by L. A. Boruff
She sat up, and Howie slid his hand down her spine and into the crevice of her bum cheeks. She shivered and looked back at him as he lay beside her.
“One of these days we’ll get around to here and we can take you at the same time.”
“Ouch.” She scrunched her nose surely it would hurt.
“Some women like it, some don’t,” Maddox said. “We can find out easily enough without hurting you.”
“You can? How?”
Howie moved to a kneeling position behind her. “We’ll show you.”
“Only if you want,” Maddox added, picking up a condom.
“Yes.” She nodded, willing to try anything once with them. She trusted them to stop if she didn’t like it.
“Howie?”
“Sir.”
They said nothing more, and a sudden thought made her stomach sour and her throat clench. Now she was being ridiculous. They’d said they liked her, but they’d never said anything more than like. She’d fallen for them, but it didn’t mean they returned it. And whether this was regular gameplay between them before the end of the world had no impact on them doing it with her. Except, for some reason, it did. And she had no idea why.
“Howie.” Maddox’s voice was low, and Howie hugged her from behind as Maddox caught her hands in his. “Lexi. I don’t know what went through your mind, but if you’re unhappy with any of this, tell us. I can’t read minds.”
“Really?” Howie tried lightening the sudden tension. “That’s not what you told us when we were privates.”
“Well, you lot were easy to read.” He snorted and then lifted her hands to his mouth, kissing them. “Lexi, talk to us.”
“I ruined the mood, sorry.”
“You haven’t,” Maddox said. “I’ll be honest with you, Lex, you could talk about gutting a cadaver and I’d get turned on by you.”
“Damn straight,” Howie said. “Your scent will do it for me sometimes.”
“I’m just being stupid, that’s all.”
“Ah.” Maddox caught Howie’s attention over her shoulder, and she saw that silent communication again.
“I’d have been trying to get into your pants from the first moment I met you, despite what the world was like,” Howie murmured.
“Attraction, lust, like, love, they’re peculiar things. Take us four. We went through the whole range to land, and remain, on the last one with you.” Maddox’s tone was low, and he held her gaze, not breaking it.
Her brain short-circuited. Were they declaring what she hoped they were saying? She doubted it. She knew what she wanted to hear, but she also knew if she didn’t hear it, it would gut her. So she relied on the truth.
“I was just wondering how often you two have teamed up like this,” she murmured.
“And you don’t like the thought?” Howie sounded smug. He kissed her shoulder, and putting his hands on her waist, he lifted her to her knees.
“Well, I just… you seemed to know…” She stumbled to a stop as Maddox put a condom onto his still hard cock.
“He’s our sergeant, we’ve been together since finishing basic training. After four tours of duty, we got to know each other well. Facial expressions can sometimes say far more than the tongue,” Howie said.
“It’s none of my business—”
“Yes, it is,” Maddox contradicted her. “The answer is no, we haven’t done this together before. But we have talked about this extensively with Q about you.” His words were strangled at the end as she resisted no longer and wrapped her fingers around his cock and stroked him.
“I had a threesome in college, but that was two girls, not two men and a girl," Howie added.
“We are not crossing swords,” Maddox hissed.
“Aww, now that’s something I’d like to see.” She gasped as Maddox tugged her nipples.
“What, gay sex?” Howie smoothed his hand down her spine and pushed her a little. Not enough to force her, but enough to know what he wanted her to do.
“No, two men kissing.” She bent and took Maddox to the back of her throat in one move and revelled in the roar he stamped into a gurgled curse word.
His hands went to her head, and she hummed, knowing what it would do to him. He grunted and jerked under her.
“Not gonna last long,” he grumbled.
Howie gripped her hips and brought her butt up. Confused, she looked back at him.
“Eyes front, Private,” he teased her, swatting her butt cheek.
She stuck her tongue out at him and then went back to giving Maddox what he needed. She used her hands and tongue but hated the taste of the condom. Too late, she remembered the flavoured ones she’d picked up on the chemist run.
She was debating whether he’d last long enough for her to get one out when Howie bit her butt cheek and made her moan around Maddox. He jerked, clutched her head and grunted as his released ripped through him.
Maybe next time for the flavoured ones.
All thoughts fled as Howie dipped his finger into her entrance and then brought it to her puckered ring of muscles. She didn’t have time to do anything except gasp as he gently pushed his fingertip inside. It didn’t hurt, it just felt… different.
But then he brought his other hand to her clit and stroked her as he eased his finger farther in.
“Oh god.” A shudder ripped through her, and she almost fell sideways. Maddox caught her and drew her head to kiss her. All she could do was sob as Howie teased her towards another orgasm. She clung to Maddox, her face buried in his shoulder as Howie did things to her she had no name for. It was intense, too much, too full, too everything. She needed to come, but he wasn’t trying to push her over the edge, and she was desperate.
Maddox held her, grounding her as Howie kissed her lower back, his fingers never stopping their onslaught on her. Maddox nuzzled her ear, his own breathing quickening as her response to Howie affected him.
