by Randi Darren
Did she make a mistake? Did she summon the creature that murdered the room? Did she escape and lock the door behind her, dooming all those that were still inside?
So many questions.
He did find one clue as they left the next morning though.
There was a map on the counter he’d overlooked previously. It had the look of something that someone had prepared to help guide their way to a specific location, rather than giving them a lay of the land.
Listed at the top near the old Canadian border, right where Montana met Washington, was a circle.
He knew for a fact his parents had gone up north several times.
It was a long shot, and maybe went nowhere, but maybe this circle was where they’d gone.
Taking the map with him, he’d fled the complex entirely.
Chapter 20
“Keep your hood up,” Ramona ordered Vince.
Shrugging his shoulders, Vince reached up and pulled the hood on his cloak lower over his features.
Normally he wasn’t one for cloaks and hoods, they tended to get caught on things, but Ramona had insisted. Even going so far as to demand he keep the hood up as they entered into the boundaries of what people would consider “Vegas”.
That’d been an hour ago when she’d made that demand clear, and since then, he’d kept his hood low.
“Won’t they question me about the hood? I can’t imagine guards letting someone just wander in without showing their face,” Vince asked.
“Gold goes far in Vegas, it’ll only cost a few standards, and the wall guards will let us pass without a care,” Ramona explained.
Guards. Guards and scouts out there wandering around.
He’d sensed and seen a few persons out there. Watching them. Tracking them.
It made his shoulderblades itch and his skin prickle.
The idea of being watched so casually set his nerves on edge.
His Ranger instincts demanded that he immediately dive to the side and get into cover. To hide, wait, and disengage.
The watchers left them alone though. Whether it was because Ramona and Leila were clearly not human or because the watchers didn’t care, there was no contact.
“Is this going to be the norm? No humans in Vegas?” Vince asked quietly.
“Some. Most of them are slaves or magicians. You’re neither, so we must be careful at first,” Ramona explained.
“Worry not, Vince,” Leila chirped happily. “My master was from here and told a number of stories. It should be fine.”
“And what happened to your master?” Vince asked.
“Oh. He uh… went to Vegas and never came back. I’m sure it’s unrelated,” Leila said hurriedly.
Vince snorted at that and kept moving. They’d been walking down this road for quite a while now. Up ahead he could see the ruins of buildings on the skyline, and what looked to be a very large wall surrounding it all.
“It’s walled?” Vince asked Ramona.
“Yes. It’s been so as far as anyone can remember. This is the northern extent of the Tri-lliance.”
“You mentioned them a bit, but didn’t say much. Care to enlighten me since we’ll be chatting with them directly?” Vince pried. He’d attempted to get information out of her previously, but she’d been unwilling.
“I don’t think—”
“Stop,” Vince said, interrupting her. “We’re turning around. I’m not walking into this. It’s beginning to smell like a trap.”
Vince turned and began walking the way they came. Blue, Green, and Red immediately fell in with him without complaint.
“Wait,” Ramona hissed at him. “I said wait!”
Unresponsive, Vince kept on going. He was over working with no information.
Leila floated along lazily to one side. She seemed content regardless so long as she could continue to study Red.
“Fine! Ok! Fine, damnit. Just talking about it will put a death sentence on me. Don’t you understand?” Ramona nearly screamed at him.
“That’s fair,” Vince said, stopping in his tracks. “I’ll offer you a guaranteed place amongst my inner circle. I need more people who are knowledgeable about the wide world out there. You seem to know more of what lies to the south and further.”
Ramona stared at him with narrowed eyes. “Truly?”
“Yes. Now, do we turn around and head back towards Vegas as you talk, or do I go home to Yosemite?”
“Agreed then. Come, quickly, before they notice,” Ramona said with an annoyed tone to her words.
Turning around again, Vince started again towards to Vegas.
“The Tri-lliance. It’s more or less a collection of cities populated by non-humans with the goal to retake the entire area you term the ‘The Waste’ in its entirety.
“Vegas is the furthest they’ve gone north, as the tribes above refuse to capitulate, and the human crusades scared them quite badly,” Ramona explained.
“Ok, that all makes sense. So who rules the Tri-lliance, and who is their envoy in Vegas?” Vince asked.
“It’s ruled by a trio of leaders. I don’t know them or anything about them. But the envoys for Vegas are a Necromancer, a Dragon, and a Lizardman,” Ramona supplied.
“Huh. Alright. This’ll be a resource-driven trade deal. No emotions or sentimentality among those three,” Vince muttered to himself.
“That would be wise, yes. Ah, we’re going to be greeted,” Ramona said, coming to a stop.
Looking up, Vince could see several figures moving in their direction along the road.
“Any last minute instructions?” Vince asked quietly.
“Play along with whatever I say for now. It’ll be different once we can get inside the city,” Ramona said firmly.
Alright, then.
Vince and company waited quietly. Slowly and surely those figures resolved themselves into a trio of Lizardmen. They carried themselves with a strange juxtaposition of military bearing and personal swagger.
Ramona stepped forward and held her hand up. In her palm a medallion dangled on a ribbon.
