by Coralee June
"When I pushed you away, you stayed strong," he murmured while kissing my knee. "And when I was an ass, you didn't give up on me." He bit at my inner thigh, letting out an exhale. The subtle but hot breath brushed across the junction between my legs, reminding me that I was completely bare to him. "I'm going to reward you tonight for being my good little Walker. For staying with me, even when I didn't deserve it."
"I'll always stay with you, Hux," I said.
"You promise?"
I wanted to answer him, but only a gasp escaped my lips, cutting off whatever spoken promise I’d intended to make. His tongue reached my bare mound, and he moved circles around it. Each groan from his mouth had his lips vibrating against me. It felt so damn good.
My need increased, and I shifted on the mattress, my hips moving back and forth while I grinded against his mouth. "Oh yes," I whispered. Bringing my hand up to my mouth, I bit my knuckle so hard I was sure it would bleed. The sensations were too vibrant, I couldn't hold back.
"Lay down, Ash," Huxley ordered while pulling back. He stood up and slipped off his boxers before kissing my stomach. Bracing each leg beside me at my stomach, I felt caged between his thighs while staring at his glorious hardness. Licking my lips, I wanted to taste him, and when I looked up at him, he smirked. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" he asked while shifting closer and knowing what I was thinking. "You want to suck me off, little Walker?"
I nodded yes, already leaning forward to wrap my lips around his head. "Well, too bad," he replied while slinking back, farther away from me. "Tonight is all about you."
Huxley flipped me over and pulled my arms over my head. With one hand, he held me still, and with the other, he picked up a bottle of warm oil on the side table and poured a generous amount on my back. His strong hands kneaded my flesh, working through, with delicious delicacy, each knot in my muscles. Slower and lower, he massaged me until he was rubbing my globes. His hands dipped between my slick folds, rubbing until he slipped his finger inside of me.
"You like that, little Walker?" he asked, his voice sounded gravelly, making me clench with desire. Sliding in and out of me, he chuckled when I bucked up.
My response was a whimper. "Yes, Hux."
"Is this what you'd prefer? Or do you want flowers and candles?" I sensed some insecurities within Hux as he spoke. He pressed further, and I arched my back up some more to take his finger deeper.
"I want you," I replied with another moan. "I want the best version of you, Hux."
Huxley froze, and I felt his fingers fall away before a kiss touched my shoulder blade. "That, I can do. I'm going to give you all of me." Peppering kisses along my spine, I couldn't think of a time my body felt so worshipped. He didn't leave an inch of skin untouched. He took my hair out of it’s bun, letting my tresses cascade along my back. He then threaded his fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp before twisting my hair in his fist and guiding me to roll over and face him.
"I want to look in your eyes, Ash. I want to see every expression on your face."
He was gentle in the way he slid inside of me, pausing when I winced. I was still sore from Maverick. He pulsed and pulled, stretching me as I grew to accept how big he was. He leaned down to kiss me, and I bit his lip, tugging on it before saying, "This is perfect, Hux."
He pumped into me again, increasing his pace as he absorbed every single response. It was a divine experience. Huxley saved this side of himself for only those he loved, and although he'd never muttered the words, I knew he loved me. I felt it in his gaze poised perfectly on me.
"You know I love you, right?" My voice was breathy. Hux shifted so he could rub along my sensitive nerves as he thrust deeper. The combination of having him inside of me as he circled my clit had me close to thrashing, but I kept still and focused on the adoration in his eyes and the movements of his fingers. I was calling out to that pleasure deep within me and using him as my focal point.
I didn't expect Huxley to say anything in return. I'd come to love and accept his shortened speech and quiet, steadfast resolve. We'd always spoken better with our bodies, moving in perfect sync. Our connection had intensified over time, but there had always been a deep, unmistakable tethering between our souls. My words just solidified what our bodies already knew.
