The Road to Wolfe (The Sanctuary Series Book 4)

by Nikita Slater

  "And my security detail?" she pushes.

  I graze my thumb across her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin. "Your security detail remains as is."

  She sighs and wiggles against me. "Good enough."

  She drags my head down to hers and kisses me, her tongue lingering against the seam of my lips before thrusting inside, meeting mine aggressively in a dance that sends a shower of sparks down my spine to settle heavily in my groin.

  I drag her body down onto my cock, savouring the incredibly tight squeeze of her pussy as it takes everything I have to give, inch by inch. We cling to each other, Skye pressed against the wall as I thrust my hips up, fucking the only woman I've cared about, the last pussy I’ll ever touch.

  She can do little more than cling to me and take my aggressive thrusts as I slam into her over and over. Sweat drips off my forehead and lands in a droplet on her lips. Her tongue darts out to catch the salty wetness and her head tips back against the wall, her eyes closing and her face twisting into an expression of ecstasy, as though she has tasted the nectar of the gods.

  This woman is my everything, my equal, my superior. I will stop at nothing to keep her.

  She squirms on top of me and digs her nails into my shoulder. I can tell that she’s reaching for the height of her orgasm and I pound into her even harder, squeezing the flesh of her rounded ass hard under my fingertips. There'll be marks, but she loves it.

  She lets out a scream and her pussy clasps me so tight that it feels as though she'll break me in two. I have no choice but to follow her into the chaos of my own orgasm. I grit my teeth as my balls grow tight and a rush of pleasure slams through me. Hot semen gushes into her, easing my brutal thrusts.

  Before I can collapse under the weight of the lethargic pleasure rushing over me, I stumble to the bed, setting her down and then dropping beside her. I fling a heavy arm across her belly, making sure that she can't go anywhere.

  "You used sex as a weapon," I grunt.

  She rolls against me and grips my hair in her fist, yanking my head back until I’m looking at her. She drops a kiss against my lips and touches my beard. "I'll use anything as a weapon, so long as I get my own way."

  I roll on top of her and pin her to the bed, dragging her arms over her head and holding her wrists with one hand. With the other I reach down and pinch her nipple hard enough to make her cry out and squirm against me.

  "I think I like this whole sex as a weapon thing."

  She lets out a laugh, both ringing and sweet. "You would."

  I smother any more words in a kiss.

  Forty-Two

  Skye

  The first thing I see when I wake up is a naked cock. I blink and then squint at it. Yup, there is a big, fat, veined, semi-hard cock inches from my face. I'd like to enjoy the view, but I decide I better make sure that it's actually attached to the man I'm supposed to be in bed with.

  My eyes travel up his flat stomach, tracing the trail of hair and the chiseled muscles of his abdomen. I've only ever seen one man with a stomach like that. Thank goodness, the cock and the stomach belong to the same man, the man I slept with last night. I roll onto my back and blink up at him, a sleepy smile hovering around my lips.

  He looks serious, but he always looks serious so I don't take it personally. I reach out to touch him and he takes my hand in his, wrapping his big hand around mine until he's enveloped it completely. Then he does something completely unexpected; he sinks to his knees next to the bed.

  I roll onto my side, frowning at him. I reach out with my other hand to touch his face, lightly running my fingers over his eyepatch before smoothing the wrinkles from between his brows. I want to smooth the seriousness away. This bedroom, filled with light, sitting on top of our tower, is our sanctuary. Our sanctuary away from Sanctuary. This is where we come to be us, to be together. Seriousness and frowns have no place here.

  I open my mouth to ask him what’s the matter, but he speaks first.

  "Marry me."

  His words are simple. So simple that it takes a moment for them to sink in. I'm shocked and I scramble to sit up, staring at his face. Still completely serious.

  I stare at him, my heart pounding, my head spinning. I don't know why I'm having such a visceral reaction to his words. I don't know if I'm scared or exhilarated. He’s told me before that we’ll be married, that I didn’t have a choice. But this feels different.

