“Spoken to one? What do you mean?” Nero asked.
Nyx sat on the edge of the mattress and stopped getting undressed. She’d considered keeping her little chat with the Whisperer to herself, but she knew that was not a great idea. The Whisperer was probably banking on her keeping quiet about their conversation, so the best thing to do was to talk about it. But, she had to admit to being more than a little scared about what it could mean. A daemon had spoken to her, had been in her head. That was not a good thing.
“Hey, it’s okay, you can tell me,” Nero said, moving next to her, his jacket and shirt off now.
Rip the band-aid off, she thought, just jump in both feet and get it over with.
“The Whisperer spoke to me tonight,” she explained.
“Oh…” Nero answered. She could feel him tense up and hear the guarded tone in his voice already. She turned to look at him and offered him a smile.
“I’m not, you know, with him. I’m not… evil.”
Nero smirked, and a genuine smile spread over his face. “I know, babe. I know you’re not. This is what these daemons do, I think. They try to get us to turn against each other. It’s how they win. But not today. Not us. We’re stronger than that, right?”
Nyx nodded and smiled back at him, feeling tears well up at the corners of her eyes. “Right,” she said.
“What did he say?”
“He thinks we’ve got potential. Want’s us to join him.”
“He’s scared,” Nero said.
“He knew my mother’s name as well.”
“Then that’s all the proof we need. He’s just signed his own death warrant.”
Nyx smiled.
“Come here,” Nero said and pulled her in. She buried her head in his chest, enjoying the feeling of love and comfort from him. After a long moment, she took a breath and looked up at him.
“Thank you, for believing me.”
“Why would I not? We’ve always been honest with each other. If we can’t do that, then what have we got?”
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you, too,” he replied with a loving smile.
“Come here, you,” she said, feeling incredibly horny. She pulled him in for a kiss and then pushed him back, falling on top of him. She straddled him and reached down, feeling his erection growing under her hand.
Frantically, she moved down his body and pulled his pants down, freeing his erection, letting it stand proudly before her. She took it in her hands and then hungrily into her mouth, using her hand to pump while she sucked on him and used her tongue to explore his manhood.
Holding him like this made her feel powerful. He was under her control, and she could play with him and tease him or bring him all the way to a climax. Nero lay back, but propped himself up on his elbows and watched. Nyx looked back up at him as she continued to work on him, enjoying his musky taste and how stiff she’d made him.
Pulling away with a last, slow lick, she smiled at him. “I want you inside me,” she purred as she stood and removed her belts and then undid her bodysuit at her neck before pulling it off herself and stepping out of it, leaving just her long leather gloves and stockings in place. She stepped forward, straddling him, giving him an unobstructed view of herself.
Nero lay back beneath her. “Come here, let me taste you,” he said. “Sit on my face.”
“If you insist,” Nyx smiled back and lowered herself down onto his mouth. The moment he was within reach, she felt his tongue flick out and touch her in her most intimate area. Lowering herself the rest of the way, he went deeper into her, and Nyx could only gasp in pleasure as he licked her.
She reached down, running her fingers through his hair before she pulled him into her, urging him to keep going as he reached up and ran his hands over her body and breasts, pinching her nipples that were standing proud.
She let him take her the whole way, knowing that he loved to make her cum, just as much as she liked doing the same to him. Before long, she felt the rising waves of pleasure grow and then overwhelm her, crashing over her and consuming her utterly as she orgasmed.
“Oh, God,” she gasped and looked down into his eyes that were filled with only love and compassion. She pulled up and off him. “Let me do you now,” she whispered and climbed down his body, turning around as she went before she took him in her hand and guided him into her. She sat on top, with her back to him, giving Nero a clear view as he pushed into her. She started to move on top of him, building up a rhythm as she bounced her hips up and down, feeling her flesh slap against his. Nero’s eyes watched her ass cheeks as she pumped away on top of him. He was transfixed, and she loved how she made him so aroused and enjoyed the thrill of him seeing everything. She knew it was one of his favourite positions, and she wanted to give him a fun time tonight.
