Dead World 2, page 2
The slight caress sent the air rushing out of Morgan's lungs. His entire body clenched. "Stop!"
She stroked him again. This time giving his balls a gentle squeeze.
"Not fair." Morgan shuddered.
“That makes us even," Red said. If he didn't move soon, she'd die from the exquisite torture.
"You're mine. Don't ever forget that," he said, then thrust forward, burying himself to the hilt.
Red's knees nearly gave out as Morgan took her from behind. There was nothing gentle about their joining. This was an Alpha staking his claim.
Morgan’s hands seemed to be everywhere at once, teasing her nipples, stroking her center, and caressing her skin. His feral grunts only served to ratchet up her need. Their moans filled the air as flesh slapped flesh.
Morgan ground his hips into her bottom, lifting Red onto her toes. "I love you so much." The words came out as both a curse and a confession. His sharp teeth latched onto the piece of skin where her shoulder met her neck. "Please don't ever leave me again," he murmured almost too low for her to hear, then bit down.
The sensation of him drawing on her flesh and drinking her blood sent Red spiraling out of control. She screamed and her body convulsed against him. They collapsed onto the ground, Morgan still hard inside of her.
His rough tongue lapped the spot he'd bitten. Morgan’s taste for blood had grown since Raphael Vega had saved his life. The vampire had given him blood after Kane's vicious attack. He hadn't taken on any other vampiric quirks that Red could see, but it had only been a couple of months, so there was still time for that to change.
"That was incredible," Red murmured as she tried to catch her breath.
Morgan pulled her close and rolled them onto their sides. "I'm just getting started," he said, rocking his hips for emphasis.
They made love for the next two hours, sometimes slow and easy, others fast and heated. The wolf was nothing if not insatiable. By the time Morgan was spent, Red had lost track of the number of orgasms she’d had.
Lying on the desert floor, gasping like a couple of naughty teenagers who'd just discovered sex was becoming the norm. Red had thought the intensity would fade or at least cool, but as she listened to her heart pound in her ears, she realized if anything, the feelings were stronger. Was that her wolf responding to his Alpha or did Morgan just bring it out of her?
It didn’t really matter. She just hoped whatever caused it never went away.
Eventually her strength returned and Red stood. She helped Morgan to his feet, even though he didn’t need her assistance. They gathered their clothes and began to dress.
The air had gone from cool to downright cold. Red hadn't noticed while Morgan had been wrapped around her, but now she did. The breeze chilled her flesh and cleared her love-fogged brain.
"You know I don’t want to ruin the mood, but I haven't managed to produce more than a claw in weeks. I know you're trying to help me, but I've heard the talk that's going around town."
His expression soured. "You can't listen to gossip." Morgan yanked his pants on.
"Maggie told me that by the time Others are teenagers that they can easily slip in and out of form. It's never taken anyone this long to learn. What if I can't do it? What if I'm some kind of freak?” Red croaked on the last word. Morgan’s assistant had been adamant, when she’d made the proclamation.
Red had never fit in on the tactical team, even though her grandfather was the commander of IPTT. When her gift was revealed, she'd finally understood why. She thought that she'd finally found her place amongst the Others of Nuria, but now Red wasn't so sure.
What if she couldn't fit in here either?
Not being able to shift made her different. Made her stand out. Acceptance here was an illusion Red had created in her mind and religiously cultivated because of Morgan's love. And because she'd wanted so badly to belong. Maybe she didn't belong anywhere, and never would.
"Failure isn't an option," Morgan said matter-of-factly. "You keep forgetting you've already done shifted several times. Now you just have to learn to do it when you're awake. Think of it like learning how to talk. Some babies say their first words at seven months, others take over a year before they’ll speak. Do you think that the late bloomers' language skills poor compared to the early adopters?”
“No.” Red shook her head.
