I took out another.

  “Couldn’t I just hand you the rifle?” I asked.

  “Where’d be the fun in that?” she replied, and adjusted my body, hands on my waist, chuckling. “See? Fire!”

  Again I shot, again one dropped.

  “One left,” she said, as the sounds of fighting went on behind us. Her hands went to my chest, adjusting my position, then slid down my sides, to my hips, and she leaned in. “Fire.”

  I shot, but the shudder through my body left dead air, no dead ghost.

  “Maybe flirting isn’t the best idea right now,” Death Girl mumbled, more to herself, and then said, “Shit, duck and shoot up!”

  I did, and felt something plow into me a moment later. Struggling to break free, trying to lash out and attack, it only registered a moment later that the thing wasn’t moving.

  “Got it,” Death Girl said, pulling me up so that I was staring into her skull. In the reflection of her glass, I could see the others, all standing ready over dead enemy bodies.

  “Move it, love birds,” Ria called as she started for the door they’d come through.

  Death Girl took a step, but I held her arm. It was cold, hard. “You were flirting with me?”

  She shrugged, broke free, and kept going. I grinned, following. The fighting kept on like that, us charging through corridors and lighting up those motherfuckers, until finally we went for the bridge only to find walls closing around us as more walls opened, more enemy closing in. We had no choice but to fight our way through them, to get our backs up against a wall, and that led us to a secondary flight deck, a room where maybe fighter ships had once been, but now stood empty, hatch-door open.

  “Fuck it, we can blow this place from here,” Ria said, glancing around.

  “What do you mean?” Meher asked. “Without us dying?”

  Ria shrugged.

  “As far as she’s concerned, her enemy is dead, or will be with Trinnar’s death,” Gloria said, nodding. “I get it, but I don’t accept it.”

  “You have a better option?” Ria asked.

  “I do,” I said. “We blow it, but then fly to safety.”

  “I’m not sure you noticed,” Ria said. “But I’m the only one with wings here.”

  “Wrong.” I pointed to the approaching Renden, grinning.

  “Now you’re thinking,” Gloria said, and then looking out at the rest of the enemy, she laughed. “I can make things explode, right?”

  “That’s right,” Ria replied.

  “Then I make them explode. All of them. Push them back so they’re touching—”

  “Better yet, I connect them via blood,” I interrupted.”

  “What?”

  “We kill a couple. I can get the blood on them to use it like a conduit. You take one and throw it, as you explode… I make the connection.”

  “Fucking do it!” Ria said with a laugh, clearly loving the idea.

  The first step was to get some of the Renden separate from the others. We did this and it all went according to plan. Then Gloria went tank on them, heaving up one of the snake women and swinging her around before tossing her into the mix.

  “Run!” I shouted, and we corralled our Renden toward the open doors, my focus first on connecting the blood behind, then on the Renden.

  “There aren’t enough,” I said, realizing there was one less of those Renden creatures than we needed, even with Ria flying.

  “Hey, immortal, right?” Bubblegum said.

  “No,” Ria corrected her. “Near immortal. If you’re splattered all over the ground, I don’t think your powers will be enough. But… even with that arm, I might be able to carry you.”

  “It’s all we’ve got,” I said as I strapped my rifle to my back.

  The explosion started, rippling through the crowd of enemy forces.

  We took our blood-controlled Renden while Bubblegum held onto Ria, and we prepared to jump. All of us running, Renden carrying us, shaking as their minds tried to fight it, we leapt—but something caught hold of me! I turned and kicked, instinctively pushing against blood that might be there, trying to scare off an enemy. But it was not a simple Renden or even a ghost, it was Trinnar himself! Glowing gold, green magic coursing over him, latching himself to me.

  The explosion reached us and we were knocked from the ship, with him still latched onto me. Falling through the air, flailing, the two of us fighting as each of his touches sent horrible pain through me and yet charging me fully at the same time. My strikes would land on him, knocking him back, and then his on me, charging me again. I felt like we were like those old Irish boxers, only the superpowered kind.

