Wild Wastes Omnibus

by Randi Darren

  By the hells below, she’s terrifying.

  Chapter 21

  Red moved in quickly and grabbed the Elf girl. She looked extremely unsteady on her feet. To the point that Vince had to wonder if she could even walk.

  “Throw her over your shoulder, Red. We’ll question her once we get out of here,” Vince said.

  Sighing, he turned towards the street they’d come down. He didn’t for a moment believe this would actually change or help anything.

  But he’d told Eva he’d do it.

  “Listen and heed my words!” Vince called out loudly. “Dean is dead. I will return in the future to see if another has come to take control over this community!

  “If they rule well and benevolently, I’ll do nothing!

  “Should they be ruling with an iron hand and violence, the Dragon will be my answer!”

  Turning on his heel, Vince moved to the eastern path they’d identified earlier.

  “Good work, Taylor,” Vince said as they moved.

  “Mmm. He really did taste absolutely foul. Need to rinse my mouth out,” complained the Dragon.

  “Sorry about that. When we stop to interrogate the Elf, you could always change to your human form and take care of that,” Vince offered up.

  “I’ll do that. Easier to wash my mouth out in that form.”

  Quickly as they could, they scurried down the road that led out of the rough-and-tumble community. Eva stayed close to Vince, and Caroline kept herself between Red and Taylor.

  Julia had taken the rear-guard position.

  When they reached the edge of Washington, they found a plain of grass and trees in front of them.

  “This’ll do,” Vince said. “Go ahead and drop the Elf. I’ll have to see what I can do with her. Get yourself put together as best as you’re able for a rest.”

  Red dropped the Elf to the ground and then looked over her shoulder.

  “The sick Elf threw up on Red. Red can smell a source of water. Going to go wash and clean up,” said the Beastkin.

  “I’ll go with you,” Taylor said, still in her Dragon form.

  The two of them vanished off to the south.

  “I think I’ll just… watch,” Caroline said, dropping down into the grass and lying on her side.

  Julia kept her head moving, looking in every direction, her rifle tucked in her shoulder.

  Eva sat down next to Caroline. She hadn’t said a word since they’d left Washington.

  The Snow Elf leaned over and started speaking to Eva quietly while watching Vince. Her eyes told him this was a private conversation.

  Leaning down over the Elf, Vince took a good look at her.

  Minus the cuts, bruises, and clear abuse, she was exactly as he remembered her.

  Her blond hair was hacked short and one of her pupils was blown wide open.

  Slipping into her mind, he found her emotions a jumble—high highs and very low lows.

  He’d seen the like in the past. Almost always drug addicts or those experiencing a high.

  “Where’s Seville?” Vince asked her.

  “Seville?” responded the Elf, her eyes trying to focus on Vince.

  “Left. Left me. Gave me as a present. I would have slowed him down.” The Elf paused and then giggled insanely. “I was sick. Took a club to the head. Things don’t feel right anymore.

  “No healer in the army. Seville tried.”

  “The army? What army?”

  “Our army. No healer. They all went to Nashville.”

  Wait. What?

  “Seville is part of the Tri-lliance army?”

  “Why is your face blue?” asked the Elf.

  Her eyes fluttered in a strange way, then rolled up into her head.

  Unsure of what to do, Vince tried to experimentally push some of his magic into her with the intent to heal.

  All he managed to do was fill up her reservoir, her fit continuing unabated.

  Then she suddenly relaxed and stopped moving.

  Her chest no longer rose and fell.

  Laying his head to her chest, he heard the faint trembling of her heart but no actual beating.

  “You any good at healing magic, Caroline?” Vince asked, lifting his head up.

  “Not at all. Few in the Snow tribe have that talent.”

  Vince sighed and eyed the dying Elf.

  “I think I got spoiled with Mouth,” Vince muttered. “I need to find a Dryad that is martially inclined and has the ability to heal.

