Arise (Cruel and Beautiful World Book 3)

by L. Stoddard Hancock

  “As real as you and me,” said Sam, reaching back and pinching his arm.

  “But ... how did they survive?”

  “I think you were lied to about the extent of the damage caused by the war, at least as far as the planet is concerned.” Sam paused for a moment. “Nuclear arms weren’t brought in until the end. An ace in the hole. The majority of humanity had already been killed off over a period of decades. Your region was one of the places hit hardest once it became a nuclear war.”

  Xander suddenly felt incredibly heavy. “So the entire world wasn’t damaged by nuclear weapons?”

  “No. But the entire world was damaged.” Sam glanced at a clock on the dashboard. “We should head back soon. April will kill me if we’re gone too long.”

  “Can we go to the sky first?” asked Deryn, still watching the whales in a state of wonder. “And maybe come back in the daytime?”

  “Absolutely,” said Sam, grinning as he began pressing numerous buttons on the control panel, sliding one switch up, flicking another.

  Then they were rising, one of the whales making a last rhythmic call through the ocean’s depths before they crashed through the water.

  The ship picked up speed as it rose higher and higher.

  Xander clutched the edges of his seat again, not liking that the walls around them were still invisible, the world all but vanishing beneath his feet.

  “WHOO!” Deryn screamed in excitement, holding her arms out like a bird’s wings.

  “Faster!” Nita screamed from the backseat. Talon was practically dancing from the thrill of it beside her.

  Apparently, Xander was the only one not having the time of his life.

  Which didn’t make sense. He rode his hover-bike all over the city and was the fastest rider among the Guardians. He loved the thrill of the wind hitting his cheeks.

  But this ...

  Perhaps it was his lack of control, because he really didn’t like this.

  “Deryn, take the wheel.”

  Deryn lowered her arms and glanced at Sam. “What?”

  “The copilot’s wheel in front of you. It works just like mine. Take it.”

  “But -”

  Sam released his wheel and the ship plummeted.

  Xander’s stomach floated in limbo for a moment before doing somersaults. There was a good chance he might vomit. Nita and Talon were still hooting from exhilaration.

  “Sam, are you crazy?” I don’t know how to fly this thing!” Deryn screamed.

  Finally, someone was being rational!

  “It’s easy.” Sam leaned back in his seat, completely unaffected by their nose-dive toward the ocean. “I suggest you take the wheel before your boyfriend shits himself.”

  Deryn looked back at Xander.

  “Don’t look at me! Grab the fucking wheel!”

  Deryn narrowed her eyes and said, “Not with that attitude.”

  Xander growled at her. Then, through clenched teeth, he managed to say, “My dearest love, won’t you please grab the wheel?”

  “Anything for you, my dearest love,” she said, blowing him a kiss before turning around and taking the wheel.

  With a swift curve of the ship, they were going up again, Deryn biting her tongue as it poked out of the side of her mouth, deep in concentration.

  “How do I adjust the speed?” she asked, never taking her eyes off of the horizon.

  “The sliding button on the side of the wheel,” Sam explained.

  Deryn played with it, going as fast as the ship would take them before slowing to a nice cruising speed.

  Sam glanced at the clock again. “Time to head back. Feel confident enough to take us into the ocean?”

  Deryn nodded.

  “You’ll adjust the pressure of the ship here.” Sam pointed to a switch. “Just before we head under.”

  Deryn lowered them so they were hovering above the water, adjusted the switch and eased them under.

  “Keep your eye on the map. The red dot is where we’re headed,” Sam explained.

  She nodded again, glancing at the digital map hovering above her controls. She adjusted their direction and took them back to the beach.

  Sam turned off the lights around the perimeter just as they began to rise. It was fine while they were flying far away from the coast, but if any S.U.R.G.E.s were nearby it was best to avoid being a well-lit bullseye.

  While Sam was talking Deryn through the landing, Xander stared out the window at the others on the beach. Everyone had their packs on and April stood in front of them, her arms crossed as she looked heatedly at the ship. Or at those inside of it.

  “Uh oh. Looks like we’re in trouble,” said Sam, sounding quite pleased with himself.

  The door opened and they all walked out.

  “That was so much fun,” said Deryn, smiling wider than Xander had ever seen her smile before. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she took his hand.

  “We have limited time, Sam,” snarled April as he closed up the ship.

  “I know. That’s why we kept it short.” Sam gave Aphrodite one last hug. “Goodnight, sweet goddess,” he said before using his remote to send her back into the depths of the ocean. The moment the ship was gone, Sam was all business. “We have twelve packs and fourteen people. Who will be sitting out?”

  Deryn raised her hand. “Considering I can’t get more than a few feet off the ground, it seems like tonight’s practice would be a waste on me.”

  “I’ll sit out with her,” volunteered Xander.

  “You don’t have to do that. I’m not meant to learn,” said Talon.

  “But you should learn, and I’m a bit queasy after that ride. Flying right now is something I really don’t want to do.” Xander leaned against a nearby rock and clutched his spinning head.

  Talon looked at Sam.