She watched his pleasure grow until his body bucked, shuddered, and he exploded within her, filling her. She slowed as he shivered in pure unadulterated ecstasy before she rose up off him and turned around. She fell into his arms and kissed him deeply. She felt both loved and fulfilled, and she couldn’t be happier.
Chapter 3
Nero
Nero turned the wheel and the Charger roared into the final stretch of road towards the wide-open gates of the queen's residence. Rain had swept through the area overnight, leaving the streets slick with water that was evaporating quickly now as the day warmed up. Nero revved the engine as they roared up the road and barrelled into the compound, with Cryptus’ monster truck a short distance behind them. Nyx sat in the passenger seat as usual, while Kat was in the back. She’d said she was feeling much better after a night’s rest.
As the car raced up towards the queen’s residence, a huge deformed dog bounded out of the building to the right and made straight for the car. Nero hit the brakes.
The dog leapt high into the air before coming down to land on the car’s hood. The beast was massive, easily a meter and a half from the floor to its shoulder, covered in rough, almost scaly skin and horns. It was one of the queen’s former daemon dogs; one of many she’d been gifted with by the Whisperer to help keep her subjects in line.
Nero had freed them during his liberation of Nyx, and it turned out that without their leads on them and without the queen there, the dogs were not at all friendly to the guards.
The dog roared down into the car.
“No, you don’t,” Nero yelled and jumped from the car. He did not want this creature tearing his car to bits; something it was probably more than capable of doing with its wicked claws.
Landing in a roll, Nero came up a few meters away from the dog and took aim with his gun. The dog roared at him once more. It didn’t seem to be afraid of him or his gun. Not yet, at least.
Nero fired. Blood and flesh exploded from the shoulder of the dog, knocking it off the car entirely as Nyx exited on the other side of the Charger, right next to the dog, her sword in hand. The dog scrambled to its feet and growled at her.
Nero ran forward, wanting to get a better view, and jumped up onto the car as Nyx slashed at the dog with her blade, cutting right across the thing’s face.
It howled in pain and staggered away.
“Hey, ugly!” Nero yelled.
The dog looked up right into the barrel of the gun. Nero fired.
BOOM!
The dog’s face exploded and the creature dropped to the floor, dead.
Nero smiled and looked around the compound, wondering if there might be any more of the things still here. As he scanned around, he caught sight of one between two vehicles, watching the events play out. It slunk back and disappeared.
“Clever girl,” Nero muttered to himself, before doing one more sweep, peering into the shadows. There was nothing else around. At least, not right now.
Nero dropped off the top of the hood to the concrete floor as Kat climbed out of the Charger. Nearby, Cryptus and Runt climbed down off the monster truck.
“I’ll never get used to those things,” Kat said
.
“Let us deal with the daemons,” Nero suggested.
“Your sword wouldn’t do much to them,” Nyx added. “My sword and Nero’s gun are different, they’re special somehow.”
“I noticed,” Kat answered them. “Are they Magic or something?”
“Who knows? I don’t know what they are; I just know that they can kill daemons.”
“If you find out how to replicate that effect, I’d be grateful,” Kat smiled.
“As would most of the world,” Nero added.
“Good work,” Cryptus added.
“Nero’s weapon went boom and down went daemon dog. Woo-haa! Runt is in awe, friend Nero.”
“Thanks, Runt.”
“Hey, he didn’t do it alone, you know!” Nyx added in mock outrage.
“Runt is always impressed by miss Nyx, always impressed…” Runt answered, looking a little sheepish.
“It’s alright, Runt; she’s only messing with you,” Nero explained.
“Oh. Okay. Runt is never sure.”
“Sorry, Runt,” Nyx added.
“Miss Nyx is gracious and kind; Runt is grateful.”
