by K. A Knight
“You are all fucking crazy, you know that right?” Evan yells, looking at us in the mirror.
“Stop being such a pussy, a fight is good for the soul,” Thorn rumbles next to me. Maxen is sprawled in the boot fast asleep and the others are in the other car, keeping an eye on the guards for me.
Vasilisy grunts. “We splitting them evenly, little queen, or are we seeing who can kill more?”
I pretend to think about it as Evan gapes in horror at us. “Hmm, I think we should let Dagny burn at least one of the little bastards with his toy, but the rest are a free for all.”
Evan sputters even as Vasilisy hums his agreement. “I can agree to that. May the best Berserker win.”
“They should be just up ahead.” Dagny jerks his chin at the road.
Nodding, I grab my sword. “Okay, pull over Doc, we don’t want to let them know we are coming.”
Slowly, he pulls over to the side and turns to face me, his face ashen. “We don’t have to do this, we could walk away.”
“And why would I do that? We look out for each other, or we are no better than the cannibals. Plus, I can try out my new toys.” Winking at him I turn to Thorn who smiles at me with blood lust flaring in his eyes
“Time to have some fun, big guy.”
We slip out of the car and I stretch, cracking my neck as the other car comes to a stop next to us. Quickly my men surround me with now alert looking Maxen at my back.
“Drax, you hang back and pick off any runners. Jax you are with me. Maxen and Thorn together, and Vasilisy and Dagny,” I declare.
“The others?” Maxen rumbles.
“They are a liability. Half go left, the others go right. Circle around, I want none to escape.”
The excitement on my face is mirrored on my guys’ as we slip silently across the heated sand. Up ahead are the remains of a building. The stone crumbled and broken. It offers no coverage and if I were the scavs I would camp behind it rather than in it. So, we circle the building. My men with me.
Once I reach the corner, I peer around to see the scavs right where I thought they would be. I do a quick count and duck back around to face the others.
“Ten in the camp, probably two on patrol. Cherry is tied to an old well in the middle. They have swords and shooters but no guns. Hit ‘em fast and hard.”
They all nod at me and I duck back around the corner, careful to not let the scavs notice me yet. I spot Vasilisy doing the same at the other corner and I hold up my fingers in a countdown.
When I reach one, we all burst from behind the building, Vasilisy letting out an animalistic roar that startles all the scavs as they desperately grab weapons.
Arrows fly past us as Drax picks some of them off from his vantage spot outside of the camp. Leaping over packs with both swords in the air, I land on a scav, skewering him as he screams.
Using the momentum I roll away, dragging my sword out of his body and leaving a trail of blood behind. I roll to my knees in time to block a swing from an axe descending from a ginger scav, his mouth open in a silent scream. Using both swords in a crossed position, I push the axe up until he is forced to retreat. Getting to my feet I wait for him to come at me again, and he doesn’t disappoint. Yelling, he heaves the axe back, but the weapon is too big for him and slows him down, allowing me time to drop my swords and grab two small knives, sliding, I cut him in a figure eight shape. Panting, I spin and throw both knives, one at a scav trying to sneak up on me and one at a scav fighting Vasilisy.
Grinning when he looks disgruntled, I hold up my hand with four fingers. Jumping back up I grab my swords and look around at the carnage. Blood is staining the sand as scavs die with tears and snot dripping down their faces. Only one is left and he is standing with a knife to Cherry’s sobbing throat as Dagny paces before him.
Only one body is littered near Vasilisy, the other four surround my men, making me heat up at how fucking amazing they are.
“You even accidently cut her, and I will cut off your toes one by one,” Dagny calls to the scav. Strolling towards them, I stop at a safe distance and start cleaning my blades.
“I would listen to him, he’s a little crazy and that’s his woman,” I say casually, as I sheathe my swords.
