Chapter 50: I’ve got you

Chapter 50: I’ve got you

A large pack of wolves had taken to chasing their prey to the walls of Nassau. At first Mason thought they just happened to look for food near the settlement, but he’d begun to realize: it was a hunting strategy.

They chased large, fast prey all the way to Nassau to trap it against the stone wall so they could surround and kill it. He was rather impressed, actually, but the dangerous creatures were terrifying the civilians, and would likely kill someone sooner or later. So it was time to teach them it wasn’t worth the risk.

He went out after them alone as dusk fell and the creatures were on the hunt. His senses had been getting clearer and clearer and he could see well enough at night with just a shred of moonlight. Nassau had other players he could have taken as support, but Mason moved faster alone.

In fact he moved much faster. As a Ranger and Druid he felt no fear in the trees—the forest itself seemed to move around him, welcoming and urging him on. It was his home, his protection, his shield.

Unlike the other citizens of Nassau, Mason also regenerated. He had already taken wounds that should have killed an ordinary man, but he always woke up with new scars. He also happened to be a ‘tier 1’ player, which meant he was in the top 10% of power of all players everywhere. He carried titles that meant he’d been the first to reach lvl 5, and level 11, also in the entire world.

This meant more or less he wasn’t afraid of a few wolves. It was a little ego boosting to be sure, but mostly his own power just reminded him how weak the others were.

His brother Blake was the one who wanted to found some kind of city or country or God only knew what. He was, in fact, adamant, despite Mason’s preference to stay in the woods and keep moving. Unfortunately it was also the preference of his assistant/girlfriend/bonded-civilian Haley—a beautiful French Canadian ex-jazz singer, now technically his in the post-apocalypse.Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

Thinking about her made Mason smile. He’d rescued her from some awful dungeon in a giant tree, the place full of half hyena men called gnolls. She turned him on more than any other woman in his life. And even in the search for his brother he’d been fucking the girl pretty regularly in trees and hammocks...and forest floors.

Now that they were settled, and without much else pressing to do, she’d spent more time on her back than her feet. Well, he sometimes took her on her feet, too.

In fact between his ever growing stats, and his regeneration power, he had begun to feel nearly insatiable.

Haley had practically kicked him out to hunt down the wolves just for a rest for her bruised, aching body.

Mason cleared his mind and focused on the forest signs. He raced effortlessly through the trees using his Aspect of the Cheetah power, enhancing his movement and stamina in any natural place. He heard birds warning each other up ahead. He felt the quiet of the animals hiding in their lairs and holes, hoping some predator would pass them by. The pack was close.

He found their tracks not far from the river South of Nassau, a smile crossing his face as he thought of the battle to come. Whatever else was true of Mason in this new world, the deadly peril of mortal combat made him feel truly alive in a way only Haley’s thighs remotely achieved.

He wouldn’t kill the whole pack. It felt...wrong, somehow, perhaps because of his role as a druid. He felt as if the wolves were somehow part of his responsibility, maybe not as individuals, but as a pack. That to spare some part of them was as important as protecting his town. But that didn’t mean the ranger part of him couldn’t cull their pack.

They needed to fear the pink hairless monkeys they found in their woods. Because once they feared them, they’d leave them well alone, and both man and wolf be a lot safer for it.

He refocused on his run, and went straight South.

* * *

Rebecca stared at the settlement walls and tried not to show the terror she felt. Everyone was counting on her.

“What do we do, Becky?”

Darlene—a middle-age crafter-type civilian—stared up with wide, expectant eyes. Then Bill the engineer and Aila the nurse followed suit. It was almost enough to break Rebecca into tears.

They only had one other player—an older Vietnamese warrior, currently lying half dead on the bench. Rebecca kept all her terror and exhaustion behind a thin mask of false bravery, and knelt down at the old man’s side.

“How is he, Aila?”

The young, tanned, black haired city girl looked at her make-shift bandages and threw up her hands. “I’ve stopped the bleeding, but there might be more internally. And if there is I need someplace to operate except I don’t have any tools, and I’m not really a surgeon. I don’t have the skills or powers for that yet. I just don’t know, Becky. I don’t know.”

Rebecca put a hand to the girl’s slender shoulder, trying to offer some strength she no longer had. They’d been attacked almost constantly since leaving the tutorial. The older man—Phuong—was an ex-soldier on old Earth and a very versatile combat class in the great game. Between his offensive skills and Rebecca’s defensive powers they’d managed to barely survive. But just as they’d thought they’d escaped for good on a mysterious boat, some kind of wolf pack had caught them, and Phuong and been bitten several times before they fled.

He’d lost a lot of blood, then he’d lost consciousness. They’d floated for several hours with the current of the river, but now they’d found these huge walls and some kind of settlement, and they had no idea what might be inside. Rebecca had been relying on Phuong’s guidance for damn near everything, and she had no idea what to do.

“So they’re not murderous pirates, then?”

Blake’s voice. It came from the direction of Nassau, along with several incompetently loud sets of footsteps.

“We...we got wounded,” the girl managed between sobs. Mason tried to push the girl back a little so he could run and get the rest, but as he did she renewed her efforts to squeeze out his air, burying her face in his shoulder.

“Go get the damn boat,” Mason barked at his brother, then did his best to check the girl for wounds. Her white blouse was filthy and shredded and currently see through enough to make it clear she didn’t have a bra. Mason did his best not to stare at the erect nipples on her small, unbelievably perky breasts. He found some cuts and bruises but nothing major, though he was trying to convince himself she might need a full, hand-touched inspection to be sure.

“I’m alright now,” the girl looked somewhat shy as she released her deathgrip on Mason’s chest. Her accent was Southern though he couldn’t place it, which made her a damn girl next door. She didn’t entirely let go of him, and their faces were only inches apart.

“I’m Mason.” He gestured towards the river. “Those idiots over there trying to catch your boat with sticks is my brother Blake and his minions. But you’re at a settlement now. You’re all safe.”

Water formed in the girl’s eyes as she nodded and gave him a full-toothed, radiant smile. He’d known just from a glance that her face was made for it, and he felt an almost instant urge to murder anyone who tried to hurt her. He had to fight it down, somewhat shocked at his own reaction.

In the background he heard Blake and his men had finally managed to get the boat to the shore, doing their best to convince the folk inside they weren’t all about to get slaughtered.

“What’s your name?” Mason asked to distract the girl.

“Rebecca. Becky,” she said.

God damn. Even her voice was cute. Like she was some innocent little thing and all she needed was protection.

“OK Becky. We’re going to stand now. Ready to try?”

“I think so.”

He scooped her up with one arm behind her back, not at all unhappy when she swayed and sagged against him.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

“You’re good. But I think I’ll just carry you.”

He lifted her up to a princess carry, far too strong now to be bothered by the weight. She leaned her head against his shoulder as she groaned, relaxing into his arms.

“My brother will see to your friends,” he assured her as he walked towards Nassau. “Let’s just get you taken care of.”

“Thank you,” she muttered, voice dropping off slightly. “I’m Becky,” she said again, clearly forgetting she’d told him in her half passed-out state.

He smiled, liking her name, and the feel of her in his arms, and just about everything about her you pleased.

“Don’t you worry, Becky,” he said quietly. “I’ve got you now. I’ve got you.”

He kicked open the heavy gate, and walked her straight towards his house.

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