“When we’ve finished this love-in, shall we get inside and see what we can find?” Cryptus asked, his voice slightly impatient.
“Let’s do it,” Nyx agreed.
Nero nodded and turned towards the building, leading the way forward. The compound was a mess when it had been in use and fortified, but it was in even more of a mess now. Some of the outbuildings had been set aflame and were still smouldering, and there were clear signs of looting that must have happened over the past day.
Word must have gotten out quickly that Latrix was gone.
Keeping his gun ready, Nero strode forward with Nyx beside him. Kat, Cryptus, and Runt brought up the rear. They moved inside the huge mansion that the queen had used as her palace, going slowly and checking their corners, on the lookout for more dangers.
They found a shambling corpse in the first room they moved into, which Nyx swiftly cut down, quickly and quietly. Nero’s gun was back up, but he refrained from using it, mainly because it was so loud and would give away their position. He’d already used it outside, of course, but there had been no other way of dealing with a daemon.
Moving on, they passed through several more rooms and killed several more undead until they reached the harem room, where Nyx had been kept. The doors to it were closed and locked, which struck Nero as odd. He turned to look at the others.
“Locked,” he announced.
“Bingo,” Cryptus answered.
“Do we go in?” Runt asked.
“Let me knock,” Nero suggested and gave it a good solid kick where he guessed the lock would be.
The wood splintered and the doors opened wide, revealing the ruin within.
It was not too much different to how he remembered it, but the bodies of the dead had been removed, and the doors that led out of here were all shut, apart from one at the back. Walking in, Nero thought the bed looked like it had been used recently and there were some remains of food, too.
They remained silent, with Nero pointing a few things out as he spotted them, wanting to keep an ear out for any noise.
As he crossed the room, Nero kept his gun raised and never pointed too far away from the open door.
A noise of something moving sounded in the next room, followed by a pair of whispered voices, one of them slightly muffled.
Nero glanced at his companions. He pointed to the open door, and they each nodded their understanding. Keeping his gun firmly fixed on the open door, Nero approached it to see a short corridor on the other side.
At the far end, another door lay open and waiting for them. Nero nodded and pointed forward, letting his allies know what he was planning, and stepped into the corridor. He moved steadily forward, his eyes fixed on the far door. There was a side door on his left, but it was shut. Nero stopped and listened for any noises on the other side of it, but heard nothing. Satisfied, he continued on and reached the open door at the end, with more of the room coming into view as he approached.
It was a bedroom, but not as grand as the harem room. Nero guessed this might have been the queen’s private quarters. There were desks and wardrobes and tables in here, and it looked like this might have doubled as some kind of office of planning room for the queen.
Nearby, on Nero’s right, he spotted two figures. One of which he recognised.
The man he knew as Chain.
The member of the queen’s court that he and Nyx had rescued from bandits and returned with here. The other was dressed in overalls and a full-face gas mask, hiding their identity, but Nero could tell he was male. The pair of them were rummaging through the drawers and cabinets.
“That’s enough,” Nero said, his gun ready. His voice startled both men, who stopped what they were doing and turned to face them, raising their hands as they saw the guns and weapons pointed at them.
“We surrender,” Chain blurted out before he’d even got a good look at them. When he did see who he was being surprised by, Chain did something of a double take, and a look of pleasant surprise filled his face. “Nero? Nyx? Wow, what a pleasure!”
“Pleasure?” Nero asked, his voice incredulous. “You knew what Latrix would do to us and you didn’t warn us. You sold us out.”
“Um, well, you see, she might not have…”
“Save it!” Nero barked, striding forward. He got the distinct impression that Chain was something of a slimeball, doing whatever it took and using whoever he needed to survive, and frankly, Nero had had enough of it.
“Whoa, wait, what are you…”
Nero grabbed Chain by the throat and shoved him back against the wall.
“Gak!” he choked.
