by K. A Knight
My mouth drops open. “Not what I was thinking.” I look back at the man who is staring between us, confused. “But you’re right. God, he looks like a puppy.”
The man blinks at me, his cheeks heating though he doesn’t know what we are talking about. “I’m Jason, I work on maintaining the water supply for Paradise. I’ve been up here before when the pumping system broke down, so I know how to access it, which he said you needed—”
“Wow, okay, stop talking,” I tell him with a grin.
He snaps his mouth shut and winces. “Sorry, I get nervous and ramble and you’re scary. I mean, you’re covered in blood and with all these swords and okay shutting up now.”
Dray laughs. “Yeah, soulmate, you look scary.” I eye him again and he grins. “I lied, you look fucking hot. I’m turned the hell on by all the blood.”
Jason gulps, his eyes flying wide, and I take pity on him. “Okay, show us how it pumps down there, and is there a way to access it to get water up here without stopping the flow to the bunker?”
He nods emphatically and turns, rushing away before stopping and looking back. “Sure, I’ll show you.” He waits, almost bouncing on his feet.
“Come on.” I grab Dray and drag him with me, avoiding Evan who is clearly looking for me, his face curled into a scowl.
The dwellers move aside as we stomp through their midst, stopping what they are doing to stare. Most seem scared, but some nod in greeting which is an improvement I guess. Jason leads us around the Seekers who are setting up camp at the other end of the tunnel between the buildings, and then around the corner of the large white building. A wall of sand is backed into the buildings here, obviously creating a barrier, with a wired electric fence at the back to stop intruders, I even spot cameras. That explains how they keep this place so secure and private. Behind the building is a smaller one, the sides silver and the top made of brick. It’s tucked away, hidden almost, so if you were coming from the road you wouldn’t see it. He heads straight there and we stop behind him as he runs his finger down the brick at the side, a scanner pops out and I raise my eyebrows. He scans his palm and eye, and the light turns green just before I hear the click of the door. He looks back with a nervous smile.
“We had to upgrade it, it got broken into a couple of years ago and wrecked by a couple. They nearly killed us all, we were without water.” He shakes his head.
“I’m betting they just wanted a safe place to lay low and something to drink,” I defend, crossing my arms. “What happened to them?” I demand.
He looks away nervously. “The guards got here first. I didn’t see, I was just called in to fix it.”
“But?” I press.
“I saw them dragging the bodies away for burning,” he admits and steps into the building, effectively ending that conversation.
Anger flares within me. These people have no clue how to survive out here and they killed someone for wanting water? It’s true we kill for less, but when we do it, it’s because you have stolen or pissed us off. You know what to expect out there, but in Paradise it should be civilized, yet they just hide that bloodlust under a veil of civilisation.
I step in behind him, with Dray on my heels, and then I look around in shock. Even their water station is high tech. No wonder they don’t understand how to function outside of Paradise. The room is split in two, and there is a wall and a door hiding the other half. Metal stairs lead up to platforms hanging over what I can only assume is the water pump. Other than the fact it takes up a lot of room and goes into the floor, I couldn’t begin to explain what it is, but Jason seems comfortable.
He moves around it as we linger near the doorway, but when he doesn’t come back or speak, I get bored and decide to investigate. Walking over to the other door, I open it and stick my head in. I blink at what I see and step into the room, whistling as I look around. It looks like a changing room for workers with lockers on the back wall, benches running down the middle, mirrors on the closet wall, and a toilet stall and shower stall in the corner. I head that way, sticking my head around the curtain to see a wide, white shower stall. I wonder if it works? Maybe I’m becoming pampered, because I would love to shower off all this blood, sweat, and grime.
“It still works,” Jason calls happily, and I look back to see Dray with his arms crossed waiting in the corner of the room, and Jason at the doorway.
“Good, my people can shower here if they wish.”
Jason fidgets and I sigh. “What?”
“There might not be enough water for that.” He shrugs.