  Marry Wolfe. It seems like a dream but maybe a nightmare at the same time. He’s so brutal, harsh, and often selfish in his care of others. Except with me. Then he’s so unselfish that it almost hurts, because I know that I don't deserve that kind of devotion.

  He doesn't repeat himself. He never repeats himself. He knows I heard him and he waits for an answer.

  There's only one answer I can give him. "Yes."

  Without another word, he stands and walks to his pile of clothes on the chest at the end of the bed. He bends to get dressed as though we didn't just have one of the most intense moments of both of our lives.

  I don't know what to say. Should I ask him when the wedding will be? Ask him how many guests to invite, or what kind of feast we should prepare? I want to tell him that I’d like my sister to attend, but his movements are so mechanical and economical, as though nothing has happened, that I keep my mouth shut.

  Did I just imagine him asking me to marry him?

  I did not.

  Still, I do nothing but watch as he finishes dressing, bends over to kiss me on the head and then walks away, leaving the Warlord's chambers.

  "I guess I'm getting married," I say to no one in particular.

  I slide off the bed and start searching for my own clothes. I dress for a day in the city, assuming that Wolfe will let Kingston know that I am now allowed to leave the palace. I choose a pair of jeans, tight enough that I can strap weapons to my thighs. I wear a sleeveless shirt and a light jacket over top. I’m not anticipating any zombie action so don’t need my leather.

  Fifteen minutes later I leave the Warlord's chambers, wandering through the dining room where I grab an apple and a tea before heading out the door. Kingston meets me in the hallway and without a word hands me a mask. I grin and take it from him, juggling my breakfast with my new safety procedure.

  Our day touring the city goes smoothly and I bow to Kingston's advice on where to go and how to handle myself around people. He doesn't want me near crowds and he prefers that I stay away from the hospital for now. Though it’s in my nature to be reckless, my new situation in life has given me hope. I don't think I ever really wanted to die, but at the same time I wasn't taking extra measures to preserve my life. I had no one to preserve it for. My life was better used in the service of a vaccination and hopefully, eventually, a treatment to the Primitive virus.

  Now that I have Wolfe, now that we’re settling down together and creating a home, the thought of children and a future seems far more within reach than it ever did before. I want to cling onto the shining picture in my mind of a family and a home, and never let it go.

  So, I allow Kingston to dictate our time in the city, allow him to smother me in protection. If this is what it’ll take to keep me safe and to give Wolfe peace of mind, then I’m willing to accept it. I can be a reckless bitch sometimes, but I can also recognize the value in continued breathing.

  We’re just about to wrap up our day, entering the palace underground parking. I’m deep in discussion with Kingston about the rest of the week's activities, when a guard comes rushing toward us. Kingston steps in front of me, his hand dropping to the gun on his belt. We both recognize Denny at the same time and relax.

  Denny is no longer my full-time guard, but still occasionally rotates to my detail. He has served the city well and has earned his place in the palace.

  "Miss Skye, I must speak to you right away!" he says breathlessly as though he's been running.

  "Yes," I tell him as he comes to a halt in front of us. "Is everything okay?"

  He shakes his he
ad. "No, we have an emergency at the water treatment plant. An accident, one of the women. She's been hurt, she needs a doctor right away."

  "Who is it? Dolly or Anita?" I demand. "Has she been brought into the city?"

  He shakes his head. "I don't know which one, but one of them has been hurt badly. She's too injured to move. We need to take the doctor out to her."

  "Of course," I say briskly and then turn to Kingston. "Go to the hospital and pick up Dr. Summers. Meet us at the treatment plant."

  Kingston hesitates, clearly torn between his duty to me, the Warlord’s orders to never let me out of his sight, and his desire to protect one of the most important citizens of our sanctuary. We can't afford to lose either Dolly or Anita, their knowledge is too valuable.

  Eventually, he bows to my wisdom, nods and turns away. I call after him, "We’ll meet you out there."

  "Take your guard," he shouts back before disappearing.

  I look at the men surrounding us and say, "Follow us. I'll go with Denny."

