by Logan Jacobs
“That’s really been bugging you,” I noted. “You seem really concerned about your age and whether you’ll make it to the west coast.”
Darwin rocked for a few more moments, then stopped and leaned forward with his hands clasped together in his lap. He considered what I had said, then nodded.
“I might be in good shape, but I’m not a fool,” he finally said. “I’ve been lucky in our fights so far, but one of these days I’m going to come up against someone younger and stronger who knows what he’s doing.”
“But we’ll be there for you if you do,” I declared.
“Maybe,” the older man mused. “Tell me, what did you think of Riley’s offer?”
“If I wasn’t on the run from the Magesterium, I might consider it,” I said carefully. “There’s something exciting about the train, and I think it would be fun to be there from the beginning.”
“I think so, too,” Darwin replied. “And the idea of owning land somewhere, maybe having a farm or ranch to come home to, is really appealing.”
“That was something I always wanted to do,” I admitted. “Have a spread to call my own. I used to dream about buying my parents’ place and turning it back into a farm.”
“Sorcha would stay with you,” Darwin pointed out.
I laughed as I pictured the Irish mage digging through the soil and studying the crops.
“I’m not sure she’s much of a farm girl,” I finally said.
“I think she’d surprise you,” Darwin replied. “And, of course, Freya has plenty of knowledge about plants. Her family in Camden grew a lot of their own vegetables, and we did the same in Motown.”
“So, what are you suggesting, Charles?” I prodded. “That we join the railroad and find a farm somewhere where the four of us could settle down and grow corn and beans when we weren’t defending the train from mutants?”
“Would that be so terrible?” Darwin asked. “I could die happy, knowing that Freya was safe with you and that she had someone she could start a family with, not someone who would try to hide her away from the world or treat her with disrespect.”
“U-u-uhh,” I stuttered, “you want me to start a family with Freya?”
“You’re a good man, Hex Theriot,” Darwin declared. “That’s what I want for my granddaughter. That’s what she deserves.”
“You know that Sorcha and I…” I started to say, then trailed off as I tried to come up with a phrase that didn’t sound like something we’d have used in the bunkhouse to describe the fact that Sorcha and I slept together.
“Even a blind man could see that,” Darwin snickered. “But you know, there was a time when it was okay for a man to have multiple wives. I mean, it was back before my time, sure, but in an age when survival was the name of the game, it was the best way to ensure that the human race didn’t die off. It makes sense, at least if the man is strong enough to protect his women, he’d have more than one woman. And I think you’re strong enough to do that.”
“I… don’t know what to say,” I finally replied as I pictured a ranch house where Sorcha used her powers to herd the cows while Freya hunted deer for dinner and a small horde of bunny-children and human-children ran amok.
“I know it seems like we’ve only just met,” Darwin sighed, “and it’s true, timewise we barely know each other. But we’ve been through some mind-blowing shit together, and I’ve seen how you react. You’re smart, you listen, and above everything else, you always strive to do what’s right. You’re an honorable man, Hex, and if what we’ve dealt with hasn’t changed that, nothing will. I want that for my granddaughter, but it’s hard to find in this world. Having you stumble into our lives has given me hope.”
I sat back and pondered the ex-trooper’s suggestion. I understood the appeal of a farm and maybe a regular job. I’d often spent restless nights under the stars imagining the house I would build and the crops I would grow. I’d even tried to picture what my future wife would be like, and had long ago decided that my mystery companion would have to be a farm girl who would be willing to help with the cows and know when to plant the seeds. An Irish mage who could control other people had never been part of the fantasy, though now I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Nor could I imagine continuing this journey without Freya or her grandfather.
“If you had asked me that a month ago, I would have leapt at the offer,” I said slowly. “But now, there’s something else I need to do. This trip to the west coast, it’s gone from being a way to escape the city to something more important. I can’t explain it other than to say that I feel this is the right path for me, and I need to see it through.”
“So that’s a no,” Darwin said with a sad smile.
“It is,” I agreed. “But, I’d like to make that journey with you and Freya.”
“I just don’t know if I’m up for it,” Darwin sighed. “We’ve barely started this trip, and I’m already aching in every muscle and bone in my body.”
“We all are,” I assured him.
“Yes, but you three will shake it off after a night in a comfortable bed and be ready to tackle the world again the next day,” Darwin chuckled. “I can’t do that anymore, and it pains me to admit that. Geez, to be twenty and able to leap into action without having to worry about whether your knee will hold up.”
“You miss Viv,” I guessed.
“Viv, my wife, people my own age who can laugh about the bad old days with me,” Darwin declared. “It sounds silly, but you really learn to appreciate that when you’re older.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked. “Will you stay here? And what about Freya?”
“Freya,” the older man huffed. “That’s a tough one. I think we could be safe here, if we were careful, but I know she wants to find this place on the west coast where mutants can just be themselves. If I knew for sure that such a place existed, I would tell her to keep going, but only if she stuck with you and Sorcha.”
“We’d be happy to have her travel with us,” I assured him.
