Rage of Winter

by Sam Herrera

“That thing is so weird,” she remarked as she rested her forearms on the rocky rim, the tips of her red locks waving in the water. I looked down at my metal hand and nodded. “How does this warning thing you’ve got work?” she asked.

  “My hand emits an electric shock all the way up my arm the instant there’s any threat. When I feel that, I warn you.” We all looked at it, at its silvery shimmer, the way the dark metal contrasted with the white skin of my arm. I smiled and sniffed, seeing their glued eyes.

  “Are you in love with Chloe?” I asked suddenly. I felt Abby’s startled, slightly freaked stare on the back of my neck. She, I knew, had never felt entirely at ease with her (sort of) aunt’s sexuality. And we were all bare-assed in the water here… But I was just fine with it. Each to their own.

  “Yes, I am,” Kristen nodded. “Where the hell has she gone?” she whispered, more to herself than to us. Chloe had been missing for close to a year now and no one, not even Kyle, could tell us where she was, when she’d be back or anything. Where was she?

  “I’m in love too.”

  “Caleb?” she nodded smiling.

  “Yeah.” I thought for a while. To hell with it. “I’m going to marry him.”

  “Yeah?” Abby said.

  “Yeah,” I beamed, turning to her.

  “Wow.” I colored slightly as she hugged me around the neck, feeling Kristen’s joyful smile on my back.

  “Y’know, he might get second thoughts.”

  “He won’t,” Abby grinned. “If he does, he’s a damn fool. I already consider you family.”

  “Well, you did just bump tits with me.” All three of us burst out laughing.

  *

  “Dad?” He looked up from putting his gun away, surprised by the title and the fact I was talking to him at all.

  “Yyyes?”

  “Can I have a word?” I felt his puzzled eyes on my back as we walked out and sought somewhere private.

  “Well?” he frowned impatiently.

  “I know about you and Ethan.”

  “Uh, huh?”

  “Is that it? Is that why you never let me in?” Whatever remained of the arrogant New York elitist left him and he sat on a ledge, his forearms on his knees.

  “Partly,” he admitted. “When I first saw you, you reminded me of him. Not in looks,” he protested, smiling at my indignant face, “in personality. I saw you in the midwife’s arms and you looked so strange, so different. I could tell, even then, you were going to be different. Then, as you grew up, you became like him: always reading and learning.”

  “And you thought I would desert you just as he did?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Andy?”

  “Andy was just like me: normal, and outgoing, and everything. It was easier with him to forget the past.” I understood. That wasn’t to say I condoned, but I understood.

  “What do you think of Caleb?” I asked, sitting beside him.

  “What about him?” Fuck’ssssake. Really?!

  “He’s my boyfriend,” I snapped, scowling.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yes. We’re getting married.” There was a long silence while he slowly digested this.

  “Married?”

  “Yes, married.”

  “Well, congratulations.”

  “Thank you,” I nodded, sighing, accepting that was as good as it was ever going to get.

  KYLE

  “Can I have a word?” Ron asked, coming to greet us as we landed. I frowned. We were all having a good time and so was I, the boys’ good humor infectious, and now this dick was here, looking grim as hell.

  “What’s going on?” I frowned, seeing Kristen and Abby come up behind him.

  “I need you to come with us, please.” David and I exchanged puzzled looks. With him and the girls leading, we passed the main cavern..

  “Oh, sssshit,” I muttered, looking in and seeing the place was mostly empty.

  “What the hell’s happened? Where is everyone?” David demanded. Ron lowered his gaze, his jaw tight, but said nothing, just led on. My dread deepened as I saw a series of boxes had been moved out of storage and placed in stacks out here. Oh, my God, there are bodies in there. There were bodies in there alright; live ones.

  “You bastards,” I grinned, seeing Richard standing with his back to the wall, dog collar and everything, with Caleb waiting there. Kristen, Abby and I joined the crowd with David, Snow, Chong, Ethan and Sam just behind us, and we sucked in a collective breath at the sight of Mara coming in. God. Damn. She. Was. Stunning. There was simply no other way to describe her. She was dressed simply: in a white, collared blouse with red roses artfully braided into her hair and tucked behind one ear, perfectly matching her coral eyes, now shining with happiness. I remembered the last time I had seen her smile like that. It had been the time when we had gone into space. She’d slowly lowered her trembling hands into her lap and had gazed, enraptured, at the stars and planets before her. That same radiant glow was in her eyes now. She’s happy, truly happy.