“That’s right,” Morgan said. “It just took them longer. You are the first—and only to our knowledge—human/Other hybrid to be born. So stop being so hard on yourself. It'll happen. I have faith in you." He smiled encouragingly.
He might have faith in her, but did she?
2
Nuria sat nestled on the desert floor of a wide valley just north of where the old city of Phoenix, Arizona, used to stand. The mountains that once surrounded the area had been reduced to rubble during the war, leaving monstrous boulders behind.
A boundary fence that separated the Republic of Arizona from no-man's-land could be seen on the horizon. The green glow from its electromagnetic defenses crackled in the darkness like heat lightning before a storm. It was a constant reminder that danger lurked only a few miles away.
Largely unscathed by the last world war, Nuria's buildings stood as a tribute to 21st-century small-town architectural design. Unfortunately, its economy hadn't fared as well. Most people had migrated to the cities where biodomes could regulate the environment and there was a better chance of finding work.
Few small towns survived in the 22nd-century without a biodome to protect them from the elements. Nuria got by on grit and stubborn determination. Those not fortunate enough to work for the sheriff's station, emergency care center, outfitter shop, share spaces, food dispensing station, or water trader had no choice but to farm animals in order to survive. It wasn’t a bad existence, since food was scarce on the dead world, but it was a tough way of life.
Lights were blazing in the sheriff's station when they arrived. Maggie had probably left them on because she knew Morgan had planned to work late.
"You going to come in?" he asked.
Red stared at the small concrete structure with its brick facade and hand-painted sheriff sign above the door. The solar panels on the roof and the side of the building reflected the stars, giving the place a magical quality.
Inside the door, the magic ended. The place went from sparkling to practical. As much as Red longed to stay with him, she knew it was best that she go. Morgan wouldn't get any work done with her distracting him.
"I think I'm going to call it a night," she said.
"Sure?"
Red nodded. "I'm tired and I have those interviews to prep for tomorrow."
"Okay." Morgan leaned down to kiss her. His firm lips lingered long enough to ignite the embers smoldering inside of her. "I'll be over as soon as I can," he said, then reluctantly released her and strolled inside.
Red watched him go, her heart thumping out a quick staccato from the kiss, then she headed over to the water trader.
She'd kept the room she had rented from her friend, the late Jesse Lindley. Red had had it since she first hit Nuria, even though Morgan had asked her to live with him. She’d been sorely tempted, but thought it best to slow things down after Morgan nearly died. But if she were being perfectly honest with herself, the real reason Red had kept the room was in case things didn’t work out.
Someday in the very near future, she was going to run out of credits. Red would have to decide on a more permanent living situation once that occurred. But until that happened, she'd continue with the present arrangement.
That was if the Nurians didn't run her out of town first.
Red opened the door and stepped into the empty bar area. Metal stools bellied up to the counter, waiting for tomorrow's patrons to arrive and place their water orders. There were stairs on the right, leading to the share space located on the upper floor. Jesse Lindley had run the water trader depot for more than forty years.
She'd died trying to protect Red and the people of Nuria from Roark Montgomery and Morgan's cousin, Kane. The place seemed obscenely quiet without her burly presence and dazzling eye-patch to fill it.
Red climbed the stairs and walked down the yellow hall that led to her room. Normally she stopped to look at the pale red roses that had been stenciled along the way, but not tonight.
The animal furs under her feet silenced her footsteps. She stopped in front of the glowing scanner next to her door. Red placed her hand against the flat panel and waited while it analyzed her palm. The machine hummed, processing her identity with the Republic of Arizona's registrar system.
Every legal citizen was scanned and chipped at birth so all the republics could identify them. Without a scan or identifier chip, you were considered an Unknown—an outlaw. The scanner beeped and the door opened.
Red entered the large square room with cheery yellow walls and dropped onto the rest pad. Her muscles ached and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't form a single coherent thought. She ran her hand over her face and came away with a layer of grit. Red forced herself off the pad and made her way to the cleansing unit. She undressed quickly and stepped into the chemical shower.
