G

I leaned my head against the door. The sun pouring down from above made me feel extremely comfortable. Plus the trees were perfect for helping me take a short nap.

"Boss, I think we have company." Pretty boy voices echo in my ear.

It was easy to spot the two story brutes running behind a pack of pit bulls the size of box trucks.

"Drive in the left lane." I instructed.

It took some work getting into the back seat then over the backseat into the trunk space. I studied the back door but couldn't find a way to open it.

"We have to park to open the boot." David words made me feel stupid.

He slowed down and threw it in park, pop the trunk from the fob, then back into drive. Still able to keep up with the car line.

I aimed at the lead dog and fired round after round into its adorable face. The scary thing was, I think the bullets were bouncing off the skull. I switched targets to the brutes but they blocked their face with their arms covered in some metallic brace.

One of them split off, grabbed a tree, and chunk it. To see such a thing in real life is ten times scarier than reading about it on a forum.

I watched it zero in on a pink prius that had a family of two inside. The couple looked incredibly terrified to the point they didn't even think to swerve out the way.

Watching the car crumpled like loose leaf paper being balled up was utterly demoralizing.

"Boss, why did you stop shooting?" Pretty boy pulled me out of my guilty depression.

"I..I.. how about we speed up?" I could only divert the subject to hide my uselessness.

That same brute plucked another tree like how a child picks a dandelion. Its success must have inspired the other three, for they did the same.

"Are they throwing trees?" Amala spoke with utter disbelief.

"Is this where we pray for salvation?" Megan's voice made me feel really useless.

I licked my dry lips but my tongue was even drier. I could only watch as three trees came flying towards us. It would be great if I had a shield right now or even some actual superpower other than being stronger than a normal guy.

The lead tree crushed a family of six in a jeep. The next tree was aimed at me. Even with David trying to swerve out the way, we were still in the way.

Nothing better to do, I closed my eyes and prayed for salvation.

"Dear lord…" my voice cut off as a horrible migraine slapped me.

Hot liquid ran out the caves that were my nostrils. My vision was blurry but I could still make out the tree that was blocked and it happened to push the other tree off to the side.

In front of me was a translucency disk that covered the back of the suv. I felt an indescribable connection with it. To the point where it broke into 12 smaller disks and hovered around me at the very thought.

Four disks flew off in a blink of an eye. Slicing through the lead dog's leg right next to his underbelly. Its front legs collapsed and a frightening whimper surged out of its mouth.

Maybe because of the already pounding headache, when I thought about cutting the lead dog tendons. A spike of pain shot through me but it wasn't as bad as the first one.

The four disks rushed towards the next dog and took out the tendons in its leg. Sadly, stopping them, did not stop the brutes from grabbing more trees, tossing them like javelins.

I sent out another four to alter the direction of the trees. Making them knock into each other instead of directly blocking them. This made the pain much more bearable but I felt like I went four rounds with a heavy weight.

"Da fuck is happening?" Pretty boy's voice bounced over the radio.

Gritting my teeth didn't help me assuage the pain but it did help me focus a little more. After taking out the three dogs, my disks focused on the brutes. Cutting through the armpits left them unable to fight back. I gave one more round at the back of their knees before I collapsed in pain.

I was more than aware that my head was dangling off the boot but I couldn't be bothered to fix myself. It was so comfortable laying right here.

****

The car pulled to a stop and I really didn't want to get up. Everything felt so comfortable but loud ass footsteps approached me. Forcing me to get to my knees and get out the boot.

"Boss, did you awaken your superpower? What is it? Don't keep us in suspense!" Pretty boy said as he rounded the hood of the box truck.

I shot him a glance before waving at the extras. "Let them settle down and find out what useful things they can do. I need a nap."

I quickly rushed up the bridge and disappeared down a side passage towards the parapet. I didn't stop at the first watch tower but the third down. I took off my gear and laid it beside a lawn chair, which I then laid down on. With the gentle breeze and golden rays of the sun, I felt slightly better.

No matter where you are, you will always experience the upside and downs of being human. Who can truly say there exists no greed in their hearts? Whether it is something obvious or vague, it still exists.

So I wasn't surprised when I woke up from my nap and headed inside. The sound of arguing was louder than the sound of my heartbeat within my head. It was not even baffling that the person doing the most yelling was a pretty lady with a decent size breast but no ass. Who she was arguing with was hard to tell. There was a Korean guy that looked like he knew martials arts. Tall and slender Korean woman and a man that looked kind of sleezy but that could just be his looks.