  The ship was starting to fall behind us, explosions going off and other supers jumping for it, some flying, others not. Using that as a distraction, I waited, letting him hit me twice more, grinning as I felt the pain spreading farther than it had before, watching as the green charge turned to blue. Leveled up super charge, bitch.

  My strike hit, sending the three colors with it so that yellow sent him back, green caused some sort of tremor through his skin, and blue shot through him. And he was loose tumbling through the air, eyes hollow.

  By now my Renden was almost on the ground, so I jumped, rolling, and came up ready for a fight. With a thud, Trinnar landed at my side and went splat, I stared, the others landing too. I was about to turn away, to join them, when to my horror he started pulling himself back together again, like liquid metal reforming.

  “It’s not going to be that easy for you,” I said, and was glad I still had the rifle with me. I stepped up, placed it against his head, and pulled the trigger. The bullets tore through him, leaving him in a pulpy mess of golden blood.

  “To be safe,” I mumbled, and then used my blood powers to scatter the blood and tissue, sinking some into the ground, and some spread off in multiple directions around us, so that the wind picked it up and it was gone.

  “That’s a good example of literal overkill,” Ria said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “The bullets pulverizing his head would’ve done it.”

  “Eh,” I replied, and hefted my rifle up onto my shoulder, watching as the spaceship we’d destroyed fell past us and the sand dunes, hitting the water as it exploded. “One ship down, how many more to go?”

  She looked to the sky, the others starting to gather around. As we watched, more ships suddenly started careening into each other, some exploding, others taking off from Earth in retreat.

  “What’s…?” I started, but then saw a bright light above, hitting one of the ships. “They’re being attacked.”

  “Maybe the others saw what we did, came to help?” Meher suggested.

  “Possibly,” Death Girl said. “Or maybe it’s good timing.”

  “So… we go up there and join in?” Bubblegum asked, a wary look in her eyes.

  “No,” I said, gesturing to the ships headed for Earth in the distance. “There will be enemy on those ships, assholes who will attack, who will need to be killed.”

  “Hunting party?” Bubblegum let one of her guns whirr to life. “I like it.”

  Ria considered, then nodded. “Me too. We find the enemy who’ve been attacking or hiding out, we eradicate them, or turn them to our side.”

  “You think they’ll turn?” I asked.

  She nodded. “And in the process, we expand the team, grow into a force to be reckoned with.”

  “Ooh, get a cool name, even?” Meher said.

  “We’ll see about that last part,” Ria said, laughing. “For now…” She looked over all of us. A bloody, beaten bunch. “If the Humvee is still in one piece, I’d say we get the hell out of here, find a place to recharge and heal, then get to it.”

  I couldn’t agree more. If we were going to go on the hunt, we’d need some rest.

  26

  Earth was far from saved, but as we arrived at a bed and breakfast outside of town and enough away from the chaos that we could regroup and figure out the plan of attack, the news channels were all saying it looked like something was happening out there, that enemy ships were firing on each other, and that there were dissenters among the traitors who had joined them. It was also reported that the other superhero group with the fox-lady was tearing the enemy apart.

  Good, we’d be able to focus on the ground while they did their thing up there.

  But first, we were in need of refreshments, and damn I had to take a piss. You never think of it when charging out to battle, or running for your life, but your body still needs to let out the excess.

  We grabbed some water, bananas, and muffins from the lobby while Gloria got keys for a room and left credits at the automated desk, we headed up. Ria had been working her healing powers in the car, taking care of some of the wounds. Bubblegum was now self-healing and Death Girl a fucking badass of metal. Most of my pain was expelled with my charged attacks, though I still had some scrapes and burns that she dealt with. Gloria, too, had deflected a lot of the attacks with her new tank power, but needed some healing for surface damage.