“They won’t all shower anyway, most believe the blood from battle should stay on their skin as a warning, and being too clean would make them seem like pale faces.” I grin and Dray barks out a laugh.
“Oh, erm, okay. Anyway, we have some containers for storing water in emergencies here. I will fill them and we can take them back to camp,” he suggests, looking between Dray and me, waiting for instructions. “Do it.” I look at Dray then. “Stay with him, I will go get some people to carry them back.”
Jason nods and rushes away to do as he was told. I move to the door, but a grinning Dray blocks it as he looks down at me. In the harsh, white lighting, the cut brand on his chest stands out, and I find myself leaning forward and idly tracing it with my fingers. “Guess we can have another shower party, soulmate,” he growls, and I shiver at the need in his voice.
“You’ll have to wait until we get the water to camp,” I counter, wishing I could just shut the door and jump him. I still have the excitement from battle coursing through me and I need to take it out on him.
“Be fast,” he purrs, leaning towards me.
I move past him, purposely brushing my breasts against his arm, making him growl as I saunter away. I move to camp quickly, and grab Bern and Erik and a few other Berserkers. They follow me back, whistling at the water pump. Erik and a Berserker grab one of the huge containers of water, hefting it between them as they take it back. Jason takes the other with another Berserker, while Bern grabs one by himself and doesn’t even seem to strain as he leaves.
“Bern, distract Doc for me, will you?” I call from the doorway.
He looks back at me with a grin, his eyes darting behind me before he nods. “Have fun, Ma Queen,” he yells, trudging away.
I shut the main door to the pump room and look back to see Dray lingering, his eyes locked on me like I’m his prey. Grinning, I wander past him, stripping as I go. My clothes drop to the floor before I step into the cubicle, then I throw my sword holsters over the curtain rail and flick on the water. It spurts from the showerhead, cold at first, but by the time the curtain draws back it is heating up. Ducking my head under, I slick back my hair and turn to face Dray.
The water washing down the white shower drain is pink as blood flakes fall from my body. Dray seems to take up the whole entrance, his muscles bulging as he watches me, his clothes having been lost on the way here apart from his blades that he always keeps across his chest. “You were magnificent down there, soulmate,” he growls, his eyes ice-cold and wild. “I wanted to throw you into the wall and fuck you in front of everyone, just to let them know you are mine.”
I arch my eyebrow at him. “Don’t you mean that you’re mine?”
“That too.” He smirks, stepping into the stall and backing me against the wall.
“You could now,” I offer, my pussy already wet from him getting rough with me. He growls as the leash he has on his control snaps.
He leans down, grabs my thigh, and throws me into the shower wall. I grunt at the impact and he uses that to push his tongue into my mouth, battling it with mine. He pins me there, pressing his thigh against my bare pussy as he grips my face and devours my mouth. I moan and he swallows it down as I move against his leg, needing the pressure. He bites my lower lip in punishment, so hard that I taste blood, which only seems to drive him wild.
He pushes me back against the wall again, making me grunt as he moves his leg and his hand replaces it. Moaning
into his mouth again, the pain from my bruised lip mixing with my pleasure, I push into his hand as he cups me. He pulls back slightly, panting as he stares at me. “So fucking wet, soulmate, you drive me crazy.”
“Fuck me already,” I demand, making him smirk.
He pushes my head to the side and kisses down my neck as he strokes my pussy, his fingers running along my wet heat before he pushes two thick fingers inside of me, making me gasp again. The bite of pain only has me trying to ride his fingers harder. He knows exactly how to play my body. Slowly, Dray pulls them out, curling and dragging them along my nerves inside before pushing them back in, fucking me quickly with his fingers as he bites down on my neck. Throwing my head back, I reach out and grip his hair, holding him to me.
“Dray,” I warn.
He doesn’t reply, but his thumb starts to rub circles on my clit before pressing down hard. My eyes close in bliss and I raise my hips to meet his fingers, riding them shamelessly as I chase my orgasm, which I can feel building. My stomach tightens, my pussy pulses, and before I know it I’m coming so hard my eyes actually blacken for a moment. Before I even recover, he pulls away, grabs my weak thighs, lines up, and slams inside of me.