The scav looks around as everyone surrounds my back. His panic is palpable and sweat drips down his face. An idea comes into my head and I have to bite my lip to hide my evil smile, even as my hand inches to where the whip is wound around my arm. I wait until he looks at Maxen and I move as quickly as I can. Flicking the whip out, I knock the blade from his hand and cause him to stumble back.
Dagny uses this opening and rushes forward, cocking his fist back and punching him. Cherry cries and flings herself at him. A chest pushes against my back and I lean into it automatically. With his arm around Cherry, Dagny walks towards me.
“Thank you,” Dagny says. I nod and he cups Cherry’s face. “You’re okay. I will always come for you,” he says softly, the love clear to see on his face. I go to shout a warning as the man who Dagny punched starts to get up, but Vasilisy is already there, swinging an axe and chopping through the man’s neck. Cherry screams and huddles closer to Dagny.
With blood still dripping down the axe, Vasilisy grins at me and holds up two fingers. I snort out a laugh and turn to the lovebirds.
“Need a lift anywhere?” I ask.
Looking around Dagny turns back to me. “No, thanks for your help, but we will take one of the bikes.” Turning back to Cherry he cups her tear and makeup stained face and brings their lips together. Feeling weird watching them, I turn to my men.
“Let’s leave them to it. Oh–” turning to Vasilisy I wink, “I win.”
New Friends and Old Enemies
Feeling pleased with myself, we quickly head back to the cars and jump in. We have had enough distractions, we need to get back on the road and to The Summit before Dray goes mental. The assassin pops back up and slouches in his spot in the front of the car.
“Nice of you to help us,” I say, rolling my eyes. He doesn’t even bother looking at me as he answers.
“I was curious how you would handle it.”
Sands below, he’s a fucking asshat.
“I’ll admit, I can understand the fascination. You’re a good fighter, and an even better one for a woman, but you are sentimental and that makes you weak.” He yawns mid-sentence.
My eyes narrow on him and before he can react, I have a knife at his throat. “Do not ever mistake my kindness for weakness. I would just have soon slit their throats if they came at me or hurt my men. Just like I will do for you, Dray’s man or not,” I warn, my voice deadly.
Grinning at the shock in his eyes from me getting the drop on him, I lean back between Maxen and Thorn. “I will forget you said anything.”
“What, not going to run to Dray to say I was being mean?” he mocks, but I sense a genuine curiosity underneath.
“If I have a problem, I solve it myself. Same goes if I need to teach someone a lesson.”
He says nothing more but the tension in the car is high, and when I drop my hand on Maxen’s thigh I can feel the steel underneath and the anger radiating from his body, almost vibrating.
We spend the rest of the journey in silence and before I know it, I spot The Ring up ahead. I direct Doc to park and then sit for a moment to compose myself. Heaving a sigh, I slip from the car on Thorn’s heels. Maxen grabs my hand at the last minute and kisses my knuckles.
“You got this, Mi Alma, and we got your back.” He winks, and slips out his door. In shock, I turn my hand over to see he slipped me a tiny metal spike that looks decorative, but when I prick the end, blood wells on my finger. Smiling, I slip it into my hair and close the car door.
With my men spread out behind me, I stroll to The Ring like I have no care in the world. Cars, bikes, and other transports litter the front entrance like a jigsaw puzzle, and the guards have doubled and it’s obvious they are nervous. The tension rides the air with so many warriors and leade
rs in the house. When I reach the gates, I look up and prepare myself for The Summit.
Sands below, I hope we don’t kill each other before we kill Ivar.
The guards let me in with no hesitation this time, but they do offer Doc and his men a wary look. They scream outsider and by their wide-eyed shocked looks, it is obvious they don’t belong here. Just another issue to add to my long list to deal with.