“I’m a citizen by virtue. I’ve come with my… my husband and his other wives. We have no business other than to purchase a home and settle in for a while,” Ramona said clearly.
Two of the Lizardmen paused at that, the third glaring at the medallion.
“Fine. Come,” grumbled the Lizardman in the middle.
Without a word, everyone grouped up behind the Lizardmen.
Husband, huh? I suppose if their citizenship requirements are strict that would be one of the only ways in. Should be interesting to see the city. It’s fairly similar in makeup to Yosemite, isn’t it?
Nothing was said by anyone as they marched along.
There wasn’t even a verbal exchange when Ramona handed over a handful of coins as they were ushered into the city proper.
The city didn’t look anything like Yosemite.
The racial makeup was definitely varied, but the people, the buildings, even the streets weren’t similar in any way.
Yosemite was clean, built with a purpose, its citizens working together for a common goal.
Vegas looked… much more akin to a human city. The buildings were new and ramshackle at the same time. Its people grumbled and bumped into each other. Giving one another a wary eye, twitchy hands hovering over weapons.
Guards visibly patrolled and were almost more of a hindrance than a help. Vince could swear he even saw one group take money from a street merchant.
And let’s not forget we just bribed guards to get me inside with barely more than a glance. This is… this is everything that’s wrong.
Gaps in defense, abuse of power…
Vince mentally sighed and gave himself a mental shake.
Ramona was already walking down the main thoroughfare, forcing Vince to put his thoughts on pause and catch up.
They eventually turned down a side street and headed off the main boulevard. There wasn’t a single word exchanged until Ramona had them all inside a
medium-sized two story home.
Though being a smidgen rundown, it appeared to be sturdy and secure.
“City hasn’t changed,” Ramona muttered to herself, heading towards a back room. “There’s only one guest room and the living room, other than my own bedroom. Rest, but don’t leave the house for any reason. Stay out of my bedroom. I’ll be leaving in several hours to meet my contact. Get a meeting set up. Very likely I won’t be back till tomorrow around noon. Half of the problem will be finding him.”
Then she shut the door behind herself, closing herself off from Vince and the others.
“W-well. I think I’ll just read,” Leila said. Pulling a book out of her bag, she floated off to a corner and sprawled out on her cushion of air.
Blue and Green looked at each other, then to Vince. They tended to look to him for direction, even though they’d been promoted in the Dryad ranks.
Red grunted and then curled up on the couch without a word, closing her eyes.
“Red hates this city. Smells bad. Bringer should take us home.”
Vince wanted to agree, but couldn’t. He had to be here for this, and there wasn’t much of a choice in that. His people needed food, which meant Vince needed to be here.
Even when all he wanted was to be home.
Ramona didn’t return that night. As she’d warned them of that, no one thought it wrong or out of the ordinary.
It had been hard to sleep that night. Unlike Yosemite, Vegas came to life at night. The volume of its citizens didn’t go down till the morning.
Vince had managed to catch a few hours, but Leila hadn’t actually fallen asleep until the sun came up.
She was passed out in the living room with Red.
Green and Blue were sleeping in the guest bed they’d slept in with Vince.
Having gone through many sleepless nights, Vince felt too out of sorts. He’d relegated himself to the kitchen since it was the furthest from the living room and bedrooms.
Just because he could get through it without too much of a problem, didn’t mean he couldn’t let the others sleep.
There wasn’t any food to be had in the house. It was apparent at a casual inspection that Ramona hadn’t been here in months, and it looked almost as if she hadn’t planned on ever returning.
All of that meant that breakfast was dried trail rations.
Vince chewed methodically at a piece of dried… something… while sitting at the barren table.
Should have packed up that Valkyrie meat when I had the chance. Would I have grown wings I wonder?
The door swung inward on silent hinges, revealing Blue as she walked through the doorway. She was dressed in nothing more than an oversized tunic that looked like it had been stolen from him. Her hair was undone and wild, hanging free.
Being a man, Vince couldn’t help but admire her slim Elven figure and grace.
Elven Dryads really are different.
Shutting the door, she gave him a small smile and bowed her head fractionally to him. “Grove husband.”
“Blue, good morning to you,” Vince said. “Nothing to eat. My pack is in the corner if you want to dig something out of it.”
Wandering over to the indicated pack, she bent over at the waist, rifling through his belongings.
Getting an eyeful, Vince didn’t bother to look away. Dryads were obvious, there was no reason for him not to enjoy what was being offered.
Blue even went so far as to look backward to ensure he was watching. Then she aimed her bare posterior directly at him and arched her back.
And with that dual-colored stare, Vince felt his loins ignite.
Flicking his breakfast to one side, he reached out and snatched Blue by the waist. It was all done in a heartbeat and faster than she could probably see or react to.
Dragging her towards himself, he pushed her over the barren table, pressing her shoulders and chest to the wooden surface. Blue’s breath caught audibly at his actions. Reaching up, she gripped the opposite edge of the table.
She really was as direct and obvious as Karya.
Unbuckling his belt with the left hand, he pressed his right to the back of Blue’s neck. She enjoyed the feeling of being controlled and dominated.
