by Aimee Hunter
Mason stepped up to her older sister and clapped her on the shoulder, both watching Lana struggle with the leather ties on her brown doeskin pants. "Damn it!" she cursed as she glared at her laughing siblings. "A little help here, please!" She grumbled. They came over and helped her with her pants.
"Why you ever decided to wear these, I'll never understand." Diana complained.
Mason chuckled, "Because she thinks they make her butt look good!" She teased, earning a smack on the arm from an annoyed Lana. Mason's gazed drifted to the walled city before her and her mood darkened. It had been a month since the pack had been slaughtered by the selfish Prince. She lowered her head as memories brought tears to her eyes.
As a wolf, Mason had observed that pack for generations. Protected them, hunted with them. They hadn't been her pack by birth, but they had adopted her. She had run with them for a century. Then to see them all slaughtered for the fur on their backs was too much to bear. Now, a month later, Damian Augustus had entered the city for who knows what purpose. She didn't trust his motives; he was too slick. He rather reminded her of a weasel. She growled softly, remembering that fateful day a month ago. She and the other Kahlian’s had just arrived in the sanctuary they had created for the adopted pack.
It was a beautiful place. A small waterfall had created a pool that was surrounded by soft thick grass. The enclosure was surrounded by high mountain walls on three sides, leaving only one way in or out if you had two legs, but for those with four there was a path from the top of the waterfall to the bottom. That day, she had stood on a boulder at the mouth of the waterfall, watching in horror as her friends were massacred. To this day, she couldn't remember how she got down the mountain so fast. One minute she had been standing on that rock, the next she was on the floor of the box canyon, and men were trying to put a rope around her neck. Before any of the other Kahlian’s could react, the men were dead. Only four, including the Prince, had managed to escape. She had purposefully let him live, making him think about what he'd done, and what would be done to him.
But Damian, why is he here and what game is he playing now? She bared her teeth and began to pace, trying to think of a way to get inside the city. Lana touched Diana's arm and tilted her head towards Mason. She looked and sighed heavily. Her sister had nearly lost her mind when that pack had been killed.
"Come, Mason. We must go. The creatures that roam this forest are stirring." She said softly. Her sister nodded and strode to where the horses were tethered.
"Alright. Let’s head for the main road. We should reach the gates by night fall, and the beasts usually don't bother people if they're traveling the road." She agreed. After the war had ended, the land and air had been poisoned. No living thing could have survived, but miraculously some had. Two hundred years after the last bomb fell, the land was once again inhabitable and the air once again safe to breath. During those two centuries, humans and animals had lived underground, though some had been caught on the surface; and had adapted, mutating into horrid creatures who prowled the land. Lost souls who would never find peace. Some retained their human intelligence, even surpassing it. Others had reverted to a more animal state, though they still retained something of a social structure. Whatever form, they were all lethal, merciless killers. Their main food sources were animals. There were, however, a few groups who fed off human flesh.
As the sisters drew closer to the road, they heard shouting and the unmistakable pop of gunfire. They spurred their horses into a gallop, drawing their swords. Mason lifted her head and howled, calling the rest of her people from where they were stationed in the surrounding forest. They arrived at the road quickly, finding a troop of men surrounding a vehicle that strongly resembled a touring bus from a long dead era. The door stood open and a woman dressed in a white long sleeve shirt and pants to match, crouched there firing what looked like a sub-machine gun. An MP-5, Mason quickly realized. She shook her head and took in the scene. The troop were trying to fight off the mutants but were vastly outnumbered. The woman firing the weapon was diminishing that number but was choosing her shots, obviously low on ammunition.
The pack began to arrive as Mason drove her horse into the heart of the horde, determined to reach the woman’s side. She hacked her way through, clearing a path for her people to gain some ground and push the mutants back. Mason finally reached the vehicle and moved her horse between the woman and the fighting.
"How many clips do you have left?" she shouted, holding her hands up when the weapon swung her way. Golden brown eyes met icy blue and widened slightly.
