Alastair’s smile widens as he opens his eyes and glances at me. “Good morning, sunshine.”
Sunshine?Did he hear my mother call me that? I scowl and walk away.
By the time both men have put some clothes on and gotten out of the camper, the hatch has opened on the side of theBeetleand Helios and Griffin are jumping out, carrying trays of food.
“Breakfast!” Helios singsongs.
And I’m baffled once again by how we ended up here, sharing meals with the Devil of the Wastes and his lover, with a giant beetle machine watching over us.
It’s been years since we traveled so far from the Market. Perri is definitely taking us on an adventure. One I hope we’ll survive.
We wolf down the food, urgency dodging our every move now that the sun has risen over the wastelands. Perri’s friend, Vex, is still being taken north by the zealots. They have a head start on us and they’re traveling faster by boat, but we know where they’re going. If we hurry, we might intercept them before they can sacrifice her to their dark designs.
TheBeetleshould get there before we do, as they don’t need to follow roads and can travel at night.
Smart survivors don’t travel in the dark. It would be far too easy to miss an old god on the horizon and drive right into their claws. It’s the same reason why the traveling merchants’ channels are quiet after dusk. They’re all in hiding.
I’ll always remember the day, fifteen years ago, when during the dead of night the ground shook. We didn’t know which direction the old god was coming from, but my mothers ushered us hurriedly to the front of the van and we set off in the dark withno headlights. The moon was nowhere to be found in the sky. It was a jarring experience. It felt like we were traveling through a dark hole. The engine was far too loud, and Perri and I barely dared to breathe, squeezed between my mothers. We drove for hours, until at last, we were certain the old god hadn’t given chase.
We say our goodbyes to the couple. Perri goes as far as hugging Helios and the Devil of the Wastes. Griffin looks uncomfortable but there’s the shadow of a smile on his lips. I think he’s a softie, deep down.
Both mutants shake hands a little too aggressively, but Alastair is grinning, so I think they’re building some kind of brotherly relationship.
Beet reminds us that we’re in a hurry, and that we need to save her ‘girlfriend’.
The three of us get in the truck—Perri sandwiched between us on the middle seat—as theBeetlewalks away on her giant six legs. The sun shines on her solar panels, and I am once again in awe of such a creation. The Traveling Market is crude in comparison—a ginormous mess.
I grab the map in the glove compartment. Last night over dinner, we decided to leave the highway and follow the road along the coast. Griffin and Helios warned us that some of the Highwaymen were still hunting in the wastelands, and we didn’t want to take the risk. By following the coast, we might also find the boat if they decide to touch land at some point during the journey.
Alastair drives us down the hill and onto the main road as I crane my neck to watch theBeetledisappear in the desolate landscape.
Perri chatters for the first hour, until he falls asleep with his hand on Alastair’s thigh, and his head on my shoulder. We spentthe first years of our life together roaming the wastelands before getting a spot on the Traveling Market, and we learned to rest whenever it was possible.
“We exhausted him last night,” Alastair says quietly.
I kiss the top of Perri’s head. “That’s nothing. He always has energy for sex. But car rides make him sleepy.”
Alastair chuckles. “Very well, then I won’t hold back from now on. We’ll be traveling for at least two weeks. We have time to enjoy ourselves.” He looks at me for a heartbeat, a smile on his face.
Again, I feel the tension between us, like a rope being pulled taut. He’s pulling on it, and I’m on the other side, trying to resist his attraction.
I don’t understand why he’s flirting with me. Am I really his type or is it just a game to him? He’s probably not used to people resisting him. He’s a king, after all.
Perri sighs in my neck and his hand squeezes mine. Warmth spreads in my chest from the joy of having him back with me, safe.
But then his hand climbs higher on my thigh, before finishing its course on my cock. He squeezes again.
From the growl I hear Alastair make, I think he’s doing the same to him on the other side.
The little minx is pretending to be asleep.
I indulge him for a moment and let my head fall on the headrest. It feels too good to have his hand on me. My cock is already swelling with need.
Perri kisses my throat, his tongue touching my flushed skin, as he rubs his palm over my erection through the fabric of my cargo pants.
Alastair hums appreciatively and I dare a glance at him over Perri’s head. His hands are on the wheel, and Perri is rubbing the massive bulge in his pants. I wonder once again how monstroushe is down there. Perri hinted that he was different before but I was too proud to ask. None of his lovers were bigger than me, in height and in size.
The realization hits me suddenly. Do I feel threatened by the King of Merchants?
