Jaded Warriors book 2 (Jade Series)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23


“Did you get all of this from Mateo?” I asked, as we moved the armaments to the back of a diesel truck from a huge storage tent that reminded me of a circus tent it was so large. The enormous undertaking of moving camp, in my own opinion, seemed to be a waste of resources and pointless since the move would be less than five miles and not secluded as well as the current camp location. 


“No, some of the heavy artillery came from Richards and that military base we raided last year. Mateo supplied me with guns and ammo, the stuff we seem to run out of quickly.”


How was Richards getting weapons?” I asked. As soon as I did, I realized I probably wouldn’t be privy to that information. “Never mind, I’m sure you don’t want to answer that.”


“Jade, it’s not that I don’t want to talk to you about it.”


“I know… the more I know, the more involved I become.”


He reached up for a handle, then with a swoop of his legs jumped into the back of the truck. He groaned, clutching his injured side, apparently forgotten about until he strained himself. I offered a scowl at his lack of self-concern as he stood contemplating my question propped against the wall and watched me load the last of the boxes onto the platform that rose vertical to the level of the truck.


I sat on a box as Kane pushed the button and the pungent smell of hydraulic fluid along with a high-pitched whine came from the motor under the truck as the platform lifted. I waited for him to answer, or not answer, since he didn’t, as it came to a stop. I moved the first box, the air between us somewhat strained as the quiet grew thick. 


“Most of the Canadian border and the Western sea board inward has the highest population of Militia with a smaller band up around Washington D.C.,” Kane said, as he broke the silence and perched on a box. “The central part of the country to the south eastern seaboard still has somewhat of an intact economy with the local governments in control. It’s rough there still, the Militia are causing a lot of problems, but not like here. That was why I wanted to send you there. There are only two gun manufacturing companies out of five who managed to survive that aren’t ran by Militia. Richards has connections with The Remington Arms Company in Kentucky.”


“What about the other one?” I asked, partially curious, partially wanting to keep Kane distracted and resting on the box as he continued to splint his side.


“The U.S. Fire Arms Manufacturing Company produces weapons for what is left of our National defense. They are barely holding their operations running due to taking a mass hit from the virus. Thanks to the help of Canada, the most northeastern states are U.S. controlled, from Washington DC up, but Washington isn’t what it used to be. From the Great Lakes and down along the Mississippi River, the Militia is too strong and has walled them off, there is too much Militia ground to cover between there and us… that’s where we sit.” 


“Kane!” I said, startling both him and myself as I glanced at his side and the blood that started to seep into his shirt. ”You’re bleeding!”


“Hmm,” he said, as he looked down at his hand and nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I am.”


“Doesn’t it hurt?” I asked, with inpatient concern.


“Yeah, it’s starting to.”


“You need to get back to the tent, this can wait.”


“Oh it can? Are you going to tell Darby that it can wait, or do you want me to?”


I looked at him stunned, then realized the position he was in. “You can’t keep going without rest, you won’t heal,” I said, hatred brewed silently in my chest for Darby. Kane started to say something then stopped, glancing past me.


“Hey, need help?” Gage said.


I whipped around with surprise as he stood at the edge of the truck. Relief washed over me and my smile instantly grew at the sight of him. He removed his coat and bullet proof jacket then set it on a crate next to the truck. I moved to the edge, sat down and wrapped my legs around his waist, then leaned forward and kissed him with an unrestrained need to be near him.


“Kane needs to go back and rest, he’s bleeding from all the heavy lifting,” I whispered.


“I heard we’re moving camp,” Gage hollered up to Kane.


“Yeah,” Kane said, as he stepped onto the platform and held the remote in his hand. Thankfully, he decided against leaping out of the truck. “I’m not sure why he’s doing this now, but whatever.”


“Go see Deanna and get that looked at?” Gage insisted. “That’s the nice part about overseeing the move, you can delegate without doing the work yourself.”


“Point taken,” Kane scowled, “If I knew better, I’d say you were trying to get rid of me.”


Gage chuckled. “Yeah, actually… get lost,” he said, then slipped his hands underneath me and pulled me off the truck, with him supporting me as Kane lowered the platform. 