The onlookers stood off to the side and really looked like they were enjoying the show.

"Okay, okay. Stop talking. I have a very gruesome migraine. I don't want to have to kill somebody to get a peace of mind." I said softly, yet everybody went silent, instantly.

Scratching my head, I step in between them. Giving a really long and disappointed dad stare. The pretty lady held my stare for a good minute but eventually her head drooped.

"Someone tell me what all this racket is about? Speak in a low tone. Loud noise gives me ptsd." I spoke softly.

"My sister picked this cell for us and only stepped out to wave me down. So I could bring our things in. This lady wanted the cell so she could be closer to the door but one cell down wouldn't matter. However, while she was arguing with my sister, this guy took the next cell." The karate kid said.

I glanced at the woman with a frown. This was some petty child stuff. Isn't surviving hard enough as is?

"Your side?" I ask after a second of reflection.

"I picked the room first but had to use the restroom. When I came back, she was standing in the door denying me access." She crossed her arms under her breast as if the size wasn't enough to garner attention on their own.

"Okay, it's four beds and three of you. You can share. Sounds like a plan, right?" I offered.

"I'll just pick another cell." The pretty lady said.

Shrugging, I walked back to my block. I was more than exhausted. I was a man in pain and all I desired was a bit of sleep.

I ducked into my cell as I noticed four people staring at me. Maybe they found me handsome, I don't know. I do know that it wasn't time for me to play leader. Shit had to be delegated.

My eyes played over Riley's feminine form. Those long legs that led to a curvy waist were only covered by light blue panties that brought ample attention to the roundness of her bottom. Top with pink tank top that showed off her toned stomach and hugged the contours of her breast in a way no artist could truly capture.

I might be drooling but she really had the means to cure my illness. Plus I just loved that erudite look that was nailed perfectly, from the hair bun to the reading glasses that sat on the crest of her nose as she flipped through a book.

Wait, primal rage? Is that a romance book? Didn't she read high fantasy fiction last time? Why did she switch to werewolf romance? Maybe I should be happy that it isn't a vampire romance. That would be wrong in so many ways.

My hands reach to take off my vest but grasp the black tee instead. Can't believe I left it on the parapet. Have to remember to grab it in the morning.

Riley brown eyes flickered to me as I grabbed the tail end of my shirt and brought it over my head. Placing a hand on the top bunk, I kicked off my boots, sending them flying under the bottom bunk. My pants came off and my hidden tent became an open secret.

I easily slid into bed behind her, taking in an earthy scent similar to freshly turned dirt. I could tell from her eyes and the way the hair on her leg rose, when my hand glided over her knee to her inner thighs. When I leaned over and felt her releasing a heavy breath, I knew that her mind desired me. That I desired her. Maybe this is what love was all about. Not the shit trend throws at you but that spark that exists in the moment. That fear it will be blown away by a sudden gust, leaving you grasping to build that spark into a raging flame. Yet, sometimes I feel like my tinder is just wet wood.

But right in this moment as my lips captured her breath. As her book fell on the back of my hand and her other hand snaked around my back up to my neck. All I knew was that I might be willing to fight for this feeling. That I was more than willing to stand in pouring rain, body blocking that lingering ember. Praying with my entire soul for it to turn into undying flames.

Yet, while I knew her eyes might desire me. Her body spoke of exhaustion. There wasn't the fragrance of lust. So I pulled back reluctantly.

"Roll onto your stomach and I will give you a massage." I spoke softly because my lips were still yearning.

Riley stared at my lips with those warm brown eyes. That light fairy dust of freckles across her nose were almost hidden by the pink blossoms. She took several deep breaths before folding the ear of the page down and placing it on a small table that I had no idea where it came from.

Riley rolled over and I settled on her thighs as I let my hands do the talking. She must have really been working hard as she was out in seconds. I knew she was lost to the world because she was snoring. I settled on my side and listened to the soft beat of her heart. That incessant snoring that made the world feel real.

My eyes flickered to Chris and that other girl as they came in with wet hair. Chris' eyes flickered towards us and I could smell her need but I just didn't want to comply. It wasn't entirely due to her not having the type of sensation I was used to. It had a bit to do with the fact that her personality evolved around a sense of rebellion. Too much insecurities turn me off. Definitely the feeling of replacing someone's dad in their eyes as you slept with them.

I didn't mind being called dad teasingly. It just felt wrong when you could feel the sincere emotions when they did it. Anyway, she will move on. I already caught her crushing on a pretty boy.

___________________________________