Having a private cleansing unit was still a luxury that took some getting used to. Red had shared cleansing space for as long as she could remember. Modesty ended in the twenty-first century, when water rationing arrived. These days it considered normal for groups of people to bathe in communal cleansing units. Nudity had gone from taboo to commonplace.
Sex, on the other hand, was still as complicated as ever, Red thought, as she rinsed the cleanser out of her hair.
There may not be anymore unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases, since births without medical intervention were almost nonexistent and all STDs had been cured, but men were still men and women were still women. And emotions were still complicated.
Red finished washing up, then grabbed the e-files that contained all the information on the applicants she'd be interviewing tomorrow. With any luck, she'd find several promising candidates for the new Nurian Tactical Team. Even if Red didn't manage to find anyone, reading the files would keep her awake until Morgan arrived. Red opened the first file and started to read. She was asleep within minutes.
* * *
Suddenly, she was frolicking in a valley with Morgan. Under his loving guidance, she'd shifted into a magnificent black wolf-like creature. They chased each other for what seemed like hours, playfully nipping at the other's haunches. The day was sunny and warm. Like most days, there were few clouds in the sky.
Her tongue lolled out of her mouth as she watched Morgan crest a rise and then disappear. Thinking it was part of their pre-coital game, Red followed. She sprinted up the hill, but when she reached the top, Morgan was gone. In his place was an endless sea of charred earth and nothingness.
Red looked around frantically to find him. She tried to call out Morgan’s name. The loud sound that erupted from her throat, eventually morphed into guttural growls. Red coughed and tried again to no avail.
What if she never found him? What if she was stuck in her wolf form forever?
Panic set in. She didn't like being in this place alone. Her tail curled until it was tucked between her legs. Red whimpered. Where was Morgan? He had to be here somewhere. She lowered her muzzle to the ground and sniffed.
The scent of sweat and fear reached her nostrils, making her dizzy. Was Morgan in trouble? Red took off at a run, loping down the hill with ease. Her new form landed quietly as she pursued her quarry's trail. Only after she'd been running for a while did Red realize that the sun had set. Night was upon the desert, magnifying the quiet.
Red heard a small cry. She scanned the sand dunes to her right, but didn't immediately spot him. She sniffed the air, catching a hint of his musk. With excited yips, she followed his aroma. Red found Morgan cowering behind the rubble of an old tank.
I've got you now, she thought, then leapt.
Something was wrong. Red sensed Morgan’s fear. She tried to pull back, but it was too late. She was out of control. Her sharp claws hit his neck, slashing the flesh easily. Red heard a hiss, then Morgan’s dark head fell back, dipping into the shadows, exposing the bloody smile that she’d created along his throat.
Revulsion battled with hunger as the coppery scent of blood filled her nostrils. Red wanted to stop, but she couldn't. Her body's demands were too strong—the wolf inside her was too strong. Red’s lips collided with Morgan’s warm flesh. Her tongue darted out. One taste of his blood and she was mindlessly lost.
Hot, sweet liquid rushed into her mouth, nearly choking her in her fervor to devour. It tasted so salty good she had to force herself to slow down for fear she'd get sick. Red savored the next few bites, her hunger far from abated.
Red ate until she was full, then licked her muzzle and looked at what she'd been feeding upon. Morgan's lifeless face stared up at her, his eyes wide with shock.
No! She shook her head, her mind refusing to believe what she was seeing. It can't be. She couldn't have. Yet there was no mistaking the identity of the man lying under her with his throat ripped out and half his organs missing.
Morgan was dead.
She’d killed him just like she thought she would.
3
Red dragged herself into the sheriff's station the next morning. She should’ve been more relieved, when she woke up to find Morgan sleeping peacefully beside her. Even though they’d made love, Red just couldn’t shake her nightmare’s ominous undertones.
