Awakened Desires

by Rissa Blakeley

  “I’m willing to bet that’s the truth. You are good for one another.” She patted me on the shoulder once more. “I just have one piece of advice…”

  I furrowed my brows at her. “What’s that?”

  “Always, no matter what, show affection and tell her how you feel about her. A woman needs that no matter what’s going on around her.”

  I smiled and nodded. “Yes, I will. Thank you.” It was out of character for me, but I appreciated Janny’s generosity so much that I pulled her into a quick embrace.

  I headed into the bedroom to show Quinn what Janny had given us. She was leaning over the bed, adjusting the pillows. Her hips swayed and I was done. I dropped the MRE’s on the bed and pulled her into me. I jammed my hands into her hair, pulling her face to mine, kissing her with great desire. Within in a second, she pushed me away. “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Have you discussed with anyone about going out tomorrow morning to find some food?” I rolled my eyes. “Gunther, don’t roll your eyes at me.”

  “Quinn…” I quirked a brow at her. I hated it when she spoke to me like I was a child, but I decided to let it go for the time being. “Your practicality is not very romantic. And no, I haven’t.” She raised an eyebrow at me. Disgruntled, I dropped my hands down by my side and walked back out of the room, Quinn following me out.

  The entire shack was lit by the fireplace. It still wasn’t very warm in there because the walls were thin and the door and windows weren’t exactly top of the line, but some warmth was better than no warmth at all.

  I sat down on the floor. The women had been doing their best to clean up the shack, so the floor was cleaner than it had probably been in years. I pulled my knees up and rested my arms on them. “First thing tomorrow morning,” my booming voice startled some of them, “I need to head out and find some supplies. Anyone is welcome to come with me.” I paused and looked around the room, waiting for volunteers. “Okay, well, I guess I’m going alone.” It didn’t bother me in the slightest, but you never know what would happen out there.

  I started to stand, then Josie spoke up, “I’ll go with you,” Josie said.

  I sat back down. “You will not.”

  “You do realize that I’m not a child, right?” she snapped at me.

  “Pretty close to being one.” Josie gasped. She positioned herself so her back was to me. I shrugged.

  Shannon spoke up, “Josie, he just wants you to be safe.”

  “Whatever. I am just as capable of shooting undeads and people who have tried to kill him.” Her voice was venomous as she was reminding me that she saved my life not long ago.

  “I never said you weren’t. You are a great shot, love, but I need someone to stay here with Quinn.”

  “Who said I was staying?”

  “Holy fuck. I don’t want to argue about this, Quinn.” She scoffed at me. Great, I was pissing everyone off. I looked over at the rest of the men in the room. “Reid, Levi, Mitch…any of you care to go? We can divide up whatever we find.”

  Reid raised his hand. “I’m up for it.”

  “Yeah, I will go, too,” Levi said, glancing at Mitch, who was rubbing his hands together slowly and methodically in front of his wooly face.

  “Mitch? Are you going to go?” Eve’s words were laced with concern.

  “I think I will stay.”

  That didn’t make me happy by any means. We were already outnumbered two to one. I worried about what could happen to Quinn or Josie when I wasn’t there to protect them. I glanced back over my shoulder at Quinn and she knew I what I was feeling.

  “Okay. We’ll take my truck at daybreak.” I stood up in haste and grabbed Quinn’s arm. I practically dragged her into the bedroom and slammed the door.

  “What is your malfunction?” she heatedly whispered, yanking her arm from my grip.

  “If he harms a single hair on your or Josie’s head, I will fucking kill him and drain him. Not necessarily in that order.” She hushed me. “I mean it, Quinn. I don’t like this. Not one bit.”

  “I know, but we will be fine. I have my gun.” No matter what she said, I was still tensed up. I paced as much as I could in the small room. My hand went to my forehead and I squeezed my temples. “Here…” She patted the bed. “Sit down.” Since I was so tense that my shoulders were rounding up around my neck, I did as she asked.

