by K. A Knight
“Harpy, if a fucking spider crawls on me, you are getting spanked. You hear me?” Blain snarls, and I glance over my shoulder to see him looking around with tense eyes as he watches out for creepy crawlies.
Biting my lip to keep myself from laughing at big ole scary Blain being terrified of spiders, I can’t help the small thrill that spreads through me at the idea of Blain spanking me. Head out of the gutter, Rhea. My cheeks flush and I catch Jesse watching me, obviously having followed behind Blain, with a smirk on his face. I’m sad that Alcide and Nixon stayed behind at the camp to sort things out. They would have enjoyed exploring this place, especially our ringmaster. Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure that Nixon would fit in here, with the narrowed doorways and crumbling beams filling the space.
“What are you thinking about that has your cheeks so red, Rhea?” Jesse teases.
I ignore him and tread farther into the room, sidestepping a wooden box. I move closer to it and realise glass covers the top. Wiping the outside of grime, I can make out what looks like hand wrapped books, with a dirty, unreadable labels on front of them. Not that I would be able to read any of them anyway, not many women are taught to read unless it benefits their owners. I shrug and start to move on.
“Wildcat, look at this place!” Rex cries.
I spin when I hear a bang, just in time to see him rubbing his head and glaring at a wooden beam, obviously having hit his head. When he catches me watching him, he blushes but smiles awkwardly.
“Dude, move, will you?” Jesse jokes from somewhere behind him.
Blain lifts his feet and makes his way to me hesitantly, as if the dust and room has offended him. Arching my eyebrow, I can’t stop myself from teasing, “What’s wrong, Blainy? Scared?” I push out my bottom lip and use my best baby voice, as his eyes narrow on me.
Ignoring the others, he steps toe to toe with me. I grin at him, not the least bit bothered or afraid. When I first met Blain, he was a complete asshole. I mean, it was so bad I thought about stabbing him on a daily basis. But somewhere along the road, and with a few near misses, I got to see the real him, and now I understand why he is the way he is. He might never whisper soft nothings, or wax poetically to me, but he will always have my back and tell me the truth. The gleam of affection in his eyes betrays his rough exterior, and I know he would do anything to protect and care for me, like he does his family.
I hear the others start exploring the dusty, darkened room as Blain and I stare into each other’s eyes, daring the other to make a move. His plump lips twist into a smile, as his eyebrow piercing catches the light.
“Worried a little spider will crawl on you?” I mock, unable to help myself. “Oh, I can just imagine the way you would—” I’m cut off as his lips smash into mine, silencing me better than any of his words ever could.
His mouth explores mine, demanding and strong like the man himself. Stretching up on my tiptoes, I burrow my hands into his hair and give as good as I get. He pulls away slightly before nipping my bottom lip in warning. I think this is the first kiss we have shared which wasn’t prompted by anger or fear. Two things I’ve had a lifetime of, thanks to recent events—events I am better off trying to forget while moving on with my family.
Blinking, my heart racing and my eyes dazed, I watch as his signature smirk graces his puffy lips.
“Looks like I’ve found a way to shut you up, Harpy.” Leaning closer, he whispers the next into my ear, making me shiver as I clench my thighs together. “If you wanted me to kiss you, you should have said so, sweetheart.”
“Hey, guys, check this out!” Jesse’s excited shout snaps me out of my lust-filled daze, and Blain throws me a wink before turning and tiptoeing across the room to Jesse, where he is squatting, his attention on something on the floor.
“Asshole,” I mutter, ignoring the fluttering in my belly and the small smile that won’t seem to leave, before following and standing over Jesse.
Squinting, I try to make out what he is looking at. Rex moves to my side, squishing me between him and Blain, causing me to grunt.
“Blocking the light, man,” Jesse grumbles, biting his lip in concentration as he tries to work out what he found.
I step back and look around, leaving them to it and waiting my turn. My eyes light up, and an evil smile graces my lips when I spot something on the opposite side of the room. Sneaking a glance at my men, I wait until they are turned away then hurry across the room. Grabbing it, I cup it in my hands before turning around and skipping back to the guys.
“Hey, Blain! Catch!” I shout.
He blinks, raising his head before turning to face me. I don’t hesitate as I fling the big, black spider at him.
His eyes widen as he screams, high-pitched and girly, and starts dancing and jumping up and down on the spot. I watch, frozen, as his scream finally cuts off. The room goes silent before we all burst out laughing. Jesse howls as I try to staunch my giggles. Tears stream down my face, and every time I think I might stop, I look at one of the others and start all over again.
“Harpy!” Blain shouts, glaring at me. My chuckles die when he narrows his eyes and starts advancing on me. With a yelp, I spin and try to run away. Dashing out of the room, I pump my arms to go faster.
I can hear him chasing me, and although I know he is cross, I can’t help the little thrill that fills me, and I have to fight a little laugh that threatens to escape. I hear him behind me and am expecting to feel his rough hands on my arms. I risk a glance over my shoulder and see he is a few paces back, fighting his own grin. Spinning back around, I turn a corner, running blindly through the deserted building, my hair flying behind me while I giggle. He has to be letting me stay ahead of him, we all know he is faster than me and should have caught me by now. I run past doors and overturned tables with more artefacts as I start to slow.
