by Eve Langlais
“Unexpected for him too.”
“Did you at least have a reason to kill him?”
“He was hurting the other kids.”
“Wait, you were a child when this happened.”
“How do you think I had a spoon in my hand? He invited me in for a taste of his pudding. When he put his hand down my pants and told me to not make a sound, I rammed the spoon in his eye.”
She blinked. “A hero even back then.”
“Not a hero.” He looked away, and did his cheeks turn a bit red?
Veering the conversation, she found herself curious about something still. “What do you like to read? Gun books? How-tos on skinning monsters?”
At her less than subtle teasing, he laughed. “Those are all skills I learned hands-on. When I read, it’s pure fiction. Ancient literature kind of stuff about sprawling cities full of electronic marvels. And officers of the law, solving crimes. Back then, a guilty plea put criminals in a prison for a set time. For life if the transgression was particularly heinous.”
“Sounds expensive to maintain.”
“Never claimed it was efficient. Much of what is printed in books is the height of fantasy and waste. If even half-true, the world used to be bounteous place where everyone lived free and could work hard or not. The choice was up to them.”
He waxed eloquent about it, and that surprised her so much she couldn’t stop laughing, managing only to gasp, “You read the classics. Those are no better than fairy tales.”
“I do. I happen to like them enough that sometimes I will quote them.”
“Do it.”
“One does not just quote out of hand,” he said with a shake. “It has to flow with the moment.”
“And they call me a dork.” She snorted. “Must be nice to only use your gift when the mood strikes. If my mother said jump, you jumped higher than the last time, or you regretted it.”
“How did she punish you?” he asked.
“There were a few methods she used.” She didn’t get the impression he’d leave her alone until she answered. “Deprivation is the first one. How well we eat, how many blankets we get, minutes in the bathing chamber, even metal working time, which I loved, could be taken away.”
“That’s kind of normal. All parents do that.”
“Chores that would usually be done by a cleaning citizen were meant to show us humility. I scrubbed a lot of floors. Hated it so much the first thing I built in the citadel was a cleaning robot.”
“You mean to say Alfred’s handy with a broom?”
The bird hovered in front of Titan and flashed to a glaring Alfred. “I am not a cleaning bot.”
“Yet,” Titan snickered. “Could be your next body ends up being a vacuum.”
“A razor might be handier,” Alfred riposted.
Titan slicked a hand through his locks. “Alfred, never threaten a man’s hair.”
She found it fascinating to see how Titan treated Alfred as someone real with feelings who could learn. He was a pretty amazing robot. Maybe he could.
“I had my head shaved once for being vain, according to my sister.” It was actually Sarena who had the jealous fit when a young Riella wouldn’t hand over the ornate metal barrette she’d fabricated herself.
“I had my head shaved a few times, usually to get rid of some kind of critter.”
“Ew.”
“More like itchy. When I was bad, my dad sometimes took his belt to me.”
“He beat you?”
“Not mean like, but when he taught me a lesson, I never forgot it.”
“I’ve never forgotten any of mine either,” she said softly.
“Your mother beat you.”
She sighed. “I don’t want your pity.”
“I won’t pity you. I want to understand what it is like being you. Because you’re not how I expected.”
She arched a brow. “You expected a pampered princess with attitude who couldn’t save herself if she tried. I hate to disappoint, but none of us were like that. The Enclave hasn’t ruled for so long by choosing weak members. Only the strongest make it into the ranks.”
“And how did she make you strong?”
“She didn’t. She hated seeing too much strength, and so she did her best to beat us into submission.” She ducked her head. “Whippings were given out most often. Across the back, as the infraction occurred. All our teachers carried a short-knotted length of leather. Getting an answer wrong during our lessons meant a rap across the knuckles. When I was eight, I stopped crying at the punishments. I had decided, you see, to not give them the satisfaction. To prove I was strong enough to handle it. But that wasn’t the point of being punished. I was supposed to break. An Aunimaa specializing in mental psionics was brought in. You might have heard of him. He was the queen’s advisor, Duke Leroy. He could flay a mind and make it seem like years in the space of minutes. Most people who try to jab someone’s mind either find themselves yanked out of theirs or destroying the one they poke, but he had it down to an art.”