  “I take it this Seville is someone you know?” Caroline asked.

  “Yes… I hadn’t thought of him as an enemy, to be perfectly honest. Just a strange neutral figure in my way.

  “It would seem I was wrong, though. He appears to be working with and for the Tri-lliance. That explains a few things, I suppose.”

  “It does?” Eva asked, lifting her head up. She’d been staring at the now very dead Elf.

  “The attack wasn’t just against my own kingdom. It was against everyone. If Seville was involved, it means this was a long-standing campaign that was planned out.

  “It means they really are an enemy of all, and will need to be brought to task if we ever have a hope of living in peace.”

  Caroline nodded at that.

  “What’s the plan then, noble husband?”

  “East. Pick up the trail of the army, follow them, see what they’re up to. So far, they’re on a march of destruction and little else.

  “With any luck we’ll get word from the southern half of our group tonight, see if they encountered a similar situation.”

  “Makes sense. Well, worst-case scenario, I can help you work out your frustrations tonight, as I’ve done every night.

  “Then we pack up in the morning,” Caroline said with a shrug of her shoulders.

  Eva looked from Vince to Caroline, then back to Vince. Her face was bright red.

  Huh? Is my brother’s that much of a buttoned-up world?

  I wonder if those Dryads are going to cause a ruckus. I did send something like three hundred of them. All without a man.

  Whatever, good luck brother. I have my own Dryad harem to worry over.

  ***

  Vince squatted down next to Julia as she fiddled with something on her wrist.

  “Any luck?” he asked after a second.

  “Some. The relay is working, but it sounds like the other half of our group found the majority of the enemy army.

  “They’re more or less doing the same thing down there that we’re seeing up here.

  “Richard is woefully underinformed about the situation.”

  “That he is—and once again, not our problem. We had trade relations, but nothing more than that.

  “Besides, I’m sure he’s aware of it by this point. There’s no way refugees haven’t been moving towards Nashville.”

  Julia nodded, then dismissed the small display she was fiddling with.

  “That’s really everything I got out of it. I think we’re on the edge of the distance available, and the south probably as well.

  “Your world has no satellites or towers. Makes communication very difficult,” Julia complained.

  Vince shrugged at that.

  “It isn’t something we’ve had to worry about, since we never knew any different.”

  “Well, last I saw before we headed out, Felix was prepping an entire ‘new world’ package. This isn’t the first time we’ve stepped onto a location that was starting from scratch.

  “If you’re not a super power within the next five years, I’ll eat my own goddamn legs,” Julia said, standing up. “Honestly, this whole thing is very surprising.”

  “Which part? My world?” Vince asked.

  “No, Felix. With people outside of his inner circle, he’s fairly mercenary. Brutal, even.

  “When you showed up the way you did, it was like he was propelled into a different state of mind.”

  Vince thought on that for a moment, then gave his head a shake.

  “Whe
n you have no family and suddenly find that you do, it changes things.

  “Wives, lovers, children—they’re all important. Very important. But… blood is blood,” Vince said, not sure he was expressing it very well.

  “So I’ve noticed.” Julia put a hand on her hip and lifted her rifle to her shoulder. “I’m going to hit the sack. And hey… when this is all over, would you and Felix consider leaving some of Legion on this world? It’s… kinda a weird place, and I like it.

  “It makes sense here.”

  “The violence? The fighting?”

  “Yeah. Every day is a struggle and every day is exactly what you expect.

  “Anyways, goodnight.”

  “Goodnight,” Vince said absently. Going back to his bedroll, he thought on what Julia had said.

  Having some of Felix’s people here wasn’t a bad idea. In the same breath, Vince wouldn’t mind having some of his people on Felix’s world either.

  There was a lot to gain there in the way of technology and resources.

  Moving deeper into the building they’d camped out in, Vince turned into the small room he’d picked out for himself.

  Sitting down on his bedroll, Vince started to work at the fastenings on his armor.

