Guns and Dust Ch. 07

Adina was still recovering from the old woman's affectionate kiss and direct sexual comment about Asher. "Well, I... We... certainly don't need four." She picked up some dirt and scrubbed her hands and bare arms to knock off the worst of blood-sticky boar hair. She'd stripped down to a sleeveless shirt for the bloody work of skinning and butchering. She nodded to everyone who was now working. "I hunted them for you."

Priav narrowed an eye, and after a beat, a corner of her mouth came up again. "Not naïve maybe... or stupid. We will have to find something to trade for such a fine gift." Priav glanced at Asher again and laid a hand on her arm. "Just kinder than we're used to." Then she walked away without another word.

Adina watched her go, pride brimming in her chest. It wasn't that she was unused to being recognized for things she'd done. She was very good at making shoes. But this was... different. She couldn't help the smile that pulled her cheeks again. She watched the caravaners work, skinning and butchering the kills.

"You've made an impression," Asher called, shoulder deep in the boar carcass.

She turned to him, still smiling. She cocked her head and threw a hip out, putting a dusty, slightly less sticky hand on it. "Me? I'm not the one running around with his shirt off killing boars with spears!"

Asher pulled out a big bloody organ with a satisfied sigh, looking it over as he rolled it between his hands. He blew out through his nose trying to knock loose boar hairs sticking there. "I was just having fun." He wiped a forearm across his nose leaving a smear and looked at her, taking in her posture and grinned. "You helped people you didn't have to. People you didn't really know. It feels pretty good, doesn't it?"

It did feel good. She felt powerful, and Priav had recognized it.

Asher held up the organ. "I hope you like liver."

They'd feasted wandering from one group to another until Adina couldn't eat anymore. They'd eaten more meat that night than she would have consumed in months in her previous life. And she was definitely meat drunk.

It was mostly organ meat; fresh, rich and often bloody. It wouldn't keep the way other meat would. It wasn't something she was used to. Organ meat rarely made it back to camp. It was a benefit they and the hunters she remembered now shared. Anything that they couldn't preserve with just heat and the sun had to be eaten or go to waste. So tonight, and the next days, they would gorge themselves on the rich meat until it was gone or went bad.

There were still those among the survivors who were badly injured and people who isolated themselves in their grief, but the mood of the rest of the caravan was celebratory. It took all day to harvest the boars, begin drying the meat and processing the hides and other things that were useful. Guards were posted to watch for scavengers as much as for Shoah or his Ghost Eyes. If a fifty-strong herd of boar could live out here, then other things certainly could too.

Adina thought about Asher's admonition. "Rats are a good indication there might be people around. Dogs are better..."

As they wandered back to the bearcat, she leaned against him. He was back in his shirt and long coat. They'd washed off when the worst of the work was done, rinsing away blood, sticky boar hair and dust, but they picked the dust up again as soon as they touched anything.

She gazed up past Asher's face to the blanket of stars above them. "I've never seen a caravan or community hunt like this. The caravans and communities I've been in had small groups or families whose work was hunting." She turned, listening to the creak of his leather coat and the happy bustle of the camp around them. She gestured back to the rest of the camp. "I've never seen a whole group shift over to hunting the way they do."

"The whole community didn't share work?" he asked, his head turning as he scanned the landscape around them.

"Well yes, but not quite like this."

They reached the bearcat and he pulled open the side hatch. The smell of fresh meat wafted out. Every surface that could support it was hung with drying strips of meat, along with racks outside made from the spear shafts and anything else handy. The big hides were laid out on top of the rig, packed with dry earth until they could be properly tanned.

She stopped him and pulled his arm so that he faced her, smiling. He was the hero of the day; everyone had come to talk to them at one time or he another. Devon visited several times on various excuses, her top loosened 'from the heat.' She smiled and bent showing off her cleavage to one or the other of them, her invitation to join them obvious without her having to say anything. Adina couldn't blame her or anyone else who stared at him shirtless or complimented his prowess. He was like nothing they'd ever seen.