"One." Came the frantic reply, Mason nodded in understanding. "Don't shoot unless you have a clear shot. Save the last bullet for yourself." She told her and turned back to the fighting. The rest of her clan had arrived and together with the troop of men they drove the mutant horde back into the forest.
Chapter Four
Once the mutants were gone, Mason ordered her clan to help with the wounded and clear away the bodies of the dead.
"I've never seen them make such a concentrated attack before, and there were so many." Lana spoke quietly to her sisters as they gathered off to the side of the road to discuss what they had just witnessed.
"I know. It was almost as if it were planned. As if someone was controlling them." Diana added. Mason inclined her head in agreement, lost in thought. A man, who by his manner, was obviously in charge of the troop, approached the trio. The woman from the vehicle at his side. He smiled as he came to a stop in front of them.
"Ladies," he greeted them with a slight bow, "Could you please tell me where I might find Mason Stone? His men told me I would find him over here." Lana snickered, then grunted when Diana elbowed her in the ribs. Mason stepped forward, resting her hands on the hilt of her katana.
"I am Mason Stone." She informed him smoothly, lips quirking into an amused smirk at his shocked expression. "These are my sisters, Diana and Lana Stone." She added gesturing with one hand behind her, including the two women. "Who might you be?" she asked him, though her eyes kept wandering to the woman at his side.
"I am Captain Jonathan Grimes, and this," he introduced himself then turned to the woman beside him, "is Princess Rena MacKinnon of Eastland." The three women bowed at the waist slightly.
"Your Highness." Mason greeted her. Rena inclined her head.
"Thank you Ms. Stone, for your assistance. I don't know how long we could have held them off if you hadn't come along when you did."
Mason grinned, "It was nothing, Your Highness. But tell me, was that an MP-5 you were firing?" she asked.
Rena nodded, a surprised look flashing across her beautiful face.
"Yes it was. My father is an avid collector of fire-arms. The MP-5 is one of his favorites. That one was manufactured last year. We have a factory that builds weapons from the 20th and 21st centuries, such as that." She explained only to be interrupted by Captain Grimes clearing his throat. She rolled her eyes at his warning look.
"I'm sure Ms. Stone doesn't care about Eastland’s industrial accomplishments, Your Highness," he stated, a thinly veiled warning underlying his words. Rena sighed and nodded. Mason watched this exchange curiously.
"Actually, Captain. I am very interested." She said meeting Rena's amused gaze and winking.
"Oh, well." Jonathan stuttered.
Switching mental gears and adopting a business-like attitude, Mason addressed the Captain.
"So tell me Captain, what brings you so far West?" she inquired of him. Jonathan hesitated, trying to decide whether or not to trust this strange woman and her two sisters. Even though she and her people had saved their lives, there was something about her that he didn't quite trust. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but there was something, maybe it was the way she kept looking at the Princess, he mused. Noticing how her eyes seemed to follow Rena's every move. The fact that Rena couldn't quite seem to keep her eyes to herself either made up his mind on what to tell Mason Stone.
"We are headed to Culville,
Ms. Stone. Princess Rena is to marry Prince Devon Corlando." He informed her proudly. Mason tensed at the information and took a small step back, nodding her head.
"We are also traveling in that direction. We'd be happy to escort you." She offered calmly, though her heart was pounding. Here was how they would get inside. A part of her wondered at the sad look on the Princess' face. She didn't look like a happy bride to be. Rena smiled and answered before Jonathan could.
"We would appreciate that, Ms. Stone." She accepted. Captain Grimes started
to protest, but Rena cut him off. "As brave as our men are, Captain, I don't think we could with stand another attack." She reasoned. He couldn't argue with that; they had lost nearly half of their compliment they had started out with.
"We would indeed welcome the escort." he agreed. Mason smiled brightly and turned to her avidly listening sisters.