  “Red would like to talk.”

  Looking up to the doorway, Vince somehow managed to contain a sigh.

  Unhitching a buckle on his armor, he nodded across the way.

  “Grab a seat then. We can talk while I get ready for bed.”

  Red sat down across from him, then pulled her knees up in front of herself and wrapped her arms around them.

  She watched him with her glowing eyes across the tops of her leather-clad knees.

  It was a uniquely vulnerable look for her.

  Mildly unnerved, Vince continued to work at removing his brigandine but kept his eyes fastened to her.

  “What’s up, Red?”

  “Red wants your advice, because it involves you directly,” she mumbled, her nose and mouth pressed to her legs. Only her eyes were visible now.

  “I’ll be happy to give it. You need only ask.”

  Pulling a clasp, Vince shrugged out of his armor with some effort. He normally pulled it completely apart, but he was getting some seriously strange feelings coming from Red. Giving her his full attention was rapidly becoming paramount.

  “Memories. I’m… Red is… having many memories of the past. I now know that I was not a good person. That who Red was before Red… was quite… bad.”

  “You mentioned that before,” Vince said, hoping to keep her talking.

  Crossing his legs underneath him, he put his forearms on his knees and leaned toward her.

  “I was the daughter of the chief. One of them, at least. My older sister was married off. She was destined to be the next leader of our people.

  “I wanted to be that. I wanted it all for myself. Someone who practiced magic told me they could help me, and I agreed,” Red said. She closed her eyes, her arms tightening around her legs.

  Vince said nothing. He wasn’t sure what to say.

  “I don’t know what happened after that. I don’t remember yet. And I don’t want to.

  “Red doesn’t want to, that is. Red is Red. Red is happy being Red. Whatever happened previously no longer matters and doesn’t concern Red.

  “But… I… Red… fears we killed our entire people. I… and Red… would know what Bringer thinks of this?”

  “That you’re two different people. It’s obvious there’s a clear distinction between who you were and who you are now,” Vince said. “You even seem to fight with yourself on how to address your own being. Which seems to be firming up more and more with who you were before and who you are now.

  “As to my thoughts on what you did previous to this… I would say… whatever you did, you already paid that price.

  “You’re Undead, Red. You’re cursed. You were living in the woods eating other beings for their life essence.

  “That seems like a pretty solid punishment in my books.”

  Red’s eyes slowly opened. They were a dull, glowing, coal-like color right now.

  “I thought you would answer like that. As both Red and I. Who I was before this would never approve of Red. But I is not Red. Red is Red.”

  Vince grinned. The conversation was getting a little crazy, but nothing out of the ordinary for his heart-eating monster woman.

  “You smile at Red. You accept Red for what Red is.”

  “Of course.”

  “Even though Red wants to eat your flesh?”

  “Of course.”

  “Red can never have children.”

  “I have a lot of those already. If it isn’t an issue for you, it isn’t an issue for me.”

  “Red wants to mate tonight.”

  “I’d really prefer your first time be in a bed, but I’m more than willing to use the bedroll if you like,” Vince said.

  Red’s eyes became partially lidded, the glow of her irises intensifying.

  “You would mate with Red?”

  “Yep.”

  “You will be gentle with Red. Red has no memories of being with a man,” said the Beastkin.

  Getting up from her seated position, Red shimmied out of her pants with a fluid grace.

  Then she slid out of her tight-fighting chest piece and dropped it to one side as well.

  She stood before him, naked and pale.

  “Red will undress you,” she said, moving to him quickly.

  Her fingers hooked into his tunic and pulled it over his head forcefully. The sound of a seam popping as she jerked it clear was loud in his ears.

  Standing up before she could claw his pants off, Vince held up a hand as he worked his way free.

  “I only have two pairs with me—just give me a second.”

  “No. Red has waited many years. Red will mate with you, claim your seed, and lie with you.

  “Red was already promised wife status by Fes years ago.”

