Cade

by Penny Rose

  Bending forward, he kissed her mouth and lingered for a few more kisses, pushing inside her slowly. He began to pick up the pace as she cried out for him.

  He kissed her again, slowly slipping his tongue into her mouth. She accepted it and sucked gently. His arms wrapped around her and he clasped his hands against her back. She kissed him even more intensely and rubbed his bottom. He slid out of her and cupped her face. She looked up at him, loving every moment with him. There would come a day, she was sure of it, where she would have hours to talk to him and walk with him. They would have their whole lives together. She dreamed.

  “I want you, Cade, so badly.”

  He flashed her a devilish grin that made her warm all over. “I want you too, my princess. I can’t wait to slide into your wetness.”

  She gasped. That was exactly what she wanted him to do. The way that Cade talked to her was intoxicating. “Then why did you stop?”

  “I want to take my time. After all, you said this might be our last night together.”

  When all they had was that, she wanted to make the most of it. He leaned in and slipped his hand around her neck, pulling her to him as his mouth claimed hers. He tasted sweet and alluring. His mouth was hot, and she almost moaned at his touch. He kissed her softly at first and then his kisses became more passionate, as if he needed her mouth on his to stay alive. As if he was breathing her in. She knew exactly how he felt. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and she took it. She tasted him slowly before pulling away. He pulled her in again and ravaged her mouth. His hand caressed her breast and kneaded it softly. He leaned down and flicked her nipple with his tongue.

  “You are so beautiful, and your skin tastes so good.”

  She smiled, though all she could think about was what he was going to feel like inside of her. His mouth found her nipple and he sucked, nipped, and kissed it. The sensation made her ever wetter. She moaned softly as he replaced his mouth with his fingers and pulled on her nipple. He continued playing with them as pleasure built in her body. Her hand reached down, and she massaged him. She could feel his hard member pushing against her hand. He smiled at her.

  She straddled him and bent down, taking him into her mouth and sucking. His eyes closed as she sucked hard, and he played with her hair. Her tongue swirled against his shaft and then around his tip. He moaned with eagerness.

  “I love the way you suck me.”

  She took him deeper into her mouth, listening to him moan. She slid her mouth off him and gazed up at his sculpted body, green like the forest. Like life.

  Her chest was heaving as her heart pounded. Without thinking, her fingers pushed into his hair and she pulled him towards her lips, taking his mouth. His tongue found hers first, and he lifted her up so they were level. His closeness set her on fire.

  Their breath mingled, and a delicious shiver ran through her as their tongues touched. Her breasts rose and fell as he ran his fingers up her leg, then possessively cupped her breasts.

  “Do you like this?”

  A thousand flames licked at her body as he touched her. She was dying of anticipation. She shuddered as he caressed her womanhood, briefly opening her lips with his thumb as he sucked on her nipples. She bucked against him, and he laughed softly as he continued to lick her nipple, tonguing it, playing with it, before covering it with his mouth and sucking.

  He ran his hands over her body, growling, “Eldredth… You knot me up and tear me apart.”

  His mouth was on hers again, and she felt herself melt. She clawed his back, and he buried his face in her neck, biting and nipping her.

  “Who do you belong to?”

  “You,” she panted.

  He grabbed her legs and pulled them around his hips, then pinned her arms above her head, looking down at her like he wanted to devour her.

  He curled his fingers into hers and crushed her mouth with his. The closeness to him, their limbs tangled together, their tongues, everything gave her pleasure and engaged all her sexual instincts. His member pressed against her opening, and every cell in her body knew that she was prepared for him. There was need written all over his face. She could see his muscles clench, his body working as he pushed himself deeply inside her. She thrashed as a mountain of pleasure ripped through her, and she tilted her hips up to meet him. He muttered her name as he brushed kisses along her face. He thrust inside her as she moaned his name. She came as he rocked inside of her, and she was panting as he followed suit, filling her up. He slid out and held her naked body to his, gently biting the back of her neck.