Huxley seemed to be lost in thought as he continued to move. My orgasm tore through me in an unexpected way. I cried out in bliss as he moved, matching me in pleasure after a few thrusts. Our breath mixed together, and I basked in my love for this man. He tucked my hair behind my ear and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. He lingered for a moment, brushing his lashes against my skin while sucking in deep breaths.
"I love you, my little Walker. I've loved you since the moment you opened those train doors. I loved you when you saved baby Hope from me and the Walker woman in Dormas. I loved you when I kissed you back in my bedroom. I loved you in Ethros when you proved how strong you were. I loved you in the Deadlands when you fought your grief. I love that damn determined smile you have. I love your confidence. I love how you say all the right things. I love you enough to light fucking candles and spread rose petals on the bed. I love you enough to say all the things I've always been too scared to say."
I wasn't expecting to cry at his admission, but slow and happy tears rolled down my cheeks, mixing with my sweat and making my chest swell with more love for this man. I didn't respond. I knew that it was a lot for him to say all of this. I imagined him practicing this speech in the mirror, and it made me smile. Instead of responding, I lifted up and kissed him on the lips, slow and steady. His determined face softened into happiness then. And as I lay there beneath him, basking in the joy of his love for me, I realized that it was a look I wanted to see for the rest of my life.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next day, I woke up feeling equal parts sated and worried. Today was the day; Cavil sent the invitation to his grand party last night, letting everyone in Galla know that he would be traveling back to Ethros soon and expected everyone to be at his going away party.
I was shocked by his insistent need for praise and recognition. What about Cavil's life had made him crave the attention and adoration of the empire?
"Morning," Huxley murmured into my hair. We slept wrapped up in a tangle of limbs and exhaustion. He held me all night, and I enjoyed watching his peaceful face as he slept.
We reluctantly headed downstairs for breakfast after getting dressed. The other Companions sat with us, eating in silence. Kaye had disappeared for a walk sometime this morning. None of us bothered her as she still seemed upset by her sister's abandonment. Madam B and Louis made quick work of briefing us at breakfast. "Louis and Kemper were unable to finish the Heat disabler in time," she said before chomping down on a muffin.
Tallis frowned but seemed resigned to the fact that it wouldn't work. Everyone already knew about Kaye's sister giving up, so this seemed to just dampen the already dark mood. "I'll alert the Resistance," Jules said with a sigh.
"No," Madam B immediately replied. It was the first I'd seen her not act calm. "We still need the riots. Once Cavil is dead, it'll give us the momentum we need to really spark change. If they know we've failed to disable Heat, they won't stand up. We really need what few members of the Resistance we have."
"They'll be killed," I replied before pursing my lips. "You can't just send them to their deaths."
"Some may die, yes. But they're smart. Resilient. I'm sure more would survive than you think."
Tallis stood and scowled at Madam B. "No. That's not how I lead." He slammed a fist on the table, causing drinks to spill and food to splatter everywhere. Opposite him, Madam B seemed unphased by his outburst.
"You forget where you are," she murmured. "I've planned this all. You used my connections to get behind enemy lines. My Companions got you access to Mr. Black. I think you should tread very carefully."
I watched their ping ponged aggression and tried to piece together their motives. Why would Madam B risk so many? "Who
does Cavil have that is important to you?" I asked while cocking my head to the side. I wanted to get to the bottom of her motivations and was determined to find out who exactly Madam B was doing this for.
"What do you mean?" she scoffed, but I saw the fear in her eyes. I was on to something, I just knew it.
"I want to know why you're doing this. Why do you want Cavil dead?"
She stood up and took a step back, as if being backed into a corner. "I want him dead for the same reasons you do. Cavil is evil."
"Enough," Jules said, eyeing me with annoyance but accepting why I needed to know. We were too close to the end of this. Madam B may be willing to risk the members of the Resistance, but I wasn't. I needed to know that she wouldn't betray us. This empire was too full of power-hungry people willing to step on anyone to get what they wanted.
