Lord of Ends

by Sam Ryder

  I made sure I loaded my guns. Studs on a bracelet asked for respect, but a loaded gun and a hand that knew how to wield it demanded it.

  We managed to sleep, all of us.

  Chapter 9

  Geneva

  We reached Geneva the next evening after hours of picking our way through foliage and downed trees, which grew thicker the closer we got. It wasn’t a natural phenomenon. When Geneva was built, those who’d planned and constructed it believed the best security was making the approach of any enemy slow, giving them time to prepare their defenses. Thus far, it had worked. Though I’d heard rumors that the Rising desperately wanted to add Geneva to their list of holdings, they hadn’t figured out a way to take it without significant bloodshed on both sides. Thus, the city remained neutral.

  The three of us were tired but in decent spirits. Even Chuck had slowed down.

  My hands were trembling slightly. It had been a while since I had a drink, and my body wasn’t used to it, the withdrawal heavy. I wasn’t in denial. I was a functional alcoholic. I hated being beholden to the drink but had resigned myself to it for the foreseeable future. These days, there were no AA meetings, no sponsors, no sobriety chips. Now, I could really use a drink to smooth out my nerves, so my first order of business was to get us all something to eat, then find a place that served booze.

  Unlike the outposts, which generally offered just a few bars and maybe a general store coupled with a handful of living quarters, the three big cities in the Ends—Geneva, Rome, and Paris—would have much more on offer.

  The original survivors who rebuilt their lives around these cities chose places that weren’t as burned out as other locations, building around them where possible. While the Blast leveled the outposts save for a few buildings, the cities had quite a few structures intact. Many of the buildings had the same dilapidated look as The Last Stop, but they functioned better.

  Plus, most were better maintained, funded by one of the three main factions in the Ends.

  Geneva was the smallest of the three cities, governed by a group known as simply the Council. Thus far, the Council had chosen not to get involved in the growing unrest between the Rising and the Enders. Rome was the Rising’s main stronghold, while Paris was a haven for Enders.

  Given Geneva’s neutral politics, we should be safer here than in Rome. An Ender in Geneva wasn’t as distracting.

  But there was still tension in the air. If a belligerent group of either race made their way through Geneva, it wasn’t uncommon for them to pick fights or even slaughter someone who looked at them the wrong way. It didn’t happen as often as before, because the Council meted out judgment swiftly on those who brought violence into the city limits.

  So while nobody stared at us as we entered Geneva, we also had to be careful not to look at anyone the wrong way.

  Like the other two cities, Geneva had one main intersection. This was the heart of the city, brimming with activity. In the center square was a crowded market, which was our first stop.

  There were plenty of farmers in the Ends. A few types of vegetation made it through the Blast and were replanted. Apples were one. Most markets had a decent array of apples to choose from, and they became the main source of vitamins for large portions of the population.

  We needed food, so I walked up with a nickel and bought us a small bag of apples. While walking back to the two women, Gehn wore an unmistakable look of anxiousness and fear. It was the same expression she had when she walked into The Last Stop.

  “You all right?” I asked her, handing her an apple. “Are you feeling something?” Though I took her talk of prophetic dreams and Chosen Ones with a grain of salt, I knew Enders had a sixth sense that one shouldn’t ignore.

  She thanked me and accepted the apple. “I’m fine,” she said. “Something doesn’t feel right here. Whatever it is feels distant, however. I’ll let you know if that changes.”

  As we rested and ate, the two sisters sat on a nearby bench. I preferred to stand, taking stock of my surroundings.

  On every corner of the main intersection stood a bar. Through the windows were drunks, both human and Ender, clutching glasses of booze. The Enders were all women, their various mutations—horns and claws and tails—exposed for the world to see. Even here, male Enders would have trouble assimilating, their brains reduced to animal instincts that would get them into trouble. Hence, they were resigned to Paris, amongst their own kind.

  “After we finish up here,” I said between bites, “why don’t we go get a drink somewhere? I’m getting a little shaky.”