“I’m going,” he said, then walked away splinting his side. “I think I will go see Deanna.”


I didn’t know when Kane disappeared but didn’t care as Gage didn’t wait for him to become invisible, before he set me on a crate and tangled his hands in my hair as he pulled my lips to his. His velvety soft lips, moved spontaneous with mine, sending a heated rush that surged through my body. I clung to his waist with my legs, unwilling to let go as I slipped my hands under his thermal shirt that conformed to his body. I brushed his skin with my fingers, touching every inch of his rigid belly, up his chest and then around to his muscled back. He pulled me closer to deepen the kiss and a muffled whimper escaped me, unable to contain it. Chills coursed over my skin and I let my head drift back as he placed gentle kisses down my neck and up again, back to my lips. My heart pounded with fierce pressure and I gasped as my body shuddered with a tireless urge, torturous and almost painful as I pressed my fingers into his back to ease my stimulated torment.


“Huh, hum.” The sounds of someone clearing their throat pulled our lips apart and Gage, still holding me, glanced over his shoulder as I buried my flushed face into his chest. “Keep it PG,” Joel said, then laughed. I recognized his voice and I peeked up to see him smile.


“Shut up, Joel,” Gage said, as he walked passed us into the ammo tent.


“Sorry, coming through,” Casey said, laughing as he, Chale and Elias followed Joel into the tent. Then silence, as Gage looked at me with a gentle smile.


“Getting brave, are we?” He asked, with incorruptible baiting. I giggled, unable to contain it then my smile faded with his as I looked into his soft blue eyes to see a yearning that matched my own.


“Sorry.”


“Don’t be… I thoroughly enjoyed that,” he said, as a mischievous smile curled at the corner of his lip. He pulled me off the crate then moved onto the platform and elevated it to the level of the truck, then got to work rearranging boxes into the back. His muscles rippled against his grey thermal shirt as he moved quickly, removing three to four boxes to my one.


“How did today go?” He asked, and I assumed he inquired on Kane teaching me how to fight.


“Oh,” I paused, instantly discouraged, “not the greatest.”


“Why?” He asked, as he looked at me with reluctance. “What happened? Was he too hard on you?”


“No, it was me, not Kane,” I paused, disappointed in myself, “I just… I got scared… I don’t know why and now he thinks I’m not ready. At least not the fighting end of it. He talked to me for a while about how to prepare mentally.”


“Oh, well, that’s good then, you can’t learn it overnight,” he said, as he stacked the last of the boxes. With the platform emptied, he lowered it in time for the others to bring out more crates and boxes full of armaments.


The next hour went by quickly with the five of them working, it would’ve taken Kane and I, all night. Eventually, they finished. “First load ready,” Joel hollered, as he closed the back of the semi and clamped the latch tight then pounded his fist twice against the back of the semi to confirm it for the driver. “Did anyone ask Darby why he wanted to move camp? It’s a stupid move.”


“Kane said he questioned him but he wouldn’t hear it,” Casey added. He rested his hands slack at his hips as he looked at the tent, full of at least seven more loads and sighed then turned to leave. “I’m going to see if Kane needs help with anything.”


“Yeah sure… Gage, you stay here and get stuff ready for the next load, we’ll go unload this one,” Joel said, as he shook his head, still frustrated with the move.


“I won’t argue with you,” he responded.


“Yeah… I can’t imagine you would, with everything you have here to keep you busy,” Joel chuckled, and I had to wonder if he meant me. To stay and get the next boxes ready seemed pointless, but I wasn’t about to complain. We watched as the truck drove off into the greying sky as a storm brewed on the horizon.


         Gage slipped his arms around me from behind as I stood in front of him. I settled into him, his body moist and warm from working, felt good pressed against my back and I let him direct me into the tent. He held my wrists and gently kissed my cheek, migrating down my neck. Chills skimmed my skin as my subdued yearnings of earlier resurfaced rather quickly.