"Lana, get our horses ready. Diana, inform the clan that we're escorting Princess Rena and her guard to Culville." She instructed, both women bowing their heads in acknowledgement before hurrying off. Rena tilted her head to the side and considered the tall woman before her. She was very beautiful, of that there was no doubt. Obviously a woman accustomed to wielding authority over others. She felt her heart skip a beat when those impossibly blue eyes settled on her. A dark eyebrow rose at her close perusal and she could feel herself beginning to blush as she quickly turned away. Mason smiled to herself at the Princess's embarrassment at being caught staring.
She took a closer look at the Princess. She was of average height for a human female, and absolutely breathtaking. She had thick dark hair, and when the sun shone on it just right, there was a deep red cast to it. She was very young; she couldn't be more than twenty-five. Her generous mouth seemed to have a perpetual smile to it. Mason's breath caught when those stormy brown eyes, with a peculiar yellow cast to them, looked up through long thick lashes at her. Diana interrupted Mason's thoughts.
“We're ready to go whenever you are, Princess." Rena smiled and nodded. Captain Grimes grasped Rena's arm gently,
"Come, Your Highness. We must reach Culville by nightfall." He needlessly reminded her.
"Of course Captain." Rena replied moving gracefully into the vehicle. Jonathan climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
"Move out!" He ordered as his troops mounted their horses or climbed on top of the bus, weapons held ready. Mason, Diana, and Lana took up positions around the bus. Mason rode on the right, Diana on the left, with Lana bringing up the rear. Rena peered out of one of the windows at Mason who rode easily atop a huge deep chested black stallion. Strange. Rena thought. This odd woman's clothing matched the color of her horse. She wore a knee length black leather coat over a black pull over long sleeve shirt, tucked into leather pants. She wore a belt that had an ornate gold buckle and her boots were well made and looked comfortable. Even the scabbard for her sword was black, though the sword itself was not. She'd never seen such a sword as the one Mason wore at her side. The tall woman had wielded that blade like it was an extension of her arm.
"It's called a Katana, Your Highness." Mason supplied. Startled brown eyes jerked up to meet Mason's amused gaze. "I noticed you looking at it like you couldn't figure out what it was." She explained.
Rena felt heat flood her cheeks.
"Well, it is an unusual blade." She said defensively. Mason chuckled and nodded, settling deeper into her saddle and loosening her grip on the reins.
"Yes. I suppose it is." she admitted. Rena's face became animated with interest.
"Where did you get it, Ms. Stone?" She asked quickly, eager to learn more about this strange woman.
"My name is Mason." She said quietly. "I got it from an old sword master in the far east. He taught me how to fight, both with and without a weapon. He was among the greatest of a dying ancient warrior class called Samurai. He passed his knowledge on to me." She explained, her volume never changing. Rena felt a pang at the sadness in Mason's voice and eyes.
"You cared greatly for him." Mason nodded. "What happened to him? Is he still alive?" She asked gently. Mason shook her head.
"No. Master Akira died a long time ago." was her flat response.
The walled city of Culville came into view when they reached the top of a hill. They stopped to rest the horses. Captain Grimes shielded his eyes from the setting sun.
"How long before we reach the gates, do you think Ms. Stone?" He asked. Mason rode forward to get a clear look at the flat land between the hill they were currently on and the gates of the city they were headed to. She turned in her saddle to answer him, but stopped; cursing softly.
"That depends on how fast you can drive that bus, Captain!" She said pointing behind him. He adjusted his side mirror, the blood draining from his face as he saw what raced towards them.
"Everyone! Listen up!!" Mason's voice boomed, making Jonathan jump. "We're gonna make a run for it! So give the horses their heads and have your weapons ready!" She shouted. She rode her horse over to the bus and leaned closer to Rena's window to look inside. "Princess?" The curtains moved and Rena's worried face appeared.
"What's going on, Mason?" She asked in a tight voice.
"The mutants have found us. We're making a run for it, so hold on tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride!" She leaned closer, placing her hand over Rena's where it rested on the window frame. "Remember what I said about saving the last bullet." she reminded her softly. Rena nodded haltingly. Mason stared at her for a long moment, giving her hand one last reassuring squeeze before she straightened in her saddle and raised her arm. "Move out!" she yelled, swinging her arm forward and spurring her horse. The little group raced down the hill and hit the flatland at a dead gallop, the bus's engine roaring over the sound of hoof beats, as they tore across the plains for the gates.