“What’s wrong, Blainy, can’t keep up with me?” My words come out in bursts, my breathing erratic as I twist and try to dodge the exhibits in the room.
Glancing over my shoulder again to see where he is, I suddenly find myself flying towards the ground, having bumped into something. A shocked scream starts to leave my lips, but cuts off when I feel a pair of arms wrap around me, cushioning my landing on the hard wooden floor. My cheeks heat as I push up from the ground and turn in Blain’s arms.
“Bloody hell, Harpy, I thought you could fly now. You sure do spend a lot of time falling for me,” he teases, taking the sting out of his words with a little grin.
The silence stretches as we stare at each other, and his faces loses the smirk. I bite my lip as something serious flits in his eyes.
“Rhea, I—”
A smash sounds from behind me, and he drags me back, shielding me with his body. When the noise stops, I peer around him with wide eyes to see the other half of the corridor I was running towards is filled with debris, and parts of the ceiling has collapsed, blocking the way.
“We should head back,” he suggests, even as he makes no move to leave. We both stare as the dust slowly settles, having been disturbed by the fall. Shaking his head, he looks down at me. “Come on, Harpy, before you cause any more trouble.”
I grumble as he takes my hand, twining our fingers together, and leads us back to the others.
When we reach the end of the hallway, I see Rex and Jesse peering nervously into the darkened area we are in and I start to feel bad for running off. When they spot us, they visibly relax.
“We better leave before this place crumbles around us,” Rex says. I nod, even as Jesse holds up what looks like an old magazine. The front cover shows a woman in a big, red sweater standing in front of a tree with two smiling children.
“Look what I found!” he exclaims.
“What is it?” I ask curiously.
Shrugging, he flips it around and looks through the pages. “Gifts for all the family this Chrisst-mass…” He sounds out the word as he reads before frowning. He looks up at us, his eyes sparkling with excitement and questions.<
br />
“What’s Christmas?”
Chapter Two
We decide not to test our luck any further, especially when Blain nearly got knocked out by another falling beam. We hurry outside and start our journey back to the circus. Walking between Jesse and Rex, with Blain skulking behind us protecting our backs, I feel safe. Even in this unknown part of the country, it is not safe for women to be walking outside of the settlements alone, but I know my guys will protect me. It still feels weird to say ‘my guys.’ I thought I would spend the rest of my life as some slave for the men of this world, but instead, I have a harem of loyal, brave men supporting my independence. Let’s not forget that I have proven, both to them and myself, that I can take care of both myself and them after I saved all their asses last month. It makes me hold my head higher and my back straighter. Gone is the slave girl from Cinders, and in her place is Rhea the Immortal.
Jesse has been clutching the old musty magazine from the museum to his chest like it’s a prize, and maybe to him it is. Not many people can afford books in this world, especially ones from before the blast. Since I can’t read it, I’m not that concerned about it. There is nothing from the past that is going to affect us now, and to me it just seems like a reminder of everything we lost, like a strange world I can’t even fathom.
“It is full of pictures of families, Rhea! Women and children, smiling and having fun!” His voice is full of awe, and he turns those beautiful eyes on me, twinkling with excitement and constant mischief that makes a dopey smile cross my face.
I don’t want to burst his bubble, he seems so happy with his find, but what he is saying is a fantasy. Sure, we may be pushing the boundaries of what people believe with our new circus act and our unconventional relationship. I mean, for heaven’s sake, according to society I am still supposed to be property! People’s attitudes about women are completely different now than what they were thirty years ago, before the war that changed everything. Maybe some things are better left in the past so that we don’t want things we can’t have.
“They seem to be celebrating a tradition called ‘Christmas.’ Look, here it says, ‘Why not celebrate this year in style? Treat yourself to a new sofa, big enough to fit the whole family this Christmas, even your great grandmother!’” Jesse reads part of the magazine out loud, his excitement clear in his voice. “Great Grandmother! Man, they must have been so old! To think that people lived for so long!” he exclaims.
I smile and shake my head. What he is reading sounds like one of the fairy tales I overheard some of Fredericks’ goons talking about once. Families together, people living old enough to be Grandmothers, let alone Great Grandmothers. It’s pure fantasy. Most people in this world don’t even get to know their mothers, so the idea of families gathering around like that, especially to celebrate, seems so foreign. I am lucky that I have a family, but it is one that I have found rather than be forged by blood.
“They bought each other… sofas?” Blain scoffs. “And people say we are freaks.”
I look over my shoulder at the scowling man behind me and smother a grin. I’m not quite sure what a ‘sofa’ is, but Blain’s reaction to it makes me want to laugh. It’s strange how anger turns to fondness... to something else, and makes all the annoying habits of someone’s personalities sort of nice? He is still an asshole, but he’s my asshole. I look across to Rex who is walking silently next to me. He has told me that he often feels like he is more similar to the animals that he works with than the humans, but he is usually more relaxed around his brothers from the circus than this.