  Hannah glanced at Gehn, who gave her a nervous nod.

  “You’re with me,” I assured Gehn. “Don’t worry.”

  We finished up our apples and walked across the street. A sign hung outside the front door saying, Barley’s.

  “Works for me,” I said, ushering the two into the building.

  Barley’s didn’t look that different from The Last Stop. It was rundown, its windows blown out.

  It felt just like home.

  The big difference was it was packed, laughter and raucous conversations making it hard to hear. The ceiling was lower, too, as this was a two-level building. It was darker than The Last Stop because it wasn’t ill-protected by a leaky roof.

  I managed to locate an empty spot at the corner of the bar and ordered three scotches, paying with a pair of dimes. The barkeep nodded as he slid them into his palm. I told him to keep the change.

  Plopping down on a barstool with my back to the bar, I took a swig of the scotch and surveyed the situation. As the burning sensation filled my throat, my nerves calmed down. I sighed and relaxed.

  The clientele was varied. A few groups of female Enders sat at tables, leaning forward and murmuring among themselves. A mixed group at a back table played cards. The bar contained several men from the Rising based on the tattoos on their necks, looking out the sides of their eyes between sips of their drinks, presumably getting the lay of the land, spies for Rome. Hell, if this were Rome, they’d have already dragged the Enders out and killed them. It was an odd situation.

  Gehn rested her elbows on the counter of the bar to steady herself. “Something doesn’t feel right,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said again. I was just trying to calm her, but I was ready for action at the first signs of trouble. “You’re not alone. I’ve got my friends tucked away on my hip, and I’ll be happy to introduce them to anyone who messes with you.”

  Hannah excused herself for a moment to go find a ladies’ room. She disappeared through a door at the back of the bar.

  “Just enjoy your drink,” I told Gehn. She reluctantly took a sip and winced as she swallowed it.

  I finished my drink, so I walked over to the other side of the bar to get the bartender’s attention. While he was filling my glass, I looked back at Gehn.

  She wasn’t alone anymore.

  Some old son of a bitch was peering over her shoulder, muttering something to her. As I watched, he grabbed her hat and pulled it off, revealing her horns.

  I raised my finger to the bartender to let him know I had to step away for a second.

  I returned to Gehn and got a good look at the guy as I approached.

  His hair was dark gray, tucked under a leather cowboy hat, and he wore a grizzled gray beard. He smelled of shitty booze to where I thought it would come out of his pores.

  “Can I help you?” I asked sternly.

  “Nah, we’re good, man,” he said without looking at me. Gehn cowered.

  With a swift move, I grabbed the guy by the back of his shirt and stood him up. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear,” I said.

  “The fuck’s your problem, man?” he said, half-drooling on himself. He was a drunk that couldn’t handle his booze. I wouldn’t need my friends to take care of him.

  “Back off,” I warned, offering him a last chance out of the situation.

  “Oh, is she your bitch?” he replied. “Kinda looks like a hot littl
e Ender to me. Tell you what...” He reached into his pocket. “I got a buck-fifty here. You take it and give me an hour with ’er. No questions asked. I want to see how bright I can make them horns glow!” He let out an obnoxious laugh.

  “Walk away,” I said. “This is your final warning.”

  The slimy bastard stepped in close. His foul breath was almost too much to bear. “You don’t own her. Maybe she wants to be with a real man. Don’t worry, I’ll make her scream so loud the Rising will hear it over in Rome. So take the money. It’s more than she’s worth, anyway. What’s it to you?”

  That was enough for me. With a quick jab, I popped him under the jaw. His teeth snapped together, and I heard at least two of them hit the floor. His mouth filled up with blood.

  He staggered back, and I stepped between him and Gehn. “Stay there,” I said to her.

  Fire raged in the man’s eyes and he composed himself for another round, the alcohol swarming through his blood numbing him to the pain of having two teeth knocked out. He charged at me and I lifted my boot to kick him in the gut, doubling him over, then landed another uppercut to drop him to the floor.