         A single lantern perched on a crate and glowed in the front corner of the tent, illuminating the cream canvas walls, brightening the downcast grey. We weaved around the equipment and boxes of ammunition and guns, away from the front, away from the light towards the darkening back of the tent into a clearing and I wondered if there was a purpose to where he directed me.


         “Can you escape?” He asked, as he taunted me, his voice low and husky in my ear, his breaths warm against my cheek as his grip became slightly firmer.


         “Maybe, but I don’t want to,” I confessed, then gave a sideways glance over my shoulder to see him chuckle.


“Try,” he said, smiling at me, “I won’t be rough, let me know if you want me to stop, okay.”


  “Okay,” I said, ready to play along.


“I’ve attacked you from behind, what will you do?”


I suddenly, thrust my arms down, twisting into his thumbs breaking his grasp. “Good, now what? I’m still behind you and it didn’t stop me for long.”


“I don’t know,” I said, smiling, then laughed. “Run?”


  A smile crept into his eyes. “Not yet, you haven’t injured me yet… there are a few spots that are more sensitive than others… since I’m behind you, you could give me an elbow to the nose, or throat… or you could use your heel to stomp against my shin or knee, those places would hurt and are unexpected, now try it again.” He cautiously wrapped his arms around me in the same position as before and I broke free of his grips then threw an elbow into his throat.


“Good,” he smiled, “Quick, fast jabs… okay? I’ll still be coming after you until you’ve hurt me enough to make it not worth it, so... Keep going if you need to, but get out of there and run away at the first chance, just make sure he can’t catch you when you do.”


“Okay.” 


“If you were facing me, like you are now, you could kick low into the shin and be sure to put your body into it,” he said, as he showed me in slow motion. “You know how to kick, like kicking a soccer ball. I don’t need to teach you that… Or do a knee to the groin, but that will be the first place a man will protect, even more so than his face. I’d rather be punched in the face than kneed in the groin.”


“Really?”


“Yeah, really, so a kick to the shin, or an elbow to the throat and then when you’ve stunned them, go for the groin… let’s try it again. I’m going to continue to come after you so keep with me… think you can handle it?” He asked, then without waiting for my response, a crooked smile grew on his cheeks, then he said. “Oh, and don’t really knee me in the jewels, please.”


I laughed aloud. “I wouldn’t do that!”


“Good, because it would be in your own best interests, if you didn’t injure me,” he said, as an uncontainable smile filled my cheeks. He chuckled.


“Is that so?” I asked, as he crept closer to me and gently wrapped me in his arms. “Are we starting yet? Because you’re not behind me.”


No, not yet,” he whispered, then pressed his hands into the small of my back and pulled me close as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He kissed me softly, then pulled away. “I needed to kiss you first… ready?”


“Yeah,” I said, as I looked deep into his eyes, his rugged gentleness and passionate blue eyes sent a shudder through me and stole my breath. “Thank you… for helping me.”


“You’re welcome,” he said, as he kissed my forehead and held me close. His smile grew mischievous then he whipped me around in one swift move, still close to his body as it conformed around mine, then he softly grabbed my wrists. “I’m ready when you are.”


My nerves prickled as my anxiety awakened just enough to put me on the defense. I thrust down again, this time quick and steady, but restrained moves. My wrists twisted to sever his bounds then I stomped down on his shin. He continued after me with mocked force in rhythm with me, molten, as if dancing the same dance, different rolls, but in sync as one, beautiful. He staged his assault and I countered his every move and matched him one for one.


I watched his eyes to anticipate his next move. His hand rose up as if to strike. I twisted into a sideways stance as I blocked it with my forearm then in fluid motion, launched an elbow into his gut.  He groaned with my unexpected assault even though restrained, it took him off guard then I threw a straight hand, like a blade into his throat as I turned to face him. I lunged forward as I put my body into it and kneed him softly in the groin. He flinched as he reacted to protect himself despite of my lack of contact.


I stopped my counterattack, my lips inches from his, my breaths labored from my actions and his dizzying effect on me as he wrapped an arm around the small of my back to pull me close to him.


“You did well, Jade,” he said, as he cupped my cheek and rested his forehead against mine and he smiled. “Do you want to know what would happen if you tried a high kick instead of knee me?”