  After lighting a candle, she kneeled behind me on the bed, lovingly placing her hands on my shoulders and began kneading out the knotting and stiffness. I groaned a few times, enjoying her touch. Tilting my head back to look up at her, a hiss broke from my parted lips. My spine ached more than I thought.

  “Grab the stuff and I will give you three vials.” So generous. As I got up and pulled my pack out from under the bed, Quinn settled up against the headboard. I sat down next to her and readied everything I needed to perform the draw. I tied her arm off and hooked her up.

  While still sitting next to her, I ingested the thick, salty blood. Before the high hit me like a ton of bricks, I leaned back against the headboard next to her, teetering on the edge of reality. I felt it creeping through my insides. Life was working its way through, drowning the death that was bubbling to the surface. I closed my eyes, enjoying the incredible rush that burst through my brain like fireworks. A tingle ran rampant and my J.T. stiffened. I groaned, feeling my body surge alive.

  Quinn climbed on top of me, straddling my lap and pinning my arms down. She felt magnificent. She wanted to fuck me, but I needed to possess her. I popped my eyelids open. They shone brilliantly in the candlelight and I smirked deviously as she leaned down and planted her glorious lips on mine. Another groan rumbled through my body, setting hers ablaze. My hips bucked up, making her shift hers across my hard length.

  My lips rested on her cheek as I spoke, “I want you so badly, my love. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since our last encounter.”

  “Oh, really?” she purred in my ear. I shuddered under her when she ran her tongue around my ear and nipped the lobe. She let out a sexy laugh against my neck, moving back to my lips and seductively kissing me. Her chest was pressed against mine.

  Game over, I needed to touch her. I pulled my arms free, fisted her hair, and held her close to my face. “You have no fucking idea how desperate I am to sink into you and fuck you so hard that the stars fall from the sky,” I murmured into her ear as I kissed my way down her neck.

  “I think I do.” She rocked her hips, pressing down on mine. I gasped as the zipper on my cargoes bit down on J.T. Fuck me. It hurt like hell, but was so exhilarating.

  I grabbed her and rolled her over. My kissing grew deeper and more possessive. I pulled off my shirt, exposing my muscled chest to her. She smiled. I pulled her shirt off in haste. My hands started running up and down Quinn’s stunning body, as she ran her hands up and down mine.

  Quinn gasped when I grabbed her and picked her up. She gave me a confused look, until I pinned her up against the outside wall next to the bed. I kissed her with a hunger that only I could possess for her. “The bed is too noisy, and I need to fuck you hard.” She looked nervous, obviously unsure of what I was going to do. “Just go with the flow, love. I’ve got you. Allow yourself to enjoy this moment with me. I promise you that pot of gold.” She didn’t need to worry. I was going to make it glorious for her.

  Pinning her against the wall, I managed to strip both of us down. I was like a wild animal, pawing at her and surging against her. Judging from the moans that were traveling from her throat to her lips, she was loving every second of it. My J.T. was hard and painfully throbbing.

  I couldn’t imagine thrusting myself into any other woman again. Quinn was all I desired and all I needed. No one could ever match up. I wondered if James was ever as hungry to be with her. If he wasn’t, she must now know what she was missing out on during her entire relationship with him. I was going to make every moment with her count.

  As I lifted her, forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist, she s
ucked in a hard breath. Slapping my hand over her mouth to muffle any sound, I slowly set her down on myself. Her uncontrolled breathing had me close to coming apart as my thickness invaded her, waiting for her to open for me.

  “Let me know, love,” I whispered in her ear. “Take your time.”

  After a few moments, she indicated that she was ready. While pushing her up against the wall, I grabbed her backside and rocked into her. Oh god. It was so bloody hard not to scream in pleasure. I couldn’t wait until we were at a point where I could take her properly, loudly expressing what she did to me.

  She made me feel so good, like nobody ever has before. I swear, she could make me come in seconds. She was so tight, so warm, and so very slick. We fit perfectly together, as if she was made for me.

  Within minutes of roughly pumping into Quinn, I had taken her from zero to sixty and beyond. She came so hard, falling apart in my arms. Tucking her head into my neck, her arms dangled over my shoulders. Her weakened body shook to the core. The fierce pulsations grabbed onto my John Thomas and there was no holding back anymore. I growled as I viciously pumped into her.