The guards saw the group barreling towards them and the nightmare that chased them. "CAPTAIN!" Lt. Thames screamed down to Xavier. "We've got incoming!" Xavier bounded up the stairs, eyes widening at what approached. Then he recognized the symbol on the side of the bus. "Open the gates! Let them in! Man your stations, once the Princess is inside shut the gates!" he ordered at the top of his lungs. "Lt., inform the King that the Princess of Eastland has arrived and is being pursued." he ordered. She saluted and raced off.
Mason saw the gates thrown open and felt relief wash through her.
"FASTER!" she shouted, spurring her horse to a higher speed. She and her clan formed a protective arc behind the troop of men and the bus as they raced for the safety of Culville. They'd almost reached them when the front lines of the mutants caught those bringing up the rear. The screams of the dying tore across the plains. Then they were through the gates and off their horses, ready to fight off the creatures long enough for the men to swing the massive gates closed. She opened the door of the bus and looked inside, only to find it empty. Her gaze swung around, searching for Rena when she heard her name being called.
"Mason! Over here!" Rena called out to her. She was leaning over someone laying on the ground. Mason's heart nearly stopped when she saw the vibrant red hair. She ran over and fell to her knees, beside her little sister.
"Lana?" she whispered, reaching out. Her eyes raking over her sister’s form, before lifting them to meet Diana's worried gaze as she knelt next to her. Rena, misinterpreting the worried look that passed between the two sister, stammered out quickly.
"She'll be okay. She took a bullet in the shoulder, it passed clean through." Mason let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She glanced over at Diana and shared a shaky laugh before the rest of Rena's statement sank in.
"Bullet?!" she exclaimed surging to her feet. "What idiot shot my sister?!" She roared with rage, cold angry eyes sweeping the gathered crowd.
"Mason. No one here shot Lana." Rena said quietly, blinking when twin frowns were directed her way.
"What do you mean?" Mason asked in a considerably quieter voice. Crouching down again, she gave Rena her undivided attentio
n.
"The mutants had guns." She replied simply. Mason reared back in disbelief, glancing at Diana to see if she was as shocked as she was. "I was looking out the back window, trying to get a clear line of sight, when I saw Lana jerk and realized she had been hit. I took out the thing that had shot her." Rena explained in the same low voice.
"Guns?" Mason asked, still stuck on the fact that the mutants had fire power, let alone knew how to use them. Diana rolled her eyes and lightly smacked Mason in the back of her head.
"Pay attention Mason!" she chastised. Mason rubbed the back of her head and glared at Diana, who was already talking to Rena. "Are you sure?" she asked. Rena nodded, trying very hard not to laugh.
Lana groaned and opened her eyes, glaring at her two sisters.
"Can't a girl get some sleep around here?" She grumbled. The three women burst out laughing; she stared at them and shook her head. "I get shot and they laugh at me. Great." Mason ruffled her hair affectionately.
"Your Highness?" Captain Grimes asked, walking up to the women, three men following close behind him. Rena rose and embraced him. "Jonathan! Thank God you're safe." she exclaimed. He returned her embrace then stepped back to gesture his companions forward.
"Your Highness, this is His Majesty, King Alexander Corlando and his son, His Royal Highness, Prince Devon Corlando and Captain of the Palace Guard, Xavier Dumas." He formally introduced each man. No one noticed Mason tense when Devon was introduced. Rena greeted each man with a smile.
"Your Majesty, allow me to introduce Mason Stone and her sisters, Diana and Lana." She said, turning as both women rose, while Lana simply waved from the ground where she lay. "If not for these women, Your Majesty, we would all be dead. Mason and her people came to our aid on the road, they saved our lives. Lana was even injured saving my life." She told them, smiling her thanks to Mason who returned the smile. Devon stepped forward taking Rena's hand and bowing over it, before straightening and locking gazes with Mason.