“Fuck me, Lex. You’re so bloody responsive, fucking perfect,” Howie breathed. “I need to fuck you again.”
“God, please, please, anything. Just make me come,” she sobbed into Maddox’s neck.
Maddox positioned himself so he was holding her more securely, her face still buried in his neck.
“Lex, angel.” Howie grunted and then he was filling her again, deeper than before and when he eased his finger inside her tight ring of muscles, she broke apart on him. Her muscles clamped down on him, and she sailed off the edge of pleasure and died. He roared her name and pushed in as far as he could and then jerked as his release took him.
“Fuck,” Maddox breathed. “You two are intense to watch.”
“You… I…” Lexi couldn’t breathe, let along make a coherent sentence. She moved one hand to his cock; he was semi-hard and twitched when she stroked him.
“I’m done for, Lex. You blew me dry, baby,” he whispered. “Watching you react with Howie turns me on, but I’m not seventeen anymore.”
“Thank god for that. I think I may pass out if you give me any more orgasms,” she panted, exhausted.
“Gonna hug her,” Howie said.
“Clean up and get dressed first,” Maddox replied. “I’ll reheat the stew.”
She pulled back from Maddox and sat back on her heels. She couldn’t be bothered to dress, but lying around naked wasn’t a clever idea. In fact, they rarely undressed. It was unusual for them to undress her. It was always a re-arranging of clothes or one leg removed from her trousers.
Howie held out her bra to her, and she took it with thanks. Dressing quickly, she no sooner had all her clothes on when she fell into her pillow, groaning. Howie chuckled, and lying down next to her, hauled her to lie half on him, half on the sleeping bag. She curled into him, her face tucked into his neck.
“Thank you, Lexi,” he murmured. “I struck gold with you. I promise you now: I will die before I let anything happen to you.”
She was half asleep as she patted his chest. “No one dies. Love you all too much.”
The air lef
t his lungs on a whoosh, and he tightened his hold on her. “Love you too, Lexie.”
She wanted to talk about it, question him, but sleep dragged her under.
4
End of the world
When Lexi woke, she wasn’t sure if the whole love thing had been part of her dreams. She didn’t have time to find out before they were eating and discussing the day’s plans. Howie was on watch, and she listened as Maddox discussed routes with Q over their map.
She had no family to worry about. Her parents had been older when they had her and died when she was in her early twenties. Now she was thirty, and for the first time, glad they hadn't lived to witness the end of the world.
Howie’s family was in France when it kicked off. With countries closing their borders, they’d made their way to the British Embassy. What happened to them after that, Howie didn’t know. He told himself they were safe in the Embassy to remain sane. Q was like her and had no family left, or at least none he wanted to find.
Maddox’s parents were in Scotland; his father was the major general in Fort Durnby, and that was their ultimate destination. His father had contacted Maddox at the start and told him he’d taken his mother and siblings into the fort for safety. Maddox said his father would protect them or die trying.
But Maddox was military too, and fifteen years of service had inbred into him the selfless attitude every good soldier had. ‘Queen and country first’ were more than words.
The men at the house had been the first survivors they’d met since starting out in Lexi’s small hometown on the Devonshire Border. The closer they got to more built-up places the more likely they were to find survivors. It hadn’t worried her before; she wanted to help as many as they could. But now, she wasn’t so sure. How many of them would be like the ones from the house?
“Lexi?”
Maddox snapped his fingers, and she realised she’d zoned out on them.
“Sorry, what?”
“Would you swap out with Howie and send him in?”
She shook herself, nodding. “Of course.” She crossed to the door.
“Keep this door open and holler if you see or feel off,” he called.
“Will do,” she replied and went out, leaving the door open.
Howie was sitting on the roof of the truck, his rifle across his lap and the binoculars in his hand.
“Hey, Maddox wants to see you,” she called, climbing the small ladder steps up the side to the roof. “I’ll watch out for you.”
“Okay.” He handed her the binoculars and placed his assault rifle on the roof. “Holler if you see anything.”
She nodded, moving to let him pass.
He caught her arm and put his forehead to hers. “Love you, Lex,” he murmured.
Her heart fluttered, and she couldn’t stop the smile breaking across her face. “I love you too, Howie.”
He kissed her and then jumped from the roof and went inside.
She sighed as looked around her. It hadn’t been a dream. He loved her.
But she also loved Q and Maddox. He must know that. But she didn’t know how they felt about her, other than a strong like. Would Howie expect her to be only with him? She couldn’t choose between them, but it might put her into a position where she’d have to.
Bringing the binoculars to her eyes, the tears blurred her view. She wiped her eyes and took another look around her. It wouldn’t make a difference if she missed something and got them all killed.
She wasn’t cut out for this. But then who was? Other than her three gunners, of course. But even this was different for them. Life would never be the same, even if they found a way to stop the virus. It would be a long time before anything resembling civilisation happened again. Last estimates she’d seen on the news was that it had infected over ninety percent of the population worldwide. Ten percent left to stay alive, re-build, kill the infected and move on? Humans were at extinction point.