“I know you would,” Darwin replied. “I know what kind of man you are, and I know you would protect her and do everything in your power to make sure she reached her goal. That’s a rare gift in this day and age, and it’s the only reason I would even consider letting her continue on without me.”
“We aren’t going anywhere until tomorrow morning,” I pointed out. “You don’t have to decide until then.”
“I’d appreciate it if you kept this between us,” Darwin insisted. “The last thing I need right now is a lecture from my granddaughter on my familial obligations.”
“Not a word,” I agreed.
“In that case, I’m going to see if I can find somewhere to clean up,” Darwin announced as he stood up. “I think the restaurants around here would probably prefer that we not show up smelling like wet dog and old socks.”
Barnaby had looked up at the mention of wet dog, but when no pats or treats were offered, he put his head back on his paws and closed his eyes.
“I can take the hint,” I laughed. “Though we may have to try one of the other floors if we want to make our deadline.”
Somehow, we all managed to get cleaned up in time for our meeting in the lobby. After a brief conversation with the clerks, we settled on a steak place just a few blocks away. It was on the pricier end, but after everything we’d done just to keep the train moving, we all felt like we had earned it.
The walk was pleasant, despite the cold wind, and the city looked romantic as the street lights came on, even in the business district where we were. And while many people hustled past us in a rush to get home, there was a noticeably slower pace to the city as the day wore down. It felt good just to walk along the sidewalks and peek into shop windows while music from the restaurants drifted by.
The steak house was clearly popular and several people were already waiting outside for a table when we arrived. The hostess sniffed at our appearance and probably would have kept us waiting late into the night for our food
, but Sorcha used her magic on the stubborn woman, and we were soon seated at a table close to the fire. There was no menu, simply a choice of cuts of meat and fresh sides, both of which were written on chalkboards scattered around the room.
We sipped our wine, selected by Sorcha, and chatted about anything other than the train and its investors until our food appeared. My t-bone was still sizzling as the waiter set the plate down in front of me, and the scent of garlic and rosemary made my stomach rumble in anticipation. The steak was exactly the way I liked it, pink, juicy, and not too chewy. The butter sauce emphasized the steak flavor rather than burying it, and I smiled in appreciation at the skills of the chef.
Somewhere along the way, I also demolished a side of mashed potatoes so creamy there was barely a need to chew and spinach sauteed with wild mushrooms. I was so full that I could barely move yet for some reason I agreed to a piece of cherry pie, the desert of the day. It was tart and tasted like summer, and it was the perfect complement to the whisky Darwin ordered for the table.
Standing up and leaving was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, though I somehow made it my feet and wandered to the door, with a considerably lighter money pouch and a much wider gut. Outside on the sidewalk, we discovered that the city was busy once again, though the streets were filled now with people looking for a spot to dine or heading to a show. In fact, the clerks had recommended a revival of something called ‘Kinky Boots’, but as we ambled toward the hotel stuffed with steak, wine, and whisky, I don’t think I could have stayed awake in a stuffy theater no matter how kinky the boots actually were.
“So, early night,” Darwin drawled as we stood outside the hotel. “I understand they do have a complimentary breakfast here in the morning, so shall we meet for breakfast in the dining room? One of the clerks also mentioned that the free breakfast is a good time to find a caravan to travel with.”
“Are we likely to find anyone heading west?” Sorcha asked as she tried to smother a yawn.
“The clerk claims they get a lot of groups heading west,” Darwin replied. “There’s some art colony in Lock Haven now, and trappers and herbalists in Tioga. Apparently, either destination is good for trade.”
“And even if we don’t join one of the caravans, they can give us advice on the best route to take,” I added.
We settled on a time, then finally walked back into the lobby. A new set of clerks, a man and a woman with matching blazers, waited behind the desk. They gave us the same frozen smiles as the previous pair until we walked toward the double doors. I glanced back as we stepped through and saw that both clerks had slumped forward and lost the smile. A hotel clerk, I decided, was not the job for me.
I said goodnight to my companions as we stepped into the hallway for the third floor and retreated to my own room. I found Barnaby still sprawled across the rug, and though I knew he would probably need another walk, I sank down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. It felt ridiculously early to go to bed, and though I was full of food and alcohol, I didn’t think I could fall asleep. I wondered if I could borrow one of Sorcha’s books, then realized I wasn’t even sure which room she was in.
“Maybe there’s a bookstore or something nearby that’s still open,” I said to the Weimaraner. “You could do whatever you need to do, and I could find something to read tonight.”
The Weimaraner barely lifted his head, which told me what he thought about that plan. I huffed in frustration and was ready to insist we go for a walk anyway when there was another knock on the door. I thought Darwin might have returned with a decision about tomorrow, and so I approached the door in trepidation.
“Hi,” Freya said brightly when I peered around the edge of the door. She was still dressed, but the hat was gone and only the long, thick hair hid her rabbit ears.
“Oh, hi,” I said in surprise. “Um, I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Were you expecting someone else?” she asked anxiously as she looked over her shoulder.