Titan rubbed his temple. “Mind control?”
“Hard to believe but true. Most Deviants have a small measure of it, not enough to do harm. But Leroy, he was strong. And cruel.” Despite it being a decade past, she still remembered the slicing sharpness of his mental claws.
“You speak as if he’s gone. He died?”
“I killed him. Right after I found out he’d murdered my father. You’re not the only one who can be called killer.”
He stared at her. “You are nothing like I expect. Every time I think I’ve got you pegged you say something that blows my mind.”
“This is the part where you’re supposed to be trying to get far, far away from me.”
“Why?”
“Because if my mother doesn’t kill you for being with me, I just might if you irritate me enough.”
“Guess I better not piss you off.”
“Good luck with that. I’m pregnant.”
He gave her a mock expression of fear then chuckled. “So long as you don’t expect me to bring you back one of them sea kraken things myself to satisfy your cravings, we should be good.”
“What if I really, really want one?” she teased.
“If the baby wants, then the baby shall have, I guess.” He shrugged and glanced out over the water, still a glassy surface that deceived. “I’m sorry the Enclave tortured you growing up.”
“My experience is no worse than anyone else’s. You might think those in the city, those named citizens or even Enclave, have this wonderful, easy, happy life. I’m sure a small number do, but the majority, at least in the Emerald City, are worse off than those in the Marshlands or, I’d daresay, even your Wastelander camps.”
“My dad used his belt, but he truly never beat me cruelly. Well, except for once. He smacked me good when he caught me with his gun, aiming it in jest at my mother.”
“I’d have smacked you too.”
He grinned. “Never said it was wrong.”
“My father never laid a hand on me,” she admitted softly, staring at the soaring shape of a bird. The spirit of her father recreated in metal and forever changed so that she no longer always saw the man he used to be. “He was the good parent. The doting one. He made everything bearable, and then he was taken from me.”
“Why did the queen have him killed?”
“Because she found out he’d hidden something from her.” She looked down at her hands. “I realized if she could kill him, a man she loved in her own twisted way, then what chance did I have? I wanted to live rather than die suddenly at her whim.”
He drew her into his arms. “I’m glad you made that choice.”
Looking up into his face, she whispered, “So am I.
She hoped for the kiss, and he didn’t disappoint. The slant of his mouth on hers enflamed her senses and brought a hot sigh. They were both dusty and tired and dirty, but she suddenly didn’t care.
She’d thought him dead. Never imagined she could be in his
arms again.
“Shouldn’t we make camp?” he mumbled as the sun began to set in a ray of colors to make an artist crave paint.
“Not yet. I need you.” She only hoped he didn’t reject her plea.
He made a sound, half groan, half growl. He drew her close to him, deepening the kiss, adding some tongue. Igniting all her nerve endings.
She tugged at his clothes. The damned fabric dared to get in the way.
Alfred buzzed close exclaiming, “What are you doing?”
She snapped, “Don’t snoop on us. Watch out for someone trying to ambush.” They wouldn’t be long, not with the need that pulsed inside her.
“Harrumph.”
Titan chuckled as he nipped the lobe of her ear. “You might have traumatized your robot father.”
She nipped his chin. “Would you prefer I walk away?”
“Fuck no.” He shed her clothes before he tugged her close, his body brushing against hers. He stroked his hands all over her, rubbing her back in a widening circle that dipped to tease her ass.
Her head tilted as she sighed, giving his lips access to her throat. He nibbled and sucked while his hands reached between them to cup the swell of her breasts. He weighed them in his palms, giving them slight squeezes.
Against the solid frame of their ride, he pressed his naked body, splitting apart her thighs, shoving his leg between. The friction against her pussy brought a shiver.
