with no memories. Most fell apart, and this didn’t look at its peak, but yeah, we had problems.
“Let’s loop around and make sure it’s in the middle and not like one of the outlying houses,” I offered, figuring we weren’t going to have packs of corrupted for once if they’d cleared the surrounding areas. I hoped so because the guilt ate at me from how many times they’d tracked me to a place. Granted, they would have gone for the people anyways, but they were almost desperate for me.
It had taken me a while to figure that out. I gave myself a pass given there was too much crazy and no one could like talk to a corrupted to ask them who they were there for.
We were careful as we made our way along the outskirts, but suddenly Jaxon was shoving me behind him, Darius moving to block me as well.
“You were right, there really was a princess here,” a deep voice said.
“Told you,” a man replied. “Here to demand all the gold?”
I peeked out around Jaxon to see five big guys moving towards us from the direction we’d been heading, so they had planned to intercept us. “I’m not here for the gold. I mean, I’d like the gold, sure, who wouldn’t, but no, didn’t come for tons of gold.”
One of them snorted. “Why else would a princess come here with her nobles?” He glanced around. “Where are the rest of them?” He narrowed his eyes on Jaxon. “We couldn’t even sense you, just him and her.”
“We’re just passing through,” Jaxon said easily. “How did five leopards end up at a US military base?”
“Leopards?” I asked, wondering if that was like a gang because it didn’t sound like a last name.
“Not a lot of options at the moment,” one of them drawled. “We’re not military, but we’re useful, so they let us through the door.”
“They might not let us back out, but whatever,” a different one grumbled.
“Wait, so those assholes rushed here to protect their gold and are keeping others against their will while other places are cult or gang settlements?” I seethed, moving around Jaxon so I could see them better. “What kind of fucked up shit is that?”
“Fuck, you are a sexy bite,” one of them muttered, eyeing me over like he’d never seen a woman before. His eyes were really cool behind the glasses he wore, almost like a golden yellow. “Powerful but young. Very young. What house are you from?”
Oh, so we were already with the questions we shouldn’t answer.
“Doesn’t matter, as she’s the last,” Jaxon replied.
“She’s not like the few princesses I’ve heard of,” that guy pushed.
“She wasn’t raised at a court or coven,” he admitted.
“Hey, I thought we were keeping that secret?” I grumbled.
Jaxon snorted. “Anyone with a brain would figure it out in under ten minutes that you didn’t grow up at a court.” He gave me a sad look. “They’re on the other side right now and won’t just let us pass for what you need to do, not when they’ve agreed to be on that side.”
“Or you can just tell us what’s going on,” one snapped. “We’re not looking for a fight with you, but we can’t just ignore a princess showing up and taking what we agreed to protect.”
“Well, you can’t take us,” Darius drawled before letting out a huff and glancing at Jaxon. “They’ve seen her now. They’ll put the word out.”
Jaxon shrugged. “So we kill them?”
“Or…” Darius muttered, studying them closely. “Why are you guys useful? Why would what’s left of the US military or government push you to stick around?”
“We’re engineers,” the same guy who did most of the t
alking answered, pointing to himself first before moving down the line. “Civil, electrical, mechanical, aeronautical and astronomical, and computer.”
“So you’re like the five engineers of the apocalypse?” I asked, more for Darius as to what he was thinking.
The five chuckled, the civil engineer answering. “We’ve been called worse, but no, we’re just useful and well educated even if there’s no like power grid anymore.”
“They would be a good addition,” Darius muttered to Jaxon before looking at me. “They could be your Nights.”
My eyes went wide. “Wait, I thought only one Night and—”
“No, this time knights, like in shining armor,” he explained. “You would never take any but a noble as your Night.”
“Elitist,” one of them grumbled. There were a few other derogatory mumblings disparaging Darius.
That pissed me off when he was awesome, and I fisted my hands as I went to tell them to not be assholes, but when I opened my mouth there was like a click, almost as if a latch being flipped, and suddenly two of my teeth were longer. I didn’t react for two heartbeats, in shock, but then I moved my hand over my mouth and screamed in pain. It felt as if I’d been smacked in the face with a metal bat.