  I don't wait to see if they listen, but rush out of the palace, Denny on my heels. I look around for a vehicle. "Which one?"

  He points at a rusty car that looks as though it shouldn't be roadworthy. I frown at it. Wolfe is very good at making sure that all of the palace security has access to solid, well maintained vehicles. This one looks as though it's on its last tire. Maybe Denny got the short straw today and had to take whatever was left over. I don't question him, sliding into the passenger seat while he goes around to the other side.

  He turns the ignition and we speed off together toward the city gates. I glance behind me, but I don't see the guard car. I briefly wonder if I should tell Denny to wait for it, but decide not to. It's more important to get out to the treatment plant and see to the women than it is to wait for my guard.

  I wave at the security on the gates and they open the doors allowing us to drive through. Denny guns it and we fly through the desert toward the treatment plant.

  Forty-Three

  When we arrive at the plant, there’s no one in sight. I’m confused, as I had guards posted at both the gates, the doors and inside the facility. I don’t wait to find out what happened to them though. I follow Denny from the car and inside the building.

  "Which way?" I shout to him, now feeling panicked by the darkness inside the building and the eerie silence.

  "This way," he yells back and takes off down a hallway, toward the back of the plant.

  It must be Anita who’s been injured. Dolly would be up in the control room with the computer system. But Anita works in the main area of the plant itself, trying to rebuild the crumbling infrastructure.

  I fly through the halls, chasing after Denny. His pace is only increasing my panic. He wouldn’t be running so fast if Anita wasn’t gravely injured. Only as I round the last corner and follow through the door onto the facility floor do I realize I’ve made a very stupid mistake.

  Standing next to one of the massive treatment tanks is a group of ragtag men. They’re a rough group, clothes dirty and ill-fitting, hair wild. Big and mean-looking. Most have beards, all have a plethora of weapons pointed straight at us. I reach for my own weapons and attempt to dive back through the door, but Denny catches my arm.

  I immediately go into self-defense mode and strike his arm hard in the bicep with my fist, deadening it. He drops his hand but brings his other fist up and slams it into the side of my head. Blackness engulfs my vision and I drop to the floor. I’m only unconscious for a few seconds, but it’s enough that the surrounding men are able to take my weapons from me.

  I groan in pain as I’m dragged to my feet by a huge man. He holds me up and stares down at me, his expression both fierce and satisfied. I recognize him. He was on the side of the mountain the night Wolfe and I were attacked. He was bellowing at the other Outsiders. Must be their leader.

  "What the fuck do you want?" I snarl at him.

  He ignores me and reaches for his pocket, pulling something shiny from the interior. He tosses it to Denny who catches it. I think it might be an old turn of the century watch or something else that holds little value. Money has no meaning in Sanctuary, but people still trade goods and services. There are some who still treasure gold and other precious metals, despite their holding little value anymore.

  "There’ll be more where that came from when we get the other woman." His voice is deep and raw, as though he spends most of his time shouting and tearing up his throat.

  "What other woman?" I demand.

  They’re talking about a specific woman and I can only think they must mean one of my friends. They’re all highly skilled and would make excellent commodities to an Outsider willing to peddle in flesh.

  Again, the Outsider ignores me.

  "Let’s go," he snaps at his men.

  I’m dragged through the facility to an exit and then out into the open. The sky is cloudy and it looks like we might have rain, a somewhat rare event for our Sanctuary. I look around and catch sight of three vehicles, all in rough shape, all similar to the one Denny had been driving. Is Denny an Outsider or is he just working with them? I’m confused and frightened, but also completely and utterly pissed off. The second I get my hands on a weapon, these men are fucking done.

  The door to the nearest vehicle is yanked open and I’m shoved inside. I grip the edge of the seat, slowing my descent, and frantically search the vehicle for a weapon. Instead of a weapon I see the terrified pale face of a person I recognize. Scarlett. My mouth falls open in shock and I allow myself to be shoved completely into the back seat of the car, where I fall against her. She catches me and helps me sit up.