Walking through the gates like I own them, I let the guards and hangers from other clans see I am not afraid. Weakness here would be fatal and used against me quicker than my knife. Making my way through the zoo with my men, Dr. Perfect Face’s men, and not to mention the assassin in tow, creates quite the stir. Scavs and roadies stop what they are doing to watch and when the assassin drops back a step to let me walk first, a sign of respect, some even openly gape. When I look into his eyes, I see the calculation, and I know he didn’t step back out of actual respect for me, more respect for his leader. Not that it bothers me, he just showed the whole Summit he fears me, which will make them hesitate, and coupled with my reputation it might mean we don’t get attacked...as much.
By the time we make it to the building––which holds Major’s office and the meeting rooms I am guessing The Summit will be held in––nearly every free scav/roadie or assassin is trailing us like some fucking puppies with nothing better to do. At the top of the stairs are two of Major’s enforcers, blocking the doorway like fucking royalty is hiding inside. I don’t let myself hesitate, telling myself I belong here, I stride up the stone steps and when they don’t stop me, I slip through the two big wooden doors. My men follow me, and I let Dr Perfect Face and his men in before the doors shut behind me with a resounding bang.
“It’s about fucking time, it was starting to get boring,” comes a deep honeyed voice from behind me.
Turning, I meet the cold eyes of Dray, my soulmate as he told me. He has his usual swords strapped across his chest and if possible, his scar on his face stands out more. There’s always something so lethal, so predatory about him. Like a wild animal ready to pounce, and if the lust and anger in his eyes are anything to go by, he actually might. I don’t know what the fuck is going on between us, but even I can see he has come dressed to kill today and not in a fashion sense. Nearly every inch of his body is covered in blades and he strokes them absentmindedly like you would a cock.
I stand stock still as he prowls towards me, but I do drop my legs wide just in case he decides to attack. Like I said, you never know. I don’t think he would kill me, not really, but I am probably the only person that he won’t kill.
“What took you so long?” he asks as he stops before me, ignoring everyone else like they don’t matter, and to him I guess they don’t.
Shrugging, I grin at him and play down what happened. “Ran into some trouble with pale faces.” The word slips out and I hear Vasilisy laugh behind me as Dr Perfect Face grunts.
“Do I need to kill any of these people?” He reaches out a scarred finger and runs it across my face in a caress like we are discussing what to eat, not who to kill.
“If I wanted them dead, I would kill them myself,” I remind him, as his finger stops at my lips. I watch the anger in his eyes morph into bloodlust and I know he is thinking about the last time we were alone together. I fight the need to fidget even as desire blooms in my chest, one day the two of us are going to implode, and I am not sure either of us would come out of that alive.
“True, why the Berserker? Keeping slaves?” He steps closer and whispers the last part to me as his bottom half pushes into mine. The cool steel of his blades seeps through my clothes and into my skin, even as I feel the proof of his need pushing against me.
“Not my style, he does serve a purpose though. Would it not be better if I am addressing the whole Summit rather than just you?” I ask, and blinking I realise my hand is against his bare chest. The steady thumping of his heart pulsating through my hand.
“Always so full of secrets, fine. The others have been waiting, though not patiently.”
“Dra–” The last of the sentence finishes in a muffled shout as Dray––who was in front of me one second basically eye fucking me––disappears and suddenly has the man who dared talk pinned against the wall.
I can’t help but lick my lips at the display. He is effortlessly holding the assassin by his throat meters above the ground. The sight of his back bulging and the feral barely leashed violence thrumming through him turns me on in the strangest fucking way, I have just given up trying to fight it. Not that I will ever let him know that!
“Dr-dray,” the assassin manages to gasp out, I don’t see him struggle though, more like he is just trying to remind him of who he is. Rolling my eyes, I decide to step in, really a mad move on my part but it’s not like we have a lot of time to play dick measuring games, even if those games do have me all hot and bothered, and imagining him pinning me to a wall like that.
Approaching him like I would a cannibal, I circle to the side, if I had bothered to touch his back he would have attacked me too, and rightly so. You never sneak up on a wild animal.
“Dray,” I demand. He ignores me, but I do see his lips twitch.
Leaning against the wall next to the dying assassin, I play bored and look at him. “Really? I came all this way and you are going to make me stand here as you kill this asshole?”