  I made straight for the bathroom, only pausing momentarily to appreciate the room, noting that it had a separate dining area and patio. Doing my business and then washing my hands, I took a deep breath and shook my head, playing back over the day’s events. All of that chaos, and then we end up in this quaint little place. It was a cute bed and breakfast, complete with shell soaps and paintings of lighthouses. The walls were a soft yellow, towels baby blue.

  “Someone save me a banana,” I started to call out, then turned to see Meher entering, starting to strip.

  “I could use a shower. You?”

  “Of course,” I replied, starting to get used to how this team operated. “Do we… have time?”

  Ria popped her head in. “Remember, passion, intimacy—helps refocus your powers. So… not only do we have time, but we should make time.” She tossed me a banana. “There you go.”

  I devoured it, watching as Meher undid her bra, breasts falling out and looking so gorgeous, so beautiful, so in need of my tongue and hands caressing them.

  “Need some popcorn, too?” Meher asked. “Or you getting in here?”

  Damn, popcorn actually sounded good. Not as good as joining her, though. She stepped over, took my arm, and put the last bite of banana in her mouth, very suggestively.

  “I was eating that,” I said, jokingly, and she hit me, then started undoing my pants.

  “Maybe I can make it up to you.”

  I nodded, but pointed to the shower. “I’ll join you.”

  She arched an eyebrow, but turned, glancing over her shoulder, and entered the shower. Damn, watching that ass as she stepped in had me hard in a heartbeat. As much as I’d have been turned on by her undressing me, we’d been through a hell of a lot and I had to imagine I wasn’t smelling my best. With that in mind, I quickly finished undressing, poked my head into the shower to watch her lathering up, and then stepped in as well.

  Her hands already soapy, she apparently got the idea because she went straight to cleaning me. Only, instead of using her hands, she pressed her soaped up body to mine, moving it up and down, and then guiding me to the water.

  Our lips met and our hands explored each other, caressing, appreciating. Her eyes lit up as she nibbled my lower lip, pulling back and letting go to move her head down. She pushed me against the wall, giving her room to kneel and wrap her lips around my cock. I leaned my head back against the tiled wall, eyes closed, and let the tingling bliss take over.

  A giggle sounded, and I opened my eyes to see the Gloria and Bubblegum watching. When Meher looked up, I thought she’d stop, but instead she smiled, pulled my dick out of her mouth, and slid it across her face, putting on a show.

  “Hot damn,” Gloria said, and then she was pulling her clothes off, too.

  “I’m not sure you’ll fit in there,” Bubblegum said with a laugh.

  “Not going to try,” Gloria replied. “I’m getting ready so that when they get out, I can rinse as fast as possible and join them in the other room.”

  Meher looked up at me and shrugged, and I gave a slight nod. I pulled her up for a kiss, going to her breasts next to enjoy them while they were wet, and then we stepped out and gave Gloria her chance to rinse.

  “You two go ahead,” Bubblegum said. “I’ll join, but need to figure out how to rinse with this metal arm thing.”

  “We’ll be waiting,” Meher said with a wink to her and a seductive glance in Gloria’s direction.

  “Oh, come on,” Death Girl said as we emerged naked, though she clearly didn’t even pretend to look away.

  “You can join, if you want,” Meher suggested.

  Death Girl stared a moment longer, then turned and walked out into the dining area, where she sat and faced away from us. Meher gave me a ‘that was strange,’ look, but it only lasted a second before she was pulling me back to the bed. Ria was sitting on the edge of the bed, already nude, waiting.

  “Oh,” Meher said, pleasantly surprised. “You… don’t need a shower?”

  “Girl, I was a succubus,” Ria replied, gesturing at her perfect form. “We’re built for this.”

  “Meaning, you don’t need to bathe?”

  Ria nodded, and then held out her arms. “See for yourself, clean as a whistle, and I smell delightful.”

  Meher leaned in and sniffed, then licked her lips. “Delicious, I’d say.”

  I chuckled, and Ria arched an eyebrow. “Don’t believe me?” She motioned me over, and then spread her legs, pulling me down and then shoving my face into her pussy. “Have a taste.”