  His member, oh god, looking at his size made her crazy all over again.

  She laid out on the bed and when he pushed her legs up over her head, her eyes widened. Her body was weakened from all the pleasure he had given her. She was lying on her back, her legs spread before him and above him.

  “I want you again. Please give me what I want.”

  “Then you can have me.”

  He entered her slowly, and she gasped with how deep he went.

  “Oh, yes, this is nice. You feel so good.” The depth in that position was everything she longed for.

  She leaned her head back, delirious with pleasure. Cade fit inside her perfectly, and she was hit with a wave of pleasure every time he moved. He pumped faster, causing her to moan. His member was perfect, and he was at a perfect angle to give her delicious orgasms. Her body built up once again, and she knew that he was going to cause her to cum all over his member.

  “C’mon, Eldredth. Cum for me.”

  She exploded the moment he asked, calling his name. She was spent and yet he kept pumping inside her slowly. He slid in deep. She cried out as pleasure overtook her body. She moaned, enjoying every inch of him as he pounded her repeatedly. Cade leaned down, staring into her eyes and then taking a kiss. She cried out as she felt another orgasm building. She giggled and looked up at him. He smiled down at her, and the smile was the sexiest thing she had seen in a long time. He pumped into her harder, and another orgasm ripped through her.

  “You feel so good.”

  “Yes. It feels amazing.” She thought she would lose her mind. She had so much pleasure going through her that she could barely contain herself.

  The whole length of his member slowly pushed inside, making her let out a slow, powerful moan. There were so many different feelings and sensations going through her body at that moment. She was lost in a sea of pleasure.

  “Oh, god, I want you,” she gasped.

  She heard him laugh as he started pumping into her and she thrust onto him. She was dripping wet, and she felt a buildup once again. She couldn't believe she was about to cum again. The thought was just too great.

  “Cade, it feels good, so amazing.”

  “I know. It's crazy, isn't it?”

  “Yes,” she gasped. “I'm cumming again.”

  Her whole body shuddered as she came. He continued pumping inside of her, breaking all reason in her mind. He was glorious, and all of it was so incredible.

  “Eldredth, I'm ready too.” He spilled inside her, calling her name.

  He slid out slowly, and she knew for certain that she was going to be very sore the next day. It would all be worth it, she knew.

  They lay next to each other, exhausted and silent, lost in their thoughts. It felt great just lying there next to him, and she wondered what it all meant now.

  “That was amazing,” she whispered.

  “It was.”

  She curled into his arms, trying to forget the torment from the past day and just enjoy the moment they had together.

  Chapter Ten

  The next week was nonstop repetition for Cade. Wake up, eat, train, eat, train, eat, rest. Zax and Maizon were pushing the men harder than ever. The tournament at the capital was only a week away, and everyone was feeling the pressure.

  Maizon had won quite a bit of money in Rahl and had invested it back into the fighting pit. They now had attack drones to train with. The drones zoomed through the air firing proje
ctiles. Cade ducked and rolled but caught a blast to the leg.

  Arc tapped him out so he could be healed. Marismith had returned and waited for him in the healing tent.

  “I know what you are trying to do,” she whispered.

  “You—”

  Marismith cut him off. “She deserves it. You both do. I’d run as far away from this place as I could if I were able. You’re a good fighter, Cade. The best Maizon has, and everyone knows it. If you win, it’ll be like we all win, because we’ll all have had a part in it.”

  Tears lined her eyes. She was behaving nothing like the first time she had healed him. It was like Maizon had broken her spirit. She left the tent as soon as he was healed.

  ****

  The capital was beyond anything that Cade had ever seen. Great white walls surrounded the city, gleaming beneath the midday sun. Tall silver towers rose high into the sky. Everything was pristine. Lush gardens ran along the city streets. Fountains with statues of great leaders and intricate works of art spewed water into the air. The place was a paradise—a true oasis on an unforgiving planet. Inside the walls, the city was full of color and life. Flowers blossomed and their aromas filled the streets. People chatted as they walked, and drones buzzed through the air. The tall buildings offered shade.