  “My God!” I whispered, feeling choked up, as she, with her free arm, slipped two rings into the palm of David’s hand. With her on his arm, the two walked up the aisle. I grinned and waved at an equally beaming Caleb, waiting at the end of it. The tearful in-law officially gave the bride away and took a seat.

  MARA

  “Dearly beloved,” Richard began, “we are gathered here to celebrate the union of Caleb Alexander Grey and Mara Christine Hale…”

  “I love you,” I saw Caleb mouth just before we finally came to the “I dos.

  “I do,” he beamed.

  “I do,” I grinned, my heart full to bursting. We passionately kissed and the crowd went wild, clapping and whistling for all they were worth. As it turned out, we couldn’t have picked a better time: the raiders were being welcomed back in the best way possible: an invite to a wedding. All the food and drink they’d managed to steal was flung carelessly all across the tables and to hell with rationing. Everyone suddenly came to life and spun each other all around the cave. Father and Ethan picked up their flute and voice box thing to get some tunes going and the party began in earnest. They were damn good. Brilliant, in fact. They tuned a whole variety of slow U2 songs: ‘So Cruel’, ‘Bad’ and ‘Running to Stand Still.’ They sounded all of them from memory and kept in perfect timing with the beat. I had a turn on the dance floor with everyone, ending on a spin with David.

  “Hi.”

  I smiled. “Hi.”

  “Welcome to the family.”

  “Thanks,” I grinned as I twirled under his arm, seeing that he meant it. He loved me, almost as much as his son did. Over his shoulder, I looked at Kyle who gave me a wave and a glowing smile.

  “May I cut in?” he asked, coming over after a while. David nodded and went off to give Abby a twirl.

  “Hi, how’s the bride?”

  “I’m great,” I told him. “I’m…I just can’t believe it.”

  “Believe it, Mrs. Grey, ‘cause it’s happenin.’ I’m happy for ya; he’s a good kid.” I looked at my flying teacher/ self-defence teacher/ father I’d never had and spoke from my heart.

  “I love you, Kyle.”

  “I love you too,” he smiled, kissing my forehead. It occurred to me then that I had never told him before. I leaned my head on his shoulder as we continued our slow waltz around and around the cavern.

  “Mara.”

  “Um?”

  “What are you still doing here?”

  “Oh, okay,” I grinned. “Enjoy the dancing,” I added, disentangling myself from him and making my way over to Caleb. “May I cut in?” I asked Abby. Smiling knowingly, she moved aside.

  “Enjoy the fucking,” Kyle hollered aloud after us.

  “God!” I growled, my face flaming. But Caleb was laughing his head off as I dragged him
away, thunderous applause ringing in our ears.

  “Oh my God,” I sniggered as I turned to face him.

  “Your kinda guy, huh? Great role model.” I sniffed and smiled, shaking my head. I looked around the cave that had been chosen for our honeymoon. It was the bathing chamber, decorated with flowers and rose-colored curtains for privacy. I looked down at the steaming water, dotted with petals floating on the surface. My eyes glazed over as he looped his arms around my waist, pressing his cheek to mine, and began nibbling on my right earlobe. I grinned uncontrollably as I spun on my heel and kissed him full on the mouth. He groaned as our tongues jousted and my hands ran through his thick curls.