But she needed more than that. She reached down and grabbed him by the thick root of his cock. Her fingers barely managed to wrap around he was so big.
And so wide. She played with him, sliding her hand up the slick shaft, feeling it pulse. Eager for her. She began to tug it, and he groaned.
“If you don’t stop…”
“You’ll what?”
“I won’t be able to help you with this.” He fingered her, dipped into her wet pussy, and she quivered.
His lips caught hers as he toyed with her, teasing her clitoris, making her aroused enough her hips rocked in time to his finger thrusts. She throbbed with desire for him.
She slid up so she sat sideways on the seat of the vehicle, giving her a better height to guide him to where she needed him to be. The head of his shaft nudged at her nether lips, parting them, wetting itself. He pushed in even as his lips claimed hers in a fierce kiss.
He fit as snugly as before. Stretching her so pleasurably. Going deep. Deep enough she clawed at his back.
Her breath emerged in ragged pants. Her whole body tensed. Tension coiled in her pussy like a spring, ready to go off. His hips rotated against her, grinding him deeper, rubbing against a sweet spot that had her mouth opening to scream. Instead, she sank her teeth into his shoulder and came. Came hard, the wave rolling through her, making her arch and clench and moan.
Eventually, she realized she was leaning against him. And she smelled blood.
His blood.
“I’m so sorry.” She’d bitten him right through the skin.
It must be a man thing, because he gave her the biggest smile as he said, “You can mark me anytime, princess.”
Seventeen
There was nothing sexier than a woman losing control. Losing herself so completely that she blushed and apologized after.
Titan would wear her teeth marks with pride. Tease her about them, too, but that would have to come later. Night had fully fallen while they indulged. Danger waited for those who were unaware of their surroundings.
He kissed her and moved away. “We need to make a camp.”
“If you’re done,” announced a snooty voice, “I found a cave that shows no sign of feces or recent habitation.” Alfred hovered, disapproval etched in every word.
Given his status as Riella’s artificial father, should he apologize for the seduction? It was confusing to say the least.
“Where is the cave?” Riella asked, locating her clothes where they’d been tossed, her curvy body distracting in the starlight.
“It sits about ten feet below the edge. Enough handholds to climb, easy to defend.”
The magical words.
“Sounds ideal. Let me grab our stuff first.” He pulled their bags from where they were stored on the vehicle. He especially made sure he grabbed their few weapons. The bundled items were slung over his back except for the rope. The rope he tied to the machine and then strung over the edge where Alfred indicated. Even with handholds, this would make it safer and easier.
“I’ll go—”
Before he could finish that sentence, Riella disappeared over the edge, her metal hand gripping the rope while she swung herself out of sight. The sudden jolt on the tied-off rope dragged the vehicle a few inches. He shoved at the steering column, angling the front wheels to create more drag. Then for good measure he planted stakes by the rims as well, providing an extra barrier to it moving when he went down.
Only once he thought it secure did he walk, not run in a panic, and peer down.
Leaning out from the cave, she waved at him from about eight feet below the edge. Alive and not splattered on the rocks or drowning.
“It’s perfect,” she declared.
“I should hope so considering your fat ass almost took our ride over the edge when you jumped like that.” He didn’t let her completely get away with her stunt.
“Did you just call me fat?”
“Did you act without thinking?”
She gave him a rude gesture then laughed. “I wanted to go first.”
“I suppose a reminder that you’re pregnant—”
“You can stop right there. I’m pregnant, not an invalid. Physical activity in a healthy female, especially in the first trimester, is perfectly fine.”
“To you maybe. But my heart.” He thumped its chest. “I think it stopped for a minute.”
“Please. Your heart is tougher than that.” She smiled. “Need me to kiss you better?”