  For a moment, Cade was lost in its beauty and forgot that the threat of death loomed deep within.

  Today would be the first test of this year’s finale. Cade didn’t know what to expect, but he had been awake since early morning, stretching and mentally preparing for whatever awaited him.

  When they finally arrived at the arena, Cade was once again blown away. It looked nothing like the one in Rahl. This was the most sophisticated arena on the planet. Everything was a gleaming metallic. Giant screens focused on him and the other gladiators as they stepped into the arena, giving a small glimpse into what the fights might be like. The walls were made of video screens and high in the air, holograms recreated the movement taking place below. It was mesmerizing to watch a twenty-foot-tall version of himself walk in the sky.

  Even though the arena was larger than the others, there was far less seating. Only the wealthy and elite could purchase tickets to the finals, so most of the population would be watching the streams instead.

  After touring the arena, Arc and Cade practiced in the training grounds. Maizon walked in, accompanied by several guards, to see his men. He approached Arc and Cade, and the men stopped sparring.

  Maizon tossed Arc the bloody hilt that Arc had handed to him after Cade’s fight with Sanir. “Explain this to me.” Maizon hadn’t broached the subject at all while they were in Rahl, but clearly, it was still on his mind.

  Arc swallowed and glanced at Cade before turning back to Maizon. “Prinzton has been targeting Cade. During his fight with Sanir, he was given a brittle and damaged weapon, which was why it fell apart in the arena. Then he had a weird gel smeared on him when we had to fight the winged monster, which was why it only went after Cade. Sanir tried to help him and was stabbed by his own teammate.”

  Maizon stared at them both, glancing from one to another. “You can’t be serious.”

  Cade nodded. “Prinzton has it out for me.”

  Maizon shook his head. “Why would he be targeting you? He doesn’t know you. It’s just not possible. It’s all part of the challenge. The fights have to be over the top and challenging, because they are meant to entertain millions of people. I’ve known Prinzton my entire life, there’s no way he would betray the honor of the games.”

  Arc stepped forward. “Sir, I think Prinzton has changed. He’s not who you think he is.”

  “Nonsense.” Maizon shook his head. “You are just under stress and not thinking straight. You are up against some dangerous creatures, it’s understandable. You both have done me proud, so one of you better be the victor today.”

  Cade knew there was no point arguing with Maizon. He was in great spirits and excited for the final battle. He refused to believe that anything was amiss. Cade knew otherwise. He knew that Prinzton had lost his mind over Eldredth. He wanted to have her, so he wanted Cade gone at any cost and didn’t care whether that meant killing him or not. Prinzton had blood on his hands already, and he certainly wasn’t finished.

  Maizon flashed them a rare smile. “Perk up, Cade. This is your big moment.”

  Cade nodded, and Maizon shook hands with him before leaving. Was this how he treated all fighters before their final battle or had something changed in him? As Maizon walked away, Cade looked to Arc, who shrugged.

  “He’s not going to listen to us. It’s up to us to keep you alive. I will have your back as much as possible, Cade. I won’t always be in the arena with you, but I will try to watch out for you where I can.”

  “Thank you, Arc.” Cade patted him on the shoulder.

  “Well, we better get out there and see what they have in store for us this time.”

  When they made their way out to the arena, the spectacle was in full force. Lights flashed, and music blared all around them. Dozens of screens showed their faces as they walked in, and holograms to both sides displayed replays of some of their greatest battles. It was grander than anything Cade had seen in his life.

  Instead of stadium seating that wrapped around the arena, there was a small section with individual seats for each viewer. There weren’t as many people, but they were certainly treated with luxury. The amount of money that must have been spent on the event would have been enormous. He looked up as he walked to the sidelines, watching his winning battle from the last tournament displayed overhead. The crowd cheered when he went into a rage.