  I exploded, spilling my seed into her, fighting the sounds that wanted to desperately escape my throat. I couldn’t breathe, think, catch my bearings, or find my reality. Keeping her pinned against the wall, it took a substantial amount of time before I was able to move us back to the bed.

  Curling up with her, we enjoyed one of the rare moments we had alone. That was how I wanted to live—not like a robot, a machine, or a monster. I wanted to wake up every morning next to her and live as normal a life as a half-dead could. At that point in our short relationship, a day without her in my arms was unimaginable. I never wanted to let her go, and I never would.

  I twisted strands of her wavy brown hair around my fingers. She gazed into my eyes, trying to absorb everything about me. Then her delicate fingers traced over my lips.

  “I love you, Quinn.” I smiled shyly at her. It was rare when I showed my vulnerable side, but she brought it out of me. “So much. It’s unimaginable for me to even be able to think and feel this way. I never thought it could happen in my life. I love you so fucking much.” I laid a soft kiss on her amazing lips.

  “We have both had our struggles dealing with this. It’s definitely been a journey emotionally, and will continue to be.” She brushed her fingers across my scruffy face.

  “You’re right. It definitely has been a journey, but I’ll love every second of it as long as that journey continues to be with you.”

  We stared at one another for a few minutes. “I’m worried about you leaving tomorrow.” Her hand danced across my chest.

  “I’m worried to leave you with him. I swear, Quinn, I’ll fuck him up if he even thinks about you the wrong way. I don’t trust him. It’s almost like he is weaving this devious plan just to get my goat.”

  “I won’t go anywhere alone with him, nor will I allow Josie. If I have to tie her up, I will.”

  “Maybe I should tie him up before I leave, just for my own peace of mind,” I mumbled to myself.

  “Now, now. You have to play nice.” She tapped my nose with her fingertip, smiling.

  “I don’t play well with others,” I mumbled.

  “Nothing truer has ever been said.” Quinn giggled.

  “Oh…I see how it is.” I pushed her over and pulled myself up on her, forcing her legs apart. “Let’s see if I can show you how well I can play with you.”

  “I think I already know the answer to that.” She smirked and wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “Well, let’s just emphasize it then, shall we?” And just like that, I was ready to take her again.

  Once again, the sun crept its way up the bed. I squirmed around when I realized it was violating every part of my being. Quinn groaned in her sleep, which made me smile. A touch to her face with my cool hand jolted her awake.

  “Good morning, my foxy lady,” I rasped as I ran my hand up her body. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “I’m pretty sure my foxiness isn’t around in the mornings.”

  “I have to greatly disagree. It envelops you, and you wear it well.”

  Quinn was about to respond when I put my finger to her lips. There was a murmur of voices just outside the window. I slipped back into program mode.

  Slowly and quietly, we put our clothes on. Then I stood next to the window, listening intently, stalking my prey. Quinn listened in, as well, and her eyes popped out when she realized it was part of the other crew arguing.

  “I don’t care what you have to say. We need that fucking truck,” Mitch growled.

  The conversation was very heated and Mitch had no idea we could hear them. I was stiff and ready for a fight.

  “I’m not causing any harm to him,” Reid said. “He’s a decent man. He didn’t have to allow us in.”

  Taking one more step closer, I could see them through the window. Levi just stood there, silent and observing. He seemed to be too afraid to get involved.

  “You will take him out!” Mitch raged on. “I’m sure he’s plotting my death. It couldn’t be any more perfect. While you’re out with him, kill him and say one of those fucking zombie things got him.”

  Quinn grabbed my hand. I clasped hers firmly, hoping it reassured her.

  “I’m not killing anyone for you.”

  “We need that truck!” Mitch yelled, fists clenched. “How are we supposed to move on?”

  Levi finally said, “Exactly what we have been doing this entire time. Walk!”

  “It would give us some protection!” Mitch barked.

  “I’m not doing it,” Reid said adamantly.

  “Fine. I will take care of it myself then.” Mitch stalked off.