  A ripple of energy shot through the bar. Half the men in the room jumped to their feet, trying to see what was going on. The guy’s two buddies moved in closer, but I whipped out Alpha and cradled her in my hand. I knew weapons were outlawed in the city, but I didn’t care. Plus, if they really wanted weapons to be left at the city limits, they should’ve had some big guys there to make us.

  I aimed Alpha right at the bastard, now clutching his face on the ground in a bloody heap. His right eye was beginning to swell, and blood dripped from his mouth.

  “You fellas take one step towards me or my friend here and I will split his skull in two,” I warned them. “Then I’ll go to work on you. Get him out of here.”

  One of them snarled at me: “The Council will hear of this.” They quickly grabbed him under the arms and dragged him out the front door of the bar. The rest of the patrons watched me to see what I would do next.

  “Everybody go back to your drinks!” I said. “I don’t want to shoot anybody, but I will. Leave us alone!”

  One by one, each patron sat down and went back to chatting with their friends. I did notice, however, that a few of the Ender women were watching me. When I met their eyes, they nodded in appreciation. Maybe they’d dealt with this scumbag, or some other scumbag like him, before. I nodded back.

  I sat back onto the stool next to Gehn. “You okay?” I asked.

  She nodded, still staring at the top of the bar. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she flinched.

  “Take a breath, it’s over. I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen.”

  The bartender walked over to our side of the bar with my scotch.

  “This one’s on the house, buddy,” he said to me. The gesture surprised me, but also gave me a warm feeling. I’d picked the right place to go.

  “I’m not one to turn down a free drink, so I appreciate it,” I said. “For getting into a fight in your bar?”

  “Nah, that asshole has been bothering people the last few days. I was waiting for somebody to kill him. Thanks for not pulling the trigger.”

  I raised the glass. “Dammit, I wanted to.”

  The bartender laughed. “I know! But there would be hell to pay with the Council. Still might be.”

  I shrugged it off. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  The barkeep nodded, his gaze roaming over to Gehn. “You okay, sweetheart?”

  Gehn cautiously made eye contact with him and smiled weakly, managing a soft, “Yes, thank you.”

  “Hey, buddy, hang on a sec...” I said to him. “We’re sticking around here for the night. It’s us and one more lady, plus a dog. Just wondering where we can rest. Anybody renting out a room? We’re looking for something off the books, if possible.”

  There were no real hotels in the Ends, but I knew there were places with more formal arrangements who would answer the Council’s questions if they asked them. I was hoping for a little more privacy.

  “I’ve got an extra room upstairs,” he said. “It’s not fancy, but it’s a safe place to stay. It’s four walls and a roof, you know? And I won’t ask your name or your business.”

  I looked over at Gehn. “How do you feel about that?”

  She closed her eyes. “I feel okay,” she said. “That would be fine.”

  I gave the bartender the thumbs up. “I appreciate it, man. How much?”

  He shook his head. “No charge. Getting that asshole out of here is worth it for me. Just keep it quiet. Folks around here like to take advantage of visitors, as you can already tell. We’ll tuck you away up there after we close up for the night and you’ll be safe.”

  I thanked him again, and he returned to his work. He’s getting at least a quarter or two tacked onto his tip. That would cover the cost of the room, even if he wasn’t technically charging us for it.

  Hannah came back to us, frowning as she took in her sister’s harried appearance. “What happened?”

  “Some son of a bitch was messing with Gehn,” I said. “Gave him a mouth full of his own blood and teeth for his efforts. Then I got us a place to stay tonight.”

  Hannah blinked. “So much for this place being safer,” she muttered.

  “Don’t worry. That’s what you’re paying me for,” I said, finishing off my drink and ordering another.

  Chapter 10

  Tails and horns

  The bartender sighed as he showed us the room above the bar.