I almost scream, my pussy still clenching hard around his cock from aftershocks as he forces me to take his length. He doesn’t give me time to adjust before he pulls out and slams back in. He reaches around me, placing his hand between the back of my head and the wall, and continues to drive into me. Lifting my hips to meet his thrusts, I cross my ankles and kick at his ass to make him fuck me faster, harder.
The slap of our bodies meeting, and our grunts and pants fill the air over the sound of the running water, the spray hitting Dray’s back.
“Harder,” I demand, kicking him with my heels again.
He growls at me, his teeth flashing as he grips my hip with his other hand, his fingers digging in painfully, and starts to hammer into me for real. Fucking me ruthlessly.
“Yes, yes, yes,” I chant, the edge of pain and pleasure already building back up for another orgasm.
“Soulmate,” he snarls, and I snap my eyes open, locking my gaze with his, and he bends his head down and sucks my nipple into his mouth.
Groaning, I tighten my pussy around him and he grumbles against my nipple, only making me gasp again. He twists his hip at the end of every thrust, catching those nerves inside of me, and when he bites down hard on my nipple, I come apart around him, my pussy milking his cock as he explodes with a growl.
We sag against the wall, both of us breathing hard and covered in sweat, but satisfied. “Fuck, I’m going to be sore tomorrow,” I admit.
“Yes, but it was worth it,” he replies, with that smirk tipping up his lips that drives me crazy.
I grin back, cupping his cheeks, and he leans into the touch, closing his eyes. “Who knew this is where we would be? So much has changed, it feels like so long ago when I saw you in The Ring, or even when we fought under the stars before I left.”
He opens his eyes, peering at me intently. “I was always yours, even then, I was just letting you come to terms with it.”
I laugh. I can’t help it as I trace the scar on his face, proof of the warrior he is. “Well, I guess I did.”
“‘Bout time too.” He winks.
“Come on, we better get washed up before Jason comes back and scolds us for wasting water.” I wiggle in his grip and he slides out of me, making both of us groan before he drops me to the floor. My legs are weak and I nearly collapse, but he wraps his arm around my waist and brings me to his chest, before turning us so the water is washing over us both. “I love how you are so strong in front of everyone else, but with me you show weakness,” he whispers, before leaning down and kissing me gently. He sucks my damaged lip into his mouth before pulling back and kissing it better.
I peer up at him, unable to help myself. “You tell anyone and I’ll slit your throat.”
He laughs and turns me in his arms, whispering into my ear, “I wouldn’t expect anything less, soulmate.”
I grumble but let him wash my body, his fingers insistent and methodical as he wipes away all traces of battle and sex before I turn and do the same to him. There is even some soap left in the shower and we luxuriate in it, never taking anything for granted—just one of the things I learned out here. I flick off the water, not wanting to waste too much, and step out. Dray finds two towels and we dry off quickly before dressing, ready to return to our people and whatever problems are waiting.
I head to the main doorway, but he catches me around my waist and spins me. I stumble into his chest and he presses his lips to mine, devouring my mouth again before pulling away. “I love you. I gotta keep saying it, never know when it might be the last.”
“I love you too, crazy,” I reply, and he kisses me again before letting me go.
Luckily the door doesn’t require scanning to get out, so I swing it open.
Feeling more relaxed as I step out, I stop when I see a pissed looking Evan waiting on the other side. His eyes drop to my arm and I follow his gaze to see it bleeding again. He throws his hands in the air. “Fucking idiot, you ripped the cut again! Back in, we have to wash it and dress it,” he orders, pushing past a smirking Dray and me.
“Yes, soulmate, you ripped it again,” he teases.
I groan and head back inside. Sands below, can’t a girl catch a break?
“And I’m not even going to ask what happened to your lip!” Evan shouts, making Dray and me snigger.