I grabbed my head as it throbbed and at least stopped shouting. “Shit, fuck, fuck, that hurts. Oh fuck, I’m seriously going to have to turn in my vampire card at screaming when they came out, right?” I sank to my knees, my stomach flipping over at the agony. “They will take my vampire card if I puke?”
“No, the first time hurts,” Darius muttered as he pulled me against him before I touched the ground. “Sorry we didn’t warn you. If you knew—”
“Then you knew and it would hang over you that it was going to seriously fucking hurt,” Jaxon muttered, cupping my face. “They look good, My Princess.” He gave me a worried look. “Unfortunately they won’t recede until you drink.”
“Sex is so not on my brain right now,” I grumbled, my head still aching. “Puking maybe. Fuck, that hurt.”
“I know, but it will be worth it when you can bite us anytime you want now,” Darius murmured, kissing my neck. “I can’t wait to feel them in me.”
“Priorities,” I reminded him. “We have the engineer biker gang to deal with.”
“Biker gang?” the civil engineer asked. “I like motorcycles as much as the next guy, but I’ve never even owned one.”
“So what’s the leopards thing?” I asked, hissing my words a bit with the fangs.
“Is she for real?” one of the others asked as they glanced between them.
The civil engineer smirked at us. “She didn’t grow up at court? More like she had no clue about any of this, did she?” He pushed when we didn’t answer right away. “Everyone knows fangs hurt coming out, just like shifting the first time.” He locked gazes with me. “Lost princess of what house, sexy bite?”
“Darius isn’t an elitist,” I said instead. “He’s just been explaining things to me. He doesn’t treat anyone as under him or not equal to him unless they’re assholes.”
“Fair enough,” he accepted. “So what, are you hiding? Her? Where are her other nobles?”
“Why are you pushing this so hard?” one of the others asked. “Back down, okay? She’s not a prissy princess we thought would try to take all the gold and supplies. It’s clearly just the two of them keeping her safe.”
“Which is why he’s asking because he knows we are the way out of your situation as well,” Jaxon answered. “She has no established court, and that’s a good level to get into a coven with safety, figuring her home coven was destroyed, but she’s powerful so that means she’s a chance at a real future.”
“Yes,” he agreed, not even trying to deny it. He met my gaze again. “We’re leopard shifters, Princess. Shape shifters. Wereleopards.”
“Holy. Fucking. Shit,” I whispered, my eyes bugging out. “Like you turn into cats?” I gave Darius an accusatory look after the leopard confirmed it.
He winced. “I did keep saying other non-humans as well. I didn’t want to overload you, and you kept hitting your limit. That’s understandable, but hard to know what to tell you next then.” He focused on the leopards. “We won’t answer you until you swear your loyalty to her.”
The civil engineer smiled widely. “Which means she’s seriously fucking powerful and the best horse to bet on for sure.”
“Wait, you want them to join us?” I checked. “I thought we were being smart? How is adding random people smart? That Clarence guy just stepped aside and let the humans overthrow that princess. They could kill you guys in the night or something.”
“No, they couldn’t,” Darius promised, turning me to look at him as he cupped my cheek. “They’re not even a hundred years old. Think of a century as a power level. Jaxon alone has the power of all five of them, and we’re nobles.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “We will do whatever we have to so you’re protected, Inez, including recruiting the right people.”
“Knights can’t betray you if they swear an oath to you,” Jaxon added. “It would kill them.”
“It’s why most shifters won’t do it anymore,” the civil engineer agreed. “Because even if the princess goes bat shit crazy and betraying her saves the coven and people, we still get struck dead if we do it.”
“Think of your court in levels,” Darius tried when I still didn’t say anything. “Your nobles are yours, your right hands, lovers if you want, and the trusted sources to give you what you need. Then are your knights, which not all courts have, but are like you’d think from the olden days. They were our coven’s best security and worked directly with the nobles.