The promise in the words meant he ended up in that cave something fucking quick. He was gentle, though, when he took her on the bed he made of their clothes and sleeping blanket, savoring each slow stroke, basking in the sound of her soft cries of pleasure. When their bodies climaxed and relaxed, he held her, his back to the wall of the cave, facing forward. Alfred a sentinel on the lip.
Riella fell asleep quickly. Not him. Not at first. Worry kept him awake. Their escape from the Marshland City seemed too easy. Almost as if the king had let them go.
Surely not. But then again, was it worth it to him to send his soldiers out to die trying to bring them back? Because they wouldn’t capture Riella, not while he lived.
In the dungeon, Titan had existed, barely. He had no purpose, no desire, nothing he looked forward to. That changed the moment he saw her. The moment he found something he wanted more than anything.
Riella. And something he hadn’t even imagined he might want, a baby.
Keeping them all alive wouldn’t be easy, especially since he felt out of his depth. She knew more about the world outside Emerald than he did. Knew the names of the cities and their rules. Had traveled much farther than he had. But soon he, too, would be familiar with the places in the Sapphire demesne. Maybe even beyond it.
He’d never truly realized how big the world was. For all his reading, she was right about one thing—the ancient texts and their descriptions seemed more of a fantasy than anything else. He found it hard to imagine a world linked by aircraft, planes that no longer flew overhead due to mechanical issues. Seas that once used to be crossed with ease and for pleasure were now home to giant monsters. More monsters existed on land, just with more human faces.
Was there anywhere they could go and be safe?
For some reason, he couldn’t help but think of Eden, the Marsh City, and the freedom offered there. He might have liked to stay, but the bounty on Riella’s head made that impossible. Until they dealt with it, they would always be looking over their shoulders.
Or staring out the opening of a cave, hoping nothing would try and eat them while the
y slept.
Eventually, he fell into a restless slumber with dreams that involved lots of chasing and yells that had no voice. He slept more deeply than he’d meant to or expected and woke to Riella poking him. Not sexually.
Titan opened an eye in the dawning light that illuminated their cave. “Good morning.”
There was no softness in her expression to indicate the intimacy he’d expected after last night. “Alfred’s missing.”
“Probably just taking a look around.”
Her brow creased. “Or something attacked him. He’s not popping up on my lenses.” She dangled her goggles at him.
“Stop worrying. Alfred can handle himself. It’s more likely he went scouting.” He sat up and stretched, just missing scraping himself on the stone.
“We should get moving if we want to reach the city early.”
No morning nookie. She was all business today and rightly so. They needed to focus and get to a place they could perhaps snag a map and supplies. Maybe they could trade for a soft bed, and the intimate lover who undulated at his touch would appear again.
While she bundled stuff, he peed off the edge, the arc of piss taking a while to hit the ocean below. He didn’t see any tentacles or humps in the water, not yet, but he didn’t trust it. Back in the cave, he dressed and then packed the rest of their things while Riella crouched on the lip and looked up.
“Alfred should have checked in by now.” Her glance back at him held a frown.
It seemed worry could be a contagious thing. “I agree. Let’s go find him. I don’t suppose you’ll let me go first today in case there’s trouble up top?”
“Stop being chivalrous. I can handle myself.”
“Never claimed you couldn’t.”
She winked at him. “Enjoy the view and be sure to catch me if I fall.”
“As if you’d fall.” He snorted.
“You’re starting to learn.” She reached for the rope and began to climb.
He made his way to the edge and was just about to grab the wiggling rope when it jerked upwards.
“What the hell!” Riella yelled.
His eyes widened as the twitching rope moved upward, out of reach, as if being reeled in. He ducked out as far as he could and saw Riella and the rope being hauled over the edge, but he couldn’t see by what or who. Frustration welled inside, shoving to be released, and yet he held it in and didn’t yell. He didn’t want to warn anyone he was coming. He looked for a spot to climb, and thus was in plain sight when a dark-skinned man, his hair dangling in long knots, glanced over the side. He smiled, his teeth a bright gleam as he aimed his gun.