Placing my hand on his arm, I see him flash a sweet smile, his eyes lighting up as they land on me. Rex has this way of making me feel like I have granted all his wishes just with one look. Where Blain’s prickly personality pushes me to use my anger and just be more, Rex inspires me to be gentle. To bring out the sweetness in me. That, and every time I look at him, I think about ripping his clothes off, but that’s a different story altogether.
“Are you okay?” I ask him quietly, ignoring Blain’s grumbling and Jesse’s excited chatter, pretending it’s just him and me. That’s the only issue with so many men, we are constantly surrounded. Trying to find some peace and alone time is hard. If it’s not one of them walking in when I am with the other, it’s them fighting over where I sleep. But I guess there are worse problems to have.
Rex nods and looks away from me, his focus on the circus tent ahead of us that just became visible against the backdrop of the sickly orange of the setting sun. I always get a thrill when the light dies and the dark comes out to play. I used to fear it, but now I feel more comfortable than ever in the moon’s rays. We don’t hide, not anymore, but the darkness lets the freaks out to play. Your fears, our powers, all coming together to bring energy to it.
The bright colours of the sun always stand out against the broken and bleak landscape, like a beacon home. It sends excitement through me. I did worry that the attack would make me nervous, almost feeling unsafe and spoiling my new home. If anything, it has only made me love it more. It’s a place where I fought for my family, where we overcame evil and prejudice. Yes, we lost people, but we became closer, learned to rely on each other.
“Talk to me,” I tell him, my hand still on his arm. “What are you thinking?” I know something is on his mind, I can tell from the way he won’t meet my gaze. He has never been able to hide anything from me. It’s his downfall for being so down right nice and trustworthy.
“I just…” He sighs, running a hand through his blond hair, making his gorgeous eyes stand out as he pushes it from his face. “This whole Christmas thing has got me thinking, I’ve never really known what it’s like to be part of a family. I mean, sure, the guys have always been like brothers to me, but now we have you…” He trails off and I can see the angst that is warring inside him. “I just wish things were different,” he finally finishes.
I freeze at his comment and look over at him in shock. He carries on walking for a few steps, lost in his thoughts before realising I have stopped. Seeing the look on my face, he hurries over to me in concern. Pain explodes in my chest, and I become choked up. I knew this was too good to be true.
“I didn’t mean it like that!” His words tumble over one another as he hurries to explain himself, his cheeks paling as they take in the rapidly growing moisture in my eyes. “I just mean that I wish things were as they were before the war. When men and women were equal, and people could be together as they wanted, could have a family together and buy sofas for each other.” He sighs, running his hand through his hair again. “I want this world to be safe for you. Where we aren’t constantly fighting for our lives, where we could celebrate something like Christmas without having to worry about if we will be attacked in the next town.”
Relief flows through me, and I quickly rub my eyes before looking at him again. I thought he was talking about us… about me. The panic stops clawing at my insides, allowing me to look at him.
My heart melts a little when I think through his words—he wants a family with me? I told him I can’t have kids, does he wish I could? Will he eventually get sick of me and find someone who can? Shaking my head, I get rid of my morbid thoughts and concentrate on the good he was talking about. I won’t let my insecurities ruin this, but something about Rex brings them all out and makes me extra emotional.
Jesse and Blain walk over to us, having witnessed Rex’s outburst in silence.
“Firecracker—”
“Ree-Ree?” We all spin at the voice, Rex’s claws already out. I grin when none of them step in front of me. Before the attack in the last town they would have, but now they know better. Instead, they stand beside me, ready to fight whatever comes our way.
Lils pops her head up from behind a bush, her cheeks flushed and her hair all over, even as a massive grin stretches her pouty mouth.
“Lils?” I ask incredulously. She always did have a way of surprising me.
I watch in amusement and confusion as she comes a
round from the bush, pulling at her wrinkled clothes until they settle into place. I raise my eyebrow at her, and she winks as I take her in. Dressed in black skintight leather pants, a black tank top, and kickass black boots, she looks like a fighter. A belt wraps around her tucked in waist and my eyes flare in shock at the weapons strung along it like a necklace, so many I lose count. I’ve never seen a woman dressed that way before. Women in this world usually dress to hide their figures or wear the clothes that mark them as property. The only women who dress otherwise are the whores who always look worse for wear. Some of my costumes since joining the circus have pushed my boundaries, designed to show off my shape while usually covering most of my skin, but they are always very feminine. Lils’ clothes make her look dangerous, like a weapon.
She stops in front of me as she smooths out her long, blonde ponytail.
“Fuck, there’s a fucking twig stuck in my ass, baby girl,” comes a muffled shout from the bushes at the side of the road.
I bite my lip to hold in my giggles as Lils winks at me. I look around her to see Yavin stumble out from behind the same bush, busy buttoning up his matching black trousers as he swears to himself.