“From there, it all trickles down. There are vampires who are part of the coven, work for the coven, and are protected by the coven, the power of their princess. Shifters will be as well if you or they want. Other non-humans too and even humans who know as they used to know and some still do. Every civilization has a caste system, but people can move up their station except who you feed from.”
I blew a raspberry… Which just cut my lip on my fangs. “Ouch. Fuck.” I rubbed my head and sighed. “You really are worried who will come for me, more than you guys have told me, right?”
“No, we’ve told you, we just understand the layers and reach you don’t,” Jaxon muttered. “Plus, their knowledge will be a good fit.”
Right, engineers working closely with a princess who could fix and juice up electronics. Made sense.
I realized why they were pushing so hard. “You want them to swear it now because they could go back and tell their people we were here if they don’t.”
“Yes,” Darius murmured. “I’m sorry that we’re doing this in such a drastic way, and I would hate to kill them, but I would to keep you safe, My Princess. You’re too important to risk.”
Well shit, so accept them or they were dead. I looked at the five and saw the worry in their eyes now. I couldn’t let them die, and if they couldn’t betray me, then we had more help, and that was the end goal, right?
“Um, define ‘accept?’” I muttered. “Like, um, we’ve, you know?”
He chuckled and kissed my cheek. “If you want to sleep with the handsome leopards, go ahead, My Princess. No, you never have to. I would never push you that way. I’d rather slit their throats than ever have a man touch you if you didn’t want.”
“You do have to get undressed for them to swear their oath though, and I would think not here is best,” Jaxon admitted.
“Of course I have to get naked,” I drawled. “Why do I have to get naked?”
“We do too if it helps,” one of the leopards chuckled.
“And we’re not having sex?” I pushed.
“Oh no, please, let’s have sex,” another purred.
“So you all agree?” Jaxon asked them.
“Death or her knight, yeah, we pick her knight,” one grumbled.
“Wait, that’s not fair,” I whispered in horror. “Let’s just go, they d
on’t know us.”
“You’ll get sick,” Darius reminded me quietly. “We can’t do that to you.”
“Okay, what about knock them out until we’re done?” I tried. “Or if they’re not as fast as you, go bring them far away and we’ll be done before they even get back.”
“Assuming we can even get inside,” Jaxon pointed out.
“I’m no better than those assholes in there if I’m forcing them to do this or death,” I rasped. “You said I wouldn’t be a monster just because I’m a vampire!”
“Shit, she really isn’t like any princess ever,” one of them whispered. “I accept. Make me your knight, Princess Inez.”
And the others echoed him.
“I don’t get it, and my head really, really hurts,” I admitted, tears burning in my eyes. I turned and hid against Darius’s chest.
“I know, I know, My Princess,” he whispered, his voice soft and comforting. “But you trust me, don’t you?” He waited until I nodded. “We have a plan and a great path. They now get the chance to be on it with us. They might not have the answers, but you know how special you are. Wouldn’t you rather be with us, on our side, than the assholes who abandoned people and went to protect the gold?”
Jaxon sighed when I nodded. “Good. Can you guys get away for the night, or will that raise the alarms?”
“We snuck out, no one will notice, but night patrols will start around the perimeter and soon,” the civil engineer said. “I’m Vance, by the way. Callum is the electrical engineer, Asher’s mechanical, Wolfe is AAE, and Wilson is computers.”
“So what now?” I asked while rubbing my head.
“It still hurts because you need to feed,” Darius told me. “You won’t always when they come out, and I’m touched they came out in your anger to defend me, but this first time, you have to feed, so let’s take them back to where we camped and have them swear their oath to you.”
Well, that was a serious change of plans for the evening.
14
So that was what we did, and luckily, they moved way faster than humans so it didn’t take forever to get back, but it was too fast for me. We stayed on the other side of the house we parked at so they didn’t see what we had, and I got they wouldn’t until they were pledged to me.