  Quinn stood there in shock. Her chin was trembling while I tried to put her mind at ease. I pulled her close. “It’s going to be okay, love. This is something I can handle.”

  She could barely choke out the words, “He’s going to try and kill you.”

  “Not if I get to him first.”

  Stepping back from Quinn, I grabbed my gun and checked it. I pulled out an extra clip from my pack and slipped it into my pocket. Quinn grabbed my arm, knowing that if she didn’t stop me, I would go out there and blow Mitch’s ugly fucking mug right off his neck.

  “Gunther…you can’t.”

  “The fuck I can’t,” I grumbled.

  “Please, listen to me. You can’t just go around shooting people.”

  “Did you not just hear what was said?”

  “I did hear it. Let’s just stick with the plan. You take Levi and Reid and go find us supplies.”

  “I am not leaving you alone with him. Period. End of fucking story.”

  “Then what are we going to do?”

  “I’m taking him with me.” Quinn’s face scrunched up in worry. “It will be fine. Trust me.” I smirked, then tucked my gun in the back of my pants. I put on my weapons vest and threw on a shirt over that. Quinn watched me gear up and be that pre-programmed machine I would always be.

  I could see the anxiety racing through her. “I can’t let you go,” she said quietly, tears forming in her eyes. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I looked in her eyes.

  “We need supplies. Food, clothing. I have to go.”

  She became desperate. “Let’s just leave. You, me, and Josie. Let’s just go. Then we can look while we travel.” I thought about what she said for a good minute or two. It was a good idea and made bloody sense.

  “Okay. Start packing up.” I kissed her on the forehead and opened the door, only to be met by Mitch’s gun aimed at my head. Quinn screamed and I pushed her behind the door. Reid had Mitch in his sights.

  “Good morning to you, as well.” I aggressively shouldered Mitch aside, even though he had his gun aimed at my head.

  My boldness, which was the mark of a well-trained professional, pissed Mitch off. I wasn’t going to let him inside my head, but I knew I could crawl up in that empty space of his and fuc
k around with him so much that he would tweak.

  With the exception of Reid, who still had his gun aimed at Mitch, I noticed that the rest of the crew and Josie were not inside. I knelt down and began loading my vest up, keeping my focus on Mitch.

  “Give me the keys to your truck.”

  I laughed loudly while tucking my favorite knife in my vest. “I do believe I may have misheard you. Did you just try to tell me to give you the keys to my truck?”

  “You heard me right.”

  Again, I laughed, which made Mitch even angrier. Check and mate, arsehole.

  “Mitch, put the gun down,” demanded Reid.

  “Shut up!” Mitch roared.

  I stood up and noticed Quinn peering around the bedroom door. Mitch saw my eyes shift towards the bedroom. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Motherfucking rookie mistake.

  He took the opportunity to reach around the door frame and grab Quinn by the hair. He put her in a headlock and dragged her out to the common area, the gun jammed to her head.

  “You let her go…now!” I growled. It was Mitch’s turn to laugh. “I swear I will rip your fucking throat out if you don’t let her go!”

  Quinn was crying and it killed me to hear it. I couldn’t believe I put her in that position.

  “Let’s barter, shall we? The truck for your whore.”

  I was seething. How dare he do this to my Quinn?

  “Let her go, Mitch!” Reid yelled with his arm shaking, still holding out the gun. I stepped closer.

  “Stand down!” Mitch screamed.

  “Gunther, just do it! Just give him the keys,” cried Quinn.

  She was so scared, as was I, but I couldn’t show my fear. It was my job to save her and protect her. “No.” My voice became even and tight. “He is going to let you go, then we are leaving.” Mitch laughed again. The flames flickered in my eyes and my jaw clenched.

  I had gone into full program mode. I was only about five feet away from Quinn. My hands were down at my side and my fingers were twitching. I looked in her eyes, signaling that I was about to make my move.

  In one swift move, I launched myself on top of Mitch and Quinn, not worrying about being shot. I shoved Quinn out of the way, getting her out of the line of fire. I couldn’t have cared less about me.