Many of the scientists and leading eggheads said humans were reaping what they’d sown. Nature had enough and was re-dressing the balance to keep the planet alive. Maybe it was, she didn’t know. All she knew was it was the end of the fucking world, and she’d found her soul mates. Sod’s law they'd all die horribly.
“Don’t let Maddox catch you spacing out.”
She jumped, almost dropping the binoculars.
Q settled beside her and she pulled a face at him. “Sorry. I was miles away.”
He winked at her, taking the binoculars. “It might be an idea to stay with it, next time. Like your hair, Shorty. Suits you.”
“Thanks.” She turned facing the other way to make herself useful now she’d mucked up watch.
“Where are we going now?” She spotted a squirrel and watched as it jumped from tree to tree.
“Shrivenham, northwest of here.”
“What’s there?”
“Hopefully fuel.”
“We’re running low?”
“We will be by the time we get to Shrivenham. It’s a defence academy, should have some solid kit, and maybe even a few survivors.”
“But they’d be military, right?” She leant her head on his shoulder, still watching the squirrel.
“And civs hopefully.”
“Do you think that’s… wise?”
“Sarge’s put the wind up you, hasn’t he? Getting your hair cut.”
“Just a bit. It hadn’t occurred before that not everyone will be nice.”
“Lexi, sweetheart, not everyone was nice before the world ended. You were sheltered in your tiny village. But now it’s every man for himself, survival of the fittest. Even the nicest people will do whatever it takes to survive.”
“Not you three, you aren’t like that.”
“We can be. We will be. You, me, the Sarge, Howie. The only four people who mean anything. The fucking Badge could stand there, and I’d save the Sarge over him.”
“Badge?”
“Regimental Sergeant Major.”
“So if we come across civilians or army, and they’re not nice people, we’ll leave?”
“Did you sleep through yesterday? If was you that spotted the badger.”
“Yeah, yeah, I guess so.”
“Lexi, babe, don’t worry. Sarge has never let us down yet, and he won’t start now. He’s got our back, and we’ve got his. And we’ve all got yours.”
“And all I can…” She stopped but didn’t lift her head. “Q, you shouldn’t see a flash of sunlight in the trees unless there was something to reflect it, would you?”
“No, babe, you wouldn’t. Is it still reflecting?”
“No, it was about three trees over from a squirrel I was watching.”
“Okay. You’re going to get up, act normal, and get inside. Tell the Sarge.”
“What will you do?”
“Decide it’s a good time to slide inside this hatch in case I get sunburnt.”
She sat up and patted him on the shoulder as if saying bye. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she was running into the building.
“Flashing light in the trees. Q sent me in.”
“E and E,” Maddox ordered.
That was one term she knew, evacuate and evasion. She put on the camouflaged jacket they’d got her before crossing to her backpack. She hefted it onto her back, grabbed the camping stove, and made her way to the door, waiting for her next orders.
Gunfire from outside made her jump and had Maddox and Howie moving at speed.
“Lexi, back door. Make it casual but quick. Howie, cover her from the side. I’ll cover Q.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. Evading the infected was completely different from evading living, thinking humans. She’d never thought she’d get to a point where humans scared her more than the infected. But here she was, running to the back of an armoured vehicle, and scared shitless.
The sound of more firing had her scrambling into the back, her heart in her mouth. She turned as Howie jumped into the back, followed by Maddox.
“Go!” Maddox ordered as he took his kit off and climbed through to the passenger seat.
Q gunned the engine and moved forward. She was unbalanced, and the weight of her backpack sent her sprawling to the side. She knocked her head against the seat edge and curled into a ball, rubbing at the pain. Tears were threatening. The pain radiated through her skull.
More gunfire came from where Howie was in the roof hatch, and she curled up tighter. Useless, she was fucking useless. A coward with a headache.
“Lexi. More ammo,” Howie shouted down.
She stumbled to her knees, shrugging off the backpack. She dragged another magazine from his kit and passed it up to him.
“Thanks, babe.”
She shuffled to lean between Q and Maddox. “What’s happening?”
“Fucking hundreds of them,” Maddox muttered.
“People?”
“No, infected.”
She saw them as Q finished speaking. He was right, there was a swarm, and more seemed to join from every angle.
“The truck is attracting them.” She nibbled on her thumbnail. The truck was designed to cover all terrains, but she didn’t think it included bodies. “We can’t mow them down.”
“We can, but we’d get caught up. Turn her Q.”
“They’re all around us.”
“Lockdown.” Maddox hit a button on the dashboard and funny metal plates with slots to see through covered the windscreen and door windows.
Q turned off the engine, and they climbed into the back with her. Howie was securing the top hatch and a similar plate metal covered it, and then they were hunkering down.
“What are we doing?” she whispered.
“Waiting them out,” Q said, pulling her to lean against him between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her, and she leant her head on his shoulder.
“Who fired first?” Maddox asked.
“Someone in the trees. It was a set-up. Someone was dicking us, and they either knew the swarm was coming, or they led it to us.”
“What’s dicking?” she murmured.