“Yeah,” I said.


“Try to kick me.”


I stepped back after he released me then I offered a simulated kick. He grabbed my leg with one hand and with the other, grabbed me around my waist as he took a step forward. Then he placed his next step carefully on the inside of my standing leg and twisted around it. I gasped as he held me at his mercy, then carefully lowered me to the ground as he hovered over me. I looked into his eyes, soft and caring, but hesitant, as if he searched mine for any signs of fear.


I smiled, then tugged at his shirt to pull him closer, until the weight of him rested on me and his elbows, at either side of my head. His fingers found my hair as they became entwined, like our legs. His warm body, pressed into mine, comfortable, perfect and molded to one another as he fought through his own restraints and kissed me with tender waves of his lips.


“Stay on your feet,” he said, as he pulled his lips from mine. The pendant around his neck dangled over mine, the sharp end of the sheathed sword brushing gently on the sensitive parts of my skin. “The worst position they could get you into… is on the ground.”


“Okay,” I said, then instantly remembered Damian’s attack on me in front of Marge’s and a shudder cursed through me. The first thing he did when he caught me was shove me to the ground.


“Have I scared you?” He asked, with sincere worry.


“No, you don’t scare me,” I said, and gave him a fleeting smile then drew in a quick breath as I heard a gruff voice, loud and insistant outside the tent.


Gage’s brows arched with alertness as the muffled tones grew closer. He jumped off me quickly and walked towards the front. The warmth of his body gone as the cold air settled around me. I stood with cautious indecision as I recognized Darby’s burly voice full of battering criticism as he ranted about something.


“We can’t possibly move all of the injured at this time.” Another familiar voice, Dr. Walstrom.


“We’ll move them last, but they will be moving,” Darby said.


The tent flap whisked open, putting them both in view but the doctor remained outside as Darby ducked his head slightly and entered, then looked up to see Gage. His expression lacked surprise as if he expected to find him here. “I’ve been looking for you,” Darby said, his voice a low rumble. His eyes grew wary as he scanned the insides of the poorly lit tent, then with a delayed acknowledgement, his eyes settled on me as I stepped forward.


“What for?” Gage asked, caution in his voice.


“I need you to drive a truck over,” he said as he walked over to the nearest open box and picked up a handgun. I watched him as he eyed it with scrupulous interest and turned it around in his hand, then he looked up at me. Unmoved, I stood in the echoless silence as I tried to appear indifferent and unaffected by his daunting glower. He tossed it aside as if bored with it and unimpressed, then with an afterthought, he picked it back up and held it up to show it to me as he stalked forward. He stopped inches from me as I glanced at Gage, his jaw set firm, his fists balled, ready to strike Darby at any sign of threat towards me. My attention shifted back to Darby as he pulled a clip from his belt. “You should probably carry something if you’re going to be here, you never know when you might need it,” he paused, as he handed it to me along with the clip. “This one should work for you.”


He watched me through calloused eyes and a smirk as if he waited for me to shy away. I took it without hesitation and looked at it with interest, then snapped the clip into place and engaged the bullet. I held it up to focus on an obscure target in the distance. It felt comfortable, light in my hand, and a small, brief smile grew on my face at the memory of my dad a few years back, showing me how to use one.


I disengaged the bullet, switched on the safety and reached around to stuff the pistol in my Levi’s. The metal barrel, icy cold and rigid against my back, an instant reminder of the power and threat it possessed. “Thanks,” I said, my eyes lit with appreciation and I offered a smile at his unusual gesture, his masked with indifference but I knew he was annoyed, probably overly confident I would shy away and surprised by my knowledge of how to use a gun. I glanced over his shoulder at Gage. His face remained expressionless as he watched the exchange, then I saw his lip curl slightly for a brief moment as an approving smile surfaced in his eyes. 


He turned to Gage. “Casey is waiting for you… the truck is loaded and ready, parked outside the mess tent,” he fumed.


“Yes sir,” he said.


Darby’s jaw twitched as he shot me a final glare then he stormed out of the tent.