“No,” I said quickly. “I wasn’t expecting anyone, actually.”
“Oh, good,” she replied. “May I come in, then?”
I opened the door the rest of the way and the beautiful mutant bounced into my room. She looked around at the few bits of furniture, took in the sleeping Weimaraner, then finally perched on the corner of the bed.
“So, what were you planning on doing for the rest of the night?” Freya asked as she picked at a loose thread on the coverlet.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted as I sat down next to her. “I thought I might try to find a bookstore or something when I took Barnaby out.”
“That’s a good idea,” Freya mused. “I’m still reading that book Sorcha gave me.”
“Is it any good?” I asked.
“It is,” Freya stated. “It’s a murder mystery, but I haven’t figured out who the killer is yet.”
“Ah,” was all I said.
“So gramps said he spoke to you earlier,” she mentioned after several silent seconds had passed.
“He did,” I replied and wondered how much I could tell her about our conversation without betraying Darwin.
“He likes you,” she continued. “Which is pretty amazing, because he doesn’t like very many people, especially if they were born after the meteorite. He even said that he thought you’d make a good husband one day.”
“Me?” I snorted. “Well, coming from Charles, that’s a huge compliment. He said something similar when we talked, but it’s a tough conversation to have with him and not feel like a bug trapped under a glass. I’ve never known anyone else that could make you feel so nervous while telling you how much regard they have for you.”
Freya giggled, then finally forced herself to look me in the face. She studied me for several heartbeats, then slid her hand toward mine.
“I like you, too,” she whispered. “Well… it's a weird feeling.”
“Weird?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she chuckled. “It’s in my stomach and my chest when I see you. They both feel warm and cold at the same time, and… I just… I just want to touch you.”
“I—” I started to say, but she kept talking.
“I felt this way since that day you and Sorcha came out to the house looking for gramps. I watched you two as you walked along, and I was actually jealous of Sorcha. You two looked so happy together…”
“Freya,” I started to protest again, but she shook her head.
“I never seriously thought about sleeping with you,” Freya cleared her throat. “I mean… uhh… I did. I really wanted to… with you, but I knew that… well… then Sorcha and I talked, and she said she thought there was a spark between you and me, and that I should explore that.”
“Sorcha said that?” I asked, though I wasn’t surprised. She’d said the same thing to me, though not as directly as she had with Freya.
“She said you liked me,” Freya stated, though it could have been a question.
“I do,” I agreed. “And the more time I’ve spent with you, the more I’m drawn to you. I’ve found myself wondering… what it would be like.”
“What would what be like?” she asked as her big eyes met mine.
“To make love to you,” I said as my heart began to slam inside my chest.
“I want it, too,” she said, and it was hard to miss the light that suddenly shone in her eyes and the way her nose twitched in anticipation.
“Right now,” I declared, and I felt my heart leap in excitement.
“Finally,” she giggled as she started to pull her shirt off over her head, and at that moment, all I wanted was to see the bunny tail and the body that went along with it.
Chapter 15
Freya’s version of the strip tease was much faster than Sorcha’s. The stunning mutant had her clothes off while I was still daydreaming about what was underneath the layers. And the reality was even better than I had pictured. Freya’s skin was golden and seemed to sparkle in the mage light. Her legs were incredibly long and packed with
muscle, though they somehow managed not to look thick or heavy.
She tousled her thick black hair, then let it cascade over her shoulders. Slowly, the long, tawny rabbit ears emerged, and for the first time, I could really drink in the vision of them as they swiveled around to take in every sound.
“Well, do you still like me?” the mutant asked shyly as I stood mute before her.
“More than you would believe,” I replied breathlessly as I scooped her up into my arms and started to trail kisses down her neck.
She tilted her head to the side so I could enjoy every inch of her long and graceful neck, and as I worked my way down toward her chest, I heard her sigh in pleasure. My hands started to explore her body, from the curve of her hips to the ticklish spot on her back. She giggled as I found the line of incredibly soft fur that ran along the line of her back, then gasped as I found her tail and gave it a squeeze.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” she murmured, and I noticed her tail twitching rapidly with excitement. “But I’d like to see what I’m getting out of this.”
I grinned as I looked up long enough to catch the smirk on her face. I played with her tail for a few moments, then decided to borrow from Sorcha’s bag of tricks. I started to remove my clothes, much more slowly than Freya had done. Freya watched with big eyes and a twitching nose, and when she finally got frustrated with how long I was taking, she growled and moved in closer to help remove my pants.
When we were finally both naked, we stopped for a moment to examine each other, then sank onto the bed in one big heap. My erection was already rock hard, and Freya twitched as I rubbed it along the edge of her pussy.
“Tell me what you want,” I whispered as I hovered over her.
“Take me,” she replied with a moan. “Fuck me. Fuck me senseless.”
She wrapped those powerful legs around me, then, and pulled me in closer to her. I went about halfway in, and the mutant twitched all over. I held her on my rod until she settled, then slid in the rest of the way. She was hot and slick inside, and she gave off a scent that reminded me of lavender on a hot day.