His cold eyes flick to mine, as he seems to forget about the assassin suffocating in his hands. “Am I boring you?” he asks, his voice even lower than normal and I see his wildness dancing in his eyes. I need to tread carefully.
“No, but it got your attention didn’t it? Now, as much as I would love to watch you choke him to death, and I mean really, I would. We have things to do and I don’t imagine you are going to let me walk into the lion’s den without you at my back, are you?”
With his eyes still on me, he drops the assassin to the floor where he crumbles gasping for air, his face turning back to a normal colour. I arch my eyebrow at Dray and he grins at me, that evil fucking smile. “He interrupted my time with you, he won’t do that again,” he says casually.
“Who tames the beast, shall walk with grace and bravery,” comes a loud booming voice from behind Dray, one that I recognise well, even if I didn’t recognise the crazy in it. Priest.
Stepping away from the wall, Dray falls into my side ready to protect me if necessary, although I am betting he would see what I chose to do first.
“Priest.” I nod at the man who is standing in the middle of the corridor. He looks small compared to all the big, crazed warriors in here, especially my men who, throughout Dray and I’s fight, have been quiet but now they step up to my back. Offering their support, and if I need it, their weapons.
His short black, wavy hair is still styled to perfection and he’s clean shaven. He has his priest’s robes on but I spot some blood splattered near the collar, which seems to make the threat of him so much worse. For something to be out of place with him, it must have been bad. I look from him to Dray; the differences are crazy. You can almost feel the power and deadly intent leaking from Dray, and his body is a weapon… Priest? He’s controlled, small, and perfect. Yet, I can still feel something out of place with him and those eyes still give me the creeps.
That calculating gleam in his gaze has me standing taller, and when his smooth cultured voice comes again, everyone pays attention. “I see you made it back alive, I am betting we have much to talk about.”
“You could say that,” I grit out, my anger at him for knowing my father returning. A man in a hooded robe steps up behind him. He is easily double Priest’s height and weight, compared to this mountain Priest looks like a child.
“My lord,” his voice is rough and damaged, but Priest holds up his hand to silence him. The man instantly steps back and bows his head, and not for the first time I wonder how he has this much power over his people. They fear him, but they also worship him. Why?
“I can feel your anger, Champion. I did tell you
to be careful on the roads, did I not?” he says idly, and when he looks down and spots the blood on his shirt he grimaces. Holding out a hand to his man, he waits patiently as the man offers over a cloth. When he dabs at the blood, which is fresh, and smears it, he makes a disgruntled noise and glares at the offending spot. If I was that drop, I would be running the other way from this crazy train of a man. Holding up the stained cloth between two fingers with a disgusted look, he waits for the man to take it before looking back at me.
“Now, why don’t you tell me why you have a look in your eyes that says you would very much like to hurt me?” he asks casually, but underneath that is a warning, one that has Dray and my men moving not closer, but further apart. So, we have room to fight if need be.
“The man, the one who saved your wife, the one you tried to warn me about. You knew, you knew he was hiding down there. You knew Paradise was real,” I say quietly, my tone deadly. It’s not what I really want to say, but I can’t go around declaring he is my father or people would try to use him to get to me, or the other way around. No, my anger is there but I can’t admit to why without starting another war, one that I won’t have a chance of fighting.
“I see, I also see his men here with you now. It all seemed to work out for the best, did it not?” Priest says, arching a perfectly shaped black brow at me.
Grinding my teeth together, I crack my neck from side to side trying my hardest not to jump at him and try to shake the crazy out of him. The mountain at his back must sense the threat because he steps around Priest to face me.
“No,” Priest declares, holding his hand up to stop the man.
The man hesitates but when my hand drops to my knife, just in case, he roars and throws his hood back. Revealing a mangled and scarred face. I don’t get chance to check him out before he is flying at me, righteous anger twisting his monstrous face and his fist aimed at my head.