What if it wasn’t a dream? What if it was a premonition? She’d never had one before, but a lot of things had changed since she’d arrived in Nuria. A shift in psychic ability wouldn’t be unheard of.
She rubbed her temples to ease the throbbing, then grabbed a cup of synth-coffee out of the break room in preparation for the long day ahead. Technically, Red didn't work for the Nuria sheriff's department yet, and wouldn’t until her transfer went through. Luckily, she and Morgan didn’t care about technicalities, especially when there was a job to do.
Today Red would be conducting interviews for the new tactical team. Acting in an official capacity put her in an awkward position with the other deputies.
Fortunately for her, Red was used to being in awkward situations.
She looked at the empty desk outside of Morgan's office. Where was Maggie? She must have had a busy night with Jim Thornton, the director of the dissecting lab, since she normally beat everyone into the office. The two had been carrying on for more than a year and no one had known until last month, when a disheveled Maggie had been spotted coming out of Jim's lab.
Red grabbed a spare metal desk in the back of the room and quickly scanned the applicants’ files. She'd just found her questions for the first interview, when Maggie rushed into the room, tossing her oversized purse onto her chair. She was a soft-spoken woman of moderate age, who'd lived and worked in Nuria her whole life.
She’d spent the last twenty years at the sheriff’s station, keeping everything and everyone in tiptop shape. Maggie took her management job seriously.
Sometimes too seriously, Red thought, but she wasn’t in a position to cast aspersions, since the same had been said about her.
"Sorry I'm late." Maggie fiddled with her brown curls in an attempt to make it look like she hadn’t just rolled out of bed. Half her shirt hung loose, while the other half had been haphazardly tucked in.
"Rough morning?" Red asked.
Maggie blushed and then gave her a quick once-over. "You're one to talk."
"Touché," she said.
Despite the fact Maggie had given up on Red ever controlling her Other, they were still comfortable enough with each other to tease on occasion. Red hoped that eventually they'd become friends just as she and Jesse had.
She hid her smile behind the compunit on her desk and went back to work. If the applications she'd read through were any indication of the quality of the recruits, it was going to take a while to put together a team.
The first candidate rolled into the station an hour later. He was neatly groomed and physically fit. Red watched the auburn-haired man walk up to Maggie and ask for her. She could tell by the way he moved that he wasn’t as aware of his surroundings as he should be for the job.
She waited for Maggie to send him back, then jumped right into the interview.
“So.” Red glanced down at his name. “Hank. Why do you want to join the team?" she asked.
"You have pretty eyes,” he said. “Has anyone ever told you that?"
His statement momentarily stunned Red into silence. What was he doing?
Hank sat across from her with his elbows resting casually on her desk.
Red glared at him until he straightened. Why had she volunteered for this job, when she could be cleaning her guns instead? "Answer the question," she said.
Undeterred Hank kept up his onslaught. "Would you like to go to lunch sometime?"
She blinked at his audacity. "You do realize you're at a job interview, right? I mean I know it's confusing given the men and women running around with badges and laser pistols, but try to stay focused."
"I am focused." Hank gave her what Red suspected was supposed to be an engaging smile, but it came off more like a leer. He didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was staring at her chest. "It doesn't have to be all business. Does it?"
Red typed in the word "reject" next to his name. "Next."
By the time Red had interviewed the fourth applicant of the day, she was perplexed. Normally being asked out wouldn't bother her, but it had never happened this many times. Ever. She had a sneaking suspicion it was because of her wolf.
Red had been around plenty of male recruits in her last job. Thousands to be exact. Only two had ever asked her to... well, it hadn't been to dinner. One she'd accepted. The other she'd told to go to hell. She’d made an enemy of Bannon Richards that day.
It was possible that the recruits thought flirting with her would help their chances of making the team, but Red didn't think that was likely. When she’d looked at each of the applicants, she’d noticed something different in their eyes. The way that they looked at her was almost predatory in nature and Red didn't like it one bit.