“Hey, what are you doing,” the man in the gasmask yelled, grabbing the air filter on the front of his mask and pulling the whole thing off his head. Nero caught a glimpse of a thin looking man with bad skin. “Leave him alone!”
“You sold us into slavery!” Nero barked. He noticed Nyx raise her sword and put it to Gasmasks neck.
“Don’t move,” she muttered to him.
“You got out,” Chain gasped.
“No thanks to you, and not before Nyx was made part of the queens harem and raped.”
Chain didn’t answer. He pressed his lips together, and Nero felt his Adam’s apple bob up and down under his palm as he gulped. His eyes flicked over to Nyx, and then back to Nero, who kept a firm grasp on his throat. He dearly wanted to squeeze the life from this piece of shit.
“I’m sorry…” Chain answered finally, a look of defeat falling over his face. “I honestly didn’t know what she’d do with you. I didn’t. I should have warned you. Do what you want, kill me if it makes you feel better.”
“No, don’t,” Gasmask yelped and pushed Nyx’s sword away as he fell to his knees, pleading with Nero. “Please, don’t. I love him.”
Nero looked down at the man with a raised eyebrow. “You love him?”
“I know he can be an idiot, I probably know it better than most, but please, don’t. I’ll do anything. We both will, won’t we?” he said, looking up at Chain.
Chain vigorously nodded in agreement. “Anything.”
Nero looked down at Gasmask again and then back up at Chain. They looked pitiful to him, pleading for their lives now that they didn’t have the power any more. Nero didn’t mind killing people when they deserved it, but there was doubt within him about these two. Did they really deserve to be killed?
He didn’t feel he could make that call.
“Ugh,” he grunted and let go of Chain’s neck.
“Thank you, thank you, I’m so sorry, thank y…”
Nero punched Chain in the face.
He dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes with a yelp and holding his nose. Gasmask went to help him, but Chain pushed him off and took a deep breath. “I deserved that,” he said.
“You deserve much worse than that, actually,�
� Nero said and looked over at Nyx. “It’s up to you,” he said.
Nyx looked back at Nero, and then down at Chain, seeming to think things through. “Where’s the Whisperer?” she asked.
Nero nodded once and looked over at Chain. He glanced once at Nero, and then back at Nyx. “I don’t know, no one knows.”
“I’d do better than that if I were you,” Nero suggested, seeing the steely gaze on Nyx’s face.
Chain seemed to spot it, too. “Um, well, I mean, I think it’s south of here, a good way south.”
“How do you know that?” Nyx asked.
“The convoy…” Chain said, looking at Gasmask.
“The convoy! Yes,” Gasmask agreed and looked back up at Nero and Nyx. “The convoy from the rig out east of here. There’s a rig that the Whisperer controls. The convoy from the rig brings the oil it pulls out the ground to here. It used to leave some for the queen and then head south. The drivers said they were heading for the Whisperer’s fortress, but they didn’t seem to know where it was exactly.”
“And where’s this convoy now?” Nyx asked.
“It’s back at the rig, out east. It came through a few days before you first got here…” Chain answered.
“Can you take us there?”
“Slick can,” Chain said, indicating he was talking about Gasmask.
“Slick?” Nyx said.
“Yeah, I can take you,” Slick confirmed.
“He’s from the Trinity,” Chain offered, apparently keen to help.
“The Trinity?” Nyx asked.
“I’ve heard of that,” Nero said, cutting in. “It’s a trio of oil rigs in the east, they’re one of the biggest producers of oil in the area, right?”
“That’s right,” Slick agreed. “The Trinity is north of the Daemon Rig. They’re constantly fighting over the territory between them.”
“I have no interest in getting involved in that fight, I just want to find that convoy.”
“We’ll help you do that, won’t we?” Slick said, looking to Chain for backup.
“Of course, anything you want,” Chain agreed.
Wasteland Road Knights Trilogy Page 34