She looked around the room, seemingly accepting that there was nothing she could do to stop the questions. "I have a relationship with a dignitary from Saberus. He has a fetter and is now a forced advisor to Cavil. Lowe is responsible for getting him out of there."
I snapped my attention to Lowe, and she shrugged. "I'm just following orders."
"I've known him for a long time. I've...loved him for a long time. I just want him out of there and safe. That's my motive." I took in the way her eyes went soft with affection. Her bottom lip dropped, as if she was remembering something with fondness. I knew then that she was just a woman in love, desperate to get him back. Like me, almost.
Jules tilted her head to the side. "This dignitary, you don't have any ideas about him being the new emperor, do you? Because that's not going to happen."
"I don't care about any of that. We need the riots to distract the guards so we can sneak out in the tunnels. They've been patrolling the auction post more lately. And if Cavil is killed, they're going to be out in full force, making sure that no one leaves Galla. Kaye is only going to be able to poison the men in Cavil's tower. The Zone is still flooded with hundreds of guards."
I slumped back in my seat and puffed out some air. She was right, we couldn't leave unless the guards were distracted. I flashed my eyes to Kemper, and I knew that he was trying to piece together a plan that didn't involve using the Resistance as sacrificial lambs.
"What about all the other Walkers? The ones that'll be left here," I asked.
"I don't know."
I bit my bottom lip. Madam B wasn't a mastermind. She wasn't equipped to lead a resistance or make grand plans for taking down an empire. She was a woman in love and looking out for herself.
"We need a distraction, Kemp," Jules said while standing. I always appreciated her ability to thread together a plan. I found myself leaning on the edge of my seat, clinging to her every word. "We need something on the complete opposite side of the Zone to draw the attention of the guards. Then the members of the Resistance need to help get Walkers through the tunnels and out of Galla."
"How many people live in the Zone?" I asked Louis, feeding off her feeble plan.
"A few hundred? Our numbers are dismal."
"So reach out to the Resistance. Let them know—"
"What is it with people jumping in and stealing my thunder!" Jules exclaimed with a joking smile. Everyone around us laughed. "Anyways. Tallis, reach out to the Resistance. Tell them the new plan. Each member will be assigned a street. Their job will be to get as many Walkers as they can out of here. Things will be utter chaos for a while."
"Where will they go?" Lowe asked.
"The Deadlands," I whispered.
Everyone sat back in their seats while taking in the plan for tonight. Jade would kill Cavil. Kaye would poison the tower guards. I would get Cy and Mav out, and members of the Resistance would help Walkers in the Zone escape.
"We just need a distraction," Kemper said with a smile while looking at Louis. "Think we can handle that?"
"Oh. Absolutely," Louis replied with a sadistic grin that both terrified and comforted me. We had a plan. A real plan. I just hoped it worked.
Jules got me ready before leaving to go with Tallis. Her place in all of this was to help guide people through the underground tunnels. "You ready, Walker Queen?" she asked me with a fond smirk.
I looked down at the dress I wore with a smile and tried not to feel giddy. I needed to keep a level head and be flexible tonight. This was it, I'd finally have all my men back. "I think so!" I replied. The dress was sleek and, again, white. Unlike my other dresses, though, it had black leggings covered by thick tulle, a design that Jules proudly came up with. That way, when the time came, I could ditch the dress and run.
"You should design clothes," I told her. My time with Jules here was pleasant. She seemed happier when near Tallis, and having a purpose had brought her to this new state of awareness about herself. She was confident and didn't seem as dependent upon the approval or acceptance of others. Just then, Tallis walked into the small bathroom. He leaned against the door frame and stared at Jules.
"Agapimenos, you almost ready?" he asked.
"Almost," she replied while pulling a knife from a holster on her thigh. "I was thinking you should have this, just in case."
I looked down at the silver knife while cocking my eyebrow. It was beautiful and silver plated. Almost decorative. "Madam B gave it to me on my first mission. Figured it was good luck, and I could pass it along to you."
"There is no way I'm sneaking that inside," I replied while clutching my chest. They’d catch me for sure.