  Stepping in with her left foot, she put her toes in the crotch of his pants and underwear, then brought her foot down.

  Her other hand came in and immediately wrapped itself around his semi-erect shaft.

  “This is Red’s tonight. Red already told Caroline she doesn’t need to perform her duty,” Red said, giving him a firm squeeze.

  “Red fed from you twice today. You will not put it in Red’s mouth, or Red might try to feed again.”

  With a gentle push, Red moved Vince backward a step, then laid herself down on his bedroll.

  “Red… invites Vince to have Red,” said the Beastkin, opening her arms to him and spreading her knees wide.

  Looking down at the well-endowed and pale-skinned beauty, Vince suddenly found himself reliving all the desire he felt for her.

  It was impossible to not feel that way after feeding her over the years in the way he had.

  Smiling at him, Red’s eyes started to glow more brightly.

  “Come. Make Red yours,” she said, opening her hands and closing them a few times.

  Lowering himself into her embrace, Vince kissed her aggressively. He pushed his tongue into her mouth as his knees pressed to the sides of her hips.

  Red’s arms clasped him around the shoulders, her tongue swimming around his.

  Breaking the kiss only to kiss her again, Vince was practically mauling her mouth now.

  Turning her head to the side, Red let out a panting breath.

  “Red is dizzy. Very dizzy. Red’s head feels like it has a weight in it,” she said, her fingers tightening on Vince’s back.

  Chuckling, Vince bent his head to her throat and bit down into her white skin.

  “Ahhh,” Red squeaked out, her shoulder threatening to come up.

  Sinking his teeth in firmly, Vince did his best to mark her. To bruise her flesh.

  Red hissed between her teeth, her hips raising up to grind into his lap, pressing his shaft against her nethers.

  Letting go of her neck, Vince began
to trail kisses down her neck and shoulder.

  With his left hand, he cupped her right breast and began to fondle it, his thumb brushing over her nipple.

  At the same time, he got his mouth around her left nipple, dragging his tongue over it.

  “Nnnnn. Red needs Vince to mate with her. Red’s body is on fire with hunger.

  “Red can’t keep her eyes open.”

  She’s incredibly sensitive, isn’t she?

  Giving her nipple a single brush of his teeth, which got a groan out of Red, he moved back up.

  Red immediately pressed her mouth to his, her tongue slithering between his teeth.

  Kissing her back, Vince managed to guide his tip to her entrance by only positioning his hips.

  Breaking the kiss, he pulled back far enough to look at her.

  Her eyes were heavy, glowing brightly like living fire. Her cheeks were flushed and her ears twitched wildly atop her head.

  Pushing forward slowly, he began to enter her.

  Red’s mouth tightened into a line and she pulled her knees up high, widening her hips.

  Feeling the tight slickness of her insides gathering around his length, Vince continued until he couldn’t put any more into her.

  Red was panting now, her half-closed eyes fixed to his face.

  She released his shoulders and pressed her hands to his face, stroking his jaw and cheeks.

  “Red feels very good. Bringer is making Red desperately hungry, but not for a meal,” Red said in a throaty whisper. “Mate with Red.”

  Releasing her breast, Vince put both of his hands on either side of her waist and pulled his hips back.

  Once he reached the tip, he re-entered her, moving at a sedate pace.

  “Yes. Red feels Vince inside Red.”

  Red never closed her eyes. She stared at him with actual hunger and longing. Her fingers smoothed his sideburns down, stroking his jaw and cheeks.

  Carefully, Vince picked up speed and force, rocking back and forth atop the enchanting and needy Beastkin.

  Moaning with every entry, Red writhed her hips, bouncing herself down against him as he pushed into her.

  Her hands suddenly locked down around the back of his neck, her eyes shutting tightly.

  He could feel her insides twisting and writhing around his member.

  Realizing she was climaxing, Vince decided to see if he could throw her over the edge completely.