A few hours ago, the thought crossed her mind that she couldn't look at other men the same way anymore. He's ruined me, she'd thought with a grin as she cut big pieces of meat into strips. Everything below her belly button felt like it squeezed, making her chew the inside of her lip and squirm.

It's only been... two weeks? That thought had been there too. It was hard for her to imagine that so little time had passed since she'd woken up in his camp. Before then, she'd never seen anyone like him either. She couldn't imagine another man measuring up now.

It wasn't just that he was heart-stoppingly handsome, which he was. He listened to her, made her laugh and of course the sex was amazing. He was so confident... He didn't do things to prove he was strong, or masculine or anything else. Instead he went out of his way to make her feel strong, smart, powerful. And, of course, pretty.

She pulled herself against him in the open hatch of the bearcat. "Every woman in camp wants you," she told him as she unbuckled his belt and pants. "I want you more."

He smiled at her. "I'm not interested in any other woman in camp." He pulled her into a kiss, unbuckling her belt and lifting her shirt up. She was trying to get his pants open when he pushed her bra up and his lips were on her nipple, kissing and sucking.

"Ohhh... Asher..." She ran the nails of one hand through his hair, holding his head to her breast, her other still working on his pants. She abandoned the thought and shoved her hand inside grabbing his cock. "Mmm... this is what I want."

He pulled her shirt and bra off and she was able to get his pants down. She pushed him down on the step into the bearcat, throwing his shirt up and kissing his naked chest. He threw off his coat as she kissed and licked down his chest onto his belly. He was pulling his shirt off when she cupped his balls and pushed her mouth down on his hard eight-inch cock.

His hiss of pleasure was met by her excited moan as she tasted his saltiness, working her mouth up and down lightly squeezing his balls with one hand, her other exploring the feeling of his muscular abs.

He sat up and pushed her pants down while she worked on his cock. She stood up and wiggled her pants down, shoving off her boots as he did the same. Then she pushed up against him again, leaning into him where he sat, her breasts at his face. He wrapped his strong hands around her ass, pulling her cheeks apart a finger playing at her anus while those of his other hand worked forward to her already soaking pussy.

"Should we go inside?" He asked.

"No," she breathed, bending and kissing him hard. "I don't care who sees or hears us."

She felt his smile as she kissed him. "Feeling territorial?"

She smiled fiercely. "Fuck yes I am." She put a knee on the bearcat's hard metal step, and he adjusted up onto the deck properly. She followed, pressing her tummy against his, then straddling him. She reached down and grabbed his hard shaft and put it against her opening. "I don't want you thinking about Devon or anyone else." She pushed him inside her.

He groaned as she slid down onto him. "You don't have to worry about that, Adina." He grabbed her hips and thrust up into her. She took a huffing breath as he filled her. "You're the only one I want."

She pushed him onto his back, putting her hands on the deck on either side of him, then lifted up to draw his cock most of the way out of her, then slid back down on it. "Good." He cupped her breasts, fondling her nipples as she rode him. Adina bit her lip, her senses filling with the stimulation of him playing with her nipples, his cock slipping inside her and the satisfying pressure as she ground her clit against him at the bottom of each stroke. She rolled her hips with him buried in her, pumping her clit against the base of his shaft, then leaned back. "Should I just call you Myrmidon? A great hero of the ancient world."

He sat up, a hand under her ass, his other wrapped around her back to hold her steady as he kissed her neck and ear, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She shivered at the light prickling of his beard against her neck. "You can call me whatever you want."

Adina wrapped her arms around his neck, riding in ecstatic joy, her body twitching and shuddering at his touches, his kissing and sucking her nipple, his finger playing on her anus.

Asher hooked his arms under her legs and before she realized what he was doing, he'd stood up, letting her body weight drive his cock up into her. She was all but sitting on her clit. Her tummy curled instinctively as she moaned and bit his shoulder, words forgotten. He lifted her and dropped her again, his cock seeming to be the only thing holding her up as she rolled her hips to keep him inside her.

"You like that?"

She could only moan, 'Uhh huhh..." and nod, biting his shoulder, trying not to bite too hard.