  Several guards approached the fighters. “Follow us.”

  They motioned to a set of cells toward the edge. The cells were covered on the side that faced the crowd. There looked to be enough cells for each fighter to have their own.

  “What the hell is that?” asked Arc.

  One guard smirked. “Those are your new homes until you are called to fight.”

  They were being treated like the monsters they were about to fight, caged until the battle. Arc shook his head and made his way to his cell, Cade and the other fighters doing the same. Before entering, Cade looked out into the arena, trying to see if Eldredth was on the balcony. He wanted to see if Prinzton was near her. He should have told Maizon to keep them apart, but he probably wouldn’t have listened to that either. Before he could tell, he was shoved inside.

  From his cell, he could still see the arena pit, just not the stands. Drones flew around the arena, and the music changed as the opening ceremonies began. Fireworks soared into the air, sparkling and bursting into a vast array of colors and designs. The commentator called it a display from a more primitive time.

  The crowd cheered, and it bolstered Cade’s mood a bit. He just wanted to get through the fights and win his freedom. Everything he wanted was so close he could practically taste it. He wanted to be with Eldredth and get her away from this shithole.

  He spotted Eldredth behind the curtain and his breath caught. She came up to his cell and put her hand through the bars. He held it tightly.

  “You shouldn’t be here.” What if Prinzton saw her, or Maizon for that matter?

  “I wanted to come to wish you luck. I need you to be watching your back at all times. I need you, Cade, and I love you. Please be safe for me.” She squeezed his fingers.

  “I will. I love you too, Eldredth. We will get through this.”

  The bars were wide enough that he could kiss her through them. He was separated from her but at least could feel her lips on his. The warmth of her body radiated through him and gave him a sense of peace.

  “Hey, do we all get kisses?” Arc laughed.

  She stuck her tongue out at him, then smiled at Cade.

  “I will see you soon.”

  It was then that the guard noticed her by the cage. “Hey! No healers in the arena until the battle is over!”

  Cade watched as Eldredth scurried away, and the mu
sic stopped. His heart beat faster. The final tournament was about to be underway. He rolled his shoulders to release the tension. Soon, the adrenaline would kick in—the one thing that got him through the fights and helped him survive. No, that wasn’t true. Eldredth was his true reason for fighting, for refusing to die.

  There was a loud clank, and the cells opened all at once. For the first fight, the gladiators would all be working together. Cade liked being able to work with Arc. He knew that his friend would watch his back, and he believed that they all worked better as a team. There were thirty gladiators in total. He searched for Prinzton’s men to make sure to give them a wide berth. The four-armed man he had seen with Prinzton the day he had challenged Maizon publicly cut his eyes at Cade. He would be one to watch for.

  They all rushed to the center of the arena where the weapons were scattered on the ground. Cade didn’t know what they were walking into, but it was going to be a massive fight. All the men wore special loincloths for the tournament, and each one had a different animal on it. Cade looked down at his, which was emblazoned with a roaring lion. Fitting.

  The men gathered in the arena, many of them looking uncertain as they waited to see what they were up against. Cade’s mouth dropped open as they announced that there would be an onslaught of monsters. Holograms of the different monsters appeared overhead. Several of the gladiators cursed.

  Whoever designed this tournament was really trying to put on a show.

  “Oh, hell no!” Arc shouted.

  Cade tried to hold back a smile but was unsuccessful as the jumbo screens showcased the monsters they would fight. Arc was focused on one displaying a giant centipede.

  Arc looked at Cade. “You keep that thing away from me.”

  “It might be requesting the same thing about you.”

  Arc rolled his eyes.

  As Cade watched the holograms overhead, he saw wolves that stood on two feet and giant wasps that spewed deadly venom. It was going to be a brutal fight and some of them would certainly die.

  The announcer drew his attention away. “Whoever is still alive at the end of the five rounds will move on.”