  “It’s not much,” he said. “But it’ll keep you warm and dry.”

  Moonlight streamed through the glassless windows, illuminating the room. A few cracks peppered the roof, but they’d been patched.

  “You can lie low as long as you need to,” the barkeep said.

  “Thanks. Much appreciated,” I said. He turned and left, his footsteps creaking away down the steps.

  “It beats sleeping on the ground,” I said to the women, who both smiled and agreed, eyeing the twin mattresses that had been haphazardly shoved into one corner.

  Thanks to the moonlight, we could make ourselves comfortable without bumping into each other. We pulled out our blankets and laid them out. Chuck had already found a spot he liked on the dusty floorboards and had begun snoring. Within minutes, the rest of us were down, Hannah and Gehn sharing one mattress while I filled the other.

  Or so I thought.

  The adrenaline was still coursing through my body. I hadn’t yet come down from the excitement of kicking that guy’s ass.

  The floor creaked as Gehn stood and walked across the room. She stood by one window, staring out into the night. Then she lifted a leg and sat on the sill, leaning back and resting her head on the frame as if deep in thought.

  Hannah sighed in her sleep. Her breaths were heavy. She was out cold.

  I sat up and watched Gehn, who sat motionless with one knee pulled up to her chest. Her hat was off, and her horns were almost glowing in the moonlight, which reminded me again of that a-hole in the bar and his shitty comment.

  There was no way I was sleeping now, so I got up and walked over to join her.

  “Can’t sleep?” I whispered.

  She shook her head. “Sometimes the feelings inside me make it difficult.”

  I nodded and sat on the sill next to her. “I get it,” I said. “Are you okay? Sorry about all that went down earlier.”

  “I’m fine,” she replied. “Thank you.”

  I waved her off. “Forget about it. We’re in this together. You did nothing to deserve that treatment. Plus, you’re paying me for my services.” I realized as soon as I said it that it was only a half-truth. Something about Gehn made me want to defend her, coin or not.

  My eyes drifted down to her body. Her gray shirt clung to her tight little frame, accentuating her curves. If not for her horns, she’d be just like any other beautiful woman from an appearance standpoint. My eyes flicked up to take in h
er horns, which were short and slightly curved, their tips as sharp as knives.

  “I—I’m a freak,” she said.

  “What? No. That’s the last thing you are. You are drop-dead gorgeous.”

  She dropped her chin to look down. “You don’t have to say that.”

  “I don’t say things just to hear the sound of my own voice, and I’m not one to blow smoke. I swear it on Chuck’s life that I mean every word.”

  That made her giggle, which I was happy for. “Your dog?”

  “That’s an oath of the highest order,” I said. “My dog is my best friend.”

  “Meaning…”

  “You’re beautiful, horns and all.”

  I thought I might get another smile, but the compliment only seemed to make her move further into her shell. “What if my horns weren’t the only thing that…changed?” she asked.

  I cocked an eyebrow. My imagination began to run wild. What’s under there? Did anything else mutate when she became an Ender?

  “Listen, unless you grew a penis during the transformation, I don’t care what else changed. Do you want me to prove it?”

  The question hung in the air for a few moments.

  “I want you,” she admitted, which was music to my ears. “And Hannah did say I should join the next time.”

  “Should we wake her?” I asked, only half-joking.

  “Maybe another night,” Gehn said, which made something stir beneath my clothes. “Tonight you’re mine and mine alone.”

  Fuck yeah.

  Without another word, she leaned forward and kissed me. And kissed me. And kissed me. Where her sister’s lips were hard and urgent, hers were softer and more patient, methodical as they tasted me. While we kissed, she ran her hand up my thigh, then unbuttoned my pants.

  Shit, she’s not wasting any time.

  Gehn pulled my dick out and lightly stroked it as she shoved her tongue down my throat. I grabbed one of her tits through her shirt and gave it a gentle squeeze. She took a deep breath and moved in closer. Blood rushed to my manhood, and it grew in her hands.