The metal bracket clicked softly as Vince’s belt came undone. Then his pants slid down from his hips and pooled around his ankles.
Blue’s breath had started speeding up the moment he’d grabbed her. When he laid his hand on her neck, she’d shuddered violently, her breath catching again.
Using his left hand, he pushed his rock hard tip into the lips of her entry. Smiling, Vince rubbed the tip up and down between her lips, making sure to press up against her moistened clit.
“Mmm, grove husband, don’t tease me,” Blue pleaded. “You used Green so much last night. Use me now. Fill me.”
Grinning now, Vince nodded his head and moved forward. His length entered her with a soft wet swish. Even when he reached the hilt, Vince pushed forward, grinding himself into her entry and forcing himself deeply into her.
“Yes, yes. Thank you, more please. I have eggs left. I have eggs. Please, take them,” Blue whimpered against the table.
Tightening his grip on her neck, he laid his left hand to her hip.
Slowly, carefully, Vince began to methodically work himself through her slick interior.
He’d gotten his domination needs out last night on the tiny Dryad. Used Green in any and every way.
Right now he needed something a bit more intimate.
Blue moaned, her rear end pushing up into his lap as he went forward.
“That’s great, yes. Love me, love me,” Blue said softly.
Vince grinned as he moved back into her. Blue was always a talker.
“Hush, love. Hush,” Vince said, moving his hand up to gently stroke her hair to one side to see her face more clearly.
Blue’s blue eye slid to the side. It was completely colored in. She watched him from the table as he took her on it.
She gave a small nod, a smile spreading over her lips.
Holding onto her smooth skin he began to build up speed as his length plumbed her depths.
The slap of his flesh on hers was starting to build as he went. Her insides were hot and determined to squeeze him to death, urging him onward.
Blue’s moans started to ascend in speed and sound. Her mouth opened and her volume went up significantly.
Unwilling to go any longer, wanting to finish, Vince let himself go.
Pummeling her bottom, he ran her through with his member. Like a piston firing away. Blue began crying out with each thrust.
Then Vince hit his climax. Grinding into her, curling around her lower back and posterior, he came. His girth expanded and heaved, shooting off into her with ball heaving spasms.
“Ooooh, yes. Yes… fill me,” Blue whimpered, writhing her hips against him. “Fill me.”
Her dirty talk and pleading definitely worked on him; his body shuddered in response. He couldn’t help but give her another spurt of thick seed at her words.
Sighing with that last pulse, Vince exited her and sat down heavily on the chair.
Blue definitely knew how to play his buttons and needs.
Before he could react, Blue knelt down in front of him and slurped up his sticky length into her mouth.
Moaning around his hilt, her mismatched eyes stared up at him as her tongue worked leisurely along his shaft.
Shivering, Vince watched her as she worked to clean him.
Smiling, Blue ran the width of her tongue along his tip as she bobbed her head.
“Damn, that feels good,” Vince said, laying his hands on Blue’s shoulders.
“Mmm,” Blue mumbled around him.
Sucking firmly, she pulled her head back, her tongue working diligently. Releasing him gently as she reached the tip, she dropped her eyes to inspect him. Gently, she rolled his length in her hand to one side, then the other. His member twitched in her hand, a bead of thick fluid popped up at the t
ip.
Smiling up at him, she drew her tongue over it. Looking down she gave it another check. “All clean, grove husband.”
Damn.
At that moment, the rear door was kicked in. The wood splintered and the frame itself actually shattered.
In stormed a group of armed and armored Lizardmen. They were all bearing city guard colors and insignia. No sooner had they cleared the doorway, than they all had weapons drawn.
Vince was taken completely by surprise. Not to mention, he wasn’t ready for a fight with his dick hanging out and his weapon across the room.
“There he is, we’re in luck. Take him. Don’t bother with her, leave everyone else. Be quick. His bodyguards will wake,” hissed one of the helmeted guards. “If you fight, we’ll kill everyone in the house. Come quietly, we’ll leave them all here, untouched.”
Damn…
Blue scrambled across the floor and out of the room in seconds. Undoubtedly she’d be getting everyone up and ready to fight for him.
Even if they managed to kill or chase away the guards, there was no guarantee there weren’t more outside. Beyond that, it would become a rolling fatal game of hide and seek across the city. Getting out of the walled city of Vegas, a city full of Wasters with heightened senses and abilities, would be a near impossible task.
They could fight, probably win even, but would there even be the possibility of truly escaping?
Vince sighed and didn’t fight. Righting himself, he got up and walked out the kitchen door and into the street.
Sure enough, there looked to be at least twenty more guards out here in the street.
All around the house were looky-loos trying to see what was going on. Collectively, they realized Vince was a human.
A human in Vegas that wasn’t a mage, or a slave.
The guards closed in around him almost at the same time that the citizens reacted. They began throwing anything that they could reach.
In seconds, Vince was surrounded and protected, being led down the street to only the fates knew where.
So much for talking with their leadership in a peaceful setting.
I wonder if I have to create a path of bodies to earn my escape from Vegas.
Chapter 21