Adina wasn't sure if it was him suddenly and sharply starting to drive into her rapidly, or just the constant pressure on her clit that made her cum. But she was sure that being held off the ground, helpless to do anything but hold onto him as the orgasm clenched her muscles into trembling cords was what made it last so long. She tried to hook her feet behind him to get some control, some purchase, but her legs wouldn't work as her orgasm rolled through her again and again turning her legs into shaking, useless appendages. When her spasming finally eased, he laid her down on the deck of the bearcat. She kissed his neck, and successfully hooked her feet around his waist, panting. "You're not done, are you?"

He pulled back so she could see his face. "Are you?"

She smiled, all of her flushed, watching his lapis blue eyes. She shook her head, "No."

She was standing barefoot on the dirt, holding onto the hatch of the bearcat when her next orgasm nearly took her off her feet. The intense sensation of two of Asher's fingers pushed deep into her ass as he took her from behind was just too much. It was only him pulling his fingers out and grabbing her by the hips that kept her from collapsing as her legs turned to shuddering noodles again.

She was still cumming when she felt the head of his penis at her ass. All of her senses were jumbled, overwhelmed as he penetrated. She bit her lip hard at the stretching pain, still in the final trembles of her waning orgasm. She felt her fingernails snap against the hard metal of the hatch as her anus stretched to accept him.

"Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?"

She shook her head and nodded in a confused motion, unsure how to answer the opposed questions.

"No..." she panted; her voice pitched high as she tried to talk. "Don't stop."

Asher pushed in deeper and she groaned. It hurt and excited her so much at the same time. And as always, how badly Asher wanted her was one of the most arousing things she could imagine. She scooted a foot up to get more firm footing putting a hand between her legs, slipping her fingers along her swollen clit. "Earth and sky!" She held her hips rolled back to accept him, but everything felt like it was going to spasm. "Yes... I want to feel..."

He pushed in further and she yelped in pain, squeezing her eyes shut. "Wait!" She grabbed his hand. "Too much!"

He held still, just letting her relax. She was trembling and couldn't catch her breath. His other hand reached around, pushing her hand aside, his fingers finding her clit, stroking it lightly. Then he rolled it again. He knew just how to touch her. She sucked in a deep breath as her back arched. And with his cock partly in her ass, hanging onto the bearcat's hatch and his fingers playing on her clit, she came again. This time there was no standing, she collapsed down onto her knees, his hand on her hip and belly keeping her from falling hard. Her palms hit the dirt, then her cheek as her clenching muscles forced him out of her.

Her legs were still trembling, and she was taking shuddering breaths when he asked, "You don't really want to lay in the dirt do you?"

She could almost see his smirk. She would have given him a look if she'd been able to. She waved an uncoordinated hand at him as he helped her back up onto the deck of the bearcat. "Shut... shut up..."

Half an hour later, he lay panting next to her after his own orgasm. She'd recovered enough to clean off his cock and pull him on top of her. "I want to make sure you cum too."

He'd driven her across the deck in his passion until she was smashed against the wall of the bearcat when she finally felt his hot release, his sperm filling her. After they'd finished, she pushed away from the wall. The ribs on her right side were tender. She smirked to herself as she looked at the shelf she'd been pressed up against. I'm going to have a bruise from that.

"We'll have to go slow with my ass," she said into his chest after they'd caught their breath and were just laying under the blanket, staring out the hatch at the stars. Her knees were a little raw from riding him without anything under them on the deck and hitting the dirt, but everything inside her was so blissfully calm now.

"Alright." He kissed her sweaty hair.

"I want to do it." She blew out a breath. "It really excites me." She was a little shocked she could even say it. "It's just... new."

Asher kissed her again. "We'll go at whatever pace you're comfortable with. You're alright?"

She smiled and an embarrassed giggle boiled up. "I'm going to have a bruise." She rolled so he could see her ribs. "From the shelf." She nodded to it.

He kissed her ribs, which were already darkening red. "I'm sorry."

"And I'm going to walk funny tomorrow." She pulled his cheek so she could kiss him. "Part of that is just how hard you make me cum."

He kissed her deeply and then smiled, watching her eyes. "Glad I can be of service."

She narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

He gave her another kiss. "Always." He held her eyes intently. "Always."