  “He’s right. You should learn. But, Xander, if you take tonight off I’m going to expect double the effort in practice tomorrow,” Sam said firmly. “Okay, everyone! Dance party in the sky!”

  “Sam!” April looked about ready to murder him.

  “I’m only joking. Lighten up. You lead those already equipped over the cliff. There’s a larger beach over there.”

  “Fine. Soldiers, fly low until we reach the cliff, then you will ascend it one at a time,” said April. “Do not go off on your own. If you fall I won’t be able to catch you. Understood?”

  “Understood!” they all repeated back to her.

  While they all rose off the ground and flew toward the cliff, Sam strapped Nita and Talon into their gravpacks. After a brief lesson where Talon managed to get off the ground, they flew off toward the cliff.

  Xander watched them go. The moment they were out of sight, he grabbed Deryn and pulled her close. “Alone at last.”

  He wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezed her body tightly against his and kissed her deeply.

  “You tricky little devil,” she said, giggling as his lips moved to her neck. “Do you even feel queasy.”

  “Nope.”

  It was a lie, of course. He felt terrible and never wanted to ride in that damn ship again.

  Deryn pulled back, smiling. “Come on,” she said, taking his hand. “You need to see the beach at night, and not from an airship.”

  He let her drag him toward the sand. She stopped just before the water could hit their boots.

  Deryn’s face glowed as she stared at the dark horizon, a billion stars twinkling around the nearly full moon.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?” she said, smiling every time a wave crashed against the sand.

  Xander smiled and said, “I guess it’s alright.”

  Deryn turned her head and glared. “Are you under the impression that there are grander scenes in Utopia?”

  He shrugged. “I actually rather liked watching the sunset over the city from my balcony.”

  “It would’ve been better if the city wasn’t all straight lines and metal. Now stop trying to irritate me and just enjoy the moment.”
r />   “I find enjoyment in irritating you.”

  Deryn punched his arm. “Ass.”

  Xander draped his arm over her shoulders. She smiled and hugged his waist. The two of them stood there, keeping each other warm as the salty sea air danced in their nostrils.

  Deryn closed her eyes and listened to the waves. Ever since she was a child, this was her favorite sound in all the world. It was the one sound, the one place she could find true serenity.

  When she opened her eyes again, Xander was watching her.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked, leaning up to give him a soft kiss.

  “You and the day we found each other.”

  Deryn cocked her head, surprised by his answer. “Why?”

  “Because of how different you are now. And how different I am.”

  She laughed. “You’re not that different. Still an asshole in need of fixing.”

  Xander looked away.

  Her heart sank. “I’m sorry, it was just a joke. I didn’t mean -”

  “It’s not that,” he said, his golden-brown eyes catching the light of the moon.

  “I need to confess something to you. Something I should have told you before. About that night.”

  Deryn held him tighter and braced herself.

  “When you came into my life, I was not alright. There had been one too many deaths by my hand and I was ready to give up. I wanted it to end.”

  Deryn’s heart tightened in her chest.

  “After I warned Del about the curfew, I went outside and waited for the tram. In front of me was a filtered river, only a few yards away. It would have been so easy to just jump in and never emerge. I wanted to do it. I was going to do it. But then, before my feet could move, a familiar voice cried out beside me, and, suddenly, my entire life changed.”

  Xander swallowed back tears.

  “Maybe we only began because you needed me to help you forget about everything, but I needed you just as much. I need you just as much, if not more. You are my redemption. My chance to be forgiven for everything I’ve done. I love you for giving me that, for being there when I needed you, for just ... being you. You saved me just as much as I saved you, and your strength, your laugh, your spirit - it’s what keeps me going, even on days like today. Two more deaths weighing me down and still you hold me up.”

  Deryn kissed him again and whispered, “I love every part of you, Xander Ruby. Even the parts of you that I hate.”

  Xander broke in that moment and laughed, the tears he’d been holding back spilling out of the corners of his eyes. “Beauty is in the flaws, my love.”

  He pulled away from her, looking nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck.

  “There really is no good way to do these things but I believe this is as close to a perfect moment as we’re going to get.” Xander reached into his pocket and came out with a small gold ring in the shape of a lion with a jade stone in its center. Her ring.

  “Is this the moment?” said Deryn, jumping a little from excitement and preparing herself for what was to come. Tears were already prickling her eyes, but they were going to stay back, dammit! She wanted a clear memory of this.

  “Your father already requested that I make an honest woman out of you and, as of two days ago, your brother has given me his blessing.”

  “You asked Talon for permission? I do hope you paid a good price for me. I’m worth at least five chickens.”

  Xander cracked and smiled. “Deryn.”

  “Sorry! I’m just nervous.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Go on.”

  Xander cleared his throat, then got down on one knee.

  Deryn squeaked, then threw her hands over her mouth. Despite her best efforts, the tears were coming.

  “I’m told this is the customary stance for Outsiders.”

  She nodded wildly.

  “I love every part of you, Deryn Leon. Even the parts of you that I hate.”

  She laughed behind her hands.

  “I’ve had a dream recently. About our future. I’ve never dreamed about the future before because I never thought I’d have one. I never wanted one. But now ...” Xander smiled as tears spilled out of his eyes. “Now I can see it, and it’s me and you and a fucking pet blackbird.”