Jules didn't respond, she simply rolled her eyes and spun me around. I felt her hands in my hair as she rolled the knife up and twisted. "It's now in your hair. I hear these things are big drunk fests. With any luck, the guards will be too busy looking at your breasts to pay attention to the shiny thing in your hair."
We both exchanged small giggles before Tallis cleared his throat. "Come on, Agapimenos. Time to go." Jules stood after squeezing my shoulder.
"Be strong," she said. Tallis wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her out of the doorway, but I could still see their shadows. I blushed when I heard her moan, and he kissed her down the hall. I was happy for them, Jules deserved a man like Tallis. She deserved love. Didn't we all?
Downstairs, Huxley was pacing the floor while Kemper and Louis wired something that looked like a bunch of household appliances woven together. "What's that?" I asked.
It was Jacob's mindspeak that answered. "They say it's a bomb, but I think they're just tossing shit together like fucking evil scientists."
Kemper tossed a rogue wire at him, and I covered my mouth to laugh. "Damn, Ash. You look good," Patrick said. He strolled up and gave me a giant hug. "You ready to save Cy and Mav?" he asked.
"I'm ready to go home," I replied. I'd been granted the opportunity to see the world, meet new people, and travel to exotic places. But at the cusp of it all, I just wanted to be back in Dormas with its simple cabins and simple people.
"Me too," Kemper said while clipping a wire into place.
"I wanted to tell you all something before I go," I said while waiting for each of them to stop what they were doing to look at me. "Under no circumstance is anyone allowed to stay behind nor do something stupid. At the end of the night, I expect all my men to be in the same place at the same time. Is that understood?" I asked.
Huxley smirked at me before strolling over and placing a long kiss upon my lips. "You got it, little Walker."
Jacob's mindspeak went frazzled. "Why does her bossy voice turn me on so much? God, keep it under control, Jacob!" He didn't even look embarrassed when I gave him a look. I’d grown used to his mindspeak. I missed his honey tone but loved knowing each of his thoughts. I almost now couldn’t imagine him without it.
"Of course," Patrick and Kemper said at the same time, each looking at each other and laughing before going back to what they were doing.
I looked at them all once more before the rest of the Companions came downstairs. I knew that tonight would change everything. I just hoped I was ready.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The ride to Cavil’s tower had an excited yet ominous feel. Each of us kept quiet, thinking about all that we would be required to do. Of all of us, Jade seemed the most calm despite having a gruesome job ahead of her. “Are you nervous?” I asked her while patting Cy’s and Mav’s pills in the hem of my corset.
“I should be, right?” Jade looked around the transport while snuggling closer to Lowe. “I mean, I’m a bit nervous, but mostly I’m just excited. He killed my…” Jade swallowed then, the first true sign of emotion since we left. A glossy shine came over her eyes, and she blinked away the emotion with a frown. “My sister was a Walker in Ethros. She mostly kept to herself. Never bothered anyone. She worked in his home, and one day, he set his eyes on her. She was barely a teen. Barely knew the world was cruel. She killed herself the same night he invited her to his ivory room.”
I gasped at her story and tried not to ask too many questions. She spoke with a numbness I hadn’t expected. “She was my only family left, and he broke her. So I’m okay with murder. In fact, I’m going to enjoy it.”
When we arrived at the tower, the guards didn’t give us a second glance. They had grown relaxed with their rosy cheeks and wide grins. There was an excitement in the air; apparently Cavil wasn’t the only one who was homesick, his guards were, too. Too bad they’d never see their home again.
The gathering room was more crowded than any other time before. Cavil had invited every dignitary within a hundred mile radius. It took me a moment to find Cyler’s black hair and flirty smile in the crowd. But once I did see him, I was instantly taken aback by the pure fury in his gaze as he stormed closer to me.
“Something isn’t right. You need to leave now.”
I looked around the room for Maverick, unsure what was going on but feeling scared nevertheless. “What do you mean?” I asked.