  “Take off your clothes,” he whispered into my ear, nuzzling my cheek. I sighed, torn between hating to be out of his arms for even a second and eagerness to rip them off. I didn’t exactly rip them, but I stripped quickly with no teasing or anything. My overalls hit the floor, then my bra and panties. I stood before him, my head held high, my arms by my sides and my eyes squarely meeting his. The nervousness I had expected to feel was nowhere; I felt free and proud and, as his eyes roamed over every inch of me, electrified. He gently put his arms on my shoulders and then suddenly pushed me into the water on my back. Laughing, I backstroked and watched as he stripped too. I felt a tingle, low in my belly, seeing his tall, lithe, rake-thin frame with its tanned skin, well-defined pecs, muscular arms and the ‘V’ between his narrow hips. My gaze lowered and my smile broadened as he warmed up, his toes curling on the pool’s rim. He speared the water in a perfect dive and surfaced, his black curls plastered to his head and his eyes shooting sapphire flames. I swam over to him so we were nose-to-nose, looking into each other’s eyes. We kissed, soft and deep, and then touched foreheads, closing our eyes.

  “I love you, wife,” he whispered.

  “I love you, husband.” He held me as we stood on the stone floor of the pool, his hands roaming me just as his eyes had.

  “Ah!” I gasped as he pulled back slightly, his hand disappearing between my legs, causing my entire body to move in tandem with his gently stroking finger. “Take me,” I gasped as I flung all my limbs around him. He took his finger away, and entered me, moving in sync with me in a dance as old as time itself.

  “Ahhh!” I screamed, arching my neck and back, my entire body soaked in sweat as well as water, and feeling like my head was going to explode. We reached the grand culmination, and oh, it was grand, together. I lay in his arms, limp and boneless. He pulled back to gaze at me in wonder.

  “You’re a miracle.” I grinned and shook my head. “You are,” he insisted. “When I’m with you, I feel…whole.” He got out, water dripping off his toned body and offered a hand. I took it and we stepped out together, soaking the floor around us. I thought of Adam and Eve. He took me in his arms and laid me gently on the cold stone. He kissed me. He licked all around the hollow of my throat, moved from sucking both my erect nipples to my stomach, to my aching center. I spread my legs as wide as they would go before his questing tongue.

  “Please! I need you there,” I gasped. He ate me with nipping teeth and flickering tongue. I thrust upwards against him, grinding and gasping. I screamed as the second orgasm rent me. “Ho-ly. Fuck,” I gasped.

  “Hmm, you’re coming like crazy,” he smiled, pulling back.

  “I’d come even harder with you inside me,” I told him.

  “But, of course,” he grinned, moving up my body. I flung all my limbs around him and took him to the root, filled to the brim. We came, for the third time, with more ear-splitting screams and roars. Chuckling and glowing, we fell asleep in each other’s arms, utterly spent.

  KYLE

  I came into the corridor, my head lowered, sighing ruefully.

  “Can I have a word, Mrs. Grey?” I had been around several people already. A few, including Kristen, had been up for it and I had been glad to have them onboard. Now I was having to ask Mara.

  “What’s up, Mr. Thayer?” she asked, still grinning and glowing from her wedding night. They’d made enough noise to wake the dead.

  “Just… follow me please.” Frowning worriedly, she followed me into the main cavern. It had been cleared of what was left of the wedding feast to make way for the game. Two goals had been drawn in the walls, facing each other, out of chalk, and Kristen was already bouncing her ball off her knees, chest and forehead.

  “You scared the shit out of me,” Mara grinned.

  “Here comes the bride, ladies and gentleman,” I smiled as I led her to the line. Our contestants were Kristen, David, Caleb, Chong, shit, Andy, Sam and Snow, shit, Abby and now Mara and I. Ethan, as he had an even temperament and couldn’t do anything else due to his foot claws, would be the referee. Kristen and I stood before the lines to pick teams. “Chong,” I picked. He got his head out of Mara’s cleavage long enough to snap to attention and walk over to my team, Caleb’s resentful glare following his every step. Kristen picked next, then it was my turn, then hers again. He silently pleaded with his aunt to pick him. Seeing it, she did. I heaved a sigh, seeing the impressive team she had assembled: Sam, Abby and the happy couple. She was a big challenge by herself, but this…? We were going to get hammered.

  MARA

  I smiled as I stretched my legs for a warm-up. After last night, I hoped I still had the energy. I felt the joints pop.

  “Don’t worry, Coz,” I told my teammate, Abby, as she tied her black curls back in a ponytail, “I got your back.”