  “If he has a cage we need to always leave it open,” she said.

  “Of course. And you, me and our blackbird can all walk around together without people staring and without judgment. Because two people who grew up in different worlds can be together.”

  Deryn fell to her knees and cupped his cheeks.

  “I don’t think you’re supposed to be down here with me. That’s against protocol,” he said.

  “But I don’t like staring down at you. I want to be beside you.”

  Xander smiled and kissed her softly and slowly. When he pulled away, his lips lingered above hers, their breaths entwining as they gazed at one another.

  “Deryn ... when this is all over, when Luka and Bronson and Quigley are free and by our sides, will you -”

  “Yes!”

  Xander narrowed his eyes.

  She yipped. “Sorry. Go on.”

  “Will you do me the honor of - stop nodding your head and let me finish this, will you?” he said with a laugh.

  Deryn joined in his laughter and kissed him again.

  “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?” he blurted out before she could interrupt again.

  “Very much yes. The honor is all yours,” she said, crying as he slipped the lion ring onto her left hand.

  And then she pounced on him.

  Xander was knocked back into the sand, Deryn holding his face while she kissed him fervently. She tore off his shirt and then -

  “Ah!” He rubbed his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Fucking sand got in them. Just stings a bit.”

  “Oh.” Deryn, noticing his shirt was already covered in sand, took hers off and used it to clean his eyes. “Better?”

  “Absolutely,” he said, eyeing her breasts before going in for another kiss.

  Xander flipped them.

  A light breeze wafted over them.

  They pulled apart and spat sand out of their mouths.

  Then they went back in, deciding to just bear it. Aside from a little crunch, it wasn’t so bad. Xander ran his hand through Deryn’s hair and -

  His hand got stuck in a tangle formed from salty air and sand. He removed it, unintentionally pulling her hair in the process.

  “Ow!”

  “Sorry!”

  Deryn shoved Xander off of her and sat up straight. She used the hair tie from around her wrist to make a thick, messy ponytail. Then she removed her bra and pulled him back on top of her.

  Another shift of wind.

  They both cringed as more sand entered their eyes, sticking to their moist lips.

  “I don’t think this was one of our brightest ideas,” said Xander, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands.

  Deryn huffed. “When I was growing up in Redwood, the older kids would always sneak off to the beach late at night to have sex. It was supposedly so romantic.”

  “Clearly they lied.”

  “Screw this!” Deryn jumped to her feet and tore off her pants. “Off with your clothes, Xander. You just proposed to me and looked damn sexy doing it, so we’re having sex no matter what!”

  Xander had no objections. He stood up and stripped.

  Deryn took his hand and marched them into the water.

  “Is this sanitary?” he asked as they walked deeper. He followed Deryn’s lead, jumping with each wave that came. He didn’t want to admit that he was frightened to go much deeper.

  “Probably not, but I don’t care.”

  Deryn stopped just past the waves, turned toward him and kissed him hard. She began to stroke his cock and Xander’s fear quickly evaporated. Because sex.

  As soon as he was hard, Deryn wrapped her legs around his waist, the water making her weightless.


  Okay, this wasn’t so terrible.

  Deryn lifted a little higher, reached down again and guided his cock inside of her. She moaned as she sank onto it, closing her eyes and kissing him again as she began to move. Xander gripped her ass, forgetting where they were and getting caught in the moment.

  This was his fiancée.

  Someday soon, he was going to marry the woman who’d made him realize he wasn’t incapable of love. He had just been waiting for her to arrive.

  Xander and Deryn got lost in the feel of one another, barely noticing as the waves grew larger.

  Until an especially large wave came crashing into them.

  Xander and Deryn screamed as they were torn apart, water entering their lungs as they were pushed onto the beach.

  They skidded forward on the sand, landing beside one another and laughing until their sides hurt. They looked at each other, soaking wet and covered in sand, their laughter growing even harder.

  The water came forward again and entered their open mouths.

  Xander and Deryn crawled out of the water, which was really hard to do in their hysterical state.

  “Xander, I don’t think this is meant to be,” said Deryn, collapsing on the dry sand. Her cheek pressed into it but she was far beyond the point of caring.

  “I’ve never appreciated vanilla sex in a bed so much before.”

  Deryn frowned. “Vanilla?”

  Xander smirked and kissed her, not minding the sand and salt water that came with it. “I’m not complaining. But one of these days it might be fun to do it somewhere we might get caught.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

  “How about when we get back we take a shower and wash this sand off together?”

  “I’d like that very much,” said Xander. “Can we head back now?”

  Deryn rolled her eyes. “Come on, golden-eyed devil. Let’s clean up and get dressed.”

  She stood up and pulled him with her. They went back in the water but kept their eyes on the waves this time.

  Xander was more than happy to help Deryn clean the sand off her body, especially her breasts. He was even courteous enough to clean her nipples with his tongue.

  While Deryn didn’t mind his assistance, she was wise enough to shove him off before his hands could stray farther south. All it would take was one enthusiastic finger and they’d be right back on that beach covered in wet sand.