  Sure enough, there was no salty or sour taste to her, more of a flavor that reminded me of a very lightly spiced pumpkin pie. If you knew anything about me and pumpkin pie, you’d know that I was all in. As she and Meher began kissing above, I was having my fill.

  As Ria started to move her hips, really getting into it, she scooted back, pulling me up so she could kiss me, her tongue moving passionately with mine. I wanted to be inside of her, so pushed her back—only her wings were in the way. She grinned, then positioned herself so that she was half back, propped up on her arms, and her eyes darted down in a welcoming way.

  Meher seemed to anticipate the moment, kissing my neck, my shoulder, my arm, and reached down to guide me smoothly into the other woman.

  “Make her cum fast,” she whispered into my ear, “and then I want you to fuck the hell out of me.”

  “I’ll do my best,” I replied, and grabbed Ria’s hips to slide into her, feeling her warm, tight pussy take me. She moved with the motion for a moment, but less than a minute later she was already arching her back and breathing heavy, Meher at her side, mouth on her breast. Climax took hold, and before it was even fully over, Meher pushed me aside, climbed on, and began riding me.

  I was good with that, glad for the chance to lay back and watch her large breasts sway with the movement, to observe as the shadows moved across her curves. My eyes met hers and we held that gaze until she came too, leaving me wondering what was up with these women cumming so fast.

  “Guess we… were ready,” Meher said, slowly sliding up and down on my cock, body shaking.

  “It’s my fault,” Ria admitted. “Me being here, and the powers. How it all works—kind of makes you more prone to orgasm.”

  “Damn,” I said. “And here I was thinking it was just me being amazing.”

  “That too,” Ria said, leaning over to kiss me, hand moving along my hip bone then to Meher’s clit to bring her one extra quick spasm of pleasure.

  “Perfect timing,” Gloria said. She was drying herself off, and tossed the towel aside at the sight of Meher climbing off of me.

  I started to sit, not sure how she’d want this, but she took me, pulled me to the edge of the bed, and then knelt.

  “I want to lick their juices off of you,” she said, gripping my cock in her large hand and then jamming it in her mouth. She was rough, intense… and it was fun. Nothing like I was used to. Yet, when she decided she’d had enough and knelt on the bed, legs up under her so I could take her from behind, there was something gentle and vulnerable about her.

  My cock tickled her freshly cleaned asshole, and she trembled, putting a hand back. “No, not there. Not… yet.”

  It hadn’t been my plan anyway, but I put a reassuring hand on hers, continuing down with my cock until it slid gently into her pussy. She reached back with her other hand, too, so that I took both and was holding her like that as I pressed my hips against her ass and started rocking inside her, gently at first, and then showing her how I could bring it, treating her like the woman she was, giving her the best fuck I could, the fuck all of these women deserved.

  She loved it, and when I turned her over and was fucking her there at the side of the bed, Ria and Meher caressing each other and watching, Gloria started yelping, squirting, and shaking the whole bed so that it was slamming against the wall.

  “For fuck’s sake!” Death Girl shouted, and then stormed out of there, slamming the door.

  Honestly, it was good timing, because I was definitely going to cum if that hadn’t happened, and Bubblegum had just emerged, ready for me.

  “What’s up with her?” Bubblegum asked.

  “Wants the dick all to herself, I’d guess,” Meher said. Then, at a scowl from Ria, added, “What?”

  “Maybe,” Ria admitted. “Not all women are okay with other women being involved, especially at the same time.”

  “Maybe… we should talk to her? Let her know she can have some alone time with Contra here, if she’d like?”

  I was standing there with my cock about to erupt, my head not really clear, but clear enough to know someone should definitely talk to Death Girl. With a grunt, I nodded, and then turned to Bubblegum.

  She cocked her head, then laughed. “Look at you, thinking you’re some ride at a carnival. We all just get in line, huh?”