She cuddled up against him again and let her eye close.

The next morning was all work, packing up, finishing processing the boars for transport to Priav's larger camp. And Adina was sore, as she expected. Priav eyed her at one point with a smirk.

How much noise did we make last night?

She and Asher had been jokingly calling the bearcat the meat truck because of all the drying meat hanging everywhere as the caravan moved slowly back along the route they'd been on. The slower pace was so that the vehicles, which were laden with drying meat and parts of carcasses, could keep their hard-earned rewards intact.

It was a long day of driving and it was far past dark when she finally saw the glow of the caravan's main camp. It was larger than she'd expected. There were probably two or three hundred people in the 'camp.' As they got closer, she could see it was perched on the side of what had once been a quarry. The bluff on the far side of the quarry was warmed by the camp's firelight.

It was also well organized. There were perimeter watch towers and a wall was under construction.

"It looks like they are building a permanent settlement."

Asher nodded. "If there's a permanent water source, then there's a good reason to. That would also explain there being so many boars. But if Shoah and the Ghost Eyes find it, there won't be much left, unless they have a lot better resources in that camp than the caravan had."

They pulled up to what was being set up to become the gate of the settlement. The caravan stopped and Asher stood, holding the reattached passenger door open. He watched for a few minutes and then leaned in. "Don't shut down, keep us angled in case we need to break away."

Adina looked out, she couldn't see much, the rest of the caravan was in front of them, in the way. "Is there trouble?"

Asher attached his sword to his pistol belt and climbed into the back, locking the hatches. "I don't know but stay here." He stopped before stepping out. "I don't think it's anything, they probably are just being careful, but you never know."

He stepped down, closed the door and she heard it lock.

Adina watched as best she could, but most of what was happening occurred directly in front of the lead vehicle where she couldn't see. She could see Priav and some people from inside the camp. The bearcat's rumble made it impossible for her to hear anything. Uneasy minutes passed, then she saw Asher again, coming back. She climbed over and unlocked his door. He climbed up inside. By the time he was in his seat, the front vehicle was already moving.

"We're alright," he told her. "We're just strangers and they're rightfully wary." He patted the door. "They saw the bearcat and thought we might have seized the caravan."

"But it's okay now?"

He nodded with skeptically raised eyebrow. "As good as it can be. They still aren't going to trust us, but Priav was singing our praises when I got there. And apparently, she carries some weight. At least with the people who were there."

Adina followed the truck ahead of them when it started moving. "This is a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be."

"Yeah, it is." Asher peered up at a guard tower as they passed. "But they still aren't very well defended." He shook his head. "I wouldn't put money on this camp being here in a year." There was something in the way he said it. It wasn't disappointment. Maybe weariness?

"What is it?"

"I've just seen this before." He scanned the encampment as they followed the other vehicles. "It ends badly so often."

"You don't sound very confident of these people."

He nodded. "Yeah... It's prejudice. It's hard to see something like this as a permanent place after living in the city states."

Adina looked at the encampment and what they were building. She'd been in much larger towns, walled settlements that were well defended. Some of those had been razed by raiders. These few hundred people with their cobbled together towers and defenses looked paper thin by comparison. "Hope builds..." she said.

Asher turned to her. "What was that?"

"Hope builds, despair destroys. It was something someone used to say."

"Hope isn't a plan..." he countered. "is something we say."

She felt a sudden tickle down deep. "But what you do is based on hope, isn't it?" She found herself grinning for some reason. "Going out into the wastes looking for things to help try and build a world from nothing?"

He narrowed an eye at her and cocked his head, then looked out again. "I suppose you're right." He gestured at the camp around them. "This... just isn't what we're trying to build."

"It's not yours." She nodded outward. "It's theirs."

Adina woke the next morning feeling strangely good. She peered out through the bearcat's windows and from the portholes in the cupola. She could see the glow of fires and smoke rising from camps. It was just before dawn and a few people were moving around, starting their days. Her chest tightened as she watched them. She remembered her own morning routine in camp before the attack. Before everything changed. The tedious, repetitious, menial daily tasks...