  When I find my voice, I immediately demand, "What are you doing here?"

  She shakes her head frantically and stares in horror as the Outsider rounds the vehicle to get into the driver’s seat. Another Outsider takes the passenger seat.

  I grip her chin and force her to look at me. "I don’t give a fuck if they’re listening. Talk to me, right fucking now! What are you doing here, where’s Deacon?"

  Her eyes fill with tears and she shakes her head again. Before she even says the word, I already know. "Dead, I think."

  My heart is crushed as the last year rushes through my memory. Deacon and I were friends. We had a relationship based on mutual respect and an understanding that the vaccination we were carrying was the single most important thing we could do with our lives. Now he’s gone, Scarlett is sitting in the back of an Outsider car and I have no idea what happened to the rest of my vaccination team.

  I’m about to demand more information, when the car takes off so fast I’m flung backwards into my seat. Scarlett grips my arm and pretends to fall against me, tipping her head into my neck. She speaks fast, her voice low but clear. "They grabbed us before we made it far from Sanctuary. They killed everyone except me."

  "Why didn’t they kill you too?" I demand in a suspicious whisper.

  Her eyes grow dim and haunted and I realize why they kept her alive. My stomach churns and I blink away the burning tears of fury. I nod my head, telling her I understand.

  "I t-told them I could help them find you, so they let me come along." Her eyes fill with tears and I pat her arm. There was no way for her to help me. Scarlett is a lover, not a fighter. She learned to fight when she had to but she’s never had the killer instinct that runs through my veins.

  "Why do they want me?" I ask.

  She opens her mouth to answer, but the leader answers instead, looking at me through the mirror with his dead gaze. "You are the Blood Saviour. You will buy us anything we could possibly desire when we find a buyer willing to pay."

  I narrow my eyes in a glare. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

  He lets out a bark of humourless laughter. "You are Skye, the woman whose blood will cure the world. Every Sanctuary across the continent is talking about you. It was only a matter of time before we picked up your trail."

  I’m stunned by his words, but the more I think about it, th
e more he makes sense. It was inevitable that Sanctuaries who are allied with each other would share the knowledge of a woman and her team of warriors, travelling from Sanctuary to Sanctuary, distributing a vaccine. I just hadn’t realized anyone would care enough to come hunting for me.

  Their mistake.

  We travel across the landscape at speeds so fast I feel positive the junker of a car we’re in will fall apart beneath us, but we somehow manage to make it to the mountains. The Outsiders must have set up some kind of home base.

  We follow the twists and turns of an old, cracked, overgrown road until we reach an encampment. I count men as we pull up. Twelve total, with another six in the cars behind us. Wolfe and I must’ve made a dent in their population when they attacked us on the mountainside.

  Before we can exit the car, I bend over, clutching at my head, pretending dizziness from the punch I took from Denny. I quickly pull a knife from inside my shoe where they forgot to look for a weapon. As I straighten, crying out in pain for added effect, I shove it into my shirt, where the cold steel presses comfortingly against my skin. Scarlett is staring at me with wide eyes, having seen my action. I squeeze her hand reassuringly.

  As we’re pulled from the car, I turn to face our host, the leader of the Outsiders. I allow him to see my fury, but I carefully calculate my words. "My husband the Warlord will find you, and when he does, he’ll kill you all."

  He laughs and shoves me so hard that I trip and fall to the dirt at his feet. I curl into a ball, concealing the gun I’d pulled off his belt. I have no idea if it’s loaded, but I have no choice but to assume it is.

  "Your husband will be a dead man if he shows up here. We’ve learned since our last run-in with you two. We’ll be ready."

  I roll my eyes. He clearly hasn’t learned a damn thing if he thinks I’m going to wait for Wolfe before I turn this party into a bloodbath.

  I crawl to my knees, groaning in pain and curling my arms into my stomach. Scarlett drops next to me, her face creased in concern. I pull her against me in a hug and growl in her ear, "You need to run as fast as you can."