Savages and Dwellers
After Evan patches me up, again, we head back to the camp, which is set up nicely. Tents in an array of colours block the middle and some of the ends of the tunnel, and you have to pass through the bike barricade on either side to get through. It’s as safe as we are going to get.
I leave Dray talking to the Seekers as Evan and I weave through the camp. I don’t bother stopping in the middle with the pale faces or dwellers, as I have started to call them. They throw us looks of unease and it’s clear they are hoping we will leave them alone. I understand. In the space of a day, they have been attacked, herded, forced from their homes, and are now setting up camp with ‘savages,’ so I leave them be.
You can see the obvious difference as you pass through the camps. The Seekers are almost silent, working diligently, their eyes sharp. The dwellers are cringing and huddling together, struggling to even get a tent up, and then you pass into the Berserker camp. Laughter and loud voices rings out, and you can smell blood and cooking meat. They might not have tents, but they don’t care. Packs, weapons, and more are spread out with some men already asleep. Two men are fighting in the middle of a circle of cheering men, who are watching and calling encouragements. They are half naked, with blood running from cuts and bust lips, and sweat shining on their bodies.
Long honour braids fly in the wind as men tangle and tease, and they laugh and joke…it feels like home and it feels right. A smile curls up at my lips as I take it all in. They have firepits ready to light at dark, and the bikes are positioned with spears on top with men waiting there as patrols. A tent is pressed to the wall of the building and tucked away to the side, surrounded by men, obviously for me. They’ve found crates, pressed them together, turned them upside down, and made tables where some men are drinking and gambling.
A thump and a cheer goes up, and I turn to see one of the fighters on the ground and he isn’t getting back up, the other fighter leans down, cuts off his braid, and throws it away, cheering as he faces the crowd. He stops when he sees me, his chest heaving, blood pouring from his split lip, and his brown eyes dark and excited. His long braid is thrown over one shoulder, his thick thighs are encased in leather pants laced at the side, and big ass boots cover his feet.
“What says you, Champion?” he calls, daring me, challenging me.
The crowd stirs, looking from him to me, as excitement and nerves courses through their midst. I can hear the unspoken question—will I fight? This is who we are, we meas
ure ourselves up, keep each other sharp, and move up the pecking order by fighting. We solve our issues that way, and through this challenge, they are asking me if I am really still a Berserker. I unbuckle my holsters with a smirk and pass them to Evan before moving forward.
A cheer goes up as I step over the crudely drawn circle in the sand, and the fighter grins, nodding at me in respect before marching to the other side. We size each other up as I crack my neck from side to side and widen my stance. Adrenaline pumps through me. Once, I was forced to fight for my life, but I’m choosing to now. I won the crown, but I need to prove to them that I deserve it. That I am one of them. Even when I hated it, I couldn’t deny I was. I have always been a Berserker through and through.
He jerks his head, throwing his braid over his shoulder, and crouches slightly, his hands held in front of him. “No weapons, first blood,” I call.
He nods. “Your blood, unless you get ya hands dirty, Ya Majesty,” he taunts. Laughter goes through the crowd.
“You talk too much,” I counter, as I push off and sprint at him, giving him no warning. I leap off the ground and jump him. My legs wrap around his neck and I fall backwards, bringing him with me before I let go and roll away, grinning at him as dust and dirt covers my back and side. My breathing picks up and bloodlust surges through me. He flips to the side, licking his bust lip, and returns the grin.
We circle each other, moving in and out looking for openings, each scanning for weaknesses. He’s a hard hitter, so I can’t let him get a hold of me or it’s over. I need to be fast and smart. He feigns left, testing me, before darting right, his fist coming at my side. I move out of the way into a roll, shifting into him instead of away, and before he can block, I uppercut his family jewels and dance away. He groans, dropping to his knees with a wheeze before getting to his feet, his eyes pained and strained. I don’t bother taking a cheap shot while he is down and end it, because I want this to be fair. I want them to see what I’m made of, what Ivar created—his downfall.