  She smiled patronizingly as she walked away to take a defensive position on the left, muttering in an exaggerated Texan accent, “Don’t worry y’all, I got yer bayck. Wanna grab some baloney and beans when y’all are done finishing the gayme?” Snobby, English smartass. I threw her a disparaging look as I got into position on the right. Auntie Kristen, as team captain and lead striker, was very impressive to look at in the deep-red tank that matched her hair and proudly displayed her sinewy arms and broad shoulders. Her shorts clung to, and proudly displayed, her muscular legs like a second skin. She looked like a poster ad for the gym. And, as she was English, she ran the game with different rules than I was used to. To begin with, we weren’t allowed to handle the ball, only kick it, and the goals were weird too, nothing like the huge ‘Hs I’d seen at my old school. I hoped I could focus here. But Caleb, looking absolutely ripped and sexy in his athletic shorts and gray vest, with his lean, powerful legs flexing as he warmed up, was a hell of a distraction. Especially after first-hand experience of just how athletic he was.

  “Mara,” Kristen snapped, forcing my mind out of the bedroom, “I need you to go left.” Shrugging it off, I adjusted in time to block Kyle as he broke through the first line of defence. The ball bounced off my shin, leaving an impressive bruise. Chasing it down, I passed it to Kristen who took it up all the way, her flaming red hair streaming behind her in the ponytail. She almost had it. But Chong, the opposing goalkeeper, dived and caught it. I braced for impact as Dave dodged his son and headed right for me, knowing how fast he was. I heaved a sigh of relief as Kristen, coming back at lightning speed, kicked the ball out from under his feet. I cheered as Caleb and Sam, passing it between them back and forth, scored. Abby’s final blast went clean over Chong’s head to the whoops of all of us. We paused the game to let Cujo and Cuffy dash through: Cujo nipping at Cuffy’s heels, Cuffy yelping pitiful, get-this-psycho-off-me howls. We all laughed at the dogs as they rolled over and over, snapping at each other. They were forever having play fights. When they’d run off, we resumed. Kristen was sent head over heels by Chong, who had then swapped as goalkeeper with Kyle. Asshole! I shot an appealing glare at Ethan who let it slide. Fine, he wants to play rough. I blocked Chong at every turn, buying time for the others to get into position behind me. I smiled triumphantly as he, having no other choice, blasted the ball back to Kyle, well and truly thwarted. My smile broadened as he shot me a filthy look and became a full-on grin as I saw Kyle and Andy co
me on the attack. Time to get beaten by a girl, bro. My smile faded as I saw the two of them break through, passing from one to the other, and make it to the goal with only me in their way. I stood, bouncing on the balls of my feet, in front of Kyle.

  “Ah, shit,” I gasped as the ball brushed my foot on its way to Andy. They scored. On their next try, I was knocked off my feet by Kyle as he made it to the goal, driving the breath out of me. Ethan called it. I watched from my post as Chong, Snow and Dave formed a wall for the free kick.

  “Fuck!” I fumed as they blocked it. The game resumed and Kristen and Caleb raced up the pitch. My mouth watered at the sweat glistening on his tanned limbs. I wanted to lick it off.

  “Oh, shit,” I muttered as I saw Andy, taking advantage, had broken through the first line. I was too late; he scored. Kristen shook her head at me as we moved back into position.

  “You can have another ride on my nephew’s balls later. Right now, I need you focused.” I sighed and nodded, moving back to my post. We lost but only just: 6/5.

  KYLE

  This mission was no mere raid; our target was none other than Emperor Karden himself. David, Caleb, Mara and I sat on the floor of the council chamber, looking down at a blueprint of the statue. Tomorrow was Independence Day, Karden’s birthday, and he would be hosting a party from inside the statue itself. Security would be buzzing everywhere. According to Chloe, who’d suddenly made contact over the Winter’s radio from…wherever she now was, every inch of Liberty Islan— Victory Island was now under an airtight blanket of monitoring from airborne Nighthawks, brand new stealth planes, flying in regular swoops, all around the island. And the OWO army would be out in force; a protective ring thrown around the outside of the statue while, inside, every VIP would have two suited bodyguards shadowing their every step. As for Karden himself, he would have an entire ring of agents watching him all the time and shadowing his every step. He was that paranoid.